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"Zuko Alone" is an episode from the animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which airs on Nickelodeon. It is the seventh episode of the second season of the series.
This is the only episode in which Zuko is the pure main character.

While traveling without Iroh, Zuko runs into a boy in a small Earth Kingdom town. Zuko recalls his memories of how times were before the Agni Kai that occurred when he disrespected his father and resulted with his banishment. All the while he is reminded of his constant loneliness while with the boy.

Episode synopsis
While traveling through the southern Earth Kingdom alone, Zuko runs out of food and water. He briefly contemplates robbing a man and woman of their campfire meal - we recognize these people as Tahn and Ying, who appear later on in - but retracts when it becomes apparent that the woman is pregnant. Zuko continues on, fading in and out of consciousness all the way. At one point, he experiences a momentary vision of a beautiful dark-haired woman who is wearing Fire Nation clothing, but wakes with a start and eventually makes it to a small town. There, while trying to obtain food and provisions, he gets into a confrontation with a small group of soldiers who, instead of protecting the village as they were assigned, act as bullies and control the people of the town. After they rob Zuko of his purchases, a boy named Lee (who is the actual cause of the confrontation) invites Zuko to his home, where Zuko is welcomed by Lee's family. Zuko ends up helping Lee's father Gansu around their farm, but does not, however, provide them with his name or his past.

As this goes on within the present, Zuko experiences frequent flashbacks of his past that occur when he - and his sister, Azula - were children.

The scene begins in a royal garden situated in the Fire Nation where two figures sit by a large pond. The first is the woman seen earlier holding out crumbs for the pond's Turtle Ducks, while the other is an eleven-year-old Prince Zuko. To demonstrate "how Azula feeds turtle ducks," Zuko suddenly hurls the loaf of bread at a baby duck, which promptly earns him chastizement from his mother, as well as a painful bite on the leg from the duckling's own mother. Zuko's mother, Ursa, goes on to explain that that is just how moms are like towards anyone who would harm their babies, making a biting sound for effect. They then passed by Azula, Mai and Ty Lee. Azula and Ty Lee were cartwheeling and Ty Lee proved better so Azula pushed her. Mai sees Zuko and turns away, blushing. Azula thinks of a clever plan and convince Ursa to have Zuko play with them. Azula then places an apple on top of Mai's head and sets it on fire, telling Zuko to get it off her. He charges and they both fall in the pond. The girls giggle that they look so cute together. Zuko leaves, yelling, "Girls are crazy."

A letter from the war front sent by General Iroh arrives at the royal palace. In the letter, Iroh describes how his forces have broken through the first wall and that the magnificent capital city of Ba Sing Se is within sights. He hopes for them to see it in the future... if they don't burn it to the ground. He laughs at this and the scene shifts to Zuko and Azula laughing. Iroh also sent gifts for his niece and nephew. For Zuko, a hand-crafted, pearl dagger with the inscription, "Never give up without a fight" on one side, originally belonging to the general who surrendered to Iroh's forces after they broke through the outer wall. Azula in turn receives a doll wearing an Earth Kingdom dress, much to her disgust. She then goes on to question if Ozai, as Iroh's younger sibling, would be the next Fire Lord if Iroh were to not return, to which she receives scolding from both Ursa and Zuko. Still holding onto the belief that her father would be better suited for Fire Lord, Azula disdainfully proceeds to set flame to her new friend.

At night, Lee sneaks into the barn where Zuko is resting in and takes his dual broadswords. Zuko detects this and eventually comes across Lee practicing with his swords in a field of sunflowers. Rather than becoming upset, Zuko gives the boy a demonstration of his skill and advice on how to properly wield the weapons, which Lee is able to pick up to an extent. As the two walk back, Lee shares how much Zuko reminds him of his brother.

The following day, as Zuko prepares to leave, the soldiers show up at Lee's house to derisively tell the family that Lee's older brother, Sen Su, has been captured by the Fire Nation and faces almost certain death. Lee's father leaves to see what he can do about his eldest son, and Zuko leaves soon afterwards, but not before leaving Lee his dagger.

Yet another letter arrives from the frontlines, but a tear that rolls down Ursa's face as she reads it indicates a much different air. The letter tells that Iroh's son, Lu Ten, has died in battle. Later on, Azula reveals to Zuko how Iroh is coming home, stating that he fell apart as a result of Lu Ten's death and is to return defeated. Before she can go any further, their mother appears to inform them that Ozai has requested an audience with their grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon. Azula instructs her mother not be so formal addressing their grandfather, stating that someone will probably replace him soon enough.

Prince Ozai appears before his father, Fire Lord Azulon, accompanied by his wife Ursa, Azula, and Zuko. Ozai demonstrates for the Fire Lord both his daughter's superior intellect and prowess as a Firebender. Zuko, jealous, tries to demonstrate his own skills, but provides a clumsy performance, much to both Azulon's and Ozai's annoyance and displeasure. Zuko's mother is the only one who reassures her son that his nature was that of a fighter, who doesn't give up even when faced with adversity. The Fire Lord, growing impatient, requests everyone, save Ozai, to leave to discuss what Ozai came for. As Azula and Zuko follow their mother out, Azula drags Zuko behind a curtain, so they may listen in on the conversation.

Ozai makes the request that his elder brother's birthright and heir to the throne should be revoked. He argues that Iroh has lost his spirit and it may be long before he returns if at all, as well as the fact that as Iroh's only son is dead, the royal bloodline would die. Azulon, however, becomes enraged at such a horrendous proposal directly after the death of his son's own beloved child and declares that Ozai would be punished severely. Zuko becomes frightened and runs out of the room, while Azula remains behind to hear Ozai's punishment.

Later that night, Azula informs Zuko that their father is going to kill him, literally; apparently, Azulon told Ozai that he, like Iroh, would know the pain of having the first-born son killed. At that moment, Ursa appears and asks what is going on. Azula tries to deny it, but Ursa drags her out of the room to speak with her.

As Zuko lays in a field, seemingly contemplating the previous flashbacks, a wagon suddenly rolls up and he is approached by Lee's mother, Sela. She begs for his help; apparently, when the thuggish soldiers bothered them again, Lee pulled the knife out on them and was captured. Zuko adamantly states that he will bring her son back.

Later on, Zuko is awoken by his mother, who tells him that everything she has ever done, she did for him, and to never forget who he is, no matter what. Zuko, who is only half-awake, quickly falls back asleep, but he remembers his mother's words in the morning, and searches the palace for her in vain. Azula informs him that not only has their mother disappeared, but their grandfather died during the night. Zuko confronts Ozai, demanding to know what happened to his mother, but Ozai doesn't respond.

Back in the present, Zuko confronts the soldiers, with the people's support, effortlessly dispatches them one by one. Unfortunately, he struggles to combat the leader, an Earthbender that fights with two war hammers. In the course of the battle, however, he recalls his mother's final words to him and reveals his firebending, whereas he had previously only wielded his twin swords. Combining his firebending and swords, he uses fire blasts that actually cut through the earthbenders rocks. After defeating the final soldier, Zuko boldly announces himself as the Prince and Heir to the Fire Nation. Despite what he had just done for them, the townspeople instantaneously reject and express their hate for him after his revelation, Lee and his mother included.

The episode ends with a final flashback: an imperial funeral for Zuko's grandfather, and Ozai's crowning to the throne... which, according to the sage presiding, was on Azulon's own wishes.

As the scene switches to the present one last time, Zuko rides off towards the town's entrance, villagers on either side, looking upon him with stones, implements, and dull hatred. He leaves the town, alone.

Production notes
* During Azulon's funeral, the Royal Family (Ozai, Zuko, and Azula) wear white robes, which is the Chinese color of mourning.
* On the DVD audio commentary for the following episode, "The Chase," the Avatar creators likened the plot of this episode to that of a Western.

Translations
* Zuko's dagger reads é?žæˆ°ä¸?å±ˆ, meaning "Never surrender without fighting".

Series continuity
* This is the first episode in which Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Appa have not appeared.
* Zuko's pearl dagger is the weapon briefly shown in "The Avatar State," which Zuko and Iroh used to cut their hair. The dagger was given to him by his uncle, who received it from an Earth Kingdom general as a token of surrender after Iroh's army defeated the general's army and broke through the outer wall of Ba Sing Se.
* When Azula firebends in the flashbacks, she uses orange and red fire instead of the blue flames she generates when she is older.

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