| "No, thank you. The Air Acolytes follow the ancient Air Nomad practice of vegetarianism." |
| — Yee-Li politely refusing Sokka's suggestion of trying some turtle duck meat.[1] |
Yee-Li was one of the founding members of the Official Avatar Aang Fan Club.[2] She was later taught the ways of the Air Nomads by Aang himself and became one of the first Air Acolytes.[3]
History[]
Meeting Avatar Aang[]
When Aang was brought to the Official Avatar Aang Fan Club, Hei-Won introduced him to Yee-Li, who promptly showed him the airbender flute she had bought from a traveling merchant. This immediately sparked the Avatar's interest, as his mentor, Monk Gyatso, had once owned such an instrument as well. Yee-Li asked if he knew how to play, whereupon Aang did just that. Delighted, the young girl began to dance to the music. Later on, she and her fellow club members enthusiastically said goodbye to the Avatar.
In the following night, she overheard Katara and Aang's conversation about going to Yu Dao to evacuate the Fire Nation colonists before General How and his army arrived. Afterward, she sent a messenger bird to the Yu Dao Official Avatar Aang Fan Club, with a letter saying that the Avatar needed help.[2]
Reviving Yangchen's Festival[]
Yee-Li was excited to learn that Aang invited her and the other Air Acolytes to join him in the celebration of Yangchen's Festival.
After the end of the peace talks in Yu Dao, Yee-Li attended the banquet in celebration of the city's newly elected coalition government. When Sokka told her to try the turtle duck dish, she declined politely, stating that the Air Acolytes followed the Air Nomad practice of vegetarianism. When Aang joined their group, Yee-Li was excited to hear him announce that she would be accompanying him the following day on a field trip.
Yee-Li was thrilled to learn more about Yangchen's Festival and excited about the prospect to be able to play her cymbals as part of the celebration. When Toph refused to bow for the statue, which was the first part of the ceremony, and insulted the holiday, Aang taught Yee-Li and the other Acolytes that a true Air Nomad lets insults pass them by in order to preserve inner peace. Yee-Li did partake in the bowing ceremony and her excitement for the holiday's celebration only grew after that, exclaiming it to already be incredible. For the next step, she took out her cymbals and joined Aang in creating traditional Air Nomad music to accompany the group's walk toward a sacred meadow where they were set to enjoy a ceremonial meal. However, her musical input aggravated Toph, who eventually used her metalbending to destroy the instrument.
Although initially concerned about the legality of their action, Yee-Li happily followed Aang and the others onto the private Earthen Fire Refinery's grounds to investigate Yangchen's lead.
Their walk led them toward a town that was built atop the sacred meadow, causing Yee-Li to be equally distraught as Aang. When the group ventured through town, she accompanied Aang, Katara, and the other Air Acolytes toward a fenced-off area from which a repugnant smell arose. When Aang indicated they were going to bypass the fence, she raised concerns about the legality of that action, though Aang brushed them off by stating that it was the fence that was not supposed to be there, not them. When Aang subsequently used his earthbending and airbending to lift them all over the fence, she exclaimed happily how she loved being an Air Acolyte. However, soon after, they were discovered and attacked by four guards of the refinery, who wanted to expel them from the private grounds for trespassing. She once again received a lesson about Air Nomad tradition: avoid conflict unless absolutely necessary, and even then, contact should be kept to a minimum. Together with the other Acolytes, she applauded Aang for his demonstration of the lesson by using his airbending to let the attacking guards knock each other out. She attended a tour of the Earthen Fire Refinery with the others, though she grew worried when Aang once again stared off in the distance to Yangchen's apparition, who was only visible to him.[1]
Yee-Li was captured by Ogodei together with Xing Ying and Jingbo, before Toph Beifong used her metalbending to free them.
When Lao Beifong ordered the Rough Rhinos to escort Team Avatar and the Air Acolytes off the refinery's premises, Yee-Li was confused as to why Aang and the others assumed a battle stance, noting to Xing Ying and Jingbo that she had never realized that being an Acolyte meant they had to break the rules. As the battle broke out, she and the others were ordered to find a safer place, though they found their path blocked by Ogodei, who threatened them with his bolo. Yee-Li was saved by Jingbo, who drove the Rough Rhino away by charging him with a forklift. The rescue was short-lived, however, as she found herself tied down together with Xing Ying by the metal chain when they had been talking to Jingbo. She was released soon after by Toph, who used her metalbending to take out Ogodei, and subsequently received a lecture from the earthbender that she needed to care more about the present than about ancient Air Nomad traditions if she were to have a future.
Yee-Li joined Aang, Xing Ying, and Jingbo at a local restaurant to share the ceremonial meal for Yangchen's Festival.
After the battle, Yee-Li accompanied Aang and the other Acolytes back to town where the four of them were to have the ceremonial meal to celebrate Yangchen's Festival. She was led to a tree under which Aang and Gyatso used to eat the meal, though after finding it had been cut down, they entered the local restaurant that had been built on the same place in hopes of celebrating there. She helped prepare the setting and later joined hands with the others while Aang recited the blessing. She was surprised to learn, though, that before he was done, he had crossed over to the Spirit World. When another earthquake hit, rousing Aang out of his meditation, Yee-Li followed him outside and back to the factory grounds, where they learned of the cave-in of the local iron mine. Yee-Li took care of Niyok, who had broken her arm while fleeing the collapsing mine.[4]
As Aang and Toph's metalbending students worked to rescue those trapped, Yee-Li asked Xing Ying who they were. After her fellow Acolyte answered and commented that they were "pretty great", Yee-Li looked at The Dark One and agreed. Following the successful rescue and Aang seeing another vision of Yangchen, the Acolytes were called upon to finish the ceremonial meal, but could not because the vase was damaged. The three instead watched as Aang meditated to reconnect with his past lives. While they continued to help injured workers, the spirit General Old Iron emerged and targeted the town, prompting Yee-Li to turn and watch.
Following the defeat of Old Iron, Yee-Li began to bond with The Dark One, sitting and talking to him as the other Acolytes helped distribute food to everyone. She quickly acquired a soft spot for him despite their seemingly opposite personalities.[5] They both marched with cymbals in the new Spirits' Friendship Festival three months later, with the Acolyte watching with a smile as the metalbender used his abilities to raise his cymbals into the air and play them.[6]
Personality[]
Yee-Li had a cheerful personality and was so dedicated to keeping Air Nomad tradition alive that she was accused of focusing too much on the past, though such criticism did not deter her. Yee-Li was particularly fond of Air Nomad music, and she played the cymbals when the Acolytes played together.[5]
Appearances[]
Graphic novels[]
- The Promise trilogy
- The Rift trilogy
- North and South Part One (flashback, no lines)
Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan; Yang, Gene Luen (writer), Sasaki of Gurihiru (penciling, inking), Kawano of Gurihiru (colorist), Heisler, Michael; Comicraft (letterer). The Rift Part One (March 5, 2014), Dark Horse Comics.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan; Yang, Gene Luen (writer), Sasaki of Gurihiru (penciling, inking), Kawano of Gurihiru (colorist), Heisler, Michael; Comicraft (letterer). The Promise Part Two (May 30, 2012), Dark Horse Comics.
- ↑ DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan; Yang, Gene Luen (writer), Sasaki of Gurihiru (penciling, inking), Kawano of Gurihiru (colorist), Heisler, Michael; Comicraft (letterer). The Promise Part Three (September 26, 2012), Dark Horse Comics.
- ↑ DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan; Yang, Gene Luen (writer), Sasaki of Gurihiru (penciling, inking), Kawano of Gurihiru (colorist), Heisler, Michael; Comicraft (letterer). The Rift Part Two (July 2, 2014), Dark Horse Comics.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 71.
- ↑ DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan; Yang, Gene Luen (writer), Sasaki of Gurihiru (penciling, inking), Kawano of Gurihiru (colorist), Heisler, Michael; Comicraft (letterer). The Rift Part Three (November 5, 2014), Dark Horse Comics.