‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Refresher: Who Is Hei Bai?

Avatar: The Last Airbender is full of complex lore and fascinating characters. Even those you only see for an episode or two usually come with a full backstory and an integral place in the world. Nearly 20 years later, it’s natural to have lost track of some of them. Here’s a look back at Hei Bai, the Black and White Spirit.

Protector of the forest near the Earth Kingdom village of Senlin, Hei Bai is an earth spirit that usually takes the form of a panda bear on the earthly plane. In the spirit world, however, Hei Bai can transform into a four-armed monster, meaning that around the winter solstice, the time when the natural and spirit worlds align, he’s also able to take that form on earth too. Extremely fast and strong, and capable of emitting a sonic scream powerful enough to collapse buildings Hei Bai in his monstrous form is incredibly dangerous, as the Gaang found out when they met him.

After the Fire Nation razed his forest to the ground the usually peaceful and gentle Hei Bai became enraged. Unaware the Fire Nation was responsible he blamed the villagers and began. In the days leading up to the winter solstice Hei Bai, able to take his monstrous form, began kidnapping a villager every night at sundown. When Aang arrived at Senlin he tried to reason with the spirit but Hei Bai was too angry, and when Sokka attacked the spirit in an attempt to protect Aang Hei Bai chose him as that night’s victim, abducting him to the Spirit World. However, Aang was able to follow and de-escalate, showing Hei Bai how his forest would grow back and returning him to his usual gentle self, securing Sokka and the villagers’ release.

Later Hei Bai would return to Aang when the Avatar found himself in the Spirit World, twice helping him return to the physical world after completing his quests. Loyal to the Avatar Hei Bai also seems personally fond of him, transforming to monstrous form and punishing another spirit who insulted him.

(featured image: Nickelodeon)