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| "We're all part of the same ancient secret society. A group that transcends the divisions of the four nations." "The White Lotus has always been about philosophy and beauty and truth." |
| — Piandao and Jeong Jeong discuss the secret organization.[1] |
The Order of the White Lotus,[1] also known simply as the White Lotus,[6][7] is an ancient and formerly secret society that transcends the boundaries of the four nations, seeking philosophy, beauty, and truth.[1] They are devoted to sharing ancient knowledge across national and political divides.[2] The organization has at times assumed the task of finding, training, and protecting the next Avatar, having done so following the death of Avatar Kuruk and later at the request of Avatar Aang.[3] A leader within the organization, such as Iroh, is known as a Grand Lotus.[1]
Formed by scholars from all over the world, the Order began as a club where ancient masters of various arts could challenge one another on the Pai Sho table.[8] They derived their name from the white lotus tile used in Pai Sho, which is also a key element in their strategy. Membership is communicated through the game itself by placing Pai Sho tiles on the board in a specific manner, forming a bloomed lotus bud with the lotus tile in the center.[2]
History[]
Early history[]
When it originally emerged, the Order of the White Lotus was supposed to always stay a small secret society of like-minded individuals. As it gradually grew in numbers and influence, the order became ever more sophisticated. It transcended being a mere club and assumed responsibility for sharing knowledge around the world.[9]
Eventually, the order began to influence various Avatars and steer them toward working for the good for all mankind, as its members covertly became the Avatars' teachers and protectors.[9] However, the White Lotus considered their path to only directly intertwine with that of the Avatar during moments of generational import, and often preferred to watch the Avatar from afar, and influence the world in a much more subtle manner. One Avatar prior to Yangchen worked closely with the White Lotus and gained access to their recognition codes, which she later recalled thanks to her extensive access to the memories of her past lives.[5]
Era of Yangchen[]
Platinum Affair and international cold war[]
In the early era of Yangchen, the White Lotus possibly attempted to overthrow Earth King Feishan. Both Water Tribe chief Oyaluk and Fire Lord Gonryu were seemingly manipulated by covert White Lotus associates into financially backing General Nong's rebellion against Feishan,[4] though the insurgency failed and resulted in a diplomatic fallout dubbed the "Platinum Affair". This led to an international cold war between the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Water Tribes.[10]
The White Lotus had members inside the Western Air Temple as Avatar Yangchen grew up. Through their contact, high-ranking members of the order learned about the young Avatar's extremely strong connections to her past lives, and her difficulty to separate the past from the present.[5] The White Lotus also kept an eye on the shang merchants when they arose as a powerful class following the Platinum Affair. One very high-ranking Lotus, Executor Ayunerak (alias "Mama"), lived in the shang city of Bin-Er and provided free meals to the unemployed.[11] The White Lotus continued to watch Yangchen after she became a fully-realized Avatar, and observed the aftermath of her mission to Tienhaishi and the city's evacuation. The order deemed her to be an amateur who was too active, who did too many things herself on an operation, and who expected results too quickly, having no ability to wait.[5]
Investigating the Unanimity project[]
The order eventually learned of the "Unanimity project" which had secretly been planned by some ranking shangs. Lacking detailed information on the project, the White Lotus sent Ayunerak to Shimsom Big Island. There, bright lights and loud noises had been reported on the tundra outside Port Tuugaq, possibly relating to "Unanimity".[5] Yangchen also came to Port Tuugaq to investigate and defeated an ambush by shang agents, whereupon she sought out the local White Lotus hideout at a qarmaq. There, she stunned a low-ranking Lotus when she was able to perfectly recite the passphrases and Pai Sho techniques that only a member of the order could know, thereby gaining access to the qarmaq and securing the order's aid in removing the captured shang agents.[12]
As the order sought to secure "Unanimity", its members alternated between helping and opposing Avatar Yangchen.
Afterward, Ayunerak personally met the Avatar, and the two sides agreed to an information trade despite a mutual dislike, as Yangchen despised how the order had spied on her and Ayunerak disliked the Avatar's use of manipulation and intrigue instead of illuminating people with the truth.[5][13] Together, Ayunerak and Yangchen continued to investigate the island, and after Yangchen cleared away the snow with the Avatar State, they deduced that the strange depressions on the island were the result of some group using the area as a target range, even though no weapon or regular bending could have caused that sort of damage. Yangchen and the White Lotus went their separate ways after the Avatar concluded she had been wrong about Unanimity's location, and returned to Bin-Er.[13][14]
Ayunerak followed the Avatar to Bin-Er after Yangchen's network dealt with Unanimity's great display of combustionbending. Based on their own knowledge, the order knew that Yangchen's official version of events was a lie and realized that the Avatar had captured several combustionbenders.[11][15] At Bin-Er, Ayunerak disposed of a Thin Claw who was trying to apprehend Kavik, one of Yangchen's former allies. She told him that his involvement in Unanimity was close to reaching the light of day, and that it was high time he joined her and her 'friends'.[11] Kavik was subsequently recruited as a White Lotus agent, with Ayunerak seeking to reintroduce him into Yangchen's network as a spy.[15]
Ayunerak and other order members such as Do secretly trained Kavik over six months at a hideout at Gidu Shrine.[15] Kavik revealed much of his knowledge to the White Lotus, though other order members did not fully trust him thanks to his lingering loyalty to Yangchen.[15][16] Eventually, Ayunerak and Kavik covertly followed one of Yangchen's diplomatic missions to the Northern Water Tribe, using underwater tunnels to sneak into Agna Qel'a. There, Lotus Ivalu informed them that the Avatar had disappeared at the Spirit Oasis, with Ayunerak quickly realizing that Yangchen had probably entered and become lost in the Spirit World. The order members raced to the oasis, where they barely saved Yangchen as she reemerged and was still attacked by the Fog of Lost Souls.[15]
Searching for and aiding Avatar Kyoshi[]
The activities of the Order of the White Lotus and its very existence remained hidden from the public during the next centuries. Like the rest of the world, the White Lotus failed to correctly identify Kuruk's successor, resulting in Avatar Kyoshi having an extremely difficult early life.[17]
Following the revelation of Kyoshi's identity as the Avatar, an Air Nomad member of the order, Jinpa, indirectly apologized to Kyoshi on his order's behalf. However, Kyoshi did not understand his hints at his organization's existence.[18] In course of the following year, Jinpa was appointed as the Avatar's secretary; he consequently attempted to help Kyoshi in becoming a good Avatar, while repeatedly hinting at the White Lotus' existence without fully revealing the organization.[19][20] The White Lotus leadership supported this course of action, agreeing that Jinpa should aid Kyoshi in any way possible.[21] During this time, the order also made use of a courier named Aupilaarjuk, who usually carried messages between the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, hiring her in the case of deliveries of extreme importance.[22]
Hundred Year War[]
The White Lotus initially did not directly intervene in the Hundred Year War, though its members were generally opposed to the Fire Nation's imperialist and destructive efforts.[23][24][25][26] Regardless, many order members individually played a role in fighting the Fire Nation: King Bumi led the defense of Omashu[27] and Master Pakku helped to protect the Northern Water Tribe.[28] Sumi ("The Judge") and Wu ("The Singer") co-founded the Silver Fangs, a revolutionary network which posed as a criminal organization in Ba Sing Se.[29][30] The Silver Fangs attempted to undermine the Conspiracy of Ba Sing Se and also opposed the Fire Nation's war effort.[31][32][33]
In the mid-90s AG, a member of the Order of the White Lotus named Myeongsu tasked a group of adventurers with infiltrating the Fire Army as spies and saboteurs in order to slow down the Fire Nation's progress toward the remote, defenseless village of Jaiyin.[25] After losing his son at the failed Siege of Ba Sing Se in 95 AG, Iroh joined the Order of the White Lotus while on a spiritual journey.[34] Within a few years, he had risen to the rank of Grand Lotus.[1]
After the Fire Nation conquest of Ba Sing Se in spring 100 AG, the White Lotus-associated Silver Fangs prepared a mass uprising inside Ba Sing Se,[24][35][30] possibly with the aid of White Lotus members in the Fire Army.[23]
White Lotus members sought to liberate Ba Sing Se from the Fire Nation.
The Order of the White Lotus maintained a low profile until Grand Lotus Iroh gathered its members to liberate Ba Sing Se during the passing of Sozin's Comet in summer 100 AG. After they helped Sokka, Toph, and Suki by lending them an eel hound in order to arrive at Phoenix King Ozai's airship base, Iroh led the order masters into breaching the walls of Ba Sing Se.[1] At the same time, the Silver Fangs coordinated a massive rebellion in Ba Sing Se's Lower Ring. As the common insurgents tied down the Fire Army troops,[36] the White Lotus masters used their powers to overwhelm large numbers of enemy troops, with Iroh, Jeong Jeong, Pakku, Bumi, and Piandao distinguishing themselves.[1][37] Together, the White Lotus and the Silver Fangs liberated Ba Sing Se and thus helped to end the Hundred Year War.[37][38]
Public debut and schism[]
Shortly after the Hundred Year War's conclusion, the society stopped concealing itself from the public eye and began to serve the world and the Avatar more openly, although several aspects of their operations continued to remain secret.[39] Their public debut and open affiliation with the Avatar following the war caused tensions within the order.[40] One faction known as the "Red Lotus" led by Xai Bau wanted to restore the connection between the mortal world and the Spirit World, and regarded governments of all kind as obstacles in this quest.[9] Accordingly, the Red Lotus opposed the order's new path and its growing association with the world's rulers. Despite Iroh's attempts at keeping the White Lotus united, Xai Bau came to believe that the society had been subverted into the "Avatar's bodyguards", and he and his followers left the organization.[40]
For several years, Iroh tried to mend the schism to no avail.[9] Growing militant and radical, the Red Lotus went fully underground, and began to work toward reuniting the mortal and Spirit World as well as freeing the human world of all governments.[40] The group's turn toward extreme militancy initially remained unknown to the Order of the White Lotus.[9]
Era of Korra[]
After the death of Avatar Aang, a delegation of the Order of White Lotus investigated many claims about the identity of the new Avatar in both the Southern and Northern Water Tribe, all of which turned out to be false. Finally, a delegation of three members traveled to the Southern Water Tribe upon Tonraq and Senna's invitation, identifying Korra to be the next Avatar.[6]
Around 158 AG, the order imprisoned the Red Lotus members Ghazan, Ming-Hua, P'Li, and Zaheer in four maximum security facilities for attempting to kidnap the Avatar. These prisons were guarded by White Lotus sentries and held the criminals for thirteen years. The order also attempted to discern the criminals' motives for their kidnapping but received no answers.[7][41][42]
Despite concerns over her lack of spiritual understanding, the Order of the White Lotus allowed Korra to commence her airbending training.
Tasked by Avatar Aang at the end of his life, the Order of the White Lotus kept the next Avatar safe until he or she had completed his or her training; however, it was Aang's younger son, Tenzin, and the next Avatar's father, Tonraq, who insisted on keeping Korra at the South Pole. As such, the White Lotus directly oversaw Korra's development and training of each element at a compound in the Southern Water Tribe.[6] Acting as her bodyguards, White Lotus sentries were sent to remain with the Avatar on Air Temple Island to watch her actions as she commenced her airbending training under Tenzin's tutelage. At their quarters, the sentries spent a large part of their time listening to the pro-bending broadcasts on the radio. Korra took advantage of the sentries' distraction to leave the island twice, much to Tenzin's annoyance.[43]
White Lotus sentries attempted to fight off the Equalists' invasion of Air Temple Island.
As the Equalists attacked Air Temple Island during the battle for Republic City, the White Lotus sentries bravely confronted the Equalist attackers. They launched a barrage of firebending, earthbending, and waterbending attacks, and with the help of Lin Beifong and Tenzin's children, they managed to defeat the first wave of invaders. The tides quickly changed, however, when more Equalists arrived on the island.[44] Realizing the battle was lost, the inhabitants of the island fled by sky bison. Though outnumbered, the White Lotus sentries remained behind in order to give Team Avatar enough time to escape on Naga. However, the sentries were captured and placed in line with other captured benders, awaiting the removal of their bending at the hands of Amon.[45] After the Equalists were defeated, the sentries' bending was restored by Korra using energybending.[46]
After Zaheer was arrested, the order became once more responsible for his imprisonment, this time in a new holding cell deep within the bowels of a mountain near Republic City.[47] Three years later, Kuvira was added to their list of prisoners following her failed invasion of the United Republic of Nations. When she was expected to attend her trial hearing in Republic City, the order was also responsible for her incarceration and transportation outside the secure prison holding.[48]
Organization[]
Beliefs[]
- "The philosophies of beauty and truth. It doesn't sound so different from airbender teachings at first blush. But to uphold such values requires a deep attachment and love for the greater world that enlightened Air Nomads aren't supposed to have. Some of my friends in the other nations would argue that, on occasion, truth and beauty must be defended with ugliness."
- ―Jinpa on the order's beliefs.[21]
The creed of the Order of the White Lotus is "The quest for truth above all else".[49] Some order members have expressed an extreme devotion to this creed, believing that "the truth" had be shared regardless of its moral implications or consequences, even at the cost of lives.[31][32]
Conversely, the order itself has been very secretive for most of its existence,[1][9] and the meaning of "the truth" was subject to differing interpretations among order members. In general, most White Lotus associates agreed that knowledge and the arts should be available to all people, be shared across the four nations, and help to achieve greater harmony across social, political, and national boundaries.[23][1][2][21] Jinpa contended that this commitment necessitated a deep, wordly attachment.[21] Beyond this, interpretations of the creed greatly diverged. For instance, Sumi expressed hardline Earth Kingdom nationalist sentiments and used her position in the order to aid her own nation,[35] while Xai Bau opposed all kinds of nationalism,[9][40] and Jinpa felt that the order's creed often clashed with his Air Nomad identity.[21] In general, White Lotus members generally did not believe that their own secrecy contradicted their devotion to the truth.[32][21]
Many White Lotus members favored a soft approach in influencing the world and the Avatar,[9][21] whereas others were willing to heavily manipulate people and even entire states in accordance to their beliefs.[4][15][13] Furthermore, White Lotus members differed wildly regarding their trust in non-order individuals and systems: Some, such as Iroh and Jinpa, were devoted to the Avatars and generally favored the least disruptive or harmful approaches;[21][1] others, like Ayunerak and Xai Bau distrusted the Avatars' competence and had a low opinion of existing power systems.[13][40] After the Hundred Year War, the order fractured over these differences, with anti-establishment members breaking off to form the Red Lotus.[40]
Membership[]
The flag of the Order of the White Lotus features the shape of a lotus flower.
Iroh, a lover of Pai Sho, was a Grand Master and a Grand Lotus of the Order who often advocated that Pai Sho was "more than just a game".[2] Piandao was also an important member of the Order; he offered his student Sokka a white lotus tile as a parting gift, which was symbolic of his membership in the Order. The image of the white lotus on the hilt of Sokka's sword and on the doors of Piandao's estate were also references to Piandao's membership.[50]
Shortly before the arrival of Sozin's Comet, Master Pakku, King Bumi, and Jeong Jeong also accompanied Iroh as members of the organization, although none had shown symbols of the Order when Team Avatar saw them before. Other members were also visible in the campsite.[1]
Seventy years later, the Order was no longer a secret society and was instead dedicated to protecting the Avatar during their training. Many more members were present in the Order than in the past, including a leader and many sentries that are lower-ranking members of the Order tasked with duties such as guarding the Avatar.[6]
The Order is also responsible for guarding various high-class criminals in specially-designed prisons located all over the world.[7][51]
Uniform[]
White Lotus sentries watched the arrival of Equalists on Air Temple Island.
During the liberation of Ba Sing Se, the members of the Order all wore a distinct indigo-colored outfit with white details, a similarly colored cape and a Lotus patterned mantle around the shoulders. They also have a flag, bearing an image of the white lotus. Iroh, a Grand Lotus, seemed to have more to his vestments, with indigo-colored armor and a robe under all of the other pieces, based off the white lotus flower.[1]
Over the course of seventy years, the uniforms have changed slightly and vary according to rank. For example, the uniform of a White Lotus sentry includes a cowl with a small insignia on the front, whereas the uniform of a higher-ranking member does not include the headpiece.[6]
Known members[]
The use of a white lotus tile and the formation of the lotus pattern during a game of Pai Sho signaled the player to be a member of the order.
- Aupilaarjuk (courier)[22]
- "Mama" Ayunerak (Executor)[11][15]
- Bumi[1]
- Do[15]
- Fung[2]
- Iroh (Grand Master and Grand Lotus)[2]
- Ivalu[15]
- Jeong Jeong[1]
- Jinpa[18]
- Kavik[15]
- Myeongsu[25]
- Pakku[1]
- Piandao[1]
- Sumi "The Judge"[24]
- White Lotus leader
- White Lotus sentries
- Wu "The Singer"[30]
- Xai Bau (formerly)[40]
Trivia[]
- The Order of the White Lotus' organization mimics that of the Freemasons, another allegedly ancient "society of secrets", whose members of many different cultures and views stretch all over the world.
- The Order of the White Lotus shares part of its name with the White Lotus, which was a religious and political movement in China forced into secrecy by the Mongols.
- In Hinduism, the white lotus flower symbolizes beauty and non-attachment. Beauty is one of the virtues of the Order of the White Lotus and the society is not attached to any government or region. It also represents beauty coming out of murkiness, as in the lotus blooms in algae-filled ponds. This represents great wisdom and team effort rising up despite the somber situation in the world.
- The organization's initials spell out OWL, an animal that is often associated with wisdom in western culture. It is to be noted that the members of the Order are considered among the wisest scholars in the Avatar World.
- Pakku referred to Iroh as a Grand Lotus, a member who has the power to call together the Order. This suggests the possibility there may be more than one Grand Lotus at any given time.[1]
- All known members of the Order of the White Lotus before the conclusion of the Hundred Year War were masters of their art and most are high-ranking members of their military and society.[1]
- The white-blue color scheme of the logo of the Order of White Lotus is reminiscent of that of Raava, while the Red Lotus' logo's color scheme matches that of Vaatu.
- Since the Order of the White Lotus does not encourage gambling, the prize for Pai Sho players is a special "cookie of the White Lotus". Winners get first pick, but everyone gets a cookie in the end.[52]