| abstract
| - Less than an hour after escaping from Lake Laogai, Aang and his friends relocate to a small island, recovering and discussing what they should do next. Katara and Toph both wish to leave Ba Sing Se, as they have found Appa and thus have no reason to remain there. On the other hand, Sokka wants to stay to inform the Earth King of the conspiracy that is taking place within the city, as well as the approaching solar eclipse, arguing that this was their reason for heading toward Ba Sing Se in the first place. Aang agrees with him. Ultimately, the others agree to remain, and all four ride on Appa to Ba Sing Se's Upper Ring where they manage to break into the palace, tearing their way through the strong defense of Royal Earthbender Guards. Meanwhile, Iroh and Zuko arrive at their apartment after their escape from Lake Laogai. Iroh happily reassures his nephew that he did the right thing by "letting the Avatar's bison go free". However, Zuko dazedly states that he does not feel right and suddenly collapses on the floor. Shocked and worried, Iroh rushes to Zuko's aid. At the palace, Aang and his friends finally reach the Earth King's throne room, where they encounter Long Feng and numerous Dai Li agents, who stand before the Earth King as a last defense. They attempt to inform the king about the Hundred Year War, of which the king is oblivious, and Long Feng's conspiracy, but this proves difficult due to their position and his trust in his chief adviser. Long Feng attempts to arrest them, until the Earth King learns that Aang is the Avatar; he decides to at least hear Aang and the others out after seeing his pet bear, Bosco, acting friendly toward Aang. Aang goes on to explain the various events of which the Earth King is unaware: a war outside Ba Sing Se's walls, Long Feng and the Dai Li's conspiracy, the imprisonment of Appa, and the brainwashing of Jet and countless other individuals. Long Feng denies all the charges brought against him, even claiming that he has never encountered a flying bison. As the Earth King ponders over the apparently unlikely allegations, Long Feng whispers in his ear that Aang and his friends are part of an "anarchist cell" attempting to overthrow him. The Dai Li bind the group with earthbending, and the Earth King orders that the group be detained, but Sokka has an epiphany and, with Aang's airbending, exposes a bite mark that Long Feng had received from Appa during their encounter at Lake Laogai. Long Feng claims it to be a birth mark, but Aang brings Appa in to compare the mark to the bison's teeth to invalidate this statement. Although unconvinced of the larger accusations of conspiracy in the city, the Earth King agrees to investigate more closely into the matter. Long Feng frowns sourly at this and shuffles off quietly with his Dai Li agents. Meanwhile, Iroh watches over Zuko, whose condition appears to be worsening. He is feverish and incredibly thirsty. At the same time, Team Avatar and the Earth King ride the monorail to Lake Laogai. The Earth King states that he has lived in isolation, having never been outside the palace before in his life. When they arrive at Lake Laogai, they find that the entrance to the subterranean facility has collapsed, or destroyed, to prevent further investigation. They decide to show the Earth King the Outer Wall, which was earlier penetrated by the Fire Nation's drill, but the king refuses and decides to return to the palace. Aang, however, quickly convinces him to continue the investigation by letting the Earth King ride on Appa. Zuko dreams and hallucinates: in the first dream, he sees himself as the Fire Lord with a hair style similar to his father's and no scar marking his face. Two dragons, one blue, the other red, coil around his throne and whisper advice to him. The blue dragon, speaking in Azula's voice, tries to persuade "Fire Lord" Zuko to rest, while the red dragon, in Iroh's voice, tells him not listen to the blue dragon and to instead "get out of [there]". The scene soon crumbles around Zuko and the blue dragon attacks, fading to darkness as Zuko sees images of his vanished mother calling out for help. The Earth King arrives at the Outer Wall and is shocked to see the remains of the Fire Nation's drill. Long Feng makes a hurried attempt to pass the drill off as part of a construction project, but the Earth King is unconvinced due to the Fire Nation insignia on it and orders the Dai Li to arrest Long Feng. The two Dai Li agents accompanying Long Feng share a conspiratorial glance and bind Long Feng's arms with metal manacles. When they return to the palace, the king agrees, after some persuasion, to support Sokka's plan to invade the Fire Nation on the day of the solar eclipse, dubbed by Sokka "the Day of Black Sun", when the Fire Nation will be helpless. The Earth King's top generals, the Council of Five, raid Long Feng's office and discover files about every person in Ba Sing Se, including Aang and his friends. Included is the note from Guru Pathik that was attached to Appa's horn prior to his capture, informing Aang that he can teach him how to control the Avatar State; a letter from Toph's mother, saying she is in the city and wants to meet her daughter; and an intelligence report giving the location of Southern Water Tribe warriors led by Sokka and Katara's father, Hakoda. At their apartment, Iroh informs his nephew that he is going through a spiritual metamorphosis because releasing Appa went so strongly against his self-image. Iroh tells Zuko that this transformation will not be pleasant, but in the end, he will emerge as the "beautiful prince [he was] always meant to be". Elated by the news they have all just received, Aang and his friends try to decide what actions to take. Katara suggests, albeit reluctantly, that the group split up. Aang initially objects, but, finding no other reasonable course to take, he and the others agree. Sokka, however, sadly states that he will stay in the palace, as the Earth King will need guidance in the days to come. Katara quickly cuts him off, knowing that her brother's desire to meet their father is greater than her own and states that she will stay with the Earth King instead. Thus their actions are decided – Aang will take Sokka to where Hakoda is stationed before proceeding to the Eastern Air Temple on Appa, Toph will go to meet her mother, and finally, Katara will stay behind to assist the Earth King. The next morning, Aang and Sokka prepare for their journey. Before departing, Aang attempts to tell Katara his true feelings for her, but is interrupted at the most untimely of moments by Sokka. The Earth King, while bidding farewell to Aang and Sokka, receives word that a group of Kyoshi Warriors will be arriving. Sokka, in a moment of excitement, realizes that the group must include Suki and falls off Appa. He quickly recovers and vouches that the Kyoshi Warriors are strong and trustworthy allies. The Earth King responds that he will welcome them with open arms. Katara hugs Aang and kisses him on the cheek in farewell, causing the Avatar to blush. Toph expresses a rare moment of compassion for her friends, and all four engage in a group hug, Sokka reluctantly, before the boys take off. Zuko seems to have awakened from his feverish nightmares and, seeing that Iroh is asleep, goes to the bathroom to wash his face. When he looks up at the mirror, he is shocked to see himself without his scar, replaced by the shaved head and blue arrow tattoos of an airbender, making him sharply resemble Aang. Zuko soon awakens in reality, letting out a loud scream, the whole scenario having merely been a nightmare. He touches his scar, reassuring himself that he is actually awake. Aang and Sokka make their way over the plains surrounding Ba Sing Se on Appa, convinced that things are finally going positively for them. However, back in the city, the circumstances take a suddenly negative turn. In prison, a Dai Li agent delivers Long Feng his meal, but also quietly reassures that the organization retains loyalty to him, not the king. Meanwhile, Toph goes to meet her mother, entering an Upper Ring building that she finds empty. She enters, but only suspects trickery at the last minute, and is captured in a metal coffin. Master Yu and Xin Fu emerge from the shadows and prepare to return Toph to the Beifong family in order to retrieve their reward. Afterward, the Kyoshi Warriors arrive before the Earth King, who formally welcomes them. Unknown to the king, however, they are actually Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee, disguised in Kyoshi Warrior garments and face paint.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)