Guan

Commander Guan is the leader of an Earth Empire Holdout and a candidate in the Gaoling Election of 174 AG. He was a cunning strategist with a keen mind, so Kuvira made him the commander of her Southern forces, knowing that he could keep the region in line. He was stationed at an Earth Empire Re-Education Camp near Gaoling,where he oversaw both experiments conducted by Dr. Sheng and trained soldiers who when they first came were so pathetic that even Kuvira had little hope for their redemption. When he received the news that rather than victory, Kuvira had surrendered and ordered all Earth Empire officers and soldiers to lay down their arms. Furious and feeling that Kuvira had turned her back on the cause, he ordered Dr. Sheng to continue with her experiments, proclaiming that while Kuvira's reign has ended, the Earth Empire will never die.

With the first elections for the Earth Kingdom's transition to democracy happening in Gaoling, King Wu and President Zhu Li saw the Earth Empire holdout as a potential threat to the elections, so Team Avatar is sent to protect the elections. Meanwhile, Guan tells his loyal forces that he will never abandon them as Kuvira had and that they will bring the Earth King to his knees and make the Avatar yield. He believes that the Earth Empire will rise from defeat and become more powerful than it had been.

When Commander Guan rolled into Gaoling with his forces, he was first greeted by Avatar Korra, who told him she came to see his forces peacefully surrender, to which he replied she came a long way for nothing. Then Kuvira was brought to reason with Guan, but to Guan, she was now doing the Avatar's bidding. He accused her of disgracing the Earth Empire for giving up the fight for Republic City. When Kuvira says that people will be enjoying the benefits for their work after them and that their great experiment has ended, Guan disagrees, saying there is much more progress to be made and questions why others should reap the rewards of the Earth Empire's accomplishments. Then then states that it was Kuvira who was defeated, but he and his soldiers still stand. When Kuvira gives a final order to Commander Guan's troops to surrender, they instead chant "All Hail the Earth Empire! All Hail Commander Guan!", showing her that they were no long loyal to her. Kuvira then challenges Guan to a one-on-one fight where if she wins, he surrenders (the same challenge she gave Korra at Zaofu), but Guan wasn't foolish enough to fall for the same ploy and says while Kuvira may have once struck fear into her followers, they now only see her as a spineless coward. As Kuvira attacks and chokes Guan by metalbending his collar, he proclaims that he would rather die as a martyr than surrender and live as a traitor in the eyes of his soldiers.

When Kuvira is shocked by Asami and taken away unconscious, Korra proclaims that she will not allow Guan to interfere with the elections. On that note, Guan reveals that the Avatar has misunderstood his presence because rather than stop the democratic process, he has come to take part in it. He admits that Kuvira was right that the Earth Empire now holds no real power, but then analyses that it never did as it was never a legitimate nation recognized by the other nations of the world. He then goes to Mayor Rhee of Gaoling and officially declares his candidacy for Governor of Gaoling and give the mayor the paperwork. When King Wu protests, the mayor states that the election is open to all candidates and the paperwork is in order. Guan then reveals his plan to have Earth Empire candidates run in every state, taking power in a legitimate way so that the world cannot question the Earth Empire's right to rule.

Back at his base, Guan laments to Dr. Sheng how disappointed he was at how Kuvira was no longer the commanding woman who inspired them and believes the Avatar's influence had corrupted her mind. When Dr. Sheng suggest recalibrating her mind, Guan says perhaps they should, but instead choses to focus on winning the election. He asks if the first campaign recruits have arrived, to which Dr. Sheng shows them to the Commander and states they're responding well to their messaging. It is revealed that Dr. Sheng's experiments are in brainwashing, as the test subjects repeat Commander Guan's campaign slogan: "A Vote for Commander Guan Is A Vote for Progress and Prosperity. Go With Guan!"