Earth Kingdom
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The Earth Kingdom is a collective term for a nation of people in the fictional universe of the Nickelodeon animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. One of the series' "Four Nations," The Earth Kingdom is a massive continent taking up most of the planet's eastern hemisphere, roughly analogous to Eurasia in our world. The Earth Kingdom is home to an order of men and women who practice earthbending, the mystical art of terrakinesis.
The Earth Kingdom has long withstood encroachments on their borders in the Fire Nation's century-long imperialist war. Though the Water Tribes aid the Earth Kingdom in the war, the conflict continues to progress poorly, the Earth Kingdom is the only real obstacle between the Fire Nation and complete world domination, as the Water Tribes have thus far demonstrated that they can only defend their own lands, the poles. By the end of "The Crossroads of Destiny", however, Princess Azula of the Fire Nation was firmly in control of the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se.
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[edit] Appearance
The people of the Earth Kingdom have brown or black hair in different shades. Some men wear their hair in buns on top of their head and have beards and/or mustaches; younger men may have the same style but wear their hair down. Their skin complexion is fair or tan, and they have brown or green eyes. They usually wear green, yellow-green, or brown clothing, though they have been seen wearing outfits of other colors.
[edit] National emblem
The national emblem of the Earth Kingdom is a square inscribed with a circle, at the center of which is a much smaller square (like a Chinese coin). The insignia symbolizes both the literal and figurative depth of the Earth Kingdom. It represents the immeasurable layers of deep rock and minerals which Earthbenders manipulate to maintain their great cities, as well as the depth of the inhabitants' commitment and strive towards the effort of a peaceful and productive way of life. This emblem can be seen on the helmets of Earth Kingdom troops.
Earth Kingdom money (coins) are entirely made up of the national emblem.
Large "coins" of this design made of rock or earth are sometimes used as weapons by Earthbenders, as shown extensively in "The Avatar State."
Based on Toph's passport seen in "The Serpent's Pass," Earth Kingdom is literally written as 土國 (tǔ guó). Coincidentally, this is also the Chinese word for the country Turkey.
[edit] Culture
From the technology-driven refugees under the Mechanist to the initially isolationist inhabitants of Kyoshi Island, the culture of the Earth Kingdom is far less defined than those of the other nations. This is likely due to its size. The common aspect of these different cultures is their rather simplistic and somewhat archaic nature (compared to the Fire Nation). Due to their manipulation of Earth, which Iroh refers to as the "element of substance", Earthbenders are virtually immovable, as reflected in the personality of the Earth Kingdom's citizens.
But the fact that they are tough doesn't mean they don't have any games or attractions. In Omashu, the game invented by King Bumi is based on the mail delivery system of Omashu (which Bumi has referred to as "The World's Greatest Superslide"). In Ba Sing Se, an apparently popular game is the earthbending soccer. It looks like actual soccer but with earthbending. Also, an attraction in Ba Sing Se is the Zoo. Before "The Tales of Ba Sing Se", the Zoo was a place that was shabby and deserted, because the government stopped funding. Aang then freed the animals and led them in the large agrarian zone between the outer and inner walls where he created a more appropriated place for the animals with earthbending. Not only did it serve it good purposes for the animals, but it helped enhance the facilities for visitors as well because the area was much more appealing to tour.
[edit] Season
Each of the Four Nations is influenced by their own distinct, dominant season. The Earth Kingdom's dominant season is spring, the time when several living things on Earth are reborn. To an effect, more Earthbenders are born during the spring that any other season and their powers are at their strongest during the springtime.
[edit] Natural Resources and Foods
Though at first glance they would appear to be the most simple of substances, rock and stone turn out to be the Earth Kingdom's greatest natural resources, as such are widely used and manipulated into just about everything, from tools to entire metropolises. While the Earth Kingdom as a whole does not make use of fossil fuels nearly as much as the industrialized Fire Nation, coal is mined in certain villages for fuel. The timber of their forests also serve as fuel along with being lumbered for building.
As a result of the various minerals it contains, an ample amount of vegetables manages to sufficiently grow within the rich, fertile soil of the Earth Kingdom, while fruits and nut trees are equally as abundant. Wild game and domesticated animals thrive in the lush forests and farmlands, adding beef and poultry to the Earth Kingdom citizens' diet.
[edit] Government
The Earth Kingdom is a large nation divided into provinces (as mentioned in "Zuko Alone") and major cities (such as Omashu, among others) which are subdivided into smaller townships or separate towns. The capital of the Earth Kingdom is Ba Sing Se. While there is a central ruler of the entire Earth Kingdom, known as the Earth King, who lives in Ba Sing Se, some cities, such as Omashu, have kings of their own; the exact nature of this hierarchy is unknown. However, the Earth Kingdom's central form of government is a Confederate Monarchy. At one time, proud warrior-kings ruled their lands personally and often brutally, but over the generations, the Earth Kings ceded more and more control over the day-to-day operations of their city to the Byzantine governmental structure that sprang up around them. The Earth King now is little more than a figurehead who lives a lavish lifestyle surrounded by courtesans and sycophants, lending one of his royal seals to whatever decrees and laws his advisors suggest.
In "City of Walls and Secrets," it is revealed that the Earth King has little true power, and while is greatly revered (possibly even worshiped), most of the governmental power in Ba Sing Se is trusted to various advisers and counsels such as Long Feng, the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se & Head of the Dai Li. It is also implied that the Ba Sing Se government has (or uses) little power beyond its own fortified city, which perhaps explains the dire situation in much of the Earth Kingdom.
Also, the government in Ba Sing Se appears to be incredibly oppressive, similar to a system of fascism. All of the power is focused on a single dictator (Long Feng), and the level of control exhibited on the population ranges from severe economic and social regimentation, feelings of superiority over others, the idea of a utopia, and forcible elimination of opposition by methods such as brainwashing. The government of Ba Sing Se may also be incredibly bureaucratic, since it would take at least 6-8 weeks to process a request to meet with the king (though this may have been an effort to stall Aang). Its leaders also make use of sixty-seven different seals, each used on various occasions, for the approval or processing of documents and orders.
[edit] Military
Since the Earth Kingdom is geographically the largest of the four nations, it possesses a large variety of combat organizations and personnel.
[edit] Army
Like the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom armies consist of benders and normal foot soldiers. Soldiers, both benders and non-benders, carry a wide variety of weapons, from spears, swords, and other various polearms, to more unusual weapons such as hammers, axes, and sickles. Soldiers typically wear a helmet that's a mix of a Conical straw hat and a spinning top. Non-bending soldiers also wear a headdress underneath, appear to be more armoured, and wear boots. Earthbenders' helmets are pointed and are decorated with the Earth Kingdom emblem. They are also barefooted, as called for by a principle of earthbending. Officers wear yellow armor in place of the regular green armor.
Earth Kingdom soldiers in various parts of the Earth Kingdom wear slightly different colored uniforms from others; for example, the guards at the gates of Omashu wore slightly different uniforms than other Earthbenders in other parts of the Earth Kingdom. The Earthbenders who kidnapped Uncle Iroh in "The Spirit World" wore yellow and light brown. General Fong's soldiers in "The Avatar State" wore light green, the ferry guards wore brown on tan uniforms, and the guards of the Bei Fong family wore a cream colored uniform. The non-bending soldiers of Omashu wear leaf-green colors, while other non-bending soldiers across the Earth Kingdom wear an olive drab green. At Ba Sing Se the soldiers on the walls have more diverse uniforms with black and yellow colors.
The cavalry consists of Ostrich Horses, which can vertically climb short distances and run at high speeds. They are also used as transports.
Earthbenders use stones shaped like the Earth Kingdom emblem as artillery and catapult projectiles. These person-sized round coins are invaluable weapons to the Earthbenders. The coins can be lined up side by side to make a defensive (and mobile) wall, or stacked to make an impromptu lookout tower. Skilled Earthbenders can use these coins as a vehicle and "ride" in the hole in the middle of the coins.
[edit] Dai Li
The Dai Li are the cultural enforcers of Ba Sing Se. They are under the direct command of Long Feng, the culture minister, and function as a sort of secret police; arresting and re-educating anyone who breaks regulations concerning mention of the war. In addition to distinct uniforms, they are notable for sporting stone gloves and shoes, which can be used to great effect as weapons through Earthbending. The Dai Li were originally formed and trained by Avatar Kyoshi after she and the Earth King of her time disagreed upon the rulings of Ba Sing Se.[1] They are most probably named after General Dai Li, head of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, which functioned as China's secret police. Though they serve the Earth King, they are loyal only to Long Feng. However, after the events of "The Crossroads of Destiny," they have pledged loyalty to Azula.
[edit] Navy
Not much is known about the Earth Navy, except that it is likely inferior to that of the Fire Nation. The Earth Kingdom's General Fong said that invading the Fire Nation with its ships would be suicidal. At the beginning of The Earth King, three junk ships, presumed to be carrying Dai Li Agents, were seen sailing the waters of Lake Laogai.
[edit] Kyoshi Island Warriors
The Kyoshi Island Warriors are an all-female group of fighters led by Suki on Kyoshi Island.
Their fighting style and clothing mimic those of Avatar Kyoshi, although they seemingly do not implement any of the bending arts in their physical movements. Clad in ornate, armored green kimonos and geisha-like makeup, designed to intimidate opponents, Kyoshi Island Warriors use metal fans as their main weapons. In "Appa's Lost Days," it was revealed they also utilize katanas and wrist shields. Holding the fans like extensions of their own arms, they aim to turn the strength of their opponents against them, a principle also studied in waterbending. The female warriors do not take kindly to training outsiders, let alone men, in these unique methods.
Although Kyoshi Island had long remained neutral in the Fire Nations war against the Earth Kingdom, after the Avatar arrived on the island the Kyoshi Island Warriors decided to assist the Earth Kingdom army in its attempts to resist the Fire Nation. In "The Serpent's Pass," it is revealed that the warriors are not on the front lines, but are serving as guards for the ferries to Ba Sing Se. They appeared again in "Appa's Lost Days" where they struggled to protect Appa from capture at the hands of Princess Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee. In The Earth King, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee infiltrate the city of Ba Sing Se disguised as members of the Kyoshi warriors. The episode "The Guru" reveals that the Kyoshi Warriors were defeated in their battle with Azula. The fate of the warriors is still unknown.
[edit] Council of Five
The Council of Five is a group of five highly ranking Earth Kingdom Generals, including General Sung and How, who decide the best use of their armies fighting outside the walls of Ba Sing Se. It is the Council of Five who designs and implements any war plans, which includes the the best means of protecting the capital city as well as the proposed invasion of the Fire Nation. In addition to this, the Council also controls the Kings Guards, an elite force of guards who protect the king. The Council of Five has been together for as long there has been an king of Ba Sing Se, and up until Long Feng came into power, have always worked hand in hand with the Earth King to ensure the city's well being.
As of "The Crossroads of Destiny," all members of the council have been taken captive by the Dai Li under a coup d'état led by Princess Azula and are currently being held under house arrest.
[edit] Royal Earthbender Guards
The Royal Earthbender Guards of Ba Sing Se are affiliated with neither the Dai Li nor the military, instead they serve as personal protectors of the Earth King, as seen in "The Earth King". There seems to be hundreds of them guarding the Royal Palace. They have also been seen as the gate keepers of the outer and inner walls of Ba Sing Se. The guards use specialized surface-to-surface rocks against invaders approaching on foot, but as displayed in "The Earth King", the projectiles can also serve as surface-to-air rocks against airborne intruders, such as Appa. They wear dark green armor with a green feather on the top. The Earthbender guards first appeared in "The Drill" and were portrayed in "City of Walls and Secrets" as the Earth King's guards and in "The Tales of Ba Sing Se" as gatekeepers of the inner wall.
[edit] Light Industry
Architecture, farming, carpentry, hunting, and mining are among many significant Earth Kingdom industries. Its citizens have managed to develop an advanced trade and commerce system so that almost all may benefit. The complex sewage and postal system of Omashu, the Ba Sing Se metro transit stations, and various inventions and their inventors, such as the Mechanist, all serve to demonstrate the Earth Kingdom's surprisingly sophisticated society.
[edit] Cities and locations
[edit] Kyoshi Island
One of the islands off the southern coast of the Earth Kingdom, Kyoshi Island is an island founded in the South Sea by Avatar Kyoshi to protect her people from invaders. It has a shrine (formerly a temple) dedicated to Kyoshi that contains her relics, including her kimono, metal fans, metal headdress, and her boots. Supposedly, these relics still embody some of Kyoshi's spirit. In the nearby sea, there are Elephant Koi, which serve as the island's main source of commerce, and a giant eel known as the Unagi. The island is known as the home of the Kyoshi Island Warriors, who fight with metal fans in the same techniques as the island's namesake Avatar, as well as a fighting style that emulates the Waterbender's philosophy of using the opponents' force against them.
Kyoshi Island has managed to stay out of the Fire Nation's war for nearly a century — until Zuko recently attacked it looking for Aang. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of the island have no intention of inviting unwanted attention, and as a result are often hostile towards outsiders, fearing Fire Nation spies. However, inspired by the Avatar Aang's arrival on the island, the citizens have gained new hope and have adopted a more welcoming attitude since then. Additionally, the Kyoshi Island Warriors recently left to join the war effort in hopes of making a difference.
During the time of Avatar Kyoshi, a warlord known as Chin the Great was enveloping the entire Earth Kingdom in his armies and ruthless dictatorship. Kyoshi managed to keep her people safe from invasion by using a combination of different bending techniques to separate their peninsula from the mainland and form an island. This left a cliff at Chin's feet, where he fell to his death as the rock beneath him collapsed. The village of Chin was founded near the cliff and was known to be very antagonistic towards all reincarnations of the Avatar, believing that they killed their glorious leader. Only recently when Aang, the current Avatar, saves the village from rhino-riding Fire Nation soldiers do they put their qualms aside and reinvent their effigy-burning "Avatar Day" into a more friendly celebration. This day is known as Kyoshi Day on Kyoshi Island and celebrates the day of its founding.
[edit] Omashu
The city of Omashu sits within a mountain range, surrounded on all sides by steep canyons and an enormous gorge. The cities' three gates are composed from massive stone, each five feet thick and towering over thirty feet high. As a result are accessible only by skilled Earthbenders who guard its only entrance. It is ruled by King Bumi and holds the place of being the Earth Kingdom's second largest city. Omashu's main industry was producing weapons and supplies for the war effort, and had developed a complex and efficient mail system used to transport goods throughout the city that employed Earthbending and gravity using extensive ramps and chutes. As children, Bumi and Aang used the ramps as slides in their past.
At the beginning of Book Two, Aang and his friends travel to Omashu again so that he may learn Earthbending. "The Cave of Two Lovers" reveals that the city was founded many millennia ago and was named for Oma and Shu, a Romeo and Juliet pair from two warring villages who were the first Earthbenders. Since Aang, Katara, and Sokka's last visit, Omashu had surrendered to the Fire Nation, who had developed metal, extending bridges to bypass the gorge, and was renamed "New Ozai" by Princess Azula around that time. The entire city is seen going under massive reconstruction to better suit the Fire Nation, and a huge statue of Ozai is seen under construction at the top of Omashu (though his face remains obscured). Most notably altered is the palace, the original of which was completely leveled and replaced with the metal pagoda architecture favored by the Fire Nation. This may have been in part to the fact that doors between the chambers of the old palace were created as needed by Earthbending, making entrance and egress impossible for non-Earthbenders. The normal citizens, however, flee the city under the guise of an epidemic shortly after Aang arrives.
Based on the ancient writing in "The Cave of Two Lovers," the modern way to write Omashu is 奥瑪舒. Ào mǎ ( 奥 瑪 ) mean "mysterious carnelian," while shū ( 舒 ) means relax. Carnelian is a semiprecious stone consisting of an orange or orange-red variety of chalcedony.
[edit] Ba Sing Se
Ba Sing Se was the capital of the Earth Kingdom. It withstood a six-hundred day siege led by the Fire Nation's General Iroh, which ended after Iroh's son, Lu Ten, died on the front lines and Iroh was in too much in grief to continue. After King Bumi surrendered Omashu, Ba Sing Se was the last great Earth Kingdom stronghold and the last real barrier against the Fire Nation's advance. Uncle Iroh has described the city's wall as "grand". As shown in the Comic Convention 2006, Ba Sing Se is an enormous city with several rock-like monorails, similarly to the ones in Omashu although greatly scaled up and more sedate. The "cars" are moved by Earthbending. Following the events of the Season 2 finale, the government of Ba Sing Se was deposed through an internal coup d'état led by Azula. With the fall of Ba Sing Se, the Earth Kingdom lost its last great stronghold to the Fire Nation.
In the Episode "The Drill," the city's great wall is nearly penetrated by a large drill-like invention created by The Mechanist for the Fire Nation. However, with Sokka's ideas, Aang, Katara, and Toph manage to disable the drill and ruin the Fire Nation plans. In the same episode, the name Ba Sing Se is revealed to mean "Impenetrable City," as an Earth Kingdom general jokes that it is not named "Na Sing Se" (meaning "Penetrable City").
Ba Sing Se's greatest secret to its staying power in the war is the farmland behind its outer wall. Seen in the episode "The Drill," these fields supply the entire city with food to enable them to survive a siege of any duration, so long as the outer wall remains intact, and, due to Earthbending, can be quickly repaired. (It was apparently breached during Iroh's siege, as seen in "Zuko Alone"; however, the city survived, as the siege broke shortly thereafter.)
The main characters do not reach Ba Sing Se until "City of Walls and Secrets," where the culture is at first revealed. The city is divided into various levels based on social class, with the ghettos of the poor and refugees being walled off from the rest of the town. It is also revealed that society is heavily controlled, and that the war is not allowed to be mentioned inside the walls. This was meant to maintain order and the cultural heritage of the city, making it the only remaining "utopian" society in the world. It is eventually revealed that the Earth King is actually mostly a figurehead, with great ceremonial power - it is even implied he may be considered a god - but little authority. The political leader of the city is Long Feng, the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se and the Head of the Dai Li. He and the Dai Li maintain strict control of the people and the culture, and prefer to pretend the war does not exist. This is most likely the result of Ba Sing Se's safety - the people of the city consider it impenetrable, and thus feel they can delude themselves into pretending all is fine in the rest of the Kingdom. Those who attempt to disrupt this fantasy are promptly brainwashed by the Dai Li into believing that the war doesn't even exist. This is perhaps most powerfully shown in "The Drill," where they maintain the belief in their safety even when the city is threatened---and which also shows the city may not be as strong as believed.
[edit] Minor Earth Kingdom Locations
[edit] Fauna
The Earth Kingdom is home to many exotic creatures:
- Ostrich Horses roam the lands, and are domesticated and mounted by Earth Kingdom citizens as transports.
- In the great Si Wong desert, Buzzard-wasps make their home in the Si Wong Rock. They make a honey like liquid that they feed their young. It is said that this liquid tastes like rotting penguin meat, though Appa seemed to enjoy it.
- Singing Groundhogs attract tourists from everywhere. They are able to respond to any musical note.
- Purple Pentapi reside in the sewers of Omashu. They have five eyes and legs and attach themselves to those they come in contact with. When tickled into letting go, they leave behind distinctive sucker marks.
- Platypus Bears are found in the forests of the Earth Kingdom. They usually live in caves, lay eggs and protect the eggs and their young. Mature Platypus bears are as ferocious as actual bear, especially when they are with young.
- Saber-toothed Mooselions are fearsome animals of the Earth Kingdom forests. They have large tusks and large antlers. At a young age, they appear to be herbivores, and are hard to identify, as the antlers and tusks have not yet grown in, but as they mature they may become carnivorous.
- In the caves of the Earth Kingdom, Wolfbats are territorial carnivores. They are as large as wolves and can fly. Badgermoles also reside in the caves. The are blind, but "see" with Earthbending. It is said that they taught the first Earthbenders. They have a touch for music. If one were to play the right music, they could be induced to do almost anything.
- Various kinds of hybrid pigs are farmed here. Sheep, Rooster, Chicken, and Cow pigs are seen.
- Large, insectoid creatures called Canyon Crawlers inhabit the Great Divide.
- in "City of Walls and Secrets," there is an actual, normal bear, which Toph calls "weird."
[edit] Influences
In many aspects, the Earth Kingdom is modeled on ancient China in terms of architecture, clothing, size and diversity. In addition, like the rest of the four Nations, the Earth Kingdom uses a ancient Chinese fighting style known as Hung Gar; Toph is the only Earthbender known to use Southern Praying Mantis, also another form of Chinese martial arts. In the city of Ba Sing Se, the clothing and the women's headdresses seems to be influenced by the Manchus who heavily influenced Chinese style during the Qing dynasty. As is the men, for they shave half their heads and braid the rest of their hair. The clothing of Dai Li are much like those of the ancient Chinese guards. The King seems young which is like many of the kings in China when it was ruled by the Manchus. The resident hippie, hillbilly, spectator sports fan, and Old Western cowboy stereotypes, however, suggest parallels to the United States of America. The land occupied by the Earth Kingdom is also similar in shape to North America. The desert Sandbenders resemble Bedouins. Most of Ba Sing Se seems to be influenced by China---both its architecture (the King's palace resembles the Forbidden City) and culture (repressive)---while it is implied that the people may practice emperor-worship like Japan. In addition, Korean culture is reflected in one episode when two people Iroh and Zuko meet, Song and her mother, are seen wearing the Hanbok. Given its sheer size, both in area and expanse the Earth Kingdom contains many different cultures and sub-cultures, resembling China with its many different ethnic groups. In "Bitter Work". Iroh explains that it is this diversity that makes the Earth Kingdom powerful.
[edit] Notable figures
- Toph Bei Fong
- Avatar Kyoshi
- The Earth King
- Long Feng
- King Bumi
- General How
- General Sung
- General Fong
- Lao Bei Fong
- Aunt Wu
- The Mechanist
- Jet
[edit] See also
| Franchise |
|---|
| Episodes · Media information · Trading cards · Video game |
| Universe |
| Water Tribe · Earth Kingdom · Fire Nation · Air Nomads · Spirit World Waterbender · Earthbender · Firebender · Airbender · Chakra |
| Characters |
| Aang · Katara · Sokka · Appa · Toph · Zuko · Iroh · Azula Major secondary characters · Minor secondary characters · Creatures |
