Avatar: The Story of the Fire Sage Shyu

Avatar remains one of the best shows ever made even after a decade since it last broadcasted. When a few months ago, Netflix added it to its long list of great shows, it quickly rose to popularity and proved that it was capable of garnering as many fans as it did more than a decade ago. Avatar is unique because of many factors, but none of them is as impressive and impactful as its storytelling. Even the show’s minor characters have their philosophy and backstory, which makes Avatar a captivating journey. One of the most interesting minor characters is Sage Shyu, who proved to be an essential part of the plot despite having little screen time.

He appeared in the episode Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku, which already had many things going on; therefore, he was not given ample time to make the impact that he was capable of. Although almost all of the Fire Sages sided with the Fire Lord, Fire Sage Shyu proved to be an exception and helped Avatar and his friends. The viewers are introduced to the conflict between the Fire Nation’s Royal Family and Shyu’s family in the episode. But it is brief, and one can learn about the whole backstory only through Avatar Extras that is proved by the Nickelodeon website. Although even die-hard Avatar fans might be unaware of it, the backstory makes Winter Solstice even better.

Shyu’s grandfather Kaja was also a Fire Sage like him. It was the duty of the Fire Sages to serve Avatar; therefore, Kaja became the firebending master to Avatar Roku. He was doing his duties as the spiritual leader of the Fire Nation, but everything changed when Fire Nation attacked. It was believed that the Avtar was killed in the genocide of the Air Nomads, but Kaja was not convinced. He was courageous enough to speak out that he believed that Avatar must have survived.

He was unfortunate to live in an age when the Fire Lord demanded loyalty from all the Fire Sages, which was unprecedented. Kaja was a strong individual, and he passed on his values to his son, who was executed for his convictions and beliefs. Shyu’s father was just like grandfather and was valiant enough to stand up for his beliefs. Shyu, therefore, became the third generation of Fire Sages who decided not to back down under monarchical orders. As soon as Shyu was aware of the Avatar’s return, he took it upon himself to help Avatar.

All of the above factors play a role in Shyu’s backstory and his actions in the episode Winter Solstice. Even though he is a minor character, it is impressive to see how detailed his backstory is; Avatar does a great job ensuring that each character, including the minor ones, has a past that explains their present-day actions. However, he was imprisoned under the Fire Lord Ozai, who wanted loyalty from everyone; when Zuko rose to power, he became the Great Sage at the High Temple. He served Zuko loyally and was finally rewarded for the troubles his family had gone through over the years.

Shyu is just one of many minor characters who are given little attention by most viewers, but it turns out that they are crucial for the overall plot. Surprisingly, most fans don’t know his backstory and the sacrifices of his ancestors. It also proves that Avatar’s plot is one of the most intriguing and captivating since most of its minor characters are also quite impressive with a long history.

Everleig is a Blog expert and has been working in the technology industry since 2003. As a technical expert, Everleig has written technical blogs, manuals, white papers, and reviews for many websites such as champpost.com

Source: Fire Sage Shyu