i will forever wish that the atla writers either (1) wrote iroh as an inarguably repentant ex-imperialist whose behavior and actions in the story aligned with this fact, OR (2) embraced the fact that iroh was not wholly repentant about his past actions at all.

bonus points if they have zuko - who is on his own journey to redemption - realize this about his beloved uncle, thus forcing him to think for himself on the matter of his place in the fire nation. the story could do with a more pertinent message about fire nation royal family members rejecting imperialist ideals for the sake of rejecting imperialist ideals instead of relying on family dynamics as the sole/main source for interpersonal conflict (and stand-in for morals.)