What happened to Azula after Avatar: The Last Airbender?

The heroes in Avatar: The Last Airbender are memorable in their own right, but when it comes to villains, there is none more iconic than Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. Younger sister of Zuko, Azula is manipulative, diabolical and just someone you love to hate. A firebending prodigy and recognizable due to her blue flames, she was probably Team Avatar's biggest problem, as she continued to beat them down in battle time and time again.

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Although she was defeated alongside her father, Fire Lord Ozai, Azula's story continues in the graphic novels The Quest and Smoke and Shadow. We'll be detailing exactly what hit Azula in these comics, and based on past interactions with her on the show, Team Avatar is in a world of trouble.

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Azula's story In 2013's The Search

The last time we saw Azula on the show she was far from the cold and composed firebending prodigy that she was, suffered a mental breakdown after losing to Zuko and Katara. Even before she met them, Azula's mental state had slowly disintegrated, her paranoia growing she was plagued by hallucinations of her mother, Ursa. It comes as no surprise when it was revealed that Zuko, now the Fire Lord, basically had Azula committed to a mental institution.

By the time the events of The Search series roll around, Azula has stabilized somewhat, but she is still plagued by Ursa's delusionswhich is a theme we see throughout the story.

Although she initially acts as if she doesn't care about her mother's perceived mistreatment of her, this is proven false. She is as determined to find Ursa as Zuko isbut for completely different reasons. Convinced that Ursa has turned everyone against her, Azula believes that killing Ursa will solve the problem and repeatedly denies the truth that her mother loves her.

After being tipped off by Ozai about a secret chamber, Azula finds an insulting letter written by Ursa, claims that Zuko is the son of her lover Ikem. However, it is later discovered that this is a lie that Ozai knows full well, but did not tell Azula on purpose, likely manipulating her into overthrowing Zuko.

Azula confronts Ursa

As the story progresses, it is eventually discovered Ursa has approached a powerful, ancient spirit known as the Mother of Faceswho is also the mother of Koh, the Face Stealer. The Mother of Faces changes Ursa's face and also takes away her memories of her old life and her children. As a result Ursa is reborn as Norikomarried Ikem (also changed to Noren) and had daughter Kiyi.

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Azula is further upset by Kiyi's existence, believed that Ursa had another daughter to replace her “monstrous” one. Despite not having the memories, Ursa apologizes to Azula for not loving her enough and this makes Azula cry. Zuko chimes in and the two siblings continue to let it go, with Zuko acknowledging their dysfunctional sibling relationship but saying he never wants to hurt Azula because she will always be his sister.

Azula's final appearance in the series sees her fleeing into the nightstill denying both her mother and brother's genuine concern for her.

Azula makes a comeback in smoke and shadow

In Smoke and Shadow, Azula returns with a vengeance, and we see a return of the cunning and ruthless Azula we knew from the previous seasons of the show. This Azula is completely different from the one in the Quest, which she is no longer tortured by visions of her mother. And it seems Azula's time at the asylum was fruitful, as well she can leverage the connections made during her time as a patient for what she plans to do.

Azula manipulates Ukano, Mai's father, who had started the New Ozai Society with the intention of restoring Ozai to the throne, by pretending to be in support of their plans. Posing as a spirit known as the Kemurikage, Azula begins stealing some of the country's children as a ploy to sow discord among the people against Zuko.

When Zuko finally confronts Azula, she reveals that everything has gone according to her plans. As a result of the intensified rebellions against Zuko's rule, he had inadvertently turned into a tyrannical authoritarian without realizing it. According to Azula, she has accepted that her true destiny was not to be the Fire Lord without molding Zuko into a ruthless and efficient Fire Lord that fits her worldview.

While Zuko apologizes to his subjects for his behavior, Azula disappears. There is no mention of her after this, not even in Legend of Korra do we get a clue as to what might have befallen her after the whole Kemurikage plot.

It remains to be seen if any further information about Azula will be revealed, but the life she lived after Smoke and Shadow and how she died remain a mystery.

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