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By Mageddon725 Part of the Spirit War Trilogy continuity.


Bolin realizes
Juji's fine. He comes back to life in the end when the doomsday device shifts the polarity of the Earth. Oops. Spoiler. Sorry.
Warning! This page contains spoilers for Avatar- Aftermath and Burning Earth.


Yun Zhen is the Earthbending protagonist of Avatar: Aftermath and Burning Earth and a minor character in Sons and Daughters whose parents were killed by the Fire Nation. He is fiercely loyal to those he considers friends, and he often holds grudges against his enemies. His hatred of the Fire Nation initially drives everything he does until he meets Team Avatar.

Background[]

Yun was born to his father, a Fire Navy ship captain, and his mother, and Earth Kingdom prisoner. They fell in love and married in secret, but when Yun was young, they found, to their horror, that he had inherited his mother's Earthbending. They hid this from the Fire Nation for ten years, but Yun's abilities were eventually discovered. His parents were executed for treason; fortunately, they were able to smuggle Yun to the Earth Kingdom. He traveled for five years before reaching Omashu, where he hoped to learn Earthbending from King Bumi.

History (AaBE)[]

The Mad Genius[]

After being shown a letter from Yun's mother, who had known Bumi previously, the King of Omashu agreed to train the prospective Earthbender. Unfortunately, during their training it was revealed that Yun had a crippling weakness. However, despite protests from Yun and disbelief from his medical advisor, Bumi trained the young Earthbender to overcome his disability. The Fire Nation disrupted that training with the invasion of Omashu, and Yun Zhen was forced to flee through the Cave of Two Lovers in order to get the news of Omashu's defeat to the Earth King in Ba Sing Se.

Training and Wandering[]

Yun got lost in the cave and was only freed when he was found by badgermoles. The original Earthbenders also took note of his disability and further trained him in Earthbending. Yun then made his way to Ba Sing Se, a journey that took several months, in order to carry out his mission. Along the way, he attempted to train with the Kyoshi Warriors, only to be told by Oyaji that they had left the island. When he finally got to Ba Sing Se, though, he stumbled upon Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee disguised as Kyoshi Warriors and was forced to flee the city. On his way east, he met Guru Pathik. The wise old man taught him the principles of energy and chi blocking before continuing on his way.

Kyoshi Island[]

Yun eventually secured passage to Kyoshi Island, once again attempting to learn from the Kyoshi Warriors. Instead, he found that Ty Lee was on the island, and he mistakenly assumed that she was still pretending. After a minor confrontation with Sokka and Suki and a terse discussion with Ty Lee, Yun was invited to the Kyoshi Day Feast, a yearly celebration dedicated to the island's founding. During the feast, Aang and Katara arrived at the island on Appa, and Yun exchanged stories with them. When asked to demonstrate his abilities, Yun did so using Aang and Sokka as volunteers while coldly ignoring Ty Lee. Suki noticed his behavior and confronted him after the feast, demanding that he apologize to Ty Lee. The next day, he takes an open opportunity and apologizes, but the Kyoshi Warrior realizes that it isn't completely sincere. Later that day, everyone decides to relax at the beach, where Yun Zhen experiences an attack stemming from his weakness. When he recovers, he is asked by Aang to accompany Team Avatar on their journey to the Fire Nation. He agrees, but he does not want to go back. The plans change when he reveals that he will go by boat with the Kyoshi Warriors as opposed to Gaoling with Aang and Katara, knowing he'll have to deal with Ty Lee sooner or later.

The Journey[]

As the group readied themselves for the trip, Yun nearly let his history slip to Suki but managed to cover it up. At the same time, he finds out that the Kyoshi Warriors were nearly recruited by a group of Earth Kingdom soldiers to fight the Fire Nation. The following night, while Yun is on the deck, Ty Lee approaches and pesters him for an explanation, and after a short exchange, he releases his pent up rage at the Fire Nation for killing his parents. Far from being hurt or scared, Ty Lee embraced Yun and told him that she cared for him, starting a complicated relationship. The next day, Yun and the others made it to Whale Tail Island to get their ride to the Fire Nation, an airship, and Yun and Ty Lee continued discussing their relationship.

In the Fire Nation[]

When the airship arrived in the Fire Nation, Yun found it hard to humble himself before Zuko, the current Fire Lord. Ty Lee noticed his discomfort and they went out to explore the Capitol. When Yun returned to his room, he found Mai waiting for him, and she warned him against hurting Ty Lee. During the downtime, Yun and the others went to watch Sokka spar Piandao, and after the fight, the swordmaster asked Yun to spar, which he agreed to. Piandao won the fight despite the fact that Yun combined swordsmanship and Earthbending. It was at this point that Piandao revealed more of Yun's history: that he was his uncle. Yun was afterward present at the meeting with Fire Lord Zuko, where they found out that they would have to leave the Fire Nation. On the journey to Ba Sing Se, Yun and Sokka began a friendly rivalry with a sparring match, which Sokka won.

Ba Sing Se[]

Upon arrival in Ba Sing Se, Yun attended a feast with everyone else before the World Meeting. At the meeting itself, Yun's world was rocked when the Order of the White Lotus revealed that King Bumi was dead. Back in his quarters, the young Earthbender mourned the loss of his mentor until Ty Lee arrived to comfort him. Realizing that he would not be able to function if his attitude continued, he asked Ty Lee on a date. He took her to the Jasmine Dragon, where Iroh revealed that he knew that Yun was from the Fire Nation. He also revealed that Yun Zhen meant 'Flourishing Loyalty.' As they left the tea shop, the two failed to realize that they were being watched by the Dai Li, who had a vested interest in the World Meeting. Ty Lee told Yun her story, and he tried to make her understand, although clumsily, that she mattered to him. They came to a fountain, and Ty Lee thanked Yun for his acceptance of her with a kiss. The Dai Li chose that moment to attempt the capture of both of them. Yun fought, but an unwelcome attack came, allowing the agents and Long Feng escaped with Ty Lee. He immediately returned to the palace to get his armor and weapons in order to mount a rescue mission, with Suki, Mai, and Toph accompanying him. Together they infiltrated Lake Laogai, almost immediately coming under attack by the Dai Li. The others gave Yun the time he needed to break away and find Ty Lee, and he managed to locate her. Unfortunately, Yun discovered too late that Long Feng had brainwashed her and ordered her to attack. After all attempts to break Long Feng's hold on her failed, Yun gathered his courage and told Ty Lee he loved her. She managed to come to her senses, but Long Feng immediately attacked. Yun Zhen became enraged and beat Long Feng within an inch of his life but refused to kill him. As Dai Li agents poured into the room, reinforcements arrived in the form of Toph, Suki, and Mai. Soon after escaping Lake Laogai, They were all picked up by Appa and taken to Zuko's airship in order to escape the now hostile city.

On the Run[]

After the disastrous fall of Ba Sing Se to King Yuan Chong, Yun was confronted by Mai on Zuko's airship, who revealed that she only wanted to apologize; she also informed him that Ty Lee was locked in her room. When Yun tried to see her, he found that she had suffered psychological trauma from being brainwashed. The Earthbender comforted her, and they both affirmed their love for one another. Upon arriving at General Fong's fortress, Team Avatar, of which Yun is now considered a part, barely has any downtime before Yuan Chong's men assault the base. During the fight, the young Earthbender distinguishes himself by saving General Fong's life and catching Yuan Chong's most powerful general, Ri Wu, off guard. However, he is nearly killed by Ri Wu once the latter recovers from his initial shock and is only saved by Zuko's airship, which rained fire down on the enemy and forced them to retreat. After the battle, Yun is designated to accompany Zuko, along with the Kyoshi Warriors, to Pohuai Stronghold, where the combined Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom armies intend to ambush Yuan Chong.

Pohuai Stronghold[]

While en route to the ambush site, Yun is shown his parents' estate and fortune by Zuko, and the Fire Lord tells him that he can choose to accept it or not. This leaves Yun with a choice that troubles him: accept it and leave Ty Lee, or stay with her. Upon landing at Pohuai Stronghold, Team Avatar was immediately required to prepare themselves for battle. Yun, Toph, Ty Lee, and Suki stay with General Fong on the front lines to aid in the main attack while the others prepare in their own way. As the battle begins, the warriors have little trouble, but Long Feng and the Dai Li soon begin causing problems. Yun and Mai rush to protect the young acrobat when the after-effects of her brainwashing take hold, but that proves unnecessary when she breaks through her fear and attacks Long Feng. The four fighters attack Long Feng until he is forced to retreat, but even that is unsuccessful when Haru, intent on avenging his father, nearly kills him. As he is about to deliver the final blow, Yun stops him and convinces him to stand down. Unfortunately, a group of twenty-five Dai Li agents attacks the group, intent on rescuing Long Feng. The agents, however, were easily beaten by the five warriors, and they all agreed to move back toward the stronghold, taking with them an unconscious Long Feng. The battle ended a bittersweet victory, as they had defended the fortress, but Yuan Chong passed through the strait and moved toward the Fire Nation.

Island Hopping[]

On their way to defend the Fire Nation from the Earth King, Yun decided to obtain information. The best source was Long Feng, who was at that point a prisoner in the airship's brig. He manipulated the former Grand Secretariat into revealing Yuan Chong's plan, which he immediately relayed to Zuko. The result was Team Avatar splitting once more to stop the Earth King's advance. Meanwhile, Yun asked Ty Lee to tell Mai about the occurrence at Lake Laogai, which she does. While the others are off fighting on their respective battlefields, Yun and the others wait in the Capitol, and he declares his allegiance to the Fire Nation, an act which breaks Ty Lee's heart.

Endgame[]

Before the Earth Kingdom Army reaches the Fire Nation, Ty Lee confronts Yun about his decision, a decision that puts them on two different paths. Yun comforts her, and they both go to meet the enemy. He watched Zuko's duel with the others and began to fight when Ri Wu pressed the attack, in the process confronting General Yung, Bumi's former friend. Their fight was short, and Yun, distracted as he was, fell quickly. Only Ty Lee's intervention saved his life, and he promised the defeated Yung a fair trial. He once again provided comfort for Ty Lee when she revealed that she had been forced to take a life. Yun and Ty Lee see each other one final time at Zuko and Mai's wedding, and Yun, now a captain in the Fire Nation Army, promises her that he will visit Kyoshi Island as often as he can. He seals this promise by giving Ty Lee a bracelet that he had noticed that she wanted back before the fight in the Capitol, and he also congratulates Mai on her union to Zuko.

History (S&D)[]

Marriage[]

In 106 AG, Yun Zhen made his way once more to the Impenetrable City in order to meet with Earth King Kuei. He made a personal request to visit the catacombs of Ba Sing Se in order to retrieve a crystal to complete the necklace he planned to use to propose to Ty Lee. Upon retrieval of a bright green crystal fragment, Yun Zhen completed the necklace and made his way to Kyoshi Island. When he arrived, he visited Ty Lee after dealing with one of his troublesome crew members and apologized for his long absence. To make it up to her, he offered to take her out to dinner. While they ate, he revealed the reason he had come by proposing to his longtime love. She accepted, and four months later, they were married.

Paranoid Fatherhood[]

Yun Zhen was shown to have fathered a child, Sanaki, with Ty Lee. He was very protective of her, even to the point of refusing to allow her to go to Republic City with Tenzin and the others. However, he soon relented under the condition that she stay out of trouble and that he would stay at the Royal Family's residence when the World Meeting rolled around.

In Republic City[]

As the World Meeting rolled around, Yun and Ty Lee made their way to Republic City with Zuko and Mai. Unfortunately, their arrival coincided with the defeat of the Warrior's Legacy in their Pro-Bending match, a defeat that resulted in San being injured. He and Ty Lee comforted their daughter, and Yun discussed the fight with Tenzin. Later, during the festivities, Yun gave Lu Ten permission to escort San to the Unification Ball, but warned against hurting her in any way. At the ball itself, he found it difficult to relax while Lu Ten and San danced, but Ty Lee convinced him to dance with her and relax, which he happily did. The next morning, when Aang was making sure that someone would stay behind to watch over the children, Yun revealed that he had been charged to turn the Royal Tower into an embassy. This revelation caused Ty Lee some distress, seeing as he hadn't told her. A day later, Yun and his family were leaving the tower to get lunch when they noticed a dejected Lu Ten sitting alone by the fountain. The Captain realized that the Crown Prince was feeling let down by his father's lack of attention and gave him some advice, following that by inviting him and his sister out to lunch.

Versus the Equalists[]

His interactions with the Crown Prince continued when Lu Ten, Sanaki, Ty Lee, and he decided to take a walk around the city the next day. He and his wife shared a romantic moment, which allowed San and Lu Ten to inadvertently slip away. They decided to use the time to discuss the embassy idea that Yun had mentioned, but he and Ty Lee were soon attacked by four Equalist warriors, whom they easily defeated. However, with their victory came the realization that San and Lu Ten were likely also under attack, and both parents rushed to their aid. They got them just in time, finishing off the attackers and making sure that both of the children were okay. Yun noticed in particular that San had been forced to take a life, and he sympathized with her position. When Kyani revealed that the attacks had been specially attributed to each person's abilities, Yun advised that they get back to the tower as soon as possible. Upon arriving at the tower, they found Chikyuu injured and Iroh in critical condition, though the old man soon woke up. Soon after, Yun attempted to keep order as the search for Sora began.

Final Curtain[]

Yun and Sokka were the first to meet Tenzin as he brought Sora's dead body into the tower, and they looked on as Tenzin wept. He and Ty Lee helped to comfort the others while they grieved, and all was finally ready to come to a head when Zuko arrived. Team Avatar came together again to take down the Equalists, but first, Yun intended to address an earlier concern. He confronted Zuko about his unintentional ignoring of his children, a fact the Fire Lord did not appreciate. Nevertheless, Zuko acknowledged that he had to atone for it. Upon their arrival at the abandoned theatre, they found dozens of Equalists, but Kiryu Iran and Solf Koruhagi, the ones responsible for Sora's murder, were not among them. Yun and Ty Lee, for their part, fought through many of the attackers in an almost artistic display, and soon enough had helped to defeat them all. Team Avatar soon discovered that their children had run off to confront the remaining Equalists on their own, but they arrived after the battle was already over. Both Kiryu Iran and Solf Koruhagi were dead, killed by their own hands. Afterward, plans were made for Sora's funeral, and when it finally came time, Yun watched as his daughter comforted a distraught Kyani. With his family's time in Republic City coming to an end, Yun, Ty Lee, and San headed back home to the Fire Nation.

History (Vortex)[]

Yun Zhen is one of the protagonists of Vortex. History to come.

Personality[]

Yun is, despite his circumstances, mostly kind and outgoing. He is also extremely loyal to his friends and will defend them with everything he has. On the flip side, his hatred of his enemies, particularly the Fire Nation, causes him to identify anyone who is or was a part of it as an enemy. This attitude is only changed after he meets Ty Lee and finds out that Piandao is his uncle. He is a naturally empathetic person, a trait strengthened by his connection to the earth, but this also has a dark side. He is able to psychologically manipulate Long Feng because of his empathy and relishes the chance to do so, possibly because of the fact that Long Feng is his enemy.

Abilities[]

Yun Zhen is an Earthbender, but his style is odd because of a disability he has that prevents him from lifting or manipulating large sections of earth. To compensate, he learned alternate techniques from Bumi, Guru Pathik, Piandao, and the Badgermoles. This unique amalgamation allowed him to match opponents of oftentimes greater power and skill by catching them off guard, such as Long Feng and Ri Wu.

Rock Glove/Rock Gauntlet[]

This technique was the first that Bumi taught him in order to compensate for his weakness, and Yun picked it up almost immediately. It is the act of forming small sections of earth around one's hand, forming a glove of rocks that one can manipulate. Through his travels, Yun gained further mastery of the technique by creating the Rock Gauntlet, a more battle-oriented version of the Rock Glove. From this, he launches two kinds of projectiles, spikes and blunt pieces. The latter is used to incapacitate by combining Earthbending and the knowledge of chi-blocking.

Immersion[]

Bumi also taught him how to submerge or immerse people in the earth, which Yun noted that it took less effort to do than lifting rocks.

Seismic Sense[]

Yun actually began his Earthbending training when Bumi helped him establish the principle of neutral jing, a simple form of Seismic Sense. This technique became second nature to Yun after further training from the Badgermoles that lived in the Cave of Two Lovers, so much so that his sense was almost equal to Toph's when used in combat. However, Yun was also more keen to pick up emotions than Toph, once even realizing that something he said caused Ty Lee emotional pain.

Chi Blocking[]

Yun Zhen learned Chi Blocking from Guru Pathik while on his journey. His mastery was, by the end of his training, equivalent to Ty Lee and Suki, and he often mixed it with his bending to devastating effect, as seen in his fight with Long Feng.

Swordsmanship[]

Yun possesses a sword made entirely of compressed earth, and he uses it to great effect. Though not as skilled as Sokka or Piandao, Yun has the potential to be a great swordmaster. When used in conjunction with his bending, Piandao and Sokka are two of the only people who can beat him. By the time the story of Sons and Daughters begins, Yun Zhen is one of the most skilled swordsmen in the world.

Notes[]

- The image of Yun used on this page was created by the incredibly talented Minnichi, in case you were wondering.

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For the collective works of the author, go here.

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