Avatar Exposed!
~ This is a fan-fiction written as if an expose journal show of the Avatar. Only in reference to Avatar: the Last Air Bender, Aang.
~ I do not own Avatar, or any of the characters.
(Fade in on the face of talk-show-host, cookie cutter hair and clean-cut, everywhere-nowhere look. He smiles, that too big, too friendly smile.)
"Thank you viewer for tuning in. I will expose the truth."
"The truth that the Avatar is a fraud!"
"We have all been told lies, and believed them."
"Why can we not bend more than one element? Because we believe the lies that we can't!"
"Don't believe me? Here's the proof." (Picture of sand-benders, fill the screen behind him.)
"Sand-benders: are they not simply earth and air benders? Let's review the clips." (Video of the sand-benders using dust devils to move about. Another clip of them hardening the sand to trap people.) "See proof of air and earth being used together by one person. This is not an avatar, simply a group of people that needed to develop skills to survive in their environment."
"Not proof enough for you? And after all the Sand-benders can't do isolated skills, but has anyone ever tried to learn? Has anyone ever tried to teach these nomads? Have earth-benders ever tried to bend sand?"
"Not convinced? An Isolated instant you claim. What of the Swamp-benders? Are they not a combination of water and earth benders? Watch carefully..." (clip of the mud/plant monster, pause). "See this is in direct homage to the ice-golem that the water-benders use, right down to the shape." (Un-pause the clip) "See the movements, similar in every way. But here is the best," (toss a mud ball). "There! Did you see, replay that for these nice people," (replays the clip of throwing mud). "That is text book earth-bender. You make that solid and it would be a boulder toss, no doubt."
"If that is not enough we have rare footage of Katara, yes the Water-bender bride of the avatar, making her own swamp suit here. A water-bender, making a suit of mud armour." (crowd murmurs)
"Dear people, we'll be right back."
(Commercial Break – Add for the Ba Sing Sai Spa
"Come be treated like a lady," Images of beautiful ladies relaxing. "Our spa offers the latest in beauty treatments to reveal the inner you," Pictures of mud baths, pedicures, hair salon performing make-overs on wealthy looking clients. "Come relax with us." Flash facility image and contact information.)
"Welcome back, my loyal viewers. Today we are talking about the Avatar. He is a fraud. He is no more special than any other bender. We've seen that, Sand-benders and Swamp-benders have some control over two elements. And if the Avatar is the master of all benders, why are these sub-bender groups ignored in the incarnations?"
"I'll tell you nice people, because they are just like him."
"And what about other quasi-element benders? The Lightning-benders, are they really just an extreme Fire-bender?"
"Heck, a fire-bender, the great general Iroh, he was able to adapt a water-bender move to discharge the lightning. More proof, that when needed, even enemies can learn skills from another element."
"And Lava bender is it not just earth and fire bending combined!" (Show clip of un-named bender lava bending). "Which moves like water! A rare skill, one that has not been taught to many." Stands and walks over to a screen. Pointing at the image of Toph. "The avatar-companion Toph, discovered and is now teaching Metal-bending. This previously unknown quasi-element, even unremarkable benders can master." (Shows clips of training from the metal-benders.)
"We are no longer in a time of myth. We have reason and understanding. We know of inherited traits, like hair or eyes, or powers such as bending. Mixed families could have a bender of either parent, we know that. We've seen that! In fact, we have seen that the child can be influenced by the desire of the parent, even when not particularly talented." (Coughs, Zuko)
"So I pose this to you, if one had mixed parents could you not learn both? If you are inclined, and as seen with the fire nation, Benders can be induced. So if someone is inclined, and has the right direction, anyone can be an Avatar."
"I know; I know... what about the past lives? The re-incarnations of past Avatar."
"To get the "avatar" to first enter the state to meet his former selves, they are put in to a deep trance. The same thing they do when hypnotising people. We all know the story of Avatar, we expect to see them, thus the "Avatar" does!"
"I mean, after all, are we all not reincarnations? Have you meditated? I haven't. But if I did, I'd want my past self to be some famous historical figure. Wouldn't we all? I mean you hear tell of past lives and they are always former famous people."
"After the commercial break, we will examine if an Avatar is even needed in the modern age. "
(commercial break – Fire nation, beach resort vacation;
"The jewel of the Fire Nation, now open to all nations." Images of warm sandy beaches, and scantily clad good looking people. "Come and relax, enjoying the sun, sand and warmth of the Embers Island coast." Pictures of a great near palace like building. "Our spacious facility has all the comforts of home," Show off plush bedrooms. "And daily entertainment." Image of Ty Lee walking on her hands, and waving at the camera. "Join us." A flash of the island and the contact information.)
"Welcome back."
"Before the break, the thought if there is a need for the Avatar. Had we sat down and talked, we could have banded together and stopped a hundred year war. Saved countless lives. Our own prejudices kept us apart, because we believed that we needed the Avatar to bring peace."
"There were a number of powerful benders, and valiant none benders in the battle for freedom. It was the joint effort, not a lone person, that won the war. So did we really need this supposed master bender, master of all the elements?"
"I say no. That the ability to end the war did not come from some mythical Avatar, it was from every person that wanted the war to end. Heck, it was the machines of war that gave the fire nation the advantage at first, and the power over the benders, giving it to non-benders. So, do we even need benders?"
"I don't mean to execute them. But why should we bow to them? Be treated as less, simply because they are benders and we aren't? Ridiculous!"
"I'm sorry my loyal friends, we are out of time today. Remember, together we are strong."
Fade out.
Love it? Hate It? Please read and review...