[General Fong and his men are attacking Aang in attempt to force him into the Avatar State. Katara attacks some of the Earthbenders with her waterbending]
FFong
[to Aang] Maybe you can avoid me... but she can't. [Katara launches a water attack at Fong, but he deflects it with earth and causes her to sink into the ground up to her knees]
[angrily and frightened] Don't hurt her! [He airbends at Fong, who deflects it]
[He tries to help her, but Fong uses earthbending to knock him off his ostrich-horse]
[grabs Fong's arm] Stop this! You have to let her go!
FFong
You could save her if you were in the Avatar State!
[tearfully] I'm trying! I'm trying!
Aang, I'm sinking! [She sinks up to her waist]
FFong
I don't see any glowing! [he sinks Katara up to her neck]
You don't have to do this!
FFong
Apparently... I do. [He closes his fist, and Katara is buried completely; Aang leaps to pull her out, but is too late. Enraged, he turns towards Fong, his tattoos and eyes glowing, indicating that he has entered the Avatar State] It worked! It worked! [His expression turns to fear as a massive cyclone begins to form around Aang]
Zuko, remember that plant that I thought might be tea?
I did. [Iroh turns around to reveal his red, swollen face which he is scratching] And it wasn't.
When the rash spreads to my throat, I will stop breathing. But look what I found! These are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the white jade plant. That, or macahoni berries that cause blindness.
We're not taking any more chances with these plants! We need to get help.
But where are we going to go? We're enemies of the Earth Kingdom, and fugitives from the Fire Nation.
If the Earth Kingdom discovers us, they'll have us killed.
But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we'll be turned over to Azula.
[Both look at one another and nod]
[The little baby begins teething on Sokka's boomerang. Sokka takes it away.]
No! Bad Fire Nation baby! [The baby starts cries, Katara hits Sokka in the head.] Oh, alright. [He gives his boomerang back to the baby to teeth on it. Katara hugs him from behind.]
[baby voice] Ooh, you're so cute. Mmm... [cut to resistance leader Yung observing the baby.]
YYung
Sure, he's cute now... but when he's older, he'll join the Fire Nation army. You won't think he's so cute then. He'll be a killer.
[picks up the baby to Yung] Does that look like the face of a killer to you?
[after escaping from Azula, Aang confronts King Bumi inside a metal coffin about why he surrendered]
I don't understand. Why didn't you free yourself? Why did you surrender when Omashu was invaded? What's the matter with you, Bumi?!
[calmly] Listen to me, Aang. There are options in fighting called jing. It's a choice of how you direct your energy.
I know! [counts with two fingers] There's positive jing when you're attacking, and negative jing when you're retreating.
And neutral jing, when you do nothing!
[suddenly surprised] There are three jings?
Well, technically there are eighty-five, but let's just focus on the third. Neutral jing is the key to earthbending. It involves listening and waiting for the right moment to strike.
That's why you surrendered, isn't it?
Yes, and it's why I can't leave now. [Aang sadly turns around, feeling disappointed]
I guess I need to find someone else to teach me earthbending.
Your teacher will be someone who has mastered neutral jing. You need to find someone who waits and listens before striking. [Momo lands on Aang's shoulders]
Momo's mastered a few jings himself! [Momo screeches loudly at Bumi] Goodbye, Aang. I'll see you when the time is right.
HHuu
[about the great banyan tree] See, this whole swamp is actually just one tree spread out over miles. Branches spread and sink, take root, and spread some more... One big living organism, just like the entire world.
I get how the tree is one big thing, but the whole world?
HHuu
Sure. You think you're any different from me, or your friends, or this tree? If you listen hard enough, you can hear every living thing breathing together. You can feel everything growing. We are all living together, even if most folks don't act like it. We all have the same roots, and we are all branches of the same tree.
But what did our visions mean?
HHuu
In the swamp, we see visions of people we've lost, people we loved, folks we think are gone. But the swamp tells us they're not. We're still connected to 'em. Time is an illusion, and so is death.
But what about my vision? It was someone I had never met.
HHuu
You're the Avatar. You tell me.
[contemplates] Time is an illusion... So, it's someone I will meet.
[Toph and Iroh begin to share a conversation over tea on a rocky hilltop]
People see me and think I'm weak. They want to take care of me, but I can take care of myself, by myself.
You sound like my nephew, always thinking you need to do things on your own, without anyone's support. There is nothing wrong with letting the people who love you help you. Not that I love you, I just met you.
[laughs] So where is your nephew?
I've been tracking him, actually.
[looks away; slightly sad] Yes, a little bit. [cuts to shot of the rocky ledge where the two sit, the mountain region in the background] His life has recently changed and he's going through very difficult times. He's trying to figure out who he is and he went away.
So now you're following him.
I know he doesn't want me around him right now, but if he needs me, I'll be there.
Your nephew is very lucky, even if he doesn't know it. [gets up to leave] Thank you.
My pleasure. Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights.
[happily] No, thank you for what you said. It helped me.
I'm glad. [Toph rises to leave, but turns around briefly]
Oh, and about your nephew... Maybe you should tell him that you need him, too.
[Sokka is buried in the earth and a hippo comes running with an apple in its mouth]
Hey! Looks like my karma is already paying off.
[Hippo rolls the apple but not within range of Sokka's hands or mouth]
Sokka [Elated]: That's okay. I got it.
[Sokka struggles to move hands but boomerang instead falls out off his bag]
Sokka [after 10 second pause and annoyed]: Now come back, boomerang.
[drawing the Fire Nation symbol in the sand before Zuko] Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want. [draws the Earth Kingdom symbol] Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring. [draws the Air Nomads symbol] Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor! [grins]
[Zuko stares blankly at Iroh]
[continuing, drawing the Water Tribe symbol] Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything.
Why are you telling me these things?
It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations, will help you become whole.
All this "Four Elements" talk is sounding like Avatar stuff.
It is the combination of the four elements within one person that makes the Avatar so powerful. But, it can make you more powerful, too. [prods him in the chest with his staff] You see, the technique I am about to teach you is one I learned by studying the Waterbenders.
[Aang confronts a group of sandbenders, including the ones who stole Appa]
You tell me where he is, now!
[He obliterates one of the sand-sailers with airbending]
SMSha-Mo
[sternly, to his son] What did you do?!
You said to put a muzzle on him!
[enraged] You muzzled Appa?!
[Aang enters the Avatar State; he smashes another of the sand-sailers]
GGashiun
I'm sorry! I didn't know it belonged to the Avatar!
[shouts with the voices of past Avatars] TELL ME WHERE APPA IS!
GGashiun
I-I traded him, to some merchants! He's... probably in Ba Sing Se by now. They were gonna sell him there. [Aang's glowing eyes narrow] Please, we'll escort you out of the desert! We'll help however we can!
[A cyclone erupts around Aang, obscuring everything. Sokka grabs Toph's arm]
[to the sandbenders] Just get out of here! RUN!
[Everyone flees from Aang, except Katara. As he rises off the ground, she approaches him and grabs his arm; he stares down at her, his face contorted with rage and grief. Katara pulls him back down to the ground. As the winds begin to die down, Sokka sees tears running from Aang's eyes as Katara hugs him]
Well, no offense to you simple country folk, but a real society crowd would spot you from a mile away. You've got no manners.
Excuse me? I've got no manners? You're not exactly lady fancy fingers.
[burps] I learned proper society behavior and chose to leave it. You never learned anything. And frankly, it's a little too late.
Ah-Ha, but you learned it. You could teach us.
Yeah, I'm mastering every element. How hard could manners be? [grabs a nearby curtain and drapes it around himself like a robe, and begins talking in a very sophisticated manner] Good evening, Mr. Sokka Watertribe. Ms. Katara Watertribe. Lord Momo of the Momo Dynasty, your Momo-ness.
[in a fancy accent] Avatar Aang how you do go on!
[Both of them take turns bowing then try to bow at the same time, but they knock each other's foreheads' together and fall backward]
Katara might be able to pull it off, but you two would be lucky to pass as busboys.
Why won't you let us talk to the King?! We have information that could defeat the Fire Nation!
The Earth King has no time to get involved in political squabbles and the day-to-day minutia of military activities.
This could be the most important thing he's ever heard!
What's most important to His Royal majesty is maintaining the cultural heritage of Ba Sing Se. All his duties relate to issuing decrees on such matters. It's my job to oversee the rest of the city's resources... including the military.
So the King is just a figurehead.
Oh, no, no! His majesty is an icon, a god to his people. He can't sully his hands with the hourly changes of an endless war.
But we found out about a solar eclipse that will leave the Fire Nation defenseless! You could lead an invasion-
[stands up] Enough. I don't want to hear your ridiculous plan. It is the strict policy of Ba Sing Se, that the war not be mentioned inside these walls. [As he speaks, the Dai Li take Jet to a secret facility] Constant news of an escalating war will throw the citizens of Ba Sing Se into a state of panic.
[as the Dai Li strapped him into a chair] You have to believe me! They're Firebenders! They won't stop until they win the war!
[to Jet] Calm down. You're safe now. [a light begins rotating in front of Jet at eye level]
Our economy would be ruined. Our peaceful way of life, our traditions, would disappear.
[to Jet] There's no war in Ba Sing Se.
What are you talking about?! Where do you think all the refugees come from? You can't hide it! [The Dai Li gag him as the light continues to rotate]
In silencing talk of conflict, Ba Sing Se remains a peaceful, orderly utopia... the last one on Earth.
[to Jet, muffled] There is no war within the walls. Here, we are safe. Here, we are free.
You can't keep the truth from all these people. They have to know!
I'll tell them! I'll make sure everyone knows
Until now, you've been treated as our honored guest. But from now on, you will be watched by Dai Li agents. If you mention the war to anyone, you will be expelled from the city. I understand you've been looking for your bison? It would be quite a shame if you were unable to complete your quest. [Aang glares at him] Now, Joo Dee will show you home.
[A different young woman enters, with an equally blank smile on her face, startling Team Avatar]
YWYoung Woman
Come with me, please.
What happened to Joo Dee?
YWYoung Woman
I'm Joo Dee. I'll be your host as long as you're in our wonderful city.
