25 Uncle Iroh Quotes Celebrating His Endless Wisdom

A beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender character and master of inspiration, Uncle Iroh’s easy-going demeanor and endless wisdom captivated audiences worldwide.

Relive the popular Nickelodeon series by reading the Uncle Iroh quotes below. 

General Iroh, otherwise known as “Uncle”, is a fictional character from the Primetime Emmy-winning Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Iroh accompanied the series’ antihero, Prince Zuko, as he began his search to capture the Avatar.

Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the character was voiced by Makoto Iwamatsu and Greg Baldwin.

Iroh is regarded as one of the greatest animated characters ever written.

The tea-obsessed retired Fire Nation general dropped many inspirational, insightful quotes throughout the series, and many of them are listed below. 

Add some inspiration to your day by checking out the quotes below!

Check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily inspiration. 

Our inspirational quote category page has even more inspirational and educational quotes.

Powerful Uncle Iroh quotes

1. “Is it your own destiny? Or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?” – Uncle Iroh

2. “Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects.” – Uncle Iroh

3. “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again. Only this time, more wisely.” – Uncle Iroh

4. “Are you so busy fighting you cannot see your own ship has set sail?” – Uncle Iroh

5. “Good times become good memories, but bad times become good lessons.” – Uncle Iroh

6. “It’s time for you to look inward and start asking yourself the big question: who are you and what do you want?” – Uncle Iroh

7. “You have light and peace inside of you. If you let it out, you can change the world around you.” – Uncle Iroh

8. “Even in the material world, you will find that if you look for the light, you can often find it. But if you look for the dark, that is all you will ever see.” – Uncle Iroh

9. “You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience but when you come out of it you will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be.” – Uncle Iroh

10. “Many things that seem threatening in the dark become welcoming when we shine light on them.” – Uncle Iroh

If you’re enjoying these quotes, you’ll love our collection of Naruto quotes about life, success and relationships.

11. “There are reasons each of us are born. We have to find those reasons.” – Uncle Iroh

You will also enjoy our article on nephew quotes.

12. “There is nothing wrong with letting people who love you, help you. Not that I love you. I just met you.” – Uncle Iroh

13. “Follow your passion and life will reward you.” – Uncle Iroh

14. “At my age, there is really only one big surprise left, and I’d just as soon leave it a mystery.” – Uncle Iroh

15. “You must look within yourself to save yourself from your other self. Only then will your true self reveal itself.” – Uncle Iroh

16. “It is important to draw wisdom from different places. If you take it from only one place it becomes rigid and stale.” – Uncle Iroh

Uncle Iroh quotes about life

17. “Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel, 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.” – Uncle Iroh

18. “Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not.” – Uncle Iroh

19. “Understanding others, the other elements, the other nations, will help you become whole.” – Uncle Iroh

20. “It is usually best to admit mistakes when they occur, and to seek to restore honor.” – Uncle Iroh

21. “While it is always best to believe in one’s self, a little help from others can be a great blessing.” – Uncle Iroh

22. “Sometimes the best way to solve your own problems is to help someone else.” – Uncle Iroh

23. “There are reasons each of us are born. We have to find those reasons.” – Uncle Iroh

24. “Protection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness and love.” – Uncle Iroh

25. “I was never angry with you. I was sad, because I was afraid you’d lost your way.” – Uncle Iroh

What emotions fuel your goals? 

Throughout the series, Uncle Iroh is constantly trying to help Zuko grow into a better person.

After becoming exiled by the Fire Nation, Zuko’s search for the Avatar becomes fueled by rage.

Iroh offers Zuko with a more peaceful alternative to handle the situation at hand, to guide Zuko towards the right path in the long run. 

Do you often find yourself being fueled by rage or another negative emotion?

Often, there’s a more positive way to handle the goal you’re looking to accomplish.

Changing your motivation behind your actions can lead to a different turn of events, often in your favor. 

Which of these Uncle Iroh quotes and lines is your favorite?

Is there another TV character that we should showcase?

Let us know below!