Book 1 Chapter 5 The King of Omashu
Amity's intro
Water. Earth. Fire. Air.
Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed her most, she vanished. A hundred years passed, and me, Willow and Gus discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Luz. And although her airbending skills are great, she has a lot to learn before she's ready to save anyone.
But I believe Luz can save the world.
The episode opens with a close-up of a snow-covered patch of grass. The scene pans up to reveal Luz, with Amity, Gus, Willow, Eda, Appa and Momo in her trail, reaching the top of a hill. Luz spreads her arms wide while the camera shifts to a back view of the group to reveal their view.
"The Earth Kingdom city of Omashu!" (Camera pans up from the group to show the entire pyramid structured city of Omashu. Close-up of an excited Luz.) "I used to always come here to visit my friend Wraith."
(Close-up, impressed.) "Wow. We don't have buildings like this in the South Pole!" Gus said
(Close-up, overwhelmed.) "They have buildings here that don't melt!" Willow said
(Back view of the friends, with Luz and the city visible between them. Excited.) "Well let's go, slow pokes. The real fun's inside the city!" Luz said
Luz leaps off the top of the hill with her airbending. The camera position shifts to show that she had landed a few meters below and in the snow and is starting to slide down.
(Stretching her arm out to her, halting Luz with her cry.) "Wait, Luz! It could be dangerous if people find out you're the Avatar." Amity said
(Somewhat seriously.) "You need a disguise." Willow said
(Shot of Luz looking up.) "So what am I supposed to do?" (In a slightly sarcastic tone.) "Grow a mustache? Girls can't do that." Luz said
(Turns her head to Appa) "I think I have an idea for that" Eda said
Cut to a shot of Luz wiggling her nose under which is now a patch of Appa's fur, serving as a mustache. The camera zooms back to show that Luz is also wearing a tall wig made of the same material.
(Scratching underneath the wig.) "Ugh. This is so itchy." (Cut to a broader shot, Luz is standing beside Appa. To Appa.) "How do you live in this stuff?" Luz asked
Appa slowly turns his head toward Luz and snorts at her as if he was scoffing. Cut to a shot of Gus and Willow sitting on a rock with Amity and Eda standing beside them, arms crossed.
"Great! Now you look just like a grandfather." Willow said
(Glancing at Willow.) "Technically, Luz is 114 years old." Amity said
(Shocked) "for real?" Eda asked
Luz nimbly kicks up her staff and spins it rapidly around before placing it upright on the ground to be used as a walking stick. She hunches her back and leans heavily on her staff like an old person.
(In an old man's voice.) "Now let's get to skippin', young whipper-snappers. The big city awaits!" Luz said
Luz shuffles out of the frame, while Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda questioningly look at each other. The scene fades to a shot of the chasm, panning upward to show Luz, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda walking down the long path to Omashu. The shot changes to an overview of the path while the camera pans down, before shifting to an upward panning shot of the back of the five to end with a center shot of the city.
"You guys are going to love Omashu." (Cut to front view shot as the five friends walk toward the gate. Luz looks over her shoulder at Gus and Willow.) "The people here are the friendliest in the world."
Luz's eyes widen in surprise as she hears the harsh voice of the sentry. The five friends stop walking.
(Angrily.) "Rotten cabbages?!" (Far shot of three guards and a cabbage merchant with his cart in front of the closed gate of Omashu, harshly.) "What kind of slum do you think this is?!" the Gate Guard yelled
Closer shot of the talking guard as he squishes the cabbage he is holding and knocks another two cabbages out of the merchant's hands. He proceeds by earthbending a rock under the cart, catapulting it high in the air, making it tumble down the chasm with all the cabbages.
(Leaning over the rim of the path. Dramatically waving his arms in despair.) "No! My cabbages!" the Cabbage Merchant yelled
The camera shifts to the left, where Luz, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda appear and look over the rim, their mouths open in shock, as a loud crash is heard.
(Close-up, broadly smiling, somewhat nervously.) "Just keep smiling!" Luz said
While Luz walks over to the guards, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda give each other an uneasy look. Amity flashes her teeth in an awkward way and chuckles uncomfortably, while Willow merely raises a doubtful eyebrow. Side-view as Luz approaches the sentries at the gate. The earthbender steps to the front and raises a boulder out of the ground before Luz and levitates it above her head.
(Aggressively with a glare.) "State your business!" the Gate Guard said
Luz quickly runs from underneath the boulder and toward the guard, she halts right in front of the surprised man.
(In an old man's voice, poking the chest of the sentry.) "My business is my business, young man," (Shot of the boulder crashing down due to the guards lack of concentration beside Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda as they jump up slightly from the impact, close-up of Luz pointing a finger at the camera.) "and none of yours!" (Close-up of the guard, taken aback by the threateningly pointing finger just centimeters from his face.) "I've got half a mind to" (Close-up of Willow, eyes and mouth wide open in shock at Luz's audacity to talk to the sentry like that, and Amity, shaking her head with eyes wide open in shock. With Gus hiding behind Eda in fright) "bend you over my knee and paddle your backside!" Luz yelled
(In a calmer voice.) "Settle down, old timer! Just tell me who you are." the Gate Guard said
(Amity, Gus, WIllow and Eda are still in shock in the background, in an old man's voice.) "Name's Bonzu Pippinpaddleopsicopolis, the Third," (Willow raises a questioningly eyebrow while Amity walks up, smiling friendly.) "and these are my grandkids. Along with my elderly friend" Luz said
"Elderly?" Eda asked
(Waving.) "Hi. June Pippinpaddleopsicopolis. Nice to meet you." Amity said
(Pensively rubbing his beard, while eying the two children before him. Pointing at Amity.) "You seem like a responsible young lady. See that your grandfather stays out of trouble. Enjoy Omashu!" the Gate Guard said
The guard steps aside and motions at the city's entrance.
(Lightheartedly.) "We will!" Amity said
Switch to side-view as Luz, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda start walking toward the gate. Willow passes the guard with an uneasy look on her face, never letting the guard out of sight.
(Eying Willow as she passes.) "Wait a minute!" (Close-up of Willow as she halts, eyes widening in fear as the guard grasps her shoulder. Luz, Amity, Gus and Eda turn around to see what the holdup is. The guard turns Willow around, sternly.) "You're a strong young girl! Show some respect for the elderly and carry their bags!" the Gate Guard said
Willow's eyes change from fright to disbelief and annoyance while Luz removes her shoulder bag with Eda doing the same with her backpack.
(In an old man's voice.) "Good idea!" Luz said
Luz and Eda throw their bags at Willow, the bags bounces off her head to drop into her arms. Willow shoots Luz an annoyed glare over her shoulder. Overview shot as the five friends resume walking to the gate once more. Back shot view of the five friends standing before a big Earth Kingdom emblem on the wall before them. The giant earthen wall splits open in the middle of the emblem, opening up to let any passengers through. The guard opens up the gate walls. As the first wall slides open, a second and third are bent aside as well. Upward panning shot of Amity, Gus and Eda watching in awe at the spectacle while Luz is smiling behind them as Willow quietly gulps nervously. They walk through as the walls already start to move again to close right after them. A back view of Luz as she walks through the opened gates, when suddenly King's tail pops out of her wig. Close-up of the guard that granted them entrance, as his eyes widened in surprise. He tries to keep an eye on Luz as long as he can, but the airbender is obscured from his view by the closing gates.
Switch to an overview shot from inside the city as the five friends pull up at the parapet at the rim of a nearby chasm. A closer shot of Amity, Gus and Eda, excitedly taking in the city spread out before them as Luz pulls up next to them, King's head now entirely popped out of her wig. She leans on the rim as well and joins her friends in mouth open gazing at Omashu's scenery. Cut to a shot of the streets filled with people. The camera pans up, revealing an intricate system of chutes. The aqueduct like structures are built over and beside the houses with typical green roofs.
(Back to regular voice, voice-over.) "This is the Omashu delivery system." (Camera shows the top of the city.) "Miles and miles of tubes and chutes." Luz said
Cut to four earthbenders standing beside a platform where one earthen cart slides out of the picture and another one filled with vegetables comes into view. As the cart passes one earthbender, he uses his bending to change the cart's direction and pushes it to the front, where another earthbender bends it up a tube to two other earthbenders standing at the ready to receive it. One earthbender quickly bends stone lintels underneath the cart so it would not fall down again, while the other one thrusts it off the platform, where it slides down a chute at high speed.
(Voice-over.) "Earthbending brings the packages up, and gravity brings them down." Luz said
(Cut back to the five friends, unimpressed.) "Great, so they get their mail on time." Willow said
(Excitedly.) "They do get their mail on time," (Close-up of Luz.) "but my friend Wraith found" (Squints eyes mischievously.) "a better use for these chutes."
Scene fades to a flashback to a hundred years ago, when Luz visited the city before. Back shot of an adult Wraith watching over the city. When Luz walks up, he excitedly jumps around.
(Excitedly.) "Look around you! What do you see?" Wraith asked
(Unsurely.) "Um ... The mail system?" Luz asked
"It's what we all see in your kingdom" Camila said
(Pointing his finger in the air and waving it around while Luz and Camila walk up to him.) "Instead of seeing what they want you to see," (Leaning toward the airbenders.) "you have to open your brain to the possibilities." Wraith said
(Uncomprehending.) "A package-sending system?" Camila asked
(Excitedly, the camera moves back to show the start of one of the chutes.) "The world's greatest superslide!" Wraith said
(Close-up of a crazed smiling Wraith, and a broadly smiling Luz.) "Wraith, you're a mad genius!" Luz said
"Oh dear" Camila said facepalming herself
Wraith chuckles with an odd snort as the camera slowly moves to a close-up. Cut to a shot of Luz and Wraith riding down the "superslide", happily laughing as Camila screamed with fright. Wraith throws his hands in the air as they hurtle out of the scene.
Slowly, the scene fades back to present day; the lush, green tree the duo passed, now old, snow-covered and without leaves. The camera moves up the slope, where the heads of Luz, with King in her wig, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda can be seen above the rim. Scene switches to a closer shot, revealing that they are sitting in a mail cart. Luz looks excited, while the others look around them, unsure and slightly frightened.
(Raising one finger to emphasize her words, the cart rocking back and forth, creaking.) "One ride. Then we're off to the North Pole. Airbender's honor." Luz said
"This is crazy, even for you!" Eda said in fright
(Uneasy.) "It sounded like fun at first," (Shot switches to a bird's eye view, fully revealing the steepness of the chute.) "But now that I'm here, I'm starting to have second" (Luz leans forward, tipping the balance of the box, sending it down the slope at a tremendous speed, making Amity scream out her last word.) "th-o-o-oughts!"
Close-up of a happily laughing Luz. The camera moves up to reveal King in Luz's wig, holding on to the hair, squinting his eyes due to the wind. Camera shifts to the others, Amity, Gus and Eda screaming in fear, Willow gritting her teeth in terror. Camera moves back as the cart makes a turn, and follows it down the slope. The chute they are riding pulls up next to a parallel one, where a cart with a rack of six spears is racing down. Switch to a side-view as the cart of the five friends pulls up next to the cart with the spears and they all stare at it, no one making a sound. They race past it and both tracks join together. Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda scream as the two chutes merge into one chute with the spear-cart behind them, but quickly gaining. Gus and Eda hear it coming and turn around. They gasp and ducks just in time to avoid being skewered by the spears. Willow turns around and scoots away into Amity, making her scream in fear as she sees the weapons so close. Luz, smiling excitedly, turns as well to see what the commotion is all about.
(Excitedly.) "I'm on it!" Luz said
Switch to a frontal view of the cart, as Luz begins to rock it. Hitting each side once, the cart flies out of the chute and onto a roof, where it continues its descent.
Cut to a shot of a soldier talking to his men.
"Men, you'll be going off to combat soon. It's important that you be prepared for anything." the Earth Soldier said
Luz, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda come in riding the cart between the soldier and the warriors. The scene freezes for a second at that shot as the sound of a little bell can be heard, before continuing. The warriors gasp in surprise as the cart ricochets and continues moving. Switch to a scene of other carts moving over a chute. The cart with the five friends breaks through the railing closing off the other chute and crosses the track, knocking over one of the supply carts, spilling a load of pumpkins all over the ground. The knocked over cart lies on the track, where another incoming cart crashes into it.
Switch to a shot of a chute as the five friends enter it. Switch to a front view of the speeding cart.
(Scared.) "Luz, do something! Use your airbending!" Amity yelled
(Excitedly.) "Yeah! Good idea! That'll make us go even faster!" Luz said
Luz airbends behind her. They pass by a restaurant, where a couple is eating together. They look up in surprise at the group flashing by while the waiter dashes over to see what is going on. The scene switches to an earthbender soldier waiting for the arrival of the next cart. As a cart of scrolls stops in front of him, the camera tilts to the right, showing how the cart with the group is flying down an incredibly steep slope. As the slope flattens out, they cry out in alarm as they are moments from colliding with the motionless cart in front of the bender. The earthbender on duty at that station sends it on its way, briefly relieving the group in the speeding cart. Much to the riders' horror, another cart instantly pops up from the tube below the bender. Before it can be moved, the group's cart crashes into it, catapulting them and their cart into the air, high above a lower level of the city. Luz airbends the cart in front of them as they fall, making them drop back into the cart. The group rides down several roofs, leaving damaged tiles in their wake. The scene switches to inside a craftsman's home, where he whistles serenely as he puts the final touches on a vase. The cart flies through one window, ricochets off of the floor where the vase is, smashing it and making the riders grunt, and flying out the window opposite. The craftsman peers out the ruined window as a dust cloud emerges, revealing that the cart has crashed against something else.
"Sorry!" Luz yelled
They land on a balcony and slide through another house. Emerging on the other side, a bearded cat chases King around Luz's wig until the demon dog pushes it off. The cart smashes through a parapet and drops vertically out of sight. The view changes to the same cabbage merchant that had his cabbage cart thrown into the abyss earlier, now cuddling a cabbage at a replacement cart. Alerted by something coming from up above, he walks from underneath the cart's roof to check it out, and gasps in horror as the group's cart drops on it, smashing the replacement cart to pieces and scattering what intact cabbages are left all over. Luz, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda are in a tangled heap by the remains, while King elegantly floats down.
(Grasping his head in despair.) "My cabbages!" (Angrily.) "You're gonna pay for this!" the Cabbage Merchant yelled
Guards walk up, surrounding the still dazed group. Close-up of Luz as she sits up, her disguise pretty much gone, revealing her youthful face and airbending arrow.
(Sheepishly.) "Two cabbages please." Luz said
The scene fades to the ceiling of the palace of Omashu. The camera pans down, revealing a watch guard in the front, and the King of Omashu sitting on his throne, flanked by two guards, in the back of an enormous room. The first watch guard slightly moves aside to let the group pass. Willow looks very uneasy, Amity slants her eyes up in an attempt to look sympathetic, and glances to the side. As she gazes at the king, the scene switches to a close-up of the elderly king, who looks at them questioningly, arching an eyebrow and grunting in wonder. The scene switches to a frontal view of the "visitors" as they are being pushed into a kneeling position by two guards.
"Your majesty, these juveniles were arrested for vandalism, traveling under false pretenses, and malicious destruction of cabbages." the Guard said
(Jumping agitatedly up and down, waving his left fist in the air.) "Off with their heads! One for each head of cabbage!" the Cabbage Merchant said
(Gesturing at the merchant.) "Silence! Only the king can pass down judgment. What is your judgment, sire?" the Guard said
The camera slowly moves in on the king who squints his eyes and grunts pensively. Switch to a close-up of the group, who uneasily eye each other. A close-up of a whimpering Willow and Eda, moves to one of a smiling Amity, her hands folded in front of her and her eyes twinkling hopefully. Luz is the only one who keeps staring at the side, one eyebrow arched and pouting. Switch to a close-up of the dissimilar eyes of the elderly king, before going back to a shot of Luz who now whistles nonchalantly.
(Raising his hand.) "Throw them …" (Luz, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda gasp.) "a feast!" the king said
The guard gasps and the merchant grasps his head with both hands in dismay upon hearing the king's verdict. Gus and Eda are smiling, as Willow lets out a sigh of relief, while Amity darts a questioningly look toward Luz, who arches her eyebrows in wonder. Cut to a richly-filled dining table. The camera pans to the right, revealing all sorts of different dishes and teapots. Camera zooms in on King as he eats a lot of the food, chittering contently. Switch to a frontal view of the group sitting at the table, the king standing behind their chairs.
(To Aang.) "The people in my city have gotten fat from too many feasts," (Leaning in over Luz, grabbing the chicken leg that is on her plate, holding it in front of her.) "so I hope you like your chicken with no skin." the king said
"Thanks, but I don't eat meat." Luz said
(To Willow.) "How about you? I bet you like meat." the king said
The king stuffs the chicken into Willow's mouth, who eats it appreciatively, and walks over to his own seat.
(Quietly to Luz.) "Is it just me, or" (Turns circles with her index finger beside her temple, implying the king is crazy.) "Is this guy's crown a little crooked?" Amity asked
(Quietly to Luz and Amity) "I agree with you on that" Eda said
(Aerial shot of the dining table as the king pulls up to his seat.) "So tell me, young arrow one," (Sitting down.) "Where are you from?" the king asked
(Close-up.) "I'm from ... Kangaroo Island!" Luz said
(Cut to the King, two guards standing watch behind him.) "Oh, Kangaroo Island, eh? I hear that place is really hopping!" the king said
A moment of silence occurs, someone coughs off camera. Cut to a frontal shot of the five friends, looking straight at the king with blank faces. Willow bursts out laughing. Luz, Amity, Gus and Eda look at her, still with a blank expression.
(Stops laughing, unsure.) "What? It was pretty funny." Willow said
(Cut back to the king, who lazily stretches his arms, and yawns.) "Well, all these good jokes are making me tired. Guess it's time to hit the hay." the king said
The king eyes the children with a weird expression as he leans to the left on his chair. Suddenly, he hurls a chicken leg at them. Close-up of the meat as it flies through the air. Cut to a side shot of the group, as Luz nearly tumbles off her chair in reflex of catching the chicken leg in a small airball. Switch to guards gasping in surprise. Cut to a side shot of the entire table. Luz is still suspending the chicken leg in the airball.
(Gesturing at Luz.) "There's an airbender in our presence, and not just any airbender." (Close-up as he decisively stands up.) "The Avatar!" the king said
Close-up of a shocked Luz, who quickly stops bending and puts her hands behind her back. The chicken leg falls on her plate. Back shot of the group, as the king continues.
(Sits down again.) "Now, what do you have to say for yourself," (Close-up, smiling, satisfied.) "Mr. Pippinpaddleopsicopolis?" the king asked
Camera fades to black before cutting to a frontal shot of the entire city of Omashu. Cut back to an overview shot from inside the dining room from behind Luz, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda. King is still sitting in the middle of the table, eating.
(Standing up, throwing her hands in the air.) "Okay, you caught me." (Frontal shot of the five friends.) "I'm the Avatar. Doing my Avatar thing, keeping the world safe. Everything checks out." (Luz looks underneath the table.) "No firebenders here. So, good work, everybody!" (Pulling Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda into a hug.) "Love each other," (Cut to a dismayed looking king.) "respect all life," (Cut to a shot of the fivesome walking backward toward the exit.) "and don't run with your spears. We'll see you next time!" Luz said
As they near the guard at the exit door, the two men cross their spears, effectively blocking their paths. Camera zooms back to a back shot of the king.
(Accusingly.) "You can't keep us here! Let us leave!" Amity yelled
Frontal shot of the king as he questioningly picks up a lettuce leaf from his plate and waves it in the air.
"Lettuce leaf?" the king asked
Switch to a side shot of the king's mouth as he lifts his mask, takes a bite out of a lettuce leaf and chews it slowly.
(Cut to the threesome. Gus holds his hand for his mouth; whispering.) "We're in serious trouble. This guy is nuts." Gus said
(Close-up.) "Tomorrow, the Avatar will" (Slowly zooming in close-up of Luz.) "face three deadly challenges." (Back to the king.) "But for now, the guards will show you to your chamber."
(Leaning in toward the king.) "My liege, do you mean the good chamber or the bad chamber?" the Chamberlain asked
(Turning to the guard.) "The newly refurbished chamber." the king said
(Putting a finger in the air.) "Wait, which one are we talking about?" the Chamberlain asked
"The one that used to be the bad chamber, until the recent refurbishing, that is. Of course, we've been calling it the new chamber, but we really should number them." (Switch to a frontal shot of the group as they are being led out of the room, flanked by two guards. Commanding.) "Uh, take them to the refurbished chamber that was once bad!" the king yelled
As the group and their guards walk out of the room, the camera rapidly zooms in on the king's face. He stares at them before chewing on a new lettuce leaf. The scene changes to inside a room. A wall cracks and moves down, revealing Luz with King perched on her shoulders, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda. They are roughly pushed inside, and the wall is immediately bent up again after them. Switch to a scene of the room, panning to the left, revealing the content of the room, and the fact that there is no door anywhere. The room has six green beds in the center with six green drapes hanging from the ceiling above them. The scene stops on the group.
"This is a prison cell? But it's so nice." Gus said
(King jumps off Luz's shoulders and onto a bed.) "He did say it was newly refurbished." Luz said
"Nice or not, we're prisoners!" Willow said
"Gonna have to agree with Willow there" Eda said
(Close-up, worried.) "I wonder what these challenges are gonna be."
(Determined.) "We're not sticking around to find out. There's got to be some way out of here." Amity said
(Excitedly pointing at something on the other side of the room.) "The air vents!" Luz said
Scene quickly moves around the room and halts at a hole in the wall. Cut back to the group. Luz smiles happily, staring at the hole, while Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda eye each other in wonder.
(Harshly.) "If you think we're going to fit through there, you're crazier than that king." Willow said
(Turning to Willow.) "We can't, but King can!" Luz said
Happily points in front of her. Cut to King lazily lying on the bed, licking a half-eaten apple. His belly protrudes from eating so much. Luz appears at the side of the bed.
(Hopeful.) "King, I need you to find Appa and bust us outta here!" Luz said
King looks up surprised at his friend, blinking and chittering softly. Cut to a shot from inside the air vent looking out. King's head appears and the animal is pushed inside the tube. The animal is shoved back and forth a few times, much to its displeasure. Cut to Luz standing on a chair, trying to push King into the air vent without success.
"Go on, boy, get Appa!" Luz said having a hard time pushing King into the air vent
Luz quits trying, looking down discouraged, leaving King stuck in the vent. Cut to Willow who is relaxing on a bed.
"Eh, how was Appa supposed to save us anyway?" Willow asked
Cut to King trying to free himself by pushing against the wall with his hind legs.
(Voice-over.) "Appa's a ten-ton flying bison, I think he could figure something out." Luz said
King was unsuccessful and gave up, his hind legs hanging down in defeat. Cut to an overview shot of the six beds.
(Climbing into her bed.) "Well, no point arguing about it now. Get some rest, Luz." (Luz walks toward her bed.) "Looks like you'll need it for tomorrow." Amity said
Luz sadly sits on the side of her bed, looking down. Switch to the next scene of Luz lying on her bed, snoring loudly and drooling on her pillow. The room is only dimly lit, casting a somewhat green glow. The wall behind Luz opens, revealing a guard. The crunching sound of the earth being moved wakes Luz, who quickly raises her head and glances around.
(Alarmed.) "Willow? Eda?" (Switch to Luz's point of view, the other beds are empty.) "Amity? Gus?" (Frontal shot as Luz turns toward the guard.) "Where are my friends?" Luz asked
(Frontal shot.) "The king will free them if you complete your challenges." the Guard said
(Frontal shot, unsure.) "And if I fail?" Luz asked
(Frontal shot.) "He didn't say." (Extending his arm, switching back to a shot of the guard.) "Your staff, please?" the Guard asked
Luz lifts her staff with her foot, grabs it, and spins it around, places it upright next to her, before tossing it to the guard. Switch to a frontal shot of Luz, flanked by two guards, entering the large throne room. The scene slightly pans to the left, showing a bit of the king's back.
(Serious.) "First, Avatar," (Frontal shot as the king spread his arms, showing off his purple outfit, lighthearted.) "What do you think of my new outfit? I want your honest opinion." (Frontal shot of Luz who blankly stares at the king. Someone coughs during the ensuing silence. Switch back to a frontal shot of the king.) "I'm waiting." the king said
(Scratching her head.) "I ... guess it's fine." Luz said
"Excellent! You passed the first test." the king said
"Really?" Luz asked
(Upbeat.) "Well, not one of the deadly tests." (Waving his finger from side to side, emphasizing his words.) "The real challenges are much more, uh, challenging." the king said
Cut to a side shot of Luz as she suddenly dashes forward to the surprise of his two guards. Using her airbending, her speed is enhanced. Close-up of her feet as she quickly crosses the distance between her and the king. Cut to a back shot of the king as Luz halts in front of her, the wind passing over them.
(Aggressively.) "I don't have time for your crazy games!" (Close-up of the king.) "Give me my friends back! We're leaving!" Luz yelled
"Oh, I thought you might refuse," (Side shot of the two. A wall opens, revealing Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda struggling in the grasp of a guard. Luz turns to them.) "so I will give your friends some special souvenirs." the king said
Luz looks back at the king. Cut to a frightened Amity as her guard slides a red ring over her finger. Close-up of the ring being put on. The moment the guard retracts his hand, the ring glows and tightens around her finger. The scene broadens, showing Gus, Willow and Eda have gotten a ring as well, Gus' being blue, Willow's being green, Eda's being purple and are now frantically trying to remove it from their fingers. Amity tries to pull it off as well, but all four are unsuccessful.
(Voice-over.) "Those delightful rings are made of pure jennamite, also known as creeping crystal. It's a crystal that grows remarkably fast." (Close-up of the king, sinister.) "By nightfall your friends will be completely covered in it." (Slightly sympathetic.) "Terrible thing, really." (Serious.) "I can stop it, but only if you cooperate." the king said
The king glances toward Luz's friends. Cut to a shot of Gus' finger now donning a blue jennamite ring. The ring glows and expands toward his hand.
(Panicking.) "Ah! It's already creeping!" Gus yelled
(Cut back to a side shot of Luz and the king, serious.) "I'll do what you want." Luz said
Close-up of the evil grinning king. Scene changes to a cave filled with stalagmites and stalactites. Camera pans to the left where Luz stands on a flat rock with a waterfall in front of her. In the waterfall, there is a ladder, and above the ladder hangs a rope. Amity, Gus, Willow, Eda and the king are on a balcony cut into the wall to the left of the waterfall. The king was laughing. Cut to a frontal shot of the king looking over the balcony rim. Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda are guarded behind him. The jennamite ring has already expanded to engulf part of their right forearm. The king glances back at the four friends with a grin on his face. Close-up of the jennamite as it glows and creeps a bit further on the arms of Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda. Switch to a back shot of the king as he is looking out toward where Luz is standing.
"It seems I've lost my lunch box key and I'm hungry. Ooh, there it is!" (the king points to the inside of the waterfall.) "Would you mind fetching it for me?" the king asked
The key hanging from a chain and a vertical iron ladder are dimly visible behind the waterfall. Luz airbends to the base of the fall and plunges into the waterfall. She manages to climb up the rock face to the base of the ladder and grasp it with one hand. Before she can get any further, the torrent of water pushes her away and out.
(Sarcastically.) "Ooh, climbing the ladder. No one's thought of that before." the king said
Panting, Luz rests a moment between two stalagmites, leaps from them to the stalactites above, and closer to the waterfall still high by the roof of the cavern. She dives into the fall above the key and tries to grab the key as she falls with the water, the rush of the water carries her past and in a moment she shoots out again, keyless.
"That's right. Keep diving head in. I'm sure it'll work eventually." the king said
Luz cuts a stalagmite with airbending and throws it like a spear at the key, accelerating it with another air blast. The stone spear snags the chain suspending the key, and carries it out of the waterfall. The spear pierces the stone wall above the King's balcony, the key now dangling right in front of the king.
"There! Enjoy your lunch! I want my friends back now!" Luz yelled
"Ah, not yet. I need help with another matter. It seems I've lost my pet, Blopsie." the king said
Scene changes to Luz in a large sunken enclosure in a new room, with the king, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda up above. Luz finds a lop-eared bunny.
"Okay! I think I Found him!" Luz said
"Bring him to me. Daddy wants a kiss from Blopsie!" the king said
"Come here, Blopsie." (a goat gorilla jumps down behind Luz, startling both her and the bunny.) "Huh?" Luz wondered
Squealing with terror, the bunny bolts across the arena with Luz in pursuit.
"Blopsie, wait! Blopsie!" (Cut to the king laughing. Back to Luz chasing the bunny.) "Flopsie!" Luz yelled
Luz kept going until the bunny went into a hole. Luz puts her arm in the hole up to the shoulder trying to grab hold of the frightened rabbit. The light dawns on her face.
"Wait a minute." (Close-up of the goat gorilla snarling. Cut to behind Luz.) "Blopsie?" Luz asked
The snarling goat gorilla bounds toward Luz making her brace herself, but instead of attacking, picks her up and licks her.
"Blopsie!" Luz said about to give Blopsie a hug
Blopsie puts Luz down and, obeying a whistle from the king, climbs up from the arena to him and rolls onto his back, offering his belly.
(Rubbing Blopsie's belly.) "Oh, that's a good boy. Yes, who has a soft belly?" the king asked
(jumps up to where Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda are. All four are encased in crystal to their shoulders.) "Guys, are you okay?" Luz asked
"Other than the crystals slowly encasing my entire body, doing great!" Amity said
At that moment, a crystal grows on one side of Willow's body, making her become unbalanced and fall. Luz walks over to the king.
(Rubbing Blopsie's belly.) "Oh, yes." the king said
"Come on! I'm ready for the next challenge." Luz said
The king gives an evil laugh and the scene dissolves to an earthbending arena. Luz and the king are on a balcony overlooking the arena, Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda along with a guard are on an adjacent balcony. The crystals are past their heads, leaving their faces exposed.
"Your final test is a duel. And as a special treat, you may choose your opponent." the king said, snapping his fingers to call in some soldiers.
Two tough-looking men come out, standing next to the king. Luz looks at them uncertain about the last challenge.
"Point and choose." the king said
"So ... you're saying whoever I point to, that's the person I get to fight?" Luz asked
"Choose wisely!" the king said
"I ... choose ... you." (Luz points to the king.)
"Wrong choice!" the king said
The king straightens up and removes his outer robe, proving himself to be a powerfully built old man. He earthbends Luz off of the balcony, making her fly into the arena. The king jumps down right in front of Luz, and laughs.
"You thought I was an ordinary man, but I'm the most powerful earthbender you'll ever see." the king said
"Can I fight the guy with the axe instead?" Luz asked
"There are no take-backsies in my kingdom. You might need this." (Points to the guard standing near Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda.)
The guard tosses Luz her staff. The king bends several rocks at Luz who just avoids and evades the attacks.
"Typical airbender tactic: avoid and evade. I hoped the Avatar would be less predictable." the king said
The king attacks Luz some more. Luz just keeps avoiding and evading.
"Don't you have any surprises for me? Sooner or later you'll have to strike back!" the king yelled
Luz uses her staff to helicopter into the air. The king bends a large boulder into the ceiling, raining rocks onto Luz, knocking her from the air. She charges at the king on foot, but a series of bending attacks leaves her flat atop a large rock pile
"You'll have to be a little more creative than that!" the king yelled
Luz bends an air scooter and charges forward on it, throwing a huge air blast at the king as she comes. The king throws up a stone barrier and the blast deflects to both sides of it.
"Did someone leave the windows open? It feels a little drafty in here. Are you hoping I'll catch a cold?" the king asked
The king bends more attacks at Luz, leading her across half of the arena
"How are you going to get me from way over there?" the king asked
Luz charges forward on foot again, using airbending to accelerate but the king softens the arena floor, leaving her sunk to the waist. The king bends two stones to collide on the spot but Luz pops out at the top of them when they meet. Visibly angry now, she bends the slab the king is standing on all the way to the back of the arena. The king bends the largest boulder yet to come at Luz from behind but she does an air-assisted backflip over it. The king makes more bending moves, cracking the floors and walls of the arena, tearing out a huge chunk of the wall and balcony they had been standing on. Seeing what is coming, Luz gasps and runs in tight circles, conjuring a tornado. When the king flings the huge piece at Luz, it is caught in the tornado and instantly whips around right back at the king. The king bends it to sand before it can smash him, but before he can recover, Luz attacks from the top of the tornado, landing at the king's feet with her staff poised to strike. The king's arms are raised as if surrendering but a small pebble strikes Luz's head, drawing her attention to the large boulder suspended over the both of them.
"Well done, Avatar. You fight with much fire in your heart." (He tosses the boulder aside and bends up to the balcony where the four friends are almost completely encased. Luz joins him.) "You've passed all my tests. Now, you must answer one question." the king said
"That's not fair! You said you would release my friends if I finished your tests." Luz said
"Oh, but what's the point of tests if you don't learn anything?" the king asked
"Oh, come on!" Eda complained
"Answer this one question and I will set your friends free. What ... is my name? From the looks of your friends I'd say you only have a few minutes." the king said
The king walks out of frame. Luz confers with Amity, Gus, Willow and Eda.
"How am I supposed to know his name?" Luz asked
"Think about the challenges. Maybe it's some kind of riddle." Amity said
"I got it!" Gus said
"Yeah?" Luz asked
"He's an earthbender, right? Rocky. You know, because of all the rocks." Gus said
"We're going to keep trying, but that is a good back-up." Eda said
"Okay. So back to the challenges. I got a key from the waterfall, I saved his pet, and I had a duel." Luz said
"And what did you learn?" Willow asked
"Well, everything was different than I expected." Luz said
(The jennamite grows as she talks with anxiety.) "And?" Amity asked scared
"Well, they weren't straight forward. To solve each test, I had to think differently than I usually would. I know his name." Luz said
Cut to Aang confronting the king.
"I solved the question the same way I solved the challenges. As someone said a long time ago, I had to open my brain to the possibilities." (The king laughs with the same odd snort Wraith did a hundred years ago.) "Wrath, you're a mad genius. Just like your father." Luz said
Luz and Wrath hug like old friends.
"Oh Luz, it's good to see you. You're exactly like what dad described. Literally." Wrath said
"Uh, over here!" Amity yelled
"Little help?" Gus asked
"Ah, of course, mind doing the honors sweetheart?" Wrath asked
"I am not your …" Eda didn't get to fully say from what just happened
Willow breaks the crystals by stomping her foot on the ground using earthbending, making pieces fly everywhere. Wrath catches one of them.
"Jennamite is made of rock candy." (He takes a bite into the crystal.) "Delicious!" Wrath said
"You're an earthbender!?" Eda exclaimed
"Yeah, I wanted some time away from Omashu, it's the kingdom I was born in" Willow said which made Gus faint
"So this crazy king is the son of your old friend Wraith?" Amity asked
"Who are you calling old? Okay, my dad's old. But he's still tough" Wrath said
"Why did you do all of this instead of just telling Luz who you were?" Eda asked while fanning her hands in Gus' face to try and wake him up
"First of all, it's pretty fun messing with people." (Snorts.) "But I do have a reason. Luz, you have a difficult task ahead. The world has changed in the hundred years that you've been gone. It's the duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world by defeating Fire Emperor Belos. You have much to learn. You must master the four elements and confront the Fire Emperor. And when you do, I hope you will think like a mad genius. And it looks like you're in good hands. You'll need your friends to help defeat the Fire Nation." (King climbs up on Luz's shoulder.) "And you'll need King, too." Wrath said
"Thank you for your wisdom, but before we leave, I have a challenge for you." Luz said
Scene changes to show Luz and Wrath riding down the mail system. Cut to the view of the entire city. A cloud of dust is raised as a crash is heard.
"My cabbages!" the Cabbage Merchant yelled
Fade to credits.