⊕ 000 - Siren's Pull Application

[chiblockthat]

Character Information

General
Canon Source: Avatar: The Legend of Korra
Canon Format: Animation
Character's Name: Bolin
Character's Age: 16

What form will your character's NV take? A steampunk-themed iPhone. I can't afford an iPhone so I have them vicariously through my RP characters sob.

Abilities
Character's Canon Abilities:
[EARTHBENDING]

Bolin is an earthbender, meaning he was born with an inherent ability to manipulate all forms of earth, from dust and dirt to stone and sand. It is even possible for a talented earthbender to bend metal, provided there are enough impurities therein, though Bolin has not (yet?) achieved this level of bending.

Earthbending is based on Chinese Hung Gar martial arts, and is founded on solid stances, strong hand techniques, and animal forms, however Bolin's style of earthbending is a little unorthodox. He was not trained formally under a master, as he was raised by his elder brother when his parents died, and likely learned most of his technique on his own. Adapting the slow and steady fundamental basics of earthbending to the fast-paced needs of a pro-bending match, Bolin uses a more light-on-his-feet approach and only roots his stances when firing a powerful blow, and he has the ability to ricochet discs off the ropes of the arena at the precise angle necessary to strike his opponent when they aren't looking. Despite this adaptation, Bolin maintains the paramount ideals of earthbending, in particular the patience and precision--"wait and listen"--required to make the right devastating attack at the right moment. The most important element of earthbending is to predict your opponent's next move, after all, and Bolin's quicker, more agile moves lend themselves to this foundation well.

Specific abilities linked with earthbending include but are not limited to the levitation of stone and chunks of earth, the destruction and reconstruction of boulders and masses of earth much larger than that of the earthbender, and adaptation and manipulation of terrain. A full list of abilities linked with earthbending can be found here, though Bolin has not achieved mastery of this level yet. In pro-bending matches, Bolin shows great aptitude for the levitation and launching of stone disks, and has demonstrated versatility in creating ramps, trap doors, and walls of stone and earth during combat. While he is nowhere near the skill level of master earthbenders like Lin Beifong, he has a great potential and a willingness to always improve his technique that will surely take him farther than he ever imagined. A concrete indication of this is when he earthbends in the finale without even touching the earth. For an earthbender to use their power while not physically grounded takes an incredible amount of skill and concentration, but Bolin flings rocks to defend a friend while riding Korra's polar bear dog and not in contact with the earth at all. It seems that maybe all he needs to unlock his greatest potential is the right motivation.

[FIRE FERRET WHISPERING]

No, I'm serious. Apparently Bolin has the ability to communicate with his pet fire ferret Pabu by clicking his teeth together Morse-code style. He used this ability to instruct Pabu to chew through ropes that bound him and his teammates during an Equalist attack on the Republic City pro-bending arena. As I'm hoping it will be permitted for Pabu to come along with the ride, this unusual technique may come in handy when Bolin inevitably winds up biting off more than he can chew.

It is unclear if he can communicate with any other animals in this fashion, but he does seem able to talk to and instruct Korra's polar bear dog Naga without any trouble. Whether this is because of Bolin's affinity for animals or Naga's comprehension of human speech, however, is not clarified.

Weapons:
Though earthbenders throughout history have been known to use a wide variety of weapons in their bending, Bolin seems to prefer just using his bare hands (and his dashing good looks) to overcome his opponents.

History/Personality/Plans/etc.
Character History: There is a nice detailed rundown here on the Avatar Wiki.
Point in Canon: Episode 12: Endgame. After Amon launches a coup on Republic City, Team Avatar splits up. Korra and Bolin's brother Mako go to meet Amon head-on, while Bolin goes with Asami and General Iroh to destroy the Equalist airbase, hoping to prevent further attacks on reinforcements arriving by sea. They don't make it that far, however. Before they can reach the airfield, the group is electrocuted by an invisible fence. Instead of regaining consciousness in Equalist hands, Bolin will awaken in Siren's Port.

Character Personality: Bolin is, first and foremost, a really nice guy. No, he's not just a Nice Guy, he's actually a genuinely caring, friendly, outspoken and proactively helpful person. Having been raised by his elder brother after their parents' deaths when he was only six years old, Bolin probably spent a lot of his youth relishing in the undoubtedly infrequent kindness of strangers, so it's not really any surprise that he would seek to give a little of that back. He seems to sincerely appreciate every little kindness and makes an earnest effort to help people out whenever he can. His introduction into the series, in fact, is him swooping in to rescue Korra from being reprimanded for trespassing in the pro-bending arena by saying she's with him and totally has permission to be there. The fact that she's a pretty girl and Bolin is a bit of a ladies' man might have factored in, but chances are he would have done the same for anybody, really.

Though he was raised by his brother, Bolin is really Mako's polar opposite on almost every field. Where Mako is cautious and stoic, Bolin is eager and boisterous. He is gregarious and garrulous to Mako's aloof and aphoristic, and most definitely an extrovert in contrast to Mako's more guarded tendencies. 'Shy' is not in his vocabulary and he is perfectly comfortable in his own skin, to the point of unabashedly getting in touch with his feminine side ("I vote makeovers!"). Though his confidence teeters on the edge of audacity (he caters readily to his fangirls in the arena and is always prepared to show off and make a spectacle of himself) it's chutzpah, not arrogance. Everything Bolin does he does with gusto and grand gesticulation--go big or go home. He's tough as nails in the arena and can take just as much punishment as he can dish out (even going so far as to keep trying to compete one-armed with a busted shoulder), and is always ready to stick up for his friends no matter the situation.

All that doggedness and swagger hides a very gentle soul beneath it, however: Bolin is little if not sweet and eager to please. He throws his whole being into his emotions. He's not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and all over his posture, really--he's got a glass face for the most part, and though he seems to get over things quickly it's mostly a defense mechanism. It's easier to push the negative things aside to make room for the positive ones, and in that respect Bolin is a bit of an escapist. He's devastated when he sees Korra kiss his brother, but instead of dealing with the disappointment and pain he just sort of decides he's over it and moves on (after gorging himself on noodles; the underage man's liquor, apparently). Though he was young when he lost his parents, I feel that the impact of their deaths lingers yet, and because both he and Mako were only children when they faced that sort of grief neither of them have been able to properly deal with it. Mako always sought to shield his brother from harsh realities, and so rather than actively attempt to wrangle with the more unpleasant things life throws at him, Bolin finds it easier to just "get over it" and continue moving forward. Even when faced with the threat of having his bending removed he seemed unable to fully grasp the situation; he actually tried to negotiate with Amon, claiming that there'd obviously been some kind of misunderstanding.

Though he's grown up enough to rein in his obvious affections for Korra when it becomes clear she doesn't feel the same way, he is a bit immature on a lot of levels. His demeanor is somewhat childish, right down to his desperate need for attention. His outspoken nature is an almost constant cry of 'look at me!' and this has gotten him into awkward situations on more than one occasion. He speaks without thinking sometimes, and though he never really means harm he has been known to say the wrong thing at the most inopportune moment. On the other hand, sometimes he manages to say the exact right thing at the exact right time, even if he's rarely profound with his words. What he lacks in worldly wisdom he makes up for in enthusiasm; he always seeks to cheer people up and is a tirelessly unsinkable optimist even in the worst of times. Bolin's knack for getting into trouble is largely a result of his desire to be helpful, such as his getting kidnapped by Equalists while attempting to earn money for the championship pro-bending pot so that his team can go to the finals. He always has good intentions, even if his efforts have been known to get him into sticky situations, and hand-in-hand with his somewhat juvenile outlook on life is that uncomplicated wisdom that only children have. He may not possess the insight of an adult, but there's an undeniable brilliant simplicity to Bolin that isn't always appreciated.

Ultimately, Bolin is a bit of a balancing act. He counters a youthful enthusiasm for life with the hauntedness of someone who witnessed death at a very young age, and reins in his over the top antics with a surprisingly sharp wit and a keen eye for detail. His brother and friends are the most important thing to him, and though he doesn't always have a plan Bolin is always ready to fight tooth and nail to keep them safe. He doesn't always know when to shut up, but he also doesn't know how to give up, and no matter how stacked against him the odds may be Bolin never backs down when something important is at stake. It is said that earth is the element of substance, and Bolin's definitely got plenty of that.

(See also: Large Ham.)

Character Plans: Bolin's a pretty adaptable guy, but he's always had his brother around, and I'd like to see how he handles showing up in this new place and finding his feet without Mako. That isn't to say I wouldn't love to see a Mako app sometime, but I think it will be really interesting to have Bolin have to figure things out on his own at first. Also the Avatar universe is not entirely unlike this one, but it's just different enough that Bolin will be baffled by everything. WHAT IS ALL THIS NEWFANGLED TECHNOLOGY? WHY ARE ALL THESE ANIMALS NOT SYNERGY ANIMALS. Plus everyone in Avatarverse has dark (or white) hair, so discovering blonds and gingers and animu people will be astonishing. Hilarity will most certainly ensue.

Appearance/PB: Character sheet and with Pabu in pro-bending uniform.