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  • 08/21/12 - Poll ended; /cod/ split off as a new board from /pco/.

File 13862709392.jpg - (549.82KB , 1591x1080 , 2831138-mai_thinks_of_zuko.jpg )
116404 No. 116404
Oh shit, it's this thread again!

But no pie-in-the-sky dreaming for us, we've actually got three committed writefags, one of whom has outlined a first episode already.

Summary: An AU where instead of being found by Sokka and Katara, Aang is discovered by Mai and Ty Lee. Hijinks ensue as the dangerous ladies, pursued by Azula, try to reform the fire nation from within while helping the young Avatar on his journey.
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>> No. 116405
Outline for e1 by some kind anonymous writefag who I hope will make himself known:

I was thinking that the beginning of the first episode should start with Mai walking around a marketplace with her mom, then getting bored and wandering off. Before this, Mai's mom finds a flyer for the circus, asking Mai something like "isn't this the circus your friend Ty Lee is a part of?" Mai wanders around and visits the local fire temple where she walks in on a Fire Sage giving a sermon, speaking about the March of Civilization and speaking of the savagery of the Water Tribes and Earth Kingdom.Mai's entrance can be topped off with a look at the kind of environment Fire Nation people are raised in, so you have the Fire Sage there speaking to the congregation of peasant folk about how great the Fire Lord is and how unenlightened the rest of the world is and calling on people to take part in the crusade. I was thinking that could end with someone approaching Mai and voices what sounds like he's disagreeing with what the Sage is saying. That way you see from the beginning that some Fire Nation people are skeptical of the propaganda while the authorities drill that shit in. Mai then walks outside, sees a circus caravan pass by and then we cut to Ty Lee practicing at the circus.

With Ty Lee, we see that she's happy at the circus and gets along with everyone and then suddenly the circus director comes and gives her a letter from her sisters, which suddenly gets her all depressed.
>> No. 116406
>>116405
When the circus director tells Ty Lee she got a letter from her sister, Ty Lee asks which one? The director says the letter didn't say. Ty Lee slouches and looks irritated and says "figures." The director hands her the letter to look over.

Ty Lee's sisters are always condescending to her, even in written form and keep trying to pressure her to come home. Every time they send her a letter, they're never signed individually but just collectively with "Sis." Ty Lee's sisters act very uniform and Ty Lee herself is considered weird by them for not wanting to be part of their little clique. In their letters, they make her feel guilty for worrying her mother and father.

The director leaves Ty Lee alone. After looking over her mail, she crumples it up and stashes it away in her pants. Ty Lee's sulking is interrupted by the re-entrance of Mai, who's decided to come visit her. Ty Lee immediately cheers up and she embraces her old friend. Mai's taken aback by this at first, but sort of returns it in a typically Mai sort of way.

Ty Lee gives Mai a tour of the circus and introduces her to all the performers and animals, including the knife throwers, whom Mai, at Ty Lee's behest, shows up. This is where the story introduces Mai's skills.
>> No. 116407
>>116406
After a little while, Mai and Ty Lee take a detour through the nearby forest at the base of the mountain the circus has set itself up. They talk for a little while, briefly mentioning Azula. Eventually, Mai asks Ty Lee what that paper what the deal was about that piece of paper she was looking at earlier. Ty Lee's disposition once again changes as she explains the letter her sisters sent her. She tells Mai about how her sisters always try to make her feel guilty for having left home. Mai quite casually asks Ty Lee if she likes being part of the circus. Ty Lee tells Mai very passionately that she felt the circus was her calling and about the signs the universe had given her that it was the place she needed to be, but she ends this speech about "signs" bemoaning the fact that her sisters think what she's doing serves no purpose. Mai starts to feel uncomfortable with all this serious talk and changes the subject to asking about Ty Lee's act. Ty Lee perks right up and drags Mai off deeper in the woods to show her, saying something along the lines of "I wish Azula could be here to see it too."
>> No. 116408
>>116407
From here, the story cuts briefly to the fire princess in question, who actually happens to be nearby bringing her ship into port. We get a similar scene to what happened with the captain she threatened to throw overboard in the show where Azula is aggressively barking orders at people and/or threatening them. The scene ends with herself finding a flyer for Ty Lee's circus (after having stepped on it) and looking at it with a raised eyebrow. When someone interrupts her, she tosses it away and continues issuing demands. At some point during this scene, it is mentioned by Azula or to Azula that the area has been experiencing an unusual amount of earth tremors lately. The fact is also brought up about a fierce eruption that took place a century earlier and how the area has just started returning to normal the last few decades.

When things go back to Ty Lee and Mai, Ty Lee is busy giving Mai an abridged version of her trapeze act. When she asks Mai what she thinks, all she says is something like "well, it's not completely boring." Ty lee takes it as a compliment however. Suddenly a small earthquake occurs and throws Ty lee off balance so she falls off the makeshift trapeze wire she and Mai set up. Mai helps Ty Lee off the ground and asks if she's alright. As soon as the circus performer confirms she's okay, an even more powerful quake happens, causes both to fall down as the ground starts to crack open. The two try to make a run for it, but it's too late and both girls find themselves falling down a pit as the ground beneath them collapses. Everything turns black.
>> No. 116409
>>116408
Mai is woken up by Ty Lee later at the pit's bottom. Both girls are lucky to be alive. Brushing themselves off, they look up to see if there's a way they can climb back up, but the slope is too steep and hardly any sunlight is visible. Ty Lee tries to climb back up, only to slide back down and fall on top of Mai. They look around and see a tunnel leading further into the mountain. A faint glow of light emanates from it. Thinking it might be another way out, they decide they have no choice but to light a torch with some of the debris and follow it. After awhile, they reach its end and find that the light isn't coming from outside but from a lava cave at the tunnels' end. At the other end of the cave, across a stone bridge between two pools of magma, a large ball of rock and ash embedded into the wall glows a pulsing blue light in contrast to the faint red glow throughout the cave. Ty Lee approaches the sphere and gives it a closer look while Mai groans and sighs over the fact that they've reached a dead end. Squinting her eyes, Ty Lee sees within the rough ball the shape of a person. Picking up a rock, she starts to try to smash it open. Before Mai has a chance to stop her, Ty Lee makes a crack in the sphere and the light from inside gushes forth sending the two back. The entire place begins to shake and with each shake the ball cracks open further. Stalactites fall from the roof of the cave and splash down into the lava.

Outside we see the people of the circus and the local village where Mai's family is also feel the tremor as well as those as far as where Azula is docked on the island (Azula is being served tea and the earthquake cause the server to spill it all over her). Smoke begins to rise from the top of the mountain.
>> No. 116410
>>116409
Back underground, Mai and Ty Lee pick themselves up, Ty Lee's relievedwhile Mai laments "too bad the universe didn't kill me that time." Both the girls look back towards the sphere, which has now crumbled. Mai relights their torch in what's left of the lava and they walk back over and find Aang's body half covered in soot. Shocked, Ty Lee asks if he's okay, but gets no answer. She then says to Mai he might be dead. Mai's reply: "Pfft! Lucky." Ty Lee pokes him and he open his eyes with a groan. When he sees the two lovely Fire Nation girls looking down at him, he blinks several times and rubs his eyes. makes a remark along the lines of "I guess I'm not dreaming." Ty Lee helps him up and ask if he's alright. He says he's fine and introduces himself, to which Ty Lee introduces herself and Mai. As Aang is about to say "nice to meet you," he sneezes, sending forth a gust of wind from his nostrils, all the soot that was on his body clearing away to reveal his arrows and robes as he flies to the top of the cave. He floats back down towards the now wide eyed and messy haired young women. Aang apologizes with a sniffle, mentioning the soot in his nose. Mai comes to the realization that he's an Airbender and points it out. Ty Lee, even more amazed, that she thought they were all extinct. Aang is confused by this statement, but is distracted by the movement behind him. The large soot covered body of Appa begins to move, startling Mai and Ty Lee. Aang uses his Airbending to help clean Appa's coat. As Aang hugs him, Mai pulls Ty Lee aside and whispers to her about Aang and the light show earlier. Mai doesn't trust Aang and thinks he might be trouble. She also reminds Ty Lee about Airbenders being enemies of the country. Ty Lee looks back over at Aang and says that maybe they should wait and see if he does anything evil. Mai shrugs and just says whatever, but tells Ty Lee not to blame her if Aang empties and crushes her lungs with his wind powers.
>> No. 116411
File 138627259782.jpg - (62.04KB , 479x558 , Mai_Tunes_by_penguin_incognito.jpg )
116411
>>116410

Their conversation is interrupted by Aang introducing them to Appa. Ty Lee's happy to pet him, but Mai turns away, refusing to greet the smelly animal. Appa, however, licks her with his massive tongue, covering her in drool. Aang asks the two if they know where they are. Ty Lee recounts the previous events and points in the direction they came (luckily the tunnel they came through is still mostly intact). She also mentions how they weren't able to climb out to which Aang replies that perhaps Appa can fly them out. Ty Lee is overjoyed however to hear Aang say he can help. Letting them go ahead of her a little ways, Mai is still clearly cautious about whether Aang can be trusted. We see her ready a knife under her sleeve

As they travel back, Ty Lee asks Aang how he got down there. Aang seems a little uncomfortable with the question and just mentions that he was coming to the Fire Nation to visit a friend in the area and that he can't remember clearly how he got stuck in the cave. Mai scoffs at the idea that Aang, being an Air Nomad, has any friends in the Fire Nation and asks Aang what his "friend's" name is. Aang tells her "Kuzon," and enthusiastically says he should introduce them to him once they all find a way out. The four eventually reach the place where Ty Lee and Mai fell down. Luckily there's still a clear enough opening to the top. Aang hops on top of Appa and tells the two girl to get on with him as well. Once aboard, Aang gives a yip yip, but Appa is reluctant to fly. Aang is a embarrassed and says he must still be a little groggy. With some extra encouragement, Appa eventually takes off. Both Mai and Ty Lee scream as they fly into air out of the pit and high into the sky over the mountain. Even Mai remains stunned as she looks around and sees they're actually flying. Ty Lee can't contain her excitement. Aang decides to impress his new friends by having Appa do some tricks. While Ty Lee has the time of her life, Mai quickly becomes airsick and vomits
>> No. 116412
File 138627297546.jpg - (550.51KB , 1585x1080 , azula.jpg )
116412
>>116411

After a little while, Aang announces that he'll take them to meet Kuzon, whose family has a summer home nearby. We return once again to Azula, who is now busy being cleaned up by a different servant (the other servant who spilled tea on her is now gagged and tied to the bow of the ship) as the ship's captain gives his report. Azula's distracted, however, by something dancing in the sky. Demanding a telescope, she gives a closer look. She interrupts the captain and tells him to take a look as well. When she asks the captain what he sees, he says he's not sure. Azula responds with "I'll tell you what it looks like to me..." and mentions how it resembles a sky bison and how it LOOKED as though someone was riding it. The captain voices his doubts. Azula glares at him and in a cowardly fashion he retracts his statement and says instead that it's "possible." The captain walks with Azula off the ship again. She quizzes the captain on his history and mentions article such and such in the something or other handbook that any sighting of something resembling the anatomy of a sky bison is to be reported immediately and followed up with an investigation. This acts as a kind of expository dialogue to give the audience/reader back story on the Air Nomad/Fire Nation conflict and its relationship with the Avatar as Azula explains why it's necessary for them to postpone their departure and look into the matter (her perfectionism is showing). From the Captain's perspective, it just seems stupid, but he keeps his mouth shut. When Azula gets to mentioning the Avatar in this scene, she says casually it would be quite a shame if they didn't investigate it and it turned out the person riding it was in fact the long lost Avatar. She then says something to the captain that goes like this "But if we followed protocol and fate were to remain kind to us, that would be a treat, don't you think?"

Azula then takes a seat on a carriage with an evil grin on her face

END
>> No. 116413
Sup. As i was telling you before, i'm going to comission a pic based in this AU. The artist can do very good on-model drawings so i believe this is probably going to be the best pic we'll be getting in a while.

I was thinking something lewd or even just plain ol' pron, but might as well accept every suggestion. It just has to involve the trio, anything else is up to you.
>> No. 116414
>>116413

I wouldn't mind just something it's the three of them and Appa posing. Ty Lee hugging Aang while Mai has her arms crossed with her cheeks puffed up or something.
>> No. 116416
Is Zuko still banished? Is he still searching for the avatar at the south pole? I suppose Azula could summon him home, or run in to him later, then bring him under her wing. And if Zuko was being shitty in the south, that might give Katara and Sokka reason to leave the south pole in the first place.
>> No. 116417
>>116416
Thereby giving reason to a cameo, which we knew would come anyway.
>> No. 116418
>>116416
>Is Zuko still banished?
Yes. Backstories are preserved as much as humanly possible.
>Is he still searching for the avatar at the south pole?
Maybe
>I suppose Azula could summon him home, or run in to him later, then bring him under her wing. And if Zuko was being shitty in the south, that might give Katara and Sokka reason to leave the south pole in the first place.
Yeah. My idea is he's introduced three or four episodes in, however long it takes us to get to the south pole. (Aang will still presumably be a fan of riding wild animals, so penguin-sledding is a perfectly good motivation to get him out that way)
>> No. 116421
>>116416

here are the links to every thread we had on /co/ if you feel like brushing through it

https://archive.foolz.us/co/thread/56602456/#q56606161
https://archive.foolz.us/co/thread/56649504/


But yeah, Zuko is still banished. Pretty much everything has remained the same with the exception of Aang's being sealed beneath a volcano and deciding to run away to Kuzon's crib.

I would agree that the first few episodes have no Zuko and should focus more on Azula as the antagonist. Eventually, as stated numerous times beforehand, Azula eventually seeks Zuko out to form a kind of partnership ('I'm gonna make you my bitch boy and call it a partnership') Zuko ends up proving himself surprisingly capable under Azula's direction, but has the opposite forces of Iroh and his sister tugging at him.

The character arcs for Zuko and Azula, as have been conceived so far, can be briefly explained like this:

>Zuko

The same deal about realizing he needs to redeem his nation and the conflict of good and evil within him, but with a twist. Azula's presence makes the struggle a little harder and emphasizes Zuko's need to stop thinking in terms of what Azula or his dad tells him is right and follow more of what he feels is right for him and his people. So while the basic struggle for Zuko is the same as in he's desperate for his father's approval and to reclaim his honor, there's this extra dimension where Azula feeds these ideas into him that:

A.) The potential to be great and not be a fucking failure and disappointment. He just needs to focus his rage and determination to burn down all the obstacles in his way. Naturally, who better to show him how than Azula, his dear and exceptionally talented sister.

B.) Azula also convinces Zuko that being brother and sister and members of the royal family, they both desire the same things and together. Zuko can't deny what he truly is if he expects to get anywhere. He has to embrace his ruthless and cunning nature, not fight it.


>Azula

When the Avatar shows back up and Mai and Ty Lee defy her to help Aang, Azula finds herself not trusting many people, especially now that every glory seeking soldier is gonna be looking to get their own hands on the Avatar in order to make a name for themselves. Azula wants that pleasure for herself and she sees everyone else around as being just as selfish and thirsty for power and glory as she is. It's either use or be used. The fact that she couldn't even depend on Mai and Ty Lee makes her just tiny bit paranoid. She seeks out Zuko eventually when she figures it's better to try to capture the Avatar with a smaller team and because Zuko's the one person Azula is most certain she can still manipulate and keep in check and being the low position he is, he'd be too dependent on her to even think of turning against her like Mai and Ty Lee did. Zuko, with a little coaching on her part, proves himself surprisingly capable.
>> No. 116425
File 138631251896.png - (281.09KB , 640x480 , vlcsnap-2013-12-04-14h20m43s212.png )
116425
>>116405

writefag here. I'm working on the complete dialogue for this episode right now. I'm not good with comic script or animation script, so I'm just gonna write it in a kind of general script-like format, then we can decide how we want to do it, if we want to craft it in comic form, like a screenplay or in normal prose. I vote for comic format since that way it'd be easier to pitch to drawfags.

Also, please feel free to suggest anything to improve my outline or if you want, you can provide an outline yourself for the third or fourth episodes. I can handle the first two myself for the most part.
>> No. 116427
>>116425
I'm a comic drawfag, though my skills are debatable. You guys have my interest, that's for sure.

I was wondering, what was the reason Mai and Ty Lee decide to betray the fire nation? I remember reading something about a mass grave in one of the last threads. I could see Ty Lee taking a liking to Aangs personality without much effort, but it would take some work to convince Mai, wouldn't it?

Then again, she is pretty nihilistic. The whole reason she went with Azula was for entertainment, wasn't it?
>> No. 116428
File 138632659685.jpg - (23.59KB , 459x447 , ty lee.jpg )
116428
>>116427

Well, for the "premiere" what I was going for, if you couldn't already tell, was that Ty Lee is fascinated by Aang. She buys into the propaganda like any other FN citizen, but when she meets Aang she's like "let's wait and see if he's bad." Ty Lee may believe the Fire Nation histories she was taught in school, but the feeling I get from her is that she's the kind of person who WANTS to believe that the stranger giving her candy didn't put any staples in it.

Mai, on the other hand, is a little different. She always came off as someone who was cynical of people and a bit of a misanthrope. So, she is more likely to assume the worst of people. As for how she takes in the propaganda, the scene at the very beginning where Mai goes into the Fire Temple and sees the Fire Sage preaching about the great holy war in the name of Fire Lord Ozai is key I think. I picture a contrast here between the people listening to the Fire Sage and letting themselves get worked up by him or being captivated by his words and Mai looking at the whole scene with a weird look that seems like she's saying to herself "what is this crap?" Mai goes along with the motions of this society and what her parents expect of her, but she herself has no emotional investment in any of this stuff. Yeah, she believes the propaganda of the Air Nomad menace, but she's not a patriot or a devout zealot. Her distrust of Aang at first I think comes from a distrust and negative view of people, particularly strangers, in general which in the case of Aang just happens to be encouraged by the propaganda she's been fed.

Mai, however, is willing to wait to see if Aang "does anything evil," cause Ty Lee wanted to, which I think is in character for her and so I think why Mai is willing to betray the FN should have a lot to do with Ty Lee and why she betrays the FN. Though I think Ty Lee should "betray" the FN without realizing it. She's kind of a naive airhead and likely won't realize until it too late that the decision she makes to help Aang has serious consequences.
>> No. 116431
File 13863988008.jpg - (319.49KB , 684x829 , comic script template.jpg )
116431
Worked on some dialogue for this part. A few changes, but nothing big, same general premise. I added in Mai's dad at the beginning and introduced the circus differently. Again, this isn't a final script format, just a script-like format until we can edit it and put it into comic script like pic related


Episode 1; Scene 1

--Mai and her family walk around the marketplace of a small town in the Fire Nation--

Mai's Mom: This is such a nice little town, don't you think so, Mai? It's so...rustic

*Mai scoffs

Mai's dad: Definitely. Sometimes its nice to take a break from our duties and see how the less refined part of society lives.

Mai: The more boring part, you mean.

Mai's Dad: Now, Mai. As members of this great nation's nobility, we have to learn to respect the poor and uncultured, no matter how uncouth their ways may seem to us.

--Mai looks over to her right and sees three very dirty looking local children chasing a komodo chicken while an old man sitting on a bench picks his nose--
>> No. 116432
File 138639905997.png - (102.15KB , 333x250 , Mai's_mother.png )
116432
>>116431

Mai's Dad: After all, we have an aristocratic duty to these less fortunate souls. And what better way to show Fire Lord Ozai we have what it takes to govern colonial territories in the Earth Kingdom than by living close to the rabble.

Mai: Great, so I have to spend my summer in some backwoods part of the country where everyone smells like hay and rhino poop just so you can get promoted?

Mai's Mom: Please, sweety, this means a lot to your father so it should mean a lot to you too. Besides, he's right, we should learn some compassion for these poor souls. Imagine having to wake up every morning and grow your own breakfast instead of having a servant already cooking it for you.

Mai: Doesn't seem so hard for Aunt Mura.

Mai's Mom: Every family has their own black koala sheep.
>> No. 116433
File 138639957242.png - (242.38KB , 640x480 , vlcsnap-2013-12-06-22h57m16s72.png )
116433
>>116432

Mai's Dad: After all, we have an aristocratic duty to these less fortunate souls. And what better way to show Fire Lord Ozai we have what it takes to govern colonial territories in the Earth Kingdom than by living close to the rabble.

Mai: Great, so I have to spend my summer in some backwoods part of the country where everything smells like hay and rhino poop just so you can get promoted?

Mai's Mom: Please, sweety, this means a lot to your father and it should mean a lot to you too. Besides, he's right, we should learn some compassion for these people. Imagine having to wait to grow your own breakfast instead of having a servant already cooking it for you in the morning.

Mai: Doesn't seem so hard for Aunt Mura.

Mai's Mom: Every family has their own black koala sheep.

Mai: Can I go now?

Mai's Dad: Go? Go where?

Mai: Around. Hanging out with you two all day isn't exactly helping me learn appreciation for peasants.
>> No. 116434
File 138639996915.png - (65.38KB , 203x231 , mai's father.png )
116434
>>116433

Mai's Dad: Hmm, well, I suppose it'd be a good educational experience for you to do some exploring. This town may not be the portrait of high class society, but I haven't heard of any bandits or kidnappers in the area...at least not yet.

Mai's Mom: Just make sure you're back home before sunset. The people here seem nice enough, but who knows what they're like after dark.

Mai: Whatever. I can take care of myself.

--Mai turns her head away and holds out her hand. The other across her chest, as if she's waiting for something to put in her palm--

Mai: *cough

Mai's Mom: Is there something else you need, honey?

Mai: How 'bout some money? Or does teaching me to respect for the lives of the lower class mean being broke as well.
>> No. 116435
File 138640051683.png - (191.57KB , 640x480 , mai (1).png )
116435
>>116434

Mai's Dad: *sigh* Fine. But don't pull it all out at once. No sense letting these good people be tempted to turn to thievery any more than they are.

--Mai's father drops some copper coins into her hand. Mai tucks them into her sleeve.--

Mai: Right. I'll try to remember that.

--Mai turns around to leave.--

Mai's Mom: And don't talk to any strangers.

Mai (without turning back around): Don't worry, I'll introduce myself first. We can get to know each other better after they tie me up and hold me for ransom.

Mai's Dad: She's just joking, dear.

Mai's Mom (sarcastically): Oh, of course she is. Our daughter's absolutely hilarious.

Mai's Dad (muttering): And you wonder where she gets it from...


End Scene
>> No. 116436
File 138640297372.png - (88.12KB , 333x250 , Great_Sage.png )
116436
>>116435
This part was a little more difficult. The challenge in writing the Fire Sage character speech is two-fold. I wanted to make sure it wasn't longer or more expository than necessary and I also wanted to make sure the language was simple enough for a kids show without losing any of religious zeal in the words. So maybe you guys can tell me what you think.


--After roaming the street, Mai hears commotion coming from inside the local fire temple. Mai walks into the rather old temple building, with it chipped paint on the pillars and signs of the roof having been repaired several times. An old grey Fire Sage preaches from the pulpit while local villagers sit on the ground on red pillows. To Mai's left, a young man stands with his back against a pillar chewing on a piece of straw while another young man stands next to him with his arms crossed. Behind the Sage hangs a large portrait of Fire Lord Ozai--

Fire Sage: For our brothers and sisters who continue to fight against the barbaric Earth Kingdom forces to the East and the savage Water Tribe up the North, we ask for a blessing upon them and give our thanks for their sacrifices. And may the martyrs of the March of Civilization bring strength and prosperity to us at home and to those abroad even in death. For where would we be without the blood, sweat and tears of those willing to give up their worldly possessions, even their very lives for the sake of human progress and the honor of our country? I'd tell you where we'd be! We'd all be under the oppression of a cruel Airbending menace!

Young Man #1: Oh boy, here he goes.

Young Man #2: Shhh!

--Mai looks over at them curiously for a moment before turning her attention back to the Sage.--
>> No. 116437
File 138640393599.jpg - (168.43KB , 720x480 , air temples on fire.jpg )
116437
>>116436


Fire Sage: Not long ago, my brothers and sisters, the freedom of the Fire Nation hung by a thread. The Airbenders in the mountains beyond our borders had grown discontent with the life of their monasteries and with jealous eyes looked towards other nations plunder, finding none as splendid as our own. Although they were wanderers and outcasts almost wherever they went, they used this to their advantage to spy on our beautiful country, amassing their forces and winning over many traitors! When it came to the attention of Fire Lord Sozin, may his royal spirit continue to watch over us, what it was they were planning, the heavens opened up to our Dear Leader and gave him a sign. With the power of the Sozin's Comet, our Firebenders felt the strength of a thousand suns and with that strength Fire Lord Sozin brought down upon the evil doers a most righteous judgement. The Airbenders took many Fire Nation lives, but their brutality did not phase our troops, who were willing to sacrifice everything for their country and for their Fire Lord. So great was this loyalty and selflessness that even the Avatar, that accursed spirit of chaos, fled this world at the sight of our nation's mighty army, never to return. Many times over Lord Sozin gave the degenerate monks a chance to make peace and share in the material and spiritual rewards of this empire.

Young Man #1: Hmph, tell me when we see some of these "rewards."

Young Man #2: Quiet, man. If he hears you, you'll be taken in for interrogation.

Young Man #1: Like I care...
>> No. 116438
File 138640478260.png - (506.55KB , 595x424 , fire nation classroom.png )
116438
>>116437


Sage: But years of having nothing stained their hearts with greed. Nothing could save their souls and so they all perished. But Lord Sozin, being the wise leader he was, saw the cause of the Air Nomad's fall and could see these signs in the other nations as well. THIS is why we march, brothers and sisters! This is why we press forward to unite this divided world! So that such ends do not come to pass again. We cannot stand idly by and lie in the comfortable beds we make for ourselves while others in the world are so deprived. For if we continue to keep our light to ourselves we leave the rest of the world in darkness and what we all must remember is that as darkness grows, light fades. The March of Civilization is not just some war, as some among you still speak of it. It is a chance to spread our light to the other nations, to bring a new order of balance! And as we march forward, we fuel the flame of progress in the heart of the Fire Nation and under the courage and leadership of Fire Lord Ozai, this world will see a new dawn!

--The seated congregation begins to clap. Their eyes full of hope and reverence. The young men standing off by themselves look less hopeful and more skeptical, especially the one with the straw in his mouth.--

Young Man #1: Look at 'em. Eatin' all that stuff up like it was a komodo egg omelet. How many of them do you think are gonna run to the recruitment center and sign themselves over to the military?

Young Man #2: Wouldn't be surprised if they all did. The military pays okay and they've been trying a lot harder to get more recruits these days.

Young Man #1: Put one too many steaks in the grinder and now they're runnin' out of cutlets. But lucky them, havin' all these stooges lined up, ready to give their lives and money to "spread the light."
>> No. 116439
File 138640544513.png - (320.63KB , 429x579 , fire temple.png )
116439
>>116438

Young Man #2: You don't believe in the March of Civilization, do you?

Young Man #1: I don't think we have enough civilization here. The only people "progressing" are those dumb nobles at the capital. We fight the war and they get all the spoils. Good thing they have old geezers like that to encourage people.

Young Man #2: If the Sage upsets you so much, why do keep coming here?

Young Man #1: I like to laugh at stupid people. Now c'mon, we gotta get back to my dad's shop.

--The two of them begin to leave. Mai's eyes follow them, her ears just barely catching everything they say.--

Young Man #2: Speaking of laughing at idiots, are you and Jii going to the circus tonight?

Young Man #1: Eh, I don't know. I'll have to see if we have an extra silver piece lying around.

--Once they've left, Mai decides to leave as well. She takes one more quiet look at the people gathering around the Fire Sage and heads outside. She walks around a little bit, buying something to eat on a stick and watching a couple local firebenders fight to entertain a crowd before seeing a carriage roll across the street with a poster on its side for the circus in question. She stares at it, having recognized the name. With a sigh, she leaves the current spectacle she's watching and heads in the same direction.--

End Scene
>> No. 116442
File 138645035025.jpg - (355.05KB , 1656x1256 , Wanted Team AU.jpg )
116442
Heres some OC. I drew this at 3 in the morning last night.
>> No. 116444
File 138645171964.jpg - (102.16KB , 965x768 , 1378624373823.jpg )
116444
>>116442

Looks cute. This pic is from one of the old threads.
>> No. 116445
File 138646752257.png - (125.15KB , 640x480 , vlcsnap-2013-12-07-17h49m41s197.png )
116445
I went back through the old threads and found some of the other dialogue I did. I wanted to give them a do-over since there were a couple lines I wasn't happy with cause I felt like I rushed through them, which often happens when I'm posting on a faster board like /co/. These would be parts a little ahead in the series, but while I'm still working on the first and second episode, I think it might be useful for anyone interested to look these over for a feel of the character dynamics.


--This part would probably be when the trio are making a pit stop in the South Pole, after having gone to the Southern Air Temple

Ty Lee: Achoo! It's soooo cold here!
Mai: Maybe before you chose to betray your country, you should have packed something warmer to wear.
Ty Lee: Well, gee, Mai, I'm sorry not all of us like to dress like we're going to a funeral all the time!
Mai: Every day is just another step closer to death, I like to make sure I'm prepared. More than we can say for you.
Ty Lee: Hmph!
Aang: Don't worry, Ty Lee, the Water Tribes make some of the best fur coats in the world. I'm sure somebody'd be happy to give you one. Though I don't really agree with wearing dead animals, but under the circumstances, I think we can make an exception.
Mai: Great, then we can all smell like fish breath and seal blubber. As if Appa and that rat we found didn't smell bad enough...
Appa: *low roar*
>> No. 116446
File 138646906659.png - (140.34KB , 411x476 , ty lee upset.png )
116446
>>116445

--This part would probably be sometime later in Book 1, perhaps just before or just after the Winter Solstice when Ty Lee, after several episodes of denial, finally accepts the war is a mess of death.


Aang: Are you alright?

Ty Lee: No...Aang...d-do you think I'm a bad person?

Aang: What? No way! You're one of the nicest people I've ever known.

Ty Lee: But what happened to your people...I didn't want to believe it, but it's true! And if that's true, maybe all that other stuff the villagers were saying about the Fire Nation was true too! What if all we're good at is hurting people? How can I even make up everything we've done to you and everyone?

Aang: Ty Lee, you don't have to make up anything to me.

Ty Lee: *sniff* I don't?

Aang: Of course not! Look, you're right, the Fire Nation's hurt a lot of people and I feel just as terrible about it as you. But you didn't kill my people and start this war. You're not responsible for what the Fire Nation did a hundred years ago and you aren't responsible for what it or any other nation is doing now. If anyone has to make it up to the world, it's me. I'm the Avatar. I should have been there to stop all this. But there isn't anything either of us can do to change the past. We can only learn from it. Besides, if there wasn't any good in the Fire Nation, I don't think I'd still be here right now and I don't think we'd be friends.

Ty Lee: But everyone back home is taught that the war is a good thing.

Aang: Yeah, that's what you were taught, but how do you feel about it now?

Ty Lee: I don't know. It doesn't seem so great anymore...

Aang: There you go! If you can see that, then I know others from the Fire Nation can too. They just need somebody to help show them a way to change things. The three of us can do that together!

Ty Lee: That...sounds good. Really good!
>> No. 116447
File 138647321679.png - (325.08KB , 640x480 , vlcsnap-2013-12-07-19h13m46s163.png )
116447
>>116446

This scene I did as the intro to this universe's version of The Beach episode, as Azula begins having issues with her father and Zuko is asked by him to keep Azula calm and out of his way. Azula, however, is unaware of this and still sees herself and Zuko as the dynamic duo who caught the Avatar.

Azula: This is ridiculous! He can't just get rid of us like we're a pair of green horn recruits!

Zuko: Calm down, Azula. Father just wants us to relax while he and the generals plan for the eclipse. He thinks it'll do us both some good.

Azula: *scoffs* As if! I'll tell you what he really thinks! He doesn't trust us anymore! I can't believe this! After all we've done for him, after all I'VE done for him, this is the thanks I get? Being excluded from the most critical defense operation of the century!? It's an insult on both our honor! We should be back at the capital where our talents can be of use, not lollygagging around with a bunch of washed up beach bums!

Zuko: I'm sure he knows what he's doing. Just because he doesn't let us in on everything doesn't mean he's against us.

Azula: Oh, what a surprise, Zuzu, that you're taking his side! What, after that big welcome home he gave you.

Zuko: I'm not taking his side. I'm just saying that maybe you're jumping to conclusions cause you're still upset about what happened with the Avatar.

Azula: Well, my CONCLUSION is that even after everything I've done to help you, the only person you care about is father! Father this! Father that! Never mind the fact that I was the one who found you and gave you a second chance after he'd completely forgotten you even existed! So don't act like you care about me, none of you ever cared.

--Azula turns around with her arms crossed and goes quiet. Zuko makes an uncomfortable face as though he's about to do something that grosses him out, then steps forward, puts a hand on her shoulder. She turns back around to face him with an angry look.--

Zuko: You know that isn't true, Azula. Father cares about both of us and I know you care about him too. Trust me. I'm only looking out for your own good. We're partners, aren't we?

--Zuko puts on a warm smile and Azula's angry expression fades--

Azula: ...Maybe you're right, maybe I do need to clear my head, a little...But I still don't see why we have to bring HIM along!

--Azula points at Combustion Man, who is revealed to have been sitting there the whole time with his arms crossed and his eyes closed--

Zuko: There's been some peasant revolts these last few months. Father wants to make sure we have extra protection.

Azula: Like I really need this oaf and his pet chicken to protect me!

--Combustion Man's hawk screeches at Azula--
>> No. 116454
So much for those other "committed" write fags
>> No. 116455
>>116454
So how many people are actually in this thread? I'm >>116416 >>116427 >>116442 a bunch of people.
I actually find this interesting, but as I've said, I'm more of a drawfag than a writefag. Is there only one writefag actually sticking around?
>> No. 116456
>>116455

All the writefaggotry in this thread is mine, though I'm not the OP, but if I'm not even gonna get any feedback let alone writing assistance, I'm not sure if there's a point in my continuing if even the OP has bailed. That's kinda why I was skeptical about putting this thread on plus4, people have a tendency to abandon their projects once they've been left here.
>> No. 116457
>>116456
Well, I've been busy myself, but I think you're doing great. I keep checking back at this thread myself, hoping to see something new. Its got some potential. I'm tempted to rewatch it for the umpteenth time to be able to critique your writing of the characters better.
>> No. 116458
>>116457

Right now, I'm trying to come up with a general outline for all of book 1 with episode summaries so that way anyone else interested in can choose which episode they might wish to tackle once the story gets to that point.

I'm working on the second episodes outline. Ive hit a bit of a block. The basic idea is to have Azula show up but not have her disclose what she's looking for. I think it would be in her character not to say,but just show up either at Mai's place or at the circus, pretending she's just there for a casual visit. I can't decide how to have her find out Aang is an Airbender.

I had in mind his using his powers to save Ty Lee during her performance but I also had another idea for Aang to witness the public execution of the two guys Mai saw in the Fire Temple and try to save them from being burned at the stake for treason talk.
>> No. 116461
>>116458
Wouldn't she be able to tell by his tattoos? That might be a problem. Though I do like the idea of him revealing his bending in a way similar to the circus idea. Its a little more lighthearted.
The 2 guys burning at the stake seems a little too radical a jump. But the idea of him blowing out a big ass fire is a great image.

What if after his bending was revealed he turned himself in, similar to the original? He escapes at night, just as Mai and Ty Lee are trying to sneak in to speak to him. In the confusion they end up leaving with Aang. Just an idea I had. I don't think they'd try to break him out, but in the middle of a battle I could see them accidentally betraying their country to help a guy who's clearly just a little kid.
>> No. 116468
File 138683031532.png - (299.50KB , 1024x435 , azula_krew_headshot_batch_by_gh04-d5e8283.png )
116468
>>116461

>Wouldn't she be able to tell by the tattoos?

The way I was gonna do it was that they get to Kuzon's place and see it's all falling apart. When Mai and Ty Lee recognize the family crest or symbol, they recognize it as belonging to a family that was dishonored nearly a hundred years for "treason." A bunch of confusion ensues and eventually they reach the conclusion that Aang was imprisoned in that rock for 100 years, or at least Ty Lee does, Mai's like "C'mon, does he look a hundred years old to you?" Aang decides that it might be best for him to leave so they don't get in any trouble. Ty Lee doesn't really want Aang to go, at least not by himself. Mai doesn't really care, but when she sees how bummed Ty Lee is about Mai leaving, she asks Aang if he wants to at least stay and go to the circus with them before heading off ('not that I care or anything uguu').

So when Azula shows up, Aang is in disguise. Again, this is a point where I reach a dead end. I typed out some of the dialogue for a dinner scene at Mai's house where Mai brings Ty Lee and "Kuzon" home with her, but Azula has shown up as well. So there's this whole awkward dinner where Mai and Ty Lee are worried about Azula finding out who their new friend is. Also, Aang learns more details about this war going on from Azula.

The two guys being executed was one idea for Aang to reveal who he is to Azula because I didn't want those two characters to just be walking exposition or plot devices. I thought it might be interesting if they became recurring little joke characters who show up at certain moments in the story, usually having something to with the Fire Nation political junk. Like the burning at the stake I pictured would have the one guy with the big mouth trying to act cool while he's about to die and his friend trying to blow out the fire as it creeps up. Then Aang blows a gust of wind their way. Though I like a version the circus idea better. I would just like to somehow incorporate a scene where those nameless characters get in trouble and Aang sees it, sort of his first glimpse at the harshness of the Fire Nation's current leadership.
>> No. 116469
>>116468
You could have it so that the two guys are discussing their feelings on the war once more, only louder. Whatever the Fire Nation equivalent of the secret police then picks them up quickly. Or the regular police force comes in and takes down two non benders with excessive force. The two bit-character idea is a good one. Reminds me of those two characters in Power Rangers or something.

What if they got wasted and interrupted the circus? Ty Lee is keeping her balance while they ramble on about people being "sheeple" or "bison sheep" or whatever for blindly following the will of the Fire Lord. Then the police come and start wrecking stuff with fire. Or Azula does. Ty lee falls, Aang saves the day, and the Avatar is revealed.

A dinner scene sounds pretty good actually. Lots of opportunity (Aang uses too much pepper, blows an insane gust of wind).

Are any of these good ideas? Are they helpful? When I read them back they sound like I'm rambling.
>> No. 116481
File 138699309954.png - (169.93KB , 600x600 , aang lee by witchofhonesty.png )
116481
>>116469

>Reminds me of those two characters in Power Rangers

Yeah, that's kind of what I would like them to be. I don't even know if you'd ever find out their names, but they'd be those characters who always seem to pop up now and again wherever the heroes happen to be and even if they don't interact much with the main cast, they serve the purpose of exposition and comedy and illustrating two different approaches Fire Nation people who don't like their government have.

Perhaps, going more with your idea, they could get arrested in front of Aang, then escape. I was thinking that for Aang to reveal he's the Avatar, the volcano he was under erupts, he goes Avatar State and saves the circus but you could cut away have a quick scene where the earthquakes are causing parts of the town to crumble and this includes the prison. Then they show up again in a bit role like 5 episodes later. I think that would work.

However, I think it should be revealed Aang is an Airbender first and Azula arrests him for that. Azula shouldn't assume he's the Avatar, but think he knows where he is. So for the circus, if Azula begins to suspect that Aang is an Airbender, she could try to find ways to get him to reveal it and so you could have a scene that is a mix of the part in the original series where Azula lhas the net under Ty Lee lit on fire and the scene in the Deserter where Aang freaks out when the Firebender uses Katara as part of his show. This could also serve as more motivation for Ty Lee to go out of her way to save Aang. Azula uses Ty Lee in her little ploy and puts her in danger to confirm something she's not even sure is the truth while Aang risks himself to help her even though they just met.
>> No. 116482
File 138699496153.jpg - (41.79KB , 704x480 , suave aang is suave.jpg )
116482
>>116469

>A dinner scene sounds pretty good actually. Lots of opportunity (Aang uses too much pepper, blows an insane gust of wind).

In the rough draft of dialogue I did for it, I put in a part where Azula introduces herself to Aang in a proud royal manner and Aang is like "any friend of Ty Lee and Mai's is a friend of mine." And then Aang could try to feed her ego. Aang wants to hear more about the war and Azula is like "did you not pay attention in school?" so Aang tries to excuse his ignorance by telling Azula that hearing her "lovely voice" talk about the war against Earth Kingdom barbarians is like hearing about the war for the first time.

So, at first, Azula kind of likes Ty Lee and Mai's new friend cause he butters her up. I was thinking she'd start suspecting the person flying the bison she saw was him when she gets a look at his glider.
>> No. 116487
>>116454
I'm around, I've just been traveling the last week or so. It's Christmas, you know how it is.

>>116482
I like it. Suave Ladies' Man Aang is fun.

>>116436
This is good but I worry the speech runs a little long. Are we trying to do these scripts as if they were 22-minute episodes?
>> No. 116488
File 138701017924.jpg - (26.14KB , 640x480 , AvatarIntroEarth.jpg )
116488
>>116487
>This is good but I worry the speech runs a little long. Are we trying to do these scripts as if they were 22-minute episodes?

Either that or like a 30 page comic. I understand that the speech is a little long, and I was a bit worried about that myself. However, I wrote it as the effective introduction to the world of Avatar as far as this alternate series is concerned. Let's say this was a real animated series, the Fire Sage's speech would probably be laid over as a narration over a "flashback" depicting the Fire Nation side of the story, where the Airbender are basically portrayed as ravaging Mongols or le happy merchants out to destroy the Fire Nation.

So while it is a little long, if you imagine it like that where as you're reading the Sage's speech, you see how he and the audience imagine things to have been in a manner reminiscent of the original intro, then I think it could work as it is for the most part.
>> No. 116489
>>116488
Oh, yeah! That could work then.
>> No. 116490
>>116489

Narrative-wise, I think it also makes Aang's surprising Ty Lee/Mai by being the nicest kid in the world have more of an impact if you hear and see in more detail how Fire Nation people view Sozin and the massacre. They see it as an unfortunate yet necessary consequence of their defending themselves from a "vicious invader," and it puts the war in greater perspective. Sozin probably didn't have a lot of passionate support for the war at first in the Fire Nation since many people were probably used to seeing the other nations in a positive light. The Airbenders were a perfect chance for Sozin to sell the war as being somewhat defensive by targeting a people who were always probably seen as a suspicious presence.

Based on what we do know from the show, I think we can safely assume the FN's war department was divided into three essential units: military-industrial complex, the aristocracy and the state religion which acted as the propaganda machine and the hider of state secrets. I'd kind of like this timeline to explore the Fire Sages' corruption more and show the relationship between peasant, state and clergy.
>> No. 116499
Almost finished with the complete Book 1 "episode guide." Will post it here in the next day or so.
>> No. 116500
File 13873953139.jpg - (296.63KB , 800x600 , earth-fire-wind-water.jpg )
116500
>>116488
Water. Earth. Fire. Air.
Long ago, the Four Nations bickered and squabbled. Until the Fire Nation stepped forward to provide order and structure.
Only the Avatar, master of all four element, could upset this newfound balance. But in the face of the Fire Nations power, he fled like a coward.
Or so they say. One hundred years passed and my friend and I discovered the new Avatar, an Airbender named Aang. My country has labeled Aang an enemy, but I think Aang can show us a different kind of balance than the one we've held on to for so long.
>> No. 116501
File 138740066162.jpg - (13.58KB , 400x300 , avatar-the-last-airbender-logo.jpg )
116501
>>116500

Not bad, though I'd probably edit that last line a little to match Katara's but with a Ty Lee tone. Something like: "But although Aang's our friend, our country has labeled him our enemy, but I believe Aang can show us a different way." Something like that which have that nice punch of epicness when you see the camera close up behind and the show's logo appear. I don't know.

Anyhoo, I finally finished the Book 1 guide. Since there's a lot of notes, I won't be posting it all at once, but I'll start with the first five and then later this evening post the rest. If there's an episode you'd be interested in helping outline or providing some input on, feel free to pick one. Since we've already discussed the first two episodes in pretty good length. I don't think I need to give too many notes on the timeline changes there
>> No. 116502
File 138740091990.png - (550.70KB , 1426x478 , mai aang ty lee ot3.png )
116502
>Episode 1: The Boy in The Volcano

Mai and Ty Lee are two young Fire Nation girls of noble birth. However, their goals and desires don't always mix with what others of their class deem fit for them. Mai is an apathetic and smart mouthed teenager who prefers to wander around looking for some kind of excitement, no matter how dangerous, than take part in high class society while Ty Lee left home to join a circus in spite of her family's wishes. When the two childhood friends meet once again, their reunion takes an awkward turn when they discover encased in rock beneath a mountain a young Airbender boy named Aang, the last of his kind since the Fire Nation wiped out the Airbender race a century earlier. But even though the two have been taught since they were little how evil the Airbenders were, Aang's friendly and childish behavior seems different from all the stories they'd been told.

>Episode 2: The Avatar Returns

When Princess Azula of the Fire Nation begins to suspect that Ty Lee and Mai's new friend Aang is an Airbender, she goes out of her way to force Aang to reveal his identity. But there's more to Aang than his Airbending abilities as everyone will soon find out.

>Episode 3: The Southern Air Temple

Now wanted fugitives, Mai, Ty Lee and Aang head to Aang's old home in the Southern Air Temple. At the same time, Azula tangles with her father's orders to have her join forces with Commander Zhao.

Notes/Timeline Changes: When Aang enters the statue chamber, he identifies the statues of Avatar Roku, Avatar Kyoshi and Avatar Kuruk. As opposed to just Roku serving as a guide, Kuruk and Kyoshi will also play their own vital roles as spirit guides in this timeline. We also see Azula and Ozai's first little shake up in their relationship. Ozai appoints Zhao via a letter to "assist" Azula in the search for the Avatar, giving him joint command, but Azula takes it as an insult, believing Ozai is trying to punish her for letting the Avatar slip away the first time and not knowing Zhao well enough to know he's too ambitious for his own good. By episode's end, she refuses to work with him, setting the stage for her team up with Zuko. Ty Lee also by episode's end shows signs of cognitive dissonance when she asks Mai if she still thinks what they were always told about the Airbenders is true. And yes, they still find Momo


>Episode 4: Katara of the Water Tribe

Aang and his friends make a pitstop in the South Pole, home to the Southern Water Tribe, but are surprised to find it so devoid of human activity. After some exploring, Aang bumps into a local girl named Katara, who so happens to be the last Waterbender left in the South Pole, and her older brother Sokka. While Aang is befriending the two Water Tribe siblings, Azula pays her own older brother, the banished Prince Zuko, a little visit.

Notes: Azula delivers the news that the Avatar has been found to Zuko, which infuriates him because he believed it was his destiny to find the Avatar first. When Azula makes the proposal that they join forces, Zuko refuses, even though Azula reminds him that she was the one who gave him his "little tugboat" in the first place (see the Last Airbender tie-in manga). Zuko decides to try to catch the Avatar himself and tells his sister to get lost, but Azula irritates him one last time by telling the Avatar was last seen heading South, reminding Zuko he was about to set off without knowing where to even look. Also, in this timeline, it is Ty Lee who sets off the flare/booby trap in the wrecked FN ship which alerts both Sokka and Zuko to their presence. When Sokka first sees the two Fire Nation girls coming out of the ship, he drags Katara and Aang back to village, yelling that the Fire Nation is invading, not knowing that they are the "two friends" Aang told them about. We also see Mai and Zuko's first interaction in this episode as well as Aang's first attempts at Waterbending from observing Katara. At the end, he tells Katara that he knows someday she'll be a great Waterbender, which encourages her to leave home herself once Aang and his friends have departed. Ty Lee mentions at the end of the episode that Aang's Waterbending was really neat and asks what other elements he knows, he says he's not sure but he should see, foreshadowing Aang's exploration of the other elements.


>Episode 5: The Warriors of Kyoshi

Aang, Mai and Ty Lee visit Kyoshi Island, but are taken prisoner by the locals as Fire Nation spies. After convincing them that he's the Avatar, however, Aang is welcomed as a guest of honor. While Mai and Aang learn more of the island's history and of the life of Avatar Kyoshi, Ty Lee takes an interest in the all-female Kyoshi Warriors.

Notes: Not much would probably change here except maybe the tone. Zuko still burns down Suki's village, but Aang spends less time showing off and more time trying to learn about Kyoshi, going along with the fact that he identified her statue and so is drawn to her as much as Roku and Kuruk. Ty Lee's bit with the Kyoshi Warriors would probably be comedic as Ty Lee would show up the Kyoshi Warriors at their own game, irritating Suki as she prides herself on having trained the best. Basically, Ty Lee is friendly to Suki, but Suki is annoyed by the fact that Ty Lee is better than her warriors. Also, since Aang only recently in the last episode discovered his ability to waterbend, he'd be much more interested in exploring this power so I think his interest in Kyoshi and his Avatar-ness could emanate from that. The Warriors could show up and arrest them as Aang is playing with his new yet still immature Waterbending powers. Perhaps someone by the end gives him a bending scroll. Seeing portraits of Kyoshi separating the island from the mainland might also encourage Aang to try his hand at a couple Earthbending stances
>> No. 116503
>>116502

Okay, back. One quick note though. I don't think that much of the alternate Book 1 would really have to feel too different from canon Book 1. Some of the episodes could simply be rewritten with the same general premises. However, I think as you get further to the end of Book 1 and the start of Book 2, you'd start to see the cumulative outcome of all the small changes that happen as a result of Mai and Ty Lee's inclusion in the events and the alternate circumstances from which Aang (and Zuko) starts his journey.


>Episode 6: Limitations

When Zhao begins to give Zuko a run for his money, Azula once again makes her proposal that they team up against him and the young prince makes a critical decision.

Notes: This episode would be a little more Zuko and Zhao-centric as Zhao begins to block Zuko from catching up with Aang. The stuff with Aang and the girls would mostly be them having slice of life bits laced with outrunning Zhao and his troops. Throughout the episode though, every time Zhao gets in Zuko's way, Azula steps in on Zuko behalf since she still possesses a certain amount of authority over Zhao and his men in spite of her father's orders. This encourages Zuko to finally, even if begrudgingly, accept Azula's request. Azula doesn't trust Zhao and thinks he'll always be looking for an opportunity to go over her head, so she hopes to use Zuko, who's indebted to her, as a kind of middle man who she can trust to look out for her interests against Zhao's. Lieutenant Ji might also make his character introduction, though he might only have a small role to play here. Azula chooses to put her share of the fleet on standby and join Zuko on his boat, since it's smaller and can keep up with the Avatar a lot better. Azula thinks a smaller team that can maneuver quickly to intercept Aang would be much more effective than using a large fleet. Throughout the series, this assumption proves correct for the most part as Azula and Zuko are able to keep up and find Aang faster than Zhao and most others half the time and are able to sneak up on the heroes a lot better than large and easily noticeable battleships.
>> No. 116504
File 138741473844.jpg - (52.25KB , 720x480 , zuko (1).jpg )
116504
>>116503

>Episode 7: Boredom

Mai's patience with being a fugitive begins to reach its breaking point. Seeing she's in a bad mood, Aang takes it upon himself to cheer her up.

Zuko grows impatient himself with the fact that he and Azula still haven't caught wind of the Avatar since they teamed up and starts questioning the value of their partnership. In order to quell his boredom and perhaps gather some information, Azula suggests that she and Zuko spend some "family time" together sacking a few Earth Kingdom villages.

Notes: The serious and dark tone of Azula and Zuko's pillaging innocent villages is offset by the humorous antics of Aang and Ty Lee in trying to entertain Mai, to no avail. There is one moment, as Aang begins to get on her nerves, where it looks like Mai may be thinking of turning him in, but doesn't. This is also the first episode (and last for awhile) where we actually see Mai laugh thanks to Aang, though she laughs at Aang hurting himself when he isn't trying to amuse her. Ty Lee says that Mai's laugh sounds creepy and begs her to stop. On Zuko's end, Azula convinces him that sacking a couple small towns that have been opposing Fire Nation rule along the Avatar's last known course might yield them more information, but even if they don't get any leads, it might help towards fixing his reputation. Zuko hesitates for a second, with a sour look on his face, as he's not sure how to feel. At this point in his story, however, he has no serious objections. After all, Zuko had no issue burning down Suki's village, though we do see he cares about his uncle's opinion since Iroh questions, without actually opposing, their actions. He decides to go through with it and tells his men they can take whatever they want but after seeing the local children playing outside, orders them to not harm any of the women or children. Azula mocks Zuko's sentimental attitude, calling him "The Children's Firebender," but lets him have his way. News eventually reaches the Gaang about a raid on a town they only just visited, which leaves Ty Lee feeling uneasy as she sees and hears about Fire Nation soldiers burning down people's homes and looting their possessions. The episode ends with them checking out one of the scenes after Azula and Zuko have left. Seeing everything destroyed and lots of people injured, Ty Lee still tries to rationalize her people's actions, saying that maybe there was a good reason, but her doubts are becoming more apparent and Mai and Aang both look at eachother in a tacit acknowledgement that Ty Lee's in a bit of denial. They do, however, throw her a bit of a bone.
>> No. 116505
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>>116504

>Episode 8: June

Zuko manages to get his hands on a handful of hair from Appa and recruits a local bounty hunter named June and her pet scent-tracking shirshu to find Aang. As a result, Mai, Ty Lee and Aang find themselves losing sleep trying to keep out of Zuko and Azula's reach.

Note: This episode would be kind of like a mix between Bato of the Water Tribe and The Chase. Might make a nice moment to turn the tables on Mai and Ty Lee and see how they would feel had they been the ones hunted down mercilessly. There'd also be a moment where Aang has a dream about his people being destroyed and wondering where the Avatar is. This could happen at the end, perhaps, when the three have gotten rid of June and can rest. The episode could end with Aang's having the dream and still being unable to get any sleep even after they've escaped Azula and Zuko's clutches. A bit of a dark ending, but it would set the stage for the next episode. Seeing Azula interact with June might also be fun. The reason for June chasing them longer is because this happens away from the convent while they're still in the South Westernmost region of the Earth Kingdom on the way to Omashu.
>> No. 116506
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>>116505


>Episode 9: The Foggy Swamp Part 1-- Unity of Being

Finally shaking off Zuko and Azula, the trio hides out in the Foggy Swamp and encounters the unique tribe of Waterbenders who live in it. But before Aang can begin to learn more about Waterbending from their leader, Huu, they must enter the deepest parts of the wilds to find him. But the swamp is not as it appears when the three begin to experience strange visions in its fog, visions which force Aang to confront the guilt he's been feeling over having left the world for the last 100 years and leaving his people to die when they needed him.

Zuko comes into conflict with Lieutenant Ji over rushing into the swamp unprepared.

Notes: This two-parter would combine elements of The Swamp, The Storm and Winter Solstice partly because Aang is discovered almost a full year before the Comet's return, during the previous summer, slightly earlier than he was discovered in the canonical timeline. I think Huu's lesson about the inner unity of all things and the illusions of time, death and/or separation would work well in helping Aang get over some of the guilt of having left his people to die and being sealed away by having him taught that his people aren't truly gone as long as they live on inside him, a theme which could also come up again in Book 2. Ty Lee's vision would probably be that of being trapped in a crowd of hundreds of people who look exactly like her and mimic everything she says. Mai's vision could be more humorous with a happier version of herself that represents her repressed emotions that keeps bugging her with stupid questions as she looks for her friends. Either that or being trapped in a dark void or mist with no sense of direction. By the end of the episode, Huu agrees to help tutor a curious Aang in Waterbending and in fact the lessons on the oneness of things can form a critical part of his first lesson with Huu pointing out how water as an element in many ways represents this ideal of oneness.
>> No. 116507
File 138741562854.png - (97.69KB , 333x250 , Huu.png )
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>>116506

>Episode 10: The Foggy Swamp Part 2-- The Past Avatars

In addition to Waterbending training, Huu helps Aang to use the Swamp's tree to connect with three of his past lives: Avatar Roku, Avatar Kyoshi and Avatar Kuruk to explain a vision the swamp showed him. The three Avatars explain Aang's vision but tell him he must leave the swamp soon. Mai bonds, in her own special way, with the local swamp people while Ty Lee befriends a giant gator.

Zuko, Azula and the crew are lost meanwhile, their boat wandering aimlessly down the waters. To pass the time, and in hopes of easing the tension between Lieutenant Ji and Zuko, Iroh shares stories of his family and Zuko's past with a weary crew all while the swamp plays its share of tricks on Zuko and Azula's minds.


Notes: This episode would have Aang perfecting some of his mediocre Waterbending technique and learning to understand the nature of Water as an element further, at least from the perspective of the Swamp people and he might also learn some plantbending. The Triaang (working name) will probably have spent a few days in the swamp, a week at most. But Aang would eventually seek the answer to one other vision he had in the previous episode of two great dragons locked in battle (foreshadowing of Azula and Zuko's final duel) and being in a city he didn't recognize while it was on fire. Huu takes him to the tree's center, where he meditates and channels Roku, Kyoshi and Kuruk. The reason I suggest the three of them is because you have so many FN cast-members occupying a central role that to give Roku sole guardianship would feel a little loaded. By having the three, you have all the elements represented and I think the idea that the three can act as a sort of Trimurti spirit guide kind of works. Of course, there will be moments when Aang channels one at a time, but I think in some big cases, the three appear at once to Aang and speak one after the other, complimenting what the previous said. In Book 1, I think the main individual spirit Aang channels will be Kuruk, then Kyoshi in Book 2 and then Roku most prominently in Book 3 since by that time Aang will have learned to channel them more easily and Roku's story becomes the most relevant. Though Roku would still appear most frequently in the story as a whole. After the Avatars tell Aang he must defeat the Fire Lord before the following summer when the comet returns, Kuruk informs Aang that he must now leave the Swamp and head to the Northern Water Tribe as he'll soon be needed there. With Zuko and Azula, you'll have Iroh recount a tale concerning both of them to help Ji understand. At the same time, while everyone on the ship is in the galley drinking tea and playing Pai-Sho, Azula and Zuko will be on the deck alone in the fog having hallucinations/visions. I think they would both see their mother briefly. Azula and Zuko might also relive a couple moments from their childhood, those both pleasing and traumatizing. Eventually, the boat will get attacked by the Swampbenders, but Ji and Zuko together manage to push them back and direct the ship out of the swamp. When Zuko and Azula later see Aang flying away from the swamp, Azula demands they go after him, but Zuko says calmly that they need to rest and restock on supplies. Azula is not too upset about this, but is frustrated they have to let the Avatar go for now.
>> No. 116508
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>>116507

>Episode 11: The King of Omashu

Mai, Aang and Ty Lee visit the walled Earth Kingdom city of Omashu, but when Ty Lee has an outburst after overhearing two Earth Kingdom men belittling and cursing the Fire Nation, the three are arrested and taken before Omashu's eccentric old king.

Notes: Again, this would be an episode where little changes, except that the Gaang goes to Omashu in order to hide from those who have been chasing them, rather than just to play. Also, the reason the three are arrested happens as a result of Ty Lee blabbing a bunch of nationalist rhetoric which gives away their identity. The tests Bumi puts Aang up to might somehow change as a result of who his companions are though. Not sure how, but Bumi I think is clever enough to weave something related to the fact that Aang is traveling with "the enemy" into the the lesson on not judging things to always be how they appear. I was thinking Zhao could make an attempt to attack the city where Aang and his friends must put to use the whole "being open to the possibilities" thing to save themselves and thus Omashu in the process. Maybe Bumi, as part of a test says he's going to give over the Avatar's friends to Zhao or something. Any ideas are welcome here.
>> No. 116509
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>>116508

>Episode 12: The Forest Spirit

Ty Lee has always thought the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in the world, but after the Gaang witnesses a Fire Nation platoon set fire to an entire forest, Ty Lee struggles to justify her nation's actions in the face of everything she's seen and been told since leaving home. Not only that, it seems the spirit who guarded the now destroyed forest is not too happy about Mai and Ty Lee's presence.


Note: This episode would be more Ty Lee centric, beginning with Ty Lee trying to convince Aang, after hearing what Bumi said about his having to stop the Fire Lord, that he doesn't need to do that because of such and such reasons. This leads to a tenuous period in Ty Lee and Aang's relationship as Aang is intent on following Bumi and his past lives' guidance. Ty Lee confides in Mai that they should try to work together to convince to take the Fire Nation's side. Mai refuses though, telling Ty Lee she needs to "get a clue." This would be a interesting twist. Throughout the series so far, it would be Mai who displays the more implicitly racist attitude. She's the character who makes the smart-aleky comments about the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe people they've met and is not too interested in their ways, unlike Ty Lee. But in this episode, it becomes obvious that Mai, unlike Ty Lee, has actually accepted that everything they were taught about the other nations and the nature of the war by the Sages and their parents/teachers was garbage. In this respect, it is actually Ty Lee who is perhaps the more "racist" one of the two since her avid interest in the cultures they've encountered thus far is somewhat condescending and when the Fire Nation attacks the Earth Kingdom or Water Tribe people, she assumes, even after interacting and befriending them that they must have done something wrong to deserve it. Mai understands that this is an imperialist war for the sake of lining a bunch of adult's pockets and chopping up the land and dividing among the social elites. Mai already dislikes most authority and so is more apt to believe that when people demand your obedience, chances are they only care about themselves, not you. Plus, Mai's dad is one of those elites actively involved in the colonial process and the affairs of the nobility, she knows how these people think and she's always suspected that the a lot of war propaganda might just be embellishments to get people to do what rich, old people want them to do. Mai has just never really cared enough to say anything about it. Whether or not the war is just, she doesn't see it as being that much of her business to get involved. Although, that raises the question why, if she doesn't care either way, she's sticking with Aang. Both Ty Lee's guilt and Mai's motivation for staying with Aang and her rather nonchalant acceptance that the Fire Nation is pretty ruthless and cruel would be explored this episode. Ty Lee begins to accept that the war is not what she was told it was, but Aang reassures her that the Fire Nation isn't all bad and that instead of worrying about "sides" they should try to help the people of the Fire Nation too. Mai reveals the things mentioned above and when Aang asks her why she still travels with him, Mai implies in her own way that she likes him by saying "because you're not boring." Hei Bai would also play a big role in this episode, but it would probably be Ty Lee with a little help from Aang who calms him, apologizing to the spirit for what the Fire Nation did to its forest. This also helps the village, who earlier would have been very harsh towards Ty Lee to reevaluate their assumptions about the Fire Nation. This episode probably wouldn't have much Zuko or Azula.
>> No. 116510
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>>116509

Episode 13: The Great Bending Scroll Caper

While heading to the North Pole to complete his Waterbending training, the trio make a quick stop in a merchant town. Feeling useless in helping Aang learn to bend the other elements, Ty Lee uses her speed and agility to shoplift bending scrolls from the local traders (and pirates). Upset about losing pounds of gold in scrolls, the merchants of the city band together to find and catch the thief responsible, with a little assistance from the Triaang's two biggest royal admirers.

Notes: The pirates make a small appearance here, though they aren't as prominent as they are only one of many other pirates and merchants who've had their property stolen. After the previous episode, Ty Lee is more enthusiastic, too enthusiastic and wants to help Aang get the scrolls they aren't able to afford. Instead of just the pirates though, Ty Lee upsets more than one group of merchants. There'd be a some hint in this episode that different nations CAN actually work together as Firebenders, Earthbenders, Waterbenders and nonbenders of both legit and illegal enterprises work together for a common goal, though this wouldn't be the main theme just some subtle foreshadowing of stuff involving Zuko later down the line.
>> No. 116511
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>>116510

>Episode 14: The Fortune Teller

Aang and the girls meet a fortune teller named Aunt Wu who predicts their futures. But while Ty Lee and Aang's futures seem bright enough, Aunt Wu informs Mai of her grim future.

Note: In this timeline, as a result of a shift caused by the eruption of the volcano Aang was sealed beneath, Aunt Wu read that the village would in fact be destroyed by the volcano and so when Aang and the girls meet her, she and the villagers are in the process of relocation/reconstruction, albeit just around the corner of the same mountain. Although the premise of this version of The Fortune Teller is slightly changed, the same theme of shaping one's own destiny are part of it with a greater touch of looking towards the future with hope rather than fear. What happens in this version is that Aang and Ty Lee hear about Aunt Wu and want to have their fortunes told. Mai, much like Sokka, doesn't really believe in that stuff, but is not as much of a dick about it. Like how the canon brought up Aang's crush on Katara, this episode deals with Aang's dual crush on both the girls and so he bugs Aunt Wu with a barrage of complicated questions on how he should decide. Ty Lee's fortune is pretty generic while Aunt Wu tells Aang an ambiguous fortune about finding true love soon to get to shut up. The main focus of the episode would be on Mai's fortune. Ty Lee and Aang, after having their fortunes told, force Mai to have hers told as well. As the three sit around waiting to hear Mai's future, Aunt Wu becomes distressed by what she reads on Mai's palm. She does a bunch of other rituals to see if what she read was correct. When an irritated Mai demands to hear what she sees, Aunt Wu tells Mai that she will die sometime within the next year. While Wu warns Mai to take extra precaution by wearing a special amulet, Mai just gets up and leaves, phased little by this "news." Ty Lee and Aang become deeply worried and neurotic about keeping Mai from getting hurt. The episode would be full of cartoon gags of Aang and Ty Lee fretting over every little thing around her potentially killing her. For instance, after Mai walks under a ladder, a stone block being lifted by village workers falls down behind her just a second later, scaring Ty Lee and Aang but not even eliciting a reaction from Mai, who just rolls her eyes. When Mai is about to eat a piece of fruit with seeds in it, Ty Lee gets scared that Mai might choke on one of them and throws it away. The episode eventually ends on a note where Aunt Wu helps Ty Lee and Aang to realize that while Mai may act all sad and uncaring all the time, she, in her own strange way, faces the future with more optimism and a greater sense of inner peace. Wu also reassures the two that in the end men and women shape their own destiny and that not all of her fortunes are so set in stone.
>> No. 116512
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>>116511

>Episode 15: Hot & Cold

Azula and Zuko thought they had enough problems having to compete with now promoted Admiral Zhao to see who would capture the Avatar first, but when every other honor-seeking Fire Nation general, buck-private and bounty hunter in the Fire Nation who's looking to make a name for his or herself can't stop getting in their way, the royal siblings decide to put the search for the Avatar on hold and find a way to thin the ranks of the chase.

Notes: The way I see this episode happening is that Zhao and Zuko/Azula come close to catching Aang at the beginning, but are interrupted by a slew of glory seekers. Recognizable ones would include the Pirates, Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos, but perhaps a bunch of other "nobodies," who try to posture like they're the greatest and most legendary. Think of that one scene from The Powerpuff Girls Movie where all the monkeys altered by Chemical X start fighting over how each of them is going to be the one who's the more awesome one that's going to take over the earth. You'd have a bunch of people crashing the party at once and fighting with each other saying "No, I will be the one to capture the Avatar, for I am the great blah blah blah, scourge of the such and such." Most of them are just humorous parodies of Zhao, Zuko and Azula. During this confusion, Mai, Aang and Ty Lee manage to slip away. Everybody blames everybody else and starts fighting. This leads to Zuko and Azula deciding they need to find a way to get rid of this competition for a little while. Since most of them are involved in the chase "unofficially," appealing to Ozai would do little good. Most of these hunters don't even care that Azula is the princess and they have the now promoted Zhao to tango with, who's the biggest obstacle of all. It's not revealed right away, but Azula and Zuko end up sabotaging their competitor's ships and laying traps to ensnare them so they stay out of the way dressed as the Red and Blue Spirits (Azula wears the Dragon Emperor mask while Zuko wears the Blue Spirit/Dark Water Spirit mask). I don't think Aang would be captured by Zhao here, rather I think this would be another Azula/Zuko centered episodes where the Triaang takes a background role as Azula and Zuko begin wrecking all the Avatar hunters' shit. Though Azula and Zuko had hoped to just take out enough of them to make their own job a little easier, they get a little carried away by their success, at one point unwittingly saving Aang, Mai and Ty Lee and even decide to attack and loot an FN merchant vessel, trying to excuse their excesses as making sure they have enough supplies. The Red & Blue Spirits, while thieves, become something of legends pretty quickly, a fame Zuko and Azula enjoy.They end up causing enough trouble themselves that Zhao calls for a truce between his fleet and those of the other hunters. However, he excludes Zuko and Azula, suspecting they're actually the culprits. When Zhao begins probing into them, Azula and Zuko decide to call it quits, believing they've done enough. But when they hear of a new haul of precious gems on another ship, they decide to do one last job. It turns out though that Zhao circulated the story himself, hoping the Red & Blue Spirits would show up. Zuko and Azula battle their way through a horde of angry hunters and narrowly escape, but not before getting a little petty revenge against Zhao. When they reach their boat, they find Iroh, who knew the whole time they were the ones causing the trouble, despite their efforts to hide it from the rest of the crew, waiting for them. He advises that they hide the crates of obviously stolen goods. When Zhao does come and demands to search them, Azula and Zuko let him even though he has no warrant so that way they can put an end to any suspicion. Zhao searches all over the ship and finds nothing. Zuko and Azula poke fun at him with smug looks on their face and he leaves in a rage. Later, Azula walks in on Zuko when he's looking at the Blue Spirit mask (which he somehow managed to hide on board). She asks Zuko why he enjoyed doing it. Pausing for a moment, not sure if he should tell her, but then explains that for once he felt all the shame and pressure of his banishment go away under a new identity and actually succeeding at something for once just felt good, even if it was thievery. Azula's response is something like "there you go, being all sentimental again." When Zuko asks Azula the same question, she keeps her emotional guard up, saying she just enjoyed proving her superiority over mooks and causing Zhao trouble, but admits that the whole Blue/Red spirit stuff sort of reminded of her of the pretend games they used to play as kids. Azula remarks that even though Zuko is still a "complete failure" the two of them actually make a good team. Zuko smiles and agrees. Zuko's smile makes Azula uncomfortable and she tells him to wipe the stupid look off his face. Zuko puts the mask down and heads to the deck, Azula stays where she is by the door, watching him leave and smiles to herself. We find out at the end of the episode that all the stuff looted from Zhao, the hunters and the merchant ship is actually with Lo and Li on Azula's other ship (Lo and Li would have had small roles earlier before Zuko and Azula got together, being the ones who suggested a smaller team like in the canon). The two sisters cackle as they try on various rings and head wear, including a priceless ring or badge of commendation stolen from Zhao earlier which marked his promotion to admiral.
>> No. 116513
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>>116512

>Episode 16: Seeing Double

When Aang and Mai lose Ty Lee in the big city, they keep finding her all over town only to lose her all over again. But why does it feel like Ty Lee is always in more than one place at the same time?

Notes: This episode would mark the first appearance of Ty Lee's six very identical sisters. Although they each have very minor differences between each other that would be just a teeny bit obvious to those watching/reading in things like hairstyle and attitude, it's hard to tell them apart from Ty Lee. The first half of the episode would have Mai and Ty Lee constantly mistaking Ty Lee's sisters for her, going through or chasing each one until they both find the real Ty Lee (as they are each holding the hand of a different, like sized, sister). Ty Lee's sisters will have arrived to find Ty Lee and bring her back home for their parents' sake, but they also belittle her. The episode's climax would feature a 6 on 3 duel with Ty Lee's sisters fighting with similar, though slightly different, styles from Ty Lee's herself. At the end, Mai and Aang will be able to tell Ty Lee apart from the other sisters' when the leading sister, who would look the most like Ty Lee or can at least make herself look the most like her easily tries to trick them once more. They will manage to get the other 5 off their back beforehand by preying on what individuality they do have to cause them to fight with each other over something petty like who's the smartest or the prettiest or the tallest or something like that.
>> No. 116514
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>>116513

To add to the last one, because Mai will have likely know Ty Lee's sisters pretty well, I think she'd be more able to tell and so perhaps the climax where they have to figure out which one is Ty Lee, this could be a good Mai/Lee moment where it is Mai who points it out. Or maybe Aang is the only one who confuses the sisters with each other while Mai, when Aang brings her "Ty Lee," points out that who Aang is holding the hand of ISN'T Ty Lee. Either way, I think that episode would be fun.


>Episode 17: The Deserter

Aang meets a former Fire Nation soldier and Firebending master named Jeong Jeong who, after much pleading, reluctantly chooses to teach Aang Firebending, but also helps Mai and Ty Lee to see their Fire Nation heritage in a different way.

Note: I'm not sure how the meeting with Jeong Jeong would play out differently, if Aang would still fuck up and end up burning someone or not or even how they'd come across him. If he did burn one of the girls though, the fact that they can't heal it would probably traumatize him a little more. The problem with deciding to not having him burn someone is that you need some kind of motivation for him to leave Jeong Jeong's tutorship and if it's not burning one of his friends, then what is it? One thing I do know is that like other alternate versions of canon episodes in this list, something needs to at least be different about the premise and, to a certain degree, the tone. The message can remain the same, but also have a new message added in with a different focus. Mai and Ty Lee are meeting a fellow "traitor" and so I think a large part of the episode will focus on what Jeong Jeong has to teach them. For Ty Lee I think this would be especially important since she's struggled a little more to deal with her identity as a Fire Nation citizen in the wake of the realization that her country is a terrorizing force. So perhaps Jeong Jeong while he's making Aang stand on top of the hill doing his breathing could have some good conversations with the two girls, or at least Ty Lee about why he left and about what it means to be Fire Nation if one isn't trying to conquer everybody else. I think the one issue is finding out something to do with Mai. Mai herself wasn't as idealistically invested in the Fire Nation as much as Ty Lee was. She bought into the propaganda like anyone else, but once it was obvious, as a part of her had always suspected due to her general distaste for most authority figures, that it was all bullshit, she accepted it and was just like "whatever." So I'm not sure what Jeong Jeong could help Mai to better understand, but I could see him taking a fond interest in Mai because of her attitude that on one level is different from his own and on another level is very similar. Mai's misanthropic attitude I could see as being attractive to the guy who sees his life as a curse. So maybe Jeong Jeong can help Mai in some way to learn how to shift that attitude in a more positive direction. To this effect, perhaps it would be best if it is Mai who gets burned by Aang's stupidity. Some suggested once that it should be Ty Lee, but this seems a little too obvious I think and is suggested mostly because Ty Lee seems the most like Katara out of the two. You'd get much of the same reaction from Aang and Ty Lee and Mai that you got in the canon with Sokka and Katara, the one thing that's changed is that Ty Lee would perhaps keep the burns as a constant reminder. That's a little boring if you ask me. I'd want to avoid this retread though and Aang hurting Mai might be more interesting, even if just because her reaction might be different. I'm thinking that perhaps it could look like Ty Lee is the one about to get hurt and then Mai steps in just in time to save her and gets burnt herself. Mai's hands and forearms could be seriously burnt with Aang constantly apologizing and Ty Lee freaking out, but Mai could just be like "it's nothing," pretending like it didn't even bother her and only get upset when Aang and Ty Lee keep insisting that she's hurt. That way, when Mai is dousing her hands in water, you see a rare moment of vulnerability as she begins tearing up from the pain. Jeong Jeong could then enter in on her and she throws her emotional guard back up and the two of them talk until Zhao comes to ruin the party. Mai keeping the burns, which she hides with with her sleeves/gloves can also be a reminder for Aang about his need for self-control all the same. But I don't think Mai would stand for the whole "I'm never gonna firebend, again," crap. So, perhaps while Aang understands the need to master the other elements first, he's not as opposed to using a little Firebending for small things now and again because Mai won't let him throw a pity party for her. This doesn't mean he isn't nervous about using it again, though, but perhaps his issues with Firebending are brought up more because he's scared he'll hurt somebody.
>> No. 116515
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>>116514

>Episode 18: Freedom Fighters

Mai, Ty Lee and Aang are rescued by a young man named Jet and his group of rebels. But what seemed like it could have been a promising friendship turns sour when Jet realizes that Mai and Ty Lee are Fire Nation citizens.

Elsewhere nearby, Azula and Zuko are treated to the hospitality of a local colonial governor, but Zuko finds himself uncomfortable with the governor's treatment of his Earth Kingdom servants.

Note: This episode seems a little hard to do. What I was thinking was that Aang and the girls could be in trouble (again) perhaps being chased by Colonel Mongke this time around and Jet and friends swoop in and save the day. At some point in the story, as would be the recurring gag, Mai and Ty Lee stop wearing their Fire Nation clothes and appear in a number of different outfits, so obviously Jet wouldn't recognize them as Fire Nation right away. This takes place just a little before Jet tries to pull off the dam job so maybe Mai and Ty Lee, after some conflict, help to teach Jet that not everyone in the Fire Nation is so bad, thus doing their part to prevent Jet's scheme to blow up the dam later. Jet doesn't have to really become all "FN people are great now," by the end, but he could learn to have a new respect for them, at least enough that he doesn't think they should all drown. When Jet realizes the girls are Fire Nation, he could try to convince Aang that they're not his friends and will just turn on him sooner or later. So Jet could be trying to convince Aang that deep down all the Fire Nation are heartless. This is where Zuko and Azula's story comes in. Throughout this episode, the story switches between Jet trying to find ways to prove that Mai and Ty Lee can't be trusted and that Aang should join his group instead and Zuko observing the mistreatment of the Earth Kingdom servants by the provincial governor. But unlike Azula, who while not partaking in the abuse, doesn't seem too bothered by it, the governor's attitude slowly gets to Zuko a little after awhile. For example, when Zuko, Azula and Iroh are being served tea, the governor gets mad at one of the Earth Kingdom servants and throws tea all over her face. Iroh, in contrast, thanks their servers and while Zuko doesn't stand up for the servant girl, it's obvious he doesn't feel comfortable with the governor's behavior and just isn't saying anything. Azula notices, however, and makes fun of his sensitivity like she did in Boredom but also points out that maybe Zuko feels so much pity for the Earth Kingdomers cause they remind him a little too much of himself. Zuko tries to deny that it bothers ('he can do what he wants'). This could be a good chance for Zuko to meet a Song-type person in the character of one of the servants, perhaps the servant girl from earlier, who could constantly be belittled by the governor. Iroh, of course, get along with the EK servants well, but doesn't seem too moved to intervene on the abused servant girl's behalf. As to what finally convinces Jet to let Mai, Aang and Ty Lee go, perhaps Jet is caught by the governor and Mai and Ty Lee are convinced by Aang to save him even though they have a chance to get away now. There could also be a point near the end where Zuko's finally had enough of the governor's dickery and stands up for the girl that's always getting shat on. Aang, Ty Lee and Mai (and maybe Jet too) could witness this from a distance and this could be an event that tells Aang that maybe Zuko isn't so bad of a guy deep down and Mai's quiet reaction could be interesting as well.
>> No. 116516
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>>116515

>Episode 19: Push and Pull (working title)

As Iroh tries to mentor Zuko in Firebending, Azula continues to assert herself into the middle of their relationship, much to both of their discomfort. But as Azula takes begins taking advantage of Zuko's desperation to regain his honor, he finds himself growing more impatient with his uncle and questioning Iroh's priorities.

Aang and the girls find a quiet spot to relax. In addition to his Waterbending practice, Aang asks Ty Lee to teach him to Chi-Block.

Mai takes a nap, but Appa won't leave her alone.

Note: Again, this could be another Zuko/Azula centered episode, though much less so than Hot & Cold as the story would also show Aang experimenting with his Waterbending and having Ty Lee teach him some new tricks as well. For the most part, Mai and Ty Lee have just been forced to stand there and watch Aang and can't really help him with all the bending stuff. So, here we see Aang ask one of them to help him learn something besides bending. This episode would at least allow Ty Lee to show that her talents do not require any less practice or technique than bending does and also could help remind Aang that not everything will come as easy to him as his bending and this parallels some of what's happening with Zuko at the moment.

With Zuko and Azula, up until this point, Zuko has managed to balance Azula and Iroh's influence, making decisions that are kind of in the middle ground of what they would decide to do and taking advice from both. He hasn't been acting too differently, I don't think than canon Zuko acted in Book 1, although certain events have caused his more sensitive side to show. Likewise, while Azula and Iroh's interactions so far will have not been too friendly, they haven't really argued. This episode would show a more definitive clash between Iroh and Azula and Azula's truest attempt to undermine Iroh's influence on Zuko, by making Zuko doubt Iroh's committment to capturing the Avatar. Azula would also try to tell Zuko what he's doing wrong in his Firebending practice, but Zuko would be less responsive to this since the last thing he wants is his younger sister reminding him he needs help with his Firebending. But after everything they've been through, I think Azula would be less of a bitch about this. That is, as the story has progressed, especially after Hot & Cold, we see Azula's little shots at Zuko become more like punctuation or pet names and less actual insults. When she sees Zuko is having trouble with his practicing, instead of just making fun of Zuko and telling him he'll never catch up, she actually tries to help, mentioning of course that his failure is annoying her. So, by this time, it's less "You'll never catch up. You'll always be a disappointment, so stop trying," and more "God, you suck. Here, let me show you how to do it, retard." So we see that Azula is beginning to actually care about Zuko in that she wants to help him improve if for no other reason than to mold him into a better reflection of her own superior self. Perhaps Azula and Zuko can have a sparring session this episode where she wins but strangely enough doesn't rub it in his face as much as she would have a few years earlier and instead tries to tell Iroh that his teaching stinks and is what is making Zuko suck. Iroh is not the type to let Azula get to him and so doesn't respond much to Azula's attitude. Later, in Zuko's quarters, while Iroh is enjoying himself elsewhere, Azula could intrude on Zuko's meditating and start telling him her own doubts about Iroh's loyalties. "Why are we always the ones risking our necks to capture the Avatar while he just sits around playing Pai-Sho and eating roast duck? If you ask me, Zuzu, he doesn't even care...He probably doesn't even want us to catch him." Zuko doesn't like these suggestions, but he does think Azula has a point about Iroh's laziness in the Avatar search. Azula would also try to imply that Iroh might be holding Zuko back on purpose as well. Eventually these tensions boil over into a full on argument between Iroh, Zuko and Azula. Azula would be yelling at Iroh, while Iroh himself is more calm but still not too happy with Azula's constant undermining of his efforts to help Zuko improve his Firebending skills. He tells Azula with an inside voice that she's far too aggressive and lacks real disclipline, knowing only force and that her kind of help isn't for him. An angry Azula then barks back that Zuko should be allowed to choose for himself and that maybe Zuko would prefer her approach over that of "a fat, tea-guzzling coward who didn't even have the strength to help him save his own son." These words hit Iroh right where it hurts and he just closes his eyes and walks away without saying another word to her. Even though Zuko was starting to agree with Azula, even he tells Azula she went over the line there and so Zuko and his uncle have some reconciliation by the episode's end. Previous bits of dialogue in the series would have revealed some of Iroh's past as Dragon of the West, but this episode would have some of the first mentions of Lu Ten's death and why Iroh retreated.
>> No. 116517
File 138742388523.jpg - (34.23KB , 720x480 , yue.jpg )
116517
>>116516

>Episode 20: The Northern Water Tribe

Aang and his friends finally arrive in the Northern Water Tribe, where Aang is to complete his Waterbending training under the eminent Master Pakku. Mai and Ty Lee spend some time with Princess Yue and the three of them realize how different life is for women in their respective cultures. Things seem to be going well for our heroes until word reaches the Northern Chief that Aang's two companions are in fact from the Fire Nation. When argument erupts in Chief Arnook's court over the Avatar's "traveling with the enemy," Mai and Ty Lee, thanks to the intercession of Yue and a vouchsafe from Aang, are put to a series of tests.

Notes: The first part of this episode I could see Mai and Ty Lee trying to hide their Fire Nation identity for as long as they can so Aang can learn Waterbending without any drama, the story switching between Aang delving deeper into the spiritual aspects of the art of Waterbending and Mai and Ty Lee exploring the capital with Yue. At first they'd travel around with her as honored guests. In a way, they'd be stuck with her because they're women. There'd be talk between the three on how life, food and clothes in the North are different from the Swamp they were at and from "where they're from." When the subject of women's place in Northern Tribe society comes up, Ty Lee and Mai discuss the differences in their own culture as much as they can without revealing they're Fire Nation. Naturally, Yue is interested in this nameless place they come from where women seem to be treated a little more like equals. Mai or Ty Lee could at one point show some of their martial arts skills, perhaps Mai shows Yue her knife skills and/or maybe they beat up Han. Yue would be confused by them but intrigued. Yue is definitely surprised by the fact that her new friends are Fire Nation, but it doesn't really affect her opinion of them much. If anything, it just makes her more interested in the Fire Nation. They seem friendly enough to her and the Avatar trusts them, that's enough for her. Pakku I think would be among those who's a bit more skeptical. Being a member of the White Lotus, he can't come off as too much against the idea of Fire Nation people who don't support the war. He knows better. But maybe his own objection has much more to do with them being Fire Nation WOMEN. Even if they let the fact that they're Fire Nation slide and trust the Avatar's judgement, in Pakku's view, Fire Nation women are brutish, uncivilized and disorderly and will only cause trouble if they're allowed to stay (if they did beat up Han, it would appear that he has a point). He even points to the fact that Yue, a woman, spoke out of turn to defend them, something's she's never done before, and starts saying their presence is already having a negative effect. How Mai and Ty Lee prove themselves I was thinking could be one set of tests designed to gauge their "feminine manners" which I think would be a clever way to have Ty Lee and Mai forced to fall back on the kind of etiquette they were brought up with in the Fire Nation nobilitiy. Then maybe a final test is given of their combat abilities (I kinda wanted a reference to the hunt that Zhao performed in Rufftoon's Water Tribe comic if that wouldn't be too much). Eventually Pakku and other naysayers are forced to accept them. Mai and Ty Lee are definitely inspiring to Yue as well.
>> No. 116519
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116519
>>116517

I have very little freaking clue on how this Book would actually end, so my notes here are brief.

>Episode 21: The Winter Solstice Part 1

While Aang finishes his Waterbending training under Pakku, he is contacted by Avatar Kurruk, who warns of an impending danger. Azula, finally wrestling command from Zhao by appealing to their father. Taking full command of the fleet, Azula heads a surprise assault on the Northern Water Tribe during the Winter Solstice celebrations. But Zhao is not prepared to let a pair of teenagers steal his thunder just yet.

Notes: When Azula takes command and gets into an argument with Zhao, Zuko butts in and suggests that Zhao's original plan to amass the entire fleet would take too long and that they should attack the Northern Tribe and capture the Avatar before the moon is full and the Waterbenders are at full strength. Zhao is like "What would a banished prince like you know about war? Blah blah blah." Azula agrees with Zuko however and in order to humiliate Zhao further, makes Zuko second in command. Zhao still has knowledge of the moon spirits' location though and hopes to become the "moon slayer," still.

>Episode 22: The Winter Solstice Part 2

With Chief Arnook's death at the hands of the rogue Zhao, Princess Yue is now left as the most immediate heir to the throne. Zuko, Iroh and Azula follow Zhao to the Spirit Oasis and Zuko is faced with a choice that could alter the course of both his future and the war. Aang travels to the Spirit World.
>> No. 116520
>>116501
Thank you. You're right, that last line sounds better. That was the toughest part for me to flip.
You have some pretty good ideas for the episodes, too. You cut and added the right things. I like the way you described the comedic b-plots as well.
>>116513
What if in this episode (Seeing Double) Ty Lee's sisters performed some chi-blocking on Aang. That would probably really scare him, and give reason for him asking Ty Lee for lessons here >>116516 , especially when you consider chi-blocking hasn't been brought up that much before this point.
>>116514
This is an interesting idea where Jeong-Jeong is trying to help her to be more positive in life. Remaining quiet and sullen after being burned is probably more powerful imagery than her screaming outright.
>>116515
Maybe the way Jet finds out about the girls is by a wanted poster. I dunno, this one seems like a hard one to write where the Gaang is concerned. Love the bit with Zuko, though.
>>116519
If you end this book with Zuko and Azulas fleet being destroyed, that leaves you with more material to work with from book two. But that's kinda fucking boring. Maybe Yue doesn't become the moon, and Zhao is thwarted beforehand? Also, Aang would leave here without a waterbending teacher. He probably doesn't need one that much, but still.

I also want to do so much more drawing for this, but I'm too busy.
>> No. 116523
File 13875184306.jpg - (20.75KB , 500x375 , Yue(2).jpg )
116523
>>116520

Sorry 'bout some of my typos and bad grammar. I typed it all up pretty quick. I'll edit some of them and put them in a pastebin some other time.

>You have some pretty good ideas for the episodes, too. You cut and added the right things. I like the way you described the comedic b-plots as well.

Thanks. I figured if we wanted it to be as much like the original series in its tone as possible, you had to throw in enough slice of life bits in there, but I wanted most episodes to lead into each other a lot better than they did in the canon. So I don't think any episode has nothing as far as an event or theme or character development that isn't at least brought up once again later.

>What if in this episode (Seeing Double) Ty Lee's sisters performed some chi-blocking on Aang. That would probably really scare him, and give reason for him asking Ty Lee for lessons

That would work. I don't think he'd freak out as much as Korra, but he might find being without his bending a little shocking at first and think that he needs to learn something to protect himself. Chi-blocking would have been brought up before a couple times. After all, Ty Lee will have used it in pretty much every fight. But the episode where Aang asks Ty Lee to teach him could be a good episode to explore in more depth the concept behind Chi-Block. And through that we could see that while Ty Lee's kind of stupid when it comes to street smarts and keeping a low profile, she knows her stuff when it comes to Chi and Feng Shui.

One issue I want to bring up though is Mai's fighting style. While Mai's trademark is definitely knives, I think we could have Mai show some skill in all sorts of fighting styles, particularly those involving props. If Rebound is any clue, Mai can survey and make good use of her surroundings when she's facing a large number of opponents to take them all out without killing anyone, with or without knives, so I think in fight scenes we could see Mai use her darts and knives in ingenious and precise ways, but also throw in some Jackie Chan style shit where Mai kicks tables, jumps through ladders, wacks someone with a broomstick or throws crates or confetti before running up and decking them with her fists or making temporary use of their own weapons against them. And you could have Aang ask Mai in the middle of fights to be careful not to kill anyone so she never actually tries to stab anyone with anything (G/Y7-rating is thus saved). More like, she pins two guys to a wall with some arrows or needles, grabs one of their swords out of the air as its falling down, cuts the trousers of the third guy who's running towards her and as he's looking down at how he's been pants'd, Mai karate chops him and knocks him out. I think a fight scene like that could definitely work in The Northern Water Tribe if you have Mai piss off Han and a bunch of his friends and get into a fight with him. She'd have to be careful not to seriously injure any of them and that way you could drag out the fight sequence and have Yue standing there in awe as Mai kicks her fiance's ass.

>This is an interesting idea where Jeong-Jeong is trying to help her to be more positive in life. Remaining quiet and sullen after being burned is probably more powerful imagery than her screaming outright.

The way I picture it is right after she's burnt, Ty Lee and Aang are both freaking out but she just stands up, with her eyes obscured by her bangs and her fists clenched insisting she's fine and walks away, telling Aang to get back to practice. Then when Ty Lee tries to tell her that she needs to do something for her hands/arms, she just tells Ty Lee to leave her alone. That's when you have Jeong Jeong show back up and follow Mai and you see Mai trying to keep from crying as she washes her hands off. I think Jeong Jeong could give her some advice about how building a wall around your emotions doesn't make you strong. Maybe he even gives a parable about a king who spent too much time building fortresses, only to be destroyed from within or a parable about building a dam where there need not be one.

>Maybe the way Jet finds out about the girls is by a wanted poster.

Perhaps, but I think it would be better if Jet tries to act smooth around Mai or Ty Lee at first, then maybe the way one of them looks at him causes his PTSD to kick in. Mai might work for that purpose since her eyes are more golden and she can pull of that menacing look that would make someone like Jet whose seen that same look before to have flashbacks. But you could have him be like "Nah, they couldn't be..." until he finds the wanted poster which confirms his suspicion. I think that'd work.

>If you end this book with Zuko and Azulas fleet being destroyed, that leaves you with more material to work with from book two. But that's kinda fucking boring.

Yeah. To be perfectly honest, a part of me wants to have Zuko and Azula actually succeed or at least, you know, not really fail. I would want the first book to at least end on something hopeful note, even if there is some tragedy there.

>Maybe Yue doesn't become the moon, and Zhao is thwarted beforehand?

That's kinda where I was going. Arnook dies instead and Yue has to take command of the Northern forces. Zuko shows up in time and stops Zhao from killing the moon spirit. I was thinking that after Yue's experiences with Mai and Ty Lee, perhaps she believes that peace is possible with the Fire Nation and so this is where Zuko could have a chance to do something "good" as Yue tries to offer a truce, but not too good. Maybe he holds the Moon Spirit hostage himself and uses it as leverage but doesn't kill it. He could then say something like "You're sheltering the Avatar and two Fire Nation traitors. Lay down your arms and hand them over to me. Then, you can have your peace." That way, you have Zuko do something "bad," but leave enough hope for his redemption as he appears to respond to Yue's pleas and gives her his word that her people will be spared if she surrenders and gives him what he wants. You don't want Zuko to become a monster, but you want that hints that he's different than Azula. He doesn't really want to hurt anyone he doesn't have to, unless they really piss him off, and he's much more open to showing mercy to those he's beaten. Yue could agree to give him Aang, but then pull a fast one on the Fire Nation by helping Aang escape and being like "Oops." That way, if you had the Northern Tribe fall to Fire Nation occupation, that last bit might be a good way to end it with some hope for Book 2. Aang starts crying about how even now he wasn't able to save anyone, not his people or the Northern Water Tribe, but Yue could tell him that as long as he holds onto hope he'll save much more than the Northern Tribe (something real sappy) and how she has faith that this isn't the end. You could also fit in one last Avatar State somewhere in the course of Aang's escape. Plus, if Zuko is a man of his word like he presents himself to be, he'll have to keep it because Yue wouldn't have technically violated the terms of their agreement in the manner that she allowed the Avatar to get away. Maybe she has Pakku help him that way Yue can just say some of her subjects disobeyed her.

"BUT, if a certain celebrated Waterbending master with a reputation for his male-chauvinist views were to commit high treason against his new Queen, I don't think the Fire Nation could blame the whole Northern Water Tribe for his insubordination, could they?" Pakku would get the hint.

Once Pakku and a few other Waterbenders help Aang get away, Yue would have to face a very pissed off Zuko and Azula. Azula could be like "We should melt this winter wonderland of theirs to a puddle!" and Zuko is again faced with a choice, he can continue to honor the terms of the truce or take out his anger on innocent people who aren't even to blame for his failure to catch Aang. And I think in order to leave that hope that Zuko will be redeemed, he decides to honor the terms of the truce and convinces Azula to do likewise since "they don't have time to waste punishing them all." Zuko could then put Lieutenant Ji in charge since he trusts him to not be a complete asshole to the conquered people. So technically, Yue and, by some extension, Zuko would save the Northern Tribe from a wholesale purge similar to or worse than what happened to the South. Then in the beginning of Book 2, you could have some Yue/Zuko moments where maybe Yue points out to Zuko that he's different from his sister and maybe Zuko develops a tiny interest in the Water Tribe's way of life which would continue what we saw earlier with Zuko's feeling sympathy for the Earth Kingdom servants and precipitate some of how he'll behave when he and Azula infiltrate the Earth Kingdom to find the Triaang.

I think early in Book 2, Aang would run back into Katara, who would test out his Waterbending progress. As to Pakku and Gran-Gran, I think that could still happen, but I'm not sure how. Maybe Pakku mentions Kana at some point, and Aang remembers Katara's grandmother he was introduced to was named Kana. Or maybe before Aang bumps into Katara, she herself runs into Pakku. But if you were going to do that, then Aang might have to meet Katara just a little later in Book 2, so that way you have enough time for Katara to learn a bit from Pakku before shoving off to gather more knowledge to help in the rebuilding of her tribe (Librarian!Katara is best Katara).
>> No. 116558
anybody still in this thread?
>> No. 116583
>>116558
Sometimes
>> No. 116585
>>116583

I wish the two others who signed on board for this were still here.
>> No. 116588
>>116585
I only saw evidence of two writers, plus me.
>> No. 116592
>>116588

Well, OP said "three committed writefags," and so far the thread has only had about one and a half.
>> No. 116595
>>116592
If you want to reinvigorate this thing maybe post another thread on 4chan. Maybe make a pastebin for the script, since those seem to get more interest than this site.
>> No. 116596
there is another creative writing thread up on 4chan, should last at least a couple days if you want to get some on board for a project.

https://boards.4chan.org/co/res/57808336
>> No. 116597
>>116595

Writefag here. Perhaps you're right. If it had been up to me, we would have stayed on 4chan and merely archived pastebins here, but OP took it upon his or herself to make this thread and then bailed on the project completely.
>> No. 116598
>>116597
good to keep part of it here due to the slowness keeping it around awhile but should keep trying to start something up on /co/.
>> No. 116599
>>116598

That isn't a bad idea, but I'm a bit nervous myself about going back to 4chan with this now. It might just warrant a bunch of "go back to plus4" shitposts, unless I knew there were a couple guys who'd post in the thread if I or someone else made it in order to get it rolling.

First though, I wouldn't want to go back to 4chan until after I polish up the Book 1 episode outlines.
>> No. 116600
Don't know if this might be too corny, but do you think it wise for the story to acknowledge itself AS an alternate universe?
>> No. 116601
>>116600
long as its done non intrusive like "prophet had told of the boys coming out of the ice. But that's just silly ."

As for getting people on board I'd look to the creative writing thread first to cut down on the Korra hate shitposters.
>> No. 116602
>>116601

Well, I had this idea where at some point in Aang's journey, perhaps he stumbles some kind of mystical object or place where he's able to see the "worlds that could have been." And maybe one of the potential worlds he sees briefly is the canon universe. I thought it might work well if Aang struggles with something and then sees all these universes that could have existed and it teaches him a lesson in cherishing what he has at the moment and not worrying about what the future will bring or something sappy like that.

>As for getting people on board I'd look to the creative writing thread first to cut down on the Korra hate shitposters.

aren't /co/'s creative writing threads made for OC though. I've never seen fanfic stuff discussed in them.
>> No. 116603
>>116602
yea its mainly original content but there was been a couple times projects have popped up. Fanfiction is always a good way to get the writing flowing again or started if one is new. Post and see if any are interested.
>> No. 116604
I'll make a cover image for this. And if you want writing help, I can pitch in but I have trouble sticking to a format.
>> No. 116606
>>116604

A cover image would be pretty sweet. If you can get it done, major brownie points to you and any more writefaggotry would be welcome
>> No. 116709
File 139190241943.jpg - (45.97KB , 640x480 , Ep_ 21 - The Avatar State_mp4_snapshot_04_30_[2014.jpg )
116709
>>116458
>>116468
>>116469
>>116481
>>116482
>>116502

So I've spent some time going over the second episode's plot, which I've sort of ignored since we last talked about it. But

In addition to some of what has already been mentioned: Aang and the girls visiting Kuzon's family's now abandoned vacation house and realizing that Aang may have been trapped in that rock for a long time, the decision of Aang to go back home only for Mai to offer him dinner at her place before he takes off and the awkward dinner scene with Azula. I think I may have found the best direction to take this episode and end the main introduction to the series.

Giving some thought to this, I think what should happen is that Aang's having been awakened by Mai and Ty Lee eventually causes the volcano to erupt again as has been previously stated. During the dinner scene, Ty Lee will have shown off some of her circus tricks for everyone in the parlor room before dinner is served. Aang and Mai's family will have been entertained, but Azula just finds it stupid. As also mentioned, Aang learns more about the origins of the war, the extermination of the Airbenders and the Fire Lord from Azula. When Azula gets suspicious of Aang's apparent ignorance and some of his comments about the Airbenders "not having an army," Aang is at a loss for how to explain himself, Mai quickly excuses him by saying "Sorry, Azula. Kuzon's actually from the colonies so pardon him if he sounds like an IDIOT," to which Aang makes a pouty face at her. Azula makes a comment about how they should really put more money into the colonial education system, though she questions if that would even help "such indignant rabble." Aang detects a bit of resentment towards him in Azula's voice (Azula will have had suspicions of Ty Lee and Mai's new friend since he first showed up just cause he's somebody she doesn't know yet Ty Lee appears to like). He then follows Ty Lee's example of showering Azula with compliments and begins to tell Azula how he never imagined, growing up in the colonies around the "unwashed and lowborn" that the princess of the motherland could be so beautiful and that she could "tell of the righteous battle against Earth Kingdom barbarians and Water Tribe savages with such a lovely voice." Azula is flattered and sort of warms up to him more. When the dinner is over, Azula manages to get a closer look at Aang's staff/glider which she saw him carrying earlier (it falls over and the wings shoot open). Being the avid student of her Academy history classes that she is, shecomes to the conclusion that it must be an Airbender device.

During this time, Ty Lee is talking a storm about Mai and Kuzon coming with her to see her show (Mai's parents will be too busy to attend because of some meeting her father has, though he allows Mai to skip it herself). Azula, although just a minute earlier said she had to head back to her ship, suddenly decides she wants to see Ty Lee's performance as well. When Ty Lee hears that Azula wants to see her perform, Ty Lee gets a tad scared and tries to convince her that she'd only be bored, but Azula insists. The princess also offers the trio a ride on her own carriage, having Aang sit especially close to her. On the way to the circus, they witness the two nameless Fire Nation youth from the previous episode being arrested for spouting "treasonous talk," as one town guard tells the inquisitive Azula. The loudmouthed boy keeps yelling his revolutionary babble while his friend is too scared to say anything. One of the men arresting them bonks the talkative one on the head and knocks him out in a slightly comical fashion. This bothers Aang a little, but he stays put. Azula yawns at the whole scene and makes a heartless remark about how they're execution will be well deserved for being so annoying. When Aang hears that they'll be executed he turns and looks at Azula with a worried look on his face ('Eh-executed? Doesn't that seem...excessive?'). Azula gives a short little lecture on how words can be just as deadly as swords to any orderly and prosperous society and how sedition, even if just talk, can't be tolerated, lest it "give rise to equally disorderly conduct." When Azula catches that Aang is still a little disturbed, she smiles and asks if that bothers him. Aang looks over at Mai and Ty Lee, who are waiting for his answer (Ty Lee looks more nervous) and denies it bothers him that much, commenting that he only figured that they would be more useful if they were only forced into hard labor. When they get to the circus, Azula and her friends are given special treatment while Ty Lee gets ready in her dressing room. Aang is not interested in this, as he noticed that Ty Lee seemed upset earlier. We then cut to Ty Lee preparing herself, but not looking very happy. When she steps outside after taking a deep breath, she finds Aang standing there waiting her. He asks her if anything's wrong. She says it's nothing important and that she's not normally so nervous before a performance, but it's just Azula's presence makes her feel a little on edge (it always has). Aang seems confused since earlier at Mai's house, Ty Lee couldn't stop complimenting and talking about how great Azula was. Ty Lee forces a chuckle and admits that "whenever you're around, Azula, it's always better to just tell her what you know she wants to hear." Aang chuckles in a similar fashion and says he can tell. Telling her though to not be too afraid, he wishes her well in her performance, reassuring her that regardless of what Azula may or may not think, he's sure it'll be great and says he'll be rooting for her. Ty Lee is very comforted by Aang's sincerity and thanks him with a hug, saying she's glad she and Mai got trapped in that cave. All seems well now until, however, after this scene, it's revealed to the audience/reader that Azula was nearby eavesdropping the whole time and does not look very happy with anything she's just heard. When Aang rejoins Mai, he notices Azula is missing. Mai says she doesn't know where she went, but asks Aang where he's been. Aang tells her the truth and Mai replies that he should be more careful. Aang doesn't answer but just stares at her and smiles with his usual boyish cuteness. Mai starts to blush and asks what his problem is. Aang says "I was starting to think maybe you didn't like me, but you and Ty Lee are two of the best friends I've had. Even though we haven't known each other for very long time, I just wanted to say thanks and...I hope all three of us can stay friends for a long time." Mai scoffs and tells him, "Whatever, I just don't you want getting me or Ty Lee in any trouble...but I guess you're not so bad either." Mai looks at Aang again, who's still smiling at her. Though she doesn't exactly smile back, her face becomes less harsh. They're interrupted by Azula's re-entrance, who still has the same scowl on her face as before. Mai makes a snide remark "You seem in good spirits, Azula." Azula only huffs, blowing one of her bangs out the way. The lights dim and the circus director introduces Ty Lee and the name of her act.
>> No. 116710
>>116709
During Ty Lee's performance, however, Azula basically does what she did in Return to Omashu, demanding the net to be set on fire in order to make things more entertaining, though it's obviously as payback for what Ty Lee said earlier and perhaps to motivate Aang to reveal himself. Both Mai and Aang are concerned, but Azula ignores their complaints (mocking Aang's 'doubt in Ty Lee's abilities' especially after having heard his words to her earlier). As the frightened Ty Lee manages to keep her balance and continue with the show, she gets an applause or two before Azula does something a little extra harsh. While everyone is amazed with Ty Lee, Azula still appears bored, her attention more focused on finishing a cherry from a plate brought earlier. She casually flicks the cherry pit straight in Ty Lee's direction, hitting her hard enough to hurt and distract her, knocking her delicate balance off. Ty Lee begins to fall down towards the still burning net. Mai stands up as if ready to run over and try to catch her but Aang immediately leaps forward, blows out the fire and with the same gust of air, cushions Ty Lee's fall. The crowd is completely silent. Azula, satisfied with the results, tells her officers to arrest Aang, confiscating his glider as well. Aang, taken by surprise is grabbed before he can make a move. Mai runs over to Ty Lee and helps her up. Azula's men remove the head wrap Aang had been wearing to hide his arrow. Azula tells the Captain of the ship who had been accompanying her that her eyes didn't deceive her before. She also tell Mai and Ty Lee cheerfully (as Mai is still helping Ty Lee) that she's willing to overlook this "little bump" in their friendship as it's not their fault they were "so easily deceived by this Airbender menace. It's in their nature after all." Azula says this in a way, complete with the appropriate look of disappointment on her face, that gives the impression that she knows that they knew Aang was an Airbender the whole time and just trying to hide it from her. Mai shoots her an angry look but doesn't say anything back, since she isn't too happy about Azula being so willing to risk Ty Lee's safety just to confirm a suspicion she wasn't sure was true (as well as to punish Ty Lee herself). It appears Aang is doomed, but luckily he still has some soot in his nose from his volcanic imprisonment. The resulting dramatic sneeze helps him to slip out of his captors' firm grasp. As a a literal firefight begins, the frightened audience clears out. Angry Azula tells her two childhood friends they can redeem themselves for their mistake by helping to catch him. Ty Lee gives Mai a look that basically says "I know what she said, but we can't." Reading this, Mai sighs and apologizes to Ty Lee and says they don't have any other choice. What follows is a scene of Mai, Azula's soldiers attempting to catch Aang by him across the circus ground, with Mai and Azula keeping up with him best. Ty Lee stays out of it, still trying to decide in her head what she should do as she sees her friends fighting each other. She thinks back at how scared she was falling to what seemed like certain doom, all the fear she felt around Azula and, in contrast, how much fun it was hanging out with Aang all day and how he, someone she barely knew, had already saved her twice in one day and his encouraging words. When she snaps out of her deep reflection she sees that Aang is surrounded. When Mai succeeds in tying Aang up and holding him still, Ty Lee's face turns serious.

Azula, meanwhile, boasts that Aang, as destiny ordained, has been defeated by Fire nation like other Airbenders before him. A brief conversation happens between the two as Azula mocks Aang as an example of why his people had no chance against the Fire Nation, but she also tells him that he can make things easier for himself IF he gives her information on where she might find the Avatar since if someone as young as Aang is still alive, there must be more Airbenders around somewhere and if there are still Airbenders alive and the Avatar hasn't been born into either the Water Tribe or Earth Kingdom, then the Avatar must still be among their ranks. Aang hesitates to answer and just looks at Mai, whose eyes look away. It almost looks like Mai feels ashamed of what she's done, but the emotion on her face isn't strong enough to really express it fully. When Aang refuses to answer her, Azula shrugs and says it doesn't matter since she has "plenty of other ways to make him talk." As the soldiers prepare to lift Aang up and take him away, Ty Lee suddenly shows up and subdues them, displaying her Chi-Blocking skills before Aang for the first time. Both Mai and Aang are stupefied. Once Ty Lee makes quick work of the platoon, she stands between Mai and Aang, attempting to reason with Azula and tell her in her own naive way that Aang is not an enemy and says that if Azula would only give him a chance like they did, she'd realize that, Airbender or not, Aang is a friend. Azula tells Ty Lee to quit with her childish nonsense and warns her that what she's doing amounts to treason. Ty Lee refuses to back down at Azula's command, so an upset Azula begins putting her down and yells at Mai to arrest her as well. Mai walks up to them menacingly appearing like she's going to comply without question. Ty Lee gulps and prepares herself to fight her, but Mai surprises everyone by pulling out one of her knives and cutting the ropes that bind Aang and saying to them that they should get going. Azula freaks out and asks what she's doing? Mai turns around and explains to Azula calmly, but in a pretty smart aleky tone, about how she "miscalculated" how much fear she strikes into Mai herself. The gloomy girl tops this her short speech off with how much Azula's personality and following her around like a dog bores her and besides, the way Azula described being a traitor "sounds like it could be nice change of pace," in her dull life. Azula, naturally, is furious and shows off her skills at bending lightning for the first time. Thanks to a now free Aang, the three just barely evade Azula's bolts long enough for Ty Lee to get close enough to block her chi. When all is said and done, Mai tells Aang he needs to get moving before Ty Lee's chi blocking wears off. At this point, Appa shows up right on cue, having sensed Aang was in trouble. Aang thanks his new friends for what they've done for him but tells them they didn't have to since now they're in trouble because of him. Mai scoffs at Aang again to not be so full of himself, crossing her arms and looking away. Aang just smiles and prepares to leave, but just as he does so, Ty Lee asks where he will go. Aang says that he'll probably head back home like he originally planned to which Ty Lee begs to come with him. Mai and Aang are taken back by the suggestion, to which Ty Lee explains that there isn't very much else they can do now except wait to be arrested and that it might be more fun to see the Air Temple where Aang comes from. Azula, who is still struggling to pull numb body off the ground, shouts at three that no matter where they go she'll find them and make them suffer for their insubordination. Mai groans and says if it'll get her out of this dump and away from Azula's yelling, she's willing to go anywhere ('I doubt my parents'll notice I'm gone anyway').

Just as things seem about set, a sudden earth tremor begins as the top of the mountain explodes. As the circus people nearby begin to scatter and panic, we see scenes of how the earthquake is affecting the area (including that scene mentioned above where the two young Fire Nation guys who were arrested for treasonous talk escape their jail cell because the quake made the wall collapse). Pillows of smoke begin to race down the mountain side and lava bursts forth from crevices. Mai and Ty Lee tell Aang they should get away immediately, but Aang looks back at the panicy circus and then at Azula and the others lying helpless on the ground and says they can't just leave them. Though Mai insists they don't have time and that there's nothing they can do except save their own hides, Aang picks Azula, who yells at him not to touch her, and airbends her limp body onto Appa's back. Aang, Mai and Ty Lee load the other soldiers with her as well. Aang tells Appa to take them away. When Ty Lee asks Aang what he plans to do, he says that maybe he can buy the people at the circus some more time, but tells them Appa should be able to take them somewhere safe. Aang takes his glider back and flies to where the smoke pillows are coming down towards the circus. Aang attempts to use his Airbending to its fullest to hold back the toxic smoke and cool off the lava, but it all seems to be in vain until the minute he himself becomes engulfed, as we see him in the smoke, coughing and struggling to breathe, his eyes and tattoos start to glow. Mai and Ty Lee, who are watching from the sky as they fly away on Appa, think that Aang is a goner. Azula, peeking over, laughs at his failure and says that it looks like the two "became traitors all for nothing," telling them also not to think that just because Aang's done for that this means she's gonna go any easier on them for what they did. At that moment, they see the bright glow of Aang in his Avatar State. Aang uses his increased power in the Avatar State to gather all the smoke in the area around him in a twister shape beneath him (obscuring his legs) as he shoots into the air. In the AS, he also bends both the lava and water from a nearby stream or river around him (similar to what he did with the water while in the AS in the canon episode 2). He uses the water to cool off the lava, creating a tall coiling pillar of cooled volcanic rock while at the same time gathering all the smoke and effectively cleansing it of its toxins and heat. The circus people and Mai and Ty Lee in the distance are totally mesmerized by what they've seen. When Azula sees this, she points out that Aang is in fact the Avatar, wondering how that's possible ('I-It can't be! That's impossible! That little brat's the Avatar? The master of all four elements?') Mai and Ty Lee look at each other equally surprised at this realization. When the bulk of the eruption appears to have subsided, Mai stomps her foot on Appa's head and orders him to take them down. After they land, Mai and Ty Lee toss Azula and the other soldiers off Appa onto the ground. Azula tells them that they're fools without a clue what they're doing. Before they take off to go get Aang, Mai stops Ty Lee and tells her that Azula might have a point and that if they choose to leave with Aang now, they might not ever have a chance to come back. Mai also says that if Aang IS the Avatar and was hiding it from them the whole time, how do they know they can trust him to be telling them the truth? Ty Lee pauses for a minute and then tells Mai that since they found Aang, she knew there was something special about him and that she always knew by that the universe had something special planned for her. That was why, she says, she joined the circus in the first place because she felt it was her calling, but now "I can't help but feel like Aang is calling a little louder." If Aang is the Avatar, she goes on, maybe all of the events of their lives have been leading up to this moment, maybe they were meant to become friends with Aang and maybe the reason she was supposed to join the circus was to eventually find Aang under the mountain. Perhaps if they go with Aang now, Ty Lee finishes, she can find out where she is meant to be and, maybe BOTH of them can, she adds. Mai doesn't say anything, but after looking into Ty Lee's mixed sad/happy expression, she shrugs and just say "Well, better than staying here and dealing with Azula." Ty Lee gives Mai a big hug, which causes her to tense up for a moment, but Mai returns it. Mai makes a funny face that looks as if she's thinking "What have I gotten into?" As they take off, Azula screams at them that she'll track them wherever they hide, and with the Chi-Blocking starting to wear off, spits out blue flames from her mouth in rage.

We cut to Aang curled up on top of the coiled pillar of rock he's created, sulking as he holds his glider and the circus folk stare up at him. He sees Appa with Mai and Ty Lee on top coming into view. They tell him to hop on. Aang is happy to see that they're alright and leaps on Appa's head as he flies away. We skip a little ahead to see Aang holding the reigns of Appa as he flies over the water. Ty Lee is chatting up a storm about how amazing Aang was. Aang blushes a little, but just gives a quiet thank you to Ty Lee for her complements. Mai interrupts Ty Lee and standing over Aang, casting her shadow on him, demands to know why he didn't tell them he was the Avatar earlier and also demands to know what else he's hiding from them. Aang turns his face forward, refraining from eye contact with Mai has he pilots the sky bison and just says in sad voice "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that before, but I didn't want you guys to know cause...I never wanted to be the Avatar." End episode.


Any feedback is welcome.
>> No. 116718
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116718
>>116502

This episode was kind of hard to do because there were only so many ways to switch it up from how it originally played out. Some changes in which events transpire before others and why is pretty obvious and the episode feels kind of loaded if you ask me, but I hope I did a relatively good job. I've also resolved to try to finish an episode at least every other day btw.

This version opens with Aang and the girls flying through the clouds on the way to the Southern Air Temple. Aang is enthusiastic about going home, but Ty Lee asks him if he really thinks any other Airbenders could still be alive. "Why not? I survived, didn't I?" Ty Lee asks if all Airbenders can seal themselves in rock or if that's just an Avatar thing. Mai just shrugs and closes her eyes, tuning out of the conversation. Aang replies that just because nobody's seen an Airbender doesn't mean the Fire Nation killed them all and that the only way to get to an Air Temple is on a flying bison and he doesn't think the Fire Nation has any of them on hand. After he says this, Ty Lee just stares at him. When Aang asks if something's wrong ('What? Do I have something on my face?') she replies that what Aang just said about how you can only get to the Air Temples on a flying bison reminds her of something they told her in school once, but she can't remember what. Mai just says that maybe she should have been less busy doodling hearts on her desk during class. While Ty Lee still scratches her head to remember, the Southern Temple comes into view. Even Mai's eyes widen at its sight. When the three land, Mai tells Ty Lee, who is the first to hop off Appa and start running around that they should be careful about any unsprung booby traps. Aang, however, reassures her the temple has no such things. "So you say," Mai says to Aang "But pardon me if I don't think your track record for honesty is so impeccable." Aang chuckles nervously, realizing Mai's still a little upset about the whole not-telling-them-he-was-the-Avatar thing. The three make their way towards the temple grounds.

We cut to Azula, who is docking her ship at another port, this time one much busier with military vessels. It's quite obviously a base. She yells at her men to hurry up and load as much coal and as they can fit in the cargo hold. The captain under her command begins to debrief her on the Avatar's last sighting. When he finishes, he stands still as if he has something more to say. When he Azula notices this, she tells him to speak up. The captain gulps and says "While I understand this may not be a good time, Princess, I was wondering if perhaps we might discuss my pay raise." Azula, who is no stranger to this discussion as her dialogue reveals, chastises the captain for attempting to distract her from the task at hand and also begins putting him down, practically blaming him for the failure to capture the Avatar back at the island. The captain is annoyed by her bitching, but just takes it, his eye twitching. When Azula tells him that after they catch their prey, she "might give it some thought, but for now you will do as your told even if I choose to pay you in nothing but coal." For now, she tells him to see to it inspect and load all the provisions they'll need. At this moment, Zhao shows up unexpectedly ('Planning a dangerous mission by all by yourself, Princess?'). Azula asks "Commander Zhao" what he wants ('Can't you see I'm busy'). Zhao "apologizes" in his own sarcastic manner and tells Azula that he's only there to deliver a comminique from her father, Fire Lord Ozai, mentioning he was asked to give it to her personally when she arrived at the base. Azula angrily swipes the parchment from his hands as he tells her that he thinks she'll enjoy what her father has to say about her recent, unprecedented faillure to capture the Fire Nation's greatest adversary. Azula's eyes look the messag over as Zhao looks down at her with a satisfied smirk, awaiting her inevitable reaction. Azula's eyes nearly bulge out of her head ('WHAT! MY FATHER MUST BE JOKING!'). Zhao tells Azula that it's "no joke," and that Fire Lord Ozai was especially displeased to hear that his own daughter, whom he expects so much from after so much rousing success, had the Avatar in her grasp, only to let him slip through her fingers and now thinks that maybe she needs a little help. "Naturally," Zhao says "Your father chose me as I was the first to volunteer for the task."

"The task of what? Being my babysitter!?" Azula clenches the letter in her fist as she stares at her feet, trembling with anger. "One minor oversight," she continues to mumble "And suddenly he thinks I need supervision? Was it my fault Mai and Ty Lee turned traitor?" Zhao fakes sympathy as he tells her "Don't worry, princess, even the most star pupil makes a mistake now and then. But you know, if military service is too much for you, perhaps you should give some thought to quitting and settling down with nice young man. Afterall, with your fool of a brother banished, your father is certainly in need of a male heir... You're just about the perfect marrying age, aren't you?" Azula is insulted by Zhao's comments and tells him to hold his "mongrel tongue" while in her presence before she burns it off (holding up two index fingers with blue flame lit at the ends. Zhao tells her to calm down and that he's sure they'll make a great team, but Azula snarls back at him that she'd rather "be stuck feeding pig-chickens in the south like some low-class peasant girl," than have Zhao steal her rightful glory (this is kind of a joke since we know Ursa comes from lowclass origins and her family kept pig chickens). Zhao tells her she that her father's word is final and that she's already proven that capturing the Avatar is far too big of a task for a teenager, but he "promises" he'll make sure that when he catches the Avatar, he'll put a footnote to his report reassuring Fire Lord Ozai that Azula wasn't a "complete burden." Azula laughs at Zhao's delusions that he'll be the one to find the Avatar before her, let alone before anyone else, and stomps away, with her captain close behind her. She rants about how she can't believe what's happening after all she's done for Ozai and that it should be HER and her alone who makes the Avatar and his two traitorous accomplices pay. The captain asks what she plans to do now. Azula stops her angry shouting to think and orders the captain to "fetch Lo and Li."
>> No. 116719
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116719
>>116718

We then take things back over to Aang and the girls who are exploring the southern air temple. Ty Lee is amazed by how good a shape it is still in, but also points out that it seems abandoned and, after running her finger on some of the ornaments, "kinda dusty." Aang agrees that the place used to be filled with monks, lemurs and bison, but it seems completely empty now. When the trio gets to the Monk Gyatso statue, not much else happens differently from the canon in this part. We see, however, that Aang takes the girls and "introduces them" to all the other monks after Ty Lee asks if there are any others whose statues are in the Temples' halls. Aang tells her that only the best Airbenders get a statue of themselves put up in the Temple. Aang shows her a couplemore, giving their names and what he remembers of them, although we don't see flashbacks for them like with Gyatso. For instance, Aang introduces Monk Tashi and mentions how cranky he always was but says that Monk Pasang was just as serious but a lot more patient. Mai yawns and says that looking at "statues of dead guys" is kind of boring. Aang, a little bothered by her lack of enthusiasm, decides to mess with her a little bit by asking her if she's ever played Airball. We then cut straight to a scene where Mai and Aang are at the Airball court, ready to start a game. Aang gives a quick rundown of the rules and the game begins. Mai, to Aang's surprise, manages to pick up the game quite well and almost scores one goal before Aang eventually wins by knocking her off the court. Mai's body slides across the snow holding the ball in her heads, but she seems unphased by it, just staring up in the sky with the same bored expression she always has. Aang laughs and asks if that was enough fun for her. Mai just mocks his laughter and says she thinks she's had enough "fun" for one day, picking herself up. Ty Lee decides she wants to try her hand at Airball too and she and Aang start a new game. While Ty Lee and Aang play (Ty Lee appears to do better than Mai, if only because she's more into it and has no trouble hopping on the pegs) Mai brushes herself off and walks around, eventually stumbling upon the Fire Nation helmet in the snow, picking it up to look at it. Aang, who's already finished his game with Ty Lee (she lost too), pops up behind her and asks what she's doing, causing her to jump for a second and yell at him for being a creep. Aang sees her holding something and asks what it is. At first Mai is a little hesitant to show him, but just sighs and hands it over. Aang happy look turns to one of disbelief as he holds the helmet and tries to wrap his head around how it could have ended up there. Ty Lee joins the two, asking Aang if he wants to play again, but quickly notices he's no longer in a playful mood. Aang says there must be a mistake ('How could the Fire Nation reach the Temples without any sky bison. It doesn't make any sense') Mai asks Aang if he remembers the comet Azula mentioned before (Aang is already aware of a power enhancing comet at this point thanks to Azula recounting the war's history at the dinner in Episode 2, but he still doesn't get just how destructive the comet was). Aang says he does remember but says doesn't understand what that has to do with anything. Mai explains to Aang that every hundred years or so, when Sozin's Comet passes close to the planet's atmosphere, it exponentially increases the power of every Firebender on the planet, allowing them to perform feats within that limited time that would otherwise be extremely difficult, including, it's been said, the power of flight. "That's right! Now I remember what they teachers use to tell us!" Ty Lee says. Standing stiff with her eyes closed and pointing her finger upward, Ty Lee imitates the voice and mannerisms her prudish Academy instructors. "When Fire Lord Sozin became aware of the Air Nomad's amassing an army to lay siege to our great nation, Heaven smiled upon his majesty and gave him a sign. With the power of the Comet, the proud warriors of the Fire Nation scaled the mountain strongholds of the Air Temples with ease, cornering the cowardly Airbenders in their fortresses of lies and wickedness." When Mai sees that what Ty Lee is saying is upsetting Aang, she bonks her on the head. Aang doesn't say anything more but just looks at the helmet. Mai, feeling the awkward tension in the air, tells Aang that for what it's worth she is sorry about what happened to all his friends. Ty Lee also adds "Don't feel too bad, Aang. After all, it's not like you were a part of that army," which earns her another bonk on the head from Mai. Mai asks Aang if he's gonna be alright. Aang replies softly that he'll be fine and that he just needs to be alone for a little bit. He walks off by himself, leaving the two girls behind.

We return to Azula who is receiving counsel from Lo and Li in a tent (or rather, pacing the floor, complaining about Ozai's order while Lo and Li are forced to listen). Eventually Azula calms down and asks them what they think she should do. They tell her something close to what they told her in The Avatar State about how the key to catching the Avatar is the element of surprise which is lost if she travels with too many ships. Lo explains that Zhao is ambitious and more concerned with displaying his prowess before others, which clouds his judgement and causes him to think that the bigger the fleet he commands, the more likely his success. Li finishes Lo's explanation by saying that the least successful predator is the one whose prey can hide in its shadow. Azula concurs and decides that she needs an "elite team." However, with Ty Lee and Mai's betrayal fresh in her memory, she also voices out loud to them that whoever she chooses must not only be somewhat capable but, more importantly, trustworthy and easy to command. Lo and Li add that she should choose someone who owes his low position to the cruelty of fate and who would thus be indebted to her for her charity to him. Since Zhao and every other high ranking member of the military will be looking to make a name for themselves by being the one who catches the Avatar, Azula agrees that they're out of the question ('Zhao may be an insufferable and ambitious fool, but he isn't the only one...And he's certainly not the worst. The generals are far more shifty. No, you two are right. I need someone who will have had nothing before I gave him the opportunity to assist me in my search, someone perhaps of average or mediocre talent but who still could be somewhat useful were he under my tutelage, someone just as eager as Zhao but soft hearted enough to not even think of betraying me like Mai and Ty Lee, someone easy to push in the direction I wish...') A spark goes off in Azula's head not a moment later, causing a grinchy smile to come over her face as she tells Lo and Li that she knows just who to find. Azula thanks Lo and Li, who reply with a bow and repeat a soundbyte about how perfect in wisdom the Fire Princess is. When Azula steps out of the tent, she tells her captain to prepare a ship to disembark in the next twenty minutes and to tell the rest of her half of the fleet to remain on standby. The captain gives a salute, but just stands there, which causes Azula to ask if she stuttered. The captain says that he was just curious where they might be heading. Azula, annoyed by the man once again, yells at him "YOU will be heading to the poor house if you don't shut up for once and do what I say." The captain just says "Yes, princess," hurries off. Afterwards, we fast forward a little to Azula informing Zhao of her departure. Azula tells Zhao that she's going to "take a rest and visit some family before continuing the search for the Avatar," and sarcastically says that she hopes he can manage without her for a little while. Zhao suspects she's up to something and makes it clear to her that's a rather odd decision to make when such a powerful enemy of the Fire Nation is on the loose, asking just which "family" is so important that she has decided to temporaily drop the search for the Avatar in order to pay them a visit. Azula says it's none of his concern and that he should be more concerned with whether his own men "are using strong enough rope." With this remark, Azula points two fingers in the direction of some crewmembers from one of Zhao's ships who are are busy hoisting up a large set of crates onto their vessel with a rope and pulley system. A flash of lightning shoots forth from Azula's fingertips and cuts the rope, causing the crates to crash to the ground on top of them. Zhao is not happy but Azula just blows the smoke from her fingertips like it were a gun barrel and walks away pleased with herself saying "Accidents can happen, you know. I don't think I need to tell you how important it is for a commander to keep an eye for any kind of slip up." Focusing on the peeved Zhao, the scene follows with him seeking out and stopping the captain of Azula's ship, who is busy grumbling to himself about Azula's attitude and having to "take orders from a child." Zhao calls him over to speak with him privately. Making sure Azula is nowhwere in sight, he then asks the captain if he thinks Princess Azula will "run into any trouble at sea which might delay her trip for a little while," when the captain seems confused by this and says he doesn't understand what he means, Zhao then pulls out a large bag of gold coins and puts it in the captain's hands, saying "Oh you know how it is sometimes. Those little unpredictable things that can just ruin an otherwise smooth voyage. Bad winds, engine problems, navigation errors...things like that..." Zhao smiles. The captain weighs the bag by bouncing it in his palm a little bit before putting it and his hands behind his back and replying "Well, who can say what will happen on the high seas, sir? But you are correct, accidents...do happen from time to time. Not even the Princess is immune to fate." Zhao, satisfied with the response, just says "Well, then, let's both hope fate doesn't deal Princess Azula a bad hand, shall we? Pleasant trip, captain."
>> No. 116720
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116720
>>116719

Back to the Gaang. Mai and Ty Lee are looking at wall paintings in one part of the Temple by themselves. Ty Lee is pretty worried about Aang and keeps going on about what they should do to cheer him up. Mai just keeps groaning and rolling her eyes at everything she says as Ty Lee is continuing on the propaganda shtick. She mentions that it's not Aang's fault the Air Nomads declared war on the Fire Nation. She also asks Mai if she thinks Aang was sealed away before he could have even known about the invasion plan. Mai doesn't say anything and just finishes looking at a wall painting before moving on. Ty Lee continues with her talk, saying that Aang must be upset about what Fire Lord Sozin had to do, but that maybe if they help him understand that the Fire Nation was only protecting itself, he might not feel so bad about all the Air Nomads being dead. Mai finally stops and looks at Ty Lee, this last statement kind of getting on her nerves. "What?" Ty Lee asks. "Ty Lee," Mai sighs "Look at the walls. Do any of these people look like warriors to you?"

"No?" Ty Lee says. "See any great battles or heroic conquests?" Mai asks further. Ty Lee starts to look a little upset and just asks back "Wh-What are you getting at?" Mai continues "I'm saying, the only thing we've seen since we got here are bison dens, statues and a ball court for children. No traps, no weapons, nothing that even looks like it could have been used to defend against an attack. And you said yourself that Aang doesn't act anything like the Airbenders they told us about in school. Doesn't all this seem a little weird to you?" Ty Lee tries to stutter out an adequate response but is interrupted by a crash. Looking over to the source of the noise, they see that a pot has been tipped over by a lemur (Momo). Ty Lee suddenly forgets the previous conversation and squeels about how cute the lemur looks (Mai cringes at the high pitch sound of her yelling)

Chasing the now frightened lemur, squeeling about she can't wait to dress him, she leaves Mai all alone in the hall of paintings. Mai let out another sigh and just walks in the opposite direction. Coming outside to one of the bridges which connects one building to another, she notices something different about this area. There appear to be more burn marks and traces of black ash in this area than the others they've been in. Seeing a few more remains of Fire Nation armor, she quickly deduces that this must have been a greater scene of struggle. She decides to follow the trail, attempting to piece together the events based on what remains of the events that transpired there.

We rejoin Aang who is walking the abandoned halls of the dormitories til he comes upon the room where he and Gyatso used to play Pai Sho (we see a quick flashback showing the two laughing at the table). Aside from all the broken furniture, the table is still there, worn with age, the almost equally worn and faded Pai Sho pieces lying on the floor around it. Aang sets the table back up and begins resetting the pieces. We then go back to Ty Lee who is still chasing Momo through the temple grounds. Ty Lee's movements are almost lemur like herself as Momo struggles to lose her, but he's eventually caught. Ty Lee cuddles him furiously and he eventually gives up with a sad look of defeat on his face. Shortly after Ty Lee decides to give him a name ('I'm thinking the universe wants me to call you...MOMO! That's a nice name, don't you think?') she notices the big sealed door to the Avatar chamber in front of her.

Meanwhile Azula is now at sea once again, but is not in a good mood as she notices the ship is moving a little slower than usual. Complaining to the captain about the hold up, he tells her there have been some problems with the engine ('My apologies, m'lady. But you know how these machines can be sometimes.'). She then tells the captain that unless he feels like going for a swim, he better see to it that the ship is moving at normal speed soon ('Every minute we waste, we let that fool Zhao get another mile ahead of us. Timing is of the essence here, Captain, if the plan I have in mind is to succeed and I will not have Zhao catching up to the Avatar before I've even begun to pursue him myself. Is that clear?'). The captain says he'll fix the problem immediately and bows. Azula eyes him closely as he leaves. It's clear she's starting to lose trust in those around her.


Back to Mai, we see her running across the bridge, stopping every now and then to examine clues. As she murmurs to herself what she sees, we also see quick flashes of the events as they originally played out (think that one scene in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers where they attempt to piece together what happened to Mary and Pippin, although here, it'd just be like one still shot or panel per narration rather than an actual scene). "They were too surrounded. The Fire Nation soldiers came from all directions...down the bridge...while propelling themselves up its sides...The Airbenders couldn't fly away." Following the trail further, she arrives at the entrance to one of the towers, heading inside, at the end of the main hall she sees stairs leading up, the ash and corpses littering the way up. "So they tried to head for higher ground, somewhere the Firebenders couldn't reach them, where they might be able to take off." Mai runs up the stairs until she reaches the highest chamber, a large empty room that looks like it was once a practice area of some kind, at one end a platform extends outside, a platform perhaps where Airbenders used to leap off into sky. In the center of the room Mai finds a few more Fire Nation corpses scattered in a circle around another circle of skeletal corpses which quite obviously don't belong to the Fire Nation. "But the Fire Nation beat them there..." At first Mai is unphased, showing no real signs of pity or pleasure at the sight, but in fact she appears rather nonchalant about it, if not just curious, until she notices that within the one circle of Airbender skeletons is a pile of other smaller burned corpses tossed about. When she kneels down to examine them, though she doesn't say what they are to herself we see through another stillshot/single frame panel that they belonged to the other Air Nomad children, the adult monks having formed a defensive circle around them in an attempt to protect them, an effort all in vain. Mai is not very shocked by this, but just stands up and says "What a waste, even for such a meaningless existence." Walking out to the platform she says to herself "they must have all died in there." She looks down however and sees something of interest down below (the small structure where Gyatso died) and seeing some more traces of battle leading to it she says "Or maybe not."
>> No. 116721
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116721
>>116720

We skip to Mai reaching the end of the path down to the small building, where she follows the trail of a fight leading inside. Pulling back the curtain that covers the entrance, she sees large pile of Fire Nation corpses surrounding a single skelton dressed in an Air Nomad's robes. Wading through the skeletal remains of her countrymen, Mai approaches the deceased nomad and examines it more closely. "Gyatso..." she whispers, recognizing the necklace across his chest from the statue Aang showed them. "Boys," she says in a monotone voice as she looks at all the dead Fire Nation soldiers again "Aang sure wasn't kidding when he called you the best...Sorry your best wasn't good enough." Mai kneels down and holds the pendant of the necklace in her palm and just stares at it before finally resolving to just take it ('Hope you don't mind if I borrow this') Her conversation with the dead monk is interrupted by Ty Lee, who is happy to have found her and commences showing off her new friend, Momo. Mai takes a look at Momo's sad face that looks as though its begging to be saved from Ty Lee's embrace and tells the lemur that she feels its pain before asking Ty Lee if she saw Aang while she was running around out there. She says no, but says she found something else.

Cutting to Mai and Ty Lee standing in front of the large door from earlier, Ty Lee asks Mai what she thinks is inside. Mai says she doesn't know but notes that it looks like it hasn't been opened in a long time and it doesn't seem too damaged so maybe their troops never opened it themselves either. Mai tells Ty Lee to wait while she goes to find Aang. Finding Appa grazing nearby, she asks the bison if he's seen Aang anywhere. At first it looks like he doesn't understand, which causes Mai to criticize herself for talking to an animal, but he turns his head in the direction of the dormitories and makes a motion for her to head that way. Mai is then foreced to repay Appa with a pet after he begins to snuggle his face against her for some kind of reward ('Uh...thanks?').

Azula at this time we see is practicing her lightning bending on the deck of the ship in front of Lo and Li. They complement her form, but she isn't satisfied, saying "perfect isn't good enough." One of the engine room workers then approaches her and tells her he has a concern he'd like to discuss with her privately. Taking her to the engine room, he shows a few random pipes that appear damaged and says that their slow pace before was a result of a decrease in the amount of pressure caused by the damage dealt to these pipe. Azula asks the worker why he's busy showing this to her when he should be fixing it. The worker tells her that the reason he wanted to show her before fixing them was that he was certain that the pipes were themselves in good condition before their departure from the base. Azula asks if he's sure he's not mistaken and is not now just trying to hide the fact that he was ignorant of this problem beforehand. The engine room workers says that if that were his intention, he'd have just fixed the pipes and not bothered her at all, but the reason he saw fit to show her first was because he believes that the damage, judging by the indentations, may have been caused by a wrench. Azula asks if he can prove that. The worker says that he's an expert on these things and cannot only tell that they were done by a wrench, but can also tell her what type of wrench and perhaps even the smithery where it was made, after which he repeats "I assure you, your majesty, that this must have been caused by foul play." Azula is distressed by this, but pins it on Zhao having possibly ordered one of his men to slip on board and damage the pipes before her ship had left port ('I'm not surprised, but he must have had someone especially crafty do the job if they were to sneak aboard, sabotage our engine and then slip back off the ship undetected in such a short amount of time'). Azula asks if he saw anyone on the ship or near the engine room before they left who looked suspicious, someone he didn't recognize, but the worker says he can't say. He only left the engine room once before leaving to help some of the crew load the coal. He was only gone a couple minutes but he supposes someone could have snuck on board during that time and he himself would not have noticed, but he wonders how nobody else wouldn't have noticed an intruder. Azula considers these developments and tells him to return to fixing the pipes. When she steps out the engine room, Azula puts a finger to her lips and asks herself "Anyone, huh...?" she says, looking to one end of the hallway and seeing two guards walk pass. "Maybe even," she says, narrowing her eyes "One of the crew?"

Back at the Air Temple, Mai walks in on Aang who has finished setting up the Pai Sho table and has since commenced a game by himself. Mai looks uncomfortable with having to interrupt him, but coughs to get his attention. Aang pretends like nothing is really wrong and just asks if Mai wants to play with him. She agrees and takes over on the other side of board, losing within only three moves ('I always hated this game'). Aang tells her that he and Gyatso used to play it all the time. He mentions that Gyatso also had this special white lotus tile, but he says he was unable find it anywhere. Mai doesn't say anything. Aang pauses for a moment and just looks out the window as he proceeds to tell Mai that when he found out he was the Avatar, everybody started treating him differently, but Gyatso was the only who treated him the same as he always did, like he was normal. He tells Mai that was why he was afraid, when he first met the girls, to let them know the truth. Mai tells Aang that was probably a smart move, saying that had she known he was the Avatar at first, she'd have probably just turned him in for the reward. This actually, strangely enough, causes Aang to laugh ('Yeah, I guess I was lucky, huh?'). Mai cracks a tiny smile, her eyes looking away as if she can't believe she's laughing along with him on the inside and hopes he doesn't actually notice. Aang stands up and moves closer to the window. He mentions to Mai that he's only been awake for a couple days, but already it feels like he's in a completely other world. "Everything is already so different than how I remember," he says "So much...I wonder if maybe everything I think I remember about this place and the world I lived in was just one big dream I had while inside that rock. I mean, I don't even really remember how I got in there. What if I'm completely wrong about how I think things used to be? Maybe I'm not even a hundred years old. Maybe I was the only in that rock a few days. I mean, that's possible isn't it." Mai stands up and walks towards him. "Look," she says "I don't know that much about the world you came from, the world you think you remember, but I do know it sounds a lot nicer than this one. If what you remember was all a dream...then I'm sorry we had to wake you out of it." Upon saying this, she pulls out the necklace she took from Gyatso's remains earlier and places it in his hands ('Here. I thought you might want this. I found it...uh...lying around out there.') As Aang holds the necklace, he looks at Mai who looks away again, as if she's trying to avoid having to tell him where she really found it. Aang's eyes well up with tears and he starts to cry. Mai is at a loss to what to say or do, but Aang decides for her as he plops his sobbing face into her chest. Mai stiffens up, almost instinctively moving to push him away from her, but stops herself from doing so and instead, reluctantly, holds him and lets him finish his crying, even though him touching her makes her uncomfortable. Once he's finished some of his sobbing, he wipes the tears from his eyes, puts the necklace around his neck and smiles. Mai then finds this to be the right time to ask him "Hey, Aang, you know anything about a giant door?" Aang blinks at her, as if recalling something, repeating the words "giant door?"
>> No. 116722
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>>116721

Back to Azula, we see her entering the ship's command bridge to meet with the navigation officer who informs her that the ship is now at regular speed again. As he debriefs her on their course, Azula quickly notices that the course charted on the map he has is off and they have been heading in the wrong direction for at least the last hour and a half. She points out that not only did she chart out their course herself, she memorized it perfectly, and so she points out some of the changes in the ink lines of map's directions, but though these changes may appear relatively small to others, perhaps including the reader, the perfectionist Azula can sniff them out easily and she mentions that the course on this particular map would extend the length of the trip to their current destination by at least three hours. Azula is ready to rip the navigator to pieces, but another officer quickly vouches for him, saying that when he handed the map to the ship's navigator before they departed, he took a look at it and it was different than the one there and that he saw that same map not too long ago after they had set out from the base. Azula asks him when it was he saw the map the second time, he says he can't quite remember but knows that it must have been before the engine had been fixed. The navigations officer excuses himself as Azula holds him by the collar, saying that sometimes he just follows where the map he has says to go and only really pays attention to the short amount of distance between their current location and the nearest point on the map. He apologizes and pleads for mercy as he says he doesn't normally memorize the whole route so anyone could change a few points on the map without him even noticing. Azula lets him go, finding his explanation satisfactory for the time being. She reaches the logical conclusion that the ship must have a saboteur aboard and that the same person who switched the maps must be the one who tampered with the ship's engine ealier. She asks everyone present on the bridge if anyone besides herself entered the bridge "between now and the moment the ship's engine was repaired." The members of the crew present say that only head of the engine room and the captain. When Azula stops glares at the navigator when he mentions the captain's name, he lets out some scared laughter ('N-nah, you can't be serious, your majesty.') The bridge goes quiet.

In front of the giant door at the temple, Mai and Aang finally rejoin Ty Lee ('Took you long enough, what were you two up to?'). Ty Lee introduces Aang to Momo. Aang is bit more impressed to see that Ty lee caught a lemur than Mai. Momo, who seems drawn to Aang, breaks free of Ty Lee's grip and wraps himself around him, hiding from Ty Lee behind his shaved head, as if knowing the Air Nomad is his friend or at least safer than the Fire Nation girl who was holding him prisoner. Aang gives Momo a pet and tells him not to be afraid of the girls.

"So this is the door you were talking about?" Aang asks them. Mai explains that it doesn't look like the Fire Nation ever entered it. Aang says that isn't likely and explains that the door can only be opened with Airbending. "Do you know what's behind it?" Ty Lee is eager to know. He tells her he's not sure himself, but Monk Gyatso said that when he was ready, he'd meet someone inside who would help him with this whole being the Avatar thing. Mai scoffs "Yeah, like anyone could still be alive in there after a hundred years." Aang tells her "Who knows? I survived in a volcano for a hundred years and we won't know until we open it." Aang bends open the door and the three (four, including Momo) enter and find all the statues of the previous Avatars. "Oh great, MORE statues," Mai groans. "Who are all these people?" Ty Lee asks. "I'm not sure. I've never been in this room before, but all these statues seem familiar somehow," Aang says, taking a closer look at the statues "Hey, look at this one, he's wearing an Earth Kingdom outfit. And this one's from the Water Tribe. I get it, they're arranged in the Avatar cycle! Look: Fire, Earth, Water, then Air!"

"Then," says Ty Lee "That must mean these are your past lives! The previous Avatars!" They all look up at the rows of Avatar statues, which seem scale almost endlessly to the top.

"Geez," we hear Mai say "Just how old are you?"

The three spend some time looking at all the statues. Mai stops before a statue of a rather plump looking Airbender. "Look, Mai, this one's an Airbender too!" Ty Lee points out. "More like cakebender," Mai retorts in drole tone. When Mai sees the "Avatar Jafar" statue, she makes another snide remark about how she's glad they ('they' as in the Fire Nation) don't dress like that anymore. Ty Lee says she thinks his outfit looks kind of cool. Mai just says "Pfft, yeah, sure, if you're missing half a brain." When they pass "Avatar Gimli's" statue, Mai makes another smart comment about his height. Upon reaching Avatar Yangchen's statue, Mai just asks "Who's this broad supposed to be?" Aang replies "That's Avatar Yangchen. She was the Air Nomad Avatar before me."

"There's no name, how can you tell?" Mai asks.

"Every Airbender know who Avatar Yangchen is," Aang tells her "You should see the statue the nuns built of her in the Western Air Temple. It's enormous! But, it's funny..."

"What?" Mai asks him.

"Well, it's just...I know who Yangchen is cause the monks always used to tell us about her, but some of these other Avatars; I don't remember the monks ever talking about them at all, but for some reason I still feel like I know them better than I should. Like these ones after Yangchen," Aang points out Kuruk, Kyoshi and Roku, standing in front of each as he introduces them, looking carefully at each one before mentioning some trait of theirs he's somehow aware of "This one's Avatar Kuruk, he once surfed a twenty story tidal wave in the Northern sea... And this is Avatar Kyoshi, she was real self-conscious about her feet. One time, she chased someone across 30 miles just for making fun of them...And this one is-"

"Oh, oh! I know this one!" Ty Lee interrupts "That's Avatar Roku! The greatest traitor in Fire Nation history!"

"Traitor?" Aang is confused.

"Yeah, it's said he tried to assassinate Fire Lord Sozin singlehandedly, but failed." Mai coughs in order to alert Ty Lee to shut up. When Ty Lee notices that what she's just said has bothered Aang, she tries to do damage control ('Oh, b-but I'm sure you wouldn't ever try anything like that, Aang!') Aang just stares back at Roku's statue for a little while and repeats the word "Traitor..." under his breath.

"As far as the title of 'greatest traitors in Fire Nation history' goes," Mai comments "I think we might have him beat."

"Y'know, this statue looks different from the pictures we used to see at the Royal Fire Academy," Ty Lee says "It seems less..."

"Evil looking?" Mai finishes with a raised eyebrow.
>> No. 116723
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>>116722
"Yeah," Ty Lee agrees "Say, Aang, do you sense anything about him?" Aang just continues to stare quietly at Roku's statue. Taking a step forward, he gazes into its eyes. "Aang?" Ty Lee asks, wondering what's up with him. Suddenly, flashes of a comet soaring through space, of the dark menacing shape of a grey haired man standing in the midst of smoke and fire against the backdrop of a night-time sky (Sozin when he left Roku to die, but Aang doesn't know that yet) and flashbacks of volcanic eruptions all go through his brain. Aang clutches his head as each image causes a new and painful sting to course through his body. As he falls to the ground, Ty Lee and Mai rush to help him. The eyes on Roku's statue begin to emit a pulsing glow as Aang's arrow tattoos do like likewise. Aang experiences a pause in the images until his arrow starts to pulse faster and the eyes on Kyoshi's statue begin to act the same. With this another flood of images enters his mind, causing more pain as he experiences a brief flash of Kyoshi storming the palace of Ba Sing Se (something like pic related). When Kuruk's eyes start to glow as well, he sees a single flash of a strange centipede creature coming up out of a pool of water and pulling a young woman into the abyss as a man's hand reaches out to try to save her (Koh taking Ummi, obviously). With this, Aang screams before finally going full Avatar State and blowing Mai, Ty Lee and Momo aside as he floats into air, the hundreds of statues in the chamber having their own eyes light up one after the other until the whole room is filled with their light. In Aang's mind we see more quick visions of what may be both the past and the future. First we see the familiar image of the Air Temples on fire, then a glimpse of the ice palaces of the North Pole being laid attacked and crumbling, finally he could also witness a battle between two soaring dragons (a blue one and a red one). And lastly we would see in his mind a vision of the earth hanging in space as all visible land on its surface is entrenched in flame (as a quick sidenote, we might also see with the lighting up of Kuruk, Kyoshi and Roku's statues the statues in the temples to each of them in their respective nations lighting up as well, alerting the rest of the world that the Avatar has returned, much like the canon, minus the comment made by the Fire Sages, as the Fire Nation is already aware the Avatar is back. Instead we might see a similar being made by those who manage Kuruk's shrine in the North Pole and those in charge of a shrine in the Earth Kingdom). Mai and Ty Lee duck behind two statues and yell at each other about what they should do. Ty Lee chooses to press forward towards Aang. Braving the winds emanating from him, she manages to grab his ankle. Her touch and her voice appears to calm him down a little and the winds become less strong. With this, Mai decides to follow Ty Lee's lead and grabs Aang's other ankle. As Aang comes out of the Avatar State, the two of them pull him down and he falls unconscious on the ground. Momo, coming out of hiding, sits atop his chest and licks his face as Ty Lee asks Mai what they should do.

We finally go back to Azula's ship, it is nearly sunset and the treacherous captain counts his gold pieces until he hears a loud knock on the door to his cabin. Clutching the gold in his arms in fear, he stammers a "who's there?" only to hear a muffled voice say that Princess Azula wants to see him in the steering room immediately. Saying he'll be right there, he quickly hides the money Zhao gave him inside his pillow.

The captain notices on his way to the steering room that the ship's corridors seem awfully quiet. Once he reaches the steering room, he finds Azula alone with two other guards with her back turned towards him. She asks him a few simple and honest questions about whether he finds serving her beneficial, whether he enjoys his position and what not. The captain doesn't quite understand why Azula is asking these more personal questions on how he "feels" or these questions on his opinion of her leadership. He answers her plainly, showing no signs of discontent with being under her command and says that he finds it honor to be able to serve the daughter of his highness, Fire Lord Ozai. Azula turns to face him and then replies "But of course honor is not nearly as valuable as gold, wouldn't you say, Captain?"

"Now, I...uh..." he tries to say "wouldn't quite say that, your majesty." Azula continues "Oh, no need to be shy, Captain. I agree. What good is honor to a man with debts to pay or family to support. After all, honor doesn't exactly put bread on table." The captain is suddenly paralyzed with fear. "You see, Captain," Azula continues "I understand perfectly well the material needs of my crew...which is why when I was made aware that there was a traitor on board this ship, some pathetic excuse for a mastermind who thought he could slow our progress, I called for a special meeting of the most trustworthy men that make up this crew. A meeting where I offered a handsome fortune to the man who would suggest the most ingenious yet fitting punishment for such an ungrateful subject."

The captain begins to sweat. "A-a meeting," he says "Funny. I wasn't made aware of such a thing thing."
>> No. 116724
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>>116723
Azula grins "Well, then, since you weren't among those present, let me just summarize some of the suggestions the men made. Of course, you had the usual: feed him to the sharks, cut off his tongue, gouge his eyes out. All well and good, but none had that poetic sense of justice I do so enjoy. That was until one of our young privates aboard came up with a novel idea, one which I'm sure his family will be grateful for him having made for years to come. He came to conclusion that the only reason anyone would have even thought of betraying the Princess of the Fire Nation would be if there was some kind of financial reward in it for him. If that were the case, then that traitor should have the gold he so craves..." The captain at this point notices the guards with Azula moving in closer. "H-have it what?" he asks. "Have it melted down," she says "and poured down his throat while still hot." The guards move to grab the captain. "No, princess I--" he tries to explain, but Azula tells him to spare her his excuses. "You thought it'd be simple enough to play a few pranks on me and then walk away with whatever reward you were offered. But I'll have you know, Captain, that my sense of humor is not what you'd expect. I have little patience for fools who think they can make a some extra coin on top their already meager earnings by making me look like a fool. You wanted your pay raise, Captain? Then indeed you shall have it!" The soldiers jump to grab the captain, but he firebends them away and runs out the room in a panic. Azula just stands still as the flames clear, her dark grin still visible as she takes pleasure in watching the frightened mouse of captain run. A few other guards in the halls firebend in the rogue captain's direction but he manages to evade them and make it to the deck. Searching for a lifeboat, he soon finds they have all been released to prevent him from leaving. He looks to the left and right and sees the rest of the crew, armed and out for his blood, has now trapped him on all sides with nowhere to go but overboard. He attempts to make a jump for it and let the waves decide his fate, but he is instead caught by the neck by a shirtless engine room worker's chain/whip and pulled to the ground. As he screams, the rest of the men crowd around him, tie him up and carry him to the middle of the deck, cheering themselves on. They sit him before Azula who is now standing with the two guards from before at her side. "Now, Captain," she says to him "It's bad enough you had to go and prove yourself to be a filthy traitor, but I never took you to be a coward as well. Do you mean to add insult as well to the injury you've caused myself and the rest of this crew?" Another member of the crew approaches her and hands the bag of gold Zhao gave to the captain and tells her they found it in his cabin. "I see Commander Zhao likes to pay in advance," she says. The captain pleads and says that it's only the money he brought with him. Azula weighs the bag in her hands, noy buying the captain would bring so much wealth with him and so she just mocks the captain by asking if he was planning on buying real estate. The shipmate who brought the bag also hands over a piece of parchment they managed to fish out of the fire-lit heater in his room. Azula looks it over and recognizes it as a piece of a map and tells the captain he should really be more thorough in his disposing of evidence. We skip just a few minutes ahead. Azula is now seated on a cushion throne on the deck, her legs crossed. Lo and Li now sit at her sides instead. We see a closeup of a pot where the gold from Zhao's advance payment has been melted down and has now reached boiling point, glowing bright. A shirtless engine room work in a menacing looking mask and wearing large gloves gathers some together in a smaller cup specifically for pouring molten metals. The men holding the captain in place pry open his mouth as he screams for mercy and force a large metal funnel between his lips. Azula then says out loud "Is there any further proof of Zhao's incompetence I need, seeing as he can't even pick a reliable co-conspirator to handle such a simple task?" Lo and Li bow and pay her intuition and "superior judgement" a complement. She gives a wave of her hand, signaling the executioner to start pouring. At this point, we switch to a far away view of Azula's ship moving through the waters against the sunset, the muffled screams of the captain ringing out as he meets his death.
>> No. 116725
>>116724
When we rejoin Aang, he is waking up atop Appa, who is being flown by Mai. Ty Lee is overjoyed to see that Aang is awake and gives him a hug. Mai quips that Aang's lucky they didn't just leave him there after that stunt. Aang apologizes and thanks her for that. Ty Lee asks what happened exactly. Aang says he's not sure, but when he stared into Avatar Roku's eyes, something just came over him. He describes briefly what he saw, saying he couldn't tell what was the past and what was the future, what were his memories and what memories belonged to someone else. Mai tells Aang that he gets "weirder by the minute." Ty Lee just says she's glad he's okay. Momo crawls back up on Aang's shoulders and rubs against him. Ty Lee giggles and says Momo's glad he's okay too. Aang thanks Momo with head rub. Aang notices for a second that Mai's gloved, palms look like they're covered in fresh dirt, though he doesn't ask about it. He and Momo then turn to look back towards the temple. "We're sorry, Aang," Ty Lee says to him. "Did you need to stay a little longer?"

"No, that's alright" Aang sighs. Mai looks back at him softly as he finishes his sentence. "There's nothing left to see." The last frame/panel is of the place where Mai found the corpse of Gyatso. However, outside the small structure, there is a crude stone marker with a carved spiral into it with the earth in front of it disturbed (the implication is that before leaving, while Aang was unconscious, Mai dug a grave for Gyatso).

End episode
>> No. 116726
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>>116709
>>116718

Just a quick note, these aren't the final drafts or anything so some details such as dialogue, plot points etc. are still subject to change. The way I see it, after these second outlines are finished, they can be converted everything to a more detailed and definitely more thoroughly proofread comic script. Right now, I'm just focusing on Book 1, but I'm brainstorming ideas for Book 2.
>> No. 116758
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For any one who may still be keeping up with this, I'm almost finished with the second outline for Episode 4 (it's a bit difficult cause I changed a few things from the original outline, more on that when I finish), but I thought I'd stop by again and jot down some ideas I have for Book 2, if anyone still cares:

>Before Zuko continues his search for the Avatar, he and Azula oversee the occupation of the Northern Water Tribe. Zuko doesn't like sitting around, but is forced to wait. He and Yue develop a funny kind of mutual respect for one another before he leaves.
>One of the early episodes in the Book deals with Aang and the girls stopping in Yu Dao which explores Aang's reaction to how people live there.
>In Yu Dao, further seeds of an organized resistance against the regime of Ozai will be seen, made up of disgruntled colonials and mixed FN/EK citizens who feel like they aren't respected by those from the homeland.
>Kori Morishita, one of these frustrated individuals, although not part of any of the scattered cells of would be revolutionaries, decides the best way to prove herself would be to help capture the Avatar. In her first appearance, she's an antagonist of the Gaang's, but her distaste for Azula causes her to help Aang escape being captured. Kori also becomes Aang's first Earthbending tutor before he meets Toph, when this would be though and for how long, I don't know.
>The Gaang meets Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors again as they're fighting the Fire Nation, which is occupying their island. Many people of Kyoshi have since fled, but have nowhere to go. Aang attempts to reconcile the problems between the people of Chin and the people of Kyoshi so that Suki's people might have a place to stay until they can return home.
>Not sure how to redo the Cave of Two Lovers, but I had an idea that Aang says to Mai that maybe if they kiss they'll find their way out just for Mai to anticlimactically say "That sounds really stupid."
>Omashu isn't conquered, but Bumi has apparently gone missing, preventing Aang from learning under him. Bumi leaves Aang a cryptic note however.
>Mai gets a haircut at some point before they reach Ba Sing Se
>Aang, in need of guidance after Bumi's disappearance, contacts Kyoshi who has a more active role as one of Aang's spiritual guides throughout Book 2.
>When the Gaang first meets Toph, Ty Lee chi blocks her, causing her to freak out when she loses her ability to "see"
>Toph joins the Gaang in some fashion similar to the canon. However, due to her special abilities, she's easily able to sense Aang's growing romantic feelings for the two Fire Nation girls and also (though she doesn't reveal it) their feelings for him. As a result, Toph has a funny habit of dipping in and out of the Gaang at times and going on her little side trips since she doesn't like the feeling of being a fourth wheel. Thus in the second half of Book 2, the story sometimes splits between Toph's adventures and other characters these subplots of hers tie into. For example, Toph may leave at the beginning of an episode and while her friends run into trouble, we cut to her winning first place in an eating contest. By the end of the episode, when it seems like Aang, Mai and Ty Lee may be done for, Toph finally busts through a wall, having been made aware at some point that her friends may need her help, saying "sorry I'm late."
>The library doesn't sink, whether or not Appa is still stolen, I haven't decided
>Iroh is kicked out of Team Zuko thanks to Azula's manipulation. Azula and Zuko hire Combustion Man to replace him.
>Toph likes to tease Aang about his crushes, and his failed attempts to hide it, she also mocks him for being too chicken to come out with it to them
>redo Tales of Ba Sing Se
>At one point, Aang and friends become so content with life in Ba Sing Se, that they start to forget their original mission, naively thinking they can just wait everything out there.
>At some point Mai is turned into a Joo Dee, then Ty Lee as well in an attempt by Long Feng to control Aang. Toph manages to snap them out of it.
>Kuei takes a tour of the lower ring of the city and resolves to change the way the city is run. He also learns to assert himself.
>A duel between Aang and Long Feng breaks out
>By the end of Book 2, Ba Sing Se doesn't fall to the Fire Nation thanks to Kuei's new lessons in leadership (and Toph), but with the help of the exiled Dai Li, Aang and the girls (except for Toph, Appa and Momo) are captured by Zuko and Azula.

That's all I got for now.
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