00:00Shouldn't you be in the Fire Nation?
00:04I'm fighting for the peace of all nations.
00:10Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for Zuko's coolest and most
00:14honorable action scenes.
00:22Number 10, Kiyoshi Island Fire Festival, the Warriors of Kiyoshi.
00:26No one said hunting the Avatar would be easy, but it's safe to say Zuko got more than he
00:30bargained for when he ported at Kiyoshi Island.
00:37The titular Warriors knock him down a few picks, somewhat literally at the start.
00:41Zuko gets even pretty fast and shows why he's a hothead in more ways than one.
00:45It culminates in a quick but memorable stint against a fan-powered Aang.
00:56There's a lot more going on in this brawl than a single exchange of elements, and even
01:00early on in the series proved why Zuko could bring the heat.
01:04Back to the ships!
01:05Don't lose sight of them!
01:07Number 9, Deny.
01:08Avatar Aang, the Last Airbender.
01:10Okay, full disclosure, this is here partially so we can just gush at how gorgeous the animation
01:14in this movie is.
01:15Clearly, Zuko is someone's favorite character too, since he gets quite an exciting flurry
01:18in the final act.
01:23He's jumping across rooftops, hurling fireballs, and fending off a group of new, airbending
01:28crooks called the Denyed.
01:29They have some pointed jabs about his time as a villain, but Zuko shuts them up with some
01:33good old-fashioned fireworks, at least before he's blasted halfway across the city.
01:41Older, wiser, and stronger, this Zuko burned brighter with age.
01:45Number 8, Princely Introductions, the Avatar Returns.
01:47From the moment Zuko first stepped foot in the Southern Water Tribe, we knew he meant
01:51business.
01:56It wasn't the scar, the armor, or the attitude.
01:58It was that he effortlessly dismantled Sokka's defenses in a few minutes, flat, and he didn't
02:03even have to use firebending for most of it.
02:09Granted, Sokka wasn't working with the best and brightest soldiers, but still, the whole
02:12thing served to show that Zuko was a real threat to not just the Water Tribe, but Aang
02:17himself.
02:18He truly was a vengeful guy from day one.
02:21Flamey-o, hot man!
02:22Looking for more ways to master your bending?
02:24Then reclaim your honor by scanning this QR code and joining us for our 24-7 pop culture
02:29livestream.
02:33Number 7, I Rise With The Sun, The Siege of the North Part 1.
02:36Is there anything more poetic than a season finale standoff between water and fire?
02:45Sure, the entire Northern Water Tribe is under attack, but the hottest battle is between Katara
02:50and Zuko, duking it out over Aang.
02:51The Waterbender shows off all the skills she learned on her journey, and nearly extinguishes
02:55Zuko for good.
02:56That is, until the sun rises, boosting his firebending.
03:11With the killer one-liner, Zuko heats up the competition, and shows Katara that he's been
03:16practicing, too.
03:16It's an explosively memorable back and forth, especially since it nets Zuko a rare win over
03:21Team Avatar.
03:26Aang!
03:27Number 6, Blue Spirit Breakout, The Blue Spirit.
03:30Anyone who thought Zuko was a one-firebending trick pony has another thing coming.
03:34Give him a pair of swords and a blue mask, and he can take on entire armies on his own.
03:41Admiral Zhao spared no expense with security when he captured Aang, and Zuko still staged
03:45a jailbreak without so much as a spark coming out of his hands.
03:48It's a kinetic sequence full of exciting choreography and inventive maneuvers.
03:58At times, it's hard to believe this smooth swordsman is the same angsty firebender we
04:02know and begrudgingly tolerate.
04:03Maybe if he'd busted those swords out earlier, he could've caught Aang on his own.
04:07The Avatar must be captured alive!
04:10Number 5, Zhao Gets Burned, The Southern Air Temple.
04:13For the first time in his life, Zuko didn't have the biggest ego in a fight.
04:17That honor belonged to Zhao, who thought taking on a banished prince would be a piece of cake.
04:26As it turns out, Zuko's got some tricks up his sleeve, and took down the general with
04:30style to spare.
04:35It's a very cool fight in its own right, but stands out because of how it separates Zuko
04:39from the rest of the Fire Nation.
04:40He bends the same element, but he's still an outsider.
04:43Of course, it's also nice to see him mop the floor with Zhao, who really, really deserved it.
04:50Number 4, Caught in the Jetstream, City of Walls and Secrets.
04:53Here's a first.
04:54A full fight without a single flash of fire, gust of air, or anything else.
05:02At this point, Zuko was undercover in Ba Sing Se, so when Jet challenged him, it was a true
05:06test of martial arts.
05:07As much as we love explosive bouts of elemental bending, there's something incredibly novel
05:11about seeing a true blade-on-blade beatdown.
05:13You wish he'd help you out with a little fire blast right now!
05:17It also helps that Jet's hook swords are a fantastic source of creative fight choreography.
05:21Zuko's no slouch, though.
05:23And if the Dai Li hadn't separated them, we totally would have hedged our bets on him.
05:26Arrest them!
05:27They're firebenders!
05:29This poor boy's confused.
05:31We're just simple refugees.
05:34Number 3, Blazing Battle Against the Gang, Bato of the Water Tribe.
05:46Zuko fighting Aang is nothing we haven't seen before.
05:49And it's nothing we wouldn't see a dozen times in the future, either.
05:51But amidst all their bouts, few come close to the thrill of this fast-paced smackdown.
05:56Not only do Aang and Zuko throw together some incredibly cool attacks, but there's all
05:59sorts of fun assists and combos with Appa, Jun, and Katara.
06:06They spar over a well, leap atop roofs, and fend off paralysis from Jun's pet.
06:11Altogether, this is a prime example of why Avatar is unparalleled in action.
06:24Sozin's Comet Part 3, Into the Inferno.
06:26Even though she wasn't introduced until later, it felt like Zuko's entire story built to the
06:30moment he'd face off against Azula.
06:39She's better than him, and he knew it.
06:41But you wouldn't be able to tell based on this dizzying display of firebending.
06:44The clash of blue and red blazes is truly a marvel to behold.
06:47Combined with the swelling music, you can feel the burning intensity through the screen.
06:58In the end, Zuko doesn't technically win, instead taking a shot to the chest for Katara.
07:02But in a way, that's the perfect way to cap off his journey.
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07:28Are you not entertained?
07:29Number 1. Burning Earth. Zuko alone.
07:32At the intersection of plot, character, and spectacle, you have Zuko alone.
07:36A brilliant character study that re-examines the moody firebender in a new light.
07:40Are you gonna let this stranger stand there and insult you like this?
07:48The finale executes those ideas flawlessly.
07:51By pitting Zuko's swordsmanship against an earthbender villain with hammers and chains,
07:55the breathtaking moments practically write themselves.
08:02But eventually, Zuko has to choose between taking the loss or exposing himself as a firebender.
08:07He brings out the flames to save them all, and in doing so, loses the respect of those he protected.
08:17It's a devastating blow.
08:18However, that emotional undercurrent is what turns the flashy fight into Avatar at its very best.
08:31What's your favorite firebending brawl in the series?
08:34Let us know in the comments below.
