History of Mai (85 AG – 100 AG)
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| More about Mai |
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| Mai's main article Mai's weapons |
| History |
| Early life (85 AG - 100 AG) Book Two: Earth (Spring 100 AG) Book Three: Fire (Summer 100 AG) 100 AG - c. 103 AG |
| Relationships |
| Mai's relationships |
Mai was born into a Fire Nation noble family. Even though her parents Ukano and Michi loved her and provided her with much comfort, their efforts to politically advance Ukano's career resulted in Mai being forced to always behave perfectly. This led her to become emotionally distant, with her channeling her boredom and frustration into mastering knife throwing. Eventually, Mai began to attend the prestigious Royal Fire Academy for Girls, where she befriended Princess Azula due to her father's demands.
Though always unsettled by Azula's cruel tendencies, Mai quickly became the close confidant of the princess, a position that she genuinely enjoyed. Furthermore, she developed a good friendship with Ty Lee, another associate of Azula. Her closeness to the princess allowed Mai to often visit the Fire Nation Royal Palace, where she developed a crush on Zuko. Over the next years, Mai remained friends with Azula as well as Ty Lee, eventually moving to Fire Nation-occupied Omashu alongside her family. There, she was recruited by Azula into an elite team in spring 100 AG.
Early years
Mai was born to Ukano and Michi[1] in the Fire Nation in 85 AG.[2][3] She was an only child for thirteen years and was given whatever she wanted, as long as she behaved. Her parents were strict and they constantly required her to stay silent and behave perfectly.[4][5] This gradually led her to becoming emotionally closed off, often appearing cool or disinterested to others.[4] Her mother told Mai stories of the Kemurikage, dark spirits that abducted children, to make her behave.[6]
She often despised her life in the Fire Nation.[4] Out of boredom, she would start throwing knives at her room's wall, a habit that eventually allowed her to develop a skill in fighting with weapons.[7]
Starting to attend the Royal Fire Academy for Girls
As a young girl, Mai was eventually allowed attended the Royal Fire Academy for Girls. On her first school day, she hugged her parents to say goodbye, whereupon Michi started to cry. Mai rather annoyed by his emotional display. Afterward, her father Ukano told her of the Academy's importance for one's life, as friendships with "girls from good families" could help advance the careers of her family members, including his own and hers. Listening stoically, Mai was encouraged to become friends with Princess Azula who also attended the school. As the young noble girl first spotted the princess, she witnessed the latter bullying another student by setting their toy of fire. This left Mai distinctly uninterested in becoming Azula's friend.[5]
When Ukano later visited Mai at the Academy, he asked his daughter about the progress of her friendship with Azula. Annoyed, Mai responded that she did not want to become friends with a friends with someone who was "set[ting] things on fire for no reason". Ukano retorted that powerful people were powerful people because they intimidated others; one could only become powerful or be "trampled by a powerful person". As Mai admitted that she feared being trampled by others, Ukano promptly sent her off with the repeated demand to befriend Azula.[5]
Resigned, Mai determinedly returned to the Academy courtyard where she walked over to the princess as she was regaling a group of fellow students, including Ty Lee, with self-aggrandizing stories. Instead of introducing herself, Mai simply stated that they should be friends before showcasing her skills in knife throwing to the princess. When Azula asked whether she was supposed to be impressed by this display, the noble girl responded that she was merely making clear what she "offer[ed] if [Azula became] friends" with her. Agreeing with this kind of transactional offer, Mai was promptly led by Azula who wanted her to throw knives at students who had annoyed her.[5]
From this point onward, Mai became part of the inner circle of Azula.[5] She also eventually became friends with Ty Lee.[8] Azula appreciated Mai's skills, level-headedness,[5] dry humor, and loyalty.[9] As a result, Mai soon became the de facto second-in-command of the princess. During the beginning of their friendship, Mai felt Azula gave her attention she never had, making her feel important. Azula shared secrets with her on how she was manipulating students for her own benefit as well as pitting them against one another to maintain control over people and situations in the Academy. For instance, Mai witnessed how the princess manipulated and bullied another student named Hong, blackmailing her into supporting her in debate classes by pointing out her father Ozai's influence on the frontline deployment of Hong's older brother.[5]
One day, Mai retreated to an attic of the Royal Fire Academy to read a book. There, she was found by Azula who happily informed that two of their acquaintances, Hong and Peijing, were about to fight an Agni Kai. Mai was horrified by these news, exclaiming that these two were best friends. The princess then proudly retold how she had manipulated Hong and Peijing into fighting by telling lies and revealing secrets.[5]
As the two entered the Academy's Agni Kai arena, where Mai initially assumed that Headmistress Pearl would prevent an Agni Kai between the underaged students. To her surprise, Pearl instead sanctioned the duel while another teacher, Shihan, did nothing to prevent it. Mai watched the ensuing Agni Kai in horror, disturbed as Peijing won by landing a painful firebending blow on Hong. After the Agni Kai, Mai listened to Azula's small speech about the duel showcasing the necessity of distrust and strength, as even friends would inevitably betray each other. Before leaving the arena, Mai looked at Shihan in disgust, regarding it as pathetic how the latter had done nothing to protect the students from harming each other.[5]
Mai ultimately regarded her time at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls as horrible, feeling that the school had encouraged the worst traits of its attendees.[5]
Developing friendships
Despite enjoying the favor of the princess,[5] Mai was also often manipulated by Azula. On one occasion during a sleepover, the princess "suggested" that she should steal the mochi which Michi had made for the seventieth birthday of Mai's grandmother. Despite secretly taking the mochi, Mai consequently refused to eat any of it, feeling terrible for having disobeyed mother's order to not touch the dessert. Azula consequently ate all of it on her own. In the next night, Mai had nightmares about the Kemurikage taking her for stealing the mochi.[6]
Mai occasionally visited the Fire Nation Royal Palace where she spent time with her friends. She, Azula, and Mai played hide-and-seek at the palace, but Azula always won due to knowing secret passageways in the complex. Eventually, Ty Lee and Mai discovered this secret.[6]
One particular day, Mai sat off by herself under a tree in the Royal Palace gardens, looking disinterested as Ty Lee and Azula played together and did cartwheels. However, she did show a marked interest in Zuko, turning away shyly and blushing when he walked by with his mother.[10] By this time, Mai had developed a crush on the young prince.[9] Azula noticed this and took Mai's obvious attraction, which Azula correctly assumed to might be mutual, as a cue to humiliate both Zuko and Mai. Mai was ordered to balance an apple on her head which Azula set aflame. Zuko was subsequently tasked to knock it off her head, though the entire scheme ended up with both of them falling into a fountain on top of each other, much to the amusement of Azula and Ty Lee.[10]
Move to Omashu
As they grew older, Mai continued to keep in touch with Azula and Ty Lee through letters.[11] She also continued to hone her weapons skills, eventually becoming a master of pinpoint accuracy in throwing edged weapons.[7][8]
In early 100 AG, Mai's father successfully planned the conquest of a major Earth Kingdom city, Omashu, and was awarded governorship over the occupied settlement.[12] He subsequently moved into Omashu alongside his family, including Mai (aged 15 at the time), Michi, and her infant brother, Tom-Tom. She considered the place to be miserable,[8][13] describing the city as "unbearably bleak"[8] and "unbearable".[11] As the local people were hostile, Mai was generally confined to the governor's palace. In one letter to her friends, she sarcastically commented "There's nothing to do, and no one worth talking to. I'm just stuck with my family. Kill me".[11] She only liked one location in the city: "Double Dumpling", a local restaurant run by Lee.[13]
However, Mai's life greatly changed in spring 100 AG, when Azula visited Omashu to recruit her for a team to hunt down Zuko, Iroh, and the Avatar.[8]
References
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