"Pupil Aang!"

"Yes, Master Pakku?"

"Care to step into the sparring circle? I figure since you've found time to play with house pets you must have already mastered water bending."

Aang air bends himself to his feet. "I wouldn't say "mastered", but check this out!" Aang spins around, collecting snow around him as he goes. When he is done, he has made himself into a snowman. Momo pounces on him and knocks him down. Master Pakku shakes his head in disgust.

…

"So they don't have palaces in the Southern Tribe?" Princess Yue asked Sokka.

"Are you kidding? I grew up in a block of ice. It's not exactly a cultural hub."

Yue laughs with a warm smile, and puts her hand on Sokka's shoulder. After a moment she pulls back and looks at him seriously.

"Sokka, this is wrong."

"What's wrong? We're taking a walk!"

"I'm engaged. It just... feels..."

Sokka's smile wanes as she begins to walk away, but the smile returns as he gets an idea.

"I know what you need! You need to meet my good friend Appa!"

"Who?"

…

Sokka and Yue enters Appa's pen. He is eating from an enormous pile of greenery in front of him.

"Appa and I go way back. Don't we boy?"

The thunder of Appa's shifting bulk is heard and Sokka's features turn to surprise. Appa pins him down with his forepaws.

"Ahh! Easy!" Appa licks him from bottom to top – twice. "Down boy! Ahh! No! Up!"

"Looks like you haven't been giving Appa enough attention."

Sokka struggles to try and free himself from Appa's embrace.

"So how does this work?"

"You hangin' on tight?"

"Mmm hmm."

"Yip yip!"

Appa soars into the nearly cloudless sky.

"Oh...my...goodness!"

Appa flies effortlessly through the sky.

"Wow! I can't believe you do this every day!"

"Yeh, we pretty much live up here."

"Is it always this cold in the sky?" She snuggles up against Sokka.

"Not when you're with someone."

"It's beautiful up here."

"Yeh." They come close to kissing before they both pull back.

"Whoo! Yeh! Good times! Good times!" Around them, what looks like snowflakes begin to fall. "Hey, look!"

"What's happening?"

"Oh no." Sokka said.

…

"Soot."

Sokka is kneeling on the ground, the ash and snow still in his hand, Yue and Appa in the background.

"What?"

"I've seen it before. Right before my village was attacked. It's soot mixed with snow." Sokka stands.

"But why?"

"It's the Fire Nation. They've closed in on the North Pole. And from the looks of the stuff ...I'd say there's a lot of them."

…

"This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh. Just think, centuries from now, people will study the great Admiral Zhao who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe civilization. You're lucky you're here to see it."

"Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects."

"I suppose you speak from experience? But rest assured, this will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba-Sing-Se."

"I hope not, for your sake."

"Tell the Captains to prepare for first strike."

Iroh turns and walks away. Iroh and Zuko, still in his guard disguise, are talking in a hallway on Zhao's ship.

"We'll be landing soon. Do you have a plan?"

"I'm working on it, Uncle."

…

"The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe. But they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits! Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us. I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission."

"Count me in."

"Sokka!" Cadi and Katara yell. Many other men stand up in the crowd with him.

"Be warned. Many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task."

The men form a line in front of the Chief to receive his mark. It is three red lines on the forehead, made from some paint or ink that the Chief holds in a bowl in front of him. Sokka is the second in line. As Sokka leaves, he turns and makes eye contact with Yue before he turns again and walks away. Yue begins to cry silently.

…

A fireball is flying through the air towards the city. It lands in a canal with an explosion of smoke, water and fire. The Fire Nation crew launches another fireball from the trebuchet on the approaching ship's foredeck. It strikes the right side of the city wall, shattering a piece of it. Appa recoils and roars as the smoke and exploding ice create havoc around him.

"Yip! Yip!"

Appa and Aang launch off the wall towards the Fire Navy ship while the defenders on the wall try to reorganize.

"Katara!" Sokka yelled.

He walks behind a large mound of snow which begins to move. A large chunk of the snow mound blows out of the screen as Katara water bends it away to release herself. Sokka helps her to her feet just in time to see two more fireballs come over the city wall.

…

Aang: I'll take it from here, boy!

Appa begins to invert himself allowing Aang to just fall of the saddle into a free fall. Appa leaves as Aang continues his drop. After a few seconds he opens his glider and closes in on the ship. Dodging several more fireballs Aang arrives on the foredeck, breaking the rest of his fall by using his staff as a helicopter blade. Once he lands, he whips up a gale that blows much of the deck crew off the screen. Aang then hops up onto the arm of the loaded trebuchet and begins to walk down it. A huge Fire Nation soldier blocks his way, however, and he is forced back up the arm. Two more soldiers have climbed the trebuchet, however, and appear behind Aang. They all swing mighty hammers at him and miss, damaging the trebuchet. Finally, Aang jets into the air and with a mighty blow blasts the trebuchet into a dozen pieces.

Aang runs over to the other trebuchet on the deck. He breaks the chain the stops the trebuchet arm from overextending and then fires the trebuchet. The arm overextends and the weapon shoot its fireball into the deck, straight through the forepeak and into the water below. Aang runs back up the deck to two more trebuchet, Fire Nation guards in tow. He ties the chains of two trebuchets together in a bow knot. He then runs over to one of the machines firing mechanisms and kicks it into operation. The activated trebuchet draws the one it is tied to across the deck towards itself. When the one strikes the other they disintegrate into a pile of useless junk.

Aang grins widely as he runs over to another trebuchet and is observed by a large Fire Nation warrior. He about to strike the firing mechanism with a hammer when he sees the warrior approach. Aang drops the hammer in fear, narrowly avoiding multiple hammers attached to chains that attempt to strike him. Hiding behind one of the trebuchet's girders, Aang is quickly ensnared by two chains which rap around him. Appa's feet suddenly swoop down, breaking the chain and sweeping the warrior off the ship. Aang frees himself from his now loose chains.

"Appa! Thanks for the rescue, buddy!"

Suddenly the ship starts to vibrate violently. A huge spear of ice breaks through the foredeck straight into the sky. The Fire Navy ship has been surrounded by Water Tribe skiffs full of water benders. Together they the Fire Navy ship out of the water on a bed of ice. Appa and Aang take off the now heavily listing deck. As Aang and Appa rise above the now wrecked ship, Aang's expression turns to horror and surprise as he looks in front of him. The horizon is full of Fire Navy ships as far as the eye can see.

"You have got to be kidding me."

…

"Men, you'll be infiltrating the Fire Nation navy. That means you'll all need one of these uniforms..."

uniform he wears, while clearly of the Fire Nation, is not current standard issue. In particular, the shoulder armor has wings that curve upward. Laughter from Sokka is heard. He puts his hand over his mouth. The other warriors turn to look at him.

"What's your problem?"

"Fire Navy uniforms don't look like that."

"Of course they do. These are real uniforms captured from actual Fire Navy soldiers."

"When, like a hundred years ago?"

"Eighty five." The Chief said.

"The Fire Nation doesn't wear shoulder spikes anymore. The newer uniforms are more streamlined."

"How do we know we can trust this guy? Such bold talk for a new recruit."

"Trust Sokka on this, The Fire Navy wouldn't be caught dead wearing that." Ari said walking in. "You won't mind me joining would you?" He didn't wait for a reply. "Good." He smiled.

"Sokka is from our sister tribe, Hahn, he is a capable warrior and I value his input."

"Now, our first objective is to determine the identity of their commanding officer."

"His name is Zhao. Middle-aged. Big sideburns. Bigger temper." Ari said.

"Sokka, Ari, I want you to tell everything you know to Hahn, he is leading this mission. Hahn, show Sokka your respect. I expect nothing less from my future son-in-law."

Arnook exits as Hahn pushes his hair back over his ears. Sokka's jaw has dropped in shock at the Chief's last pronouncement. He recovers and points an accusing finger at hahn.

"Princess Yue's marrying you?"

"Yeh, what of it?"

"Nothing, congratulations."

…

"It's almost twilight, Admiral. As your military consultant I must advise you to halt your attack. The water benders draw their power from the moon and it is nearly full tonight. You should wait and resume the attack at daybreak." Iroh said.

"Oh, I'm well aware of the moon problem and I am working on a solution. But for now, daybreak it is."

…

"If you're fishing for an octopus, my nephew, you need a tightly woven net or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape."

"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle."

"I'm sorry, I just nag you because, well, ever since I lost my son..."

Iroh looks away, pain evident on his face.

"Uncle, you don't have to say it."

"I think of you as my own."

Zuko turns to him, a genuine look of concern and understanding on his face.

"I know, Uncle." He bows and salutes him with his arm over chest. "We'll meet again..."

Iroh rushes forward and gives him a bear hug.

"...after I have the Avatar."

He gets into the canoe and begins to lower it to the water.

"Remember your Breathe of Fire! It could save your life out there!"

"I will."

"And put your hood up, keep your ears warm!"

"I'll be fine."

Iroh looks worried as he watches his nephew depart.

…

Zuko navigates his canoe through the ice flows near the City. He is wrapped up in his grey garb. Nearby, turtle seals can be heard making noise. He floats silently near the damaged city wall, unseen by the sentries patrolling atop the damaged barrier. He beaches the craft on the ice near the wall and spies several turtle seals disappearing into a hole in the ice.

"Where are they going? They're coming up for air somewhere..."

He takes off his veil, takes a deep breath and plunges into the icy water.

…

"The legends say the moon was the first water bender. Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves." Yue said.

"I've always noticed my water bending is stronger at night." Katara responded.

"Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon, our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep balance."

"The Spirits! Maybe I can find them and get their help!"

"How can you do that?"

"The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World." Cadi said.

"Aang can talk to them!" Katara yelled happily.

"Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!"

"Or, maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!" Aang sees the look on everyone's face. "Or wisdom. That's good too."

"The only problem is, last time you got to the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?"

"I have an idea, follow me."

…

Aang sits cross legged in front of the pond. He closes his eyes, makes two fists and puts his knuckles together in an attempt to meditate.

…

Another water hole is seen, its surface quickly broken by an out of breath Prince Zuko. He flops onto the ice floor of the cave, his breath making clouds of water vapor in front of him. He flips over, shiver, and blows fire into his hands to warm him up. He gets up.

"Be quiet!" Zuko yells at the noisy turtles.

They stop barking as he walks by, but begin once he passes. Zuko approaches a waterfall at the back of the cave. He enters the tunnel where the water is coming out.

…

"Is something wrong, Sokka?"

"Oh no! Hahn's out there on the top secret mission while I'm here sharpening my boomerang. Everything's fine!"

"Listen to me. I took you off the mission for selfish reasons. I have a special task in mind for you."

"What? You want me to scrub the barracks?"

"I want you to guard my daughter, Princess Yue."

"Er, sure. That shouldn't be too hard."

…

Zuko forces himself up the tunnel. He slips once, but keeps on moving. Finally he exits the tunnel into the bottom of a large pool of water. He swims up and breaks the surface, gasping for air. The top of the chamber is inches above his head. He regains his breathe, then looks just underneath the water line to scan for exits. He sees one, dives and enters another tunnel. Going around one bend and then up reveals what looks like an exit into open air, but when he reaches it, it proves to be just thinner, lighter colored ice. Running out of breath, he concentrates and superheats his hands to red hot and places them on the thin ice. He burns through it and emerges into an ice tunnel within the Water Tribe City. He lies down for a moment to regain his strength.

…

Aang is still in his meditation pose beside the pool, Katara and Yue behind him

"Why is he sitting like that?"

"He's meditating – trying to cross over into the Spirit World. It takes all his concentration."

"Is there any way we can help?"

"How 'bout some quiet!" Turning to look at them, Katara putting a hand over her mouth.. "C'mon guys! I can hear every word you're saying!"

Cadi chuckled as he resumed his pose.

"He's crossing into the Spirit World. He'll be fine as long as we don't move his body. That's his way back to the physical world."

"Maybe we should get some help?"

"No, he's my friend. I'm perfectly capable of protecting him."

"Well, aren't you a big girl now?" Zuko's voice echoed. Cadi and Katara stood up straight and looked at Zuko with cold eyes even though Cadi's were slightly dancing.

"Hand him over, and I won't have to hurt you."

Katara assumes a water bending stance, while Yue runs off. Aang, oblivious, still communes with the Spirit World in front of the pond.

Zuko launches forward, firing several blasts of fire. Katara blocks all three with water from the pond. He fires several more as he advances, but on the last one she uses enough water to not only douse his fire, but hurl him backward and lay him flat on the ground.

"I see you've learned a new trick. But I didn't come this far to lose to you."

He fires another blast which she blocks. Katara then launches another stream of water at him, hurling him backwards again. He barely retains his balance, but Katara freezes the water beneath him. His feet are frozen in the ice. Then, with a massive output of effort, Katara raises a churning sphere of water from the main pool behind Zuko, encases him in it, and freezes him entirely.

"You little peasant. You've found a master, haven't you?"

As Zuko ends his comment, the ground begins to shake and the ice begins to glow yellow and orange. With an explosion of fire, the shell of ice shatters, releasing Zuko who promptly charges Katara. They trade shots which miss. Zuko gets behind Katara and almost grabs Aang's collar, but Katara blasts him out of the way with a jet of water. He gets blown over to the right ledge. While he tries to recover, Katara raises a huge wave of water that raises him to ten or more feet up the wall. She freezes him in place once again.

…

"It's daybreak at last. Let's write history." Zhao said.

…

Zuko's head droops in defeat. As the sunlight reaches him, though, his head snaps up with a look of determination. He breathes steam, melting the ice holding him in place. He slides down and charges Katara again. He fires a huge blast of fire. Katara, caught off guard while she walking back to Aang, blocks it only partially. She is thrown back into the post of the paifang gate and is knocked out. When the smoke clears, Zuko looks over her, his hand on Aang's collar, the sun shining bright in the background.

"You rise with the moon. I rise with the sun."

Zuko grabs Aang and she follows Zuko knowing that he knows she is right behind him.

"What did I say about walking next to me or being chained?" He chuckled.

She smiled at him slightly and got next to him. "I'm only walking with you to make sure you're out of the snow okay, then I'm fighting you and taking Aang back to where he needs to be."

…

"The Water Tribe can try to resist the inevitable, but their city will fall today."

…

Katara emerges from her involuntary nap. Her eyes open suddenly, and she gets to her knees with a start. Aang and Zuko are gone. Momo chitters and runs across the grass.

Appa lands, Sokka and Yue in the saddle. They move to hop down.

"What happened? Where's Zuko?"

"He took Aang. He took him right out from under me."

"Where did they go?"

…

Zuko struggles through the storm, carrying Aang, whose marking still glow white. The disappear into the snow.

…

It is daylight and the battle for the survival of the Northern Water Tribe has begun in earnest. The four fireballs land at various points within the city and explode

"I can't believe I lost him."

"You did everything you could and now we need to do everything we can to get him back. Zuko can't have gotten far. We'll find him. Aang's gonna be fine."

"Okay."

She walks by Momo, who looks out over the pond. He chitters softly and sadly. Cut to Katara now standing atop Appa, Sokka at the reigns, Yue beside her.

"It's all right. You stay here, Momo, in case Aang comes back."

"Yip! Yip!"

Appa launches himself into the air and out of the sanctuary into the frozen, snowing wasteland above. Appa flies over the ice dunes, the snowing coming down hard from the dark, gray sky.

…

"Shelter!" Cadi yells. She goes inside the cave and sits.

Zuko appears, dragging Aang inside by the collar. Outside the blizzard continues. He dumps him at the back of the cave and ties his hands behind his back with some of the rope he is carrying.

"I'm sorry you came out in the cold." Zuko said.

"I did it for you."

"Well, stop caring because I don't need your help."

"I don't care if you need it or not, I'm here either way."

"I don't care about you."

"What?"

"I don't care…" He had tears in his eyes as he faced the blizzard away from her shiny emerald eyes. "About you."

"Whatever." She said as she turned to Aang. "I don't care either. I didn't want you to lose Aang." She lied believably enough. "He shouldn't die at your hands." She scooted towards Aang and took off her jacket and placed it around him. Zuko turned and saw her shiver slightly. He took off his grey hoodie and walked over and handed it to her.

"I thought you didn't care." She looked at the hoodie only.

"I don't." He dropped the hoodie on her lap and walked away.

"I hate you!" She said as she threw the hoodie at Zuko's head. He turned and glared into her icy tear stained eyes.

He walked toward her and kissed her with just as much passion as before.

…

Cadi left to try and find anything outside. Zuko was talking to Aang even though he couldn't hear anything.

"I finally have you. But I can't get you home because of this blizzard. There's always something. Not that you would understand. You're like my sister. Everything always...came easy to her. She's a fire bending prodigy – and everyone adores her. My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck though, I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am.

Zuko didn't know Cadi had stopped right outside to listen to what he was saying.

…

I don't need to remind you we have a time limit. If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises they will be undefeatable.

"I assure you I have everything under control. I intend to remove the moon as a factor."

"Remove the moon! How?"

"Admiral Choi!" Hahn said taking off his helmet and throwing it aside. "Prepare to meet your fate!"

He rushes forward to Zhao, who casually throws him overboard. Hahn screams as he falls, then a loud splash is heard. Iroh looks down and shakes his head, then turns back to Zhao.

"As I was saying...years ago I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret...the identity of the Moon Spirit's mortal form."

"What?"

"I was a young Lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom... I discovered a hidden library, underground in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration and the words "moon" and "ocean." I knew then that these spirits could be found – and killed and that it was my destiny to do so."

"Zhao, the Spirits are not to be trifled with!"

"Yes, yes, I know you fear the Spirits, Iroh. I've heard rumors about your journey into the Spirit World. But the Ocean and Moon gave up their immortality to become a part of our world – and now they will face the consequences!"

…

"Show no fear. Show no emotion at all." Aang said.

Koh's tree is silhouetted against the unseen backlight. Aang is descending the staircase into Koh's lair. The lair opening is still seen above, light pouring in through it. The lair is dark, though not the pitch black. Roots stick out from the ceiling, but no creature stirs.

"Hello? I'm looking for a spirit named "Koh.""

As Aang says the spirit's name, some "roots" on the ceiling begin to move. Aang looks around, sensing movement, but sees nothing. A moment later a white face appears, with grey patches around its eyes and luscious, blood red lips. The face is vaguely clown like. Suddenly, a huge cockroach like body arcs around Aang and appears in front of his face. The white, clown like face of Koh is inches away from Aang. Around the spirit's face are eight legs that are attached to a centipede like body.)

"Welcome!"

Aang's face remains inscrutable. The monster hangs from the ceiling in front of Aang, who bows with his hands clasped in front of him in a gesture of honor.

"Thank you."

Koh wheels around Aang to look at him from the back. His voice is low, melodic, almost purring. His voice oozes danger.

"My old friend, the Avatar. It's been a long time."

"You know me?"

"How could I forget... "

"At this moment Koh's face changes from the clown mask to a middle-aged mustached man. This change occurs with a "winking" effect, as if some sort of nictating eyelid or membrane closes briefly over the old face to reveal a new one. It also bears some resemblance to switching slides in a slide projector.

"...you! One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me! It was eight or nine hundred years ago."

"I didn't know that. Why did he... or I... try to kill you?"

"Oh..." His face changes to that of a beautiful, flowing haired young woman. "It was something about stealing the face of someone you loved. Of course, that's all behind us. Why should I hold a grudge against you for something in a past life? After all, you're a different person now. You've come to me... with a new face."

Aang stands on the stairs, Koh wraps his body loosely around him.

"It's been a long time since I've added a child's face to my collection. So... how may I help you?"

During the conversation Koh continues to wrap around Aang, making endless circles.

"I need to find the Moon and the Ocean."

"Their spirit names are Tui and La. Push... and Pull... and that has been the nature of their relationship for all time."

"Please, help me find them. An entire culture could be destroyed if I don't get their help."

"Oh, you think you need their help? Actually, it's quite the other way around."

In an instant, Koh turns and bolts to Aang, pressing his face within inches of Aang's. Koh's face has changed again from the owl to a blue ogre like face with red eyes and huge fangs.

"Someone's going to kill them!"

Aang closes his eyes briefly, then opens them to look at Koh.

"What do you mean? How can I find them and protect them?"

"You've already met them, actually."

"Tui and La, your Moon and Ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other... push and pull... life and death... good and evil... yin... and yang."

Aang's eyes open wide, as he gets a flashback of the white and black fish circling each other in the pond and the vision he got of them turning into the yin and yang symbol just before he entered the Spirit World.

"The koi fish!" Aang said smiling.

Koh, hearing the emotion in Aang's voice, appears instantly with his blue ogre face in front of the Avatar, ready to take his face. But no luck – Aang's face is once again a model of impassivity.

"I must be going now."

"We'll meet again."

Koh recedes back into the shadows, then cut to Aang emerging from Koh's lair. He looks down at his reflection on the ground.

"The spirits are in trouble. I need to get back to the physical world."

"A friend is here to guide you back." Avatar Roku said.

Roku fades to the panda form of Hei-Bai, the forest spirit. Aang's turns with a smile.

"Hei-Bai!"

He gets on all fours and Aang jumps onto his neck. Hei-Bai then begins to take Aang back to where he came in.

…

"We'll be following this map to a very special location. And when we get there we're going fishing."

…

"This is where I came in. But how do I get back?"

In response, Hei-Bai rears up on his hind legs and breathes a pulse of blue, spiritual energy out of his mouth at Aang, who freezes, engulfed by the energy and disappears.

Mystical Monkey speaks again. "Good riddance."

Hei-Bai, now in his Spirit Monster form, appears beside the grouchy monkey and blows with a blast of spiritual energy. Hei-Bai then transforms back into panda form.

Aang is back in the Water City sanctuary, but the blue nimbus around him suggests that he has not returned to his body.

"Momo!"

He walks over to Momo, sleeping on the ground. He does not stir. He looks around frantically. He stops as a blue ball of energy forms around and he is lifted or beamed by it right out of the sanctuary valley and out into the wasteland above. Like a comet he arcs over the frozen landscape. He is seen by Katara as he flies over them.

"Look! That's gotta be Aang!"

Sokka flips Appa's reigns to fly follow the spirit comet. They quickly arrive at the cave where Aang, Cadi and Zuko have taken refuge. The comet enters the cave, briefly illuminating it from inside. His tattoos stops glowing and Aang wakes up. He struggles briefly against his bonds, then sits up to face Zuko.

"Welcome back."

"Good to be back."

With a mighty breath, he blows Zuko against the wall while simultaneously propelling himself out of the cave and into the open. He begins to grunt as he moves forward, caterpillar style, along the ground. Zuko grabs him by the collar and lifts him up.

"That won't be enough to escape."

"Enough!" Cadi yells.

Appa appears over Zuko's head.

"Appa!"

Appa lands and Zuko drops Aang in the snow. Katara dismounts Appa to face him again.

"Here for a rematch?"

"Trust me, Zuko, it's not going to be much of a match."

She blocks a fireball that enters the screen just as she finishes her sentence while Sokka and Yue look on from Appa's saddle. She sends a shock wave of ice hurtling towards him. When it reaches Zuko, she encases him in a pillar of ice that she raises up high, then drops. Zuko falls to the ground unconscious. Sokka runs over and cuts Aang's bonds.

"Hey! This is some quality rope!"

"We need to get to the oasis! The spirits are in trouble!"

Aang gets up and runs to Appa. Both Sokka and Aang get onboard, Aang at the reigns. They are ready to go, but Aang stops and looks over at the Prince.

"Wait, we can't just leave him here."

"Sure we can. Let's go."

"No, if we leave him, he'll die."

Aang jumps down, grabs Zuko and brings back to Appa.

"Yeh, this makes a lot of sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us!"

…

A pair of hands reaches into the pond. The right one grabs the white fish. It struggles, but the hand forces it into a bag held by the left hand. The moon, visible behind him over his left shoulder, colors over a blood red while the fish struggles in the bag.

…

The blood red light washes over it. The counterattack against the invaders falters as this happens. Pakku is still riding his water tornado as the blood red light sweeps over him. As it does, his tornado collapses. Another water bender whose water whip disintegrates as the light changes. In another part of the city, a war rhinoceros is getting washed away, but the force driving the wave vanishes as the light turns red. The soldier on the war rhinoceros is once again able to advance on the water benders who flee in panic.

…

Appa is flying silhouetted against the red moon. Yue is holding her head in pain in Appa's saddle. "Ugh..."

"Are you okay?"

"I feel faint."

"I feel it too. The Moon Spirit is in trouble."

"I owe the Moon Spirit my life."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was born I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born but I was born as if I were asleep. My eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and father I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me... that night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white, I opened my eyes and began to cry – and they knew I would live. That's why my mother named me Yue, for the moon."

…

"I am a legend now! The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the great Zhao who darkened the moon! They will call me Zhao the Conqueror! Zhao the Moon Slayer! ZHAO THE INVINCIBLE!"

At this moment Momo jumps onto Zhao's head and starts pulling at his face and chittering.

"Huh! Get it off!"

Momo flies off as the guards surround Zhao to help him. He lands on an outstretched arm – Aang's arm. Appa has landed and the kids square off against Zhao and his men.

"Don't bother!"

A close up of Zhao zooms backward to show Zhao holding a knife or sword to the bag with the Moon Spirit in it. Aang drops his staff and raises his hands in surrender.

"Zhao! Don't!"

"It's my destiny... to destroy the Moon... and the Water Tribe."

"Destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone – including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world."

"He is right, Zhao!" Iroh said.

"General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?

"I'm no traitor, Zhao, the Fire Nation needs the moon too. We all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit I'll unleash on you ten-fold! LET IT GO, NOW!"

Iroh and Zhao lock eyes for a moment, then Zhao falters, lowering the bag. He kneels and releases the fish back into the water. The red light of the moon vanishes, replaced by its normal color. Zhao's face is quickly overtaken by a look of madness and desperation. With a cry of rage he stands and smites the water with a blast of fire. The Avatar looks up to witness the moon wink out of existence.

Iroh springs instantly to the attack. Crossing the foot bridge, Iroh fires blast after blast. Zhao blocks one blasts and backs away while Iroh expertly dispatches Zhao's four guards. Zhao looks on in horror as his men are wiped out by the aging General with such ease and precision. He flees.

Iroh is standing over the guards who struggle to get up, then back to the pond where the black fish swims frantically and white, a huge gash in its side, floats. Iroh gently lifts the white fish from the water, an expression of sadness on his face. The guards are now gone.

"There's no hope now. It's over."

"No, it's not over."

Aang walks forward into the pond. Katara moves to follow, but she is stilled by a motion to halt from Iroh. Katara, Iroh, Cadi, Yue and Sokka looking at Aang. He stands in the middle of the pond, arms in prayer. He looks down at the black fish, whose eyes and white mark on his spine begin to glow white. Aang is then seen in profile, his feet in the pond which now glows bright white. Then he drops into the pond as if the bottom had fallen out of it and he disappears.

The water in the pool around the oasis itself begins to glow a deep blue veined with white. The glow spreads from behind the citadel to encompass the entire citadel area of the city. A huge, incandescent blue wave rushes under the footbridge as if some huge creature were moving underneath it. Appa stands on the oasis, but he is dwarfed by the creature that rises from the pool, the citadel and the city visible beyond it.

The blue, white veined creature is a huge fish like being. At its center is a blue white bubble in which we can see Aang, who spreads his arms wide. A moment later, the Ocean Spirit, for this is truly he in communion with the Avatar, duplicates the motion. The Ocean Spirit towers over the citadel, its arms still spread wide, its blue spirit lighting the city like a beacon. The Spirit begins to move down into the city. Master Pakku and his water benders instantly bow to the floor in honor of their god. Across the canal, some Fire Nation soldiers raise their spears in defiance, but are swept away by a wall of water sent by the Ocean Spirit. Aang, flailing his arms about, is directing the power of the Ocean Spirit against the violators of the Moon Spirit and the Water Tribe City.

Fire Nation tanks fire blasts of fire at the Ocean Spirit, but they are absorbed with no effect. The soldiers and tanks are washed away as if they were toys. The Ocean Spirit passes by the Water Tribe citizens who make obeisance to their lord. The Fire Nation army in full retreat, trying desperately to escape the vengeance of a living Spirit. The Ocean Spirit reaches the main canal in front of the third wall and melts into it.

…

Zhao is running over a foot bridge somewhere in the city. He exits onto a parapet an is almost hit by a blast of fire that hits the wall in front of him. As the smoke clears, Zhao looks up to see Zuko on the wall on the tier up above him.

"You're alive?"

"You tried to have me killed!"

Zuko launches a few fire blasts at Zhao with a cry of anguish, but his target dodges, rolling along the parapet wall.

"Yes, I did. You're the Blue Spirit – and enemy of the Fire Nation!"

"It doesn't matter if he is the Blue Spirit, you destroyed all balance we had left." Cadi said from the other side of Zhao.

"You freed the Avatar!"

"I had no choice!"

Zuko continues his attack firing volley after volley at Zhao, who breaks them with his hands held together in a wedge in front of him. As the blasts subside, Zhao drops his smoking cloak to the ground.

"You should have chosen to accept your failure – your disgrace! Then, at least you could have lived!"

Zhao returns fire. They trade volleys as the fight rages back and forth in the darkness. At one point Zuko is able to exploit a moment when Zhao leaves his chest unguarded. Zuko blasts him and Zhao falls off the parapet wall onto the tier below.

…

"It's too late. It's dead."

"You have been touched by the Moon Spirit. Some of its life is in you!" Iroh said to Yue in wonder.

"Yes, you're right. It gave me life. Maybe I can give it back."

She gets up and goes to the pond's edge.

"No! You don't have to do that!"

"It's my duty, Sokka."

"I won't let you! Your father told me to protect you!"

"I have to do this."

She walks to Iroh, who holds the dead fish in his hands. She puts her palms over the Moon Spirit which begins to glow. She closes her eyes for the last time, exhales a final breath, and falls over into Sokka's arms.

"NO!"

He places his hands on her cheek and looks away.

"She's gone." He hugs her body tightly.

Her body glows briefly and disappears. The fish in Iroh's hands glow and he drops back in the water. It begins to swim in the pond. The pond glows white as they look on and a ghostly rises from it. It coalesces into Yue's form, but now she is dressed in white. Her hair floats around.

"Goodbye, Sokka. I will always be with you."

She kisses him, their hands on each other's faces. She fades away, but in the sky, the moon shines bright."

The Ocean Spirit looks up to see the moon alive once again. Instantly, Aang begins to wilt inside the creature, which dissipates into the ocean. The Spirit's essence flows back to the wall and deposits Aang atop it. There his glows leaves him as he puts his hand to the side of his head, spent with the effort.

Zuko and Zhao continuing to battle on a foot bridge over a canal. They trade blows, but a series of direct hits from Zuko lays the Admiral flat. As Zhao tries to get up, he sees the moon over Zuko's shoulder.

"It can't be!"

The essence of the Ocean Spirit approaches fast and coalesces around the bridge. It grabs Zhao and begins to pull him off the bridge. Zhao struggles and Zuko reaches out for him.

"Take my hand!"

Zhao tries to reach for it for a moment, but then draws back, an expression of hate on his face. The Ocean Spirit drags Zhao under the water and disappears.

...

"I've decided to go to the South Pole. Some other benders and healers want to join me." Turning to face Katara. "It's time we helped rebuild our sister tribe."

"What about Aang? He still needs to learn water bending."

"Well, then he better get used to calling you "Master Katara."

…

"The Spirits gave me a vision when Yue was born. I saw... a beautiful, brave young woman...become the Moon Spirit. I knew this day would come."

"You must be proud."

"So proud. And sad."

...

"I'm surprised, Prince Zuko, surprised that you are not at this moment trying to capture the Avatar."

"I'm tired."

"Then you should rest. A man needs his rest."

Iroh stands as Zuko lies down. He looks up into the sky, a pained look on his face. He closes his eyes.

…

Momo jumps up and Sokka puts an arm on Aang's shoulder. With a rumble, Appa rises from below. He floats patiently, awaiting his comrades so they can depart as the course of events pushes them all ever onward to their destinies.

Appa, Momo, Aang, Katara, Ari, Sokka and Cadi all look out onto the Northern Water Tribe City as the Sun rises once more.

…

"Iroh is a traitor and your brother Zuko is a failure. I have a task for you...