Ba Sing Se airship

:This article is about the airships manufactured by Cabbage Corp and used by the Earth Kingdom military. For other similar uses, see Airship (disambiguation).
The Ba Sing Se airships are large, metal, zeppelin-like vehicles manufactured by Cabbage Corp for the Earth Kingdom military and constructed of cheap materials. They can be maintained by a small crew of four: a pilot, a co-pilot, an engineer, and a soldier.
== History ==
The vessels were prominent in the Earth Kingdom's air force. Several of these airships were docked in the Earth Kingdom Royal Palace courtyard, enabling easy takeoff if necessary.
In 171 AG, the military used a Ba Sing Se airship to transport Avatar Korra and Asami Sato from Fort Bosco on the outskirts of the Si Wong Desert to Ba Sing Se. Asami instantly recognized the cheap materials and used the knowledge to break free from her restraints and subsequently free Korra as they were flying over the fourth quadrant of the desert. In the process of trying to gain control of the airship, Korra accidentally wrecked both the controls and the radio whilst subduing the crew due to their fragile construction and the out-of-control vessel crashed into a large sand dune. Although the crew, aided by the girls, managed to repair the ship to workable conditions, it was entirely destroyed by a sand shark before they could escape. The remaining scraps of metal were salvaged and transformed into a makeshift sand-sailer, which Korra propelled toward the Misty Palms Oasis.
Following Zaheer's assassination of Earth Queen Hou-Ting and the ensuing anarchy in the Earth Kingdom capital, many of the airships on the palace grounds were either commandeered or stripped by looters. Mako and Bolin took control of one of the airships in order to deliver Zaheer's ultimatum; though some parts of the craft, including the radio, had been ripped out, the ship was still functional. They first used the airship to rescue their extended family in Ba Sing Se before searching the Si Wong Desert for Korra and Asami. Upon finding the wreckage of that airship, they followed the sand-sailer trail back to the Misty Palms Oasis and reunited with the girls. Team Avatar, along with Tonraq, Lin, Zuko, and Mako and Bolin's family, began a journey to Zaofu through the air.
Meanwhile, the Red Lotus used another Ba Sing Se airship to journey to the Northern Air Temple. While her allies dealt with capturing the temple's occupants, P'Li remained aboard with a pilot,DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan & Heck, Colin (December 2, 2014). "The Ultimatum" commentary. Book Three: Change Blu-ray. and circled the temple to provide them aerial support. After cornering all the airbenders, P'Li ushered them in the airship and brought them to a set of Air Nomad caves a few miles away from the temple, before returning and taking Zaheer toward the top of Laghima's Peak, where they awaited the arrival of Korra. When Zaheer tried to lead Korra onto the airship, Tonraq intervened and cut the ropes tying down the ship, leaving it to drift aimlessly in the currents.
== Design ==
The design of the Ba Sing Se airship is identical to that of the police airships used in Republic City, save for the Earth Kingdom paint job. Each of these was in turn inspired by the Fire Nation airships used during the final stages of the Hundred Year War. Asami stated that these airships were cheaper and less sturdy than those manufactured by Future Industries. This was demonstrated by her being able to easily tear a railing out of a wall and Korra smashing the steering column and radio by accident.
== References ==
es:Dirigible del Reino Tierra
fr:Dirigeable de Ba Sing Se
ru:Дирижабль Корпорации Капуста
Category:A to Z
Category:Earth Kingdom
Category:Equipment
Category:Legend of Korra
Category:Military
Category:Objects
Category:Vehicles