What If Zuko Won?

Based on events in W.I.T.C.H. in the World of Avatar

Epilogue 14: The Last Act of Fire Lord Zuko (Zuko and Ozai)

After Ozai was incarcerated, a curious fact was discovered.

Although his comet-derived fire might was gone, dissipated through use and time, prolonged exposure to the weird energies in Zuko's celestial machine, the mix of the essence of the Heart of Candracar and the comet's super-solar flares, had wrought changes in the former Fire Lord's physiology. He was now extremely sensitive to sunlight.

Something his guards had learned after they left an outer door open and a thin ray of light streamed into Ozai's cell.

The resulting explosion dropped a wall on Ozai, knocking him out, or else he would have escaped.

The dread Lord of Fire had become a solar collector.

A veritable sunlight sponge.

Therefore, Fire Lord Zuko decreed he be kept in the dark at all times.

ooooooooooooooo

"What happened to Mom?"

On his only visit to see his father, the last day of his Fire Lordship before his abdication, Zuko was direct and to the point.

"You really wish to know? I will tell you, for the knowledge will burden your soul even more."

In the darkness of the jail cell that now defined his life, Ozai wove a tale of ambition, betrayal, honor and loss.

"Fire Lord Azulon had decreed I was to suffer the same loss as Iroh - the death of his first born - in order to become the next Fire Lord. Which I had little problem with..." Ozai smiled wickedly.

"But your mother could not bear the thought! I don't know how she found out, but she did. I told her she had to confront father and convince him to change his mind. Which I knew would not work. The man was stubborn as a horde of mule-ox! If talk failed, I informed Ursa there was only one way to protect you and ensure my ascension to the throne. I gave her a knife and promised to banish her if she did the deed."

"But your weak-willed sow couldn't go through with it! She begged father to take her life instead of yours! Watching from hiding, I became so enraged, I killed Azulon myself! Then I smeared his blood on Ursa and told her she had to take the blame or I could not become Fire Lord. If she did, I declared you would be safe."

"So you did banish her?"

"Yes. I sent a trusted aide with Ursa to watch over her, and make sure she did not spread any tales."

"So Mom could still be alive??"

Ozai grinned even more evilly.

"But even with all that, I could not trust events to work out in my favor. Replacing Iroh in the line of succession, combined with Azulon's death, was certain to set tongues to wagging. I could not afford any dissent, or challenge to my rule. Therefore, I provided two sets of food supplies to my aide. One, I told him, was laced with a slow-acting poison. The other wasn't."

"So you killed Mom?!!"

"Except...All of the food was poisoned! That was your sister's idea. Azula always had such...talents, wouldn't you agree, my son?" Ozai cackled. "And since I haven't heard from either one in years, both must be dead!"

Mom could still be alive?? Zuko hung on the very slimmest of hopes.

"What happened to you?" Zuko said, unable to understand his father's actions. "Our family used to be so happy! We would go to Ember Island and actually enjoy ourselves! Surely you remember that! What happened to turn you into such a monster??!"

"You should ask your Uncle Iroh that one!" Ozai teased.

"Oh no! You don't get to blame Iroh for your vile acts!"

"It was he who shamed us all at Ba Sing Se!" Ozai raged.

"Stop it! Iroh was upset at the loss of his son, as any normal human being would be! He's a decent person, unlike you!"

"I had to grow up, my son...As you also did." Ozai smirked, and stared right into Zuko's tired golden eyes.

The son of Ozai and Ursa turned away.

"No! I'm nothing like you!!"

"As you say, my Fire Lord." Ozai cackled. "As you say."

"Just one golden ray of sunshine, one single drop of sunlight, and I'll be out of this prison!" Ozai threatened. "Then I'm coming for you, Fire Lord! Or is it 'Avatar' now? If you were smart, you'd kill me! But you won't, will you?"

"I lost my wife because of you, you sniveling weakling!"

"You're dead, Zuko! You hear me? Dead!!" the insane former Fire Lord screamed at the Avatar as he exited the prison and entered the sunlight.

"Heh. One little drop..."

"You did the right thing, Zuko." Aang said. "You showed mercy. The Monks taught me..."

"Yeah yeah yeah. I get it! But that's air bender preschool, and I live in the real world! In the real world, my dad hates me, and if he ever escapes his prison, he'll hunt me down and kill me! So I hope I don't regret this."

Next:

Fire Lord Shen Ming

However, things don't go so smoothly when Shen's girlfriends (plural, more than one) show up!

Whoops!

Plus: A long-awaited appearance by Azula!

Notes / Comments

If Ursa is still alive, the poison she took would have robbed her of her memory.

This reveals Azula was more involved in the events of that night than was previously known, and explains why she thinks she's such a monster. Azula is responsible for her mother's fate.