In this series, I analysis princess characters who defy the stereotypical representation of princesses in fiction, the beautiful, kind, and romance-focused princesses like those in Disney movies (click here for a refresher). When it comes to destroying the princess stereotype, it’s hard to get much further from the traditional type than Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s Azula. Unlike the other complex princesses I’ve discussed who were characters one could consider “heroes,” this princess is ruthless and completely proud of it. In the well-known Nickelodeon series, Azula plays one of the main antagonists and boy, does she make an excellent one! She’s the pride and joy of her father, leader of a nation that has systematically invaded and taken control of other societies and a man cold enough to burn and exile his own son. Rather than sit around a palace in a puffy dress waiting for others to take care of her, Azula has been charged with an important mission to capture the greatest threat to her nation–the Avatar–and she thrills at the chance. This is obviously not your average princess character so, without further ado, let’s break down her characteristics.
Honestly, there isn’t a whole lot of typical princess material in Azula. She’s attractive, but that is never the focus of her character and most of the series she appears in armor or something else that’s easy to fight in (the picture to the right is one of the rare instances when she looks more traditionally feminine). She’s a perfectionist, but she’s not perfect like some of Disney’s earliest princess characters. While she would like to be perfect and tries her hardest to be, it’s clear that Azula is human and therefore imperfect, much to her frustration. Romance is never a factor so, Azula doesn’t fall into the category of prince-crazy princesses who give up everything for them or whose whole story revolves around romance. And as for kindness…
NON-STEREOTYPICAL TRAITS
Azula has followed closely in her father’s footsteps; she’s an egoist who knows just how to manipulate, threaten, and control those around her, even people she calls “friends.” Is that something to be admired? Most of us would probably say no, but one of the things I like about Azula is that she’s not nice. She has high ambitions and won’t let anything or anyone stand in her way, even if it means hurting someone else. It’s not unusual to see this trait in male characters, but rarely is it seen in female characters. So often female characters, whether they’re princesses or not, are supposed to be nice. Sometimes they’re obviously nice and other times they’re tough girls who come off as cold, but are revealed to be softhearted girls who have been put into a difficult situation and forced to toughen up. If a female character is ever mean, it’s almost always in a petty, shallow way (i.e. the mean girl who torments the nice girl because they both like the same guy). But where are the merciless girls, the mean girls who have more on their minds than making a nice girl look stupid in front of a guy? Azula is one of the few I can think of and she’s actually quiet complex.
In addition, she’s extremely capable, unlike many of the classic Disney princesses. Azula is given big responsibilities by her father/ruler of her country and she handles them excellently, to the horror of the protagonists. Arguably, she does a better job of hunting the Avatar than anyone, beating out her older brother and a decorated admiral, and (without spoiling anything) accomplishes some amazing feats for her country. She’s also one of the most skilled firebenders (think of it as magical martial arts) in the series. Besides her father, the Firelord, Azula is the second-baddest villain in the series. If a series has a female antagonist, she typically doesn’t play a huge part and is usually one of the weakest enemies. The fact that Azula is a princess just makes her badness all the more amazing since princess characters are most often depicted as damsels in distress or (if we’re lucky) heroes; either way they’re supposed to be good people.
To sum it up, Azula is the anti-Disney princess princess character. She has power as a princess and she uses it to her fullest advantage. She’s brutal, capable, complex, and one of the best female villains I’ve come across. So, if you’re looking for princess characters who destroy stereotypes, Azula is definitely one to check out. She won’t disappoint.
I keep meaning to get started on Avatar, but it keeps slipping my mind. This just gives me more incentive to get started!
Great analysis Erin!
Don’t forget how they peeled back many layers in Book 3 to reveal her extremely complex yet emotionally fragile character. It speaks volumes that by her final scene in Sozin’s Comet, we almost pity her but in a vastly different way than for most imprisoned princesses.
Sounds like a really great character. I’ve heard Avatar is a great series. I should try to watch it at some point.
By the way, I nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award. Keep up the great work! 🙂
Azula also destroys the Dark Queen character stereotype in three ways:
She is a princess where it is usually expected of the Dark Queen character to be a queen: we are denied watching the formative years of characters such as Azula or we get a 2 page backstory at best. Azula on the other hand gets to be more than a one note cackling villain ,although there is cackling at the end or I would not be saying that her character is actually the Dark Queen. The character of the Dark Queen shows up in literature here and there but these characters are usually not allowed to act the way Azula does before seizing power for themselves. And Azula is a Dark Queen at the end: Insane cackling? Check. Going for the destruction of her own blood relations? Check. Demonstrating magical skill and power that goes above and beyond ordinary magic users? Check. Loss of sanity at her own coronation? Check. Losing the fight in which her royal right to rule was contested because of her emotions and loss of sanity rendered her unable to use her enormous magical power as anything other then a bludgeoning tool to beat her enemies into submission? Check.
The sin of Dark Queens, what makes them villains, is usually Pride. Azula’s is Lust. That is the second way Azula’s character breaks the mold. Oh and if you do not believe me that her sin is Lust go watch the solar eclipse episodes again and pay attention to what she implies she doing to Suki. Also she manipulates people not just to get the job done, but for her own twisted pleasure.
The third subversion is how well written and nuanced Azula’s character is, Dark Queens usually do not get any character other then she is evil. In Azula’s case we get to see the reasons behind her being the way she is.
Maybe it would just be better to call her a Dark Lord rather than a Dark Queen, as she as much called herself a Lord and never a Queen. Yet another way Azula smashes the princess stereotype is her gleeful adoption of an overtly traditionally masculine title (Fire Lord), and this should be acknowledged because it speaks to her disinterest if not outright scorn of femininity and its associated weaknesses, whether true or imagined. Your analysis actually does far more damage to the idea of her being a “Dark Queen” than it lends support to.
Truth be told I was against the fire nation but as soon as Azula entered the picture i just became enthralled to her, this post actually is the answer to the question why. ^_^
This article is wonderful, and I’m glad you decided to use Azula as a character study, because she truly is a — if not THE — posterchild for overturning the princess stereotype.
I would like to build upon the non-stereotypical traits section, if I may, because there’s even more to add! As you said, Azula follows in her father’s footsteps — indeed, he’s her role-model, and she emulates many if not most of his mannerisms. Now unless we’re to believe Ozai is somehow effeminate, this would mean Azula’s own behaviors are rather masculinized by extension, as traits don’t shift polarities because of gender, just as a dress doesn’t magically become accepted as a feminine piece of clothing if a man wears it.
Azula is very forceful and direct, able to intimidate grown men thrice her age in spite of being short of stature; she even moves with a certain swagger not seen by the other female characters, and, most glaringly, wears what is obviously men’s armor in over half of her scenes. (The female Fire Nation soldiers and guards, while also garbed in armor, wear a variant that’s noticeably feminized in the baring of the midriff in spite of their combative roles. Zuko wears the same exact armor as Azula in a few episodes.) She never wears dresses. (Even Toph, the other prominently boyish girl in the cast, wears dresses, sometimes voluntarily. Get this… she finds herself remarking favorably of the makeover she received with Katara in “The Tales of Ba Sing Se”. This is rough-and-tumble Toph we’re talking about, deriving power from feeling girly. Despite this, her tomboyish ways are never called into question, whereas the mention of Azula possessing traditionally masculine traits is often received with hostility and erasure. More on this later.) As a young child, she scorns dolls, acts in a belligerently aggressive manner toward the other children, immerses herself in the study of combat, and excels in physical pursuits. If there were no gender markers attached to that description, I’m quite certain most people would automatically picture a boy! Maybe this would be a good time to mention the fact that Azula /was/ originally conceptualized as a male character, possibly explaining… well, a lot of things, but this was changed early in production. The revision is a welcome one, as we now have a standout character that shines a much-needed light onto the reality of girls who don’t fit gender roles. Azula is far from an admirable character in most respects, but in this way, her mere existence breaks down barriers and assures girls and women that don’t fit society’s expectations that they’re not abnormal or invisible. Through this character, along with Toph and Smellerbee, they find recognition without relying too heavily on stereotypical tropes themselves. It’s way past time for non-feminine girls to have viable, realistic examples of their own.
One of the most pointed variants is Azula’s blatant favoring of traditionally male titles. Throughout the course of the entire show, she refers to herself as Princess once. In the span of two episodes, she calls herself Fire Lord at least five times — and this was before her coronation ceremony even took place. In the newly released comic compilation, titled “The Search”, it’s revealed that she used to reenact the final scene of Love Amongst the Dragons with Zuko, taking the role of Dragon Emperor while he portrayed the Dark Water Spirit. She speaks of these titles as wholly appropriate for herself and never attempts to feminize them as most girls would. She /enjoys/ expressing herself in ways we mostly see from male characters. This is utterly anti-princess, where daintiness and femininity are the cornerstones of the characters’ personalities. Even the beach episode showed how unnatural it is for Azula to act like a girl. After receiving coaching from the girliest character in the show, Ty Lee, she still fails massively to put those tips to use, all the while behaving in an obviously mechanical, uncomfortable, unnatural way. Behaving like a typical princess, let alone a typical teenage girl, just isn’t her.
Yet venturing into fandom is almost like stepping into another world. Regrettably, Azula often loses her gender diversity and is shoehorned back into the typical princess role so contrary to her entire characterization. She’s made to wear dresses and floral kimonos, loses her roughness in favor of being sultry and flirtatious, becomes weepy and apologetic… the list goes on. All manner of womanly titles are forced upon her, from Fire Lady to Empress to “my Lady” to Queen. (That last one is gaining traction as of late. People just love to call her their “queen” on Tumblr, for example. Why this instead of “princess” or “lord”, I’ll never know.) There seems to be more fanart of her in the beach getup from one episode over the clothing she wore during the majority of the show. There are also more subtle, yet still insidious changes applied to her character to make her seem less neutral/masculine. Whether intentional or unintended, these things send a poor message: this isn’t acceptable — you MUST fit your given gender role — we will erase any attempts to the contrary and put you back in your place. It’s erasure, plain and simple. Rather than celebrate the diversity Azula’s presentation brings, her entire being is overhauled to suit the sensitivities of those who just can’t stand seeing a girl who dares to rebuke the assumptive behavior of her gender. It goes beyond princess and anti-princess to the outright scorn of those who defy these stereotypes. Ironically, many of these same people proclaim with abundant pride that they’re feminist and against sexism… while amending if not entirely erasing a character’s identity in the next keystroke. Maybe they’re of the mind that feminism is only for girly-girls. I don’t know. But I do know it’s widespread and prevalent, having witnessed it from Azula’s introduction. The dismissal and hostility toward her canon personality is perplexing and honestly alarming, because it’s unlikely one with such views would react much differently toward a real person who isn’t a living, breathing stereotype. While there are many reasons to dislike this character, her refusal to adhere to gender roles shouldn’t be one of them.
Would you please examine Princess Rillaine or Princess Sailor Moon (no, not Princess Serenity- Princess Serenity is a decent person, Princess Sailor Moon is live action, psychotic, and can fly for reasons not fully explained), please? Rillaine is from the Evillous Chronicles by mothy (Master of the Heavenly Yard). She’s in Daughter of Evil, Servent of Evil, Regret Message, Daughter of White, and Kept Waiting for a Response. She has the four mirrors of Lucifer, and had her army commit a holocaust against people with green hair.
(To defeat the princess was no easy task
But the people could no longer wear their mask
Like a flock of birds they were led by
A red lady mercenary into the nigh!
All the anger that had built over the years
Now consumed them without any fears
And her army was battered from the green war
Their attacks were not much of a chore
Once upon a time in another place
(Once upon a time in a country far away)
There was an evil kingdom that no person dared to face
(Where a lot of crimes were committed everyday)
And the ruler was a girl so mean
(My lovely little sister)
A tiny little princess
(Who was fourteen years of age)
Of only age fourteen!
(Was crowned ruler of it all
Dancing on history’s stage)
Yes, I’ll look into the live-action version. Thanks for directing my attention toward it. I didn’t realize there were such big differences between the live-action and the manga/anime.
Because Azula is ACTUALLY in fact not a princess, at least not in Western sense of it. Clearly she is literally in fact a some kind of sub-emperor to Ozai and she has REAL power which is extremely scary.
Princesses in Western Middle Ages culture have almost zero powe and they are mainly ornamental without any purpose than to marry, have sex and make babies and then be thrown away like squeezed lemon shells to their lonely apartment of pathetic outcasts. There is a reason why in reality they were not allowed to get out of the castle and talk back to men because of the European Romanized and Judeo-Christian history. During Ancient Roman times , women had almost to zero rights then Judeo-Christian sand-vaginal culture with tentacles came and made us smelly and conservative like an expired tin can.
But Azula isn’t a pathethic smelly object or an ornament. She is a dignified prideful sub-emperor with practical applications that bring whole capital cities to their humiliating pathetic defeats like Ba Sing Se.