Ukano

"fire"

- So, the resistance has kidnapped my son. Everything so clever, so tricky! Just like their King Bumi.

Mai's father was the Fire Nation head authority in New Ozai, appointed by Fire Lord Ozai himself. He was the father of Mai and Tom-Tom. Though the governor cared greatly for his family, he was a weak ruler whose faulty assumptions often led to poor decisions. His concern for his family also clearly came before his allegiance to the Fire Lord, as was demonstrated by his spontaneous offer to trade one of the Fire Nation's most valuable and powerful prisoners for his missing son.

History
As a reward for his role in the siege of Omashu, Mai's father was appointed governor of the newly subjected city. He was chosen by Fire Lord Ozai to govern Omashu, later renamed New Ozai by Princess Azula in honor of her father. He moved there with his wife, his daughter Mai, and his infant son Tom-Tom.

To resist the governor's rule, the citizens of Omashu devised a plan involving the purple pentapi. The next morning, all the citizens showed up with marks on their skin from the pentapi's suction cups, making them look diseased. The governor ordered the citizens to be driven out of the city, thinking there was a plague. He later sent a messenger hawk bearing a message to the resistance. The governor thought that the earthbenders kidnapped his son and used the disease as a cover. He offered to trade King Bumi, the former ruler of Omashu, for his son. Azula met with the governor and felt that he had done poorly due to the chain of events that occurred during the previous day and renamed the city "New Ozai". Later, Aang went to the governor's house to return his infant son.

When the Day of Black Sun arrived, King Bumi liberated Omashu and destroyed the Fire Nation Palace in the city.

Trivia

 * "Avatar Extras" revealed that the governor is not a firebender. However, in Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Burning Earth, the governor was a boss battle and depicted as being a powerful firebender.