Iroh (United Forces general)

:This article is about the general of the United Forces. If you're looking for Zuko's uncle, see Iroh. For other similar uses, see Iroh (disambiguation).
Iroh is the general of the United Forces and, as the son of Fire Lord Izumi, a member of the Fire Nation Royal Family. A firebending master and skilled military leader, Iroh is the youngest general in the forces' history.The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book One: Air, page 109. 
From an early point, Iroh wanted to embark on a career as a military officer. Defying public expectations, however, he opted to leave the Fire Islands and volunteered to serve on a Northern Water Tribe fleet, earning considerable respect and many useful skills in the process. After completing his service at the Northern Water Tribe, he joined the United Forces and rose to general.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Republic City, Version 1.0, 2023, p. 158. In this position, he played a crucial role in the battle for Republic City in 170 AG, fighting on despite losing his fleet. Later, he also fought in the Unalaq Crisis and the Earth Empire invasion of the United Republic. As a leading officer of the United Forces, Iroh has also been drawn into various political crises concerning the spirit portals and the Spirit Skies passenger ship.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Republic City, Version 1.0, 2023, p. 31.
== History ==
=== Early life and career ===
Named after his maternal great-granduncle,Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 89. Iroh was born to Princess Izumi during the reign of his maternal grandfather, Fire Lord Zuko. His family imparted in him the responsibility to honor the Fire Nation's reformist direction.
While Iroh could have joined any Fire Nation officers' school, he had different plans from joining the military of the Fire Nation, having been inspired by the tales of his namesake and his grandfather cooperating with the other nations. Feeling the draw of the ocean, and determined to learn from the best sailors in the world, Iroh petitioned feverishly to learn from a group of Northern Water Tribe warriors. Iroh fell short of the competencies required, and he was heartbroken. However, he managed to secure a position serving on an infamous fleet of Northern Water Tribe vessels, with a reputation for teaching various forms of seafaring espionage. Despite his family's protests, Iroh insisted on going, and became the crew's first ever member from the Fire Nation.
The prince struggled with arctic survival and skullduggery, as well as unfamiliar martial arts, but he eventually won esteem from his Northern Water Tribe crewmates for his indefatigable attitude. Upon completing his training with the fleet, a surprised but impressed Zuko and Izumi suggested that his cosmopolitan education would make him an ideal United Forces officer.
Iroh joined the United Forces, where he became the youngest general in the history of the military. He befriended many people during his service, including Commander Bumi. Iroh mastered a dizzying array of martial skills on the job, from lightningbending to grand strategy. He also won several military awards over the course of his career.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Republic City, Version 1.0, 2023, p. 28.
As a general, Iroh has helped to solidify the Fire Nation's relationship with the United Republic of Nations. He and Fire Lord Izumi still see that the Fire Nation continues to make reparations for the damage done during the Hundred Year War.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 88. However, Fire Lord Izumi's goal to stay outside of military conflicts does not always mesh with Iroh's duties, as he strictly follows orders for the United Forces, and the two sometimes disagree when it comes to the best course of action when the United Republic of Nations calls on Fire Nation aid. Politicians and military advisors alike have grown curious to see what direction Iroh takes in the future, whether he will continue his loyalty to the United Republic, or if he will embrace his role as a Fire Nation prince.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 89.
=== 170 AG ===
==== Destruction of the 1st Division ====
During the battle for Republic City, Councilman Tenzin sent a message to General Iroh requesting the support of the United Forces. The general accepted the request for help, wishing to reclaim Republic City from the Equalists alongside Avatar Korra, and led his fleet of battleships to the city.
Once Iroh and his fleet reached the shores of Republic City, he was surprised at the apparent silence and the fact that there were no Equalists awaiting them on shore despite their knowledge about his arrival. However, the general and his fleet were quickly overwhelmed by a series of naval mines and the new high-speed aircraft fielded by the Equalists. At one point, Iroh himself attacked from the helm of his ship, launching fire blasts at the enemy biplanes; he managed to destroy several until he struck a bomb in midair with his firebending. The resulting explosion catapulted the General overboard and into the ocean, where he was later rescued by Avatar Korra.
==== Taking Republic City back ====
With his fleet destroyed, Iroh and Team Avatar hid in the sewers of Republic City. While he had his wounds healed by the Avatar, he and the team planned to take out the Equalist airfield. To prevent the second fleet from being destroyed as well, Iroh sent a message to Commander Bumi via former telegraph operator Gommu, telling him to wait with his fleet at Red Sand Island until the airfield was taken out. Korra decided to stay in Republic City to face Amon, although Iroh did not approve of the idea. Korra insisted and Mako decided to stay with her. The General allowed her to stay, stating that his grandfather would have trusted the Avatar's instinct and he should as well.
When Iroh, Asami, and Bolin reached the airfield, despite Asami's confusion over the airfield being surrounded by a fence with no wires, they proceeded anyway and were electroshocked by an electric fence that surrounded the complex. They were caught and subsequently imprisoned, where the group was confronted by Hiroshi Sato, who told them that he had intercepted General Iroh's wire to Bumi and knew exactly where his fleet was hiding. Seeking a means of escaping, the General asked Bolin if he was a metalbender, but he answered that he was not, much to Iroh's disappointment. Naga, however, arrived on the scene shortly afterward and broke the three out of their cell, allowing them to head toward the airstrips.
After escaping, Iroh pursued a taxiing biplane down a runway. By utilizing his firebending in a manner similar to rocket propulsion, he successfully boarded the plane as it took off, hijacked it, and forced the pilot to bail out.
Once inside, Iroh struggled to control the machine; eventually, however, the general gained control of the aircraft and used it to intercept a squadron of five aircraft flying over Republic City. He was able to destroy two airplanes during his initial attack with lightning. Following this, his own biplane was destroyed when an Equalist bola jammed the propellers.
Once again utilizing the rocket propulsion technique, Iroh boarded a second plane, fatally damaging another plane with his firebending before commandeering the biplane. During the fight, Iroh's biplane was damaged by the last aircraft which had dropped a bomb on the tail of his aircraft. As the other biplane prepared to continue the bombing, Iroh used his firebending to detonate the remaining bombs in the attacking plane's bomb bay.
Despite his success, Iroh's airplane was damaged to the extent that it could no longer remain airborne. He unsuccessfully attempted to steer the plane away from Aang Memorial Island and had to bail out, grabbing onto the Equalist banner hanging from the statue of Aang to save himself. Iroh watched as his biplane crashed into the statue's face, causing the giant replica of Amon's mask to fall off into the water. Iroh subsequently thanked Aang for watching over him.
=== 171 AG ===
Six months after the end of the Anti-bending Revolution, Avatar Korra requested Iroh's help once again to aid the southerners against the Northern Water Tribe. Aware that helping Korra would mean going against President Raiko, Iroh informed her nonetheless that he was willing to help, musing that he could mask it as a routine training session; if he were to take his fleet south and happened to encounter hostile Northern troops, he would have to defend himself. However, in the middle of their meeting, President Raiko boarded the ship, commanding Iroh to remain at the harbor unless he received direct orders from the President stating otherwise. Raiko made it clear that if Iroh were to disobey those orders, he was to be court-martialed. Unable to help Korra out himself, he suggested that she travel to the Fire Nation to talk to his mother, the Fire Lord, as she and his grandfather had always been good friends with the Avatar and the Southern Water Tribe.
During the Harmonic Convergence, Iroh was ordered by President Raiko to protect Republic City. Upon seeing a large incarnate of Unalaq and Vaatu merged, the general ordered his troops to attack him. However, their attempts proved to be futile as the Dark Avatar easily neutralized their attacks, and waterbent the battleships away with a large wave.
=== 174 AG ===
After Kuvira took control of the Earth Kingdom and planned to attack Republic City, General Iroh erected defensive barriers around the city. While eleven of his battleships were stationed at Yue Bay, he brought his ground troops to a clearing on the outskirts of the metropolis; having deployed five battalions of foot soldiers, aided by thirty-five mecha tanks in total, he awaited the arrival of Kuvira's army.
A week after their preparations began, General Iroh received a call from Lin Beifong, who alerted him that their previous assumption of Kuvira's arrival still being a week away was wrong and that the attack was happening that day. Avatar Korra joined him at the front line, though Iroh was shocked to witness the arrival of the enormous mecha suit that destroyed his fleet in Yue Bay in a matter of seconds with the spirit energy cannon it carried. When Kuvira aimed her cannon at his infantry, Iroh called President Raiko to confirm if he had the order to engage. His request was denied, however, as the president surrendered the city. Angered about hearing Kuvira demand the surrender of the United Forces and the Avatar as well, he told Korra to retreat to the city before she was spotted by Kuvira and figure out a way to destroy the spirit energy cannon.
When Tokuga and his Triple Threat Triad had a run-in with several dark spirits, Iroh was commanded by President Raiko to set up a perimeter around Republic City's spirit portal. This action was opposed by Korra, who saw it as a way to anger the spirits even more, though Iroh countered that all he wanted was peace, not war. When the Avatar's opinion was backed by Tenzin and Ikki, Iroh suggested that the airbenders took their grievances to Raiko, since he gave the army their orders.
Iroh was later alerted to the Air Nation flying toward the spirit portal on a herd of flying bison. The general ordered his soldiers not to make a move but informed Tenzin that everyone would need to leave. The airbending master raised that the protest was nonviolent and that they would not leave until the United Forces did, to which Iroh reluctantly allowed the protest, although he contacted Raiko and informed him of the situation. When the president arrived at the portal, ordering waterbender soldiers to hose down the airbenders, Iroh advised him to retract the order as the airbenders were not fighting back.
Not long after, the Triple Threats appeared with a modified airship, declaring that they would use poison gas unless the military withdrew. To meet Tokuga's demands and ward off him releasing poisoning gas on the city, Iroh was subsequently ordered by Raiko to withdraw his troops from the portal area to buy them some time until they could bring in a squadron of airplanes to take down Tokuga's airship. Iroh expressed concern for Asami and Wonyong Keum, who were being held hostage aboard the airship, but Raiko cautioned him against questioning a direct order. When Korra arrived at the spirit portal, he informed her about the airplane attack and that she had about five minutes to save Asami before the ship was brought down.
Considering his repeated clashes with President Raiko, Iroh supported the Zhu Li Moon's candidacy for president. The general was later present at the Republic City Four Elements on election night, where he listened to Zhu Li Moon's first speech as President-elect.
=== Spirit Skies crisis ===
Following the Earth Empire invasion and Tokuga's insurrection, Iroh remained focused on improving the safety of Republic City,Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Republic City, Version 1.0, 2023, p. 30. including countering attempts by various triads to develop a side-business in piracy. As a result of his multicultural career and respected position, a number of United Republic politicians also approached him, urging the prince to become active as a negotiator to help foster better international relationships.
However, one of the main issues concerning Iroh was a growing conflict within the United Forces. The general increasingly clashed with nationalist, xenophobic United Forces officers like Commander Doji who believed that the other nations were developing into a general threat to the United Republic. Though Doji was of a lower rank, he oversaw Republic City's Yue Bay area and did not have to run his decisions past Iroh; accordingly, the commander repeatedly tried to implement his views, with Iroh being forced to either walk back Doji's orders or deal with the fallout.
This conflict came to a head when the Spirit Skies, a large Northern Water Tribe passenger vessel, arrived in Yue Bay. The ship carried many migrants and refugees from across the world. Believing that dangerous infiltrators were among the passengers, Doji halted the ship and prevented anyone from leaving until every single person onboard was interrogated, checked, and cleared. This process endangered many Spirit Skies passengers who were suffering from medical issues, but when Iroh attempted to allow the ship to dock, Doji provided "evidence" that his suspicions were correct. Suspecting that the commander's evidence was fabricated, but unable to act on his own, Iroh subsequently tasked some associates with investigating the issue.
== Personality ==
Iroh is a disciplined and determined man, unwilling to give up without a fight. Like his namesake, he is very cautious and methodical in his approach during battle. Furthermore, he has shown great bravery on the field, willing to risk his life to aid his allies without hesitation.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Republic City, Version 1.0, 2023, p. 159. Despite his senior rank among the United Forces and his status as a member of the Fire Nation Royal Family, Iroh is a humble man, openly showing his sincere gratitude for other people's assistance. Likewise, Iroh is very loyal to his friends, willing to do whatever is in his power to help so long as it does not outright defy authority, preferring to bend rules rather than break them. Having been schooled in Fire Nation tradition and philosophy, as well as learned much in the Northern Water Tribe and United Republic, Iroh is a cosmopolitan person treasuring the peaceful relations between the nations.
In course of his career, Iroh often had to take orders with which he disagreed, though he generally carried them out despite his misgivings. However, he developed a distaste for politics, as he was often drawn into unsavory political issues and is keenly aware how much political attention each of his decisions receives. As a result of his family background, he is also well aware of the catastrophic consequences when the military takes too much power. Accordingly, Iroh prefers to focus on military matters and try to aid others within the confines of his position. He takes exception to this, however, whenever questions of ethics and military responsibility are concerned, firmly believing that every soldier should understand what is proper and ethical before entering active service.
== Abilities ==
Iroh has demonstrated great skill in firebending, as shown by his ability to generate lightning and his use of firebending to propel himself through the air with great speed and accuracy, fast enough to catch up with a speeding airplane. He also effectively took down numerous airborne planes with only his bending.
His other martial skills are both diverse and impressive. Iroh is versed in athletics, hand-to-hand-combat,Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Republic City, Version 1.0, 2023, p. 159. and vehicular combat, being a considerably quick learner in the latter field, as he was able to figure out how to pilot an Equalist biplane despite his lack of experience with them. He is also skilled in command, tactics, strategy, and even politics.
Since rising to general, Iroh regularly teaches a class or two each semester at the United Forces Navy Barracks in Republic City.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Republic City, Version 1.0, 2023, p. 29. Iroh's main weakness is that as an instructor, he is unable to easily relate to students who are not as naturally gifted as he is. When his students struggle with skills that come easily to him, he is unsure how to guide them through it.
== Appearances ==
== Relatives ==
== Trivia ==
* Like his namesake, Iroh also holds the rank of general.
* Iroh has a very close relationship with his grandfather, Zuko.
* Technically, Iroh is in line for the Fire Nation throne, but his status as a general in the United Forces makes that uncertain.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 89.
* Bryan Konietzko referred to Iroh as "Iroh the Younger" and described him as a "swashbuckling hero-type guy". Similarly, Michael Dante DiMartino likened Iroh to action heroes like Indiana Jones.
* Iroh is voiced by Dante Basco, who also voiced his grandfather Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
** In the Hebrew and German dub, Iroh is also voiced by the same actor who previously voiced Zuko in Books Two and Three of the original series.
* Having destroyed many aircraft, Iroh would be considered a flying ace, that is, a pilot that has shot down five or more enemy aircraft. He also earned it in a single day without any prior experience or training, an incredible feat for a real-world pilot. As such, he would be the first known flying ace in the Avatar world.
* After the initial skirmish following his arrival in Republic City, General Iroh gained a burn scar on his left arm reminiscent of his grandfather Zuko's burn scar.
* The way that Iroh said that if "[his] grandfather would respect the Avatar's instinct, [he should, too]" is very similar to how Zuko would ask himself what his uncle would do.
* The original Iroh and King Bumi worked together in the Order of the White Lotus, much like how Zuko's grandson Iroh and Aang's son Bumi worked together in the United Forces.
* Prior to confirmation of Book Two: Spirits, an initial script for "Endgame" had Iroh present at the Southern Water Tribe compound, as Asami intended to join the United Forces.
== Notes ==
== References ==
de:Iroh II.
es:Iroh (General de las Fuerzas Unidas)
fi:Iroh (Yhdistyneet joukot)
fr:Iroh II
he:אירו_(גנרל_הכוחות_המאוחדים)
id:Iroh (Jendral United Forces)
nl:Korra:Iroh
pl:Iroh (generał Zjednoczonych Sił)
pt-br:Iroh (General das Forças Unidas)
ru:Айро (Легенда о Корре)
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