Conspiracy of Ba Sing Se

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- In silencing talk of conflict, Ba Sing Se remains a peaceful, orderly utopia. The last one on Earth.

The Conspiracy of Ba Sing Se was a cabal orchestrated by Long Feng and the Dai Li to control the capital of Ba Sing Se by appropriating sovereignty from the Earth King, Kuei. Long Feng executed this by covering up the concurrent war and slowly establishing jurisdiction over the affairs of the city.

The conspiracy was eventually exposed by the Avatar, Aang, and Long Feng was imprisoned. The conspiracy directly caused the Coup of Ba Sing Se when Long Feng attempted to regain control of the stronghold by negotiating with the Fire Nation's Crown Princess, Azula.

History
DO NOT change back to past, consistency and standardization with other articles must be upheld Historically, the Earth Kings ruled Ba Sing Se and the rest of the Earth Kingdom directly. However, over time a bureaucratic administration was created around the Earth King to help run the kingdom. One position, the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se, was created as an adviser to the Earth King about matters in Ba Sing Se.

The creation of the bureaucracy had the unintended effect of weakening the grip on power Earth Kings had. Thus, the opportunity for such a conspiracy became a possibility. This possibility became a reality when the 51st Earth King died with only a four year old child to succeed him.

Establishment
After the death of the 51st Earth King, the Grand Secretariat, Long Feng, used his powers and advantageous position to mold four year old King Kuei into his puppet. This would give him the power to control the city of Ba Sing Se. He accomplished this with the aid of the corrupt secret police force, the Dai Li, an organization created by Avatar Kyoshi after the Peasant Uprising.

Long Feng and his Dai Li agents silenced their opponents and forbade free speech. The Council of Five, the highest authority in the Earth Kingdom military, were unable to resist against the conspiracy, and followed Long Feng's orders. Long Feng and the Dai Li also forbade citizens from talking about The War inside the walls, under pain of imprisonment or brainwashing. This ensured that the city would not erupt into chaos.

With control of the city, Long Feng had complete control over the Earth King and effectively ruled Ba Sing Se and the rest of the Earth Kingdom in the name of the Earth King. This state of events continued for many years, until the arrival of Avatar Aang.

The Arrival of the Avatar
In 100 ASC, late into the conspiracy, Aang, the current Avatar, and his friends decided to go to the city to find their lost bison, Appa, and to inform the King of an opportunity to invade the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun. After the group defeated a Fire Nation drill in a battle, they ventured into the city as honored guests. Team Avatar however immediately became suspicious due to the behavior of Joo Dee and many of the citizens of Ba Sing Se.

The arrival of the Avatar was a major threat to Long Feng's hold over the city. Knowing of the bison's importance to the Team, Long Feng used a Bison Whistle to attract the beast to the city. Once at the right position, he captured Appa and hid him at the Dai Li's base under Lake Laogai. This would serve as blackmail to prevent the Avatar from exposing his conspiracy.



Team Avatar soon became frustrated at the lack of urgency displayed by the city to their plans for the Invasion of the Fire Nation. Team Avatar attempted to use an upcoming party for Bosco that the Earth King would be at as their chance to speak with him. The team decided the best way to do this was for the girls, Katara and Toph Bei Fong, to disguise themselves as fancy ladies to enter inconspicuously. The boys, Sokka and Aang, would stay and wait.



At the party, the guard would not let the girls enter, but with Long Feng, they were allowed to enter. Katara and Toph however were unable to lose Long Feng. At the house Team Avatar were staying at, Sokka and Aang began to get worried, so they disguised themselves as waiters and snuck into the party. They eventually stumbled upon the girls.

Aang accidentally reveals himself as the Avatar, and woos the crowd with his bending tricks. Then, the King arrives in a palanquin, and Aang rushes to see him. Aang is stopped by Long Feng, who greets him as the rest of Team Avatar is captured by Dai Li. In Long Feng's office, Long Feng informs them of the conspiracy, and also blackmails them.

Capture of Jet
At the same time, the leader of the Freedom Fighters, Jet had entered the city. Before, on a Ferry trip there, he had met a disguised Prince Zuko, and "liberated" some food with him. After disembarking from the ferry, he saw Iroh with warm tea that was previously very cold, and marked them as Firebenders.

Jet spied on the two with his fellow fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot. Smellerbee and Longshot questioned his latest decisions, and left him. Jet, after attempting discretely to force Iroh into Firebending, became tired of waiting, and resolved to face them personally and expose them.

Duel in the Tea Shop


Storming into a local tea shop the two were working at, Jet exclaimed that the two were Fire Nation. Iroh attempted to convince him they were just tea workers, but Jet did not believe it. Zuko, defensively, grabbed a pair of Dao Swords from a nearby customer, and began dueling with Jet.

The two fought around the tea shop, Zuko eventually slicing at Jet, who jumped into the air to dodge it. The two eventually moved outside, and as more people chattered and watched, the duel was stopped by Dai Li, who arrested Jet. Iroh stated that he was merely confused, but the Dai Li, not interested, took him in anyway.

Tying him up under Lake Laogai, a Dai Li agent began to brainwash him, telling him "There is no war within the walls...". Jet attempted to resist, but the brainwashing proved to be successful.

Team Avatar and Jet Meet


Team Avatar continued to stay in the city. A month after entering Ba Sing Se, Team Avatar hung up fliers for Appa, ignoring instructions to do otherwise. They encountered Jet, who had been living quietly in the city since his brainwashing. Distrustful of him at first, Jet eventually gains enough trust from them to let him attempt to help find Appa, who he said he heard people say where he is.

Meanwhile, Long Feng, angry at Joo Dee for failing again at keeping Team Avatar quiet, uses a brainwashing code for her to go to Lake Laogai for punishment.

Team Avatar and Jet look for Appa at the place Jet heard of, and he is not there. Leaving (being told to go to Whale Tail Island), they stumble into Smellerbee and Longshot, who have been looking for Jet everywhere. They bring up the duel and Jet's arrest, and Jet does not remember. After much tests, they realize that Jet has been brainwashed, and attempt to get him to remember.

After succeeding, Jet remembers that he was brainwashed under Lake Laogai, and they all venture there. Going into it, they discover some of the Dai Li's activities, eventually running into a chamber where Long Feng is with dozens of Dai Li agents.

Battle in the Chamber


The Dai Li attack the group, but they fight them off. After some fighting, Jet and Aang decide to chase Long Feng, who uses a brainwashing code to turn Jet against Aang. He fights him, and as they do so, Aang tries to convince Jet to fight it. After succeeding by telling him he's a Freedom Fighter, Jet attacks Long Feng, who strikes Jet with an Earth pillar, mortally wounding him.

Long Feng then disappears, and the others gather around Jet. Katara attempts to heal him, and realizes that he has severe internal injuries. His Freedom Fighters tell Aang and his friends to go, saying that he will be okay. As they leave, Toph sadly says, "He's lying." Jet soon dies of his wounds.

Zuko Frees Appa
Meanwhile, Zuko, wearing his Blue Spirit outfit, went to the base as well, but to attempt to steal Appa. Before he could finish, his uncle came in, stating "I wondered who could be under that mask?"

Zuko removes his mask, and Iroh explains that he needs to start shaping his own destiny, and choose his own path. After much decision, Zuko gives in and frees Appa.

Reunion and New Hope
Team Avatar were interrupted by Dai Li agents as they attempted to leave Lake Laogai. After holding them off for a while, the Dai Li were surprised by the newly freed Appa. Appa single-handedly defeated the Dai Li, even biting Long Feng's leg to throw him into the Lake. The group reunited with Appa.

With Appa reunited with Team Avatar, Sokka suggested that, being on a "roll," they should go ahead and storm into the palace to see the king. After some discussion, the group agreed.

Assault on the Royal Palace


The team flew to the palace, but were met with opposition from the Royal Earthbender Guards. The Guards were quickly defeated, being unable to defend against the combined bending power of Aang, Katara, Toph and Appa. Storming through the palace, Sokka eventually discovered the "fancy door" that led to the Throne Room.

Breaking into the Throne Room, Aang and his friends were met by Dai Li agents and Long Feng. The King, beside Long Feng, expressed his outrage at the intrusion. The Dai Li locked their hands with Rock Gloves.

The King did however give Team Avatar a chance to speak. Aang attempted to prove to the King that the Conspiracy and War were real and that Long Feng was evil. Long Feng attempted to convince Kuei otherwise, and nearly succeeded, but made a major error of judgement when he mentioned that he did not known Sky Bison still existed. This was immeditaely disproven. With this in mind, King decided to let Aang and his friends show him evidence.

Arrest of Long Feng


The first attempt Team Avatar used to convince the King was to have him see the Dai Li base at Lake Laogai. Before they could do this, however, Dai Li had destroyed the entrance, leaving only rubble there. The King almost left, but Team Avatar realized there was another piece of evidence.

Team Avatar led the Earth King to the Wall. The Drill from the battle a month ago was still there, convincing the Earth King that the Conspiracy and the War were real. Long Feng attempted to tell the King that it was a construction project, and the insignia was there because it was imported. The King did not believe this, and Long Feng was arrested for crimes against the Earth Kingdom, thus ending the Conspiracy, true power having been restored to the Earth King.

Aftermath


Despite the good line of events for Team Avatar and Ba Sing Se, things once more took a negative turn, as the Dai Li revealed to Long Feng that they remain loyal to him and only him. Meanwhile, things only got worst as the Earth King unsuspectingly allowed a disguised Princess Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee to enter the palace grounds as honored guests. While in the city, Azula immediately began to plan a coup to overthrow the government. Mai and Ty Lee set up a staged act where they revealed that they were Fire Nation and allies of Azula, and that they planned to overthrow the Earth King. As Azula predicted, she was taken to the Long Feng, to form a plot. Azula used her skills in acting to trick Long Feng into thinking she was helpless, making him think she could lead the Dai Li without any troubles until he was released.

The Avatar and his friends soon arrived to save Katara, who was taken prisoner by Azula when she first entered the city. Despite their arrival, Azula's plot went just as plan. She used her new allies to capture Zuko, though Iroh soon escaped. Azula threw him in prison with Katara, and then her coup commenced. She arrested the entire Council of Five, along with Kuei, Sokka and Toph. Long Feng, free from prison, ordered the Dai Li to arrest Azula. After the Dai Li refused to move, a smug Azula told a bewildered Long Feng that they don't know who to follow, as they were impressed by Azula's leadership. She then tells him that the one that was born royalty, is the one that was born to rule. Long Feng, realizing his fatal mistake, had no choice but to submit to the princess.

After a furious battle in the crystal catacombs between Aang, Katara, Zuko (who had just joined Azula), and Azula, and the intervention of the Dai Li, it became clear Azula would win if not immeadiate actions were taken. Aang knew this, and tried to enter the Avatar State, but was quickly shot down by a fatal lighting bolt generated by Azula. Iroh held Azula and Zuko off, letting Katara escape with a near dead Aang. When they left, Iroh surrendered. Azula then ordered his arrest, putting her in firm control of Ba Sing Se.

Appearances and References

 * City of Walls and Secrets
 * Appa's Lost Days (Briefly)
 * Lake Laogai
 * The Earth King (First identified as a Conspiracy)