<p>No, no, I think that's a good point, Grimm. The people in that town didn't look as if they'd really been in contact with the Water Tribes. On the other hand, there are a lot of different races in the Earth Kingdom; why not in the Fire Nation as well? Looking at the map, they didn't travel to more than half of the bigger islands, focusing more on the smaller parts of the archipelago. Maybe there are some other Water Tribe descendants around there? Or maybe some on Ember Island? Actor-Toph looked pretty dark-skinned. Maybe there are a few remnants of ancestral Southern Water Tribe lumberjacks, racing across the sea and raiding the coasts to get that most precious and important of resources: wood... </p>

<p>I'm almost positive that the dark skinned Earth Kingdom people have some small kinship with the Southern Water Tribe. If memory serves, it's more common in the south anyway. </p>

only because of the foggy swamp tribe with residents like Ahnah form S4E7

<p>^ who actually were not dark skinned. Unfortunately I think it is yet another plot hole... there's no way really to justify it  </p>

<p>Once again, I present: Actor Toph! Come on over here, big guy, take a bow, then stand up to reveal your thick, tanned skin! </p>

<p>he was tan, but he had black hair and we dont know what his eye color was.... The bright blue eyes and medium brown hair aren't very firenation looking... skin color aside, they still should have been recognized as fake firenation people </p>

<div class="quote"><i>Once again, I present: Actor Toph! Come on over here, big guy, take a bow, then stand up to reveal your thick, tanned skin!</i></div>
<p>Not to be difficult, but I think he just had a tan. </p> <div class="quote"><i> <p>Winterfirstsnow* wrote: ^ who actually were not dark skinned. Unfortunately I think it is yet another plot hole... there's no way really to justify it  </p> </i></div>
<p>Not everyone in the Water Tribe is dark skinned. Pakku, for example. It seems to be a lot more common among the Southern Tribe, but even then, it's not absolute. </p>

<p>...so where did he go to get it? Even Ember Island natives don't have that much of a tan for the most part. Do they all spend their time in the sun under parasols like Mai? Argh, maybe it's just body paint, for all I know. </p><p>Okay, Neo, that's a point. Ummi's another example, and she's from the Southern Tribe. </p>

<p>I thought about body paint, but I figured his skin tone just looked weird against the backdrop. </p><p>I don't know why the people on Ember Island don't tan. Genetics? Sunscreen? A deliberate attempt to maintain pale skin because of beauty standards? I'm not psychic. </p>

<p>Well during the war I think enemy nations who went to their enemy territory would be put in jail. Look at WW2. America brought back their citizens to American once Germany started attacking the different countries. Zuko would have died if they found out he was fire nation or Aang and the gang (:3) would die if they were caught by fore nation regardless of whether they were a prince or avatar. But after the war I think it was okay to travel to different nations since no one would care what nation yoh are from. I remem er when we saw Rokus wedding people from many differen nations attended it and it was all taking place in the Fire Nation. So war may have something to do with the immigration </p>