SPOILERS FOR THE AVATAR SERIES FINALE.
Just had to get that out of the way first.
So, after I watched it, I was kinda sorta almost... disappointed. I mean, it was plenty epic, don't get me wrong, I was just expecting... more. I'm still not entirely sure what I was hoping for, but I know they didn't focus on crazy!Azula enough. Don't get me wrong, I think they did an adequate job explaining it and all, but it seemed too rushed. And I was really disappointed that Ursa wasn't found. .
So, this is what I feel happened to Azula after the series. Because we all know that Azula just needs one big hug from a certain someone.
Footsteps. She turned her head to stare at the floor, letting her bangs fall in front of her face. The prison door creaked open and shut, but she refused to look; it was doubtless one of her so-called "friends" come again to offer their pity while laughing behind her back, or maybe that fool of a brother here to rub in her face that he was fire lord now. Either way, she didn't want to see them. "Go away," she commanded in the most imperial tone she could muster. When she heard the other make no move to leave, she snarled, "What do you want?" If her hands and feet weren't chained, she would've bent fire at whoever was there.
"My dear Azula..."
Her heart skipped a beat. She knew that voice. Even after all these years, she recognized it. She turned her head to look, to be absolutely sure, but suddenly someone's arms wrapped tightly around her. "It's okay now," a gentle voice whispered soothingly.
Her mind was a swirl of contradicting emotions. Her heart ached just to feel them all. She was angry and happy and hurt and lost and loved and abandoned and afraid and ashamed and confused and she couldn't think straight past knowing that she was barely keeping back a flood of tears. "I thought you were dead," she whispered, the only thing she could think to ask.
"I'm not, and now I'm here," that voice replied. "I'm so sorry for leaving you."
She wanted to say that it was okay, that she forgave her, but she couldn't. She didn't forgive this woman. She hated her for everything, for always going to Zuko, for leaving her alone all those years, for thinking she was a monster...
Her hands were clenched into fists, the nails digging into her palms. "Go away."
"Azula, I – "
"Go away!" Azula repeated, more forcefully, letting her anger speak for her.
There was a brief pause of hesitation, then she felt the warmth around her leave. She shot her gaze immediately back to the floor, refusing to so much as look at the woman who had so wronged her. Another brief hesitation, then Azula caught a glimpse of retreating feet. The door creaked open again. A pause. "I love you, my dear, dear Azula."
She felt as though the breath had been knocked out of her at those words. How long had it been since she'd truly heard anyone say that? Six years? Seven? The door clanged shut, and Azula's head shot up to see the back of the only person who had ever really cared about her fading away into the darkness. All pride and anger vanished, replaced by loneliness and desperation. "Mother," she whispered to the air, but she was gone, and Azula was left alone as the tears washed down her cheeks.