Uncle Iroh is a peculiar and eccentric character in the series “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Uncle of Prince Zuko and retired General, Iroh is known for his wisdom and quirky sense of humor, as well as his love of tea. The exiled Prince Zuko is young and narrow-minded, and Iroh is his mentor and wise counsel as Zuko finds himself and transforms into an amazing prince.
No matter the situation, Uncle Iroh can be counted on to say just the right thing to guide young Zuko in his quest. It turns out Zuko’s quest to find the Avatar wasn’t his true calling. His real adventure involved changing his ideas of right and wrong, good and evil. Prince Zuko becomes the “beautiful prince (he) was always meant to be.”
Uncle Iroh Quotes
Here are 55 of the most popular Uncle Iroh quotes on life, love, and tea, so that we too can find ourselves.
“You know, Prince Zuko, destiny is a funny thing. You never know how things are going to work out. But if you keep an open mind and an open heart, I promise you will find your own destiny someday.”
“Good times become good memories. Bad times become good lessons.”
“You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience but when you come out of it you will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be.”
“Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.”
“You have light and peace inside of you. If you let it out, you can change the world around you.”
“Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel, you can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place.”
“There are reasons each of us are born. We have to find those reasons.”
“Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribes are capable of adapting to many things. They have a sense of community and love that holds them together through anything.”
“Sometimes the best way to solve your own problems is to help someone else.”
“You must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.”
“Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not.”
“I know you’re not supposed to cry over spilled tea, but it’s just so sad!”
“It’s a lovely night for a walk. Why don’t you join me? It would clear your head. Or, just stay in your room and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy.”
“Protection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness and love.”
“It is usually best to admit mistakes when they occur, and to seek to restore honor.”
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It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale.”
“Many things that seem threatening in the dark become welcoming when we shine light on them.”
“You must look within yourself to save yourself from your other self. Only then will your true self reveal itself.”
“There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is that you want from your life, and why.”
“You are not the man you used to be. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you ever used to be. And now you have come at the crossroads of the destiny. It’s time for you to choose. It’s time for you to choose good.”
“Lightning is a pure expression of firebending without aggression. It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire. It is precise and deadly like Azula. To perform the technique requires peace of mind.”
“Is it your own destiny? Or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?”
“You sound like my nephew, always thinking that you need to do things on your own without anyone’s support. There is nothing wrong with letting people who love you help you.”
“Even in the material world, you will find that if you look for the light, you can often find it. But if you look for the dark, that is all you will ever see.”
“It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful. But it can make you more powerful too.”
“Follow your passion and life will reward you.”
“Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns, and they found peace and freedom. [pause] And they apparently had great senses of humor.”
“Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for three weeks, with no food or water, and sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver, could make one SO tense!”
“Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring.”
“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again. Only this time, more wisely.”
“At my age, there is really only one big surprise left, and I’d just as soon leave it a mystery.”
“Forgive my nephew; he is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts. Power in firebending comes from the breath, not the muscle!”
“Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want.”
“Understanding others, the other elements, the other nations, will help you become whole.”
“There is energy all around us. The energy is both yin and yang — positive energy and a negative energy. Only a select few Firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance, and in the moment the positive and negative energy come crashing back together, you provide release and guidance, creating lightning.”
“So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you. Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious.”
” No. Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart, and unquestionable honor. It has to be *you*, Prince Zuko.”
“Because understanding the struggle between your two great-grandfathers can help you better understand the battle within yourself. Evil and good are always at war inside you, Zuko. It is in your nature, your legacy. But there is a bright side. What happened generations ago can be resolved now, by *you*. Because of your legacy, you alone can cleanse the sins of our family, and the Fire Nation. Born in you along with all the strife is the power to restore balance to the world.”
“You’re looking at the rare white dragon bush. Its leaves make a tea so delicious it’s heartbreaking! That, or it’s the white jade bush, which is poisonous.”
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“I’M BEGGING YOU, PRINCE ZUKO! It’s time for you to look inward and start asking yourself the big question: who are you and what do YOU want?”
“Sick of tea? That’s like being sick of breathing!”
“The only thing better than finding something you are looking for is finding something you weren’t looking for at a great bargain!”
“Are you going to keep him locked up in our apartment? Should I make some tea for him?AND THEN WHAT? You never think these things through. This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole. YOU HAD HIM AND THEN YOU HAD NOWHERE TO GO!”
“So I was thinking about names for my new tea shop… how about… the Jasmine Dragon? It’s dramatic, poetic… has a nice ring to it.”
“Zuko, it’s time we had a talk…about your hair. It’s gone too far!”
“I was never angry with you. I was sad, because I was afraid you’d lost your way.”I was never angry with you. I was sad, because I was afraid you’d lost your way.”
“While it is always best to believe in one’s self, a little help from others can be a great blessing.”
“We have a chance for a new life here. If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things that are happening for us.”
” I was about to ask you the same thing. What do you plan to do now that you’ve found the avatar’s bison?”
“Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects.”
“Things will never return to normal. But the important thing is, the Avatar gives Zuko hope.”
“Who would have thought that, after all these years, I would return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace…As a tourist!”
“A man needs his rest.”
“Leaves from the vineFalling so slowLike fragile, tiny shells
Drifting in the foam
Little soldier boy
Come marching home
Brave soldier boy
Comes marching home.”
“Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don’t know if I could, it would be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence. A brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this was to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord.”
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Uncle Iroh Quotes – Video of His top 15 Words of Wisdom
In this popular clip, see some of of Uncle Iroh’s most popular quotes.
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Summary
Young people everywhere (and their parents too!) are binge-watching “Avatar: The Last Airbender” on Netflix and learning wisdom from the retired general and tea shop owner, Uncle Iroh.
Quirky, funny, and interesting, Uncle Iroh guides us all on our path to ourselves as he guides young Prince Zuko. As Zuko grows and understands he must find his own path without Iroh, we are certain he has been given good advice and will succeed. We will too!
Use these quotes for inspiration when you are confused about your purpose. We do all have a reason for being here – Uncle Iroh was definitely right about that. When we follow what we love in us, we mature to rule ourselves. And that is much better than ruling others. Find yourself in these quotes from the eccentric, but every wise, Uncle Iroh.
I’m Alice Judy and AnQuotes is a fun hobby for me. We know that everyone loves a great quote and our mission here is simple – to be the best and most interesting quote site in the world! If you have quotes you would like us to cover, please contact us.
