| By Neo Bahamut | Part of the Republic City Renaissance continuity. |
Overview[]
Tarrlok is relatively young in Book 1, therefore someone had to be in power recently before him, and there had to be a reason why the obviously greasy (if superficially polite) Tarrlok obtained the job. Obviously, this is because the candidate before him must have been even greasier and more superficial!
Background[]
Born in the Yue Bay area to a pair of diplomats on assignment, Franz joined the United Forces when he was 21. He was promoted to Admiral by 35, and retired by 40 to go into the Council, having secured Unalaq's blessing by promising to devote United Forces resources to help quell threats to his rule. By age 48, he had already served 2 terms, largely by currying favor with projects that benefit his constituents, the Water Tribes. Has also been infamous for pushing expansion of the industrial sector, often at the expense of nearby residences or stores. He spent much of his inheritance on campaigning, but quickly gained a much bigger fortune through deals with various Water Tribe businesses, including Varrick Industries.
Books -1 and 0[]
Franz presided over the trials of Gevurah and Senthose, as per his council duties. During the Purist Crisis, he denied Dr. Avici's request for funding and approved a warrant to search his property. During a special meeting to determine how to eliminate the Purists, an attack on the train yard was announced, and he investigated with the Chief and a few other delegates. Despite an ambush and a rivalry with Keter, they finally made it back to police headquarters, the gang's real target. Franz was incapacitated battling Amon but returned to normal duties shortly after.
Book 0.5[]
He and Keter continued their rivalry until it was discovered that he was cooperating with the Red Monsoons. This information was leaked to the press, and after a bitterly tense race during which he slurred her, he was narrowly voted out, leaving for the Northern Tribe to avoid prosecution. He was a strong supporter of Unalaq's annexation of the south but was once again forced to flee when his children took power, political tide turning against their late father's close associates. Using his contacts, he briefly gained a leadership position in a mercenary army operating out of the Si Wong, but was killed by Senthose in a duel for the position. Despite his lofty ambitions, he left very little behind.
Personality[]
Franz, frankly, has a reputation for being chauvinistic towards the Water Tribes and racist towards the Fire Nation. Of course, Franz would never admit this, and few would confront him over these allegations, considering his cunning and ruthlessness towards competition. He and Tenzin had a longstanding rivalry, Tenzin disliking his aggression and the implications of his words. His comrades in the United Forces praised him for his loyalty, bravery, and leadership skills. In his role as Council Chair, he'd generally been seen as gruff and no-nonsense, speaking in short, clipped sentences and cutting off defendants' arguments.
Underneath, his corruption ran as deep as ties to the Red Monsoons. When it was fully exposed, he proved self-serving, going as far as to defect to terrorists when he ran out of other allies, rather than be held accountable for his actions. He resented Senthose, blaming the former Monsoon leader for ruining his life and believing him an amateur upstart who got more power than he deserved, retaining this superior attitude until the end.
Abilities[]
Franz's primary fighting style relies heavily on mixing waterbending with swordsmanship, using the wake of his blade for tasks such as directing ice spikes, freezing enemies, and so on. His fluid sword style allows him to quickly adjust his angle of attack, while his saber-mounted water skin ensures he always has a steady supply of water. One of his favored tactics is coating his weapon with fluid, making its movement difficult to predict and extending its range.
Should he be stripped of his sword and bending material, he's also a capable boxer. As with his sword attacks, he favors heavy "knockout strikes." His finesse, or lack thereof, has been criticized by Keter, who accused him of being incompetent for lashing out at a target he couldn't even see, simply because he assumed his attack would be powerful enough to incapacitate any nonbender.
Origin[]
Created specifically for this setting, Franz is very loosely based off of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which inspired his appearance, status as a military man, and subtle racism.
| Preceded by Unknown man |
Northern Water Tribe Council Member 153-163 AG AG |
Succeeded by Tarrlok |
| Preceded by Chief Sokka |
Council Chair 153-163 AG |
Succeeded by Tarrlok |
| Preceded by Bao Fu |
Sekhmet Army Commander 170-171 AG |
Succeeded by Senthose Rasheverek |
Reflections[]
To be honest, bringing Franz back in Book 3.5 was mostly a way to cut a loose end, which is why I don't really have a legacy section to write for him. He served his purpose admirably and it was nice to give him a chance to bite the hand that held his leash for so long, but he was just never going to be able to carry the antagonist role on his own. He just didn't have grand enough ambitions for what I think an Avatarverse Big Bad needs. Ironically, that stability of leadership probably would've helped Sekhmet survive longer. Then again, they were ultimately Doomed By Canon: We know that Kuvira pacifies the Earth Kingdom and it stands to reason that Sekhmet wouldn't have vacated the Si Wong without being forced so, one way or another, they would have been devastated and scattered to the winds. Maybe a character similar to Franz will have more sway in a later series, with fewer restraints on how events can be altered.
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For the collective works of the author, go here. {{DEFAULTSORT:Franz}