Fire Nation

Revision as of 06:08, 19 September 2020

The Fire Nation is a Human civilization that features in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

History

The Fire Nation (烈火國, Fire Nation) was a country that was established in the world and consisted of humans who had learnt the art of Firebending. The forebears of the nation lived in the era of Raava where they came to receive the element of fire from the lion turtles who had granted the power through Energybending. Upon venturing into the Spirit Wilds, they were able to request the ability that aided them in gathering food and resources as well as protect them from hostile beings from the Spirit World. In time, the lion turtles renounced their role as defenders of mankind leading to the people gathering to form the Fire Nation where they began to leave the cities in favour of establishing settlements in the western hemisphere along the equator that became known as the Fire Islands. Despite departing the cities, several aspects of the life of their ancestors was carried on to the first citizens of the Fire Nation such as the use of hybrid pigs as the primary means of sustenance. Afterwards, Avatar Wan came to close the spirit portals with this leading to the human tribes warring amongst each other. This eventually spiralled across the archipelago in the western hemisphere which had developed a civilisation known as the Sun Warriors who had flourished and developed the original firebending techniques from dragons. The Sun Warriors went into hiding due to the war where they left a significant cultural and architectural influence on the developing Fire Nation. The other states of the Fire Islands were controlled by warlords who regularly fought over territory with Toz being famous for mandating annual tributes from the villages under his control. The harsh and brutal policy saw the abduction of children from villages that refused to provide him any offerings. These acts resulted in the death of mothers from the village and they returned as dark spirits known as Kemurikage who haunted the lands. These dark spirits came to even abduct children from Toz's camp until his regime eventually collapsed whereupon they continued to torment other warlords until they were brought to justice. The figure responsible later united the Fire Islands into a single political unit where he was crowned as the first Fire Lord who was the leader of the Fire Sages that were descendants of the Bhanti Tribe. In time, the Fire Lord split from the Fire Sages and assumed political power for himself thus changing the nascent Fire Nation into an empire that was ruled by his family.

After the unification of the people, the Fire Nation came to be the most powerful and advanced country in the world. During this time, several dynasties came to rise and fall but the country continued to urbanise and cultivate its territory. During the Pho Zel Dynasty, it was noted that the komodo rhino first came to be domesticated where they remained the primary beast of burden.

The coming of Sozin's Comet came to greatly enhance the power of all Firebenders and Sozin came to launch an attack on the air temples in the hope of killing the current Avatar Aang. This led to complete extermination of the Air Nomads but the Fire Nation failed to find their quarry who had disappeared. Thus, in the aftermath, they decided to launch their invasion of the Earth Kingdom leading to them conquering much of the north-western territories.

The Fire Nation came upon the Northern Air Temple after they discovered some activity at the site. Once there, they found refugees who had settled in the area after they fled their home that had become flooded. They were ready to force the occupants to depart but their leader offered his technical services as a mechanist if they allowed them to stay. The mechanist was then forced to secretly develop new weapons of war for the Fire Nation. (Episode: The Northern Air Temple)

Tracking their quarry to a Water Tribe village, Prince Zuko was shocked to find that the Avatar was a young boy and attempted to capture him. Despite their numbers, the firebenders were unable to apprehend him but after seeing the harm caused to the villagers the boy named Aang decided to willingly surrender. Taken aboard the Fire Nation ship, they set sale to the homeland but Aang managed to escape and with the help of his Water Tribe friends they fled the vessel but not before badly damaging it. (Episode: The Avatar Awakens) Forced to make repairs, they went to a Fire Nation port that was headed by Commander Zhao who became suspicious on the exiled Prince Zuko's quest. After interrogating his crew, he came to learn of the Avatar's re-emergence and sought to claim the glory of the capture for himself. Once repairs were complete, Zuko departed the port and continued on his search as he was determined to find the Avatar in order to redeem himself and allow his exile to end. (Episode: The Southern Air Temple)

After gathering his forces, he embarked on his plan to conquer the Northern Water Tribe where he secretly intended to slay the ocean and moon spirit that he knew had incarnated in the mortal world. From documents he read in a library, he came to learn that the spirits had taken the form of fish that resided in an oasis deep in the heart of the tribe. Thus, he reasoned that capturing or killing them would deprive the waterbenders of the source of their power. This information was kept a closely guarded secret but he considered it his means of neutralising the enemy. (Episode: The Siege of the North, Part 2)

With Ozai's imprisonment, the new Fire Lord Zuko set forth to begin the long process of reconstruction where under his rule the Fire Nation began a period of cooperation with the other kingdom's in order to ensure peace as well as prosperity.

Overview

Geography

In appearance, the Fire Nation was a government that was an island nation centred on the Fire Islands. This was situated on the planet's equator on the western hemisphere that consisted of an archipelago of volcanic islands.

Locations within the nation included:

• New Ozai : After conquering the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu, the city is being reconstructed to better suit the new Fire Nation occupants. The former ruler, King Bumi, is currently deposed, and Earth Kingdom forces continue to resist their new masters, at least in secret. The new governor's daughter, Mai, is a friend of the Princess Azula, who renamed the city New Ozai after her father. The city was later retaken by King Bumi, effortlessly and single-handedly.

Government

Leadership of the Fire Nation was held by a long linage of Fire Lords who traced themselves to the person that united the Fire Islands. The Fire Lord tended to rule with an iron fist and was a title passed down to each generation's eldest son of the ruling family. The Dragonbone Catacombs were said to serve as a burial ground for all the deceased Fire Lords with its corridors containing murals as well as numerous scrolls that detailed the recorded history, personal accounts along with myths of the Fire Nation.

It was noted that the nation's government was rife with conflict, strife and conspiracies as members of the royal family feuded with one another in their quest for power.

The Fire Nation's current political system is an absolute monarchy that has been waging a century-long imperialist war against the other three nations of the world; the stated goal of which is to create a global empire. They are not above employing genocide to accomplish this goal, having already eliminated the entire nation of Air Nomads, driving the Southern Water Tribe to the brink of extinction, and also planning to burn the entire Earth Kingdom to the ground, with the help of the energy boosts provided by Sozin's Comet.

However, the Fire Nation was not always the tyrannical, militaristic embodiment it is today. Then, a millennia ago, a council of sages led the Fire Nation who, among several other national interests, were heavily invested in philosophy and spirituality, much like that of the monastic Air Nomads. The lead sage was known as the "Fire Lord" due to his high level firebending powers as well as his deep spiritual affinity with the element. Over the years, one lead sage chose to sever ties with the remaining sages and sought to be the sole ruler of the Fire Nation. Now led by the Great Sage, the sages were relegated primarily to spiritual matters but nonetheless still retained some political power over the Nation, with tensions between the two sects increasing with every generation.

The dispute finally reached a state of equilibrium during the course of Sozin's rise to the throne and reign. When still alive during Sozin's rule, the sages remained loyal to Avatar Roku and kept watch over his sanctuary. But following the death of the Avatar, the sages, after three generations, finally submitted under the Fire Lord's rule and were forced to serve only him, counseling him on spiritual affairs. Under the servitude of Fire Lord Ozai, the Fire Sages were the last of their kind, aging remnants of an era long past when spiritual matters were placed in high importance over military ambition.

On the day of Sozin's Comet, Phoenix King Ozai was defeated by Aang in battle and placed in a high security Fire Nation prison. His son, Zuko, became the Fire Lord. Zuko as Fire Lord, has officially stopped the 100 year imperialist war and now plans on making an era of peace. However, there is and will for a long period be great tension between the Fire Nation and the other nations.

The emblem that represents the Fire Nation is, most simply put, a flame. The flag it resides on is red, while the flame on it is black. The flag that holds this emblem is shown many times and in many places, from the Fire Nation itself to the cities and towns that the Fire Nation has conquered and reside in. Unlike other nations, this emblem is not usually worn on the army and navy uniforms, but only stays on the flags of their nation. A gold flame hairpiece is used to signify Fire Nation royalty.

The Chinese text for Fire Lord, as seen on the wanted poster in "The Desert," is "烈火君" in Chinese, which is a literal translation of "Fire Lord" from English.Template:Fact In "The Avatar and the Fire Lord," on the boxes which held the diary scrolls, 'Fire Lord Sozin' is written as 烈火君蘇進 (liè huǒ jūn sū jìn). Sozin or Sū Jìn translates as 'resurrection enters.' The word Sū is also used for Zuko's name in "Tales of Ba Sing Se."

Society

Citizens of the Fire Nation were noted for being resourceful and resilient with these being traits believed to be the result of living on islands dominated by active volcanoes. It was known for being the second largest nation within the world.

The inhabitants of the Fire Nation primarily consisted of people who practiced the art of firebending that was a pyrokinetic technique that involved the creation and control of fire.

Regardless of its ancestral boundaries, the Fire Nation armed forces had subjected much of the globe to colonization and imperialism over the course of a century-long campaign of expansion. According to Uncle Iroh, Fire is the element of power; its people have a energetic willpower to strive to get what they want and need and the drive to get it, as reflected in Firebending.

Women wear their hair in various updos, usually simple and elegant in style and noblewomen often sport long, sharp, well-manicured nails. Men have various hairstyles, however, many men, usually those of importance and higher class wear a traditional bun or top-knot (sometimes accompanied by a hairpiece). Buns are also quite common in hairstyles for both genders. Fashion in the Fire Nation mimics traditional Chinese elements as well. Layers of various colors, coats, and traditional pieces of armor are common elements in their style, as in Chinese traditional clothing. Citizens and rulers of the Fire Nation wear colors ranging from black, to brown, to various reds, very often accented by gold lining or jewelry. Their funeral clothing is white, also like the Chinese culture. Skin complexion is usually fair or pale, however sparingly ranges to tan and darker brown. Those from the Fire Nation have golden, amber or light grey-blue eyes.

Every Nation is represented by a season, The Fire Nations season is summer. Summer is the warmest of the seasons and is often tied with fire. As such most firebenders are more powerful in the summer because of longer days (in contrast to Waterbenders.) More firebenders are also born in summer than in any other season.

The "Fire Days Festival" is a traveling street fair in Fire Nation towns and villages, including those situated in former Earth Kingdom territory. Its participants wear stylized hand-carved wooden masks similar to that of Kabuki theater masks, and merchants vendor a wide variety of trinkets and local snacks. The festival's attractions include puppet shows, fireworks, firebending jugglers and magicians, and overall displays of individual or group bending prowess.

The power of firebenders was said to rise with the sun. (Episode: The Siege of the North, Part 1)

Among firebenders, certain warriors and those of the upper class settled disputes of honour by issuing a challenge to an Agni Kai (Translation: Fire Duel). These were traditional firebender fuels that were centuries old where two warriors used their fighting skills against one another in an open-air arena at sunset and before witnessing spectators. The goal of the duel was to knock an opponent off-balance and incapacitate them with a final blow that could be fatal. (Episode: The Southern Air Temple) The duels have claimed the lives of countless Firebenders, and they've been even more unforgiving to those who show mercy on their opponents.

The Fire Nation expresses a formal education system which overall is quite similar to real-life school systems. High class public schools can be found on the outer islands, which equate to the upper class suburbs of the Fire Nation. Students in certain schools begin the educational process as soon as they begin firebending or, for non-benders, as soon as they begin walking. Subjects including history, music, etiquette, warfare, and firebending are taught to the students by various teachers. However, the educational system works also as a "mind-molding" process, causing students to develop a strong sense of nationalism and loyalty to the Fire Lord. Teachers maintain rigid discipline and order and refuse to teach the students the art of dance or any form of self-expression. In addition, censorship and propaganda can be found in articles within history books (e.g. the genocide of the Air Nomads is described as a battle with the Air Nomads' "army," despite the fact that they have no formal military).

During the time of Fire Lord Sozin, a new Firebender tradition was created. It was said that if a Firebender tracked down, battled, and killed a dragon, then his powers would become legendary. Though dragons had long been friends of mankind, this act turned them against man and they fled into places of hiding. Once a Firebender killed a dragon, he was bestowed the title of 'Dragon.' The last Dragon was Crown Prince Iroh, who wore the title "Dragon of the West" to his elder years. What he discovered from fighting the dragon was the ability known as Breath of Fire, which he then went on to teach to his family. However, according to Iroh, the dragon that he killed was the last one in existence. It was later discovered that he was lying in order to protect the secret of the Sun Warriors.

The Sun Warriors were an ancient sect of powerful Firebenders. They practiced a unique version of Firebending that focused on the pure aspect of fire as the source of life, rather than the channeling of rage and aggression as the modern Firebenders used. To them, fire was a form of energy, the counterpoint to the other nation's views of their own elements as states of matter: earth is solid, water is fluid, and air is gaseous. The Sun Warriors were said to have died out or been destroyed centuries ago, the Fire Nation archipelago dotted with ancient Sun Warrior ruins. Zuko and Aang went to these ruins to find the ancient source of Firebending, only to discover the last of the Sun Warriors living in seclusion beneath the city ruins. There, they discovered that the Sun Warriors worshipped and were guided by the ancient Firebending masters, the last two dragons in existence, Ran and Sha.

Military

The Fire Nation military is the strongest of the Four Nations.Template:Fact A key component of this factor is that as a result of the society's advancements, it stands as also the first nation to possess a mechanized armed force.Template:Fact The Fire Nation military makes active use of armored naval vessels as well as a variety of land-based war machines and vehicles and are the only nation to have an air force.

Using a fiery comet that greatly enhanced their powers, they succeeded in wiping out the Air Nomads early in the war. Though the Fire Nation fought on two fronts against the Water Tribe and the Earth Kingdom, they still had the upper hand. As the war dragged on, it became clear that the Fire Nation would eventually win if the Avatar does not intervene. The Water Tribe did not have the military might to directly challenge the Fire Nation, and as of The Crossroads of Destiny, the vast Earth Kingdom has lost its last great military stronghold to the Fire Nation.

The Fire Nation's army comprises non-bender foot soldiers, who normally wield spears, swords, and shields, and Firebenders, who usually go unarmed. The majority of Firebending soldiers wear white faceplates shaped like abstract skulls, while ranking officers do not. Both have spiked fire crests on the front of their helmets. Normal soldiers wear cone shaped helmets without masks. It is a possibility that a soldier's skull mask is also used for psychological warfare due to their frightening appearance. For practicality, the faceplates can be removed from the helmets. Additionally, troops are shown to retain different sets of uniforms pertaining to the season or climate of the region that they are situated in.<ref name="The Siege of the North Part 1">Template:Cite episode</ref> Elite Firebenders who serve as the Fire Lord's Royal Procession wear red, highly stylized armor all over, and have three-eyed faceplates.<ref name="The Avatar State">Template:Cite episode</ref>

Their cavalry ride Komodo Rhinos. These creatures are a mix between a large rhinoceros and a komodo dragon, and have three horns like a Triceratops and a long whip-like tail. Outfitted with heavy armor around the face, they're used for pulling carts and carrying people, both for war and civilian purposes. Fire Nation soldiers mount these frightening beasts to terrorize their enemies.<ref name="Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website">Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website</ref>

In "Zuko Alone," the act of dressing up prisoners of war as faux soldiers to provide fodder was a tactic used by the ancient Mongolians and some Chinese warlords. During a war planning meeting that takes place in "The Storm," General Bujing suggests sacrificing a novice division of troops to provide a distraction, an act used by various military leaders throughout history.

Among the units fielded by the Fire Nation military included:

• Yu Yan Archers : a highly skilled unit of tattooed archers under the command of Colonel Shinu's who were capable of pinning a fly to a tree from 100 yards away without killing it. This statement resembles the skill of "piercing a willow leaf at one hundred paces", which is a common occurrence in Chinese literature.<ref name=selby258>Selby, Stephen. Chinese Archery. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2000 (ISBN 9622095011), pg. 134</ref> It also resembles the skills of a famous archer who lived in ancient China. Records comment after being told by his archery teacher that his vision needed to be trained until something impossibly small looked large, "Ji Chang hung a flea from the window frame by a hair and facing south, watched it. In a couple of weeks it seemed larger, and after three years of practice, it seemed like a cartwheel ... Then he took a bow ... and shot [at the flea]. He hit the middle of the flea and the hair did not even break. They are so skilled that they succeeded in overwhelming and capturing Aang, the Avatar, though he subsequently escaped from custody.
• Rough Rhinos : an elite band of Fire Nation cavalry led by Colonel Mongke. The Rough Rhinos comprise a variety of warriors of varying skills, including a masked warrior who hurls explosives and a Yu Yan Archer. Riding their trademark mounts, they act on their own free will, attacking enemies of the Fire Nation, and claiming land and towns in the name of the Fire Lord. Both of their appearances have been defeats, the first by Aang and company<ref name="Avatar Day">Template:Cite episode</ref> and the second by Iroh and Zuko, although the latter was more of a humiliating draw.<ref name="The Desert">Template:Cite episode</ref> In "Lake Laogai," it was revealed that they were responsible for the death of Jet's parents and the burning of his village. According to Iroh the Rough Rhinos are also famed for their singing talents.
• Southern Raiders : an elite legion of soldiers who were in charge of attacking and occupying southern lands. Their most distinct notice is that their uniform is different from the army (Their helmet makes them look like birds). Their ships look almost like Azula's ship (it comes with a Pagoda). The flags have a Sea Raven on it. In The Southern Raiders, it is revealed that they are responsible for the death of Katara's and Sokka's mother, Kya.

As a result of being an island culture and primarily situated near large bodies of water, the Fire Nation has developed a powerful naval force. The Fire Nation's navy is comprised of hundreds of coal-powered ironclad warships. In addition to its sturdy properties, the Fire Nation's use of metallurgy to remove impurities from the metal ensures that Earthbenders cannot damage their ships with their powers. These vessels serve many purposes, from ferrying and disembarking troops to providing bombardment with their catapults to creating blockades. Among various watercrafts in the Fire Nation's naval arsenal is the jet ski. Designed to accommodate two passengers, highly maneuverable, and able to travel at very high speeds, these metallic, steam-powered jet skis are honed for short-range water travel in rivers, lakes or coastal areas and warfare. However, the vehicles are generally used by domestic forces for patrolling waterfront population areas rather than in heavy combat.

Compared to Zuko's ship, Azula's royal sloop is bigger, faster, and newer. The royal ship is the pride of the Fire Nation Navy as it stands as the most technologically advanced ship in the entire fleet. Under Azula's command, the ship is guarded by the members of the Royal Procession - an elite group of Firebenders dressed in unique armour serving to protect Azula and hunt down Zuko and Iroh. This ship is particularly unique for having a 3-spiked prow, and a pagoda tower.<ref name="Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website">Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website</ref> The ship was not seen in the remainder of the second season since the episode "Return to Omashu", when, following her teachers' advice, Azula abandoned it to pursue the Avatar on land with Mai and Ty Lee. The ship is seen again in "The Awakening" as Azula's and Zuko's means of transportation back to the Fire Nation.<ref name="The Awakening">Template:Cite episode</ref>

Tundra tanks are large, armored vehicles manufactured by the Fire Nation. Developed and produced in great numbers during the late stages of the Hundred Year War, these massive machines were the first known tanks in history to see widespread use. The Fire Nation military utilized tundra tanks for many campaigns and battles during and after the Great War.

Through the Mechanist, they came to develop large armoured tanks that were produced in large number. The four wheeled vehicles could be equipped with spikes and read wheels allowing them to operate in environments such as icy terrain or mountains. A steam engine was used to power the tank with their armour being extremely efficient and durable engines. Two grappling hooks could be launched from the front in order to allow the tanks to climb surfaces. A rotating cabin feature was present allowing the tank to switch positions if the vehicle was ever flipped over. The pilot cabin could be opened to allow a firebender to use fire attacks against enemies whilst a lower hatch could be used to allow the operators to depart the vehicle. (Episode: The Northern Air Temple)

Their aerial power came to be enhanced after acquiring War Balloon after it was used against their forces. The primitive hot air balloon was designed by the Mechanist and was an improvement over previous designs. Earlier models had the difficulty in controlling the balloon but a lid-system was used to control the hot air thus allowing the pilots to cause it to rise or fall. War Balloons were able to carry heavy loads and had an advantage over enemies due to them attaining the high ground thus making them potent weapons for war. (Episode: The Northern Air Temple)

Near the end of failed Fire Nation invasion, the war balloons were seen once again and effectively used in combat to close the battle. In addition, utilizing the same technology that engineered the Mechanist's hot air balloon, the Fire Nation has managed to develop gigantic airships that look like Zeppelins. Several times larger and more destructive than their original counterparts, the airships are able to hold a crew of fifty, along with numerous Firebenders, and are capable of flying vast distances. The airships are equipped with coal-powered propellers and a bomb bay for dropping explosives and are flanked with catwalks hanging off the belly where safely-harnessed Firebenders are able to open fire on their enemies below. They also feature a main deck with avanced controls.

The zeppelins are shown during in the series finale and at the beginning of the episode "the Southern Raiders" when Azula attacks the Western Air Temple. They were also deployed during "the Invasion, Part 2". Due to the Fire Nation only having six months to build up their fleet, these dozen may be the only in existence. A small strike force infiltrated the fleet off the coast of the Earth Kingdom and destroyed it.

Locations

Prisons

The Fire Nation military also makes use of coal mines and prisons. The prisons are segregated facilities in which prisoners from other nations are forced to labor. Made of metal, one such facility can be a stationary shipyard situated in the middle of the ocean. Bisected by an enormous wall, one side is used as the shipyard where warships are repaired and refueled, while the other side serves as a prison for captive Earthbenders. Surrounded by the sea and miles away from solid, earthen land, the benders are rendered powerless. However their muscular strength is not wasted, as the wardens force them to labor away in the shipyard, building new ships for the Fire Nation navy to be later used as aid in the conquest of their own Kingdom.

One particular prison known as Boiling Rock is reserved for dangerous criminals and war prisoners. It is there that Sokka and Zuko journey to free Sokka's father Hakoda but also end up liberating Suki and a prisoner named Chit Siang who tags along. The warden happens to be Mai's uncle, much to Zuko's surprise. After a botched escape attempt, Chi Siang starts a prison riot that allows them all to escape via Azula's war gondola.

Prisoner firebending is not allowed in this prison; the punishment for even deflecting fire is time in the 'cooler', a freezer cell that dampens Firebending and prisoner spirit.

The name of the prison comes from the boiling volcanic lake that surrounds the prison; a two-way gondola cable car system is the only way to the volcanic rim. Even then, one needs the use of a flying gondola to leave the island outright. Unlike the shipyard prisons, the Boiling Rock is strictly a penitentiary institution and is seemingly populated mostly by Firebenders who have committed some serious crimes. Guards, like the prisoners, are of both genders and apparently fraternization is not allowed.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Prison Tower

A large, fortified stone tower located inside a hollow volcanic crater near the capital. It is here where the Fire Nation keeps its most highly prioritized criminals. As shown in "The Headband," Iroh is one of the few prisoners being held within the penitentiary.<ref name="Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website">Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website</ref>

Fire Nation Academy

One of many upper-class institutions that mold the young minds of the Fire Nation situated on one of the outer islands of the continent. Particularly one of the better public schools of the Nation, the academy retains teachers who maintain strict order and are intensely focused on creating ideal Fire Nation citizens. Students who attend the school begin their education as soon as they begin firebending, or for non-benders, as soon as they begin walking. The curriculum includes etiquette, Fire Nation history, history of warfare, music and firebending classes.<ref name="Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website">Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website</ref>

Jang Hui Village

A small fishing village seated within the Jang Hui river. This Fire Nation village is unique in that it is comprised of floating houseboats connected together. Once a prosperous fishing community, the village began to struggle to survive ten years ago when the Fire Nation army commandeered a plot of land and built a giant metal smelting factory on the river's edge. The factory spews its waste out into the river, polluting the water and destroying the village's only source of food. After that point, the most local fishermen were able to scrounge up were a few shriveled fish and some filthy clams, causing most shops in the center of town to close down. To make matters worse, villagers were forced to give up their food and medicine to the soldiers of the factory, leaving the citizens unable to care for or treat the many illnesses caused by ingesting the polluted water and air. Without clean water, food, and medicine, the town soon became filled with many poor, sick people. The town's local folklore holds that it is protected by a river spirit known as the Painted Lady, but unfortunately the pollution from the factory had driven her away.<ref name="Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website">Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website</ref>

In "The Painted Lady," the gang come across the fishing village on their way to the Fire Lord. Despite Sokka's protests to move on, Katara cannot bring herself to turn her back on the long-suffering village. At night, she dons the identity of the Painted Lady, the village's legendary spiritual resident, and helps the town by gathering food and healing the sick. Eventually, Katara brings herself to utterly destroy the harmful factory. Later on, when soldiers arrive to punish the villagers for the factory's destruction, Katara, with the help of the others, is able to drive them away, never to return. Soon after the waters of the river are restored. At the end of the episode, the real painted lady thanks Katara for what she did. <ref name="The Painted Lady">Template:Cite episode</ref>

Military Factory

At the shore of the Jang Hui river lies the enormous metallic structure dedicated to smelting metal to produce weapons and vehicles for the Fire Nation Army and the Fire Navy. The coolant system of the plant is provided by the river water, but as result, it spills tons of waste product into the river, polluting it, while large smoke stacks bellow up into and contaminate the air. This resulted in the destruction of the once thriving Jang Hui Village's only source of food and left the fishing community filled with many sick people struggling to survive. Run by a General Mung, the pollution is seen by most soldiers of the factory as a small price to pay for victory in the war.

The Military Factory was left in ruins when Katara (Disguised as the Painted Lady) and Aang destroyed it in an effort to save the Jang Hui Village.

Shu Jing Village

One of the many small, peaceful towns tucked away throughout the Fire Nation. The village lies scattered across the edge of a cliff lined with spectacular waterfalls just above a river, and surrounded by rolling mountains. To the northeast lies the home of the famed swordsman Piandao, who chose the location because of its tranquility, secluded nature, and inspirational landscape.

Piandao's Castle

Perched high on a cliff overlooking the town of Shu Jing, Piandao's castle is a colossal structure, retaining sixteen bedrooms, two gardens, a sword crafting foundry, and stables. The castle formerly was the home of a Fire Nation nobleman, and sat desolate for many years. After discovering the abandoned castle, Piandao refurnished and redecorated it all on his own. Alongside sculptures of Lion Turtles, the white lotus motif can be seen throughout the castle, most conspicuously on the front gate.

Ember Island

First briefly mentioned in "The Awakening," Ember Island is a highly regarded tropical resort found within the Fire Nation. Filled with palm trees and luscious vegetation, the private beaches are surrounded by mountains and dunes which provide a secluded atmosphere for visitors. Several vacation homes found on the island are owned by high-ranking Fire Nation officials. Fire Lord Ozai himself owns an estate on Ember Island and at a time used to take his family on an annual summer vacation to the island.<ref name="Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website">Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website</ref>

Ember Island is written in Chinese as 餘燼島.

Roku's Island

A small island which bore and homed the previous Avatar Roku, situated about one hundred miles away from the Fire Nation capital. When he wasn't attending to his Avatar duties, Roku and his wife Ta Min dwelled peacefully in a modest cottage here. Currently, the isle resembles a barren wasteland, showing no signs of past or present civilization. This is a result of a volcanic eruption which took place 112 years ago that buried the island village in deep ash. In the end, Roku lost his life battling the volcanic eruption in the effort to save his home.

Dragonbone Catacombs

An underground system of tunnels and chambers situated deep beneath the Fire Sage's temple in the capital city. Filled with hallways lined with the skulls of dragons, the catacombs hold many rooms as well several secrets about the history of the Fire Nation, particularly in regards to the legacies of past Fire Lords. Similar to Avatar Roku's temple, the catacombs retain numerous doors and mechanisms that require firebending to access or operate.<ref name="Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website">Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website</ref> Dragon Bone Catacombs is written in Chinese as 龍骨墓窟.Template:Fact

Fire Fountain City

One of the several industrial towns in the Fire Nation that provides total support towards the war effort. The most conspicuous evidence of this dedication stands at the city's center, a giant statue of Fire Lord Ozai with his head tilted back and fire gushing from his hands and mouth like a fountain. The monument is so famous and considered to be so inspirational to Fire Nation citizens that the city officially changed its name from North Chung-Ling to Fire Fountain City. However, the working class town is also a very seedy environment, as it is populated by gamblers, deceitful dealers, and various other rogues. It own mayor is shown to be quite easily coerced and bribed. For these reasons, it is considered unsafe to traverse the city at night and most citizens stay indoors.<ref name="Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website">Official Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender website</ref>

The Boiling Rock

The Boiling Rock is the Fire Nation's most infamous maximum security prison, specifically built to house the Fire Nation's most dangerous criminals and traitors. The prison is built in the crater of a volcano and is surrounded by a lake of boiling water, which is heated by the geothermal energy of the volcano below it. The only way to access the prison is by cable car, which is connected to a port and war balloon landing pad on the outer edge of the volcano. The Boiling Rock appears to be built like a conventional maximum security prison complete with cell blocks, a central courtyard for recreation, and elevated positions for guards to keep an eye on the prisoners. Since the majority of the prison population are Fire Nation criminals, many of them are also skilled Firebenders. To control them, the guards enforce a ban on all Firebending. Anybody who breaks this rule is sent to the "cooler", which is an isolated, refrigerated pod cooled to below-freezing temperatures. However, even with these strict security measures, the guards often have a difficult time controlling the prisoners, and it is apparent that prison riots are very common. Surprisingly, riots do not start if one prisoner aggravates another, as Hakoda attempted for a distraction, but by grabbing a fellow inmate and shouting: "Riot!" Before Zuko and Sokka's rescue of Hakoda and Suki, the Boiling Rock had a perfect record of zero successful escapes.

Members

• Roku :
• Sozin :
• Ozai :
• Iroh :
• Zuko :
• Azula :
• Jeong Jeong : a male firebending master who was once a notable admiral within the Fire Nation and served as the teacher to Zhao. Eventually, he deserted his nation after having becoming weary over the dangers of fire where he lived as a hermit. (Episode: The Deserter)
• Shu : a male general with Zhao once serving under him during an attack on the Earth Kingdom. (Episode: The Siege of the North, Part 2)
• Qin : a male Fire Nation member who served as a war minister. (Episode: The Northern Air Temple)
• Zhao : a former captain who was promoted to the rank of commander that was stationed in the Water Tribe's territory. He came to learn by interrogating Prince Zuko's crew that the Avatar had re-emerged and wanted to claim the prize of capturing him. (Episode: The Southern Air Temple)

Notes

• The Fire Nation's landscape and geologic features were based on Iceland. The creators wanted the Fire Nation to look nothing like other locations seen earlier in Avatar, so they captured photos of Iceland to use for the show.<ref name="The Beach commentary">Template:Cite video</ref> Examples of locations from Iceland that were used as models for places in the show include a waterfall from "Sokka's Master"<ref name="Sokka's Master commentary">Template:Cite video</ref> and the hot spring, lava pillars, and lava sand seen in The Beach.<ref name="The Beach commentary"/> Some of the Fire Nation's background designs also come from Korea. In the original designs, the Fire Nation was very industrialized, with its land stripped and its cities full of factories.<ref name="Sokka's Master commentary"/>
• The term 'Agni' was probably derived from the Sanskrit word for the fire element.

Appearances

• Avatar: The Last Airbender:
• The Legend of Korra:

External Link

• Avatar: The Last Airbender Wiki Entry

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