The world has an extensive history dating back more than twenty thousand years, and which can be roughly divided into two parts: the time before the Avatar and the time of the Avatar. Prior to the Avatar's creation, lion turtles served as the protectors of mankind, allowing humans to erect cities atop their shells. Whenever the inhabitants of their cities would venture into the Spirit Wilds, the creatures would bestow the people with the ability to bend the element the turtle was affiliated with; the power was to be returned upon their reentry to the city. However, after the creation of the Avatar, the lion turtles renounced their roles as protectors of mankind, and the people were left to make their own homes scattered across the world, which eventually led to the division of the world into the four nations.
The most notable historical event that took place during the adventures of Team Avatar was the Hundred Year War,[1] which was later followed by the Harmony Restoration Movement[2] and the Southern Reconstruction Project.[3] A number of major events occurred during the time of Korra's Team Avatar, including the Anti-bending Revolution, the events surrounding Harmonic Convergence, the insurrection of the Red Lotus, and the formation of the Earth Empire. Some time before Korra's era, the term "modern" was used to describe how the world came into an industrial age.
Dates[]
One major issue for the Avatar world is how to track its extensive history. Traditionally, history can be recorded per the so-called "Avatar calendar" which accords every Avatar an "era" and then tracks the days since their birth. However, this calendar fell out of widespread use over time due to its unwieldiness.[4]
Alternatively, one can track time using one date as orientation, counting from there backwards and forwards. This is the case for the AG/BG dating system which is also used in the Avatar world.[5] According to this system, events are dated in years before the Air Nomad Genocide (BG) and years after the genocide (AG). 0 AG is the year Fire Lord Sozin used the power from Sozin's Comet to begin the Hundred Year War with the Air Nomad Genocide and serves as an epoch for the dating system. As this system is useful to clarify the often confusing timeline in the Avatar world, it is used for the following timeline and other articles.
Further notes about the system:
- 0 AG began in winter, but with spring coming soon. This satisfies both the solar calendar and the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Sozin's Comet arrived at the end of the eighth month (solar or Chinese) of that year, in order to satisfy the "end of summer" term used by Roku.[6]
- Aang emerged from the iceberg during winter in late 99 AG[7] and the final battles of the war occurred in the eighth month of 100 AG.
- Almost all characters turned their present ages in 99 AG, as no birthdays except for Yue's have been shown in the series.[8] For example, Katara turned fourteen years old in 99 AG and was nearly fifteen by the end of the War.
- The only birthdays known to have occurred are those of Yue, who turned sixteen in early 100 AG, in late winter, and of Iroh's son, Lu Ten, who was of unknown age when killed during the war, but whose birthday was during the spring.
- Dating for some of the events between Aang's awakening at the Southern Water Tribe and Aang's arrival at the Northern Water Tribe may be inaccurate, as it is unknown whether the solar calendar or Chinese Lunar calendar is being used.
Chinese zodiac[]
The Chinese zodiac is also included. It revolves around the mathematical cycle of twelve animals. The animals are listed here in order.
|
1. Rat |
7. Horse |
Era names[]
On the second ring of Wan Shi Tong's calendar, sixteen era names are visible. However, it is unclear how these are used in the dating of the Avatar world. The invasion of the Fire Nation occurred on the Day of Black Sun during the Yang Wu era, while a previous eclipse referred to as "the darkest day in Fire Nation history" occurred in the Pei Zhi era.[9] The time of Avatar Gun is known to at least overlap with the Ru Ming era.[10]
- Note: These definitions are very loosely based on the characters, as many of the combinations are difficult to understand. Some of the characters are no longer used in modern Chinese.
|
1. Yang Wu |
9. Yun Zhen |
The first character in these two-character words has a radical (one of the 214 ideographic elements in Chinese writing used in combination with phonetics to form thousands of different characters) that represents one of the four elements, and rotates in the order air, water, earth, and fire.
- 气 — the "air" radical, used in characters related to gas
- 氵 — the "three drops of water" radical, used in characters related to liquid
- 土 — the "earth" radical, used in characters related to dirt, earth, mineral, etc.
- 火 — the "fire" radical, used in characters related to fire, heat, etc.
There is a possibility that the era changes with the Avatar Cycle, as Aang's time corresponded to the Yang Wu era which uses the air radical. However, this possibility may be contradicted by Tsering, who spoke of the Ru Ming era as a relatively cohesive historical period, rather than an era that could occur cyclically.[10]
Traditional Avatar calendar[]
Days could be counted by when they fell in an Avatar's life, such as Rangi referring to a specific day as the "six thousand four hundred fifty-fourth day of the era of Kyoshi". This method of counting days was considered archaic by Kyoshi's lifetime, and only used by educated historians or for certain spiritual ceremonies.[4][11]
Timeline[]
Before the era of Raava (before c. 19,829 BG)[]
- Tui and La manifest in the physical world, assuming mortal forms as koi fish.[8]
- The Mother of Faces gives birth to Koh, the Face Stealer; however, they later become separated.[12]
- The first humans appear in the world.[13]
- Vaatu breaks through the barriers that separate humans and spirits, allowing both to travel between the spirit and mortal worlds.[13]
Era of Raava (c. 19,829 BG — c. 9,829 BG)[]
- c. 19,829 BG — Era of Raava
- Raava, the spirit of light and peace, duels with her counterpart, Vaatu, the spirit of darkness and chaos.[14]
- The first known Harmonic Convergence occurs.[14]
- Unknown date before c. 9,850 BG
- Humans begin to build their cities on the shells of lion turtles to protect themselves from the dangers of the Spirit Wilds. Whenever the people have to venture into the wilds to collect food, the lion turtles bestowed upon the hunters the ability to control one of the elements. Eventually, the majority of the cities lost contact and knowledge of each other's existence, and developed unique cultures.[13][14]
- 9,850 BG — Year of the Snake
- 9,848 BG — Year of the Sheep
- c. 9,832 BG — Year of the Rat
- Wan steals the element of fire from a lion turtle to incite rebellion and steal food from the Chou family.[14]
- Wan is banished into the Spirit Wilds.[14]
- Wan befriended the spirits and learned the Dancing Dragon firebending form.[14]
- c. 9,830 BG — Year of the Tiger
- Wan severs the link connecting Raava and Vaatu, in the process releasing chaos into the world.[14]
- Wan and Raava begin their journey together to master the other elements.[13]
- c. 9,829 BG — Year of the Rabbit
- A large group of firebending settlers, led by Jaya, are killed by dark spirits during the battle in the Spirit Wilds.[13]
- The second known Harmonic Convergence occurs.
- Wan and Raava become permanently bonded, making Wan the first Avatar.[13]
- Wan defeats and locks away Vaatu in an elemental barrier in the hollow of the Tree of Time.[13]
- Wan orders the spirits to return to their world and separates the two realms by sealing the spirit portals located at the North and South Poles.[13]
- In the advent of the Avatar, the lion turtles collectively decided that their task as protectors of mankind was done and that they would no longer grant any more bending powers.[13]
Unknown date before or after 9,829 BG[]
- A group of human nomads set up camp at the coast of the later Mo Ce Sea where they encounter the spirit Lady Tienhai. In contrast to other spirits, Lady Tienhai quickly becomes supportive of the humans, vowing to protect them from harm. The nomads consequently settle down and found a town, eventually named Tienhaishi.[17]
- An ethnic group known as the Bhanti emerges on a remote island.[18]
First Age of the Avatar (c. 9,829 BG — 171 AG)[]
Before Avatar Kyoshi (c. 9,829 BG — 312 BG)[]
- Sometime between 9,829 BG and 3,829 BG
- As humanity left the cities established on the lion turtles, they begin to come in to contact with each other. The different peoples begin to wage war against each other, forcing Wan to intervene in order to maintain peace. His efforts, however, are of little success. The violent conflicts continue until his death and beyond.[13]
- The next Avatar is born into the cycle after Wan's death.
- The Air Nomads learn the art of airbending from the flying bison,[19][nb 1] and the Northern Air Temple is built.[20]
- Sometime between 9,829 BG and 7,000 BG
- Ba Sing Se is founded[21] as a subterranean mining settlement.[22]
- c. 7,000 BG
- A massive volcanic eruption causes the onset of an ice age.[21]
- c. 3,829 BG — Year of the Rabbit
- The airbending Guru Laghima achieves weightlessness and lives his final forty years without touching the ground.[23] His philosophical rival, Guru Shoken, advocates that people should follow their own path, unburdened by morals or ideas of enlightenment.[24]
- At some point after Laghima's death, the four nations are formed.[24]
- Sometime between 9,829 BG and the last year of the era of Szeto
- Wan Shi Tong's Library is brought from the Spirit World into the physical world.
- The people of the later Earth Kingdom learn the art of earthbending from the badgermoles (Oma and Shu being the first known humans to use specific earthbending techniques),[25] the Sun Warriors learn the art of firebending from the dragons,[19] and the Water Tribes learn the art of waterbending by observing the pull of the moon on the ocean tides.[26]
- In the South Pole region, a civilization emerges that builds large stone structures such as the Glacial Temple and possesses a distinct writing system. This civilization probably ends at some point before the first Water Tribe people arrive at the South Pole.[27]
- A group of waterbenders from the Northern Water Tribe construct a large city, Agna Qel'a, in order to unite the various tribes inhabiting the North Pole region.[28]
- Following a civil unrest, the Water Tribe —which was originally centered around the North Pole— splits into two groups: one stayed at the North Pole, while the other group went out to settle at the South Pole. Relations with their sister tribe were later healed, and the two tribes would gather together at annual New Moon celebrations.[29]
- A large group of waterbenders from the Southern Water Tribe, who are wandering through the Earth Kingdom, discover the Foggy Swamp and, comfortable with the large amount of water there, decide to stay, forming the Foggy Swamp Tribe. Over the next several thousand years, the Foggy Swamp Tribe forgets its own origins.[30]
- The Sun Warrior civilization flourishes, learning firebending from dragons. They operate under a tribal chiefdom led by a single chief. The rest of the Fire Islands archipelago is influenced by their culture, and the islanders carry on the art of firebending.[19]
- Warlords battle each other for land in the disaggregated Fire Islands. One of them, Toz, orders the abduction of all of the children of the village that refused to provide him with tribute. The children are never seen again, causing their mothers to die from sadness and become Kemurikage spirits. The Kemurikage exact their vengeance by taking the children of the warlord and his men, leading to the collapse of Toz's regime as his men abandon him out of fear of the dark spirits.[31]
- At some point, several members of the Bhanti venture from their island, located in the southern region of what would later become the Fire Nation archipelago, to the other nations, where they become sages,[18] most notably the Fire Sages, Earth Sages and Northern Water Tribe sages. While the others maintain their spiritual traditions, the Earth Sages gradually devolve into de facto officials.[32][33] Although the exact timing of these migrations is unknown, the order of the Fire Sages was believed to be "thousands" of years old by the time of Avatar Aang.[34]
- Unification wars of the Fire Islands: A man manages to defeat the remaining warlords and bring them to justice, thus uniting the Fire Islands into the Fire Nation,[31] under himself as the first Fire Lord, leader of the spiritual Fire Sages. The Fire Lord and the Fire Sages lead a spiritual rule, much as the Air Nomads were led by their monks. Over time, however, the Fire Lord accumulated political power, ruling the Fire Nation as a sovereign, and the office became hereditary, beginning the line of Fire Lords.[34] Some remote Fire Islands manage to stay independent.[35]
- Oma founds the city of Omashu after the death of her lover Shu.[25]
- A past Avatar defeats Hundun and mortally wounds his brother, forcing the conjoined twin kings to retreat to the Spirit World. In 171 AG, Hundun claimed that this happened thousands of years in the past, but he spent his exile in the Spirit World[36] where time passes differently.[11][37]
- After a series of large wars,[38] the vast Earth Kingdom is gradually united under the political authority of the city-state of Ba Sing Se. The King of Ba Sing Se becomes Earth King, overlord of all of the smaller kingdoms within the Earth Kingdom, some of which retain their own hereditary lordship.[39]
- As the four nations are unified, they increasingly enforce or encourage segregation. Previously common societies of many different benders gradually vanish, die out or are violently destroyed.[35] On the remote Lambak Island, several mixed clans are killed in course of conflicts over many years, either by each other or invaders from the four nations. Ultimately, only the Lambak Clan survives thanks to the discovery of a spiritual power source dubbed "Yungib". With this power, the Lambak Clan enforces a strict self-isolation policy, killing any outsiders and thus remaining independent for the next millennia.[35][40]
- At one point long before Avatar Aang's era, General Wei of the Earth Kingdom rises to great prominence before declaring war on an "impossible enemy", resulting in his downfall.[41][42]
- The Fire Nation's navy is forbidden to fly military colors in the Eastern Sea during the 22nd Earth King's reign.[43]
- Avatar Salai is born, and is remembered as one of the greatest Avatars of their age.[44]
- Avatar Gun is born, assisting the world until temporarily retiring due to the death of Mesose.[10][45]
- Era of Szeto
- Avatar Szeto is born in the Fire Nation. In his early life, a major crisis threatens to fracture his home country. He becomes an official in the Fire Nation government, puts an end to the conflict between the noble clans, and restores the economy of the nation, doing so from within the system by becoming one of the most effective administrators in their history. This leads to an era of political stability and economic prosperity in the Fire Nation.[46]
- The spirit Lady Tienhai falls in love and marries the ruler of her city. She assumes a mortal form, and eventually dies, rousing the anger of the spirit General Old Iron.[17]
- Oyaluk becomes Chief of the Water Tribes.[47]
- Year 0 of the era of Yangchen
- Avatar Yangchen of the Air Nomads is born after the death of Szeto, and raised at the Western Air Temple.[46]
- Kavik is born in the Long Stretch region of the Northern Water Tribe to his parents, Ujurak and Tapeesa.[48]
- c. Year 4 or 5 of the era of Yangchen
- Year 8 of the era of Yangchen
- Kalyaan and Kavik get separated from a hunting party, returning after nearly a month, with Kalyaan losing two of his fingers after he opened his mitten to feed the hide to his younger brother.[50]
- c. Hunts begin to sour across the Long Stretch region.[50]
- Year 9 of the era of Yangchen
- A diplomatic blunder known as the Platinum Affair occurs when the Fire Nation and Water Tribes conspire to financially back General Nong in his bid for the throne against the reigning Earth King, Feishan. Just after platinum ingots are sent to Nong, Feishan defeats Nong's rebellion at Llamapaca's Crossing. Knowing what his fellow heads of state have done, Feishan closes the Earth Kingdom's ports and declares that diplomatic relations will return to normal once the platinum he used to plate the statue behind his throne appears as stone, meaning not for a century or more.[51]
- In response to the Earth Kingdom's isolationism, the Fire Nation and Water Tribe declare similar states of isolation.[51]
- As there is still a demand for imports, and money to be made on exports, the three isolationist nations come together to agree that a limited amount of international trade will be permitted in the cities of Bin-Er, Jonduri, Port Tuugaq, and Taku. These cities are put under the purview of noble and merchant families, known as shangs, who are not permitted to maintain a fighting force.[51]
- Year 11 of the era of Yangchen
- Avatar Yangchen meditates into the Spirit World for the first time with her sister and guide, Jetsun. After two shishi turn dark during their journey, Yangchen is able to return to the physical world, but Jetsun does not. With her body empty of its spirit, Jetsun soon passes away, honored as a temple elder and a companion of the Avatar who sacrificed her life for Yangchen.[52][53]
- Year 12 of the era of Yangchen
- Ujurak, Tapeesa, Kalyaan, and Kavik migrate from the Northern Water Tribe to Bin-Er.[54]
- Less than six months after moving to Bin-Er, Kalyaan leaves his job to become an informant.[54]
- Sometime in or before year 17 of the era of Yangchen
- Avatar Yangchen masters all four elements and the Avatar State.[55][56]
- A week after Yangchen becomes a fully-realized Avatar, she journeys to the city of Tienhaishi. She strikes a deal with General Old Iron, stopping his rampage on the city on the condition that the city is abandoned and returned to nature.[17]
- Yangchen helps resettle the former inhabitants of Tienhaishi. With many refusing to take them on, she begins to learn the political game of the other nations in order to be an effective Avatar and find new homes for those affected.[56]
- Yangchen journeys to Ma'inka Island, where phoenix-eel spirits are causing damage to the villages of the Saowon clan. She decrees that the attacks will stop if humans stay more than three li away from the caverns where the spirits live.[57]
- Yangchen negotiates amnesty for Tayagum and Akuudan, two Water Tribe expedition quartermasters who had been imprisoned in the Earth Kingdom since the Platinum Affair.[58]
- Kavik quits his job at Nuqingaq and Partners, becoming an informant and trying to find his brother, Kalyaan.[54]
- Zongdu Dooshim of Bin-Er and Zongdu Chaisee of Jonduri plan the Unanimity project to give the shang merchants unlimited leverage over their cities, and over the four nations as a whole.[59]
- Yingsu, Xiaoyun, and Thapa successfully develop combustionbending abilities for the first time in recorded history, becoming human weapons that can be used as the shangs' Unanimity project. After completing their training on Shimsom Big Island, they are eventually transported to Jonduri.[60]
- Year 17 of the era of Yangchen
- On her official visit to Bin-Er, Yangchen asks for the shangs to implement policies that address the obscene wealth gap in the city. While she is refused, she learns of the Unanimity project, and seeks to investigate what it is, along with Kavik, her new companion. With the shangs of Bin-Er terrified that Yangchen will expose their wrongdoings to the Earth King, they request that the Unanimity project should be unleashed at once.[61]
- Distracted from the plotting in the shang cities by the urgent crisis on Ma'inka Island, Yangchen returns to deal with dark phoenix-eel spirits after the Saowon broke their agreement. She renegotiates terms that save the Saowon children from eternal slumber, but forces them to take on taboos which will leave them humiliated for nearly fifty years.[62]
- Zongdu Henshe of Bin-Er extracts Unanimity from Bin-Er via his spy, Kalyaan. While the combustionbenders unleash a display of power, they are apprehended by Avatar Yangchen and her allies. The incident is covered up as a spiritual phenomenon to the Earth King. With the city in crisis, Yangchen is granted administration of Bin-Er.[63]
- Around six months after the spirit incident, the Saowon clan, using imported goods, begins refortifying old strongholds across Ma'inka Island, starting a long-term play after Avatar Yangchen's deal with the phoenix-eels had made the clan social pariahs and they had been locked out of the highest level of Fire Nation politics.[64]
- Later era of Yangchen
- Avatar Yangchen signs a treaty with the Fifth Nation to protect the southern Earth Kingdom.[65]
- Yangchen makes several deals with other spirits, but many of these pacts are broken by humans after her death, resulting in numerous spirits turning dark and vengeful.[66]
- Sometime in the 4th century BG
- The 40th Earth King was assassinated by Tieguai the Immortal.[67]
- 345 BG — Year of the Sheep
- Avatar Yangchen dies;[nb 2] and Avatar Kuruk is born in the Northern Water Tribe.[65]
- Jianzhu is born.[33]
- Kelsang is born.[33]
- Sometime between 345 BG and 312 BG
- When Kuruk attempts to master the Avatar State for the first time, he accidentally destroys an entire island; there were no fatal casualties.[69]
- Kuruk battles several dark spirits, including the Heartwalker of Yaoping Mountain and the phoenix-eel spirits living under Ma'inka Island. These conflicts spiritually corrupt Kuruk and contribute in his lasting depression, resulting in him neglecting many of his usual duties.[66][70]
- Sometime between 316 BG and 312 BG
- Avatar Kuruk tries to kill Koh, the Face Stealer, as revenge for stealing the face of his fiancée Ummi.[71] This event is confusing to place chronologically, as if Koh's description of the event is taken literally, it would have happened c. 800-700 BG, over three hundred years before Kuruk's birth.[8] However, it is known that time passes differently in the Spirit World.[11][37]
The era of Kyoshi (312 — 82 BG)[]
- 312 BG — Year of the Dragon
- Avatar Kuruk dies; Avatar Kyoshi of the Earth Kingdom is born to Jesa and Hark.
- After Kuruk's death, the Earth Kingdom suffers from growing instability, as the Fifth Nation pirates under Tulok attack its southern coast and the Yellow Neck Uprising breaks out.[65]
- Rangi is born to Hei-Ran and Junsik.[72]
- Yun is born.[72]
- Aoma is born to Yokoya's village captain.[65]
- Suzu is born.[65]
- Jae is born.[65]
- Mirai is born.[65]
- Sometime between 312 BG and 296 BG
- Junsik dies.[73]
- Lady Wumei dies. Her husband, Lu Beifong, is devastated by her death and consequently falls under the influence of Chamberlain Hui.[43]
- 310 BG - Year of the Horse
- 307/306 BG
- Kyoshi is left in the care of the villagers of Yokoya by her parents. After the latter depart, the locals immediately renege on the deal and cast Kyoshi onto the streets. Rendered homeless, she almost dies of starvation.[74]
- 305 BG — Year of the Pig
- Kyoshi is saved from starvation by Jianzhu and Kelsang. She takes the Avatar test but leaves before its completion.[65]
- 304 BG — Year of the Rat
- Jianzhu defeats the Yellow Necks in the Battle of Zhulu Pass and buries about 5,000 rebels alive, ending their rebellion.[73][75] The remaining Yellow Necks go into hiding, while their leader Xu Ping An is secretly imprisoned so that the Fire Nation can study his ability to generate lightning.[76]
- 303 BG — Year of the Ox
- Tan starts working with Quin as the captain of her personal guard when she is appointed to serve as Fire Nation's ambassador in Ba Sing Se.[77]
- Sometime between 305 and 296 BG
- A large splinter fleet of the Fifth Nation is destroyed by Kelsang. Tulok becomes the undisputed leader of the Fifth Nation pirates.[75]
- Fifth Nation leader Tulok is succeeded by his daughter Tagaka. She proves to be an exceptionally capable pirate queen, earning a fearsome reputation and making the Fifth Nation the most powerful pirate fleet in the world. At some point, she defeats the Earth Kingdom's navy in battle and kills the last admiral of Ba Sing Se in a duel, leaving the position vacant.[75]
- Wars of Secrets and Daggers: Numerous princes of the Earth Kingdom royal family secretly feuded over the throne in Ba Sing Se. Many assassins were hired to remove potential rivals, one of them being Amak, who killed seven prominent royal family members on the order of a lesser Earth Kingdom prince.[4][75]
- 299 BG — Year of the Horse
- Jesa and Hark die of a fever.[74]
- 298 BG — Year of the Sheep
- Jianzhu and Kelsang falsely identify Yun as the Avatar during their trip to Makapu Village.[71]
- 296 BG — Year of the Rooster
- The pirate band of the Fade-Red Devils is completely wiped out by the Fifth Nation.[75]
- Fall of the Fifth Nation: Yun and his companions, most notably Kyoshi, defeat the Fifth Nation pirates. Amak is killed during the encounter, and Tagaka is imprisoned. The identity of the Avatar is consequently cast into doubt, as Kyoshi displayed extremely unusual bending powers.[75]
- To solve the Avatar succession crisis, Jianzhu consults Father Glowworm, after which Kyoshi is revealed to be the true Avatar. Yun is sacrificed by Jianzhu to the malevolent spirit and believed to be dead.[69] Kyoshi consequently refuses to accept Jianzhu as her teacher. Kelsang is killed by Jianzhu during his attempt to safeguard Kyoshi, though she manages to escape with Rangi, fleeing from Jianzhu into the inner Earth Kingdom,[78][79] where they join the Flying Opera Company.[74]
- Xu Ping An is freed by the Autumn Bloom Society and the Flying Opera Company during an attack on Governor Te's Palace. He plans to restore the Yellow Necks, but is soon killed by Kyoshi in a lei tai duel.[80]
- Lek is killed during the kidnapping of Rangi.[76]
- Poisoning of the Earth Sages: Hui calls a conclave of Earth Sages to discuss whether Jianzhu is fit to serve as the Avatar's guardian. Many sages, including Hui, are killed in a mass poisoning orchestrated by Jianzhu.[76]
- Jianzhu is killed by Yun when confronting Kyoshi in Qinchao.[81]
- Kyoshi seeks sanctuary at the Southern Air Temple and receives a vision from Kuruk.[82]
- Kyoshi mops up the splinter fleets of the Fifth Nation before they can reform.[83]
- Kyoshi defeats a band of daofei known as the Emerald Claws, terrorizing Gintong Province.[83]
- 295 BG — Year of the Dog
- Half the pig chickens in the Fire Nation are culled due to sickness.[84]
- Kyoshi takes down both the Triad of the Golden Wing and Captain Li's corrupt peace officers in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se.[85]
- Lei Fang, a former bruiser of the Triad of the Golden Wing, forms the Fanged Mercenaries with its former second-in-command, Hana.[86]
- Fire Lord Zoryu invites Kyoshi to the Fire Nation to celebrate the Festival of Szeto.[87]
- Yun holds guests hostage at the Fire Nation Royal Palace, and kills Lu Beifong and Chancellor Dairin.[88][89] This causes an escalation of ongoing tensions linked to a Fire Nation succession conflict later known as the "Camellia-Peony War".[90]
- A great feud breaks out between the Saowon and Keohso clans in the city of North Chung-Ling.[91]
- Fire Lord Zoryu gets a decoy of Yun to confess to conspiracy with the Saowon clan. The clan immediately falls from grace, and Lady Huazo and Chaejin are put under house arrest. The Camellia-Peony War comes to an end.[90] Not long after her arrest, Huazo manages to escape, triggering a manhunt for her.[92]
- Kyoshi confronts Yun in Yokoya. The Avatar mansion is destroyed in the ensuing battle, and Yun is killed.[93]
- After burying Yun, Kyoshi meets a Knowledge Seeker who becomes her animal guide.[66][94]
- Sometime after 295 BG
- The Air Nomads lose some of their spiritual sites due to daofei attacks and the long-term consequences of Kuruk hunting dark spirits.[95]
- Monk Namthöse of the Northern Air Temple's Council of Elders tries to instate a rule allowing only Air Nomads to visit the Northern Air Temple.[95]
- Many people in the Southern Water Tribe question how the North can claim to govern them with the large wealth disparity between the North and the South. With tribal chieftains at a political stalemate, the lesser chieftain organize themselves to parlay with the North and open up new roads of communication.[96]
- Tagaka manages to escape from the Lake Laogai prison and starts her attempts at reuniting the Fifth Nation.[97]
- Fifth Nation raid on Jasmine Island: Around the late 290s BG, a Fifth Nation pirate fleet, led by Tagaka, unsuccessfully attempts to loot or conquer Jasmine Island, an independent island-state.[96][98][99] The failed raid disgraces Erchtei, Tagaka's second-in-command, and his family for several generations.[99]
- Sometime between 295 and 293 BG
- Construction begins on an monorail powered by earthbending in Ba Sing Se.[100]
- Avatar Kyoshi forms a task force that works swiftly to eliminate the most dangerous daofei and most violent criminals in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se.[101] She is supported by Ambassador Quin of the Fire Nation, who convinces the Earth King to adopt the task force.[86]
- 293 BG — Year of the Rat
- Kyoshi leaves Ba Sing Se to attend to business elsewhere, and leaves Rangi in the Earth Kingdom capital to keep an eye on things. Her task force is placed under the control of the Earth King, who reforms it as an "anti-corruption task force" to deal with anything perceived as a threat.[101]
- The Fanged Mercenaries use the task force to their advantage, and frame their rivals for certain crimes to see them taken down.[101][102]
- The ex-daofei Mengyao discovers what the Fanged Mercenaries are doing, and intends to put a stop to them. Hana of the Fanged Mercenaries is furious, and comes up with a plan to frame Mengyao by kidnapping Ambassador Quin's children and planting false evidence at the crime scene.[101][102]
- The Earth King's task force and Ambassador Quin's Fire Nation guard search the city for her children, at odds with one another. The task force simply takes advantage of the situation by arresting as many criminals, daofei, and suspicious citizens, with Captain Yong hoping that one arrest will eventually lead him to the children. The Earth King is offended that Quin deploys her personal guard, seeing it as an insult to his capabilities as a ruler.[103][101]
- Seeing the turmoil in Ba Sing Se and worrying that things will turn violent, Rangi leaves to inform Kyoshi of the situation, and leaves those that she can trust to maintain peace in the Lower Ring.[104]
- Sometime between 293 and 270 BG
- Kyoshi fully adopts Yokoya peninsula as her homeland and trains the first Kyoshi Warriors.[105]
- c. 270 BG — Year of the Pig
- Avatar Kyoshi kills the warlord Chin and separates Yokoya from the mainland, founding Kyoshi Island; the War of Chin the Conqueror ends with the victory of the Earth Kingdom government. The 46th Earth King restores his reign over the whole Earth Kingdom, though civil unrest begins to spread on the continent. The day of Chin's death is remembered as Avatar Day in Chin Village and Kyoshi Day on Kyoshi Island.[106]
- A commemorative statue in honor of Avatar Kyoshi is created on the main village of Kyoshi Island.[42]
- Sometime after this event, a peasant uprising in Ba Sing Se spurs Kyoshi to create the Dai Li.[107] In the process, the Earth Kingdom is turned into a constitutional monarchy.
- 84 BG — Year of the Dragon
- Avatar Kyoshi and Disha confront a daofei leader who had committed various atrocities in order to intentionally draw the attention of the Avatar and confront her over executing his father.[108]
- Disha leaves Kyoshi after voicing that her long life has directly resulted in too many negative consequences.[108]
- All airbending masters refuse to assist Kyoshi after hearing the news of Disha's concerns.[108]
- Sometime between 270 and 82 BG
- Kyoshi's daughter, Koko, succeeds her as governor of Kyoshi Island.[109]
- Sometime before 82 BG
Prelude of the Hundred Year War (82 BG — 0)[]
- 82 BG — Year of the Horse
- Avatar Kyoshi dies at age 230; Avatar Roku of the Fire Nation and his twin brother Yasu are born to a noble family.[111][112]
- Fire Lord Sozin is born to Fire Lord Taiso and the Fire Lady Hazei the same day as Yasu and Roku.[113][114]
- Malaya is born to the Lambak Clan.[115]
- Sometime before 66 BG
- The Air Nomads move past their isolationist policy of staying out of the worldly affairs of other nations, and all temples begin to forge ties with foreign governments, hoping that this allows them to reach as many people as they can and provide help where it is needed. Their teachings and philosophies are popular in the Fire Nation, where they are supported by the nobility. However, some are uncomfortable working with the ruling classes of nations, as they are usually people with a lot of worldly prosperity, which goes against their ideals of detachment from the world.[116]
- The Southern Water Tribe has completely recovered from the poverty it faced during the age of piracy. It enters an age of prosperity and is almost on par with the North.[117][118]
- The world is on the brink of a technological renaissance and an industrial revolution, which is made possible by international collaboration fostered by business and academia to solve the most pressing issues of the day. Technological institutes spring up across the world, and scholars, inventors, and educators directly forge ties with one another in the name of progress.[119]
- In opposition to Fire Lord Taiso's regime, the Outer Islands Rebellions break out in the Fire Nation.[112]
- 70 BG — Year of the Horse
- In an accident, Yasu is lost to the sea at age 12.[120]
- 67 BG — Year of the Rooster
- A sinkhole at a Western Kingdom Trading Company mine swallows an entire village, killing everyone present. Among the dead are the members of an Air Nomad aid mission, including Gyatso's older sister Yama.[115]
- 66 BG — Year of the Dog
- Avatar Roku is confirmed as the Avatar at his sixteenth birthday, and leaves the Fire Nation to master the elements.[113]
- Roku starts his airbending training under Sister Disha at the Southern Air Temple. He meets and gradually befriends Gyatso.[121]
- Without Roku as a friend to keep him in check, Sozin starts to descend into extremism. He becomes increasingly obsessed with ancient and obscure sources of power. To aid his quests, he forms a team with Dalisay and Kozaru.[112][122]
- The Lambak Island conflict erupts due to both Sozin as well as the Western Kingdom Trading Company attempting to capture Lambak Island and its power sources.[112] To drive away the Company representatives without causing an international incident, Sozin deceives Roku into aiding his cause.[123][124] In the process, Roku bonds with Gyatso and Malaya,[115] discovers the secret of the island's power,[125] and is forced to kill Lambak Clan chief Ulo in self-defense.[126] Furthermore, Sozin secretly murders Malaya after she realizes the extent of his ruthlessness and bad influence on the Avatar.[127]
- Lambak Island is officially integrated into the Fire Nation as an autonomous "special region". Sozin de facto turns the island into his private fiefdom, enlisting the Lambak Clan as he kickstarts a secret weapons and research program headed by Dalisay.[122]
- Ta Min becomes a Fire Nation diplomat in Omashu.[122]
- Sometime after 66 BG
- The Night of Silenced Sages takes place. Earth King Jialun sends the Dai Li to round up every single Earth Sage, and their order is abolished. The Earth Sage temples reopen as the Royal Learning Halls, and the few sages who remain are reformed as the Grand Lectors.[128]
- In response to the purge of the sages, Queen Guo Xun of Omashu becomes even more fiercely opposed to the Earth King. Ba Sing Se and Omashu begin to compete for power more than ever, and the Queen of Omashu does all she can to undermine the Earth King short of starting an all-out war. Both monarchs send spies into each other's courts, and both throne rooms become vipers' nests.[129][130]
- The folk hero known as Langzi starts uncovering corrupt people and bringing them to justice across the Earth Kingdom during the exploitative regime of Earth King Jialun.[130]
- Strange spiritual activity begins at the poles, which is speculated to be a result of nations extending their reach and exploiting natural resources in an era of industrialization, and a steep decline in spirituality across the other nations. Bands of dark spirits rage in the wilderness of the North and South Poles.[118]
- c. 58 BG — Year of the Horse
- Fire Lord Sozin ascends the throne, following the death of his father Taiso.[131]
- Between 58 BG and 54 BG
- Early in Sozin's reign, the royal government wins the last real conflict between the throne and the noble clans, with General Oraso Eiko winning a decisive victory, finally uniting the nation under the throne.[132] After bringing the warring families to heel, Sozin makes great strides toward progress, uplifting the poorest of the nation.[117]
- Monk Gyatso receives his tattoos and becomes a master airbender.[116]
- The Northern Passage conflict between the Northern Water Tribe and the Earth Kingdom state of Chenbao threatens to escalate into all-out war after a massive tsunami hits Chenbao's northern coast, with the Water Tribe blaming earthbenders, and the Earth Kingdom blaming waterbenders. Avatar Roku intervenes before the conflict can escalate, supported by airbending masters from the Northern Air Temple. Both sides back down, but their navies remain in the water, ready to act at the first sign of threat from the other side.[128][133]
- Following the conflict between the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe, the governor of Chenbao places a tax on all Water Tribe goods or merchants ships passing through the Northern Passage. There was no practical way to enforce this, and Water Tribe ships avoided taxes with their sailing mastery, but all Water Tribe goods were subsequently considered contraband in the Earth Kingdom. The governor hoped that this development would escalate the situation, petitioning the Earth King for military assistance in enforcing his tax.[133]
- Using the inventor Nyn Chei's innovations and plans, which use designs originally from the master Southern Water Tribe boatwright Massak, the Fire Nation begins to design a new coal-powered fleet. The construction creates hundreds of jobs for the poorest members of society, but materials for the fleet are scarce, leading to competition over resources with other nations. The beginnings of anti Earth-Kingdom sentiment are quietly stoked by the Fire Lord in the ensuing struggle over resources.[134]
- The Fire & Air Center of Learning begins construction, funded by those of the Fire Nation nobility who have embraced Air Nomad teachings and wish to see this celebrated with an institute to promote Air Nomad teachings in the Fire Nation. This is eventually supported by all air temples, and plans are drawn up by the Air Nun Anada. Construction is sabotaged by the Guiding Wind, a renegade Air Nomad order who believe that the Air Nomad's growing relationship with the nobility of the other nations is impeding the spiritual growth of all peoples of the world. In response, Fire Lord Sozin seizes the site from the nobility, and entrenches his military guard to protect the local population. He has no intention of withdrawing his forces until the Guiding Wind leaves, but the order has no intention of stopping their plans until construction ended completely.[128][135]
- Princess Zeisan of the Fire Nation proposes a political marriage to Khandro, the leader of the Guiding Wind. She announces her intention to give up her wealth and her titles, and live a life of austerity. Fire Lord Sozin almost cannot control his rage, and while Zeisan is earnest, she also wishes to undermine her brother's rule, sensing the corruption growing in her family. Sozin begins to see the Guiding Wind as a direct threat due to their opposition to nobility. It is reported across the Fire Nation that the Guiding Wind is committing violent attacks, which is in direct opposition to their pacifistic principles. Khandro begins to suspect involvement of the Fire Lord or his supporters.[132][135]
- Fire Lord Sozin organizes the first Dragon Hunts to regain his popularity with the nobility. Only a few dragons are killed at first, but the nobility embraces the sport with a voracious appetite, and enjoyed the prestige of the title "Dragon". This leads to ethical debates with spiritual leaders. Strange spiritual activity occurs at many dragon death sites, but Sozin dispatches an elite taskforce to deal with this and keep it under wraps from the general population. When a joint Water Tribe entity comes to investigate, they are blamed for any spiritual activity that leaks to the public.[119][132]
- The south of the Earth Kingdom faces a number of floods, which devastates small towns and infrastructure. Rather than sending aid, Earth King Jialun offers citizens affected military assistance in exchange for work on the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. Many are left with no choice other than to accept. The only group to offer selfless aid are the Air Nomads from the Southern Air Temple.[130]
- The Fire Nation considers the previously unclaimed Natsuo Island to be its own territory after a cache of ore is discovered there. Earth King Jialun wants the island for himself, and sends his military vessels on training excercises near the island, hoping to goad Fire Lord Sozin into making the first move.[130]
- The Fire Nation claims an island considered sacred to the Water Tribes, the halfway point between the North and the South. Chieftain Tana from the South finds Fire Nation ships docked at the island, and Chief Skiri of the North discovers what has happened through political channels. The chief is furious, and wants to send a majority of his forces to retake the island. However, he needs the support of the Southern chieftains, and many cannot come to a consensus, not wanting to risk an all-out war with the Fire Nation.[133]
- The Unity, a massive seafaring vessel funded by the Southern Water Tribe business magnate Tiqriganiannig and built with the accumulated technological knowledge of the four nations, is completed. The vessel sets out on a Grand Tour of the four nations and spearheads a technological renaissance, but is opposed by almost all the ruling bodies of the world, who believe it to be an attempt to deploy spies across the other nations.[119]
- The Four Nations Summit & Technological Symposium is held in Hari Bulkan, with each nation due to present their new technological advances. Diplomatic tensions rise when crates of valuable meteorite metal from the Fire Nation are stolen from Fire Nation warehouses. Taqukaq of the Northern Water Tribe contacts some of his connections, and trusts them to bring a peaceful resolution to the crisis.[136]
- 55 BG — Year of the Rooster
- Avatar Roku destroys the Crescent Island Fire Temple on the winter solstice while stuck in the Avatar State during his training,[137] activating the nearby volcano. The neighboring islands suffer from seismic instability in the face of the volcano, and many villages struggle in rebuilding from earthquakes, while Avatar Roku personally helps people rebuild. Fire Lord Sozin provides some aid, but explains he cannot resettle people in other parts of the Fire Nation, as the nation lacked excess land to grant to those affected. Locals begin to buy into anti-Earth Kingdom sentiment, resenting their neighbor for not providing them aid or shelter, and point to their greedy claim to Natsuo Island.[128][132]
- 54 BG — Year of the Dog
- Avatar Roku returns to the Fire Nation after twelve years of travel and marries Ta Min,[113] a diplomat and noblewoman from the capital.[113][122]
- 50 BG — Year of the Tiger
- 37 BG — Year of the Rabbit
- Avatar Roku discovers the first Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom and confronts Fire Lord Sozin.
- Roku and Sozin engage in battle, resulting in Roku destroying the throne room of the Fire Nation Royal Palace.[113]
- Sometime before 12 BG
- The Sun Warriors go into total isolation during an age of the world that is beginning to forget the importance of spirituality during rampant industrialization, and the Fire Nation is hunting animals as important to firebending as dragons.[139] The world believes that they completely die out, and those in the Fire Nation are later taught that the Sun Warriors died out "thousands of years" before them.[19]
- 12 BG — Year of the Dragon
- Avatar Roku is killed while fighting a volcanic eruption at age seventy.[113]
- Avatar Aang of the Air Nomads is born.[113]
- Bumi of Omashu is born.
- Before c. 2 — 1 BG
- Aang receives his tattoos after inventing the air scooter technique, making him the youngest airbending master in recorded history.[30]
- c. 2 — 1 BG
- Aang and his eccentric childhood friend Bumi would slide down the Omashu delivery system for fun.[140]
- Aang played with his friend Kuzon in the Fire Nation.[141]
The Hundred Year War (0 — 100 AG)[]
- 0 AG — Year of the Dragon
- Avatar Aang is confirmed as Avatar at the age of twelve, four years earlier than normal, because the monks were fearful of a possible war. The monks decided to send Aang to the Eastern Air Temple to continue his training. Distraught and confused by his destiny, he flees from the Southern Air Temple with his flying bison, Appa. Upon getting caught in a storm and being pulled underwater, Aang enters the Avatar State and encases himself in ice near the South Pole.[142]
- Fire Lord Sozin begins what would be the Hundred Year War by attacking the other nations. He uses the power of a comet, later renamed Sozin's Comet in his honor, to launch a genocidal attack on the Air Nomads in an attempt to kill the Avatar.[6] All of the Air Nomads are killed during the initial attack or later by being hunted down and executed, save for Aang.
- Simultaneous to the genocide, the Fire Nation launches attacks on the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes.[143] In the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Army is able to establish a strong foothold, slowly but surely advancing across the continent over the course of the next hundred years.[144]
- Azulon is born.[145]
- 15 AG — Year of the Sheep
- In an attempted invasion of the North, the Fire Navy and the Northern Water Tribe engage in battle, ending in Northern Water Tribe victory and the capture of Fire Navy troops and uniforms.[26]
- 19 AG — Year of the Pig
- 20 AG — Year of the Rat
- Fire Lord Sozin dies at age 102;[131] Fire Lord Azulon ascends the throne.[145]
- The herbalist is born in the Earth Kingdom.[146]
- Between 20 and 95 AG
- Dissident Fire Navy officers organize the Crimson Sails Armada, a pirate and rebel organization opposed to the Fire Nation government.[147]
- 25 AG — Year of the Snake
- 39 AG — Year of the Sheep
- Jeong Jeong of the Fire Nation is born.[149]
- Before 40 AG
- The Fire Navy destroys the navies of the Northern and Southern Water Tribes in a series of massive naval battles. This leaves the South unprotected, while the North retreats behind its icy defenses.[150]
- c. The Fire Nation begins raids on the Southern Water Tribe, destroying its cities and systematically capturing its waterbending population. After years of fighting, Hama becomes the last waterbending defender to be captured and imprisoned at Wolf Cove.[151] A small number of Southern waterbenders is able to survive the raids in hiding and by going into exile.[152][153][154]
- c. 45 AG
- c. 55 AG
- c. 64 AG — Year of the Monkey
- Ursa is born to Jinzuk and Rina; the daughter of Avatar Roku.[nb 5]
- 70 AG — Year of the Tiger
- 72 AG — Year of the Dragon
- 80 AG — Year of the Rat
- 81 AG — Year of the Ox
- Before 82 AG
- Kuei of the Earth Kingdom is born. At age four, his father dies and Kuei becomes the 52nd Earth King. Because of the new Earth King's youth, Long Feng is appointed Regent of Ba Sing Se, and becomes the Earth King's most trusted advisor. Taking advantage of his position, Long Feng suppresses knowledge of the war from the young prince and takes complete control of the city.[160]
- 82 AG — Year of the Tiger
- Hahn of the Northern Water Tribe is born.
- 83 AG — Year of the Rabbit
- 84 AG — Year of the Dragon
- Princess Yue is born to Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribe and his wife.[164] A sickly infant, Yue is healed by the Moon Spirit, Tui, by having some of its life spirit infused within her.[8]
- Sokka is born to Chief Hakoda and Kya in Wolf Cove.[165][166]
- Kori Morishita is born to Mayor Morishita and his wife.[167]
- 85 AG — Year of the Snake
- Mai of the Fire Nation is born to Ukano and Michi.[168]
- Princess Azula is born to Prince Ozai and Princess Ursa.[169]
- Katara is born to Chief Hakoda and Kya in Wolf Cove.[165][166]
- Ho Tun is born.[167]
- 87 AG — Year of the Sheep or 88 AG — Year of the Monkey
- Moo-Chee-Goo-Chee-La-Poo-Chee the Third is born.[167]
- Teo, son of the mechanist, is born.
- 88 AG — Year of the Monkey
- Toph Beifong is born to Lao Beifong and Poppy Beifong of Gaoling.
- c. 90 AG
- "The Devastation": Admiral Yueya of the Fire Nation Navy launches a murderous campaign against Jasmine Island to avenge her ancestor Erchtei. The island suffers great damage and heavy loss of life, and worse is only prevented thanks to the efforts of the Jasmine Island protectors as well as a group of Fire Nation soldiers under Prince Lu Ten.[99][170]
- 91 AG — Year of the Pig
- 92 AG — Year of the Rat
- c. 94 AG — Year of the Tiger
- Iroh begins his legendary Siege of Ba Sing Se.[173]
- The Southern Raiders attack Wolf Cove in an attempt to kill the alleged last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. Chief Hakoda's wife Kya sacrifices herself to save the eight-year-old Katara.[174] After this point, the Fire Nation falsely assumes that the entire Southern waterbender population has been wiped out, and Fire Lord Azulon orders an end of the raids against the Southern Water Tribe.[175]
- 95 AG — Year of the Rabbit
- Iroh breaks through the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se.[176]
- Iroh's son Lu Ten is killed in the siege of Ba Sing Se, causing Iroh to end the operation after six hundred days.[176]
- Princess Ursa conspires with Prince Ozai to kill Fire Lord Azulon in order to save Zuko and make Ozai Fire Lord. With Azulon's passing at age ninety-five, Ozai succeeds him as Fire Lord and Ursa is banished from the Fire Nation Capital.[176]
- Prince Zuko becomes heir to the throne of the Fire Nation.[176]
- Between 95 and 99 AG
- Ozai signs a secret deal with the Crimson Sails Armada, ending their attacks on the Fire Nation.[147]
- Fire Army General Onomu tries to defect to the Earth Kingdom with important war plans, triggering a manhunt.[177]
- After accidentally injuring the son of General Uyanga of the Fire Army, the Earth Kingdom rebel group of Haoran becomes the target of a large-scale manhunt. The chase continues until the insurgents (and a collection of refugees) flee to the abandoned Western Air Temple, where they are cornered by Uyanga's troops.[178]
- 97 AG — Year of the Snake
- Prince Zuko is banished to capture the Avatar after an Agni Kai with his father, Fire Lord Ozai. He is accompanied by his uncle, Iroh.[142]
- c. 97 AG — 98 AG
- 98 AG — Year of the Horse
- Tom-Tom of the Fire Nation is born to Ukano and Michi.
- 99 AG — Year of the Sheep
- Avatar Aang is awakened from the iceberg after one hundred years by Katara and Sokka.[7]
- Prince Zuko locates the Avatar and begins to hunt him down after his first attempt to apprehend him fails and causes much damage to Wolf Cove, by then a tiny village of the Southern Water Tribe.[7]
- Zuko's force is ambushed by pirates during the hunt for the Avatar.[180]
- Zuko and Zhao begin their rivalry after an Agni Kai at Ketu Harbor, a Fire Nation base.[181]
- The garrison of Ketu Harbor, led by a captain and a scout, engages in raids and counter-raids with nearby pirates.[180]
- Zuko raids Kyoshi Island in an attempt to capture Aang, causing heavy damage to Suki's village and inspiring some Kyoshi Warriors to join the Great War.[182]
- Siege of Shen Guan: Despite the intervention of Team Avatar, Fire Nation forces led by Captain Masaru conquer Shen Guan, paving the way to the direct attack on Omashu.[183]
- Mission to Hegemon's Folly: Fire Army troops led by Captain Masaru try to recover General Wei's ancient writings for the Fire Nation, but are thwarted by Jiang and revolting mercenaries.[184]
- Mission to the Glacial Temple: Commander Mamushi of the Fire Navy secures an ancient artifact at the South Pole's Glacial Temple, evidently for her own purposes. This causes a Fire Army unit under Sergeant Gyaku to investigate the commander's activities.[27]
- Prison rig revolt: There is a massive jailbreak at a Fire Nation prison rig for earthbenders, and all inmates escape.[185] The rebels, aided by Earth Kingdom Army troops under Boqin, subsequently capture the prison rig and turn it into a resistance base.[186]
- Avatar Roku informs Aang on the winter solstice that Sozin's Comet will arrive by summer's end, telling him that Ozai must be defeated before the time of its arrival.[6]
- The Fire Sages are accused of treason and imprisoned by Admiral Zhao.[6]
- Avatar Aang begins his waterbending training with Katara.[187]
- The village of Gaipan is destroyed by Jet's Freedom Fighters and the villagers evacuate.[188]
- 100 AG — Year of the Monkey
- Avatar Aang begins his firebending training with Jeong Jeong, however, his training ends prematurely when Admiral Zhao attacks Jeong Jeong's camp.[189]
- The Fire Nation is repelled at the battle for the Northern Air Temple, but they acquire an experimental war balloon in the aftermath.[190]
- Siege of the North: The Fire Nation attempts to capture the Northern Water Tribe's capital Agna Qel'a, but is repelled by Aang after he temporarily fused with the Ocean Spirit, La, who was enraged with Admiral Zhao for killing the Moon Spirit, Tui. Princess Yue sacrifices her life to become the Moon Spirit. This is made possible by the small bit of spirit that Tui infused within her to bring her to life as a baby.[8] La imprisons Admiral Zhao in the Fog of Lost Souls in retaliation for Tui's death.[8][191]
- Members of the Northern Water Tribe set out to the Southern Water Tribe to aid them and rebuild, initializing the Southern Reconstruction Project.[192][3]
- Princess Azula of the Fire Nation recruits Mai and Ty Lee to hunt down the Avatar.
- Omashu falls under Fire Nation occupation; Omashu Resistance is formed.[193]
- Avatar Aang begins his earthbending training with Toph.[194]
- Jiang's river pirates, aided by Katara, break through a Fire Nation blockade at a village in the southern Earth Kingdom, allowing them to deliver medicine to an isolated community.[195]
- An attempt to break through Ba Sing Se's Outer Wall, using a giant drill and led by Princess Azula, fails.[196]
- Ba Sing Se falls to the Fire Nation through an internal coup d'état led by Princess Azula, assisted by her friends Mai and Ty Lee, and the Dai Li.[197]
- Avatar Aang is slain by Azula, and subsequently brought back to life by Katara with spirit water.[197]
- High-security prisoner General Iroh is imprisoned by Princess Azula and the Dai Li.[197]
- Dai Li operative Joo Dee is appointed Supreme Bureaucratic Administrator of Ba Sing Se by Princess Azula.[198]
- The Fire Nation establishes administrative control of the Serpent's Pass by establishing a fortified bridge.[199]
- First day of the eighth month: An attack on the Fire Nation Capital led by Avatar Aang during a solar eclipse in an attempt to defeat the Fire Lord fails, leaving many of the Fire Lord's enemies imprisoned.[161][200]
- During the eclipse, King Bumi liberates Omashu from the Fire Nation.[201]
- General Iroh breaks free from the Fire Nation Capital City Prison.[161]
- Prince Zuko betrays the Fire Nation and joins the Avatar's quest to oust Fire Lord Ozai.[202]
- Avatar Aang begins his firebending training with Prince Zuko; Zuko and Aang venture off to the Sun Warriors city to learn firebending from Ran and Shaw.[19]
- Sometime after the first day of the eighth month: Sozin's Comet returns, enhancing the firebenders' powers one hundred-fold.
- Fire Lord Ozai crowns himself Phoenix King and appoints Azula as Fire Lord.[203]
- The Order of the White Lotus, led by Grand Lotus Iroh, frees Ba Sing Se from Fire Nation rule in the liberation of Ba Sing Se, effectively liberating the entire Earth Kingdom.[201]
- Aang meets an ancient lion turtle, the world's oldest living being, and learns the lost art of energybending.[201]
- Prince Zuko and Katara defeat Azula during her coronation as Fire Lord in the Comet-Enhanced Agni Kai. This causes Azula to lose her remaining sanity.[204]
- Utilizing Sozin's Comet, Ozai launches a major attack on the Earth Kingdom with his armada of Fire Nation airships in an attempt to decisively end the war with a sheer display of force and destruction.[205]
- An attack launched by Toph, Sokka, and Suki succeeds in destroying the armada while Aang battles Ozai.[205]
- Avatar Aang defeats Ozai through the use of the Avatar State and uses energybending to strip him of his firebending.[204]
- Phoenix King Ozai is imprisoned for various war crimes.[204]
- Prince Zuko ascends to the throne as Fire Lord, vowing to the nations that he will dedicate his rule to rebuilding the world with the help of the Avatar.[204]
Post-Hundred Year War (100 AG — 171 AG)[]
- 100 AG — Year of the Monkey
- With international support, Fire Lord Zuko initiates a campaign to investigate crimes committed during the Hundred Year War with the goal of bringing at least some perpetrators to justice.[206] A married couple of Fire Nationals -who were among the worst perpetrators of the late war- are turned over to Earth Kingdom authorities by their own daughter, Chihiro.[207]
- The Harmony Restoration Movement is launched to remove the Fire Nation colonies from the Earth Kingdom.[2]
- The resistance against Fire Lord Zuko begins, including sabotage, terrorism, assassination attempts, rebellion, and other acts by Fire Nationals opposed to Zuko's policies.[2][206]
- 101 AG — Year of the Rooster
- Toph founds the Beifong Metalbending Academy.[2]
- In response to the Harmony Restoration Movement, Kori Morishita creates the Yu Dao Resistance and attempts to assassinate Fire Lord Zuko.[2]
- The growing crisis at Yu Dao causes Fire Lord Zuko to remove his support from the Harmony Restoration Movement, threatening to plunge the world into war once again. Avatar Aang averts the war, with the notion that the nations can live together in peace. This results in the Treaty of Yu Dao, with the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation allowing the oldest colonies to become autonomous entities.[208][209]
- Aang forms the Air Acolytes out of the Official Avatar Aang Fan Club.[208]
- Unresolved issues relating to the discontinued Harmony Restoration Movement result in violence and tensions in several regions, including the Restorationist–Loyalist conflict in Linsho.[210][211]
- 102 AG — Year of the Dog
- Zuko, with the help of Team Avatar and his sister, Azula, embark on a search for Ursa, which leads them to her new life in Hira'a. Azula escapes custody during the search for Ursa,[212] and subsequently creates the Fire Warriors, a small rebel group.[213]
- Yu Dao and other Fire Nation colonies create a joint government of Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom representatives, beginning the progression toward the formation of the United Republic of Nations.[214]
- The New Ozai Society reassembles in an attempt to overthrow Fire Lord Zuko.[215]
- Ursa returns to the Fire Nation Royal Palace for the first time since her exile.[215]
- Children in the Fire Nation Capital are being kidnapped by Azula's Fire Warriors, at the time disguised as Kemurikage.[215]
- Katara and Sokka return to the South Pole after two years.[3]
- Master Pakku founds a waterbending school in the Southern Water Tribe.[3]
- A group of Southern Water Tribe nationalists led by Gilak attempt to eradicate all foreign presence in the Southern Water Tribe.[216] Their violent rebellion is defeated and Gilak is killed, but Southern nationalism spreads as a result of this radical movement.[217]
- c. 102 — 103 AG
- An ex-Fire Warrior, Ningka, usurps control of the Crimson Sails Armada and launches a vicious piracy campaign against the Fire Nation, while also threatening international relations.[147]
- Cranefish Town is established on the western shores of the Earth Kingdom and rapidly grows. Tensions begin to escalate between benders and nonbenders, resulting in Liling's Bending Supremacist Uprising, which is defeated by Team Avatar and the Earthen Fire Refinery's nonbender guards.[218]
- The remaining Fire Warriors and Azula part ways due to disagreements over their operations.[213]
- Between 102 — 115 AG
- Aang and Zuko establish the United Republic of Nations, a fifth nation with Republic City as its capital.[219][220]
- Toph travels the world to teach metalbending[221] before becoming Republic City's first Chief of Police.[222]
- The Fire Nation gifts a large statue of Aang to Republic City as a symbol of peace and goodwill.[223][224]
- Between 102 — 119 AG
- 115 AG — Year of the Pig
- 119 AG — Year of the Rabbit
- Tenzin, the youngest son of Aang and Katara and the only airbender among their children, is born.[226]
- Lightning Bolt Zolt is born.[227]
- 120 AG — Year of the Dragon
- Lin Beifong is born to Toph[228] and Kanto.[229]
- Hiroshi Sato is born.[230]
- Around the same time, the cabbage merchant founds Cabbage Corp.[231]
- 126 AG — Year of the Dog
- Suyin Beifong, Lin's half-sister, is born, to an unknown father.[232]
- 128 AG — Year of the Rat
- Yakone is placed on trial for his crimes against Republic City. After attempting an escape, he loses his bending to Avatar Aang.[233]
- 130 AG — Year of the Tiger
- Shiro Shinobi is born.[234]
- Saikhan is born.[235]
- Noatak, the eldest son of Yakone and his wife and later known as the revolutionary Amon, is born.[236][237]
- 133 AG — Year of the Snake
- 134 AG — Year of the Horse
- 135 AG — Year of the Sheep
- 138 AG — Year of the Dog
- Hiroshi Sato founds Future Industries after inventing the Satomobile.[230]
- 143 AG — Year of the Rabbit
- 144 AG — Year of the Dragon
- Noatak at 14, runs away after defending Tarrlok from Yakone and bloodbending them both.[237]
- 149 AG — Year of the Rooster
- 151 AG — Year of the Pig
- Tonraq, heir apparent for the Northern Water Tribe chiefdom, leads a battalion against an invasion of their home by barbarians. He destroys a spirit forest in the process, resulting in his banishment by the tribal chief, his father.[244]
- Unalaq takes Tonraq's position as heir apparent.[244]
- Tonraq settles in the South Pole.[244]
- 152 AG — Year of the Rat
- Mako is born to San and Naoki.[245]
- Asami Sato is born to Hiroshi Sato and Yasuko Sato.[246]
- 153 AG — Year of the Ox
- Avatar Aang dies; and Avatar Korra is born to Tonraq and Senna in the Southern Water Tribe.[247]
- After traveling around the world and becoming a renowned healer in her own right,[248] Kya moves back to the Southern Water Tribe to support her grieving mother.[249]
- Hong Li is born.[250]
- 154 AG — Year of the Tiger
- 155 AG — Year of the Rabbit
- Desna and Eska are born to Unalaq and Malina.[252]
- c. 156 AG — Year of the Dragon
- Wakkanai and Yinuo engineer a new method of desalinating the water around Republic City.[253]
- With Wakkanai and Yinuo lacking the funds and experience to execute their idea for desalination plants at a massive scale, Wakkanai turns to the young Iknik Blackstone Varrick, a prominent outside investor. Varrick sabotages one of Yinuo's experiments, and uses the resulting explosion to have him barred from further research by city regulators. Varrick helps Wakkanai negotiate a profitable deal with the city, giving her generational rights to the profits from the water treatment facilities.[253]
- Yinuo falls into ruin. He is forced to return to the Earth Kingdom, where he changes his name to San Ho.[253]
- 157 AG — Year of the Snake
- The Order of the White Lotus visits Korra's family at the South Pole and confirm Korra's claim to be the Avatar.[219][254]
- 158 AG — Year of the Horse
- Yasuko Sato is murdered during a robbery of the Sato estate by the Agni Kai Triad.[255]
- Skoochy is born.[256]
- Zaheer, Ming-Hua, Ghazan, and P'Li attempt to kidnap Korra, but are apprehended by Chief Sokka, Tenzin, Tonraq, and Fire Lord Zuko. The criminals are imprisoned in different, specialized prisons across the world.[257]
- 160 AG — Year of the Monkey
- Mako and Bolin's parents are killed by a rogue firebender.[258]
- Jinora, the eldest child of Tenzin and Pema, is born[259]
- 163 AG — Year of the Pig
- Sometime before 164 AG
- A volcano erupts, and devastates the village at its base. Admiral Dalja Ro of the Fire Navy reroutes their ships to rescue civilians and provide medical aid. The government is so impressed that it tasks Dalja with organizing a fleet dedicated to aiding civilians during disasters, which becomes the Fire Nation's official Relief Fleet.[261]
- 165 AG — Year of the Ox
- 166 AG — Year of the Tiger
- Hiroshi Sato attempts to persuade Wonyong Keum to help him improving the Equalist mecha tanks, though Keum finally decided to back out of the deal, much to the annoyance of the Sato family.[263]
- 167 AG — Year of the Rabbit
- Fire Lord Zuko passes the title of Fire Lord to his daughter, Izumi, and becomes an ambassador for peace, taking up the title "Lord" instead.[264]
- Mako and Bolin leave the Triple Threat Triad and decide to live with Toza in the Pro-bending Arena.[265]
- 170 AG — Year of the Horse
- After passing her final firebending test, Korra goes to Republic City in order to begin her airbending training with Tenzin.[219]
- The Anti-Bending Revolution publicly begins with the destruction of the Pro-bending Arena during an Equalist attack.[266]
- Amon removes Tarrlok's bending.[233]
- The Equalists launch an attack on Republic City. In the course of their attack, the insurgents occupy the capital as well as Air Temple Island, and overthrow the United Republic Council. Amon removes the bending of several police officers who were made his prisoners after the battle, including Lin Beifong.[267]
- Rohan, Tenzin and Pema's second son, is born during the battle.[267]
- The United Forces' First Division is destroyed by the Equalists' biplane armada upon attempting to take Republic City back.[267]
- Avatar Korra's bending is taken away by Amon during the Equalist victory rally, though she manages to unlock her airbending and expose Amon as a waterbender from the Northern Water Tribe, dealing a strong blow to the support of the Anti-Bending Revolution. Amon flees Republic City with his brother Tarrlok, who kills himself and Amon while crossing the Mo Ce Sea.[268]
- Avatar Aang's spirit restores Avatar Korra's bending with energybending and passes on that knowledge to her. Korra consequently restores Lin Beifong's bending, as well as the bending of every other innocent person that lost it.[268]
- 171 AG — Year of the Sheep
- Asami Sato assumes control of Future Industries as CEO.[269]
- Bumi retires from the United Forces and moves to Air Temple Island with Tenzin and his family.[269]
- The United Republic Council is dissolved in favor of a democratically elected president, the nonbender Raiko.[269]
- Korra breaks ties with Tenzin and begins her spiritual training with Unalaq.[269]
- Korra journeys to the heart of the South Pole and re-opens a dormant spirit portal on the winter solstice.[244]
- Korra finds out the truth about how Unalaq framed his brother to become Chief of the Water Tribes.[270]
- The Water Tribe Civil War starts.[270]
- Korra is swallowed by a dark spirit, which causes her to temporarily lose her memory.[271] She later reconnects with the first Avatar, Wan, and regains most of her memories.[13][14]
- Jinora leads Korra into the Spirit World.[272]
- Korra reopens the Northern spirit portal after Jinora's life is threatened by Unalaq.[273]
- The third known Harmonic Convergence occurs.[274]
- Unalaq frees Vaatu and becomes the first Dark Avatar after fusing with the spirit of darkness. He purges Raava out of Korra and destroys the light spirit.[191]
- Unalaq perishes after Vaatu's spirit is cleansed by Korra using Unalaq's own spiritual cleansing technique.[275]
- Korra starts the Avatar Cycle anew, though she no longer has a connection to the past Avatars.[275]
Second Age of the Avatar (171 AG — Present)[]
- 171 AG — Year of the Sheep
- Korra leaves the spirit portals open and denounces the Avatar's role as the bridge between the two worlds, assuming a more general peacekeeper role.[275]
- The Water Tribe Civil War ends. The Southern Water Tribe becomes independent with Tonraq as its new chief.[275]
- Desna and Eska become the new co-chiefs of the Northern Water Tribe.[243]
- After millennia of exile in the Spirit World, Hundun reenters the mortal world to take revenge on the Avatar and throw the world into chaos. Korra defeats and kills Hundun, however, restoring balance in the Spirit World.[36]
- A number of nonbenders gain airbending abilities all across the four nations, including Bumi,[23] Kai,[243] Opal,[276] and Zaheer.[23]
- Korra is banished from Republic City by President Raiko.[23]
- The Earth Queen Hou-Ting orders the Dai Li to kidnap airbenders throughout Ba Sing Se.[277]
- Zaheer escapes his prison[23] and subsequently frees his teammates Ghazan, Ming-Hua,[243] and P'Li.[257]
- Korra becomes the first metalbending Avatar.[241]
- Zaofu is attacked by the Red Lotus in search of Korra.[250]
- Earth Queen Hou-Ting is assassinated by Zaheer and the Inner Wall of the city is brought down by Ghazan, plunging the Earth Kingdom into chaos.[278]
- The Red Lotus attacks the Northern Air Temple and threatens to destroy the revived Air Nation if Korra does not surrender herself.[279]
- P'Li is killed by Suyin.[280]
- Bolin becomes the second known non-Avatar who can lavabend.[280]
- Ghazan destroys the Northern Air Temple.[280]
- Zaheer becomes the second person in history to be able to fly.[280]
- Ming-Hua is killed by Mako.[20]
- Ghazan commits suicide in an attempt to bury Mako and Bolin.[20]
- Zaheer is imprisoned once again.[20]
- Jinora receives her airbending tattoos and is anointed as a master.[20]
- Korra is officially welcomed back to Republic City.[20]
- The airbenders return to their nomadic roots, promoting peace, balance, and harmony around the world while Korra recuperates.[20]
- Between 171 — 174 AG
- Republic City comes to terms with the spirits living in the metropolis.[281]
- Kuvira assembles an army to reunite the Earth Kingdom.[281]
- Korra rehabilitates at the Southern Water Tribe compound for two years, though still mentally scarred by Zaheer's attempt on her life, she sets out on a journey to reconnect with Raava.[282]
- 174 AG — Year of the Dog
- Wu is crowned the fifty-fourth Earth King.[283]
- Kuvira announces during Wu's coronation the dissolution of the Earth Kingdom and the monarchy, reforming it into a new "Earth Empire" under her leadership.[283]
- After defeating Korra in a one-on-one duel, Kuvira successfully annexes Zaofu into the Earth Empire, bringing the entire nation under her control.[284]
- With a spirit energy cannon at her disposal,[229] Kuvira marches her army to Republic City and forces President Raiko to surrender the United Republic of Nations to her.[285]
- Hiroshi Sato sacrifices himself in the battle against Kuvira's enormous mecha suit.[286]
- A new spirit portal emerges in the heart of Republic City.[287]
- Kuvira surrenders herself and the military of the Earth Empire.[287]
- Wu plans to abolish the Earth Kingdom monarchy, officially, in favor of democratically elected leaders for the various states, territories and provinces.[287]
- Iknik Blackstone Varrick and Zhu Li Moon marry.[287]
- President Raiko announces an expansion of Republic City.[287]
- Spirits and humans come into conflict over dominance of the Republic City spirit portal and its surrounding area.[288]
- Presidential elections in the United Republic of Nations begin.[288] Zhu Li Moon is elected the second President of the United Republic, defeating the incumbent Raiko.[263]
- Many triads lost their turf during the destruction of downtown Republic City, now fighting each other for the remaining turf wars.[288]
- The first democratic elections in the Earth Kingdom take place in the State of Gaoling but are rendered null after Commander Guan influenced voters through brainwashing.[289]
- After a trial for her war crimes, Kuvira is sentenced to house arrest in Zaofu three months after her surrender.[289]
- With Korra openly coming out as bisexual, many queer members of both Water Tribes are also inspired to come out. Chiefs Eska and Desna issue a decree that legalizes same-sex marriage in the Northern Water Tribe, and attend many same-sex weddings to show their support.[290]
- c. 175 AG — Year of the Pig
- After a series of disappearances where he later turns up unharmed in ridiculous circumstances, Varrick goes missing for nearly a month after thinking of a new use for moo-sow milk that can only work in the Spirit World. Lin Beifong institutes the "Varrick Rule" in missing persons cases, where Varrick has to be missing for at least a week before someone can even talk to her about the issue.[291][292]
- c. 176 AG — Year of the Rat
- On the morning of the final match of the Spring Pro-bending Tournament, Varrick is kidnapped by San Ho and the Terra Triad, who plan to kill him in an explosion at one of Wakkanai's water treatment facilities. As there is minimal evidence at the crime scene and the police are likely to not take the issue seriously, President Moon enlists the help of a team of trusted individuals to save her husband.[253]
Trivia[]
- The era names found on Wan Shi Tong's calendar were devised by Siu-Leung Lee and based on traditional Chinese models.[293]
Notes[]
- ↑ Guru Laghima was an Air Nomad and airbending master; thus the Air Nomads must have formed before his life.
- ↑ Avatar Kuruk died in 312 BG,[68] when he was 33.[65] Thus, he was born, and Yangchen died, in 345 BG.
- ↑ According to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, Iroh was "around ten years older" than Ozai.[155] As Ozai was born around 55 AG,[156] Iroh was born around 45 AG.
- ↑ According to sketchbook notes of The Search (Omnibus edition), Ozai was thirty when he and Ursa got married, the same year Azulon was eighty-five, which would place the date of the wedding at 85 AG.[156] However, Azulon's age must be a mistake, as Zuko was born in 83 AG.[6] As a result, Ozai's birth date can only be roughly estimated based on the dates provided by The Search.
- ↑ According to sketchbook notes of The Search (Omnibus edition), Ursa was twenty-one when she and Ozai got married, the same year Azulon was eighty-five, which would place the date of the wedding at 85 AG.[156] However, Azulon's age must be a mistake, as Zuko was born in 83 AG.[6] As a result, Ursa's birth date can only be roughly estimated based on the dates provided by The Search.
- ↑ Bryan Konietzko stated that Iroh was 36 in the commentary for "Endgame" while telling a joke about a deleted plot development where Mako and Asami's ages would have been different than they ended up being in the show, so it is not clear whether this age is fully canonical.[238]