Avatar:Spirit of the temple
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"My manifestations did not lie: this is a sacred place of peace and rest, should you wish for those things. This temple is a crossroads for those who have followed the wrong path. It offers a second chance--to choose for the better. You, little Fire Lord, were offered redemption and forgiveness, but you rejected what we had to give you. I take many forms, and it is your cruelty and desire for vengeance that has shaped me into this: a mirror of your own inner self. A monster."
The spirit of the temple was a shape-shifting being that resided in a forest of the Fire Islands. Regarding herself as an assistant to humans who had experienced great troubles and were struggling with their life choices, the spirit usually took the appearance of a friendly monk who lived in an isolated temple and offered a place to sleep to weary travelers. As the visitors rested at the temple, the spirit provided them with dreams and visions to offer new perspectives and alternate paths. Just like most other spirits, however, negative human emotions could cause the spirit to take a monstrous form as well as to provide more haunting and accusing visions.[1]
History
The spirit and her temple appeared to Princess Azula soon after she had been abandoned by the Fire Warriors around 102/103 AG. The spirit, taking the appearance of a monk, invited Azula to stay for the night and provided her with some warm food. In addition, the creature hinted at the location being a place where troubled people like her could find help. Azula reacted dismissively, however, taunting the monk over the temple's isolated location as well as her offer of aid. She then requisitioned the spirit's personal quarters for herself, claiming that sleeping on a mere bedroll was beneath her. Though frustrated and saddened over Azula's behavior, the spirit yielded and wished her a good night.
Under the spirit's influence, Azula subsequently dreamed about her ideal family, but rejected the dream's implications. As the princess awakened, the spirit stormed into her room and asked her to quickly leave, realizing that the dreams had not granted Azula peace and instead unleashed negative emotions which were influencing themselves and the temple. However, the temple prevented Azula from leaving, while the spirit began to clutch her head in pain and mumble on how everything was going wrong. Questioned by the princess on the temple's nature, the spirit again declared it a refuge and stated that she "cannot control what happens next". Furious, the princess instead stormed deeper into the temple, experiencing another vision, this time of manipulated memory of the past.
As vision passed, the spirit stared at her hands, seemingly in shock or perplexity. Increasingly confused, Azula asked the creature why she had changed this unhappy memory of hers, with the spirit responding that she was just trying to give Azula what she wanted. At this point, the spirit's human monk form began to twist and change into a more monstrous appearance with fangs and red-colored eyes. As the princess realized that she was not talking to a monk, she firebent at her. The spirit leaped away, climbing to the room's ceiling. As Azula declared that she needed nothing from her family, being strong and the only one who deserved the throne of the Fire Nation, the spirit responded "I have a feeling you'll get what's coming to you."
Afterward, a vision of Ty Lee arrived at the temple, whereupon the spirit watched Azula interact with this manifestation of her former friend. After Azula defeated the Ty Lee vision in a duel, the spirit descended from the ceiling and asked whether the princess intended to kill Ty Lee. Azula was surprised and upset at the proposal, and the spirit again outlined that she merely wished to understand her visitor as well as her desires. At this point, a vision of Ursa appeared nearby, allowing Azula to open up about her frustrations and hurt feelings. The spirit smiled at the exchange, yet at this point the manifestation of Ty Lee morphed into Mai and began to point out how Azula always blamed others for her misery, while still refusing to acknowledge her own role in hurting so many people.
Afterward, the Ty Lee/Mai vision continued to challenge Azula's self-portrayal as a mere victim until eventually transforming into Zuko. As the latter asked Azula if she could finally ask others for forgiveness, Azula attacked, shocking the spirit sitting nearby. At this point, all visions as well as the spirit's humanoid form dissolved and were replaced by a gigantic insectoid who declared that Azula had rejected the redemption offered by the temple, and that the spirit's monstrous new form reflected the inner state of the princess. As Azula attacked the spirit with lightning, however, the entire temple fell apart and then disappeared, replaced by a regular forest. While the princess seemingly relished in having overcome the "spirit tricks" and moved away, a small insectoid version of the temple spirit silently observed her from the nearby undergrowth.
Despite her refusal to admit her past wrongdoings, the spirit's vision did affect Azula, allowing her to overcome her feelings of betrayal for the Fire Warriors.[1]
Physical description and abilities
The spirit of the temple was a potent shape-shifter who could take a myriad of forms. The spirit herself usually took the form of a golden-eyed, white-haired monk, dressed in Fire Nation clothing with a traditional top-knot. Under the influence of Azula's negative emotions, the spirit's form became progressively less human. In her humanoid form, the spirit had four limbs, but all were strangely formed human arms with hands. Her face was more insectoid, with fangs, red-golden eyes, and her hair wild as well as partially formed like mandibles.[1]
In her giant insectoid form, the spirit had a large, elongated body whose belly was colored red, while the rest was of mixed brown, white, and yellow coloring. She had six massive insect legs, as well as two small human arms. Her face was now largely insect like, including four large mandibles, though her eyes were still somewhat human despite their unnatural red-yellow coloring.[1]
Besides her own shape-shifting ability, the spirit demonstrated the ability to create manifestations which closely matched real humans. These illusions were also physically solid, as Azula was able to grab, hug, and fight several of them. The manifestations could seemingly act outside the spirit's control, especially if she was influenced by negative human emotions. To what extent the temple itself was also part of the spirit's manifestations is unclear; the spirit seemed to describe the temple as a separate entity, and when she ordered Azula to leave, the temple acted contrary to the spirit's wish by keeping the princess in the area.[1]