The Next Firelord

Avatar Aang and his companions were able to defeat the Fire Nation army and the leader, Firelord Ozai. Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation had joined their quest to bring the Fire Nation's raids on the world to an end in order to restore harmony between the four nations. Doing this might have been an act of treason, but he did so to save his nation from the destruction of his father. After Firelord Ozai was defeated and Princess Azula imprisoned, the Fire Nation needed someone to become the next Firelord.

Aang approached Prince Zuko shortly after the end of the war to discuss this matter with him. "Zuko, your people need a new ruler. They need someone who will help bring these people into accepting peace. I believe that you are this person."

Zuko looked at Aang with fear in his eyes. "I don't know if I can do this, Aang. I am my father's son. What if I become him and make the wrong decisions? What if I bring war upon my people and the world, again?"

Aang put a hand on Zuko's shoulder and smiled at him. "The fact that you question if you are worthy tells me that you truly are. I know that you are not your father. You have compassion in your heart. You have a love for your people that will help take care of them. You have also seen the world and lived among the people of other nations. You have seen life through their lives. You have so much understanding of the world and it will guide you in making the right choices. You have a heart filled with honor, love, understanding, compassion, and power. You are the correct choice for Firelord."

Zuko looked at Aang and realized that Aang truly believed these words. Zuko still had doubts about his ability to rule justly, but he trusted Aang to know the right thing to do. Zuko accepted Aang's words and agreed to become Firelord.

A few weeks after the end of the war, Zuko stood in his chambers and stared at his reflection in the mirror. All of his friends surrounded him and were smiling with pride at the image of Zuko in full formal royal attire. He looked into each face, from Katara to Sokka to Aang. He knew they believed in him, but he still did not believe in himself. "My friends, you have seen me grow from a lost prince to one who fights for his people. Do you really believe that I am the right choice?"

All of his friends nodded and offered words of encouragement. Katara stepped forward and told him, "I wasn't very quick to trust you when you first joined our quest to defeat the Fire Nation. I thought all people from the Fire Nation were cruel, especially the prince. Then, I got to know you and saw that you truly wanted peace in the world. You have a big heart and cared for not only what was best for your own people, but the entire world. I know that you will make the best Firelord, Zuko."

With these words, Zuko felt empowered. He nodded his head and smiled at each of his friends. "Well, I guess it's time for my coronation then. I'm ready to lead my nation."

Author's Note:

This story is based on a part of The Mahabharata directed by Peter Brook. In the original story, the Pandavas and Draupadi visit Krishna. While they are talking, Krishna tells them that Yudhishthira is the just king the Earth needs. Yudhishthira does not believe that he is capable and worries that others will not be so happy about this decision. He feels he is unworthy and that there are others who also would find him unworthy. His brothers and Krishna try to calm him and encourage him. This is one of my favorite little parts of this epic, so I wanted to find a way to include it. To change up the story a bit, I decided to keep my Avatar theme going and find a way to mix in another story. I decided to combine it with a story about Zuko becoming the next Firelord and his doubts about his abilities to rule justly without becoming his father. Avatar Aang represents Krishna and their friends represent Yudhishthira's brothers. Zuko worries he is unworthy, like Yudhishthira, but he fears that he will become like his father. This theme of the the worthy ruler doubting his abilities and his worth is a common theme in stories. In the end, their ability to question their worthiness ends up being one of the main reasons why they are the right choice.

Image Sources:

• Header Image: Sunset in Norman, by Caitlyn Buckley
• Man in Mirror, Pexels