Avatar:Hai Jun
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"The island has long been a kind of prison of its own. The sheriff views himself as the last true fire warlord, and the faithful keeper of traditional Fire Nation culture. I always hated to see him and his men forcing our boys to fight for them, and denying our girls the chance to hone their skills."
Hai Jun was a fisherman from Penquan Island who, for decades, helped people to escape from Panzo's oppressive rule of the island.
History
Early life and opposition activities
Hai Jun was from Penquan Island, an eastern island in the Fire Nation that was stuck under an oppressive rule under the de facto leader, Sheriff Panzo. For decades, he smuggled people off the island using his fishing boat, hating how Panzo forced boys to fight for him and prevented girls from practicing firebending. One of the people he had helped escape was Naoki, a woman who was seen as a troublemaker by the sheriff. For many years, Panzo attempted to identify the person who secretly helped locals escape from the island, but Hai Jun managed to evade his grasp.[1]
After Naoki got settled in Republic City, she began to assist Hai Jun. When he brought people to Republic City, she would helped them find jobs and housing.[1] However, he ended up losing touch with her, unaware of the fact that she had been killed in 160 AG.[1][2]
Kidnapping and Panzo's downfall
In the mid-170's AG, he helped Hisa and her adopted children escape the island. He planned to stay at the Ember Sea Suite in Republic City for a while, though Hisa urged him to stay for good. At this point, however, Panzo finally discovered that Hai Jun was heading the smuggling operations, and sent his forces to kidnap him from the Ember Sea Suite. Afterward, the fisherman was brought back to Penquan Island and thrown into an underground cell back at cave prison. Not long after, Hisa was also imprisoned at the location.[1]
Days later, he was freed by Bolin, who had come to the island alongside Mako to investigate his disappearance from Republic City as well as their mother's past. After being let out from his cell, he embraced with Hisa and told her that she did not need to apologize, saying he always knew the risks involved with sneaking people off the island. Afterward, Hai Jun informed Bolin and Mako about the nature of Panzo's tyrannical regime on the island.[1]
When the brothers asked if he knew their mother Naoki, he told them that he thought that they looked familiar. He noticed that Bolin had Naoki's smile and that he could see her in Mako's eyes. He told them that Naoki had been "smart" and "fierce", and how she always wanted to leave the island and have a family of her own. Since he lost touch with her, Hai Jun asked if Naoki was still in Republic City, to which the brothers replied that she and her husband, San, had been killed in what had appeared to be random mugging.[1]
At this point, Panzo arrived at the prison with more guards, gloating that he had ordered Naoki's death due to her opposition activities. This started a fight between Mako, Bolin, and Hisa against Panzo's forces, while Hai Jun ran for safety. After Mako and Bolin had dealt with Panzo and his deputies, Hai Jun left the cave with the rest of the group. They came across a group of local civilians, whereupon Hisa held a speech and implored her fellow islanders to turn away from Panzo's system. Impressed by her words and their effect on most of the civilians, Hai Jun told the brothers that Hisa would make for a good leader to Penquan Island, if she was willing. Regardless, he voiced his fear that it would take time to change the hearts of many islanders, and that they would have to set up ferry routes to the other Fire Nation islands, alongside Republic City, for change to occur. He also revealed how Naoki had supported his opposition activities, and commented on her desire to enable a better future for her own children, saying that she would have been proud of the men Mako and Bolin had become.[1]
When Mako and Bolin later left the island, Hai Jun, alongside Hisa, Jian, Ming-Ming, and Kibi, waved back to them.[1]