| "We need a plan to rescue Chiyou! Where would they take her? A prison? Would they send her back to the institution we broke out of? [...] She's one of us! A Fire Warrior." |
| — Zirin about the need to rescue her comrade Chiyou.[1] |
Zirin was a patient of a Fire Nation mental health facility. After being broken out of her facility by Azula, Zirin joined the Fire Warriors.[2] As the princess focused on her own goals and disregarded her followers' wishes, however, Zirin grew frustrated over Azula's leadership. When the latter abandoned one of the Fire Warriors to Fire Nation security forces, Zirin and her remaining comrades broke away from Azula, opting to carve out a community for themselves.[1]
History
Following Azula's escape from Team Avatar in Forgetful Valley, the princess helped Zirin and several other young women escape from a mental facility. Many of the inmates had been put there due to being too rebellious for their traditionalist families instead of actual mental health issues. Azula promised the newly freed group that they would help the Fire Nation's downtrodden, and they agreed to follow the princess. The women became the Fire Warriors, and assisted Azula in implementing her plan to force Fire Lord Zuko into adopting autocratic policies. To do so, Zirin and the other Warriors masqueraded as the Kemurikage and began abducting children of high-ranking officials in the Fire Nation Capital.[3][1]
After the Fire Warriors abducted Kiyi, Zirin dragged her into the cave where they kept the other children. Kiyi had woken up before being brought in, as her sedative had worn off early, and fiercely attempted to resist her captor. Zirin placed her down and ordered the child to stay put, if she knew what was good for her. Kiyi provoked Zirin by saying that Zuko would beat the warrior to a pulp after he found her. Enraged, Zirin reached for Kiyi, but Azula cautioned her from hurting the child, telling the warrior that she was wasting her time, as it was in the girl's blood for her to fight.[2]
Outside, Zirin and Azula removed their Kemurikage disguises. Zirin expressed her frustration about the exiled princess's plans, and reminded her that she did not sign up to join a daycare. In response, Azula asked Zirin to be patient, reminding her of what she had done by breaking her out of her institution, and that it would be an easy task to return the favor by watching over a few young children. At that moment, the princess asked her followers to leave so she could speak with Governor Ukano privately. Ultimately, Azula's operations were discovered and foiled by Zuko, Team Avatar, and their allies.[2] After this point, the Fire Warriors began to fracture,[4][5] though Zirin initially continued to follow Azula.[1]
Later, Zirin was part of a Fire Warrior attack on a granary. However, the operation derailed due to an ambush by Ty Lee and a Domestic Forces contingent, forcing the attackers to make a fighting retreat. In the process, one Fire Warrior, Chiyou, was chi-blocked. Zirin cried out and unsuccessfully attempted to rescue her, dueling Ty Lee for a while. After some fighting, Azula ordered her followers to leave Chiyou behind and dragged Zirin away before setting the nearby forest on fire to cover their retreat.[1]
As the Fire Warriors later rested at a makeshift camp, Zirin thought about where the security forces would take Chiyou as well as how to rescue her. Azula instead argued that the Fire Warriors should not attempt a rescue. Zirin angrily responded that Chiyou was their comrade, but the princess instead claimed that Chiyou was a casualty of war. The Fire Warrior erupted in anger upon hearing this, stating that their current operations were not a war or a rebellion to help the poor, but rather criminal actions motivated by Azula's feud with Zuko. She declared that they had to abandon the anti-Zuko struggle to focus on more important things. Azula calmly responded by asking Zirin where they had met, and when the latter answered "the institution", the princess began a threatening rant about how they had been nothing before she had built this community and given them worth. In her view, this meant that they had to do what she demanded. Zirin was seemingly humbled, and Azula went to sleep.[1]
In truth, however, Zirin thought that Azula had crossed a line by refusing to help Chiyou. She and the other Fire Warriors discussed that the princess was never going to let them go and never really cared for their welfare, unlike Chiyou who would have sacrificed herself for her friends. They hugged, and agreed to abandon their leaders. As Azula slept, the Fire Warriors broke camp and moved deeper into the forest, while part of their group went off to aid Chiyou. Two days later, Zirin and another Fire Warrior freed Chiyou and escorted her to their new camp. Upon arriving, the women were overjoyed to be reunited, with Zirin reminding Chiyou that they had promised to always look out for each other after escaping the institution. Later, Zirin watched in satisfaction as her friends happily shared a meal together.[1]
Appearances
Graphic novels
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Hicks, Faith Erin (writer), Wartman, Peter (artist), Matera, Adele (colorist), Betancourt, Jimmy; Starkings, Richard (letterer). Azula in the Spirit Temple (October 31, 2023), Dark Horse Comics.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan; Yang, Gene Luen (writer), Sasaki of Gurihiru (penciling, inking), Kawano of Gurihiru (colorist), Heisler, Michael; Comicraft (letterer). Smoke and Shadow Part Three (April 12, 2016), Dark Horse Comics.
- ↑ DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan; Yang, Gene Luen (writer), Sasaki of Gurihiru (penciling, inking), Kawano of Gurihiru (colorist), Heisler, Michael; Comicraft (letterer). Smoke and Shadow Library Edition (October 4, 2016), Dark Horse Comics.
- ↑ Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Starter Set, Adventure Booklet, pg. 5.
- ↑ Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 77.