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By DragonGirl028 Part of the The Rise of Avatar Singi continuity.


Gekkō is a waterbending master and instructor, who teaches Avatar Singi waterbending. He lives in a settlement named "Kunatuk" that will be the site of Republic City millennia later, along what will one day be known as Yue Bay.

Personality

Upon first meeting Singi, Gekkō is rather gruff and doubtful of Singi's identity as the Avatar, boasting about his status as the most skilled waterbender in the settlement, before instructing the young woman to "prove" herself as the Avatar. Once her identity is confirmed and he consents to being Singi's waterbending instructor, he maintains a rather stoic nature for the first few days of his teachings. During their first session at night, he opens up more to Singi about his upbringing and resulting perfectionism, which had tainted much of his early life. Over the course of Singi's training for three years, Gekkō's personality noticeably softens to the point where he considers the Avatar like a daughter to him, and upon the onset of the War of Spirituality, urges Singi to flee the ongoing battle in his settlement, stating that her life is more important than his.

History

Early Life

When Gekkō was born in 9,800 BG, his parents received a vision that their son would grow to be one of the most skilled waterbenders of their time. Upon gaining his abilities, he was often taught by his father during the night, as the moon is the power source in waterbending; additionally, the original waterbenders learned to bend by observing how the moon pushed and pulled the tides.

As he matured, Gekkō took his parents' vision to heart, and trained vigorously to satisfy the prophecy to the point where he would pay little attention to his own heath or well-being, nor devote much attention to his own parents. His parents never once pressured him to excel in waterbending, but Gekkō's growing perfectionism did otherwise. Eventually, heartbroken and guilty, Gekkō's parents informed him that they felt sorry for ever telling him about the vision, and they were never able to see him as their true son as a result of the tremendous amount of time he spent training to fulfill their vision.

Ultimately, Gekkō did satisfy their vision, but at the cost of his relationship with his parents, and his own health—his hair gray by the time he was 50 years of age, due to the stress he endured whilst training, as well as the guilt he harbored for not spending enough time with his parents.

Book 1: Tension

Introduction to Singi

Upon Singi and Jamyang's arrival to the waterbender settlement in Autumn 9,750 BG, Gekkō is the only one to directly confront the duo, introducing himself as "the most skilled waterbender in this settlement". Doubtful about Singi's identity as the Avatar, he orders the teenager to prove her identity, to which Singi waterbends along the bay, followed by airbending. Unfazed but convinced, Gekkō allows Singi to be his student.

First Days of Training and Jiefeng's Adoption

To be written...

Book 2: Conflict

Singi's Mastery Test, Setting off Sparks with Maku, and Parting Ways with Singi

Three years later, in Spring 9,747 BG, Gekkō is seen watching over Singi alongside Jamyang, Jiefeng, and the residents of the settlement, as she performs her waterbending mastery test. Upon successfully completing the test, Gekkō congratulates his pupil and certifies her as a waterbending master, much to the Avatar's delight. Not long afterwards, a few ships dock ashore and their passengers, Maku and his soldiers, descend onto land. The warlord remarks that he and his men are just passing through.

Reunion with Singi, and Maku and Gaza's Declaration of War

On a day off from earthbending training during Summer 9,747 BG, Singi, accompanied by Jamyang, Jiefeng, and Guilin, revisit Gekkō's settlement, much to the student and master's delight. Their happiness is shattered not long after, however, with the return of Maku, this time accompanied by a fellow Fire Islands warlord named Gaza, and a faction of their forces. Clearly irked, but maintaining his composure, Gekkō asks Maku for the reasoning of his return, in addition to the identity of the warlord standing beside him. Gaza introduces himself, and adds that he and Maku joined forces, despite their initial hostility towards one another, upon the realization that they shared a common interest: hatred of the spirits.

Maku then begins to go off on a [fairly composed] rant, explaining that it was not just because of competition with neighboring warlords that he and Gaza eventually fled east to settle in other lands, but because on the days of and prior to the solstices, the spirits would transcend into the physical world and get in the way of their conquests. "And I thought to myself, now why are there spirits here in the mortal world, when Avatar Wan supposedly sealed the spirit portals over 80 years ago?" Maku states before glancing over at Singi with an irritated expression on his face. Maku continues, addressing those present, that he knows that the proto-Water Tribe and Air Nomad cultures revere and greatly respect the spirits, and then admonishes the cultures for doing so, belittling them as those that "admire entities that should no longer have anything to do with our world." As the crowd of villagers grows more irritated at Maku's words, gasping and exchanging words between one another, the warlord then turns his attention directly towards Singi and states, with growing anger, his composure wavering: "You claim that your predecessor prevented the spirits from entering our world again, and yet, they interfere with my business during the solstices. How can you claim to be the bridge between man and spirit when you cannot even uphold your promise? The Avatar is not a bridge, but a liar and a failure!" The waterbenders erupt into an uproar of anger, while Gaza and the warlords' troops return with roars of support, Gekkō gritting his teeth and Singi and her group simply staring at Maku in wordless shock, sweat building on Singi's face. Shouting, Maku finally states that "Your people, your cultures, should not even exist in a world that no longer should be home to spirits! It is time for adaptation–a world in which you should wiped out, if not enslaved to do the bidding of those who do not need the spirits in order to live in this world! We have come here today to declare war on your cultures, as well as the Avatar, who by failing to prevent the spirits from entering our world after the closure of the spirit portals, has failed humanity!"

With the declaration made, Maku draws out his dao and points it skyward, panting heavily as both sides clamor words of rage towards one another, as Singi, Jamyang, Guilin, and now Gekkō, remain in a state of bewilderment. After a few seconds, Maku lowers his dao and stares at Gekkō, a smirk forming on his face as he exclaims "So, let's start with your settlement first." before roaring a battle cry and charging at the waterbender, dao pointed at him. Gekkō manages to dodge the near-stabbing and knocks Maku off his feet with waterbending before urging Singi and her group to flee. As the two sides begin to clash, Singi insists on joining him, but Gekkō refuses, stating that he and his people can handle the fight, and that her life is more important to salvage than his. Reluctantly, Singi complies, and the group fly off on Jamyang's air bison. The next day, Singi writes a letter to Gekkō and attaches it to Jiefeng's neck to deliver it. Hours later, Jiefeng returns with a letter from Gekkō, stating that he and his men were able to fend off the warlords with only a few casualties, and to "... if you can, only confront the warlords when you feel skilled enough to battle them." The letter ends with a statement reading "I know that in due time, you will be strong enough to put a stop to this war—this War of Spirituality."

Book 3: Resolution

The Battle at the Fire Lion Turtle Valley

Content to be added...

Trivia

  • Gekkō is Japanese for "moonlight".
  • Gekkō was originally intended to only appear in Book 1 and the very beginning of Book 2, but his role was eventually extended to be included in the declaration of the War of Spirituality in chapter 3 of Book 2, as well as the final battle of the trilogy at the end of Book 3.
  • Were Gekkō an actual animated character, he would be voiced by Beau Bridges, a three-time Emmy, two-time Golden Globe, and one-time Grammy Award-winning actor and director. He is perhaps best known for starring opposite his brother Jeff Bridges as one of The Fabulous Baker Boys.
    • One of Bridges's other roles was voicing Chief Director Tokumaru in the English-dub of From Up on Poppy Hill. Also starring in this dub was Singi's would be voice actress, Sarah Bolger, as the female lead role of Umi Matsuzaka, as well as Guilin's would-be voice actor, Anton Yelchin, as the male lead role of Shun Kazama.
  • Based on the dating of the Chinese zodiac, Gekkō was born in the Year of the Horse in 9,800 BG.
Preceded by
Position established
Avatar's waterbending master
c. 9,750 BG – c. 9,753 BG
Succeeded by
Unknown; eventually Roku's waterbending master

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