Home > Avatar: The Last Airbender

The Blind Bandit

Katara: WATER...

EARTH...

FIRE...

AIR.

LONG AGO, THE 4 NATIONS LIVED TOGETHER IN HARMONY.

THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED WHEN THE FIRE NATION ATTACKED.

ONLY THE AVATAR, MASTER OF ALL 4 ELEMENTS,

COULD STOP THEM.

BUT WHEN THE WORLD NEEDED HIM MOST,

HE VANISHED.

100 YEARS PASSED,

AND MY BROTHER AND I DISCOVERED THE NEW AVATAR--

AN AIRBENDER NAMED AANG.

AND ALTHOUGH HIS AIRBENDING SKILLS ARE GREAT,

HE HAS A LOT TO LEARN BEFORE HE'S READY TO SAVE ANYONE.

Aang: OOF.

BUT I BELIEVE AANG CAN SAVE THE WORLD.

Katara: WE NEED TO FIND KING BUMI

SO AANG CAN LEARN EARTHBENDING SOMEWHERE SAFE.

SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE HEADED TO OMASHU.

I PRESENT TO YOU THE EARTH KINGDOM CITY OF O--OH, NO.

I GUESS I NEED TO FIND SOMEONE ELSE

TO TEACH ME EARTHBENDING.

YOU NEED TO FIND SOMEONE WHO WAITS AND LISTENS BEFORE STRIKING.

IN THE SWAMP, WE SEE VISIONS OF PEOPLE WE'VE LOST,

PEOPLE WE LOVED.

BUT WHAT ABOUT MY VISION?

IT WAS SOMEONE I HAD NEVER MET.

IT'S PRICEY, BUT I REALLY DO LIKE IT.

THEN YOU SHOULD GET IT. YOU DESERVE SOMETHING NICE.

I DO, DON'T I?

BUT NO. IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE. I SHOULDN'T.

ALL RIGHT. THEN DON'T.

YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GONNA GET IT.

PSST, PSST.

HEY, YOU KIDS LIKE EARTHBENDING?

YOU LIKE THROWING ROCKS?

THEN CHECK OUT

MASTER YU'S EARTHBENDING ACADEMY.

Aang: LOOK. THERE'S A COUPON ON THE BACK.

THE FIRST LESSON IS FREE.

WHO KNOWS? THIS MASTER YU COULD BE

THE EARTHBENDING TEACHER YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR.

[SNIFFS]

TAKE YOUR STANCES.

NOW STRIKE AS IF YOU'RE PUNCHING THROUGH YOUR OPPONENT'S HEAD.

HYAH!

SO ARE YOU READY TO COMMIT TO MORE LESSONS?

IF YOU PAY FOR THE WHOLE YEAR IN ADVANCE,

I'LL BUMP YOU UP TO THE NEXT BELT.

HE'S NOT THE ONE.

I THINK THE BOULDER IS GONNA WIN BACK THE BELT

AT EARTH RUMBLE 6.

HE'S GONNA HAVE TO FIGHT HIS WAY THROUGH

THE BEST EARTHBENDERS IN THE WORLD TO EVEN GET A SHOT AT THE CHAMP.

EXCUSE ME.

BUT WHERE IS THIS EARTHBENDING TOURNAMENT EXACTLY?

IT'S ON THE ISLAND OF NONEOYA--

NONE O' YA BUSINESS.

HA HA! HA HA!

HA HA!

OH, I GOT TO REMEMBER THAT ONE.

I'LL TAKE CARE OF THIS.

HEY, STRONG GUYS, WAIT UP.

WHAT WAS I THINKING? I DON'T NEED A NEW BAG.

WHY'D YOU LET ME BUY THIS?

[PURRING]

YOU READY TO FIND AN EARTHBENDING TEACHER,

BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO EARTH RUMBLE 6.

HOW DID YOU GET THEM TO TELL YOU?

OH, A GIRL HAS HER WAYS.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HEY, FRONT ROW SEATS. I WONDER WHY NO ONE ELSE IS SITTING HERE.

I GUESS THAT'S WHY.

[CHEERING GROWS LOUDER]

WELCOME TO EARTH RUMBLE 6.

I AM YOUR HOST, XIN FU.

THIS IS JUST GONNA BE A BUNCH OF GUYS

CHUCKING ROCKS AT EACH OTHER, ISN'T IT?

THAT'S WHAT I PAID FOR.

THE RULES ARE SIMPLE.

JUST KNOCK THE OTHER GUY OUT OF THE RING,

AND YOU WIN.

[BELL RINGS]

ROUND ONE--THE BOULDER VERSUS THE BIG BAD HIPPO!

[YELLS]

LISTEN UP, HIPPO. YOU MAY BE BIG, BUT YOU AIN'T BAD.

THE BOULDER'S GONNA WIN THIS IN A LANDSLIDE.

HIPPO MAD!

HYAH!

Xin Fu: UNBELIEVABLE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

THE HIPPO IS ROCKING THE BOULDER.

THE BOULDER WINS.

[CROWD CHEERS]

HOW ABOUT THE BOULDER?

HE'S GOT SOME GOOD MOVES.

I DON'T KNOW. BUMI SAID I NEED A TEACHER WHO LISTENS TO THE EARTH.

HE'S JUST LISTENING TO HIS BIG MUSCLES.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, SOKKA?

HA HA! WHOO!

NEXT MATCH, THE BOULDER VERSUS FIRE NATION MAN.

[CROWD BOOS]

BOO! BOO!

PLEASE DO RISE

FOR FIRE NATION NATIONAL ANTHEM.

♪ FIRE LORD, MY FLAME BURNS FOR THEE ♪

[CROWD BOOING]

GO BACK TO THE FIRE NATION.

NO. NO, PLEASE!

AAH!

YEAH! WHOO!

THE BOULDER KNOWS HOW TO PUT THE HURT IN THE DIRT.

YEAH! WHOO!

[ORGAN PLAYING]

[BELL RINGS]

NOW THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR--

THE BOULDER VERSUS YOUR CHAMPION--THE BLIND BANDIT.

[CROWD CHEERS]

[CROWD CHANTING "BANDIT"]

SHE CAN'T REALLY BE BLIND.

IT'S JUST PART OF HER CHARACTER, RIGHT?

I THINK SHE IS.

I THINK SHE IS...

GOING DOWN!

THE BOULDER FEELS CONFLICTED

ABOUT FIGHTING A YOUNG BLIND GIRL.

SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE SCARED, BOULDER.

THE BOULDER'S OVER HIS CONFLICTED FEELINGS,

AND NOW HE'S READY TO BURY YOU IN A ROCK-ALANCHE.

WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, THE PEBBLE.

HA HA HA!

[GIGGLES]

HA HA HA!

IT'S ON.

[GROWLING]

[GROWLING IN SLOW MOTION]

WHOA!

OOH.

OOH!

Xin Fu: YOUR WINNER, AND STILL THE CHAMPION, THE BLIND BANDIT.

[CRYING] NO!

HOW DID SHE DO THAT?

SHE WAITED AND LISTENED.

TO MAKE THINGS A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING,

I'M OFFERING UP THIS SACK OF GOLD PIECES

TO ANYONE WHO CAN DEFEAT THE BLIND BANDIT.

WHAT? NO ONE DARES TO FACE HER?

I WILL.

GO, AANG! AVENGE THE BOULDER!

DO PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO SEE TWO LITTLE GIRLS

FIGHTING OUT HERE?

Crowd: OOH.

I DON'T REALLY WANT TO FIGHT YOU.

I WANT TO TALK TO YOU.

BOO! NO TALKING!

DON'T BOO AT HIM.

SOMEBODY'S A LITTLE LIGHT ON HIS FEET.

WHAT'S YOUR FIGHTING NAME, THE FANCY DANCER?

WHERE'D YOU GO?

PLEASE, WAIT.

THERE YOU ARE.

AAH!

[CROWD CHEERS]

PLEASE LISTEN!

I NEED AN EARTHBENDING TEACHER,

AND I THINK IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE YOU.

WHOEVER YOU ARE, JUST LEAVE ME ALONE.

WAIT!

[FANFARE]

Sokka: WAY TO GO, CHAMP.

I GOT TO ADMIT,

NOW I'M REALLY GLAD I BOUGHT THIS BAG.

IT MATCHES THE BELT PERFECTLY.

THAT IS A BIG RELIEF.

IF WE WANT TO FIND THE BLIND BANDIT,

THE EARTHBENDING ACADEMY IS A GOOD PLACE TO START.

OH, GREAT. YOU AGAIN.

AAH! AAH!

YEAH. I DIDN'T THINK SO.

NICELY DONE.

HEY, YOU'RE THE KID WHO BEAT THE BLIND BANDIT.

Aang: WE NEED TO TALK TO HER.

DO YOU GUYS KNOW WHERE SHE LIVES?

THE BLIND BANDIT'S A MYSTERY.

SHE SHOWS UP TO FIGHT, THEN DISAPPEARS.

LET ME HANDLE THIS.

YOU'RE NOT TELLING US EVERYTHING.

NO, NO. I SWEAR IT'S TRUE.

NO ONE KNOWS WHERE SHE GOES OR WHO SHE REALLY IS.

THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING ABOUT THE WRONG PERSON.

IN MY VISION, I SAW A GIRL IN A WHITE DRESS

WITH A PET FLYING BOAR.

KNOW ANYBODY LIKE THAT?

WELL, A FLYING BOAR IS THE SYMBOL OF THE BEI FONG FAMILY.

THEY'RE THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN TOWN,

PROBABLY THE WHOLE WORLD.

YEAH, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A DAUGHTER.

A FLYING BOAR IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. LET'S CHECK IT OUT.

YEAH. YOU BETTER LEAVE.

HEY. I GOT MY EYE ON YOU.

WATER TRIBE.

I'M TELLING YOU,

THE BOULDER WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE.

I SAW THE KID STRIKE, BUT THERE WAS NO EARTHBENDING.

NOTHING MADE CONTACT.

THE BLIND BANDIT JUST FELL OUT OF THE RING.

SHE MUST HAVE TOOK A DIVE

AND SPLIT THE MONEY WITH THE KID.

[YELLS]

NOBODY CHEATS XIN FU.

THAT'S THE FLYING BOAR FROM MY VISION. COME ON.

[KIDS SCREAMING]

WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, TWINKLE TOES?

HOW DID YOU KNOW IT WAS ME?

DON'T ANSWER TO TWINKLE TOES. IT'S NOT MANLY.

YOU'RE THE ONE WHOSE BAG MATCHES HIS BELT.

HOW DID YOU FIND ME?

WELL, A CRAZY KING TOLD ME I HAD TO FIND

THE EARTHBENDER WHO LISTENS TO THE EARTH.

AND THEN I HAD A VISION IN A MAGIC SWAMP, AND--

WHAT AANG IS TRYING TO SAY

IS HE'S THE AVATAR, AND IF HE DOESN'T MASTER EARTHBENDING SOON,

HE WON'T BE ABLE TO DEFEAT THE FIRE LORD.

NOT MY PROBLEM. NOW GET OUT OF HERE

OR I'LL CALL THE GUARDS.

Sokka: LOOK, WE ALL HAVE TO DO OUR PART TO WIN THIS WAR.

AND YOURS IS TO TEACH AANG EARTHBENDING.

GUARDS! GUARDS, HELP!

TOPH, WHAT HAPPENED?

I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMEONE. I GOT SCARED.

YOU KNOW YOUR FATHER DOESN'T WANT YOU WANDERING THE GROUNDS

WITHOUT SUPERVISION, TOPH.

[SNIFFS]

I'M PLEASED TO HEAR

THAT TOPH'S PRIVATE LESSONS ARE GOING WELL,

BUT I WANT TO BE SURE SHE'S NOT TRYING ANYTHING TOO DANGEROUS.

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I'M KEEPING HER AT THE BEGINNER'S LEVEL--

BASIC FORMS AND BREATHING EXERCISES ONLY.

VERY GOOD.

EXCUSE ME, SIR, BUT YOU HAVE A VISITOR.

WHO THINKS THEY ARE SO IMPORTANT

THEY CAN JUST COME TO MY HOME UNANNOUNCED?

UH, THE AVATAR, SIR.

[CHOMPING NOISILY]

BLOW ON IT. IT'S TOO HOT FOR HER.

ALLOW ME.

OH, MY.

AVATAR AANG, IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU VISIT US.

IN YOUR OPINION, HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU THINK THE WAR WILL LAST?

I'D LIKE TO DEFEAT THE FIRE LORD BY THE END OF SUMMER,

BUT I CAN'T DO THAT

WITHOUT FINDING AN EARTHBENDING TEACHER FIRST.

WELL, MASTER YU IS THE FINEST TEACHER IN THE LAND.

HE'S BEEN TEACHING TOPH SINCE SHE WAS LITTLE.

THEN SHE MUST BE A GREAT EARTHBENDER,

PROBABLY GOOD ENOUGH TO TEACH SOMEONE ELSE. OW!

TOPH IS STILL LEARNING THE BASICS.

YES. AND, SADLY, BECAUSE OF HER BLINDNESS,

I DON'T THINK SHE WILL EVER BECOME A TRUE MASTER.

OH, I'M SURE SHE'S BETTER THAN YOU THINK SHE IS.

UH!

[AH-CHOO]

WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?

WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?

WELL, SHALL WE MOVE TO THE LIVING ROOM

FOR DESSERT, THEN?

GOOD NIGHT, BUDDY.

HYAH!

RELAX. LOOK, I'M SORRY ABOUT DINNER.

LET'S CALL IT A TRUCE, OK?

EVEN THOUGH I WAS BORN BLIND, I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM SEEING.

I SEE WITH EARTHBENDING.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE SEEING WITH MY FEET.

I FEEL THE VIBRATIONS IN THE EARTH,

AND I CAN SEE WHERE EVERYTHING IS--

YOU, THAT TREE, EVEN THOSE ANTS.

THAT'S AMAZING.

MY PARENTS DON'T UNDERSTAND.

THEY'VE ALWAYS TREATED ME LIKE I WAS HELPLESS.

IS THAT WHY YOU BECAME THE BLIND BANDIT?

YEAH.

THEN WHY STAY HERE WHERE YOU'RE NOT HAPPY?

THEY'RE MY PARENTS.

WHERE ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO GO?

YOU COULD COME WITH US.

YEAH. YOU GUYS GET TO GO WHEREVER YOU WANT.

NO ONE TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO-- THAT'S THE LIFE.

IT'S JUST NOT MY LIFE.

WE'RE BEING AMBUSHED.

I THINK YOU KIDS OWE ME SOME MONEY.

WHOEVER TOOK AANG AND TOPH LEFT THIS.

"IF YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR DAUGHTER AGAIN,

BRING 500 GOLD PIECES TO THE ARENA."

IT'S SIGNED "XIN FU AND THE BOULDER."

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. I HAVE THE BOULDER'S AUTOGRAPH!

MASTER YU, I NEED YOU

TO HELP ME GET MY DAUGHTER BACK.

WE'RE GOING WITH YOU.

POOR TOPH!

SHE MUST BE SO SCARED.

YOU THINK YOU'RE SO TOUGH, WHY DON'T YOU COME UP HERE

SO I CAN SMACK THAT GRIN OFF YOUR FACE?

I'M NOT SMILING.

Sokka: TOPH!

HERE'S YOUR MONEY. NOW, LET THEM GO.

WHAT ABOUT AANG?

I THINK THE FIRE NATION WILL PAY A HEFTY PRICE FOR THE AVATAR.

NOW GET OUT OF MY RING.

GO. I'LL BE OK.

TOPH, THERE'S TOO MANY OF THEM. WE NEED AN EARTHBENDER.

WE NEED YOU.

MY DAUGHTER IS BLIND.

SHE IS BLIND AND TINY AND HELPLESS

AND FRAGILE.

SHE CANNOT HELP YOU.

YES, I CAN.

LET HIM GO.

I BEAT YOU ALL BEFORE, AND I'LL DO IT AGAIN.

THE BOULDER TAKES ISSUE WITH THAT COMMENT.

WAIT.

THEY'RE MINE.

UGH.

HIT IT HARDER!

I'M TRYING.

AAH!

[GROWLING]

[GROWLING]

[EARTHBENDER YELLS]

I NEVER KNEW. YOUR DAUGHTER'S AMAZING.

[CRACK CRACK]

SHE'S THE GREATEST EARTHBENDER I'VE EVER SEEN.

DAD, I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY HARD

FOR YOU TO SEE ME THIS WAY,

BUT THE OBEDIENT LITTLE HELPLESS BLIND GIRL

THAT YOU THINK I AM JUST ISN'T ME.

I LOVE FIGHTING.

I LOVE BEING AN EARTHBENDER.

AND I'M REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT IT.

I KNOW I'VE KEPT MY LIFE SECRET FROM YOU,

BUT YOU WERE KEEPING ME SECRET FROM THE WHOLE WORLD.

YOU WERE DOING IT TO PROTECT ME.

BUT I'M 12 YEARS OLD, AND I'VE NEVER HAD A REAL FRIEND.

SO NOW THAT YOU SEE WHO I REALLY AM,

I HOPE IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE WAY YOU FEEL ABOUT ME.

OF COURSE IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT YOU, TOPH.

IT'S MADE ME REALIZE SOMETHING.

IT HAS?

YES. I'VE LET YOU HAVE FAR TOO MUCH FREEDOM.

FROM NOW ON, YOU WILL BE CARED FOR AND GUARDED

24 HOURS A DAY.

BUT, DAD--

Mom: WE ARE DOING THIS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, TOPH.

Mr. Bei Fong: PLEASE ESCORT THE AVATAR AND HIS FRIENDS OUT.

THEY ARE NO LONGER WELCOME HERE.

I'M SORRY, TOPH.

I'M SORRY, TOO. GOOD-BYE, AANG.

DON'T WORRY. WE'LL FIND YOU A TEACHER.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF AMAZING EARTHBENDERS OUT THERE.

NOT LIKE HER.

[DISTANT PANTING]

TOPH, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

MY DAD CHANGED HIS MIND.

HE SAID I WAS FREE TO TRAVEL THE WORLD.

WELL, WE'D BETTER GET OUT OF HERE

BEFORE YOUR DAD CHANGES HIS MIND AGAIN.

GOOD IDEA.

YOU'RE GONNA BE A GREAT TEACHER, TOPH.

SPEAKING OF WHICH, I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING.

OK.

AAH!

NOW WE'RE EVEN.

UM, I'LL TAKE THE BELT BACK.

OW!

Sokka: SORRY.

Mr. Bei Fong: I KNOW YOU TWO ARE VERY DIFFERENT,

BUT I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A COMMON INTEREST.

THE AVATAR HAS KIDNAPPED MY DAUGHTER.

I WANT YOU TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BRING HER HOME.

♪♪