Tree of Time

"spirit"

- The Tree of Time. That's where Avatar Wan imprisoned Vaatu.



The Tree of Time is an ancient tree located in the Spirit World, standing in the middle between the two spirit portals that lead to the mortal realm. During the Harmonic Convergence in 9,829 BSC, Avatar Wan imprisoned Vaatu inside of the tree to prevent darkness from enveloping the world.

History


After permanently merging with Raava using the influx of spiritual energy brought about by the overlap of the two spirit portals, Wan used the four bending arts to subdue Vaatu and encase him in an elemental sphere, before using a final burst of airbending to trap him inside the Tree of Time. To prevent the spirit's escape, Wan closed both of the spirit portals to ensure that Vaatu could not be freed by any humans in the future.

In 171 ASC, Unalaq visited Vaatu at the Tree of Time, and apologized for his failure to bring back Avatar Korra to aid in opening the Northern spirit portal. Vaatu informed Unalaq that he had not necessarily failed him yet, as Korra was alive and currently in the Spirit World.

Korra met Vaatu, who was still imprisoned in the Tree of Time, shortly after entering the Spirit World. Threatening to destroy Jinora's soul, Unalaq and Vaatu forced Korra to open the Northern spirit portal. Resolving to save Jinora despite her original objective, Korra opened the portal, causing a massive release of energy which weakened the barrier that imprisoned Vaatu.

Immediately after, Unalaq attempted to destroy Korra's spirit by attacking her with waterbending, before ultimately using his pacification technique to destroy her soul. Before he could complete the process, however, a dragon bird spirit swooped in to save Korra, prompting Vaatu to declare that he would soon have his revenge on Raava for imprisoning him in the Tree of Time.



Just before the third Harmonic Convergence, Korra attempted to reseal the Southern spirit portal to no avail, and witnessed as the influx of spiritual energy resulting from the phenomenon allowed Vaatu to break free from his bonds and escape imprisonment from the Tree of Time.

After her connection with Raava and the past Avatars was severed by the Dark Avatar, Korra was escorted by Tenzin to the Tree of Time, where she saw and subsequently remembered memories of her past, which had been suppressed by her amnesia. Using the energy inside the tree, Korra was able to channel the energy within herself and connect with the cosmic energy of the universe, allowing her to summon a massive astral projection of her spirit.

Shortly after, numerous dark spirits charged at the tree in an attempt to retrieve Korra's body, but were held back by Tenzin, Bumi, Kya, Bolin, and Mako. Desna and Eska also arrived to assist in subduing the dark spirits, but were soon driven inside the Tree of Time along with the others. Before the dark spirits could completely enter the hollow of the tree, Korra's astral projection returned, bringing with it a ray of light that caused the dark spirits to disappear.

Legend
Legends state that the Tree of Time's roots bind the two worlds together, and is a source of great spiritual energy. In the era of Raava, the ancients used to commune in the hollow of the tree to connect with the great cosmic energy of the universe, before Vaatu was imprisoned in tree by Avatar Wan.



A book in Wan Shi Tong's Library recalls the legend of Vaatu's imprisonment in the Tree of Time. Elders believe that Vaatu is trapped by a strong spiritual barrier from which he cannot break free, provided that the two spirit portals are sealed by the arrival of Harmonic Convergence. If the portals were opened during this time, the amplified spiritual energy caused by overlap of the two portals will be enough for Vaatu to use in breaking the bonds that restrain him, leaving the mortal realm vulnerable to becoming enveloped in darkness.