Sun Warriors

"fire"

- Fire is life... not just destruction.

The Sun Warriors were the original civilization that first discovered Firebending from the dragons. They were the precursors to the modern-day Fire Nation. They were believed to have died out - much like the Air Nomads - thousands of years ago, but are still alive living under secrecy near the ruins of their once thriving city.

History
The Sun Warriors revere and guard the two great Firebending masters, Ran and Shaw; one of which is a red dragon, while the other a blue dragon. These dragons pass on the secrets of Firebending by breathing a multicolored flame over those they deem worthy.

The Sun Warriors developed all of the original Firebending forms, such as the Dancing Dragon, but their philosophy is radically different from the present-day Fire Nation. While most consider Firebending to be an instrument of destruction fueled by rage and hate, the Sun Warriors believe it represents life and energy, as if there was a Sun within every Firebender. They are keepers of the Eternal Flame, a great fire that is said to be the first given to mankind by the dragons. The Sun Warriors prefer to keep their society secret to the outside world, presumably to ensure the survival of the two dragons. Therefore, anyone who discovers their tribe and is deemed worthy to know the nature of firebending is instructed to never, ever reveal the existence of the tribe to anybody else. Aang and Zuko kept their word, seeing that while they mention the learned form, they make no mention about the supposedly lost civilization.

Trivia

 * The culture of the Sun Warriors may be partially based on the sun-worshiping Aztecs and Mayans, American civilizations in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The Aztecs and Mayans were sun worshipers and careful observers of astrological movement. One of the first buildings shown resembles the real life pyramids of these civilizations.
 * The entire conceptual schema of the Sun Warriors, their "lost city", their civilization, and their practices bear resemblance to the works of Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan the Barbarian. Numerous nods to Howard's oeuvre can be perceived throughout the series.
 * The Sun Warriors are heavily inspired by Southeast Asian cultures.
 * The primary ziggurat in the Sun Warrior Compound bears a striking resemblance to the Candi Sukuh in Indonesia. Step Pyramid style ziggurats also exist in Mesopotamian and Mesoamerican architecture.
 * The Sun Warrior compound includes architecture inspired by other Southeast Asian landmarks such as the Angkor Wat and the Phanom Rung.
 * The tribe's clothing is reminiscent of traditional Southeast Asian warrior attire, particularly the headdress of the leader, which resembles Iban feather headdresses.
 * Another possible basis for the Sun Warrior culture could be the Chinese Sun Tzu warriors, devoted scholars and skilled fighters who believed in fighting with skill, not brute force.
 * The Sun Warriors' chants at the Dragon Ceremony sound similar to the chants at the end credits of Avatar.
 * The way most Sun Warriors wear their hair resembles Zuko's ponytail in the first book.
 * It is shown that Uncle Iroh had previous knowledge of this tribe, and was the origin of his nickname, "The Dragon of the West".
 * Despite their isolation and secrecy, they have a surprisingly high amount of knowledge of current events.
 * This is the second time a red and a blue dragon appear together, the first is during Zuko's hallucinations.