Hei Bai

"spirit"

- I know Hei Bai! We're close personal friends!

Hei Bai, also known as the Black and White Spirit, was a forest spirit that normally took the form of a docile panda bear, but could transform into a large multi-armed monster when angered.

History
Hei Bei was a spirit who protected the once lush Senlin Forest. Upon seeing his forest destroyed, Hei Bai became enraged, and, not knowing that it was the Fire Nation who destroyed the forest, targeted the nearby Senlin Village, blaming the villagers. As a result of his anger, Hei Bai transformed into his monstrous form and terrorized the village by abducting one villager each day. When Aang came to the village, he attempted to reason with the enraged spirit, but to no avail. Hei Bai kidnapped Sokka during the night. Later, in an attempt to calm down the angered spirit, Aang showed Hei Bai the acorns that covered the burned forest's ground. Aang told Hei Bai that the forest would come back because of the acorns. Hei Bai's anger faded and he returned to his normal form. He took the acorn in his mouth and then left through the village's gate. From that gate sprouted bamboo stalks, where the villagers stumbled through, unharmed, albeit requiring the use of a bathroom.

Later, Hei Bai returned to give Aang a ride back to the gateway out the Spirit World after he met with Koh. He shot a stream of light from his mouth onto Aang, sending him back into the physical world. In response to a rude comment from an odd spirit upon Aang's departure, he transformed into his monstrous form and blasted the disrespectful monkey, scaring him away, then again transforming into his normal form.

Month's later, when Aang was later shot into a coma by Princess Azula's lightning, Hei Bai reappeared in Aang's dream to help him in his quest to heal the Avatar Spirit by visiting his most recent past lives.

Personality and abilities


Hei Bai was very docile and friendly in his panda form; when angered, however, he changed into a six-legged, black and white monster that destroyed everything in his path. Somewhat vengeful and very protective of his forest, Hei Bai generally kept to himself and did not bother others unless they provoked him first. He was a powerful spirit, with amazing strength, capable of decimating a house with one swing of his arm, despite usually being very kind and gentle. He could also move at extreme speeds, as shown when he was destroying one house and in a streak of light, suddenly appeared in front of another structure. He was able to use powerful sonic screams, the power ranging from a gentle breeze to a blast capable of decimating a building in seconds. He demonstrated the ability to cross people over to and from the Spirit World. Hei Bai is also able to grow bamboo, and use it as a portal from the Spirit World.

Trivia

 * "Hei Bai",, means "black white" in Chinese.
 * In his normal shape, Hei Bai was one of very few non-chimerical (non-hybrid) earth animals seen in the World of Avatar. Another such animal was Earth King Kuei's pet, Bosco, which was also a bear.
 * Hei Bai's monster form was based on the design of the Angels from the popular anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, of which the creators are fans.
 * When Aang tried to get the Painted Lady to talk to him, not knowing it was Katara in a disguise, he mentioned being good friends with Hei Bai.
 * Oddly, although Hei Bai was a panda, his wooden totem was modeled after a brown bear.