Chapter Thirteen: The Drill

[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

(Opening shot of a group of Fire Nation tanks rumbling across the barrens, escorting a gigantic vehicle. When the shot pulls back it is seen to be a titanic tunneling machine, 10 stories high and stretching back a great distance. The tanks flanking it appear as little more than insignificant toys by comparison. In another shot we are shown large segments of the drill's body pushing forward under steam power, punching steam driven spikes into the ground, then contracting again to gain forward movement. The camera pans fully back to show the entire length of the great Drill, a vast black iron cylinder creeping forward like a caterpillar, the tanks beside it ant-like. The shot switches to a top view, as a tower topped by a command center levers upward from the drill's back. Cut to the inside of the c.c., where Azula is shown seated on a throne, flanked by Mai and Ty Lee.)

War Minister Qin: (stepping into scene to address Azula) This drill is a feat of scientific ingenuity and raw destructive power. Once it tunnels through the wall, our troops will storm their city. The Earth kingdom will finally fall, and you can claim Ba Sing Se in the name of your father. Nothing can stop us.
Ty Lee: (looking away from a periscope) Hmm. What about those muscle-y guys down there?

(She looks back into periscope, then cut to a view through the periscope, where Earth kingdom benders are seen dropping into trenches. Switches to exterior view, showing a series of large trenches dug in the shadow of the wall, with the Fire nation forces approaching in the distance.)

War Minister Qin: (walks up and sharply raps the periscope, startling Ty Lee) Please, the drill's metal shell is impervious to any earthbending attack.
Azula: (condescendingly) Oh, I'm sure it is War Minister Qin. But just to be on the safe side... (in commanding tone) Mai, and Ty Lee, take the earthbenders out!
Mai: (twiddling knives) Finally, something to do.

(Cut to a scene of Katara, Sokka and Toph escorting Than and family out of a rocky pass toward the base of the great wall. As they pause, Aang and Momo swoop into view from the direction of the wall. Aang lands before them, Momo perching on his shoulder.)

Katara: Aang, what are you doing here? I thought you were looking for Appa?
Aang: I was, but something stopped me. Something big.

(Cut to wall's base, where Aang and Toph are jointly bending a rock platform up the face of the wall, lifting them all upwards. Camera pans back to show their rapid ascent up the wall.)

Sokka: (as platform ascends) Now what's so big that Appa has to wait?
Aang: That.

(The camera pans way back to show both the wall and the approaching Drill, then to an aerial view showing the massive machine flanked by eight tanks on either side.

Cut to Aang and the rest peering out over the top of the outer wall, down toward the Fire Nation forces.)

Ying: (despairingly) We made it to Ba Sing Se, and we're still not safe. No one is. (Than and family huddle together.)
Earthbender Guard: (from behind) What are you people doing here? Civilians aren't allowed on the wall.
Aang: (looking determined) I'm the Avatar. Take me to whoever's in charge.

(Cut to an area atop the outer wall where a roof is supported by tall arches. An Earth kingdom general waits seated at a desk.)

General Sung: (smiling) It is an honor to welcome you to the outer wall young Avatar, but your help is not needed.
Aang: Not needed?
General Sung: (smugly) Not needed. I have the situation under control. I assure you the Fire Nation cannot penetrate this wall. Many have tried to break through it, but none have succeeded.

(The general rises as he speaks, leading the group back out towards an open area of the wall manned by soldiers standing near large stacks of boulders. We are shown an aerial view of the outer wall. Nothing lies beyond the outer face but barren wastes, while a patchwork of fertile fields grow behind it.

Cut to scene of the general gazing contentedly out over the inward face of the wall, the heroes standing behind him.)

Toph: What about the Dragon of the West? He got in.
General Sung: (startled) Well...uh...technically yes. But he was quickly expunged. (more confidently) Nevertheless, that is why the city is named Ba Sing Se. It's the impenetrable city. They don't call it Na Sing Se. (belly laughs, then becomes serious) That means penetrable city.
Toph: Yeah, thanks for the tour, but we still got the drill problem.
General Sung: (pacing back to look out over wastes) Not for long. To stop it, I've sent an elite platoon of earthbenders called the Terra Team.
Sokka: (thoughtfully) That's a good group name, very catchy.

(Cut to a scene of the Terra Team launching their assault on the Fire nation forces. They propel one of the tanks into the air, then ride a surge of earth through the gap left in the tank's formation.)

Terra Team Leader: Ready... Attack!

(The earthbenders try to wedge several large pillars of stone against the side of the Drill, but it shatters them effortlessly. The Terra Team barely manages to raise a defensive shield against a barrage of Mai's throwing knives. Mai and Ty Lee are shown rappelling down the side of the Drill toward them. Nimbly avoiding their earthbending attacks, Ty Lee leaps in amongst them and begins delivering a flurry of pressure-point attacks. One by one the Terra Team drop helplessly at her feet.)

General Sung: (observing from a telescope) We're doomed! (flails arms in a panic)
Sokka: (slaps general hard on the face) Get a hold of yourself man!
General Sung: (rubbing cheek) You're right, I'm sorry.
Toph: Maybe you'd like the Avatar's help now?
General Sung: (meekly approaching Aang in a timid voice) Yes, please.

(Cut to Aang and friends looking out over the wall at the approaching Drill)

Aang: The question is, how are we gonna stop that thing?
Sokka: Why are you all looking at me?
Aang: You're the idea guy.
Sokka: (complaining) So I'm the only one who can ever come up with a plan? That's a lot of pressure.
Katara: And also the complaining guy.
Sokka: That part I don't mind.

(Cut to the Ferry Landing, then inside to the ticket gate. An Earth Kingdom official, a sour, heavy set woman with a large hairy mole above her eyebrow, looks over Iroh and Zuko's papers dubiously.)

Customs Lady: (sounding unpleasant) So, Mr. Lee, and Mr.... umm Mushy is it?
Iroh: It's pronounced Moo-shee.
Customs Lady: (looking up from papers angrily) You telling me how to do my job?
Iroh: (stepping closer) Uh, no no no. (speaking charmingly) But may I just say that you're like a flower in bloom, your beauty intoxicating.
Customs Lady: (smiling and obviously charmed) You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself handsome. (makes cat-claw gesture) Raorrr. Welcome to Ba Sing se. (stamps their papers and pushes them forward.)
Zuko: (snatching his papers from Iroh disgustedly) I'm gonna forget I saw that.

(Camera looks over Jet's shoulder as he observes Zuko and Iroh stepping past ticket gate.)

Jet: I think Lee would make a good Freedom Fighter. He's just trying to find his way in the world, like us. (View changes to Jet, Smellerbee and Longshot standing side by side in ticket line.)
Smellerbee:You don't know anything about him Jet.
Jet: (holding signature grass stalk to mouth) I know he didn't get that scar from a waterbender.
Smellerbee: Besides, I thought we were going straight now?
Jet: (shrugging) We are, and the new Freedom Fighters could use a guy like Lee. What do you think Longshot?
Longshot: (shoots a meaningful look) ...
Jet: I can respect that.

(Cut to an enclosed Infirmary atop the outer wall, where the members of the Terra Team lie on futons. General Sung, Aang , Sokka, Toph and Momo watch as Katara spreads the blue energies of her healing technique over the arm of one of the fallen warriors.)

General Sung: What's wrong with him? He doesn't look injured.
Katara: His Chi is blocked. (dissipates the energies) Who did this to you?
Terra Team Soldier: (moaning) Two girls ambushed us, one of them hit me with a bunch of quick jabs, and suddenly I couldn't earthbend, and I could barely move...and then she cart wheeled away. (recognition dawns in Katara's eyes)
Katara: (lookingaway thoughtfully) Ty Lee. She doesn't look dangerous, but she knows the human body and it's weak points. It's like she takes you down from the inside.
Sokka: (an idea suddenly hits him and he begins gesturingwildly Ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo!
Katara: Yes?
Sokka: (excitedly) What you just said, that's how we're gonna take down the Drill. The same way Ty Lee took down all these big earthbenders.
Toph: (enthusiastically) By hitting its pressure points!
Aang: (looking out a window at the Drill below) We'll take it down from the inside.

Act II

(Scene opens with a front view of the spinning face of the drill, flanked by Fire nation tanks. Panning down, we see that ahead in its path Toph, Aang, Momo, Katara and Sokka are crouched down in one of the Terra Team's abandoned trenches.)

Toph: (gesturing back towards the Drill) Once I whip up some cover, you're not gonna be able to see, so stay close to me.

(Leaping from the trench, Toph begins a strenuous earthbending gesture that ends with a powerful foot stomp, sending a mighty blast of dust and broken stone rocketing along the ground toward the drill.)

Toph: Run!

(Racing closely behind Toph, the team plunges into the swirling white dust cloud. The scene cuts to the Drill Command Center, where Ty Lee is again looking out through the periscope.)

Ty Lee: (peering more closely) Hey, look at that dust cloud. (periscope view shows front of drill and billowing cloud) It's so...poofy. (looks back to the others with a spaced-out expression) Poof!
War Minister Qin: Don't worry Princess. I'm sure it's nothing. (Azula looks to Ching doubtfully)

(Cut to Toph and the rest running through the thick dust to emerge near the front of the drill. Standing in the drill's shadow, she bends open a pit in the ground.)

Toph: Everyone into the hole!

(Toph hops down into the hole after the others, and the surface immediately swirls shut above them. The camera pans down below ground and into utter blackness)

Sokka: It's so dark down here, I can't see a thing.
Toph: (feigning horror) Oh no, what a nightmare.
Sokka: Sorry.

(Cut to the surface, underneath the drill, where the ground bulges upwards and opens up. Toph emerges, followed by the others. They stand underneath the Drill itself, a vast, gloomy region framed by long rows of tracked wheels, with the Drill's body as its ceiling.)

Sokka: (pointing ahead and upwards) There!

(An opening in the Drill's belly is seen, with a narrow length of pipe extending out of it horizontally. Aang leaps up to catch it and hangs upside down from it by his legs. He catches Katara and then Sokka by the hands, boosting them up into the Drill. There is a pause and we realize that Toph is not following.)

Sokka: (peeking out upside down from the opening) Toph, Come on!
Toph: (looking resigned) No way am I going in that metal monster. I can't bend in there. I'll try to slow it down out here.
Sokka: Okay, good luck. (both he and Aang disappear up into the Drill)

(Outside, Toph tries unsuccessfully to stop the forward movement of the Drill by bending up an outcropping of stone, but both Toph and the brace are pushed along by the unstoppable force of the Drill's progress.

Cut to the Drill's inner corridors, where Sokka leads the others through a red-lit area of pipes and valves.

Sokka: (studying the pipes) I need a plan of this machine. Some schematics that show what the inside looks like. Then we can find it's weak points.
Aang: Where are we gonna get something like that (Sokka abruptly draws his machete and chops off asteam valve) What are you doing! Someone's gonna hear us!

(Aang looks about worriedly as the room begins to fill with steam.)

Sokka: (confidently) That's the point. I figure a machine this big needs engineers to run it, and when something breaks...
Katara: They come to fix it.

(Aang and Katara exchange pleased smiles. Moments later, a large Fire Nation engineer in a filter mask appears through the steam holding a large wrench and a rolled up document.)

Katara: (appearing behind him) Hi.

(Katara bends the steam, condensing it into an icy shell that entraps the engineer.)

Sokka: (runs up and takes plans) This'll work, thanks!

(He runs off, leaving the engineer standing helplessly, eventually dropping the wrench in his other hand.

Cut to Sokka leading the others up metal stairs, stopping to unroll the plans across a large pipe.)

Sokka: (studying cross-diagram of Drill) It looks like the Drill is made up of two main structures. There's the inner mechanism, where we are now, and the outer shell. (traces his finger along diagram while speaking) The inner part and the outer part are connected by these braces. If we cut through them, the entire thing will collapse.

(Both Aang and Katara nod in agreement and they all race off-screen.

Cut to debarkation point for Ba Sing Se, which resembles a large stone train station. People are milling about in groups, and the scene shifts to Zuko and Iroh, who are seated with arms crossed at a waiting area. Jet casually sits down next to Zuko.

Jet: So, you guys got plans once you're inside the city?
Tea Peddler: Get your hot tea here! Finest tea in Ba Sing Se!

(All three look up to see a tea merchant pushing a concession cart in front of them.)

Iroh: (waving an arm) Oh! Jasmine, please. (the peddler pours tea into Iroh's bowl, who delightedly takes a sip. His eyes widen in shock and he spits it out in disgust) Blaugh! Ugh. Coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it. What a disgrace!
Jet: Hey, can I talk to you for a second?

(Jet gestures for Zuko, who seems to be ignoring the tea episode, to follow him. Zuko rises reluctantly and sighs.)

Jet: (walking away from where Iroh sits) You and I have a much better chance of making it in the city if we stick together. You want to join the Freedom Fighters?
Zuko: Thanks, but I don't think you want me in your gang.
Jet: Come on, we made a great team looting that Captain's food. Think of all the good we could do for these refugees.
Zuko: (turning and walking back towards Iroh) I said no.
Jet: (mildly surprised) Have it your way.

(Jet focuses in on the seated Iroh, who is carefully enjoying the tea now steaming vigorously in his cup. Jet suddenly bristles and his eyes open wide in shock, realizing what he is seeing. Reaching Iroh, Zuko looks back toward Jet, who now wears a look of hostile suspicion on his face. Jet turns and walks off.

Watching Jet leave, Zuko abruptly turns and dashes the cup of tea from his uncle's hand.)

Iroh: (surprised) Hey!
Zuko: (whispering through gritted teeth) What are you doing firebending your tea?! For a wise old man, that was a pretty stupid move.
Iroh: (mournfully) I know you're not supposed to cry over spilled tea, but... (Iroh sniffles and the cup is shown overturned in a puddle) that's so sad.

(Cut to another aerial view of the approaching Drill and its tank escort. Scene changes to the interior of Drill, with Sokka leading the others out a doorway and onto a massive steel beam.)

Sokka: (studying plans) Wow, it looks a lot thicker in person than it does in the plans. We're going to have to work pretty hard to cut through that.
Katara: (crossing arms) What's this we stuff? Aang and I are going to have to do all the work.
Sokka: (turns and gestures to self) Look, I'm the plan guy, You two (makes rapid chop-chop gestures) are the "cut stuff up with waterbending" guys. (strikes a heroic pose) Together, we're Team Avatar!

(Aang and Katara exchange mortified looks. Katara is then shown bending the water out of her flask, sending it to ring against the edge of a vertical beam before being caught by Aang, who bends it back towards her along the same path. As the water zings back in forth, a cut begins to form in the side of the thick beam. Wearing looks of strenuous concentration, Aang and Katara again and again send the water scything back through the diagonal cut. Moving forward to a point where the cut has reached the midway point through the beam, Katara and Aang are shown bent over and gasping with exhaustion.)

Sokka: (pumping arms in the air) C'mon team, don't quit now, we're...
Katara: (explodes with frustration) Grrrrrr! (shoots a menacing glare back at Sokka, who stands wide-eyed, arms still in air)
Sokka: I mean, (recovers and points reassuringly) you're almost there.

(The two of them resume slicing away at the girder little by little. Sokka watches on, an eager look of anticipation growing on his face. Finally the beam is cut completely in two, and the upper section grinds down the angled cut a few inches before screeching to a halt.)

Katara: (clearlyexhausted) At this rate, we won't do enough damage before the drill reaches the wall.
Aang: (sitting down to rest) I don't know how many more of those I have in me.

(An ominous shudder and low moan passes down the length of the Drill.)

Sokka: Do you hear that We took it down. We better get out of here fast!

(As they race away, they pause at a doorway as a voice comes down from overhead speaking tubes.)

War Minister Qin: Congratulations crew, the Dill has made contact with the wall of Ba Sing Se.

(Cut to view of Qin in the command center) Start the countdown to victory!

Azula is shown with an unreadable expression on her face, Followed by the Drill's titanic bit penetrating into the surface of the outer wall.)

Act III

(The scene opens with a high aerial view of the Drill as it starts to bore into the outer wall. A different view shows the rubble from the wall being saturated with moisture as it is conveyed backwards through the Drill. The camera follows the slurry back through a thick pipe to where Sokka is shown struggling futilely against the severed girder.)

Sokka: (grimacing) C'mon brace, budge!

(Camera pans back to show everyone else resting on the large horizontal beam, while Sokka makes several efforts to push the severed one.)

Katara: This is bad, really bad.
Sokka: Were putting everything we've got into busting these braces, but it's taking too long!
Aang: (suddenly inspired) Maybe we don't need to cut all the way through. Toph has been teaching me that you shouldn't give 100% of your energy into any one strike. (levitates to hisfeet) Sokka, take a fighting stance.You've gotta be quick and accurate. (hooks a foot around one of Sokka's ankles, pulling him off balance) Hit a series of points, and break your opponent's stance.(hits Sokka with a series of pretend blows) And when he's reeling back, you deliver the final blow. (bonks him lightly on the head) His own weight becomes his downfall. Literally. (A he finishes speaking, Sokka collapses >forward comically.)
Katara: So we just need to weaken the braces, instead of cut all the way through.
Aang: (pointing upward) Then I'll go to the top of this thing, and deliver the final blow.
Sokka: (raising arms) And boom, it all comes crashing down! (sweeps arms down)
Aang: (passionately) Everyone inside that wall, the whole world, is counting on us.
Sokka: The whole world, minus the Fire Nation that is.

(Sokka grins, while others look on exasperated.

Cut to the underside of the Drill, where Toph still struggles mightily to slow its advance with a stone brace, which merely results in a pile of loose earth growing behind her feet as both she and the brace are drug along.)

Toph: (straining) C'mon twinkle toes, hurry up!

(Back inside the Drill's superstructure, we are shown scenes of Katara and Aang inflicting cuts into various support beams.)

Aang: That's enough, we need to get to the next one!

(Cut to the outside, as earthbender's push wave after wave of boulders from the top of the outer wall. They ring harmlessly off of its hull and drop to the side. Cut to the Drill command center, where Azula , War Minister Qin and the rest of the crew listen to messages coming from the various speaking tubes.)

Speaking Tube 1: (alarmed) War Minister, an engineer was ambushed! His schematics were stolen! (The War Minister looks shocked, while Azulas eyes narrow in suspicion.)
Speaking Tube 2: (alarmed) War Minister, a brace on the starboard side has been cut clean through! It's sabotage sir! (The War Minister is frozen in terror, watching Azula from the corners of his eyes.)
Azula: (turning from Qin to Mai and Ty Lee) Let's go ladies.

(Cut to the Drill's superstructure, where Aang and Katara continue their sabotage.)

Sokka: (Encouragingly) Good work Team Avatar. Now Aang just needs to... (glances up) DUCK!

(He ducks and covers just in time to avoid a blast of blue flame. Azula, Mai and Ty Lee run out onto another massive girder well above Aang and friends.)

Aang: (narrowly avoiding a second blast) Whoa!
Ty Lee: Wow Azula, you were right, it is the Avatar! (smiles seductively) ... and friends.
Sokka: (smiles vacantly and waves) Hey.

(Katara marches past and yanks him off camera. As her allies rush off camera to pursue, Ty Lee drops to the bottom edge of the girder and swings out towards Aang, who throws her backwards with a gust of wind. Aang and his friends are shown fleeing down corridors, when Aang comes to a halt at a T intersection.)

Aang: Guys get out of here, I know what I need to do. (heads other direction with Momo)
Katara: Wait! You need this water more than I do!

(As Aang turns, she draws out her flask of bending water and throws it to him. Sokka and Katara rush down a corridor, while Aang and Momo head the opposite direction.)

Azula: (reaching intersection) Follow them, the Avatar is mine. (Azula races off after Aang, while Mai and Tai Lee pursue the others)

(Cut to Katara and Sokka reaching a dead end, with a large hatch marked by a sign written in Chinese.)

Katara: (as Sokka struggles with hatch) Slurry pipeline What does that mean?
Sokka: (finally opening hatch, peering into it with Katara) It's rock and water mixed together, it means our way out.

(As Katara begins to lower herself into the slurry pipe, Mai and Ty Lee suddenly arrive on the scene. Katara lets go and plunges in followed by Sokka, just as Mai's throwing knives ricochet off the open slurry hatch. Both splash into the slurry neck-deep and are quickly swept away by the current. Cut back to Mai looking down into the slurry flow.)

Mai: (completely revolted) Ughh, disgusting!
Ty Lee: (peering down) Come on, you heard Azula.We have to follow them.
Mai: She can shoot all the lightning she wants at me, I am not going in that wall sludge juice.

(Mai shudders. Ty Lee hops down into the slurry flow, sending up a great spash that narrowly misses Mai. With a final expression of disgust Mai slams closed the slurry hatch.

Cut to scene of Aang racing through the Drill's engineering section with airbending speed, past engineers who barely detect him through their respirator masks. Aang finally races up a long ladder toward the Drill's surface.

Cut to an overview of the Drill showing a large pool of slurry starting to form at its rear. Screaming with fear, Sokka and Katara ride the cascade of slurry out the rear spout of the Drill, sliding to a halt in the grayish ooze.

Sokka tries to wipe the revolting stuff off of his tongue, pounds his fists into the slurry in disgust. Ty Lee emerges from pipe exhaust, riding waist deep in the slurry flow with a look of wicked anticipation on her face. Just as she is about to reach the ground, Katara bends back the rush of slurry, pinning Ty Lee at the terminus of the pipe.)

Katara: (fiercely) Why don't you try blocking my chi now circus freak! (stands resolutely with one hand upraised)
Sokka: Katara, keep that up. The pressure will build up in the drill, then when Aang delivers the final blow, it will be ready to pop!

(Cut to Aang and Momo emerging from an opening onto the Drill's upper hull. The pair start racing towards the front of the Drill, which has already penetrated deep into the wall.)

Aang: (pausing) This looks like a good spot Momo. (glances up, and barely avoids the large boulder that bounces off where he was standing) Aggh!

(dodges a second and third boulder as they continue to rain down from above)

Aang: (shouting upward) General Sung, tell your soldiers to stop shooting rocks down here!
General Sung: (looking down from a great height, he apparently doesn't hear) Soldiers, whatever you do, don't stop shooting rocks down there!

(Sung draws his hands up to his face in distress, while the row of benders next to him release another volley of boulders.

Below, Aang vaults past this new wave of stones, and as he lands, begins rapidly scything the surface of the drill with the water Katara gave to him. The camera pans the entire length of the Drill. At its rear, Katara continues to block the pipe's exhaust with a slurry ball containing Ty Lee.)

Sokka: (in lecturing tone) Good technique little sister! Keep it up! Don't forget to breathe!
Katara: (losing temper) You know, I am just about sick and tired of you telling me what to do all day. You're like a chattering Hog-Monkey!
Sokka: (screaming) Just bend the slurry woman!!

(Katara bends up a rush of slurry with her free hand, launching him up to plunge back down into the foul muck.)

Toph: (emerging from beneath the Drill) You guys need some help?
Katara: Toph, help me plug up this drain!

(Bracing her muddy legs she coordinates with Katara, driving the slurry-plug even further up the pipe. Switching to an internal view of the Drill, we see the slurry pipe system begin to buckle and swell under the pressure.

Cut back to the front of the Drill, where fountains of slurry begin to jet where the Drill meets the wall. Nearby Aang continues to rapidly cut away at the outer hull in an X pattern.)

Aang: (winded) What I'd give to be a metal bender.

(Momo, perched on Aang's shoulder, turns and give out a warning cry, allowing Aang to turn and deflect a deadly blast of blue fire. Momo narrowly avoids the flame.)

Aang: Momo, get out of here!

(Momo flies off as Aang assumes a stance.

The camera follows Azula's shadow to Azula herself, as she readies a stance with a look of steady confidence, then back to Aang who looks nowhere near as sure of himself. It pulls back to show the two benders facing off about a dozen yards apart atop the Drill. Azula begins by launching a ball of fire at Aang, who ducks and simultaneously sends an arc of wind towards her. Leaping over the windblast, Azula once again attacks, but is forced to counter a rapid series of water-whips that keep slapping away her attack gestures. Leaping into the air, Azula delivers a pair of flying firebending kicks that completely vaporize the water Aang was bending sending him spinning back. She is prevented from pressing the attack however, as another barrage of boulders from above force both of them to dodge. Aang catches one of the boulders with bending, sending it hurtling at Azula who falls into a split to avoid it, rises, and launches another fire blast. Aang earthbends pieces of debris into a protective wall, then punches chunks of it toward Azula. Kicking them out of the air, she launches a sweeping counter blast which barely misses Aang's head, who responds by punching an even larger chunk towards her. Vaulting into the air, Azula executes an incredible forward spinning double-kick fire blast, obliterating his defensive wall and hurtling him backwards to slam against the outer wall.

Readying another attack, Azula pauses as she sees the Avatar drop to his knees and slump forward unconscious. Aang is seen from above sprawled against the Drill's hull. Azula is jarred by the forward advance of the drill, and the massive bit is shown bursting through the other side of the outer wall. Cuts to an overview showing the great Drill piercing completely through the wall, then back to a shot of Aang being slowly pulled underneath the walls exterior by the forward progress of the Drill. Azula grabs him by the back of his collar and presses him upright against the wall. Aang slowly begins to rouse, and the camera switches to Aang's point of view as we see a blurry Azula preparing to deliver the final blow. Closeup of Aang's eye snapping open in alarm, then his right hand cracking open the surface of the wall and surrounding itself with a mitt of broken rock. He catches Azula's fire punch in the rock mitt and shoves her far back with it, her steel shod boots sparking against the Drill's hull. Aang strikes a defiant earthbending stance as Azula charges towards him, both hands ablaze.

The battle is suddenly interrupted by a blast of slurry that erupts at the point where the Drill meets the wall, throwing Aang from his feet before surging out to crash against the onrushing Azula. Aang flails about trying to regain his feet, and just manages to make it to his knees before Azula, arms windmilling, skates helplessly through the slop to send them both careening into the wall. Knocked momentarily senseless, they both slide face-first through the slurry and away from the wall, diverging to slip down opposite sides of the Drill. Recovering, Azula tries to stop her descent using her hands and feet, her steel-toed boots sparking. She manages to stop herself midway down the side of the Drill, clutching at it precariously. Aang meanwhile slides down his back, his rock mitt breaking apart as he tries to stop himself with it. He is rescued by Momo, swooping down, catching the back of his collar and pulling him upright so that he can use his swift-running technique to regain the top of the Drill. Aang leaps back onto the back of the Drill, and Momo settles on his shoulder.)

Aang: (scratchingMomo's head) Thanks Momo, I owe you one.

(Aang walks along the Drill's back, through the slurry mess, to stop at the X cut into the plating.)

Aang: Now all I need is a... (boulder crashes down startling him) Actually, that is what I needed for once.

(Bending the boulder around to the incision, he begins a series of sweeping earthbending moves, each one slicing away a large chunk of the boulder. Eventually he is left with a large stone spike pointed down into the breach. Aang drops back, falls into a sprinter's stance and starts running toward the wall. Nearing it he bends up a ball of air and leaps atop it, riding up the sheer face of the outer wall. As he rockets up the wall the ball dissipates, and Aang begins to run up the vertical face. As his momentum falls away, he turns and we see that Aang has nearly reached the top of the outer wall, the Drill far below him.

With a powerful shout Aang completes his turn and wind-sprints downward at a fantastic speed. Meanwhile, Azula having finally crawled back up to the top of the Drill, spots Aang streaking down face of the wall. With a shout, Aang leaps free of the wall and plunges downward, as we cut to Azula preparing a potent blast to intercept him. Her attack passes just over Aang's head as he strikes the spike with incredible force. The explosive shockwave hurls a screaming Azula through the air as it travels the length of the Drill. Cut to the superstructure of the Drill, where we see weakened beams begin to shear in half as torrents of slurry rush past. Cut to an exterior view of the entire Drill, as a chain of slurry eruptions begin at the front segment and work their way towards the rear. Cut to Toph and Katara, still in bending stances, with Sokka standing behind them.)

Toph: Here it comes! (begins raising the three of them up on a pillar of rock)

(As the rock pillar rises from the lake of slurry, a great rush of it issues from the exhaust spout. Ty Lee is washed up against the pillar, slammed against it and held there by the powerful current. Safe atop the pillar, Toph and the Water siblings watch as one by one the segments of the Drill slump to a stop, great clouds of steam rising from them. On the other side of the wall we see the massive bit slowly stop rotating. Cut to a high aerial view showing the remains of the steaming drill nearly submerged in slurry. Cut back to a mud-covered Aang standing atop of the stone spike, as the sun sets in the background.

Wiping the mud from his face, he reveals an enormous grin. Momo lands on his muddy shoulder and starts licking the slurry from his forehead. Cut to a view through the mud-covered windshield of the Drill command center. As the mud slides away it reveals War Minister Qin, standing with an expression of horror and amazement. In another shot we follow a long streak of mud that had exploded up the face of the wall. General Sung stands there completely covered in mud, as it drips away to reveal the pathetic expression on his face.

Cut to Ty Lee sitting up from the slurry pool, wiping clear her face, and spitting out a mouthful of mud in disgust. Azula slides down the back of the Drill, dropping down next to her and splashing her with a fresh layer of mud. Azula looks back to see a steaming hatch open in the rear of the drill, revealing a somber Mai.)

Mai: We lost.

(Cut to the Train Station where an ornate stone train has arrived to pick up passengers.)

Conductor: (voice over) Last call for Ba Sing se!

(Cut to Jet striding angrily toward the train, flanked by Smellerbee and Longshot.)

Smellerbee: Jet, relax! So the old guy had some hot tea. Big deal.
Jet: He heated it himself! (close-up of furious Jet) Those guys are firebenders.

(Cut to a scene of the train, showing Iron and Zuko boarding a car in the background, pulling back to show Jet, Smellerbee and Longshot watching them. Jet raises his collar and Longshot pulls down his hat as they attempt to look inconspicuous as they board a few cars down.

Cut to train car interior as Zuko and Iroh enter, where we see Than and family already seated. Zuko sits down with his arms crossed, still obviously angry. Iroh, sitting down between Zuko and Ying, glances at his nephew before leaning over and smiling at Ying. She is cradling a sleeping Hope in her lap while a grinning Than has his arm draped over her shoulders.)

Iroh: What a handsome baby. (tickles her blanket with his finger)
Ying: Thank you.

(The camera closes in on Hope's peacefully sleeping face while her mother beams over her.

Cut to a shot of the rear of the train, as two earthbenders begin to scoot it forward with a grinding noise. We follow the train out of the station. The scene cuts back to show the train traveling on a raised track over sunset lit fields.

Cut to a shot of Toph, Aang, Momo, Sokka and Katara watching the sun set over the barrens from atop the outer wall.)

Sokka: (enthusiastically) I just want to say, good effort out there today Team Avatar.
Katara: (slightly annoyed) Enough with the Team Avatar stuff. No matter how many times you say it, it's not gonna catch on.
Sokka: How about... (whips out boomerang, startling Momo) the "Boomerang Squad!", see it's good cause it's got "Aang" in it. (puts hand on Aang's head Boomer-Aang.
Aang: I kinda like that one.
Katara: Let's talk about this on our way into the city.

(She and the others start walking away.)

Sokka: The "Aang Gang"?
Katara: Sokka.
Sokka: The "Fearsome Foursome"?
Toph: You're crazy.
Sokka: (now alone) Why? We're fearsome!

(Sokka races after them. Fade to white.)

[End Credits]