Look at her eyes. She’s terrified. She’s just talked back to her father for what is probably the first time in years, and she has no idea what’s going to happen next. All that she know is what happened the last time something like this happened-and she can’t imagine anything worse.
All her life, Azula’s world has rested on the knowledge that no matter what may happen, at least she is better than Zuko. At least her father knows she’s special. And now her father has pulled both of those facts out from under her in an instant, brushing her aside like she doesn’t matter. And if neither of these stone-ground truths, things that she built her whole life upon, are true any longer, than what is left? Who is she, when all of her self-worth has crumbled?
What’s going to happen?
Just… YES.
I feel like too many people ignore this aspect of her breakdown. People focus a lot on the betrayal of Ty Lee (and to a lesser extent, Mai) and on her complicated mess of emotions regarding her mother, because that stuff is obvious.
But all of that stuff was just setting up the house of cards. Ozai was the one who blew it down.
See, the whole thing about why Azula isn’t too keen on Iroh stems from the fact that Iroh very clearly neither understood nor appreciated her as a child. During the siege of Ba Sing Se, he sent Zuko a thoughtful, appropriate present that Iroh knew he would love, and he sent Azula… a doll. In Azula’s mind, it was as good as saying “Even though you’re smarter and more talented than your brother, you’re not as worthy. I don’t love you as much or care about you enough to get you a present you’ll actually like. You’re the second child, you’re a girl, you’re not as important. Here, little girl, sit quietly in your corner. Go play with your dolly.”
And years later, when she’s done everything, given everything, to her father because he assigned her worth on account of her prodigious skill, because he actually valued her for something, all she wants is for all that she’s worked for to be acknowledged. She’s ready to reap the fruits of her labor and stand proud by her father’s side. She’s pinned all her hopes and dreams on this exact moment. This is when she’s finally going to get the thing that’s going to validate her entire existence.
But then… then Ozai says no. He turns her away. And when she protests, he tosses her the crown as a consolation prize. Despite his self-appointment as the Phoenix King rendering the title of Fire Lord worthless, he pawns it off on her to shut her up.
“Here, little girl. Go play with your dolly.”
SittingOverHereDreaming 