Rough Screenplay Script for Unnamed Avatar Series Continuation

Opening: A girl's voice can be heard as images flash on the screen in this order.

Voice: Fire… A man's silhouette appears. He unleashes a short series of jabs with fire coming out of his fists, followed by a roundhouse kick that blocks the screen with fire.(00:06)

Voice: Air… The silhouettes of two children around the same height appear on air scooters. They flip over each other a few times then grab hold of each other's wrists and spiral to the top of the screen.(00:12)

Voice: Water… A girl's silhouette is seen. She does some impressive acrobatics on a pillar of ice while flourishing a stream of water over her head. The water freezes into several ice kunai that stick into the ground as the pillar melts and the wave blocks the screen. (00:19)

Voice: Earth… There are two silhouettes on either side of the screen. On the left side is a girl, and on the right, a boy. The boy is somewhat taller but not by much. The girl's eyes are glowing. They mirror each other's movements. They stomp the ground and three boulders come up and begin to revolve. The silhouettes run toward the screen bringing the rocks closer and they spin faster and faster until one moves in front of the screen and stays there. The voice continues. (00:26)

Voice: Every night the elders of my village tell stories about the Avatars and their adventures. Their triumphs, their struggles, and their friends. It has been almost 17 long years since Avatar Korra passed, and the next Avatar still has not been found. Every young earthbender dreams that it might just be them, but it never is. And although the world is at peace, it anxiously awaits the return of the Avatar. People are becoming paranoid, and nobody will admit it, but we all know; the peace cannot last forever… (01:04)

Book One: Family

Chapter One: Discoveries (01:08)

Setting: A calm forest. A few animals are grazing in a clearing. Birds can be heard all around. A herd of ostrich horses and a rabaroo look up as there is a rustling in the bushes. There is a short silence as the music builds. Then an eel hound jumps over a fallen tree and the animals scatter. He lands and a 16-year-old girl is seen riding him. She has long brown hair tied up in a bun with 3 braids coming out of it. There are two green chopsticks holding the bun together. She laughs as they run through the trees, dodging each one. They come to what appears to be a cliff and the eel hound jumps. They jump down to a progression of edges until there is a large rock that goes far out over the water. They run over the edge and dive in. they swim to the surface and the girl laughs again.

Avani: That was a great run, Gopan! I think we shaved some time off our record. (She looks up at the sky and sees the sun starting to slowly go down) It's getting a little late. I think we should head back to the village. Mom wants me home by sunset. (Gopan whines and gives her a sad look. Avani laughs again.) Alright, fine. One more run. But we need to hurry.

A while later, Avani rides Gopan up to the gates of her village. It's nearly sunset.

Avani: (whispering) Thanks for the lift, boy. (She dismounts and tosses him a treat. Then she scratches under his chin as he nudges her,) Go ahead back to the cave. (She runs off and waves.) I'll see ya tomorrow!

(Avani gets to her house and looks behind it to see the sun still setting. She smiles to herself and opens the door. Her mother is placing a few plates and a small pot of food on the table.)

Avani: Hey, Mom. I'm home.

Dhatri: I can see that. You're late.

Avani: Hey, you said to be home by sunset, and the sun is still setting, so technically, I'm still on time.

Dhatri: Avani, when I say "by sunset" I mean before sunset. Why are you so late anyway?

Avani: Well, Gopan wanted to run our trail again, only when we got out of the water we spooked Mrs. Lee's ostrich horses in the next town over… again. So we had to go round them up.

Dhatri: (*Sighs*) It never ends with you. Go wash up. Dinner's ready and your father should be home soon.

(Avani leaves the room and the door opens)

Hiresh: I'm home, Dhatri.

Dhatri: Hiresh, guess who spooked Mrs. Lee's ostrich horses for the third time this week?

Hiresh: Really? Again?

Dhatri: Mhm. And on top of that, she was late for the fifth night in a row.

(Avani comes back in the room and sits down)

Hiresh: Well the sun just set a second ago. I'd say she's right on time, if not early. (He winks at his daughter) You should really be more specific, dear.

Dhatri: And I wonder where she gets it from.

Hiresh: Loosen up, Dhatri. She'll be seventeen in two weeks.

Dhatri: Exactly. She's old enough to know when to be home by.

Hiresh: I got something for you. (He pulls a necklace out of his pocket.) It was tangled in one of our nets. Scared away most of the fish, but I thought you might like it. (He puts it on her.)

Dhatri: It's beautiful, Hiresh. Thank you. Dinner's ready. Go ahead and wash up.

(As Hiresh leaves a little girl, around 10 runs in.)

Ekta: Avani! Avani! Avani!

Dhatri: Slow down, Ekta!

Ekta: I think I almost have my back handspring perfect! Wanna see?

Avani: Sure.

Dhatri: Ekta, you just washed your hands.

Ekta: Mom-

Dhatri: Is it so wrong to want my family to avoid eating dirt with every meal?

Ekta: Dad says a little dirt is healthy.

Dhatri: Of course he thinks that. He's an earthbender.

(Dhatri brings more food to the table and sits down along with Ekta)

Ekta: Anyway, I think it'll be perfect by the time I go back to Kyoshi Island this summer. Anju will be so impressed. I just need a little more practice.

(Hiresh walks back in and sits down)

Hiresh: Speaking of practice, how's your earthbending coming along, Avani?

Avani: It hasn't been. Bhudev is a horrible teacher, and I never have time to practice. I have chores around here, and Gopan needs exercise, and Jaya has already covered my shift at the market eight times this month. Earthbending is hard already, but I'm learning it on my own! I can hardly lift just one small boulder. And I know what you're gonna say; "Bending is a part of who you are." But it's not the only part. I have other responsibilities.

Hiresh: You done? (She nods.) Okay then. What if I taught you?

Avani: I can't ask you to do that, dad. You already have two jobs.

Hiresh: I don't work on the ship tomorrow. I could teach you right after you come home from feeding Gopan.

Dhatri: That's a great idea, Hiresh. You could go to that valley we camped in last spring, it's perfect.

Avani: You can really teach me, Dad?

Hiresh: Of course. I'll even teach you a little in the yard after dinner.

Avani: That's great!

Dhatri: Now hold on-

Hiresh: It can't hurt to get in some extra practice, Dhatri.

Avani: Yeah, Mom. I really need it.

Dhatri: Fine. Just don't break any windows this time.

Avani: I'll try, but I'm not making any promises. (Off Dhatri's look.) What? I'm joking!

(Outside under a sort of porch light Hiresh makes a boulder in front of Avani)

Hiresh: Alright, show me what you can do so far. We'll build off of that.

Avani: Okay, then.

(Avani tries to lift the boulder it floats a few inches above the ground, starts to shake, and then falls. Avani is slightly out of breath)

Avani: That's about it. It's really heavy.

Hiresh: Bending isn't about strength. It's the use of mind… (Hiresh lifts the boulder) over matter. (He lets the boulder fall) Except while Earthbending, your will must be harder than the earth. Be more stubborn than it. So, (He walks over to his daughter and positions her.) build a strong foundation with your body… (She takes her stance) Good. Now, take a breath… and lift the boulder.

(The boulder hovers a lot higher over the ground this time, then Avani slowly lowers it to the ground.)

Hiresh: Great! You're a natural.

Avani: Well, you're a great teacher.

Hiresh: Thank you. I think that's enough for tonight. Let's go inside and help your Mother clean up from dinner.

(Later that night, in their room, Ekta is showing Avani her back handspring. Avani watches from her bed.)

Avani: Wow. It looks perfect, Ekta!

Ekta: Almost. I'm a little wobbly on the landing. It would throw me off in a fight, and it's way harder to do with my fans.

Avani: Don't be so hard on yourself. It looks great!

Ekta: What do you think, Bipin? (Ekta looks to a tiny pet meadow vole on her pillow.)

Avani: I still don't know why you keep him as a pet. He's so tiny.

Ekta: He's travel sized. Besides, good things come in small packages.

Avani: A package that small can't hold anything.

Ekta: He can still hear you, ya know.

Avani: Fine. Sorry, Bipin.

(Dhatri and Hiresh appear in the doorway)

Dhatri: Alright, girls. Lights out.

(They both come in and hug the girls)

Hiresh: Sweet dreams. We'll see you in the morning.

Avani and Ekta: Night, Dad.

(Dhatri starts to leave)

Dhatri: Night, girls.

Ekta: Wait, aren't you going to tell us a story?

Avani: Yeah, Mom.

Dhatri: Avani knows them better than I do. Besides, aren't you two getting a bit old for stories?

Avani: Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean we can't like them.

Ekta: And if Avani tries to tell them we'll be up all night trying to get all the details right.

Avani: That's true. I'm a horrible story-teller.

Dhatri: (Laughing.) Alright, fine. Which one do you want to hear?

Avani: How about Aang's first trip to the spirit world.

Ekta: Or when Toph joined their group.

Avani: Or Korra's first pro-bending match.

Ekta: And when Avatar Kuruk tried to kill Ko for stealing Ummi's face.

Avani: Yang-Chen defeating General Old Iron.

Ekta: Adventures of the Cabbage Merchant!

Dhatri: Stop. If I tell you all these stories, we'll be here for a month. Pick one.

Ekta: What about when Korra and everyone attack the giant Mech suit with the humming birds.

Avani: Hey, yeah. We haven't heard that one in a while.

Dhatri: Ok, then. Kuvira's spirit-vine Superweapon destroyed the factory with all the hummingbird mechs inside. Luckily nobody was hit by the beam, and the earthbenders kept them safe from the falling rubble.

(Camera cuts to Avani. She closes her eyes and falls asleep as Dhatri's voice becomes more and more inaudible. There are flashes of memories from Korra's life, not just from the story. The flashes go by faster and faster. There are also short flashes of Avani's future, but they go by too fast, so it is extremely difficult to make out what is shown. This sequence should last no more than 10 seconds.)

(The next day, Avani is with Gopan and she practices her Earthbending while he eats.)

Avani: Just a few minutes with my dad and I'm already getting better.

(The boulder Avani is practicing with slams down on the ground and Gopan gives an annoyed grunt.)

Avani: Alright, fine, Grumpy. I'll get out of your hair until you're done eating. I'll see ya after my lesson with dad.

(Avani heads back to the village. When she gets close, she stops. She smells the air and sees a plume of smoke in the sky.)

Avani: Smoke? (She runs further ahead until she can see the village in flames.) No... (Close scene.)(08:16)

(Reopen scene. Avani runs down the mountain trail to the village. There is a weathered ship in the harbor. Avani looks for her family. She sees a group of men she doesn't recognize. And she hides behind a half-burned building)

Kassuq: Waterbenders, go put out the fires. The rest of you guard the prisoners. Ryuu here will look for stragglers. (The men disperse. Then the man who spoke grabs the boy's shirt.) And don't disappoint me like last time, boy.

Ryuu: Aye, Captain.

(He throws the boy to the ground, and the boy runs off. The large man goes in a different direction. Avani sneaks around, trying to find the prisoners he was talking about. She runs into the boy. He points a knife at her and he looks afraid.)

Ryuu: Stop!

Avani: (Acting tough.) I- I don't wanna hurt you, kid. I have rocks and I'm not afraid to use 'em. (She regrets this immediately.)

Ryuu: (He looks sad.) You're a bender?

Kassuq: (From a distance.) Ryuu! Did you find something?

(Ryuu gets behind Avani, binds her hands quickly, and holds his knife to her throat. He takes the chopsticks out of her hair. Then he whispers in her ear.)

Ryuu: (Whispering.) Keep quiet and play along.

Avani: Wh-

Ryuu: (Whispering.) Trust me.

Kassuq: Where are you, boy?!

Ryuu: (Stepping out.) Here, Sir! I found this one trying to get away.

(Kassuq comes close to Avani's face and holds her chin.)

Kassuq: And who might this pretty young lady be?

Avani: (Still trying to act tough.) Who wants to know? (She can feel Ryuu's hand tighten on her arm, and he seems to be shaking.)

Kassuq: I am Captain Kassuq! (Gesturing to Ryuu.) I see you've met my crew.

Ryuu: She tried to attack me with these. (He hands him Avani's chopsticks.)

Kassuq: (Tossing them aside.) Useless trinkets. You couldn't have attacked my cabin boy with something a little more valuable?

Avani: (All her courage is gone.) You're pirates?

Kassuq: (Sarcastic.) Smart, this one. But what wasn't smart was running away, or attacking one of my men. You're lucky I'm in a good mood, sweetheart, or you'd be dead by now.

(Ryuu's hand seems to relax a little.)

Kassuq: Put her with the others and load the ship! We're ready to cast off.

(Ryuu walks away with Avani. They talk quietly.)

Avani: Why'd you do that?

Ryuu: I was trying to help.

Avani: You sure have a funny way of showing it.

Ryuu: You should be thanking me. If I let you go they would have found you and we'd both be dead.

Avani: How's that?

Ryuu: (Quickly.) It's complicated. (Sighs.) I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't do more.

(Ryuu and Avani continue walking in silence toward the weathered ship. He still is holding the knife to her throat but with the other hand he is loosening the rope he tied around her wrists. They board the ship and Ryuu guides her to the cargo hold and helps her down.)

Ryuu: (Quietly.) I'm Ryuu, by the way. Just thought you should know. (He lets her go and goes back up the stairs.)

Dhatri: Avani? Avani, Is that you?

Avani: Mom? (She turns around to see her mother and sister sitting.)

Dhatri: Avani?

Avani: (Running to them.)Mom, Ekta, you're okay!

Dhatri: Sweetheart, are you alright? They didn't hurt you?

Avani: No, I'm fine.

Dhatri: We thought we'd lost you.

Avani: I'm fine, Mom. (Looking around.) Where's Dad? I don't see him.

(Ekta starts crying and Dhatri's eyes are full of tears.)

Avani: Mom?

(Dhatri covers her face with her hands, which are chained in front of her, and slowly shakes her head. Avani is tearing up now. She shakes her mother.)

Avani: (Afraid.) Mom, where's Dad? (Screaming.) Mom! Mom!

(All three start sobbing. Avani hugs her mother and sister.)

(Avani is now re-bound in metal chains and is led out with her mother, sister, and the other villagers. It's very bright out and the sun is just starting to set. They all stand in lines and people are looking at them. They are being sold. Kassuq is talking with a man.)

Bhanu: And these are from how long ago?

Kassuq: Just this morning. You always get first pick, Bhanu. I value your, heh, business.

Bhanu: I see, and of course our arrangement couldn't have anything to do with that.

Kassuq: Never.

Bhanu: You should know better than to lie to me by now, my friend.

Kassuq: What can I say, Bhanu? I'm a pirate. It's when I stop lying that you should worry.

Bhanu: (Gesturing to five people.) These will do, and… (He thinks for a moment, then points to Avani.) That one.

Avani: What?

Kassuq: This one's difficult. She snuck away, then attacked Ryuu with a hair accessory.

Bhanu: You've sold me worse.

Kassuq: True, my friend. Heh, heh. Very true.

Ekta: Avani, no!

Kassuq: Load the ship, boys!

Dhatri: Avani!

Avani: Mom! Ekta!

Bhanu: Pack them in, will you?

Avani: (As a man pushes her toward a car.) No! Get off of me! Mom! Ekta!

Bhanu: And somebody, gag the girl.

(Avani continues to struggle as the men push her and gag her. Tears are streaming down her face. She can no longer see Ekta or her mother. Instead she sees Ryuu. Her pain reflects on his face. He turns and boards the ship as she is forced into the back of a covered truck and the doors slam shut.)

(Cut to Ryuu and Kassuq. Ryuu is furious and he storms in while Kassuq is counting his money.)

Ryuu: She had a family!

Kassuq: What are you blathering about now?

Ryuu: That girl! She had a family!

Kassuq: So did everyone else. What's your point? Would you rather I sell orphans? They're a hard thing to come by. Unless, of course, you'd rather I just make some more.

Ryuu: You could have at least kept them together!

Kassuq: That would've cost me business, which would cost me money, and cost me a lot more than you could possibly understand! You'd better learn to stomach these things, boy. The world is a harsh, cruel place, and the only way to get ahead is to be a cheater, or a fool! And I'm not raising my sister's boy to be a fool! Life isn't fair, Ryuu! Get used to it! Is that clear?

Ryuu: (Hurt.) Aye, Sir.

Kassuq: Good. Now get out.

(Ryuu leaves the room. We see him at the back of the ship watching the dust cloud Bhanu's truck kicks up as it disappears across the distance. Picture switches to view Avani inside the truck with the others who were bought. She has pulled the gag out of her mouth and now just looks down at her chained hands.)

Jaya: Avani? Is that you?

Avani: Jaya?

Jaya: I thought you were a bender. Why are you here? How did you survive?

Avani: It's a long story.

Jaya: Um… (Looks around.) I think we got time.

Avani: (Annoyed.) Then I'll switch my answer to "I don't want to talk about it."

Jaya: Hey, None of us like this situation any more than you do. Okay? I was just wondering what made you so special that you survived what happened.

Avani: You first!

Jaya: (Angrily.) Alright. I'm not a bender! Your turn!

Avani: Wait, what do you mean?

Jaya: (Still mad.) You don't know? When those pirates came, they found all the benders and killed them! (In tears now.) They took my brother and my aunt. And now I have no idea where the rest of my family is going to end up!

Avani: (Quietly.) All of them? I thought it was just the ones who fought back.

Jaya: Well, you thought wrong.

(Silence. Then the man next to Avani speaks.)

Man: So, how did you survive?

Avani: I don't know. I left sort of early that morning to go feed Gopan. And when I came back, everything was on fire. I ran in to try to find my family, but then that kid caught me, and he found out I was a bender, but he didn't tell them for some reason.

Man: (Nodding.) That's some luck.

Avani: When he took me to the ship, he said "I'm sorry I couldn't do more." I guess now, I know what he meant. (Close scene.) (14:52)

(Reopen scene. The doors open and Avani is led out with the others. It's dark. There is a forest on all sides of them and they are led into a large building. They are led through the winding halls, at one point passing a platform overlooking a large room filled with people working on what seems to be an assembly line.)

Guard: This is where you will be spending the majority of your time. And for those of you with a shred of hope that you might escape still alive, I advise you to forget that hope now. Sentries are posted outside and we have trained squads of chi blockers to immobilize anyone lucky enough to make it past ten feet. There will be no escape.

(The guard walks forward again, and Avani is shoved from behind to move with the group. They are led to the "Workers' Dorms" and the five people Avani came with are forced into a large room with rows and rows of bunks stacked on top of each other. Avani starts to go in with the others, but a guard stops her.)

Guard: Hold on, kid. (He slams the door to the room.) You're not going in there.

Avani: Then where am I going?

Guard: We've got special rooms for people like you.

(Avani is led to a small dank room down the hall. The guard takes off her restraints and shoves her inside. She lands on the ground and looks up at him.)

Guard: Let's see you cause trouble in here. (He slams the door shut, and his footsteps can be heard as he walks away.)

Avani: I'll try. (She runs her hand along the stone wall.) I really hope this leads outside. (She gets into an earthbending stance, takes a deep breath, and punches the wall. Nothing happens.) Ow! (She shakes her hand out.) Okay, let's try that one more time. Strong foundation, (Takes her stance) check. Breath, (Another deep breath) check. (She puts her hands on the wall.) Please work. (She pushes on the wall and it gives. There is a small hole in the wall, just big enough to crawl through. She celebrates quietly.) Yes! (Avani crawls through the hole and replaces the part that fell out.)

(Setting: Night. There is a clear sky and the full moon is shining brightly, casting an eerie and beautiful light on the open area. It's cold, and the characters' breath can be seen. Avani tries to stay in the shadows and makes a break for the dirt road the truck came on. She is almost there when a large fire ball blocks her path, and she is knocked to the ground. An alarm sounds. The firebender sentry starts to run after her and he chases her into the forest. He unleashes a series of fire blasts and Avani dodges them weaving in and out through the trees. The sentry throws another blast at her. Avani dodges but she falls and rolls down a steep hill. She is covered with cuts and bruises, and her hair is frayed. She comes to a stop on the shore of a small lake. The moonlight dances on the surface of the water. The sentry slides down the hill. He reaches the bottom and walks menacingly toward her. He stops a few paces away, and gets ready to deliver the final blow. Avani raises her arms in defense, and closes her eyes as the sentry throws a fireball at her.)

(Camera shows extreme close up of Avani's eyes as she opens them. Camera widens perspective slowly to show a wall of ice in front of Avani. There is a shocked look on both of their faces. The sentry recovers first and he throws fire at the wall at 2 second intervals trying to melt it. Avani recovers and stands up. She pushes the sentry back with the ice wall and lets it melt. He tries to advance toward her, but she pushes him back with another blast of water. Camera focuses on her. There is a determined gleam in her eye as she sends blast after blast of water at the sentry. Cut back to a shot over her shoulder to view the sentry in a giant ball of water. He tries to escape, and bubbles are escaping from his mouth. His movements grow slower and weaker until he stops moving all together. Avani loses her focus and the water splashes to the ground as the sentry falls in a heap. Avani is knocked over by the water and looks at the man lying on the ground. She crawls forward to him, afraid. He doesn't appear to be breathing, and Avani scrambles away from him in horror. She sits there for a moment, amazed. Then tears come to her eyes as she stands and runs away from the clearing. She runs through the forest blindly, stumbling a few times. Then, she is ambushed by chi blockers. She tries to waterbend at them, managing a small stream. She is immobilized and she blacks out.)

(Back at Avani's village, the camera shows her chopsticks on the ground. Gopan's nose appears from off screen as he smells them. The camera cuts to a wide shot overlooking the village from above as Gopan's lonely howl is heard. Cut to black.)