Iroh: She's crazy and she needs to go down.
Zuko: And does Father also need to go down?
Iroh: Well...
Zuko: Look, I'm smart enough to see that you want to remove my father from the throne. I can imagine your reasons and I don't hate you for thinking like that. But I don't understand why you didn't try to defeat Father years ago. And I'm upset that you are trying to manipulate me, a teenager, and the Avatar, a child, into correcting your past mistakes instead of openly asking for help.
Iroh: You know, when you put it like that, I don't sound like a devoted uncle or a wise man but like a coward. I am sorry, Zuko. From now on I will be completely honest with you about my motivations and my goals.
Zuko: Thank you, uncle.

Azula is hot.

I like Zuko.

I love Toph.

I like the Rough Rhinos.

I don't like the swamp.

Bumi's plan was dumb.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

There are bits of this that when I read them I went 'nah'. Azula being a good sister is a big one, and I say that as someone who loves Azula. Same with Ozai's justification for burning Zuko; Zuko was still his CHILD and even if his intentions were good, that doesn't mean that there is any real justification I can believe that makes that alright.

However, the reason for the Air Nomad genocide? Sozin's initial intentions? The dragons? The ARROWS? Absolutely fantastic work, and the amount of thought you put into comes across. I kinda already thought the Spirits were shit, but I agree with that part too, it wasn't so much of a challenge to my worldview; similarly, whilst I believe that Iroh genuinely does love Zuko, I also think his past as not only part of but the heir to the regime that was committing atrocities across the globe (even if that war initially began with good intentions from Sozin) means that his actions in the series cannot be taken at face value.

After all, he only gave up on Ba Sing Se when his son died, but thousands of other men's sons and daughters died and that meant nothing to him, or at least meant little enough that he carried on; similarly, I don't think I'll ever entirely forget that he didn't do anything to stop Ozai burning Zuko's face. There are moments to keep your mouth shut, and moments to act, and that was sure as shit the latter. Iroh was an adult who should have challenged Ozai himself instead of trying to mold a traumatised child into doing it for him; that same thought counts for Ozai in your fic - children should not be fighting your wars for you when you're two of the most powerful politicians and benders in the world.

All in all, this was an absolutely fantastic read and I'm kind of in a stupor imagining how the Gaang (and the rest of the world) is gonna react when Zuko releases Ozai from the prison and goes "oh, there was a super big misunderstanding!"

I'm not gonna lie, the Ursa dying in childbirth is really compelling.

Seriously though... these people SUCK. They're tied with the old man in Haru's village for some of the worst people in the series.

I LOVE MY BOY ZUKO BEING VINDICATED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THIS CHAPTER, AND AS SUCH, THIS IS MY FAVOURITE CHAPTER THUS FAR

Seriously though, what the FUCK Iroh? You see your bITCH ASS little brother about to maim the only member of your family left that you actually like, HIS CHILD, YOUR SECOND SON, AND YOU FUCKING LOOK AWAY? YOU'RE THE GODDAMN DRAGON OF THE WEST, FUCKING DO SOMETHING YOU INCOMPETENT FUCK

Ruko, eye twitching: Yeah, FANG, you'd fuckin THINK SO, wouldn't you?

I'm not gonna lie, I almost feel bad for Zuko. I know he's pre-redemption arc, but my boy's doing his best... which yes, is kinda the problem against a master bender, especially if the master bender is the Avatar.

This is a DELIGHT. I too wondered why the eyes hadn't already gone glowy in ep 1, and how Appa survived, but I completely missed the Air Nomads being stupid enough to die. I had kinda assumed the Fire Nation used airships, which was idiotic of me, as Sokka and the Mechanist were the ones that made them work in S1, a hundred years AFTER the genocide. Also I love Aang, Zuko and Zhao being fucking HORRIFIED by their own errors when pointed out, because it's so fucking funny.

I get that I'm a few years too late. This is by far one of my favourites stories written, if for nothing more than chapter 63. You are a talent, and it was a pleasure to read your creation.