Azula was REDEEMED... It’s CANON!!

which is forced to retreat, and the segment ends with Ty Lee vowing to hunt her down. She talks about a change of roles. The other scene shown in the preview has a very different tone. It shows what I assume is a dream sequence that reveals how Azula wants others to perceive her. On a sunny beach, Ozai and Ursa radiate happiness, united and proudly declaring Azula as her favorite daughter. The scarless Iroh and Zuko also praise her because she is the conqueror of Ba Sing Se and the slayer of the Avatar. Her ancestors, Sozin and Azulon, are present and even a jock from The Beach episode, who previously simulated for Ty Lee, now only has eyes for the princess.

But just as Azula and her mother finally embrace, her idyllic dream is interrupted by cartoons of Mai and Ty Lee that coldly snap Azula back to reality. Just like in the show and the Avatar Cookbook, Mai has always been the best suited to cut through the many layers of Azula's psyche. The preview ends with Azula waking up, probably in the temple, and talking to this lady, who is probably the spirit. Considering the comic is only 80 pages long, I'm incredibly skeptical about witnessing a full-fledged redemption arc here. It's simply not enough time to make any significant transformation believable or to do justice to the depth of Azula's character.

We've already seen Avatar's first attempt at redeeming a morally corrupt young antagonist, and spoiler alert: the results were pretty middling. Kuvira's salvation story seemed underdeveloped and too narratively convenient to have much impact.  And that was with an entire comic trilogy, three times longer than what Azula is working on.   The other obvious problem is that culminating Azula's story in this random comic would be a dumb decision from a franchise strategy standpoint. Relegating such a pivotal story to a niche graphic novel that will realistically be read primarily by YouTubers makes no sense, especially when the alternative option involves weaving her redemption into a cinematic masterpiece worthy of a theatrical release.

If I had to guess, in this next comic we will see Azula taking the first small initial steps towards a brighter path. Redemption shouldn't be a simple flick of the wrist. It should be a tumultuous journey that causes Azula to struggle. A lot. Remember Zuko screaming during a storm, praying that lightning would strike him? Or being bedridden for a full week after doing a singular, enjoyable thing? Yes. We need to see Azula's version of that. Azula's journey must require intention, sincerity, and perseverance. And the first obstacle she must overcome is self-realization. Azula cannot be "

redeemed

" in quotes if she does not fully understand or appreciate the severity of her misdeeds.   She must acknowledge and accept her past mistakes and, in Azula's case, a major part of this introspection should probably revolve around unraveling the deep-seated traumas of her upbringing and addressing the tense dynamics of her fractured relationships. she. “Azula in the Spirit Temple” will dive headfirst into this intricate process.

Through her dreams and visions aided by her spirit, Azula will finally face the hard truths and epiphanies necessary to begin making peace. Or at least, by the conclusion, Azula will have gone from liking being an evil agent of chaos to feeling a little bad about her antics. Call it... "chaotic neutral." Either way, now you know exactly where this is all going. So now we just have to wait, while we let Azula cook.