[after Aang is captured in chains by the Fire Nation, he is confronted by Admiral Zhao]
ZhaoSo this is the great Avatar, master of all the elements. I don't know how you managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years, but your little game of hide-and-seek... is over.
[angrily] I've never hidden from you. Untie me and I'll fight you right now!
Zhao
Uhh, no. [acts smarmy] Tell me, how does it feel to be the only Airbender left? Do you miss your people? [Aang looks down sadly] Oh, don't worry. You won't be killed like they were. [Aang snaps angrily again] See, if you die, you'll just be reborn, and the Fire Nation will have to begin its search for the Avatar all over again. So I'll keep you alive... but just barely.
[As he leaves the room, Aang airbends with his breath, knocking Zhao off his feet]
Zhao
[angrily] Blow all the wind you want! Your situation is futile. There is no escaping this fortress, and no one is coming to rescue you.
[Zhao has captured Tui the Moon Spirit in a bag, causing the Moon to turn red and the Waterbenders to lose their power.]
Zhao
[to his guards] I am a legend, now! The Fire Nation will, for generations, tell stories about the great Zhao, who darkened the moon. They will call me Zhao the Conqueror, Zhao the Moon Slayer, Zhao the Invincible! [Momo suddenly lands on Zhao's face and starts pulling on his sideburns] Ugh! Get it off, get it off!
Zhao
Don't bother. [he raises his fist, aiming at Tui]
[drops his staff] Zhao! Don't.
Zhao
It's my destiny: to destroy the Moon, and the Water Tribe.
Destroying the Moon won't hurt just the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone... including you. Without the Moon, everything will fall out of balance! You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world!
Zhao
General Iroh. Why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?
[sharply] I'm no traitor, Zhao. The Fire Nation needs the Moon, too! We all depend on the balance. [takes up a fighting stance] Whatever you do to that Spirit, I'll unleash on you tenfold! Let it go, NOW!
[Zhao reluctantly returns Tui to its pool, then yells in fury and Firebends, killing Tui and causing the Moon to vanish. Iroh yells in rage and attacks Zhao and his guards with Firebending; he easily defeats all four of the guards, while Zhao runs away. Aang and his friends watch, stunned, as Iroh picks up Tui's body.]
...There's no hope now. It's over.
[Aang enters the Avatar State]
[speaking with the voices of all past Avatars]... No. It's not over.
[Aang steps into the Spirit Oasis, fusing with La, the spirit of the Ocean.]
[having dodged a series of blasts from Zhao on several ships] You've lost this battle.
Zhao
[enraged disbelief] Are you crazy? You haven't thrown a single blow!
No, but you have [he gestures around, all the boats are on fire and sinking] Jeong Jeong said you had no restraint.
Zhao
This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh. Just think, centuries from now people will study the great Admiral Zhao, who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe Civilisation. You're lucky you're here to see it.
Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects.
Zhao
I suppose you speak from experience. But rest assured this will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba Sing Se.
[solemnly] I hope not, for your sake.
Avatar: The Last Airbender · 494 quotes
