- This article is about the Earth Kingdom gang. For other similar uses, see Barbarians.
Gombo's barbarians[1] were a criminal gang and rebel group active in the rural Earth Kingdom around 171 AG.[2] Although mostly "rabble-rousers", they regarded themselves as genuine rebels and opponents of oppression.[1] Led by Gombo, they were motorized and armed with close-quarters weaponry; one gang member usually acted as driver for their vehicles, while another employed the weapons.
History[]
By 171 AG, Gombo's gang had already stolen two tax shipments to Earth Queen Hou-Ting from a "rundown" Earth Kingdom town south of Ba Sing Se.[2][3] Awaiting another shipment, the group laid in ambush close to the settlement. When Avatar Korra and Asami Sato arrived at the town's bank with the Future Industries airship to escort the taxes to the Earth Kingdom capital, one of the gang members fired a flare.
One of the gang members is electrified by Asami Sato.
The barbarians promptly drove into the settlement on their motorcycles and trucks. While the Royal Earthbender Guards fled, the Avatar and her friend stood their ground. The gang surrounded the two, and Gombo challenged Korra to give up the taxes. When she refused, he attacked, but Korra used her earthbending to overwhelm him and kick several of the gang members into the air. Two motorcyles attacked Asami, but she threw the drivers from one, while the other was crashed by Korra's bending. As the two were distracted, another motorcycle drove by and took a bag of tax money, just be targeted by the Avatar's airbending.
The rest of the vehicles then attacked, but were overpowered by Asami and Korra. At the end, most of their motorcycles were destroyed. Acknowledging defeat, Gombo and his comrades boarded their remaining vehicles and fled the town.[2]
Trivia[]
- The inclusion of the gang into the story was largely motivated by writer Tim Hedrick's love for "barbarian" characters.[1][4]
- The gang was based on an initial design of Gombo by Joaquim Dos Santos, influenced by Mad Max, and was pushed into "Eighties-movie territory" due to the supportive influence of Bryan Konietzko. The rest of the gang was designed by Christie Tseng.[1]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book Three: Change, page 52.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hedrick, Tim (writer) & Graham, Ian. (June 27, 2014). "The Earth Queen". The Legend of Korra. Book Three: Change. Episode 3. Nickelodeon.
- ↑ The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book Three: Change, page 53.
- ↑ DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan; Hedrick, Tim & Hamilton, Joshua (December 2, 2014). "The Earth Queen" commentary. Book Three: Change Blu-ray.