| "Come on, show a little more backbone. It's time the benders of this city displayed some strength and unity against these Equalists." |
| — Lin to the United Republic Council.[1] |
Lin Beifong is the Chief of Police of the Republic City Police Department, the daughter of Toph Beifong, and the older half sister of Suyin Beifong.[4] Although her mother taught Avatar Korra's previous incarnation how to earthbend, Lin displayed no affection toward her when they first met. However, Lin's feelings toward the young Avatar changed when Amon and his Equalists made their public appearance and openly challenged the benders of the world.[1] Lin is brave, loyal, and willing to sacrifice herself in order to do what she believes is right.
Quick Answers
Who are Lin Beifong's parents?
What is the relationship between Lin Beifong and Tenzin?
How did Lin Beifong's feelings towards Avatar Korra change over time?
Does Lin Beifong regain her bending abilities?
What is the relationship between Lin and Suyin?
History
Early life
Born to Toph Beifong two decades after the Hundred Year War, Lin inherited the earthbending prowess of her mother and eventually mastered the art and two of its sub-skills, metalbending and seismic sense. Due to Toph's childhood being one of constant restriction, she gave Lin and her half-sister, Suyin, much more freedom, though she did not divulge to them their respective fathers' identities. However, Toph's carefree approach to raising the two led Lin and Suyin to act out more in hopes of getting her attention. Lin later followed in her mother's footsteps and joined the Metalbending Police Force.[5]
Having very different personalities, a young Lin and Suyin ultimately come to blows with each other.
Sometime in 141 AG, after joining the Republic City Police Force, Lin came home to notice Suyin skipping school and hanging out with her suspicious friends. Upon confronting her about it, she was harshly told by Suyin that it was none of her business. Lin stopped her from leaving and told her she was ruining her life, prompting her half-sister to retort by saying that she at least had a life before leaving behind a fuming Lin.
Later, Lin intercepted a getaway car from a robbery. The suspects proved to be Suyin's friends, who were members of the Terra Triad. She was surprised to learn that Suyin was the getaway driver. Lin expressed her anger over her sister's involvement with the Terra Triad. Although Su insisted that she only drove the getaway car as a favor, Lin remained unconvinced and threatened her as she began to walk away from the scene. After Suyin dismissed her, Lin tried to apprehend her by snagging her wrist with a cable. While trying to stop Suyin running away, her line was cut by her exasperated sibling, resulting in it snapping back and scarring Lin's face. The two sisters were later brought in front of their mother at her police office, where both were reprimanded. Lin refused to accept the blame because Suyin was running around with criminals. At her mother's request, Lin turned over the arrest report, but watched in shock as Toph tore it, believing the incident could not be covered up. The young officer was angered, especially at the reasoning that Toph, being chief, could not have a daughter in jail, taking it as a sign that her sister could do what she wanted. Lin saw this event as the reason why Toph retired from the police force a year later; Toph supposedly being guilt-ridden of her actions and thus refusing to forgive her half-sister for not taking responsibility. This belief influenced Lin to refuse talking to Su even after Su and Toph reconciled with each other many years later.[6] While Su later founded the Metal Clan, Lin eventually rose the ranks to become Republic City's Chief of Police.
As her mother was friends with Avatar Aang, Lin and Tenzin had known each other since childhood. According to Tenzin, she got along "famously" with his father. Earlier in her life, she dated Tenzin, but the two eventually drifted apart, as they had different goals in life. The relationship was broken completely after Pema confessed her love for the airbender. Angered, Lin wreaked havoc on Air Temple Island[7] and unsuccessfully attempted to throw Pema in jail.[1]
In 158 AG, following the first kidnapping attempt of Avatar Korra, Lin collaborated with the Order of the White Lotus in interrogating the Avatar's would-be captors, led by Zaheer. However, none of them divulged information regarding their motives.[8]
170 AG
Meeting Avatar Korra
Lin interrogated Avatar Korra inside the police headquarters.
When Korra arrived in Republic City, she was subsequently arrested and brought before Chief Lin Beifong on charges of destruction of private and city property after a skirmish with three Triple Threat gangsters. The two had a conversation in which Lin explained that she held no favoritism toward the young Avatar despite the fact that her mother and Aang were friends. When Tenzin arrived, Lin begrudgingly agreed to drop the charges against Korra, though made it clear that she wanted the Avatar "out of [her] city". The next day, the Chief attended a press conference during which Korra made her first public appearance as the Avatar in Republic City. At that time, the new Avatar was also asked if she would be working with Chief Beifong, a question to which she did not reply.[4]
Lin later encountered Korra again at a party hosted by Councilman Tarrlok, where she remained unimpressed with the Avatar, stating that Korra had done absolutely nothing to deserve the city's praise.[9]
The Championship Finals
Lin persuaded the United Republic Council to keep the Pro-bending Arena open.
Several nights before the pro-bending championship match, Amon hijacked the radio broadcast and threatened that if the game was not canceled, the Equalists would unleash an attack on the arena.
Shortly after this announcement, the United Republic Council was in favor of closing the arena for the sake of public safety, despite Korra, Bolin, and Mako's pleading. Lin, however, entered City Hall and, albeit reluctantly, agreed with Korra and demanded that the Council show some backbone. In exchange for keeping the arena open, the Chief agreed to provide heavy security for the event. This agreement convinced Tarrlok and the rest of the Council to leave the arena open. Tenzin encountered Lin later and offered to provide her protection during the event, but she demanded that she not be babysat, insisting she could take care of herself. Korra approached Lin and expressed her gratitude to Lin for agreeing with her in the Council meeting, however, she ignored the Avatar's thanks.
Lin proceeded to establish tight security for the event, and finally agreed to bury an old hatchet and work together with Tenzin. Her officers continued checking and rechecking the arena for any signs of anything suspicious, and eventually decided it was clear.
Lin Beifong later met up with Tenzin and the two watched the match together. As Tenzin became enraged about the Wolfbats' blatant disregard of the rules, Lin became amused, claiming that she did not think he would know the rules of pro-bending. The two exchanged some conversation during the match as the Wolfbats won a controversial victory, mostly after Korra won her tie-breaker match with Tahno. Lin became somewhat impressed, remarking that she could not believe that the sweet-tempered Aang was reincarnated into Korra, whom she described to be "tough as nails". Tenzin commented that Korra reminded him of Lin at that age, and that he believed they would get along if she would give her a chance.
Despite Lin's maximum security, the Equalists formulated a plan and her preparations were rendered useless. Due to the fact that the metalbending cops' armor was impervious to an attack by chi blocking, the Equalists had developed other means of entering and attacking the arena. After the match, the Equalists furtively attacked Tenzin and Lin with electrified gloves, rendering them unconscious.
Amon appeared at the center of arena and made a speech about the Equalist movement; he subsequently attempted to leave through the pro-bending arena's ceiling. Korra attempted to pursue them and used waterbending to give herself a boost to the ceiling. However, she came up short, and Lin used one of her metal cables to successfully boost Korra up to the ceiling.
Lin battled Equalists atop the Pro-bending Arena.
Lin soon joined the Avatar on the roof and attempted to fight the Lieutenant and other Equalists. The metalbender was stunned again by the Lieutenant, but managed to recover and continued to fight alongside the young Avatar. Lin attached herself onto the Equalist blimp, and was close to capturing Amon, however, at exactly the same moment, Korra fell through the Pro-bending Arena's glass ceiling. The chief was left making the hard decision between possibly capturing Amon, or saving Korra's life, and in a selfless act Lin chose the latter. Korra thanked the metalbender for saving her life. Tenzin, Lin, and the Avatar discussed that Amon had gotten the better of them on that night, and Tenzin declared that this was the beginning of a war.[1]
Investigating the Sato factory
After the Equalist attack, Lin received notoriety from the public for failing to capture Amon. Councilman Tarrlok even proposed in a press conference that she be replaced as the Chief of Police. Lin began conducting numerous investigations with Tenzin, interrogating the witnesses of the incident in the arena. She later received intelligence that Cabbage Corp had manufactured the Equalist weaponry, so the Metalbending Police Force proceeded to shut down the company and arrest the owner.
When Lin and Tenzin were alerted by Korra of a possible connection between Hiroshi Sato and the Equalists, the metalbender at first doubted about its veracity, but agreed with Tenzin that he would have both the means and the motive. The Chief and the airbender went to the Sato estate to question him further. The businessman excused his guilt, claiming it was all a simple misunderstanding; he also welcomed Lin's officers to search his factories. However, Lin and her men were not able to find any substantial evidence to incriminate Sato.
As the investigation came to an end, a worker in the factory slipped Korra a note telling her to meet him underneath the Silk Road Bridge. Korra, Lin, and Tenzin met the worker, who explained that Sato was an Equalist and that he had indeed manufactured the weapons used during the arena attack. The worker also revealed that Sato was preparing to launch a new, more powerful weapon, which he was making in a secret factory underneath his mansion.
Lin, Korra, Tenzin, and the metalbenders faced Hiroshi's mecha tank.
Lin, Korra, and Tenzin, escorted by some metalbending officers, conducted a second search of the Sato estate, and discovered a massive factory with Equalist propaganda and several weapons, including new, massive robot-like machines, mecha tanks. However, they soon realized they had been lured into a trap as Hiroshi Sato sealed the factory off, and began to fight Lin, Korra, Tenzin, and the officers with the new machines. While the group was able to fend off Sato, he and the Equalists eventually overpowered the benders and rendered them unconscious. Hiroshi ordered his men to bind everyone and bring them to Amon.
Meanwhile, Mako and Bolin entered the factory and attempted to carry Korra, Tenzin, and Lin to the surface; however, Hiroshi soon discovered them and prepared to attack the brothers. They were saved by the appearance of Asami, who had also made her way to the factory. After a brief conversation with her father, Asami used an electrified glove to knock out Hiroshi and the Lieutenant, giving time for everyone, herself included, to escape via airship. However, they were forced to leave Lin's officers behind as they could not carry them, and the Equalists had already begun to load them into the trucks.
While on the airship heading back to the city, Lin, still in pain from the attack, told Tenzin that she feared for the fate of her men and, since she had failed twice as police chief, was planning to turn in her resignation in the morning. Tenzin told her to not give up the fight, but the metalbender stated she was resigning so that she could find her men and take down Amon her way: outside of the law.[10]
Lin officially presented her resignation as chief the next morning and turned her position over to Saikhan.[11]
Searching for Avatar Korra
Lin rescued the officers captured during the battle at the Equalist factory.
While Lin was in the hospital recovering from her injuries, Saikhan had taken over as the Chief of Police, with Tarrlok developing an increased influence over the new chief. In this time, Tarrlok unjustly arrested a crowd of nonbenders, as well as Mako, Bolin, and Asami.
Some days later, Lin awoke to a radio broadcast announcing that Korra had been kidnapped by the Equalists. She went to the prison and quickly freed Asami, Mako, and Bolin. Tenzin soon joined the group, and they went to search for Korra and Lin's captured men. Uncovering a network of tunnels under the city, the four, including Tenzin, discovered and infiltrated the Equalist hideout. Lin also found the officers who she was forced to abandon underneath Hiroshi Sato's mansion; however, once she discovered that Amon had already taken their bending away, she expressed regret and apologized for arriving too late. Several minutes later, a chi blocker they had captured told them under duress that the Equalists had never kidnapped Korra and that Tarrlok had been lying. With the help of Lin's earthbending and metalbending, they escaped from their pursuers via tram, the group making its way out of the underground tunnels to the surface. From there, they traveled toward City Hall to confront Tarrlok.
Once they arrived, the group challenged Tarrlok's story of what had happened the previous night, telling him they knew he was lying and had Korra. His assistant revealed that he was a bloodbender, and he had, in fact, kidnapped the Avatar. Lin and Tenzin readied themselves for combat, but Tarrlok knocked the entire group unconscious by bloodbending them. After they woke up, they resumed their search for Korra.
Later, when Lin and the others heard Naga howl, they traveled to the source of the sound and found the polar bear dog with Korra on her back. Lin attempted to find out from Korra where Tarrlok was, but Mako pushed her aside, demanding that they all gave Korra some space.[12]
Defending Air Temple Island
After Tenzin arrived, Lin stayed with his family and before the airbender had to leave for an important Council meeting, he asked Lin to look after his wife and children, to which she agreed. Pema arrived shortly afterward and handed her Meelo, stating that he needed a wash, much to Lin's displeasure. After Tenzin left to meet with the other council members, sounds of explosions made it clear that Republic City was under attack, prompting Lin to order the family to go inside. When the Equalists arrived on the island, she tried to defend herself, but was electrified. Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo came to her rescue and defeated the group of attackers in a small battle with surprising ease. As more airships were heading toward the island, Tenzin decided to take his family to a safer location away from Republic City.
Lin knew the family would need protection and accompanied them, taking it upon herself to protect the last airbenders in existence. As she and Tenzin's family fled, two Equalist airships pursued them. After tearing up the net launched by one of the airships, Lin made the difficult decision to attack the aircraft, telling Tenzin not to turn back, no matter what happened to her. Using the broken net's cable, she jumped off of Oogi and climbed atop the airship using her metal wires. Once on top, she ripped a hole in the metal and tore the top of the airship in two. She jumped to the second one to do the same, but was ambushed by Equalists and knocked out with electrified bolas.
Following the capture of the metalbender, the lone Equalist airship turned back and stopped pursuing Tenzin and his family. Lin's sacrifice prompted Meelo to declare her his hero, a statement with which Tenzin solemnly agreed.
Lin was brought back to Air Temple Island to face Amon. He inquired about Korra's whereabouts, telling her that if she complied, he would not remove her bending. Lin, tied up and defenseless, chose to remain silent and willingly sacrificed her bending in order to protect the Avatar. Amon removed her bending and she collapsed to the ground.
Former glory restored
Despite losing her bending, Lin accompanied Team Avatar throughout Amon's conquest. After Amon was outed as a bender, Lin traveled with Team Avatar and Tenzin's family to the Southern Water Tribe compound, where Korra hoped Katara would be able to restore her bending. When Katara said she was unable to restore Korra's bending, Lin grievingly remarked that Katara, the best healer in the world, must be able to do something, as otherwise Amon's damage could never be undone. However, when Korra ran away on Naga, she was visited by Aang's spirit, who restored her bending through energybending. Later, Korra used energybending to restore Lin's earthbending, substantiated when Lin raised a number of boulders surrounding their location. Afterward, she thanked Korra for restoring her bending. Some time after she returned to Republic City, she was reinstated as Chief of Police. Due to Mako's good work in busting triads, Lin believed he could make it to detective.[13]
171 AG
Varrick's machinations
Six months later, Lin welcomed Team Avatar and Varrick back at Republic City, immediately getting at Korra for starting a civil war among the Water Tribes. She ordered Mako to resume his position as an officer, as there would be a peace march orchestrated by the Southerners later in the evening and he was needed to safeguard the order. However, despite the significant police force Lin had deployed, the peace march was disturbed by the bombing of the Southern Water Tribe Cultural Center.
Lin was grilled by President Raiko for not having arrested the culprits of the bombing of the Southern Water Tribe Cultural Center.
The next day, Lin was paid a visit by President Raiko, who grilled her over the bombing and threatened to replace her if she failed to apprehend the culprits soon. When Mako interrupted said meeting, bringing news about the bombing, she snapped at him, ordering him to give the evidence he found to Lu and Gang, the officers in charge of the bombing case.
Later that day, Lin exited her office, finding the police station to be a mess. When she demanded to know what had happened, Mako stated that he had broken up with the Avatar. Amused, she commented that he got off easy compared to her break up with Tenzin.[7]
When the news about the fifth robbery of one of Varrick Global Industries' ships reached Republic City, Lin questioned the captain of the ship in hopes of finding a lead to the culprits. Much to her dismay, her interview was interrupted by Mako, who was convinced that there was a link between the robbery and the bombing of the Southern Water Tribe Cultural Center. Angered, she shot down Mako's ideas, not taking the time to listen to them, and ordered him to drop his investigation and go out on the streets to do his job, as he was not a detective, but a beat cop.[14]
Following a lead from the Triple Threat Triad, Lin Beifong conducted a search of Mako's apartment which led to the firebender's arrest.
A few days later, Lin traveled to Mako's apartment with Lu and Gang to investigate an incriminating lead she had been given by members of the Triple Threat Triad they had arrested. Mako admitted he had hired the Triple Threats for a sting operation, but Lin informed the young firebender that the information she had been given by the gangsters suggested he had assisted them in stealing from the Future Industries warehouse. Although Mako denied the allegations, Lin stated she was obligated to follow up on the lead. When Lu showed Lin the money and explosives he had found during his search of the apartment, she asked Mako why he possessed explosives, and despite both his and Asami's protestations that there had been a mistake, she left the apartment with Mako in handcuffs.[15]
Lin and her fellow officers later provided security at the Pro-bending Arena during the showing of the final installment of The Adventures of Nuktuk: Hero of the South. Lin was alarmed when a waterbender was knocked onto the water and Bolin subsequently started battling three others on the center stage of the arena. She ordered her men to secure President Raiko and call for backup immediately. When Varrick was outed to be the mastermind behind the attempted kidnapping of President Raiko, Lin arrested him and by proxy, his assistant, Zhu Li, as she refused to leave her employer's side. With Mako's allegations proven right, Lin cleared him of all charges, and noted that he would "make a fine detective", while demoting Lu and Gang for their incompetence. She accompanied Team Avatar to Varrick's cell, where they learned of his battleship, the Zhu Li, which he provided for them to use in traveling to the South.[16]
Harmonic Convergence
Lin saved President Raiko after their airship was destroyed by the Dark Avatar.
Several days later, Lin witnessed the energetic shift caused by Harmonic Convergence which caused the world to be enveloped by the spirit lights and a purple aura.[17] During the preparation of Republic City's defenses for an expected attack, Lin personally secured the President's safety. When their airship was shot down by the Dark Avatar, she urged her officers to leave the ship and took hold of the President, leading him to safety on a nearby rooftop, from where she oversaw the destruction caused by the Dark Avatar.[18]
After Harmonic Convergence
Lin separated President Raiko and Avatar Korra before their argument got completely out of hand.
Two weeks after Harmonic Convergence, Lin was present at a press conference outside City Hall to address the disastrous overgrowth of spirit vines that had resulted from the integration of spirits and humans. She cut short an argument between Raiko and Korra over the blame each shouldered for the situation and promptly declared an end to the conference.
The next day, Lin and Mako made their way to Air Temple Island. When Lin saw Bumi punching at air, she asked the spectators if he was fighting an invisible spirit monster. Tenzin informed her that his brother had developed airbending abilities, only for the police chief to tell him that Bumi was not alone.
Later that day, Lin watched together with Bolin as Korra attempted to remove the spirit vines from a building by using the spiritual cleansing technique. When the vines grew back stronger than before, Lin, aided by Bolin, jumped to action and bent an earth pillar to stop a building from collapsing, giving Korra the time to get every inhabitant out safely.
That evening, Lin and members of her police force had tracked down the airbender, Daw, to Kyoshi Bridge. She tried to talk him down under the threat of action from her officers, though ended up watching how Korra saved Daw after he slipped while trying to come down.[19]
Some days later, Lin was informed by Lord Zuko that Zaheer, Ghazan, Ming-Hua, and P'Li had escaped their respective prison, prompting her to journey to Ba Sing Se to warn Korra and the others. After Tenzin explained to Korra who the criminals were and that they had threatened to kidnap the Avatar, Lin added that they never got any answers as to their motive before insisting that Korra return with her to Republic City. When Korra declared that she was not leaving without freeing Ba Sing Se's airbenders, however, Lin decided to join the mission.
During the night, Lin and Asami took their airships to help extract the airbenders from the Earth Queen's temple before departing the city. After being radioed by Bumi that the group had freed them, Lin directed her airship over the Earth Queen's Temple, and the escapees and Bumi ascended the temple's scaffolding to reach the ship, with Bumi altering Lin to move once they were all aboard. Once they were far away from Ba Sing Se, Lin joined Team Avatar in searching for more airbenders while Tenzin, Jinora, and Bumi took the airbenders to the Northern Air Temple.[8]
Family reunion
While the team was resting and Korra was playing fetch with Naga, Lin continued to warn her that she was being pursued by dangerous criminals. Naga presented the police chief with the ball being used for fetch, but upon seeing it covered in saliva, Lin passed on throwing it. Mako and Asami soon came out of the airship and alerted the rest of the team about a new airbender in Zaofu, home to the metal clan. Korra asked Lin if she knew the place, but the metalbender claimed she had never heard of it and said she would prefer her back safely in Republic City. Korra and the rest of the group, however, insisted on investigating the report of the airbender, and thus they ventured to the city. Before leaving, Naga again gestured for Lin to play, but she smashed the polar bear dog's ball with her metal cable out of frustration.
When Bolin saw the city was made of metal, he told Lin she should feel right at home, but she continued to sit and gave a noncommittal mumble in response. Upon landing in Zaofu, Lin remained aboard the airship, telling Team Avatar just to get the airbender and not to reveal her presence to the city's inhabitants; she refused to explain her reasoning for not coming along. Lin's presence, however, was soon found out by Suyin, and she went with the team to the airship to reunite with her half-sister, but Lin declared she had nothing to say to her. The half-siblings argued, Lin believing that Suyin tore the family apart; Suyin fired back by saying Lin had kept it that way. Upon being told that her niece, Opal, was the airbender, Lin showed no excitement.
Lin was indifferent upon meeting her niece Opal for the first time.
The group went with Suyin to her home, where they were first introduced to three of Lin's nephews before finally met Opal; along the way, Lin showed no interest in talking them. Once they met Opal, Lin's first response was that they take her and leave right there. After Suyin calmly introduced her daughter to her aunt, Opal was excited, saying she had heard many stories about Lin, but the metalbender simply looked away, mildly stating that she was sure of that. When Suyin informed the group of their accommodations and desire for Korra to train Opal, Lin still insisted that they leave as Korra explained to Suyin about the four criminals hunting her. Upon the matriarch assuring the group that Zaofu was the safest city in the world, Lin rolled her eyes.
At dinner, Lin made flippant responses to Suyin's delight at having five children, believing it to be a nightmare, and countered her half-sister's remark of it being a blessing by saying that their mother said as such, but never really meant it. She also responded to Suyin's belief that the Earth Queen could do what she wanted by saying that it sounded familiar, though promptly dismissed her when asked what she said. After her half-sibling expressed further views on the monarchy, Lin sarcastically called her an expert of world affairs, and refused to tell an angered Suyin what was bothering her. Before the sisters could get to verbal blows, they were interrupted by Varrick, who had taken refuge in Zaofu. This only made Lin lash out at her half-sister, telling her that while she was trying to keep the Avatar safe, Suyin was harboring a criminal. Suyin tried to explain that she believed people to be capable of change, but Lin stood up and told her that she had not before throwing her chair and storming out of the dining room.
Lin cried in her room after she lashed out at Opal.
Later that night, Lin was visited in her room by Opal and Korra; Lin angrily insisted that they talk. She was approached by her niece, who apologized for the difficult stay and expressed that, after getting excited from stories about Lin told by Suyin and Toph, she was sad that her aunt did not want to get to know her. After Opal expressed her desire for Lin to be a part of the family, the police chief only responded with a cold "get out". When Opal tried to apologize, Lin expressed the same sentiment more definitively, causing Opal to run out in tears. Korra scolded Lin for her behavior, insisting she only wanted to do something nice, but Lin lashed out the Avatar, saying that she should be focused on saving the world, not trying to fix her family. The Avatar left, but not before proclaiming that the metalbender would never change and would always be a lonely and bitter woman, making Lin bury her face in her hands and cry while alone.[5]
The next morning, Lin did not join the team for breakfast, instead walking out to find two guards idly having a conversation, causing her to demand they get back to work. Aiwei approached, asking if everything was all right, to which she answered that the Avatar was in danger. She refused to accept his claim about Zaofu being the safest place in the world, vowing to search everywhere for any sign of a problem. She also tried to claim she was fine despite her apparent stress. Noticing this, Aiwei warned her that her health and job could be at risk. As she had no interest in talking, Lin was referred to Guo, the city's acupuncturist; she decided to give the treatment a try.
Her mental stress with Suyin finally getting to be too much, Lin sought help from an acupuncturist.
Watching as the needles levitated above her, Lin asked how many needles she would have to contend with. After being assured she had nothing to be scared of, she bluntly stated she was not scared before being advised to close her eyes and take a deep breath. As the needles were stuck into her, Lin did not feel anything, causing Guo to conclude her chi was deeply blocked and they needed more needles. She laughed off the concept of the treatment being able to reach into one's buried memories, but when the last needle was placed, she saw herself reliving her past confrontation with Suyin regarding the decisions she was making and began to sweat significantly. She subsequently flashed back to her chase of the Terra Triad and discovery that Suyin was helping them escape charges of theft. At that moment, Lin awoke and shot the needles out of her body, preparing to leave against Guo's advice, not caring if abandoning the session made her sick.
After returning to her room at Suyin's estate, she found herself approached by what she took as a young Suyin, though soon realized it was actually Korra, who wondered if she was going to sulk around all day and told her she needed to apologize to Opal, but when the Avatar noticed Lin appeared to be in bad shape, the metalbender said she was fine and began to walk away, although wobbling and out of breath.
Lin returned to Guo, wanting to know what that session had done to her. He escorted her back to the bed and resumed the treatment. Lin flashed back to her attempt to arrest Suyin and subsequent scarring from the metal cables before their talk with their mother. Upon awakening again, she disregarded the doctor's suggestion of resting, deciding instead to do something she believed she should have done a while ago.
As her animosity toward her sister reached its peak, Lin instigated a fight with Suyin, though she was quickly knocked back.
Upon returning to Suyin's estate, Lin attempted to attack her half-sister with an earthquake. She subsequently told Suyin she could have taken responsibility for her actions when they were in Toph's office, but instead just stood by and let their mother throw her career away, rejecting Suyin's counter-claim that Toph simply retired, saying it was only because she felt ashamed to continue her police work. She also laughed off Suyin saying she made some mistakes in childhood and refused to believe she changed just because her sister had "a big, fancy house and a chef who cooked [her] fancy food", saying she could see right through her. After being told by her sibling that she was a bitter, selfish woman and it was why Tenzin left her, Lin attacked with a rock, sparking a duel. She was quickly knocked down by a fragment of meteorite, but quickly recovered. She attempted to use both earth and metal to take down Suyin, even going so far as to use one of Huan's metal sculptures, but all her attacks were dodged. Lin soon found herself knocked into stairs that led to a gazebo by Suyin's bending of the metal wall at her. Claiming she had not vented completely, Lin bent the stairs and prepared to attack again, but both siblings found their weapons blown away by an angry Opal, who demanded to know why they wanted to hurt each other. Lin subsequently passed out from exhaustion and fell into a sixteen-hour slumber.
Upon waking up, Lin felt well-rested and was in a substantially more positive mood, warmly greeting Korra, Bolin, and Mako before walking to the dining hall. She enjoyed a specially-prepared drink from the chef before sighting Opal outside the hall, prompting her to call her in for a talk. Lin apologized for her behavior, explaining she was not comfortable talking about such personal matters and that she and Suyin had a complicated relationship. She complemented Opal for being smart and an excellent airbender, believing it would be a wonderful opportunity for her to train at the Northern Air Temple. Hearing that Opal did not want to upset her mom, Lin sympathized, explaining that her joining with the Metalbending Police Force and becoming chief were to please Toph, but it did not. She advised Opal to decide her own life path before embracing her.
Later, while looking at a statue of Toph, Lin was approached by Suyin, who informed her of Opal's decision to leave for airbending training, knowing that Lin had something to do with it. Her attempt to explain was cut off by her reassuring half-sister, who lamented that while they had too much freedom from their mother, she did not give Opal enough. After Suyin wondered where she would be without having been sent away from the city, Lin joked her sister would be in prison. She was complemented by Suyin for her work as police chief and, upon being told Toph would be proud, she idly turned to look at the statue of their mother again. Lin was asked if they could move on, perhaps even living with her family and joining her dance troupe as co-director, she slowed her sister down, simply proposing she just did not show up at her house and attack again. Upon Suyin's agreement, the siblings shook hands and Lin smiled at her.[6]
Sometime later, Lin joined her family and friends as they bid Opal a farewell as she left for the Northern Air Temple. Afterward, she told Korra they would leave Zaofu first thing in the morning.[20]
The Red Lotus and Aiwei's betrayal
Lin and Su devised a plan to rescue Korra from the Red Lotus.
That night, however, the estate was penetrated by the Red Lotus, who sought to kidnap Korra. Lin helped Suyin, Wei, Wing, and the guards surround the criminals in metal panels, but the groups were separated when Ghazan turned the ground into a pool of lava, prompting her to catapult backward on a rock. She and the other members of Team Avatar hid behind a metal panel, occasionally rising to attempt attacks. They were saved from P'Li's combustion attack when Suyin, Wei, and Wing bent another panel toward them for shielding. Lin wanted to know how they got in, but her half-sibling had no idea. Upon Suyin's proposal to drop from the roof on cables to rescue Korra, Lin expressed skepticism as P'Li could attack them on sight. With a plan in place for Bolin to disable P'Li's abilities, Lin, Suyin, and the twins made their way to the dome's roof. At Wing's signal, the half-sisters descended, with Bolin able to disable P'Li at the last second. Lin retrieved Korra and the two began to ascend, but she found herself briefly caught by one of Ming-Hua's water tendrils. Mako was able to break the grip, allowing the escape to continue, but they were pursued by Zaheer on his glider. Suyin defeated him by shooting four arrows into the glider, which Lin thanked her for. However, upon regathering in her half-sister's office for Korra's recovery, the police chief demanded to know how the incident happened. She also told one of the guards, Kuvira, to keep searching for the criminals even though she found no sign of them.
With the group having concluded that the only way the Red Lotus could have gotten to the estate by working with one of the guards, Lin watched the next morning as Aiwei questioned them and Varrick, but when the initial round came up empty, she suggested Suyin as a possible culprit, but her half-sister's innocence was determined to be true. Lin soon looked on as it was discovered that a guard, Hong Li, appeared to be the one who assisted their foes.
Lin used her seismic sense to scan for Aiwei's presence, but was ultimately unable to find him.
Later that day, Lin and Suyin rushed to Aiwei's house after hearing an explosion. Korra explained to them that he was the real traitor and had lied about the guard, escaping upon confrontation. Using seismic sense, the chief concluded he must have collapsed his escape tunnel. Upon Kuvira's approach, Lin told her and any available guards to search the mountainside and find the tunnel's exit. She also comforted a distressed Suyin over Aiwei's betrayal.
Back in Suyin's office, Lin and the group were informed that while the guards found the tunnel's exit, they concluded he had already escaped, finding just tire marks. She did not want Team Avatar to go chasing the group, believing there could be secret agents hunting Korra, and wanted her to return to Republic City. Korra protested, saying the mission to find the Red Lotus was her job; Lin demanded she not lecture her about jobs. Suyin promptly intervened, voicing apparent agreement with Lin, which the chief thanked her half-sister for.[20]
Tracking Korra
The next morning, after a half-hour's wait, Lin approached Suyin, wondering where Team Avatar was. Learning they had left in pursuit of Aiwei, she felt betrayed by her half-sister for letting Korra go after previously supporting Lin. Upon being told she could not control Korra's every move, the police chief decided she would try anyway and left the city.[21]
Lin distracted Naga and Pabu with some meat snacks, enabling herself to radio Tonraq about Korra's last known location, Misty Palms Oasis.
Lin tracked down the team's jeep toward the Misty Palms Oasis, though when she investigated the now abandoned vehicle, she was scared by a roaring Naga. As the polar bear dog recognized her, Lin was promptly licked enthusiastically. After giving Pabu and Naga some meat to chew on, she radioed Tonraq, imploring him meet her at the oasis. After the Southern chief had arrived with Zuko, the trio awaited Korra's return at the local cantina. When the Avatar and Asami finally arrived, Lin somewhat bitterly thanked her for being ditched at Zaofu, before alerting the girls that Mako and Bolin had been captured by Zaheer and his crew.[22]
Upon Mako and Bolin's return to the Misty Palms Oasis, Lin came out of the cantina to greet the brothers, stating she was glad they were not dead. When she learned the Red Lotus' plan to destroy the Air Nation at the Northern Air Temple, she told them the Metal Clan would have a strong radio transmitter with which they could warn Tenzin and the airbenders to evacuate to safety.
Lin tried to comfort her sister, who was worried about Opal's safety at the Northern Air Temple.
As they reached Zaofu, they were greeted by Suyin, who reported that even though they had a strong signal that reached the temple, no one was answering. Upon hearing her half-sister voice her concern over Opal, Lin placed a comforting arm around her, stating everything would be okay. While Suyin prepared her airship for takeoff toward the temple, Lin opposed Korra's plan to meditate into the Spirit World to try and trap Zaheer's soul in the off chance he would be there as they would not be able to protect her there. However, realizing they had to try something, she relented and went to help her sister made the necessary preparations for their journey.[23]
Attempt to rescue Korra
Lin, Suyin, and their allies discussed a plan to attack the Red Lotus.
On board the Zaofu airship bound for the Northern Air Temple, Lin was discussing a plan of attack with her allies. She dismissed Suyin's suggestion of an ambush attack from the air because P'Li would pick them off one by one. When asked if she had a better plan, Lin suggested dropping the valley and catching them off-guard by climbing up the mountain. Suyin was skeptical as it would give the Red Lotus the high ground and Ghazan the opportunity to melt them off the mountainside. Korra stated any effort would be in vain because Zaheer would wipe out the airbenders upon sighting the team, instead simply suggesting to the group she turn herself over to save the Air Nation. After they learned of Zaheer's desire to meet Korra alone at Laghima's Peak, Suyin came up with a plan to utilize their numbers advantage, having Lin, Tonraq, and the other metalbenders wait at the base of the peak. Before separating, Lin gave Mako a radio, telling him to alert her upon sight of the airbenders.
Lin told Suyin that she loved her before going out to distract P'Li.
While the meatlbenders were slowly climbing the mountain, Mako radioed Lin to inform them of the Red Lotus' double-cross and told her to get Korra out. At her command, the metalbenders rapidly ascended and confronted Zaheer and P'Li, the latter of whom moved to hold them off. Suyin and Lin fired large slabs of rock at the combustionbender while dodging her dangerous attacks. However, the half-siblings were forced to take cover behind a large rock due to P'Li's continuous strikes. Lin decided to draw P'Li's fire, telling Suyin to take her out, telling her dismayed sibling she loved her before initiating the plan. She went out, taunting P'Li by calling her a Third-Eye Freak and worked to dodge her attacks while firing slabs of earth at her. However, the police chief was soon hit by a blast, throwing her to the edge of the cliff. Just as Lin was about be finished off, Suyin bent her plate of armor at the combustionbender, causing P'Li's blast to blow up in her face, killing her. The metalbenders promptly swarmed in and surrounded Zaheer; Lin telling him to release Korra. When Zaheer intentionally slipped off the edge, the siblings ran toward it, only to see the airbender floating in mid-air. Suyin and Lin tried to capture him with metal cables, but the criminal flew away, much to their shock, the latter wondering out loud if he just flew.
While the wounded were tended to, Lin learned of the airbenders and Korra's location.
The group reunited in a forest away from the temple with Kai having helped saved Mako, Bolin, Asami, and Tenzin; Lin asked how they made it out alive, to which Mako told them about Bolin's newfound lavabending abilities and Kai's rescue. The police chief, however, sadly told Tenzin that Zaheer had escaped with Korra. After Suyin told the rest of their allies about Zaheer's ability to fly, Lin told a skeptical Bolin that she would not believe it if she had not seen it herself. When Kai tried to make a suggestion, Lin initially brushed him off, but the young airbender subsequently told them about the location of the captive airbenders and probable location of Korra: a secret cave. She asked him if Ghazan and Ming-Hua were present for rounding up the airbenders from P'Li, to which she was told it was actually four other individuals. She told the group they needed to get to the caves; at that point, Oogi arrived, giving the group a means of transportation to reach the location in question.[24]
Rescuing the airbenders
Lin helped a heavily wounded Bumi outside of the cave-complex.
Kai led the group to the cave. The group, sans Tenzin, burst into the cave. Lin used her earthbending to blast a whole into the room where the airbenders and others were being held. After the captives were released from their bonds, Lin helped them get out of the cave, focusing especially on a substantially weakened Bumi and Kya, as Bolin, Mako, and Tonraq went to rescue Korra.
After everyone had emerged from the cave, they watched Korra and Zaheer duel. When Kai suggested he try and go after Zaheer, Lin told him he would have no chance because he was too powerful. The airbenders, however, combined their efforts, saving Korra and throwing Zaheer to the ground. Lin and Suyin promptly trapped Zaheer in an earth shell. The Avatar, however, had been poisoned, severely weakening her and leaving her on the verge of death. When Zaheer began laughing, Lin asked what was funny; she was told the Red Lotus had been successful. Because of the poison's metallic structure, however, they had a chance to save her. The police chief watched with worry as her sibling attempted to bend the poison out, though ultimately, she succeeded. She also gave Bolin a weird look after stuffing his sock in a ranting Zaheer's mouth.
Lin placed a comforting hand on Korra's shoulder, telling her to hang on as things would get better.
Two weeks later on Air Temple Island, Lin joined her half-sister, Tenzin and his family, Korra's family, Lord Zuko, and President Raiko, watching as Asami brought out a debilitated Korra in a wheelchair. She helped the girls, Ikki, and Meelo reach the ceremonial temple by kicking up a slab of rock and raising it to the top of the stairs. The police chief later attended Jinora's airbending mastery ceremony, smiling as Tenzin praised both the airbender and the Avatar for their efforts in saving the Air Nation and watching as Jinora's tattoos were revealed.[25]
174 AG
Lin felt bad to tell Mako that he was to be the permanent bodyguard for Prince Wu, knowing it would displease him.
When President Raiko held a public ceremony to reopen Central City Station in 174 AG, Lin was present and guarded Prince Wu. After the ceremony ended, she tried to calm the prince's nerves about returning to the Earth Kingdom by stating that the chances he would be assassinated were almost zero. When she learned that Prince Wu had reached an agreement with President Raiko about Mako's permanent relocation to Ba Sing Se as the prince's personal bodyguard, Lin tried to protect her detective and keep him in the city, though the decision was made above her head, leaving her powerless to stop it. Later that night, she attended dinner at Air Temple Island, where she felt awkward to break the news to Mako. As an Air Acolyte alerted everyone about the arrival of a ship from the South, Lin and the others gathered at the dock to greet its passengers. However, upon learning that Korra was not among them and supposedly had left for the city six months prior though had failed to check in with any of them, everyone grew worried about the Avatar's whereabouts.[26]
Later, Lin provided security with the rest of her police force during Wu's coronation ceremony as Earth King.-, where she also bore witness to Kuvira's declaration of usurping power in the Earth Kingdom, which she renamed "Earth Empire".[27]
After learning of Kuvira's obsession in unifying the Earth Kingdom went so far as to enslave her home city of Zaofu, Lin and the world leaders held a meeting on how to deal with Kuvira. During this, a ragged Bolin and Varrick appeared after disserting Kuvira's army. While Raiko had them arrested, they were able to escape this by revealing Kuvira's plans; to create a super weapon powered by the spirit vines. While Lin and Raiko strongly believed a preemptive strike was needed, Tenzin and Fire Lord Izumi disagreed as Kuvira has shown no actual aggression towards the other nations. After it was decided that the Fire and Air Nation would only help Republic City in strengthening defenses, Lin decided to go with her niece Opal in a personal mission to save their family. Before they left, Bolin truly sorry for unknowingly helping Kuvira's dark plans and for the strain in his relationship with Opal, voiced his apologies and offered to help in any way he could, to which he agreed to help Lin and Opal save the Beifongs in Zaofu.[28]
Personality
Lin decided to resign from her position and protect Republic City without the constraints of the law.
Lin is tough, uncompromising, and a great leader overall. Tenzin himself described her as "challenging". She makes it clear when she is irritated or dislikes someone, being abrasive especially toward Tenzin and Korra. However, at times she has exhibited a softer facet to her personality. As Chief of Police, she apprehended anyone who breaks the law, regardless of their intent, as she was quick to condemn the actions of Korra when she destroyed public and private property in an attempt to thwart the actions of the Triple Threat Triad. She believes that the only way to maintain peace and stability in Republic City is through the use of military might. Lin works hard to enforce the city's laws[29] and once felt that Korra could potentially compromise this stability. However, she and the Avatar both worked together with a mutual goal of defeating Amon, proving that she came to trust her to a certain extent.[2] Following the battle at the Pro-bending Arena, Lin became a trifle less harsh toward not only Korra but to Tenzin as well, to the point that she was willing to rescue the Avatar's friends and help Tenzin and his family escape the Equalists.
Lin is incredibly loyal to her friends, to the point where she would willingly sacrifice herself and her goals to help them. She forfeited her chance to capture Amon to save Avatar Korra's life, and accepted Tenzin's request to help protect his family without pausing to think at all. Additionally, she did not think twice about rescuing her officers, even though it was no longer her duty to do so. Her most loyal and brave sacrifice, however, came during the battle for Republic City, when she fought off the Equalists alone to secure Tenzin and his family's escape. She was eventually brought before Amon, and even when faced with the masked Equalist leader, she was willing let him take her bending instead of telling him where Korra was.
Much like her mother, Lin is quite comfortable letting others know when she is displeased.
Lin possesses many traits that, at first, appear to be different from those of her mother, Toph. While her mother, at least in her younger years, was freewheeling and laid-back where rules were concerned, Lin has a no-nonsense attitude and treats Republic City's laws with great respect. Part of this attitude was due to her own belief that her younger half sister brought dishonor that caused their mother to retire. However, Lin also was willing to work outside of the constraints of the law to free her officers, displaying a defiant and courageous attitude similar to her mother's.
Lin also inherited Toph's habit of not giving special treatment to others based on titles, which was exhibited through her treatment of Korra. Despite her indifferent and somewhat cold exterior, Lin also cares deeply for the safety of Republic City and takes responsibility for those who serve under her, as demonstrated when she decided to resign from her job so she could work outside the law and its limitations to save her officers taken captive by the Equalists.[10] Other traits Lin inherited from her mother include her sarcasm and being comfortable to express her displeasure, such as when she chastised Korra for leaving her at Zaofu and when Naga licked her in joy.[22]
Since finally reconciling with Suyin and coming to terms with the nature of her family, while still serious and dedicated to her work, Lin has become more relaxed when not on duty with a more pleasant demeanor and is more open with her feelings.[6] When she discovered that Kuvira held her family captive, she was willing to go behind the world leaders' backs to help Opal rescue her family.
Abilities
Earthbending
Like her renowned mother, Lin has mastered earthbending to a similar level. She is equally proficient in the traditional Hung Gar earthbending style and her mother's self-taught Chu Gar Praying Mantis style. She is able to easily elevate multiple large boulders simultaneously, as well as launch herself high up into the air.
Lin used seismic sense to detect Hiroshi Sato's secret workshop.
Lin has also demonstrated a great mastery over the seismic sense technique, which allows her to detect the layout of the surrounding area and the people within it with great accuracy and detail. Thus, she is easily able to locate subterranean structures, as well as determine with accuracy who is within the general vicinity. For example, while on the hunt for her captured officers, she was able to pinpoint their presence within an Equalist hideout, but also perceive that Korra was absent. She could also sense the mechanism of a locked door without physically perceiving it in order to open it with her bending. Like Toph, Lin's ability is limited without direct skin contact, requiring her to either use her hands or retract the soles on her boots.
Metalbending
Lin used metalbending to destroy an Equalist airship.
As the chief of the Metalbending Police Force, Lin is especially proficient in the specialized art of metalbending. She is able to rip metal beams or floors from their bearings and single-handedly tear apart an airship's metal hull. For more general use, Lin uses her standard retractable metal cables, which are highly versatile in battle. With them, she is able to perform considerable feats of acrobatics, easily maneuvering around cavernous locations, such as the Pro-bending Arena. She can also fashion them as wrist blades for close-quarters combat. Lin has also performed intricate and otherwise delicate metalbending as well, from unlocking metal handcuffs from a distance to wrapping her armor around herself, and even closing up Bolin's zipper.[12] Despite all this, her mother, Toph, did not believe Lin picked up all the specifics of metalbending.[27]
Other skills
Despite being middle-aged, Lin is agile and resilient; this was exhibited through her quick recovery from a chi blocker attack and, in the same move, somersaulting upright and taking down two chi blockers. She was likewise still able to effectively maneuver and fight on par with Suyin despite being visibly exhausted at the time. Her reflexes are great enough to subdue multiple chi blockers by herself. She has also shown considerable skill in aim, as she was able to snap Tarrlok's gavel from across a large room with one of her metal cables without touching him with the cable. Lin is also a capable driver, having been able to navigate a police car through crowded streets in pursuit of the Terra Triad during her youth. In addition, she is also capable of piloting a police airship by herself.
Relationships
- Main article: Lin Beifong's relationships
Relatives
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Appearances
The Legend of KorraBook One: Air (气)
Book Two: Spirits (神靈)
Book Three: Change (易)
Book Four: Balance (平衡)
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Trivia
- She was first announced on July 23, 2011 at San Diego Comic-Con, and is the second named child of a member of (the original) Team Avatar to appear, the first being Tenzin.
- Chief Beifong's appearance bears a greater resemblance to her grandmother Poppy Beifong than to her mother, at least as seen in the Avatar: The Last Airbender series.
- Lin was responsible for updating the metal cables on the police uniform from being in their belts to being in spools on their backs.[2]
- Lin Beifong's character design, aside from her personality, was partially inspired by Han Young Ja, the general manager at Studio Mir, and longtime friend and colleague of Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino.[30]
- Lin's "tough and natural beauty" was partially inspired by Marlene Dietrich, a German actress and singer.[31]
- When Korra was frustrated with her inability to airbend, she tried directing an airbending attack at a newspaper hanging on a line with an image of Lin on the front page inciting the mutual dislike between Korra and Lin. When she failed to blast it away, she set fire to it instead.[32]
- Lin is the first person in The Legend of Korra to use seismic sense, but the third in both series. The first one to use this was Toph, who later taught it to Aang.
- Despite being an earthbending master, Lin appears to heavily favor metalbending.
- Lin is the first known female victim of bending removal, the first person to have their bending restored by Korra, and only the second person to have their bending restored by an Avatar.
- It was confirmed by the creators that Lin did not want to have children and that this difference of opinion with Tenzin hurt their relationship.[33]
- Lin Beifong's decision to fight outside the law is ironic, since she showed no patience for people who would use vigilante justice against criminals.[4]
- In response to a flood of questions about the identity of Lin's father, Colin Heck jokingly replied in his Tumblr blog that her father was Azula, stating it to be "really complicated".[34]
- Lin Beifong is the second known individual to have been scarred by a family member, the first being Zuko. However, unlike Zuko's, her scars were inflicted by accident.
| Preceded by Unknown, eventually Toph Beifong |
Chief of the Metalbending Police Force Unknown - 170 AG |
Succeeded by Saikhan |
| Preceded by Saikhan |
Chief of the Metalbending Police Force 171 AG - present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |