The Psychology of Azula l Avatar: The Last Airbender

The features are a deeply rooted need of personal perfection. LO / LI: "A hair out of place." Azula: "‘ almost 'is not good enough! "This self -imposed standard is so entrenched in your mind that the scene designed to present your character to the audience uses it to * define your character. * But, this first criterion is more interesting, and when it comes to Azula, there are two types of "approval" to consider. The first is that the natural and human desire of intimacy with another and the second is that the separate need for surface self -esteem and state to underpin the identity of one externally.

Each of these two needs arise from different power dynamics in Azula's relations. Azula's relationship with his father is the unique * relationship * in which the dynamics of power * not * faces his favor. Because of this, it is the only relationship in which * she * requires this first type of approval, a genuine sense of love and affection. And, in contrast in * every * other relationship, *

azula

* is the one in power. And, therefore, "approval" is that more separate form of reverence, deference and worship. A dynamic that implies manipulating and undermining others to be the most beautiful and intelligent girl in the room.

Azula: "I am so used to the people who adore us." Ty read: "They should!" Azula: "Yes, I know, and I love it." In light of this, Azula would satisfy this first part of the DSM-V criteria, but we must ask the question that each spectator has had at the foref That we normally see, like what we only see, like what we only see, as well as what we only see, just like what we do not see, just like what we only see, just like what we only see, just like what we do not see. Immediately identify a weakness of his opponent to exploit Azula: "When he runs to the ball, there is only the slightest doubt of his left foot, I am willing to make a girl's injury weakly weakly weak the injury has weak the injury that he weakened" ".

There is an interesting line that she says later ... Azula: "Yes! We have defeated you forever! You will never get up from the ashes of your shame and humiliation!" His need for perfection and social domain means that "friendly games" are impossible. Because losing something, even something as trivial as this, is a failure * moral * of shame and humiliation. It is also in this episode that we see how their lack of empathy and combative mentality negatively affect their social connection capacity with others. There is a clear desire to do so, but it requires skills that are fundamentally opposed to its psychological framework.

Which lacks pro-social internal standards or remains in socially agreed social signals. The clearest example of this, for Azula, is not to be able to connect with any of the holiday boys. Until Ty Lee taught him how to moderate his own behavior to fit. Ty read: "If you want a child to like it, just look at it, smile a lot and laugh at everything it says, even if it is not fun." Ty Lee: "How do you like this party?" * He laughs on all others* Although he played as a joke, Azula has never had to moderate his behavior in this way before.

To adjust to such a social standard. Beyond this, his Machiavellian features and his antisocial personality disorder mean that his usual inclination towards emotional manipulation cannot get what he wants in this scene: the genuine affection of a child of his age. Minna Lyons writes, in "The dark triad of personality", that ... This research supports the idea that Azula does not have a narcissistic personality disorder. There are also smaller examples of their lack of socio -emotional skills, such as when it reaches * exactly * in the party sun. Simple and colloquial phrases on his head. But ... if something can be explained more easily in

psychology

by simple environmental factors, then it should be.

Be raised in the rigid social environment and somewhat isolated from the Royal Court ... where others deferred to it could also explain these basic social deficiencies more easily. At the same time, this episode is also designed to demonstrate that Azula's Machiavellian personality is not all that encompasses it, but there are deeper emotional dimensions in the

psychology

of his character is never as black and white as that. And Azula is no exception. Although empathy is not naturally to Azula, I want to reduce a scene that gives us an idea of ​​its ability to do so, with regard to a specific character ...

Zuko. Zuko: "Those summers that we spend here seem a long time ago ..." "... has changed a lot." Azula: "I thought I would find you here ... come to the beach with me. Come on. This place is depressing." This moment is disconcerting for the character of Azula ... When Zuko later talks about his struggles ... It is Ty Lee who approaches, the one who showed that he was the most empathetic in the group, but here, it is Azula. There seems to be a great reason for Azula to look for his brother on purpose and take him to the beach here. She has deliberately excluded him before, but there is a depth in her line here.

She is simultaneously recognizing that Zuko has pain and needs to be close to other people ... and also reflects on her history shared in this place ... that she is depressing. Perhaps because she also sees beyond the facade of the happiness they had in the past and that she understands, at a certain level, the trauma under which they both grew. There is a previous moment in history, where Azula seems to express the remediation * genuine * when he hurts Ty Lee. Azula: "Those boys just like you because you make it very easy for them. You are not a challenge, you are a mockery." * Ty Lee cries* Azula: "Okay, okay, shut up.

I didn't want to say what I said." A reading of Azula's actions is that he wants to maintain his position at the top of the social hierarchy by not alienating Ty Lee, who worships it. Remorse, being an emotion very rarely seen in the Machiavellians. And yet, I prefer to read this as a genuine, it does not hit me in the same way as Azula's scene with Zuko. This is isolated, far from the eyes, but the beach itself is destined to be a place where people can learn about others and themselves, far from the rest of the world, not sir of fire, without

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, no battlefield, without voltage just a brother and a sister, a moment of Azula glass out of all that as if, this is what could have been, if they wanted, if they remove the pressures of the rest of the world.

Of his father. Of his father. Of his father. However, despite this case of genuine empathy, the immediately following scene demonstrates how limited this empathic feature for her is. When Zuko calls Ty Lee A, "Circus Freak", he is the only one to laugh, despite knowing how much it hurts. When Zuko triggers himself, he no longer knows the difference between the right and wrong, they make fun. An interesting detail in the script of the Katie Mattila scene reflects this limited lack of empathy ... Azula is silent for most of the conversation. Where Mai, Ty Lee and Zuko change and sympathize ...

It is almost as if Azula could not keep up with them, emotionally. And then, as noted before, she discards them as fictions of "performances", such as the costumes one could put to win attention, gratitude or sympathy. She points out that she could weave a "Sollozo story" about how much he loved Zuko, but that "really cares." Of course, we know that she * cares, deeply. This comes to light in one of the only moments of Azula of deep and true introspection. Azula: "My own mother ... thought it was a monster." Azula: "He was right, of course, but still hurt." This moment is of interest because introspection is not a feature that is commonly found in those that show signs of an antisocial personality disorder, especially a Machiavellian.

Azula's central belief in its superiority and perfection does not allow you to admit weakness or pain as Iroh did when it lost Lu Ten after the culmination of all this emotional agitation that Azula makes an interesting suggestion ... ... to destroy the party. A reading of this scene is that Azula reaffirms herself, violently attacking those who felt despised when she retired from that moment of vulnerability that allowed himself to be felt and re -placed in the position of power she knows better. Back to what he feels is a safe social space to be ... ... Maintaining control through intimidation and Azula aggression: "Fear is the only reliable way!" Azula: "Even you fear me." Following, "The Beach", the psychology of Azula takes a darker turn when it begins to develop a ... ... the idea that those around are conspiring to cause harm.

It takes to the root when Azula is taken by surprise as Mai reveals it for the first time, followed by Ty Lee when he asks why, Mai says something that not only * confuses * Azula, but * is enraged * his ... mai: "I love Zuko more than I fear you." Azula has grown around family relationships based on power and fear and, because of this, she has also based her relations that Mai even explicitly recognizes here. For someone who has only seen the power and fear respected, and mainly related to others through those things, the possibility of Mai acting for love for fear is unexpected and inexplicable.

If someone who controlled so much time (out of fear) can do this, then ... and be weak is the worst thing it can be. It does not fit within its psychological framework and worldview, so this is one of the few moments in which we see that Azula loses its emotional composure. Azula: "No, you calculated badly! You should have feared me more!" This scene marks the beginning of the delusions of the persecution that takes place in Azula's mind and it is not surprising that he begins with Mai and Ty Lee: the two characters we see that he regularly trusts with his life and objectives if they can betray it, anyone can.

The seeds of the illusion had been planted, but it is important to understand how delusions develop, psychologically. In the episode, "Info The Inferno", Azula begins to suspect that those around her with betrayal, even the smallest things when the Dai Li arrives a few minutes late in the throne room, she interprets this as an intentional betrayal This is what is known as an interpretive hoax. The dominant idea here is that people are conspiring against it, and a series of events are interpreted to adapt to that idea. She bars the Dai Li and shortly after bars the entire Firebending Imperial Guard, and her servants under the same suspicion even seeing a cherry well as an intentional threat to her position when she and li come to deter it from ascending to the throne, she interprets this as an attempt to undermine her authority, this interpretation interprets her height later when Azula tries to make the attempts.

It fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but for deletion, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails, but fails but fails, It fails, but fails, but fails. ... pronouncing a peculiar line ...

Azula: "Correct hair, it's time to face your destiny!" Instead of accepting that trusting fear and raw power to achieve things weaken it ... ... she interprets this as * her own body * conspiring against her treating her hair as if she had all those who had in the palace. It is at this point that the delusions of Azula evolve, while beginning to hallucinate his mother. Ursa: "What a pity. You always had such beautiful hair." This line is interesting for a couple of reasons: first, Azula's desire for perfectionism has always been represented by perfectly symmetrical hair. From his opening scene, until when he fought against Katara in "Crossroads of Destiny", the fact that * this * is the time when his hallucinations begin could be because seeing this reflection of herself as "imperfect" is what cuts more deeply.

For Azula, being imperfect is a moral failure. It is shameful and humiliating. Azula: "Don't pretend to act proud ... You think I'm a monster." His mother's hallucinating version continues to criticize her, playing with her delusions of persecution that she is too aggressive, too ambitious, her hair is already cut, things that she cannot change about herself. This reflects something of the relationship we see that they had in their childhood. Interestingly, almost all the interactions that URSA has with Azula is Critical Ursa: "Azula, we don't talk that way." URSA: "Jóvica lady! Another. Word!" URSA: "What is * bad * with that child?" URSA: "What is happening here?" Young Azula: "I don't know." URSA: "It's time to speak!" Before the construction of his mother, Azula reaffirms what he has always believed ...

Azula: "Trust is for fools! Fear is the only wayReliable! "... that fear has made her strong. But her mother refutes this immediately. Azula:" even you fear me. "Halucination‘ Ursa ': "No. I love you, Azula. I do. He needs others emotionally, which has a weakness in it, as he did, "the beach" Azula then attacks violently, destroying the mirror to refer to his position, depending on violence and fear. Specific DSM for schizophrenia. The one that is so known in particular ", the

last

Agni Kai" there is a sharp literary symmetry between his first fight and his

last

fight with Zuko.

The duration * is identified * as a qualification factor to diagnose this disorder, even the people who work totally * can * suffer temporary psychotic breaks when they are placed at extreme pressure. Proud. "A second point in Azula's psychological development here, is the transition of interpretive delusions to a systematized illusion. One that" can involve several issues, and can become complex narratives and that cover everything. "Interpretive delusions grow and deform in a central belief about 'Why the world is as it is, in its entirety.' The persecutory delusions are particularly Azula systematized deception begins here, with the belief that his mother is manipulating everything in his life: his failures, his defeat, his betrayals. first?" ... ... "How does it convince you to help me ruin my life?" Finally, facing another hallucination of his mother, he accuses her directly. (Paraphrasing Azula's dialogue :) "You have been conspiring since I was a baby to ruin my life because you saw something in me: power!" "Power makes you fear!" Her mother not only transforms into a master mind whose sole objective is to destroy her, and prevent her from taking the throne as Fire Lord ... ...

But, her father, Ozai, becomes a saint, who fought her enough time for Azula to find her. A defining element of systematized delusions is that they cannot be challenged, and that the world fits in * they *, however, Azula does not understand how Zuko and Katara could have communicated with it after she disappeared ... ... None of this undermines this great and persecuted illusion. They are forced to work around that central belief. It should be noted that Azula always, possibly, has also had delusions of greatness. -A inflated importance, high self -esteem and a rigid belief in its inherent superiority. But this pursuer deception that began in "The Bailing Rock", is finally deformed to include a secondary type of illusion that works within this broader and more systematized.

An illusion of control. (This is the idea that forces outside themselves are controlling their thoughts and actions, or the actions of others). This becomes clearer later, "the search", when he finally finds his mother ... (paraphrasing) "You do not understand it, Zuzu! Even before he accuses Ursa of" turning to his own mind against "psychologically, this is to be expected. A 2017 study showed that ... for Azula, his mother is the puppet that puts thoughts and ideas and his head to control it more specifically, however, however, the approach in the psychological processes of Azula seems Being on the throne: that his mother has done everything possible to put Zuko in him, and not her.

I loved you enough. "Once again, he returns to that dynamic of" love against fear. "Although this revelation threatens to break this worldview, Azula remains deceived. As we discuss before, the external facts are not necessarily rejected, but are forced to fit into an illusion persecuted and control. That is what we see in the story of" Smoke and Shadow ". The revelations of" The Search " In an illusion of a stranger (Azula's dialogue :) "I know *I will never be Fire Lord because I am not *meaning *to be Fire Lord!" "Mi *Destiny *... is to become *in the Lord of the fire that I tried to be, one that is *strong, *that governs through *fear! *"" And then, *laughs *in a sense, I will be *fire sir *again. "The deception evolves so that *not *was wrong about her mother conspired or that she was not destined to take the throne.

Her mother remains the master mind. But Azula now knows that she *is *to be Fire Lord in a way she did not expect, through manipulation, through Zuko a puppet. Interestingly, this is a contradictory belief system, now. Sheets The DSM-Duration Criteria for a Schizophrenic Disorder ... a Closer Examination of Azula's Behavior and Psychological Processions May Be Better-Explained by A Second Diagnosis ... This is defined as when a prominently exhibits Both schizophrenic signs, and Major Mood Symptoms, Such As Manic Depression or Mania. Tumultuous. intermittent Deepen, it is important to recognize that psychological disorders are not explanatory for themselves, a "diagnosis" is not the end of the discussion.

Practically every interaction between Azula and his mother is negative. No. Other. Word! "What is * bad * with that child?" This type of dynamic can be quite detrimental to a child, this does not mean that URSA was emotionally abusive of Azula, in everything that clearly loves her, and at the subliminal level, Azula even understands this. Where, then, this belief that her mother sees her as a monster? This leads us to a concept called ... here, being Ozai and Usa. Marking contrast in parenting strategies: URSA seems to positively reinforce the social skills and behaviors that are based on ... and their approval does not depend on their skills, such as its fires.

They demonstrate their abilities to avoid Lord Azulon. I loved seeing you. "Ursa:" That's what you are, Zuko. Someone who continues to fight, although it is difficult. "Here, URSA expresses affection for Zuko, just because he tried, anyway. While Ozai only frown. However, when Azula performs, the prodigy, Ozai smiles. While Ursa says nothing. The result of this dynamic is that Azula receives positive comments, when he is a child, mainly of his father who shows a hunting and ability to Fire, and in his cruelty. You were lucky to be born. "We also see that Ozai sees virtues, like mercy, as a weakness.

When Aang refuses to kill him, he says ... Ozai:" Even with all the power of the world, you are still *weak! *"This is a feeling that Azula, clearly, takes seriously, repeating Zuko during" the search "(paraphrasing :)" "even when you are strong, Zuzu, you are weak." It describes the sensitive empathy of Iroh as "the form of tea and failure." When Zuko faces Ozai with why he would physically abuse his own son, Ozai rules out, without thinking. Ozai: "It was to teach you respect." This belief that respect comes totally from power, is also something that Zuko clearly believed as a child.

Pleading with his father that he did not want to disrespect. Ozai's raising reinforced the idea that being feared is to respect. That is a strong leader is to punish your enemies and affirm your authority through fear and power. The only time we see Ozai expresses pride in Zuko, is when he praises him to kill the

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. Necessarily, this is completely opposite, even antithetical to the values ​​that URSA is trying to instill in his children. She warns Zuko for not showing empathy to the weakest turtle ducks and emphasizes the value of love -based relationships. Ursa: "Zuko, please, my love, listen to me.

Everything I have done, I have done to protect you." These two moral frameworks of parents who emphasize opposite principles, values ​​and behavior give a child not clear direction for emotional development. Children naturally gravitate towards the moral framework of parents who provide them with positive comments and due to the prodigious talent of Azula's fires, this was that of their father. The fundamental problem in his co -partner here is that Ozai punishes the skills and virtues that URSA reinforces because he sees them as a weakness while Ursa punishes many of the skills and values ​​that Ozai reinforces. It cannot be underestimated that Azula, either, saw these two moral frames that developed before her in real time.

Although it is never represented on the screen, there is a clear involvement that Ozai physically abused URSA in comics and there is explicit evidence of emotional abuse when he completely interrupts it with friends and family, so that he depends on him, a distinctive seal of an abusive relationship. A scene in "Smoke and Shadow" shows URSA experimenting episodes of anxiety and cannot sleep in the same room as once, with him. Victims of abuse are often unable to be in the same physical space as where they experienced such a trauma. From these signs, it is possible to suggest that Ursa could have had depression while breeding to Azula something that would have severely affected his parenting skills.

To demonstrate the severity of this, the study of Grube & Dorn of 2007 concluded that ... for Azula, the relationship of their parents is a morality game thatHe teaches that fear and power is the only reliable way of protecting and keeping people loyal because their father is the total control of them and home. Which means that it is less likely to develop your mother's social skills. And this becomes a spiral for your relationship with your mother. The more Azula loves and earns her father's approval ... ... the more she feels that her mother is rejecting her. For a child, repeated moral disagreements are difficult to distinguish complete rejection or even hate, over time.

Especially, if Azula feels that this * is * as she is. For Azula, the only way to be strong, which is the most important thing in the world for her now, is to be a monster in her mother's eyes. The final result is clear. Azula: "My own mother ... thought it was a monster." This relationship leads her to idolize Ozai from a young age to firmly believing that he would be the best lord of fire, doing everything possible to appease him ... he sees herself as, "the child legitimately privileged." She is loyal, the successful. But, the cruelty that supports this twisted idolatry culminates in a scene, during, "King Phoenix" when the time of her and her father comes, assaulting the kingdom of Earth Ozai: "You will remain here in the nation of fire." Azula: "But I thought we were going to do this together!" Azula: "You can't treat me like this!" Azula: "You can't treat me as Zuko!" This moment of isolation and rejection by his father cuts deeper than anything else before being rejected like this, must be put at the level of his imperfect and weak brother, and there is nothing worse than that.

He also talks about a fear of a home to abuse, where the brothers do everything possible so as not to be the one who has the worst part of him. For Azula, this was always Zuko. But, this line suggests a fear of inheriting that position in an abusive home. But, instead of finally seeing his father for the manipulative psychopath he is ... using his own children as tools to promote their own objectives ... ... Azula believes him when he tells him that he can only trust this task. Ozai: "I need you here to monitor the homeland. It is a very important job that I can only trust you." For the first time in its history, a person successfully manipulates * Azula. * Ozai, knowingly, plays his desperate need for his approval against her ... ... for her own personal benefit.

This, on the other hand, would be his victory, alone. He rules it when it becomes useful. This harmful missing fault also leaves Azula out of its depth in other ways as well. Menninger declared that ... it is shown that these three factors exist during the main psychological development of Azula. The 1993 Finham and Osborn study reinforces this. Find that ... although it is not dead, per se, Usa leaves; That, for a child, he can feel like abandonment with death. This next discussion is mainly a conjecture with respect to what we see of its history. But the study of Hajdu-Gimes explained that, of children who developed schizophrenia or related disorders, such as schizoaffective disorder ... the roles of the sadistic and passive father are exchanged here.

Ursa was never "Malévola" towards Azula, she really expressed a deeper affection for her; However, never to the extent that we see her connect with Zuko. Theoretically, this preference may contain something really and could explain a lot, psychologically. Sullivan writes ... Sullivan's description adjusts to Azula to a T. who attacks when he feels vulnerable, Ozai has probably rejected any of his first attempts to find that tenderness, empathy or that love to foster. And if URSA felt unable to connect with her, becoming more passive in her raising of the children ... ... either due to their depression, or the controller and abusive role of Ozai in her relationship ...

This would have contributed to the most violent trends of Azula. URSA can be "inappropriate, instead of Malévolo." On the basis of this, the loss of a father is a recurring theme in the development of disorders in children, but Sullivan also highlighted the importance of a rescue father who enters the situation and, by giving the child love and genuine acceptance, manages to undo part of the damage. This point colored a marked contrast between Azula and Zuko that faced many of the same family traumas and pressures as they developed, psychologically, but where Azula only seemed to trust Ozai, his abuser Zuko had Iroh a subrogated rescue father who works in much of the same mentality that has taken the root in Zuko's mind and is successful.

Explaining in part the difference between the two brothers, psychologically. In this sense, it was Azula who was left behind, who was not rescued, who was not nourished, who was not loved in the same way as Zuko was. Azula's story is a tragedy, deep down his psychology is the final dominoes to fall into a long chain of family abuse, defective parenting and emotional rejection. Although it is easy to read it as an adult; In fact, it is only fourteen a teenager, it is unlikely that Ozai has had a lot of time for immaturity, a lot of time for her to be a girl like Zuko, she was given time to be a young child, for Iroh, many things play on why we are the way and, while the bad actions of Azula cannot be fixed on anyone ...

It is important to recognize the complexity behind the complexity behind violence and abuse. These are cycles ... ... and perpetuated, again ... and feel inevitable. And, Azula ... "... even with all the power of the world ..." "...* she* is still weak." *Soft rain*