It's just great setting for crazy, crazy family relationships. I mean, those big empty halls! Those huge columns! THE WALL OF FIRE BETWEEN THE FIRE LORD AND HIS SERVITORS. It's force projection, both as policy and as family relations.
a non-bending Zuko - possibly so entirely expendable Azulon wouldn't even bother to make an example of him, let alone Ozai? And Azula wouldn't have anyone to define herself against, in terms of bending prowess and right to rule...
I can't even wrap my head around how much that would change the story. If Azula is the heir, does Azulon say that he is going to do away with her to make Ozai FEEL THE PAIN? If so, does Ursa still kill in Azulon in order to protect Azula? And if your answer to both of these is yes, I guess you still send Ursa into exile, but the question is whether Iroh ends up mentoring Zuko so intensely and/or whether Zuko gets in trouble at that war council if he can't Agni Kai. And if Zuko does end up in exile, does he go alone?
I guess the story at the bottom of that is maybe one about the life that Zuko would live if he weren't the heir -- maybe a day-to-day sort of thing either of his life that works because it contrasts against his life if he were the heir? Or maybe a story about just being the Blue Spirit, period, and running into the Avatar in the Earth Kingdom?
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a non-bending Zuko - possibly so entirely expendable Azulon wouldn't even bother to make an example of him, let alone Ozai? And Azula wouldn't have anyone to define herself against, in terms of bending prowess and right to rule...
I can't even wrap my head around how much that would change the story. If Azula is the heir, does Azulon say that he is going to do away with her to make Ozai FEEL THE PAIN? If so, does Ursa still kill in Azulon in order to protect Azula? And if your answer to both of these is yes, I guess you still send Ursa into exile, but the question is whether Iroh ends up mentoring Zuko so intensely and/or whether Zuko gets in trouble at that war council if he can't Agni Kai. And if Zuko does end up in exile, does he go alone?
I guess the story at the bottom of that is maybe one about the life that Zuko would live if he weren't the heir -- maybe a day-to-day sort of thing either of his life that works because it contrasts against his life if he were the heir? Or maybe a story about just being the Blue Spirit, period, and running into the Avatar in the Earth Kingdom?