Lu and Gang

"Yep, and smack-dab in Republic City's jurisdiction, which means another problem for us. All this stress is gonna turn old black beauty gray."

— Lu complaining over having to investigate a new case.

Lu and Gang
Biographical information
Nationality	Republic City, United Republic
Political information
Profession	Police officers
Position	Detectives (formerly)
Affiliation	Republic City Police Department
Chronological information
First appearance	"Peacekeepers"
Last appearance	"The Last Stand"
Voiced by	Mark Allan Stewart (Lu) Rick Zieff (Gang)
Image gallery (8)

Lu and Gang are two former detectives of the Republic City police force, working under the orders of Chief Lin Beifong. They were demoted from their positions after President Raiko and his wife were almost kidnapped by assailants hired by Varrick.

History

171 AG

Lu and Gang were at the harbor arresting a group of men when Team Avatar arrived in Republic City on Varrick's yacht.

The two detectives were appointed to the case of the bombing of the Southern Water Tribe Cultural Center, tasked with apprehending the culprits. As such, they received the remote control Mako managed to obtain from the bombers. However, believing the Northern Water Tribe to be behind the bombing, they did not put much effort into investigating the device.

Lu and Gang performed their special hand shake when celebrating their successful prank against Mako.

After Mako made a breakthrough in the case by identifying the firebender he had seen fleeing the scene as a member of the Agni Kai Triad, Lu and Gang decided to prank the rookie officer upon his arrival at the police headquarters by sending him into Lin's office, knowing that she was in a meeting with President Raiko, and would not be pleased with an interruption. They made fun of Mako and laughed as they heard the chief snap at him, but acted apologetic toward him upon his return. Although he did not buy their act, he chose to ignore it and disclosed his findings to them about the apparent suspect. However, opposed to taking action, they filed the image away and remained convinced that the Northerners were responsible, telling Mako to stop investigating the case.

The two officers were later present when Avatar Korra barged into the department to confront Mako over ratting her out to Raiko.

When news of the fifth robbery of one of Varrick Global Industries' ships reached Republic City, the two officers were displeased to find that the crime had happened in the city's waters, and as such, fell under their jurisdiction. However, they remained adamant that the Northern Water Tribe was behind the attacks, laughing away Mako's attempts to help solve the case once again, and were thoroughly amused to see their chief order Mako out of the investigation room and onto the streets.

Lu and Gang gleefully searched Mako's apartment and were pleased when they could arrest him.

A few days later, Lu and Gang traveled to Mako's apartment with Chief Beifong to investigate an incriminating lead they had been given by members of the Triple Threat Triad they had arrested earlier. While Mako discussed the allegations with Lin, Lu and Gang searched his apartment. Lu discovered a bag full of money and explosives, a find he gleefully announced to the others. Gang instantly handcuffed the firebender, declaring that he should have known that Mako would conspire with the Triple Threats due to his past. When Asami came to Mako's defense, an amused Lu brushed her objections aside by labeling Mako as a crooked cop who had just been using her. Gang seconded that statement and laughed away Mako's protests that it had been Varrick who was setting him up while he led the firebender out of the apartment.

Chief Beifong placed Lu and Gang on security detail at the Pro-bending Arena for the final episode of Varrick's mover, The Adventures of Nuktuk: Hero of the South. However, the two did not take their job seriously, munching on Varri-cakes throughout the evening. When Varrick's hired men entered the arena, Lu and Gang were easily defeated and forced into a locker while the intruders moved on to kidnap President Raiko. They were later freed from the locker by Bolin and warned him about the intruders. After the earthbender was able to save the president, the two detectives were present as Mako was released from jail, but reacted in shock when Chief Beifong announced they were to be demoted from their positions.

174 AG

Following the conclusion of Kuvira's attack on Republic City, Lu and Gang entertained the guests of Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding during the dinner party by playing the banjo and erhu, respectively, in a band.

Personality

Lu and Gang were highly amused when Chief Lin Beifong called Mako a beat cop and ordered him onto the streets.

Lu and Gang are rather indolent men who do not take their job as detectives very seriously; even when given leads on cases, they show little inclination to investigate, letting themselves be guided by prejudice. They spend their time mocking and playing pranks mostly on Mako, and teasing him with names like "super cop", displaying a degree of immaturity. They were also inept at police work, spending more time eating and indulging themselves while acting as security detail rather than keeping an eye on the perimeter during President Raiko's mover gala.

Appearances

The Legend of Korra

Book Two: Spirits (神靈)

• 205. "Peacekeepers"
• 206. "The Sting"
• 209. "The Guide"
• 211. "Night of a Thousand Stars"

Book Four: Balance (平衡)

• 408. "Remembrances" ^{(flashback, no lines)}
• 413. "The Last Stand" ^{(no lines)}

Trivia

• Lu and Gang apparently share a close bond with each other, as they had even created a special hand shake they performed when successfully pulling pranks on Mako.
• The final designs for the two characters depicted Lu as the "short one" and Gang as the "tall one", although it was initially intended to be the other way around.
• Lu referring to his moustache as "black beauty" was a reference on the part of writer Joshua Hamilton to the fiction novel Black Beauty, a story about the titular, similarly colored horse.
• Lu's incorrect pronunciation of Mako's name came from one of the duo's actors mispronouncing it in a recording session. The writers then decided to use the mispronunciation in the characters' subsequent appearances, figuring it reinforced Lu and Gang's disrespect for Mako.