Mai

An impassive, bored, young woman and one of Princess Azula's childhood friends from Avatar: The Last Airbender, little is known about about Mai except that she appeared timid and shy as a girl, and also had a crush on Prince Zuko. She also appears cold (or, at least, shrewdly calculating), as she once called off a hostage trade for her younger brother in media res at Azula's "suggestion." Mai specializes in throwing weapons which she conceals on her person.

Voice: Cricket Leigh

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(Spoilers!)

A cold, calm, and reserved young woman who attended the Royal Fire Academy for Girls with Ty Lee and Princess Azula. She resided in Omashu (newly renamed New Ozai by Azula in honor of her father) along with her mother, younger brother Tom-Tom, and her father, the newly appointed governor. She could be seen complaining of how bored she was in the "unbearably bleak" Omashu, even more bored than she was back in the Fire Nation.

She is, apparently, a master of hidden weapons, resembling a kunoichi. She specializes in darts, knives, javelins, throwing stars, and other such implements, which she conceals in her robes and in holsters on her wrists and ankles. Azula and Ty Lee appeared in Omashu to recruit her to assist with the capture of Prince Zuko and Iroh, and she was more than happy to accompany them stating that she'd do anything to get out of Omashu. Before leaving, however, Azula appointed Mai, in lieu of her father, to oversee a pre-arranged hostage trade: King Bumi for Tom-Tom. However, right before Mai begins the transaction, Azula interrupts, coyly suggesting that trading a powerful Earthbender king for a two-year-old is strategically unwise. After a measured pause, Mai agrees and declares the deal off, thus initiating a fight between the two sides.

It is revealed that Mai had a crush on Zuko in their youth--something that before had only been subtly implied by her reaction to mention of him. Whether these feelings persist and are strong enough to affect her attempts to help Azula capture Zuko remains to be seen, however.

Presently, Mai is travelling with her old friends Princess Azula and Ty Lee in search of Zuko and Iroh who are now proclaimed to be traitors, as well as finding the Avatar, if convenient.

It is interesting to note that Mai and Ty Lee are polar opposites; while Mai is reserved, pessimistic and skilled with throwing weapons, Ty Lee is outgoing, optimistic and an expert at hand-to-hand.

It is revealed that during their childhoods, Mai harbored a crush on Zuko, knowledge of which prompted Azula, in at least one instance, to humilate them both. After manipulating Zuko into playing a game with herself and her friends, Azula sets an apple on top of Mai's head and then promptly sets it on fire. Zuko startles Mai with his mad dash to get the flaming apple off of her head, and though he succeeds in tossing the apple away, he also ends up crashing into her and knocking them both into a fountain in a tangled heap. After Azula and Ty Lee mock the pair about being "cute" together, Zuko storms off.

In series present-time Mai looks away and smiles (much in the same manner that she did as a child) when Ty Lee makes a teasing mention of Zuko, though it remains to be seen if her romantic feelings for him have persisted since their last encounter. Because Zuko and Mai have not interacted in present-time in the series it is unknown whether Zuko reciprocates Mai's feelings in any way or if he is even aware of them.

~ Karen

Favorite quotes:

There really is no fathoming the depths of my hatred for this place.

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I thought my life was boring in the Fire Nation. But this place is unbearably bleak. Nothing ever happens.

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Governor: Pentapox! I'm pretty sure I've heard of that.
Governor's Wife: Oh, this is terrible.
Guard: What should we do?
Governor: Drive them out of the city...but don't touch them! We have to rid the city of this disease!
(Mai offers her father the bowl she is carrying)
Mai: Fire flakes, Dad?

**********

(Azula gets out of her litter and walks over to Mai, joined quickly by Ty Lee.)
Mai: (bowing, speaking in a dull voice) Please tell me you're here to kill me.
(Mai looks up slightly and smiles. She and Azula begin to laugh.)
Azula: (hugging Mai) It's great to see you, Mai.
(Ty Lee runs over and hugs Mai.)
Mai: (somewhat surprised) I thought you ran off and joined the circus? You said it was your calling.
Ty Lee: (releasing Mai and smiling widely) Well, Azula called a little louder.
Azula: I have a mission (she puts one of her hands on each of their shoulders) and I need you both.
Mai: Count me in. Anything to get me out of this place.

**********

Mai: You brought my brother?
Aang: He's here. We're ready to trade.
Azula: (to Mai) I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me. Do you mind?
Mai: (turning to Azula): Of course not, Princess Azula.
Azula: We're trading a two year old for a king. A powerful, earthbending king? (turning back to Mai) It just doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?
(Mai looks away from Azula and towards her brother in Sokka's arms, then she begins to walk forward.)
Mai: You're right. (To Aang) The deal's off.

**********

(Taunting Katara) How are you gonna fight without your bending?

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Mai: So, we're tracking down your brother and Uncle, huh?
Ty Lee: (teasing) It'll be interesting seeing Zuko again, won't it, Mai?
(Mai turns sideways and smiles for a brief second.)

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Mai (sarcastically): Wads of wet fur, delightful.
Ty Lee: They're not wads, more like bundles or bushels... something with an odd sound.
Mai: Clumps?

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(To Katara and Sokka): I thought when Ty Lee and I finally caught you guys, it would be more exciting. Oh well. Victory is boring.

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War Minister Ching: (walks up and sharply raps the periscope, startling Ty Lee) Please, the drill’s metal shell is impervious to any earthbending attack.
Azula: (condescendingly) Oh, I’m sure it is War Minister Ching. But just to be on the safe side…(in commanding tone) Mai, and Ty lee, take the earthbenders out!
Mai: (twiddling knives) Finally, something to do.

**********

Mai: (completely revolted at the idea of going down the slurry pipe) Ughh, disgusting!
Ty lee: (peering down) Come on, you heard Azula. We have to follow them.
Mai: She can shoot all the lightning she wants at me, I am not going in that wall sludge juice.
(Mai shudders. Ty Lee hops down into the slurry flow, sending up a great spash that narrowly misses Mai. With a final expression of disgust Mai slams closed the slurry hatch.

**********

(Ty Lee sits up from the slurry pool, wiping clear her face, and spitting out a mouthful of mud in disgust. Azula slides down the back of the Drill, dropping down next to her and splashing her with a fresh layer of mud. Azula looks back to see a steaming hatch open in the rear of the drill, revealing a somber Mai.)
Mai: We lost.

**********

Suki: If you are looking for the Avatar, you're out of luck.
Mai: (sighs despondently) I knew this was a waste of time.

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(To the Kiyoshi warriors) You're so colorful, it's making me nauseous.

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(Baiting the Earth Kings Dai Li guards)
Mai: (morosely) I'm tired of wearing this girly disguise. I don't know how anyone can fight in this.
Ty Lee: Maybe that's why it was so easy to beat the Kyoshi Warriors and take their clothes.
Mai: How much longer do we have to serve the Earth King? If I have to clean up one more pile of bear poop, I'm gonna throw up.
Ty Lee: Princess Azula promised we would go back to the fire nation as soon as we captured the Avatar. We just have to be patient.
Mai: (anxious) Shush up! Do you want the whole palace to know we're Fire Nation?

**********

Ty Lee: Nice speech Azula. It was pretty and poetic, but also scary in a good way.
Mai: Yeah, I thought you were gonna make that one guy pee his pants.

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Toph: (Warning the Earth King) They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!
(The Earth King gasps in shock)
Mai: Sorry to disappoint you.

**********

(when the Earth King and Aangs group come to rescue his pet bear) Just take the bear.

~ Karen

Mai: (to zuko) Im bored
Zuko: I know
Mai: Im hungry
Zuko: So what!
Mai: So... Find me some food
Zuko: Fine
(zuko walks off)

Mai: Orange is such an awful colour
Zuko: (laughing) Your so beutiful, how you hate the world
Mai: I dont hate you

~ Kez

Mai: You’ve miscalculated. I love Zuko more, than I fear you.

Mai: You need some help with that?
Zuko: Mai! They let you out of prison?
Mai: My uncle pulled some strings and it doesn’t hurt when a new fire lord is your boyfriend.
Zuko: So, does this mean that you don’t hate me anymore?
Mai: I think it means, I actually kinda like you.
(Zuko and Mai kiss each other)
Mai: But don’t ever break up with me again!

~Ronyell Coaxum

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