History Literature / TheRiseOfKyoshi

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Lao Ge has some... odd ideas on how the Avatar (and authority figures in general) should act. He also admonishes her for choosing to duel a man, [[CombatPragmatist rather than murdering him when he least expects it]], because "that is not the way of the predator."

* BodyguardCrush: Aside from [[spoiler: Kyoshi and Rangi]], the novel reveals that Kuruk had one of these on Hei-Ran, going as far as to write a poem/song for her. But Kuruk never acted on it, and decided he was happy that Hei-Ran found someone else.

** We also get a sobering deconstruction of GiveHimANormalLife. Kyoshi's parents left her in the care of a villager in Yokoya Port, with an OrphansPlotTrinket of resources that she could use when she grew older, or simply keep to remember them by. As Lek suggests later on, they might have thought their daughter would have a better (and longer) life amongst law-abiding folk...except that the villager immediately reneged on the deal once they left, and threw Kyoshi out into the streets. She was forced to live off garbage scraps to survive as no one wanted an extra mouth to feed, or to take responsibility for the daughter of criminals. Understandably Kyoshi ''loathes'' her parents for (as she sees it) abandoning her; far from wanting to find them again, her first reaction when she hears they're dead is relief and satisfaction.

* MagneticHero: A notable trait for both Kuruk and Yun, and a big reason why Yun was [[ThePoorlyChosenOne mistaken for the Avatar]] -- they were both good-natured, happy-go-lucky people with a strong sense of justice who drew people to them like moths to a flame, and excellent Pai Sho players to boot. Then it turns out Kuruk's ''actual'' reincarnation is a BornUnlucky stoic and serious young woman who can be hard to get along with and cares ''nothing'' for Pai Sho.

* ThePoorlyChosenOne: Anybody with a passing knowledge of Avatar (or who just read the title of the book) will know from the start that it's poor serving girl Kyoshi who turns out to be the Avatar, not Yun. That said, Yun is no FakeUltimateHero -- he genuinely believes he's the Avatar, and constantly studies and trains hard to fulfill his Avatar duties. Finding out it was never him -- well, [[BreakTheCutie he doesn't take it well.]]

Yes, that's right. [[ThePoorlyChosenOne Everyone, meet Avatar Yun]].

* NotSoStoic: Jianzhu is usually completely unflappable, but when Kelsang tells him [[spoiler:he is unfit to teach the Avatar]], Jianzhu [[RantInducingSlight completely loses it]].

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome/AvatarTheLastAirbender On the Avatar page.]]

--->''"I shall swear these oaths. I swear to defend my brothers and sisters, and obey the commands of my elders. Their kin will be my kin, their blood my blood. Should I fail to uphold this vow, may I be hacked to death by many knives."''

* BigBadEnsemble: The heroes go through several major antagonists throughout the book. The first major threat is Tagaka and her Fifth Nation pirate band. Although it takes some effort, they're [[DiscOneFinalBoss defeated within the first hundred pages]]. After that point, [[EvilMentor Jianzhu]] becomes the main villain when he [[ItsPersonal murders/gets two important people in Kyoshi's life killed in rapid succession]]. However, he's more of a GreaterScopeVillain for most of the book as Kyoshi is on the lam trying to avoid his attention while simultaneously preparing herself for revenge. During that time, Kyoshi finds herself at odds with a daofei gang leader named Mok, ends up targeting a corrupt governor named Te, and butts heads with [[spoiler: Xu Ping An, who turns out to have not died at Zhulu Pass and tries to resurrect his Yellow Neck movement before Kyoshi quickly puts a stop to it]]. It's only toward the end that Kyoshi is able to confront Jianzhu at last.

* NotSoDifferentRemark: Huazo claims to be this for every other clan leader in the Fire Nation, arguing that they're all willing to compete with each other for the sake of their fortunes, or the chance to put one of their progeny on the throne. She even suggests that Rangi and Hei-Ran would do the same, were they in any position to do so.

* MixedAncestry: Kyoshi reveals that her father was from the Earth Kingdom, while her mother was [[spoiler:an Air Nomad.]]

Nine years after the untimely death of Avatar Kuruk, his friends and allies look throughout the Earth Kingdom in the hopes of discovering the new [[ChosenOne Avatar]], master of all four elements. But despite everything, their search comes up empty handed, time and time again.

* DePower: Downplayed. Jesa revoked the pacifist and peaceful ways of the Air Nomads, which resulted in her Airbending weakening. The others say the problem was the she never resolved the spiritual conflict within herself; centuries later, [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra Zaheer]] was able to put Airbending to far worse uses because he was completely sure of himself.

** Kyoshi [[spoiler: killing Xu Ping An having no real impact as an Avatar's justice; but rather a kill between two rival gang leaders is a parallel to what Iroh thought him deposing Ozai would've been: brother killing brother for the throne; hence why Zuko had to take up the throne in the series]].

* MixedAncestry: Kyoshi reveals that her father was earth nation/earthbender, while her mother was [[spoiler:an Air Nomad.]]

* UnrequitedLove: Kuruk and Hei-Ran. Hei-Ran herself revealed she had a small crush on Kuruk, but neither acted on it.

** One if Tagaka’s men hits on Kyoshi in a very explicit way. He says her mother (that he didn’t know was her mother) would never show him where her viper tattoos ended and wants to know if she will.

* InsaneTrollLogic: [[spoiler:At the end, some of the Earth sages call Kyoshi an usurper who "stole" Yun's place as the Avatar. Thankfully Kyoshi had the foresight to go to the Air Temple rather than stay in the Earth Kingdom; the monks simply ignore the Earth sages]].

* MagneticHero: A notable trait for both Kuruk and Yun, and a big reason why Yun was [[ThePoorlyChosenOne mistaken for the Avatar]] -- they were both good-natured, happy-go-lucky people with a strong since of justice who drew people to them like moths to a flame, and excellent Pai Sho players to boot. Then it turns out Kuruk's ''actual'' reincarnation is a BornUnlucky stoic and serious young woman who can be hard to get along with and cares ''nothing'' for Pai Sho.

* BigBadEnsemble: The heroes go through several major antagonists throughout the book. The first major threat is Tagaka and her Fifth Nation pirate band. Although it takes some effort, they're [[DiscOneFinalBoss defeated within the first hundred pages]]. After that point, [[EvilMentor Jianzhu]] becomes the main villain when he [[ItsPersonal murders/gets killed two important people in Kyoshi's life in rapid succession]]. However, he's more of a GreaterScopeVillain for most of the book as Kyoshi is on the lam trying to avoid his attention while simultaneously preparing herself for revenge. During that time, Kyoshi finds herself at odds with a daofei gang leader named Mok, ends up targeting a corrupt governor named Te, and butts heads with [[spoiler: Xu Ping An, who turns out to have not died at Zhulu Pass and tries to resurrect his Yellow Neck movement before Kyoshi quickly puts a stop to it]]. It's only toward the end that Kyoshi is able to confront Jianzhu at last.

* BattleBallgown: Before the Avatar's party leaves to confront the Fifth Nation pirate fleet Kyoshi is given a fancy servant dress lined with chainmail to stop assassins. They aren't taking any chances when it comes to the vicious pirate Takaga. [[spoiler:She later takes the dress with her after she leaves Jianzhu's estate, reasoning that despite it's source she'll need every advantage she can take against the man, which will later on become part of her IconicOutfit.]]

* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:The false Avatar Yun]], somehow. ''No one'' expected him to come back. He [[spoiler:murders Jianzhu]], [[KickTheDog almost gets dozens of innocent people killed]], and disappears before Kyoshi can say a word. It happens so abruptly Kyoshi isn't even sure she didn't imagine it.

** The BloodierAndGorier aspect of getting hit by bending attacks is essentially what would realistically happen; people getting hit by pillars of stone as big as them at high speed warrants shattered bones ''at minimum'', not AmusingInjuries[=/=]BloodlessCarnage, unlike the animated shows. This would be carried over to the sequel.