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Zuko Alone

Girl: WATER, EARTH, FIRE, AIR.

LONG AGO, THE FOUR NATIONS LIVED TOGETHER IN HARMONY.

THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED WHEN THE FIRE NATION ATTACKED.

ONLY THE AVATAR, MASTER OF ALL FOUR ELEMENTS, COULD STOP THEM. BUT

WHEN THE WORLD NEEDED HIM MOST...

HE VANISHED.

A HUNDRED 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.

BUT I BELIEVE AANG CAN SAVE THE WORLD.

♪

PLEASE, FATHER, I ONLY HAD THE FIRE NATION'S BEST INTERESTS AT HEART.

Man: YOU WILL LEARN RESPECT.

AND SUFFERING WILL BE YOUR TEACHER.

WE NO LONGER HAVE ANYTHING TO GAIN BY TRAVELING TOGETHER.

I NEED TO FIND MY OWN WAY.

YOU'RE LIKE MY SISTER.

MY FATHER SAYS SHE WAS BORN LUCKY.

HE SAYS I WAS LUCKY TO BE BORN.

I DON'T NEED LUCK, THOUGH.

I'VE ALWAYS HAD TO STRUGGLE AND FIGHT, AND THAT'S MADE ME STRONG.

IT'S MADE ME WHO I AM.

♪

[ANIMAL GRUNTS]

[SNIFFS]

[STOMACH RUMBLES]

[ANIMAL GRUNTS]

[SIGHS]

[GASPS]

Man: COME ON, SPIDER-SNAKE EYES.

[LAUGHS] YEAH!

[GRUNTS]

[ANIMAL GRUNTS]

COULD I GET SOME WATER, A BAG OF FEED, AND SOMETHING HOT TO EAT?

Man: NOT ENOUGH HERE FOR A HOT MEAL.

I CAN GET YOU TWO BAGS OF FEED.

[LAUGHING]

OW!

Man: HEY!

YOU THROWING EGGS AT US, STRANGER?

NO.

YOU SEE WHO DID THROW IT?

NO.

THAT YOUR FAVORITE WORD, "NO"?

EGG HAD TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.

MAYBE A CHICKEN FLEW OVER.

[LAUGHS]

THANKS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION.

THE ARMY APPRECIATES YOUR SUPPORT.

YOU BETTER LEAVE TOWN.

PENALTY FOR STAYING'S A LOT STEEPER THAN YOU CAN AFFORD, STRANGER.

TRUST ME.

Shopkeeper: THOSE SOLDIERS ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT US FROM THE FIRE NATION.

BUT THEY'RE JUST A BUNCH OF THUGS.

THANKS FOR NOT RATTING ME OUT.

Boy: I'LL TAKE YOU TO MY HOUSE AND FEED YOUR OSTRICH HORSE FOR YOU.

COME ON, I OWE YOU.

[STOMACH GROWLS]

[OINKING]

NO ONE CAN EVER SNEAK UP ON US.

TUH, NO KIDDING.

[PIG-ROOSTER CROWS]

YOU A FRIEND OF LEE'S?

THIS GUY JUST STOOD UP TO THE SOLDIERS.

BY THE END, HE PRACTICALLY HAD THEM RUNNING AWAY.

DOES THIS GUY HAVE A NAME?

I'M, UH...

Man: HE DOESN'T HAVE TO SAY WHO HE IS IF HE DOESN'T WANT TO, SELA.

ANYONE WHO CAN HOLD HIS OWN AGAINST THOSE BULLY SOLDIERS IS WELCOME HERE.

THOSE MEN SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO WEAR EARTH KINGDOM UNIFORMS.

THE REAL SOLDIERS ARE OFF FIGHTING THE WAR.

LIKE LEE'S BIG BROTHER, SEN SU.

SUPPER'S GOING TO BE READY SOON.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAY?

Zuko: I CAN'T.

I SHOULD BE MOVING ON.

GANSU COULD USE SOME HELP ON THE BARN.

WHY DON'T YOU TWO WORK FOR A WHILE, AND THEN WE'LL EAT?

YOU DON'T SEEM LIKE YOU'RE FROM AROUND HERE.

MM-MM.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM, THEN?

FAR AWAY.

OH...

WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

LEE, GIVE IT A REST.

STOP ASKING THE MAN PERSONAL QUESTIONS, GOT IT?

[SIGHS]

YES.

SO HOW'D YOU GET THAT SCAR?

[GRUNTS]

IT'S NOT NICE TO BOTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THINGS THEY MIGHT NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

THE MAN'S PAST IS HIS BUSINESS.

[BIRDS SINGING]

HEY, MOM, WANT TO SEE HOW AZULA FEEDS TURTLE DUCKS?

ZUKO, WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?

[QUACKS]

OW, OW-OW!

OW!

[QUACKING]

STUPID TURTLE DUCK.

WHY'D SHE DO THAT?

ZUKO, THAT'S WHAT MOMS ARE LIKE.

IF YOU MESS WITH THEIR BABIES, HRUM!

THEY'RE GONNA BITE YOU BACK.

[ZUKO LAUGHS]

[AZULA GRUNTS]

[AZULA LAUGHS]

Girl: AZULA!

WATCH THIS.

MOM, CAN YOU MAKE ZUKO PLAY WITH US?

WE NEED EQUAL TEAMS TO PLAY A GAME.

I AM NOT CARTWHEELING.

YOU WON'T HAVE TO, CARTWHEELING'S NOT A GAME, DUMB-DUMB.

I DON'T CARE, I DON'T WANT TO PLAY WITH YOU.

WE ARE BROTHER AND SISTER.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER.

DON'T YOU THINK SO, MOM?

YES, DARLING, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO PLAY WITH YOUR SISTER.

GO ON, NOW, JUST FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

Azula: HERE'S THE WAY IT GOES.

NOW WHAT YOU DO IS TRY TO KNOCK THE APPLE OFF THE OTHER PERSON'S HEAD, LIKE THIS.

[SCREAMS]

[AZULA LAUGHS]

SEE, I TOLD YOU IT WOULD WORK.

Girl: AW, THEY'RE SO CUTE TOGETHER.

YOU TWO ARE SUCH, UGH.

I WAS JUST COMING TO GET YOU.

UNCLE IROH SENT US A LETTER FROM THE WAR FRONT.

YOU'RE SOAKING WET.

Zuko: GIRLS ARE CRAZY!

Iroh: "IF THE CITY IS AS MAGNIFICENT AS ITS WALL

BA SING SE MUST BE SOMETHING TO BEHOLD.

I HOPE YOU ALL MAY SEE IT SOME DAY.

IF WE DON'T BURN IT TO THE GROUND, FIRST."

[LAUGHS]

[LAUGHS] [LAUGHS]

"UNTIL THEN, ENJOY THESE GIFTS."

"FOR ZUKO, A PEARL DAGGER

FROM THE GENERAL WHO SURRENDERED WHEN WE BROKE THROUGH THE OUTER WALL.

NOTE THE INSCRIPTION AND THE SUPERIOR CRAFTSMANSHIP."

"NEVER GIVE UP WITHOUT A FIGHT."

Mother: "AND FOR AZULA.

A NEW FRIEND.

SHE WEARS THE LATEST FASHION FOR EARTH KINGDOM GIRLS."

IF UNCLE DOESN'T MAKE IT BACK FROM WAR

THEN DAD WOULD BE NEXT IN LINE TO BE FIRE LORD, WOULDN'T HE?

AZULA, WE DON'T SPEAK THAT WAY.

IT WOULD BE AWFUL IF UNCLE IROH DIDN'T RETURN.

AND BESIDES, FIRE LORD AZULON IS A PICTURE OF HEALTH.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF COUSIN LU TEN WANTED DAD TO DIE?

I STILL THINK OUR DAD WOULD MAKE A MUCH BETTER FIRE LORD THAN HIS ROYAL TEA-LOVING KOOKY-NESS.

[ZUKO GRUNTS]

[LEE GRUNTS]

Zuko: YOU'RE HOLDING THEM ALL WRONG.

[LEE SCREAMS]

KEEP IN MIND, THESE ARE DUAL SWORDS.

TWO HALVES OF A SINGLE WEAPON.

DON'T THINK OF THEM AS SEPARATE, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT.

THEY'RE JUST TWO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SAME WHOLE.

[LEE GRUNTS]

[LAUGHS]

Lee: I THINK YOU'D REALLY LIKE MY BROTHER, SEN SU.

HE USED TO SHOW ME STUFF LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME.

[OINKING]

Sela: HERE, THIS OUGHT TO GET YOU THROUGH A FEW MEALS.

[HOOVES BEATING THE GROUND]

WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY WANT?

TROUBLE.

[OSTRICH HORSES GRUNTING]

[OINKING AND SQUEALING]

Gansu: WHAT DO YOU WANT, GOW?

JUST THOUGHT SOMEONE OUGHT TO TELL YOU YOUR SON'S BATTALION GOT CAPTURED.

YOU BOYS HEAR WHAT THE FIRE NATION DID WITH THEIR LAST GROUP OF EARTH KINGDOM PRISONERS?

DRESSED 'EM UP IN FIRE NATION UNIFORMS AND PUT THEM ON THE FRONT LINE UNARMED, WAY I HEARD IT.

THEN THEY JUST WATCHED.

YOU WATCH YOUR MOUTH.

[OSTRICH HORSE GRUNTS]

WHY BOTHER ROOTING AROUND IN THE MUD WITH THESE PIGS?

[OSTRICH HORSES GRUNT]

[LAUGHTER]

IROH HAS LOST HIS SON.

YOUR COUSIN, LU TEN, DID NOT SURVIVE THE BATTLE.

WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO MY BROTHER?

Gansu: I'M GOING TO THE FRONT.

I'M GOING TO FIND SEN SU AND BRING HIM BACK.

[SELA CRIES]

Lee: WHEN MY DAD GOES

WILL YOU STAY?

NO.

I NEED TO MOVE ON.

HERE, I WANT YOU TO HAVE THIS.

READ THE INSCRIPTION.

"MADE IN EARTH KINGDOM."

THE OTHER ONE.

"NEVER GIVE UP WITHOUT A FIGHT."

[OSTRICH HORSE GRUNTS]

[OINKING]

[GRUNTS]

[GROANS]

YOU WASTE ALL YOUR TIME PLAYING WITH KNIVES, YOU'RE NOT EVEN GOOD.

PUT AN APPLE ON YOUR HEAD AND WE'LL FIND OUT HOW GOOD I AM.

BY THE WAY, UNCLE'S COMING HOME.

DOES THAT MEAN WE WON THE WAR?

NO, IT MEANS UNCLE'S A QUITTER AND A LOSER.

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

UNCLE'S NOT A QUITTER.

OH, YES HE IS.

HE FOUND OUT HIS SON DIED AND HE JUST FELL APART.

A REAL GENERAL WOULD STAY AND BURN BA SING SE TO THE GROUND.

NOT LOSE THE BATTLE AND COME HOME CRYING.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE SHOULD DO?

HE'S PROBABLY JUST SAD HIS ONLY KID IS GONE.

FOREVER.

Mother: YOUR FATHER HAS REQUESTED AN AUDIENCE WITH FIRE LORD AZULON.

BEST CLOTHES, HURRY UP.

"FIRE LORD AZULON."

CAN'T YOU JUST CALL HIM GRANDFATHER?

HE'S NOT EXACTLY THE POWERFUL FIRE LORD HE USED TO BE.

SOMEONE WILL PROBABLY END UP TAKING HIS PLACE, SOON.

YOUNG LADY.

NOT ANOTHER WORD.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT CHILD?

Man: AND HOW WAS IT GREAT-GRANDFATHER SOZIN MANAGED TO WIN THE BATTLE OF HAN TUI?

GREAT-GRANDFATHER WON... BECAUSE...

BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH HIS ARMY WAS OUTNUMBERED

HE CLEVERLY CALCULATED HIS ADVANTAGES.

THE ENEMY WAS DOWNWIND, AND THERE WAS A DROUGHT.

THEIR DEFENSES BURNED TO A CRISP IN MINUTES.

Man: CORRECT, MY DEAR.

NOW, WOULD YOU SHOW GRANDFATHER THE NEW MOVES YOU DEMONSTRATED TO ME?

SHE'S A TRUE PRODIGY.

JUST LIKE HER GRANDFATHER FOR WHOM SHE'S NAMED.

[WHISPERS:] You'll never catch up.

I'D LIKE TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT I'VE BEEN LEARNING.

[GRUNTS]

[BREATHES HEAVILY]

[GRUNTS]

Zuko: I FAILED.

NO, I LOVED WATCHING YOU.

THAT'S WHO YOU ARE, ZUKO, SOMEONE WHO KEEPS FIGHTING EVEN THOUGH IT'S HARD.

Fire Lord Azulon: PRICE OZAI, WHY ARE YOU WASTING MY TIME WITH THIS POMP?

JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT.

EVERYONE ELSE, GO.

Zuko: WHAT ARE YOU... SHH.

Ozai: FATHER.

YOU MUST HAVE REALIZED, AS I HAVE

THAT WITH LU TEN GONE, IROH'S BLOODLINE HAS ENDED.

AFTER HIS SON'S DEATH, MY BROTHER ABANDONED THE SIEGE AT BA SING SE.

AND WHO KNOWS WHEN HE WILL RETURN HOME?

BUT I AM HERE, FATHER.

AND MY CHILDREN ARE ALIVE.

SAY WHAT IT IS YOU WANT.

Ozai: FATHER, REVOKE IROH'S BIRTHRIGHT.

I AM YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT

HERE TO SERVE YOU AND OUR NATION.

USE ME.

YOU DARE SUGGEST I BETRAY IROH?

MY FIRSTBORN?

DIRECTLY AFTER THE DEMISE OF HIS ONLY BELOVED SON?

I THINK IROH HAS SUFFERED ENOUGH.

BUT YOU?

YOUR PUNISHMENT HAS SCARCELY BEGUN!

[FIRE CRACKLES]

[DOOR OPENS]

♪ DAD'S GOING TO KILL YOU. ♪

REALLY, HE IS.

Zuko: HA, HA, AZULA, NICE TRY.

FINE, DON'T BELIEVE ME.

BUT I HEARD EVERYTHING.

GRANDFATHER SAID DAD'S PUNISHMENT SHOULD FIT HIS CRIME.

"YOU MUST KNOW THE PAIN OF LOSING A FIRSTBORN SON.

BY SACRIFICING YOUR OWN."

LIAR.

I'M ONLY TELLING YOU FOR YOUR OWN GOOD.

I KNOW.

MAYBE YOU COULD FIND A NICE EARTH KINGDOM FAMILY TO ADOPT YOU.

STOP IT, YOU'RE LYING.

DAD WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ME.

Mother: YOUR FATHER WOULD NEVER DO WHAT TO YOU?

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S TIME FOR A TALK.

AZULA ALWAYS LIES, AZULA ALWAYS LIES.

AZULA ALWAYS LIES.

[OSTRICH HORSE GRUNTS]

YOU HAVE TO HELP.

IT'S LEE, THE THUGS FROM TOWN CAME BACK AS SOON AS GANSU LEFT.

WHEN THEY ORDERED US TO GIVE THEM FOOD, LEE PULLED A KNIFE ON THEM.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE HE GOT A KNIFE.

THEN THEY TOOK HIM AWAY.

THEY TOLD ME IF LEE'S OLD ENOUGH TO FIGHT

[CRIES] HE'S OLD ENOUGH TO JOIN THE ARMY.

I KNOW WE BARELY KNOW YOU, BUT...

[CRIES]

Zuko: I'LL GET YOUR SON BACK.

HEY, THERE HE IS!

I TOLD YOU HE'D COME.

[GRUNTS-SQUAWKS]

LET THE KID GO.

[LAUGHS]

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

TELLING US WHAT TO DO?

Zuko: IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO I AM.

BUT I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

YOU'RE NOT SOLDIERS.

YOU'RE BULLIES.

FREELOADERS ABUSING YOUR POWER.

MOSTLY OVER WOMEN AND KIDS.

YOU DON'T WANT LEE IN YOUR ARMY.

YOU'RE SICK COWARDS MESSING WITH A FAMILY WHO'S ALREADY LOST ONE SON TO THE WAR.

ARE YOU GONNA LET THIS STRANGER STAND THERE AND INSULT YOU LIKE THIS?

[MAN GRUNTS]

[MAN WHIMPERS]

[MAN GRUNTS]

[MAN ROARS]

[MAN GRUNTS]

[MAN WHIMPERS]

[MAN GROWLS]

HUH?

[MAN SCREAMS]

[LEE LAUGHS]

[MAN SCREAMS]

[GOW GRUNTS]

[GOW GRUNTS]

[ZUKO GRUNTS]

GIVE HIM A LEFT!

A LEFT!

IT'S NOT A FISTFIGHT.

HE'S GOT A LEFT SWORD, DON'T HE?

[GOW GRUNTS]

[ZUKO GRUNTS]

LOOK OUT!

BEHIND YOU!

[GOW GRUNTS]

[ZUKO GRUNTS]

[GOW GRUNTS]

[ZUKO GRUNTS]

[GOW GRUNTS]

[ZUKO GRUNTS]

[GOW GRUNTS]

[ZUKO GRUNTS]

[GASPING]

MOM?

ZUKO, PLEASE, MY LOVE, LISTEN TO ME.

EVERYTHING I'VE DONE, I'VE DONE TO PROTECT YOU.

REMEMBER THIS, ZUKO.

NO MATTER HOW THINGS MAY SEEM TO CHANGE

NEVER FORGET WHO YOU ARE.

[WHISPERS:] Get up.

[ZUKO SCREAMS]

[GOW GRUNTS]

[ZUKO GRUNTS]

[GOW GRUNTS]

WHO, WHO ARE YOU?

MY NAME IS ZUKO.

SON OF URSA AND FIRE LORD OZAI.

PRINCE OF THE FIRE NATION AND HEIR TO THE THRONE.

Crowd: PRINCE OF THE FIRE NATION?

LIAR!

I HEARD OF YOU, YOU'RE NOT A PRINCE, YOU'RE AN OUTCAST.

HIS OWN FATHER BURNED AND DISOWNED HIM.

[GOW WHIMPERS]

NOT A STEP CLOSER.

IT'S YOURS, YOU SHOULD HAVE IT.

NO, I HATE YOU.

MOM?

MOM, MOM!

WHERE'S MOM?

NO ONE KNOWS.

OH, AND LAST NIGHT, GRANDPA PASSED AWAY.

NOT FUNNY, AZULA.

YOU'RE SICK.

AND I WANT MY KNIFE BACK, NOW.

[ZUKO GRUNTS]

WHO'S GOING TO MAKE ME?

MOM?

Zuko: WHERE IS SHE?

Man: AZULON, FIRE LORD TO OUR NATION FOR 23 YEARS

YOU WERE OUR FEARLESS LEADER IN THE BATTLE OF GARSAI.

OUR MATCHLESS CONQUEROR OF THE HEW SIN PROVINCES.

YOU WERE FATHER OF IROH.

FATHER OF OZAI.

HUSBAND OF IYLAH, NOW PASSED.

GRANDFATHER OF LU TEN, NOW PASSED.

GRANDFATHER OF ZUKO AND AZULA.

WE LAY YOU TO REST.

AS WAS YOUR DYING WISH

YOU ARE NOW SUCCEEDED BY YOUR SECOND SON.

HAIL FIRE LORD OZAI!

♪