The Tale of Zuko (and subtle character growth): Part 2
Appreciation for the other nations was important for Zuko to develop into the Firelord the world needed. I signed off on Part I by speculating that Zuko’s date with Jin created positive feelings about living in Ba Sing Se, as well as an appreciation for average people and how they live. In this part, I will speculate on how this may have contributed to Zuko’s large scale impressions of the Earth Kingdom.
Two important scenes in Book 3 show how Zuko’s time in the Earth Kingdom changed his outlook. When Zuko confronts Ozai in Day of Black Sun, he explains how seeing from the perspective of others opened his mind to the Fire Nation's wrongdoings. In the earlier war room scene, Zuko gives his personal assessment of the Earth Kingdom: “…the people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong. They can endure anything as long as they have hope.” Every person Zuko met in the Earth Kingdom helped to form this opinion. Jin is obviously not singled out here, but there’s no reason to exclude her from the description either.
So how do we interpret the Tale of Zuko with this in mind? Headcanons and opinions on the new novel will add or detract, but we can still form impressions based on what is in the series proper. Jin is an Earth Kingdom citizen we meet in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se. Her defunct Nickelodeon website page and the novel have different takes on her background, but it’s safe to say she’s not wealthy (though not too dangerously impoverished either). She is understanding of the refugee experience, likely learning this first-hand and/or from interactions with her community. Ultimately, she does not give up on trying to connect with “Lee.” She doesn’t come across as proud, per se, but has enough confidence to ask her crush out and steadily keep the date moving when it gets awkward. Zuko’s assessment of the Earth Kingdom doesn't contain the word “perseverance,” though it fits in with the rest of his phrasing. Jin demonstrated a perseverance that aligns well with her calm demeanor.
I had a giggle imagining Jin “enduring” the low points of their date, and that only “hope” kept the spark alive. That’s far too dramatic for such a low key and relaxed minisode! Zuko lighting the Firelight Fountain did give her hope, though. I’m not certain she would have gone in for the kiss otherwise. The fountain was potentially her last bid for romance, and it worked. So yes, we can view Jin as having the traits that helped Zuko gain appreciation for others and the Earth Kingdom as a whole.
