Brainwashing

"earth"

- There is no war within the walls. Here we are safe. Here we are free.

Brainwashing was a technique utilized by the Dai Li during the Conspiracy of Ba Sing Se to change attitudes, alter beliefs, augment personalities, and even wipe memories.

History


It is unknown who created the method of brainwashing; however, during the conspiracy, the Dai Li frequently employed the technique. The method was utilized on Jet following his arrest after he claimed Iroh and Zuko were Firebenders. After chiding a downcast Joo Dee for falling behind in her duties, Long Feng induced a hypnotic state over her by reciting a special code, implying she too had been brainwashed. When Team Avatar infiltrated the Dai Li base at Lake Laogai, they saw several women being brainwashed into believing they were Joo Dee, ready to carry out the Dai Li's bidding. Later, during a battle in the underground base, Long Feng managed to hypnotize Jet with the same special code: "the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai," prompting him to respond "I am honored to accept his invitation," and then to attack Aang.

The main reason for use of the brainwashing methods was presumably to maintain cultural order within Ba Sing Se and to prevent anyone from mentioning the ongoing war outside the walls to its citizens.

Process
The Dai Li often brought victims to their secret headquarters beneath the surface of Lake Laogai where they would proceed to brainwash them. During the process of brainwashing, agents would repeatedly recite anything they wished for the victims to believe. When the Dai Li were brainwashing Jet, a dim lantern which revolved slowly around the agent brainwashing him was employed. The agent repeated phrases to ensure Jet he was safe, and that there was no war within the walls. In the scenario of the brainwashing of the young women, the women would simultaneously repeat the words of a single agent. The process could also give the subject a secondary task, to be done when using the code-phrase "the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai." Long Feng used this code on both Jet and Joo Dee.

Instructor
One of the Dai Li agents was specifically assigned as an instructor working for Long Feng to brainwash new Joo Dees and to get them ready for service as instruments of propaganda. He drilled the Joo Dees over and over in charm, poise, and the dissemination of the Dai Li party line. The instructor was picked for the assignment because of his dazzling smile, which was the model for the perma-grin of every Joo Dee that rolled off the assembly line.

Effects


When brainwashed, people are tricked into believing anything the brainwasher states. The victim forgets any information the brainwasher wishes to erase from their mind. Long Feng and possibly other agents could also activate the subject's secondary task with the code-phrase. When this was done, the subject entered a trance state, and answered the code with "I am honored to accept his invitation." In Jet's case, the task was to attack Aang. In Joo Dee's case, she was told to wait for specific orders presumably from the Dai Li. The exact orders that were given to her were never fully explained.

Cures
There are only two known methods of curing brainwashing.

Healing
The Waterbending technique of healing has been known to be capable of bringing a subject out of their hypnotic state. Jet's brainwashed state was broken when Katara used her healing abilities on him. It also eased his trauma as he began to remember his terrible childhood memories again.

Familiar surroundings
Often times, familiar surroundings are able to slowly regenerate the memory of a brainwashed victim or even completely reverse the effects of brainwashing. Visiting the Dai Li's secret underground base evidently revived Jet's memory of being captured and brought there by Dai Li agents. After a brief duel ensued with Long Feng battling Aang and Jet, Long Feng was able to bring Jet under his control by reciting the codeword which prompted Jet to attack Aang. However, when Aang reminded Jet that he was a Freedom Fighter, his brainwashed state was once again broken.

Known victims

 * Jet
 * Women disguised as Joo Dee
 * People who caused problems relating to the War in Ba Sing Se during Long Feng's reign as Grand Secretariat