Iroh (Avatar: The Last Airbender)/Relationships

The relationships of Uncle Iroh from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
==Family==
===Ozai===
Younger Brother; Disowned
Iroh has been aware of his brother Ozai's brutality since they were teenagers. He knew that his brother had been temperamental since their first game of Pai Sho together. Later, Iroh was temporarily impressed with his brother's popularity at school, but this diminished once he realized his brother's crude nature. Since then, Iroh kept his distance.
===Ursa===
Former Sister-in-law/Still Regarded Family Member
Ursa cared for her brother-in-law and publicly scolded Azula when the latter stated if Iroh were to be killed in the Siege of Ba Sing Se, Ozai would become the Fire Lord's heir. Ursa defended Iroh, saying that it would be terrible if he did not survive the siege, and was devastated to learn that the general lost his son, Lu Ten, during the battle.
After Ursa's return to the Fire Nation Capital after the end of her banishment, Iroh apologized for the pain his family caused her, but she embraced him with open arms, her face already having lit up with visible joy at seeing him, and told him that his presence always gave her hope.
Iroh later comforted Ursa after her daughter Kiyi was abducted by Azula, disguised as a Kemurikage. She asked about how he had gotten over Lu Ten's death, and Iroh confessed that he never truly had, and consoled her that parents are not always able to protect their children, but can teach them to see fear with unclouded eyes. Iroh accompanied Ursa when she went to visit Ozai in prison, overcoming her fear of her ex-husband.
===Zuko===
Nephew/Surrogate Son
Zuko had always held his uncle in the highest esteem, even though he found it hard to grasp the depth of Iroh's humor and philosophy. Despite not being his biological child, Iroh had always treated Zuko like a second son and offered him the kind of unwavering support and guidance that his own father, Ozai, never could. After the tragic death of his son, Lu Ten, and the subsequent disappearance of Princess Ursa, Iroh's affection for his nephew only grew stronger. He took it upon himself to personally oversee Zuko's training and teach him more peaceful and nonviolent ways to harness his firebending abilities. 
While initially supportive of Zuko's desire to capture the Avatar, Iroh often attempted to steer his nephew towards doing what was right and taking time to appreciate the beauty of the world around them. Their relationship took a turn for the worse when Zuko aligned himself with Azula, and Iroh threw his weight behind Katara and Aang's escape from Ba Sing Se. Despite this setback, Iroh never gave up on Zuko and continued to help him hone his firebending skills, even teaching him the advanced technique of lightning redirection, though he refused to use lightning on his own nephew due to the inherent dangers involved.
After this, the former general of the Fire Nation was locked up in the dungeons. Zuko often visited his uncle, who was disappointed that his nephew lost his way. However, Zuko later turned against Ozai and recognized that Iroh was his true father. He swore to find Uncle Iroh, free him, and beg for his forgiveness. However, Iroh had escaped from prison himself long before Zuko arrived, and Zuko was forced to leave without him. Iroh and Zuko finally reunited prior to the arrival of Sozin's Comet, with a repentant Zuko begging Iroh for forgiveness. Zuko tried begging for his uncle's forgiveness. However, Iroh already did and hugged him. When the Hundred Year War ended and Zuko became Fire Lord, he celebrated the victory with his uncle at the Jasmine Dragon, their tea shop in Ba Sing Se, which had been reopened. Zuko even helped Iroh serve tea to their friends, just like in old times, and appreciating their newfound family with Team Avatar.  
===Azula===
Niece; Disowned
Iroh used to care for his niece, as he sent her a doll from the Siege of Ba Sing Se. However, Azula cares little for her uncle, even showing no sympathy for her uncle for losing his son, Lo Ten, in battle, and staying that his loss was the reason why the first siege failed. By her early teen years, Iroh stated that Azula was "crazy and [needed] to go down." During a later encounter, Azula severely wounded Iroh with a blast of fire. Iroh consistently advised Zuko not to give in to her deceit and selfish demands.
However, he sympathized with Azula's madness and he even encouraged her role in the search for Ursa one year later,
===Azulon===
Father; Deceased
Iron seems to have deep respect for Azulon and has a better relationship with his father than Ozai. Azulon also seemed to sympathize with his eldest son, for his own child Lu Ten's death during the Siege of Ba Sing Se was one of Iroh's greatest regrets. Azulon Also showed no lol towards Iroh for pulling back forces and surrendering to the Earth Kingdom forces. Regardless, he was distraught upon being informed of Azulon's demise.
==Love Interest==
===June===
==Friends and Allies==
===Toph Beifong===
Close Friend
Toph met Iroh in an Earth Kingdom forest when she temporarily separated from Aang, Sokka, and Katara after having an argument. The two had tea together after Iroh poured it for her. Although she had heard stories about the exploits of the Dragon of the West, she was not aware she was talking to him. At first, she believed he only did it because she was blind and thought he believed her to be helpless. However, Iroh reassured her that he poured her tea because he wanted to. He also noticed that Toph and Zuko were almost very similar to each other. He commented that there was nothing wrong with needing help and sometimes people offer help because they want to, not because they believe the other person is incapable. Toph thanked him for the advice and suggested that Iroh tell his nephew how much he means to him.
Toph and Iroh encountered each other again later at Tu Zin when the two participated with Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Zuko in cornering Azula when the two participated with Aang, Sokka, Katara and Zuko in cornering Azula. Iroh's attention was diverted from Azula when he noticed Toph's presence and her association with Aang, Sokka, and Katara, allowing Azula to shoot her uncle. While Toph and the others showed concern for the old man, even with Katara offering to heal him, Zuko violently told Team Avatar to leave them alone.
When Iroh sought Aang, Sokka, and Toph for help in rescuing Zuko, Toph referred to him as an old friend. Toph referred back to her meeting with Iroh in order to reassure Zuko about Iroh forgiving him. She said that Iroh's constant talk about Zuko was "kind of annoying" but "very sweet". When Zuko pulled out Iroh's stinky sandal in order for June's shirt, Nyla, to track down Iroh's scent, she said that Zuko's keeping of Iroh's stinky sandal was "kind of sweet", referring back to her general knowledge about Iroh and Zuko's relationship that was founded upon this first meeting.
However, during her duel with King Bumi, Iroh sided with his older friend over Toph, encouraging him to win for old people. In her adult years, Toph compliments Iroh for his wit, tea, and his advice.
===Aang===
Close Friends
Apart from being abducted by Zuko, walking in on Iroh while he was sleeping, several chance meetings, and showing concern for the older general after Azula shot him during "The Chase," Aang and Iroh didn't truly interact until Season 2. Team Avatar reunited with Iroh in Ba Sing Se when the latter came to Team Avatar for help after his nephew was captured by Azula and her Dai Li agents. Aang's shocked to learn that Iroh and Toph had previously met, with the latter explaining that Iroh gave her tea and advice the few hours she parted from the team. However, they were willing to work with the former Fire Nation general when they realized they needed to rescue Katara and Zuko. 
As the two descended down a series of tunnels, Aang told Iroh that Toph says he gives good advice and makes tea. Iroh what was troubling the young Avatar, who admitted that he wasn't sure if he made the right choice of choosing love over controlling his Avatar State and confused with Proof his fear of they weren't able to save Katara or Zuko or stop Azula if he can't control the Avatar State. While Iroh praised the boy for choosing love over power, Iroh both admitted that he wasn't sure how to answer Aang's questions but reassured the young man that life is like a dark tunnel; you can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel but if you keep moving then you'll come to a better place." After Azula shot Aang with lightning and Zuko betrayed Iroh and Katara, Iroh later stayed behind in Ba Sing Se, urging his two friends to escape.
When Zuko reformed and joined Team Avatar, Aang was surprised to learn from Zuko that Iroh killed one of the last dragons, believing Iroh to be one of the better Firebenders. However, the boys learned from the sun warriors that Iroh only lied about slaying the dragons to protect them
Before Sozin's Comet arrived, Iroh refused Zuko to fight his own brother, believing that fratricide was not the way to win the war. Instead, it is the Avatar's destiny to win this war and Iroh's to conquer Ba Sing Se to free from the Fire Nation. After the war, Iroh and Aang remained good friends. A year after the events of Book 3, Aang took an ill Zuko to the Jasmine Dragon so Iroh could nurse his nephew back to health. By then, Aang only referred to Iroh by name instead of "General Iroh" likely
Aang thanked Iroh for his wisdom, shaping Zuko into the man he is today and now he'll make a good Fire For with Iron's guidance, and acknowledging the old general as an uncle of sorts.
===Katara===
Close Friends
As members of two opposing factions, Katara was of the Water Tribe Iroh was of the Fire Nation, and the former mainly treated Iroh and Zuko as enemies. Despite this, the enmity was merely one-sided, as Iroh showed no ill-will towards her or any of Team Avatar. The only time he ever attacked Sokka, Katara, and Aang was when he helped Zuko launch fire cannons at them in "The Avatar Returns." In "The Waterbending Scroll", Iroh, in part, agrees with Katara that it was her fault that she got herself, and subsequently got Aang and Sokka kidnapped by pirates. This earned him an eyebrow raise from the young Waterbender as Iroh remained impassive to his statement. However, the trio later escaped when Sokka purposefully outed Aang as the Avatar to the Pirates enough to cause an argument between them. Katara never forgot how Iroh had helped them to defend the Moon Spirit from Admiral Zhao. In Book 2, Katara offered to help heal Iroh when he was struck and injured by Azula's lightning but Zuko fired at Team Avatar, causing them to flee. At Ba Sing Se, Katara stopped seeing Iroh as an enemy when he helped her and Aang escape Ba Sing Se.
In the third book, Katara never forgot how Iroh helped her and Aang escape Ba Sing Se. She respected Iroh enough to listen to one of his jokes and assure Zuko that his uncle would forgive him. In a failed attempt to defeat the Fire Lord following Aang's disappearance, Katara's compassion, kindness, and wisdom didn't go unnoticed by Iroh. According to the novelization of Sozin's Comet, Iroh believed that Katara was an ideal match for Zuko. However, she chose to commit to a romance and lifelong marriage to Aang.
In Legacy of the Fire Nation, Iroh thanked Katara for her kindness and compassion. In one of Katara's letters, she mentioned to Iroh that he used to be her enemy but he has become a good friend of hers. Iroh remained one of Aang and Katara's close family friends and Iroh often visited Katara and her family in the South Water Tribe before Tenzin was born.
===Korra ===
===Sokka ===
Good Friends
As the uncle of Prince Zuko, Sokka thought of Iroh as an enemy by proxy. However, the enmity was merely one-sided, as Iroh showed no ill-will towards any of the young heroes,  only attacking them once when trying to help his uncle stop them from escaping.  In a way, Sokka and Iroh complemented each other, given they are more laid-back than their traveling companions (Team Avatar and Zuko), are often seen as comic relief to the audience; but know that they can get serious when a member of their family threatened, such as Katara and Aang for Sokka and Zuko for Iroh.  
In Legacy of the Fire Nation, Sokka was forced to write a letter to him by Katara. Even though he didn't want to, Sokka thanked Iroh for the laughs but also begged him never to give him tea ever again.   
===Team Avatar===
Despite only attacking Team Avatar once and helping Zuko on his quest to capture the Avatar, Iroh never attacked them during the duration of their time fighting each other.
===The Order of the White Lotus===
==Enemies==
===Zhao===
Category:Relationships
Category:Avatar: The Last Airbender