Yakone

"water"

- This time I'm going to put you to sleep... for good!

Yakone was a powerful bloodbender who threatened Republic City for many years during Avatar Aang's life. He is also the father of the former Councilman Tarrlok.

Crimes in Republic City
Yakone was the head of a criminal empire in Republic City and had a history of being arrested, though he was always acquitted of all charges.

At 128 ASC, Yakone was accused of bloodbending after the testimony of several witnesses. Chief Toph Beifong, accompanied by some metalbending officers and Avatar Aang, arrested him while he was eating at a restaurant. The criminal sarcastically claimed he would beat this charge again as he had done with the previous ones.

Yakone was then taken to City Hall to be judged before the United Republic Council, where he was defended by a lawyer who appealed to the impossibility to bloodbend when there is no full moon, as witnesses had claimed that his client had performed the feat "at every other time except during a full moon", making the crime impossible to commit. When the Council made its final decision, Councilman Sokka announced the verdict, stating that the evidence was enough to convince them that Yakone was a "unique bender" and had used this ability to commit the crimes for which he had been accused. For this reason, the bloodbender was considered guilty and sentenced to life in prison.

However, Yakone, stood up, grinning, and proceeded to bloodbend Sokka. Toph attempted to halt him with a metal cable, but Yakone was able to overpower her as well. Soon everyone in the room fell victim of his bloodbending, including Avatar Aang, who unsuccessfully tried to stop him from fleeing, only to be knocked to the floor. Aang then entered the Avatar State and pursued Yakone, destroying his escaping cart. Climbing out of the wreckage, the bloodbender used his technique again, planning to kill Aang, but was thwarted when Aang entered the Avatar State, breaking the bloodbending hold and trapping Yakone within an earth shell. Unable to fight back, Yakone was unable to prevent Aang from removing his bending.



Forty-two years later, his son, Tarrlok, who inherited his ability, tried to follow his father's steps in order to "win" Republic City. Aang tried to communicate with Avatar Korra on several occasions about Yakone's life and warn her about the Councilman; however, it was not until she was captured by the bloodbender that the Avatar decided to meditate, and in doing so managed to finally comprehend the message from her predecessor.

Abilities
According to the testimonies of several of Yakone's bloodbending victims, he used his ability on multiple occasions, all without the assistance of the full moon, an unprecedented ability to date. During Korra's flashbacks, Yakone was shown to be an extremely powerful bloodbender, utilizing the ability on an entire courtroom, including Avatar Aang, in broad daylight and while hardly moving; although he was not powerful enough to bloodbend Aang while he was in the Avatar State.

Relatives

 * Tarrlok (son)

Trivia

 * Yakone's name means "Red Aurora" in the Ahtna Athabascan language spoken by the Athna group of Alaskan Natives. When Yakone is used as a metaphor, it can mean "blood spray on the snow".
 * Yakone is the first person known to be able to bloodbend without the help of a full moon, and also the first male bloodbender. Tarrlok, his son, inherited this ability.
 * Councilman Sokka compared Yakone's special bending abilities to Combustion Man's ability to firebend with his mind, as well as Toph's creation of metalbending.
 * Yakone is the second person known to have had their bending abilities removed by Avatar Aang.
 * He is voiced by Clancy Brown, who also provided the voices of Long Feng and Bosco in the original series.
 * There is a possibility that Yakone and his son could be both descendants of Hama.