Zaofu is an autonomous city state, home of the Metal Clan, and regarded by some as the safest city in the world. The clan's matriarch, Suyin Beifong, constructed the settlement entirely out of metal in the Earth Kingdom. Team Avatar traveled to this city in 171 AG in their search to recruit new Airbenders to rebuild the Air Nation. Zaofu is one of the major aspects of the third and fourth seasons of The Legend of Korra.
History[]
Beginnings[]
Sometime between 142 and 153 AG, Suyin Beifong purchased a parcel of land to develop into the city of Zaofu. To advance her project, Suyin worked with Baatar, an architect whom she eventually married and had five children with. Suyin's eldest son, Baatar Jr. eventually became an engineer and assisted his father in numerous projects around the city.
Following Zaofu's creation, Toph Beifong occasionally visited the city and statues of her were erected to commemorate her discovery of metalbending. Suyin's philosophy in governing Zaofu was to encourage citizens to reach their fullest potential in whatever they pursued, and the city thrived as one of the Earth Kingdom's most technologically innovative settlements.
Season 3[]
Shortly after Harmonic Convergence in 171 AG, Varrick and Zhu Li traveled to Zaofu, where the former sought refuge in exchange for heading the city's technology division. Two weeks later, AvatarKorra and her friends arrived in the city in hopes of recruiting Suyin's daughter, Opal, to hone her newfound airbending abilities at the Northern Air Temple.
After the airbender's departure, the city was infiltrated by Zaheer and the Red Lotusin an attempt to kidnap Korra. Despite their attempts to remain covert, the group was discovered and pursued by Team Avatar and members of the Metal Clan, inevitably forcing them to flee the city without the Avatar. Aiwei told Suyin that Korra's abduction appeared to be the result of an inside job; as such, Suyin ordered the interrogation of all the guards in search of Zaheer's accomplice. Although Hong Liwas initially suspected, Aiwei's involvement eventually came to light and the truth seer was forced to leave the city as a fugitive, having a few hours' head start on Team Avatar, who left the city to find him.
Team Avatar later returned to Zaofu, accompanied by Lin, Tonraq, Lord Zuko, and Mako and Bolin's family, in order to use the city's radio transmission to send a warning to the Northern Air Temple about the Red Lotus' approach. Unable to sit idly by at the prospect of her daughter getting harmed, Suyin rallied the Metal Clan security forces to leave for the temple to aid the Air Nation.
After the death of Earth Queen Hou-Ting and Suyin's refusal to take action, Kuvira started working with Baatar Jr. to find ways to stabilize the chaotic Earth Kingdom. They left the city with a large part of its security force and a few of Zaofu's wealthiest citizens.
Season 4[]
After the Earth Kingdom's transformation into the Earth Empire in 174 AG, Zaofu remained as the last city unconquered by Kuvira and her forces. However, the former captain of the guard marched her entire army toward her former home and gave its matriarch twenty-four hours to surrender, lest they take the city by force.
In order to save the city, Suyin, Wing, and Wei set out during the night in an attempt to take Kuvira out, though they were unsuccessful and were arrested. Kuvira used the city's communication system to alert the citizens of Suyin's actions and fate and ordered the remaining leaders to surrender by dawn. Still attempting to find a peaceful resolution, Korra approached Kuvira at dawn and attempted to persuade the army leader one last time to leave. However, Kuvira believed Korra was interfering with her plans of uniting the Earth Empire and thus challenged her to a duel to decide the fate of Zaofu. After Korra lost the duel, the military commander annexed the city to her empire and decorated its buildings with her banner. She demanded everyone bow down and pledge their loyalty to her in order to be treated fairly as citizens of the Earth Empire, lest they be imprisoned as traitors. Kuvira ordered her army to dismantle the platinum domes and cover Toph Beifong's statue in the downtown core.
After Bolin and Varrick warned the world leaders about Kuvira's spirit energy cannon, Bolin, Lin, and Opal left for Zaofu with aspirations to reconquer the city and find the family of the latter two. When they arrived, they realized that the domes had been removed, though before they were able to sneak into the city, Toph stopped them, informing them that all the prisoners had been moved out of the city.
A few days later, Kuvira and her entourage returned to the city, where she addressed her troops in a motivational speech. She announced that they were going to annex the United Republic of Nations, reasoning that its territory belonged to the Earth Empire and had been stolen by Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko after the conclusion of the Hundred Year War. After the failed invasion, Kuvira surrendered and relinquished control over the Earth Kingdom, with Suyin becoming the recognized leader of Zaofu once more. Due to his role in Kuvira's invasion of the United Republic, Baatar Jr. was sentenced to house arrest at Suyin's estate in Zaofu.
Three months after Kuvira's surrender, Korra, Kuvira, Toph, and a brainwashed Asami Sato were brought to Zaofu after escaping from Commander Guan's forces in Gaoling. Baatar Jr. reluctantly agreed to work with Kuvira to help find a cure to the advanced brainwashing technique, which was successfully accomplished. However, at that moment, news broke that Guan had won the election in Gaoling, threatening the democratic movement in the Earth Kingdom. President Zhu Li Moon ordered Kuvira be brought back to Republic City at once, but the former Earth Empire leader escaped, with Korra, Asami, Suyin, Opal, and Toph leaving on Juicy to stop her.
After Kuvira entered a guilty plea in her trial in Republic City, she was sentenced to house arrest in Zaofu in light of her genuine remorse and her actions in ending the Earth Empire.
Layout[]
Zaofu is situated directly on a valley flanked by two rivers and surrounded by mountains. Consisting of five different sectors, the city is connected by a series of metal rails on which a state-of-the-art monorail system operates, allowing citizens to reach opposing ends of the city limits in very little time.
The architecture used in developing the city landmarks involves innovative design elements, particularly in that each portion of the settlement is surrounded by petal-like metal panels with exteriors made of platinum, which remain open during the day and closed to provide protection during the night. Following the city's brief annexation into the Earth Empire, the platinum domes were torn down and used by Kuvira's army to build an enormous mecha suit.Buildings range from small edifices to large skyscrapers and a large metal statue of Toph Beifong stands in the middle of the downtown core. At the city's edge is Suyin Beifong's estate, a large metal compound consisting of numerous halls and courtyards to accommodate her large family. Near the estate are several guesthouses for individuals whom Suyin chooses to receive.
In addition to the platinum panels, Zaofu maintains its security by stationing metalbending guards at every part of the city, especially at nighttime. In addition, Suyin's former assistant, Aiwei, was capable of using seismic sense to detect whenever an individual lied, effectively ensuring that there were no secrets in the city. As a result, citizens of Zaofu live relatively free of trouble and doubt. In addition, individuals are encouraged to live to their fullest potential in order to achieve success.