Since I’m rewatching Korra and just finished the Kyoshi books, I finally got around to compiling my ideas for the next Avatar in the cycle - the Earth Avatar following Kyoshi: Jiwu, The Scholar! Partial inspiration for them comes from @maswartz and his post about Avatars after Korra. Enjoy!
Name: Jiwu (they/them)
Age: At least 18
Appearance: Lean, curly black hair, glasses, angular features, casual Earth Kingdom clothing or traditional Royal Library uniform
Birthplace: Earth Kingdom, exact location unknown
Operating Location: Omashu, Earth Kingdom
Occupation: University student, part-time library assistant at Earth Kingdom Royal Library, Avatar-in-training
Bending Abilities: Proficient in Earthbending, minor skill in Airbending; eventual master of all bending types and sub-bending techniques
Biography: The next Avatar in the cycle following Korra, and the second Avatar in the re-established cycle following the Dark Avatar Incident, Jiwu is a lifelong student, historian, and public servant who would much rather keep their head down than proclaim their existence to the world. They live a humble life studying at Omashu’s largest university - one of the most renowned in the Earth Kingdom - and working part-time as an assistant at the Royal Library, where they can continue to learn and help others at their own pace.
Jiwu skews much closer to Aang than to Korra on their opinion of their destiny, running from it rather than embracing their place as the Avatar. However, Jiwu also truly believes that the Avatar is no longer relevant in the world - an opinion formed through studies of previous eras, modern developments in technology and culture, continued relations with the Spirit Realm, and even further research into sustainable and consensual Spirit Tech… And admittedly, a healthy dose of the fear that led them to run away before and still lives on within them.
Jiwu is highly intelligent with an interest in historical events, but their withdrawn and antisocial nature prevents them from being the ideal student. They would much rather study on their own, keeping their nose in a thick tome, than help their fellow students and learn to make friends. Jiwu was discovered as the Avatar at a young age through the Earth Kingdom’s usual geomantic rituals, but they and their parents chafed at how they were hurled in front of the world and looked upon so soon.
The young Jiwu wanted to escape, and so their parents took them and ran, hiding from place to place around the continent and losing touch with their father and then mother until they finally felt that their pursuers had lost them. Though alone, Jiwu found themself in Omashu and studied their way into academy, proving quickly that they belonged with their intellect and diligence. Now they continue their studies into university, and their life is quiet and humdrum, but Jiwu prefers it that way.
However, being the Avatar comes with certain responsibilities that not even they can hide from forever, such as the damage that the advancing technology is causing to the planet and spirits, rogue elements that seek to disrupt the balance between worlds, and an irritating replacement Avatar that the world may just prefer a little more…
Jiwu’s journey will force them to grow from a student who would rather view objectively from the sidelines, to a teacher who can step into the world and direct it with their own hand. They will need to learn to trust others and accept their hands of friendship, and above all else, they will need to learn to care, to understand the value of their title and overcome their fear and apathy.
Friends and Companions: Jiwu’s growing list of friends and allies who with them form the newest Team Avatar:
Avinya: An Airbender monk who transfers into the university at the start of the series. A self-proclaimed ‘Avatar fangirl’ who eagerly devours any historical accounts and stories about previous Avatars, and whose fondness for the present-day ‘Avatar’ Hadano is a source of irritation for Jiwu. She is initially disappointed in Jiwu upon learning that they are the real Avatar, but comes to empathize with them as a person and not an idol, and becomes their close friend and Airbending mentor.
Roshek: A longtime classmate and acquaintance of Jiwu, not quite their friend but closer to them than most. A non-bender with a fascination for the martial arts, especially the forms used by benders. His parents expect him to inherit the family business when he grows up, but he hasn’t decided what he wants. Though not a bender, his knowledge of martial arts forms helps him teach Jiwu the proper stances for any type of bending. He has a bit of a romantic interest in Jiwu that they don’t know how to respond to.
Muro: Jiwu’s pet eelhound. Though she’s accompanied them since childhood, Jiwu and Muro are not particularly close at first, due to Muro’s independent streak and Jiwu’s not needing a strong bond with her like Aang and Korra with their steeds. In time, however, they will grow closer as rider and mount. Likes dragonfruit.
Hadano: Jiwu’s double and the official new ‘Avatar’, sponsored as such by the relevant parties after Jiwu’s escape ran on and they needed to present somebody. Unlike Yun, who in Kyoshi’s time was oblivious to his false status as the Avatar, Hadano and his backers are more than aware that he’s merely a stand-in - albeit one who, with the help of bleeding-edge Spirit Tech and the backing of some powerful spirits to mimic the Avatar’s impossible feats, is an impressive replacement in his own right. He has an unsteady relationship with Jiwu, who’s grateful to him for serving in their place but thinks he’s too ‘perfect’ to get along with. Still, he thinks of them as a friend, although whether that lasts or not is a very important question…
Other Notes:
Jiwu is constantly losing their glasses, usually as the result of whatever mess they’ve gotten involved in recently. (Although sometimes it’s because they used the metal and glass for bending.) They need many spares.
Jiwu’s character and development continues the grand tradition of each Avatar starting as the opposite of what the world needed - as stated above, an objective student and bystander rather than a teacher who can instruct and guide.
Jiwu and Hadano’s story is indeed a reflection of Kyoshi and Yun’s tale, albeit taking some different turns along the way. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship for both of them, but not necessarily a stable one.
Jiwu’s eventual claim to fame will eventually be their mastery of all different types of special bending techniques: lightningbending, plantbending, bloodbending, metalbending, sandbending, lavabending, soundbending, spiritbending, energybending, etc. They will be regarded by future generations as ‘The All-Knowing’, a title they’ll roll their eyes at.
Like Aang with earthbending and Korra with airbending, Jiwu has trouble with a specific element - in their case, firebending, due to them initially lacking the sense of drive and inner spark needed for it.
Due to the actions of Unalaq and Vaatu, Jiwu only has a connection to Korra, their immediate predecessor. Because of this, Korra tries to be a bit more hands-on with Jiwu than previous Avatars ever were (though not so much that she overtakes the narrative). Jiwu relies on her heavily as they become the Avatar in earnest, and her learning to step back and have Jiwu trust themself is something they both struggle with.
They spend a lot of time in Wan Shi Tong’s library upon learning about it, and their friendship helps the owl spirit slowly come around a bit more on humanity.
