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- Book one: Air
- We open at the Western Air temple, in late spring/early summer, 97 years after the air nomad genocide (henceforth abbreviated as A.A.N.G.). Scene where Zuko yells about being banished, cries perhaps? Tells uncle to leave him alone, accidentally earthbend a rock 50 feet into the air, boring a small hole into the cliff face. Runs and tells uncle what happened. Uncle freaks the fuck out just a lil bit. They both decide not to worry about that today.
- Zuko has a dream about bison. A young airbender boy with a spirited laugh, herds of bison, dragons, badgermoles, otter-penguins. He wakes in a cold sweat.
- Zuko tells his uncle about his dream. Uncle nearly spits out his tea. They pack up and go for a field trip to the ruins of the Sun Warriors. Uncle does some expositing.
- They meet the Sun Warriors, and they perform a test to see if Zuko is *actually* the avatar. He is, so they introduce him to the Airbending masters.
- They have several air nomad recipes and a few scrolls of airbending forms but not enough to actually learn the whole bending style. They have no knowledge of any other herds.
- There is an entire ass feast celebrating the Discovery of the Avatar. Zuko sees how fire can be full of life, learns several dances and just has a wholesome time.
- The Sun Warriors (and airbenders?) ceremoniously shave off the Ponytail of Shame and declare that the Honor of the Avatar was not Ozai's to revoke. Big ol emotional moment, and Zuko gets so many hugs omg. It's a matter of letting go of unhealthy attachments.
- After three months of learning what airbending he can and taking care of both dragons and bison, Iroh and Zuko leave the Sun Warriors. Zuko gets a lil dragon and a Fire Ferret Friend. Iroh goes to meet with some members of the white lotus. They learn that there is a herd of Bison near the Southern Air Temple.
- FIELD TRIP!!!! We discuss what's going through the crew's minds as they pilot the banished prince's ship. Zuko gets more involved with ship life on their weeks long journey to the Southern Air Temple.
- Zuko goes into the temple to try and get some info on where the bison are. He finds the place littered with skeletons. It's horrific and Zuko doesn't know how the airbenders buried their dead. He's overwhelmed until the captain offers to help build a massive pyre.
- They build two. One for the fire nation soldiers and one for the air nomad monks. The mood is somber. Iroh tells what he knows of air nomad culture. They make fruit pies and other air nomad treats and Zuko teaches the crew some sun warrior dances. The mood turns lively and they dance until the pyres burn down to embers.
- The next morning they set out actually exploring the temple. Midday they are approached by someone who lives in a nearby village. The villager asks wtf they're doing here, Zuko explains that he's the avatar and he's trying to learn airbending. The villager tells him to follow. The crew stays behind to clean up the air temple and then goes to the village to resupply
- Zuko is led to a hidden area where there is a massive herd of bison. He learns that a small group of air nomads took the bison here to hide and how they integrated into the village. The airbending styles and forms are hidden but available for him to learn. They are overjoyed to learn that there is a second herd of bison and a second cache of airbender knowledge. They thank Zuko and make plans to attempt a reunion of the western air temple descendants
- Training montage!! Zuko cares for bison and learns more airbending, also plays pranks and gets pranked. He leaves them with the recipes that he got from the Sun Warriors, and promises to make right what his great grandfather did. The whole thing takes another three/four months
- Book two: Water
- So now they head to the Southern water tribe, as it is right there, ya know?? Zuko imagines that it’s gonna be so grand and cool!! Iroh and the rest of the crew caution that they might not be welcome there.
- So yeah, they aren't welcome there. Iroh asks to speak to the leader of the village. Gran-Gran steps forward and they have a quiet discussion away from the group. Sokka and Katara stare angrily at Zuko, who is trying his best to make friends. Gran-gran announces that they welcome the Avatar to their village, and they will do what they can to teach the Avatar Waterbending.
- The kids are NOT happy about it. In fact, Sokka and Katara actually start getting along for the first time in months because of their shared hatred for this situation. The first thing Katara does is show Zuko the old Fire Navy ship. He starts out appropriately ashamed, but then Katara starts yelling at him because the fire nation destroyed her people, and of course he starts yelling back because how is that his fault?
- Katara screams that the fire nation took her mother away from her, and Zuko gets quiet. “They took my mother away from me, too.”
- They return to the village in silence.
- Katara finds Sokka and tells him about what happens. She ends up crying in his arms about missing their mother. Sokka is unsure of how to handle this, but he holds his sister close.
- It starts with learning their stories and their culture. He spends the coldest, darkest night of the year bundled together with Katara and Sokka, and he feels safe for the first time in months. Then, he tells them the story of how he got his scar. Katara and Sokka instantly decide to join team Kick the Firelord's Ass.
- They’re snuggled together close to the fire, and the grownups are asleep.
- It’s been a month since the Avatar arrived in the south pole
- Sokka and Zuko can’t quite verbalize why they’re so close to each other, probably just a friendship thing, right? They don’t have a lot of friends their age, after all.
- After the story of how Zuko got banished, the three engage in the first of many group hugs.
- They decide to go to Kiyoshi island to try and connect with Zukos Avatar guide. We meet Suki, Sokka drinks his first taste of Respect Women Juice, Zuko meditates and meets the earthbender avatar before him.
- Zuko doesn’t like Suki but can’t explain why. She’s nice and Sokka likes her well enough. Weird
- Here, they reach a problem. How to boat to the North Pole without traveling through fire nation waters? The solution? Iroh and the crew travel back to the fire nation and put ears to the ground. Also, they're gonna try to pick up Azula so she can have a redemption arc cause Zuko can't be the firelord AND the Avatar.
- Zuko, Katara, and Sokka travel on foot towards the North Pole. The Crew says goodbye and good luck.
- Montage of team Avatar traveling intercut with Iroh and the crew meeting Admiral Zhao. Zhao puts two and two together and realizes that Zuko is the Avatar and tells Ozai. Iroh and the crew pretend to be surprised and pretend to go along with the plan to capture the avatar. They send a message to Zuko that they can't give them a ride anymore, which reaches them right around the time team avatar meets Bato. (This takes them about a month and a half. Late winter/early spring 98 years A.A.N.G.)
- So hey, they go with Bato to the Southern Water Tribe men!! Combat practice!!! Strategy lessons!!! A healthy father figure!!! It takes them about a month to get there
- Azula is sent with Zhao in order to capture her brother at the north pole. Zhao places Iroh in charge of her. The crew celebrate their first W of this undercover mission. They also start trying to teach Azula how to be an actual child, with little success.
- Team Avatar meets Hakoda and the other Southern water tribe men, and they borrow a boat to take to the North Pole. There is a bittersweet scene in which Hakoda is both proud that Sokka did his Ice Dodging and heartbroken that he wasn't there to see it. Bato decides to go with the kids to the North Pole because they need adult supervision, Hakoda. The avatar is the fire prince, Hakoda do you really think they're just gonna let him waltz in??? (Late spring/early summer, 1 year post-banishment)
- Team Avatar reaches the North Pole. It takes them a hot minute. They arrive on Midsummer's day. Bato was right about nobody trusting Zuko at first, but he shows his airbending skill and demonstrates what little waterbending he can do, and they reluctantly let him in. THERE IS A FEAST!! WE MEET YUE!!! IT IS A GRAND TIME!! THERE IS DANCING????? Pakku agrees to teach Zuko but not Katara. She points out that that's unfair and dumb. Zuko points out that it would be nice to have someone in class who DIDN'T hate him. Pakku remains firm in his misogyny. Zuko tells Katara to learn all the healing she can, and he will show her as much as he can without her actually bending. "We must be patient and persistent."
- For this Montage we split team avatar into two groups: Team Waterbender and Team Cultural Rehabilitation. Zuko and Katara learn more about waterbending, he learns from Pakku, she learns healing. Meanwhile Bato and Sokka talk with the Chief and Yue about rebuilding the Southern Tribe. Sokka and Yue become Close(™) and they have a few bonding moments. Then there's the bridge scene where she tells him she's engaged.
- Okay, so here’s the thing: Sokka and Zuko have been bonding over their similar parental issues for a while now. They’re in the “friends” portion of the Enemies to Lovers arc. Yue asks Sokka if he and Zuko are more than friends. The thought had not occurred to either of them, but Yue makes some good points. She kisses Sokka on the cheek and wishes him good luck with his crush
- On the day of the winter solstice, Zuko visits the spirit oasis and learns about Lakida, the water tribe avatar after Aang. He goes to class, and Pakku makes a snide remark that if Zuko focused half as much on training as he did on undermining the traditions of the tribe, he might actually make progress. Zuko just narrows his eyes and sighs. Later that night he and Katara do some actual goddamn bending. They get caught and there’s a whole ass tribunal. Katara tries to speak for herself, but is told to be silent. Zuko sees red, or more specifically blue. He manifests Lakida the way Aang manifested Kiyoshi that one time. And She goes OFF. "The blood of the southern water benders is on our hands."
- So Katara and Yue learn proper combat waterbending and Zuko goes to the healing huts because he's earned this break, dammit. He starts making hella progress because he's gotten a good grasp of the nature of water.
- Hey look, it's the fire navy here to invade. Much passes as it did before, except Yue doesn't die, her father does. Sokka is assigned to protect Yue, Zuko goes to the spirit realm to find the moon and the ocean, Azula sneaks away to grab her brother for herself.
- Azula has that fight with Katara while Zuko is in the Spirit Realm, but Katara recognizes her name because Zuko really misses his sister. Katara goes on a "I know how you feel a little bit, you can't just do this to your brother". "Sure I can, but I haven't decided if I want to yet."
- Azula points out that Zhao is their common enemy, and she will hide Zuko until Zhao is gone. The three girls decide to dump Zuko's body in the bamboo thicket and they make awkward small talk until Zuko wakes up. Prickly sibling reunion.
- Zhao bursts in and just about kills the moon spirit, Azula runs after him to beat his ass and then fucks off, Zuko and the Ocean Spirit tag team to decimate the Fire Navy, Yue sacrifices her bending while healing the moon spirit, at the end of the battle she is crowned chief of the northern tribe.
- Azula and Iroh regroup in their small boat after the siege. She plots about capturing the Avatar and decides that there are a few people she wants to bring aboard. Team avatar says goodbye to Yue, Pakku, and Bato as they travel to find Zuko an earth bending teacher. (Late winter/early spring 99 years A.A.N.G.)
- Book three: Earth
- The kids set off for the earth kingdom. It takes them two months to reach Omashu. (Mid spring 99 years A.A.N.G.) They head to Omashu cause Bumi was awesome and he doesn't hate Zuko so yeah!! The cave of the Two Lovers happens as normal, except with a Zukka moment??
- The return to Omashu happens as normal. Zuko is told to find a teacher who waits and listens. Mai asks Zuko what the fuck he thinks he's doing
- We cut to Azula, who has just seen team avatar slip through her grasp… again (but on accident this time). She is frustrated but her friends comfort her. She is Conflicted!!!
- Team Avatar passes through the swamp and after their first night they all get separated. Zuko has a vision of Toph, Katara has a vision of her mom, Sokka has a vision of Yue's dad yelling that he abandoned Yue. Fun times. (Late spring/early summer 2 years post banishment)
- Cut Back to Azula, who is gathering info in a nearby town. She talks out her quandary with Mai, Tai-lee and Iroh.
- They reach the village where Toph lives, they go to wrestlemania, Zuko beats Toph with a combination of air and water bending. They discover that the flying boar is the symbol of the bei-Fong family and decide to pay them a visit.
- Sokka takes everyone shopping for fancy clothes. They all roll up to the Bei-Fong estate. Zuko feels out the vibes and decides to ask if they could take Toph as an ambassador to Ba Sing Se, seeing as Zuko is "ahem, not from around here." They say they'll think about it. That night Toph and Zuko talk in the garden. The rest of the episode plays out as usual.
- They get chased by Azula and the Girl Gang, everyone is sleep deprived but Zuko is the only one who doesn't really act different. Toph processes that relying on others isn't inherently weak while on a Life Changing Field Trip with Zuko™.
- Azula and Mai yell at each other, Azula processes that she needs to learn responsibility.
- Montage of Team Avatar and Team Redemption Arc traveling. Zuko learns earthbending little by little, mostly cause he keeps bothering Toph about it. Azula practices being a better friend and apologizes to Tai Lee. Maybe they go to the spirit library?? And find out about the eclipse?? Also
- Team Avatar reaches Ba Sing Se, Serpents pass happens as usual. Azula is on the drill and feels like shes on a runaway ostrich-horse.
- Team Avatar stops the drill, Azula goes to stop Zuko on top, but she just leaves the encounter feeling less sure of her position. "You're only the favorite compared to me. What's going to happen to you if I'm gone?" "No, Father wouldn't do that. HE LOVES ME!" "Okay, sure."
- Team Avatar sets up in Ba Sing Se, trying to get an audience with the earth King to tell him about the comet and how that's a pretty solid deadline to defeat the firelord. They are told to wait, so they do.
- Team Redemption Arc is having a small crisis. Azula asks Iroh about her conversation with Zuko on the drill. He tells her that uh no, Ozai is awful and he would have killed her brother if it wasn't for Ursa accepting Banishment. Azula has an eye opening moment and her uncle hugs her as she cries it out.
- The Kiyoshi Warriors happen upon team redemption Arc and idk somehow Azula convinces Suki that she wants to help and the ladies band together to go help the avatar with the earth kingdom.
- Azula, Mai, and Tai Lee go with the Kiyoshi Warriors to help the earth king. They meet up with Team Avatar and discuss the corruption present in the government with the Dai Li. Zuko's Avatar guide tells him everything he learned before he was assassinated by the dai li.
- We once again split up for this next montage. Katara and Iroh start the Jasmine Dragon and work there to eavesdrop on the upper middle class, Zuko, Sokka, and Toph go to the upper ring to schmooze the upper class. Team redemption arc goes to work in the palace as guards and infiltrate the Dai li. The rest of the Kiyoshi Warriors work the lower ring to be the heroes Gotham needs. #defundthedai-li
- Zuko gets a message from Guru Patik and goes to the Eastern Air Temple to finish the final step in his Avatar Journey: Mastering the Avatar State. He leaves the others to their work in unfucking the earth kingdom
- We see a montage of Zuko and the rest of team Ruin Ozai doing their stuff and working to achieve their goals. Zuko ends the chapter as a fully realized Avatar.
- Book Four: Balance.
- Team Ruin Ozai gathers together to discuss how they are going to defeat the firelord. Azula discovers that her firebending is wimpy. Toph says go to the source, so Azula makes Zuko take her to the Sun Warrior Ruins.
- At the ruins, hijinks and shenanigans occur, as Zuko has to pretend that 1) he's never been there before and 2) the place is entirely abandoned. The fire siblings meet the Masters and it's so cool!! Another feast, Azula and zuko have fun as siblings and its sweet and wholesome.
- So, the Fire Siblings rejoin the group. The planning begins of how to best dispose of the bitchlord. Technically Zuko is next in line for the throne, but he's the Avatar, so his hands are kinda full. That leaves Azula, but she's 14 and while she says she can do it, Zuko tells her "sis, I know you have the capacity to be a capable leader, but it's okay to be just a kid, ya know??
- Combustion man comes to wreck everyone’s shit. Turns out, the Firelord did not take kindly to Azula’s betrayal and has decided to make some new kids with a new wife. And in order to keep his past from biting him in the ass, he sends combustion man to kill Zuko and Azula. In his hubris, he doesn’t wait to move on with the wedding to his new queen until there is proof that Ursa’s children are dead. Team Avatar works together to take down combustion man, and Azula makes herself some claws out of his metal arm. Then, she goes to confront Ozai
- It’s the eve of Sozin’s comet. Ozai has been celebrating his wedding to a new queen and is preparing to burn the earth kingdom to the ground. He addresses his people, [well, the nobility who were invited to the wedding, anyway], and in the middle of his grand speech, a metal leg gets thrown down in front of him. It’s Azula and she starts throwing hands. Ozai knows what’s up, but doesnt have time to spin this in his favor as he is too busy fighting off Azula. He has her on the ropes and is about to kill her [in front of god and everybody], when Zuko intervenes. Ozai doesn’t realize that Zuko is the avatar until it’s too late to stop the fight. Zuko defeats Ozai, but doesn’t kill him. Ozai starts to throw lightning at Zuko and Azula redirects it back at the Fire Lord, killing him [probably]
- Everything gets wrapped up with a neat little bow, and they all live happily ever after, the end.