In Avatar: The Last Airbender, many of the main characters are young and are still learning about life. In the midst of their darkest moments, they often rely on Uncle Iroh for advice and comfort. It's safe to say that Uncle Iroh is definitely the pool of wisdom for everyone in the show and often acts as an exposition character. While he can be funny at times, overall, Iroh's knowledge and empathy are abundant.

While he plays an important role on the show, fans benefit from his quotes as well. His character in Avatar: The Last Airbender helps prove that children's shows can be deep and emotional, all while maintaining humor. Adults and children alike can benefit from Iroh's experience-driven words.

Updated February 26, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose: The saga of this beloved IP continues through some rocky adaptive attempts, but the latest live-action adaptation from Netflix shows promise and has seen some positive reviews. It makes some changes to the original script, making the narrative and dialogue slightly different, but keeping the charcters and certain important events intact. That means the most recent live-action Uncle Iroh, now played by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, has some new lines that prove Uncle Iroh is still the best character in the show.

12 "Life Is Like This Dark Tunnel..."

Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Crossroads Of Destiny, S2 E20

"... You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place."

Metaphors are great, but imagine actually experiencing a dark, hopeless tunnel in person. In this episode, Aang and Uncle Iroh have a deep discussion about life. Aang is concerned, not really feeling up to handling his Avatar position. Iroh reassures him that he's heading in the right direction. While he may feel immersed in the darkness, there is hope ahead. Uncle Iroh got this one right.

11 "Some People Say It Is Within Our Nature To Expand And Consume Like Fire Itself."

Avatar: The Last Airbender (Netflix) - S1 E1

Some things about the Netflix adaptation are different, but Iroh's role as exposition character and mentor stays the same. This bit of dialogue takes place in the first episode, between Iroh and Aang, who is currently a prisoner on the Fire Nation ship.

Aang is just coming to terms with the betrayal and attack of the Fire Nation. When Iroh visits him in his captivity, he asks the former General why the Fire Lord started the war. Iroh's answer to is use fire itself as a metaphor for the habits and character of the nation he represents, as one possible explanation.

10 "You Will Find That If You Look For The Light..."

The Legend Of Korra - A New Spirual Age, S2 E10

"...you can often find it. But if you look for the dark, that is all you will ever see."

In The Legend of Korra, Uncle Iroh makes an awaited return. In the Spirit World, Iroh shows up to give Korra, the new Avatar, some reassurance. He looks older here, probably looking to be the age he was when he died. This just makes it all the more emotional!

On top of that, Korra is scared here and resorts to her childhood state. Seeing old Uncle Iroh and baby Korra interact is overwhelmingly encouraging. By helping Korra here, and watching her succeed, Iroh reminds us that our mindset plays heavily into our life's outcome. There's always power in positivity.

9 "While It Is Always Best To Believe In One's Self..."

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Tales Of Bah Sing Sae, S2 E15

"...a little help from others can be a great blessing."

In Avatar: The Last Airbender, stubbornness and rivalry are abundant. Iroh's nephew, Zuko, has it out for Aang throughout most of the series. While Iroh is part of the Fire Nation, his thoughts and feelings about war are far different from his fellow Fire Nation members.

Iroh encourages everyone to open up and not be so prideful. He believes in oneness, that all humans are connected and have good inside of them. His belief in this helps Zukko's development throughout the series. It also helps viewers see that it's okay to ask for help.

8 "You Must Never Give Into Despair..."

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Avatar Day, S2 E5

"Allow yourself to slip down that road, and you surrender to your lowest instincts."

It's easy to give up hope sometimes. This is especially true in Zukko's case. His father hates him, his sister betrays him, and his mom is nowhere to be found. He feels the pressure to fight and defend evil, but that's not who he wants to be.

Iroh sees this in Zukko. He knows that his nephew wants to do the right thing, deep down. Here, he encourages him to keep hanging on and to not give into the darkness. Everyone could benefit from a quote like this one.

7 "There Is Nothing Wrong With Letting People Who Love You Help You..."

Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Chase, S2 E8

"...Not that I love you, I just met you!"

Even the most stubborn characters benefit from Uncle Iroh's wisdom. In this scene, Toph comes across Iroh after she runs away from the group. She's annoyed at Katara, and she regrets running away from her parents.

Iroh encourages her to not be so prideful. This emotional, yet humorous quote is a great reminder of how we could all use a little help sometimes. Even if it's from tea-obsessed strangers in the middle of nowhere.

6 "You Must Use Your Tact, Your Empathy..."

Avatar: The Last Airbender (Netflix) - S1 E2

"...but most importantly, you need to have...sticky rice!"

Iroh acts as a guardian and mentor to Prince Zuko in every version of The Last Airbender, and helps to make sure his nephew knows how to behave politically. But he also has plenty of advice about regular day-to-day life. Most of Iroh's best quotes are about what a person values on a personal level, as opposed to how famous they are or how much gold they have.

In Episode 2 of the Netflix adaptation, Iroh says this quote to Zuko as part of a lesson about getting what you want without revealing your true plans to possible adversaries. The conversation takes place in a bustling market, complete with a variety of food stalls. Iroh is also teaching Zuko about keeping his priorities straight.

5 "Understanding The Other Elements, The Other Nations, Will Help You Become Whole."

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Bitter Work, S2 E9

Empathy is important. Without the ability to understand others who aren't like us, we can grow cold. There's no better way to become a stronger person than by stepping into the shoes of others. And yes, this includes our enemies.

Uncle Iroh knows all about this. The four nations need to come together rather than view each other as enemies. Iroh wants peace and unity within the nations, which is aided by Aang learning all four elements. This is a great quote that references peace, not war.

4 "At My Age, There Is Really Only One Big Surprise Left..."

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Bato of the Water Tribe, S1 E15

"...and I'd just as soon leave it a mystery."

While Uncle Iroh is definitely funny, he can always find a way to make even the funniest quotes emotional. Here, he talks about how the only surprise left for him is his death date. And he'd rather not know when that's going to happen.

Otherwise, how fun could life be? If we knew exactly when our time was up, we'd just sit there constantly worrying and awaiting it. This is a great quote that encourages us to live life to its fullest without worrying about what day may be our last.

3 "Leaves From The Vine, Falling Like Snow..."

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Tales Of Bah Sing Sae, S2 E15

"...Like fragile tiny shells drifting in the foam. Little soldier boy comes marching home, brave soldier boy comes marching home."

Speaking of death, this is one of the most emotional scenes throughout Avatar: The Last Airbender. Here, Iroh grieves his son who died in the war. He sings this emotional song, paying homage to someone he wishes he could have protected.

Iroh was once a commander in the Fire Nation, and when his son died, he had to retreat. This made him out to be "weak" according to other Fire Nation members, but in fact, he was truly the strongest of them all. This hard lesson is a great reminder that winning isn't worth it, if the cost is someone's life.

2 "Cities Are Like People. They Always Have Their Dark Sides."

Avatar: The Last Airbender (Netflix) - S1 E4

Iroh and Aang meet for a second time in the Netflix version when they are both taken captive by the King of Omashu. They have a brief conversation while sharing the same cell. Aang starts to talk about how Omashu isn't as friendly as he remembers, and Iroh replies with this quote.

The live-action series tries to bring the show up a few notches when it comes to entertaining older audiences. This kind of nuance when it comes to why people act the way they do is one example. It's also a bit of foreshadowing, as Zuko has to make a difficult choice in a later part of this episode.

1 "Protection And Power Are Overrated..."

Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Crossroads Of Destiny, S2 E20

"...I think you are very wise to choose happiness and love."

Avatar Aang has a lot of pressure on him in this series. He literally has to save the entire world. On top of that, he feels like he's just a small child, and he doesn't know how to save the world without also harming someone in the process.

Here, he asks Uncle Iroh's advice on whether he should let go of love in order to properly meditate. Iroh gives him genuine advice, claiming that love is better than power in all situations. This quote is both simple yet diverse. It's relevant on small scales and large scales alike, making it one of the many reasons that Iroh is one of television's best fictional characters.