Pro-bending referees

''This article is about the main referee. For the referee from the tournament semifinals see Pro-bending referee (semifinals).''

"neutral"

- The Avatar will be permitted to continue, so long as she solely bends water.

The pro-bending referees enforce the rules of pro-bending at the Pro-bending Arena in Republic City. There are at least two referees present at each match with different task. One is the head-overseer of the game while the other serves more as a linesman.

History
When Avatar Korra made her debut in the pro-bending ring alongside her Fire Ferret teammates Mako and Bolin, the referees were on duty for the match. As the Avatar had never been in a pro-bending match before, she was not familiar with the rules. In the opening seconds of round one, she used waterbending to knock one of her opponents over the side of the ring, which was not allowed by the rules of the pro-bending tournament. The referee called a penalty and ordered Korra to move back to zone two. Soon afterward, he pointed out that she was over the line and administered another one-zone penalty. When she exposed herself as the Avatar by earthbending, the official again called a penalty, but this being the first time the Avatar had stepped into the ring, he wasn't entirely sure how to deal with the situation. Eventually, the referee allowed her to continue to participate under the condition that the Avatar would restrict herself to the use of one element only, namely waterbending.

A referee later officiated the Fire Ferrets' quarterfinal match in the tournament against the Boarcupines. After the teams split rounds one and two, he declared round three a tie, forcing a one-on-one round. He tossed a coin which would allow a team the first choice of who to send up for the round, which was won by the Fire Ferrets.



After the Buzzard Wasps scored a decisive victory in round one of the semifinals of the Pro-bending Championship Tournament and gained the advantage in round two, sending Mako back one zone and Bolin over the edge, Avatar Korra bended water up from the trough in the arena to grab the opposing firebender by the leg for a throw, then proceeded to continue to bend water at her from below. The referee called a penalty for unnecessary roughness and ordered Korra to move back one zone. Korra responded that she would "unnecessarily rough him up" and waterbended a sizable wave in his direction. The referee then gave her a yellow fan warning.

During the championship match of the tournament, the White Falls Wolfbats committed a series of illegal moves which the referee seemed to ignore, making Mako believe that he was paid off, while the fans booed him and Shiro Shinobi pointed out his many mistakes over the radio. The referees' mistakes allowed the Wolfbats to claim their fourth consecutive pro-bending championship.

When the Equalists attacked the arena, the Wolfbats asked the referee what was going on, but he was left without an answer.