(Concrit is welcome and appreciated)
...
BLACK SCREEN
Unseen, there are the indistinct noises of many people being respectfully quiet or whispering in low tones. Then the sound of an iron bell begins, such as one might hear in a temple. There are four clangs, then silence filled with the sound of a hushed crowd.
TENZIN
(unseen)
The Avatar is dead. The Avatar is reborn!
MAIN TITLE
EXT. NORTHERN OCEAN - PINE FOREST COAST - DAY
Open on a frigid ocean under grey skies. In the distance is the mainland with snowcapped mountains and pine forests.
The scene shifts and the mainland is now closer. A boat, about 150 feet long, is under way and heading horizontal to the coast. The design and technology would put it at home in the 1910's and has clearly seen hard years of service. A whale spout blows in the distance.
Shot from above, a huge shadow in the shape of a whale passes underneath the boat. Then the shadow starts to glow with stripes and spots of bioluminescence in pink and green, showing that the whale-creature has four flippers in addition to its tail. This is the first indication that we are not on earth.
EXT. NORTHERN OCEAN - BARREN COAST - DAY
Seen the side, details of the boat shows east-asian design. The ship name is in chinese characters. It flies a green flag with a gold circle like a traditional chinese coin. Above it is a blue flag with a stylized white lotus flower. The coastline now rises up sharply and is now much more barren and rocky.
EXT. NORTHERN OCEAN - GLACIER COAST - DAY
The boat passes before a great glacier ending in the sea. Huge weathered shapes can be seen carved deeply into the ice-face. They look like geometric designs and inhuman faces in the style of Pacific Northwest Amerindian art.
EXT. WATER TRIBE VILLAGE - EVENING
The ship reaches its destination. A small arctic village clings to the side of a steep slope above the sea between two sheer cliffs. The hide-walled buildings are arranged vertically, held up by stilts as they crawl up the steep incline. The only flat ground is at the water line and that is occupied by a little wharf at the rocky beach which houses a few small boats. Above the village the sheer headland transitions to peaks and ice. Strange, unearthly penguins squawk from a small rock a few yards off-shore.
Down at the shore the villagers are gathering to meet the incoming ship. They wear clothes mostly made of leather and fur reminiscent of Yupik dress in our world but they have accented these with embroidery of bright blue.
The boat's engine rumbles as the captain makes adjustments to slow down, running in reverse. The ship is very close to shore but it is clear that stopping at the little wharf is not going to work. The sailors rush forward to the gunwales with long poles to fend off impact. Then three important looking men emerge onto the ship deck.
Those three men wear robes of very dark blue emblazoned with the same white lotus flower symbol that flies over the boat. The first man, WATER WHITE LOTUS, steps forward raises his hands with open palms. The cuff of his robe sleeve is trimmed bright blue. Then he begins to sway in smooth motions resembling Tai Chi. Below, the water below bulges up between the boat and the land, pushing the ship back. Whirlpools form at the bow and stern, carefully turning it and governing its motion as he commands the water.
The second man, EARTH WHITE LOTUS, steps forward on the deck. He widens his stance and plants his feet firmly on the deck. The bottom hem of his robe is a strip of green fabric. He clenches his fists and brings his arms out in a series of strong and sharp movements. The rock outcropping that houses the penguins shudders and the creatures jump into the water with an angry squawk as new rock slabs burst forth from the sea, connecting the penguin rock to the mainland. With a few more jabs and stomps from the man in green a new stone pier has been formed.
The sailors rush to tie up the ship to the new mooring spot and they throw down a gangway as the village crowd rearranges its self to meet them. The White Lotus men are the first to descend and WHITE LOTUS LEADER is in front. In a close up of his mouth and chest we see him breath in deeply. The collar of his robe is bright red. In his out-held hand a bright flame bursts into life, floating in the air above his palm. The village leaders bow to the men and make way for them to walk to the rough stairway that allows access to the village above.
From the distance, the light of their magical fire makes its way up the switchbacks through the night among the houses in the village. Their destination is one little house near the top.
INT. KORRA'S FAMILY HOUSE
It is a small house furnished in something resembling traditional Yupik fashion. Several of the furnishings show sign of mistreatment, repaired breaks or singe marks. A woman in her mid to late twenties, SENA, is hurriedly sweeping or straightening up while her husband, TONRAQ, anxiously looks around making reaching hand motions as if he is going to start rearranging things in the house but never actually does. Their door opens and the three White Lotus men step inside. SENNA quickly straightens up and hides the broom behind her back.
SENNA
Welcome. It is an honor to have the Order of the White Lotus in our home. We're so excited to see you!
TONRAQ covertly reaches behind her to take the broom and maneuvers it behind his own back to place it off to the side of the room. The WHITE LOTUS LEADER inhales and exhales heavily, both from the long climb and from having heard similar naive hope so many times before.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER
You should not get your hopes up. Over the years we have inspected hundreds of children who were born on the day Avatar Aang died. All their parents were disappointed.
The SENNA and TONRAQ share looks of contained excitement.
SENNA
Well, your search is over.
The White Lotus exchange their own looks. They have heard this before too.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER
I realize that as a mother you wish the best for your daughter. However, such confidence is premature. There is only one Avatar and the process of identifying each new incarnation is very delicate.
EARTH WHITE LOTUS steps forward to speak with a distant rapturous tone. In the background faint epic music begins to swell.
EARTH WHITE LOTUS
But when the young Avatar comes of age they will be told of their true identity finally begin their adventure. They will spend decades mastering control of all four elements one by one with masters from the Water Tribe, the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom, and the last remnant of the Air Monks. It is long road filled with many trials but by the end they will be realize their incredible power and begin the Avatar's ancient destiny of restoring balance to the world!
The music abruptly cuts off as the EARTH WHITE LOTUS realizes he has been going a little overboard.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER
(coughs)
Yes, well we are getting ahead of ourselves. We should get started with the testing. In a five year old any signs will be very subtle.
SENNA
(involuntary snort of laughter)
I don't think that's going to be a problem.
SENNA turns to yell toward the other room.
SENNA
Korra!
A small girl, CHILD KORRA, comes running into the room yelling out a battle cry.
When CHILD KORRA gets to the center of the room she kicks and a nearby brick from the fire-pit launches out at the wall next to the very startled guests. She gives a punch and in front of her fist a little bit of fire bursts into existence to lick the nearest Lotus' robe hem. Her eyes go wide as she sees the now smoldering cloth so CHILD KORRA quickly makes an open palmed throwing motion which causes the water pot to fall over and magically spill its contents sideways over the poor Lotus' lower half. That settled she takes a step back to regain control of her perviously planned entrance. She puts her hands on her hips.
CHILD KORRA
Yeah, I'm a hero and you gotta deal with it!
She punches out towards the camera and fire fills the screen.
EXT. WHITE LOTUS COMPOUND - 13 YEARS LATER - DAY
The fire fades away to reveal KORRA, now 18. With a flick of her arm she extinguishes the magical flame she had been holding in her open palm.
The compound mostly consists of a large open courtyard surrounded by walls constructed of ice. At one end of the long space lies a large three-storied building constructed in a vaguely Tibetan style. The other end of the courtyard is full of obstacle course equipment. In the middle, near a stables, is a clear space marked out into large rectangles and circles like game-fields in front of a roofed dais.
KORRA is dressed in padded protective clothing and settles into martial arts fighting position, her hair tied up in a pony tail. She bounces slightly on the balls of her feet like an eager boxer. Three groups of two fighters in similar padded uniforms are spread out across the open space around her. Each group is dressed with either red, green, or blue.
Extreme close up of KORRA'S mouth as she breathes out, a bit of fire flickering into existence in her frosting breath. She grins wolfishly.
At the center of the dais stands the WHITE LOTUS LEADER. He is older now and his hair has more grey in it. To right of him stand three people dressed in elaborate traditional costumes in each of the three colors symbolizing three of the elements. The FIRE MASTER is dressed in a mix of traditional Japanese and Thai fashions that are predominantly red and black. The WATER MASTER's costume is blue and white, adapted from Yupik and northern Amerindian dress. The EARTH MASTER is dressed in archaic Chinese fashion in green and gold. To the left of the White Lotus there is one man in his fifties, TENZIN, dressed in a manner similar go a Tibetan Buddhist monk in saffron and orange. His head is shaved and blue tattoos in the shape of an arrow points down on his forehead, from there stretching down the back his neck out of sight. Similar tattoos mark the back of his hands. Behind the masters, near the stables, is a massive shaggy white bison-like creature the size of a small bus. It has an arrow marking on the fur of its head like that of its master.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER
Avatar Korra, the demonstration of elemental mastery is an ancient and sacred ritual. Each of these disciplines is the core embodiment of an entire culture. To schedule three of them at once is... it is unheard of!
KORRA
Well, yeah. I'm the only one who can use more than one element.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER opens his mouth to speak again.
KORRA
(interrupts)
I know, I know. Four nations, four cultures, four elements and as the Avatar only I can embody the union of all these... (mumbles) I get it. But come on, I have an important guest watching here!
She glances back at TENZIN with a smile, who in turn looks patient and pleasant but resigned to exasperation.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER
Korra, your previous incarnation, Avatar Aang, entrusted us with-
KORRA
Yeah, yeah! Come on, let's start this thing!
WHITE LOTUS LEADER looks at TENZIN who gives a very slight shrug. WHITE LOTUS LEADER turns back and sighs.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER
All right. Begin!
WHITE LOTUS LEADER gestures to the blue water team. That pair runs forward and with a few fluid motions of their arms the nearest piles of snow instantly melt into water and begin to sweep though the air in fluid ropes. Both attack at once but KORRA is ready. She moves in swaying, twirling motions to catch the jets of water with her own magical force and sends them rushing back. Then she goes on the attack, turning water into ice spikes and frozen walls.
KORRA
(Laughs)
Are we doing this or what? Let's go!
KORRA beckons to the other two teams. The earth and fire teams look at each other uncertainly and then to the WHITE LOTUS LEADER for conformation. He just hangs his head and waves permission.
The earth team steps forward with a stomp. They kick on the ground to rip loose large slabs of earth which fly up before they kick them forward with magical propulsion. KORRA spins to face this and plants her feet, moving to raise up a wall of earth in front of her. Then she punches to send huge chunks of the wall flying back at the opponents. She then thrusts her arms down to set the ground rippling like a wave in the earth.
Then KORRA jumps backwards as a blast of fire scorches the spot where she had just been standing. Both fire team members charge while punching, jumping and kicking out jets of fire in a constant assault like super-powered Shaolin monks. KORRA dodges and begins to attack back, letting loose with a barrage of fire-blasts larger than any her opponents were throwing. KORRA ignites balls of fire under the heels of her feet and skates off down the field, making a tight sweeping turn like a rocket propelled speed-skater.
Then she has to dodge a large flying boulder and a tumbling sheet of ice. The other teams are focusing on her all at once.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER
(Frowns)
This is absurd.
TENZIN is watching the same display and the flickering firelight and sparkling reflection of shattering ice wash across his face. He wears an expression of wonder and wistfulness.
TENZIN
This is incredible.
A stray chunk of smoking rock comes bouncing up towards his face but with a wave of his hand he safely cocoons it in a swirling ball of air before flinging it off to the side. The arrow-headed bison behind him lets out a grumbling groan as the rock lands near it.
TENZIN
Oh, hush.
KORRA wins her test in an omnidirectional battle of three entangled elements. The other combatants go flying backwards one by one to slide to a halt on the ground. KORRA lands back at her starting place and triumphantly rips off her helmet to toss it in the air.
KORRA
Ha, ha, ha! Yes! Uh, I mean...
KORRA regains composure and smoothly bows the the assembled masters.
In the moment that follows the WHITE LOTUS LEADER turns slightly to TENZIN.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER
So, what do you say, Master Tenzin?
TENZIN
She's incredibly powerful, but reckless too. I don't see much evidence of caution.
KORRA
Hello? I'm right here. And why should I be afraid of anything? In case you've forgotten, I've been in here training to fight my whole life! I've got that part of being the Avatar down.
TENZIN
There are problems that can't be solved by force.
KORRA
Yeah, but there are a whole lot more that can.
(to White Lotus Leader.)
So...?
WHITE LOTUS LEADER looks down at the line of the three other elemental masters. One by one they nod. WHITE LOTUS LEADER sighs heavily.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER
You pass.
ELEMENTAL MASTERS
(Together)
Avatar Korra, you are recognized as a master of the element!
KORRA
Woohoo! Yeah! Three down, one to go! Now off to train with Air-Master Tenzin!
(Turns to Tenzin eagerly.)
So when do we start?
Her eager excitement melts as she sees the regret on his face.
TENZIN
Unfortunately, that will have to wait.
KORRA
What? Why? Isn't that the whole reason you came all the way out here? To teach me how to master air? That's the last element I have left to learn!
TENZIN
Not exactly. I'm sorry, but I can't stay. The United Republic is too unstable right now for me to remain away for long. My position on the ruling council means I have to return to protect the country my father helped found.
KORRA
But it has to be you who trains me! You're Avatar Aang's son. With the war and since he died, you're the only air master left in the entire world. Aang would understand. He's my past life. I used to be him! I...
(mimicking a male voice)
You train me right now young man!
TENZIN
(unimpressed)
That is not how reincarnation works.
KORRA throws her arms down in anger and impotent frustration.
TENZIN
Korra, I know you're upset, but I can still join you in celebrating your achievement today. You should be very proud. Maybe in a year or two we can think about you coming to the city for a...and she's walking away.
KORRA has turned her back and rapidly stamps off across the mangled testing field. TENZIN opens his mouth to call after her but then choses otherwise and turns around with a sweep of his saffron cape. He walks towards the main compound building followed by the White Lotus masters.
EXT. BASE OF THE COMPOUND WALLS
KORRA walks along in the shadow of the compound's ice walls, shrugging off her practice pads and grabbing a blue and white fur-lined coat off a piece of training equipment. Her hands are balled in fists at her side and her face is tight. The walls are very tall and loom above her as she walks by well-worn training equipment and obstacles, some sized for a small child.
KORRA comes to the compound's main gate, a massive structure. A White Lotus GUARD stands at attention by the control mechanism. KORRA looks up at him, and the fire is gone from her voice.
KORRA
Hey, could I go outside for a bit?
The GUARD bows.
GUARD
Of course, Avatar.
He blows a sharp blast on a whistle around his neck and ten other guards quickly rush out to gather around KORRA.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE WHITE LOTUS COMPOUND FRONT GATE - LATE AFTERNOON
The main music theme swells as the huge doors of the compound gate slowly crack open and the squad of guards march out forming a wide circle around KORRA. Cut behind her to reveal that all this caution is to let her out into a vast empty frozen plain. The only sign of humanity beyond the walled compound is the single snow dusted dirt road that winds down from the compound gate and off into the distance. A sweeping arial shot shows in the sense the desolation as the camera gradually rotates round the compound to focus on one of the windows in the main building.
INT. WHITE LOTUS COMPOUND MEETING ROOM
TENZIN stands by the window. In the distance he can see Korra's guard convoy wandering outside the compound walls. He turns away to look back down at the maps of a costal city spread out on the table before him.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER
She is ready, you know.
TENZIN
I know. But if she can just wait a year or two longer. It's too unstable back in the city to throw an Avatar-in-training into the mix. The power of the criminal Triads is provoking protest movements and the council is just barely managing to hold it all together. These days the world is changing, old traditions are giving way to new ones, and the Avatar Reborn is not yet...ready The United Republic is my father's legacy, a new country people of all four nations to live together in harmony. I must protect that dream.
WHITE LOTUS LEADER
And so must she. It is the Avatar's duty to keep balance across the world.
TENZIN
Yes, and she will. One day.
EXT. WHITE LOTUS COMPOUND STABLES - SUNSET
KORRA approaches a crowd of White Lotus around TENZIN. She is rehearsing a speech to herself, making little gestures as she acts out both sides of the upcoming argument.
KORRA
(to herself)
Look, Tenzin, I understand that you have responsibilities but I do too and if we can just...
Then she sees that TENZIN is loading things onto his bison in preparation to leave. She freezes. He sees her and his face briefly lights up. But KORRA's expression settles into anger and betrayal as her gaze focuses on his packed bags. She adjusts her path slightly and walks past him towards the main compound building. TENZIN shakes his head and with a swirl of his hands jumps up on top of his bison, gently propelled high by a vortex of air. The shaggy bison roars and flexes its long tail as it begins to rise into the air with a huge blast of wind, floating with a magical power at odds with its hulking appearance. They fly off into the setting sun. KORRA'S hand clenches into a fist as the music rises.
INT. KORRA'S ROOM - NIGHT
Her room is furnished with well-made items, but is clearly as the sole refuge of a teenager who has spent nearly her entire life in seclusion from society. It is strewn with cheap dog-eared paperback books and work-out clothes. Outside the window KORRA sees guards walking along the fortified wall. She glares with determination and grabs an empty backpack.
EXT. WHITE LOTUS COMPOUND - NIGHT
KORRA sneaks out and crosses the yard to the outer wall. She pauses for a moment before the ice wall. Then she sweeps her arms around in broad arcs as the ice turns to liquid before her. She easily makes a tunnel through the massive wall, busting through rock and ice. She rebuilds the wall behind her just as easily.
EXT. OUTSIDE WHITE LOTUS COMPOUND - NIGHT
KORRA runs forward down the hill slope and forms a board or sled out of ice drawn from the snow. She slides off down the mountain into the night.
EXT. WATER TRIBE VILLAGE - NIGHT
KORRA travels along the coast on a raft made of ice propelled by her water-bending. KORRA's home village rises up over the starry sea.
INT. KORRA'S FAMILY HOUSE
KORRA stands before her parents, SENNA and TONROQ, with her pack in her hands. There is an awkward power dynamic as her parents are uncomfortable standing before their daughter who is also the most highly ranking individual in the world. Then KORRA rushes forward to hug them and the tension breaks. They hug her back.
EXT. WATER TRIBE CITY - HARBOR - DAWN
This city is not worthy of being called more than a town in most countries but here on this continent it is the pinnacle of modernity. In the distance an open pit-mine is carved into the side of a mountain and to the other side are glaciers. The buildings in the city are a mix of traditional hide houses, modern metal roofed constructions, and large ice buildings that look like they were frozen from a single mold. The harbor is almost larger than the rest of the city combined. Half the ships docked there are small, weathered cargo boats carrying ore or fishing boats waiting to head out to the shoals. The other half are giant transports waiting to transport the spoils of this southern continent back to the rich countries. Even at this early hour the docks and harbor are being governed by water-benders who manipulate the element with graceful ease.
One of the larger ships is flying the flag of a stylized moon and wave in white on blue. KORRA walks up the gangplank from the pier towards it. Sailors move to stop this trespasser but then KORRA lowers her hood. All the sailors show instant recognition and retreat. The captain rushes up and when he sees KORRA he stops as suddenly as his crew. KORRA bows her head slightly and makes a pleading gesture. In response the entire crew starting with the captain bow deeply.
EXT. SHIP AT SEA - ICY SEAS - DAY
Icebergs float around the ship as it powers across the ocean.
EXT. SHIP AT SEA - OPEN SEA - NIGHT
The moon is bright. In the distance a sea serpent breaches.
EXT. SHIP AT SEA - OLD AIR NOMAD ISLANDS - DAY
KORRA rushes to the deck railing as the ship passes near a mountainous island that comes down to the waterline as a shear cliff. Just above the waves a massive statue is carved into the rock in the shape of a meditating monk with arrow tattoos on his head and limbs. The statue is broken and unmaintained after long neglect. In places the rock is still blackened from old fires. There are other carvings on the cliff above that look like the bison Tenzin rode.
High on the mountain above, the hints of ruined stupas and temples can just be made out through the clouds.
EXT. SHIP AT SEA - EARTH KINGDOM WATERS - EVENING
Above the coastline is a wide, lush valley filled with rice paddies. An ancient walled town rises out of stone, built long ago from the living bones of the mountain. The cliff above the town is embossed with the images of local gods and heroes.
On a promontory rising up at the edge of the sea there is a small yet elegant house in traditional Chinese style. The very edge of the promontory has been cleared into an octagonal practice space and there an old earth-master with a long beard slowly practices the forms of his art. The master halts in his practice and lets his chosen slab of stone fall still as he watches Korra's ship pass by in the distance.
EXT. SHIP AT SEA - FIRE NATION WATERS - MORNING
The ship passes by a tropical isle. A thin stream of smoke rises up from the peak of a volcano in the island's interior. Near the coast is large red temple with a tall multi-story pagoda of Tai design. Between the ship and the temple there is a train platform with a engine stopped on the tracks. On the platform are a line of Fire Sages in red robes and tall fabric hats, overseeing people unloading a shipment from the train and they hold floating flames in their hands. A man in a black eastern suit checks the goods against a clipboard before he glances out over the water to see the passing ship. In the sky over the island a long serpent-like dragon soars on spread wings.
INT. KORRA'S CRAMPED STATEROOM
Sun streams in through the small porthole as KORRA dozes on a small bed platform. Then a ship-wide announcement rouses her.
SHIP ANNOUNCER
(unseen)
Republic City! All ashore!
KORRA jumps up with excitement and grabs her pack which now has her coat stuffed inside it.
...
Author's Note: The differences in this chapter mostly come from trying to slip in information about the Avatar world now that it is divorced from TLA. Bending needs to be shown early and clearly, which results in Korra's three simultaneous tests. Senna is given lines instead of Tonroq as part of the general feminization of season one to match more with the rest of LOK's general atmosphere. Katara was cut as without the previous series her character does not have much purpose, and Naga unfortunately fell to consideration of an imaginary special effects budget. The final travel montage is meant to give a very brief view of the four nations, establishing the world before we reach Republic City.