Up next in our Avatar: The Last Airbender Series: Fire! Is it all just burning passion and raging destruction? What does it mean to have a fiery personality? Today we explore how characters like Zuko, Iroh, and Azula each represent this element. Watch the video to see if you might be a Firebender deep down.

TRANSCRIPT

Zuko: “I know you’re nervous, but remember: firebending in and of itself is not something to fear.” S1 E31

Avatar: The Last Airbender dissects human nature according to the four elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. In this Avatar series, we’re looking at the deeper meaning of each element and how you can know which one most defines your essence. In our first video of the series, we discussed what makes someone a Water Personality, who embraces constant change while maintaining a steadfast love for one another.

In this episode, we’ll be looking at water’s opposite: Fire, to understand what makes someone a Fire personality, in the World of Avatar, and in our own.

For most of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the Fire Nation is positioned as the enemy: the cause of imbalance in the world.

“Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked.” -Title Sequence

But as we learn later on, the Fire Nation isn’t inherently evil. It’s just misunderstood, and sometimes misguided. Firebenders are dedicated, focused, and intent on achieving their goals, often at any cost. It’s a drive to conquer that mirrors fire’s all-consuming spread. But as we’ll see, the power of fire doesn’t necessarily make you the bad guy. It all depends on how you choose to use it. Here’s our Take on the qualities that define the Fire Nation and how you can tell if you’re a firebender deep down.

The Nature of a Fire Personality: Passion and Destruction

What defines fire? More than anything, it’s passion. You’re a fire personality if you want something and pursue it, by any means necessary.

Iroh: “The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want.” S2 E9

It’s something we learn from our first encounter with the show’s central fire character: Prince Zuko. Zuko is, quite literally, hotheaded - we see him actually breathe fire - and he’s intent on capturing Aang even if it means risking the lives of his own crew.

Zuko: “Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individual’s safety.” S1 E1

Fire personalities often apply their passion for planning and carrying out complex projects, which explains why the Fire Nation is the most technologically advanced society in the world of Avatar. In the show, its culture is the closest to what we think of as a modern civilization, from its citizens’ epicurean diet to its strict schooling and system of etiquette. Firebenders are industrious and innovative people, which explains the rapid changes in the world of Avatar in the years between Aang and Korra’s lives— including the construction of large factories that run on applied lightning bending.

But fire is also destructive. While the other elements can be abused, fire, by its very nature, inflicts damage and pain. We’re never far from a reminder of the deadly power of fire—whether it’s the murder of Sokka and Katara’s mother or the genocide of the Air Nomads. The first time Aang tries to learn firebending, it ends in disaster. Even Zuko himself bears a memento of fire’s harmful capabilities in the burn scars given to him by his own father.

When a powerful person’s passion and ingenuity are given the wrong direction, and their fire is allowed to spread unchecked, the result can be ruinous. Time and again, we see that fire personalities are willing to destroy anyone who gets in their way. Zuko’s great-grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin, was at first motivated by his wanting to make the world a better place, and spread all that the Fire Nation had accomplished.

Sozin: “We should share this prosperity with the rest of the world. In our hands is the most successful empire in history—it’s time we expanded it.” S3 E6

But through his convictions, Sozin became an enormous threat, instigating a war against the rest of the world. The citizens of Fire Nation committed terrible atrocities because they were raised to believe in their own superiority.

Zuko: “Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history, and somehow the war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was.” S3 E10

Still, in the same way, a fire can either keep you warm or destroy your house, cook your food or burn your skin, Avatar also gives us examples of fire’s versatility—the way it can be used for great good, or for great evil, depending on what kind of fire personality you decide to be.

Zuko’s Drive, Azula’s Cruelty and Iroh’s Warmth

Zuko is the most complicated character in Avatar, precisely because he’s so volatile—his fire could turn in any direction. Zuko’s story exemplifies how a firebender’s true nature is forged by choice.

Iroh: “You have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It’s time for you to choose.” S2 E19

Throughout the series, Zuko’s relationship with Aang is the source of his firebending, and the root of his passion. At first, the possibility of capturing Aang represents Zuko’s only chance to return to his old life. Once Zuko fully rejects his old life and joins up with Aang, his firebending is significantly weakened.

Zuko: “For so many years, hunting you was my drive. It was my purpose. So when I joined you, I lost sight of my inner fire.” S3 E13

But in confronting the original firebenders—dragons—Zuko understands something that, if you’re a fire personality, you must come to understand, too: drive comes from inside you. After that, Zuko realizes that Aang still gives him hope, and kindling for his fire—but it’s now the hope for a new Fire Nation and an end to the war. In order to successfully deal with his own inner turmoil, though, Zuko must confront the consequences of his previous actions, and the complexity of his inner fire. He must also move beyond the more superficial, immature drives that fueled his earlier hot-headnesses — like the fire of pride.

Iroh: “Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame, but it’s source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.” S2 E9

The show gives us models for fire’s potential for evil in Zuko’s father, the ruthless Fire Lord Ozai who killed his own father and usurped the throne from his older brother Iroh, and in the more in-depth portrait of Zuko’s fearsome sister, Princess Azula. Azula is arrogant, looking down on anything that doesn’t meet her high standards. You’ve heard the expression that for someone holding a hammer, everything looks like a nail. For Azula, everything looks like kindling, waiting to be burned.

Azula: “None of them could be trusted. Sooner or later, they all would have betrayed me.” S3 E18

If you’ve ever known someone who took bar trivia a little too seriously, you might have met an Azula. So overall, she represents the terrifying extremes of the fire personality, but at the same time, she also exemplifies how impressive fire can be. Flanked by her exceptional and accomplished friends Mai and Ty Lee, intimidating Azula epitomizes the best and the brightest. As a young girl, she easily outshines her brother in aptitude, and it’s understandable that she’s frustrated at being encouraged to follow more traditionally girly pursuits. Azula scares her followers into serving her—Mai and Ty Lee; the Earth Kingdom’s secret police, the Dai Li; and the Fire Nation itself—but she also commands their respect. She demonstrates fire’s terrible charisma — how it can draw people to the flames—even though you should be wary of standing too close. Yet Azula is also a cold person.

Azula: “He found out his son died and he just fell apart! A real general would stay and burn Ba Sing Se to the ground.” S2 E7

Her flames contain none of the warmth of human compassion; she’s driven by a bottomless greed for personal success and power. She doesn’t trust even her closest friends. The chilling aspect of Azula’s personality is encapsulated in her preferred form of firebending—lightning generation.

Iroh: “Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire. It is precise and deadly, like Azula.” S2 E9

Most compellingly of all, we see the warm, nourishing side of fire in Zuko’s uncle Iroh.

Iroh’s version of fire is balanced and demonstrates a self-awareness and understanding of life as a whole that eludes many of the other firebenders. Whereas other Fire Nation leaders force people into battle or demand blind obedience, Iroh nurtures spirits, rather than scorching them. At the beginning of the series, he patiently stays by Zuko’s side, subtly offering expert guidance and genuine affection, while pretending to play the silly old man. Over time we come to see that the wise, mature, tea-loving Iroh is essentially an older version of Zuko. He, too, was once ambitious and seeking glory, before suffering changed him. As we learn more about the choices Iroh made, we see the many lessons he learned about tempering his fire when necessary—such as choosing not to kill the last dragons in the world or refusing to turn on Zuko, even in his nephew’s darkest moments. It’s a steely resolve born of being burned himself: by the devastating loss of his son in the war. Yet Iroh’s pain (like Zuko’s) ultimately helps form a whole, mature firebender who understands that the world’s harmony must come before fire’s supremacy.

Iroh: “The Fire Nation needs the moon too. We all depend on the balance.” S1 E20

His outlook is informed by the strengths of the other elements, too - like the adaptability of water, and the humor and lightness of air. In the end, Iroh demonstrates that the most powerful, transformational flame is quiet, steadfast love.

Iroh: “The secret ingredient is love.” S2 E13

Fire Personalities in Our World: Burning Beyond Avatar

The people of the Fire Nation are reminiscent of many of pop culture’s most fascinating characters outside of Avatar. Many of our greatest, most terrifying villains have fire personalities. They’re single-minded in their passions no matter the consequences. Their charisma makes them natural-born leaders. And they’re so consumed by their ambitions, they’re willing to destroy everything around them.

Alfred Pennyworth: “Some men just want to watch the world burn.” - The Dark Knight

Like the firebenders, many of our greatest villains begin as brilliant, if misguided people. Consider Spider-Man 2 antagonist Dr. Otto Octavius, who turns to crime to complete a project intended to provide the world with clean energy. Or Black Panther’s Erik Kilmonger, who seeks to use the tremendous resources of Wakanda to free his people all over the world. And, of course, there’s Daenerys Targaryen. Game of Thrones’ Mother of Dragons stokes fire with her words, winning powerful allies to her crusade for vengeance and justice. But eventually, like so many fire personalities, she is finally devoured by the destructive allure of her flames. Still, heroes can be just as single-minded. They also tend to be impulsive, and often act without giving much thought to the consequences or the collateral damage caused. Many of our most exciting stories are about fighting fire with fire—two equally strong personalities with conflicting goals, clashing in an epic battle. They are, essentially, Agni Kai, the Fire Nation’s ritual of single combat, which pits two strong firebenders against each other. They are stories of heroes and villains who are more alike than they are different and who are inextricably connected, by the similar fire that fuels them both.

Fire personalities are compelling, in Avatar: The Last Airbender and beyond, because their passion stimulates a spark in us. We feel energized by them, invigorated to match the power of the passion.

And we can often admire their grandiose, idealistic goals—even when the pursuit of their ambitions leads them astray from their original noble intentions.

Tony Stark: “Give me a break! I’m doing what has to be done, to stave off something worse.” - Captain America: Civil War

The fire personality’s impossible struggle to maintain their zeal and drive, while adhering to the principles of their guiding vision, can be both inspirational and tragic. And if we look around our world, we see the indelible impact of fire personalities everywhere, for better and worse—they can lead us toward incredible advancement, or fuel unimaginable destruction.

Works Cited

Walton, Andrew. “Elements: Fire.” Astrology.com, 25 Sept. 2017.

https://www.astrology.com/astrology-101/elements/fire

DeSimone, Maria. “About the Fire Signs: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius.” Tarot.com, 28 Mar. 2020.

https://www.tarot.com/astrology/fire-sign-element

Faragher, Aliza Kelly. “Each Zodiac Sign’s Unique Personality Traits, Explained by an Astrologer.” Allure, 31 Mar. 2020.

https://www.allure.com/story/zodiac-sign-personality-traits-dates

Ward, Kerry. “Leo traits and personality explained.” Cosmopolitan, 19 July 2019.

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/horoscopes-monthly/a28208924/leo-traits/