Iroh really is a drow at heart, even if he's settled in quite happily on the surface. Cultural upbringing says the only way people die is if you kill them (drow don't seem to die of old age very much).

... So it would be very mean of me to say that after some discussion/squee with Spyri, I figured out a way for Zuko to actually get out and have a chance of being a good guy, wouldn't it? /is mean //may work towards that as part of drow AU requests, but it'll be a while

Yeah, Lu Ten is a half-elf (of the drow variety). He may actually show up on stage sometime, too. ^_^