Shinu

"fire"

- Absolutely not. The Yuyan Archers stay here. Your request is denied, Commander Zhao.

General Shinu was the commander of Pohuai Stronghold and director of the Yuyan Archers. As an experienced and hard-bitten Fire Nation soldier, the former colonel was a bit jealous of higher-ranking officers. When Zhao was promoted to admiral, he took the archers to aid his search for the Avatar, much to the colonel's annoyance.

His prior rank as "colonel" was short for "colonel commandant", the equivalent of brigadier general or one-star general, as he was the same rank as Commander Zhao.

History
Zhao requested that Colonel Shinu, commander of the Fire Nation Pohuai Fortress in the Earth Kingdom, use the legendary Yuyan Archers to help capture the Avatar. Zhao insisted Shinu was wasting their talents in using them as security guards, but Shinu scoffed that Zhao's hunt for the Avatar was nothing more than a vanity project. However, after a message arrived from Fire Lord Ozai promoting Zhao to the rank of admiral, his request was made an order, much to Shinu's annoyance. After the Yuyan Archers captured Aang, and Zuko disguised as the Blue Spirit successfully freed him, Shinu questioned Zhao's judgment in letting both Aang and the Blue Spirit escape.

Sometime prior to the arrival of Sozin's Comet, Shinu was promoted to general, as he was present at the war meeting prior to the Day of Black Sun. He informed Fire Lord Ozai that the Earth Kingdom rebellions were preventing the Fire Nation from achieving total victory over the Earth Kingdom, and he suggested that more domestic forces be sent to reinforce the occupation.

Trivia

 * Even though Shinu was promoted to general, he was still credited as a colonel in "Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King".