Iroh's Inspirational Quotes

“General Iroh” or “Uncle” is a fictional character from Nickelodeon’s Cartoon Series, Avatar : The Last Airbender. He is called as, “Dragon of the West” because he supposedly slew the last two dragons in the world (but In order to protect them, he lies and fabricates a story about him having actually slain the last dragon, thus stopping any further hunts from being conducted), as well as his particular aptitude for breathing fire during combat. He inspired me a lot for his Easygoing, friendly, and dryly good-humored characteristics. Below are some of the quotes by him taken from various sites around the web.

► You are not the man you used to be. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you ever used to be. And now you have come at the crossroads of the destiny. Its time for you to choose. Its time for you to choose good.

► Protection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness and love.
There are reasons each of us are born. we have to find those reasons.

► [Drawing the Fire Nation symbol in the dirt] Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want.

[Drawing the Earth Kingdom symbol] Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring.

[Drawing the Air Nomad symbol] Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns, and they found peace and freedom. [pause] And they apparently had great senses of humor.

[Drawing the Water Tribe symbol] Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribes are capable of adapting to many things. They have a sense of community and love that holds them together through anything.

It is important to draw wisdom from different places. If you take it from only one place it become rigid and stale.

[he draws straight lines separating the four symbols]  Understanding others, the other elements, the other nations, will help you become whole.

[He draws a circle around the whole, uniting the four symbols into one] It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful. But it can make you more powerful too.

► Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame, but it’s source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.

► Lightning is a pure expression of firebending without aggression. It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire. It is precise and deadly like Azula. To perform the technique requires peace of mind.

► Sometimes clouds have two sides, a dark and light, and a silver lining in between. It’s like a silver sandwich! So when life seems hard, just take a bite out of the silver sandwich.

► You’re looking at the rare white dragon bush. Its leaves make a tea so delicious it’s *heartbreaking!* That, or it’s the white jade bush, which is poisonous.

► I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game.

► Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not.

► Euch! This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!

► Sick of tea? That’s like being sick of *breathing*!

► [Iroh has just watched a group of boys accidently kick a ball through a window] [to the boys] It is usually best to admit mistakes when they occur, and to seek to restore honor. [Angry Man coming to the window] But not this time. Run!

► While it is always best to believe in one’s self, a little help from others can be a great blessing.

► [cut to Iroh on a hilltop under a tree. He builds a makeshift altar and places a picture against it] Happy birthday, my son. If only I could have helped you.

[sings, crying]
Leaves from the vine
Falling so slow
Like fragile, tiny shells
Drifting in the foam
Little soldier boy
Come marching home
Brave soldier boy
Comes marching home.

► [crying] I was never angry with you. I was sad, because I was afraid you’d lost your way.

► Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don’t know if I could, it would be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence. A brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this was to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord.

► No. Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart, and unquestionable honor. It has to be *you*, Prince Zuko.

► Yes, you have. You struggled. You suffered. But you have always followed your own path. You’ve restored your own honor. And only *you* can restore the honor of the Fire Nation.

► Goodbye everyone. Today, destiny is our friend. I know it.

► You know, Prince Zuko, destiny is a funny thing. You never know how things are going to work out. But if you keep an open mind and an open heart, I promise you will find your own destiny someday.

► [smiling] At my age, there is really only one big surprise left, and I’d just as soon leave it a mystery.

► So I was thinking about names for my new tea shop… How about… the Jasmine Dragon? It’s dramatic, poetic… has a nice ring to it.

► We have a chance for a new life here. If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things that are happening for us.

► There’s nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is that you want from your life, and why.

► I was about to ask you the same thing. What do you plan to do now that you’ve found the avatar’s bison?

► Are you going to keep him locked up in our appartment? Should I make some tea for him?
AND THEN WHAT? You never think these things through. This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole. YOU HAD HIM AND THEN YOU HAD NOWHERE TO GO!

► I’M BEGGING YOU, PRINCE ZUKO! It’s time for you to look inward and start asking yourself the big question: who are you and what do YOU want?

► [getting a massage] Aahh… this is what I’ve been missing. Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for three weeks, with no food or water, and sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver, could make on SO tense!

► So this is how the great commander Zhao acts in defeat… disgraceful! Even in exile my nephew is more honorable then you. Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious.

► Are you so busy fighting you cannot see your own ship has set sail?

► Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects.

► No! Zuko! You must never give into dispair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.

► [to Zuko] It’s a lovely night for a walk. Why don’t you join me? It would clear your head. [no response]
Or, just stay in your room and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy.

► That’s true. But you are clearly outmatched.

► You should know this is not a natural sickness. But that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying tea.

► Your critical decision – what you did beneath that lake. It was such a conflict with your image of yourself that you are now at war within your own mind and body.

► You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience but when you come out of it. You will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be.

► You sound like my nephew. Always thinking you need to do things on your own without anyone’s support.

► There is nothing wrong with letting people who love you, help you. Not that I love you. I just met you.

► I know your not supposed to cry over spilled tea, but [cries] it’s just so sad!

► Because understanding the struggle between your two great-grandfathers can help you better understand the battle within yourself. Evil and good are always at war inside you, Zuko. It is in your nature, your legacy. But there is a bright side. What happened generations ago can be resolved now, by *you*. Because of your legacy, you alone can cleanse the sins of our family, and the Fire Nation. Born in you along with all the stife is the power to restore balance to the world.

► A man needs his rest.

► Forgive my nephew; he is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts.
Power in firebending comes from the breath, not the muscle!

► It is usually best to admit mistakes when they occur, and to seek to restore honor.

► Who would have thought that, after all these years, I would return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace…As a tourist!

► There is energy all around us. The energy is both yin and yang — positive energy and a negative energy. Only a select few Firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance, and in the moment the postive and negative energy come crashing back together, you provide release and guidance, creating lightning.

► Things will never return to normal. But the important thing is, the Avatar gives Zuko hope.

► Is it your own destiny? Or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?

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