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This page is move protected. Firebender Airbender Waterbender Earthbender Fire Nation emblem Spirit Emblem

Szeto was the Fire Nation Avatar preceding Avatar Yangchen. Living in an era of immense crisis that threatened to destroy the Fire Nation, Szeto saved his home country by becoming a bureaucrat, diplomat, and accountant in service of Fire Lord Yosor. Eventually rising to Grand Advisor, Szeto greatly strengthened the Fire Nation's government, restored economic balance, and set up programs to aid the poor and needy.[1]

Quick Answers

What was the era of great strife in the Fire Nation that Szeto was born into? toggle section
Avatar Szeto was born into a period marked by plagues and natural disasters that destroyed people's livelihoods. Additionally, violent conflicts between the nation's noble clans threatened to tear the nation apart. The Fire Nation was factually fractured into semi-independent regimes, and many feared that the ancient warlord era was starting anew. However, complete anarchy was averted by Avatar Szeto who stepped in and became a minister in the Fire Nation's government, working in tandem with other officials to restabilize the nation.
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What role did Szeto play in saving the Fire Nation during a time of crisis? toggle section
Szeto chose an unconventional path to rescue his homeland, becoming a bureaucrat, diplomat, and accountant in service of Fire Lord Yosor. Szeto's efforts led to him rising to the position of Grand Advisor, a role in which he showcased his talents as a bureaucrat, diplomat, and accountant. His work greatly strengthened the Fire Nation's government, restored economic balance, and set up programs to aid the nation. His accomplishments in this role also positively reflected on the Fire Lord.
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How did Szeto contribute to the economic balance of the Fire Nation? toggle section
Szeto ended the debasement of coins, which was a significant step towards saving the country from the brink of economic collapse. Szeto also set up the first official relief programs for farmers during times of famine, further stabilizing the economy.
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What programs did Szeto set up to aid the poor and needy in the Fire Nation? toggle section
Szeto was instrumental in setting up the first official relief programs for farmers in times of famine. This was a significant step towards economic stability and support for the peasantry during times of crisis. His meticulous record-keeping, including his 'Theory of Grain Distributions', further demonstrates his commitment to these relief efforts.
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What was the Avatar immediately before and after Szeto? toggle section
Szeto was preceded in the Avatar cycle by an unidentified male Earth Avatar and succeeded by Avatar Yangchen of the Western Air Temple.
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History[]

Life[]

Young Szeto

Szeto during his early career.

Szeto was born into an era of great strife in the Fire Nation. Plagues and natural disasters destroyed the people's livelihoods, while violent conflicts between the nation's noble clans threatened to tear the nation apart. To rescue his homeland, Szeto opted for an extremely unusual approach. Instead of taking control himself or forcefully trying to enforce his decisions as was his right as Avatar, he became a junior minister in the Fire Nation's government. He rejected any privileges, and began to work as a regular official, advancing in the ranks according to his achievements instead of any birthrights. He accepted orders from Fire Lord Yosor, and senior ministers, and began to improve his country by using its bureaucracy.[1]

Proving himself to be a talented bureaucrat, diplomat, and accountant, Szeto reinforced the government's authority, as him working for the Fire Lord meant that all his achievements also positively reflected on the Fire Nation's central government. Eventually, he was appointed Grand Advisor to Fire Lord Yosor, and brokered a lasting peace among the noble clans. Thereafter, Szeto concentrated on restoring the Fire Nation's economy which had greatly suffered from unrest and mismanagement. As Grand Advisor, he ended the debasement of coins, and set up the first official relief programs for farmers in times of famine. All the while, he kept meticulous records of his work.[1] Among others, he wrote down a "Theory of Grain Distributions".[3]

At some point, Szeto visited the Northern Air Temple, and took up residence in the Avatar's quarters. He left the room completely empty except for the bed and desk, and the walls were bare. To an outside observer, he would have looked like a man with nothing to hide. In truth, however, his life was difficult[4] and he was considered a "library of intrigue" in the realm of spycraft and trickery.[5] At one point, Szeto codified the procedures of official meetings with the Avatar in order to lessen the amount of unnecessary pageantry, subtlety, and repetition which traditionally marked these meetings.[6]

Szeto eventually died and was reincarnated as Yangchen of the Western Air Temple in accordance with the Avatar Cycle.[4]

Legacy[]

After his death, he was included alongside other Fire Avatars in the Fire Nation Royal Palace's Royal Gallery. His painting depicted him in his trademark minister robes, holding an abacus and a large stamp. He became a revered figure in the Fire Nation, and a festival was set up in his honor.[1] He was known to have coined the saying "You have lost the melon. Hang on to the sesame, no?" This encouraged others to look to their long-term success after failure, though the idiom was rather obscure outside the Fire Nation.[7]

Szeto was also a very respected figure in the other nations, and his successor Yangchen struggled to live up to him as a young woman. While negotiating an agreement between the Saowon clan and the phoenix-eel spirits of Ma'inka Island, Yangchen was sure that it would have been respected if she had said it had been the will of Szeto, as such a decree would have had the authority of 'a mother, a father, a sifu, the Fire Lord, all rolled into one.'[7] Not everyone outside of the Fire Nation saw Szeto in the same light however, as Chief Oyaluk, who ruled during the late era of Szeto and early era of Yangchen, accused him of being biased toward the Fire Nation and favoring it over the other three nations.[8] Looking back on her previous life, Yangchen thought that Szeto had a rather "messy" life.[4] Yangchen in turn would eventually become a revered figure in her own right.[9]

At least some of Szeto's writings survived several centuries, and were still read during Avatar Korra's time.[3]

Appearances in Kyoshi's life[]

Kyoshi uses Avatar State power for the first time

Kyoshi first sensed the presence of Szeto and other Avatars during the Fall of the Fifth Nation.

Kyoshi first sensed Szeto's presence, along that of other Avatars, during a battle with the Fifth Nation pirates.[10]

Appearances in Aang's life[]

Szeto first appeared to Aang in a spiritual vision directed by Avatar Roku, in which he was lavabending the magma from four volcanoes while in the Avatar State.[11] The young airbender saw him again briefly in a similar vision during the battle at Wulong Forest, this time among a great number of Avatars all standing in a line, upon regaining his ability to enter the Avatar State.[12]

Aang temporarily lost his connection to Szeto after removing the firebending emblem from his meditation beads;[13] however, upon crafting and attaching a new one, he saw him again in a lineup of his past lives to indicate his restored link.[14]

Appearances in Korra's life[]

Szeto was present, along with all the other Avatars, when Aang passed on the knowledge of energybending to Korra and restored her bending, representing the newly established connection she had made with her spiritual self.[15]

After Unalaq had merged with Vaatu and proceeded to attack Raava, Szeto was present in the Avatar lineup that Korra envisioned; however, his connection to the latter was severed due to Unalaq's assault on and subsequent destruction of the Light Spirit.[16]

Personality[]

Szeto was generally remembered as an extremely dutiful, humble, diplomatic, and honest man.[1] However, this did not reflect the entire truth, with this public persona being to some degree carefully crafted by Szeto himself.[4][5]

Abilities[]

Szeto lavabending

Avatar Szeto was capable of lavabending.

Szeto was a mighty lavabender, capable of controlling four volcanoes at once.[11] Besides the great bending powers associated with the Avatar in general, Szeto also possessed great administrative skills.[1] In addition, he was regarded as a highly talented public speaker,[17] a skill which helped him at becoming a flexible diplomat.[1]

Beyond these publicly displayed abilities, Szeto was also a master at espionage and deception.[4]

Appearances[]

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Book Two: Earth (土)

Book Three: Fire (火)

Graphic novels

The Legend of Korra

Book One: Air (气)

Book Two: Spirits (神靈)

Book Four: Balance (平衡)

Avatar games

Trivia[]

  • Szeto was the first known character to lavabend.
  • Though Szeto first appeared in 2006, his name was only revealed 14 years later in The Shadow of Kyoshi.[18][1]
  • The name Szeto originates from the ancient Chinese title Situ, which can be translated as "Minister over the Masses".[19]
  • Prior to his name being revealed in The Shadow of Kyoshi, a popular fan-based nickname for him was Jafar, after the villain of the same name from the Disney animated movie, Aladdin, due to their similar physical appearance, clothing, and facial hair.
  • Korra's firebending teacher Yim once ordered her to read Szeto's Theory of Grain Distributions as punishment when she became distracted during her training.[3]


Preceded by
Unnamed male Earth Avatar, eventually Gun[20] or Salai[21]
Avatar
Unknown (BG)
Succeeded by
Yangchen

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Yee, F. C. (author), DiMartino, Michael Dante (author). (July 21, 2020). Chapter Five, "Cultural Diplomacy". The Shadow of Kyoshi. Amulet Books.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Avatar: The Last Airbender: Heart of a Hero, p. 11.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ying, Victoria (writer, artist), Wong, Lynette (colorist), Betancourt, Jimmy; Starkings, Richard (letterer). "Weaver's Ball" (November 30, 2022), Dark Horse Comics.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Yee, F. C. (author). (July 19, 2022). Chapter Thirty-Nine, "Honored Guests". The Dawn of Yangchen. Amulet Books.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Yee, F. C. (author). (July 19, 2022). Chapter Sixteen, "Making Ready". The Dawn of Yangchen. Amulet Books.
  6. Yee, F. C. (author). (July 18, 2023). Chapter Seventeen, "Baited". The Legacy of Yangchen. Amulet Books.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Yee, F. C. (author). (July 19, 2022). Chapter Twenty-Two, "The Dispute". The Dawn of Yangchen. Amulet Books.
  8. Yee, F. C. (author). (July 18, 2023). Chapter Three, "Among Friends". The Legacy of Yangchen. Amulet Books.
  9. Yee, F. C. (author), DiMartino, Michael Dante (author). (July 21, 2020). Chapter Two, "The Invitation". The Shadow of Kyoshi. Amulet Books.
  10. "Polar Refuge", Avatar: Generations. Navigator Games & Square Enix Mobile London (April 18, 2023). Square Enix.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Ehasz, Aaron, Ehasz, Elizabeth Welch, Hedrick, Tim, O'Bryan, John (writers) & Volpe, Giancarlo (director). (March 17, 2006). "The Avatar State". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 2. Episode 1. Nickelodeon.
  12. DiMartino, Michael Dante, Konietzko, Bryan (writers) & Dos Santos, Joaquim (director). (July 19, 2008). "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 3. Episode 21. Nickelodeon.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. DiMartino, Michael Dante, Konietzko, Bryan (writers) & Dos Santos, Joaquim, Ryu, Ki Hyun (directors). (June 23, 2012). "Endgame". The Legend of Korra. Book One: Air. Episode 12. Nickelodeon.
  16. Hamilton, Joshua (writer) & Heck, Colin (director). (November 22, 2013). "Darkness Falls". The Legend of Korra. Book Two: Spirits. Episode 13. Nickelodeon.
  17. Yee, F. C. (author). (July 19, 2022). Chapter Nine, "Theater". The Dawn of Yangchen. Amulet Books.
  18. Yee, F.C. (March 15, 2020). That Avatar has a different name that will be revealed. Twitter. Retrieved on March 15, 2020.
  19. Situ (surname). Wikipedia. Retrieved on September 1, 2020.
  20. Yee, F. C. (author). (July 19, 2022). Prologue, "Voices of the Past". The Dawn of Yangchen. Amulet Books.
  21. Yee, F. C. (author), DiMartino, Michael Dante (author). (July 16, 2019). Chapter Six, "Promises". The Rise of Kyoshi. Amulet Books.
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