Xaoten Izaki

Xaoten Izaki (伊崎·夏奥腾; Yīqí Xià'àoténgwas), born in 139 AG, was the 76th and later the 80th Earth King of the Earth Kingdom. He first ascended to the throne in 165 AG following his successful overthrow of Angelina Velkhana and later returned to the throne in 168 AG after Mai Gui stepped down.

He is the founder of the metalbending city Zaofu and Zongdu of the province of Izaki, the latter of which he named after his clan. Xaoten has three children: his eldest son, Tanbo Izaki, and his twins, Tanshi and Linayi Izaki.

Early Life

Xaoten was born and raised on Kyoshi Island alongside his younger brother, Beni. Their father and Beni were earthbenders, while their mother was a non-bender. Xaoten and Beni were exceptionally close. With few children of similar ages living on Kyoshi Island, the brothers became one another's companions. Both of their parents were born and raised within the Earth Kingdom and instilled in their sons a strong duty of patriotism toward their nation.

At 18, Xaoten and Beni decided they want to see more of the Earth Kingdom, so their family began saving for a journey to Ba Sing Se, intending to travel through Omashu. Approximately after two years had of saving, their father developed a chronic illness, preventing them from safely making the journey. They later convinced their mother to allow the brothers to travel alone.

Xaoten and Beni left Kyoshi Island together, and were left awestruck when they first saw the walls of Ba Sing Se. Though, their experience soon deteriorated.

Disappearance

After being met with physical abuse and mistreatment by the soldiers, including being forced to surrender food and supplies, Beni decided they needed to escape Ba Sing Se and return home. Xaoten was terrified of the consequences of desertion and initially refused to leave. However, Beni secretly arranged their escape, and spent their savings to obtain an ostrich horse to escape the city. Before they could leave, however, two Dai Li agents ambushed the brothers and disappeared into the earth with Beni.

Devasted by his kidnapping, Xaoten stopped communicating with his parents and spent years searching Ba Sing Se for his brother. His guilt became overwhelming, as he believed his own fear had ultimately caused Beni's capture. Ironically, his search for answers eventually led him toward the very institution responsible for Beni's disappearance. Xaoten ultimately joined the Dai Li himself, rising through its ranks to become its head.

Rebellion

Xaoten eventually become associated with the Earth Kingdom's royal family and was adopted into the Velkhana dynasty, taking the title of "Prince Xaoten Velkhana". Though, despite being a Prince, he came to believe that Angelina never truly regarded him as immediate family, and instead believed that he had been incorporated into the royal family as a political asset. As a result, his relationship with Angelina deteriorated.

Xaoten began spying directly on Angelina Velkhana alongside her Grand Secretariat, Dahlia Liu. In his investigation, he discovered that both Angelina and Dahlia were bloodbenders. Xaoten confronted Angelina privately and accused her of practising bloodbending. He demanded that she step down from her position and relinquish the throne. However, when Angelina rejected his demands, he left the kingdom to prevent the conflict from escalating.

Xaoten eventually came to see his departure as another moral failure, having spent years living with the consequences of failing to protect his brother, he could not bring himself to abandon the people of the Earth Kingdom while their ruler posed a threat to them. He returned to the kingdom and publicly exposed his allegations against Angelina, calling upon the people of the Earth Kingdom to oppose her rule.

Queen Bo of Omashu became one of Xaoten's most significant allies during the rebellion. The rebellion ultimately succeeded without bloodshed between Xaoten and Angelina. Angelina was ambushed in her quarters by Lin Gui who had turned against her. Following Angelina's removal, Lin proposed sharing the throne with Xaoten. He refused, believing that doing so would undermine the foundation upon which the rebellion had been built. Lin accepted his decision, and Xaoten was declared the 76th Earth King.

Earth King of Earth Kingdom

First Reign

As Earth King, Xaoten presented himself as a servant of the Earth Kingdom, believing that the government existed to serve and protect its people. He strongly defended Earth Kingdom sovereignty while remaining willing to reconcile with foreign powers that could differentiate the right and wrong.

Xaoten temporarily banned Air Nation from entering the Earth Kingdom after discovering that former Western Elder Sokka Bao-Zheng had been involved in a spy network within Earth Kingdom territory. After the Air Nation internally handled the matter by removing him from office and issuing an apology, Xaoten met with Elders Dharma and Ren. Having been left satisfied with their response, he reinstated relations and established a new trade alliance, lifting the travel restrictions.

Relations with the Fire Nation, however, deteriorated after Xaoten accused Fire Lord Hyaku Valletta and his Council of protecting a criminal sought by the Earth Kingdom and allowing unchecked power within the Fire Nation. During the resulting Fire Nation rebellion, Xaoten publicly supported Isamu Hinotatsu as the legitimate Fire Lord and their rebellion to remove Hyaku from power. Though the war was declared, it was later avoided when Hyaku peacefully relinquished the throne.

Subsequently, the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation's new Fire Lord established a strong military alliance between the two nations.

Later, in Xaoten's reign, he accused tribesmen of the Foggy Swamp Tribe of carrying out attacks against citizens of the nations, including their attack on the Earth Kingdom's Grand Sage in Omashu. After negotiations with Chu Tau Yuhua failed and subsequently disappeared, Xaoten demanded that the perpetrators be surrended to Earth Kingdom authorities. He clarified that the Earth Kingdom sought justice, but warned that they would enter the Swamp to apprehend those responsible if its demands were refused.

Xaoten's actions and involvement in diplomacy reflect significantly on his increasingly interventionist approach to foreign affairs.

Abdication

Despite his significant accomplishments, Xaoten's reign came at an increasing personal cost. Following a tragic accident that resulted in the presumed death of his eldest son, Tanbo, he withdrew from public life, leaving Lin Gui as the regent to govern the Earth Kingdom in his absence.

Eventually, he concluded that his absence could no longer be temporary and formally abdicated in Lin Gui's favour. In his final address, Xaoten stated he was no longer of sound mind to rule and that remaining on the throne would not be in the best interests of the Earth Kingdom.

Interregnum

Xaoten remained deeply involved in Earth Kingdom affairs and returned to public life during the turbulent beginnings of the Year of the Four Monarchs, a succession crisis. He supported Mai Gui's ascension to the throne and served as her Royal Advisor, and later Grand Judge.

Following the events of the Year of Four Monarchs, he witnessed the deterioration of relations between the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe. During Mai's reign, after hearing the alleged death of Lin Gui, he adopted Mai into the Izaki family.

Second Reign

After Mai abdicated, Xaoten once again assumed the throne with the support of Council of Five. Xaoten's second reign was largely shaped by major threats of the world, including the bloodbenders Saya Zallirra, Shu Mammon, and the Amaryllis family of the Water Tribe.

In an effort to protect his people, he temporarily closed the Earth Kingdom to foreigners. However, Xaoten continued to work with other nations to combat the threats posed by the bloodbenders. A coalition was formed to oppose them, and the campaign culminated the Siege of the North Pole, 'capture of the Northern Water Tribe, and the defeat of Shu Mammon. Xaoten pledged Earth Kingdom's support for the Water Tribe to reclaim its territory and demand the surrender of Water Chieftess Makki Amaryllis, whom he accused of allowing Shu Mammon to operate within Water Tribe territory.

Through Shu Mammon's defeat and the coalition assault on the Northern Water Tribe Palace, Xaoten ended the travel restrictions, acknowledging that the Earth Kingdom could not safely stand alone.

Founding of Zaofu

Xaoten began constructing the metalbending city of Zaofu. Xaoten and Mai Gui originally shared a vision of establishing a metalbending academy However, following Mai's death, his vision changed into creating something greater; a larger city dedicated to metalbending and innoation.

Xaoten declared Zaofu as a seat of power for the House of Izaki and a sanctuary for those seeking safety. The surrounding province was named Izaki after the Izaki clan. Rather than serving solely as a monument to himself, Zaofu intended to honour his family and those he had lost.

Legacy

Xaoten is remembered as the Man of Iron to reflect his devoted and uncompromising image. A ruler who placed the safety and protection of his people of the Earth Kingdom above his own interests. His greatest lasting legacy remains the founding of Zaofu and the establishment of the House of Izaki as one of the Earth Kingdom's most prominent noble houses.