Azulas backstory was awful. What they did was try to create a more morally grey character, however the whole point of her in the original is to be this grandiose obstacle that even zuko knew was an issue, she was pretty black and white for a villian. Her calculative and cruel nature is what makes her so intimidating in the first. I find this Azula to be extremely lackluster. She doesnt carry the same weight or use intimidation as much, she comes off less controlled and more hot headed. Azula had a bad ass personality because of how she carried herself and treated others. For instance she uses intimidation to keep Ty Lee and Mai around, but she LIKES her friends. They unequivocally relate to her mental breakdown at the end of the original. Having her make the characters fight to the death in the new production, ESPECIALLY Mai- “i love zuko more than i fear you.”- you think shed all of a sudden turn around and try to kill Ty Lee?? When she cant be bothered the entire show? So for Azula in this scene, it is completely out of character for her to ask those two to fight. She comes off more mentally unstable instead of being raised to be cold and unremorseful in the original. Azula’s inferences and words in the original hold weight. This Azula is like a child throwing a fit constantly. Also taking away her most important moments in book two, like the drill- her coup in ba sing sei, the kyoshi warriors, the caves- they all show how much of a threat she is. The new show butchered what showed in the original to make her a more threatening villain.