I think it’s important to note that Aang’s initial reaction to discovering that Zuko was the man behind the mask, was to run away. He had to actively choose to save Zuko. And idk I’ve just been thinking non-stop about how some people actually think that wasn’t an active decision on his part and just him defaulting to thinking “this guy probs has good in him”.
In fact I think by assuming as much you miss the later lesson about how anyone and everyone is capable of being good or bad. That ultimately, being a good person is a choice and not an active state of being.
Also what I think is interesting is how Aang waits for Zuko to wake up. I imagine him sat there debating whether to leave or stay, these conflicting thoughts in his head. Zuko’s done terrible things that (at this point) can’t just be swept away by Aang, but then Zuko has saved him, even if Aang’s under no illusions why. He knows it’s for selfish reasons because he’s not stupid.
And then his question to Zuko isn’t why did you save me, it’s could we have been friends back then. Some people call Aang naïve, but I think this scene is what shows he’s not. He’s the complete opposite, in fact. Because he’s not so naïve to think that Zuko helping him makes them friends, and he’s not so naïve to think this means all he needs to do is pester Zuko a bit and he’ll become a better person. Much like him choosing to save Zuko, it’d have to be an independent choice on Zuko’s half for him to change, and Aang understands that this version of Zuko will not make that change. But at the same time, he also acknowledges that there could have been a chance if Zuko had been born in a different time, where they aren’t ‘natural enemies’.
It’s truly a realistic episode for Aang, where we see that Aang being a good person is a choice, and maybe it’s a bit a struggle too, considering he has to accept that saving Zuko means having Zuko chase him again - much like Zuko has to accept that saving Aang likely means setting Aang free so he can try and catch him again.
