“Oh no! This wasn’t supposed to happen!”

Zuko’s desperate thoughts raced as he tried to yell out, but what escaped his lips was nothing more than incoherent baby babble. The moment he had connected his spirit with his dragon companion, he had anticipated a mystical experience, not a transformation into an infant! Panic surged through him—how could he possibly fulfill his duties as Fire Lord in this state?

With Mai gone, the Gaang occupied with rebuilding the air temples, and Uncle Iroh off in the Earth Kingdom, Zuko was left utterly alone. The weight of responsibility pressed down on him as he realized he was now the most vulnerable he had ever been—an infant in a world of political intrigue and danger. Five assassination attempts had already been made on him, and now he was reduced to a helpless baby, flailing on the side of a path that led into the woods.

As the reality of his situation sank in, Zuko’s frustration boiled over. He opened his mouth wide and let out a wail, the sound piercing the air with all the fury of a Fire Lord—albeit a very tiny one. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he screamed at the injustice of it all. How was he supposed to lead a nation when he couldn’t even find his own thumb?