Great Sage


 * This article is about the the leader of the Fire Sages in the Fire Temple, for the highest member of the Fire Sages, see High Sage. For the organization, see Fire Sages.

"fire"

- We are the Fire Sages. Guardians of the temple of the Avatar.

The Great Sage was the leader of the five Fire Sages and a powerful firebender. He had turned his back on the Avatar and was only loyal to the Fire Lord.

History
When Aang, Katara, and Sokka arrived at Crescent Island, the Great Sage, along with the other Fire Sages, attacked the group. They were knocked down by an air swipe Aang directed at them. The Great Sage was fearful of how powerful Aang would become if he would succeed in his endeavor to contact Roku, so he ordered the others to split up and find the Avatar.

The Great Sage was later tricked by Aang and his friends with the help of Shyu into opening the Fire Temple's sanctuary, the place where Avatar Roku's statue was kept. When he realized his mistake, he tried to close the door again, but was thwarted by Momo who jumped on his face. Momo eventually took off with his headgear. When Zuko intervened and captured Aang, the Great Sage nearly succeeded in his attempt to stop Aang from talking to Roku. At the last moment, however, Aang broke free and used the Great Sage's head as a stepping stone to jump through the closing doors of the sanctuary. When he tried to open the door again in vain, he realized that "Avatar Roku [didn't] want [them] inside", and had thus sealed the door shut.

Unable to do anything about the situation but wait, the Great Sage started to interrogate Shyu to comprehend the motive behind his actions. During this interrogation, Commander Zhao entered the temple. The Great Sage bowed in respect for him, showing his loyalty to Fire Nation above his original loyalty to the Avatar.

When Aang emerged again, serving as a vessel for Avatar Roku and burning the entire temple down, the Great Sage fled to safety with the others. After Zhao held him and the other sages prisoner and accused them of treachery, the Great Sage argued that only Shyu had helped the Avatar. Zhao, however, didn't care and brought them all back to the Fire Lord to be punished for their supposed crimes.