"Water... Earth... Fire... Air…" Katara voices over as the benders demonstrate as she talks. "My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace when the Avatar kept the balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked." It journeys into the map showing the world and closes in on a bender displaying all the elements. "Only the Avatar mastered all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless firebenders. But when the world needed him most, he vanished." He disappears from sight. "A hundred years have passed and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe." It shows the Water Tribe men on their boats and Katara hugging her older brother Sokka holding up a lantern. "Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle is broken, but I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow the Avatar will return to save the world."
The Siege of The End Part 1
In the Water Tribe City plaza at the foot of the Citadel steps where Katara faced off with Master Pakku. The segmented ice columns that Katara topped during the duel had been repaired finally. It is morning and two Waterbending students face off against each other, the student to the left a nervous looking teenage boy whose left eye twitches slightly in anxiety. His opponent is Katara who looks confident, a slight smile on her face when the boy raises up a ball of water, turning it to ice and throws it at his opponent. Katara bends the ice around her, while liquefies it at the same time, and sends a huge stream of water back at the boy who washes up and backwards. As he is washed away, the water turns to ice, imprisoning the boy about ten feet off the ground. Katara who relinquishes her Waterbending stance while Master Pakku approaches her from over her shoulder. "Nice try, Pupil Sangok. A couple of more years and you might be ready to fight a sea sponge." Master Pakku taunts him as Pupil Sangok continues to struggle against his bonds that hold him. Master Pakku turns away, making a motion with his left hand, and the ice prison melts away, dropping the helpless student to the ground. The rest of Master Pakku's students sit slumped on the ground who all appear to be teenage boys. "Would anyone care for a rematch with Katara?" He asks his pupils and they all shake their heads. "Katara, you have advanced more quickly than any student I have ever trained. You have proven that with fierce determination, passion and hard work you can accomplish anything." He tells her turning to look at the young Avatar. "Raw talent alone is not enough." He says looking at Aang lying on the ground, floating Momo around on an airball, a lazy smile on his face. "Pupil Aang!" He calls out to him this causes Momo's airball to dissipate and Momo falls on Aang's head.
"Yes, Master Pakku?" Aang replies.
"Care to step into the sparring circle? I figure since you've found time to play with house pets you must have already mastered Waterbending." Master Pakku asks him rhetorically and Aang airbends himself to his feet.
"I wouldn't say 'mastered', but check this out!" Aang tells him and spins around, collecting snow around him as he goes. When he's done, he has made himself into a snowman then Momo pounces onto him, knocking him down. Master Pakku and Katara wear similar expressions of disdain looking at Aang, Master Pakku shakes his head in disgust at the young Avatar's actions.
In one of the city's many canals on another bridge, Princess Yue begins to speak as she and Sokka walk on top of the bridge's guardrail. "So they don't have palaces in the Southern Tribe?" Princess Yue asks him.
"Are you kidding? I grew up in a block of ice. It's not exactly a cultural hub." Sokka tells her stopping and sitting down on the railing. Yue laughs at this with a warm smile, putting her hand on Sokka's shoulder and after a moment she pulls back looking at him seriously.
"Sokka, this is wrong," Yue tells him pulling away.
"What's wrong? We're taking a walk!" Sokka argues seeing nothing wrong with what they were doing.
"I'm engaged. It just… feels…" Yue tries saying but Sokka's smile wanes as she begins to walk away, but the smile returns as he gets an idea.
"I know what you need!" He tells her hopping off the railing to stand by her side. "You need to meet my good friend Appa!" He tries to cheer her up.
"Who?" She asks him confused as she thought she had met everyone already.
Sokka and Yue enter Appa's pen, he's eating from an enormous pile of greenery in front of him as Sokka opens his arms to Appa, who is in front of him. "Appa and I go way back. Don't we boy?" Sokka asks the large beast. The thunder of Appa's shifting bulk can be heard and Sokka's features turn to surprise, Appa enters from the left pinning him down with his forepaws. "Ahh! Easy!" He yells out in a panic and Appa licks him from bottom to top - twice. "Down boy! Ahh! No! Up!" He keeps yelling.
"Looks like you haven't been giving Appa enough attention." Yue teases him laughing. Sokka struggles trying to free himself from Appa's embrace. He somehow gets free of Appa's hold on him and they sit in Appa's saddle. "So how does this work?" She asks him.
"You hangin' on tight?" He asks her and she is. "Yip…. Yip!" He yells the last part for effect and Appa soars into the nearly cloudless sky.
"Oh...my...goodness!" She exclaims in happiness as they fly over the city and the water outside the main city gates as Appa flies effortlessly. "Wow!" She blushes slightly. "I can't believe you do this every day!" She gushes.
"Yeah, we pretty much live up here." He says stretching.
"Is it always this cold in the sky?" She asks him hugging herself to keep warm she snuggles up against Sokka.
"Not when you're with someone." He answers as Yue looks at Sokka, her cheeks red.
"It's beautiful up here." She complements looking out at the view.
"Yeah." He agrees while they look at each other with adoration and they come so close to kissing before they break off. "Whoo! Yeah! Good times! Good times!" He tries waving it off as snowflakes begin to fall all around them. "Hey, look!" He points down as Appa flies down into a squall of snowflakes, most of the snowflakes are black.
"What's happening?" She asks him almost in curiosity but also fear.
"Oh no." He says as he looks ahead of them as the black snowflakes fall over the city. All the citizens inside of the city pause regarding the ask falling from the sky.
Aang laughing as he rolls around in a circle in the snow with Momo nearby within a few seconds ash falls around him from the sky, but he doesn't notice. Momo sticks out his tongue, catches some ash and eats it then spits it back out as Aang rolls back, Aang notices the ash finally and looks up. Katara in the background does the same looking up into the sky where the ash falls, Master Pakku and a few other city dwellers near a fountain look up at the ash.
Back with Sokka and Yue on Appa, they land on the ground with the sky with ash falling all around them as they pass. "Soot," Sokka announces picking up some of the ash on the ground, he kneels on the ground.
"What?" Yue asks him confused.
"I've seen it before. Right before my village was attacked. It's soot mixed with snow." He tells her then stands up.
"But why?" She asks him.
"It's the Fire Nation. They've closed in on the North Pole. And from the looks of the stuff…" He tells her as they look over the ocean horizon, which has darkened by a dense grey cloud. "...I'd say there's a lot of them." He finishes off.
The prows of the Fire Nation Navy vessels cut through the waves of the ice cold ocean. "This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh," Zhao announces so full of himself as they stand on the bridge of Zhao's flagship. "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." He boasts so full of himself.
"Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects." Iroh warns him thinking of his nephew and Rin.
"I suppose you speak from experience? But rest assured, this will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba-Sing-Se." He retorts throwing ha harsh memory back at the old caring man.
"I hope not, for your sake," Iroh replies brushing off his grating comment.
"Tell the Captains to prepare for the first strike." He orders and Iroh turns around walking away out.
The ship cuts through the icy waters as Iroh, Zuko and Rin, who are still in their guard disguises, in a hallway on the ship. "We'll be landing soon. Do you have a plan?" Iroh asks the two teens in a whisper tone.
"We're working on it, Uncle." Zuko answers removing his mask then replaces his mask and they split up naturally.
Around the corner from the corridor, the two teens continue to walk when Rin pushes Zuko into an open door, the room thankfully is empty as she takes her helmet off to look directly at the young Prince. "What is the plan Zuko, every time I ask you about it, you brush me off, why?" RIn accuses him.
"I don't want you to come with me," Zuko answers her and regrets the way he said it when looking at her look of sadness come over her face at his words. "I don't want you to get hurt, Rin." He adds trying to make her understand. She looks up at him with a look of surprise at his words as they were almost unusually to the teen boy who used sometimes harsh words to others.
"I understand, Zuko but I'm a big girl I can look after myself. I have for the last six years." She tells him wanting to tell him that she too didn't want him to get hurt, but couldn't find the words and moves to leave the room walking down the corridor without looking back at Zuko following her.
Within the Water City, as the feet of Water Tribe Warriors run across the ice, then two Water Tribe men strike a gong with alternating strokes on top of one of the city's buildings. The gong has symbols representing both the moon and the ocean on it, many city dwellers running up the steps of the citadel, including Master Pakku and Sokka, Yue in tow. The Princess stops, bringing Sokka to a half along with her. "What's wrong?" Sokka asks her pointing up to the citadel. "We have to go!" He tells her.
"No, Sokka, wait. I can't see you anymore. Not at all." Yue tells him as he releases his grip on her hand.
"What? We're just friends." He tells her turning in surprise.
"I wish we could just be friends, but I like you too much and it's too confusing to be around you. I'm marrying someone else." She tells him.
"You don't love him, do you? You don't even seem to like him." He realises looking at her.
"But I do love my people." She argues.
"You're not marrying them." He reminds her.
"You don't understand. I have duties to my father, to my tribe." She tells him running off, barely holding back tears. "I have to do this, goodbye!" She cries out as Sokka looks with distraught at her sudden departure.
Chief Arnook begins a speech to a group of Water Tribe warriors, his voice echoes through the great hall as he speaks. Behind him sits Princess Yue and Master Pakku, on the floor, their backs to a nearby wall sits Aang, Katara and Sokka. "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," Chief Arnook speaks and raises his arms up to the heavens in supplication. "I call upon the great spirits! Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us!" He lowers his arms and continues to address them. "I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission." He asks the room.
"Count me in," Sokka says standing up to be counted.
"Sokka!" Katara exclaims in worry over losing her older brother as many more of the men in the room 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." Chief Arnook tells them as all the men form a line in front of Chief Arnook to receive their mark. The mark they receive is three red lines on the forehead, made from some paint that Chief Arnook holds in a bowl in front of him. Sokka is second in line as he leaves, he turns making eye contact with Princess Yue before he turns again and walks away. Princess Yue begins to cry silently over watching the scene in front of her.
Aang sits on one of the pylons at the top of the citadel steps, he looks out over the city walls to the ocean horizon in the distance. Behind him, Chief Arnook approaches him. "The stillness before battle is unbearable." Chief Arnook states and Katara walks behind Aang to his left. "Such a quiet dread." He adds looking out into the ocean horizon.
"I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people," Aang says as a fierce expression comes over his face. "I'm gonna make a difference this time." He promises not just the Chief or his friends but himself too. He stands up on top of the pylon, Katara to his left and the Chief to his right.
The city of water looks all calm and quiet on a beautiful sunny day, as a row Water Tribe warriors line the top of the city wall, their faces painted ready for war. Across the wall, reveals a solid line of warriors, with Aang atop Appa in the centre with Katara and Sokka standing to Appa's left as they all look out to sea with expressions of fierce determination. In the distance a single ship can be seen, it launches a fireball which hurtles directly at the centre of the city wall on the water symbol in the centre blowing a massive hole through it. Many defenders are blown back into the city by the concussion, along with huge chunks of wall ice and debris.
Another fireball flies through the air towards the city landing in a canal with an explosion of smoke, water and fire. The Fire Nation crew launch 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 off, making Appa recoil and roar as the smoke and exploding ice creating havoc around him. "Yip! Yip!" Aang yells at his best friend as they launch off the wall towards the Fire Nation Navy ship while the defenders on the wall try to reorganize themselves. Sokka searches among the wreckage of the ruined ice wall for his sister.
"Katara!?" Sokka yells as he walks behind a large mound of snow which begins to move. A large chunk of the snow mound blows out of the way as Katara Waterbends it away to release herself. Sokka helps his little sister to her feet in time to see two more fireballs come over the city wall.
Appa roars in the sky with Aang at his reigns, a stern look on his face. As Aang and Appa approach the Fire Nation Navy ship it fires a few more fireballs at them. The last one Aang bats out of the way with his staff. The blow from his staff changes the trajectory of the fireball and it goes wild, harmlessly striking the ice cliff way to the left of the city. "I'll take it from here, boy!" Aang tells Appa and he begins to invert himself allowing Aang to just fall off the saddle into a free fall. Appa exits as Aang continues his free fall, 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 most of the deck crew away, Aang then hops up into the arm of the loaded trebuchet and begins to walk down it. A huge Fire Nation soldier blocks his path, however, he is forced back up the arm as two more soldiers have climbed up the trebuchet behind Aang. They all swing mighty hammers at the Avatar but miss, damaging the trebuchet when finally, Aang jets into the air with a mighty blow blasts the trebuchet into a dozen pieces.
Aang runs over to the other trebuchet on the same deck breaking the chain this stops the trebuchet arm from overextending then fires it. The arm overextends and the weapon shoots the fireball into the deck, straight through the foredeck and into the water below. Aang runs back up the deck to two more trebuchets, Fire Nation guards in tow as he ties the chains of the two trebuchets together in a bow knot. Aang then runs over to one of the machines firing mechanisms kicking it into operation activating the trebuchet draws the one it is tied to across the deck towards itself. When one of them strikes the other they disintegrate into a pile of useless junk.
Aang grins widely as he runs over to another trebuchet and observed by a large Fire Nation warrior, he's 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. The warrior wields the chained hammers as weapons, hiding behind one of the trebuchet's grinders, Aang quickly ensnared by two chains which wrap around him. The warrior controlling the chains as Appa's feet suddenly swoop into the frame, breaking the chain and sweeping the warrior out of the way. Aang frees himself from his now loose chains. "Appa!" Aang cheers as Appa peers over the side of the ship and ejects the chain warrior overboard with a grunt and a shove of his paw. Aang runs over jumping onto Appa's forehead, bear hugging his best friend. "Thanks for the rescue, buddy!" He says still hugging him when suddenly the ship starts to vibrate violently. A huge spear of ice breaks through the foredeck straight into the sky as the port side hull is now encased in rapidly expanding ice. The Fire Nation Navy ship has been surrounded by Water Tribe skiffs full of Waterbenders. Together they through the Fire Nation Navy ship out of the water onto a bed of ice as 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. In the horizon, it's full of Fire Nation Navy ships as far as the eye can see. "You have got to be kidding me." He gasps as the Water Tribe warriors walk up the stairs.
Chief Arnook once again addresses a group of soldiers. "Men you'll be infiltrating the Fire Nation Navy. That means you'll all need one of these uniforms…" He addresses them, Hahn walks over in what appears to be a Fire Nation Navy uniform. He has a look of arrogance about him with his dark hair as the uniform he wears, while clearly Fire Nation origin, it was not a current standard issue. In particular, the shoulder armour has wings that curve upward which wasn't on the ones of today. Sokka laughs putting his hand over his mouth to stop himself as the other warriors turn to look at him.
"What's your problem?" Hahn asks him clearly not getting why he was laughing.
"Fire Navy uniforms don't look like that," Sokka tells him pointing at Hahn.
"Of course they do. These are real uniforms captured from actual Fire Navy soldiers." Hahn retorts.
"When, like a hundred years ago?" Sokka asks him.
"Eighty-five." Chief Arnook states as if that was okay. It wasn't.
"The Fire Nation doesn't wear shoulder spikes anymore. The newer uniforms are more streamlined." Sokka informs them walking over and bends the top of one the shoulder spikes with the tip of his finger and it bounces back to its original shape.
"How do we know we can trust this guy?" Hahn asks the Chief. "Such bold talk for a new recruit." He says to Sokka leaning into him with a threatening expression.
"Sokka is from our sister tribe, Hahn, he is a capable warrior and I value his input." Chief Arnook informs him as Sooka looks smugly at Hahn, who does not look too pleased by this, then the Chief turns back around to finish his address. "Now, our first objective is to determine the identity of their commanding officers."
"His name is Zhao. Middle-aged. Big sideburns. Bigger temper." Sokka tells them.
"Sokka, 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." Chief Arnook tells them before exiting as Hahn pushes his hair back over his ears and leaving Sokka jaw dropped in shock at what he had just said and soon recovers pointing an accusing finger at Hahn.
"Princess Yue's marrying you?" Sokka asks him in disbelief.
"Yeah, what of it?" Hahn asks him not seeing the importance.
"Nothing, congratulations." Sokka lies turning away.
The advancing ranks of the Fire Nation Navy ships firing volleys of fireballs towards the ice city. Some land inside the city and some hit the outer wall with Master Pakku in front of a group of Waterbenders. "Stop those fireballs!" Master Pakku orders hem as a fireball bears down on them, they collectively raise up a barrier of water, freezing as the fireball impacts. The fireball gets extinguished.
On Zhao's flagship, he watches the bombardment from the bridge with Iroh. "It's almost twilight, Admiral. As your military consultant, I must advise you to halt your attack. The waterbenders draw their power from the moon and it is nearly full tonight. You should wait and resume the attack at daybreak." Iroh advises the stubborn man.
"Oh, I'm well aware of the moon problem and I am working on a solution. But for now, daybreak it is." Zhao agrees as the front ranks of the Fire Nation Navy ships anchor for the night, outside the Water City's main wall. Zhao's ship is in the second line of ships looking double in size to the others.
Katara and Princess Yue stand in front of the Citadel looking out over the city and its walls to the ling of threatening Fire Nation Navy ships. Plumes of smoke rise over several sections of the city that have been bombed. "They've stopped firing," Yue states looking at them as Appa swoops down.
"Aang!" Katara shouts out pointing at them. Appa lands on the plaza at the base of the Citadel steps, the girls run down to them. As Appa lands down lying down on his belly, his feet too tired to keep him up while Aang looks small and dejected in the saddle. He slides off coming to rest next to Appa's left forepaw.
"I can't do it," Aang tells them putting his hands to his head. "I can't do it."
"What happened?" Katara asks him.
"I must have taken out a dozen Fire Navy ships, but there's just too many of them. I can't fight them all." Aang tells them.
"But, you have to! You're the Avatar!" Katara tells him trying to cheer him up.
"I'm just one kid," Aang argues as he buries his head in his arms in despair as Katara sits down to comfort him.
The nearly full moon in the night sky, Zhao's command ship in the ocean below with Zuko and Rin now out of their Fire Nation Navy uniform entirely dressed in plain grey and black clothes, preparing a canoe to be lowered into the water. Behind them, a door opens to reveal Iroh entering and he shuts the door behind him. "If you're fishing for an octopus, my nephew and friend, you need a tightly woven net or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape," Iroh advises them.
"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle," Zuko tells his Uncle wanting to get off the ship with RIn to find the Avatar.
"I'm sorry, I just nag you because, well, ever since I lost my son…" Iroh tries telling him looking away, pain evident on his face. Rin looks away giving them some privacy at this moment was something between the two men that she didn't feel like she should see.
"Uncle, you don't have to say it," Zuko tells him knowing what he was going to say.
"I think of you as my own." Iroh finishes regardless and Zuko turns to him, a genuine look of concern and understanding on his face.
"I know, Uncle," Zuko replies not know what to say but that was enough, then he bows and salutes to his dear Uncle with his arm over his chest. "We'll meet again…" Zuko tries saying as Iroh rushes forward giving him a bear hug they release each other and Zuko walks over to Rin pushing her towards his Uncle who too hugs the girl way out of her comfort zone as she rigidly returns the hug and they soon walk over to the canoe. "...after I have the Avatar." The two teens get into the canoe and begin to lower themselves into the water.
"Remember your Breathe of Fire! It could save your lives out there!" Iroh yells out to them.
"We will," Rin tells him.
"And put your hoods up, keep your ears warm!" Iroh parents them.
"We'll be fine," Zuko tells him now far below his Uncle as he looks worried as he watches their departure.
In the canoe, the two Fire Nation teens make their way over the water focused on getting into the Water City undetected and safe. Rin looks at Zuko in admiration as she thinks of his hope and drive to find the Avatar at any cost, it reminded her of herself in some ways as she had so much drive to succeed. Zuko looks ahead feeling Rin looking at him from behind, he could feel his cheeks heat up at all the thoughts (nothing dirty) going through his head about Rin even when she would secretly smile at something or joke around, over the last three years she had opened up to him. He too had opened up with her help over the last three years and he knew now what he felt towards her and it was a growing feeling in his chest that he had never felt before. Unaware that Rin was thinking of him as a friend but something more close to the heart.
Sokka sharpens an axe blade on a rotating wheel applying too much pressure to the blade causing sparks to fly off the blade. Sokka and Hahn perform the same take side by side but no sparks fly from Hahn's blade with Sokka's expression is clearly unhappy. "Let me tell ya, Soka, I've courted a lot of girls, but Yue is the finest - and she comes with the most perks." Hahn taunts him mispronouncing Sokka's name on purpose.
"Perks!? What does that mean?" Sokka asks him his eyes bulging with anger at what Hahn had said.
"I mean, Yue's nice and everything, but the points I'll get with the Chief aren't bad either." Hahn continues taunting him.
"Princess Yue is wasted on a self-absorbed weasel like you!" Sokka exclaims at the weasel.
"Whoa. Hang on. What do you care? You're just a simple rube from the Southern Tribe. What would you know of the political complexities of our life? No offence." Hahn says to him this causes to Sokka to yell in anger and tackles Hahn to the ground. Sokka ends up on top on him punching Hahn in the face in his angered haze.
"You're just a jerk without a soul! No offence!" Sokka yells out at him as they roll around a bit more before Chief Arnook breaks them apart.
"That's enough! Sokka, you're off the mission." Chief Arnook tells him as he exits again as Sokka looks away feeling humiliated at his actions he had just displayed.
"Alright, fall in men! Everybody listen to what I say and we'll take out this Admiral Jo in no time." Hahn says to the assembling soldiers as if nothing had happened.
"It's Admiral Zhao!" Sokka exclaims to the backs of Hahn and his departing soldiers.
Zuko and Rin navigate their canoe through the ice surrounding the City, they get out and wrap up their garb before taking off. Nearby, turtle seals can be heard making noise as they float silently near the damaged City wall, unseen by the sentries patrolling atop the damaged barrier. They beach 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.." Zuko questions.
"Somewhere inside, I'd bet," Rin adds and Zuko takes off his veil, taking a deep breath and plunges into the icy water. Rin looks around the area feeling something strange in the air as if drawing her somewhere inside the walls of the city, she too takes a deep breath and plunges into the icy water joining Zuko.
Princess Yue, Katara and Aang look up at the nearly full moon in a room in the Citadel, Aang holds his head low. "The legends say the Moon was the first Waterbender. Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves." Yue tells them.
"I've always noticed my Waterbending is stronger at night." Katara points out.
"Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon, our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep balance." Yue tells them.
"The Spirits! Maybe I can find them and get their help!" Aang exclaims, his eyes opening wide as he gets an idea.
"How can you do that?" Yue asks him confused.
"The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World. Aang can talk to them!" Katara exclaims getting Aang's idea.
"Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!" Yue says smiling hopefully at the idea of ending this battle.
"Or, maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!" Aang exclaims spreading his arms wide. Yue and Katara regard Aang's words steadily but he just puts his arms behind his back and smiles. "Or wisdom. That's good too." He adds shyly.
"The only problem is, last time you got to the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?" Katara asks him pointing out the problem they face.
"I have an idea, follow me," Yue tells them getting an idea and walks away.
The three walk through a courtyard behind the Citadel when Yue stops in front of a wooden half height door. "So is this the way to the Spirit World?" Aang asks her seemingly a silly question.
"No, you'll have to get there on your own," Yue tells him laughing and opens the door. "But I can take you to the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole." She adds.
Aang enters as Momo jumps off his shoulder onto Katara's. Inside the sanctuary is a long pool of water, at the back of the Chamber is a waterfall coming from the glacier way above. On the sides of the pool are two ledges by which one can access the landing at the back of the Chamber, the landing is filled with green foliage, another smaller pool that looks almost tropical in nature, and a small T shaped gate like structure very much akin to a Chinese paifang or perhaps a Japanese Toril. The landing is connected to the ledges on the side of the Chamber by two wooden footbridges. Aang's face, filled with wonder at the natural beauty before him.
Aang runs over the left bridge, laughing as he lands on the soft grass in front of the little pond rubbing it fondly. "I never thought I'd miss grass this much!" Aang exclaims in joy as he flops over on his back as Yue and Katara walk onto the landing themselves.
"It's so warm here! How is that possible?" Katara asks smiling taking off her overcoat as it was warmer there than in the City.
"It's the centre of all Spiritual energy in our land," Yue tells them as two koi fish circle each other in the pond in a timeless motion. One of the fish is white, the other is black, Momo skitters up to the pond beginning to try and grab one of the fish. Yue and Katara look severely at Momo, who decides to run away from their looks.
"You're right, Yue. I can feel...something...it's so...tranquil." Aang says sitting cross-legged in front of the pond his eyes closed, making two fists putting his knuckles together in an attempt to meditate.
In a dark cave filled with the sounds of turtle seals, there is another waterhole, its surface quickly broken by an out of breath Zuko, he flops onto the ice floor of the cave, his breath making clouds of water vapour in front of him. Soon after him, Rin breaks to the surface breathing heavily with clouds of water vapour coming out of her mouth. Zuko flips over, shivering and blows fire into his hands to warm himself up as Rin hops out of the water over to Zuko as he gets up. She blows fire out of her mouth into her hands and follows Zuko trying to stay warm. "Be quiet!" Zuko raises his voice at the noisy turtles as he picks Rin up from under her arms keeping her close to him to keep both of them warm. The turtle seals stop barking as they separate and walk by, but begin once they pass them, they approach a waterfall at the back of the cave.
"Zuko, I feel something strange," Rin tells him shivering almost violently, he turns to her in pure fear for the woman he had grown strong feelings for. He holds onto her tightly trying to share their warmth and looks her in the eyes, the usual gold was now purple she looks scared when he looks at her with a look of confusion and shock. "What is it?" She asks him and he turns her to the waterfall, she looks at her reflection to see her purple eyes. She looks closer and can't believe what she sees and turns to him but doesn't speak as she looks at the tunnel. "Zuko, I feel like we have to go through that tunnel, there's something there drawing me closer." She tells him and he just looks at her.
"Maybe it's telling you we'll find the Avatar, Rin and we can go home." He tells her, he wanted to tell her more but he wasn't sure what to say.
"I know." She says before entering the tunnel where the water is coming out and Zuko follows after her. His mind was swirling with what she had said and done but couldn't shake the worry for her as he follows behind her.
Sokka sharpens his boomerang in the same armoury he had fought with Hahn when Chief Arnook comes behind him. "Is something wrong, Sokka?" Chief Arnook asks him.
"Oh no! Hahn's out there on the top secret mission while I'm here sharpening my boomerang. Everything's fine!" Sokka replies sarcastically.
"Listen to me. I took you off the mission for selfish reasons. I have a special task in mind for you." Chief Arnook tells him.
"What? You want me to scrub the barracks?" Sokka asks him turning to the Chief in anger.
"I want you to guard my daughter, Princess Yue." Chief Arnook informs him.
"Er, sure. That shouldn't be too hard." Sokka replies getting up, with a look of innocence mingled with desire on his face then Chief Arnook leaves.
Rin forces herself up the tunnel with Zuko doing the same. He slips once but Rin catches him and they keep moving on, till they finally exit the tunnel into a bottom of a large pool of water. They swim up breaking the surface, gasping for air, the Chamber is inches above their heads. They regain their breath, then look just underneath the water line scanning for any exits. Zuko sees one, he points it out to Rin, they nod to one another and dive down entering another tunnel and go around one bend then up to what looks like an exit into the open air, but when Zuko reaches it, it proves to be just thinner, lighter coloured ice. They run out of breath, he concentrates and superheats his hands to red-hot placing them on the thin ice. He burns through it emerging into an ice tunnel within the Water Tribe City and pulls Rin up from the water tunnel and lies both of them down for a moment to regain their strength. Rin feels the strange feeling growing stronger as she lies down next to Zuko but it wasn't the feeling she usually had with him but something she had never felt before.
Aang still in his meditation pose beside the pool, Katara and Yue standing behind him. "Why is he sitting like that?" Yue asks Katara trying to whisper but failing slightly.
"He's meditating - trying to cross over into the Spirit World. It takes all his concentration." Katara answers her also trying to be quiet but Aang cracks an eye open at the continues interruptions.
"Is there any way we can help?" Yue asks her.
"How 'bout some quiet!?" Aang asks them turning around to look at them, Katara puts a hand over her mouth. "C'mon guys! I can hear every word you're saying!" He exclaims and resumes his pose. The black and white fish circle each other in front of him as Aang stares at them, as he looks at them they blur into the Yin & Yang symbol, then his eyes and head arrow glow white.
"Is he okay?" Yue asks Katara worried about the young Avatar.
"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." Katara informs her.
"Maybe we should get some help?" Yue asks beginning to walk away.
"No, he's my friend. I'm perfectly capable of protecting him." Katara promises her.
"Well, aren't you a big girl now?" Zuko taunts her as his voice echoed slightly in the Chamber.
"No!" Katara shouts turning around at the sound of his voice to see Zuko and Rin walking over the footbridge towards them.
"Yes! Hand him over, and we won't have to hurt you." Zuko tells her and she assumes a Waterbending stance, while Yue runs off but Aang, oblivious, still communes with the Spirit World in front of the pond.
Zuko launches forward, firing several blasts of fire and Rin joins him in the attack but Katara blocks all of them with water from the pond. They fire several more as they advance, but on the last one she uses enough water to not only douse their fire but hurl them backwards and they lie down flat on the ground. Rin sees flashes of blond hair and purple eyes then of a woman in a long dress that looked so familiar to her then of someone she had never met but heard so much about Jeong Jeong Jeong from around the time before she was born with the woman. Rin gasps getting up along with Zuko looking at him before facing off the young Waterbender. "I see you've learned a new trick. But we didn't come this far to lose to you." Rin remarks looking at the little Waterbender. She fires another blast which Katara blocks, then launches another stream of water at them, hurling Zuko backwards again as RIn moves quickly out of the way. He barely retains balance, but Katara freezes the water from under him, as his feet get frozen in the ice. "Zuko!" Rin shouts out to him watching on in fear for him till again she gasps seeing more flashes of images she couldn't tell what they were to her, she sees the woman again alone with a bulging belly - she was pregnant - and Rin felt scared at what she was seeing. While Rin stands still Katara makes an effort to quickly get one of the Firebenders out of the way by raising a churning sphere of water from the main pool behind Zuko, encasing him inside it, and freezes him entirely. With satisfaction written all over her face soon gets ripped off when a gout of purple fire zooms past her face just barely missing her. She turns her head ever so slightly to see Rin looking at Katara with pure fury in her now purple eyes while Zuko is inside the ice.
"You little peasant. You've found a master, haven't you?" Zuko asks her from inside the ice, then the ground begins to shake and the ice glows yellow and orange. As the two girls fight one another, fighting off one another's attacks, Rin advances on Katara when an explosion of fire from behind them, the shell of ice shatters, releasing Zuko who promptly charges at Katara with RIn by his side. They trade shots which all miss till RIn gets behind Katara almost grabbing Aang's collar, but Katara blasts her out of the way with a jet of water while using a stream of water to push Zuko away. Rin gets blown over to the right ledge and Zuko gets blown to the left ledge they both try to recover themselves, but Katara raises a huge wave of water that raises them to ten or more feet up the wall. Katara freezes them to the wall of the Chamber next to each other.
The sun rises over the horizon, lighting Master Pakku's face with two of his Waterbenders, they look out from the Citadel over the city wall to the Fire Nation Navy fleet.
"It's daybreak at lat. Let's write history." Zhao says voice full of determination as he looks over the railing of his ship to the City with Iroh behind him looking over with dread.
Zuko drops his head in defeat as the sunlight reaches them, though he feels Rin's hand in his, this fills him with determination his head snaps up with a look of determination as he breathes steam, catching on Rin joins him as they melt the ice holding them in place. They slide down and charge at Katara again together, they fire a joined huge blast of fire towards her, Katara caught off guard while she walks back to Aang blocks the oncoming fire but only partially. She gets thrown back into the post of the paifang gate causing her to get knocked out, when the smoke clears, Zuko looks over her while Rin takes a hold of Aang's collar again, the sun shining brightly. "You rise with the Moon. We rise with the sun." Zuko says to the unconscious girl as Rin joins his side with the Avatar in hand.
The prow of a Fire Nation Navy ship dropping its bowsprit, using it to slice open the Water City's main wall to allow entrance. The bowsprit is used as a bridge by Fire Nation troops entering the city one after another. "The Water Tribe can try to resist the inevitable but their city will fall today," Zhao vows to Iroh as they look towards the Water Tribe City at the hands of the Fire Nation.
Katara emerges from her involuntary nap, her eyes open suddenly, and she gets to her knees with a start. She looks to see Aang, Zuko and Rin are gone from the Chamber, as Momo chitters running around. "Aang!" Katara calls out to the young Airbender as Appa lands with Sokka and Yue sitting in the saddle, they move to hop down from Appa.
"What happened? Where's Zuko and Rin?" Sokka asks his distraught little sister.
"They took Aang. They took him right out from under me." Katara answers him sadly.
"Where did they go?" Sokka asks her as Momo looks back at them from his perch on the side of the pond.
Upon the surface of the massive glacier above the protected valley of the sanctuary, it snows hard while Zuko and Rin struggle through the storm, as Zuko, carries Aang, whose marking still glow white and disappear into the snow.
