"Shady" Shin is a Triple Threat Triad recruiter based in Republic City. Shin often recruits members for the gang in order to prepare for turf wars with other gangs.[1] He lost his bending during Amon's "Revelation", making him the second victim of bloodbending-based bending severing.[2]
After Mako and Bolin's parents were murdered by a firebending mugger, they joined the Triple Threat Triad to able to fend for themselves. During this time they met Shady Shin. Shin and Bolin soon became some kind of friends, since the recuiter trusted Bolin even years later. However, his relationship with Mako seems to be tense, most likely because Shin tried to hire Bolin as triad member, something his older brother always tried to avoid. Eventually Mako and Bolin left the Triple Threat Triad and Mako even told his brother to stay away from the triads.
Shady Shin attempting to hire Bolin as "extra muscle" for a turf war.
Years later, as Bolin was attempting to earn money for his team'spro-bending expenses by having Pabu perform tricks at Central City Station, rather by chance Shady Shin passed by and congratulated Bolin on his rise as a "big time pro-bending player". Embarrassed, Bolin thanked him for the compliment. However, Shady Shin then tried to recruit him to do some "security work" for the Triple Threat Triad. Shin did this, unknown to the pro-bender, to prepare for a turf war. Despite Bolin's initial hesitation, due to Mako's warning to stay away from the Triple Threats, Shin managed easily to persuade him by offering him a substantial amount of yuans for the job. The two took off to the Triple Threat Triad headquarters, where they were eventually kidnapped by the Equalists.
At the Equalists' assembly the next evening, Shady Shin was brought to the stage along with Lightning Bolt Zolt, Bolin, and two other bending mobsters to serve as Amon's demonstration as to what he was going to do to the benders of the world. Witnessing how Amon took the bending of his boss, Shin was the only bound bender who seemed not panicked. Instead, his eyes were full of hatred for Amon.
The Triple Threat Triad recuiter was the second bender to be given the chance to fight Amon to keep his bending powers. Shin knew that he was no match for someone who even defeated Lightning Bolt Zolt with ease, but he did not resist when he was released by an Equalist. Instead, he threw a hopefull look at his fellow benders and grinned strained. However, immediately when the others looked away from him, his facial expression changed completely into fear. When the Equalist kicked him forward to Amon, he cried "No", but then he faced the Equalist leader. Just as Zolt before him, he was unable to defeat Amon and his bending was removed during the cheers of the non-bending crowd.[2]
Shin is a very manipulative and self-confident person. He analyzes suitable conscripts in order to recognize what they want and what they fear. Using this knowledge, he can recuit them with ease. In doing so he always acted like the romanticized version of a criminal: strong, free and "cool". In this way he can fake good will, or cause admiration, what helps him when he hire his targets.
However, his behavior is not completly performed. During the Equalists' assembly, in a hopeless situation, he still grinned and acted strong to raise the morale of the other desperate benders, proving a strong will. This action also reflects on the one hand the fact that he is too proud to show weakness, and secondly, that he has a close relationship with his fellow triad members. This is also evidenced by his hatred towards Amon, when the Equalist leader took Zolt's bending.[2]
Added by Lady Lostris
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