Why Iroh is the Pinnacle of Masculinity

Integrity loyalty patience authenticity humility humor strength wisdom love it is rare to find all of these qualities present in a single character in any story it is rarer still to find them in a character who struggles who suffers loss who has to grow and change rarest of all might be finding such a character in a cartoon a show targeted at and written for children yet still beloved by viewers of all ages for its heart its incredible character arcs and its meaningful storytelling Uncle iro is an incredible example of masculinity because he exemplifies these essential virtues to live out these virtues is to embrace full authentic masculinity masculinity is not merely defined by being strong confident and assertive but rather is well-rounded and balanced understanding that there is far more to manhood than power and bravado I should mention that masculinity is not the opposite of femininity but rather it's the opposite of boyish immaturity the these traits and virtues that I've listed are not unique to masculinity women living out these traits display authentic femininity that's not to say masculinity and femininity are the same two instruments playing the same note will sound quite different but I'm a man with a man's point of view and iro is also a man so masculinity is what I'm marginally well qualified to discuss if this video does well maybe I'll get my wife to write a counterpart video for Toff or Aon or Galadriel this Galadriel anyhow now that we've got that clarification out of the way let's examine how Iron lives out his masculinity and what he can teach us about what it means to be a man having Integrity holding onto upright moral principles is undoubtedly a necessary quality for any man when faced with difficult decisions do we stand fast and act according to our conscience or do we fold Under Pressure the show takes its time developing iro slowly letting us learn more about him at first in addition to being his nephew's teacher Ira is presented as comic relief a lighthearted counterpart to the overly serious and intense Zuko over time Ira's Journey his past is revealed and we learn how his mistakes failures and loss shaped him to be the man he is now a man of principle a man who believes in the Dignity of All Peoples however he doesn't start out as that man even after all he has been through iro is not yet fully developed during the siege of the north iro still the loyal Fire Nation General advises Zhao on the best strategy to win the battle and conquer the northern water tribe it is not until Zhao Reveals His plan to murder the moon spirit that we get a glimpse of Ira's higher principles iro may be loyal to the Fire Nation but he's also dedicated to the good and balance of the whole world forced to choose between the two Ira chooses the greater good marking himself a traitor and commencing the final stage of his interior Journey Ira's time in the earth Kingdom during Book 2 evolves and solidifies his principles by living among his former enemies he develops a newly strengthened desire for equality and fair treatment this comes to a head in The Crossroads of Destiny where iral confronts Zuko as he moves to attack Aang moves toward the honor and position he still desires iro at the end of book 1 though he stood fast on other principles likely would not have made this speech but he is learned and grown Beyond who he was then and so he passionately pleased with Zuko who joined iro on this journey throughout the Earth Kingdom to adhere to the same ideals that iro now holds dear having Integrity does not mean being completely rigid and inflexible Integrity is not stubbornly clinging to ideas or values with no room for change rather it is the ability after having formed our principles to not waver when they are challenged may not always have been fully on the side of goodness and truth but he undoubtedly always held fast to his beliefs and standards regardless of the consequences we do not merely have responsibilities to principles but we are also accountable to the people in our lives our loved ones especially our children iro serves as Zuko's mentor and guide and cares for zuka when no one else he is not blind to Zuko's faults and shortcomings indeed he may understand them better than anyone else this is Illustrated beautifully in the storm where IO describes the circumstances of Zuko's banishment to This ship's disgruntled crew where others are quick to dismiss Zuko as impulsive and Reckless which he most certainly is iro knows Zuko's heart he understands that Zuko is in need of growth and change but also that he has suffered greatly and needs to be given time and space to become the man Ira knows he can be iro is loyal to Zuko he is true to him that doesn't mean he supports every Reckless action or rash word of the prince but rather that he refuses to give up on his nephew loyalty is not blind obedience or acceptance it is the adherence to one's duty to another even when iro and Zuko are torn apart by Zuko's betrayal his uncle remains loyal he continues to hope that Zuko can find his way again iro does not abandon Zuko does not count him as completely lost but rather takes up his fight in the only way he now can the time they spent in the earth Kingdom living amongst working for laughing and eating with the enemies of their nation was transformational for iro as already mentioned it allowed him to grow Beyond his roots in the Fire Nation but Zuko's metamorphosis was not complete and it was reverted by the promise of having his former life restored this convinces iro that there is nothing more he can do for Zuko not directly anyway after having received all the wisdom and guidance his uncle had to offer Zuko must now find his own way and it is iro's job to simply be there when Zuko comes back and to welcome him with open arms but more on that later iro's steadfast refusal to give up on Zuko shows us that loyalty is not a flighty thing to be given or taken away lightly it is a conscious choice to stand by another to support them and help them because they need and deserve someone at their side I can't think of a relationship that better exemplifies patience than that of iros with Zuko patience is an essential part of Ira's loyalty to Zuko despite his nephew's regular outbursts flare-ups and explosions of temper iro constantly remained a calming presence for the hot-headed prince having the patience to serenely deal with his decidedly impatient nephew is one of Ira's defining qualities King boomi's advice applies beyond the limited scope of earthbending as iro explains to Zuko in bitter work each Nation each Cadre of Benders can learn from the other elements and the other nations the patience and steadiness of the earth Kingdom's people is a quality that everyone should admire and strive to obtain the ability to wait to slow down to calmly take your time and consider your options before acting is necessary for True well-rounded masculinity charging at your problems head on May in fact be the solution but only if all other possibilities have been considered and found less effective it should never be done as an immediate gut instinct reaction that sort of impulsiveness is a clear sign of immaturity consider iro's storyline during the spirit world when confronted by earthbenders caught unawares and badly outnumbered he does not immediately lash out and resist as we can imagine Zuko would iro endures captivity until he sees an opening then acts decisively and ferociously his patience and compliance put the earthbenders at ease and iro is able to exploit their lack of caution and engineer and Escape or take Ira's initial meeting with Toff during the chase upon sensing his movement Toth immediately attacked showing her fear and unease at being on her own her immaturity and lack of experience iro wisely does not respond in kind where so many especially firebenders might instinctually fight back believing themselves to be in danger iro takes time to read the situation and act in a disarming manner he absolutely could have fought back with some justification and that would have been a tool for the ages but instead he lets events play out and soon learns that his attacker was no enemy but rather a scared child in need of wise advice and a good cup of tea patience to does not mean a lack of decisiveness but rather an ability to judiciously decide when and how to act to truly be a man you have to be true to yourself to who you really are men are not soulless robots capable of powering through any situation without changing so much as a facial expression or experiencing a single emotion nor should they aspire to such stoic Heights men should not only enjoy things deemed manly by whatever Society they happen to live in they should be able to enjoy a wide variety of things from flowers to Art to tea and they should be able to appreciate the beauty skill or deliciousness inherent in all of those iro is so beautifully wonderfully authentic there's no better example of his authenticity of course than his love of tea I'm not suggesting that tea is widely seen as unmanly it's quite common worldwide and this also seems to apply to the world of avatar The Last Airbender but I'm an American and we tend to have skewed perspectives about all things we perceive as British anyhow I think we can agree that a deep love of maybe even an obsession with a beverage that can best be described as hot leaf juice is not something we would expect from a fire breathing general of the nation that is taking over the known world but but that certainly doesn't stop Ira from enjoying it to the fullest Ira's love of tea provides us with an example of the beauty of appreciation there are so many good and beautiful things in this world and iros that deserve to be appreciated being able to look at a flower or a cup of tea is more than their surface qualities and appreciate the intricate design or creative blend of flavors is a quality for which we should all strive if we go through life only judging Things based off a surface level view we are not seeing their true natures and thus our thoughts and opinions cannot truly be authentic the time to really think about the world around him seeing the beauties that hide from a casual glance iro tells us about his own nature how he is so much more than meets the eye Ira's love of tea also shows us the importance of Mastery when we truly appreciate something we should strive to master it as best we can whether an art form a job or any other means of self-expression diligent study and practice cuts through cheap tricks and quick wins and allows us to display something true and authentic about ourselves by mastering the art of tea making iro does not merely establish that he really likes tea but also that he is a careful patient deliberate man who has spent years perfecting his craft a man who can take the time to become a master even in the making of hot leaf juice shows he is not afraid to pursue his true passions and demonstrates a willingness to learn that is translatable to any area of study by daring to be the Fire Nation General with a passion for tea Ira teaches us the importance of defying molds of rejecting the expectations of others when they run contrary to our true selves no matter how others might view US humility is one of my favorite virtues to discuss mostly because it's largely misunderstood being humble does not mean having a lowly view of oneself or disregarding one's positive traits having true humility means having an accurate view of yourself having insight into your own strengths and weaknesses your virtues and vices to be humble we have to reject bravado over confidence and arrogance yes but at the same time we must acknowledge our own abilities in short humility can be defined as having clear self-perception having an untarnished view of yourself we see iro's humility on full display during the tale of iro this short anthological segment of the tales of bossing say gives us wonderful insight into Ira's character though he's a man of great Botanical knowledge he doesn't shame the shop owner for not knowing where to place the moonflower hero imparts his knowledge in a genteel way lacking any Pride or derision his humility allows him to share what he knows in a generous manner with genuine care and love for the world around him or consider how Ira handles the would-be mugger with a poor stance if he were driven by Pride Ira would notice the man's ineptitude and immediately Act only Desiring to demonstrate his Superior martial proficiency instead iro takes the time to calmly and even sadly note the mugger's ludicrous stance he does not deride the man he does not mock him he simply critiques his technique or lack thereof in a manner that shows how much iro cares about proper form and training teaching someone of lesser knowledge without belittling them takes humility as iron displays here I wasn't completely sure under which category to talk about Ira's birthday picnic for lieuten but since I've been covering the tale of iro under humility now seems like an appropriate time one of the hardest things to do in life is to admit that we made mistakes our pride tends to make us hate admitting that we were in the wrong we will go to Great Lengths to justify things we have said or done understand that he has no such Pride he failed his son and he lost him there's nothing he can do about it but he can grow as a man and as a father Ira's Pride could have overtaken him caused him to seek Vengeance for his son by throwing all his energy his whole self into the war effort but he chose another way by learning from his failure iro became a wiser gentler man while still retaining his inner strength humility allows us to overcome our pride and learn from our failures rather than being consumed by them it's a little odd to talk about humor being an essential part of masculinity since stoicism is widely considered a manly trait and to be sure the ability to maintain composure in difficult situations is worth obtaining but if you can't also take the time to laugh particularly at yourself you lack balance masculinity can never sway too far toward one virtue without becoming unbalanced and venturing into the extreme end of that virtue and thus becoming a vice this is applicable for any of the virtues discussed here but I think it's notable with humor because stoicism is so common in the archetypal man's man in cinema Ethan Hunt Jason Bourne John Wick and any number of John Wayne or Clint Eastwood's characters are able to endure the toughest of situations without so much as changing their facial expression however even they have moments of sorrow and joy but none quite so well portrayed as our heroes what makes iro's humor so delightful he never belittles or tears down another person for a laugh the vast majority of his humor is self-deprecating or just straight up funny at no one's expense how iro is more than willing to laugh at himself or find joy in an amusing situation or turn a phrase able to laugh at clever remarks goofy objects or bad tea jokes iro shows us the simple beauty of Good Humor smiling and laughing are some of the most attractive human behaviors Happy People quite simply are more likable and approachable where Zuko remains stoic and steadfastly devoted to his single-minded mission iro attracts The Good Will and love of the audience with his light-heartedness and jovial nature but Ira's good humor is not merely for our benefit to make the audience love him though it certainly accomplishes that so much of it is for Zuko's benefit iro tries regularly to lighten his nephew's dour mood rather than being aimlessly cheery there is an end to Ira's jokes and Goofs therefore the good of his nephew for the good of the boy who he would not see follow the path of his own son Ira's humor is so wonderfully masculine because he deploys it appropriately and purposefully he knows when to be stoic and serious and when to wisecrack and smile disarmingly there is balance in his humor and balance finding the golden mean as we've already discussed is crucial for the pursuit of true fold manhood now let's talk about how iro fulfills every man's dream of becoming an absolute physical specimen being physically strong is important let's be clear about that strengthening your body through rigorous exercise and training allows you to take care of and if need to defend yourself and your family there is great value and physical strength however such strength is impossible to achieve without mental strength without fortitude and willpower it's great to work out to develop to train and tone your body but you cannot do so consistently unless you have an end in mind throughout the first two books iro is far far from the Paragon of physical fitness he himself cracks jokes about his love for food and the size of his belly but when the need arises Ira reveals the strength that he has always held within himself that strength is not in his biceps well not at first but rather is in his mind in his perseverance upon getting thrown in jail iro does not despair though he does take time to recover from Zuko's betrayal when we see Zuko visit his uncle and a headband iro is too hurt to respond he is not yet ready to help Zuko find his way again bazuka's visit does confirm one thing that the prince is still in need of guidance and love unsighted conversation helps restore Ira's purpose and his hope for Zuko impels him to become well an absolute unit strength like iros is not impressive simply in its own right though it is incredibly impressive I mean he blows open the wall of bossing say with a single massive Fireball for crying out loud but rather because of what it tells us about the Journey of the character possessing such strength it shows dedication perseverance and self-sacrifice one cannot obtain strength of body mind or firebending without bending one's will toward Mastery Ira is a perfect embodiment of those strengths his Resolute unfailing pursuit of what is good and true allowed him to become a man who could tear through metal bars with his bare hands unleash waves of fire that overwhelm his opponents and most importantly love Zuko in a way that allows him to see clearly and find his chiseled physique is not masculine just because it looks awesome though it does but rather because it shows us what we can be if the need arises and if our minds are sufficiently strong physical power without purpose is Vanity but when given Direction when needed it unmistakably displays the masculinity the dedication fortitude and perseverance of its holder all of these virtues however are for naught if one does not have wisdom what is wisdom it is not merely knowledge no matter how high the level of knowledge instead it is the combination of knowledge insight and right judgment that allows one to act appropriately in a given situation wisdom is knowing when to be stoic and when to crack a joke wisdom is knowing when it's time to be patient and when it's time to strike wisdom is understanding the power of physical strength and of a gentle word and using one when the other wouldn't be as effective wisdom is a deep and accurate understanding of oneself of others and of the world combined with the ability to discern how to act based off that knowledge if you polled fans of avatar The Last Airbender to Define iro with a single trait I'd bet good money that wisdom would be at the top of the list iro displays wisdom in practically every scene he's in by imparting kindly words of advice to Toff by teaching Zuko the importance of balance and by admitting to Aang that he doesn't always have the answers iro demonstrates that he is an astute experienced teacher who is also smart enough to admit that he is not omniscient it's hard to pick out examples of Ira's wisdom that I haven't already covered under another virtue and that's kind of the point by exercising patients when captured iro demonstrates wisdom by knowing when to step in and prevent Zuko from doing something rash iro shows proper judgment by humbly accepting that ozai the man who stole the Throne of the Fire Nation from him is not his to defeat iro displays Superior understanding iro is so admirable is such a paragon of masculinity because after a lifetime of experience learning and failure iro has grown in knowledge strength humility and virtue of every kind and he acts according to what he has learned he has piercing insight into others and himself and so is able to direct team Avatar as they struggle to know their Destinies without aing at their side this scene on the eve of the war's final battle is when we get to see iro in all his wisdom no longer hampered by and stronger because of his failures fully devoted to the mission he now knows is his to take on I would be remiss if I did not cover the scene prior to the one I just mentioned in which Zuko and iro are finally reconciled after zuka's betrayal during The Crossroads of Destiny it is an incredibly beautiful touching the scene that shows the growth of both characters and their bond in a way that can hardly be watched with dry eyes Arrow's unconditional love for Zuko is overwhelming he forgives and Embraces Zuko not because he wasn't hurt by his nephew's betrayal but rather because he is Overjoyed that Zuko has grown to become the Man Iron knew he could be iro shows us the truest meaning of Love Desiring the good of another throughout the series there is nothing iro has wanted more than for zuku to find his way to be more than a loyal servant of the Fire Nation to be true to himself everything iro does is in service of that love his wholehearted commitment to the good of Zuko his adopted son is constant and unwavering and loving so purely and deeply I lifts out his authentic masculinity to a level rarely matched in the world of fiction I hope you enjoyed watching this video as much as I enjoyed making it please drop a like if you want me to do more such videos and leave your suggestions for other character profiles I could do and as always thank you so much for watching

Channel: Master Samwise

Views: 2,744,879

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Id: IzINu0wezWU

Length: 20min 43sec (1243 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 05 2023