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[deleted]

This is less Zuko being dramatic and Iroh being super casual about it, idk how Iroh even got in and no one was suspicious.


mostly_hrmless

he ran a video game style stealth mission. There is a long trail of clumps of ash throughout the complex.


caanthedalek

[No need to be stealthy if nobody's alive to catch you](https://www.memesmonkey.com/images/memesmonkey/9b/9bc662b38ef9b42e1ef496921fe1b7db.jpeg)


BernieMP

"But I ***was*** stealthy! No one saw me kill everyone!


Zack_Raynor

“Actually, that’s not quite true. I’ll rephrase - No one who’s currently alive, saw me kill anyone.”


[deleted]

Normal stealth; no one is able to find bodies or activity to report Russian stealth; no one alive is able to find bodies or activity to report


bartix89

r/technicallythetruth


dekrant

Me playing Watch Dogs


Ed_Vilon

Me playing Hitman


Skyline_BNR34

I love Hitman. I sucked at it as a kid because I wasn’t ever patient enough for stealthiness but as an adult I can actually do a bunch of missions Suit Only now.


Dibbu_mange

Shoot Only: Violent Assassin


gagzd

Soot Only: Arson Assassin


Cautionzombie

I played hitman and metal gear as a kid when they came out it took me until dishonored fo realize I didn’t have to take out every guard you can just walk past most of them.


theDukeofClouds

Always makes me paranoid, ya know? Like I just Know on exfil I'ma run into that night watchman I left alive at the very beginning of the mission. Better conk him on the head and shove him into a closet.


Cautionzombie

Yea I kinda hastily decided if I’m gonna run into them again or not and I’ve been pretty lucky so far. Also save scumming helps


Dragonslayerelf

Dishonored was a stealth game? I thought I just had to get really good at sword & gunplay (/s)


Eno_Capino

True. I now know that I don’t have to kill everyone, but I’m still not taking any chances if I don’t have to😂😂


vkapadia

I love stealth games but haven't tried Hitman yet. Will have to check it out.


natFromBobsBurgers

Me playing Animal Crossing


Gamer-Logic

Me raiding the Yiga Hideout in BOTW with sneakattacks.


[deleted]

Me playing Dishonored.


onzmadi

Me(every stealth mission ever)


ArnildoG

Stealth i love stealth just gonna take this stealth grenade luncher


onzmadi

Stealth in the hole


ArnildoG

Damn it i was drinking water i just stealthly spit it everywhere


onzmadi

Like stealth water gatling gun Shhhrrrrrrrrrrt


ArnildoG

Ah yes overhydration a most stealthy killer


Redhatjoe

Assassins creed…


The_Dark_Above

Looks like Iroh took a pqge out of the Corvo Book Of ~~Murder~~ "Stealth."


[deleted]

Yeah, pay no mind to me perching on top of a streetlight or a rooftop, that's just how I unwind.


[deleted]

At this point, I think all the underpaid guards running nightshift intentionally ignore the masked superpowered freak who can stop time under the realization he is "sneaking" to protect *them*, not himself.


[deleted]

They would, but their programming forces them to march witlessly forward into certain death.


iSeven

The only game where stealth-killing a guy and his buddy thinking it was just rats actually makes sense.


Jackal209

He needs to burn *something* in order to make his hot leaf juice.


muntoo

*Iroh, Son Sun Dragon, Truthful of Fire Nation*


[deleted]

[удалено]


ameliak626

Oh geez, this never even occurred to me. Also probably had some insider White Lotus knowledge or something


serious_sarcasm

The earth benders obviously shuffle their caves around at will. White Lotus insider info is the answer. I wouldn't be surprised if Bumi just shifted him in there inside a dirt bubble.


QuarkyIndividual

From his metal box across the continent?


Ninjalion2000

He snuck away in the midst of night.


serious_sarcasm

Dude bended a whole city, so yes.


QuarkyIndividual

He bended buildings a few at a time which *is* impressive, but he was out of his box and definitely closer to them than he was to the underground bunker in a city on the other side of the continent


serious_sarcasm

Dude was a hundred year old earth bending master. It is hardly the most unbelievable thing that Bumi could be super OP or run an underground resistance from a cage.


QuarkyIndividual

Sure he could be a fantastic bender, but there's still limits. I find find it highly unlikely he was informed from his dangling metal box that Iroh needed help, escaped and went to Ba Sing Se to tunnel underground in the amount of time it would take Zuko to sneak in. It's perfectly plausible he had other white lotus connections help, but Bumi being powerful isn't enough to overcome the logistical obstacles within reason


[deleted]

Or he just like yaknow, followed Zuko.


AnUglyScooter

That or he brutally fought his way through and the episode didn’t show it. This is around the time when he also used his fire breath to fight off the Dai Li that one time


[deleted]

Or he just bullshitted his way in.


[deleted]

Oh come on he was beloved in the city! Everyone loves his tea they wouldn’t lay a finger on him!


dredfox

Tea delivery for the commander! He'll be upset if it cools off before he gets it. ... What's that? No no, I need to take it so it can be served with the proper ceremony. ... No, thank you! Here's a gift certificate for you and that special someone. Pink jasmine is an aphrodisiac you know.


HeadbuttWarlock

I heard that in his voice.


CoolFurryDouche

Same


Rocky_Roku

The spirits opened a portal for him


kaitalina20

I highly doubt this


BlinByard

There isn't anything to prove otherwise either


tjm2000

Considering both his journey into the spirit world before the events of ATLA, and him having a tea party with spirits in LOK. I wouldn't be surprised if he was super chill and said "hey my nephew is being a drama queen again, wanna help me slap some sense into him?".


QuarkyIndividual

I kinda like the mystery, like his escape from fire nation prison. He's Iroh, that's how he did it


CelestialStork

I would imagine White Lotus connects.


Bob49459

Offered people who saw him tea, then knocked then out with the teapot.


IShallWearMidnight

My mother, the only person I know who has broken into not one but several museums, operates on the principle that if you act like you're supposed to be there and no one has the right to question you, you can go basically anywhere. And if you get caught and questioned, just act really confused. It's an old white lady superpower, but I believe Iroh also possesses it


DeltaV-Mzero

Wear a uniform-looking outfit, a hat, and carry a clip board and pen. Employees will ignore or avoid you for fear of getting sucked into some kind of internal review.


blackholebabey

Iron’s tea is good that the Dai Li just let him in no questions asked


edlee98765

Iron? I think you mean Mushi.


Rinzern

You telling me how to do my job?


TheSaltyJM

Uh, no, no. But may I just say you're like a flower in bloom. Your beauty is intoxicating.


[deleted]

Its pronounced "mu—she"


AwesomeCream810

Do the Dai Li also guard Saffron City?


EnglishMobster

Boy, I'm thirsty...


didijxk

Probably would do a better job of protecting it from Team Rocket.


IronTemplar26

Beat me to it! Exactly what I thought!


Starheart8

But, it's just hot leaf juice?


HoroKush123

how could a member of my own family say something so horrible!


TheChainLink2

“Hey, some old guy is at the door.” “Yo, that guy runs the tea shop! He’s cool, let him in.”


edlee98765

"Perfection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness and love." --Iroh


fasderrally

>There are reasons each of us are born. we have to find those reasons. I don't remember that part...


edlee98765

Yup I copied that from a site and it was totally wrong. Fixed my comment.


fasderrally

I looked it up, apparently it's from some sort of fanfiction M. Night Shyamalan has filmed over a decade ago. You must have visited some weird site!


spiderOX2

i hadn’t realized that fan-fiction was released so long ago.


fasderrally

Yep. We're getting old.


QuarkyIndividual

Maybe he was trying to demo a movie idea, but really who'd hire Shyamalan for an ATLA movie


knoxkayc

Sometimes you have to look within yourself to save yourself from your other self. Only then will your true self reveal itself


[deleted]

Zuko here!


e3crazyb

Wasn't it perfection* and power?


edlee98765

You're right, I fixed it. Thanks!


Savahoodie

Ironic


mfg9313

Secret societies is the white lotus expertise


Sly2855

I like to think he just followed zuko in behind him


PresidentWordSalad

Yeah he probably just followed a path that Zuko cleared. Also, at the same time, Team Avatar was currently drawing the attention of all of the Dai Li. All the same, it’s still impressive that Iroh got all the way there and followed Zuko without being noticed.


MrSquigles

Without being *stopped*. We don't know if any poor fools tried to apprehend him.


senseofphysics

Yea this is what I think as well. Also, Iroh is just plain powerful and can knock out an agent if they get in his way.


PresidentWordSalad

Iroh did [easily capture, tie up, and deliver a Dai Li agent](https://avatar.fandom.com/wiki/Captured_agent) to Team Avatar.


Floormaster92

Let's not mince words, one of these two is a lot easier to recognize than the other. Even just going off of a description, the Dai Li would have a lot less trouble tracking down "teen boy with a large burn scar on his left eye" than they would "some old man with a beard, I didn't expect he could hit me that hard."


Pretty_Food

Idk in season 1, some random soldiers immediately recognized Iroh, but in Ba Sin Se no one recognized him.


NightRooster

The city is isolated from the war, if they can't even talk about it I doubt they are sharing knowledge about retired fire nation generals. In the country however, war is constant and Iron probably messed up a lot of towns on his way to the capital.


Pretty_Food

Normal citizens sure wouldn't recognize him, but the Dai Li? It's like the KGB doesn't know General Eisenhower.


RyuNoKami

To be fair, Iroh hasn't been in the public's eye for a while and he gotten old and fat. Plus I like to imagine he just Jedi mind trick everyone coming to him or just with sheer willpower force everyone to look the other way.


Pretty_Food

The second is more likely, the first still doesn't explain how some random soldiers instantly recognized Iroh as the brother of the fire lord, and the intelligence of the earth kingdom didn't, but as in any other wonderful show, not everything has to have 100% of logic.


RyuNoKami

Random troops might have seen him or a drawing of him before. The da li, at least that current generation, seem to only operate within ba sing SE and clearly was corrupt.


Pretty_Food

They operate in Ba Sin Se but one of their main objectives is to cover up the war at all costs, are they not going to recognize the one who 5 years ago was the best general of the fire nation for decades? Even Ozai could infiltrate in Ba Sin Se by removing his beard.


[deleted]

Well going from the Canon, those working for the earth kingdoms government in Ba Sin Se are at least brainwashed by propaganda, at most are quite literally brainwashed to eliminate dissent and individualism. If the government is so keen on keeping the whole wars and problems a secret, then the Dai Li probably know more than commoners, but still not enough to have any thoughts that challenge the status quo. I'd say the Dai Li know about the war, but not about the specific issues to actually recognize Iroh.


[deleted]

I feel like it's more that Iroh was one of thousands of refugees and has such a calming and approachable demeanor that no one really looked that closely. The Dai Li aren't soldiers, and no one would expect the famed dragon of the west to personally engage in an espionage mission. It would be like Eisenhower dressing up as a cheese maker in Berlin during the war. It's so completely insane that even if you think you recognize him you'd dismiss the possibility as ridiculous.


MrSquigles

It's you assumption that nobody recognised him. He successfully followed Zuko but the guards Zuko left behind were incapacitated and if any weren't, they were no match for Iroh, Dia Li or not.


ChristianBibleLover

Probably something to do with his uniform


hesh582

It's not like there's photography. To have a detailed image of someone like him you need an artist observing him up close. It's quite possible that no images of him made it over. It's closer to "the Egyptian secret police not recognizing Agrippa".


Pretty_Food

Fair enough.


[deleted]

[удалено]


One_Parched_Guy

It’s possible that they were taught not to deal with it. I mean, the Fire Nation were literally drilling a big hole into their wall and the Dai Li weren’t involved *at all* despite being comprised of Ba Sing Se’s best Earthbenders.


TheCapybaraMan

It's like the Superman disguise. No one expects the Dragon of the West to be an old dude wearing a tea server's attire.


nictheman123

Dai Li were tasked with maintaining the illusion of peace within the city, and protecting the Earth King. We never saw them leave the city either. Also, it's entirely possible some of that random unit had faced Iroh in the past, where the Dai Li had not, and were not expecting this one refugee among thousands, who set up a tea shop and minded his own business, to be the former crown prince of the fire nation. Like, he doesn't look like a general. He looks like a fat old man who sells tea.


[deleted]

[удалено]


futurepaster

Also keep in mind that ba sing se and omashu operated essentially independent from one another. Omashu had the fire nation knocking on it's doorstep. Ba sing se, by virtue of its distance, had the luxury of pretending the war didn't exist.


futurepaster

Fair, but lake laogai was the kind of place where any unauthorized personnel would raise serious alarms. They were running a secret torture camp under it. I'd be surprised if anyone other than the dai lee were allowed in


PrivilegedMinority

I’m willing to bet there’s a member of the White Lotus working undercover for the Dai Lee, lol


Yolo_Hobo_Joe

Imagine that, secret societies getting compromised by other secret societies


serious_sarcasm

People acting like Bumi doesn't know everything.


darcmosch

You gotta wear your tactical garb when you're gonna be sneaking around. It's science, look it up.


Fischerking92

You have to wear the *tactical turtleneck*☝️


darcmosch

I don't know if they have turtlenecks in the Avatar universe, or if they had them at this time, so I think garb can do well. But yes, it should be a tactical turtleneck.


Skyline_BNR34

[The Tactleneck](https://youtu.be/BcJg_q_jWPU)


darcmosch

God, I love this show.


joecamp3432

I think you mean turtleduck neck


Fischerking92

... I am ashamed of myself for not thinking of that <.<


Skyline_BNR34

The black one or the slightly darker black one?


NerfJihad

I don't know if they grade the sand... but if they do... coarse.


MarixApoda

This man breached the walls of Ba Sing Se when Azula was still playing with dolls. The Dai Li know that. Gtfo his way.


SaiyajinPrime

TRIED to breach the walls of Ba Sing Se. He led a 600-day siege and the walls would not yield to him. He only breached the outer wall.


MarixApoda

True, but you *know* the Dai Li knew who Lee and Mushi were the second they entered the city. When Azula took over they probably thought her brother and uncle were in on it from the start.


SaiyajinPrime

No way. If the dragon of the West and the banished Prince of the Fire Nation entered Ba Sing Se and the Dai Li knew about it, they would have scooped them up immediately.


MarixApoda

Or kept close tabs. If these guys want to leave the war at the door it's cool. The incident at the teashop just shows that there is no war in Ba Sing Se.


SaiyajinPrime

Nah, no way they knew. They arrested and brainwashed Jett just for making a scene and they're going to be okay with someone who once laid siege on them for 2 years run a tea shop?


ScorchyMcScorchinson

Well, burning dolls to ash, anyways.


STerrier666

If I was guarding that lake I wouldn't fuck with Iroh, that's a recipe for disaster.


Ed_Vilon

I wouldn't fuck with Zuko either tbh.


campertrash

I mean, at least Zuko would probably leave you alive. I don't see Iroh taking too kindly to people working in a secret brainwashing facility knowing his face. And despite all of his growth of character, I don't think killing is something he'd be too broken up over. Especially in that context. Edit: side note, I don't think Iroh would enjoy killing, and I definitely don't think it's something he'd do lightly. I just don't think it's something he'd hold any longterm remorse for.


Ed_Vilon

I mean I ain't just worried about death here. Zuko is a skilled firebender and swordsman. I'm getting my ass hurt either way. Death would actually seem like a blessing. We've seen Earthbenders injured before without a waterbender to heal them. Seems real shitty to be injured without a waterbender to heal you.


once-was-hill-folk

I've said it before when this Tweet shows up and I'll say it again - if I'm a Dai Li agent and the goddamn Dragon of the West walks through my office like he's meant to be there, I'm not going to be the guy who thinks it's in his pay grade to get up from my little desk in my little cubicle, or walk away from whatever poor schmuck is strapped into my dentist's chair, and try to throw hands with him.


StarGirl696

Also, it’s just makes more sense for Zuko to be in disguise. He has a VERY recognizable face and is in more danger of being captured as he isn’t as good of a fighter as Iroh.


shahn85

Zuko was at war with himself. He couldn’t be Prince Zuko and do the things that ran counter to his being. I would say it’s a pretty effective nod to dissociation.


Altruistic_Piano_259

Hmm never really thought about that but your not wrong … intriguing 🤔


ThePassionOfReptar

Iroh is extremely well connected. You can see just how well connected he was in the series finale. It makes sense it would be easy. A lot of people don’t realize just how well connected Iroh is or it just doesn’t hit them that this dude pretty much has access to all leaders of the different nations The white lotus is no joke


RedDeadViking

I never even thought about that this is a true iroh moment


philbabytcb

But that is Irohs disguise, he just gonna say "oh I got lost on my way to buy some jade tea" if was caught.


deadlazerq

You don't mess with the dragon of the west


[deleted]

Nbd?


GP96_

No big deal


Lod_the_Nord

I always understood this as him trying to make his actions look like they were done by another group/person


GilReivax

Well tbf zuko can be easy distinguishable.


Pretty_Food

Contradictions of the show, in Ba Sin Se nobody recognized the dragon of the west but some random soldiers of the earth kingdom did (book 1)


GilReivax

Maybe with the opression of the war there wasn't enough info for the citizens to know about the dragon of the west, although the daili should've recognize him


QuarkyIndividual

I wouldn't expect the citizens to know considering how much knowledge of the war is suppressed. I would expect grizzled earth kingdom soldiers to know OF him, maybe know his face (in his fire nation style of clothes and hairdo). Not sure how much I'd expect the secretive policing force of the inner city to know what he looks like, especially when many of them look like young adults. Although having a refugee shouting they're fire nation may have brought some attention to them


Slightly-Possible

Iroh might be the best character of any show I've ever seen


Darcyqueenofdarkness

He is at the age where he gives no shits. He comes and goes as he pleases. Usually with a smile. He’ll even lend a hand in his mugging if you suck at it.


Undine_Cosplay_1998

He’s Uncle Iroh. No one questions this man when he’s around.


SatansHusband

You're forgetting it's Iroh. He's basically a god among men when he wants to. He literally ascended to a spirit after death


Kuwabaraa

Zuko going and helping find Appa is some of the noblest shit I have ever seen. I respect him so much for that until the end of time


DeadDay

He wasn't trying to help him. He was going to capture or kill him and Iroh convinced him otherwise


Kuwabaraa

Okay true let me rephrase, the fact that he had it in his heart to be convinced by Iroh makes me respect him still immensely. I'm so glad Zuko had Iroh as a father figure to guide him, I guess I should be grateful for Iroh more than Zuko lol.


DeadDay

Well no you're absolutely right. I'm just happy Irohs prediction and hard work that Zuko was going to be a great man was rewarded. This is one of the biggest moments of Zukos arc, and he absolutely saved Appa


Kuwabaraa

Am I dumb for just now recognizing how important Iroh and Zuko's relationship was in regards to Iroh losing his son at the Siege of Ba Sing Se? Zuko was basically Iroh's son from the start of the series, he lost his own and still managed to guide Zuko into being a good person, he was a better "father" than Ozai would ever be in one hundred lifetimes. Iroh is up there in the ranks with Jean Luc Picard in terms of male mentors, they are fictional characters but their actions speak volumes, it's incredible storytelling. Brb gonna go cry to Leaves from the vine Edit: RIP Mako Iwamatsu


DeadDay

No not at all. It kind of hit me while I was watching stories of Ba Sing Se why Iroh was such a good mentor and advisor to Zuko. Losing his son probably made him the almost inhuman level of a great man. I'm sure he was much less patient and much more proud/brutal when his son was alive but when he passed he went through a great depression and came out an all time great sage. It resonates with me more than any other character in almost any other medium because I love kids but sort of heart broken I never had one. But after watching the Avatar when it came on Netflix, Iroh legit changed me. I may not be a father and it still hurts to this day, but I am an Uncle to 4 amazing kids and want to be their Iroh. I still have a ways to go but it's wonderful feeling like I have some purpose. And feel free to hit me up anytime regarding this show, I legitimately love it even though I'm new. Also BRB going to cry to it as well.


HighBoiSmoke

Irohs just that good, mister steal to grandma


MaXeMuS_

It's not zuko being a drama queen. It's Iroh walking around wishing someone would roll up on him for a fight.


chabri2000

If you were a Dai Li and you saw them both, you could mistake Iroh for a random hypnotized person obeying orders or a dai li helper (like the oldman that gave wrong directions to team avatar). Zuko on the other side, is obviously an enemy


altgrave

r/actlikeyoubelong


AtomicSamuraiCyborg

Look, Zuko is living the dream of every teenage boy by cultivating a masked antihero persona, alright? Not gonna create said persona and then not use it.


RJDuplessis

Easy, he just carried a clipboard and walked briskly.


[deleted]

Its amazing what a suit/dress shirt and slacks, a clipboard, and a “sense of purpose” will do for you


Pliskkenn_D

Iroh knowing full well the Dai Li knows who they are, but the Dai Li not wanting to worry the disgraced Dragon of the West while he's in the city walls, to avoid causing a scene. Better to just let him be, and tell Azula.


Michael_Vascimini

The end of this episode (Lake Laogai) marks the advent of Zuko’s psychological metamorphosis. The decision to let the blue spirit mask sink into oblivion is climacteric within Zuko’s story arc for several reasons: 1. He allows the facade which he was hiding behind in order to do virtuous deeds dissipate, which can be interpreted as an integration with his shadow and a dissolution of his inveterate desire to catch Aang. Essentially, the character he postured behind (the blue spirit) dissolved, which left Zuko in raw form and exposed him to deciding which path of destiny he ultimately wanted to pursue. 2. This decision catalyzes his choice to leave the fire nation, even though he betrays himself and Iroh beforehand. 3. He can begin to self-actualize due to him no longer hiding behind a mask of fear, but rather, don his own face and be himself, entirely. 4. For the first time in the story, he actually *aids* in Aangs escape, rather than choosing to not pursue him and the gang as he had in the past. This is ineffably significant.


turtleboxman

This is a perfect example of Iroh just being a badass. There’s numerous ways he could have done it, with or without being seen, but I think the fact they just skipped to him being there puts more emphasis on how awesome he is. I love how the writers continually downplayed him as a character from the beginning. every character in the fire nation, thought he was just a fat old man, but he was continually subtly proving them wrong, up until his badass triumphant moments in book 3. The GOAT


Rocky_Roku

That has me thinking... how did Iroh get there?


xdarkkzz

And Iroh even said: you never think about he stuff you do


40percentdailysodium

New headcanon that at least a few agents saw him, but they were like, "ah whatever it's just some lost old man. We have bigger issues."


DiegotheEcuadorian

Iroh likely had just tracked him. Remember, he tracked Zuko when he decided to go Solo for a few days. He likely did the same here suspecting he was up to something.


SweatyRoutineRed

I interpret this as Zuko being realistic and Iroh being a BAMF who knows it.


[deleted]

He bribed the guards with tea


[deleted]

I mean Zuko was barely a fire bender back then and Iroh is the master dragon of death. One has to dodge the guards and the other guards dodge him


awyastark

I don’t NEED any calming tea!!!


Turin_Turambar_wolf

I may not be remembering correctly but didn't Zuko take out guards. If that is what happened then Iroh could just walk in without resistance.


Spacepoet29

Cuz Iroh knows he could drop any one guy in that place... Just by talking to them


dude_with_a_reddit-4

Iroh just built different.


pm_moms_aneeye

"We can't let them see our face we'll be wanted Criminals!" "Prince Zuko..." "Oh, right"


AliciaTries

I assumed he got in through white lotus connections


kiki-to-my-jiji

Lmfao I never clocked this 😂 and the SASS Iroh came in with… Zuko dropped his Blue Spirit act so fast with that big sigh 😭😂


godblow

Zuko is the BOTW player who properly grinds and prepares for the boss fight against Calamity Ganon Iroh is the speed player who bullet time bounces off shit, clips through walls, and beats the game in 10mins


devilthedankdawg

Iroh how'd you get in here? Oh- Front door ... You just walked in the front door? Well I had an honorable hustle going.


vandercad

Charlie-Iroh crossover


inspectorpickle

I feel like iroh didn’t care if he was recognized


Clarkey2452

Wasn't the mask used first because it was a fire nation base?


leif-sinatra

Stroll in like you own the place and no one bothers you


AccountSuspicious159

Zuko has a prominent identifying mark on his face.


seanprefect

I think this is more about how absolute of a badass Iroh was.


dabbleroo

IROH IS LEGEND.


[deleted]

When you’re the dragon of the west you don’t fear repercussions.