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Zuko's Hair: the Symbolism

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It is a widespread and somewhat controversial theory that Zuko's changing hairstyles throughout the three seasons of Avatar: the Last Airbender are symbolic of the internal changes which he experiences over the course of that time. I personally support this theory.

Let's begin with the basics. I am going to explain the theory at its core in the simplest of terms, and then explain the thought process which led me to this theory.

When you see Season One Zuko, with his ponytail, what do you think? I'm willing to bet that you think "bad". You may deepen this label by throwing in such choice terms as "angry", "bitter", "hurting", "confused", "searching for answers", and the like, but on the surface, it's just "bad". Now let's skip ahead 63 episodes. We are now in season three, and Zuko has shaggy hair. When you see this Zuko, what do you think? You think "good". You may also think "changed", "redeemed", "honorable", "noble", or "forgiven", but basically what you think is "good".

Now I want you to dust off your old thinking cap from kindergarten, and imagine with me. Picture your favorite post-Western Air Temple scene, after Zuko joined the GAang. Picture him fighting for what's right, or righting his wrongs, or maybe even just being a dork. Now envision Zuko doing that same thing, but with a twist: exchange his season three shaggy hair for his season one ponytail.

It just doesn't work, does it? You have a hard time imagining Ponytail Zuko doing anything good, don't you? Now try to picture Shaggy Hair Zuko attacking Aang, burning down Kyoshi Village, or tying Katara to a tree. Repulsive, isn't it? The reason for that, in simple terms, is because Ponytail Zuko and Shaggy Hair Zuko are two different people entirely.

In the first season of the show, Zuko is portrayed as the antagonist. The first season is spent showing us his personality, developing his back story, and establishing that he is not really evil, as evidenced in the scene in which he temporarily gives up chasing Aang in order to rescue Iroh, among other scenes. The entire first season, in essence, is spent setting up the intense inner changes that will take place in Zuko during season two.

The entire first season was the time when Zuko wore his ponytail. Some people equate the stiff and rigid nature of this hairstyle to Zuko being bound by the restrictions and standards of his father, and of the Fire Nation.

Now, the season two premiere is when the bad-Zuko-to-good-Zuko transition officially kicks off. And how does it kick off? I'm sure you remember: with Zuko cutting off his ponytail and dropping it in a river. I see this as a symbol of the old Zuko being carried away, so that the rising of the hero we all know and love can finally take place.

While that may very well be the intended symbolism behind that scene, there is more behind it. Fairly recently, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that, in ancient Eastern cultures, when a warrior cut off his ponytail, it stood as an act of severance from his nation and his family.

Think of that in Zuko terms. For him to cut off his ponytail stood as an act of severance from the Fire Nation--the very regime that had enslaved him his whole life--and from his family, which, aside from Ursa and Iroh, was what corrupted him and set him off on his dark path in the first place. It stood as an act of letting go, of saying, "Enough is enough! I'm done with this!" Before any kind of change or improvement could be made, Zuko had to make a conscious decision to let go.

If you go back and re-watch that scene, you may notice that after Zuko cuts off his ponytail, there is a brief moment in which he holds it in his hand and looks at it without a sound. I can't help but wonder how much, if any, he realized the eternal significance of that one choice he had just made.

The second season of the show consists of Zuko dealing with an inner conflict that took place in the very core of his being. As he traveled in exile and saw the way his people were hurting others, he began to question his ways, and everything he knew was challenged. Through the use of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzco's profound character development skills, we can clearly see the intense inner conflict Zuko is dealing with.

The closing scene of the episode "Bitter Work" depicts Zuko on top of a mountain in the middle of a storm, yelling at the world for treating him so horribly. "Strike me!" he yells. "You've never held back before!" The episode ends with a close up of a tear leaking from his eye before we see him scream, and fall to his knees.

In "Lake Laogai", Zuko drops his Blue Spirit mask into the lake, after Iroh encourages him to let it go. Iroh states later that he knows how difficult that choice was, and that he is proud of Zuko.

And of course, who could forget the season two finale, "The Crossroads of Destiny"? The title of this episode says it all. After a whole season of slowly growing and maturing, Zuko is now walking the line between good and evil, and is faced with the choice to either go back to his old lifestyle, or to leave it all behind and embrace a new lifestyle with his mentor and father figure, Iroh. Iroh tells him, "You have reached the crossroads of you destiny, and it's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good." After much internal trauma over the decision, Zuko devastated many fans by betraying Iroh and once again embracing his old lifestyle. He goes back to the Fire Nation, and is accepted back.

Throughout season two, his hair has grown out, and is now a shaggy hairstyle, shorter than his season three look. When he returns to the Fire Nation, he wears his hair up in a top knot. A widespread theory is that the top knot represents rigidity and restriction, as seen in the way he wears it up, as opposed to the way it flowed free of restriction before he returned to the Fire Nation.

Being back in the Fire Nation was exactly what Zuko had wanted for so long, but he found that he couldn't enjoy it. He carried a huge burden of guilt and remorse; you could see it in the way he carried himself, the way he spoke, and even the way he acted.

In "The Day of Black Sun Part II: The Invasion", Zuko finally made the decision to leave the Fire Nation and join the GAang. He confronts his father, Fire Lord Ozai, and leaves the Fire Nation in pursuit of the GAang. But there's something in that scene I bet you never noticed. Zuko is in his bedroom, wearing the traditional garb of the Fire Prince, top knot included. He then removes his armor, and lets down his hair--allowing it to flow freely, free of restrictions. It is then, and only then, that he writes his goodbye letter to Mai, confronts Ozai, and makes things right, finally become the heroic Zuko we all know and love so much.

From that point on, throughout the remainder of the third and final season of the show, he wears his hair down. His hair is down when in "The Western Air Temple" when he convinces the GAang that he has changed, and they agree to give him another chance. His hair is down in "The Southern Raiders" when, after much hatred and pain, Katara finally forgives him of his past. His hair is down in "Sozin's Comet Part II: The Old Masters" when he apologizes to his dear Uncle Iroh.

The only other time we see him with his hair up is in "Sozin's Comet Part IV: Avatar Aang" when he is crowned Fire Lord. He again wears the top knot, this time in the hair piece of the Fire Lord. I believe, this time around, the top knot represents restrictions that he chose for himself: the Fire Nation. Restoring balance to his nation and his people. In this case, the restrictions weren't bad.

After that, close to the closing scene of the show, we see him back in Iroh's tea shop in Ba Sing Se, wearing his hair down yet again. I think this shows that, while he may be tied down as the Fire Lord, he is also free. The restrictions of being Fire Lord were a path chosen by himself, and no one else. Just as Iroh said, he followed his own path.

Avatar: the Last Airbender is a masterpiece. And Zuko, I daresay, is a masterpiece within a masterpiece. He is an extremely complex, deep character, and Mike and Bryan still manage to keep his character consistent, and develop him flawlessly from antagonist to antihero, and finally to heroic deuteragonist.

It is a little known fact that Mike and Bryan actually love redemption stories, and wanted to create one of their own. That is where Zuko came from. As a fellow lover of redemption stories, I'd say they nailed it beautifully, creating my personal favorite redemption story of all time. A character to whom, in some ways, everyone can relate.

The viewers of Avatar: the Last Airbender are awarded the honor, pun intended, of a VIP pass into the mind, heart and soul of the subject of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzco's epic story of sin, pain, remorse, and ultimate redemption. And what a genius thing to reflect that change of heart process with something so simple: hair. I don't think I would have thought to do it, or even known how if I had. Yet Mike and Bryan took it and ran with it, making something amazing. They have earned my applause.
EDIT: Changed up the ending a lot. I think it's better now.

"Zuko, Zuko, let down your hair!" :giggle:

I think I should clarify the nature of my theorized connection between Zuko's changing hair, and his changing heart. It is a connection of reflection, not of definement. What I mean by that is, I'm not saying that Zuko can only change if his hair changes. I'm not saying that at all. What I'm saying is that his hair mirrors his inner changes. It reflects it. Does that make sense?

My gosh. For a fictional character, Zuko is pretty darn realistic. He actually feels like a real person, despite the fact that he's not even real. Of course, such can be said for all the Avatar characters. Even, to some extent, the minor/one shot characters like June, Song, Jin, etc. The character development in this show is absolutely off the charts fantastic.

Avatar may not be the first story to utilize the changing of hair to symbolize inner changes made by the character. And after reading this online article, I realize that Zuko is not the only character in ATLA whose hair reflects his heart. All of the members of the GAang have that, though I still believe that Zuko has it to the greatest extent. This may simply be because he is, in my opinion, the most dynamic character.

</ramble>

Anyway.

What do you guys think of this theory? Do you agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add in here? I'm all for in-depth, speculative discussions, so don't hold back, and certainly don't expect me to hold back! =D

Bring on the long comments! Do your worst!
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Snouch's avatar

I read your theory very carefully and have a few ideas to add. I would love you return on it.

he top knot reflects Zuko's identity as Lord Ozai son and heir, and as such, as a system-controlled being who could. Ceremonial cloths and haircut is what keeps a family (and Fire Nation) together as a whole. I would add that Zuko's scar works the same way in creating a father-son link, one that drives Zuko mad and furious for three years and prevents him to change! (it reminds me of Karaba the Sorceress : she became evil from the moment she was poisoned with a thorn in her back.) That is why for me Zuko's scar is as important as his hair.