Unalaq

"water"

- I have spent my life studying spirits and learning their ways. All of this knowledge is lost in the South. But I could teach you everything I know.

Unalaq is a waterbending master, and the current chief of the Northern and Southern Water Tribes. He is the younger brother of Tonraq, father of Desna and Eska, and uncle of Avatar Korra. A particularly spiritual man, he briefly served as Korra's spiritual mentor until her discovery of his involvement in her father's banishment, at which point he was absolved as her teacher and shunned. Unbeknownst to his own children, Unalaq is working to free Vaatu from imprisonment in the Spirit World.

Early life


Unalaq was born to the chief of the Northern Water Tribe, and he was the second in line to become chief after his brother Tonraq. Growing up, he dedicated his life to studying the spirits and their ways. Desiring to become the next chief, Unalaq orchestrated a plan to remove Tonraq as an obstacle to his goal. He hired a band of barbarians who invaded the Northern capital in 151 ASC. Unalaq warned his brother, the general, of the threat, and watched Tonraq drive off the invaders. Tonraq pursued the barbarians to a forest sacred to the spirits, where Unalaq had told them to hide, and the forest was laid waste by Tonraq's forces in the process of apprehending the invaders. That night, angry spirits attacked the city in retaliation, though Unalaq managed to calm them down and guide them back to their forest. However, the inflicted damage was of such proportion that the chief banished his oldest son, thus making Unalaq first in line to become chief just as he had planned. He eventually became chief, and had fraternal twins, Desna and Eska.

In 153 ASC, after hearing that his sister-in-law, Senna, had given birth to Korra, Unalaq journeyed to the Southern Water Tribe to convince his brother to let him instruct the child in the spiritual ways of the Water Tribe, but Tonraq forbade him from doing so. Unalaq made several attempts after that to take Korra under his wing, but his brother always stood in his way.

Becoming Korra's teacher
In 171 ASC, Unalaq and his children arrived at the Southern Water Tribe for the Glacier Spirits Festival. They were greeted by many people, including Tonraq and his family. He greeted his niece heartily, though his manner hardened upon greeting Tonraq, prompting the same response from his brother.



Immediately afterward, Unalaq took a walk with Korra, his brother, and Tenzin throughout the festival grounds, all the while commenting that the spirituality the South once had was dissolving. After Tonraq dismissed him, stating only some traditions changed and that it was not the end of the world, Unalaq countered by emphasizing that some traditions had purpose, as evidenced by the fact that ships in the South were being attacked by angry spirits due to this change. Surprised by Korra's unawareness of the situation, Unalaq offered to become her spiritual mentor, but was swiftly cut off by Tonraq saying that Tenzin was all that Korra needed.

That evening, Unalaq attended a banquet thrown in his honor, though when Korra commented on how wonderful it was, the chief drifted off, reminiscing about how the current feast paled by far in comparison to how things used to be. He told his niece that when the festival was founded, it was a time for tribal chiefs to communicate with the spirits as they glowed and danced in the sky. When Korra admitted she had never seen that, he once again offered to become her spiritual mentor, but Tonraq again declined for her. Frustrated, he mentioned how every Avatar before Korra traveled the world to learn, but she was denied that opportunity by her father and Tenzin's decision.

Unalaq made a speech in which he declared that although he was honored to be able to speak to them all at the festival, he was saddened to see that the once highly spiritual event had evolved into a cheap carnival. He announced that the North could no longer stand by and watch the South slip further into spiritual decay. He hoped to change the course the Southern Water Tribe was taking, and as such, put a stop to the attacks of the spirits.



That night, a dark spirit attacked the area where Korra and several of her friends were sleeping. After Korra, Mako, Bolin, Tonraq, and Tenzin failed to defeat or calm the spirit, Unalaq interfered and performed a complex waterbending maneuver that instantly calmed the spirit down, basking it in golden light, and eventually caused the entity to disappear peacefully. He emphasized the importance of spirituality to the young Avatar, and offered to teach her again. When Tenzin stated that he planned to journey to all the air temples with Korra, Unalaq promptly dismissed the idea as useless, as he believed only he could provide Korra with the training she needed to become a complete Avatar. Korra realized the truth in his words, and accepted his offer.

Opening the spirit portal


Unalaq planned to start Korra's spiritual training at the spiritual center of the Southern Water Tribe, the South Pole. As they prepared to leave, Tonraq insisted on coming, since their travels would lead them directly into the Everstorm. Unalaq protested against his brother's offer, believing him to be a distraction. He stated that it was the nonspiritual attitude of men like Tonraq that had put the Spirit World out of balance, causing the spirits to attack. Tonraq defied Unalaq's protests, daring him to stop him in any way he could. However, before the conflict could evolve, it was defused by an arriving Bolin. Korra allowed her father to take part in Unalaq's journey, so long as he would not interfere with her training.

As they made their way toward the Everstorm and the South Pole, Unalaq explained to Korra that he intended for her to open a dormant spirit portal. He clarified that there was no such thing as an "evil spirit", just spirits that were out of balance, a balance that could be restored by opening the portal prior to the end of the winter solstice.



Noticing they were being followed by dark spirits, the party sought out a cave where they would camp overnight. When he was asked why spirits were attacking sailors in the South Sea, Unalaq pinned the blame on his brother, forcing him to confess about how he destroyed a sacred spirit forest at the North Pole twenty years before, bringing forth the wrath of the spirits.

When the group set off again, Unalaq overheard his brother attempting to convince Korra that he may have ulterior motives. He interjected, using the lack of southern lights to prove his claims. He explained that the Hundred Year War had thrown the South out of balance, and even though the Northern Water Tribe had helped the South rebuild physically, it had yet to be restored spiritually, which left the spirits to rampage in the Everstorm.

As they arrived at the place where the Everstorm raged, the group was ambushed by dark spirits. Yet again, everyone's efforts proved to be futile save for Unalaq's, who saved Korra from being devoured by an angry spirit with his special technique. After the attack, Unalaq overruled Tonraq's decision to go back, stating that they could not afford to lose another year to open the portal; it had to happen during the winter solstice that night. The arising conflict ended when Korra interfered and sent her father home.



Upon reaching the frozen spirit forest in the heart of the South Pole, Unalaq instructed Korra to venture in alone and unlock the portal. He encouraged her to have faith in herself as he had confidence in her, and to let her past lives guide her through the dark.

As Korra reappeared after having opened the portal, Unalaq congratulated her upon having taken the first step to restore balance to the South, as well as the whole world. When the group returned to the Southern Water Tribe, they found the Northern Water Tribe naval force docking in the ports outside the city. Unalaq explained that opening the portal was just the first step to get the South back on the righteous path, and more work needed to be done before the two tribes were truly reunited again.

Occupation of the South
As the Northern troops started occupying the South and setting up blockades, Unalaq told Korra that he planned for her to open the spirit portal at the North Pole. Though the Avatar reminded him that the solstice had ended, Unalaq reasoned that opening the southern portal had strengthened her energies, which would enable her to accomplish her task. By opening both portals, both spirit and man could pass from one Water Tribe to the other at will.



Korra later visited Unalaq, explaining that many Southerners are opposed to the occupation and are threatening civil war. Unalaq laments that if that were to happen, the other nations would have to pick a side while the dark spirits feed off the energy of the conflict, resulting in a war between man and spirit. However, he tells Korra that as the Avatar, she had to remain neutral and find a solution to this crisis. Korra started to agree with Tenzin's assessment that she is not ready to be the Avatar but Unalaq insists that he has faith in her potential.

As night fell, Korra returned to the palace to discover Unalaq being kidnapped by a group of Southerners. She is able to capture the Southerners and rescue her uncle. Unalaq ordered the rebels as well as their leader, Varrick, to be locked away, but Korra persuaded him to let the rebels stand trial first.



The next morning, Unalaq arrived to arrest Tonraq and Senna for allegedly conspiring to assassinate him. Promising Korra to give her parents a fair trial, he assigns the most honorable judge of the Water Tribe, Hotah, to handle the trial. As the trial came to an end, Hotah found Senna innocent but sentenced Tonraq and the others to death. Unalaq however convinced Hotah to change the sentence to life imprisonment. Not approving of her innocent father being taken away, Korra later confronted Hotah, who revealed that the entire trial was a sham orchestrated by Unalaq to again remove Tonraq from the equation and keep Korra loyal to him. As Korra attempted to free her father, she was intercepted by Unalaq, who had sent his brother and the other prisoners on a ship bound for the north. Confronting Unalaq about his selfish and underhanded deeds, Korra renounced him as her teacher and demanded that he recall the prison ship and withdraw his forces, reminding that he still needed her to open the northern spirit portal. However, Unalaq confessed that he did not, revealing he had only exploited her into thinking that, causing the Avatar to attack him out of sheer anger and fury. After a brief struggle with Unalaq holding his own, Korra managed to over-power him, blowing him to the end of the corridor with airbending, before the Avatar and her friends ran off to save her father.



Later, Unalaq was informed by a commander of his troops that Tonraq and the rebels were camped out on a hill outside of the town. However, the Chief dismissed the potential threat his brother posed as being irrelevant, concerning himself mainly with the protection of the southern spirit portal, requesting more troops to be sent that way. As the commander left, Desna and Eska entered Unalaq's chamber, and he instructed his children to find the Avatar, as he still needed her to open the northern spirit portal, admitting that he had lied before about no longer requiring the Avatar's services. After Eska professed delight at chasing after Korra, Unalaq informed her that he needed Korra captured alive, to which Eska reluctantly agreed.

Attempting to open the Northern spirit portal
Days later, Unalaq ventured into the Spirit World through the portal at the South Pole, and upon emerging, he found his children waiting for him. Remaining silent about what he had been doing in the Spirit World, he asked them about the Avatar's whereabouts. After the twins replied that they had Korra within their grasp, but lost her after she was attacked by a dark spirit, concluding her to have died, Unalaq chastised them for failing in their mission, despite Desna's claim that the dark spirits were out of control.



Later, as Unalaq's frustration continued to grow, he lashed out at his children for failing him, stating that it had been his mistake to trust them in the first place. However, believing there to be a way to open the Northern spirit portal from the inside, Unalaq needed his children to help him and led them into the Spirit World. As they traveled toward the closed portal, Unalaq informed his children that, by entering the Spirit World though the portal, they had retained their bending ability, and together with them, he hoped that their combined power would be enough to breach the portal. However, their assault resulted in a clash of energies, which struck Desna down. Completely focused on opening the portal, Unalaq ordered his daughter to leave her brother and to keep bending, stating Desna's need for a healer to be of secondary importance. Although his children left him, Unalaq did not give up and tried drilling through the spiritual barrier, although without success.

He traveled back to the tree in which Vaatu was trapped, and apologized for his failure; however, the spirit of darkness informed him that he had not yet failed, as Korra was still alive and would find him soon.

Unalaq had apparently befriended Wan Shi Tong, who viewed Unalaq and his devoted studies to the Spirit World as a true ally unlike the Avatar. Later, having taken Jinora hostage, Unalaq met Korra at the two portals. With Korra arriving purely as a soul, she was defenseless against Unalaq's bending. Using his spiritual powers, Unalaq brought to harm Jinora's spirit, forcing Korra to open the Northern portal. Seeing no further use of his niece, Unalaq attempted to finish off Korra. Unalaq was then attacked by a large dragon-bird spirit, allowing Korra to escape.

Personality
Unalaq possesses an extremely strong and intense connection with the Spirit World itself. He is a firm believer in the old ways of the Water Tribe and a true fundamentalist as far as honoring the spirits is concerned. Due to his connection with the Spirit World, he has always believed himself to be better suited to ruling both the Northern and Southern Water Tribes than his older brother. This arrogant nature of Unalaq ultimately made him very self-righteous and amoral in his approach. Beneath his benevolent demeanor is a power-hungry, cold-hearted, and manipulative man who lacks any significant degree of compassion. His desire for power led him to making deals with Vaatu. He is willing to go to any lengths and extreme measures to achieve his goals, even if it means betraying his own family or sacrificing their safety.

With his sinister plans coming close to fruition, Unalaq has since abandoned his composed demeanor and adopted a more malicious one, taking visible delight in other's suffering as shown him sadistically harming Jinora and Korra.

Abilities


Unalaq can utilize a specialized form of healing infused with spiritual energy and knowledge, which involves converting negative energy into positive energy. This ability allows him to effectively calm angry spirits, to the extent where he was able to stop multiple dark spirits at once from destroying the Northern Water Tribe. Conversely, with malicious intent, he can utilize this technique to inflict harm on spirits.

Unalaq has also shown to be a capable combatant, as he was able to hold his own against both his niece and Mako using very little water. In addition, he is able to use advanced waterbending techniques such as the ice drill.

Possessing great intellect and extensive knowledge of the Spirit World, Unalaq was able to make use of it to further his goals and gain an advantage over his foes. A notable example was using the Spirit Portals to cross over using his physical body, and consequently retain his bending in the Spirit World. Later on, he would use this knowledge to ambush and subdue both Jinora and Korra in the spirit world, and coerce the latter to open the Northern Spirit Portal.

Trivia

 * Unalaq is the only named male waterbender to practice healing, and was also the only known individual capable of successfully calming down spirits using spiritual waterbending until Korra mastered it herself.
 * Unalaq is the second known head of state to come to power instead of his older brother. The first was Ozai, who wanted to become Fire Lord after his brother's only son died in battle.
 * Unalaq is the fifth villainous waterbender and the fourth major villainous male waterbender to be seen in either series, after Hama, Yakone, Amon, and Tarrlok. However, he is the only one to not have demonstrated the ability to bloodbend.
 * Unalaq is the fourth villainous father to disregard his children's wellbeing in the process of furthering his own benefit, after Ozai, Yakone, and Hiroshi. However, he is the only one to not have demonstrated a preference over one of his children in particular, as well as show indifference to their disobedience.