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The Past

Avatar Roku started out as the best friend of Prince Sozin, the future Fire Lord. However their world views took a notable divide as time went on, ultimately dividing the two as Sozin found himself with a desire to 'spread' the Fire Nation's influence across the world. Roku immediately shot down the idea, but still his plan lingered and Sozin acted in secret. His acts did not go unnoticed and soon Roku confronted him. After a brief firefight, Roku had Sozin in his clutches and made it clear that there would be no war. But as he left, Sozin refused to have his rule questioned and launched a back attack on Roku. The Avatar, in turn, acted decisively and struck Sozin down, killing him.

Although Roku had unknowingly stopped a hundred year war, his act was not without its consequences. A young Azulon, now without a father, ascended to the throne as a mere child. Fear of the Avatar became common in the Fire Nation and war seemed almost inevitable, forcing Roku to take an active role in keeping peace, sometimes taking control of the country's army to keep the people in order. Ultimately civil war was averted and he was able to retire in peace on a remote island. His death ultimately came when he found his aging body unable to deal with a volcanic eruption and died when the toxic gases overwhelmed him.

The next Avatar in the cycle was born soon after in the Southern Air Temple. A boy named Aang, an airbender. In the years there was no Avatar, the secret Order of the White Lotus shifted in leadership to a new Grand Master, who felt Roku's acts had been far too extreme. Given how Avatar Kyoshi had killed Chin the Conqueror and Roku has done the same to Sozin, it became apparent that if the Avatar desired, he or she could easily establish him or herself as dictator over the world. From then on, the White Lotus would be tasked with monitoring the Avatar and stepping in should he or she try to assert their power over the rest of the world.

Aang was closely monitored by White Lotus member Monk Gyatso, who did his best to instill the boy with the Airbender beliefs of pacifism and respect for all life, a trait that the previous two Avatars had seemed to lack. Aang himself grew to become a powerful Avatar, training in the North Pole for his waterbending, in Omashu alongside Bumi for earthbending, and with his good friend Kuzon in the Fire Nation capital to be a firebender. Although he had been celebrated in the North Pole, the Earth Kingdom proved to be unpopular for the young Avatar. A holiday dating from Kyoshi's day had grown in Chin Village following Sozin's death. Known as Avatar Day, the burning of wooden Avatar statues had become a tradition and increased in number in light of anti-Avatar views. Aang himself encountered one of these celebrations and adamantly declared the celebration to be over by protecting the statues from being burned. When faced with accusations about Chin's death, Aang refused to stand trial for Kyoshi's crimes and expressed he would not tolerate the holiday being celebrated again.

The Fire Nation proved to be less popular for Aang. A now grown Azulon was fearful for his life, due to having a nearly fully realized Avatar in his own nation. Aang's training was allowed to proceed, but only under close supervision of the elite royal guard. Many of his own attempts to prove himself noble intended were taken poorly and ultimately taken as threats. By the time Aang had finished his training, most of the Fire Nation was already fearful that this new Avatar would once again seize the throne, this time leaving the Fire Nation with no heir. It was with disappointment and the fear of an entire country that Aang left the Fire Nation, not to return for many years.

Now a fully realized Avatar, Aang returned to the Earth Kingdom, traveling to Ba Sing Se at the behest of Bumi, now the king of Omashu. The Earth Kingdom had begun to splinter into smaller self governing countries as Ba Sing Se itself ceased to be the seat of power of the country. After months of work, Aang had unearthed the corruption at the heart of the city, discovering that the Dai Li had managed to work their way as 'cultural preservers' and reduced the royal family to mere figureheads, quietly removing members of the royal family that attempted to work against the Dai Li. Although Ba Sing Se was freed from corruption, it found itself being led by an incompetent Earth King who had no experience or interest in the common people. In short order, the prosperous but isolated city of Ba Singe Se was close to ruin. Following the example of his precursor, Aang stepped in and guided the city until a temporary steward for the king's power could be appointed to rule the nation until the previous king's son was old enough to rule.

As Aang reached old age, he began isolating himself more and more at the Air Temples, hoping to seek the enlightenment that his past deeds seemed to have robbed him. One day Aang merely vanished, leaving being what little possessions he had, including his own glider staff and his long time companion Appa. Nobody ever knew what became of him. Some say he traveled to the Spirit World and simply never returned. Others, however, chose to believe that he was confronted and punished for his misdeeds against the Earth Kingdom.

Sokka is born

In that time, the next Avatar was born in the Water Tribe to Chief Hakoda and his wife, Kya. Although it was not a first, it was extremely uncommon for the Avatar to be born to a family of such prominence and the White Lotus already feared that an Avatar with such strong ties to the leader of a nation's leader would only spell trouble, much as it had with Roku and Sozin. In the meantime, a paranoid Azulon died fitfully in his sleep and was succeeded by his eldest son, Iroh, who unlike his younger brother Ozai, was a man of tradition and did his part to ease fears of the yet unnamed Avatar being a threat to the country.

Unlike most parents, Hakoda was made aware of Sokka's destiny as the Avatar early on. With this in mind, he hoped to fix the mistakes of the past by traveling with his son, and later his daughter, around the world to meet the various leaders of the other nations. He hoped by having those in power already on good terms with Sokka, these people would be more open to accepting him once his sixteenth birthday arrived and he was named Avatar. Unfortunately the world found itself in the midst of an industrial revolution and Chief Hakoda himself involved in many projects to transform the Southern Tribe into a player in the economics of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. His children were often allowed to travel on his behalf around the world to negotiate with the leaders of the other nations.

These freedoms proved to be trouble to a Sokka who had shown little interest in his own immense potential as a waterbender, despite all attempts to instill responsibility in him by his teacher, Mistress Hama.. Political dealings he left to his younger sister as he himself went to enjoy what the other nations had to offer. Most often, what he found most intriguing was the beautiful women. In short order, Sokka had already gained some notoriety for his promiscuity, having successfully managed to woo Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, only to have humiliated her when it became apparent he had been involved with one of her friends at the same time. Likewise, at the annual New Moon celebration with the two Water Tribes, he managed to spoil Princess Yue's engagement with the warrior Hahn by convincing her to go off with him the night before her sixteenth birthday.

A frustrated Hakoda and Kya attempted to curb their son's activities, but unfortunately his birthday arrived and there was no choice but the reveal him to the world as the next Avatar. Instead of taking the weight of his responsibility seriously, Sokka realized he now had more freedom than he ever had before. As the most important person in the world, no one could ever truly tell him what to do. He agreed to travel to the Earth Kingdom to begin the cycle of learning, but he saw it more as an opportunity for enjoying himself than dedicating himself to his destiny. Despite the insistence of many that he train in one of the smaller cities amongst the Earth Kingdom, he insisted on nothing less than living in luxury in Ba Sing Se with the finest Earth Kingdom instructor could be provided.

That man was Long Feng, a former member of the Dai Li (long since a reformed group with considerably less influence) who had gained a reputation as the instructor of Earth Kingdom's elite nobility. He took few students at a time and it was only with a great deal of convincing before he would even take in Sokka alongside his only other student, a girl named Toph who was a member of the extremely influential Bei Fong family. It has been a year since Sokka has moved to Ba Sing Se and began his destiny as the Avatar. For a year, he remained ignorant to the fact the other nations of the world were all wary of him becoming a fully realized Avatar. Outside the walls of Ba Sing Se, a sense of urgency and tension covered the world. Each nation had bolstered their armies and naval fleets in anticipation for a war that might cover the world.

The War

A year into his training with Long Feng, he invited his family to come and visit at Ba Sing Se, as his father had important business to discuss with the Earth King. What he did not realize was that the Earth King had made designs to remove the world of the latest Avatar. A plan was in motion, one that required his death so that the next Avatar, born in the Earth Kingdom, could be raised and controlled by the Earth King to follow his will.

And so during the visit, Sokka's family stayed in Long Feng's manor. But as he slept, abruptly the entire manor was buried in sudden earthquake. His life was only saved by Toph sensing the vibrations and keeping the debris off the two of them. His family, however, were not so lucky and were buried alive. The Earth King's treachery was quickly discovered, but covered up and blamed on extremists that had infiltrated the city. In his rage, Sokka attempted to get his revenge immediately, storming the Earth Palace. Before he could finish the Earth King off, the White Lotus stepped in, quickly disabling him and taking him away to where he would be imprisoned.

With the help of Toph and Bato, now chief of the Southern Tribe, the Avatar was freed before the White Lotus could properly sort things out. Immediately following, the Earth King declared the Avatar to be dangerous and out for power, putting out a reward for his death. The Fire Nation was soon convinced to do the same, as well as the Northern Water Tribe. For a year, Sokka was on the run, gaining allies to build an army that can oppose the Earth King's forces, aided by what few friends he'd managed to keep. However it became apparent that until he was a fully realized Avatar, he wouldn't be able to restore peace to the world. Which meant he needed a Firebending master.

By then, his closest allies included Chief Bato, Toph Bei Fong, Long Feng, Suki and her Kyoshi Warrors (who acted as his new personal guard), and a swordsman named Jet. He and a few of his closest friends made a secret trip to the Fire Nation, where Sokka slipped into the Capital City to try and convince Princess Azula to teach him firebending. She was reluctant and refused at first, still angry at his past transgressions. However, as they met outside the palace to discuss it, a deadly assassin ("Combustion Man") attacked the two of them, not bothering to discriminate between the two of them. Narrowly escaping with their lives, Azula was convinced by Sokka's actions and agreed to be his teacher.

With the war finally breaking out, Sokka had only received a few months of firebending training before he was able to convince Gyatso, Avatar Aang's oldest son, to teach him airbending. Having been molded into a force for good, Sokka began a crusade to stop the war, bringing both sides to a halt with his command over the four elements and the Avatar State. The outcome may have prevented bloodshed, but it did little to resolve the issues the world had with the Avatar. Especially with the Earth King Kuei, who still desired to have Sokka killed, so that the next Avatar would be an Earthbender that could be controlled for his own purposes. The last stage of the war forced Sokka to bring down the walls of Ba Sing Se and lay siege to the city. In the end, the walls were lost forever. Sokka's teacher and trusted confidante, Long Feng, was appointed the temporary governor of Ba Sing Se.

Ten years have passed since the war began. Avatar Sokka completed his training and dedicated his life to making amends in the world. Although he matured from his travels, he didn't change too much. He still hasn't settled down and although he has made amends with Princess Azula, it still remains a question of whether the two will ever get together. Though the world is at peace again, he remains under careful scrutiny by the White Lotus, who are just waiting for him to screw up.

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Notable People

Chief Bato
Age: 50s
The new Chief of the Southern Water Tribe. After Hakoda and his family were killed, Bato became the new leader, uniting all the villages in the South Pole under his command. Although an ally of the Avatar, he has no great love for Sokka. He places a great deal of blame on Sokka for the death of his best friend.

Hama
Age: 80s
Sokka's former waterbending instructor and among the most powerful in the world. Although she opposes war, she and the other waterbenders fought on the side of her former pupil, the Avatar. She is a close and personal friend of Kanna, the grandmother of Sokka.

Long Feng
Age: 50s
An Earthbending instructor from Ba Sing Se. He typically only teaches nobles, but he took in Sokka after a great deal of persuading. For the war he was Sokka's trusted confidant and adviser, guiding him through the war. He was appointed governor after the fall of Ba Sing Se, a position he has since maintained due to his popularity.

Toph Bei Fong
Age: 25
A fellow student under Long Feng, Toph is learning earthbending alongside Sokka. Although younger than him by three years, she's been learning since she was a child and is way ahead of Sokka in terms of skill and ability. She's one girl Sokka has failed to ever hook up with, but not for lack of trying. Since the war started, she's one of his closest allies.

Bumi (formerly King Bumi)
Age: 128
Once the greatest Earthbender in the world, old age is finally setting in for him. As a life long friend of Avatar Aang, his friendship has been extended to Sokka, even if he doesn't quite approve of the new Avatar yet. Amazingly, he's still alive and doesn't show any signs of slowing down, even after the war.

King Yung
Age: 50s
Formerly the Captain of Omashu's army, a fierce determined man. He was not too enthused with Sokka, but he was loyal to his king and had no great love for the Earth King. He was appointed as the new ruler of Omashu after Bumi finally retired.

Teo
Age: 26
The son of the brilliant Machinist. After his father was killed in the war, Teo took over his studies, quickly adapting to his father's inventions and technology for the Avatar's side. Of note, he was never disabled as an infant. He is now a world famous inventor, with his technology having a great impact on the world.

Suki
Age: 28
Leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. Due to their island's loyalty to Kyoshi, they have also pledged themselves to defend Avatar Sokka. Because of the increased amount of attacks on him, Suki and her warriors became his personal bodyguards. After the war was over, she returned to Kyoshi Island, where she resigned her position. She doesn't have anything to do with the Avatar anymore.

Princess Azula
Age: 27
A princess of the Fire Nation, though not part of the succession, due to her cousin Lu Ten's position as Fire Lord and his own children. She and Sokka once dated before he was revealed to be the Avatar, but their relationship was strained when he cheated on her. During the war she was his firebending instructor and the two became close again.

Monk Gyatso
Age: 60s
The son of Avatar Aang and an Airbending Master. He instructed Sokka in airbending, though he personally did not much care for him. It took Avatar Aang's spirit, manifested through Sokka, to eventually convince him to train the new Avatar.

Jet
Age: 29
A sword-wielding prodigy from the Earth Kingdom. He and Sokka met shortly after the war started and the two became fast friends. Although the two greatly enjoyed being bachelors and wooing women, eventually he settled down and married a bounty hunter named Jun. Except in their case, it ended up being the opposite of 'settling down'.

Chief Hahn
Age: 29
Appointed chief of the Northern Water Tribe due to his marriage to Princess Yue and the death of Chief Arnook. He is an effective leader, being considered to be quite cunning in matters of politics. However, he lacks an aptitude for war and his inexperience resulted in a quick surrender. He greatly despises Sokka for his 'one night stand' with Yue the night before their marriage.

Fire Lord Lu Ten
Age: 40
The new Fire Lord, following the assassination of the previous Fire Lord, Iroh. Although he opposed the war, his seat of power was only retained by participating in it. During the war, he was under suspicion for killing his father to obtain power, though nothing was ever made of it. His uncle, Prince Ozai, is his closest confidant and friend.