Ozai did cared about his Family in the past!!!!
Controversial? Yep, I know... but it is canon to the comics and show! And you just got to deal with it as Avatar Korra would say!
According to the Comics, Ozai even saved Zuko's life as a toddler from drowning. People like to claim Ozai hated Zuko from the day he was born and that he tried to kill Zuko. THIS IS COMPLETELY NOT TRUE! Ozai said he was going to cast Zuko from the palace for possibly being a non-bender NOT THROW HIM OFF THE PALACE WALLS!
The Fire Nation is an imperialist and feudalist nation based on Ancient Imperial China and Shogunate Japan. Ozai was going to banished/disown Zuko for being not a bender because a Fire Prince having another Fire Prince that can't actually bend fire is a disgrace and disappointment in the militarized Elite Noble Fire Nation culture and society. Sparta for example killed infants with disabilities or Rome simply abandon infants to the street to become slaves if their father didn't want them. So, what Ozai did isn't out of the norm historically or culturally in the Elite circles of Fire Nation society.
Plus, even Ozai HIMSELF stated in the comics that he tried to be a good father to Zuko and Azula during their young childhood which is canon to flashbacks that Zuko has in the show. Zuko HIMSELF also stated Ozai tried to be a good father to him and Azula. WHICH ALSO EXPLAINED WHY ZUKO TRIED SO DESPERATELY TO GET BACK IN HIS FATHER GOOD GRACE AGAIN AND REGAIN HIS FATHER'S LOVE!
So, in conclusion, Ozai did love and care for Ursa, Zuko, and Azula. Despite, according to the comics he was ALSO FORCED into an eugenics experiment with the granddaughter of his grandfather's old rival and friend. On the orders of his father Fire Lord Azulon and the wishes of the Fire Sages.
People love to give Ursa a pass on how she treated Azula because she was forced into marrying Ozai [which doesn't make sense considering Zuko is also Ozai's child just like Azula] because of Fire Lord Azulon power politically and socially. So, I guess Ozai is justified in how he treated Ursa, Zuko, and Azula simply because Azulon wanted Ursa to be his son's broodmare and for Ozai to train his children to be ruthless powerful fighting soldiers aka human weapons and loyal slaves to him (Azulon) and later Iroh and Lu Ten when they become Fire Lord? According to the logic of Ursa-stans and Ozai & Azula bashers, Ozai simply raised his children how he has been ordered to do and had absolutely NO REASON love and care for them.
Therefore, I get angry when so-called fans and Ursa-stan claimed that Azula had NO RIGHT to be loved and cared for by her own mother Ursa and that her neglectful treatment of Azula is justified because of Ozai's abuse. They like to claim that since Azula is a "rape baby" that Ursa did more than necessary for her daughter, and she has no responsibility to care for her daughter who is becoming more like her abusive husband.
First, canonically Azula IS NOT a rape baby, would you consider Zuko a rape baby then? And if he is, then why is Ursa so fond of Zuko than Azula or makes more of an effort to connect and help Zuko emotionally compared to Azula?
Second, even IF Azula is a rape baby, it is still not justifiable to treat that child horribly because of the action of its father, grandfather, and fire sages. Azula had no choice in being born the daughter of Ozai and Ursa or had a hand in the circ*mstance of their relationship!
Ozai's distaste and despisem*nt of Zuko have NOTHING to do with Ursa and Ozai's arguments in ATLA Canon even in the Comics Ozai was simply saying that to hurt Ursa's feelings and gaslight her over bullsh*t letters. Ozai views Zuko as a disappointment of a son, firebender, and prince. His skills in Firebending are pathetic compared to his sister's and his morality from his mother and later uncle is out of line with Ozai and mainstream Fire Nation Elite Imperialists. If Zuko was a ruthless and cold-blooded killer like Azula and was at least just as good as his YOUNGER sister, then Ozai would NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM with Zuko as his son and heir! Zuko represents everything that Ozai was raised to hate and resent; compassion, morality, mercy, weakness, etc. Ozai hates his son for incompetence as a firebending warrior which is antithetical to Ozai as the strongest firebender in the series along with being an Agni Kai champion along with the morality and softness that Ursa and later Iroh fostered in Zuko. The fact that Zuko doesn't conform to their society's warrior culture and morality bothers his father since Ozai was likely forced to conform since his own childhood under his father Azulonās reign. Ozai probably resents that Zuko has his mother and uncle's affection whereas Ozai as a child probably didn't have his mother, Ilah's love to protect and care for him from Azulon's wrath due to her death in childbirth. Iroh got to experience his mother's love and presence along with his father's respect during his childhood, something that Ozai never had. Ozai resents his first-born Zuko and relates far more with his second-born daughter Azula who is neglected like him.
PLUS, ACCORDING TO THE ORIGINAL WRITERS AND NOT THE sh*tTY YANG COMICS, OZAI AND URSA HAD A GOOD EARLY RELATIONSHIP WHICH THE SEEDS OF WERE SHOWN IN THE SHOW!
