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The episode opens on Ember Island outside Ozai's beach house. Aang practices firebending punches. Zuko watches him with his arms crossed.
Zuko More ferocious! Imagine striking through your opponent's heart!
Aang [Stops firebending and turns to Zuko while growling in irritatation.] I'm trying.
Zuko Now let me hear you roar like a tigerdillo! [Aang gives a light roar as fire bursts come out of his hands and mouth; cuts to a front scene of his embarrassed grin.] That sounded pathetic! I said roar!
Aang roars even louder, as three bursts of fire come out of his hands and mouth. Momo runs and hides behind Zuko's leg in fear. Zuko nods approvingly.
Katara [Holding up two watermelons.] Who wants a nice cool glass of watermelon juice?
Aang [Brightens up upon hearing this.] Ooh, ooh! Me, me, me! [Runs to Katara.]
Zuko [Zuko's hand comes into screen and grabs Aang by the shirt of his robes.] Hey! [Aang keeps trying to run off, but it is useless.] Your lesson's not over yet! Get back here! [Holds Aang up.]
Suki [Lounging on stairs with Sokka.] Come on, Zuko. Just take a break. What's the big deal?
Zuko [Lets Aang go.] Fine! [Aang happily runs off and takes a watermelon.] If you want to lounge around like a bunch of snail sloths all day, then go ahead! [Walks away.]
Sokka Maybe Zuko's right. Sitting around the house has made us pretty lazy. But I know [Lays his watermelon aside and stands up slowly.] just the thing to change all that. [Takes off his robe, revealing a bathing suit.] Beach party!
Dives excitedly out of the camera's view. Camera changes scene to the ocean to show that he entered the water with a splash. Sokka surfaces with seaweed on his head and he blows water from his mouth. He grins goofily. Katara uses waterbending to create an ice surfboard and surfs on the water. Cut to Suki, watching Sokka grab some seaweed and bring it to an area. He takes two buckets and fills them with water. Aang sticks the last piece of wood on a life-sized sand sculpture of Appa, finishing the last horn.
Aang Check out my Appa sand sculpture. [Appa roars at the sculpture.]
Toph Not bad, baldy, [Aang jumps off the sculpture.] but I've been working on my sandbending. [Cracks her fingers.] You're gonna love this.
Toph cracks her knuckles and uses sandbending to create a sand replica of the city of Ba Sing Se. Aang peers down at the replica's details.
Aang [Amazed.] Whoa! Wow, you've even made a little Earth King and Bosco.
Sokka works hard on a sculpture.
Toph Try and top that, Sokka.
Sokka [Reveals a grotesque looking sculpture with seaweed for hair, a starfish for a nose, and rocks and shells for eyes and mouth.] Ta da!
Aang Is that a blubbering blob monster?
Sokka [Defensively.] No, it's Suki!
Aang looks at him with an animated shocked and surprised look until he and Toph both laugh hysterically.
Toph Suki, we'll all understand if you break up with him over this.
Suki [Sitting on a beach towel.] I think it's sweet.
Sokka runs and slides into screen on his knees as he grabs Suki by her shoulders and kisses her on the cheek.
Aang But it doesn't even look like- Aah!
He is cut off by a fire blast that destroys the sculpture. Zuko appears and chases after Aang, blasting at him with firebending. Aang jumps over the sand replica of Ba Sing Se and Zuko destroys the replica. Aang hides behind his Appa sand sculpture.
Aang [Peeking out from behind the sculpture fearfully.] What are you doing?
Zuko Teaching you a lesson!
Zuko destroys Aang's Appa sculpture with a fire blast. Aang jumps back up to the house. Zuko goes after him, continually firing blasts at him. Katara comes back to shore and sees the destruction.
Katara What happened?
Sokka [While rebuilding his sculpture.] Zuko's gone crazy! I made a sand sculpture of Suki and he destroyed it! [Pauses a moment.] Oh, and he's attacking Aang.
Katara, Toph, and Suki run after them, the latter dragging Sokka. Zuko chases Aang onto a tree and sends another fire blast at him, forcing him to jump onto the roof of the beach house. Zuko subsequently climbs onto the roof with him.
Aang Get a grip before I blast you off this roof!
Zuko Go ahead and do it!
Zuko blasts fire at him. Aang slides down the roof and into the house. He hides behind a dresser. Zuko breaks the roof with firebending and drops into the room. He takes a fighting stance and looks around for Aang. Aang kicks the dresser at him, but Zuko destroys it. Aang runs into the hall. Zuko augments fire into the hallway. Aang clears his part of the hallway from the fire using airbending.
Aang Enough!
Aang airbends Zuko out of the house. Everyone approaches Zuko.
Katara [Worried.] What's wrong with you? You could have hurt Aang!
Zuko What's wrong with me? What's wrong with all of you? How can you sit around having beach parties when Sozin's Comet is only three days away? [Everybody looks at Zuko.] Why are you all looking at me like I'm crazy?
Aang About Sozin's Comet ... I was actually gonna wait to fight the Fire Lord until after it came.
Zuko [Shocked.] After?
Aang I'm not ready. I need more time to master firebending.
Toph And frankly, your earthbending could still use some work too. [Aang grimaces.]
Zuko So, you all knew Aang was going to wait?
Sokka Honestly, if Aang tries to fight the Fire Lord now, he's going to lose. [Aang looks over to Sokka as he says this, frowns, and closes his eyes in defeat. To Aang.] No offense.
Katara The whole point of fighting the Fire Lord before the Comet was to stop the Fire Nation from winning the War, but they pretty much won the War when they took Ba Sing Se. Things can't get any worse.
Zuko You're wrong. [Turns away from them.] It's about to get worse than you can even imagine. [Flashes back to one day before the Day of Black Sun. Servants help Zuko get dressed on his way to a meeting. Once done, they stay behind and bow to him as he walks on. Voice-over.] The day before the eclipse, my father asked me to attend an important war meeting. It was what I dreamed about for so many years. My father had finally accepted me back.
Ozai Welcome, Prince Zuko. We waited for you. [Zuko walks up to his father. He bows to Ozai and sits down next to him.] General Shinu, your report.
Shinu Thank you, sir. [Stands up and walks up to the opposite side of Ozai across the table.] Ba Sing Se is still under our control. However, earthbender rebellions have prevented us from achieving total victory in the Earth Kingdom.
Ozai What is your recommendation?
Shinu Our army is spread too thin, but once the eclipse is over and the invasion defeated, we should transfer more domestic forces into the Earth Kingdom.
Ozai Hmm. Prince Zuko, you've been among the Earth Kingdom commoners. Do you think that adding more troops will stop these rebellions?
Zuko The people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong. They can endure anything, as long as they have hope.
Ozai Yes, you're right. We need to destroy their hope.
Zuko Well, that's not exactly what I-
Azula I think you should take their precious hope and the rest of their land and burn it all to the ground.
Ozai Yes ... [Cuts to Azula looking pleased.] Yes you're right, Azula. [Stands up and walks to the world map.] Sozin's Comet is almost upon us, and on that day, it will endow us with the strength and power of a hundred suns. No bender will stand a chance against us.
Shinu What are you suggesting, sir?
Ozai When the comet last came, my grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin, used it to wipe out the Air Nomads. [Cut to Zuko.] Now, I will use its power to end the Earth Kingdom ... [Zuko looks astonished. Cut back to Ozai smiling.] permanently. [The shot changes to an aerial view of the map which Ozai walks to the center.] From our airships, we will rain fire over their lands, a fire that will destroy everything; and out of the ashes, a new world will be born, a world in which all the lands are Fire Nation and I am the supreme ruler of everything! [War generals applaud.]
Zuko [Voice-over.] I wanted to speak out against this horrifying plan, but I'm ashamed to say I didn't. [Fade to the present.] My whole life, I struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance, but once I had it, I realized I'd lost myself getting there. I'd forgotten who I was.
Katara [Sinks to her knees.] I can't believe this.
Sokka I always knew the Fire Lord was a bad guy, but his plan is just pure evil.
Aang What am I gonna do?
Zuko [Stands up from his rock seat and walks to Aang.] I know you're scared, and I know you're not ready to save the world, but if you don't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save anymore.
Aang Why didn't you tell me about your dad's crazy plan sooner? [Walks away.]
Zuko I didn't think I had to. I assumed you were still going to fight him before the comet. No one told me you decided to wait.
Aang [Holding his head with both hands.] This is bad. [Sinks down to his knees.] This is really, really bad.
Katara Aang, you don't have to do this alone.
Toph, Zuko, Sokka, and Suki stand next to Katara.
Toph Yeah, if we all fight the Fire Lord together, we got a shot at taking him down.
Sokka All right! Team Avatar is back! Air. [Shot of Aang.] Water. [Shot of Katara.] Earth. [Shot of Toph.] Fire. [Shot of Zuko. Sokka gives Suki a clump of leaves and holds up a large leaf.] Fan and sword! [Sokka's leaf wilts.]
Aang Fighting the Fire Lord is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done together, but I wouldn't want to do it any other way.
Everybody except Zuko laughs and walks over to Aang for a group hug.
Toph Yeah.
Sokka All right.
Katara Get over here, Zuko. Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs.
With a resigned look on his face, Zuko joins the hug. Appa flies in, knocking the entire group over. The camera cuts to the beach house courtyard in another lesson between Aang and Zuko. Under the pavilion, Katara watches with Momo at her side.
Zuko There's one technique you need to know before facing my father - how to redirect lightning. [Aang smiles.] If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it. [Uses his fingers to show how the energy should flow through the body.] You turn your opponents' energy against them.
Aang That's like waterbending. [Joins Zuko in practicing the lightning redirection form.]
Zuko Exactly. My uncle invented this technique himself by studying waterbenders.
Aang So, have you ever redirected lightning before?
Zuko Once, against my father.
Aang What did it feel like?
Zuko [Stops practicing the lightning redirection form.] Exhilarating ... [Flashes back to the moment for a few seconds.] but terrifying. You feel so powerful holding that much energy in your body, but you know if you make the wrong move, it's over.
Aang [Chuckles.] Well, not over over. I mean there's always Katara and a little Spirit Water action, [Turns to Katara.] am I right?
Katara Actually, I used it all up after Azula shot you.
Aang [Disappointed.] Oh.
Zuko You'll have to take the Fire Lord's life before he takes yours.
Aang Yeah, I'll just do that.
The scene changes to the rocky cliffs near the beach.
Sokka Gather round, Team Avatar. [Puts a carved melon on a draped mannequin.] In order to take out the Fire Lord - or in this case, the Melon Lord - our timing has to be perfect. [Kneels down on the ground and uses a stick to draw a line heading toward the Melon Lord symbol.] First, Suki and I will draw his fire. Then, Katara and Zuko charge in with some liquidy hot offense, [Draws another line.] and while the Melon Lord is distracted, [Draws a third line.] Aang swoops in ... and bam! [Destroys the Melon Lord symbol with the line.] He delivers the final blow.
Toph Uh ... what about me?
Sokka For now, you're the Melon Lord's forces.
Toph [Excited.] So I get to chuck flaming rocks at all of you?
Sokka Whatever makes the training feel more realistic.
Toph Sweetness.
Fade to the Melon Lord. The camera pulls back to show Toph surrounded by boulder coated in grease with small bowls of fire set out in front of each boulder.
Toph Mwah-ha-ha-ha!
Katara and Sokka look at Aang and Momo who look at Suki and Sokka. Sokka signals to the others to start moving. Sokka and Suki run toward the Melon Lord, but become confronted by stone Fire Nation soldiers, who suddenly rise out of the ground. Sokka cuts one stone soldier in half and Suki kicks down another one. They keep running, but a large burning rock boulder falls out of the sky, blocking the camera's view of them. Suki jumps over the boulder. Sokka finds himself fallen down just a few inches away from the flaming boulder and jumps up.
Sokka Watch it, Toph!
Toph I am not Toph. I am Melon Lord! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Toph lights a second boulder on fire and sends it through the air at Zuko and Katara. They run around the boulder and become surrounded by a circle of stone Fire Nation soldiers, which they quickly destroy.
Sokka Now, Aang!
Aang jumps, preparing to strike the Melon Lord with his glider staff. Aang looks at the Melon Lord and changes expressions from anger to uncertainty. When he lands, Aang stops his attack just before smashing the Melon Lord. He backs away.
Zuko What are you waiting for? Take him out!
Aang [Shaking his head.] I can't.
Sokka [Walks up to Aang.] What's wrong with you? If this was the real deal, you'd be shot full of lightning right now.
Aang I'm sorry, but it just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself.
Sokka takes out his sword. Cut to Aang, wincing as he hears squishing sounds.
Sokka [Off-camera.] There, that's how it's done.
A piece of melon falls on the ground near the Melon Lord. Momo slurps some melon juice out of the piece. The camera zooms toward Aang, who is horrified at the scene. Later that night, Team Avatar shares a meal outside. Aang faces away from the rest of the group.
Katara [Holding a scroll.] I have a surprise for everyone!
Toph I knew it! You did have a secret thing with Haru! [She smiles while Sokka, Suki, and Zuko look at her strangely.]
Katara Uh, no. [Everybody else starts eating again.] I was looking for cooking pots in the attic, and I found this! [Unravels the scroll showing a painting of a happy dark-haired baby playing at the beach.] Look at baby Zuko. Isn't he cute?
Everybody except Zuko laughs.
Katara [To Zuko.] Oh, lighten up. I'm just teasing.
Zuko That's not me. It's my father.
Katara rolls up the scroll.
Suki But he looks so sweet and innocent.
Zuko Well, that sweet little kid grew up to be a monster, and the worst father in the history of fathers.
Aang [The camera pans to him.] But he's still a human being.
Zuko You're going to defend him?
Aang No, I agree with you. [Stands up.] Fire Lord Ozai is a horrible person, and the world would probably be better off without him, but there's got to be another way.
Zuko Like what?
Aang I don't know. [Perking up.] Maybe we can make some big pots of glue, and then I can use gluebending to stick his arms and legs together so he can't bend anymore.
Zuko [Sarcastically.] Yeah, then you can show him his baby pictures, and all those happy memories will make him good again. [Suki and Sokka laugh in the background.]
Aang [Excitedly.] Do you really think that would work?
Zuko [Bluntly.] No!
Aang [Sighs. Paces back and forth.] This goes against everything I learned from the monks. I can't just go around wiping out people I don't like.
Sokka Sure you can. You're the Avatar. If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm pretty sure the universe will forgive you.
Aang [Turns back to Sokka; losing his temper.] This isn't a joke, Sokka! None of you understand the position I'm in.
Katara Aang, we do understand. It's just ...
Aang Just what, Katara? What?
Katara We're trying to help!
Aang Then, when you figure out a way for me to beat the Fire Lord without taking his life, I'd love to hear it! [Walks away.]
Katara Aang, don't walk away from this. [Walks toward Aang.]
Zuko [Puts a hand on Katara's shoulder to stop her.] Let him go. He needs time to sort it out by himself.
Aang meditates at the beach house porch in front of four candles, some berries, a plate of fruit, and a small cup of water. Momo flies in front of Aang.
Aang [Stroking the lemur's head.] Hey, Momo. I don't suppose you know what I should do. [Momo squawks.] I didn't think so.
Momo lays down to rest, and soon Aang falls asleep too after the candles have burnt out. The camera pans out from the beach house to an island. Aang wakes up to chanting and walks toward the mysterious island, barely awake with Momo following him. Aang starts swimming when he reaches the water. The scene changes to the next morning and the mysterious island is gone. Appa eats some hay while Sokka sits on his saddle.
Sokka Okay, that's everything.
Toph No, it's not. Where's Aang?
Team Avatar runs to the beach house.
Zuko Aang? Aang!
Toph Come on, lazy bones, let's go.
Suki and Katara run to check one side of the beach house. Sokka, Zuko, and Toph run to check the other side. Zuko opens a door, but does not find Aang. Toph shrugs to show Zuko she has not found him either. Zuko checks the porch, scratching his head. He spots Aang's staff as Katara and Suki follow him.
Sokka He left his staff. [Picks up the staff.] That's so strange.
Zuko [Walks onto the porch with Toph.] Aang's not in the house. Let's check the beach. [Turns his head toward the beach.]
Fade to the beach.
Sokka Look, there's his footprints. [The camera pans up toward Aang's footprints, which stop at the beach.] The trail ends here.
Suki So, he went for a midnight swim and never came back?
Katara Maybe he was captured.
Sokka I don't think so. [Examining the footprints.] There's no sign of a struggle.
Toph I bet he ran away again.
Sokka Uh-uh. He left behind his glider and Appa.
Toph Then what do you think happened to him, oh sleuthy one?
Sokka It's pretty obvious. Aang mysteriously disappears before an important battle? He's definitely on a Spirit World journey.
Zuko But if he was, wouldn't his body still be here?
Sokka [Downcast.] Oh, yeah. Forgot about that.
Katara Then he's got to be somewhere on Ember Island. Let's split up and look for him.
Toph latches onto Zuko's arm. Zuko blushes.
Toph I'm going with Zuko! [Sokka, Suki, and Katara stare at her.] What?! Everyone else went on a life-changing field trip with Zuko. Now it's my turn.
Sokka rides on Appa, searching the shores for Aang. In Harbor City, Suki and Katara approach a group of people gathered in a circle.
Crowd [Chanting.] Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! [Shocked, Katara and Suki glance at each other and simultaneously run into the circle.]
Actress Aang [In the center of the crowd.] Avatar State! [Actor Toph lifts her up in the air.] Yip-yip! [Crowd cheers.]
Suki and Katara become frustrated by the false lead. The scene changes to Toph and Zuko walking along the beach.
Toph And then when I was nine, I ran away again.
Zuko Uh-huh.
Toph I know I shouldn't complain. My parents gave me everything I ever asked for, but they never gave me the one thing I really wanted, their love. You know what I mean?
Zuko [Sighs and stops walking.] Look, I know you had a really rough childhood, but we should really focus on finding Aang. [Continues walking.]
Toph This is the worst field trip ever. [Sighs and continues walking.]
Later, back at the beach house, Toph, Zuko, Suki, and Katara sit on the beach house stairs. Sokka lands Appa below the stairs.
Sokka Judging by the looks on your faces, I'm guessing you guys didn't find Aang, either. [Jumps off Appa.]
Zuko No. It's like he just ... disappeared.
Toph Hey, wait a minute. Has anyone noticed that Momo is missing, too?
Sokka [Turns back to Appa.] Oh no! I knew it was only a matter of time! [Jumps down to Appa.] Appa ate Momo! [Lifts up Appa's mouth.] Momo, I'm coming for you, buddy.
Katara Sokka, Appa didn't eat Momo. He's probably with Aang.
Sokka That's just what Appa wants you to think. [Climbs into Appa's mouth.]
Zuko Get out of the bison's mouth, Sokka. We have a real problem here. Aang is nowhere to be found and the comet is only two days away.
Katara What should we do Zuko?
Katara, Suki, and Toph turn to stare at Zuko. In the background, Sokka slips out of Appa's mouth, covered in bison saliva.
Zuko [Stands up.] I don't know. [They keep staring.] Why are you all looking at me?
Katara Well, you are kind of the expert on tracking Aang.
Toph Yeah, if anyone's got experience hunting the Avatar ... it's you.
Sokka tries standing up in the background, but falls back down. Zuko nods. The scene changes to Appa flying along the coast, led by Zuko.
Sokka Zuko, I don't wanna tell you how to do your job, but why are we heading towards the Earth Kingdom? There's no way Aang's there.
Zuko Just trust me.
An aerial shot of the Royal Palace. Ozai and Azula travel in palanquins to a ship.
Azula [To her palanquin bearers.] Come on slowpokes! Faster!
Ozai walks out of his palanquin and up the stairs. Azula runs behind him and gets on one knee to bow.
Azula [Pants.] Sorry I'm late, father. Good palanquin bearers are so hard to come by these days. So, is everything ready for our departure?
Ozai [Facing the ship.] There has been a change of plans, Azula.
Azula [Worried.] What?
Ozai I've decided to lead the fleet of airships to Ba Sing Se alone. You will remain here in the Fire Nation.
Azula But I thought we were going to do this together.
Ozai My decision is final.
Azula You ... you can't treat me like this! [Rising.] You can't treat me like Zuko!
Ozai Azula, silence yourself.
Azula But it was my idea to burn everything to the ground! I deserve to be by your side!
Ozai Azula! [She bows her head.] Listen to me. I need you here to watch over the homeland. It's a very important job that I can only entrust to you.
Azula Really?
Ozai And for your loyalty, I've decided to declare you the new Fire Lord.
Azula Fire Lord Azula? It does seem appropriate, but what about you?
Ozai Fire Lord Ozai is no more. Just as the world will be reborn in fire, I shall be reborn as the supreme ruler of the world. [Three Fire Sages help Ozai put on his new royal garments.] From this moment on, I will be known as ... [Raises his arms in the air.] the Phoenix King.
Servants pull up the phoenix emblem behind Ozai. Soldiers raise the phoenix flags beside the Fire Nation flags. Two more soldiers firebend into the base of the flag pole, causing fire to shoot out at the sides. The crowd bows before their new king. The camera cuts to Ozai and zooms out. Cut to an aerial view of a tavern as Team Avatar approaches. Inside the tavern, lively music plays. Zuko enters, followed by Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Toph.
Katara And the reason you've brought us to a seedy Earth Kingdom tavern is what now?
Zuko [Pointing.] June.
The camera zooms toward June, who holds a drink. A thug tries to attack her, but she makes him fall down and uses him as a foot rest. Another thug tries to punch her, but she dodges every punch, still holding her drink.
Sokka [Off-camera.] Oh yeah, that weird bounty hunter with the giant mole.
Suki [Off-camera.] Mole? Her skin is flawless.
Sokka No, she has this giant mole creature she rides around on.
Zuko The shirshu. It's the only animal that can track Aang's scent anywhere in the world. It's the one shot we have of finding him.
The second thug continues punching June. She throws her drink into the air, throws the thug at a table, catches her drink and takes a sip.
Toph [Stepping forward, grinning broadly.] I don't know who this June lady is, but I like her.
Cut to Aang sleeping on a mysterious island, while Momo licks his cheek.
Aang [Waking up.] Hey, Momo. I just had the strangest dream. [Looks around surprised at his new setting.] Wait. [The camera pans toward the ocean and shows an aerial shot of the island.] Where are we?
Fade to credits.

Cast[]

Main[]

Antagonists[]

Minor[]

Locations[]

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