Changes: Knowledge Seekers

Revision as of 10:32, 4 April 2021

"Wan Shi Tong and his knowledge seekers collected books from all over the world, and put them on display for mankind to read, so that we might better ourselves."

— Professor Zei describing the seekers.^[1]

The Knowledge Seekers are the fox-like spirit assistants of the knowledge spirit Wan Shi Tong, traveling the world collecting old books and parchments to contribute to the vast archives of his library. The Knowledge Seekers also help library patrons and provide assistance in finding books, but may expect treats in return.^[2]

History

When Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Appa, and Professor Zei found a large tower in the middle of the Si Wong Desert, they were unaware that they were looking at the top of Wan Shi Tong's Library until, a Knowledge Seeker suddenly appeared over a dune while carried a scroll in its mouth. It approached the building and scaled the walls without effort, entering through a small window at the top of the tower, which made the group realize they weren't looking at an ordinary tower; but the spirit library which they had been searching for.

One of the Knowledge Seekers received a treat for leading Team Avatar to the planetary calendar room.

Inside the library when Aang, Sokka, and Katara discovered the remains of an old piece of paper that mentioned "The Darkest Day in Fire Nation History", one of the Knowledge Seekers led them to an ancient mechanical calendar that depicted the movements of the heavenly bodies and showed them how it worked. After entering the date from the parchment into the calendar, they discovered that a solar eclipse occurred on "the darkest day". Using this information, Sokka deduced that firebenders lose their bending during a solar eclipse. In return for its help, Sokka gave the "fox guy" a treat.^[1]

The Knowledge Seekers continued to inhabit the library after it was returned to the Spirit World, and kept up their task of retrieving new information for their master. Jinora arrived at the library in 171 AG, seeking information on the location of the spirit portals. Though Wan Shi Tong did not believe a little girl could provide any new information, Jinora quickly explained the inner workings of the radio, contradicting a seeker's claim that a man resided within a tiny box, singing and playing musical instruments. Wan Shi Tong glared at the seeker who brought this misinformation, prompting it to bow its head and walk away in shame. After the owl spirit granted Jinora permission to remain in the library, she went looking for a map to the spirit portals. After looking through a number of volumes without success, she asked a nearby Knowledge Seeker for assistance, and the spirit promptly retrieved a book for her on the Harmonic Convergence. Realizing the tome was the one she needed, Jinora stroked the Knowledge Seeker on its head and thanked it for its help.^[3]

Nearly a week later, a Knowledge Seeker alerted Iroh to the presence of Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi in the Spirit World.^[4]

Anatomy

One of the Knowledge Seekers found a book upon Jinora's request.

The Knowledge Seekers bear a resemblance to the real-world fox, but without the whiskers. It has four long legs, a triangle-shaped snout, and a tail. It has brown fur with a brighter patch of fur below its mouth, at the end of its tail, on its forelegs, and posterior body. Its eyes are black and narrow,^[1] or bright blue without pupils.^[3]

Appearances

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Book Two: Earth (土)

210. "The Library"

The Legend of Korra

Book Two: Spirits (神靈)

210. "A New Spiritual Age"
213. "Darkness Falls"

Trivia

Avatar Wiki has
5 images
related to Knowledge Seekers.

The Knowledge Seekers are similar to the Korean nine-tailed fox or kumiho, which is said to be a mystical creature that brought books to the king in a golden age, as well as to the Japanese kitsune fox spirits, which serve the deity Inari. Like the Knowledge Seekers, kitsune also "sought knowledge" and were said to earn multiple tails as they gain more knowledge.
Designed by Angela Song Mueller, these spirits were inspired by her Shiba Inu, Sophie, albeit with much longer legs.^[5]
Avatar Kyoshi's animal guide was a fox spirit that resembled the Knowledge Seekers.^[6]

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 O'Bryan, John (writer) & Volpe, Giancarlo (director). (July 14, 2006). "The Library". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 2. Episode 10. Nickelodeon.
↑ From older Avatar: The Last Airbender official site, originally on Nick.com. Encyclopedia now broken, archived at The Lost Lore of Avatar Aang - Creature: Knowledge Seekers.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Hedrick, Tim (writer) & Graham, Ian (director). (November 8, 2013). "A New Spiritual Age". The Legend of Korra. Book Two: Spirits. Episode 10. Nickelodeon.
↑ Hamilton, Joshua (writer) & Heck, Colin (director). (November 22, 2013). "Darkness Falls". The Legend of Korra. Book Two: Spirits. Episode 13. Nickelodeon.
↑ The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book Two: Spirits, page 122.
↑ Yee, F. C. (author), DiMartino, Michael Dante (author). (July 21, 2020). Chapter Twenty-Seven, "The Meeting". The Shadow of Kyoshi. Amulet Books.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Icons|Spirit}}
-{{Quote|spirit|Handsome little creatures.|Professor [[Zei]] describing the seekers.<ref name="L" />}}
+{{Quote|spirit|Wan Shi Tong and his knowledge seekers collected books from all over the world, and put them on display for mankind to read, so that we might better ourselves.|Professor [[Zei]] describing the seekers.<ref name="L">{{Cite episode|1|210}}</ref>}}
 {{Character infobox
-| nation          = spirit
+| nation         = spirit
-| image           = Knowledge Seeker.png
+| image          = Knowledge Seeker.png
-| name            = 萬知堂 <br /> Knowledge Seekers
+| name           = 萬知堂 <br /> Knowledge Seekers
-| nationality     =
+| nationality    =
-| ethnicity       =
+| ethnicity      =
-| age             =
+| age            =
-| gender          =
+| gender         =
-| hair            = Brown
+| hair           = Brown
-| allies          = [[Wan Shi Tong]], [[Sokka]], [[Zei]]
+| allies         = [[Wan Shi Tong]], [[Iroh]], [[Sokka]], [[Zei]]
-| enemies         =
+| enemies        =
-| weapon          =
+| weapon         =
-| profession      = Librarian
+| profession     = Librarian
-| position        = Knowledge spirit
+| position       = Knowledge spirit
-| affiliation     = [[Spirit World]]
+| affiliation    = [[Spirit World]]
-| appearance      = "[[The Library]]"
+| appearance     = "[[The Library]]"
+| lastappearance = "[[Darkness Falls]]" {{cr}}
-| voice           =
+| voice          =
-}}The '''Knowledge Seekers''' are the fox-like spirit assistants of the knowledge spirit [[Wan Shi Tong]]. They travel the world collecting old books and parchments to contribute to the vast archives of [[Wan Shi Tong's Library]]. The Knowledge Seekers also help library patrons and provide assistance in finding books, but may expect treats in return.<ref name="dead">{{nickold}}</ref>
+}}The '''Knowledge Seekers''' are the fox-like spirit assistants of the knowledge spirit [[Wan Shi Tong]], traveling the world collecting old books and parchments to contribute to the vast archives of [[Wan Shi Tong's Library|his library]]. The Knowledge Seekers also help library patrons and provide assistance in finding books, but may expect treats in return.<ref name="dead 210-6">{{Cite nickold|210|6}}</ref>
 == History ==
-When [[Aang]], [[Katara]], [[Sokka]], [[Toph Beifong|Toph]], [[Appa]], and Professor [[Zei]] found a large tower in the middle of the Si Wong Desert, they were unaware that they were looking at the top of Wan Shi Tong's Library until, suddenly, a Knowledge Seeker appeared over a dune, carrying a scroll in its mouth. It approached the building and scaled the walls without effort, entering through a small window at the top of the tower, which made the group realize they were not looking at an ordinary tower; they had found what they had been searching for, the spirit library.
+When [[Aang]], [[Katara]], [[Sokka]], [[Toph Beifong|Toph]], [[Appa]], and Professor [[Zei]] found a large tower in the middle of the Si Wong Desert, they were unaware that they were looking at the top of Wan Shi Tong's Library until, a Knowledge Seeker suddenly appeared over a dune while carried a scroll in its mouth. It approached the building and scaled the walls without effort, entering through a small window at the top of the tower, which made the group realize they weren't looking at an ordinary tower; but the spirit library which they had been searching for.
 [[File:Knowledge Seeker getting a treat.png|thumb|left|200px|One of the Knowledge Seekers received a treat for leading [[Team Avatar]] to the [[planetary calendar room]].]]
-Later, inside the library, when Aang, Sokka, and Katara discovered the remains of an old piece of paper that mentioned [[Day of Black Sun|"The Darkest Day in Fire Nation History"]], one of the Knowledge Seekers led them to an [[Planetary calendar room|ancient mechanical calendar]] that depicted the movements of the heavenly bodies and showed them how it worked. After entering the date from the parchment into the calendar, they discovered that a solar eclipse occurred on "the darkest day". Using this information, Sokka deduced that [[Firebending|firebenders]] lose their bending during a solar eclipse. In return for its help, Sokka gave the "fox guy" a treat.<ref name="L">{{Cite episode|1|210}}</ref>
+Inside the library when Aang, Sokka, and Katara discovered the remains of an old piece of paper that mentioned [[Day of Black Sun|"The Darkest Day in Fire Nation History"]], one of the Knowledge Seekers led them to an [[Planetary calendar room|ancient mechanical calendar]] that depicted the movements of the heavenly bodies and showed them how it worked. After entering the date from the parchment into the calendar, they discovered that a solar eclipse occurred on "the darkest day". Using this information, Sokka deduced that [[Firebending|firebenders]] lose their bending during a solar eclipse. In return for its help, Sokka gave the "fox guy" a treat.<ref name="L" />
 The Knowledge Seekers continued to inhabit the library after it was returned to the Spirit World, and kept up their task of retrieving new information for their master. [[Jinora]] arrived at the library in 171 [[History of the World of Avatar#After war (100 AG – Present)|AG]], seeking information on the location of the spirit portals. Though Wan Shi Tong did not believe a little girl could provide any new information, Jinora quickly explained the inner workings of the [[radio]], contradicting a seeker's claim that a man resided within a tiny box, singing and playing musical instruments. Wan Shi Tong glared at the seeker who brought this misinformation, prompting it to bow its head and walk away in shame. After the owl spirit granted Jinora permission to remain in the library, she went looking for a map to the spirit portals. After looking through a number of volumes without success, she asked a nearby Knowledge Seeker for assistance, and the spirit promptly retrieved a book for her on the Harmonic Convergence. Realizing the tome was the one she needed, Jinora stroked the Knowledge Seeker on its head and thanked it for its help.<ref name="NSA">{{Cite episode|2|210}}</ref>
@@ Line 36: / Line 37: @@
 [[File:Helpful Knowledge Seeker.png|thumb|right|200px|One of the Knowledge Seekers found a book upon [[Jinora]]'s request.]]
-The Knowledge Seeker bears a resemblance to the real-world fox but without the whiskers. It has four long legs, a triangle-shaped snout, and a tail. It has brown fur with a brighter patch of fur below its mouth, at the end of its tail, on its forelegs and posterior body. Its eyes are black and narrow,<ref name="L" /> or bright blue without pupils.<ref name="NSA" />
+The Knowledge Seekers bear a resemblance to the real-world fox, but without the whiskers. It has four long legs, a triangle-shaped snout, and a tail. It has brown fur with a brighter patch of fur below its mouth, at the end of its tail, on its forelegs, and posterior body. Its eyes are black and narrow,<ref name="L" /> or bright blue without pupils.<ref name="NSA" />
 == Appearances ==
@@ Line 47: / Line 48: @@
 == Trivia ==
+{{Imagelink}}
-* The Knowledge Seekers' close resemblance to foxes is likely due to the fact that, like owls, foxes are commonly seen as sly and intelligent creatures.
-* The Knowledge Seekers may be based on the Korean nine-tailed fox or [[Wikipedia:Kumiho|kumiho]], which is said to be a mystical creature that brought books to the king in a golden age.
-** The creatures may also hark back to the Japanese [[Wikipedia:kitsune|''kitsune'']] fox spirits that serve the goddess [[Wikipedia:Inari (mythology)|Inari]]. Like the knowledge seekers, kitsune also "sought knowledge" and were said to earn multiple tails as they gain more knowledge.
+* The Knowledge Seekers are similar to the Korean nine-tailed fox or [[Wikipedia:Kumiho|kumiho]], which is said to be a mystical creature that brought books to the king in a golden age, as well as to the Japanese [[Wikipedia:Kitsune|''kitsune'']] fox spirits, which serve the deity [[Wikipedia:Inari (mythology)|Inari]]. Like the Knowledge Seekers, kitsune also "sought knowledge" and were said to earn multiple tails as they gain more knowledge.
+* Designed by Angela Song Mueller, these spirits were inspired by her [[wikipedia:Shiba Inu|Shiba Inu]], Sophie, albeit with much longer legs.<ref name="KAAS2">''[[The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book Two: Spirits]]'', page 122.</ref>
-* Despite the library being almost completely underground and that humans were banned from accessing its knowledge, the Knowledge Seekers still retrieved information, loyal to the library and to Wan Shi Tong.
+* Avatar [[Kyoshi]]'s animal guide was a fox spirit that resembled the Knowledge Seekers.<ref name="TSoK27">{{Cite Kyoshi|227}}</ref>
 == References ==
-{{reflist}}
+{{Reflist}}
 == See also ==
 * [[Fauna in the World of Avatar]]
+[[de:Wissenssucher]]
 [[es:Buscadores de Conocimiento]]
+[[fr:Renards Chercheurs]]
 [[nl:Kennis Zoekers]]
+[[pt-br:Vasculhadores de Conhecimento]]
 [[ru:Искатели знаний]]
 [[Category:A to Z]]
 [[Category:Animal characters]]
 [[Category:Characters]]
+[[Category:Fauna]]
 [[Category:Groups]]
 [[Category:Minor characters]]