Why Zuko Feels So Much Shame #shorts

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[montygreen]

“Pride is not the opposite of shame, but it's source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.” Uncle Iroh is such a wise and caring man 💛

[sadiedol]

Ironically he did restore his honor by finding (and helping) the avatar

[zam]

I learned about "shame rage" from avatar
I am grateful for this 🙏

[thisisntallowed]

Honestly I grew up in a toxic environment. The set of values Zuko have been given are wrong. He was taught by his father that cruelty was right otherwise he's weak, and love or empathy are signs of weakness. Zuko feels weak because he feels empathy and doesn't meet the standard of strenght and recognition that his father has given him and he set for himself. He feels ashamed to not meet the standard he has for himself, but he's confused, because at the same time, he doesn't agree with those standards. He's full of confusion and shame.

In my experience, the antidote to shame is to set your own standards and trust that YOU know what's right. Even if everyone tells you you're wrong, you know you are right because you trust yourself, not your toxic parents. And also compassion and understanding for yourself. Zuko may not be as strong as Azula, but he has other qualities, and has had to go through hell to find his truth, which took time, given he's the one who breaks the generational trauma cycle of toxic behaviors in his family. He's doing all the internal work his father should have done. It's when you understand this that you can really become humble. You are not below others and others aren't below you, we're just products of our enviornment. You can't overcome shame by trying to be higher than other people, because you can never be. And a single failure will throw you back on the shame cycle.

[karenpagee]

Iroh may have lost his real son but he gained another with zuko

[OctagonalSquare]

I love that the sigh Iroh gives after that insult shows he knows Zuko, and knows that isn’t him. He knows the empathetic kid his nephew was and can be again. It seems more like a sigh of “man, I’ve got my work cut out for me” than an expression of feeling insulted.

[tonycohan]

One interesting connection I noticed was in season 2 when zuko had a flashback about when azula came into his bedroom to tell him ozai was going to kill him zuko remembered the discomfort he felt while being attacked in a comfortable place like his bed and so he tried to do the same thing to azula in s3 when he asks why she gave him the credit for killing aang, but instead of hiding in the covers like zuko did azula gets out of the bed to thwart zuko's effort to put her on guard and more susceptible to probing

[wisteria]

nice zuko sum up
but the scar is on the wrong side

[ChaosNe]

It's not that the term "honor" is wrong here. Zuko feels shame and thinks that is because his honor was taken away, but it's actually because his need to fit in the royal family makes him feel like his pride has been wounded.
Or as our favourite wise man once said: "Pride is not the opposite of shame, but it's source." Obviously Zuko would feel proud as the heir to the throne of the fire nation, so having that taken away makes him feel shame.

[anthonycory]

The problem is most people think honor is the opposite of shame. Especially in many Oriental societies where they're taught that the two are opposites.

The problem with this is honor is based in pride and shame cannot exist without pride. What Iroh was trying to teach zuko is that the opposite of shame is humility. It's the lesson Iroh had to learn when he lost his son and it's the lesson that Zuko has to learn now.

[lilyrose]

I really believe that the fire lord is not Zuko's real father because his mother was with someone else before she was arranged to marry the firelord so it could be into question that is Zuko is the other man's child and that might be the reason why they had Azula not to say that they were going to have more kids but it seems strange that they don't have more children since it's not uncommon that royalty will try to have at least five children so I'm thinking that Azula was insurance for Zuko in case it ever came into question about his lineage this way the firelord could be happy that he has one child he knows for certain is his I know that seems strange but bear with me here just the idea that he has two kids probably puts him at ease because I don't see the mother wanting to have more kids with this piece of s***

[imortalthejustalexthegreat]

No she’s crazy and needs to go down- iroh

[ghost_anna_reads]

Azula's behavior isnt something to be praised, but it is something that was probably ly required in the time they lived. Is it good? Heck no. Is it something that we see in our own world? Yes. I dont like Azula, but I see her as a victim that got raised in the wrong system. If Zuko didnt exist or her ideology wasnt challenged, she might be considered a hero for her people.

[lulu_the_cool]

If you have no honor. You only have shame. So what are you talking about?

[Viktor]

"What turmoil?! ... But I don't feel any shame at all! I am as proud as ever!" -Zuko

That in way shows how scared he is to admit his weakness. Zuko wants to be strong, but looks at strength the wrong way. The way of "honor" as he says it all the time shows how scared and upset deep inside he actually is for not getting the life he truly wants.
Until he joins the Avatar, sees the Dragons who help get him out of the mud with firebending and other things that changed him. Facing his father and redirecting lightning was a fun part that not many of us expected to see. The first time Uncle Iroh's teaching of redirecting lightning would actually work.