- This article is about the 46th Earth King. For other similar uses, see Earth King (disambiguation).
"How dare you defy your king! Guards, arrest Avatar Kyoshi!" |
— The 46th Earth King ordering Avatar Kyoshi's arrest.[1] |
The 46th Earth King was the ruler of the Earth Kingdom during the time of Avatar Kyoshi. His rule was unpopular among his people, and there were several revolts against his leadership, including the War of Chin the Conqueror and the Peasant Uprising in Ba Sing Se.[1][2]
History
The 46th Earth King ruled about 250 years prior to the Hundred Year War. Strong-willed and imperious, the Earth King had little support from his people, and his reign was marked by many challenges to his rule which severely tested the Earth Kingdom's government. The most serious of these was a rebellion led by Chin the Conqueror, a warlord from the country's far northwest. Chin easily conquered all of the kingdom, with the exception of Ba Sing Se and the Kyoshi peninsula; only his death at the hands of Avatar Kyoshi halted his movements to consolidate the empire under him.
The government's inability to deal with Chin's rebellion did, however, have repercussions. The massive losses the Earth Kingdom sustained led the citizens to realize many of the government's failures, and popular sentiment grew into the belief that the monarchy was outdated and did not support the people's interests. In Ba Sing Se, this belief led to a peasant uprising; thousands of peasants stormed the Upper Ring and destroyed anything that represented the "old government". They eventually surrounded the Earth King's palace and demanded he be removed from his position.[1]
Realizing he was unable to handle the revolt, the Earth King summoned Avatar Kyoshi to his court and ordered her to keep the populace in line. Kyoshi refused and demanded the king listen to his people. Outraged by her audacity, the Earth King ordered her arrest, but the fully realized Avatar easily defeated the king's guards. Powerless against the might of the Avatar, the Earth King complied and had no other choice than to give in to Kyoshi's request to hear the peasants' complaints. In return, Kyoshi would protect the king's interests and Ba Sing Se's cultural heritage by training an elite force of earthbenders in the art of stealth, silence, and precision. This group became known as the Dai Li.[1]
Relatives
- Kuei (great-great-great-great-grandson)
- Hou-Ting (great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter)
- Wu (great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson)
Appearances
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Escape from the Spirit World
Preceded by 45th Earth King |
Earth King c. 270 BG |
Succeeded by 47th Earth King, eventually Kuei |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Escape from the Spirit World: Avatar Kyoshi Online Comic Book.
- ↑ O'Bryan, John (writer) & MacMullan, Lauren (director). (April 28, 2006). "Avatar Day". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 2. Episode 5. Nickelodeon.