Fire Nation: Difference between revisions

The Fire Nation is a collective term for a nation of people in the fictional universe of the Nickelodeon animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. One of the series' "Four Nations," the Fire Nation is located near the planet's equator in the western hemisphere and comprises an archipelago of volcanic islands. Regardless of its ancestral boundaries, the Fire Nation militia is engaged in numerous campaigns around the globe and much territory has been lost to the Nation over the course of the century-long imperialistic war. The Fire Nation is home to an order of men and women who practice firebending, the pyrokinetic ability to create and control fire.

Members of the Fire Nation have black or dark brown hair, amber/gold, dark brown or dark gray eyes, and pale skin. The men in older years sport beards and mustaches, and almost all Fire Nation citizens have topknots. Members of the army wear red and black uniforms that may have yellow touches to them. Civilians wear red and white or red tinted outfits. Nobles and politicians wear a two pronged flamed topknot piece, and the Fire Lord wears a gold flame topknot piece. Their clothing and architecture seem to reflect Chinese and Japanese influences.

The national emblem of the Fire Nation is a stylized, teardrop-shaped flame forked into a trident of three tongues that taper upward to a point. The insignia is primarily displayed on its flag, uniforms, on the pennants of Fire Navy warships, the sides of their various vehicles of war, and as marking of Fire Nation territory. It seems that the royal family or certain higher members wear the emblem in their topknots. Azula, Fire Lord Azulon, Fire Lord Ozai, Lu Ten and Ursa have all been seen wearing them.

Based on the red Fire Lord's seal on all the wanted posters, Fire Nation is written in Chinese as 烈火國 (liè huǒ guó), literally 'Raging fire country.'

Many names of Fire Nation citizens utilize harsh consonants and letter "Z," including Zuko, Ozai, Azula, Sozin, Zhao, Azulon, Kuzon, etc.

Little is known about the actual Fire Nation mainland. No foreign nation has ever attempted to invade or travel to the Fire Nation due to its defenses, many of the Fire Nation soldiers mention little about their homes, and almost all recorded information on the Fire Nation has been destroyed. As a result, there is no clear idea as to what the geography, appearance, population, or culture of the Fire Nation is actually like. All that is known that its leaders are driven by the goal of global conquest and that not all citizens are dedicated to the dream, but are submitted under the Fire Lord's oppressive regime.

Each nation of the Four Nations is influenced by their own distinct, dominant season. The Fire Nation's season is summer. Firebenders' powers are intensified due to the increase in temperature.

The Fire Nation employs skilled metalworkers and blacksmiths who make use of iron and other metals to engender their fortresses and warships. Utilizing coal dug out by prisoners slaving in mines, they are able to power massive furnaces. According to audio commentary, the initial drive for their attempts for expansion was industrializing and having a greater need for resources, in itself a staple of imperialism.

The diet of its citizens consists of noodles, rice, cabbage, tea and lychee nuts. The people are also known for having a taste for foods of a spicier fare, as they enjoy Flaming Fire Flakes, Sizzle Crisps, and Fire cakes.

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. As illustrated in its cultural festivals, the Fire Nation employs propaganda to indoctrinate a sense of nationalism and loyalty to the Fire Lord (cult of personality) in its citizens from the earliest age possible. (A popular attraction cast Ozai as a hero in a children's puppet show.)

The Fire Nation is ruled with an iron fist by the latest in a long line of Firebenders, with the most recent leader being Fire Lord Ozai. The Fire Nation's 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, and driven the Southern Water Tribe to the brink of extinction.

However, the Fire Nation was not always the tyrannical, militaristic embodiment it is today. Millennia ago, in its earliest years, 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 Nomad race. The lead sage was known as the "Fire Lord" due to his high level firebending prowess 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 were, after three generations, finally submitted under the Fire Lord's rule and were forced to serve only him, counseling him on spiritual affairs.

Now under the servitude of Fire Lord Ozai, the current Fire Sages are the last of their kind, aging remnants of an era long past when spiritual matters were placed in high importance over military ambition.

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.

The Fire Nation military is the strongest of the four nations. 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 is fighting on two fronts against the Water Tribe and the Earth Kingdom, they still have the upper hand. As the war drags on, it becomes clear that the Fire Nation will eventually win if the Avatar does not intervene. The Water Tribe does 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 military stronghold to the Fire Nation.

The Fire Nation's army comprises both normal foot soldiers, who normally wield spears, swords, and shields, and Firebenders. The majority of Firebending soldiers wear white faceplates shaped like abstract skulls, while ranking officers do not. Both have spiky fire crests on the front of their helmets. Normal soldiers wear cone shaped helmets without masks. However, as seen in the episode "The Northern Air Temple", there are Firebenders in the army who do not wear the masked helmet, but instead use the conical variety. These seem to be relegated towards manning the army's tanks. It is a possibility that a soldier's skull mask is also used for psychological warfare due to their frightening appearances. For practicality, the faceplates can be removed from the helmets. Elite Firebenders who serve as the Fire Lord's Royal Procession wear red armor all over.

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.

As first seen in the episode "The Northern Air Temple," the Fire Nation also has units of metal tanks. These tanks are heavily armored and equipped with fire ports (to allow the crew to fire projectiles, ranging from fireballs produced by firebending to giant grappling hooks). They are built with the main body separated from the tracks with a complicated hydraulic suspension which enables them to right themselves if flipped over, but leaves them vulnerable to Waterbending.

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. In "The Storm," one of the generals suggests sacrificing a novice division of troops to provide a distraction, an act used by various military leaders (from both the West and the East) throughout history.

The Fire Nation's navy comprises 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.

In one particular episode, captured Earthbenders were forced into labor to work on a mid-ocean shipyard, and knowing that they couldn't bend the metal of the rig, many of the captured Earthbenders lost their will to fight.

The Fire Nation's navy is very large; Admiral Zhao laid siege on the Northern Water Tribe with hundreds of ships, and the Fire Nation certainly has many more. However, almost all of that fleet was destroyed during Siege of the North, Part II when Aang became the physical incarnation of the ocean spirit, leaving only a few survivors to retreat.

Compared to Zuko's ship, Azula's ship is bigger, faster, and newer. 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. The ship has not been seen since the episode "Return to Omashu", when, using her teachers' advice, Azula abandoned it to pursue the Avatar on land with Mai and Ty Lee.

Towards the end of the episode "The Northern Air Temple," the Fire Nation acquired a "War Balloon," a hot air balloon designed by the Mechanist, an Earth Kingdom inventor who the Fire Nation had pressed into service designing weapons and technology. As stated by War Minister Qin, "This defeat is the gateway to many victories." The Balloon has not been seen since.

The Yu Yan Archers are Colonel Shinu's highly skilled unit of tattooed archers, and are, according to Zhao, "capable of pinning a fly to a tree from 100 yards away without killing it." They are so skilled that they succeeded in overwhelming and capturing Aang, the Avatar, though he subsequently escaped from custody. A possible way to write their name is 玉眼 for "jade eye." The Chinese believed that jade had magical properties and would prevent the decay of the body. The word 'Shinu' (死), the colonel's name, means 'to die' in Japanese.

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 do not seem to be part of any major unit, but 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 and the second by Iroh and Zuko, although the latter was more of a humiliating draw. Their individual names seem to be Mongolian inspired. In "Lake Laogai," it was revealed that they were responsible for the death of Jet's parents and the burning of his village.

In compliance with its goal of global conquest, the Nation is actively engaged in shipbuilding, shaping metal and manufacturing weapons including arrows, spear, shields, swords and knives. Aside from this cruder range of weaponry, the Fire Nation stands as the most technologically advanced of the nations, as its inherent knowledge of combustion gives them several Industrial-Age technologies such as advanced metallurgy, tanks, rudimentary explosives ("blasting jelly"), sophisticated catapults, siege drills, and coal-powered ironclad warships. Some of these innovations were commissioned by extorting an expatriate Earth Kingdom inventor, the Mechanist.

The Fire Nation navy uses metal semi-automated catapults. These trebuchets work by setting a ball of coal in a shovel-like placement that is attached to a machine. The placement is being held down by a rope. The coal-ball is ignited and the rope is cut with a sword. This causes the bar holding the placement to fling over and toss the ignited coal-ball into the air. This is likely an older model that was used on Prince Zuko’s ship. The ships used by Admiral Zhao and the rest of the Fire Nation's armed forces are more modern. They work by using a large bar holding a metal net with a coal-ball inside it. The coal ball is ignited and a pedal is hit with a mallet causing the bar to fling over and toss the ignited coal-ball into the air. The army uses the same kind, replacing the metal net with a solid iron hopper.

In addition to use as siege engines, these catapults have been used as crude anti-air weaponry against Aang and Appa.

Seen in "The Drill", this siege engine is a massive drill, designed to breach the outer wall of Ba Sing Se. The drill was originally modeled by the Mechanist and took over two years to construct. As large as a village, it houses an entire brigade of Fire Nation engineers, who are needed to make repairs and clean out pipelines. The Drill is composed of two moving parts which are connected by a series of braces. It works by tearing chunks of stone from structures and grinding them down, dispensing them into water and channeling them out the rear. The Drill was successful in breaching the wall, but was stopped when Aang and Katara teamed up to weaken outer layer of braces. Aang then delivered a final blow to the drill from the exterior, causing the structure to fall apart from the inside out.

The Drill was also accompanied by a fleet of tank-like treaded vehicles with catapults, but these were quickly destroyed by Ba Sing Se's Earthbenders.

• Located at the very edge of Fire Nation waters, the Crescent Island houses the Fire temple dedicated to Avatar Roku. Being a volcanic island, its rocky island is crisscrossed with rivers of lava and magma, including one that flows beneath the temple. The temple itself was specifically built on the island so that it aligned with the solstices and equinoxes.

• At the peak of the rocky, crescent-shaped island in eastern Fire Nation waters stands Avatar Roku's temple. Built by Avatar Roku himself, the multitiered temple contains numerous passageways that extend underground, mechanisms that require firebending to operate, a large atrium supported by massive stone columns, and a spiraling staircase that leads to a sanctuary. The sanctuary was designed to receive a shaft of sunlight through a giant ruby at sundown on the winter solstice. The light illuminates the statue of Avatar Roku, enabling communication with him. Two large, heavily decorated doors designed to open only by either a fully realized Avatar or with five simultaneous fire blasts protect the sanctuary from intruders. In the episode "Avatar Roku (Winter Solstice, Part 2)," Avatar Roku's spirit temporarily merges into Aang's body, and together they destroy the temple to allow Aang, Sokka and Katara to escape from Fire Nation soldiers who had invaded it.

• 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.

• With the fall of Ba Sing Se after an internal military coup at the hands of Azula, Ba Sing Se becomes another Fire Nation stronghold taken from the Earth Kingdom. With the fall of the Earth Kingdom capital comes a significant blow to the entire Earth Kingdom.

• It is mentioned on the Nickelodeon website that there are tropical jungles in the Fire Nation. A large variety of animals live here, including the mongoose dragon.

• 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.

• On the Nickelodeon website it states that all the Earth Kingdom land west of the Serpent's Pass has been completely taken over by the Fire Nation.

The Fire Nation is extremely influenced by ancient China in terms of combat and martial arts (Tang dynasty mostly) and Japan in terms of architecture, clothing, and hairstyle. This is exemplified in the episode "Zuko Alone," where mourners are shown wearing white at a cremation funeral, which is both the color of mourning in Chinese tradition and Shintoism.^[1][2]

• Prince Zuko
• General Iroh
• Princess Azula
• Avatar Roku
• Fire Lord Sozin
• Fire Lord Azulon
• Fire Lord Ozai
• Princess Ursa
• Prince Lu Ten
• Admiral Zhao
• Mai
• Ty Lee
• Jeong Jeong

• Firebender
• Water Tribe
• Earth Kingdom
• Air Nomads