General Iroh's Entire Backstory Explained

Uncle Iroh is a complex figure. As a general, he waged war with legendary skill. Yet as Avatar: The Last Airbender concludes, he's become a mild-mannered tea shop owner. Here's the full backstory of General Iroh, though beware of spoilers if you haven't seen the show.

Iroh was born into the Fire Nation royal family, the firstborn son of Fire Lord Azulon. From the day he was born, he was heir to the throne of the imperialist nation — and for a while, he lived up to its bloodthirsty ideals.

Iroh was born to a world already at war, decades removed from Fire Lord Sozin's genocide of the Air Nomads. As such, Iroh was immersed in the Fire Nation's propaganda from a very young age: As Aang would encounter himself in a Fire Nation school, Iroh learned that the Fire Nation was "civilizing" the world by bringing its greatness to the farthest reaches of the globe. While he was always possessed of a casual demeanor, and frequently balked at his younger brother Ozai's naked aggression, Iroh dutifully followed through on what was expected of him. He became an incredibly talented firebender and joined the army, eager to prove his prowess.

Iroh had become a legend by the time he marched on Ba Sing Se, the capital of the Earth Nation. In addition to his accomplishments on the battlefield, he'd become known as "The Dragon of the West," as he was widely believed to have slain the last living dragon. Although Iroh had secretly let the dragons he encountered live, his renown was such that no one had reason to doubt his story. Thus he was entrusted to lead the siege of Ba Sing Se. Iroh led his forces to the city's outer wall and began a siege that lasted for 600 days. Iroh was, in fact, able to breach the city's outer walls and lead his troops into the city's farming district. Keep watching the video to see General Iroh's entire backstory explained.

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Heir to the throne | 0:00
The siege of Ba Sing Se | 1:11
Finding himself | 2:03
Guiding Zuko | 3:05
Counterbalance | 3:58
Capture and escape | 4:59
Finding meaning | 6:27
Arrested | 7:56
Taking on the Fire Nation | 9:27
After the war | 10:54
Spirit guide | 12:08

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