Shyu

"fire"

- ...it was once the Sages' duty. It is still our duty.

Fire Sage Shyu was one of the five Fire Sages that guarded Avatar Roku's Fire Temple on Crescent Island. In Winter Solstice Part 2: Avatar Roku, he helps Aang speak with Roku's spirit, and for this reason is removed from his post and imprisoned. He was the youngest of the five Sages, at age 60.

History
When Aang entered the Avatar State in The Southern Air Temple, the eyes of the statue of Avatar Roku began to glow several weeks before Aang's arrival at Roku's temple and the Fire Sages all knew the Avatar had returned. Unlike his colleagues, Shyu chose to help the Avatar, knowing that the other sages obeyed the will of Fire Lord Ozai.

When the sages tried to capture Aang, Shyu helped him by taking him through a secret passage that led to Roku's sanctuary. After a failed attempt to open a locked chamber containing Avatar Roku's statue, Shyu aided Aang by tricking the other sages into believing Aang had already opened the chamber. The sages opened the door and Aang was able to enter before they could catch him; the chamber was sealed shut by a white light. Shyu was labeled a traitor for believing that it was the Sages' duty to protect the Avatar rather than of remaining loyal to Ozai. When Aang emerged again, possessed by Avatar Roku, Shyu ordered Katara and Sokka to leave before Roku destroyed the temple. The two refused until they had rescued Aang.

After the temple's destruction Shyu was among the five Fire Sages captured and imprisoned by Zhao; although he was the only one loyal to his original calling in his disobedience to the Fire Nation's cause, both he and his colleagues were categorized by Zhao as traitors. Shyu's ultimate fate was unknown, but presumably he was pardoned by the newly-crowned Fire Lord Zuko.

Shyu's background went back a long way, as he came from a proud lineage of Fire Sages. His grandfather, Kaja, was the very first who declared against popular belief that the Avatar had managed to survive the initial assault on the Air Temples, a determination that he passed on to his son. This was accounted as treason against the Fire Lord and Shyu's father was branded a traitor and sent away never to be seen again, leaving Shyu orphaned and to be raised by the other sages. Despite firsthand knowledge of the penalty of betrayal of the Fire Lord, Shyu still chose not to blindly follow him, and instead remained loyal to the Avatar. He was most likely released after the war ended and Zuko was crowned Fire Lord. It is possible that he was among the Sages who crowned Zuko as Fire Lord, though it was not he who placed the headpiece.

Trivia

 * With the exception of Avatar Roku, Shyu is the first Fire Nation ally of Team Avatar.

Relatives

 * Fire Sage Kaja (paternal grandfather)