Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender of any of its affiliates. All I have is a computer and my own delusions.
He was the older brother most kids practically beg for.
Why? He was cool, funny, sweet, patient, smart, understanding, caring, loving, and loved to have fun. He got your parents to stop being so strict when they were reprimanding you, was game to help you with your studies, and was always there to teach you a new move.
He was the citizen the Fire Nation looked down upon.
Why? He was cool, funny, sweet, patient, smart, understanding, caring, loving, and loved to have fun. If he had been in a different setting, a different time and place during the fire nation's war, he probably would have been a teacher-teaching elementary bending skill to soldiers, at best.
The fire nation believed whole heartedly that those who can't do teach. That's why most teachers became heroes, before teachers, so they would not be looked down upon.
He was born into the right family.
Why? He was respected, idolized, and feared by many before they had even met him. He got opportunities to learn from the best teachers, and lead the most feared battalion of firebenders to ever cross in to Earth Nation territory. He earned an immortal name throughout the world and the right to step up into the throne.
He was the kind of guy you wanted to have as your boyfriend.
Why? He was strong, smart, born into the right family, basically all of the above. He had a sense of romance which stemmed from a love of delicate things. He also believed in and learned how to become a balanced person, which also helped him to be very understanding of the opposite sex.
He had had a life that most people strife to achieve their whole existence.
Why? He had the job, the girl, the power, the respect, the care, and the love from his nation.
…
He was hated by his brother.
Why? Was it because he was the older brother most kids practically beg for? Because he was the citizen the Fire Nation looked down upon? Because he was born into the right family? Because he was the kind of guy you wanted to have as your boyfriend? Because he had had a life that most people strife to achieve their whole existence?
No. All of that was mere childish envy to the brother. The real cause of his envy, his resentment, his abhorrence and hate, was the mere two year age difference his brother held over his head. Because it had meant the younger brother was denied the very thing you crave for as a child in a dangerous world. A parent's love. His father only had eyes for the heir to the throne. And anything less then that, even second in line to the throne, wasn't worth the effort.
The man so fondly hailed through the fire nation, the Dragon of the West, knew of his brothers growing hatred, and yet he chose to do little about it.
Why? Perhaps he was a little too patient and believed his brother would come around. Perchance he believed in his smarts with hubris at times, and believed his brothers' hate would fade away, oblivious when it didn't. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because he had the love of a nation and he figured one person who didn't feel the same, wouldn't affect his life, his happiness, his world.
And that was his downfall.
In case you didn't guess, the subject was Iroh, the brother being Ozai. Just a strange little ficlet that popped into my mind after rewatching some old episodes of Avatar. I wanted to shed light on why I think Ozai was so keen on becoming fire lord (other then greed and general bursts of emotions, making him unstable like I believe fire benders to be.) It took me awhile to craft this-I basically used my inherent psychological abilities for a while. Psycho-analyzing the fire lord – don't try it at home!
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