Haru (Avatar)

Haru is a supporting character in the animated series .
He made his debut appearance in the episode Imprisoned, which involved him dealing with the oppression of the Fire Nation, where he had to stop Earthbending to save the village, until Katara helped him escape.
He was voiced by Michael Dow.
==Biography==
Haru was a skilled earthbender whose Earth Kingdom village was temporarily occupied by the Fire Nation during the final years of the Hundred Year War. After breaking his father, Tyro, and several other earthbenders out of a Fire Nation prison rig with the aid of Team Avatar, Haru became part of his father's militia and fought in the wider anti-Fire Nation rebellions of the western Earth Kingdom.
Later, he joined forces with Hakoda and took part in the invasion of the Fire Nation, though avoided the fate of the majority of the invaders by escaping capture alongside Team Avatar. Following the Great War, he reunited with his father and other friends.
==Personality==
Haru was usually upbeat, idealistic, and thoughtful, hoping for a better future and wishing to become someone who used his bending to build instead of destroy. In this regard, he also liked to improve the mood of his allies by making quips. Haru also tried to make his Fire Nation opponents see why the Earth Kingdom was fighting, thus preventing bloodshed and to enable mediation. At the same time, years of Fire Nation suppression and the experiences of war also affected Haru. Before being imprisoned, he was insecure and fearful over the threat of being punished for earthbending, despite wanting to fight back. At times, he exhibited a deep-seated anger at the cruelty of the Fire Nation invaders, but was also uncomfortable with his own role as a militia member causing harm to others. Nevertheless, he became a courageous and noble warrior.
Haru displayed something of a philosophical streak. He mused about the Avatar's role beyond their great bending powers as well as whether the Great War was ultimately exploiting Fire Nation soldiers just as much as Earth Kingdom natives.
== Powers & Abilities ==
Haru was a skilled earthbender. Even with minimal training, he was able to manipulate boulders and prevent debris from crushing a man. He preferred earthbending with his hands unlike most earthbenders, who preferred to earthbend with their feet. In this regard, Haru often bent smaller or medium-sized rocks rapidly instead of larger, slower objects.
In the early uprising, Haru discovered that his bending worked very well when he coordinated with other benders, and he subsequently displayed a growing skill in executing complex bending skills as part of teams. Together with his father, Haru was able to compress a large amount of coal into a single projectile, a difficult feat to accomplish. He also learned how to create earth shields strong enough to withstand a combined blast from several firebenders.
==Gallery==
Haru earthbending.png|Although a talented earthbender, the development of his skills was halted due to the suppressive, Fire Nation controlled environment he grew up in.
Haru and Tyro in Invasion.png|Haru and Tyro took an active role in the Invasion of the Fire Nation.
Haru fights back.png|Haru exerted a cool control over the earth when he used his bending abilities.
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