Post by Cecelia on Aug 12, 2006 10:46:26 GMT -5
(Katara) speaks of a time when the Avatar, master of all four elements, kept peace between the four nations: the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads, until he mysteriously vanished, and the Fire Nation attacked. A century later, the Fire Nation is on the brink of victory in it's imperialist war. Two years ago, Katara's father and the men of the Southern Water Tribe went to the aid of the Earth Kingdom troops. Though things look bleak, Katara still hopes the Avatar will return and save the world.
While on a fishing expedition for their village at their native South Pole, two teenagers--Katara, a young Waterbender, and her warrior brother Sokka-- accidentally steer their canoe into a riptide, where it's crushed between ice floes. Left standing on a floe with little to do but vent, Sokka blames Katara for their predicament, and she begins to yell angrily about his inconsiderate behavior, gesturing emphatically as she does so. Unbeknownst to her, she is involuntarily waterbending cracks into a massive iceberg directly behind her.
As the top of the iceberg crumbles into the sea, a large, spherical underwater portion bobs to the surface, revealing a giant beast and a young tattooed bald boy frozen inside, trapped in a state of suspended animation. When the boy's tattoos begin to glow blue, and he opens likewise glowing eyes, Katara grabs her brother's club and shatters the iceberg to free him. As she does so, a vertical column of bright blue light shoots up from their position into the sky like a beacon.
On an iron Fire Nation warship just off the coast, Prince Zuko, an armor-clad teenager with a burn scar over his left eye, eagerly tells his skeptical Uncle Iroh that the light must have been caused by the Avatar. Dismissing his uncle's advice to not get his hopes up, calm down and drink some tea, Zuko orders the course be set for the light, determined to capture the Avatar.
The tattooed boy wakes up in Katara's arms, and immediately asks her to go penguin sledding with him. He then introduces his flying bison Appa. An incredulous and suspicious Sokka accuses the boy of being a Fire Navy spy, to Katara's irritation. After a sneeze knocks him back ten feet into the air without incident, the boy introduces himself as Aang, an Airbender, and offers to escort them them home on Appa.
As evening wears on, Iroh pressures Zuko to get some rest and reminds him that his quest is as futile as when his father, grandfather and great-grandfather attempted it. Zuko tersely comments he must capture the Avatar because his honor is at stake. Meanwhile, on a swimming Appa's back, Katara asks Aang if he knows what may have happened to the Avatar. He says "no," but looks troubled.
Aang falls into a nightmarish sleep, filled with memories of being caught in a storm with Appa and dragged underwater, reflexively channeling some otherworldly force to freeze them both in an ice sphere.
He wakes in the tiny village, and is swiftly introduced to the remaining population of women and children, who regard him in fear and awe. Katara's grandmother, Gran-Gran, explains that Airbenders have been thought to be extinct for the past hundred years. Aang diffuses the tension by showing off his flying skills on his glider, while Katara expresses joy at having finally found another Bender to teach her.
Iroh, meanwhile, is teaching firebending basics, drilling Zuko and his infantry sparring-partners in a sequence Zuko can't quite get right. As Iroh lectures on the importance of strength as an extension of breath and not brute force, an impatient Zuko tries to browbeat him into teaching a more advanced set. Zuko reasons that it will take more than basics to defeat the last Airbender, who's had a century to master all the elements. Iroh grudgingly acquiesces.
Back at the village, Sokka is failing miserably at instilling a warrior's spirit into the five small boys that make up his ersatz "army," and is further frustrated when Aang lures them away with games and jokes. When Sokka lambastes Aang for indulging in fun during wartime, Aang doesn't understand what war he means. As Aang bolts off in pursuit of a penguin, Katara trails after.
While Aang chases penguins, he and Katara strike up a bargain: If she shows him how to catch one, he'll take her to the Northern Water Tribe, at the North Pole, to find a Waterbending Master to teach her. Katara obligingly tosses Aang a fish as bait, and soon they are both riding on the backs of penguins. They sled towards the shoreline at dizzying speeds, until they come upon the wreck of a warship, torn open on jutting ice shelves.
Katara explains that the Fire Navy ship dates from the Fire Nation's first attacks, and that they can't go in because it may be booby trapped. Aang charges in anyway, incredulous that a war could have started in the few days he was trapped in the iceberg. Katara realizes that he was trapped for a hundred years, and comforts Aang while he copes with the shock.
Unfortunately, while trying to find a way out, Aang triggers a tripwire, which sends up a flare. Katara and Aang escape the shipwreck, but not before Zuko sees them heading toward the village through the ship's telescope. Zuko tells his crew to wake his uncle, and report that he's found the Avatar, and his hiding place.
While on a fishing expedition for their village at their native South Pole, two teenagers--Katara, a young Waterbender, and her warrior brother Sokka-- accidentally steer their canoe into a riptide, where it's crushed between ice floes. Left standing on a floe with little to do but vent, Sokka blames Katara for their predicament, and she begins to yell angrily about his inconsiderate behavior, gesturing emphatically as she does so. Unbeknownst to her, she is involuntarily waterbending cracks into a massive iceberg directly behind her.
As the top of the iceberg crumbles into the sea, a large, spherical underwater portion bobs to the surface, revealing a giant beast and a young tattooed bald boy frozen inside, trapped in a state of suspended animation. When the boy's tattoos begin to glow blue, and he opens likewise glowing eyes, Katara grabs her brother's club and shatters the iceberg to free him. As she does so, a vertical column of bright blue light shoots up from their position into the sky like a beacon.
On an iron Fire Nation warship just off the coast, Prince Zuko, an armor-clad teenager with a burn scar over his left eye, eagerly tells his skeptical Uncle Iroh that the light must have been caused by the Avatar. Dismissing his uncle's advice to not get his hopes up, calm down and drink some tea, Zuko orders the course be set for the light, determined to capture the Avatar.
The tattooed boy wakes up in Katara's arms, and immediately asks her to go penguin sledding with him. He then introduces his flying bison Appa. An incredulous and suspicious Sokka accuses the boy of being a Fire Navy spy, to Katara's irritation. After a sneeze knocks him back ten feet into the air without incident, the boy introduces himself as Aang, an Airbender, and offers to escort them them home on Appa.
As evening wears on, Iroh pressures Zuko to get some rest and reminds him that his quest is as futile as when his father, grandfather and great-grandfather attempted it. Zuko tersely comments he must capture the Avatar because his honor is at stake. Meanwhile, on a swimming Appa's back, Katara asks Aang if he knows what may have happened to the Avatar. He says "no," but looks troubled.
Aang falls into a nightmarish sleep, filled with memories of being caught in a storm with Appa and dragged underwater, reflexively channeling some otherworldly force to freeze them both in an ice sphere.
He wakes in the tiny village, and is swiftly introduced to the remaining population of women and children, who regard him in fear and awe. Katara's grandmother, Gran-Gran, explains that Airbenders have been thought to be extinct for the past hundred years. Aang diffuses the tension by showing off his flying skills on his glider, while Katara expresses joy at having finally found another Bender to teach her.
Iroh, meanwhile, is teaching firebending basics, drilling Zuko and his infantry sparring-partners in a sequence Zuko can't quite get right. As Iroh lectures on the importance of strength as an extension of breath and not brute force, an impatient Zuko tries to browbeat him into teaching a more advanced set. Zuko reasons that it will take more than basics to defeat the last Airbender, who's had a century to master all the elements. Iroh grudgingly acquiesces.
Back at the village, Sokka is failing miserably at instilling a warrior's spirit into the five small boys that make up his ersatz "army," and is further frustrated when Aang lures them away with games and jokes. When Sokka lambastes Aang for indulging in fun during wartime, Aang doesn't understand what war he means. As Aang bolts off in pursuit of a penguin, Katara trails after.
While Aang chases penguins, he and Katara strike up a bargain: If she shows him how to catch one, he'll take her to the Northern Water Tribe, at the North Pole, to find a Waterbending Master to teach her. Katara obligingly tosses Aang a fish as bait, and soon they are both riding on the backs of penguins. They sled towards the shoreline at dizzying speeds, until they come upon the wreck of a warship, torn open on jutting ice shelves.
Katara explains that the Fire Navy ship dates from the Fire Nation's first attacks, and that they can't go in because it may be booby trapped. Aang charges in anyway, incredulous that a war could have started in the few days he was trapped in the iceberg. Katara realizes that he was trapped for a hundred years, and comforts Aang while he copes with the shock.
Unfortunately, while trying to find a way out, Aang triggers a tripwire, which sends up a flare. Katara and Aang escape the shipwreck, but not before Zuko sees them heading toward the village through the ship's telescope. Zuko tells his crew to wake his uncle, and report that he's found the Avatar, and his hiding place.