Several years before Avatar Korra came to Republic City, Lin Beifong caused damage to the island following her break up with Tenzin. Later, when Korra was in need of an airbending master, she moved to Air Temple Island to be taught the ancient art by Tenzin. For the Avatar's airbending training, Tenzin used the temple's airbending gates to teach her how to move like a true airbender and be able to switch direction at a moment's notice. This proved to be a real challenge for Korra, and she ended up destroying the two-thousand-year-old gates with firebending in frustration, though they were later repaired by the Air Acolytes.