Chapter Text

EXT. WOODEN PRISON IN THE OCEAN - DAY

A massive wooden platform rises out of the ocean like an oil derrick, alone on the waves but for one small single-engine boat approaching it. In the middle of the platform there is a large wooden cage, and in that cage is a man, GHAZAN. He is muscular, with long dark hair and a series of thick geometric tattoos around his arms. He hangs from the wooden beams at the top of his cell doing pull-ups. Exercise, such as he can manage in there, is how he banishes most of his hours. A couple White Lotus soldiers see the boat and come out of their part of the platform to welcome the new arrival.

The single White Lotus uniformed man manning the boat pulls up alongside the platform and quickly ties up before hefting a few heavy sacks onto the planks. The White Lotus guards on the platform aren't happy.

WHITE LOTUS GUARD

Hey, where's the rest of the shift change?

The man who came on the boat casually removes his helmet and steps onto the platform. With the long greying hair and beard it becomes clear that the man is ZAHEER.

WHITE LOTUS SOLDIER

(confusion transforming to fear and recognition)

What are...Zaheer!

ZAHEER leaps forward in a burst of air, striking the first White Lotus with a sickening crunch of breaking bones. More White Lotus come running out as a bell begins to ring, but though they all fight back with their powers of water and fire ZAHEER dances around them, avoiding them with air techniques he learned as martial arts long before he had the power to use them as they were intended.

Inside the wooden cell, GHAZAN looks up at the commotion. In the flashes of light from White Lotus fire-bending he is showing renewed interest in the world around him. ZAHEER's air powered fight bounces off spars and various projections of the platform until finally his path takes him near the cell. With one motion ZAHEER reaches into the pocket of his uniform and tosses a few ordinary rocks through a gap in the bars. He makes eye contact with GHAZAN and then rushes away to continue the fight.

GHAZAN looks at the small stones lying on the floor and smiles. He thrusts out his hand and the rocks jerk up to float in the air. Then he draws them in between this two hands makes the gesture of crushing them together with incredible force. His muscles twitch with exertion as the rocks crack and crumble and twist, collapsing into a ball that continues to grind into its self. Then orange light begins to spill out as the rocks melt into a small glob of lava. GHAZAN's smile broadens into a grin as, under his power, the glob of lava spins and elongates into a bladed disk of superheated rock. Three quick sweeps of his arms and the lava blade flies back and forth to cut through the bars, leaving a triangular hole of blackened, burning beams. GHAZAN is free.

Across the platform near the boat, ZAHEER is still fighting with the White Lotus. He gets in close and takes down one man with bone-breaking blows but it is clear that he is mostly focusing on evasion to buy time. Then he looks past the Lotus Soldiers and smiles. A large piece of the construction falls down in the midst of the Lotus, sliced ends of wooden beams still burning. ZAHEER takes this opportunity to upend one of the supply bags he brought on the boat. It is full of rocks which now spill across the wooden planks.

Some moments later the last Lotus soldier is thrown onto a wooden corner wall by a blast of wind. He is not getting up anytime soon. ZAHEER breaths out and slowly steps back, withdrawing his hands back into a neutral standing martial pose. Behind him the structures of the platform are gashed and smoking. Then he turns to GHAZAN.

ZAHEER

(genuine)

It is good to see you again, Ghazan.

GHAZAN

Same goes triple for you. Though I've got to admit, I didn't see this coming.

(indicating Zaheer's air-bending)

But I'm not complaining. Where to now? What's the plan?

ZAHEER

(looking out over the ocean)

We free the rest, then we do our duty. The details of the plan may have changed while we were locked away, but the goal is still the same. We are going to set this world right.

EXT. RURAL EARTH KINDOM TOWN - SUNSET

The airship is tethered down in a large field outside a relatively small farming community. Green Earth Kingdom flags fly over one building. KORRA and her friends have already disembarked and a small welcoming community has gathered to meet them.

VILLAGE HEADMAN

Avatar Korra! It is an honor for you to visit our humble community. You know, for decades I'd dreamed of crossing over the border to see Avatar Aang in Republic City. And now you're here! It's like a dream come true.

KORRA

(amused by flattery)

Heh, well I hope I don't disappoint.

TENZIN

(to headman)

Could you please lead us to the new air-bender? It is my heart-felt duty to offer any comfort and guidance that I can.

VILLAGE HEADMAN

(bowing)

Of course, Kumon and his family will be joining us shortly for a special dinner. Please, right this way.

INT. LARGE FARMHOUSE

The main room in this large, well-off farmhouse is packed with innumerable members of the massive family. Children, parents, cousins, uncles, and aunts are all arrayed around the central patriarch, KUMON, a man in his late forties. At the edge of the seating both ASAMI and BOLIN notice a few members of each gender, over a very wide age range, giving them appreciative eyes and smiles. The Avatar might be too lofty to think of as a woman but in a small village charming outsiders are rare to see. ASAMI and BOLIN exchange an uneasy look.

At the center, KORRA and TENZIN are a little overwhelmed as they sit on the opposite side of the large table from the Airbender they have come to see.

KUMON

(casually, while eating)

Yeah, this air-bending stuff is weird, right?

TENZIN is flustered by the casual treatment of his life's mission.

KORRA

(hesitantly shrugging)

Yes?

KUMON

I mean I was out there one evening trying to close up the pens but those ornery beasties were giving me trouble. So I went, "Shoo!"

(waves his arms)

And I'll be darned if they didn't get shooed clear over the back fence by a big blast of wind! It was a surprise I'll tell you. But I guess I'm getting used to it a bit now. Hey, watch!

He reaches out at the table with a messy waving motion with his hands, aiming at a bowel he plans to pull in towards him with his new air powers. However, his inexperience leads to the bowel being blasted out in the other direction. It makes quite a mess.

KUMON

(laughs)

Ha! Sorry about that. I'm not really good at this yet.

TENZIN perks up at a line to the conversation he had been hoping to have.

TENZIN

Of course, that is perfectly understandable. And that is what we can help with. I can teach you, and all the other new air-benders, the ancient techniques of our people. In fact, when you come with us to the Northern Air Temple we can show...

Off to the side, JINORA winces as the locals react negatively to that speech.

KUMON

Woah, hold on! Go with you? To what temple? I think you've got something wrong buddy. I'm just a farmer. I'm not going anywhere.

VILLAGE HEADMAN

(to Tenzin, more polite but still alarmed)

Er, is that really necessary? I thought that you might provide lessons, or maybe some instructional pamphlets he could-

TENZIN

(to Kumon)

You don't understand. You're so much more than a just farmer now. You represent the future of a culture that is being reborn! You're going to help us rebuild the Air Nation.

KUMON

What? The only thing I'm planning to rebuild is my barn.

CHILD

Daddy, where are you going? Why does the bald man want to take you away?

KUMON'S WIFE

(with a look creeping into her eye that she is going to ensure it)

Nobody's going to take daddy away.

KUMON

(anger growing)

Right. I might be able to air-bend, but I've got nothing to do with your history or all that. I'm no air nomad. I'm no monk.

VILLAGE HEADMAN

(a little frantic)

Maybe we should just have dessert. Who wants dessert?

KORRA

(to Kumon)

Wait, I think-

TENZIN

(Increasingly passionate)

Sir, you don't understand. You're an air-bender now, and there are thousands of years of culture you must learn about, skills and traditions you must master!

KUMON

(standing)

No, you don't understand. I'm not abandoning my family, or the Earth Kingdom, just because I got some new powers! I'm not going with you and I think you all should leave!

EXT. AIRSHIP RAMP

KORRA

In my head I saw that going very differently.

TENZIN

Urr! He just wouldn't listen!

BUMI

(hands behind his head as he walks)

Hey, I don't blame him. I'm dad's kid as much as you and I hated those 'thousand years of air nomad history' he always made us listen to. Heck, I didn't even get air-bending out of it.

ASAMI

Should we have stayed longer and tried to convince him?

TENZIN

(Taking a deep breath)

No, there are plenty of other new benders out there who will be happy to come once we explain what the Air Nation is all about.

EXT. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

A Town and terraced fields carved into a steep mountain side. A mother and young son stand in the doorway of a farmhouse facing TENZIN and KORRA.

TENZIN

When your son becomes a master, he'll get tattoos all over his body just like me!

The mother slam the door and clutches at her son.

In a run-down quarter of a large city TENZIN and KORRA face a man with the taped up forearms of a boxer outside a large building plastered with posters for fighting contests. He has a nasty looking scar over his eye and is gnawing on a leg of meat in one hand.

TENZIN

Air-bending is a pacifist art of evasion and self-defense with no killing moves. Also, we're vegetarians.

The flicked bone hits TENZIN in his forehead.

TENZIN faces an open door.

TENZIN

You'll never have to worry about your worldly possessions, because you won't have any!

The door slams.

TENZIN faces an open door.

TENZIN

Complete isolation in an ancient monastery!

Door slams.

TENZIN faces a door.

TENZIN

Flying Bison!

Door slams.

Outside a lavish building decked with gold and silk TENZIN and KORRA face an elegant woman in sweeping robes carrying a hand fan. There is a long pause as they silently stare at each other. Finally, TENZIN speaks.

TENZIN

Shaving your head is customary.

She slams the door.

In another village TENZIN sighs, walking away from a house while behind him KORRA braces against the door as she tries to bodily drag someone out who does not wish to be taken. BOLIN and BUMI walk up, grab KORRA under each arm and drag her back as she is still yelling back into the house.

EXT. AIRSHIP IN FLIGHT

The airship slowly powers through the air while off to the side on a bare mountain tops a small clump of ruins from an air nomad waypoint. The small statues are broken, the paint has worn off the stupa and the small buildings only have two walls still standing. Jinora's air-bison gently flying through the air between the mountain and the airship is the only living creature in evidence.

INT. AIRSHIP

The group is sitting around a large and elegant meeting table, except for BUMI who is sprawled on a couch.

KORRA

This is getting depressing.

ASAMI

(hopeful but not really believing her own words)

Maybe the next air-bender will be more receptive? This is if this vague report isn't another dead end.

BUMI

I still say we should have gone with my plan.

TENZIN

For the last time, we're not getting them drunk and stuffing them in a sack!

BUMI

(defensive)

What? That's how I joined the navy.

KORRA nods eagerly, showing her support for BUMI's approach. TENZIN glares at them both.

ASAMI

(diplomatically)

Well, there is still one approach we haven't tried.

TENZIN

(sighs)

Sure. At this point I am willing to try almost anything.

BOLIN

(wide eyed with excitement)

Wait, really? Yes! You guys won't regret this!

TENZIN

(murmurs)

Somehow, I already do.

BUMI tosses a pillow at him.

INT. VOLCANO PRISON

In a far distant underground location, metal walkways and staircases cling to the side of a dark and craggy stone wall. A pair of White Lotus soldiers descend these stairs, lit from the side by a distant orange glow. They reach their destination at the bottom of this complex, though they are not at the bottom of the cavern by any stretch. A large metal cage is suspended on chains in the air that wavers with heat. Its single occupant is MING HUA, a Water tribe woman curled up on the floor. The sleeves of her top are sewed across her chest, showing that she has no arms. Behind her hanging cage the cavern extends in the distance to the lake of lava at the center of this volcano.

The two White Lotus soldiers approach the cage and hold out a small bowl filled with water at the end of a long metal pole. MING HUA easily twists herself up into a sitting position on her knees and leans forward to drink thirstily from the bowl. Soon it is empty and she looks up at her captors, fierce eyes glaring.

MING HUA

(growls)

More.

WHITE LOTUS VOLCANO GUARD

No way. You'll get another bowl of water at the normal time.

MING HUA leans back in her seating position, lazily looking up through the bars that form the roof of her suspended cage.

MING HUA

I had a dream, you know.

WHITE LOTUS VOLCANO GUARD

(not curious)

Yeah? And what was it (about)...

There is a commotion from higher up in the prison complex. Both White Lotus soldiers look up.

MING HUA

(closes her eyes)

Freedom.

Up above, ZAHEER and GHAZAN are attacking the prison. ZAHEER dances through the defenses with his air-bending power, hopping over the void from walkway to walkway, always making his way lower. He is carrying two small wooden barrels under his arms. Meanwhile, GHAZAN is fighting the White Lotus directly. He reaches out his hands and the stone walls crack and melt into lava, spilling down the levels of the vertical prison and adding more heat to the baking air. The White Lotus fight well, and ZAHEER almost gets taken out several times, but then he gets close enough to MING HUA's cage. He throws down his two barrels and leaps off in a swirl of air to fight more directly.

The wooden barrels smash on the metal bars that make the roof of MING HUA's cell and water splashes down on top of her. With a predatory grin she rises to her feet, sopping wet. Then the water puddled on the floor begins to flow back towards her, running up her legs as her clothes and hair dry by magically retreating water. All the liquid congregates at the points that would have been her arms, then as MING HUA flexes her torso slightly the water springs into the shape of two large tentacles made of pure water and bending power.

One of the White Lotus soldiers before her cage turns to run while the other settles into a combat stance. Flames flicker around his fist as he punches out a fire blast. MING HUA dodges to the side and at the same time whips out a water tentacle through the bars that wraps around his foot and then freezes the grasping part into a glob of ice. MING HUA slams the guard into the bars with incredible force even as her other tentacle reaches for the lock to her cell. The water presses against the mechanism and lints of forming and dissolving ice appear within the liquid for a moment and then the door is open.

MING HUA bursts forth, using her tentacles to swing up onto the roof of her cage and then from there swinging across to reach the White Lotus soldier who had fled from her. She takes him down quickly and from there she races out on a rampage, attacking White Lotus with materializing and dissolving blades and spikes of ice, whips and slicing jets of water, all while moving ever upwards through the complex like a murderous spiderman. Then she reaches ZAHEER and GHAZAN just as the last White Lotus resistance between them crumbles. In a brief moment of calm amid clanging alarm bells the three of them stop to catch their breath.

GHAZAN

(laughing as he grabs her in a bear hug that lifts her off the ground)

Ming Hua!

MING HUA

(to Zaheer, once Ghazan puts her down)

I'm surprised. You got me out before her?

ZAHEER

The most powerful of us all is the most heavily guarded. I'll need your help.

MING HUA

(sincerely and with a smile of eager anticipation)

And I'll gladly give it. Let's go get P'li.

EXT. WALLED EARTH KINGDOM TOWN

A small Earth Kingdom city lies in the middle of a wide agricultural valley. At one end it is dominated by a large military fort made out of solid rock. The city has a double row of thick stone walls surrounding most of it, but as guards in the towers watch the Avatar's airship sail overhead it is clear the military age of walls is ending.

Soon the airship is moored in the distance and the Avatar group is gathered at a local market square with an audience before them. Jinora's air-bison munches on some hay off to their side, the crowd keeping an appreciative distance.

ASAMI

(less than confidant)

So. Bolin's plan?

KORRA

Bolin's plan.

BOLIN stands in front of the group, preening for the crowd. For some reason he is wearing a large false mustache.

BOLIN

(Crowing like a carnival barker)

Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! Behold the wonders of air-bending! An ancient art once thought lost is now returned. The gift is awakened in people across the world. Ordinary people like you, or you, or yoouu!

(He spins around)

But you are not alone! Avatar Korra herself is here, on a mission to rebuild a new Air Nation. Her and Tenzin, the son of Avatar Aang, are the teachers you will have. Come, see what a true air-bending master can do!

BOLIN ends in a grand sweeping pointing gesture. In a moment of silence that follows, nothing happens. BOLIN glances over to his side and makes gesturing motions again. TENZIN sighs and steps forward.

Reluctant as he is to take part in these theatrics, once TENZIN gets going his concentration on the execution of air-bending techniques is absolute. With a circling motion of his arms he summons a gale around him that, as he jumps upwards, compacts into a tire shape and rushes him forward around the square like an invisible motorized wheel. Then he turns towards the center and dismisses the wheel with an effortless relaxation as he slides across the stones, his spin slowly accelerating as a wind gathers around him. Then he reaches the dead center and his body's rotation abruptly halts as all the momentum is transferred to the sudden tornado-like pillar of air that materializes around him, raising TENZIN up into the air. Then the wind fades as quickly as it arose and TENZIN lightly drops down onto a brief cushion of wind.

BOLIN

Even this young girl can soar through the air with the greatest of ease!

JINORA deploys her own glider staff and swoops up through the air like a bird before landing on a flag pole and from there dance across the square balancing on other pole tops. She lands with an expert and elaborate flourish as good as anything her father did.

BOLIN

(theatrically)

But uh oh! What's this? Is there trouble lurking nearby?

AOTO

(aside to KORRA)

Avatar, I really don't think this is appropriate for-

KORRA gives the AOTO of the White Lotus a shove. He sighs and moves forward into the crowd, there he opens his palm and summons a floating flame above it.

AOTO

(unenthusiastic acting)

Oh, I am a fearsome agent of crime, here to do harm to innocent people.

BOLIN

(Dramatic wailing over the booing of the crowd)

Oh, what can save us?! What about... dun dah!

(Heroic tone)

Air-bending!

KORRA and TENZIN step forward and synchronize their movements to summon up a huge tornado that lifts AOTO up into the air as the crowd screams and cheers. Then they let the air die and slowly settle him down on the ground. KORRA walks up and claps AOTO on the back with a grin, most of her lingering bad feelings now evaporated.

The town enjoyed the show, but unfortunately no air-benders come forward. As the crowd begins to dissipate one of the local soldiers walks up to KORRA.

GARRISON COMMANDER

(not friendly)

Good show. Too bad there's no air-benders here for you to take.

KORRA

What? None? But we got a telegram that said there was at least one in this town.

GARRISON COMMANDER

(narrows his eyes)

Well, I'm in charge here and it seems your information was wrong. So you can lift off and head back to the United Republic or wherever you're going.

He turns and marches off, leaving a frustrated KORRA. ASAMI moves in to give her friend a little comfort but at that moment someone else comes out of the departing crowd.

TOWNSPERSON

(to Korra)

Um, are you really the Avatar?

KORRA

Yep. Avatar Korra, at your service.

TOWNSPERSON

(to companion)

I told you!

(to Korra)

Oh, so are you and the tattoo guy here in town about the wind spirits?

KORRA

(taken aback)

Wind spirits?

TOWNSPERSON

Yeah, the local priests are stumped. Invisible things. People will be in their homes and then the window suddenly blows open with wind and when everything calms down something valuable is missing. I mean it makes sense that all these air-benders popping up out of no where might upset the spirit world and the Avatar is the one who deals with spirit world trouble, right? Er, beg your pardon.

ASAMI

(gently skeptical)

And this was...spirits?

TOWNSPERSON

(nodding with confidence that then rapidly melts away)

Yeah, the guards said that there was no way a human person could have done any of those things and...Oh. The Air-bending that you were just talking about. The guards might have just told us a story, didn't they.

(embarrassed)

Right. Um, sorry for bothering you Avatar.

(exits)

BOLIN

(approaching)

What was that about?

KORRA

(glares)

We're being lied to.

INT. MILITARY FORT

The GARRISON COMMANDER from the demonstration sits at his desk. On the wall behind him is a large map of the continent showing the Earth Kingdom, with the United Republic marked in the striped colors of disputed territory. Beside kit is a photo portrait of the Earth Queen. Outside a window, soldiers are drilling against dummies dressed suspiciously like Republic City metal-bender cops. There are quite a lot of those soldiers.

GARRISON COMMANDER

(flatly)

I didn't lie to you.

KORRA slams her fist down on the desk.

GARRISON COMMANDER

(unimpressed)

Spare me the theatrics. I said there was no one here you could take away and that's the truth. The only air-bender who appeared in this city is currently locked in our cells on multiple theft charges. His fate is under the jurisdiction of the Earth Queen.

TENZIN

Well, then send word to Ba Sing Se. I'm sure that there's some sort of compromise we can arrive at.

GARRISON COMMANDER

(to Tenzin, angry)

You may be a powerful man back home but this here isn't those stolen lands you call the United Republic. This is the Earth Kingdom. I've already send word of the Avatar's airship arriving but I've had orders from Ba Sing Se about air-benders for weeks, and those orders say that no one, not an ex-UR councilor, or even the Avatar herself is ever going to get their hands on-!

Another soldier comes up and delivers a telegram message.

GARRISON COMMANDER

(sighs)

And I have new orders.

(reads out)

Her grand majesty Earth Queen Huoting hereby grants Avatar Korra provisional authority to enter the Earth Kingdom. The apprehended subject she specifically requests may be remanded to her custody on the condition that she first prove her commitment to law by lending her resources to assist local authorities in the long postponed revenue retrieval operation. All hail the Earth Queen.

BOLIN

Um, what?

GARRISON COMMANDER

(to Korra)

We need your airship. There's a town out here with a big tax shipment ready to come in but bandits have been occupying the road. You serve the Queen in this and we let you pick our cells clean.

ASAMI

(offended)

Korra isn't your tax collector. This is just the Ba Sing Se flexing to try and look stronger then the Avatar.

GARRISON COMMANDER

Not my decision. Take the deal or not.

KORRA

(After silently looking at Tenzin for a moment)

Fine. I'll go grab your money.

Outside the sounds of soldiers drilling against the targets becomes louder.

EXT. POLAR PRISON - CLOUDY

High in the arctic, amid an endless landscape of ice, snow covered crags, and glaciers, there is one visible outpost of humanity. A small grid of turret-like bunkers stand arrayed in front of a metal door set in the side of a towering ice wall. A small convoy of truck-like vehicles outfitted with treads instead of wheels chug their way to the prison. They stop in front of the nearest guard bunker and several White Lotus members climb out. They are met by a White Lotus POLAR GUARD exiting from that bunker.

POLAR GUARD

(concerned)

Zaheer and the others are really loose?

REINFORCEMENT

They are. And that means they'll be heading here. Is she secure?

POLAR GUARD

Same as the last thirteen years. And I've got a wire that some more reinforcements are coming in from the Fire Nation.

REINFORCEMENT

Good. I want to check on the prisoner anyway.

POLAR GUARD

(gesturing for him to follow)

Of course.

They unlock and enter through the thick metal doors set into the ice face. From there the corridor leads to a small elevator which slowly lowers them down into the prison. This facility is built into a vast crevasse, a rift in the ice. Blue light filters down from above, illuminating the criss-crossing metal beams that prevent the shifting glacier from consuming this prison whole. Near the bottom, a metal bridge leads across the chasm to a solid metal cell frozen into the ice. Two guards stand before the cell which only holds a single woman, P'LI. Unlike the others we have seen she is chained even in her cage, with a thick metal band shackled across her forehead. She looks up as the new White Lotus personnel approach.

P'LI

(shivering but strong)

So, he's coming for me.

P'LI smiles in the gloomy, frigid dark.

INT. EARTH KINGDOM PRISON

Far off in a different country, TENZIN, BUMI, and JINORA approach a much less elaborate cell, walking past many other prisoners of the Earth Kingdom. Inside is a boy, KAI, about 13, resting against the stone wall with his head down.

BUMI

(chuckling)

So this is the future of the Air Nation. Nice update.

TENZIN

(to Bumi)

Hush.

(to Kai)

Excuse me, Kai is it?

KAI jerks to attention very quickly and takes in TENZIN's elaborate robes in a heartbeat.

KAI

(defensive)

Woah, no way! The guards can't pin this one on me. You're not even from this town, I'd recognize that look. No way am I taking the fall for another crime so they can clear their stats.

TENZIN

(blinking in confusion)

Um, no. That's not what we're here...I am Air Master Tenzin and I understand that you are an air-bender.

Ideas flash in KAI's eyes as he instantly changes approaches, defensiveness vanishing and being replaced by a beat-down hopefulness.

KAI

Yes, I am! Look!

He waves his hands in what is nearly an actual technique. A brief gust buffets the cell.

KAI

(pleading)

I know you've never met me before, but could you please let me come away with you? There is so much about this I don't understand and I need someone to teach me.

TENZIN

(impressed)

I must say, this is a refreshing change of pace. I am sure the new Air Nation can help you.

KAI

(really putting on a performance of genuine feeling, some is real)

This air-bending is the first time I've ever felt...connected to something bigger. It's just been me and the street before. But I can't really control this new power and people here are afraid. They blame me when things go missing and...Well, you see where I am.

JINORA

(clutching her hands before her)

Oh, that's so sad.

KAI

(focusing on Jinora)

You know, I've never had a family before. But from the moment you people stepped in here I felt like...It's stupid but I felt a little like I might belong somewhere.

JINORA's eyes are misty but that is nothing compared to TENZIN. BUMI on the other hand, is flipping through a folder of documents he has been carrying since he entered.

BUMI

Nice story, kid. Pity your file right here says a nice family adopted you six months ago. Plucked you off the street and you repaid them by stealing all their cash savings and running off.

(smirks)

Yeah, you aren't in here for snatching a mouthful of bread were you? Ninety yuan from the next place, then forty five out a second story window, and then, wow, five hundred and twenty yuan! Out here in the boonies that's worth something. And then you got caught.

He taps a glaring KAI on the head with the folder through the bars.

BUMI

(smiling)

You got carried away looking sympathetic. Work the facts into your story next time.

KAI

(growing desperate)

Ok, look, maybe I've done things and maybe some of them were mistakes. But I never going to get a chance to fix anything locked in here. Get me out and I promise I'll be the best air-bender there ever was!

(pauses for a moment, and in a quiet voice)

I did mean some of what I said before.

TENZIN is very skeptical and not happy about being played. However, though JINORA has her own cautious suspicions, she sees something in KAI.

JINORA

(to Tenzin)

Dad, I think he needs to come with us. Isn't this what you want the air nation to be about; freedom and new beginnings? Please.

TENZIN is reluctant but after looking at pleading eyes from JINORA and KAI and an unhelpful grin from BUMI he sighs.

TENZIN

Well, Korra already made the deal to get him out. And at least he has enthusiasm.

(opens the cell door and then points firmly at Kai)

But understand that you are already on thin ice, young man!

KAI

(throws up his arms in celebration)

Yes!

KAI springs out of the cell propelled by a gust of wind. He has much more control than most of the other new air-benders. He quickly settles into a cocky stance.

KAI

And don't worry. You can keep an eye on me as much as you want.

(With a raised eyebrow to a suddenly giggling JINORA)

I'm used to people staring at me.

KAI's strutting is upset by BUMI clapping him on the back.

BUMI

(Cheerful)

Oh, we'll keep an eye on you. And so will the Avatar herself. She'll be back here in a moment.

KAI

(almost stumbling with the sudden sense of entering the deep end)

Yeah, the Ava- Wait, what?

EXT. POLAR PRISON - CLOUDY

The POLAR GUARD and White Lotus REINFORCEMENT exit from the thick metal door to the prison in time to see a massive sinuous dragon swoop in and land on the ice between the guard bunkers. A figure in a White Lotus uniform is riding it. The POLAR GUARD claps a hand to his helmet against the wind the beast's wings kick up.

POLAR GUARD

Wow. Help from from the Fire Nation. You weren't kidding.

REINFORCEMENT

(Looking off at a stormy cloud bank in the distance)

Just in time. It looks like that snowstorm will be hitting us any minute.

The POLAR GUARD turns to the storm and narrow his eyes suspiciously. He runs forward and pulls out a spyglass to look out.

POLAR GUARD

(Suspiciously)

That's not right.

(Sees the shadow of a vehicle within the huge mass of swirling snow)

That's not a snowstorm! They're here!

In the middle of the obscuring snow flurries, MING HUA stands on the roof an arctic vehicle racing across the ice plain, her water tentacle arms sweeping in arcane motions as her powers control the entire storm of snow and ice. ZAHEER and GHAZAN ride within the cabin.

The White Lotus guards race to their positions as the driving snow blasts over them. GHAZAN leaps out of the vehicle, uncovering the load of rocks it had been hauling which he quickly melts into lava and throws over the metal door of the nearest guard bunker. Inside, White Lotus rushing to the fight burn their hands on the door. ZAHEER joins the fight too, but the real star of the fight amid this ice is MING HUA. She makes a bee-line for the prison door. White Lotus water-benders spot her and together cause the landscape to erupt in needle sharp skewering ice spikes that quickly rise into a forest. However, MING HUA is too good, her artificial arms carrying her swinging into the air through the gnashing ice teeth and on the other side she ruthlessly defeats those adversaries.

At the heavy metal door of the prison MING HUA forms her water arm into a massive weapon of sharp ice, ready to attack the metal. But then the door swings open slightly. Somehow, it is unlocked. MING HUA smiles and darts inside.

Outside, the fight still rages but ZAHEER and GHAZAN are badly outnumbered. Additionally, with MING HUA gone the ice in the air is dying down, allowing the dragon to take off. The beast comes swooping down with a roar and lets loose a long jet of fire that the two attackers just barely dodge or shield themselves from.

MING HUA reemerges from the prison, now half carrying the much taller P'LI. MING HUA forms her arms into ice blades and breaks off the metal band locked around P'LI's forehead. It falls down to the ice, revealing an elaborate "third eye" tattoo above her brow.

MING HUA

There, now you look like your old self-

She looks up to see the dragon swooping down straight towards them, jaws open.

MING HUA

(wide eyed and speaking very quickly)

Oh no.

MING HUA bends up the ice below them, flinging them to the side out of the erupting jet of fire. But as MING HUA keeps running, P'LI stops and stands at the edge of the dragon's blast, covering her face but letting some of the splashing flame wash over her. Then the dragon is past and she stands alone amid melted slush and scorched metal, her clothes smoldering in many places.

POLAR GUARD

(terrified and looking back from afar)

She's loose!

P'LI straightens up, taller than she has ever stood so far. She breathes in deeply and then out in a smooth controlled cycle, ignoring her blackened, smoking clothes.

P'LI

(distantly)

This is the warmest I've been in years.

Then she deeply inhales again with a sharp motion and whips her head to lock eyes with the dragon which is coming around for another pass. She exhales and a disturbance in the air shoots out from her third-eye forehead tattoo. In the sudden silence of a lull in the fight this nearly invisible beam makes three faint "lightning cracks" and little sparks in the air until it intersects with the dragon and explodes out of nothing with incredible force. The dragon screeches in pain and comes tumbling out of the sky, its deadly swoop transformed into a tumbling crash landing.

Then P'LI turns to the rest of the White Lotus, shooting out explosions with pinpoint accuracy at ranges behold what most other bending techniques could attempt. The guards can not stand against this and fall back as the four one-time prisoners are reunited by their escape vehicle. GHAZAN revs the engine.

GHAZAN

(from the driver's seat)

Get in!

As ZAHEER and PLI end up in the seats right next to each other, ZAHEER looks up at her.

ZAHEER

P'li, I-

P'LI grips both sides of his face and cuts him off with a passionate kiss. This kiss continues for quite a while.

GHAZAN

Maybe save that until we finish escaping? Guys we...Ah, whatever.

Their vehicle races off across the ice.

INT. AIRSHIP

AOTO and his few White Lotus personnel are looking very unhappy with the small group of Earth Kingdom soldiers who are now accompanying them on this trip. BOLIN is trying to tell a joke but it falls very flat. KORRA looks back and squints in frustration before turning away and sitting down by one of the large windows. She tries to briefly meditate to center herself before they reach their destination.

Soon she does calm her breathing and then some sense causes her to open her eyes to a small sliver. Below the airship the land is now dry and mountainous but what draws the attention of KORRA's blurry view are the ephemeral serpents now weaving through the air. These spirits are pale and transparent but still show evidence of brilliant color in their feathers and streamers. They fade in and out of sight as KORRA's concentration wavers.

KORRA

(quietly)

Heh. Wind spirits.

ASAMI

What was that?

KORRA opens her eyes all the way and her view of the gamboling spirits vanishes. There is only empty sky and dry ground outside the window. She shakes her head slightly and looks up at ASAMI who has come to sit by her.

ASAMI

We're coming up on the town now.

From this distance the settlement, though of reasonable size, looks rather dusty and run down.

KORRA

It doesn't look like much, does it?

ASAMI

Supposedly there's a lot of corners of the Earth Kingdom that the government in Ba Sing Se never really regained control over, even after the war. Bandits everywhere. I guess we're helping bring the country back together?

(She does not sound confidant in her own assessment)

KORRA

Let's get this over with.

EXT. POOR EARTH KINGDOM TOWN

KORRA, ASAMI, and BOLIN stand in the middle of a large town square between the moored airship and a sturdily constructed local government building. The rest of the town looks like it has seen harder times and the townspeople who have gathered to watch do so with silent glares. The Earth Kingdom soldiers carrying the heavy chests of tax revenue back to the airship do so with many nervous glances at the residents of the town. When the Soldiers cross paths they salute each other.

SOLDIERS

(together)

All hail the Earth Queen!

AOTO approaches KORRA from the direction of the governmental building.

AOTO

(with distaste for the local soldiers)

It looks like they're almost done.

KORRA

Good. We can...

Something catches her eye. The crowd of people watching them is a lot sparser than it was a moment ago.

KORRA

Something's wrong.

From the distance the noise of car engines is fast approaching. As the rest of the townsfolk suddenly rush off several car and truck loads of bandits come roaring through the town, looking like 'Mad Max' villains in Model-Ts. The Earth Soldiers carrying the tax chests drop them and run towards the airship.

EARTH SOLDIER

(panicked)

Bandits!

The bandit cars come screeching into the main square whooping and hefting their spears, swords, and crossbows. A few pull the tabs on long handled grenades, such as the type seen in WWI, and throw them out to scatter the soldiers and White Lotus. One lead bandit leaps out and plants his feet down on the square with a thump. He is the lone EARTH-BENDER BANDIT.

EARTH-BENDER BANDIT

(Yelling out as he points to the airship)

Fancy toys won't help you, government dogs!

(raises his fist)

This is our town now!

EARTH-BENDER BANDIT stamps the ground and launches up a rock the size of his chest, levitating it in the air ready to launch it off with a smirk on his face. Then a shadow passes over his face and all that confidence melts away. KORRA is standing in front of him with both her arms held up and two hunks of earth the size of cars floating on each side of her. The Avatar is a different league entirely.

Over the sound of smashes and explosions from elsewhere, one of the bandit trucks screeches to a stop and armed bandits pile out. Two White Lotus guards are still standing by the fallen tax revenue box with ASAMI. The White Lotus punch out with fire and whips of water and quickly fell four of the charging bandits, but there are more. One of the White Lotus falls, injured, while the other is chased off by the flow of battle. Two of the remaining bandits, one grasping his shoulder from an injury, advance on the lone young woman remaining by the pile of money spilling out of the chest. ASAMI has her back to them, making some odd motion with her hands concealed behind her body.

The two bandits exchange grins at an easy mark. They swagger over to ASAMI, but as they get close there is a confusing high-pitched and rising whining sound. Then ASAMI spins and snaps out her arm to grasp the nearest bandit with the electric Equalist gauntlet she has strapped onto her hand. That bandit goes down instantly, incapacitated by electric shock. The other bandit raises his weapon and lunges in but ASAMI ducks the side and half trips half throws him onto the ground before slamming the gauntlet down into his back for the takedown. She may not be a bender but anyone who underestimates her will get a surprise.

Further out in the square, BOLIN bobs and weaves, punching off a few earth-bending rocks at the various groups of bandits fighting on foot.

BOLIN

(cheering while still convincing himself)

I got this! I got this!

A bandit car come speeding towards him, filled with heavily armed fighters. BOLIN yelps and bends up a small earth barrier in front of him. He stands firm for a very brief moment but then he loses his nerve and starts to duck to the side. Then there is a louder rumble from behind him and he turns to see the ground cracking and rising in a huge wave. It smoothly parts around BOLIN only to collapse together again on the other side, launching the speeding bandit car high into the air. BOLIN looks to see KORRA with her fists extended. She is in the center of a huge circle of destruction.

BOLIN

You got this!

Then he ducks to the side as a blast of flame smashes into the crashed bandit car.

Unfortunately, now KORRA has managed to let herself get in the middle of a semi-circle of raised crossbows. She is pressed against a building wall and a quick glance up to its roof gives her a plan if she can find an opening.

That opening is provided by AOTO's timely attack. A few fire blasts are enough to shake up the bandits so that KORRA can execute an building burst of air that both scatters the bandits and

launches her up in a two story backflip to land on the roof, right next to a small water-tower. With a gesture of her water-bending that tanks explodes outwards and the liquid comes crashing down on the crossbowmen before freezing, locking them in place.

KORRA air-bends her way down to the ground and grabs AOTO's hand to help him up with a smile. In at moment one of the bandit trucks comes revving up towards them but it is ASAMI at the driver's wheel. KORRA grins and runs up to leap on the side of the passing accelerating truck, opening the door only to be surprised by the groaning former driver to come slumping out. From her new mobile platform, KORRA mops up most of the bandit combatants.

The bandits, many helping up injured compatriots, pile into their remaining vehicles and peel put in full retreat. KORRA elects to let them go, but as they are leaving one bandit stands up and yells back at the square.

BANDIT

You're on the wrong side, Avatar!

This is a victory, but the already poor looking town is even more smashed up than when they arrived and it was all over some money. KORRA does not look as enthusiastic about defeating people as she usually does.

EXT. AIRSHIP LEAVING WALLED TOWN- EVENING

KORRA stands on the ramp waiting for the soldiers to get off and welcoming back those who had stayed in the town. After the fight she is a little rumpled and worse for the wear, fly-aways have come loose from her pony-tail and side-locks. With a tired exhalation she looks to the side at ASAMI who somehow still looks like she came straight from the salon. KORRA's expression says "seriously?", but ASAMI is just confused about what KORRA is looking at.

The Earth Kingdom Soldiers from the town push KAI forward to complete the hand-off at the foot of the airship ramp.

GARRISON COMMANDER

(thick with distaste)

Just keep him out of our country.

KAI

(cheerful)

Love you too, man.

JINORA gives him a reproachful look while trying not to laugh. They enter while KORRA, BOLIN, and ASAMI remain on the ramp for a moment.

KORRA

(looking into the distance)

It's the duty of the Avatar to maintain balance in the world. I suppose it's just sinking in how much bigger than me this world is. Rebuilding the air-nation is right, but after...when it comes to everything else I'm not sure what to I'm supposed to do.

BOLIN

(shrugs)

You try your best, and when you screw something up, you try to fix it. That's what Mako always says and I haven't messed anything too badly yet.

KORRA

(smiles)

Yeah, that sound about right.

The sunset turns the horizon red.