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I think, perhaps, what I actually dislike about Zuko's S3 fieldtrip episodes is that he doesn't get nearly enough credit for what he does in them. Zuko has spent three years struggling with shame, anger, and feelings of inadequacy over his bending. Yet in the three field trips, he becomes for the GAang the person he had needed during those three years. He surpasses his Uncle in a way, and he is able to give the GAang the help he had not been able to give himself back then.

1. Aang has been struggling with fire, because he tried to do something he wasn't ready for, tried to jump ahead in his lessons without fully recognizing the possible consequences of his actions. Because he lacked sufficient self control for the lessons he'd argued his way into with someone older and doubtful of his skills, an innocent person got burned for his recklessness. After getting an innocent person burned, Aang becomes afraid of fire and struggles with how to move forward from his own actions.

In S3, Zuko struggles with his fire, too, and then learns the true meaning of fire alongside Aang. Nevertheless, he is still also able to guide Aang, to provide knowledge and insight that expand upon the lesson from the dragons, and to teach Aang how to master the fire that he now better understands and is no longer afraid of.

2. Sokka has recently experienced a terrible military defeat. He blames himself for his people's capture and possible deaths, and he becomes impulsive and reckless due to his feelings of shame and his loss of confidence in his leadership skills. He even emotionally manipulates Zuko, claiming that he lost his honor to ensure that Zuko won't tell the others about his dangerous, impulsive, reckless plan to heroically accomplish an impossible task that will impress his father and thus give himself back the confidence he has lost in himself.

So Zuko helps him plan and execute this impossible, ridiculous task. Because of Zuko's help, not only does Sokka succeed at freeing his father, he also finds and frees Suki - getting Zuko found out and temporarily captured in the process. Finally, Zuko helps Sokka escape the prison they'd walked themselves into, even though Zuko had been discovered and captured, and Sokka even gets the chance to save Zuko's life after having gotten Zuko captured with his impulsive actions in the first place.

3. Lastly, there is Katara. Katara, who is angry and hurting and lost. Katara, who feels alone and like no one appreciates or understands her anger, like no one is taking her fear and frustrations seriously. Katara, who still struggled with the loss of her mom to powerful forces she couldn't fight when she was a child, and who pushed her fear and pain outwards as anger whenever her compassion was returned with unexpected pain. Katara, who felt betrayed by someone she had trusted (someone who the people around her have come to trust and believe in by TSR episode), and who as a consequence had lost the ability to trust in herself.

And Zuko validates her anger, gives her the chance to face the man who had caused her life's greatest tragedy, and validates her too when she finally chooses to value life and compassion again over her need for revenge.

Anyways, Zuko is an amazing character and his redemption arc is genuinely so well done.