| “ | Of course not. Killing the ocean spirit would deprive Waterbenders around the world of their lives. Men, women, children. I'm not a monster. No. I'm only gonna kill the moon. | „ |
| ~ Zhao explains to Iroh why he'll kill the Moon Spirit |
Admiral Zhao is one of the two secondary antagonists on the first season of 2024 Netflix adventure fantasy series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which is based on Book One: Water of the Nickelodeon 2005-2008 animated series of the same name.
He is a ruthless and dishonorable Fire Nation naval officer who serves Fire Lord Ozai. When his master decides that the Avatar Aang poses a threat to his world-conquering plans, Zhao takes the opportunity to beat the disgraced Prince Zuko out in the pursuit for the Avatar in favour of his own goals.
He was portrayed by Ken Leung.
Personality[]
Zhao failed his training trials at least three times until he became an Admiral. Since then he became ruthless, bloodthirsty, and arrogant who did whatever he could to expand tyranny. He took the opportunity to do whatever he can to boost his rank and status in the Fire Nation when Zuko and Iroh visited him. Though the two men claimed they needed maps of the area looking for a migration of squid, Zhao knew they were letting on more than they knew. After gaining information from Lieutenant Jee (who was often mentally abused by Zuko) that Zuko actually found the Avatar, Zhao realized if he captured Aang then he would gain all of the glory. The former commander is unlike Zuko: dishonorable, selfish, and lacks some of the princes morals. Despite initially agreeing to with with Zuko, Zhao secretly plotted against the young prince behind his back by conspiring his lieutenant and his sister Princess Azula. This made him a pathological liar and master manipulator who didn't reveal his true colors to Zuko and Iroh until "Masks." In "The North," he tricked Lieutenant Jee into getting Zuko to get on a lifeboat that was doused in blasting jelly.
He is boastful and arrogant man, who pride himself too let the Avatar know that he was captured by himself. Due to his ambitious and power hungry nature, Zhao secretly plotted to one day overthrow Ozai and killing the Moon Spirit, clearly not caring about the casualties. He claimed to Iroh that he wasn't going to kill both the spirits because that would have killed the Waterbenders and removed their bending because he wasn't a monster. However his claim that he will kill them Moon spirit to deprive benders of their waterbending made it worse because without their bending, there would be more casualties in the siege of the North. Zhao is also a cowardly individual, having run away with he saw a Kyoshi-possessed Aang take out most of his army and from the Spirit Oasis as he watched Iroh unleash his fury on his men after Zhao killed the Moon Spirit. Despite his planning and hidden agenda, Zhao clearly underestimated Prince Zuko, General Iroh, Princess Yue and Avatar Aang, all individuals who made his plans fail and led to his downfall.
Appearance[]
To be added
Powers and Abilities[]
- Firebending
- Strategic leadership
- Fighting skills
Quotes[]
- “If I were you, I'd be thinking less about my past and more about my future.[...] Really? I mean, I'd worry a little. Oh, you won't be killed. If you die, you'll just be reborn. We'd have to begin our search for the Avatar all over again, so you'll live. Though not well.”
- ―Zhao mocking Aang for his failure in the past
- “What are you doing? Don't write that down. ”
- ―Zhao to his scribe
- “We are the loyal sons and daughters of fire, the superior element. Until now, only one thing stood in our path to victory. The Avatar. And today, we've done something no one has been able to do. We have captured the Avatar! This is just the first step. There will be mighty battles to be fought. But not tonight. Tonight, we will celebrate! We will praise the glory of the Fire Nation!”
- ―Zhao taking credit for Aang's capture and swearing victory over the other Nations
- “I'll tell him the truth. That the prince chose to put his needs over those of his countrymen. And that his son was a traitor. Now I need to deliver my condolences to General Iroh. I'm sure he's been through a terrible shock.”
- ―Admiral Zhao about planning to kill Prince Zuko and offering "condolences" for General Iroh
- “I swear, I will not rest until I hunt down these villains. Our enemies can't be allowed to get away with such a brazen crime.”
- ―Zhao feigning empathy for Iroh order his nephew's supposed death.
- “That won't happen. For one thing, the fleet has been outfitted with new, deadlier weapons, but more importantly I have personally made arrangements to ensure our victory.”
- ―Zhao to Iroh on his vague plot to take out waterbenders
- “No. I have been studying up on matters beyond this realm, which is why I know that that isn't just any moon. It's the Ice Moon, a rare cosmic event. The barriers between the physical and spirit worlds grow thin on this night. When I received the Fire Lord's orders to conquer the North, I knew brute force wasn't gonna be enough. I needed an edge.”
- ―Zhao giving hints of his plan to kill Tui
- “(Iroh: Zhao, you're not thinking of tampering with the Spirit World, are you? Are you? You're going to kill the ocean and moon spirits?) Of course not. Killing the ocean spirit would deprive Waterbenders around the world of their lives. Men, women, children. I'm not a monster. No. I'm only gonna kill the moon.”
- ―Zhao revealing his plan to kill the Moon Spirit
- “General Iroh, either you help me find the spirits or watch as I burn this whole place to the ground.”
- ―Zhao threatening to destroy the Spirit Oasis
- “Ozai lacks vision. He's so fixated on the games he's playing with his family, he can't see the bigger picture.”
- ―Zhao to Iroh
- “To Your Supreme Eminence, the great flame of the world, I am but a humble servant in the Southern Seas. But I have news for you of a critical nature. I know this information may arrive as a shock, and you might be tempted to dismiss it as rumor or delusion, but rest assured, I have witnessed these events with my very eyes. That is why I can report an astounding development. One that could change the future of the Fire Nation.”
- ―Zhao wrote a letter to Ozai to inform him about the return of the Avatar.
- “Spare me your empty threats. This can still work out for you, Iroh. Once I take my place as the new Fire Lord, you can stand by my side. Your presence will lend legitimacy to my claim. The Dragon of the West can rise again. As long as he bows... before Zhao, THE MOON SLAYER! I AM A LEGEND NOW! They will tell stories about me! For generations, Zhao the Moon Slayer...”
- ―Zhao boasts about himself when he's about to kill the Moon Spirit.
- “Who do you think was my ally... through all this? Who convinced the Fire Lord to send me the Yuyan archers? Who identified the Blue Spirit's swords as yours? Azula told me everything I needed to know. You are the fire in which her iron was forged. That's all you were.”
- ―Zhao reveals to Zuko that Azula is the one who's behind his entire actions, also his last .
- “You're alive?
Zuko: Coward!
Zhao: Traitor!” - ―Zhao upon seeing Zuko survived before they duel
- “ No? Do you realize what I can do? I can wipe out an entire race of benders. Can you imagine what that's like?”
- ―Zhao's that's to kill the Moon Spirit to Aang and refusing his attempts to surrender
- “ You think anyone cares about you? How much of a threat will the Avatar be once I eliminate waterbending from the world? Master of Three Elements doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it? Let's face it. You don't matter anymore. Actually, I'm not sure you ever did!”
- ―Zhao mocking Aang
Trivia[]
- Zhao is more ruthless than he was in the original cartoon series.
- Zhao used his firebending to kill Tui in the original cartoon, but here, his weapon is a knife, akin to how his Shyamalan counterpart killed her.
- The Netflix TV series also claims that Kuruk made this knife to fight dark spirits.
- He is partly responsible for Princess Yue's sacrifice because Zhao's killing of the Moon Spirit led Yue to revive Tui with her life force. The world nearly lost Aang's when he merged with La until Yue's sacrifice reversed it.
Gallery[]
Omashu[]
The North[]
Legends[]
[]
| ||
Gen I: Aang (The Last Airbender - Netflix) • Appa (Netflix) • Katara (The Last Airbender - Netflix) • Momo (Netflix) • Sokka (The Last Airbender - Netflix) • Zuko (The Last Airbender - Netflix) • Suki (Netflix) • Toph Beifong Avatars Order of the White Lotus Air Nomads Fire Nation Water Tribe Spirits Other | ||