The Fire nation is a mysterious and secretive tribe whose leaders are driven by a single goal: destruction of all other nations and world domination. As with any tyrannical lunatic, the Fire Nations leaders are waging war at both home and abroad. At home, freedoms are suppressed while those who speak out are branded as traitors and jailed or send to labor camps. However, it is important to note that not all citizens of the fire nation are dedicated to the cause of world domination but they live in an oppressive militaristic society, in which they are too afraid to voice their opinions. As you will see, the civil dissent against the rulers ranges from the common peasant to the imperial palace.
The Fire Nation Leaders
The dictator of the Fire Nation is called a Fire Lord. He is the ultimate ruler of the Fire Nation because he is considered the most powerful fire bender and his will is enforced. The title of the Fire Lord is hereditary, passed down to each generation's eldest son. The first exception to this rule is seen during the rule of Fire Lord Azulon. The oldest son of Fire Lord Azulon was General Jroh (pronounced Iro) but through a technicality, mysterious plots hatched by Ozai and the suspicious death of Fire Lord Azulon, Ozai was appointed as the Fire Lord. Thus began the reign of Ozai and the continuation of his grandfather's war against the world.
Architect of the War
The main architect of the Great War is Fire Lord Sozin. He was the father of Fire Lord Azulon, grandfather to Fire Lord Ozai and Prince Iroh, and great grandfather to Prince Zuko, Princess Azula, and Prince Lu Ten (son of Iroh - dead). Fire Lord Sozin was a master fire bender, as skilled as Avatar Roku himself. At one point, Sozin and the avatar used to be best friends even sharing the same birthday and being the best man at each other's wedding. However, ambition and greed infected Fire Lord Sozin and he became empowered by the urge to dominate the world. This started the war (upon avatar Roku's death) that continued for over 100 years. Fire Lord Sozin was 102 at the time of his death. Sozin is thus best known for starting the war by harnessing the power of a passing comet and making sure the Fire Nations was militarily and economically prepared for the war while controlling the civilians with an iron fist.
The Legacy Continues
The Son of Fire Lord Sozin, Azulon, was appointed as the new Fire Lord. His wife became the Fire Lady Ilah, and he was the father of Ozai and Iroh. Much like his father, Azulon ruled the empire with an iron fist, and demanded perfection from his subjects. Azulon is also a master fire bender and at a young age considered a prodigy - much like his granddaughter Princess Azula. Like his father, Azulon possessed strong leadership and military background, as he was a famous general before he took the throne. One of the most famous and monumental accomplishments of Fire Lord Azulon is the Great Gates of Azulon. The Great Gates, named after himself, protects the fire nation's the sea entrance that leads to the nation's capital - a engineering ingenuity. Fire Lord Azulon ruled for over 23 years before passing away. The cause for his death is suspicious and unknown but it is clearly known that Prince Ozai and his wife Ursa were involved in the plot. Fire Lord Azulon was 95 years old at the time of his death.
A New Age
The grandson of Fire Lord Sozin and a usurper of the throne, Fire Lord Ozai currently rule the Fire Nation. It is revealed that he took the throne five years before the setting of the show. Ozai is a ruthless man who cares for no one other than his prime ambition - world domination. Like his ancestors, he rules with an iron fist while effectively employing fear and intimidation tactics. Unlike his ancestors, Fire Lord Ozai was never a general nor a military mind. In fact he was never intended to take the throne, but through scheming and plots, he took the throng from his older brother Jroh after his father's death. His rule is so brutal that even his own son was not spared. When the young and inexperienced Prince Zuko spoke out in the war room against a general's plans for a suicide attack, his father immediately challenged his own son to an Agni Kai. An Agni Kai is a duel between two fire benders when matters need to be settled, and Prince Zuko was forced to fight his own father even though he only wronged the general. Ozai is also a abusive father, mentality and physically. Other than sheer brutality and the conquest to conquer the world, there are no other major accomplishments to be mentioned so far for Fire Lord Ozai.
History of Leadership
The Fire Nation its early days was led by the council of sages. The fire Sages are powerful fire benders whose duty was to watch over the fire temple of the avatar and gather knowledge about the avatar while attending to the spiritual needs of the people. For over a thousand years the fire nation was led by the council. The most powerful fire bender with the deepest spiritual connection to fire was named the lead sage or the Fire Lord. As years passed, the Fire Lord severed their ties with the fire sages and took control of the political, military and economic aspect of the Fire Nation. By the time of Fire Lord Sozin, the fire sages were confined to only address spiritual matters as their influence waned while the Fire Lord's power grew. Today, the fire ages are the last of their kind - remnants of a bygone era in the Fire Nation.
Future of the Fire Lord
As the eldest son of Fire Lord Ozai, Prince Zuko is the rightful heir to the throne of the Fire Nation. However, Prince Zuko is least favored by the Fire Lord while his sister enjoys more influence with his father. Currently, Prince Zuko is banished from the Fire Nation and branded a traitor for his failure to kill or capture the Avatar and for speaking out against his father. As seen from a very young age, Princess Azula has maintained strong connections with her father and is like Fire Lord Azulon - a strong fire bender with a heartless desire to rule the world. This is why many assumptions have been made that Fire Lord Ozai will break tradition (as he did with his father) and name Princess Azula as the new Fire Lord of the Fire Nation. In the latest episodes, Prince Zuko has joined forces with Avatar Aang to put a stop to the ruthless goals of his father and sister. General Jroh and his escape from the Fire Nation prison is still a mystery and his affiliations to the secret Lotus society is also going to add a twist as the story unravels.
