I want to clear up a mistake people make with Azula and Ursa.
Ursa didn’t play favorites.
Ursa didn’t think Azula was a monster.
Ursa simply, unequivocally, just didn’t enable Azula’s worst traits like Ozai did.
Ozai’s favorite child was Azula, but Ursa still loved her more.
Because enabling isn’t love.
What did Ozai’s enabling do? It made Azula into the type of person to never have any loyal friends. It made the type of person that Mai and Tai Lee would betray at the risk of their own lives.
Ursa pushed Azula to be with her friends. To be with Zuko. Ozai pushed Ursa away, and both kids suffered for it. Azula became a sadist, enjoying seeing her brother get burned—while Zuko was pushed away because he cared for his people.
Azula thought her mom hated her because her mom was the only one who cared enough to tell her no.
Personally I think that Azula should have been redeemed simply so that she can become Zuko's horrible little advisor who whispers evil little plans to him so that he can do the exact opposite
edit: to anyone who wants to further pick my beautiful companion’s brain, please refer to i still worship the flame by @sketchbonked on ao3, a zukka retelling of atla if zuko joined team avatar from the very beginning.