The War of the Water Tribes is over. Unalaq has been defeated, and the Northern Fleet is returning home. The Water Tribes will always be allies, but the Southern Tribe is now independent, and the Southern Council of Elders has appointed my father, Tonraq, to be your new chief!
I've realized that even though we should learn from those who came before us, we must also forge our own path. So that is why I have decided to keep the portals open. Humans can now physically enter the Spirit World and spirits will be free to roam our world. I will no longer be the bridge. Humans and spirits must learn to live together. My mission will always be to use Raava's light spirit to guide the world toward peace and balance. Harmonic Convergence has caused a shift in the planet's energy. I can feel it. Things will never be the same again. We are entering a New Age.
(amused) You must be at the end of your rope; you hate meditating.
(stands up, sadly) I thought that, if I really tried, I might be able to contact my past Avatars- someone who knows something to help me! But I can't. They're gone, and I'm all alone. (glances at Tenzin) Did I ruin everything by leaving the Spirit Portals open?
You didn't ruin anything. You did what you thought was best for the world, and now things have changed. Change can be good or bad, depending on your point of view.
(sighs) I know the people's point of view- it's bad.
You're not the President, Korra. Your job isn't to fix the daily problems of every person in Republic City. Your responsibility is to bring balance to the entire world- and that means, no matter what you do, some people are not going to be happy about it.
(sits next to her) On the other hand, some people will be very happy. Like me. What you did during Harmonic Convergance may have brought back the Air Nation. And that can only be good, for restoring balance. That is the act of a great Avatar.
It's scary. I have all this power, and all these people depending on me... but, I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing half the time! It seems like I should be... wiser.
True wisdom begins when we accept things as they are. You started a new age, Korra. There's no going back to the past.
RReporter
Mr. President, are you concerned that your approval ratings are now nearly as low as the Avatar's? Have you seen today's headline? It says, "Raik-oh-no! Polls pan Prez plans!"
I'm not concerned with snappy putdowns in the press. I'm facing this calamity just like every other citizen. There's a tree growing right through my office! You think I'm not doing everything I can to get rid of it?
[Korra arrives on her glider]
R1Reporter 1
Avatar Korra! Do you regret the way you handled the Unalaq crisis?
R2Reporter 2
Why are your forcing the integration of spirits in Republic City?
Listen, I've been trying everything I can think of to get rid of these vines, but-
R3Reporter 3
Why can't you fix this!!?
R4Reporter 4
Are the vines here to stay?
R5Reporter 5
Is this part of your new world order?
Look! Harmonic Convergence was just a couple weeks ago. I just need a little more time to get everything back to normal.
The Avatar has put us all in a very difficult position, but my administration-
[sarcastically] Oh, I'm sorry! Did I put you in a difficult position by fighting the giant force of pure evil that was going to destroy the whole world?! Maybe your administration could've handled that!
[Lin comes between them]
That's all! No more questions!
GGuard
You know the drill, Zaheer.
Of course. (he stands, puts his hands on his head, and faces the wall)
GGuard
[puts down the food tray] Hope you still like rice.
Have you ever read the poetry of the great airbending Guru, Laghima?
Guru Laghima lived 4000 years ago in the Northern Air Temple. It is said that he unlocked the secrets of weightlessness and became untethered from the earth, living his final 40 years without ever touching the ground.
GGuard
(smirks) Is that how you plan to escape, with something you picked up from an old airbender childrens story?
Like all great children's tales, it contains truth within the myth. Laghima once wrote, "Instinct is a lie, told by a fearful body, hoping to be wrong."
GGuard
What's that supposed to mean?
It means, that when you base your expectations only on what you see, you blind yourself to the possibilities of a new reality.
[Zaheer airbends and catches the guard on the bars with his hands, grabbing him by the throat]
[to the other Firebending guards] Ah,ah,ah. You wouldn't wanna singe your friend, would you?
GGuard
How?! You're not a bender!
Nature is constantly changing. Like the Wind.
Now you might wanna ration that bowl of rice; you've got three weeks until the next shift change. It's the dawning of a new age, the end of the White Lotus... and soon, the end of the Avatar.
[After Kuon refuses to become an Air Nomad]
In my head I saw that playing out very differently.
Maybe we should have stayed and tried harder to convince him to join us.
Or we could've thrown him into a potato sack and forced him into the ship.
That's how they got me to join the United Forces.
No, we can't coerce people. [pause] Or throw them in potato sacks. They must come freely. But not to worry, there are plenty of other airbenders out there who will be happy to come with us once they find out what the Air Nation's all about.
[cut to a montage of Tenzin trying to convince various people]
[to a mother] When your son becomes a master, he'll get tattoos all over his body, just like me.
[to a fat man eating meat] There's nothing more nutritious than our vegetarian diet.
[to a fashionable lady] I can tell that you're going to love wearing our ancient airbender robes. They're very breathable.
[in a speed montage] You'll never have to worry about your worldly possessions again because you won't have any. [door slams shut] You'll get to shave your head! [door slams shut] Your best friend will be a giant bison!
[back in the airship] I really thought I had that last guy. Who doesn't want a bison as their best friend?
WLWhite Lotus Sentry
They came out of nowhere. I'm so sorry, Lord Zuko.
ZZuko
How could you let this happen?
WLWhite Lotus Sentry
They caught us by surprise. And Zaheer is an airbender now.
ZZuko
No! This can't be. Do you have any idea the power these criminals possess? Individually, they can take down any bender. Put them all together, they could take down the entire world. And now you're telling me their leader is an airbender?
WLWhite Lotus Sentry
We can track them...
ZZuko
We don't need to track them. I know exactly where they're going. Notify the new chiefs of the Northern Water Tribe that an attack on their prison is imminent. And send word to Lin Beifong in Republic City. The Avatar must be protected.
WLWhite Lotus Sentry
Where are you going?
Your majesty, may I present Avatar Korra.
[shouting at her servants] You're ruining the koi pond! It's completely overshadowed by the topiaries! Guards, take that buffoon away and get me someone who knows what they're doing! You! Rip everything out and start over! I am surrounded by idiots. [notices Korra] So I finally get a visit from the Avatar. Let me guess, you want something.
Well, actually, your majesty, I was hoping you could...
I hardly think you're in a position to ask me for favors after everything the last Avatar did to the Earth Kingdom. He and Fire Lord Zuko took advantage of my father's weakness, and stole our lands to make their own little empire. The United Republic is Earth Kingdom territory.
Well, I-I'm not sure what I can do about that.
Not that you care, but what's left of my kingdom is falling to ruin. Roving bands of barbarians are raiding villages in the countryside, and now, some of my subjects are refusing to pay their taxes.
I'm very sorry for your troubles, but actually...
[at her servants] That topiary is supposed to be an eel-swan, not a turtle-duck!
Whew, I'm getting hungry. [gasps] We might have to hustle up a little breakfast with the old fruit stand scam. Come on. You remember how it goes. I push you into the stand, you scream, I pretend to faint.
I don't want any part of this. Besides, look at this fruit. It's disgusting. We don't want to steal this.
TTu
Hey, you trying to steal my fruit?
No, I just said I don't want any of this rotten fruit.
TTu
Oh, you too good for my fruit? This is the best fruit on the block.
So you want me to steal it?
TTu
Just try it, buddy. [Flexes his arm muscle, kisses it] Go ahead.
I'm confused. Are we stealing the fruit or not?
TTu
I knew it, thieves! [tackles Mako and Bolin]
Why didn't anyone tell us we have a secret prison we could have been throwing people in?
I'd like to put my tailor in here. He never gets my cuffs right. They're so creasy.
ZZuko
We built this place secretly with your father to hold a very special prisoner. She's a powerful firebender named P'Li who can create explosions with her mind. Ironically, I hired a guy with a similar ability to kill the Avatar myself once. [awkward pause] Didn't work.
Don't feel bad. I tried to kill Korra after she ruined my wedding. It happens.
Let's just focus on keeping this woman in prison.
[they enter the prison]
ZZuko
The intense cold prevents her from firebending.
There's certainly no way anyone's breaking out of here.
ZZuko
That's what we thought about the other three prisons.
[shivering] Must be something exciting going on. No one interesting has visited me in 13 years.
He's out, isn't he? Mmm, I'm feeling warmer already.
Your majesty, the Avatar has returned with the tax payments.
Finally. Secure it in the vault.
It's being done as we speak.
So now, your majesty, if I could start meeting some of the airbenders here in the city.
The Dai Li thoroughly searched the city, but it seems your reports were incorrect. There are no airbenders in Ba Sing Se. So you can gather your little band and be on your way tomorrow.
You make me do your dirty work extorting your own citizens for your stupid palaces and topiaries, and then you just want to send me away? We're not going anywhere until we find some airbenders! We know there are some here!
This isn't over! I'm going to find the airbenders!
Mako! Bolin! You're okay. Where have you been?
We chased Kai... Train... Slipped away... Lower ring... Slept in trash pile... Met our family... Grandma, tears... Mako's scarf... Earth queen lying.
The Earth Queen's been secretly taking airbenders and forcing them into her army.
She was lying. I knew it I swear, the next time I see her...
I just got word from Lord Zuko and Tonraq.
Why is Lord Zuko with my dad?
Zaheer and the others have escaped.
Because Zaheer is an airbender now.
All right, hold on. Will you quit ignoring me and tell me what's going on? Who's Zaheer? Why is my life in danger?
Shortly after we found out you were the Avatar, Zaheer and three others attempted to kidnap you. Luckily, your father, Lord Zuko, Chief Sokka, and I were there to stop them. We apprehended the criminals and locked them away in prisons designed to impair their abilities.
So that's why you and my dad sheltered me away.
It was for your own safety.
Why were they trying to kidnap Korra?
We spent 13 years interrogating them, but they never broke. To this day, no one knows what their motive was.
