Chapter Text

EXT. REPUBLIC CITY, VARIOUS LOCATIONS- DAY

The pristine skyscrapers of Republic city shine in the bright light. On the streets, people are readying for a celebration.

Air Temple island is lit by the same bright and crisp sky.



INT. KORRA'S ROOM

ASAMI finishes the last touches of fixing KORRA's fancy hairstyle.

ASAMI

There we go. How's it look?

KORRA

(stands up easily, revealing she is wearing a formal dress)

Perfect.



EXT. AIRTEMPLE ISLAND - DAY

KORRA and ASAMI walk outside. They meet MAKO who is waiting in a suit and his arm in a sling.

MAKO

Time to go?



EXT. NANFANG RUINS - DAY

It is a bright sunny day back in the past and LIN and her metal-benders are in Nanfang helping clear the rubble. Mako is there too, in dusty clothes with his arm in a sling and bandaged. A strange animal suddenly bounds down the street disrupting work.

LIN

Damn escaped zoo animals. Someone warn the volunteer crew.

MAKO walks over to the nearby civilian rubble clearing crew. They are being led by a dusty young man with a megaphone

MAKO

Hey, keep an eye out. Some of the escaped...Wu?!

The leader of the volunteer crew turns around. Is in fact WU.

WU

(still into megaphone, delighted)

Mako!

MAKO winces under the loud volume.

LIN

(peeks over, deadpan)

Huh, I thought you were dead.

MAKO

(taking in Wu's worn and dirty clothing)

You look...different.

WU

(poses)

Thanks! I call it my Prince and the Pauper collection.

MAKO

(smiles despite himself)

You know, for the king of the Earth Kingdom, it fits you.

Then a loud low growl echoes down the street and the pile of rubble in front of them suddenly shifts. A massive striped snout and giant claws emerge, followed by the rest of a huge beast.

MAKO

Watch out! Giant Badgermoles!

(lights a fire in his one working hand)

Wu, get back!

WU just rushes forward with delight and stops right before the beast. It raises its huge claws but then WU starts to whistle. The beast jerks its head back and twitches its head. Then WU changes the tune and points off to the side and the beast obeys, somehow swayed by his whistling.

MAKO

(dumbstruck)

Huh. What do you know, they do obey the voice of the king.

LIN

(walks up beside Mako, narrows her eyes at this display)

That's weird. I don't like it.

WU

(some distance away)

And now, behold their amazing feats!

MAKO

(panicked again)

Wu, no!



EXT. REPUBLIC CITY PARK - DAY

On the day of the celebration KORRA, ASAMI, and MAKO walk up a sidewalk in their formal outfits. ASAMI is carrying flowers. Ahead they meet BOLIN and OPAL. BOLIN is standing but still weak. He waves and then winces as OPAL stands behind him with a wheelchair.

Together they slowly walk forward to a long low wall, about two feet tall and made of polished stone. JINORA is standing over there, and as KORRA and her group approach we see that there is a framed photo of KAI leaning against the base of the wall. The group of friends smile sadly and silently converge as ASAMI kneels down next to KAI's photo and reveals a photo of HIROSHI is leaning next to it.

She sets the flowers down and a widening pan reveals that the low wall stretches out across the park, covered with these small portraits and surrounded grieving loved ones. They are the dead who fell in the war.



INT. HOSPITAL

In a large clean recovery room, BOLIN is lying in bed propped up on pillows. OPAL is sitting beside him, bruises and scrapes from battle still on her face, joking with something she read out of the newspaper. TENZIN and JINORA enter the room and OPAL stands when she sees them.

BOLIN

(smiles)

Hey, good to see you air people! I'd stand up too, but you know, searing pain and all that. Ooh, what'd you bring me!

TENZIN

(slight exasperation over warmth)

I'm glad you're feeling better, Bolin. I extend my most sincere wishes for your full and speedy recovery.

BOLIN is disappointed

JINORA

(smiles and holds out package)

It's candy.

BOLIN

Ah yes! Thanks! Surprisingly, hospital food? Not the best.

(sincere)

OPAL

(to Tenzin and Jinora)

Sorry, I'll be back to the Temple tonight.

TENZIN

You can take your time. The mess Kuvira left isn't going to be cleaned up in a day. Sometimes it even hard to see the road forward. Nanfang city's still in rubble and the cost of rebuilding alone will be astronomical. There's only so much we can do.

VARRICK

(hidden)

Hey, that's were I come in!

The privacy curtain next to BOLIN is swept back to reveal VARRICK in the bed and ZHULI holding the curtain. VARRICK's only sign of injury is a bandaid on his forehead.

VARRICK

Varricorp industries can start working in an instant! I know tons of Earth Empire workers who just lost their last job, and some slaves who don't know they're not slaves yet. You won't even recognize that city after I'm done with it!

JINORA

(frowns)

Yes, that's what we're afraid of.

OPAL

(frowns)

Varrick, I thought you were under arrest for treason.

VARRICK

(waves dismissivelly)

Pssshhh.

OPAL

(frustrated)

What?

VARRICK begins laughing warmly like they're all friends. BOLIN joins in. ZHULI laughs dutifully. The camera recedes.

OPAL

(more frustrated)

No, really, why isn't he in prison?



EXT. REPUBLIC CITY PARK

On the day of the celebration, MAKO is over near BOLIN and OPAL, talking to his brother. KORRA and ASAMI are standing together.

KORRA

Asami, you know...I'm sorry. For everything.

ASAMI

It's ok. You don't have to apologize for anything. You're here. You're here.

(breathes, tears in her eyes even as she smiles)

I don't think I could have handled losing you and my father on the same day.

They down sit together on a bench.

KORRA

You've been through so much. I'm...I don't know. When I was poisoned, it was the worst thing I'd ever gone through. You were there for me, and I ran away. I failed, but I think after it all I learned something. Suffering can breed hate and fear, but it can also breed compassion. And self discovery.

(comes back to the moment)

Sorry, that stuff wasn't what you wanted to hear today.

ASAMI

(joking reprimand with a wistful smile)

Don't tell me what I want.

(leans back)

So what now?

KORRA

(looks into the distance)

I don't know. The United Republic is rebuilding. The Earth Kingdom's still in crisis, but Kuvira's official proclamations of surrender are helping the government transition. And then there's still the spirits, all this spirit weapon stuff must have created a lot of Avatar type problems to fix.

(looks at Asami, sudden realization)

Oh, you meant what now as in right now, before the event. Oh, I don't know. Just sit here. Breath.

ASAMI chuckles.

ASAMI

(adjusts to a comfortable position)

If anyone deserves a moment of peace it's you.

KORRA

We both do.

Brief pause.

KORRA

(has an idea, shifts in tone)

You know... There was another moment, a long time ago, on a dock next to a boat. You said something about a vacation.

(turns to look at Asami)

We could. Do that, I mean. How about it? Go somewhere, just the two of us.

ASAMI

(hesitates, searching Korra's face for what this means, then smiles broadly)

That sounds perfect.



EXT. TOPH'S MOUNTAINS - SUNSET

Wrecked logging machines lie amid logged trees and giant spikes of stone. There has been a lot of earth-bending here. Empire soldiers are lying sprawled on the ground in front of TOPH.

TOPH

And let that teach you! That's what you get for comin' in and choppin' up trees and puttin' them in tubes while someone's trying to get enlightenment here.

(sigh)

And now I got to go break my grandkids out of your stupid prison. And my daughter too I guess.

(gin)

Suyin will hate that. I'll be sure to tell Lin.

Spirits loom behind her making an intimidating sight. Then one of them puts its claws down on the dirt.

TOPH

(startled noises)

Op, Da! Will you get out of here! Shoo!

(muttering)

Freaking spirits floating around not making enough noise and sneakin' up on people....

(turns back to empire soldiers)

What are you gawking at?



EXT. REPUBLIC CITY CAPITOL BUILDING

The celebration preparations are most dense here. Long hangings in each of the four elemental colors are being unfurled down the building as crowds gather outside. A massive crowd is arranged outside the United Republic capitol building. The front ranks are arranged into neat blocks of people from each of the four nations.

MAKO, BOLIN, OPAL, TENZIN, JINORA, PEMMA, and the rest of the Republic City crew take their seats in positions of honor. Over to the side TOPH, SUYIN, and her family are sitting in their own row. LIN stands in front of them, sharing some last words.

A band outside beside the stage begins to play.



INT. UR PRISON

KUVIRA wears a simple prison uniform as she stands in a cell. Over a slightly static radio that very same music filters in. She begins to slowly dance as her exercise. Her expression is almost peaceful.

In another distant cell, BAATAR is listening to the same music over a different radio. He leans back against the bare wall and closes his eyes.



INT. CAPITOL BUILDING

Inside the capitol building KORRA steps out of a side room door and walks down the marble hallway in her formal dress.

PRESIDENT CHANG

(outside)

...We come together and honor all those men and women who lost their lives defending our country and its people. Through their sacrifice we know the truth, that we who inhabit this world are all one people, and we are stronger together.

KORRA approaches a tall ornate door to the main entrance.

PRESIDENT CHANG

(outside)

Years ago Avatar Aang founded this country on that ideal, and today we give thanks to another Avatar who stood at the edge of oblivion to defend it.

The doors open in front of KORRA as she walks out.



EXT. CAPITOL BUILDING

PRESIDENT CHANG

Step forward, Avatar Korra! Savior of the United Republic!

KORRA walks out onto the main stage. The music swells. People cheer. She takes her place in the middle of the stage. The front ranks bow down to her. KORRA raises her arms and begins a slow yet complex ceremonial display of the four elements, levitating water and stone before sending out bursts of air and fire.

In the audience, BOLIN looks at an empty seat beside him and OPAL. He whispers to MAKO.

BOLIN

Hey, where's Asami?

On the stage, KORRA suddenly grins as she nears the end of her ceremonial routine. The music gets slightly quieter. Then, at the conclusion, she brings her arms down and the levitating snakes of water bursts into fog in front of her. The crowd gasps in surprise. Then the mist disperses and KORRA is gone. The stage is empty.

PANICKED CROWD MEMBER

She vanished!

On stage PRESIDENT CHANG and LIN leap to their feet. In the audience BOLIN looks around in frantic concern as MAKO quickly races off to help.

BOLIN

Something's wrong!

He starts to get up but then groans from his injury and falls back into his chair. OPAL gently puts her hand on him to keep him seated.

OPAL

(calm and a little amused)

Calm down. I think everything's ok. I have a guess what this is about.



INT. REPUBLIC CITY CAPITOL SMALL ROOM

MAKO pushes open the slightly ajar door and scans the room. He spots KORRA's fancy dress lying on the ground next to a small strewn pile of shopping bags and a department store hatbox. A hand written letter is sitting in a chair in the middle of the room.

OPAL

(voiceover)

If I'm right, it's something a long time coming. I wish them luck.

MAKO picks up the letter and glances at it as he steps over to the window and peers out, looking left and right down the street. He shakes his head in exasperation.



EXT. REPUBLIC CITY TRAIN STATION



ASAMI and KORRA are walking on the street towards the trains station, lightly disguised in new street clothes. KORRA has a cloche hat down over her hair and she is smiling broader than we have ever seen her. Her and ASAMI each hold small suitcases.

People bump past the two of them in the crowd, having no idea who either are. KORRA and ASAMI cannot stop smiling.



EXT. ROOFTOP OVERLOOKING TRAIN STATION

TENZIN descends down onto the rooftop from somewhere above, cushioned by swirling air. He looks down over the edge and spots KORRA and ASAMI making their way towards the train-station entrance.

TENZIN

(to himself)

Really, that was needlessly dramatic.

(warms a bit)

But I suppose you've earned it. Korra, you've earned whatever you find.

The music continues.



INT. TRAIN STATION

ASAMI and KORRA get onto a train, just before it is about to leave. They look back at the platform and their hands reach out to link together. They stand there for a moment then the train shudders in its first movement and KORRA laughs, pulling ASAMI by the hand off towards their compartment.

They sit in their compartment by the window, side by side, leaning in together in comfort and exhilaration. Outside the countryside rushes by. Pan out to the train speeding along, out into the wide wide world under a broad beautiful sky.



CREDITS



EXT. SPIRIT WORLD

ZAHEER stands alone at the edge of a fantastic cliff looking out over the spirit world. His eyes are closed. He hears the sound of a single footstep behind him. ZAHEER opens his eyes but does not turn around.

ZAHEER

Here for another one of our talks? It's been a while.

From a distance we can now see that there are now two humanoid figures standing on that cliff, one slightly behind ZAHEER.

ZAHEER

(sad smile)

I thought not.

(looks out at landscape)

The ironic thing is that I might agree with you now. The Avatar, she is important. But of course, your methods... I would stop you if I could. Maybe she will.

(lowers his head)

It's coming, isn't it. I can feel it. The end of everything and the beginning. Change is awakening. I just wish I could have seen it.

He suddenly gasps and begins quivering in pain. ZAHEER'S body slowly turns transparent and then dissolves away. From a distance we see that there is now no one standing on the cliff.



INT. SECRET PRISON

In his sealed cell ZAHEER's body lies crumpled and unmoving on the floor, still bound in his chains. He does not breath.



CREDITS

-------

The final of my Legend of Korra screenplay adaptations can be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14982707/chapters/34722920