"She is connecting with her deepest Avatar memories. She must confront her own past if she is to move forward."

— The shaman tells Karu why they must not disturb a healing Avatar Korra.[1]

The shaman is a firebender who lives among the Bhanti on a remote island in the southern Fire Nation, where she tends to a herd of flying bison.[3] She is a spiritual expert who uses her abilities to sense dark spirits, as she demonstrated in 171 AG when she tended to an amnesiac Avatar Korra at the Bhanti Village Temple.[1]

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History

In 171 AG, the shaman was approached by several members of the Bhanti who carried an unconscious Korra, requesting her assistance in tending to the Avatar, who appeared amnesiac. Using her firebending, she ascertained that a dark spirit had possessed Korra and was feeding on the energy of the Avatar Spirit, before promptly ordering the sages to submerge the Avatar in the pool of spirit water.

When the Avatar emerged, the shaman questioned her if she was aware of her identity before leading her to the courtyard, where she told Korra about a herd of flying bison that her people had been raising since the Hundred Year War. She noted that Korra had little time to waste, as Harmonic Convergence was only several weeks away, and presented the Avatar with a flying bison, who left promptly to close the spirit portal in the South Pole.[1]

Abilities

With her extensive knowledge in spiritual matters, the shaman is capable of using fire to sense chi paths and interpret spiritual energy, similar to healing. She is also knowledgeable in animal husbandry, having been able to tend to a herd of flying bison for over half a century.

Appearances

The Legend of Korra

Book Two: Spirits (神靈)

Trivia

The shaman is the second known person after Unalaq to use bending at a spiritual level.

The shaman was originally written as a blind character, but the initial animation ended up depicting her looking around frequently. Rather than fix the animation, the creators decided to scrap the concept as it did not significantly affect the story arc.[2]

References