Whenever I watch this scene, she just looks like a chained up baby dragon, which she is in a way. I
Whenever I watch this scene, she just looks like a chained up baby dragon, which she is in a way. I firmly believe that insanity runs in that family. With the way old days world nobility worked, non visible illness like paranoid schizophrenia can run through bloodlines and families for generations. When the kids are kept in check and treated as equals, it’s kept in check to an extent, but when you have cases like Azula and Zuko, the balance is thrown off and the insanity is allowed to thrive. Ursa’s first born was a son, probably born weak. She saw her weak son and did her best to take care of him and ensure his survival from day one in a county that despises and picks off weakness. Her daughter was strong and at the time, and probably didn’t need as much care as a sickly toddler. She did her best to treat them equal but once it became clear that her husband and father in law could care less about Zuko, she had to make sure her son knew at least one person loved him. That in turn set off a chain reaction of Azula feeling unloved by her mother, her father and grandfather encouraging her ruthlessness, and when it came down to it, her insanity. The reason this wasn’t as apparent with Iroh and Ozai is most likely due to both probably starting out stong and both being treated as equals with Ozai being put in his place when he got a little too big for his britches. After Azulon died, the main force keeping Iroh and Ozai balanced was gone, along with the balancing force between Zuko and Azula.In total, insanity runs in Zuko’s family, it seems to affect the second born child more than the first, and when an impartial parent is not there to balance the two, that insanity is left to flourish and the result is crazy dragons who have no concept of mercy. -- source link