During his search for the Avatar, Zhao, a Commander at the time, traveled to the Pohuai Stronghold to request use of the Yuyan Archers in capturing Aang. At first, Colonel Shinu denied his request, calling Zhao's goal nothing but a vanity project, but when the commander was promoted to admiral status, Zhao ordered Shinu to release the archers to his cause. The archers quickly tracked down Aang while he was searching for a cure to a fever that Sokka and Katara had contracted. After capturing him, they detained Aang in the stronghold's prison, where Zhao taunted him and proclaimed victory before the fortress' defenders. However, this victory was short-lived as a mysterious masked bandit known as the Blue Spirit infiltrated the fortress and rescued Aang from Zhao's capture. However, the maske