I’d like to focus this post on Uncle Iroh and his affinity for tea. Throughout the entire series we see him often with a cup of tea in hand or talking about tea. In fact I would be willing to argue that one could make you the argument that he would be willing to say that anything can be solved with a cup of tea. Why is tea so important to Uncle Iroh? As explained in the video it is a metaphor for balance.

The four elements that exist in a cup of tea are the clay cup, the water with the tea, the warmth necessary to heat the tea, and the aroma that is created by the tea. Each attribute given by each element can also be used for the four nations. Earth is a diverse and made of many things. The vessel that holds the tea can also be made of many diverse things and each one will impact the flavor of the tea. This diversity and substance is a reflection of the Earth Kingdom. Water is the element of change. Water adapts and changes to its environment. When the tea is added to the water it changes and we see how this reflects the Water Tribes. Fire is the element of power. As the water is warmed and the heat causes the tea to blend with the water, the flavor is brought out. Depending on how long heat is given, the taste will grow in power as well. This represents the Fire Nation. Air is the element of freedom. As the tea is allowed to brew, the aroma escapes and felt fills the air with the aroma of the tea. This represents the Air Nomads.

Throughout the series we can see how Iroh is an agent of balance much as the Avatar is supposed to be. He knows what he is and what he is not and carries himself in a state of balance. Being a Firebender he is capable of great power and destruction but we see him conduct himself in a calm and compassionate manner. The capacity for calamity is countered by the peace that he exudes to others and as a result balance is created. Azula also has this capacity for destruction and likes to show off her power which creates fear and tension with those around her. There is no balance and by the end of the series we can see all that power that she can wield crumble. Iroh could be the same but he has chosen not to be.

Iroh has been speculated to be on par with the fire lord and at one point he was asked to defeat the Fire Lord instead of the Avatar but he refused because that was not his destiny and if he were to do such a thing it would create more imbalance. His role might have been to oppose the Fire Nation but it was not to be the one to defeat the Fire Lord.

Iroh also seems to have a deep understanding of each Nation. When he is explaining to Zuko the four elements and the attributes of each Nation in regard to their element we can see him demonstrating this understanding. Bringing it back to tea, we can see that each nation has tea being a part of it. All of the nations drink tea. This is one of the common threads that connect all four nations.

One should be open to new experiences and new things otherwise they become stale and stagnant. That is the variable of the different kinds of tea that are made. The vessel to carry the tea, the water, the heat, and even the aroma are all required for the experience of tea but the tea leaves themselves are the variable that changes the experience and offers new ones as one ventures into trying different teas. Iroh teaches us that it is through this balance that good tea is achieved but I would extend this further and say that it is through this balance that one is able to achieve new experiences and for them to be positive experiences.