After the passing of Uncle Iroh’s original voice actor during Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s run, Legend of Korra found a beautiful way to tribute him. The sequel series’ reference to the man who voiced one of the franchise’s most beloved characters goes to show just how impactful the artist’s work was to the World of Avatar.
Mako Iwanatsu, who is more commonly known simply by his stage name “Mako,” was a successful Japanese-American character actor with a long list of credits including Conan the Barbarian, Samurai Jack, and his Academy Award-nominated performance in The Sand Pebbles. Providing the voice for Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender proved to be one of Mako’s final projects, as the actor lost his battle with esophageal cancer after recording the show’s second season. Of course, Legend of Korra fans will recognize Mako’s name from the sequel series’ character roster. The firebending Mako – one of Legend of Korra‘s principal characters – is a skilled fighter and, like his namesake’s iconic character, is among the relatively few firebenders prodigious enough to master lightingbending.
It is difficult to overstate the special brand of magic which underscores Uncle Iroh’s story in the original series, and how much of it was enhanced by Mako Iwanatsu’s thoughtful portrayal and exceptional talent. While the show was in development, co-creator Brian Konietzko remembered early drafts of Iroh as a harsher and more intense figure – a version considerably altered by the time he made it to the small screen. Konietzko later noted that Mako’s performance helped to “make him such a lovable character.” The much-praised “The Tales of Ba Sing Se” episode, released after Mako’s death, was dedicated to the performer and features one of the show’s most touching sequences, in which Uncle Iroh pays tribute to his son who was lost at war years before the main events of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Actor Greg Baldwin assumes the role of Uncle Iroh in his appearances in the original show’s final season and his cameos in Legend of Korra (Baldwin is noted as a “Mako voice double” and has assumed some of Mako’s other previous voice roles, including Aku in Samurai Jack). To add to the sadness and poignancy of the loss of Mako, Iroh spends much of Avatar: The Last Airbender wordless and imprisoned after Zuko’s betrayal. While creators have confirmed that the plot surrounding Iroh’s silence was planned prior to Mako’s passing, many fans interpreted it as another moving – albeit coincidental – tribute.
A consistent favorite among viewers, Iroh’s surprise appearances in Legend of Korra are handled particularly lovingly. The wise mentor figure (voiced by Baldwin) is revealed to have left the physical realm behind in favor of living forever in the Spirit World – a rare feat requiring true enlightenment and peace. Yet this development seems a fitting conclusion to a character originally voiced by a man with such a lasting impact on the series. Just as Uncle Iroh’s soul is preserved with his ascension to the Spirit World, the creators – in their own small ways – strive to cement Iwanatsu’s legacy.
In their final scene together, Mako’s namesake tells Korra, “I want you to know, I’ll follow you into battle, no matter how crazy things get. I’ve got your back.” The loyalty is an echo of Uncle Iroh himself, who spent his arc in Avatar: The Last Airbender showing similar dedication to his troubled nephew, whom he considered to be like his own son. With lines like this, uttered in a universe predicated on reincarnation and the cyclical nature of love, it’s clear to see how Mako’s work lives on.
