Azulon

Azulon was the ruler of the Fire Nation for the majority of the Hundred Year War, reigning as Fire Lord from 20 AG until his assassination in 95 AG. He was the son of Fire Lord Sozin, the husband of Ilah, the father of Iroh and Ozai, and the paternal grandfather of Lu Ten, Zuko, and Azula. Azulon's reign was marked by an increased efficiency in the Fire Nation war machine and massive territorial conquests; his leadership in several Earth Kingdom campaigns won him great fame as a general. He was also responsible for the destruction of the Southern Water Tribe, which was nearly annihilated under his orders.
However, after ordering Ozai to kill Zuko due to the former's attempt to usurp Iroh's birthright, Azulon himself was murdered after his daughter-in-law, Princess Ursa, made a deal with Ozai to provide the latter with a poisonous substance, which was used to end Azulon's life. Although seen as uncaring and cruel, even toward his own people, he is remembered as one of the Fire Nation's strongest and most effective leaders.
== History ==
=== Early life ===
Born shortly after the beginning of the Hundred Year War, Azulon was the firstborn of Fire Lord Sozin. A firebending prodigy, he received tutelage in the bending art under his father's supervision from a young age.Avatar: The Last Airbender: Legacy of the Fire Nation, page 11. In his time, Azulon was considered to be one of the best firebenders in the world, and no one would dare challenge him. He was favored by his father over another family member, which contributed to Azulon's own views on family.Avatar: The Last Airbender: Legacy of the Fire Nation, page 28. Over time, he grew into a ruthless and frightening man who demanded perfection.
Just like his father, Azulon attempted to find the missing Avatar by sending out search parties, though these missions failed.
=== Reign as Fire Lord ===
Azulon led the Fire Nation to victory in many glorious military campaigns. His military achievements included the conquest of the Hu Xin Provinces and the Battle of Garsai. He assumed the title of Fire Lord at age twenty, following the death of his father, and continued to lead his country in the war. To secure the entrance to the Fire Nation Capital, Azulon commissioned a massive defense structure at an early point of his reign and dubbed it the "Great Gates of Azulon". He continued most of Sozin's policies, ruling the Fire Nation autocratically and through fear. In general, he was regarded as a very capable leader by his subjects.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 56.
Eventually, Azulon married a woman named Ilah. Around 45 AG, they had their first son, Iroh, his mother's namesake. About ten years later, a second son was born, and they named him Ozai.Basco, Dante (host), Varney, Janet (host), DiMartino, Michael (guest), Konietzko, Bryan (guest). (January 16, 2024). "Book Three: Fire". Avatar: Braving the Elements. Episode 101. iHeartRadio. Azulon left a strong impression on both of his sons, and Iroh would eventually strive to be a great general to honor his father.Avatar: The Last Airbender: Legacy of the Fire Nation, page 10. Azulon generally favored Iroh over Ozai, contributing to the brothers' antagonism. Despite his strong leadership, Azulon cared very little for the people of his nation and was more interested in world domination, a quality he passed down to Ozai.
Azulon secured many victories against the Earth Kingdom during his reign, expanding Fire Nation territory and increasing colonization in the continent. Under his leadership the Fire Nation continued to push the Earth Kingdom forces east toward the capital of Ba Sing Se. Azulon was also responsible for the near-complete destruction of the Southern Water Tribe. Starting around 40 AG, he began ordering attacks on the tribe's main city and villages in an attempt to deprive its people of their ability to resist the Fire Nation.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 58. The Southern Raiders were created to carry out the later raids. The raids' main objective was to capture or kill the tribe's waterbenders, who were seen as a threat to Fire Nation dominance in the region, and to look out for the possible appearance of a Water Tribe Avatar.Basco, Dante (host), Varney, Janet (host), DiMartino, Michael (guest), Konietzko, Bryan (guest). (January 16, 2024). "Secrets from the Vault: Zuko's Scar & Darker Themes from the Avatarverse". Avatar: Braving the Elements. Episode 101.5. Apple Podcasts. These raids were successful; when Azulon was informed that the alleged last Southern waterbender had been killed, he ordered the raids to cease, satisfied that he had eliminated the Southern Water Tribe's potential to impact the war effort. By the time of his death, the Southern waterbending style was effectively extinct.
Azulon's strict and efficient stance extended to his approach to the Fire Nation military's internal affairs. He was well known for dishonorably discharging any Fire Navy officers who had committed crimes or displayed mutinous behavior. Azulon remained committed to this hard stance even as many of these ex-soldiers banded together in corsair and rebel groups, eventually forming the Crimson Sails Armada and waging a piracy campaign against the Fire Navy for decades.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Starter Set, Adventure Booklet, pg. 5.
==== Arranging a marriage ====
When Azulon was in his eighties, he sought to arrange a proper marriage for his second son, Ozai. The Fire Sages had told Azulon that the pairing of the Avatar's granddaughter with his son would yield a bloodline of great power. Believing this prediction, Azulon began to search for the Avatar's family. Roku's descendants proved difficult to find, possibly by his own design.
Eventually the Fire Lord found the family in the small town of Hira'a in the outer Fire Nation. After securing Ursa's location, Azulon and Ozai personally traveled to the backwater village to arrange the marriage. After visiting Ursa's father, the town's magistrate, they waited for the girl's return from her theater rehearsal. Upon Ursa's arrival, Azulon warmly introduced himself and his son to his future daughter-in-law and announced their intention to arrange a marriage. Ursa accepted the proposal, and they prepared to travel back to the capital city.
However, when they departed from Hira'a, a commoner blocked their way, demanding they release Ursa. Azulon ordered his bodyguards to deal with him, but before the conflict escalated, Ursa intervened. She persuaded Ozai to leave the man unharmed and convinced the commoner to go home. After this event, Azulon and his family continued their journey back to the capital. Shortly afterward, Ozai and Ursa married.
=== Death ===
In 95 AG, shortly after the death of Iroh's son Lu Ten, Ozai demanded that Iroh be passed over as heir, inciting his father's fury. Ozai declared Iroh was unworthy of the throne by allowing thoughts of his son's death to obstruct victory at Ba Sing Se. He claimed that the royal bloodline no longer continued through Iroh upon his son's death. Azulon was outraged at the suggestion to betray his firstborn son and Ozai's bold ambitions, ensuring he would punish his younger son. As such, he wanted to make Ozai feel the pain of losing a firstborn son by ordering him to take the life of Zuko.
Ozai intended to carry out the orders and take Zuko's life, though his wife, Ursa, discovered the plan and plotted with Ozai to gain the throne while allowing Zuko to live. Ursa crafted an untraceable odor- and colorless poison that Ozai slipped to his father. Azulon passed away that same night.
He received a cremation the following day, during which his many political achievements were mentioned and honored. In the process of cremation by the hands of the Fire Sages, the High Sage crowned Ozai Fire Lord as was Azulon's alleged dying wish. News of Azulon's death and Ozai's ascension devastated Iroh;Avatar: The Last Airbender: Legacy of the Fire Nation, page 24. left as a broken man after the death of his son and father, he did not contest the succession.
=== Legacy ===
Azulon continued to be widely respected in the Fire Nation following his demise. By the time of his death, a play named Azulon's Legacy had been created in his honor, portraying him as military and political genius. However, the play also claimed that Ozai was Azulon's destined successor, ignoring the royal family's succession conflict.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Quickstart, Version 1.0, 2021, p. 32. Ozai would largely continue Azulon's policies, with a number of notable exceptions.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 56. For instance, Ozai proved to be more flexible in regards to dealing with renegades and criminals, effectively bribing the Crimson Sails Armada to stay out of the Fire Navy's way for the rest of the Hundred Year War.
By 124 AG, the secret of Azulon's death by poisoning had become more widely known.Avatar: The Last Airbender: Legacy, page 42.
== Personality ==
Azulon was a ruthless and militaristic man, who saw power as the highest good. Regarded as a military genius, he personally commanded his army in many battles during his time as Crown Prince and Fire Lord. Fitting to his ruthless nature, he did not let the death of innocent civilians restrain his efforts in winning the War. This was exemplified when he ordered his navy to conduct a genocidal campaign against the Southern Water Tribe. However, he was also not so cruel as to harry his enemies to complete extinction; unlike his father who had tried to kill all Air Nomads, Azulon stopped the deliberate destruction of the Southern Water Tribe once he was convinced that its people no longer posed a threat. He also followed a no-tolerance policy regarding criminal and mutinous behavior in the Fire Navy, even to the extent that it hurt the Fire Nation's war effort.
Azulon could be charming and friendly if he wanted. During his first meeting with Ursa, he behaved very warmly, complimenting her on her beauty, even though she was the daughter of a lower-class village magistrate. At this time, he also seemed to be close to his second son Ozai. However, the marriage was ultimately aimed at winning power, as the Fire Sages had predicted that the pairing of Roku's and his own bloodline would yield powerful descendants who would ensure the Royal Family's rule for coming centuries.
Nevertheless, in his last years, Azulon changed more and more into a bitter and cruel man with little, if any, empathy, as he was willing to sacrifice his own grandson to show Ozai that he should not use Iroh's loss for his own advantages. He also grew distant toward most of his family, especially Ozai. At this time, he no longer seemed to think much of his younger son's family, as he was very angry and impatient with Zuko's failed firebending presentation. He also did not seem very impressed with Azula's advanced firebending talent, unlike many others.
However, Azulon still felt compassion for his firstborn son, Iroh, and his grandson, Lu Ten. He did not blame Iroh for the failure of the siege at Ba Sing Se, on account of Lu Ten's death. He also seemed to despise conspiracies and corruption, as he was deeply upset and outraged at Ozai's suggestion to betray Iroh by removing his position as Crown Prince, so he could be elevated to power.
== Abilities ==
Azulon was a renowned firebending prodigy as well as a cunning strategist, securing many victories against the Earth Kingdom, expanding Fire Nation territory, and increasing colonization during his reign. Among Azulon's most glorious military campaigns were the conquest of the Hu Xin Provinces and the Battle of Garsai. He was also directly responsible for the near-complete destruction of the Southern Water Tribe.
== Relatives ==
== Appearances ==
=== Avatar: The Last Airbender ===
==== Book Two: Earth (土) ====
=== Graphic novels ===
== Trivia ==
* Azulon reigned as Fire Lord for the longest time during the Hundred Year War, for about seventy-five years as opposed to his father, Sozin, who ruled for twenty years during the war, and his son, Ozai, who ruled for five to six years during the war. He was also the second-longest known reigning Fire Lord, after his father.
* Azulon ruled the Fire Nation for seventy-five years. However, the Fire Sage crowning Fire Lord Ozai during Azulon's funeral mentioned that Azulon reigned for twenty-three years.
* Azulon was the only known Fire Lord not to have met an Avatar or airbender.
* In his official portrait, Azulon stood on top of a turtle, an animal that lives both on land and in water, signifying his military successes over both the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes. He also held up two fireballs, reflecting his legendary power in firebending.
* Princess Azula was named after Azulon.
* Azulon is the only person other than Azula known to have been named a firebending prodigy.
* Azulon took an interest in the flowers of magistrate Jinzuk's greenhouse. Notably, his great-grandfather let himself be portrayed standing amidst flowers and several leaves in his official portrait.
* Azulon was the first known individual in the Avatar universe to die at the hands of a family member, the other two being Amon and Unalaq.
* According to unverified information by the Avatar: The Last Airbender YouTube channel, Taku's conquest and annihilation was one of Azulon's first grand military victories.
== Notes ==
== References ==
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uk:Азулон
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