Avatar The Last Airbender is one of Nickelodeon’s best cartoons since the 2000s. What made the show stand out was the memorable cast of characters the story followed including the Fire Nation’s Prince Zuko and General Iroh. From beginning to end, Iroh’s parental guidance influenced Zuko’s self-consciousness to battle the toxicity of Fire Lord Ozai and his younger sister Azula. To this day, Iroh is one of the most influential animated characters for young and middle-aged audiences. For the Avatar The Last Airbender’s voice cast, Iroh was a dear friend beyond the screen.
Iroh’s Sympathy For Zuko
In Book One Water, Iroh is an advisor to his nephew Zuko. The Fire Nation prince’s serious stature balances Iroh’s laid-soothing demeanor. Anytime Zuko grows flustered about failing to capture Avatar Aang, his uncle responds calmly to him unless he steps over a boundary or two. His colleague, Admiral Zhao continuously butt heads with Zuko to discourage his efforts, saying a bratty prince could never become Fire Lord.
Episode 12: The Storm revealed the reason behind Zhao’s cocky nature and Zuko’s aggressive behavior. Iroh tells his nephew’s ship crew that he was publicly punished in front of the Royal Palace after he rejected a general’s plan to sacrifice new army recruits as a diversion. Zuko was tricked into Agni Kai (Fire Duel) only for his face to be singe by his father, Ozai’s fiery hand. The flashback shows Zhao smiling maniacally when the prince screams while Iroh looks away. This is why he accompanies the young prince on his journey for two years.
Iroh Spreading Kindness
In Book Two Earth, Iroh becomes a wanted fugitive for failing to execute the “water tribe barbarians” at the North Pole. Zuko gets exiled after reporting he did not capture the Avatar. In the official art book, their Fire Nation wanted poster has an official English translation with Ozai allowing anyone to kill them on sight. During this season, Iroh shows his caring nature to the Earth Kingdom. In Episode 35: The Tales of Ba Sing Se, Iroh’s tale shows Iroh going on an errand around the massive city with Zuko looking after his tea shop.
He advises a shopkeeper to keep the moon flower in the partial shade. Then, Iroh passes by a crying child unsure why he is crying but he cheers them up by singing “Leaves from the Vines” while playing the liuqin. The best kind act is Iroh teaching a mugger a proper stance holding a dagger and listening to their story over tea. Iroh has a gentle demeanor no matter what person he encounters. Aside from Zuko, why did Iroh show kindness to strangers?
In Honor of Mako
At the end of Iroh’s tale, he climbs a hill reaching a lone tree with a beautiful view of Ba Sing Se. He creates a makeshift shrine for a young man who shares his mutton chops. He sings “Leaves from the Vines” solemnly, immediately shedding tears for him. Text appears when he finishes saying “In honor of Mako”. Young fans who watched the show in the 2000s first thought this was the name of Iroh’s late son, Lu Ten. To the show’s cast, Mako is the first name of Iroh’s original voice actor, Mako Iwamatsu. During the production of Seasons 1 and 2, Mako Iwamatsu passed away from esophageal cancer on July 21st, 2006.
Behind the scenes, his charisma influenced Dante Bosco (Zuko) and the young actors to play their roles while having fun, which translates well to Iroh’s soothing personality. The cast was shocked and distraught when Mako’s death suddenly came after all the voice lines were recorded. The song “Leaves from the Vines” was written by Mako specifically for Iroh’s loss of his son. They would not hear Iroh’s voice again until Season 3 when Greg Baldwin steps in as the new voice of Iroh.
Sozin’s Comet Reunion
In Book Three Fire, Zuko goes on a journey of self-discovery as he questions his duty as the Fire Nation Prince. Previously, Azula murdered Aang with a bolt of lightning striking his back and informed Zuko he could return home as long as she reported to Ozai that they killed the Avatar together. As for his uncle, he gets captured by Azula’s earthbenders and is sentenced to live in prison for eternity. At a convention, Dante Bosco tells the audience that Iroh was silent in the beginning until Episode 44: Sokka’s Master. Greg voiced Iroh’s lines in a separate recording booth, leading the main cast into an emotional rollercoaster.
During the Solar Eclipse Invasion, Iroh leaves behind Zuko as he escapes prison on his own as the guard describes him as “a one-man army”, forcing his nephew to leave on his own. Dante Bosco loves the growth of the hot-headed prince as he quotes Iroh’s wisdom, practicing to brew the best tea, and growing closer to his enemies. Greg and Dante share an emotional scene in Episode 59: The Old Masters. At the camp of the White Lotus, Zuko speaks to his uncle after he awakens, apologizing for all the agony he caused for him. Iroh interrupts him with an embracing hug with Greg speaking his words, “I was afraid I had lost you…like my son.”
Iroh’s Legacy Lives On
With Netflix Avatar The Last Airbender, Iroh has been brought into the real world by Canadian-Asian actor, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee. When the opportunity came to him from Netflix, Sun-Hyung Lee became ecstatic for the role. As he is a huge nerd as stated on his Instagram, @angryappa, The Verge grew curious and asked what he believes is his Iroh:
“I relate easily to Iroh for I have sons of my own. They taught me how growing up can shift your perspectives on what you were chasing after no longer that important than what was in front of you.
Iroh went through a similar journey as he was groomed to become the next Fire Lord only to be usurped by brother Ozai. Now he’s taking care of his nephew Zuko to fulfill his parental duties since the loss of his son Lu Ten. I could have not performed my role without the wonderful co-stars.”
Avatar The Last Airbender Streaming
Nickelodeon’s Avatar The Last Airbender is about a young boy named Aang who was frozen for over 100 years. One day, Sokka and Katara free him from the iceberg and discover he is the Avatar. You can follow their journey in all three seasons on Netflix and Paramount+. For long-time fans who are curious about Sun-Hyung Lee’s Iroh performance, consider catching the live-action series on Netflix. Catch all the episodes starring the beloved Iroh!
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