Elder Ezra
"Go,” Hann said sternly. “Continue what we had planned. Take in everything, learn what you can, and when you do, I want you to write to me.” And so he did.
Introduction
With a heart full of resolve and love, Ezra is a figure of composure and dedication. Though he is a nonbender, he is said to be the embodiment of what an Air Nomad should be- from his open mind to his witty humor.
Table of Contents
Character
PersonalityEzra is generally characterized as an amiable individual with a calm demeanor. His kindness is something he values sharing with others, a value that stems from the teachings of Anzan, an elderly man who once took him and his brother in, as well as his experience with those who likewise shared that compassion. Furthermore, underneath his warm exterior lies a comical personality that reveals itself only to those close to him. With the right people, Ezra can be quite the jokester.
Additionally, beyond these qualities is a sense of solemnity and a drive to accomplish what needs to be done. Taking after his brother’s unwavering personality, Ezra often knows what he wants and makes an effort to go after such desires. This drive is most evident in his curiosity regarding the world, which he satisfies with books, travelling, and the shared experiences with others.
Also a person of fairness and reason, Ezra believes it is best to follow the most just and logical choice in most decisions unless what his heart is telling him is magnitudes stronger than that of his mind. Ezra values mediation as a way to resolve conflicts, a quality impressed on him by the Air Nomads.
Appearance
Ezra stands at 5’9” with black hair and gray eyes. His usual attire consists of a rolled-up dark red shirt, with a loose orange cloth on top that is belted by a brown sash and some rope. Ezra wears dark gray pants that end just below the knees with long white socks and black shoes. He also dons the traditional keeper necklace, a lapis pendant suspended from a gold chain.
Life
Ezra had little when he entered the world. He was born a nonbender, while his older brother Hann, the seemingly luckier of the pair, was an airbender. His mother had succumbed to the strains of his own birth and his father took to gambling shortly thereafter. As a result, Ezra spent much of his early childhood without a proper parental figure other than his brother.
Unfortunately, danger would mount as Ezra and Hann’s father increasingly lost himself in the gamblers’ paradises of their home, Republic City. Debt collectors would appear at their door, equipped with threats and an insatiable want for the money the brothers’ father owed. No longer keen on living in such an unsafe environment and fearful that they might be recognized, Hann (16) and Ezra (13) eventually decided to leave their father and Republic City altogether.
Leaving Republic City was both refreshing and arduous for the two brothers. Ezra and Hann had grown up overshadowed by their father’s recklessness, but for the first time, as if that shadow had receded, they were free. However, just as the vast expanse of land before them offered freedom, it also forced Ezra and Hann into a game of survival, where at every turn food, shelter, and ironically, money, were an issue. It was a game where in the wilderness, Mother Nature was the arbiter, and in the towns that they occasionally stumbled upon, so were the people.
As such, Ezra came to depend on Hann’s guidance more than ever before. If there was anything he appreciated about his father, it was his resolute spirit, for Hann reflected it. Whenever Ezra felt frightened or lost, Hann would be there to comfort him. Ezra in turn felt that he owed it to his brother to stay strong and protect him. The two looked out for one another, keen on surmounting whatever hardships lay before them.
Ezra and Hann’s struggles persisted until one day, they came across Hesenu, a small agricultural town in the Earth Kingdom. There they met an elderly man named Anzan, who took pity on the weary brothers and thus decided to take them in. To the brothers’ surprise, Anzan revealed himself to be an airbender from the Southern Air Temple, who then left his home to explore the world before retiring to Hesenu with his now-deceased wife, an earthbender. Although he was old, the man displayed a lighthearted demeanor, his gray eyes bright with venturesome ardor.
This enthusiasm was particularly apparent when he spoke of the Southern Air Temple and of his adventures throughout the world. He would tell Ezra and Hann about his escapades, to which the two would respond with excitement and inquisitiveness.
For the next three years, Anzan would look after Ezra and Hann. During this time, he cultivated in the brothers a love and longing for adventure. As a result, Ezra and Hann came to realize that they wanted to take after the old man. They had been tethered by a life with almost nothing, but they did not seek freedom in materialism. What they wanted was to travel the world and discover what it had to offer, the same way Anzan recounted in his stories and journals. To Ezra and Hann, the experience and knowledge they dreamt of finding were rewarding in themselves; no amount of money could ever equate to that. Realizing the brothers’ ambitions, Anzan urged them to begin their own journey. He also entrusted them with his bison, for he came to love the two as if they were his own sons.
Unfortunately, Hann and Ezra’s seemingly promising future began to fade early. Just one month before their planned departure, Hann became deathly ill, stricken by a disease unknown to anyone including Hesenu’s doctor. This crushed Ezra, knowing that with each passing minute his brother was bedridden, their dream of exploring the world together dwindled. Despite this, Ezra took it upon himself to care for his brother. Hann had protected him against the perils of man and nature; now, it was time for Ezra to truly return the favor.
Ezra helped Anzan look after his ill brother. Although his affliction worsened, Hann always made an effort to lighten up the mood, cracking light jokes as the brothers reflected on their past or listened to Anzan’s accounts. These jokes, however, were simply a facade for Ezra and Hann, who both dreaded deep down that one of them might not make it.
That fear was eventually addressed when one morning, as the brothers were conversing, Hann grabbed Ezra’s hand. Knowing he was not going to get any better, he insisted that his brother travel the world without him.
“Go,” Hann said sternly. “Continue what we had planned. Take in everything, learn what you can, and when you do, I want you to write to me.”
As much as Ezra hated it and wanted to resist, this request was something he had to honor. With tears in his eyes, he promised Hann he would do what he asked and left Hesenu shortly thereafter.
And so Ezra began his journey, one that would start with his Anzan’s home, the Southern Air Temple. There he was greeted by two Air Nomads, Monk Fawnji and Watcher Avia. They showed Ezra around the temple, pointing out the many elegant features that Anzan often reminisced about. He was careful to take in as much detail as possible, wondering how Hann would have reacted upon seeing the glimmering gold and blue roofs that towered above.
After their excursion, Fawnji and Avia offered Ezra a place to stay for the night. Although he accepted, Ezra explained to them that he had no intent to join the Air Nomads and instead wished to explore the world and document his experiences. This changed, however, when Avia introduced Ezra to the Keepers. Upon hearing of his plans, she described the branch to him and how its goals essentially aligned with his own. Knowing this would help him fulfill the promise he made to Hann, Ezra agreed to join the Air Nomads and follow the path to Keeperdom.
For the next month, Ezra dictated his experiences into lengthy letters that he sent back home to Hesenu for Hann and Anzan to read. At first, it was Hann who wrote back, often with enthusiasm as evidenced by his many questions which Ezra willingly answered. Eventually, Hann became too sick to write and Anzan took over the letters. These letters went back and forth until one day, Ezra received the news he had always feared since he left: Hann had passed.
Hann’s passing undoubtedly brought sorrow upon Ezra, but it also impelled him to continue his journey as a part of the Air Nomads. The Southern Air Temple embraced him, and in turn, he embraced all that it and the Air Nomads had to offer. He partook in every activity, class, and expedition that he could, befriending many nomads along the way. He also began learning chi-blocking under the tutelage of Lui, the abbot of the temple at the time.
Seeking a change of environment, Ezra moved to Air Temple Island where he would continue to expand his knowledge. As much as he cherished the Southern Air Temple, he longed to know what it was like living beside the ocean, a curiosity cultivated by Anzan’s descriptions of the Fire Nation’s beaches. At the island, Ezra pursued Keeperhood, eventually passing the first of the Watcher trials to become a Keeper.
Ezra’s journey did not stop there, however. In 315 AG, noticing his passion and dedication towards the nomads, Air Temple Island’s Elder, Astra, named Ezra her abbot. Not long after this transition, he was given the opportunity to look after the Western Air Temple as its Regent Elder following Elder Jinji’s departure for the spirit world.
Nowadays, Ezra can be found caring for the Western Air Temple alongside other nomads, traversing the outdoors in search of new thrills, or reading books from the temple’s vast library. He continues to explore the world with nothing but curiosity and the knack for adventure he once shared with his brother. Ezra records all of his experiences, not just for the sake of simple reference and reflection, but also because it was what he had promised Hann.
by samaricalamari
Ezra
Political Figure:
Western Air Temple Elder Reign:
316 AG - 319 AG Predecessor:
Western Elder Jinji Nation:
The Air Nomads
Appearance
Year of Birth
292 AG
25 Years old
Children
Eyes
Gray
Hair
Black
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Warm beige
Height
5'9
