Mai

"fire"

- I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated - I love Zuko more than I fear you.

Mai was the daughter and elder child of the Governor of "New Ozai" and his wife. During the later years of the Hundred Year War, she became one of Princess Azula's main sidekicks, thereby one of Team Avatar's greatest foes, as well as Prince Zuko's love interest. As one of the most privileged girls in the Fire Nation, she attended the Royal Fire Academy for Girls and became a friend of Princess Azula and Ty Lee at a young age.

Mai was exceptionally skilled at throwing stilettos, a self-taught ability she developed out of boredom. Using small knives similar to ninja shuriken concealed in her robes, she was capable of besting numerous benders at once despite not being a bender herself. She was recruited by Azula along with Ty Lee to capture the Avatar and his friends.

Mai outwardly resembled an impassive and bored teenager. A victim of her father's political aspirations since early childhood, Mai confessed she got anything she wanted from her parents so long as she was quiet, well-mannered and perfectly behaved. This had a profound effect on her personality, as it was deeply ingrained in her to keep all of her feelings and emotions strongly hidden. The only time she was ever seen happy was in the presence of Zuko, with whom she was in love.

The strength of her feelings toward Zuko were revealed when she saved him from Azula at the Boiling Rock. She confronted Azula, declaring that her love for Zuko outweighed her fear of retaliation. As a result of this betrayal, Azula imprisoned her, along with Ty Lee, who stopped Azula's attack by blocking her chi. She was later released after Zuko defeated Azula and claimed the throne. They restarted their relationship with a kiss before Zuko's coronation as the new Fire Lord.

Background


Mai was born in the Fire Nation, daughter of a nobleman and his wife. Mai eventually revealed more information about her childhood while on Ember Island. She was an only child for fifteen years and was given whatever she wanted, as long as she behaved. Her parents were strict and she was constantly required to stay silent and behave perfectly, which in later years led to her emotional distance. She greatly despised her life in the Fire Nation, to the point she would throw knives at her wall out of boredom. At some point, she attended the Royal Fire Academy for Girls and became friends with Azula, who noticed her skill with knives, and Ty Lee.

During Zuko's flashbacks, she was shown, about ten years old, sitting off by herself, looking disinterested as Ty Lee and Azula played together and did cartwheels. However, she did show marked interest in Zuko, turning away shyly and blushing when he walked by with his mother. Azula noticed this and took Mai's obvious crush, which Azula later revealed to have been mutual, as a cue to humiliate both Zuko and Mai by orchestrating a situation where they ended up falling into a fountain on top of each other, while she and Ty Lee stood giggling over their embarrassment.

Azula's victims responded to this in fury, with Zuko storming off, claiming "girls are crazy!" and Mai, upon standing up drenched, spat, "You two are such...ugh!"

Meeting an old friend
Before joining Azula, Mai resided in the newly-conquered city of Omashu with her mother, younger brother, Tom-Tom, and her father, the Fire Nation-appointed governor of the city-state. Mai described Omashu as "unbearably bleak" to her mother and complained of how bored she was, stating that she was even more bored than she was back in the Fire Nation. However, soon after, Azula arrived in the city, with Ty Lee in tow, to recruit Mai to assist her on a special mission. Desperate to get out of Omashu, Mai agreed to this immediately even though she had not been told what that mission was. Before leaving, however, Azula appointed Mai, in lieu of the governor, to oversee a pre-arranged hostage trade: King Bumi for Tom-Tom, her baby brother, who wandered out of the city with a group of fleeing citizens and was subsequently assumed "kidnapped" by the resistance. However, right before Mai began the transaction, Azula interrupted, coyly suggesting that trading a powerful earthbender king for a two-year-old was strategically unwise. After a measured pause, Mai agreed and declared the deal off, thus initiating a fight between the two sides. Then, as Mai, Azula, and Ty Lee were leaving the city, Mai confirmed, impassively, that their mission was to "track down" the now-fugitive Zuko and Iroh. Azula noted that they also now had a third target, Aang, and Ty Lee pointedly stated that it would be "interesting" for Mai to see Zuko again, in response to which Mai turned away and indulged in a rare smile.

Pursuing Team Avatar


Mai, Azula, and Ty Lee tracked Aang and his companions, and once Aang split from Katara and Sokka, Azula sent Mai and Ty Lee to face those two while she chased down Aang. Mai and Ty Lee defeated the siblings rather easily, much in part thanks to the siblings' lack of sleep, but were caught off-guard by an air blast from Appa and sent flying into a nearby river.

When a Fire Nation drill was heading toward Ba Sing Se, Mai was shown being very bored sitting around in the control room. When a group of elite earthbenders attempted to stop the drill, Azula sent Mai and Ty Lee to face them, which elicited approval from Mai as it was something to do. However, when Azula sent Mai and Ty Lee after Sokka and Katara, who were caught trying to sabotage the drill from the inside, Mai refused to chase them into the slurry pipeline, stating that despite how much lightning this act of defiance might cause Azula to throw at her, she would not go into that "wall sludge juice"—which gave the impression that Mai was not scared of the princess. Later, Aang destroyed the drill by causing the slurry pipeline to back up and then explode, thus covering everyone in the general vicinity in slurry. After this, a completely pristine Mai leaned out of a hatch and dryly announced to the sludge-drenched Ty Lee and Azula: "We lost."

Fall of Ba Sing Se


Mai later assisted Azula in attacking Suki and the other Kyoshi Warriors, stating that their colorful makeup and uniforms were making her nauseated. After the three girls defeated the Kyoshi Warriors, Mai, Azula, and Ty Lee dressed up as them to sneak into Ba Sing Se. While lingering in the Earth King's throne room, Mai and the group were surprised by Katara who ran in with news about Zuko and Iroh. Azula said she would tell the Earth King, but Katara realized who they were because of Azula's amber-colored eyes. Ty Lee paralyzed her with a chi strike before she could escape and the trio proceeded to capture the waterbender.

Mai was next seen where she had apparently been ordered to guard the Earth King's pet bear, Bosco, but did not care enough about her assignment to attempt to stop Sokka, Toph, and the Earth King from retrieving the pet. She was so bored and restless from her duty that she let Toph, Sokka, and the Earth King escape with the bear, stating, "Just take the bear."

Rekindled love
Mai and Zuko were later set up on a dinner date by Azula in a plan to persuade a reluctant Zuko to return home, playing off their childhood crushes on each other. However, the two caught on to the setup and decided to take a walk around Ba Sing Se. Soon after, they ran into Jin, who immediately recognized "Lee" and questioned who his companion was. Thinking quickly, Zuko sheepishly claimed that Mai was a friend from the circus, the knife thrower. Mai appeared to join in on the charade and decided to give a demonstration. After moving Zuko in front of a fountain and placing a fish from a seafood stand they had passed earlier on top of his head, she targeted and precisely pierced the fish with an icicle. Mai then persuaded Jin to give it a try. Zuko was just barely able to avoid being impaled by the sharp piece of ice, falling backwards into the fountain in the process. Leaning over the drenched prince, Mai wryly stated that now they were "even".

As he chased her down an alley, Zuko exclaimed that she could have gotten him killed, but Mai merely laughed it off. Zuko stopped to point out that she finally seemed to be enjoying herself, going on to say that he had missed seeing this side of her. Mai admitted that a lot had changed since the days when she "used to throw mud in his face", but not everything had changed; she proved this by kissing him softly. The next day, the two of them arrived at the ship to leave for the Fire Nation together.

To the Fire Nation


Mai was next seen having a brief moment with Zuko on the ship voyage home, where he expressed nervousness about how much things would have changed and whether or not he would be forgiven and welcomed. She humorously replied that she had not asked for his life story, then told him not to worry and kissed him briefly before departing once more. Later, when Azula saw Zuko moping, she commented that he was acting like Mai, then amended that, claiming that Mai had been unusually cheerful lately. Later, Zuko and Mai were having a romantic picnic on an ocean side cliff and enjoying an orange sunset together. Mai hated the color and told Zuko so, but this only made him chuckle and state how beautiful she is when she hates the world. Mai told Zuko she did not hate him and he told her the same and they kissed. Their moment was interrupted by Azula, who wished to speak with Zuko alone. The two tried to ignore her until Azula told Mai to go help Ty Lee, who apparently needed help untangling her braid. Mai complied but glared briefly at Azula as she passed.

Vacation at Ember Island


Mai's relationship with Zuko went through a rocky period during a trip to Ember Island; Zuko became increasingly short-tempered and tactless around her, growing frustrated when shiny shells and ice cream failed to impress her, though Zuko did accidentally cause the ice cream to fall into her lap, and protective when Ruon-Jian took interest in her. When he shoved Ruon-Jian across a room, breaking a vase, Mai reprimanded him for being "impatient, hot-headed, and angry". He responded by saying that she has no passion for anything and that she is "a big blah". Stung by this, Mai softly and yet harshly said that their relationship was over and wordlessly watched him storm outside.

When Zuko met her on the beach, she greeted him in a conciliatory tone, but he rudely asked her where her "boyfriend" is, and she got angry again. She remained cold toward him when he joined her, Ty Lee, and Azula around a campfire for a discussion. When Zuko yelled at Ty Lee, Mai told him to leave her alone; he persisted, however, and Ty Lee finally broke the story of her childhood out to them. Considering her words, Mai theorized that Ty Lee needed "ten boyfriends" because she wanted to make up for the attention she missed as a child. Ty Lee angrily asked for Mai's story, saying that all she saw with Mai was a "dingy, pasty, gray" aura. Mai dismissed the idea of auras and sarcastically apologized to Zuko for not being as "high-strung and crazy" as the others. Zuko said that he would like it if she did not keep her emotions bottled up; Mai explained to everyone how her mother's control and her father's political career meant that she could not stand out as she wanted to as a child. Azula summarized this, saying that a controlling mother was why Mai was afraid of caring about anything and could not express herself; Mai finally snapped and screamed at Azula to leave her alone. When Zuko moved to calm her down, she angrily refused him again and says that his not having an easy life was no excuse for the anger he had been showing. She and the other girls pressured Zuko, asking at whom he was angry. When he admitted that he was angry at himself and confused about what is right and what is wrong, Mai saw him once again as the Zuko she loved. Moving to comfort him, she said he is the one thing she cares about. Mai kissed him again, reaffirming their relationship.

A happy relationship
Mai and Zuko were on much better terms in the weeks that followed. Mai had learned to express herself more often and Zuko often visited her at home, which was across from the palace. Zuko asked her what she would want from the world if she could have anything she wanted when she wanted, and she said that it would be a fruit tart with rose petals on top. Zuko requested a tart from his servants, and they went on to discuss the advantages of being royalty, and its downsides. Mai suddenly mentioned a war meeting that Azula got invited to, assuming that Zuko was also going, but he had not been invited.



Zuko was annoyed that his father would invite Azula to the meeting as opposed to his true heir, despite the fact that Azula assured him that he was wanted there. Mai tried to cheer up Zuko by suggesting that he boss around some servants or that they have some more fruit tarts, to no avail. The next day, they were hanging out again when a servant came in to say that Zuko was expected at the meeting. This cheered up Zuko and Mai a great deal. When the meeting ended, Mai was happy to hear that Zuko was allowed to sit by his father's right side, but he told her that even though he acted like the son his father wanted, he was not being himself. It was clear to her that he had more on his mind.

A broken heart
Mai was not seen during the Day of Black Sun, as she and the rest of the people in the Fire Nation Capital had been ordered to evacuate. However, Zuko wrote a letter and left the message in her bedroom, stating that he was leaving to join the Avatar. Zuko was clearly upset that he must leave her, but he told Sokka he did that in order to protect her since he became a traitor. He did not want her to get caught in the crossfire on his behalf, to be branded as a traitor along with him. At the Boiling Rock, Zuko learned that the warden is Mai's uncle, who told Zuko that he "broke his niece's heart" when he left her. When the two met, Mai was clearly upset and irritated, as well as deeply hurt, and argued with Zuko about his motives for leaving. She also berated him for leaving only a letter as a good-bye. Zuko tried to explain himself, saying that it was necessary to save his country, but Mai evidently did not agree with his intent. When a riot started, a guard arrived with orders from the warden to protect her. Zuko took advantage of this moment and locked both inside the room. Mai stared at Zuko intently through the view hole, and Zuko showed deep regret before he fled to help Sokka.

Arrest
Later, during the escape, the guards were about to cut the line from the gondola that held Zuko, Sokka, Hakoda, Suki, Chit Sang, and the warden. The guards were attacked and stopped by Mai who, when questioned what she was doing, stated that she was "saving the jerk who dumped [her]." After the others fled, Azula confronted Mai asking why she would do her actions despite knowing the punishment. Mai replied that her love for Zuko was stronger than her fear of Azula. Azula became enraged and prepared to attack Mai, with the sheer intention of killing her; however Ty Lee intervened, striking Azula down by blocking her chi. She urged an apparently shocked Mai to escape. The guards seized them and Azula told them to lock Ty Lee and Mai away and to "let them rot".

Mai and Ty Lee's betrayal had a disastrous impact on Azula, as it was the loss of her only two friends and her inability to instill fear in them that caused Azula's mental state to crumble. This ultimately proved her undoing when Sozin's Comet arrived.

Release from prison
Mai and Ty Lee remained locked up at another prison, judging by the fact they met the Kyoshi Warriors who were not imprisoned at the Boiling Rock, until the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai during the coming of Sozin's Comet. After the battle, Mai and Ty Lee were freed after Mai's uncle "pulled a few strings", and due to the fact that her boyfriend is the new Fire Lord. While they finally get back together, she sternly told Zuko not to ever break up with her again.

Mai had apparently made peace with the Avatar's group since the Hundred Year War ended. She was seen in Earth Kingdom robes, enjoying the newfound peace with her boyfriend and Team Avatar in Ba Sing Se.

After the Hundred Year War
When Fire Lord Zuko returned to Capital City from his trip to Yu Dao, Mai noticed how tired he was and asked him to tell her his problems since she was his girlfriend, to which Zuko answered that he will. Then Mai informed him that, in order to put his mind at ease, she had asked the Kyoshi Warriors, including Ty Lee, for help with the security of the palace after an intent of murder to Zuko by Kori Morishita. It was revealed that Mai broke up with Zuko after finding out about him going to visit his father, which was revealed by Suki. Mai felt Zuko loved (his secrets) more than and left even though Zuko stated how much he loved her.

Personality


Dark, brooding, stoic, and gloomy, Mai was usually bored by whatever situation she was in, and took little interest in anything around her. Her lack of emotion was due to her controlled upbringing by her politically-motivated parents. Her apparent apathy tended to irritate others, such as when Zuko described her as "just a big blah", and when Ty Lee described Mai's "aura" as "dingy and gray". Mai's lack of emotion and constant calm contrasted heavily with Zuko's passion and temper.

Mai was also one of the few people not afraid of Azula. While aboard the Fire Nation drill, she vehemently refused to enter the slurry water to pursue Sokka and Katara, unconcerned with the consequences of disobeying Azula's order. This also seemed to imply that she had a dislike for messy things.

Like Zuko, Mai seemed to be against the idea of needless killing; more often than not, she chose to disable foes rather than outright kill them during battle. She generally achieved this by using her weapons to pin their clothes, usually the sleeves, to a vertical surface.

Despite her stoic nature, it appeared that her relationship with Zuko tended to bring out her more passionate traits. When Zuko returned to the Fire Nation, Azula told him that Mai had been in a strangely good mood. Zuko and Mai argued frequently, but when Azula started toying with them, and mocked his boyfriend after forcing him to reveal why he was so angry all the time, Mai soothed him by assuring him that, even though she had trouble showing it, she did love him. Later, she was shown genuinely enjoying spending time with Zuko, and both were shown ordering the palace servants around. She also showed deep concern when he fretted over why he was not invited to a war meeting hosted by his father, and later when he admitted that while in the meeting, he did not feel like himself. She confronted Zuko about leaving her, saying that he broke her heart. After the confrontation, she saved him from the prison guards who were cutting the line of the gondola Zuko was in and told Azula that she loved him more than she feared her.

Despite their previously unpleasant encounter at the Boiling Rock, Mai was more than happy to reunite with Zuko after the Hundred Year War ended. She reaffirmed her love for Zuko and celebrated the War's end with him and his friends. Her love for Zuko obviously remained strong as she was unwilling to break up with him again. Now that Zuko had finally found his way and was at peace with himself, and threats such as Fire Lord Ozai and Azula are defeated, they could be together again and she could be happy.

Abilities


Mai was a master of knives, also known as "stilettos", shuriken knives, and hand arrows, a skill that apparently started with her throwing knives at her bedroom wall out of boredom. She had a deadly accuracy with these weapons and used them to pin her opponents down, which also helped against benders as they primarily needed their hands and arms to be free to bend. Her skill was great enough to defeat powerful benders and multiple opponents. While she usually pinned her opponents down with her stilettos, she had been seen throwing them in a way that would cause severe, and possibly fatal, injuries, such as when she attacked Aang and Katara, and Toph. Her skill was enough to incapacitate several prison guards without killing or injuring them. Mai was also shown to be able to slide across surfaces on her side. When attacking the guards on the Boiling Rock, she was able to attack and dodge by throwing a knife and diving onto her side, gliding across the metal surface in one fluid motion.

Relationships

 * Zuko (boyfriend)
 * Ty Lee (best friend)
 * Azula (former friend)

Relatives

 * New Ozai Governor (father)
 * Governor's wife (mother)
 * Tom-Tom (younger brother)
 * The warden (uncle)

Appearances
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The Promise Trilogy
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 * The Promise Part 1
 * The Promise Part 2

Trivia

 * The name Mai (明—pronounced identically to the English word "May") means "brightness" in Japanese. Mai is also the Cantonese pronunciation of Mèi (袂) and means "sleeve of a robe", which is where she hides her weapons. Her name could also be a reference to Mai which means "dark" in Japanese. In Japanese, it could also mean "dance". Mei (美) which in her case is spelled Mai, means beautiful in Mandarin Chinese. The Taiwanese translation of the show has her as 梅 (méi), meaning "plum blossom".
 * Mai's hairstyle was based on the Chinese traditional "ox horns" hairstyle. Like many traditional Chinese hairstyles, Mai's hair was bunched up and tied into buns on the top, with the rest let down below shoulder-level. Her hairstyle should not be confused with the odango hairstyle, which was popularized by and refers to styles in certain anime.
 * Note that due to the severity and violence of her attack methods, Mai's daggers were never actually shown hitting a person directly. Rather, they were just barely blocked or dodged. When they did hit, however, they were always aimed at the target's sleeves or clothing and were merely meant to disable the target. The closest these knives were shown to hitting in the show was when Katara was fighting Mai in Omashu; when Mai threw a flurry of knives at her, Katara used her waterbending to knock wooden boards into the air in front of her, causing the knives to hit the boards only inches from her face.
 * Though Mai was most often seen using knives and daggers, she could also shoot arrows from the holsters on her wrists and ankles.
 * There was a goof in "The Beach" episode when Ty Lee said that Mai had "Been an only child for fifteen years", but her brother is actually two years old, so she has only been an only child for thirteen years. The official Nick website confirmed that she is really 15 years old.