Bitter Work

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Bitter Work
Written by: Aaron Ehasz
Directed by: Ethan Spaulding
Storyboard: Michael Chang, Miyuki Hoshikawa, Justin Ridge, Ethan Spaulding, Tomi
hiro Yamaguchi
Transcribed by: Nat

[Introduction sequence]

Act I
(The episode opens with a view of a rocky canyon. The camera pans down to reveal
Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Appa sleeping. Cut to Aang leaping into the air excite
dly.)
Aang: Todays the day! Can you believe it After all that time searching for a teach
er,
Im finally starting earthbending! And this place i-its perfect! Dont you think Sokka
(Sokka rolls over, giving Aang an angry look. He moans.)
Aang: Oh, youre still sleeping, huh
(Sokka moans again and rolls back over.)
Aang (whispering): Sorry!
(The ground begins to shake and Aang takes a step backward. Cut to Tophs rock ten
t which suddenly explodes, revealing Toph standing with a fist in the air.)
Toph: Good morning earthbending student!
(Cut back to Aang. Toph walks up to him and he bows slightly.)
Aang: Good morning sifu Toph.
(Katara rouses from her sleeping bag.)
Katara (sleepily): Hey You never call me sifu Katara.
(Aang scratches behind his head nervously.)
Aang: Well, if you think I should
(Sokka sits up and grumbles angrily. Cut to Aang and Toph.)

Toph: Sorry. snoozles. Well do our earthbending as quietly as we can.

(Cut to Tophs feet. She kicks the ground and cracks travel toward Sokka. Cut to S
okka as a large spire of rock shoots up underneath him. Sokka screams as hes laun
ched into the air and toward the camera. He hits the ground with a thud, then ge
ts up and bounces toward Aang and Toph, grumbling angrily. He bounces offscreen.
Cut to Toph. Aang leaps over next to her.)
Aang: So what move are you going to teach me first Rockalanche (He shoves his fist
down to illustrate the move.) The trembler (He pretends like hes has someone in a
hold and trembles slightly.) Oh! Maybe I can learn to make a whirlpool out of l
and!
(He holds his arms up and spins around. Toph slaps a hand on his chest to stop h
im.)
Toph: Lets start with move a rock.
(She walks offscreen.)
Aang: Sounds good! Sounds good!
(Cut to an open part of the canyon. Aang and Toph each stand in front of a bould
er. Katara watches from a rock outcropping nearby.)
Toph: The key to earthbending is your stance. (She lowers herself and widens the
distance between her feet. Aang tries to imitate her.) Youve got to be steady an
d strong. Rock is a stubborn element. (She shoves Aang, causing him to stumble t
o the side.) If youre going to move it, youve got to be like a rock yourself.
Aang: Like a rock. Got it.
(He rubs his side where she shoved him. Cut to Toph. She straightens up.)
Toph: Good. Now the actual motion of this one is pretty simple. (She lunges forw
ard and punches, causing the boulder to shoot off into the distance, slamming in
to the side of the canyon.) Okay, you ready to give it a try
(Aang takes up a similar stance.)
Aang: Im ready.
(His eyes narrow and he punches forward, but a blast of air sends him shooting b
ackward. He slams into Appas side and falls on his face. The camera zooms out, sh
owing Sokka, still in his sleeping bag, sitting on a nearby rock.)
Sokka: Rock beats airbender!
(Cut to Irohs dream. Theres a single tree on a grassy hill. Iroh runs up the hill
with Lu Ten behind him. Cut to Lu Ten who does a pretend firebending motion with
his hands.)
Lu Ten: (laughs) I got you, dad!
(Cut to Iroh. He lets out a cry of pain as he falls to the ground. Lu Ten falls
on top of him and then they both laugh.
Cut to the future. Rain is falling on a stone object. The camera pans up to reve
al and older Iroh, a look of pain on his face.)
Iroh: My beloved Lu Ten, I will see you again.

(The camera zooms out, revealing that he is on the same hill, presumably in fron
t of a grave. The tree is leafless and the sky is a gloomy dark red color.)
Zuko: Uncle!
(Cut to a deserted, broken-down shack. The camera is from Irohs viewpoint and Zuk
o is looking down at him, a concerned look on his face.)
Zuko: You were unconscious. Azula did this to you.
(Iroh attempts to get up but winces in pain. A bandage covers the left side of h
is chest and shoulder.)
Zuko: It was a surprise attack.
Iroh: Somehow, thats not so surprising.
(He grunts in pain as he moves to lean up against the wall. Zuko picks up a stea
ming cup and hands it to Iroh.)
Zuko: I hope I made it the way you like it.
(Iroh takes a sip from the cup and his eyes widen. He lets out a cry of disgust,
but manages to mask it.)
Iroh: Mmm, good. (He takes another drink and grunts.) That was very, uhh bracing!
(Zuko hands him another cup and he tosses itout the window when his nephew isnt l
ooking.)
Zuko: So uncle, Ive been thinking. Its only a matter of time before I run into Azu
la again. Im going to need to know more advanced firebending if I want to stand a
chance against her. I know what youre going to say: shes my sister and I should b
e trying to get along with her.
Iroh: No, shes crazy and she needs to go down. (Zuko nods. Iroh grunts as he stan
ds up.) Its time to resume your training.
(Cut to Aangs group. Katara and Toph are standing next to the boulder Aang tried
to move. Aang walks up, a hand behind his head.)
Katara: I dont understand what went wrong. (She glances at Toph and points at Aan
g.) He did it exactly the way you did.
Aang: Maybe theres another way. (He takes up a fighting stance and begins to walk
toward the boulder.) What if I came at the boulder from a different angle
(Toph grabs him by the collar and he turns around.)
Toph: No, thats the problem. Youve got to stop thinking like an airbender. (She kn
ocks her fist lightly against the side of Aangs head. He winces slightly.) Theres
no different angle, no clever solution, no trickity trick thats going to move tha
t rock. (She shoves Aang. He cries out and falls down offscreen.) Youve got to fa
ce it head on. And when I say head on, I mean like this!
(She runs forward. The camera pans out as she jumps into the air and crashes int
o the rock that Aang tried to move head-first, shattering it. Aang recoils.)
Aang: Whoa!

(He looks down, unsure of himself. Cut to Toph walking away. Katara runs to catc
h up with her. Toph stops.)
Katara: Ive been training Aang for a while now. He really responds well to a posi
tive teaching experience. Lots of encouragement and praise. Kind words. If hes do
ing something wrong, maybe a gentle nudge in the right direction.
Toph: Thanks Katara. A gentle nudge. Ill try that. (Cut to Toph shouting.) Keep y
our knees high, twinkletoes!
(Cut to Aang carrying a large rock on his back. Hes obviously straining to hold u
p the weight. The camera zooms out, showing Toph in the background stomping down
and causing pillars of rock to rise underneath Aangs feet as he walks. Aang lose
s his balance and falls offscreen.
Cut to Toph rubbing her hands together. The camera zooms out and she begins to q
uickly shove her hands effortlessly into a rock. The camera pans over and Aang r
ubs his hands together and tries to do the same thing, but he merely hurts his h
and and grunts in pain.
Cut to Aang. A bead of sweat drips down his face. The camera zooms out and Toph
leaps out of the ground and lands next to him.)
Toph: Rocklike!
(Aang falls over and blinks. Toph kicks the ground and a pillar of rock shoves h
im back up. She pokes him in the eye and Aang grins nervously.
Cut to Sokkas face with Tophs hand holding him back. He grunts, trying to move for
ward. Cut to a side view, showing Sokka struggling to get his sword back from To
ph, who is holding it to the side and preventing Sokka from grabbing it. She sho
ves him backward and he stalks offscreen. She hands the weapon to Aang, who is b
lindfolded. She stands on a rock in the distance and begins to kick the ground,
causing columns of rock to emerge. Aang tries to hit them and finally succeeds a
fter missing four. Cut to Toph, who nods in approval.
Cut to Toph and Aang standing in a clearing. Toph raises her arms and two walls
of rock rise on either side of them. Aang looks up in amazement. Cut to Toph. Sh
e moves her fingers in a straight line in front of her and a line is drawn in th
e ground at her feet. She holds up her fists and rocks shoot toward her, coverin
g her entire body except for her eyes in rock armor. Cut to Aang, who gasps in s
urprise. Cut to Tophs feet. She begins to slide forward. Cut to Aang. He extends
his arms to stop her and slowly begins to push her back. He begins to lose groun
d, but finally pushes her past the line she drew in the ground.
Cut to Aang, who is tossing a rock with a handle on it into the air and catching
it. The camera zooms out, showing that hes standing on two tall pillars of rock.
Toph stands at the base. She walks between the pillars, stomps down, and then h
its the columns with her hands, causing tremors to go up them.)
Toph: Rocklike!
(Aang doesnt budge, a look of determination on his face. Toph rises on her own pi
llar of rock and nods in approval. Aang gives her a huge grin.
Cut to another area of the canyon. A small baby mooselion walks up to a small pa
tch of grass and begins to eat. The camera pans up to show Sokka looking down fr
om a tree.)
Sokka: Youre awfully cute, but unfortunately for you, youre made of meat. Just a b

it closer
(Sokka yells as he jumps down toward the baby moose lion. He misses and lands in
a crevice. The baby mooselion looks at him questioningly. It walks up to him an
d wags its tail. Sokka brings back his sword to strike it.)
Sokka: Gotcha! (He falls deeper into the crevice and drops his sword. Hes stuck u
p to his shoulders. He struggles to free himself but doesnt budge.) You are the l
ucky little meat creature.
(He points at the mooselion and it wags its tail.
Cut to Zuko and Iroh. The camera shows the outside of the decrepit building and
then cuts to inside. Iroh sits in front of Zuko. A pot of tea sits on a small fi
re between
them.)
Iroh: Lightning is a pure expression of firebending, without aggression. It is n
ot fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightning t
he cold-blooded fire. (Iroh takes the tea kettle off the fire and pours it into
another pot. He then begins to pour two cups.) It is precise and deadly, like Az
ula. To perform the technique requires peace of mind.
(He hands a cup to Zuko.)
Zuko: I see. Thats why were drinking tea: To calm the mind.
Iroh: Oh yeah, good point! I mean, yes.
(Cut to the outside of the building. Zuko and Iroh stand on the edge of a hill o
verlooking the valley with a walled, abandoned city at the bottom.)
Iroh: There is energy all around us. (Cut to a front view of Zuko and Iroh.) The
energy is both yin and yang; positive energy and negative energy. (He holds up
one finger on each hand to stand for the two forms of energy.) Only a select few
firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy
wants to restore balance and in a moment the positive and negative energy come c
rashing back together. (He brings his hands together to illustrate the point.) Y
ou provide release and guidance, creating lightning.
(Iroh holds out a hand, signaling for Zuko to step back. He holds his right hand
to his side and with two fingers extended begins to create lightning by rotatin
g his arm in a circular motion around his body. He mimics the motion with his le
ft arm. Cut to Zuko, who looks impressed. Cut back to Iroh. He brings his two ha
nds together and then lunges forward with his right hand extended and shoots lig
htning into the distance. Cut back to Zuko.)
Zuko: Im ready to try it!
Iroh: (rubbing his injured shoulder slightly.) Remember, once you separate the e
nergy, you do not command it. You are simply its humble guide. Breathe first.
(Zuko breathes in and closes his eyes. He then begins to mimic the motions that
Iroh performed, except that he does not create traces of lightning. Cut to a clo
se up of Iroh for a moment, then back to Zuko. He shouts and shoves his right ha
nd forward, but it merely causes a fiery explosion that shoves him backward. He
falls on his back next to Iroh. Iroh shakes his head slightly.
Cut to Aangs earthbending training. Aang, Toph, and Katara stand in the middle of
the canyon. Toph walks in front of Aang as she speaks.)
Toph: This time were going to try something a little different. Instead of moving

a rock, youre going to stop a rock. (She walks off screen, then quickly lunges t
oward Aang, who recoils slightly.) Get in your horse stance! (Aang widens his st
ance. Cut to Toph standing in front of Aang with a trail leading up an angled cl
iff behind her.) Im going to roll that boulder down at you. (She points up the hi
ll at a large boulder sitting at the top of the trail.) If you have the attitude
of an earthbender, youll stay in your stance and stop the rock. (Cut to a closeup of Aangs face. His mouth opens and he looks surprised and scared. Katara looks
on with concern in the background. Cut back to Toph.) Like this.
(She lunges toward the boulder with her arms outstretched to illustrate what she
means. Katara walks up to Toph and Aang.)
Katara: Sorry Toph, but are you sure this is really the best way to teach Aang e
arthbending
Toph: Im glad you said something. (She reaches down and grabs Aangs belt.) Actuall
y, there is a better way. (She jerks off Aangs belt and blindfolds him with it.)
This way hell really have to sense the vibrations of the boulder to stop it. Than
k you Katara.
(She gives Katara a thumbs-up.)
Aang (sarcastically): Yeah, thanks Katara!
Katara (nervously): Heh.
(Cut to Toph standing at the top of the hill with Aang at the bottom. She shoves
the rock forward and it begins to roll down the slope. Aang looks worried and a
fraid as it rolls toward him. Katara covers her mouth with her hands, a worried
look on her face. Cut to a close-up of Aang, his teeth clenched and beads of swe
at flowing down his face. Cut to the rock rolling toward the camera.
Cut to commercial break.)

Act II
(The boulder continues to roll down the hill toward Aang. Cut to a close-up of A
ang, a frantic look on his face. Cut to Toph, the camera looking up from above.
She has her arms crossed. Cut to Katara, who still covers her face with her hand
s. Momo cowers down on her head. Cut back to Aang, who jumps over the boulder as
it almost hits him. The boulder rolls passed Katara and slams into the side of
the canyon. Aang lands on the ground. Cut to Toph, running toward the camera. Sh
e runs up to Aang as he removes the blindfold, glaring at him disapprovingly.)
Aang: I guess I just panicked. I dont know what to say.
Toph: Theres nothing to say. You blew it. You had a perfect stance and perfect fo
rm but when it came right down to it you didnt have the guts.
(She gives Aang a light punch to the chest that knocks him down. He sits at her
feet with his legs crossed.)
Aang: I know. Im sorry.
(Toph leans down, looking right into his face.)
Toph: Yeah, you are sorry. If youre not tough enough to stop the rock, then you c
ould at least give it the pleasure of smushing you instead of jumping out of the
way like a jelly-boned wimp! Now, do you have what it takes to face that rock l
ike an earthbender!

(Aang looks down sadly, not meeting her gaze.)

Aang (sadly): No. I dont think I do.
(Toph straightens up and crosses her arms as Katara walks over to comfort Aang.
She puts her hands on his shoulders.)
Katara: Aang, its no big deal. Youll take a break and try earthbending again when
youre ready. Besides, you still have a lot of waterbending to work on, okay
Aang: Yeah that sounds good.
(Katara and Aang walk off to the right.)
Toph: Yeah, whatever, go splash around until you feel better.
(She walks off in the opposite direction.
Cut to Zuko training.
seen in the distance.
rustrated look on his
ainst the building in

The view is from the abandoned village. A smoking hill is

Cut to Zuko getting blown back by an explosion. He has a f
face and clenches his fist. Iroh looks on while leaning ag
the background.)

Zuko: Why cant I do it Instead of lightning, it keeps exploding in my face! Like e

verything always does!
(Iroh gets up from his spot and walks over to Zuko. Zuko stands up.)
Iroh: I was afraid this might happen. You will not be able to master lightning u
ntil you have dealt with the turmoil inside you.
(Zuko turns to him, an angry look on his face.)
Zuko (frustrated and enraged): What turmoil
Iroh: Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to
go away.
Zuko: But I dont feel any shame at all! Im as proud as ever!
Iroh: Prince Zuko, pride is not the object of shame, but its source. True humili
ty is the only antidote to shame.
Zuko: Well my life has been nothing but humbling lately.
(Iroh looks to the side.)
Iroh: I have another idea. I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula d
oesnt know, because I made it up myself!
(He points a thumb toward himself and smirks slightly. Cut to Zuko who smiles.
Cut to Sokka, who is stuck up to his shoulders in the ground with the baby moose
lion sitting on top of his head.)
Sokka: You probably think I deserve this, dont you (The baby mooselion peers over
Sokkas forehead and looks at him.) Look, Im sorry I hunted you, but thats just the
natural order of things! Big things eat smaller things, nothing personal! But th
is time it didnt work out that way.
(The baby yawns and then walks in a circle on Sokkas head before lying down again
and closing its eyes.)

Sokka: I admit it. Youre cute. (The mooselion begins licking its paws.) Okay, youv
e convinced me. If I get out of this alive, its a comically correct vegetarian ex
istence for me. No meat. Even though meat is so tasty.
(The baby jumps off of Sokkas head and exits the screen. A bug flies on from the
left and begins to buzz around Sokkas face. Sokka makes a groaning noise as he st
ruggles to swat it away with his trapped hands. The bug lands on his head, and S
okka grunts in defeat. Sokka perks up suddenly and the bug flies away. Cut to th
e baby mooselion running toward the camera with an apple in its mouth. It stops
and rolls the apple toward Sokka.)
Sokka (offscreen): It looks like my karma is already paying off!
(Cut to a profile view of the scene. The apple stops between the cub and Sokka,
far out of his reach.)
Sokka: Thats okay! I got it!
(Sokka struggles to reach into his backpack and then tosses his boomerang at the
apple. It falls down next to it.)
Sokka: Now come back boomerang.
(The cubs tail twitches. Cut to a pond where Aang and Katara are training. A frog
sits on a rock and Momo grabs it, but the frog wiggles from his grip. Momo stru
ggles to catch it but falls face-first into the water. The camera pans up to sho
w Aang and Katara waterbending in the distance, moving around a ball of water be
tween them.)
Katara: You know this block youre having is only temporary, right
(Cut to a close-up of Aang.)
Aang (dejectedly): I dont want to talk about it.
(Cut to a close-up of Katara, who gives Aang a concerned look.)
Katara: You do know thats the problem, dont you If you face this issue instead of a
voiding it
(Cut to a close-up of Aang.)
Aang (frustrated): I know I know I know I know, I get it, alright! (He lets the
ball of water fall back into the pond.) I need to face it head-on, like a rock.
But I just cant do it! I dont know why I cant, but I cant.
(Cut to a close-up of Katara.)
Katara: Aang, if fire and water are opposites, then whats the opposite of air
(Cut to a full-view of the pond.)
Aang: I guess its earth.
Katara: Thats why its so hard for you to get this. (Cut to a view of Aangs reflecti
on that then pans up to show Aang himself.) Youre working with your natural oppos
ite. But youll figure it out. (Cut back to Katara.) I know you will. (Katara reac
hes behind her and breaks off a reed. She hurls it at Aang without warning.) Thi
nk fast!
(Cut to Aang, who looks up in surprise before causing a wave of water to shoot u

p and slice the reed in half. The two halves sail harmlessly by him.)
Katara: Excellent. You have the reflexes of a waterbending master.
Aang: Thanks, Katara. Sifu Katara.
(He puts his hands together and bows. Cut to Katara who smiles, and then bows as
well.
Cut to Iroh and Zuko. Iroh is drawing the symbols of each of the bending discipl
ines in the dirt with a stick as he explains them. Zuko sits cross-legged nearby
, observing intently.)
Iroh: Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire an
d will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want. Earth is the element
of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are
persistent and enduring. Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached
themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparen
tly had pretty good senses of humor! (Iroh smiles widely, but Zuko
doesnt react.) Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are
capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love
that holds them together through anything.
Zuko: Why are you telling me these things
Iroh: It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it f
rom only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. (He draws lines separating the f
our symbols in the dirt.) Understanding others, the other elements, and the othe
r nations will help you become whole.
Zuko: All this four elements talk is sounding like Avatar stuff.
Iroh: It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Av
atar so powerful. But, it can make you more powerful too. (He pokes Zukos chest w
ith his stick.) You see, the technique I am about to teach you is one I learned
by studying the waterbenders.
(Cut to Zuko, who looks intrigued. Cut to an overhead view of the two, showing I
rohs picture of the four symbols in the dirt.
Cut to Aang who is sitting on a rock formation meditating with Momo sleeping at
his feet. Toph walks up behind him carrying his staff. She sits down on the othe
r side of the rock. Cut to a close-up of Toph.)
Toph: Aang! I found these nuts in your bag. (She holds up a green bag with a cru
dely-drawn picture of Aangs face on it.) And besides, even if you did, youre too m
uch of a pushover to do anything about it.
(Cut to Aang with Toph in the background. He looks at her out of the corner of h
is eyes, an annoyed expression on his face.)
Aang: As a matter of fact, I dont mind. Im happy to share anything I have.
(He closes his eyes and begins to meditate again.)
Toph: You know, Im really glad you feel that way, because I also have this great
new nutcracker.
(She spins Aangs staff above her head. Cut to Aang, who looks over his shoulder w
ith a pained expression on his face. Cut to Toph as she smiles widely, lifts the
staff, and smashes it down on a nut. Cut back to Aang.)
Aang: Actually, Id prefer if you didnt (theres another crack as Toph smashes another
nut, and Aang cringes.) Thats an antique, hand crafted by the monks (theres anothe
r crack and Aang cringes again, growing more frustrated.) Its a delicate instrume

nt!
(Cut to Toph, who is eating the nuts with Momo.)
Toph (in a mocking tone): Its not the only delicate instrument around here.
(Toph gets up and walks off with Momo, carrying Aangs staff. She hits it along ro
cks as she walks. Cut to Aang, who glares at her and then tries to meditate agai
n.)
Aang: Ohmmmm
(Katara walks up behind Aang.)
Katara: Hey Aang, have you seen
Aang (annoyed): Meditating here!
(Cut to a close-up of Katara, who looks worried.)
Katara: Its important. Its almost sundown and Sokka isnt back yet. I think we shoul
d search for him.
(Cut to Aang, who looks over his shoulder at Katara with a concerned look on his
face. Cut to a wider view of the scene. Aang uses his airbending to stand up an
d leaps off the rock while Katara runs offscreen.)
Aang: Well find him faster if we split up.
(Cut to Sokka. The baby mooselion is biting his ponytail and pulling on it playf
ully.)
Sokka: Okay karma person or thing, whoevers in charge of this stuff, if I can jus
t get out of this situation alive, I will give up meat and sarcasm. Okay OW! (The
band holding Sokkas hair in the ponytail comes off after a strong tug by the bab
y mooselion and Sokkas hair becomes a fuzzy mess.) Thats all I got! Its pretty much
my whole identity! Sokka, the meat and sarcasm guy! (The baby mooselion exits t
o the right.) But Im willing to be Sokka the veggies and straight talk fellow!
Deal
(Cut to Aang, who runs in front of Sokka.)
Sokka: Aang! Thank goodness! Have you got any meat
(Aang runs up to Sokka and stops in front of his boomerang.)
Aang: Sokka! Are you okay
(He bends down and begins to tug on Sokkas trapped arms.)
Sokka: (grunts) Stop, stop! Youre going to pull my fingers off and I dont think th
e rest of me is coming!
Aang (scratching his head pensively): Hmm I bet I can airbend you out of here.
(Cut to behind Aang. He raises his arms and then slams them down, causing a huge
gust of air to erupt from the crevice that sends dust flying. When the dust cle
ars, Sokka is still trapped and his hair has been blown up in what resembles a M
ohawk. His boomerang comes down and hits him in the head, flattening the Mohawk.
)

Sokka: Seriously Aang, I know youre new at it, but I could use a little earthbend
ing here. How bout it
(Cut to Aang, who looks unsure before looking down sadly.)
Aang (forlornly): I cant. I cant do it.
(Cut to an overhead view of Aang standing in front of Sokka. Cut to commercial b
reak.)

Act III
(Aang is still standing in front of Sokka, only now his back is to the sun.)
Sokka (annoyed): If you cant earthbend me out of here, go get Toph.
(Cut to a close-up of Aang with Sokka in the background. Aang looks away from So
kka.)
Aang: I cant do that either.
Sokka: You cant Why not
Aang: It would just be really uncomfortable.
Sokka: Uncomfortable (Cut to a close-up of Sokka in the crevice.) Well, I wouldnt
want to make you feel uncomfortable.
Aang: Thanks Sokka. (Cut to behind the two. Aang crouches down.) This whole eart
hbending thing really has me confused. Theres so much pressure. Everyone expects
me to get it right away. It puts me in a really awkward position.
Sokka: Awkward position I think I know the feeling.
(Cut to a profile of Aang.)
Aang: If I try, I fail. But if I dont try, Im never going to get it. I feel like Im
caught between a rock and a hard place.
(Cut to a front view of Aang and Sokka. The baby mooselion enters from the right
and walks around Sokkas head.)
Sokka: Hmm. How about that. (He motions to the mooselion.) Aang, this is my frie
nd Foo Foo Cuddlypoops. Foo Foo Cuddlypoops, Aang.
Aang: Aww, what a cute name for a little baby sabertooth mooselion cub.
(He lifts the cub into the air.)
Sokka: Really He looks nothing like a sabertooth mooselion.
(The camera pans up to show the baby mooselions face.)
Aang: Its hard to tell before their giant teeth and horns grow in. Whatcha doin ou
t here, little guy Did you lose your mama
(The cub blinks at Aang. Theres a roar from offscreen. Aang looks surprised and t
hen looks over his shoulder. The camera pans out to reveal a huge sabertooth moo
selion standing in the bushes. Cut to a close-up of the mooselion. It roars and
shakes its head.
Cut to Zuko and Iroh. The camera pans from a small building to Zuko and Iroh pra
cticing waterbending moves.)

Iroh: Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy. A waterbender lets their defens
e become their offense, turning their opponents energy against them. I learned a
way to do this with lightning.
Zuko (excitedly): You can teach me to redirect lightning
(Cut to Iroh. He nods.)
Iroh: If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it.
(He points with his right arm at an angle into the air and points at it with hi
s other hand.) You must create a pathway from your fingertips up your arm to you
r shoulder and down into your stomach. (He moves his left hand from his arm, to
his shoulder, and then to his stomach.) The stomach is the source of energy in y
our body. It is called the sea of chi. Only in my case, it is more like a vast o
cean. (He laughs. Cut to Zuko, who remains stoic. Cut back to Iroh.) You direct
it up again and out the other arm. (He points off into the distance with his lef
t arm.) The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightning pass thro
ugh your heart (he walks up to Zuko and points his fingers at his chest.) or the
damage could be deadly. You may wish to try a physical motion to get a feel for
the pathways flow. Like this. (He points to the left with both his arms and Zuko
mimics the motion. Iroh then takes his right arm and points it in the other dir
ection. Zuko copies this move as well. Iroh and Zuko then move their left arms t
o the right and back again.) Now, are you focusing your
energy Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out
Zuko: I think so.
(He continues to mimic the motions Iroh showed him. Shift to Iroh. He begins to
move his arms in waving motions at his sides.)
Iroh: Come on. Youve got to feel the flow.
(Cut to later in the evening. Zuko and Iroh are still practicing the motions. Ir
oh suddenly stops and stands in front of Zuko.)
Iroh: Excellent! Youve got it!
(Zuko bows slightly, putting his hands together.)
Zuko: Great! Im ready to try it with real lightning!
(Cut to Iroh, who gives Zuko a questioning look.)
Iroh: What, are you crazy Lightning is very dangerous.
Zuko (annoyed): I thought that was the point: (Cut to Iroh, whose eyes twitch as
Zuko continues.) You teaching me how to protect myself from it.
Iroh (frantically): But Im not going to shoot lightning at you! (He waves his arm
s around defensively. He turns away from Zuko and looks at him out of the corner
of his eye.) If you are lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all
.
(Cut to Zuko, who gazes off at dark clouds in the distance.)
Zuko: Well, if you wont help me, Ill find my own lightning.
(Cut to Iroh, who closes his eyes and trembles a bit. Cut to Zuko riding off int
o the distance on his ostrich.
Cut to Aang and Sokka. Aang is standing in the foreground with the baby mooselio
n in his hands while the mother mooselion stands in the background.)

Aang (nervously): Hey thereWe found your cub! (He smiles and raises the baby into
the air. The baby yawns. The mother growls and Aang puts the baby on the ground
. It runs to its mother and then passed her into the bushes, squealing.) See We h
ave no problem with you! Were friendly.
(The mooselion roars and shakes its head.Cut to Sokka, his eyes wide.)
Sokka (frantic): Aang, this is bad! You gotta get me outta here!
(Cut to the mooselion. It roars, and then begins to charge. Cut to Sokka, who cr
ies out as the camera zooms in on his eye. Cut to the mooselion as it charges. A
ang airbends the stampeding creature over his head, and it barely passes over So
kkas head before hitting the ground and spinning around. The mooselion roars loud
ly and Sokka looks up at Aang with a scared look on his face.)
Sokka: This is really bad! (Cut to Aang, who looks increasingly worried as Sokka
speaks.) Please, Aang! You have to earthbend me out, theres no other way!
(Aang stomps down, does an uppercut move, and then aims both hands toward the sk
y, but Sokka doesnt budge. Aang gives him a nervous grin and then turns back to t
he mooselion. It scrapes its paw against the ground and prepares to charge again
.)
Aang: Oh no! (Aang leaps up on a rock outcropping away from Sokka. He cups his h
ands around his mouth and begins to shout at the mooselion.) Whoo-hoo! Look at m
e!
(He begins to dance and flail about, trying to get the mooselions attention. The
mooselion, however, turns its attention back to Sokka and begins to charge. Aang
leaps off the rock and shoots a gust of air at the mooselion that blows it away
from Sokka. It lands and spins around again. Cut to Aang with Sokka visible ove
r his shoulder.)
Sokka (terrified): Please dont leave me again.
Aang (determined): I wont.
(The mooselion charges toward Aang. He waits for it, taking up a stance and prep
aring to use his airbending on it. Cut to a close-up of his determined face. Cut
back to the mooselion charges. It nears him and he shoves his hands forward, bl
owing the mooselion backwards with a strong gust of air. The mooselion hits the
ground, glances at Aang, and then walks off into the bushes.
When the dust clears, Aang is still standing in his stance. Toph is revealed to
be sitting on a rock in the background. She begins to clap slowly. Aang turns to
her. Cut to a close up of Toph. She is sitting cross-legged on a rock, clapping
slowly with her eyes closed. Cut to Aang and Sokka.)
Sokka: What are you doing here
Toph: Just enjoying the show.
Aang: What You were there the whole time
Toph: Pretty much.
(Aang points at Toph accusingly.)
Aang (angrily): Why didnt you do something Sokka was in trouble! I was in trouble!
You couldve gotten him out and helped us get away!
(Cut to a close-up of Toph, who looks unaffected by the accusations.)
Toph: I guess it just didnt occur to me.

(She tosses down a nut and then pulls out Aangs staff to crack it. As she brings
it down to strike the nut, Aang catches it.)
Aang (forcefully): Enough! I want my staff back!
(He takes the staff from Toph. She stands up and jumps off the rock, standing in
front of Aang.)
Toph: Do it now.
Aang (still angry):What
Toph: Earthbend, twinkletoes. You just stood your ground against a crazy beast,
and even more impressive, you stood your ground against me. Youve got the stuff.
Aang: But
Toph: DO IT!
(Aang glances at her with confusion, then stomps down and shoves his fist forwar
d, causing a large rock to shoot off and crash into a ridge.)
Toph (excitedly): You did it! Youre an earthbender.
Aang (happily): I cant believe it!
(Cut to Sokka.)
Sokka: Aww, this is really a wonderful, touching moment. So, could you get me ou
t of her so I can give you both a big, snuggly hug
Aang: No problem, Sokka!
(He begins to march eagerly toward where Sokka is trapped, but Toph holds out a
hand to stop him.)
Toph: Actually, you should probably let me do that. Youre still a little new to t
his. You might accidentally crush him.
(Cut to Sokka, who smiles widely.)
Sokka: Yeah, no crushing please.
(Toph walks up to Sokka and lifts her left foot, then stomps down. Sokka pops ou
t of the hole and Toph grabs his hair, dragging him out as she walks away.
Cut to later in the night. Aang has an arm wrapped around Sokka to help him walk
and Toph walks next to them with Aangs staff. Katara runs toward them from the f
oreground.)
Katara: You found him!
(She runs up to Sokka and gives him a hug. Aang and Toph watch.)
Sokka: The whole time that I was in that hole, not knowing if I would live or di
e, it makes a man think about whats really important. I realize
Aang: Hey Katara, look what I can do!
(Kataras gaze turns to Aang as he shoves his arms forward, causing a large rock f
ormation to break in half.)
Katara: You did it! I knew you would! (She glances at Toph.) You tried the posit
ive reinforcement, didnt you
Toph: Yep. It worked wonders.

(Appa roars and Aang runs up to him.)

Aang: Appa! Appa! I can earthbend now! The key is being completely rooted! Physi
cally and mentally unmovable!
(Appa licks Aang and he flies forward onto his face. Sokka begins to laugh and A
ang joins him.
Cut to a mountain during a rainstorm. Zuko stands at the peak, staring at the
clouds.)
Zuko (defiantly): Youve always thrown everything you could at me! Well I can take
it! And now I can give it back! (Lightning strikes in the distance. Cut to a cl
ose-up of Zukos face as the rain pours off of it. He glances up at the sky.) Come
on! Strike me! Youve never held back before!
(He closes his eyes and a stream of tears begins to flow from his good eye. He r
aises his arms and shouts before collapsing onto his hands and knees.
Fade to white.)
[End Credits]

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