Mula was a cat deer that served as Avatar Wan's loyal animal guide. After Wan first freed him from a trap, saving his life from the humans who tried to eat him, Mula became close friends with Wan, accompanying him on many of his travels.[3]
History[]
Mula was freed from a trap by Wan and, in turn, became his loyal companion.
While wandering through the Spirit Wilds around 9,832 BG, Mula stepped in a trap set by a group of hunters from the fire lion turtle. By lamenting over his predicament, Mula attracted Wan's attention, who saw the creature as a source of food as well. However, after exhibiting a distraught look, Mula managed to change Wan's intentions and, opposed to killing him for food, Wan attempted to free the cat deer from the trap. The approaching huntsman and his fellow hunters insisted, however, that Wan not release Mula, as they intended the animal as their dinner. As Wan led the men away from Mula, the cat deer was released by the spirits and joined them at the oasis.[3]
Mula cuddled to his rescuer, instantly forming a close bond that would last for years. After spending two years at the oasis, Mula and Wan set out together to travel the world and find more lion turtle cities. One day, they encountered a group of people using the power of air as they harvested fruits. When they tried to greet the men, they ran away in fear.
Mula, in the Spirit Oasis, approached Wan to thank him.
Mula remained on the ground after Wan catapulted himself to the air lion turtle and visited the airbender city on his shell, and was later present when Wan, Raava, and the lion turtle spoke. In the following year, he would accompany Wan and Raava on their journey around the world in search of the lion turtles that would grant Wan the power of the elements.[4]
Around the year 9,829 BG, Mula took Wan and a weakened Raava to the Spirit World through the Spirit Portal at the North Pole; he was present during the fight between Wan and Vaatu. After the battle, he and Wan returned to the physical world.[4]
Personality[]
Mula proved to be a very noble and brave creature. He was very grateful to Wan for saving his life, so he became his faithful mount, accompanying him on his travels for years, no matter the danger they both encountered. He also seemed to have an affinity with spirits, such as Raava and the oasis spirits, and showed no fear of Vaatu, despite his evil nature and imposing size, nor of the other dark spirits.[3][4]
Abilities[]
Mula possessed remarkable strength and agility, allowing him to carry both Wan and his luggage on his back during their travels through various terrains, such as forests, mountains, and grasslands. He also seemed intelligent enough to understand certain verbal commands from Wan, such as when he asked her if he was ready to leave or to continue onward, or when he saw Raava and Vaatu fighting, or the cliff Wan almost fell off and was smart enough to stop in time.[3][4]
Appearances[]
The Legend of Korra[]
Book Two: Spirits (神靈)[]
- 207. "Beginnings, Part 1" (flashback)
- 208. "Beginnings, Part 2" (flashback)
Trivia[]
- Mula is similar to Yakul, the red elk from Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, of whose films Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino are professed fans. In the film, which also deals with conflict between humans and forest spirits, Yakul similarly serves as a mount for the protagonist, the banished Prince Ashitaka.
- Mula means "beginning" or "first" in Malay, which fits with Mula being the animal companion of the first Avatar. In several romance languages, it means "mule", fitting Mula's nature as a pack animal.
- Like many of the animals of Avatar, Mula's creature noises were vocalized by Dee Bradley Baker, with some specialized sounds blended in to augment his performance.[5]
- In the Polish and Spanish language versions, Mula is female.
| Preceded by Position established |
Avatar's animal guide c. 9,829 BG |
Succeeded by Unknown, eventually Szeto's dragon |
Notes[]
- ↑ In a dialogue between the aye-aye spirit and Wan in the "Beginnings, Part 1" draft, the aye-aye spirit referred to Mula using he/him pronouns: "I heard the cat-deer's cry for help. But by the time I arrived, you were already leading the hunters away from him."[1]
References[]
- ↑ DiMartino, Michael Dante (January 16, 2012). Draft of "Beginnings, Part 1". Wordpress. Retrieved on December 8, 2014.
- ↑ Ribay, Randy (author). (July 23, 2024). Chapter Twelve, "Not Really A Bird Guy". The Reckoning of Roku. Amulet Books.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 DiMartino, Michael Dante (writer) & Heck, Colin (director). (October 18, 2013). "Beginnings, Part 1". The Legend of Korra. Book Two: Spirits. Episode 7. Nickelodeon.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Hedrick, Tim (writer) & Graham, Ian (director). (October 18, 2013). "Beginnings, Part 2". The Legend of Korra. Book Two: Spirits. Episode 8. Nickelodeon.
- ↑ DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan; Zuckerman, Jeremy & Wynn, Benjamin (July 1, 2014). "Beginnings, Part 1" commentary. Book Two: Spirits Blu-ray.