Template:Fire character infobox
General Iroh was the firstborn son to Fire Lord Azulon and Princess Ilah and a great soldier during the War, once nearly capturing Ba Sing Se. A deeply spiritual and wisened man, Iroh remains a hedonist in his old age. Unlike almost all other members of the Fire Nation, Iroh has a great respect for people of all nationalities becuase of his journey to the Spirit World. He is a master of Firebending and is a Grandmaster of the Order of the White Lotus.
Quick Answers
What is the significance of Iroh's title as a Grand Lotus of the Order of the White Lotus?
How did Iroh earn his the title "The Dragon of the West"?
What is the relationship between Iroh and his nephew Zuko?
What was Iroh's interest in tea?
What were some of the key moments in Iroh's military career?
History
General Iroh
Iroh was the firstborn son of Fire Lord Azulon and Fire Lady Ilah. Iroh was destined to succeed Azulon as Fire Lord of the Fire Nation, but because of the mysterious events surrounding Azulon's death, and Iroh's abandonment of the siege on Ba Sing Se to grieve for his son, Lu Ten, Iroh's younger brother, Ozai, succeeded their father to the throne.
Three years before the start of the series, an indulgent Iroh allowed his beloved nephew to observe a meeting of Ozai's war council—a mistake he would soon come to regret. In the council, Zuko spoke out against a General who planned to sacrifice an entire division of novice troops in battle as a diversionary tactic. Though Iroh silently agreed with young Zuko's assessment, the Fire Lord demanded that Zuko participate in a fire duel, the Agni Kai, for his insubordination. Zuko accepted, under the mistaken impression he would be dueling the General he'd insulted. However, because Zuko had spoken out in his father's war room, Zuko had disrespected his father. Iroh bore witness in the audience when Zuko fell to his knees in the arena, pleading for forgiveness and refusing to duel his own father. When Iroh's brother badly burned his own son's face, permanently scarring him as punishment for his cowardice and disrespect, Iroh looked away, unable to stand the sight.
Zuko was afterward stripped of his birthright and exiled from the Fire Nation. However, one condition could restore his honor and throne and allow him to return home. Zuko was instructed to find and capture the Avatar. The Avatar was a perpetually reincarnated spirit of the planet manifested in human form, master of all four elements, and maintainer of balance between the Four Nations. This powerful being was the only threat to the Fire Nation's victory in its imperialist war against the other nations. Yet the Avatar had vanished a century ago—shortly before the Fire Nation's first strike. Three generations had conducted fruitless searches, and Zuko was to be sent on a quest that seemed little more than a fool's errand.
Undeterred, Zuko sought to do the impossible, and Iroh accompanied him. The pair spent two years at sea, searching in vain for any sign of the centenarian Airbender the Fire Sages had described. Though Iroh was resigned to the futility of their mission, and wiled away his days with games, finally a day came when a strange beacon lit the skies off the coast of the South Pole. When Zuko investigated, he discovered that the Avatar had reappeared at last. Improbably, the long-sought old man was actually Aang, a twelve-year-old boy recently woken from a hundred years of suspended animation. Thrown off-guard, Zuko underestimated the boy, who managed to escape their grasp. Zuko and Iroh quickly engaged in hot pursuit, tracking the Avatar and his friends across the globe.
As of Season Two, Iroh and Zuko had been branded traitors of the Fire Nation. After a confrontation with Azula, Iroh and Zuko learned of a plot to capture them and return them home imprisoned. After escaping from Azula's near victorious set-up, Iroh and Zuko cut their hair to symbolize their new life as fugitives unable to return home. The two later took refuge in random Earth Kingdom towns acting as homeless beggars. While Iroh was able to adjust to a life of simplicity, humility, and poverty, Zuko was not, and Iroh soon suspected that Zuko had been obtaining items for their day-to-day life by theft. The older man attempted to persuade his nephew that those who maintain hope in the face of adversity are the ones with true strength. However, Zuko thought otherwise, and the two separated. The two were soon reunited, as Iroh covertly followed Zuko in case he needed assistance. When Zuko got in over his head in a three-way battle with Aang and Azula, Iroh intervened, as did Aang's companions. The six of them confronted Azula together, but she managed to wound Iroh with a fire blast to the chest, and she escaped.
After recovering from his injury, Iroh decided to teach Zuko the advanced Firebending techniques he would need to defeat Azula. He first tried to teach Zuko how to create lightning, but his nephew's emotional turmoil prevented him from making progress with the difficult art. Instead, Iroh taught Zuko a technique of his own creation—to absorb and redirect lightning, which he developed after studying Waterbenders. Zuko soon demanded that Iroh attack him with lightning so that he can redirect it, but Iroh refused to perform such a dangerous test.
Iroh is a grand master of the secret society, the Order of the White Lotus; although what the group represents or does has yet to be seen. The Order of the White Lotus has members spread far and wide across the world—even in desolate remote villages of the Earth Kingdom. Iroh and Zuko sought their aid in avoiding the bounty hunters Master Yu and Xin Fu, who temporarily decided to seek the two fugitives from the Firebending nation rather than pursue the Avatar and Toph. Since the people who protected Iroh appeared to be of the Earth Kingdom, the organization of the group may itself be independent of any particular nation. Also, the White Lotus appears to have at least some degree of bureacratical influence, as it managed, on short notice, to produce fake passports and other paperwork to smuggle Iroh and Zuko into Ba Sing Se.
With the White Lotus Order's help, Iroh and Zuko are able to make their way to Ba Sing Se as refugees. Once inside, Iroh gets them jobs at a tea shop. During the episode "The Tales of Ba Sing Se," Iroh spends a day shopping in the city. In this episode, Iroh is displayed as a teacher as he grants wisdom and help to all those he encounters during his day of shopping. He later holds a small memorial service for Lu Ten, marking his late son's birthday, and tearfully noting he wished he could have helped Lu Ten.
After weeks in Ba Sing Se, Iroh is given the chance to run his own tea shop, but Zuko has other plans. When Zuko attempts to capture Appa, Iroh confronts Zuko and tells him rather bluntly to stop trying to live the life people say he has to live. Iroh convinces Zuko to give up his alias as the Blue Spirit and takes care of his nephew when Zuko is stricken by the negative effects of the mental metamorphosis caused by Zuko's actions. Iroh remains confident in Zuko and believes that Zuko will become the prince he was meant to be.
When Azula offered Zuko a chance to reclaim his honor by helping take over the Earth Kingdom capital, he agrees. Iroh was last seen defending the wounded Avatar and Katara, giving them time to escape before he peacefully allowed himself to be captured. Iroh makes eye contact with Zuko before turning away, expressing shame at his nephew's decision.
Personality
An overjoyed Iroh
Easygoing and dryly good-humored, Iroh tends to treat his self-imposed exile as though it were an extended vacation.
Something of a hedonist in his old age, he focuses more on the pursuits of relaxation and amusements than on the pursuit of the Avatar. Iroh is particularly fond of a good cup of tea (ginseng being his favorite), the strategy game Pai Sho, and pleasant music. He founded a music night for the ship's crew (among whom he is popular), where he sings and plays instruments. He later displays skill at playing the liuqin, singing lullabies to pacify a crying child.
Most likely because of his love of tea, he has shown himself to be an amateur botanist with knowledge of many plants.
His morals (with the exception of honor) are slightly lax, as he once pocketed perfumes from an abbey.
Iroh can be quite the lady charmer when the need arises, as seen when flirting with various women throughout the series, and he has been addressed as "handsome" on multiple occasions.
He also demonstrates a respect and appreciation for all cultures, which seems to be a rarity among those of the Fire Nation.
Beneath the easy going exterior lies a wise man experienced in the world, a formidable warrior, a crafty and brutal strategist, and a powerful Firebending master. So impressive is his Firebending that he has displayed mastery of lightning, developed a new firebending technique, defeated multiple Earthbenders in combat, and even overpowered with ease a full squad of Fire Nation royal guards accompanying Azula. He is even able to bend without using his hands. This was seen in the when Earth kingdom soldiers captured and cuffed Iroh. He mangaed to excape my blowing steam and fire through his nose and mouth.
The Veteran
In his younger days, Iroh was a great general and war hero, once known among his enemies as the "Dragon of the West" because of his unique firebending style of exhaling fire from his mouth. He first demonstrated this technique in "The Crossroads of Destiny" to fend off numerous Dai Li agents to give himself and Zuko enough time to make their escape. Though Iroh still commands a great deal of respect, he fell from grace with his one great failure. In a final bid for victory against the Earth Kingdom, he and his men laid siege to the capital city of Ba Sing Se for six hundred days. At one point, Iroh's forces even managed to penetrate the allegedly unbreakable walls. Iroh gave up the assault when his son was killed, for his emotional damage could not be bore, preventing Iroh from finishing his siege at Ba Sing Se. While many, including Iroh, viewed this failure as a disgrace, Iroh believed he did the right thing and later claimed that he and his men were tired after the long siege. As a result of his long service in the military, Iroh knows many of the Fire Nation soldiers personally.
In addition to his extensive military service, Iroh has endured other trials, including the death of Lu Ten, his only son, and a journey to the Spirit World, which has left him with respect for the other world and the ability to see spirits.
Iroh is also the inventor of a unique Firebending technique involving the absorption and redirection of lightning. This technique is seen in "The Storm", "The Avatar State," and "Bitter Work." He learned the technique from observing Waterbenders, who use their techniques to redirect enemy attacks back at the sender. Iroh taught the technique to Zuko but does not let him practice with real lightning.
Voice actor
Iroh was voiced by the late Japanese actor Mako. Mako passed away in July 2006. The role has been recast by Greg Baldwin.