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{{Icons|Earth Empire|Earth Kingdom|URN}}

[[File:Earth Empire mecha suits.png|thumb|right|250px|[[Iknik Blackstone Varrick|Varrick]] modernized [[Hiroshi Sato]]'s [[mecha tank]]s to be more mobile.]]

The '''mecha suit''' is an improved version of the platinum [[mecha tank]]s built by [[Hiroshi Sato]]. To serve the [[Earth Empire]], [[Iknik Blackstone Varrick|Varrick]] modernized those tanks to be more sleek and humanoid in design, allowing for greater mobility.<ref name="AATY">{{Cite episode|2|401}}</ref><ref name="AATYc">[[Michael Dante DiMartino|DiMartino, Michael Dante]]; [[Bryan Konietzko|Konietzko, Bryan]]; [[Tim Hedrick|Hedrick, Tim]] & [[Joshua Hamilton|Hamilton, Joshua]] (March 10, 2015). [[Transcript:After All These Years (commentary)|"After All These Years" commentary]]. [[Book Four: Balance|Book Four: Balance Blu-ray]].</ref> While originally created entirely for battle, mecha tanks and suits are now in use by construction companies. [[Hummingbird mecha suit]]s, for example, are employed to construct skyscrapers with new techniques.<ref name="RPG-RC-14">''[[Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game]]''. ''[[Republic City (Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game)|Republic City]]'', Version 1.0, 2023, p. 14.</ref><ref name="TW2">{{Cite comic|TW2}}</ref>

== History ==
[[Kuvira]]'s army employed several battalions of mecha suits, which were more than a match for the various warlords they fought against.<ref name="RPG-RC-94">''[[Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game]]''. ''[[Republic City (Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game)|Republic City]]'', Version 1.0, 2023, p. 94.</ref> In 174 [[History of the World of Avatar#Dates|AG]], after the [[Governor of Yi|governor]] of the [[Earth Kingdom]] state of [[Yi]] signed Kuvira's offer, they were deployed in the state's capital to secure the protection of its citizens. Upon their arrival, the pilots allowed children to play around in the vehicles.<ref name="AATY" />

[[File:Mecha suit battle.png|thumb|left|200px|[[Zhu Li Moon|Zhu Li]], [[Iknik Blackstone Varrick|Varrick]], and [[Bolin]] got caught in a mecha suit battle with [[Baatar Jr.]] and two other soldiers of the [[Earth Empire]].]]

After [[Bolin]] and Varrick became aware of Kuvira's darker nature, the two men and [[Zhu Li Moon|Zhu Li]] deserted the army, each securing a mecha suit to facilitate their escape. While debating on their course of action, they were ambushed by [[Baatar Jr.]] and two army sergeants, who were also each piloting a suit. In the ensuing battle, Bolin's suit and those of the two sergeants were destroyed.<ref name="EG">{{Cite episode|2|405}}</ref>

When [[Opal]] and [[Jinora]] violated the peace agreement Kuvira had set up with Korra, she ordered her army to attack the Avatar and the two airbenders. Although the infantry was blown backward by the whirlwind Opal and Jinora created, the mecha suits managed to push through. Before they could reach the women, however, [[Meelo]] swooped down on [[Pepper]] and barraged the suits with concentrated air blasts, pushing them back. The mecha suits tried to tie the [[flying bison]] to the ground by shooting grappling hooks at him, though the creature managed to take off in time.<ref name="BZ">{{Cite episode|2|406}}</ref>

[[File:Disabled mecha suits.png|thumb|right|200px|Being electrically powered machines, mecha suits can be disabled by an electromagnetic pulse.]]

The mecha suits were also deployed to guard the border posts of the Earth Empire. When Bolin, Varrick, and several escapees from a reeducation camp attempted to pass the border, they were recognized and four mecha suits instantly surrounded them. Being superior in firepower and endurance, the suits pressed the benders back, though Varrick managed to immobilize them all with an impromptu-created electromagnetic pulse.

Kuvira led another battalion of mecha suits to the [[Foggy Swamp]], where she ordered them to start harvesting all the [[Spirit Wilds|spirit vines]] they could find at the base of the [[banyan-grove tree]].<ref name="RN">{{Cite episode|2|407}}</ref> They ran into some trouble, however, when the vines started to fight back, though by using their chainsaws and metal cables, the mecha suits were able to overpower the hostile vegetation.<ref name="BtW">{{Cite episode|2|409}}</ref>

As heavy machinery, the suits were also useful to aid Baatar Jr. in his work on assembling the [[spirit energy cannon]]. Capable of lifting heavy objects, they loaded the weapon with the power core that contained the spirit vine sample. When the [[Beifong family]] attacked the [[Earth Empire factory|factory]] where the cannon was stationed, they defended it, though were toppled when [[Toph Beifong|Toph]] shifted the earth underneath their feet.<ref name="OB">{{Cite episode|2|410}}</ref> A giant version of the mecha suits, named the [[Colossus]], was developed in secret by Kuvira's army armed with the spirit energy cannon, using platinum from the dismantled domes of Zaofu.<ref name="KG">{{Cite episode|2|411}}</ref><ref name="WSTAG-42">''[[Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game]]''. ''[[Wan Shi Tong's Adventure Guide]]'', Version 1.0, 2022, p. 42.</ref>

[[File:Enormous mecha suit.png|thumb|left|200px|[[Kuvira]] operated an enormous mecha suit, the [[Colossus]], standing over twenty-five stories tall, to easily [[Transportation in the World of Avatar|transport]] her [[spirit energy cannon]].]]

Kuvira's mecha suits began marching into Republic City to crush any resistance. A number of suits were disabled when Varrick created a larger electromagnetic pulse, though the Colossus was unaffected due to it being powered by spirit energy. Another trio of suits cornered Prince [[Wu]] and a number of refugees, only to be taken out by two [[badgermole]]s Wu had tamed.<ref name="DC">{{Cite episode|2|412}}</ref>

When Kuvira's dismounted energy cannon incidentally created an explosion that devastated downtown, creating a new [[spirit portal]], Earth Empire mecha suits began searching the area for their leader. When Korra and Kuvira emerged from the portal, the suits' pilots assumed the Avatar had captured the latter and surrounded her. Kuvira ordered them to stand down, however, as she was surrendering to the republic.<ref name="LS">{{Cite episode|2|413}}</ref> The mecha suits were subsequently stored at a police depot on the outskirts of Republic City.

Several weeks later, the [[Triple Threat Triad]], under the command of [[Tokuga]], attacked the depot and managed to take control of the suits. With their arsenal strengthened, the Triple Threats headed back to Republic City to lay claim to their turf.<ref name="TW2" /> As mecha suits were considered a growing threat in the modern world, the Republic City Police formed a specialized, elite squad of anti-mecha metalbenders. When bandits in the Earth Kingdom started causing unrest using mecha suits, most of the anti-mecha squad left Republic City to deal with the issue, though their leader, [[Slate]], stayed behind as he prepared to teach a new group of earthbenders.<ref name="WSTAG-186">''[[Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game]]''. ''[[Wan Shi Tong's Adventure Guide]]'', Version 1.0, 2022, p. 186.</ref>

Mecha suits started to make some headway in civilian industries, such as for construction and transportation. However, they remained fairly expensive compared to older generation mecha tanks. Many mecha suits also remained functional as weapons, as they had not been demilitarized to the extent of older [[Equalists|Equalist]] mecha tanks. In addition, civilian factories have not yet fully converted to creating mecha suits. This was in part because while mecha suits had greater capabilities in combat, their improvements were not quite as valuable for civilian functions. Companies were therefore less likely to invest in a more costly mecha suit if it was mostly intended to pick up and relocate heavy objects like a mecha tank.<ref name="RPG-RC-95">''[[Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game]]''. ''[[Republic City (Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game)|Republic City]]'', Version 1.0, 2023, p. 95.</ref> Like other civilian mecha, it started to become increasingly common for mecha suits to be made of iron or steel instead of platinum, due to cost concerns and the fact that they were not intended to see combat with [[Metalbending|metalbenders]].<ref name="RPG-RC-100">''[[Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game]]''. ''[[Republic City (Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game)|Republic City]]'', Version 1.0, 2023, p. 100.</ref>

Captain Zhong of the [[Republic City Police]] also began to petition for more many mecha suits to be added to their arsenal. They argued that suit-equipped officers would be much safer and more capable of stopping dangerous foes quickly. However, some people believed that the idea of police officers patrolling in mecha suits would feel tantamount to being occupied by an army.<ref name="RPG-RC-21">''[[Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game]]''. ''[[Republic City (Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game)|Republic City]]'', Version 1.0, 2023, p. 21.</ref>

== Design ==
[[File:Modern mecha suits.png|thumb|right|200px|The mecha suits were designed to resembled humanoid robots.]]

Adapting Hiroshi Sato's design of the mecha suit, Varrick designed the mecha suits to have a more humanoid appearance, incorporating the electromagnetic technology he had previously developed to improve the suits' mobility,<ref name="AATYc" /> allowing them to walk around on two legs and have two arms with four-fingered hands rather than claws. The legs have a built-in rod that can be shot into the ground in order to dig the suit in for extra balance and resistance. The visor was changed to a rotating ball with three windows. These changes allowed for more mobility, visibility, and precision. The new design also made them more resilient against bending attacks.<ref name="BZ" /> The pilot boards the suit on the head instead of the body like in the old design.<ref name="AATY" /><ref name="EG" />

== Weapons ==
[[File:Mecha suits with flamethrowers.png|thumb|left|200px|The primary weapons of the mecha suits are flamethrowers and electrical charges.]]

In comparison to the older mecha tanks, the mecha suits are equipped with an upgraded weapon arsenal that includes a flamethrower, electrical charges, grapple hooks, and pistons in the arms to punch other suits. The more mobile model also allows the suit to execute more physical attacks, such as deliver punches and kicks and even utilize grappling maneuvers.<ref name="EG" /> The machines are also equipped with retractable chainsaws.<ref name="RN" />

In the case of the Colossus, it was equipped with the spirit energy cannon as its main weapon.

== Weaknesses ==
Being electrically charged machines, the mecha suits are vulnerable to being shut down by an electromagnetic pulse.<ref name="RN" /> Although their armor is more resistant against bending attacks and cannot be metalbent, it can still be melted with [[lavabending]].<ref name="EG" /> The suits are also vulnerable to being brought out of balance and toppled.<ref name="RN" />

== Known pilots ==
{{Imagelink}}

* [[Asami Sato]]<ref name="RPG-RC-101">''[[Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game]]''. ''[[Republic City (Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game)|Republic City]]'', Version 1.0, 2023, p. 101.</ref>
* [[Baatar Jr.]]
* [[Bolin]]
* [[Kuvira]]
* Members of the [[Earth Empire]]
* [[Iknik Blackstone Varrick|Varrick]]
* [[Zhu Li Moon|Zhu Li]]

== Trivia ==
* When creating the mecha suit based on its previous iteration, [[Joaquim Dos Santos]] made sure to incorporate some steampunk elements that were present in the old design, namely its resemblance to old diving suits.<ref name="BZc">[[Michael Dante DiMartino|DiMartino, Michael Dante]]; [[Bryan Konietzko|Konietzko, Bryan]]; [[Janet Varney|Varney, Janet]] & [[Zelda Williams|Williams, Zelda]] (March 10, 2015). [[Transcript:The Battle of Zaofu (commentary)|"The Battle of Zaofu" commentary]]. [[Book Four: Balance|Book Four: Balance Blu-ray]].</ref>
* The various sounds made when the mecha suits move were created by layering together noises from hydraulic mechanisms, dump trucks, and factory settings.<ref name="RNc">[[Michael Dante DiMartino|DiMartino, Michael Dante]]; [[Bryan Konietzko|Konietzko, Bryan]]; [[Benjamin Wynn|Wynn, Benjamin]] & [[Aran Tanchum|Tanchum, Aran]] (March 10, 2015). [[Transcript:Reunion (commentary)|"Reunion" commentary]]. [[Book Four: Balance|Book Four: Balance Blu-ray]].</ref>

== References ==
{{Scroll|{{Reflist}}}}

== See also ==
* [[Hummingbird mecha suit]]
* [[Mecha tank]]
* [[Technology in the World of Avatar]]
* [[Weaponry in the World of Avatar]]

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