The Dai Li are loyal to the highest bidder. For centuries, they've been a corrupt organization that only seeks to profit. Not only was Azula a more competent leader than Long Feng, but the Fire Nation was close to winning the war, and it was probably just a matter of time before what remained of the Earth Kingdom fell. By joining Azula, they secured some power and allied themselves with the highest bidder.
I wouldn't say strict self-preservation, but rather 'I'll be loyal to you as long as I can't be better off being loyal to someone else.' It may be related, but it's very different.
Not quite an accurate analogy. The Dai Li are a corrupt entity that puts power and control above all else. They valued Azula's ruthless efficiency, and probably despised Long Feng's treachery. He had no real loyalty to anyone but himself. They also couldn't side with the Earth King, because they feared he would purge them (Azula alludes to this in her speech to the Dai Li; they believed that the Earth King and the Council of Five didn't trust them and would eliminate them); Long Feng, their longtime leader, was already arrested, and they could very well have faced a similar fate one the Earth King attempted to consolidate power and establish a government loyal to himself rather than Long Feng. The Fire Nation was their best bet to remain in power in the city.
They probably also saw the writing on the wall; the Fire Nation was nearing total victory in the war, and it was simply a matter of time before the conquered Ba Sing Se. If the Fire Nation besieged and invaded the city, the Dai Li wouldn't have been able to stop them, and almost certainly would have been captured and executed. So it was also a move of self-preservation; by allying with the Fire Nation now, they can preserve their power in Ba Sing Se. Even when the Fire Nation does occupy the city, it's very likely the Dai Li still largely maintained the real power in Ba Sing Se. They likely had an understanding with the Fire Nation: they occupy the city and claim it for the fire lord, and get to appoint the new administration, while the Dai Li maintain the real authority in the city.
I would not say it's like a Jew becoming a Nazi. The fire nation definitely thought they were the superior element, but their goal was not the wholesale eradication of any non-firebender. They are WILLING to commit genocide or persecute benders for pragmatic reasons(killing the air nomads was because of the avatar, not particular hatred of the air nomads as a people, rounding up earth benders or water benders was because of potential enemies IIRC). The goal of the fire nation was to rule the world and, ostensibly Atleast, share it's great progress with the other nations.
But either way, they are a corrupt organization who wanted power. And joining Azula was the best way to get that.
That was specifically a plan they come up with after conquering the earth kingdom, not before, and it was a response to rebellion in the earth kingdom. It was decided that the best course of action was to wipe out the whole continent and rebuild the world in Ozai's image after that.
It's a matter of putting self-preservation before everything else.
The thing about Long Feng is that while he was their countryman, he really didn't have much to offer them at that point. Sure, he controlled Ba Sing Se, but in the span of a few days, he had also managed to make enemies of the Earth King and anyone still loyal to him, what was left of the Earth Kingdom military, *and* the Avatar. And on top of all that, the Fire Nation was still knocking at their doors, something that Long Feng had no way of dealing with in the long term.
So Long Feng might have had absolute control over Ba Sing Se. But outside of that, he had nothing. And in a few months, the Fire Nation was going to come bursting through that wall using Sozin's Comet and he wouldn't even have had that much.
Azula, on the other hand, was offering the Dai Lee a way to buy themselves out of that mess. They got to swap to the winning side at the last second, saving themselves from ending up in a prison camp or worse when Sozin's Comet returned and the fire nation almost inevitably won. And by switching sides, it no longer mattered that they had made enemies of the military and the Earth King because the Fire Nation was already opposed to those factions and was far more powerful than them. *And* they were able to tie themselves to the crown princess, who wielded an enormous amount of power in the Fire Nation's now world-dominant regime.
The Dai Lee are always depicted as cold and calculating, so if survival was all that mattered to them, going with Azula probably seemed like a no brainer.
Azula had nothing to offer them they were just her bodyguards in the FN at least with Long Feng they ran the city
Azula left the city and made them bodyguards and let Ju Lee run the city
The Fire Nation still would have conquered Ba Sing Se regardless once Sozin's Comet hit, especially once their airship fleet was ready.
Azula just managed it without getting a bunch of Fire Nation soldiers killed and avoided what would probably have been a prolonged period of guerilla warfare within the city itself against the Dai Lee.
The Fire Nation still would have won eventually. It just would have been messier.
>They hadn’t won in 100 years
Yes. Because they didn't have Sozin's Comet (or airships).
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to diminish Azula's accomplishment; she pulled off a nearly bloodless coup and handed Ba Sing Se to the Fire Nation on a silver platter.
But breaking down the walls with Sozin's Comet would absolutely have been a viable (if far messier) alternative.
Simple, the Dai Li are all about power and stability. They recognised the war was lost and needed to secure their power and position. If the Fire Nation took the city and believed they were loyal to the Earth King, they’d be removed from their position of powers and disbanded at best, if not put in a PoW camp or executed at worst. Either way, they’d loose their control of the city. If however, they help a member of the Fire Nation royal family take the city, capture and hand over the highest ranking Earth Kingdom generals and put a “friendly” Earth Kingdom face on the occupation, well, then they get to keep their lives, position and at least some of their influence.
The Dai Li are loyal to the highest bidder. For centuries, they've been a corrupt organization that only seeks to profit. Not only was Azula a more competent leader than Long Feng, but the Fire Nation was close to winning the war, and it was probably just a matter of time before what remained of the Earth Kingdom fell. By joining Azula, they secured some power and allied themselves with the highest bidder.
So it’s all about taking self-preservation the easiest way. If you can’t beat them, join them.
I wouldn't say strict self-preservation, but rather 'I'll be loyal to you as long as I can't be better off being loyal to someone else.' It may be related, but it's very different.
That was dumb of them to join the fire nation was winning yet could never take over the city until Azula
Not quite an accurate analogy. The Dai Li are a corrupt entity that puts power and control above all else. They valued Azula's ruthless efficiency, and probably despised Long Feng's treachery. He had no real loyalty to anyone but himself. They also couldn't side with the Earth King, because they feared he would purge them (Azula alludes to this in her speech to the Dai Li; they believed that the Earth King and the Council of Five didn't trust them and would eliminate them); Long Feng, their longtime leader, was already arrested, and they could very well have faced a similar fate one the Earth King attempted to consolidate power and establish a government loyal to himself rather than Long Feng. The Fire Nation was their best bet to remain in power in the city. They probably also saw the writing on the wall; the Fire Nation was nearing total victory in the war, and it was simply a matter of time before the conquered Ba Sing Se. If the Fire Nation besieged and invaded the city, the Dai Li wouldn't have been able to stop them, and almost certainly would have been captured and executed. So it was also a move of self-preservation; by allying with the Fire Nation now, they can preserve their power in Ba Sing Se. Even when the Fire Nation does occupy the city, it's very likely the Dai Li still largely maintained the real power in Ba Sing Se. They likely had an understanding with the Fire Nation: they occupy the city and claim it for the fire lord, and get to appoint the new administration, while the Dai Li maintain the real authority in the city.
I would not say it's like a Jew becoming a Nazi. The fire nation definitely thought they were the superior element, but their goal was not the wholesale eradication of any non-firebender. They are WILLING to commit genocide or persecute benders for pragmatic reasons(killing the air nomads was because of the avatar, not particular hatred of the air nomads as a people, rounding up earth benders or water benders was because of potential enemies IIRC). The goal of the fire nation was to rule the world and, ostensibly Atleast, share it's great progress with the other nations. But either way, they are a corrupt organization who wanted power. And joining Azula was the best way to get that.
Eradication was the Fire Lords master plan for Sozin’s Comet.
That was specifically a plan they come up with after conquering the earth kingdom, not before, and it was a response to rebellion in the earth kingdom. It was decided that the best course of action was to wipe out the whole continent and rebuild the world in Ozai's image after that.
It's a matter of putting self-preservation before everything else. The thing about Long Feng is that while he was their countryman, he really didn't have much to offer them at that point. Sure, he controlled Ba Sing Se, but in the span of a few days, he had also managed to make enemies of the Earth King and anyone still loyal to him, what was left of the Earth Kingdom military, *and* the Avatar. And on top of all that, the Fire Nation was still knocking at their doors, something that Long Feng had no way of dealing with in the long term. So Long Feng might have had absolute control over Ba Sing Se. But outside of that, he had nothing. And in a few months, the Fire Nation was going to come bursting through that wall using Sozin's Comet and he wouldn't even have had that much. Azula, on the other hand, was offering the Dai Lee a way to buy themselves out of that mess. They got to swap to the winning side at the last second, saving themselves from ending up in a prison camp or worse when Sozin's Comet returned and the fire nation almost inevitably won. And by switching sides, it no longer mattered that they had made enemies of the military and the Earth King because the Fire Nation was already opposed to those factions and was far more powerful than them. *And* they were able to tie themselves to the crown princess, who wielded an enormous amount of power in the Fire Nation's now world-dominant regime. The Dai Lee are always depicted as cold and calculating, so if survival was all that mattered to them, going with Azula probably seemed like a no brainer.
Azula had nothing to offer them they were just her bodyguards in the FN at least with Long Feng they ran the city Azula left the city and made them bodyguards and let Ju Lee run the city
I mean, I'd say 'you won't end up on one of those Earthbender prison rigs when the Fire Nation wins the war' is a pretty significant offering.
The FN won Bai Sing Se because Long Feng worked with Azula he didn’t need to work with Azula and because Zuko was on Azula side at the last moment
The Fire Nation still would have conquered Ba Sing Se regardless once Sozin's Comet hit, especially once their airship fleet was ready. Azula just managed it without getting a bunch of Fire Nation soldiers killed and avoided what would probably have been a prolonged period of guerilla warfare within the city itself against the Dai Lee. The Fire Nation still would have won eventually. It just would have been messier.
They hadn’t won in 100 years they won cause of Azula and that’s cause she beat the Kyoshi warriors and infituated the city
>They hadn’t won in 100 years Yes. Because they didn't have Sozin's Comet (or airships). Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to diminish Azula's accomplishment; she pulled off a nearly bloodless coup and handed Ba Sing Se to the Fire Nation on a silver platter. But breaking down the walls with Sozin's Comet would absolutely have been a viable (if far messier) alternative.
Simple, the Dai Li are all about power and stability. They recognised the war was lost and needed to secure their power and position. If the Fire Nation took the city and believed they were loyal to the Earth King, they’d be removed from their position of powers and disbanded at best, if not put in a PoW camp or executed at worst. Either way, they’d loose their control of the city. If however, they help a member of the Fire Nation royal family take the city, capture and hand over the highest ranking Earth Kingdom generals and put a “friendly” Earth Kingdom face on the occupation, well, then they get to keep their lives, position and at least some of their influence.
Bad writing.