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Appearance
The people of the Earth Kingdom have brown or black hair in different shades. Some men wear their hair in buns on top
of their head and have beards and/or mustaches; younger men may have the same style but wear their hair down. Their skin complexion
is fair, and they have brown or green eyes. They usually wear green, yellow-green, or brown clothing, though they have been
seen wearing outfits of other colors.
Earth Kingdom National Emblem.
National emblem
The national emblem of the Earth Kingdom is a square inscribed with a circle, at the center of which is a much smaller
square (like a Chinese coin). This emblem can be seen on the helmets of Earth Kingdom troops.
Large "coins" of this design made of rock or earth are sometimes used as weapons by Earthbenders, as shown extensively
in "The Avatar State".
Earth Kingdom City of Omashu.
Culture
From the technology driven refuges under the Mechanist to the initially isolationist inhabitants of Kyoshi Island, the
culture of the Earth Kingdom is far less defined than the other nations. This is likely due to its size. The comparable aspects
of all these people is that they are rather simplistic and somewhat archaic (compared to the Fire Nation).
Government
The Earth Kingdom is a large nation divided into provinces (as mentioned in "Zuko Alone") and major cities (such
as Omashu, among others) which are subdivided into smaller townships or separate towns. The capital of the Earth Kingdom is
Ba Sing Se.
Military
Since the Earth Kingdom is geographically the largest of the four nations, it is only logical to assume that its armies
are the largest in the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. Despite their size, they are slowly starting to lose the war against
the Fire Nation.
Army
Like the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom armies consist of Earthbenders and normal foot soldiers. Soldiers, both benders
and non-benders, carry a wide variety of weapons, from spears, swords, and other various polearms, to more unusual weapons
such as hammers, axes, and sickles. Soldiers typically wear a helmet that's a mix of an Conical straw hat and a spinning top.
Non-bending soldiers also wear a headdress underneath, appear to be more armoured, and wear boots. Earthbenders helmets are
pointed and are decorated with the Earth Kingdom emblem. They are also barefooted, as called for by a principle of Earthbending.
Officers wear yellow armor in place of the regular green armor.
Earth Kingdom soldiers in various parts of the Earth Kingdom wear slightly different coloured uniforms from others; the
Earthbenders who kidnapped Uncle Iroh in The Spirit World wore yellow and light brown. General Fong's soldiers in The Avatar
State wore light green, and the guards of the Bei Fong family wore a cream coloured uniform.
The cavalry consists of Ostrich Horses, which can climb small distances and run at high speeds. They are also used as
transports.
Earthbenders use stones shaped like the Earth Kingdom emblem as artillery and catapult projectiles. These person-sized
round coins are invaluable weapons to the Earthbenders. Because they are made out of Earth, Earthbenders are able to bend
them, spinning and rolling them at their opponents. Inspired from actual Earth Kingdom coins, these weapons are very useful
on the battlefield. The coins can be lined up side by side to make a defensive (and mobile) wall or stacked to make an impromptu
lookout tower. Skilled Earthbenders can use these coins as a vehicle and "ride" in the hole in the middle of the
coins.
Navy
Not much is known about the Earth Navy, except that its likely inferior to the Fire Nation's. The Earth Kingdom's General
Fong said that invading the Fire Nation with its ships would be suicidal.
Kyoshi Island Warriors
The Kyoshi Island Warriors are an elite, all-female group of fighters led by Suki on Kyoshi Island.
Their fighting style and clothing mimic those of Avatar Kyoshi, although they seemingly do not implement any of the bending
arts in their physical movements. Clad in armored green kimonos and geisha-like makeup, Kyoshi Island Warriors use metal fans
as their main weapons. Holding the fans like extensions of their own arms, they aim to turn the strength of their opponents
against them, a principle also studied in waterbending. The female warriors don't take kindly to training outsiders, let alone
men, in these unique methods.
Although they are skilled and well-trained, their recent entrance into the war may not have a large impact on its outcome.
As shown in one village in "The Warriors of Kyoshi," there are no more than a dozen of them per group. However,
groups formed elsewhere on Kyoshi Island, perhaps in other villages, could amass these warriors' fighting potential even to
that of a small army.
Cities and locations
Kyoshi Island
One of the islands off the southern coast of the Earth Kingdom, Kyoshi Island is an island founded in the South Sea by
Avatar Kyoshi to protect her people from invaders. It has a shrine (formerly a temple) dedicated to Kyoshi that contains her
relics, including her kimono, metal fans, metal headress, and her boots. Supposedly, these relics still embody some of Kyoshi's
spirit. In the nearby sea, there are Elephant Koi and a giant eel known as the Unagi. The island is known as the home of the
Kyoshi Island Warriors, who fight with metal fans in the same techniques as the island's namesake Avatar.
Predominantly a fishing port, Kyoshi Island is a favorite stopping point for traders and travelers.[citation needed] Because
it holds little significant military advantage and is home to only a few Earthbenders, it has managed to stay out of the Fire
Nation's war for nearly a century — until Zuko recently attacked it looking for Aang. Nevertheless, the inhabitants
of the island have no intention of inviting unwanted attention, and as a result are often hostile towards outsiders. However,
inspired by the Avatar Aang's arrival on the island, the citizens have gained new hope and have adopted a more welcoming attitude
since then. Additionally, the Kyoshi Island Warriors recently left to join the war effort in hopes of making a difference.
During the time of Avatar Kyoshi, an Earthbender known as Chin the Conqueror was enveloping the entire Earth Kingdom in
his armies and ruthless dictatorship. Kyoshi managed to keep her people safe from invasion by using a combination of different
bending techniques to separate their peninsula from the mainland and form an island. This left a cliff at Chin's feet, where
he fell to his death as the rock beneath him collapsed. The village of Chin was founded near the cliff and was known to be
very antagonistic towards all reincarnations of the Avatar, believing that they killed their glorious leader. Only recently
when Aang, the current Avatar, saves the village from rhino-riding Fire Nation soldiers do they put their qualms aside and
reinvent their effigy-burning Avatar Day into a more friendly celebration. This day is known as Kyoshi Day on Kyoshi Island.
Omashu
Inside Omashu.
King Bumi.
The city of Omashu sits within a mountain range, surrounded on all sides by steep canyons created by Earthbending for
defense. It is ruled by King Bumi. Omashu had developed a complex and efficient mail system that employed Earthbending and
gravity using extensive ramps and chutes. Bumi and Aang used the ramps as slides in their past.
New Ozai, after the conquest of Omashu.
At the beginning of Book Two, Aang and his friends begin to travel to Omashu again so that he may learn Earthbending.
"The Cave of Two Lovers" reveals that the city was founded many millenia ago and was named for Oma and Shu, a Romeo
and Juliet pair from two warring villages who were the first Earthbenders. It is therefore likely that Bumi became king due
to his immense Earthbending prowess. Since Aang, Katara, and Sokka's last visit, Omashu has fallen to the Fire Nation and
has been renamed "New Ozai" by Princess Azula. The entire city is seen going under massive reconstruction to better
suit the Fire Nation, and a huge statue of Ozai is seen under construction at the top of Omashu (though his face remains obscured).
The normal citizens, however, flee the city under the guise of an epidemic shortly after Aang arrives.
Ba Sing Se
Ba Sing Se is the capital of the Earth Kingdom. It withstood a six-hundred day siege led by the Fire Nation's General
Iroh, which ended after Iroh's son, Lu Ten, died on the front lines and Iroh was in too much grief to continue. Judging from
Admiral Zhao's speech in "The Blue Spirit," it is under attack by the Fire Nation again. After King Bumi surrendered
Omashu, Ba Sing Se is the last great Earth Kingdom stronghold and the last real barrier against the Fire Nation's advance.
Uncle Iroh has described the city's wall as "grand". As shown in the Comic Convention 2006, Ba Sing Se is a grand
city with several rock-like monorails, similarly to the ones in Omashu. The "cars" are probably moved by Earthbending.
[edit]
Minor Earth Kingdom Locations
Main article: List of minor Earth Kingdom locations
Fauna
The Earth Kingdom is home to many exotic creatures:
* Ostrich Horses roam the lands, and are domesticated and mounted by Earth Kingdom citizens as transports.
* In the great Si Wong desert, Buzzard-wasps make their home in the Si Wong Rock. They make a honey like liquid that
they feed their young. It is said that this liquid tastes like rotting penguin meat.
* Singing Groundhogs attract tourists from everywhere. They are able to respond to any musical note.
* Purple Pentapi reside in the sewers of Omashu. They have five eyes and legs and can attach themselves to you at
will. When tickled into letting go, they leave behind sucker marks not uncommonly mistaken for a symptom of the infamous pestilence
"Pentapox."
* Platypus Bears are found in the forests of the Earth Kingdom. If you see a cave, it may belong to a platypus bear.
They lay eggs and protect them. The young are cute, but adults are as dangerous as a bear.
* Saber-toothed Mooselions are fearsome animals of the Earth Kingdom forests. They have large sabers, paws, and large
antlers. They are not recognizable at a young age. They are really cute when young though. At a young age, they appear to
be herbivores, but may become carnivorous as they grow older.
* In the caves of the Earth Kingdom, Wolfbats are territorial carnivores. The are as large as wolves and can fly.
Badgermoles are also residing in there. The are blind, but see with bending. They say they taught the first Earthbenders.
They have a touch for music. If you play the right music, you could get them to do almost anything.
* Various kinds of hybrid pigs are farmed here. Sheep, Rooster, Chicken, and Cow pigs are seen.
* Large, insect-like creatures called Canyon Crawlers inhabit the Great Divide.
See also: List of Avatar: The Last Airbender creatures
Sandbenders
Out in the Earth kingdom's desert, there is a small group of nomads with the ability to bend sand. Little is known except
that they have boat-like vehicles which they propel with sand to move about the desert. They resemble Bedouins in many ways
such as clothing, lifestyle and tribe-system. In "The Library," they captured Appa. In "The Desert," upon
Aang and company found an abandoned Sandbender boat, leading them to a large beehive, and finally to one of the Sandbender
tribes, where they found one of the people responsible for the capture of Appa. It was at this point that Aang, driven by
intense rage, entered the Avatar State, at which point Katara embraced him, and Aang slowly slipped out of the Avatar State,
with tears streaming down his face. Sandbending is another form of earthbending which is very similar to waterbending in the
ways it is used (propelling the sand around the gliders to make it move across the sand). This may also be because sand is
exactly like water in the form we see it, but one grain alone is just like a tiny rock. Beach sand may not be bended because
it is crumbled up shells and coral, not earth like desert sand. Toph is also seen throwing the sand around (using earthbending)
while trying to stop the library from sinking.
Influences
In many aspects, the Earth Kingdom is modelled on ancient Korea in terms of architecture and clothing (Earth Kingdom women
wearing the Hanbok), and China in terms of combat style. The resident hippy, hillbilly, spectator sports fan, and Old Western
cowboy stereotypes, however, suggest parallels to the United States of America. The desert sandbenders resemble that of Middle
Eastern people, most likely the Bedouins. Given its sheer size, both in area and expanse the Earth Kingdom may well contain
many different cultures and sub-cultures. [citation needed]
Notable figures
* King Bumi
* General Fong
* The Mechanist
* Aunt Wu
* Lao Bei Fong
* Toph Bei Fong
* Avatar Kyoshi
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