The Fire Nation 烈火國 / FIRENATION

The Fire Nation is one of the world’s four nations and five sovereign states. It is an absolute monarchy led by the Fire Lord and home to most firebenders. Geographically, the nation is located along the planet’s equator in the western hemisphere and is composed of several islands. Its capital is simply known as the Fire Nation Capital.
The Fire Nation is the second-largest nation in terms of area, following the Earth Kingdom, while its economy is the most powerful in the world; its strong industrial sector and extensive technological developments not only enabled the Fire Nation to create an extremely powerful military, but also initiated the worldwide modernization and globalization. Before the foundation of the United Republic and the following global technological revolution, it was also the strongest and most advanced country in the world.

The military of the Fire Nation was engaged in an imperialistic century long war with the other three nations from 0 to 100 AG, during which the country committed genocide of the Air Nomads, conquered vast swathes of the Earth Kingdom, and instituted raids that annihilated the waterbending population of the Southern Water Tribe, save for one bender. The ruler directly after the conclusion of the Hundred Year War, Fire Lord Zuko, used Fire Nation resources to help rebuild the world, start the Harmony Restoration Movement, and eventually create the United Republic of Nations. The Fire Nation Capital is guarded by the Great Gates of Azulon, named after the grandfather of Zuko and Azula, Fire Lord Azulon.

Seventy years after the end of the Hundred Year War, the Fire Nation still played a role in world affairs. A representative from the Fire Nation held a position on the United Republic Council that helped govern Republic City and the United Republic in general until 171 AG. The country also plays a part in international military affairs, with General Iroh leading the United Forces, the defense organization of the United Republic.

History

In the era of Raava, predecessors of the Fire Nation received the element of fire from lion turtles that granted the bending art through energybending. They could request the ability whenever they ventured into the Spirit Wilds, to aid in the gathering of food and resources while defending themselves from hostile spirits. These people eventually congregated to form the Fire Nation after the lion turtles renounced their roles as protectors of mankind. At this point, the ancestors of the first Fire Nation citizens left the lion turtle cities in favor of establishing settlements in the western hemisphere along the equator.
Nevertheless, several aspects of life and observances practiced by the predecessors of the first citizens of the Fire Nation became part of the nation’s culture, such as in the use of hybrid pigs as a primary means of sustenance. More importantly, the longstanding desire to conquer and expand into the unknown, such as a failed attempt by several villagers to set up a settlement in the Spirit Wilds, and the development of a warrior culture which depended on central leadership emerged among the predecessors of the Fire Nation. These characteristics continued to remain prevalent as seen during the Fire Nation’s imperialistic endeavors in the antebellum period that directly preceded the outbreak of the Hundred Year War.

Warlord era of the Fire Islands

After Avatar Wan closed the spirit portals, the humans began to wage war among themselves, eventually spreading out across the landmass to establish villages all over the archipelago. The disaggregated states were collectively known as the Fire Islands and controlled by warlords, who regularly engaged in conflict for territory. Among these warlords was Toz, who was renowned for mandating annual tributes from all of the villages under his control.
Toz’s policies were harsh and brutal, even once involving the abduction of children from a village that refused to provide him with offerings. This resulted in the deaths of the mothers from the village who returned to the mortal realm as dark spirits that became known as the Kemurikage, who haunted and abducted children from Toz’s encampment until his regime collapsed. The spirits continued to haunt the warlords until one individual took control and brought the warlords to justice. He also united the Fire Islands into a single political unit and eventually became to be known as the first Fire Lord.

Formation of the Fire Nation

The original Fire Lord’s regime collapsed after a prolonged era of peace, leaving the Fire Islands without any known form of central leadership. During this time, the Sun Warriors steadily flourished and ruled over the Fire Kingdom,⁹ developing a culture that differed remarkably from those of the nation’s other predecessors. The Sun Warriors learned the original firebending techniques from the dragons and operated under a tribal chiefdom led by a single chief. Eventually, their civilization began to crumble and the remaining Sun Warriors went into hiding, leaving behind a great cultural and architectural influence on the later Fire Nation.
Sometime after the Sun Warriors faded into obscurity, a number of sages descended from the Bhanti Tribe and united the archipelago. They came to be known as Fire Sages and eventually formed a ruling council, establishing the early Fire Nation as a united, theocratic state. The sages’ spiritual reign came to an end when the lead sage assumed power for himself and reclaimed the title of Fire Lord, reforming the nation into an autocratic empire ruled by his family.

The history of the Fire Nation from inception was documented extensively by the Fire Sages, who commissioned an ever-growing mural in the corridors of the Dragonbone Catacombs, which also served as the burial sites for all of the deceased Fire Lords. Along with the murals, numerous scrolls detailing the recorded history, personal accounts, and myths of the Fire Nation were also placed along the corridors, pertaining specifically to certain subjects in the nation’s past, such as the unification of the Fire Islands by the first Fire Lord and the origin of the Kemurikage.

Prosperity and progress

Over the course of the following centuries, there were many dynasties under which the urbanization and cultivation of the Fire Nation steadily progressed. During the rule of the Pho Zei Dynasty, the komodo rhino was first domesticated, remaining the primary beast of burden in the Fire Nation until industrialization after the Hundred Year War. At the same time, the country also fought many wars,¹⁵ though the Fire Nation experienced two centuries of peace since at least 270 BG.

Unlike the Earth Kingdom that went into decline following the War of Chin the Conqueror, the Fire Nation entered an era of great prosperity and modernization. Avatar Roku and Crown Prince Sozin were born into this time of progress. As the Avatar, Roku became a force for balance and peace in the world, while Sozin believed the prosperity of the Fire Nation should be shared with the rest of the world, dreaming of a global empire under his rule. These ambitions led the Fire Lord to initiate a number of reforms that militarized the country. As a result, both spirituality and respect for life rapidly declined, leading to the near extinction of the dragons and the brutalization of the Agni Kai. Eventually, several colonies were established in the weakened Earth Kingdom, which in turn quickly became local industrial centers. Sozin’s expansionism was finally stopped by Roku, but after his death in 12 BG, Sozin resumed his politics.[

Imperialism and the War

With the coming of Sozin’s Comet that greatly enhanced firebending, Sozin launched his attack on the air temples in hopes of killing the next Avatar, Aang. Even though the Air Nomads were completely annihilated, the Avatar could not be found and disappeared. The Fire Nation moved on to the Earth Kingdom, conquering much of its northwestern territories. At this point in time, Sozin sealed the historical corridors of the Dragonbone Catacombs, as to give the appearance that the nation’s history began with his reign. Given that the entire wing of Wan Shi Tong’s Library dedicated to the Fire Nation was also unavailable, the restriction of the catacombs meant that very little information regarding the nation’s past was accessible apart from information released by the state. The government also issued educational reforms to ensure that young citizens developed a strong sense of patriotism and were properly indoctrinated to the nation’s political agendas. For instance, historical textbooks were heavily censored or modified to justify the Fire Nation’s war efforts and courses that provided opportunity for personal expression were removed from the curriculum as they were potential threats to the Fire Lord’s unquestioned authority.

After Sozin’s death, his son Azulon took the throne and continued his father’s policies. The Fire Nation built a global empire, subjugating most of the Earth Kingdom and the former Air Nomad territories.²⁰ The resources of conquered lands were used by the Fire Nation for further industrialization and extensive technological developments, such as railways, steamships, and airships, making the Fire Nation the most advanced nation of the world. At the same time, an ethnocentric ideology prevailed among the military and nobility, resulting in the abandonment of Sozin’s idea of “sharing” prosperity in favor of imperialist ambitions. In line with these policies, the Fire Sages that had remained loyal to the Avatar were executed on Azulon’s orders. The ancient order was placed under government supervision, subverting it into little more than an aging remnant of a time where spirituality was placed before military might.

The process of expansion and militarization continued and the mass buildup of industry greatly increased toward the end of Azulon’s reign. Even though many cities flourished as result, the growing environmental pollution led to the rural population’s impoverishment in some places. His successor, Fire Lord Ozai, continued these politics. His reign saw significant technological advancements, the fall of the Earth Kingdom, and the reemergence of Avatar Aang. The Avatar’s intervention eventually led to the Fire Nation’s defeat and Ozai’s deposition in favor of his son, Zuko, marking the end of the Hundred Year War.

http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Fire_Nation