| By Stephent425 | Part of the Avatar: The Legend of Tatkres continuity. |
The Dark War, also known as the Unalaq Crisis, refers to a series of battles that occurred during the Harmonic Convergence of 171 AG between Avatar Tatkres and his allies and Unalaq and his forces. The two groups engaged in a battle to decide the fate of the Spirit and physical worlds, which eventually ended with Tatkres's victory and Unalaq's imprisonment. The conflict began as insurgency of separatist Southern Water Tribe rebels, supported by Varrick Global Industries, rose against the central government which was in turn supported by the Northern Water Tribe and a loyalist Southern minority. Even though the support for independence had a long history at the Southern Water Tribe, it was the attempt of Chief Unalaq to forcibly remove the South's autonomy that caused existing tensions to escalate into civil war, also known as the War of the Water Tribes. Early and mid stages of the conflict were determined by the absolute military superiority of the North's forces, leading to the expulsion of most rebels into the South Pole's hinterland, while the Northern military controlled the South's ports, cities, and spirit portal.
In course of the war, support for the Southern separatists grew both at the South Pole and internationally: Tonraq was consequently elected rival chief, while Team Avatar and Future Industries declared open assistance in the fight against the North. Tatkres traveled all over the world to gather support for the rebels, such as the Metal Clan, the Kyoshi Warriors, and the Imperial Firebenders. Vaatu escaped from the Tree of Time but Tatkres used his uncle's spiritbending technique to purify the dark spirit. In the end, Unalaq was defeated and imprisoned by Tatkres, who subsequently declared the civil war over and the Southern Water Tribe independent.
Prelude[]
The Era of the Avatar[]
After the Harmonic Convergence in 9,829 BG, the first Avatar, Wan, sent all the spirits thriving in the mortal realm back to the Spirit World. He closed the portals and assumed the role as the bridge between the two worlds. Over time, humanity became divided into four nations: The Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads.
The two Water Tribes[]
Initially, the Water Tribe solely existed in the North Pole. Due to civil unrest, a group of Northerners headed to the South Pole and engendered a new tribe. Despite the separation, the tribes maintained a civil relationship, temporarily convening in events such as the New Moon Celebration and the Glacier Spirits Festival.Eventually, the Southern Water Tribe reaccepted the authority of the Northern chiefs, becoming an autonomous self-governing federation under Northern jurisdiction.
The events of the Hundred Year War severed the connection between the Water Tribes. The North continued to flourish as the war raged on, while the South lost all of its waterbending population because of the constant Southern Water Tribe raids, along with most of its culture and spirituality.
After the Siege of the North in 100 AG, a number of Northern citizens led by Pakku traveled to the South to help them rebuild. Since that time, the tribes reconnected, with the South subjugated once again under the North's leadership. While the North mostly did not meddle with Southern issues unless absolutely necessary, it began to impose taxes after the South had grown prosperous. These demands aroused tensions between the South and the North, as the Southerners were less than willing to share what they believed was rightfully theirs.
Unalaq's true agenda[]
Unalaq had such a great connection with the spirits that he wanted to have a world where humans and spirits could coexist. This belief was strengthened when Unalaq joined the Red Lotus. Under supervision of the secret society, he came to believe that Avatar Wan was wrong when he separated humans and spirits into two separate worlds. In order to work toward a new world order, Unalaq decided that he had to take over the Water Tribe. He planned to frame his older brother Tonraq, and steal his birthright as heir-apparent to the Water Tribe chiefdom to seize control of the still-closed spirit portals.
Tonraq was banished from the North, making Unalaq's scheme a success.
In 151 AG, in the Northern Water Tribe, Unalaq exploited his brother's lack of spirituality and brashness by hiring a band of barbarians to attack the Northern Water Tribe and flee to a sacred forest thereafter. Unalaq did this knowing Tonraq would follow and continue to attack, destroying the forest and unleashing dark spirits upon the tribe. This resulted in the tribe's near destruction, Tonraq's banishment, and Unalaq becoming the ruler of the Water Tribes. After his banishment, Tonraq moved to the Southern Water Tribe, where he was highly respected to a degree where he was considered to be the tribe's unofficial chief. There, he met his eventual wife, Senna, and in 153 AG, they became parents of the next Avatar, Tatkres.
Upon learning that the new Avatar was his nephew, Unalaq traveled to the South, under the guise of seeking Tonraq's permission to train Tatkres spiritually, but his brother rejected his offers. In truth, Unalaq was attempting to gain Tatkres's favor so he would open the portals for him. When this attempt failed, the chief and the Red Lotus devised a more radical plan: They would kidnap Tatkres to serve the Red Lotus' goals. Unalaq did not directly participate in the kidnapping attempt, however, and when it failed he betrayed the Red Lotus while covering up his own involvement. Instead, he began to pursue his own goals, namely, to free Vaatu and become a Dark Avatar, enabling him to unite humans and spirits under his banner. He started putting his plans into action during the Glacier Spirits Festival in 171 AG, where he met his nephew once again.
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