Lord Zuko is taken aback by the anger in her response. "Toph, you're misunderstanding," he replies, imploring. "I don't want to give you anything, or make you do anything."

Even if she had founded the department here, and whatever role her daughter played in it now, he'd never ask the Toph before him to take on such enormous responsibilities. Didn't she know him better than that? Or... perhaps she didn't, now so much time had passed between them.

"I realise I must seem very different to the Zuko you remember me as. But I'm still your friend, and always will be." He hopes that she can detect his sincerity in that much, at least. "The only thing I want is to help you and the others get back to your rightful times."