I've realized that I'm free to determine my own destiny.

The Avatar from his generation who first arrived November 13th of 2011. They don't always see eye to eye, but Zuko knows that should the situation ever call for it, Aang has his back and he hopes Aang knows the reverse is also true. As the very first friend he made—one that was his own and not a friend of his sister's—Aang holds a special place in Zuko's heart. These two have been on all sorts of crazy adventures, snowball fights, midnight discussions and even shared pollution clean up duty. From time to time, rough patches crop up in their relationship, but there is nothing in the universe that could ever break their bond, not even temporarily.

Due to late September's Drive Event, Aang acquired future memories of his time of the middle of The Promise. In this state, he attempted to murder Zuko for the benefit of the universe, but just like before with Ozai, Aang was unable to go through with it completely. Although he stabbed Zuko with waterbending, Aang managed to make sure the wound wasn't too severe and took Zuko to the hospital. Although things between Zuko and Aang are awkward, Zuko still thinks of Aang as a friend. Zuko understands that Aang wasn't in control of his actions, if left a little saddened that Aang really thought he had walked the footsteps of his father.

Iroh is the only remaining member of Zuko's family that, without a doubt, Zuko doubts. Iroh has always been there for him, acting as a father-figure for Zuko when Ozai refused to play the part without violence. When Iroh's son died, he didn't make Zuko a replacement for his son, but rather as an additional son. Upon Zuko's banishment from the Fire Nation, Iroh willingly accompanied his nephew on a journey that was meant to be forever.

More importantly, Iroh has stuck with Zuko both through the good times and the bad. For three years, he put up with Zuko's verbal abuse and allowed himself to be ordered around, despite his seniority and rank as general being higher than the rank of the banished prince. Iroh tried to act as Zuko's moral guardian, always trying to get his nephew to do the wrong thing. When Zuko betrayed him in order to have his honor "restored" and so that he could get home, Iroh wasn't angry, but sad. Although Zuko was at times cruel to his uncle, it's clear that Iroh has influenced him in all the right ways. Over time, Zuko became less hot-headed and took a bit more time to think things through. Iroh's moral advice constantly sticks with him, be it when he's on his own such as not stealing food from a pregnant woman when he himself was starving and joining up with Team Avatar to put an end to Ozai's tyranny.

Iroh's time on the Thor was relatively long compared to several others; he arrived February 5, 2012 and was wormholed the day before Zuko's one year Thoriversary, October 14, 2012. Despite the long length of time, to Zuko, the time felt too short. He sorely misses his uncle.

This is Katara, the girl he had a secret love affair with in some alternate dimension. In reality, she's a really, really good friend. She initially came to the Thor November 13, 2011. It was the first time Zuko had met anyone from his world from farther down the timeline who explicitly told him that there were things about home he apparently didn't remember. Then there were some awkward moments like being magnetized to each other. Katara was wormholed just a few months later in February, but recently returned on May 13, 2012 only to be wormholed on July 29, 2012. Zuko had to reexplain a few things about the Thor this time and learned that somehow, Katara had been in a world full of Pokémon and managed to bring a Lapras with her... which wasted no time licking Zuko's face. Technical details aside, Katara is definitely one of his best friends. They're both passionate, fiery people who insist on doing what they think is right.

Though Zuko would rather not talk about it, the fact that Katara was the first person in the Gaang to truly believe he had changed stuck with him. He felt terrible about betraying her in Ba Sing Se that day and still does even now, though he doesn't entirely regret it—being able to go back home and realize his true place in the world only made his later, genuine heel-face-turn that much more powerful. Zuko admires Katara's strength as both a person and a bender and personally thinks they make a pretty good team. "Revenge isn't the answer" is a lesson that both he and Katara had to learn at the same time and he's glad he learned it with Katara, who he feels wouldn't judge him for needing to learn the lesson in the first place.

Although Zuko would never admit it out loud because Katara would probably yell at him, he appreciates that she's sort of the "Mom" of Team Avatar. The women he's usually been around have either been powerful warriors or gentle mothers; Katara being both a maternal kind of person and a powerful bender definitely earns his respect. He cares for her enough that he would literally dive in front of lightning to protect her and admires her ideals enough that he would help clean up a polluted planet simply because it was the right thing to do.

Mai is Zuko's childhood friend and first official girlfriend. They compliment each other perfectly. While she is cold on the outside and passionate on the inside, Zuko tends to be fiery and passionate on the outside while cold or empty on the inside. They both like to brood and, as teenagers with little social interaction apart from a small group of peers, would express their love physically more than with words. Unfortunately, their inability to communicate beyond a physical level has a habit of exploding in their faces and causes Mai to break up with Zuko more than once.

When Zuko made his decision to join Team Avatar, he wrote Mai a letter explaining that he was leaving. Although never explicitly stating that they were breaking up, Mai took it as such. When she found him in the Boiling Rock, she confronted him with the letter. When Zuko explained that what he was doing was best for his nation and for the world, Mai couldn't understand—from her point of view, it looked like Zuko was turning his back on their nation. Despite this, when Zuko's life was in danger, she risked her own life to save him. Because saving Zuko's life was an act of betrayal against his sister, Azula was furious. When Mai told Azula that she loved Zuko more than she feared Azula, Azula made it very clear she was going to end her right then and there—and she would have been successful if it weren't for Ty Lee.

After her uncle released her from prison, she was more than happy to reunite with Zuko. After confirming that she didn't hate Zuko anymore, she threatened that he had better never break up with her again. Of course, that wasn't necessary. Zuko's year of being Fire Lord left him the victim of six assassination attempts and probably the second most hated person in the world, right under his father. Zuko found himself unable to confide his feelings with Mai, which she tolerated for a while. When she found out that Zuko had gone to see his father without telling her, she confronted Zuko in the war room. When Zuko admitted he'd screwed up a lot and that he loved her, she acknowledged those as facts and told him Zuko loved his secrets more and could keep them better alone. Zuko, in a fit of rage ordered her as her Fire Lord to come back, but she didn't.

Zuko's relationship with Mai made it difficult for him to be in a "normal" relationship with anyone else. Even with someone as cheerful and honest as Rapunzel, he found himself second-guessing if what he was doing as a boyfriend was right. The cute, romantic things Zuko had wanted to do with Mai had been constantly rejected by her, and so when Rapunzel was willing to do those things and even found them exciting, Zuko was both confused and relieved.

When Mai arrived on the Thor on June 23, 2012 Zuko found himself in a bit of a predicament. He was already dating Rapunzel and Mai had no memories of ever being together with Zuko. Because Mai refused to hear anything about the future or time wacky shenanigans, Zuko was unable to tell her that he was already taken and that he thought she and him would be better off as friends. Zuko failed to realize that Mai still liked him anyway, and when she suddenly kissed him he had no choice but to tell her the situation. She took it poorly at first but over time she quickly acted as if nothing happened. After that, they were decent friends, but Zuko still felt wary about her feelings toward him. She was wormholed on November 15, 2012.

Ozai is Zuko's father, although Ozai's and Zuko's definition of "father" varies greatly from one another. From Zuko's point of view, the most human thing his father ever did was save him from drowning when he was three. There were supposedly times after that when his father was "good," or at least when Zuko saw him as a good father. What Zuko knows for sure is that the desire to be Fire Lord corrupted his father—or potentially corrupted his father further. It was commonplace for Ozai to pit Zuko and his sister Azula against each other. Despite Zuko being Ozai's firstborn, as well as the eventual Crown Prince after his cousin's death, Ozai preferred Azula much more over Zuko. Still, he tolerated Zuko and, up until a certain point, didn't mind Zuko's misbehavings, such as his unwarranted presence in the war room when Zuko was thirteen.

It was that war meeting that severed the thread between Zuko and Ozai. Zuko, in a bout of compassion and justice, insulted the general, scolding him for being so willing to put freshly recruited soldiers in a battle he knew they would lose simply for a preemptive strike. However, Ozai took the insult personally. Zuko was ordered to fight an Agni Kai—a fire duel—as punishment for his disrespect. Zuko accepted without hesitation... at least until he saw who his opponent was. Unable to face his father out of love and respect, Zuko acted shamefully in Ozai's eyes by bowing and refusing to fight. When threats didn't work, Ozai finished the Agni Kai and burned a third of his son's face off. He then went beyond that punishment by banishing Zuko. However, he was "merciful" and claimed that if Zuko found the Avatar, he would be allowed back home.

And so Zuko went on his quest to find the Avatar—a journey that was supposed to be impossible.

Although it's very clear that through most of the series Zuko wants to be in the good graces of his father, there are times when he acts childishly, calling his father foolish in the presence of high-ranking officials such as Zhao. In contrast, when he is alone with Iroh after he's been given the opportunity to go home without the Avatar, Zuko turns against his uncle harshly, claiming that Iroh has been nothing short of selfish and jealous of his brother Ozai as if Iroh hadn't just gave up three years of his life to accompany Zuko. And yet, once Zuko commits the ultimate betrayal against his uncle and gains his father's good will, Zuko remains unhappy. After a while, Zuko realized that all he ever wanted was for his father to love and accept him the way he was—as the man who wasn't perfect; someone who didn't want to continue the war and who wanted peace. When Zuko confessed these feelings to Ozai during the Day of Black Sun, Ozai retaliated. He manipulated Zuko into staying until the sun came out by bringing up his mother and the fact that he knew what happened to her. Once the sun came out and firebending was possible, Ozai firmly told his son that banishment was too merciful a penalty for treason and that Zuko's fate ought to be much steeper. Ozai then generates lightning and, aiming to kill his son, shoots it at Zuko. Thanks to Iroh's lightning redirection training, Zuko was able to redirect it and escape unscathed.

After Team Avatar defeated Ozai and he was stripped of his bending, Zuko had no problem putting his father in jail. Zuko seemed almost bitter about the fact Aang left Ozai alive and eventually, that decision came to affect Zuko. When his line of questioning about where his mother was failed, Ozai taunted Zuko saying that being Fire Lord was tough—that Zuko would crumble under the pressure. And crumble Zuko did. Within a year, Zuko went to his father for advice because it seemed everything was falling apart. He even brought tea!

Although Zuko acts like he doesn't care about his father, it's clear he does. His hope about whether or not Ozai will start acting like a father fluctuates often because he remembers the time Ozai was a good father. Advice from people like Aang and Iroh doesn't help. When Ozai arrived on the Thor on November 11, 2012 he was ironically rooming with Rapunzel. Already fearing terrible things were going to happen, Zuko convinced Rapunzel to move in with him just to be safe. While Zuko leaves Ozai alone for the most part, he's still nosy and tries to see what his father might be up to and whether or not he has his bending.

Despite their vast similarities, Zuko and Sokka are able to get on surprisingly well. Although Sokka can at times have a goofy behavior, he also has a serious side that shines when it has to. This is the opposite of Zuko, who is usually serious with small bouts of humor. Even as total opposites, they still work well as a team.

Sokka, while fairly judgmental of Zuko—and rightfully so—was also quick to trust Zuko again after he'd proven his loyalty to Team Avatar. Of course, that trust didn't come easy. Zuko had followed Sokka and the others around the world and back again, burned down his girlfriend's village and then some. But Zuko also risked his freedom and his life by accompanying Sokka to the Boiling Rock, a prison which held Sokka's father and, expectantly, his girlfriend Suki.

Once their bond of trust formed and solidified, they got along fairly well. Back in their world, Sokka could literally poke him with a stick and Zuko's outburst of anger was minimal. On the Thor, they were able to talk about things that bothered them or what to do about girls and gifts. In a way, it was almost like they were brothers and it was a relationship that Zuko enjoyed. Sokka arrived January 22nd, 2012 and was wormholed June 18, 2012, one day before Suki.

For the longest time, Suki was just some random little girl who tried to save the Avatar back on Kyoshi Island. To Suki, he was probably the angry kid with a ponytail who burned down her village. Back in their world, they didn't have much interaction. Amusingly, the next time they met after Zuko burned down her village was when he was in the Boiling Rock with Sokka. Zuko didn't even recognize her, at least not without her makeup.

Despite their lack of interactions, they were a clear lack of animosity between them once Suki joined up with Team Avatar again. Putting aside whether or not she forgave Zuko for what he did, she never let her personal feelings get in the way of their goal: taking down the Fire Lord. During her time on the Thor from November 13, 2011 to June 19, 2012, she remained friendly with Zuko and scolded him for not thinking things through.

Although Teo has a habit of blowing up the third and fourth floor residential hallways with his inventions, he's still a pretty good guy. Intelligent, kind and constantly persevering, Teo has the kind of personality that Zuko admires. Neither of them mind helping each other out, even if it's over something small. Their interactions back in their world may have been minimal, but now that they've spent time together on the Thor, they're practically family. Zuko scolds Teo for behaving poorly—or rather, recklessly—and Teo enjoys getting a rise out of Zuko. Still, they never get mad with each other and Zuko hardly ever gets annoyed with Teo. Maybe all that stretching of his patience is making Zuko into a calmer person. Maybe. Teo has been aboard the Thor since January 8, 2012 and since then, their bond has done nothing but strengthen and grow.

On January 09, 2012 Ty Lee cartwheeled her way onto the Thor. At first, Zuko was uneasy about her presence; the last time he'd see her was when he and Sokka were escaping the Boiling Rock and at the time, Ty Lee definitely wasn't on his side. To his relief, Ty Lee told him she came from after the war—that she was on his side.

It was comforting to have someone else from the Fire Nation on the ship with him. Even though they were complete opposites, they were still childhood friends and didn't have any problems getting along on the Thor, either. Ty Lee trusted his (overly paranoid) judgment on hiding her place of origin. Though Ty Lee was wormholed on February 21, 2012 Zuko enjoyed the short time they had together.

Zhao made his less-than-graceful entrance on January 23, 2012 much to Zuko's chagrin and surprise. After all, Zuko had seen Zhao drown when the Ocean Spirit pulled him under the water—an event that apparently gave Zhao a phobia of fish. Imagine Zhao's delight when he found it was necessary to put a fish in his ear or go without understanding the vast majority of the ship's refugees.

Being Zhao's Fire Lord (sort of), Zuko took the responsibility of keeping a eye on the admiral, making sure he didn't get into too much trouble. Even on the Thor they still never particularly saw eye to eye. Although Zhao ended up accepting Zuko as Fire Lord "for now," he was still unhappy about it. Since Zuko was not fond of Zhao hiring pirates to kill him and still bears a grudge over it, it's safe to say that Zuko ha little love for Captain Sideburns and was a little relieved to find that Zhao had been wormholed in March of 2012.