Avatar: The Last Airbender always emphasized the importance of balance within the world. This was made clearest in the Season 1 finale with the introduction of the moon and ocean spirits, Tui and La. The two spirits circle each other for eternity, pushing and pulling against the other.

Throughout the series, no two characters better exemplify this yin and yang dynamic than Avatar Aang and Fire Nation Prince, Zuko. Despite pushing against one another as adversaries in the ongoing war, they balance each other out and even need each other at various times. As the story progresses, it becomes clear the two are destined to keep crossing paths and eventually work together.

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One major thing that connects them is the fact they’re both fueled by guilt. Season 1's “The Storm” reveals how both Aang and Zuko got into their respective situations. Aang was running away from the Air Nomads when he got caught in the iceberg while Zuko was banished after refusing to fight his father. Throughout much of the series they both try to alleviate the guilt and shame each of those events brought upon them. This motivation is what forces them to clash. Aang’s shame and guilt over abandoning his people motivate him to end the war; Zuko’s guilt of bringing shame to his family motivates him to find the Avatar.

In this respect, Zuko and Aang need each other. This is best shown in Season 1's “The Blue Spirit.” When Aang is captured by Zhao, a masked figure that is later revealed to be Zuko rescues him. Aang represents Zuko’s hope for redemption and a better life, and Zuko keeps Aang out the hands of bigger threats. They may not like each other at that point, but they both know they are better off involved in each other’s lives.

From here, Zuko gives Aang hope for a better world. Despite everything he does to the group, Aang is able to see Zuko isn’t truly evil and holds out hope that he can be better. This is especially important to him because his mission is to bring the world to a better place. Zuko is his litmus test to see if things can actually get better.

They are later pushed back into each other’s paths in Ba Sing Se when Zuko decides to help Azula conquer the Earth capital. His betrayal in Ba Sing Se especially hurts because Aang was close to having his hopes confirmed. The moment is tied to the fall of Ba Sing Se, when many believed the war to be all but over, further solidifying the hopelessness. At that moment, Aang continued to represent Zuko’s aspirations for a better life but in a different way -- this time he represented the alternative path to his true redemption.

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In Season 3's “The Avatar and the Firelord,” we explore the history of Aang’s previous incarnation, Avatar Roku and Zuko’s ancestor, Fire Lord Sozin. The episode tells the story of their broken friendship and how both of their actions led to the 100 Year War. The story shows how both Aang and Zuko are paying for the consequences of those who came before them. The episode also shows a contrast in how each one of them handles destiny. They both believe their futures are pre-determined, but Zuko doesn’t realize he actually has a choice for most of the series. But the episode also reveals Zuko is a descendent of Avatar Roku as well as Fire Lord Sozin, which complicates Zuko’s idea of destiny and further places the Avatar on his alternative path.

zuko in avatar

The final stage in their relationship comes once Zuko leaves the Fire Nation and becomes Aang’s firebending teacher. They fulfill a couple of long-term needs for each other and fuel each other’s fire. Firebending is fueled by passion and drive. Zuko’s drive was capturing the Avatar until he realized that wasn’t his path. But once he changed sides, his fuel became helping the Avatar in restoring balance to the world. In his mind, that is the only thing that could make up for the actions of his family and bring him the redemption he’s always wanted.

Once Aang begins his firebending training, he too comes to terms with his past; specifically, what happened to the Air Nomads. Similarly, the guilt and shame that he feels begin to no longer drive him. And yet, he feels hopeless after the Day of Black Sun invasion failed. Instead of training or making plans to continue the fight, he would rather play around and ignore his problems. He doesn’t have any fuel to firebend until he realizes that Zuko has actually changed his ways, giving him hope the world can also improve, which is what he needs to drive him further. Finally, they truly understand each other. They both had to struggle to move past the dark cloud hanging over them -- something that no one else can relate to that.

The series always made Zuko the protagonist of his own story and made it clear that story was always meant to intersect with Aang’s. Despite being on the opposite side, Zuko and Aang's personalities and backgrounds perfectly complement and push each other to achieve their goals -- like two sides of the same coin; the yin to the other's yang.

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