Insurrection of the Red Lotus

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- We are what the White Lotus was meant to be. But after the Hundred Year War, the White Lotus lost its true purpose. Its members came out of hiding and openly served the Avatar. They became nothing but glorified bodyguards who served corrupt nations. So a great man named Xai Bau broke from the White Lotus and began his own society.

The Insurrection of the Red Lotus is a revolution brewed by the Red Lotus, a splinter faction of the Order of the White Lotus, instigated to free the world of its rulers and bring forth the organization's brand of harmony through anarchy.

Formation of the Red Lotus
Following the Hundred Year War, the Order of the White Lotus assumed its operations in a more public capacity. One member, Xai Bau, felt that the order no longer followed its true purpose, and he broke from the organization and established his own. The Red Lotus was created from this split, designed to eliminate world leaders and usher an era where spirits and humans can coexist through anarchy.

Years passed, and the Avatar reincarnated as Korra in Southern Water Tribe. Knowing that his niece was the Avatar, Unalaq informed the other members of Red Lotus and planned to kidnap the Avatar to teach her the ways of their secret society. These associates, Zaheer, Ghazan, P'Li, and Ming-Hua, launched their plan to kidnap Korra, albeit unsuccessful due to the intervention of Tonraq, Councilman Tenzin, Chief Sokka, and Fire Lord Zuko. The four members of Red Lotus were then separated and locked up in specialized maximum security prisons, each specifically designed to hinder each of their abilities. Unalaq managed to hide his involvement, mostly because he was not at the kidnapping attempt. The Northern chief then left the organization to pursue his niece himself to fulfill his ulterior motives: To have her open the spirit portals, free Vaatu and fuse with him to become the Dark Avatar, something that was not in the organization's plans. The four prisoners were interrogated for the next thirteen years, but none of them disclosed anything.

Escape
After the failed kidnapping attempt, the Order of the White Lotus secluded the Avatar in the Southern Water Tribe compound in most of her pursuit of the bending arts, giving her the best mentoring without the need to travel the world and risk her safety. When Korra stowed away to Republic City to learn airbending from Tenzin in 170 AG, her White Lotus sentries continued their duties as her security detail.

Following the energy shift caused by the Harmonic Convergence in 171 AG, several nonbenders across the world began manifesting airbending abilities. Zaheer was among those who benefited and used his newfound abilities to escape and then proceeded to free Ghazan and Ming-Hua by disguising himself as a White Lotus sentry. Disturbed by the prison breaks, Lord Zuko and Chief Tonraq headed to the Northern Water Tribe and warned its new chiefs, Desna and Eska, of the impending arrival of the Red Lotus in an attempt to free P'Li. However, Tonraq, Zuko, and the twins were defeated by them, and the Red Lotus headed to Republic City in hopes of finding Korra there.

Second kidnapping attempt


After arriving at Republic City, Zaheer traveled to Air Temple Island to find Korra. Posing as a new airbender named "Yorru", Zaheer learned that she was no longer in the city and fled. While discussing whether or not to kill President Raiko, Zaheer decided to save that for a later time after learning that Korra was in Zaofu. With the help of Aiwei, the Red Lotus were able to covertly enter the city and sedate Korra. As the Red Lotus were leaving with the Avatar, they were thwarted by Bolin, Mako, Lin and Suyin Beifong. Frustrated by failure, Zaheer set up a meeting with Aiwei in the Spirit World, chastising him for allowing Korra to discover his role in the plot, before condemning him into the Fog of Lost Souls as punishment for his mistakes. Soon after, he met Korra and discussed the Red Lotus' goals on disposing world leaders in order to bring peace. During this, he relayed Korra's location at the Misty Palms Oasis and Ghazan and Ming-Hua went to capture her once more; however, they only were able to take Bolin and Mako, as the Earth Queen's guards had captured Korra first. Realizing what happened, the Red Lotus began to head towards Ba Sing Se.

Assassination of the Earth Queen
As Korra headed to the city inside the Earth Queen's airship, the Red Lotus presented the two brothers as a gift for Hou-Ting. They agreed to reveal the location of the escaped airbenders in exchange for Korra. However, they learned that Korra had presumably escaped the airship taking her to the city and decided that instead of chasing down the Avatar, they needed to get the Avatar to come to them. Barging into the throne room, the Red Lotus dispatched the Dai Li agents protecting the Earth Queen and Zaheer airbent the air out of Hou-Ting's lungs, suffocating her. Later, they broke into a radio operator's room and broadcasted that the Earth Queen was dead; while this was happening, Ghazan destroyed a section of the wall separating the lower and middle rings. With the walls down, Zaheer proclaimed that they brought the city back to the people, prompting many to start rioting and looting the middle and upper rings of the city.

Capture of the Northern Air Temple
Frustrated with their failed attempts to capture Korra, Zaheer decided to change strategy and make the Avatar come to them. He releases Mako and Bolin from prison to send a message to Korra, revealing that the Red Lotus will kill the airbenders at the Northern Air Temple if she doesn't surrender to him. The Red Lotus then take an airship to the temple and capture its inhabitants, intending to use them as leverage.

Tenzin, Kya, Bumi, and Kai attempt to fight them off to give their companions a chance. Kai acts as a diversion so the others can avoid P'Li's attacks but is ultimately hit himself and the bison are captured. Kya and Bumi manage for a while but are soon forced off a ledge and fall down a cliff, rendering them unconscious. While Tenzin fares better against Zaheer, he is soon overpowered once all four attack him together. Kai was the only one to escape to safety.