Battle of the Southern Water Tribe

The Battle of the Southern Water Tribe was a battle between the two polar Water Tribes during the climax of the Water Tribe Civil War, in which the Southern Water Tribe rebels attempted to reclaim the Southern Water Tribe from Northern occupation. Although the rebel forces were initially able to overwhelm the Northern troops, they were eventually defeated and forced to retreat following intervention from Chief Unalaq and a force of dark spirits.

Prelude
Conflict between the two Water Tribes have long been prevalent, but escalated shortly following Chief Unalaq's occupation of the Southern Water Tribe in 171 ASC. During this time, Unalaq expunged the Southern Council of Elders from the Southern Water Tribe Royal Palace and mobilized his troops to patrol the harbor city. Resentment from the Southern tribesmen resulted in the formation of the Southern Water Tribe rebels by Varrick.

Shortly after the occupation, the rebels masterminded an attempted abduction of Chief Unalaq from the Southern Water Tribe Royal Palace, which was thwarted by Avatar Korra. The incident led to the arrest of Tonraq and several other rebels, who were tried and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.

After interrogating Judge Hotah and discovering that the trial had been manipulated by Unalaq as a means of eliminating his brother, Avatar Korra broke the rebels out of a ship headed to the Northern Water Tribe, officially instigating civil war.

As a means of providing support, Team Avatar journeyed to Republic City in an attempt to convince President Raiko to support the war efforts in favor of the South. Her efforts proved unsuccessful, as the president refused to mobilize the United Forces and opted instead to facilitate a diplomatic resolution, believing that the citizens of the United Republic of Nations had no business involving themselves in internal Water Tribe conflicts.

Per the suggestion of General Iroh, Korra traveled to the Fire Nation in hopes of garnering support from the Fire Lord, who has long been an ally of the Avatar. However, before she could reach the nation, Korra was attacked by her cousins and was subsequently swallowed by a dark sea spirit, rendering her unable of amassing reinforcements for the South.

Battle


Although they initially sought refuge outside of the harbor city, the Southern Water Tribe rebels eventually launched a small siege on the capital under Tonraq's orders, who believed that there was little time left to wait for reinforcements.

The rebel forces stormed the city on ice boards, attracting the attention of the guard posted on the watchtower, and prompting him to ring the alarm bell to signal the Northern troops of an impending attack. Several soldiers made their way out of fortifications to face the rebels, and the two forces collided.

Despite having no reinforcements, the Southern Water Tribe rebels were able to force the Northern troops to fall back by nightfall. However, Chief Unalaq arrived with his children, Desna and Eska, along with a number of dark spirits, before the forces could secure the city. Working in tandem, the two waterbenders were able to inflict considerable damage to the rebels with the help of the dark spirits.



Recognizing that it would be difficult to secure the city with dark spirits involved in the battle, Tonraq ordered his men to retreat, while he went in pursuit of his brother in an attempt to end the war once and for all. He was swiftly able to subdue Unalaq's four guards, and the two began to engage in a fierce water duel. Despite a strong showing of his abilities, Tonraq was eventually immobilized by Unalaq in a block of ice, before being hit with a final blow that sent him to the ground.

Aftermath


The failed siege of the Southern Water Tribe wiped out the Southern resistance, and injured all of the rebels involved in the battle, prompting them to seek healing from Katara and other healers in the Southern Water Tribe compound. The healing hut found itself quickly filled to capacity, with the healers struggling to tend to all of the survivors, all of whom were severely wounded.

Tonraq's defeat also led to his capture, and he was subsequently brought to the Northern encampment in the South Pole as a means of attracting Avatar Korra, whom Unalaq needed to face following Harmonic Convergence, when he planned to fuse with Vaatu to create a Dark Avatar and usher in a new world order.