Top 10 Best Azula Moments on Avatar: The Last Airbender
#10: Betraying Zuko “The Avatar State”
Several years after Zuko’s father banished him from the Fire Nation, his sister Azula shows up with great news. She tells him the Firelord regrets sending the prince away and wants his son back. But before Zuko can get on a ship home, someone accidentally reveals the prince is a prisoner. Azula is extremely casual when her lies are discovered. After Zuko lashes out at her, she belittles him, almost hits him with lightning, and kicks off a nationwide manhunt to track him down. This episode gave us the first taste of how ruthless Azula is. We know brothers and sisters don't always get along, but the amount of damage she did to her sibling in under 24 hours was frankly impressive.
#9: Winning a Volleyball Game “The Beach”
A perfectionist like Azula can't help but operate at 110%. Naturally, when she gets a chance to play volleyball on Ember Island, she doesn't hold back. After stacking her team with three of the most talented teenage fighters in the Fire Nation, they get to work. Azula ends up kicking the ball so hard that it causes a mini explosion. Once her team claims victory, she relishes her triumph with an epic victory speech. It's hard not to admire her insane dedication to everything she does. Unfortunately, the high level of intensity she brings to sports doesn't translate well to her flirting attempts.
#8: Recruiting Ty Lee “Return To Omashu”
While hunting her brother and uncle, Azula decides that a special mission requires special forces. She immediately knows that her acrobatic friend Ty Lee would be perfect for her squad, but the circus performer initially refuses Azula’s invitation. When Ty Lee is in the middle of a high-flying stunt later that night, Azula orders the safety net to be lit on fire and all the wild animals to be released. Ty Lee gets the message and joins the princess's team after the show. Although we knew Azula could be brutal to her enemies, we had no idea that she could be this vicious to people she likes. But while her recruitment methods may be cruel, you can't argue with the successful results.
#7: Fighting On a Gondola “The Boiling Rock, Part 2”
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When Zuko and his allies attempt to escape the boiling rock on a gondola, Azula refuses to let her prey go so easily. She uses firebending to propel herself across the ropes until she catches up to her brother. Once atop the moving transport, Azula doesn't hesitate to fight Zuko and his sword-wielding ally Sokka. It's already impressive that she's holding her own against two formidable combatants, but the fact that she's doing it while on a moving platform is nothing less than incredible. Azula only abandons the fight when it looks like the gondola’s ropes will fail. And just in case you forgot how cold she is, she smiles when it looks like Zuko will fall with the gondola to his certain doom.
#6: Azula Becomes the Banishlord “Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno”
Although Azula excels at a lot of things, she's never been good at trusting people. This character flaw is really apparent on her coronation day. When a servant leaves a pit in one of Azula’s cherries, the soon-to-be firelord banishes the servant from the palace. She proceeds to exile the entire Dai-Li Army for their “slow” response time, and her advisors for suggesting she postpone a ceremony. While it's kind of sad to see her coming apart at the seams, it's still hilarious to watch her punish people for extremely petty reasons. Azula banishes so many people that there's hardly anyone left to watch her coronation.
#5: Escaping Six Skilled Warriors “The Chase”
It looked like a good day for Azula when she tracked the Avatar to an empty village where he had no backup. When Zuko shows up though, she's forced to fight against two skilled opponents. Eventually, the warrior Sokka and master benders Katara, Toph, and Iroh all show up to fight her as well. But it's not game over for the princess just yet. She takes advantage of the few seconds when Iroh loses concentration to attack him before mysteriously vanishing from the scene. If any other person had to fight these six enemies, they would probably give up, but Azula has the cunning to escape and fight another day.
#4: Stalling Opponents Without Her Powers “The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse”
Knowing that firebenders lose their powers during an eclipse, Aang, Sokka, and Toph try to find the firelord during the solar event. However, when they arrive at his bunker room, Azula is waiting for them. Toph tries to use her earthbending skills to interrogate the princess, but Azula’s way too good at lying. When the Gaang tries to attack her, she's able to dodge most of their bending moves. Even when they corner her, she uses mind games to keep them distracted until the eclipse ends. It's amazing to watch Azula hold such capable adversaries at bay without her powers. Even at her weakest, she's a force to be reckoned with.
#3: Conquering Ba Sing Se “Crossroads of Destiny”
Have you ever wondered how you could conquer the most fortified city in the Earth Kingdom? Azula has a three-step plan. First, you have to defeat a fearsome Earth Kingdom fighting force named the Kyoshi Warriors. Then you steal their outfits so you can assume their identities and meet the Earth King. Once you gain his trust, you just have to be intimidating and clever enough to win the loyalty of the secret army intended to protect him. If you do all of this correctly, you too will be able to stage a coup and take Ba Sing Se just like Azula did. Her historical conquest is so masterful that it should seriously be studied in Fire Nation schools.
#2: Facing Off Against Zuko in an Agni Kai “Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno”
Before Azula officially became the Firelord, her brother Zuko showed up to claim the throne. She immediately challenges him to an Agni Kai. The resulting battle is a beautiful display of comet-enhanced firebending. Even though Azula is not at the top of her game, she still manages to pull off a series of incredible moves. But once the fight starts tipping in Zuko's favor, she attacks Katara with lightning. After the prince fails to redirect the electricity away from his friend properly, he's left unable to continue the fight. We shouldn't have been surprised that Azula would resort to such cutthroat and underhanded tactics. Even when she's all-powerful, the princess doesn't mind cheating to win. Before we fire up our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Instantly Knowing that a Guard Is Lying “The Boiling Rock, Part 2” Telling Everyone Zuko Slayed the Avatar “The Awakening” Azula Stops Herself from Free Falling “The Southern Raiders” Threatening the Captain of A Ship “The Avatar State”
#1: Nearly Ending The Avatar Cycle “Crossroads of Destiny”
Top 10 Most Shocking Avatar: The Last Airbender Moments
If Aang dies while in the Avatar state, the world will never have another Avatar again. Fans will never forget the time Azula became frighteningly close to making this happen. With the brother she once hunted newly recruited to her side, the sibling duo takes on Aang and Katara. When the Airbender enters the Avatar state to try to win the battle, Azula strikes him down with lightning. This was one of the most shocking moments in the entire series; Azula’s savage actions nearly threw the world out of balance permanently. Although her attack was unquestionably evil and unfair, we have to give her props. How many villains have the guts to attack the hero during their transformation sequence?
