Bato was born and raised in the Southern Water Tribe, and he was good friends with Hakoda. The two of them often played pranks on other members of the tribe and enjoyed spending time together. Bato left the Southern Water Tribe around 97 AG, along with the other men of soldiering age. Sometime after, Bato was badly burned by a Fire Nation soldier and brought to the abbey, where the sisters took care of him and nursed him back to health.