Zuko's raid on Kyoshi Island

In late 99 AG, exiled Fire Nation Prince Zuko and his crew raided Kyoshi Island in an attempt to capture Avatar Aang. Up to this point, the islands' settlements had not involved themselves in the Hundred Year War. The Fire Nation attackers were confronted by the Kyoshi Warriors and Team Avatar, and the fighting caused considerable destruction at one village on the island. Ultimately, Aang left the island to avoid further collateral damage, and Zuko quickly followed him, abandoning the raid.
The main impact of Zuko's raid was its effect on Suki, one of the Kyoshi Warriors' leaders. She concluded that the people of Kyoshi Island had to end their neutrality, and left with some followers to aid the Earth Kingdom's war effort. Suki went on to become part of Team Avatar.
== Prelude ==
Ever since its separation from the Earth Kingdom mainland under Avatar Kyoshi, Kyoshi Island had maintained a high degree of autonomy from the Earth Kingdom. In addition, some communities on the island were highly isolationistic, and believed that they should keep contacts to the outside world to a minimum. Accordingly, the island's people chose to remain neutral when the Hundred Year War broke out in 0 AG. In turn, the Fire Nation considered Kyoshi Island no threat to its quest for world domination, and left it in peace.
Despite its neutrality, Kyoshi Island maintained a highly trained defense and security force in form of the Kyoshi Warriors. Each village on the island had its own band; the one of Suki's village was led by Suki by 99 AG. At the time, Suki had already begun to doubt some policies of her community due to the fact that her friend Mingxia had publicly criticized them.
Meanwhile, Fire Nation Prince Zuko was banished by his father, Fire Lord Ozai, and tasked to redeem himself by capturing the long-lost Avatar. Zuko and his small crew eventually discovered Aang at the South Pole, and began to chase after him. However, they eventually lost track of their target, while Aang and his friends stopped at Kyoshi Island for some recreational activity. Suki and her comrades captured Team Avatar, initially fearing that they might be Fire Nation spies. Once Aang's true identity became clear, however, the people of Suki's village happily hosted the Avatar and his friends.
== Raid ==
The Avatar's arrival on Kyoshi Island did not remain a secret for long, as traders and fishermen from the island spread the word. Eventually, the information reached a port in the Earth Kingdom where Zuko's ship had halted. When the prince was informed, he immediately ordered his crew to travel to the island. Upon their arrival at Kyoshi Island's Koi Bay, Zuko readied his troops to embark. His uncle Iroh cautioned him that the locals had not involved themselves in the Hundred Year War, meaning that the Fire Nation had no idea about the island's defenders. Zuko remained unfazed, claiming that a bunch of fishing villages could not possibly offer substantial resistance.
Zuko, three firebending soldiers, and three nonbending soldiers then left the ship mounted on komodo rhinos, with the prince declaring that he wanted "the Avatar alive". They were spotted by Katara who had been close to the beach by chance, as she tended to Aang who had fallen unconscious after trying to ride the unagi. Hidden in the dense vegetation, Zuko's group passed by Katara and the unconscious Avatar without noticing them.
As the Fire Nation contingent pressed on, a group of Kyoshi Warriors also noticed them, and organized an ambush. Though surprised, the prince and his soldiers fended off the attack, but could not stop the local fighters as they retreated. Angered, Zuko ordered to continue the advance to the nearby village.
At her village, Suki mobilized her warriors once informed of the landing of Fire Nation troops at Koi Bay. As Zuko entered the settlement, declaring that the Avatar should show himself, he received no reply. He ordered his troops to start a search, but Suki's forces then began their assault by jumping off the roofs of nearby houses. As the battle erupted, Zuko found himself confronted by Suki, Sokka, and another Kyoshi Warrior. Even though the three were able to throw the prince from his mount, he eventually defeated them with his firebending.
Gloating over his victory, Zuko was then challenged by Aang. The two duelled, with Aang mostly avoiding Zuko's fire and ultimately slamming him into a house. However, the Avatar realized that the raid had already caused a large amount of destruction, with much of Suki's village on fire. Reuniting with Katara who was bringing villagers to safety, the two concluded that they had to quickly leave the island to protect it from the Fire Nation.
As Team Avatar left on Appa, Suki and her warriors bought them more time, delaying Zuko as he attempted to chase after Aang. Before leaving the island entirely, however, Aang jumped off his flying bison to make contact with and guided the unagi into spraying Suki's village with water, thereby stopping the fires and drenching the Fire Nation troops. Team Avatar subsequently headed for the South Sea, while Zuko and his troops rushed to their ship to follow them.
== Aftermath ==
While Team Avatar continued its journey to the Northern Water Tribe with Zuko on their heels, the people of Suki's village were left to rebuild their destroyed homes. The village's Kyoshi Warriors took part in these efforts, and as they were sorting through damaged clothing, Suki told her comrade Jie that the raid had convinced her that they should no longer remain neutral in the Hundred Year War. Whereas Jie was aghast at the prospect of leaving Kyoshi Island to fight on behalf of the Earth Kingdom, Suki argued that others suffered and they had the means to help, pointing out that the Avatar was also not hiding from danger. She managed to convince a few other Kyoshi Warriors, and together they agreed to leave for the Earth Kingdom mainland. Before departing, however, Suki and her comrades had to deal with insecurity on their home island, as the Black Koi Pirates attempted to entrench themselves at Koi Bay and Koi Harbor, using the chaotic aftermath of Zuko's raid to their advantage. After dealing with this unrest, Suki's group left the island by ship.
Suki subsequently played a major role in the Great War, helping Avatar Aang and his friends several times before eventually becoming a full member of Team Avatar.Throughout Book Two: Earth and Book Three: Fire of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
== Appearances ==
=== Avatar: The Last Airbender ===
==== Book Two: Earth (土) ====
=== Video games ===
* Avatar: Generations
== Trivia ==
* When Suki and Zuko met again at the Boiling Rock, the former casually brought up the prince's raid by stating "you kind of burned down my village". Zuko then awkwardly apologized for the attack.
== References ==
Category:A to Z
Category:Battles
Category:Battles in the Earth Kingdom
Category:Duels
Category:Events
Category:Hundred Year War