>>31470474Also, while hardly an Azula, Zuko did grow up in a very toxic household, and then was put into a position where he desperately clinged to what control he had left.
Zuko has no idea what makes a "good" ruler. he knows his father was flawed, because he's seen enough of the result and had one stable person in his life that helped give him perspective,b ut somehow I doubt Iroh and Zuko talked a lot about what made a good ruler during his exile.
He has no idea what he's doing. He knows "don't be like dad" in the general sense, but he also knows his dad ran a damn powerful and competant nation, so what to emulate and what to avoid are things he doesn't even know where to start on. He knows setting the earth kingdom on fire with a comet is a fucked up idea, he's safe there. Trying to conquer everybody? Causing problems, not gonna do that. Don't fuck with spirits that regulate nature. Check! But really? That's about it. Diplomacy, negotiation, politics? This boy doesn't even know where to begin.
That is one thing Iroh missed, honestly. You can appreciate that he wanted to retire but he might have had a little too much faith in Zuko in this regard.
Though I woudln't be shocked if he shows up in issue 2 or 3 and knocks some sense into everybody.