Warden (Boiling Rock)

:This article is about the warden in charge of the Boiling Rock. For other similar uses, see Warden (disambiguation).
The warden was the chief authority of the Fire Nation's most secure prison, the Boiling Rock, and prided himself on upholding the prison's reputation as an impenetrable and inescapable fortress. He was the brother of Michi and Mura,Avatar Extras for "The Boiling Rock, Part 1" on Nicktoons Network. brother-in-law of Governor Ukano, and uncle of Mai and Tom-Tom.
== History ==
=== Early life ===
The warden's family stemmed from a rural Fire Nation village. He eventually joined the prison service, rising to leader of the Capital City Prison before being appointed as head of the Boiling Rock. After shifting to the island fortress, the warden ensured that numerous escape attempts of its inmates remained unsuccessful. This way, he maintained the Boiling Rock's reputation as the most secure prison in the Fire Nation.
=== 100 AG ===
==== Investigating Suki ====
After Suki's arrival at the Boiling Rock, the warden performed a routine inspection of the laundry room. As Suki and Biyu were tending a garden where they were growing dumpling weeds to feed the prisoners, Suki's friends alerted her to the warden's presence, and they hid in the laundry while the warden confronted their allies. The warden approached Han, informing him of the inspection, and that he wanted to make sure everything was running to his satisfaction. Han affirmed that he was, and the warden told him to take pride in cleaning the uniforms of his betters, as although they were once rebels and miscreants, the prisoners had a chance to make themselves useful in the prison. He told the prisoners to take pride in their work at the Boiling Rock, as it would be the last thing they ever did, as rescue and escape were impossible.
A fight in the cafeteria between the prisoners and guards prompted Biyu to betray Suki, and told the warden about the location of the garden and her plan. He then ordered the guards to bring Suki to his office from solitary confinement, and taunted her about her former position and how she had been personally placed in the prison by a Fire Nation princess. He displayed the legumes before Suki, asking what they were, although she did not respond. Suki stood her ground and denied any knowledge of the plants, but the warden told her to stop lying, as they had found her garden. The warden rhetorically asked if she truly thought that cultivating vegetables would lead to a rebellion, but Suki answered that it was a chance to build a community and to give them a chance to escape one day. However, the warden then informed Suki that she had been betrayed. The Kyoshi Warrior refused to acknowledge the betrayal, but the warden went on to tell her that someone in the community had given her up, and that Suki had made the common mistake of thinking she could find friends in the Boiling Rock, when, in fact, she was completely alone. Telling her that it was every fool for themselves at the Boiling Rock, he ordered the guards to take her to solitary confinement for two weeks. The warden also rewarded Biyu for her betrayal by elevating her position and giving her privileges, mainly a special cell, better food and clothes.
==== An unusual escape attempt ====
Following Chit Sang's detainment in the cooler for firebending, the warden came to him and told him that he was informed by a guard that he had attempted to escape with his firebending; he was unaware that Chit Sang had done so in self-defense. He warned him that he would rather jump in the lake rather than let a prisoner escape.
Later, when it was discovered that Zuko had disguised himself as a guard, the warden came to visit him, instantly recognizing him. When Zuko asked him how he knew his identity, the warden revealed that he was Mai's uncle. He subsequently told Zuko to behave, cautioning that if the other inmates discovered his identity, he would almost certainly be killed. Zuko asked why he did not just tell Fire Lord Ozai and collect a reward, to which the warden stated that he intended to eventually turn Zuko in.
He later discovered Chit Sang's escape attempt when the latter screamed after being burned by the lake's scalding water. He ordered the escapees be recaptured and placed in coolers, and that the entire prison be placed on lock-down, due to the fact that there were new prisoners arriving.
The warden greeted the new prisoners upon their arrival. In his usual arrogant fashion, he told them that their time in the Boiling Rock would be pleasant, so long as they behaved. He stopped at Hakoda, who refused to look him in the eyes, and ordered him to do so. After being tripped by the Southern Water Tribe chief, he angrily ordered the new prisoners into their cells.
Afterward, he went to interrogate Chit Sang about the escape attempt. The warden knew that someone had helped him plan the escape, knowing that he and his associates lacked the intelligence to do so. He had Chit Sang strapped to a chair and placed in a cell, sarcastically asking him if he was comfortable. After Chit Sang said that he was, the warden knocked the chair over and demanded to know who was helping him. Chit Sang seemingly succumbed to the torture and revealed that it was a man disguised as a guard, so the warden had the male guards lined up before him.
The warden then demanded to know who was the insider, failing to notice Sokka's anxiousness, as he was rapidly biting his teeth in panic. Chit Sang then pointed to a guard, but to Sokka's relief, was not him; instead, Chit Sang had picked the guard that had bullied him earlier as the suspect. He immediately fell for the ruse, since the guard had coincidentally placed Chit Sang in the same cooler used in the escape attempt. He then began to interrogate the guard, who insisted that the placement was only a coincidence. Suddenly, another guard informed him that there were visitors, upon which he angrily lashed at the intrusion, but became shocked when he realize that the visitor was actually Princess Azula, bowing down and apologizing for his disrespect. Azula told him that the guard was not the culprit, and despite not having any physical evidence to back up her claim, he believed her.
==== Prison break ====
With the main goal of the infiltration achieved, Sokka began planning another escape attempt. He informed a control guard that the warden had personally ordered all of the guards released. When the guard questioned the order, Sokka claimed that he was in a bad mood, which caused the fear-stricken guard to comply and release the prisoners. However, an attempt to start a riot failed, as Hakoda attempted to push a tough criminal to no avail, who had been taking anger management classes. Fortunately, Chit Sang intervened, knowing that Sokka was attempting to escape again and wanted in as payback for not ratting him out. Chit Sang successfully incited a riot, causing the warden to come out, angered as he had never ordered the prisoners out.
Unaware that the chaos was the foundation for an escape attempt, he left to take control of the situation, but was captured by Suki, who, alongside Sokka, Hakoda, Chit Sang, and Zuko, was absconding from the prison. The five of them used the warden as a hostage to safely board the gondola.
While riding the gondola, the escapees were confronted by and forced to contend with Azula and Ty Lee, who had arrived on scene to try and keep the prisoners from leaving. During the scuffle, the warden managed to break free from his restraints and yelled to the guards to cut the line. Chit Sang and Hakoda managed to restrain him, but the guards had already received their orders and began cutting the line aware that even the warden would be boiled alive in the heated water below. However just when it seemed Azula has kept the warden's zero escape record intact, Mai intervened, saving Zuko and the others from certain death. The gondola managed to cross the lake, where the escapees fled with Hakoda telling the protesting warden that his record was officially broken, before leaving him behind.
After Ozai was overthrown and the Hundred Year War was drawing to a close, the warden managed to free both his niece and Ty Lee, who Azula had imprisoned for betraying her during the fight.
== Personality ==
The warden was extremely demanding and impatient. Skilled in his profession, he was particularly proud of the perfect record of the Boiling Rock, as no prisoner had ever escaped prior to 100 AG, a record he valued even above his own life. He was bossy and demeaning when he talked to prisoners and guards, only treating prisoners well on a few occasions, but mostly in condescending ways.
Despite his obvious lack of kindness, he demonstrated a softer side, especially toward his family, as he was angry that Zuko broke up with Mai. He also helped her and Ty Lee gain their freedom from prison, despite the fact his niece helped Zuko, Sokka, and the others escape the Boiling Rock, thereby shattering the warden's otherwise perfect record in prisoner containment.
== Relatives ==
== Appearances ==
=== Avatar: The Last Airbender ===
==== Book Three: Fire (火) ====
=== Graphic novels ===
== Trivia ==
* This warden used to be in charge of the Prison Tower located in the Fire Nation Capital.
* The warden was voiced by American actor Wade Williams, who has a starring role as Captain Brad Bellick on Fox's television series Prison Break, about a man jailed for a crime he did not commit, who later tries to escape from prison.
* During the previews at the New York Comic-Con in 2008, it was revealed that his design is based on one of the show's staff members, Oh Seung-hyun.
* In the Finnish dub, the warden says he is Ukano's brother, which contradicts the information given in the Avatar Extras for "The Boiling Rock, Part 1".
== References ==
de:Aufseher (Brodelnder Fels)
es:Alcaide (Roca Hirviente)
fi:Kiehuvan kiven vankilanjohtaja
fr:Directeur du Rocher Bouillant
nl:Cipier (Kokende Rots)
pt-br:Diretor (Rocha Fervente)
ru:Начальник тюрьмы
Category:A to Z
Category:Characters
Category:Fire Nation characters
Category:Graphic novel characters
Category:Minor characters
Category:Minor graphic novel characters
Category:Suki, Alone characters