I have always loved the way Aang says “okay. okay. sorry.” in this scene. So, let’s talk about this brief little moment. Because this brief little moment says so much about Aang’s character.
This is the scene in which Zuko figures out that he needs to find a new source for his firebending. He has spent the entire last episode being vulnerable with the gaang and owning his mistakes. But, here, he is reminded of a mistake that he cannot own because he did not commit it. But he still has to bear the burden of it. Zuko’s ancestors hunting dragons is not something that Zuko can apologize for the way he apologizes for other things. It truly wasn’t his fault. But it is still something that he carries around with him. When he is confronted with this unpleasant realization that there exists a wrong that he can’t right, his reaction is to be defensive and angry.
Aang did nothing wrong in this scene. Zuko is being reactive. But, look how quickly Aang forgives that. Not only is he not offended that Zuko yells at him for asking a very reasonable question, he apologizes for having set Zuko off. Aang knows that there is something wrong, but he doesn’t want to see Zuko be upset about it. He already has so much faith that there is more to Zuko than just being the angry jerk. So he diffuses the situation and waits until there is a better opportunity to try and find out what is bothering Zuko.
Structurally, this episode is the first in the lineup of life-changing field-trips with Zuko. But it is the first. All we and the gaang know of Zuko at this point is what he showed us in The Western Air Temple. But they don’t really know what this new Zuko is like. Is he just as angry as he used to be? As hot-headed? They know his motivations and intentions are different now and that is what they are placing their trust in.
Aang and Zuko being the first in the lineup is significant. Why is it Aang, to whom Zuko has done the most harm, whom Zuko has wronged the most, who goes first? Why does Aang have to be the one to test the waters with this new guy, who, yeah, is now on our side, but has been known to periodically explode over tiny things?
Because it is his character. It is his skill. There are two distinct aspects of Aang’s character at play here.
#1. His belief that no one is beyond redemption
Aang has a deeply founded belief that no one is beyond redemption. He doesn’t see people as simply good or simply evil. And it is clear that even in Book 1, he did not see Zuko this way.
Even after all those attempts at capturing him, Aang still chooses to save Zuko’s life. Twice. And those were not Aang acting on his “all life is sacred and therefore must be preserved” belief. No, Aang choosing to save Zuko’s life twice in Book 1 is him demonstrating his understanding that even someone who has made so many mistakes is capable of reform. He has always had that faith, not only in Zuko, but in everyone he encounters. He even gives Ozai multiple chances to redeem himself during their fight. But that’s a discussion for another day.
Thus, when he and the gaang first meet Zuko in The Western Air Temple, Aang’s reaction is distinct from the rest of the group. Zuko picks up on it when he asks Aang,
Aang is clearly conflicted here. His immediate reaction to Zuko isn’t the disbelief of Toph or the anger of Sokka and Katara. He would really like to believe Zuko here, because he has faith that what Zuko is saying could be true, whereas the others dismiss it as an outright lie. But, ultimately, Aang gives in to the rest of the group and rejects Zuko here.
But, we know that all he needs is just a little push. Just a little more evidence of Zuko’s honest remorse. And he gets that when he sees Zuko try to defend them from Combustion Man and again when Zuko apologizes to Toph. And again, he is the first person to accept Zuko.
#2. His ability to express true forgiveness
This brings me to my main point which is that Aang possesses an incredible skill – true forgiveness. He coaches Katara on his methods in a later episode, but we can see his philosophy at play here. When Aang makes the decision to forgive Zuko, he does so completely. He lets his anger out and then lets it go. And it is truly gone. After the end of The Western Air Temple, we never see Aang harbor any residual grudge toward Zuko. He is as carefree and fun-loving as we have ever seen him, despite the fact that he is now on an adventure with a former enemy. But, Aang doesn’t see it that way. He sees it as another adventure with a new friend.
He jokes; he pokes fun. He is simply being himself and in doing so, he is allowing Zuko to be himself. And that’s why the bond between them forms so quickly and so easily. Because they can both be their true selves. But, this wouldn’t have happened if Aang hadn’t had the skill, self-assuredness, and courage to forgive Zuko completely.
Aang has always had these qualities for as long as we have known him in the series. The other characters have to learn how to do these things.
SO BASICALLY,
Anyone else in this scene would have either challenged Zuko for getting angry or simply ignored him. But neither of those things would have been productive the way Aang’s response was.
tl;dr Aang is an incredible character whose unshakable core beliefs allow him to bring out the best in people.
