In part one, we talk about some of the bigger mistakes Shyamalan made (there are far too many to mention them all and they have been well documented on other sites) and discuss how I would have done a Avatar movie series on a thematic level. Parts two through four are plot outlines for the three movies.
I'm just going to say it. I hate the undercover in the Fire Nation plotline. There, I said it. I feel better. By the time it's over, no less than four entire towns and three of their military outposts (the other finds out later and destroys the town off-screen) should know about the enemy kids running around the Fire Nation. This leads to the inescapable conclusions that there is not a loyal person in the Fire Nation and Aang and pals aren't very smart. Plus, Combustion Man apparently uses psychic powers to find and attack Aang completely out of line with the reality of the rest of the series. Another big problem with season is that Aang has a sudden crisis of conscious in the finale. Not because it's out of line with his character, it makes perfect sense for him to behave that way, but because the invasion was an assassination plot and Aang had no problem with it then. But the most world breaking problem is the battle of Ba Sing Se, in which we see four benders and a guy with a sword easily take the most defended city on the planet when the defenders are ten times more powerful. This makes the Fire Nation look incompetent both for failing to take the city earlier and being unable to defend it. It also makes the concept of fortifications seem useless. So, I've killed the undercover in the Fire Nation plot and I've got some brilliant tweaks to clear up the finale problems.
The Book of Fire (Run time: ~3 hours 20 minutes)
Opening- Aang wakes up 3 days to 1 week after Ba Sing Se. After brief freak out, Hakkoda, Bato and the kids discuss the new invasion plan. They mention planning to use the next several months gathering troops. Bato mentions that he will be taking a group of ships south. Hakkoda says they are taking their fleet north recruiting Earth Kingdom troops on the way to the waterbenders of the North Pole. Sokka says that they will be breaking off from the fleet and going to the Northern Air Temple as there is someone there he needs to talk to. Toph suggests contacting the White Lotus, but Sokka says no. He doesn't quite trust them just yet and stresses that if the invasion is going to succeed it must be a surprise so they need to control who knows about it. (Segment runs about 10 minutes)
Zuko plotline- Zuko's story from the first half of the season including Iroh in jail and the Sozin perspective of The Avatar and The Firelord, but excluding The Beach. Hints that Azula and Ty Lee are in a romantic relationship. (Very subtle hints. As much as I'd love to see a hardcore lesbian sex scene here, it wouldn't fit in, but if it's done right it makes Azula's breakdown even better.) Scene transitions are handled by showing silent, semi-still shots of preparing for the invasion, including Aang healing and training, Sokka designing and building, and Hakkoda recruiting. (Segment runs about 35 minutes)
The Day of Black Sun- Hakkoda and the kids are in the hold of a ship when Bato comes in and says the troops have gathered for the briefing, but first he has to ask Aang something. He says "When you face the Fire Lord, you will have to kill him. Are you ready for that?' Aang: "I've killed before." Katara: "We all have." Hakkoda: "There is a difference between killing someone in combat and hunting a man down. When you look a man in the eyes before deliberately extinguishing his life, it rips out a part of your soul. Aang, if you're not prepared to deal with that, then we should just go home now." Aang: "Generations of Fire Lords have plunged this world into chaos. They slaughtered my people. The blood of millions are on their hands. It is my duty to bring peace to the world, no matter the personal cost. I must end this war. I am ready." Toph: "Then, let's go!" Hakkoda gives a quick briefing and the invasion begins. As the kids are fleeing on Appa, Azula send some of the smaller airships to follow and report back the avatar's location, but Zuko shoots down the pursuers.(Segment runs about 35 minutes)
The Western Air Temple- Zuko arrives shortly after the kids and is immediately put in an earth trap. Zuko begs to teach Aang. Toph reasons that he is the only person in the world that is willing to do it. Katara: "We'll find someone else." Sokka: "That's right." Aang: "Up until now, we've been racing to end the war before the comet comes, but since the Earth Kingdom fell and the Day of Black Sun has passed. There's no reason to rush anymore. We've got time now. I'll find another master. Things can't get any worse." Zuko: "That's where you're wrong..." Zuko explains Ozai's plan for the day of the comet. Aang and Sokka decide that they have no choice, but to give Zuko a chance. (Segment runs about 10 minutes)
The Boiling Rock- On screen text indicates that one month has passed. Aang and Zuko are in a firebending training session. They take a break and Sokka takes Zuko aside to ask where his father is being held. Events proceed as in the show. While Zuko is in the dining hall, one of the guards mentions being reassigned to retaking Omashu. Another says he heard that their crazy king retook the entire city single-handedly during the eclipse. Suki is housed in a separate women's wing. After returning to the Western Air Temple, Chit Sang uses a messenger hawk on the airship to contact Azula. (Segment runs about 35 minutes)
The Southern Raiders- Chit Sang breaks away from the group after the escape and goes to Azula asking for his reward. Azula launches into a speech about loyalty and before killing him. Zuko and Katara take off on Appa without talking to Aang and the others about their plans first. Kya's killer is still on the ship. (Segment runs about 15 minutes)
Sozin's Comet- Katara tearfully tells everyone about hunting down Kya's killer and then not being able to kill him saying "I could feel my soul starting to tear." Aang: "I am proud of you. Killing is never the answer." Zuko: "So, what will you do when you face my father?" Aang: "I don't know anymore." After Aang vanishes, Sokka receives a message that the White Lotus Society is gathering at Ba Sing Se and they decide that's where they could be the most useful. The Battle of Ba Sing Se begins with Iroh sending a huge fire blast into the sky which explodes out like a firework into the shape of the White Lotus and burns in the sky above the city. In the city, Piandao says "It's time." and jumps into action attacking the Fire Nation troops. Soon, we see that a massive rebellion has suddenly broke out all across the city. Civilians are fighting with bending, weapons, clubs and pans. Children are throwing things from windows at the troops below. The powerful benders of the White Lotus are also fighting, but I want the civilians to get most of the air time. [This makes the re-capture of Ba Sing Se more plausible, it provides parallels with how Azula took the city, and it shows the Fire Nation was right to fear the Earth Kingdom civilians. There is also some wonderful irony about a city being so tightly controlled for centuries being saved by chaos.] Toph falls to her death well out of Sokka's reach. [I love Toph, but if we're doing an adult version of the series a main character must die. Aang, Katara and Zuko all have important roles to play after the series. Suki is too inconsequential to kill and besides Sokka can't have two girlfriends die in six months. Sokka deserves a happy ending more than anyone else and it'd be really weird for Katara and Aang to make out right after Sokka's funeral. So, that leaves Toph. Her death will be more poignant because she has been so powerful up to that point and it gives a nod to a fan theory about The Swamp.] Otherwise as in show. (Segment runs about 1 hour)
So that's it. I hope you enjoyed my adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Let's hope that Legend of Korra stands up to the original series and that one day Nickelodeon gives a more competent writer/director a shot at doing this show justice on the big screen.
Zuko plotline- Zuko's story from the first half of the season including Iroh in jail and the Sozin perspective of The Avatar and The Firelord, but excluding The Beach. Hints that Azula and Ty Lee are in a romantic relationship. (Very subtle hints. As much as I'd love to see a hardcore lesbian sex scene here, it wouldn't fit in, but if it's done right it makes Azula's breakdown even better.) Scene transitions are handled by showing silent, semi-still shots of preparing for the invasion, including Aang healing and training, Sokka designing and building, and Hakkoda recruiting. (Segment runs about 35 minutes)
The Day of Black Sun- Hakkoda and the kids are in the hold of a ship when Bato comes in and says the troops have gathered for the briefing, but first he has to ask Aang something. He says "When you face the Fire Lord, you will have to kill him. Are you ready for that?' Aang: "I've killed before." Katara: "We all have." Hakkoda: "There is a difference between killing someone in combat and hunting a man down. When you look a man in the eyes before deliberately extinguishing his life, it rips out a part of your soul. Aang, if you're not prepared to deal with that, then we should just go home now." Aang: "Generations of Fire Lords have plunged this world into chaos. They slaughtered my people. The blood of millions are on their hands. It is my duty to bring peace to the world, no matter the personal cost. I must end this war. I am ready." Toph: "Then, let's go!" Hakkoda gives a quick briefing and the invasion begins. As the kids are fleeing on Appa, Azula send some of the smaller airships to follow and report back the avatar's location, but Zuko shoots down the pursuers.(Segment runs about 35 minutes)
The Western Air Temple- Zuko arrives shortly after the kids and is immediately put in an earth trap. Zuko begs to teach Aang. Toph reasons that he is the only person in the world that is willing to do it. Katara: "We'll find someone else." Sokka: "That's right." Aang: "Up until now, we've been racing to end the war before the comet comes, but since the Earth Kingdom fell and the Day of Black Sun has passed. There's no reason to rush anymore. We've got time now. I'll find another master. Things can't get any worse." Zuko: "That's where you're wrong..." Zuko explains Ozai's plan for the day of the comet. Aang and Sokka decide that they have no choice, but to give Zuko a chance. (Segment runs about 10 minutes)
The Boiling Rock- On screen text indicates that one month has passed. Aang and Zuko are in a firebending training session. They take a break and Sokka takes Zuko aside to ask where his father is being held. Events proceed as in the show. While Zuko is in the dining hall, one of the guards mentions being reassigned to retaking Omashu. Another says he heard that their crazy king retook the entire city single-handedly during the eclipse. Suki is housed in a separate women's wing. After returning to the Western Air Temple, Chit Sang uses a messenger hawk on the airship to contact Azula. (Segment runs about 35 minutes)
The Southern Raiders- Chit Sang breaks away from the group after the escape and goes to Azula asking for his reward. Azula launches into a speech about loyalty and before killing him. Zuko and Katara take off on Appa without talking to Aang and the others about their plans first. Kya's killer is still on the ship. (Segment runs about 15 minutes)
Sozin's Comet- Katara tearfully tells everyone about hunting down Kya's killer and then not being able to kill him saying "I could feel my soul starting to tear." Aang: "I am proud of you. Killing is never the answer." Zuko: "So, what will you do when you face my father?" Aang: "I don't know anymore." After Aang vanishes, Sokka receives a message that the White Lotus Society is gathering at Ba Sing Se and they decide that's where they could be the most useful. The Battle of Ba Sing Se begins with Iroh sending a huge fire blast into the sky which explodes out like a firework into the shape of the White Lotus and burns in the sky above the city. In the city, Piandao says "It's time." and jumps into action attacking the Fire Nation troops. Soon, we see that a massive rebellion has suddenly broke out all across the city. Civilians are fighting with bending, weapons, clubs and pans. Children are throwing things from windows at the troops below. The powerful benders of the White Lotus are also fighting, but I want the civilians to get most of the air time. [This makes the re-capture of Ba Sing Se more plausible, it provides parallels with how Azula took the city, and it shows the Fire Nation was right to fear the Earth Kingdom civilians. There is also some wonderful irony about a city being so tightly controlled for centuries being saved by chaos.] Toph falls to her death well out of Sokka's reach. [I love Toph, but if we're doing an adult version of the series a main character must die. Aang, Katara and Zuko all have important roles to play after the series. Suki is too inconsequential to kill and besides Sokka can't have two girlfriends die in six months. Sokka deserves a happy ending more than anyone else and it'd be really weird for Katara and Aang to make out right after Sokka's funeral. So, that leaves Toph. Her death will be more poignant because she has been so powerful up to that point and it gives a nod to a fan theory about The Swamp.] Otherwise as in show. (Segment runs about 1 hour)
So that's it. I hope you enjoyed my adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Let's hope that Legend of Korra stands up to the original series and that one day Nickelodeon gives a more competent writer/director a shot at doing this show justice on the big screen.
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