Bato


 * This article is about a character. For an episode of a similar name, see Bato of the Water Tribe.

"water"

- You have your father's wit.

Master Bato is a member of the Southern Water Tribe and a close friend of Katara and Sokka's father, Hakoda. He is something of a paternal figure to Katara and Sokka in their father's stead and obviously cares about their well-being.

History


Bato left the Southern Water Tribe two years before the start of the series, along with the other men of soldiering age. While the other members of the tribe headed to the Earth Kingdom's capital, Ba Sing Se, Bato was left behind in an abbey because of injuries.

During their travels, Aang, Katara, and Sokka find Bato's ship on a beach. Once they meet him, Katara and Sokka are elated to be around him, feeling almost at home again in his presence (and his tent, which is decorated with furnishings from the South Pole). Bato is Hakoda's childhood friend and through him Sokka and Katara feel a connection to their father that they haven't had in years. The three talk and reminisce long in to the night, leaving out Aang. Bato acts as somewhat of a surrogate father towards Sokka and agrees to take him ice dodging, since Sokka never had the chance to with his own father. He also bears news of their father, stating that he awaits instructions on how to relocate him and the other Water Tribe men and offers to at least send word to them of his location as they accompany Aang. However, in the comfort of their reunion, Katara and Sokka begin to lose sight of where they are truly needed, as Aang begins to feel betrayed and alone.

In Book 2, Sokka and Katara receive a message telling them that their father was at Chameleon Bay. Sokka agrees to reunite with his father while Katara stays behind with the Earth King. When he reaches Chameleon Bay and walks into his father's tent where a war meeting is in session, Bato is seen sitting next to Hakoda and taps him signaling that Sokka was in the room. Later, Bato is seen filling the Tangle Mines, as well as making mention of Hakoda's dry sense of humor and Sokka's similarity to his father.



Bato was seen again in the Season 3 Premiere episode, "The Awakening", in which he and his friend Hakoda commandeered a Fire Nation ship and accompanied the Avatar and his friends on their journey to the Fire Nation. He is to partake in the planned invasion of the Fire Nation.

Bato reappears to aid the invasion force during The Invasion of the Fire Nation. He is with the small army that is to invade the Fire Nation on the day of the eclipse. Bato is one of the many warriors to charge the Fire Nation Capital beach. Bato proves to be a good leader. When Hakoda is not around, Bato is seen to be the number one guy. When Aang fails to defeat Fire Lord Ozai, the younger soldiers are told to escape on Appa while the others surrender. Bato was amongst the warriors to surrender. It was recently confirmed that he and all of the other warriors, except Hakoda, were sent to the Capital City Prison.

Bato was freed from prison following the War's end. He was present at the coronation of Fire Lord Zuko at Fire Nation Capital.

Trivia

 * The pronunciation of Bato is similar to Bátuó ( 跋陀 ), the Chinese name given to Buddhist monk Buddhabhadra who brought Buddhism in 464 A.D to China and standardized the martial arts.
 * The pronunciation of Bato is similar to bateaux, the French word for "boat". Seeing as he is the one that initiates Sokka to ice dodging using his boat, it is an appropriate name.
 * "Bato" (pronounced with the stress on the second syllable) is "stone" or "rock" in Filipino. The ritual Sokka performed in Bato's presence involved dodging rocks (since there're no icebergs) with his ship.
 * "Bato" is also Chinese slang equivalent to "man" or "dude".
 * When Bato first appeared, he was recovering from a battle and had the majority of his torso bandaged. When Sokka saw his dad in his war tent for the first time in two years, Bato is seen standing next to him, apparently having recovered, seeing as his bandages are removed; however, his skin was still red from the burns.
 * Bato is the tallest of the Southern Water Tribe warriors.
 * As Bato's armor is the only Water Tribe member's with that symbol it can be assumed it is the symbol of the second in command.
 * Bato is one of the few people belonging to the Southern Water Tribe whose name does not have the letter "k" in it.