| “ | You accept the risk of winning or the guarantee of losing. | „ |
| ~ Kyoshi |
| “ | Only justice will bring peace. | „ |
| ~ Kyoshi's advice to Aang |
Kyoshi, frequently referred to by her title as Avatar Kyoshi, is a major character in the Avatar franchise, serving as the titular main protagonist of the novels The Rise of Kyoshi and The Shadow of Kyoshi, and a posthumous character in Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.
She is voiced Jennifer Hale.
Personality[]
While Kyoshi had no love of violence she was perfectly willing to commit it, even so far as to kill her enemies, if it means protecting the world. Likewise, she is absolutely relentless to her enemies and is not above intimidating world leaders by sending assassins after them to subtly threaten their lives to get her point across.
Biography[]
Kyoshi was a resident of the Earth Kingdom and is one of the past lives of the series main protagonist Aang, she was reincarnated as Roku, a firebender, who in-turn was reincarnated as Aang. Kyoshi's early life was marked by hardship. After her parents abandoned her, she lived as a homeless orphan, barely managing to survive until Kelsang came to her rescue and took on the role of her surrogate father. She was not recognized as the Avatar until the age of sixteen, with her friend Yun being named the Avatar instead. When her true identity was uncovered, chaos ensued in Kyoshi's life. Yun was sacrificed to a terrifying spirit, and Kelsang was killed while trying to protect her from Jianzhu, Yun’s former master and the de facto ruler of the Earth Kingdom. Consumed by fear and a desire for revenge against Jianzhu, Kyoshi escaped with her other friend, Rangi, and joined the Flying Opera Company, her parents' old criminal gang. Alongside these unexpected allies, Kyoshi wandered through the Earth Kingdom, becoming entangled in the criminal underworld while evading Jianzhu. After enduring numerous challenges and personal losses, she grew close to her criminal companions, developed a romantic relationship with Rangi, and ultimately helped to bring about Jianzhu’s downfall.
In the subsequent years, Kyoshi faced challenges in gaining public acceptance as Avatar and maintaining stability in the Earth Kingdom, as Jianzhu's death led to rising tensions and a leadership void. She witnessed the conclusion of the Camellia-Peony War in the Fire Nation and later confronted her friend Yun, who had been twisted by a thirst for revenge against those who had deceived him about his Avatar status.
A large group of warriors made her their patron, and go by the Kyoshi Warriors, and wear battle attire that matches her's in honor of Kyoshi. Another group hate her because they find her responsible for Chin the Conqueror's demise. When Chin attempted to conquer her part of the Earth Kingdom, Kyoshi used her earthbending to split apart the land, moving it far out to sea as it's own island. Chin refused to move and thus fell to his death when the land split apart. Aang points out that Kyoshi did not actually kill him but rather Chin was just too suborn to get to safety, Kyoshi on the other-hand sees little difference between that and killing him herself and states she would gladly have cut him down herself if she had to. Of all the previous Avatar incarnations shown in the series Kyoshi seems to be the least sensitive and is willing to actually shed blood to protect her people and maintain nature's balance. The Kyoshi Warriors are not only trained in her fighting style but also in her mind-set to emphasize their roles as warriors.
Powers & Abilities[]
Kyoshi is from the Earth Kingdom and the founder/creator of Kyoshi Island. She is best known as the creator of the Dai Li and the inspiration for the Kyoshi Warriors. She is also on record for the most triumphant demonstration of the power of the Avatar State, as she didn't alter plate tectonics.
External Links[]
- Kyoshi on the Avatar Wiki
Trivia[]
- Kyoshi was retroactively confirmed to be bisexual in the Legend of Korra comics. Kya mentions that Kyoshi "loved both men and women".
