| "There's no other way to raise Fire Nation children, you silly girl. They learn to be strong, or they perish. Simple as that." |
| — Pearl to Shihan.[1] |
Pearl was Headmistress of the Royal Fire Academy for Girls for much of the Hundred Year War. She believed in strictly adhering to traditional Fire Nation views of honor.[1]
History
Pearl began teaching during Fire Lord Sozin's reign, and received several awards of honor from him.
She spent many years at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls during Fire Lord Azulon's reign. During this time, she took Shihan under her wing, even though she was the "useless" third-born daughter of a minor noble house.
In the early-mid 90s AG, Pearl got Peijing and Hong to challenge one another to an Agni Kai. As the girls got ready to fight, she told her students that it was their duty to make someone pay if they ever cast doubt on their honor. When Hong fell to the ground, Pearl stepped in to declare the duel was over, and ordered medical attention be given to the loser. She asked the girls what lesson they could learn from the fight. Azula said that the lesson was that nobody could ever be trusted, not even friends, and that one had to be ready for whenever their friends betrayed them. Pearl agreed, somewhat straightforwardly, telling her students to strive to be better than the person next to them and be ready to take them down. She then dismissed the girls and got them to return to class.
Pearl remained in her position when Ozai was Fire Lord, and was given several new accolades. She chose to retire a few years into his reign, and spent most of her time at a large manor in the Fire Nation Capital. After the war came to an end, Pearl hired an earthbender servant from the Dai Li who hoped that Azula would return as the true Fire Lord.
After Fire Lord Zuko started to implement his reformed curriculum with the help of Mai, Shihan came to visit Pearl at her manor. Pearl's protégée told her about what had been happening under the new system, and expressed that she had doubts if it had been right to use cruelty and fear as a tool to shape students into great leaders and warriors. Pearl bluntly told Shihan that there was no alternative way to raise children in the Fire Nation, and taunted the new headmistress about her low background. Shihan told that she was grateful to Pearl, but decided that she would be raising the children as she saw fit. Pearl was shocked and angered at Shihan's "betrayal", and got her servant and his brother to go after Shihan and "get the job done". Her agents were defeated at the Academy during a confrontation with Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee.[1]
Legacy
After Pearl retired, Shihan kept a large portrait of her in the Headmistress's office which she later furiously destroyed it after the assassination attempt.[1]
Personality
Pearl was a great believer in honor and tradition. She told her students that a Fire Nation subject was "nothing" without their honor, and later told Shihan that there was no way that a "thousand generations of Fire Nation tradition" could be wrong for children.[1]
Appearances
Graphic novels
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Hicks, Faith Erin (writer), Wartman, Peter (artist), Matera, Adele (colorist), Betancourt, Jimmy (letterer). Ashes of the Academy (2025), Dark Horse Comics.