Netflix’s Live-Action Last Airbender Is Improving Ozai In 1 Crucial Way

Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender is already fixing a significant problem from the original animated series regarding Fire Lord Ozai and his lack of character depth. Strong writing and complex characters make The Last Airbender one of the best cartoons of the 2000s, but antagonist Fire Lord Ozai was one of the few weak links in the original series. Voiced by Mark Hamill in the original Avatar: The Last Airbender, Fire Lord Ozai is revered in the source material for his incredible strength as a firebender and his relationship with other prominent firebenders. However, considering Avatar: The Last Airbender is more about the journey than anything else, Fire Lord Ozai mostly exists in a peripheral context in the source material.

Nevertheless, Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action star Daniel Dae Kim recently laid any concerns regarding Fire Lord Ozai to rest with a positive update by comparing Fire Lord Ozai to Darth Vader. In the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender, Fire Lord Ozai was more akin to Emperor Palpatine in that he mostly orchestrated key events from behind the scenes. However, with Kim’s Darth Vader comparison, it stands to reason that the beloved villain will have a more dominant presence in the Netflix live-action adaptation. Whether improving his backstory or his ruthlessness, Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s update is already a good sign.

The Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Is Improving Upon Fire Lord Ozai

Fire Lord Ozai’s character can be developed further with Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Considering the many interesting facts about Fire Lord Ozai from Avatar: The Last Airbender, the upcoming live-action adaptation has plenty of content it can source to flesh out the beloved character even further than what the animated series achieved. While Fire Lord Ozai’s climactic battle with Aang brought about some of the most engaging writing in a cartoon series, it ultimately felt like too little too late regarding Fire Lord Ozai’s characterization. Everything from his brief yet brutal reign as the Fire Lord to his tumultuous relationship with his offspring can be expanded in Netflix’s adaptation.

Kim’s Darth Vader comparison further suggests that Netflix will make greater strides to depict Fire Lord Ozai as something of a tragic figure despite his brutal reputation. While firebenders are renowned for their tenacious and uncompromising values, there’s also a great deal of internal conflict that many of them wrestle with, as seen with Fire Lord Ozai’s son, Zuko. If audiences get an opportunity to learn more about the things that drove Fire Lord Ozai down his path, it will make the drama and tension more engaging.

Netflix’s ATLA Is Showing What The Original Show’s Villain Was Missing

The original Avatar: The Last Airbender didn’t satisfactorily flesh out Fire Lord Ozai’s motivations.

Despite being a great villain by the conclusion of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Fire Lord Ozai didn’t have enough screen time to properly develop his character. Considering that Fire Lord Ozai led the Fire Nation into the industrial age, which, in turn, made them the dominant military force for many years, it would be great to see him develop his military acumen over time. The Netflix adaptation can also spend more time depicting Fire Lord Ozai’s relationship with his older brother, Uncle Iro, and the specific events that drove a wedge between them.

Another distinct facet of Fire Lord Ozai’s story is his complicated relationship with children, Azula and Zuko. Whereas he recognizes that Azula possesses the necessary qualities to lead the Fire Nation into a new age, he desperately wants his son to be his successor as it strictly adheres to tradition. However, Zuko’s complicated feelings about it, combined with Aang’s influence on him, creates a compelling degree of conflict between the three prominent members of the Fire Nation. With Kim’s endorsement and Netflix’s One Piece success, Avatar: The Last Airbender is positioned to redeem Fire Lord Ozai.