Chapter Six: Imprisoned

[This transcription is an exact replication of the one found on AvatarSpirit.net. This page is a tool for further exploration after the initial reading.]

Act I

(The scene opens with a view of a forest canopy. The camera pans down to reveal Aang and Katara sitting on a natural stone patio. A noisy little stream exits the ground from underneath the stone ledge. Katara is folding her sleeping bag while Aang lies back in the exposed roots of an overturned tree. Cut to a view from behind Katara to see Sokka walking up the stream path. He is holding a sack.)

Aang: Great, you're back! What's for dinner?
Sokka: We've got a few options. First, round nuts and some kind of oval shaped nuts, and some rock shaped nuts that... might just be rocks. Dig in!

(Sokka throws one of the nuts that might be a rock over his shoulder. It lands near Momo. Aang and Katara look at each other then back at Sokka.)

Katara: Seriously, what else ya got?

(Sokka peers with one eye into the bag, hoping to find something else. Cut to Momo, eyeing the nut like object with suspicion. He chitters and picks it up. He taps it on a nearby stone to no effect. The he cocks back and raps it hard on the stone. At that moment, a huge, startling noise disrupts the forest's calm. Cut to a wide shot of the ledge and a clearing to the right where Appa was resting. The group and Appa look up at the noise.)

Sokka: What was that!?

(Cut to Momo looking befuddled over at Sokka. He turns to look back at the nut like object in his hand. He blinks twice to a cute effect. He drops the nut onto the stone and another huge sound echoes through the forest, startling Momo again. He jumps out of the frame. Cut to another wide shot. The three are looking left o.c. to where Aang points.)

Aang: It's coming from over there!

(Aang and Katara rush off in the direction of the noise, leaving Sokka waving his arms at them.)

Sokka: Shouldn't we run away from huge booms – not toward them?

(Cut to a view of a fallen tree, behind which Aang and Katara appear, followed closely by Sokka. The p.o.v then switches to behind them, where we can see that they are looking down a river bed. The river has been reduced to a small stream. A young earthbender is practicing his art in the river bed, and the three watch him move around a huge boulder. Cut back to a close up of the three.)

Katara: An earthbender!
Aang: Let's go meet him!
Sokka: He looks dangerous, so we better approach cautiously.

(Cut instantly to Katara who has clearly ignored her brother's warning by running way out into the river bed to address the young earthbender.)

Katara: Hello there, I'm Katara! What's your name?

(The young earthbender looks over at Katara in surprise, drops his rock and runs back down the river bed. As he runs, he earthbends a load of rock into the riverbed, blocking pursuit.)

Aang: Nice to meet you!
Katara: We just wanted to say “hi”.
Aang: Hey, that guy's gotta be running somewhere, maybe we're near a village and I bet that village has a market!
Katara (excited): Which means no nuts for dinner! (Aang and Katara run o.c.)
Sokka: Hey! I worked hard to get those nuts! (Momo flies off-screen to join the others, Sokka looks downcast) Yeh, I hate'em too.

(Cut to a few overhead shots of a walled Earth Kingdom village in a steep valley. Cut to Aang, Katara and Sokka in a market. Aang is at a stall trying out a hat.)

Aang: Great hat. I'll trade you some nuts for it.

(Aang turns to Sokka with the hat on and laughs. Meanwhile, Katara has noticed the young earthbender from the river bed enter a nearby building.)

Katara: Hey!

(Katara runs off-screen in pursuit. Cut to the young earthbender in a long, mostly empty room with an older woman, his mother.)

Haru: Hi, mom.
Mother: Where have you been, Haru? You're late! Get started on your chores.

(Katara opens door and enters, framed in sunlight pouring in behind her.)

Katara: Hey, you're that kid! Why did you run away before?
Haru: Uh, you must have me confused with some other kid.

(Aang and Sokka enter.)

Aang: No she doesn't, we saw you earthbending.

(Cut to an exterior shot of the building where the door closes and the windows get shut.)

Mother (hands still on the window she just closed): They saw you doing what?
Haru: They're crazy, mom, I mean, look at how they're dressed!

(All three look at their clothing.)

Mother: You know how dangerous that is! You know what would happen if they caught you earthbending!

(From outside a heavy knock on the door is heard and Sokka quickly parts the window blinds to identify the intruders.)

Soldier (from o.c.): Open up!
Sokka: Fire Nation! Act natural!

(Haru's mother opens the door and a Fire Nation soldier enters. Cut to a view of the others caught freeze-frame in the midst of some very unconvincing “normal” poses. The top of the barrel that Aang is leaning upon shifts and his hand goes into the water up to his shoulder. Cut back to the soldier and Haru's mother.)

Mother: What do you want? I've already paid you this week.
Soldier: The tax just doubled. Wouldn't want an accident, would we?

(The soldier produces a fireball in his hands and smiles. Cut to a wider shot, where everyone takes a step back from the soldier.)

Soldier: Fire is sometimes so hard to control.

(Haru's mother's expression melts from defiance to fear and resignation. Cut to a view of her hands placing a small chest on a table. She opens it to reveal a few miserable coins. She takes most of them out and gives them to the soldier. He dumps the small ones on the ground.)

Soldier: You can keep the copper ones.

(Cut to a long shot of the room, with the soldier exiting in the foreground, the rest clearly visible behind him. They are all unhappy. Haru's mother picks up the copper coins.)

Sokka: Nice guy. How long has the Fire Nation been here?
Mother: Five years. Fire Lord Ozai uses our town's coal mines to fuel his ships.
Haru: They're thugs; they steal from us, and everyone here is too much of a coward to do anything about it.
Mother: Quiet, Haru. Don't talk like that.
Katara: But, Haru's an earthbender, he can help.
Mother: Earthbending is forbidden. It's caused nothing but misery for this village. He must never use his abilities.
Katara: How can you say that? Haru has a gift. Asking him not to earthbend is like asking me not to waterbend. It's a part of who we are.
Mother: You don't understand.
Katara: I understand that Haru can help you fight back. What can the Fire Nation do to you that they haven't done already?
Mother: They could take Haru away! Like they took his father.

(Cut to side view of Haru's face, with a wide-eyed Katara visible in the background. Both look pained. Fade to a view of the surrounding hillsides. It is late afternoon. The view pans right to reveal the outbuildings of a farm. Cut to a view from inside one of these barn like structures. Haru and our group have entered, the open double door visible behind them. The late say sun pours in.)

Haru: My mom said you can sleep here tonight, but you should leave in the morning.
Aang: Thanks. I'll make sure Appa doesn't eat all your hay.

(Quick pan right to reveal Appa with his mouth stuffed with hay. He looks over at Aang, who is o.c., stops chewing for a few seconds. Then begins chewing again. Cut to Haru and Katara leaving the group of buildings, apparently going for a walk.)

Katara: I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't know about your father.
Haru: That's ok. It's funny, the way you were talking back in the store, it reminded me of him.
Katara: thanks.
Haru: My father was very courageous. When the Fire Nation invaded, he and the other earthbenders were outnumbered ten to one, but they fought back anyway.
Katara: He sounds like a great man.
Haru: After the attack, they rounded up my father every other earthbender and took them away. We haven't seen them since.
Katara: So, that's why you hide your earthbending?
Haru: Yeh. The problem is that the only way I can feel close to my father now is when I practice my bending. He taught me everything I know.

(Katara and Haru have now walked up onto the crest of a small hill that overlooks the surrounding countryside. Haru has knelt down and begun twirling some small stones while he speaking about his father. When he is done, he turns the stones to sand, which falls through his fingers. Katara comes up and sits next to him. She points to her necklace and begins to speak.)

Katara: See this necklace? My mother gave it to me.
Haru: It's beautiful.
Katara: I lost my mother in a Fire Nation raid. This necklace is all I have left of her.
Haru: It's not enough, is it?
Katara: No.

(Katara and Haru sit on the hill, the fading glory of the setting sun visible in the space between them. Fade to Katara and Haru walking down a path towards an open mine entrance some way ahead. A boom is heard and rocks and dust come out of the mine entrance. The sound of an old man, probably hurt, can be heard.)

Old Man: Help!
Haru: The mine!

(They both rush to the mine. Cut to the blocked up mine entrance, the old man has almost been buried by the cave in.)

Old Man: Help me!

(The ground still shakes a bit, and more earth threatens to fall on and crush the old man. Katara and Haru enter the view. Haru tries to prevent any more earth falling on the old man by bracing the collapsed mine entrance frame, while Katara tries to get the old man free.)

Katara: (struggling): It's not working, we have to get help.
Haru: There's no time – pull harder.
Katara: Haru, there's a way you can help him.
Haru: I can't.
Katara: Please, there's no one around to see you, it's the only way.

(Indecision dominates Haru's face for a few moments, but then he moves in front of the old man and turns to look back into the min entrance. He concentrates and with a quick move of his hands and feet he pushes the obstruction of earth and stone back deep into the mine, freeing the old man, whom they help get up.)

Katara: Haru, you did it!

(Cut to a night scene. Momo is sitting in the window of the outbuilding on Haru's farm that the group is sleeping in. Cut to a wider shot that shows the group ready for bed and in their sleeping bags. Aang lies over the top of Appa, looking at Katara.)

Katara: It was so brave of Haru to use his earthbending to help that old man.
Aang: You must have really inspired him.
Katara: I guess so.
Sokka: Everyone should get some sleep. We're leaving at dawn.
Katara: Dawn? Can't we sleep in for once?
Sokka: Absolutely not! This village is crawling with Fire Nation troops. If they discover you're here, Aang, we'll be eating fireballs for breakfast. Good night.
Katara (with a sly grin on her face): I'd rather eat fireballs than nuts.
Sokka: Good night.

(Aang and Katara laugh, then Katara blows out their lamp. Cut to an exterior view of their outbuilding which zooms outward, showing the full moon. Clearly some time passes before the next scene, but it is still night. Fire Nation troops walk along a path leading to Haru's farm. Lamps on polls swing back and forth as they march. The soldier who extorted the money from the previous day leads the column. He wears a helmet with horns on either side of his head. He knocks on Haru's house's door three times. The door opens to reveal Haru. He draws an intake of breath in surprise. Cut to a side view of the house, where see Haru on the right, the Fire soldiers on the left, and in between, pointing an accusatory finger at Haru, is the old man saved by Katara and Haru.)

Old Man: That's him! That's the earthbender!

(The solder pushes the old man out of the way and approached Haru. Cut to a frontal shot of Haru with the soldier's hands entering from the side of the frame. He is grabbed and pulled towards the camera, which has the effect of going straight into Haru's pupil. Cut to commercial.)

Act II

(When the show returns we see an overhead shot of Katara exiting the outbuilding. It is dawn. Cut to a closer shot of Katara walking up to a water pump to get some water. She carries a pot which she places under the spout. Rather than wok the pump, however, she gracefully waterbends some water out of the pump and/b into the jar. She picks up the pot and, as she turns to go back to her friends, she notices Haru's mother looking out over the farm. She turns and it is clear she is crying. Katara drops her water pot and it breaks. Katara's eye betray her realization that Haru has been captured. Cut to an interior shot of the outbuilding where the others are packing their gear. The door opens and Katara steps in, tearing at her hair in anguish.)

Katara: They took him! They took Haru away!
Aang: What?
Katara: The old man turned him in to the Fire Nation. It's all my fault, I forced him into earthbending.
Sokka: Slow down, Katara, when did this happen?

(Sokka puts his arm around her shoulder and holds her hand in genuine concern.)

Katara: Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight.
Sokka (dropping her hand): Then it's too late to track him, he's long gone.
Katara: We don't need to track him. The Fire Nation is going to take me right to Haru.
Aang: ...and why would they do that?
Katara (determined): because they're going to arrest me for earthbending.

(Sokka and Aang both looked concerned before cutting to a scene with Katara and Sokka rolling a boulder on top of air grate.)

Sokka: I thought you were crazy at first, Katara, but this might work. There are ventilation shafts throughout these mines, all Aang has to do is send an air current from that vent to this one right here. The boulder levitates and – tada! Fake earthbending.

(When Katara and Sokka and finish rolling the boulder on top of the vent, cut to a wider shot showing the nearby vent that Aang will airbend into. It is partially obscured from the path they are on by a large boulder. Cut to Sokka leaning on the rock they have just moved with a self-satisfied grin on his face. When he is done, the screen widens to show a none-too pleased Katara, hands on her hips, looking over at Aang who is o.c.)

Katara: Aang. Did you get all that?

(The screen pans rapidly over to Aang, who is paying no attention at all. He sits cross-legged in front of the vent, blowing air and a little butterfly in front of him while Momo watches.)

Aang: Sure, I got it.
Sokka: Do you remember your cue?
Aang: Yeh, yeh, just relax. You're taking all the fun out of this.
Sokka: By “this” do you mean intentionally getting captured by an army of ruthless firebenders?
Aang: Exactly! That's fun stuff.

(Cut to wide shot that shows Katara and Sokka on the left, Aang in the middle behind his rock, and a band of Fire Nation soldiers coming down to the path towards them on the right.)

Sokka: Here they come! Get in your places!

(Cut to a close up of the three soldiers marching down the path. Cut to view from behind the soldiers. Sokka runs in from the left, Katara from the right, meeting right in front of the soldiers.)

Sokka (in a slightly exaggerated voice): Get out of my way, pipsqueak!
Katara (also in a slightly exaggerated voice): How dare you call me “pipsqueak” you giant-eared cretin!
Sokka: What did you call me?
Katara: A giant-eared cretin! Look at those things. (She puts her hands up to her ears and fans out her fingers in imitation of huge ears) Do herds of animals use them for shade?
Sokka: You better back off! (Placing his hand to partially block his mouth from the soldier's view) Seriously – back off.
Katara: I will not back off! I bet elephants get together and make fun of how large your ears are!
Sokka: That's it – you're going down!
Katara: I'll show you who's boss – earthbending style!

(Katara assumes a mock earthbending stance as she shouts her challenge. The background music changes to indicate almost supernatural powers and the background itself changes to show earth colored patterns flashing by at high speed. Both effects stop abruptly to show Katara frozen, with the rock she is supposed to be “earthbending” still sitting over the grate. After a few moments of embarrassed silence, she repeats herself angrily.)

Katara: I said, “earthbending style!”

(Cut to the other side of the rock where Aang finally reacts, jumping up into the air and coming down onto the grate. He airbends into the grate. Cut to a view of the rock on top of the other grate. The air rushing up raises the rock to reveal Momo behind it.)

Soldier (pointing at Momo): That lemur! It's earthbending!
Sokka: No, you idiot! It's the girl!
Soldier (embarrassed): Oh, of course.

(Cut back to Sokka and Katara as the rocks falls back onto the grate).

Sokka (in an exaggerated voice, his hands on Katara's shoulders): I'll hold her! (Then sotto voce) You've got 12 hours to find Haru, we'll be right behind you.

(Cut to Katara being led off by the soldiers. She looks back to see Sokka and Aang, with Momo on his shoulders, standing in the road. Sokka turns to Momo.)

Sokka: Momo, you have some big ears!

(Cut to a long shot of the village's port where a Fire Navy ship is docked, then cut to a downcast Katara wearing a brown sackcloth over her blue robe. She is in a wheeled transport with other prisoners being taken to the prison ship. Aang and Sokka are in the crowd watching her being taken aboard. Cut to a sky shot of Appa following the Fire Navy ship from afar. In the distance, a rig or offshore platform is seen. This is the Fire Navy ship's destination. Cut to a close of the rig. It is huge, dark, industrial and foreboding. In the background a bloody sunset casts its last rays of light over the complex. Switch to Aang in Appa's driver's seat, Sokka in the passenger section.)

Sokka: She'll be fine, Aang, Katara knows what she's doing.

(Cut back to a long shot of the prison rig where the sun has now set. Switch to an overhead shot of a prisoner line up. The Warden is addressing the new prisoners.)

Warden: Earthbenders, it is my pleasure to welcome you aboard my modest shipyard. I am your warden. I prefer to think of you not as prisoners, but as honored guests, and I hope you come to think of me as your humble and caring host. You will succeed here if you simply abide –

(The Warden's speech is interest by a prisoner, who is visible behind the warden, who begins to cough. The Warden's look hardens instantly. Cut to a side shot where the Warden suddenly leaps away from the prisoner line up, turns and firebends a hug gout of flame at the coughing prisoner. The targeted man jumps backwards.)

Warden (angry): What kind of guest dishonors his host by interrupting him!? Take him below! (Then quietly) One week in solitary will improve his manners. (He puts his face up to Katara's, but still speaking to the group) Simply treat me with the courtesy I give you and we'll get along famously. You will notice earthbenders, that this rig is made entirely of metal. You are miles away from any rock or earth, so if you have any illusions about employing that brutish savagery that passes for bending among you people, forget them. It is impossible. Good day.

(During the latter part of the Warden's speech, the view has shifted between various shots of hopeless prisoners on the rig. When the Warden is done, he turns and walks o.c. as the prisoners are led away. Cut to a rolling pan up where the camera finally reveals an open area on the rig where hopeless and forlorn looking prisoners roam around. Cut to a view of Katara being thrust through a narrow door and out into the open area. A double gate drops behind her, then cut to Katara's p.o.v. as she surveys the prisoners on the deck. Cut to a side view of the deck. Katara enters from the left. As she passes a prisoner sitting on the deck, he turns and it is Haru.)

Haru (standing up): Katara?
Katara (running and hugging him): Haru!
Haru: What are you doing here?
Katara: It's my fault you were captured. I came to rescue you.
Haru: So, you got yourself arrested?
Katara: It was the only way to find you.
Haru (folding his arms across his chest and smiling): You got guts, Katara, I'll give you that. (Taking her shoulder) Come one, there's someone I want you to meet.

(Cut to overhead shot that pans right over several groups of prisoners. Haru and Katara have approached the last one.)

Haru: Katara, this is my father, Tyro. Dad, this is Katara.

(Cut to a view of older man's face who is sitting on the ground in one of the groups of prisoners. He is eating, but he turns to his son's voice and sees Katara.)

Katara (bowing): It's an honor to meet you.
Tyro (handing Katara a bowl): Have some dinner, Katara.
Katara (taking the bowl her hungry expression turns to disgust): Eruhh!
Tyro: It's not as bad as it looks.
Katara (sitting down and eating a spoonful): Erahh!
Tyro (smiling apologetically): It's still pretty bad though.

(A hand appears on Tyro's shoulder, another prisoner trying to get Tyro's attention.)

Prisoner: Tyro, the prisoners are complaining there aren't enough blankets to go around.
Tyro: I'll talk to the guards. In the meantime, make sure the elderly are taken care of. The rest of us will simply have to hope for warmer weather.
Katara: If you don't mind me asking, what's your escape plan?
Tyro (suspiciously): Excuse me?
Katara: You know, the plan to get everyone off the rig? What is it? Mutiny? Sabotage?
Tyro: The plan? The plan is to survive - wait out this war. Hope that one day some of us can get back home and forget this ever happened.
Katara: How can you say that? You sound like you've already given up.
Tyro: Katara, I admire your courage and I envy your youth, but people's lives are at stake here. The Warden is a ruthless man, and he won't stand for any rebellion. I'm sorry, but we're powerless.
Katara (standing up, grim determination on her face): We'll see about that.

(Cut to Katara standing up on a small raised platform in the open area. She bangs the lid of a pot with her spoon several times to get everyone's attention.)

Katara: Earthbenders! You don't know me, but I know of you. Every child of my water tribe village was rocked to sleep with stories of the brave Earth Kingdom and the courageous earthbenders who guard its borders. (Cut to a view of the Warden watching from one of the catwalks above, Katara continues from o.c.) Some of you may think that the Fire Nation has made you powerless. Yes, they have taken away your ability to bend, but they can't take away your courage and it is your courage they should truly fear! Because it runs deeper than any mine you've been forced to dig, any ocean that keeps you far from home. It is the strength of your hearts that make you who you are, hearts that will remain unbroken when all rock and stone has eroded away. The time to fight back is now! I can tell you the Avatar has returned! So remember your courage, earthbenders, let us fight for our freedom!

(The scene concludes with a close up profile of Katara's face, etched in determination. After a few moments pass, her expression weakens. Cut to a view of the groups of prisoners, who turned away from her and go on with their conversations. Katara is crushed. Cut to the Warden, who smiles and walks away. Shift to a view of the rig's lighthouse lamp rotating in the darkness. A few shots of the rig fly by to be replaced by a view of Aang peeping up over the edge of the rig. Then cut to Katara sleeping on her mat. Aang wakes her up and she starts to cry out, but Aang “shh's” her. He leads back to the edge of the rig's main platform where Appa and Sokka are waiting.)

Sokka: Your 12 hours are up, where's Haru? We've got to get out of here.

(Aang hops off the platform and onto Appa. Sokka holds her arm out to Katara.)

Katara: I can't.
Sokka: We don't have much time, there are guards everywhere. Get on.
Aang: Katara, what's wrong?
Katara (close up, the lighthouse lamp playing directly behind her head): I'm not leaving. I'm not giving up on these people.

(Cut to commercial break.)

Act III

(When the show returns, Sokka and Aang have jumped off Appa, who floats in the air beside the platform, and are sitting in a triangle on the rig's edge.)

Sokka: What do you mean you're not leaving!?
Katara: We can't abandon these people. There has to be a way to help them.
Aang: Maybe she's right. What do you say, Sokka?
Sokka: I say you're both crazy! (A searchlight comes close by and they hunker down until it passes.) Last chance, we need to leave – now!
Katara: No.
Sokka (shaking his head): I hate when you get like this. (Another search light comes close). Come on, we better hide.

(The three exit the frame. Cut to Aang whispering something to Appa, who flies off silently. Aang then exits the screen, which then pans northeast to show two Fire Soldiers turning the corner on the rounds. As the round the bend, Appa flies by and the guards notice and look up.)

Guard: Look!

(Cut to a close up of the back of the Warden's head. He turns quickly to address the guards who just saw Appa.)

Warden: Tell me exactly what you saw.
Captain: Well, Sir, it looked like a flying bison.
Warden: What?
Guard It was a giant flying buffalo, Sir, with an empty saddle.
Warden: Which was it? A buffalo or a bison?
Captain: Uh, I'm not sure what the difference is, but that's not really the point is it, Sir?
Warden (angry): I'll decide what the point is, fool!

(Warden throws the Captain over the railing. A scream trails off into nothing as a splash of water is heard. Cut back to the Warden and the remaining guard.)

Warden: You! Wake up the Captain. Search the entire rig!
Guard: Sir?
Warden: What!?
Guard: That...was the Captain you just threw overboard, so...
Warden: Then wake up someone I haven't thrown overboard and search the rig! There's something going on here and I don't like it.

(Cut to an overhead shot of the rig, still on the same night. The view pans north to reveal a loading docks with many crates on it. Cut to a closer shot of Momo peeping over one of the crates, then shift to Katara, Aang, and Sokka crouching amongst the boxes.)

Sokka: We don't have much time. What are we gonna do?
Aang: I wish I knew how to make a hurricane. (Cut to Katara and Sokka looking unhappy at this idea.) The Warden would run away and we'd steal his keys!
Sokka: Wouldn't he just take his keys with him?
Aang: I'm just tossing ideas around.
Katara: I tired talking the earthbenders into fighting back, but it didn't work. If there was just a way to help them help themselves.
Sokka: For that they'd need some kind of earth, or some rock... something they can bend.
Katara (touching the rig platform): But this entire place is made of metal.
Aang (looking up and pointing o.c.): No, it's not. Look at the smoke. I bet they're burning coal – In other words, earth.

(As Aang is speaking, the view cuts to a shot of the smokestacks on the upper reaches of the rig. Behind the stacks, the sky is clearly getting lighter. Cut to a long shot of the rig, dawn is clearly close at hand. Cut to Katara and Sokka back in the prisoner deck area where Katara gave her speech. They are looking down into an enormous ventilation shaft which is capped by a grate similar to the ones seen earlier near the mine where Katara got arrested.)

Katara: It's almost dawn, we're running out of time! Are you sure this is gonna work?
Sokka: It should. These vents reminded me of our little trick back at the village. We're gonna do the same thing, but on a much bigger scale.

(Cut to an overhead shot of the rig as Sokka explains from o.c. how the plan is going to work. As he speaks, the camera view moves or cuts to show what he is talking about.)

Sokka: There's a huge deposit of coal at the base of the silo, and the whole system is ventilated. Aang closed off all the vents except one. When he does his airbending, the coal only has one place to go – right back here.

(The view ends up back with Katara and Sokka as he concludes his explanation. It is now morning. A moment later, however, the shot widens to show them surrounded by six Fire Nation soldiers poiting there spears at them and prisoners, including Tyro and Haru. More Fire Nation guards ring the bottom edge of the shot.)

Soldier: There's the intruder!
Sokka (drawing his boomerang): Stay back, I'm warning you!
Tyro: Katara stop! You can't win this fight!

(Cut from Tyro to Haru, who looks stunned at his father's pronouncement. The camera pans right across him, then cut to Katara with an equally stunned looked, the camera slowly panning left. Then from o.c., but switching to show him after a few words, the Warden arrives.)

Warden: Listen to him well, child. You're one mistake away from dying where you stand.

(Cut to a wider shot of the two surrounded by the soldiers, who begin to close in. Then switch to a close up of the grate, where air begins to rush out, followed by dust and pebbles. Then a living river of coal erupts from the grate, eventually tearing it away. Cut to a very wide shot showing the eruption of coal as it shoots high into the air over the deck, blasting the grate away. Cut to the Warden, clearly shocked and dismayed. The coal lands in a massive pile between the earthbenders and the firebenders, followed by a shot of Haru. The shot then widens to show the prisoners looking at the pile of earth that has just appeared. Cut to a view of the top of the coal pile. Aang drops from the top of the screen and lands on it, covered in coal dust. He coughs it off as Katara runs up to the top of the coal.)

Katara: Here's your chance, earthbenders! (She grabs a lump of coal and raises it high.) Take it! Your fate is in your own hands!

(Haru begins to move forward, but Tyro stops him. Switch to a view from within the crowd. Various prisoners begin to shrink backward, eschewing open conflict. Cut to a view of Katara, still holding up the lump of coal, with the Warden and his men visible over her shoulder.)

Warden: Hahaha! Foolish girl! You thought a few inspirational words and some coal would change these people? Look at these blank, hopeless faces. (Cut to a panning shot of the prisoners, who do look sad.) There spirits were broken a long time ago. Oh? But you still believe in them? (Katara lowers the coal, shock on her face.) How sweet. They're a waste of your energy, little girl. You've failed.

(Cut to a wider shot of Katara standing on the coal, her shoulders slumped, looking defeated and lonely. The Warden turns to walk back into the rig. As he does, a lump of coal flies on screen and hits him in the back of the head. He turns in anger. Cut to Haru, prisoners standing behind him, twirling some lumps of coal above his raised left hand. His expression is severe. Cut back to the Warden, who launches a blast of fire at the boy. The gout of flame is about to engulf Haru, who braces for death, when it is blocked by a wall of coal. Cut to a shot of Tyro, in an earthbending stance, who has clearly stepped forward to protect his son. Cut to a wider of what is about to become the battlefield, before shifting the Warden and his men, now in a firing line.)

Warden: Show no mercy!

(The Fire Nation line charges forward, unleashing a wall of flame. Tyro and the three nearest earthbenders, including Haru block it with a huge wall of coal. The coal absorbs the flames.)

Tyro: For the Earth Kingdom, attack!

(Tyro slams the palms of his fists on the deck of the rig, throwing the wall of coal forward towards the Fire Nation line. The Fire Soldiers deflect some of the rocks with flame. Cut to an overhead shot of the prisoners, all of whom have joined the rebellion and have assumed earthbending stances. The camera pans south to show the firebenders in a similar pose. General melee ensues. One on one the earthbenders block fire attacks with coal shields and knock out firebender by striking htem huge lumps of coal thrown at high speed. Cut to a view of the carnage below from one of the catwalks. Heaps of burning coal now litter the deck. Switch back to the middle of the deck where Katara, Sokka and Aang are rushing forward. A Fire Nation soldier enters the screen, but Sokka cuts off the head of his spear with his boomerang and throws the spearhead with a small shaft still attached to it to Momo who is flying close overhead. Momo then collects spears as they are thrown by Fire Nation soldiers, rendering them harmless. Cut to Tyro and Haru in front of the coal dump. They raise a huge amount of coal, and then mash it between them to create a boulder. Cut to a quick view of the Warden rapidly shooting fireballs at targets o.c., before switching back to Haru and Tyro throwing the boulder at the door into the rig. It blasts a boulder shaped hole in the door.)

Tyro: Get to the ship! We'll hold them off!
Warden: Do not let them escape!

(The Warden rallies a few his troops and they begin to barrage the exit with flame. Cut to Aang, Katara and Sokka trying to exit. When they see the flames hit the wall in front of them, they turn and Aang airbends a small tornado into existence, the end of which is aimed at the firebenders.)

Aang: Guys, throw me some coal!

(Sokka and Katara start dropping chunks of coal into the top of the little whirlwind, which accelerate down the wind tube and exit at high speed towards the Warden's men. Then all get knocked down. Cut to Tyro and two other earthbenders who earthbend the entire coal dump, with the Warden and all his men on it, out of over the open water.)

Warden: No, please! I can't swim!
Tyro: Don't worry, I hear cowards float.

(Tyro drops them all into the ocean below. Fade to a scene of several Fire Nation ships, now under the command of the former prisoners, steaming away from the rig. Appa with Sokka and Aang swim next to the point ship. Cut to Katara, Tyro and Haru on the deck of the point ship. Katara beams, looking back at the prison they leave behind. She is missing her necklace.)

Haru: I want to thank you for saving me. For saving us.
Katara (embarrassed): All it took was a little coal.
Haru: It wasn't the coal, Katara, it was you.
Tyro (putting a hand on her shoulder): Thank you for helping me find my courage, Katara, of the water tribe. My family and everyone here owes you much.
Katara: So, I guess you're going home now?
Tyro: Yes, to take back my village. (Raising his voice and raising his left hand in a fist, just as Katara had done and looking back over the ship to address the former prisoners) To take back ALL of our villages! The Fire Nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!

(Cut to a wide shot of three of the ships, Tyro's ship in the middle and ahead with Appa swimming on the right. The shot pans from left to right, showing cheering earthbenders on the decks of every ship. Cut back to Haru and Katara.)

Haru: Come with us.
Katara: I can't. Your mission is to take back your home. Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole.

(Cut to a shot of Aang in the foreground sitting on Appa, airbending a little chunk of coal around. Katara and Haru are visible on the upper deck on the point ship.)

Haru: That's him, isn't it? The Avatar. Katara, thank you for bringing my father back to me. I never thought I'd see him again. I only wish there was some way...
Katara: I know. (She reaches for her necklace and starts in surprise when it is gone.) My mother's necklace! It's gone!

(Cut to a close up shot of the necklace lying on the deck of the rig. An arm in a Fire Nation uniform grabs it. The screen pans up to reveal Zuko, wreathed in the glory of a fiery red sunset holding the necklace. He looks out over the ocean to the setting sun, back to the camera. Fade to white.)

[End Credits]