Avatar:Earthbender rebellions
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"Fighting the Fire Nation is the only path to freedom. And freedom is worth dying for."
Template:Battle infoboxThe earthbender rebellions[2] were a series of armed uprisings against the Fire Nation occupation of the Earth Kingdom during the Hundred Year War. Despite the conflict's name, the very mass of the rebels were nonbenders, and only a minority were earthbenders. Large rebellions were already occurring by the Great War's middle stages, and further escalated during the later war.
They became widespread some time after the Coup of Ba Sing Se in 100 AG. Their success alarmed the Fire Nation, and led to Fire Lord Ozai's decision to use the astounding power of Sozin's Comet to burn down the entire Earth Kingdom, ending the rebellions once and for all. The plan ended in failure, however, when Ozai was defeated by Avatar Aang upon their battle at Wulong Forest.[2][3]
Prelude
Historically, the Earth Kingdom was defined by its enormous size and the diversity of its population. Both factors resulted in the country being difficult to control for any power. After the Earth Kingdom's foundation, many regions were allowed great autonomy by the Earth Monarchs, as the latter could not exert direct control anyway. Even beyond this localized autonomy, state control was often weak, especially in rural areas. This allowed outlaws such as the daofei to become so widespread and powerful that they effectively existed as independent societies within the Earth Kingdom.[4][5] Earth Monarchs who attempted to achieve greater control over their nation by various direct or indirect means, such as the 46th Earth King[6] and Earth King Jialun, regularly encountered resistance.[7][8] Rebellions and vigilantism were a relatively common occurrence.[4][6][8]
In the 1st century BG, the aforementioned factors became intertwined with the rise of nationalism, xenophobia, and worsening social conflicts in the Earth Kingdom. On one side, this meant that the nation was deeply divided and weakened as the Fire Nation's aggression and imperialism grew. On the other side, the Earth Kingdom's citizens were also experienced in grassroots resistance and so localized in their outlook, that neither an inside nor an outside power could hope to swiftly defeat all of the Earth Kingdom.[8][9]
When the Fire Nation under Fire Lord Sozin invaded the Earth Kingdom in 0 AG, it consequently won many great battles and drove the Earth Monarchs' armies back.[10][11][12] However, controlling the vast Earth Kingdom proved extremely difficult for the Fire Nation, and even its most secure colonies became host to underground rebel movements.[11][12][13] Many Fire Nation officials, both civilian as well as military ones, abused their powers and thus motivated Earth Kingdom natives to resist the occupation.[14][13] In some regions, Fire Nation authorities even outlawed earthbending and instituted systems of de facto slavery.[15][16]
However, a substantial number of Earth Kingdom natives arranged themselves with the Fire Nation occupation and colonization efforts. Many integrated into the colonial society, thereby indirectly supporting the Fire Nation.[17] Some civilians acted as informers in return for pay or favors,[16] and even parts of the Earth Kingdom military defected to form collaborationist units to aid the Fire Nation.[18]
Known rebel factions
Throughout the Hundred Year War, many rebel groups emerged. These included:
- Armadillo Bears (late war)[19]
- Freedom Fighters (late war)[12]
- Haoran's rebels (late war)[20]
- Nalu's "merry band" (late war)[21]
- Omashu Resistance (100 AG)[1]
- "Team Tyro" (99 AG - 100 AG)[22][23]
- Silver Fangs (mid to late war)[24][25]
Rebellions
Early resistance
It is known that rebellions against Fire Nation occupation were already taking place during Fire Lord Azulon's reign. At one point, an armed uprising engulfed several colonies, forcing the Fire Nation military to intervene.[26] By the late Hundred Year War, King Bumi turned the city of Omashu into the main supplier of Earth Kingdom resistance groups. Despite his efforts, however, the city was unable to provide enough weapons and other resources to truly hinder the Fire Nation advances across the continent. The Fire Nation also conquered much of the surrounding territories, meaning that it became increasingly difficult for Omashu to supply its allies.[11] In addition, the Earth Kingdom's de facto dictator, Long Feng, used his extensive spy network to fund and support rebels in their struggle against the Fire Nation.[27]
Over time, natives of the Water Tribes also traveled to the Earth Kingdom, hoping to make a difference. This was especially the case for young Northern Water Tribe natives who disagreed with their tribe's policy of focusing solely on its own survival.[28] Some of these, such as Nalu, joined local rebel groups.[28][21] There were also isolated cases of Fire Nation deserters such as Zimo[29] and Chey aiding the Earth Kingdom resistance.[30]
Furthermore, Long Feng's dictatorship led to the emergence of the Silver Fangs, an underground revolutionary network posing as a black market association. Though mainly organized to oppose Long Feng's regime in Ba Sing Se,[25] the Silver Fangs also resisted the Fire Nation's advances and had strong links to the Order of the White Lotus.[24][31][32]
Later uprisings
By the time of Fire Lord Ozai's rule, large sections of the central Earth Kingdom had become the site of widespread guerrilla warfare. The Fire Nation tried to set up colonies in the area, for example at Laoshan,[15] and improve security by using outposts and patrols. However, bands of rebels roved the area, striking at weakly defended Fire Army targets.[33] The resistance groups were organized enough to construct Xiadi, a hidden stronghold which was connected to a tunnel network. Using Xiadi, insurgents could quickly attack Fire Nation soldiers before retreating again.[33] One of the largest rebel factions operating from Xiadi were the "Armadillo Bears".[19][33]
Another insurgent band during Ozai's reign was led by Haoran; this faction attacked the base of General Uyanga, head of the Fire Army forces responsible for the northern theater. As a result of this attack, Uyanga's son was injured. The vengeful officer subsequently led her troops on a large-scale manhunt, trying to destroy Haoran's group. She also sent a spy, Jianjun, to infiltrate Haoran's group by disguising herself as a refugee; Jianjun thus enabled the Fire Army to constantly follow the rebel force. The chase ultimately led Haoran's rebels and many refugees to seek shelter at the Western Air Temple, where they were cornered by Uyanga's troops.[20][34] However, the plans of both sides were disrupted by the activities of Tien, a spirit who still dwelled at the ruined air temple.[35]
In the northwest, Jet organized young refugees into the "Freedom Fighters", a rebel group which attacked Fire Nation targets indiscriminately. For an extended period of time, Jet's force waged a resistance campaign, using the region's dense forests to its advantage.[12][36]
In late 99 AG, Team Avatar began to inspire resistance in the occupied territories of the western Earth Kingdom. They freed many earthbenders from the Mo Ce Sea prison rig whereupon these banded together and went on to liberate smaller villages and towns at the western Earth Kingdom coast.[16] Although many of these earthbenders were civilians and had no combat experience, they formed an effective militia under Tyro's command and later on came into possession of combat equipment.[23] Nicknamed "Team Tyro", their first major action was to return to and capture the prison rig in cooperation with an Earth Kingdom Army unit under Boqin.[22] However, Team Avatar also caused the disbandment of the Freedom Fighters when they encountered Jet, but opposed his brutal tactics.[37][38]
After the Surrender of Omashu, and in course of the following Fire Nation occupation, a resistance movement was formed by Captain Yung of the Earth Kingdom Army. The resistance members were determined to use every means to liberate the city, including assassinations and kidnappings. However, as their actions proved to be futile, the resistance eventually evacuated all members and sympathizers in the hopes of fighting another day.[1] Soon after the main resistance led by Yung had fled Omashu, Princess Azula's tyrannical behavior caused local protests to escalate into an armed uprising coordinated by a bandit leader. With the aid of her team and the Royal Procession, Azula successfully defeated the rebellion, though the insurgent leader proudly proclaimed that the spirit of resistance remained unbroken.[39]
Fall of Ba Sing Se and spread of resistance
After Azula successfully overthrew the Earth Kingdom government,[40] the Fire Army conquered Ba Sing Se with the Dai Li's aid. Many civilians of the capital attempted to offer ad hoc resistance and battled the occupiers, but brutal suppression operations crushed open opposition in the Earth Kingdom capital within days.[41][42] Afterward, the Supreme Bureaucratic Administrator's government was established as a puppet regime to govern occupied territories on behalf of the Fire Nation.[43]
With the fall of Ba Sing Se, many believed that the Earth Kingdom had fallen.[40] Yet despite the Fire Army usurping control of the capital, the Fire Army was spread too thin to cover the entire Earth Kingdom, resulting in the continuous occurrence of rebellions throughout the kingdom in an attempt to regain control.[2][32] The Supreme Bureaucratic Administrator's government was widely despised and sabotaged by Earth Kingdom natives,[24][44] and insurgent cells only grew in numbers as they targeted isolated Fire Nation outposts, supply lines, and collaborationist governing structures. Several Earth Kingdom officials officially claimed to support the Fire Nation, only to covertly aid resistance groups; even the largely pro-Fire Nation Dai Li contained an insurgent faction which supported the Silver Fangs.[24][32]
The uprisings and their successes were reported to Fire Lord Ozai in a war meeting on the day before the invasion of the Fire Nation. General Shinu admitted that the powerful Fire Nation armies in the Earth Kingdom had been unsuccessful in repressing the revolts and that the Domestic Forces would be required for reinforcement. Ozai then requested Prince Zuko to voice his opinion on the matter, considering his field expertise in the Earth Kingdom. Zuko argued that the people of the Earth Kingdom could resist any and all hardship as long as they had hope. Before he could outline his further thoughts, Ozai and Azula took the prince's advice and concluded that the Fire Nation had to destroy the resistance's hope entirely. The Fire Lord decided to use the power of Sozin's Comet to burn down the Earth Kingdom completely. Horrified at this idea, Zuko subsequently defected to Team Avatar.[2]
Day of Black Sun, liberation of Ba Sing Se, and end of the war
See also: Rescue of Suyin Wen, Liberation of Ba Sing Se
On the Day of Black Sun, King Bumi successfully broke free of his metal prison and, taking advantage of the Fire Army soldiers' inability to firebend, used his exemplary earthbending abilities to defeat all of the powerless guards and soldiers who were trying to stop him. Bumi cast out the entire Fire Nation garrison and destroyed all buildings which had been related to the occupation.[45] The liberation of Omashu was a disaster for the Fire Nation, as the Earth Kingdom resistance regained one of the most important strongholds on the continent.[45][2]
Not all rebel operation on the day of Black Sun were as successful: Earth Kingdom rebels such as Tyro's group took part in the unsuccessful invasion of the Fire Nation and were captured.[46] An attempt by rebels Jin and Xuan to exploit the firebenders' loss of power and rescue Suyin Wen from the Earth Kingdom Royal Palace was foiled by the Dai Li.[47][48] Regardless, resistance across the Earth Kingdom only continued and grew in intensity.[32] The Silver Fangs covertly planned a mass uprising in Ba Sing Se, gradually gathering allies and recruits, while also keeping themselves informed of outside developments by using their White Lotus connections.[32][49][50]
Upon the arrival of Sozin's Comet, the Silver Fangs triggered their planned revolution in Ba Sing Se, even as White Lotus forces under Iroh attacked the city's walls. After heavy fighting between rebels and allied White Lotus members against the Fire Army, Ba Sing Se was liberated.[51][52] The war, and thus the rebellions, ultimately ended shortly after when both Ozai and Azula were defeated by Team Avatar.[3]
Aftermath
The restored Earth Kingdom government under Earth King Kuei honored several members of rebel groups, particularly Silver Fangs such as Jin, Xuan, Smellerbee, and Longshot.[53]
Appearances
Avatar: The Last AirbenderBook One: Water (水)
Appearances: 1
Book Two: Earth (土)
Appearances: 1
Book Three: Fire (火)
Appearances: 1
Avatar Legends novelsCity of EchoesAvatar Legends: The Roleplaying GameVideo games |
Trivia
- While attending the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, Peijing was framed as a supporter of Earth Kingdom rebels by Azula.[54]
References
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See also
fr:Rébellions des maîtres de la terre nl:Opstand van het Aarderijk