Avatar:Blade of Tagaka
📚
This article was imported from Avatar Wiki under the CC-BY-SA license.
📎 View original · 📅 Imported: 2025-12-22
"The sword had once belonged to the admiral of Ba Sing Se, a position that was now unfilled and defunct because of her. After her legendary duel with the last man to hold the job, she'd kept the blade. It was less certain what she’d done with the body."
The Blade of Tagaka[2] was a famous and well-crafted jian sword with a storied history. Originally the weapon of the last admiral of Ba Sing Se, it later fell into the hands of Pirate Queen Tagaka after she killed the officer in a legendary duel. From then on, it became her trademark weapon. She used it in many battles including one against Avatar Kyoshi.[1] Hundreds of years later, the blade was owned by another pirate, Kiwaq.[3]
History
The sword was originally owned by the last admiral of Ba Sing Se, commander of the Earth Kingdom Navy. Sometime between 305 and 296 BG, the officer led his forces into battle against the very powerful pirate fleet of the Fifth Nation. In this clash, the corsairs triumphed, and the admiral was slain in personal combat with the Fifth Nation leader Tagaka. She then took the sword for herself. As the pirate queen usually dressed plainly, the sword would stand out greatly and became her signature weapon.[1]
In 296 BG, Tagaka met with the party of Yun, then believed to be the Avatar, for negotiations on an iceberg near the South Pole. She had her sword at her waist during all of the talks, occasionally touching it threateningly to accentuate her words. Ultimately, the talks broke down as Tagaka revealed the entire meeting to be a deception to lure the Avatar into a trap. She attacked Yun with the blade, drawing first blood, as the battle erupted. After capturing Yun using waterbending, the corsair leader tried to transport him to her ship as a hostage. However, she was followed by Yun's servant, Kyoshi, who demanded the pirates give up her friend. Tagaka refused, once again drawing her jian to demonstrate her readiness to kill. However, Kyoshi unexpectedly demonstrated Avatar-level bending to raise the seafloor. Though shocked, Tagaka quickly rallied and almost cut down a weakened Kyoshi with her sword before being stopped by Rangi and Hei-Ran.[1] The pirate queen was subsequently defeated and imprisoned.[4]
Hundreds of years later, the sword passed into the possession of Kiwaq,[3] a waterbender pirate who operated during the late Hundred Year War and claimed descent from the Fifth Nation.[5][6]
Design
The Blade of Tagaka was a green-enameled jian.[1] The weapon's hilt featured a golden animal or monster.[2] Its scabbard was plated with high-quality jade[1] and gold.[2]
Trivia
- The Blade of Tagaka was a usable relic in Avatar: Generations.[2]
