Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
The fantasy world ofAvatar: The Last Airbenderhas been one of the most fascinating animated fantasy action tales of all time.
Created by Michael Dante DMartini and Bryan Konietzko and produced by Nickelodeon, the franchise has grown and expanded to include series and movies, both animated and live-action, books and comics, video games, and much more.
Set in an Asian-inspired setting and having various other Asian elements, the story follows the journey of twelve-year-old Aang, the current Avatar, who can bend all four elements— water, earth, fire, and air. However, the story is not restricted to Aang but features dynamic characters and side stories that add to the narration’s richness, keeping it fresh and intriguing.
While in the world ofAvatar, these supporting stories have generated a lot of buzz and intrigue, few have intrigued fans as much as the fate of Zuko’s mother Ursa. The animated series left Ursa’s story unfinished, however, theAvatarcomic picked it up and provided fans with the answers they have long sought. So, here is a breakdown of what happened to Ursa.
What happens to Ursa inAvatar: The Last Airbender?
InAvatar: The Last Airbender, Ursa is the wife of Fire Lord Ozat and the mother of Zuko and Azula. Born in the town of Hira’a, a town in Fire Nation, she is the daughter of Jinzuk and Rina, who is the daughter of the previous Fire Nation Avatar, Roku.
Ursa is depicted to be in love with a local boy named Ikem, and the two even end up being betrothed by him. However, one day, Fire Lord Azulon, Zuko’s grandfather, tracks her down and has her marry his son, Prince Ozai, because of a prophecy he had heard urging him to mix his bloodline with Avatar Roku’s in order to secure his family’s future on the throne even after he is gone.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Theory Reveals Iroh Unlocked a Whole New Form of Bending on His Own Before Aang Used it Against Fire Lord Ozai
Hence, Ursa has to lie and is forced to marry Prince Ozai. Ozai, however, is an evil, power-hungry man, who even separates her from all of her family, completely destroying any communication between them. When Ozai learned that Fire Lord Azulon intended to punish him for trying to usurp Iroh’s birthright, Ursa made a desperate deal to save Zuko’s life, leading her to be banished.
Ursa is banished forever from the Fire Nation due to Ozai’s actions
While Ozai was greedy and fuelled by ambition, Ursa was a compassionate and protective mother, especially towards Zuko. While Zuko and Azula were still young, their Uncle Iroh’s only son, Lu Ten was killed in a battle leading to Ozai asking his father to pass the Iron Throne to him as his birthright since his brother had been overtaken by grief, ignoring his duties. This made Lord Azulon extremely angry and he planned to punish Ozai by ordering him to kill his firstborn, Zuko.
Having heard this plot, Ursa made a deal with Ozai and concocted a poison for Azulon so that Ozai could become the Fire Lord. In exchange, while she asked for Zuko’s life to be spared, Ozai ordered that she would have to leave Fire Nation forever so that she wouldn’t be able to use the same poison on him.
He also forbade her to take her children with her, threatening her that they would be chased and murdered. First forced to leave her old life and true love behind, Ursa once again had to leave everything she loved.
One Scene in The Beginning After The End Looks Like It’s Straight up Copied from Avatar: The Last Airbender
This exile marked the beginning of Ursa’s long and painful journey away from her children. Heartbroken to be separated from her children, especially Zoko, whom she adored, she had to face many more challenges ahead. Meanwhile, Ursa’s absence became a defining trauma for Zuko and Azula, shaping their complicated relationship while fueling their inner struggles.
What happens to Ursa after her exile from Fire Nation?
While inAvatar: The Last Airbenderwe saw Ursa being exiled, her life after her painful exile has been covered in one of theAvatarcomics written by Gene Luen Yang along with Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino,The Search, which also details Zuko’s quest to find his mother. After leaving the Fire Nation, Ursa finds refuge in a place known as the Forgetful Valley.
Here, the former Fire Princess encounters the Mother of Faces, a powerful spirit that can alter appearances and even memories in the case of Ursa. Desperate and heartbroken, the spirit helps her leave her former life behind by erasing her memories and giving her a new face, she then becomes Noriko. Noriko then meets a man named Noren, who turns out is actually Ikem who had his face changed to escape Ozai.
One Piece: Did Eiichiro Oda Secretly Take Inspiration From Avatar: The Last Airbender For 1 Elbaf Character?
It doesn’t take long for them to fall in love and they get married, living a quiet life in the village where Ursa was born. Noriko and Noren build a peaceful life together and even have a daughter Kiyi while Zuko and Azula grow up with the scars of her absence, each channeling their trauma in their own ways.
Zuko’s quest of search for his mother, Ursa
InAvatar: The Last Airbenderwe see Zuko confronting his heartless father about the whereabouts of his mother, and it is only inThe Searchdo we find the answer. Years later, now the Fire Lord, Zuko embarks on a quest to find his mother alongside Team Avatar and Azula. When he first encounters Noriko, he is unable to recognize her. But after getting to know the truth from the spirit, Mother of Faces, Zuko returns to the village and there Noriko does the brave act of having her face and memories restored.
‘It’s easy to forget that she was a child’: Avatar: The Last Airbender Ex-writer Wanted Azula to Have Her Own Redemption Arc That Could’ve Set Up Season 4
Finally able to reconcile with her children, the revelation is healing for both Zuko and Ursa but Azula is unable to bear it and nearly ends up killing her mother if it hadn’t been for the Fire Lord.
While Azula runs away, Ursa promises to tell her son everything about her life, and thereThe Searchends. However, in the later comics, Ursa returns to the Fire Nation and even gets to confront Ozai, who is now locked in jail for his crimes. Thus, after years of heartbreak and hurt, Ursa finally finds happiness again, with her story providing fans with a satisfying resolution to one of the series’ most enduring mysteries.
Avatar: The Last Airbenderis available to be streamed on Netflix.
Maria Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2703
Maria Sultan is a dedicated News Content Writer at FandomWire. With over five years of professional experience and hundreds of published articles, she brings a wealth of expertise to her coverage of Marvel, K-dramas, and the latest on streaming platforms.Her work is not just about reporting news; it’s about providing insightful perspectives on the entertainment trends that matter most.
