Me:ok guys you ready for episode 4 of book 2.

All: yeah!

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BOOK 2: EARTH

CHAPTER 3: The swamp.

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Aang: oh.

Sokka: great.

Katara: oh

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(Ends at 1:40)

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(The show opens with an overhead shot of a rice paddy. It is daytime and the sun shines. The shot pans down to reveal an Earth Kingdom village. Cut to a shot of a bridge over one of the nearby streams. People bearing backpacks and other loads walk back and forth over the bridge, either entering or departing the village.

Cut again to a street scene within the village. The background is obscured for a second by an out of focus person walking in front of the camera. He exits to reveal Iroh and Zuko sitting on straw mats, their stolen ostrich horse behind them. Iroh holds

his hat in his hand. A cart festooned with masks for sale passes briefly in front of them. One of the masks is the Blue Spirit mask. As the cart passes, another pedestrian walks in front of Iroh. Iroh holds his hat out to the pedestrian and speaks to him.)

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Katara: oh.

Zuko: what?

Katara: it's just I never expected you to do that.

Zuko: well we had no choice!

Aang: calm down sifu hotman.

Zuko: Stop calling me That!

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Iroh: Spare coins for weary travelers?

(The man throws a few copper coins into Iroh's hat, joining perhaps a dozen already there. Cut to a profile shot of the two as Zuko turns to Iroh in anger.)

Zuko: This is humiliating! We're royalty. These people should be giving us whatever we want.

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Katara: well you ain't royalty there.

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Iroh: They will - if you ask nicely.

(Cut briefly to a long shot as several more pedestrians pass. Iroh next solicits a well dressed young woman.)

Iroh: (in a weak voice) Spare change for a hungry old man?

Young Woman: Aww, (she produces a coin from her sleeve and puts it in his hat) here you go.

Iroh: The coin is appreciated, but not as much as your smile.

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Suki: how sweet.

Zuko: eh

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(Zuko slaps his forehead in a Sokka-like gesture of frustration. The girl giggles and walks away. A man carrying a pair of broadswords on his back wanders by the opposite direction as the girl. He stops and addresses the beggars.)

Broadsword Man: (smiling somewhat cruelly) How about some entertainment in exchange for... (cut to a frontal shot of Zuko sitting in a petulant pose. Suddenly the Broadsword Man's hand appears in the foreground holding a gold coin) a gold piece.

Zuko: We're not performers.

(Cut to a wider shot from behind the Broadsword Man's right shoulder. Iroh smiles and puts his hat on the ground.)

Iroh: Not professional, anyway.

(Standing up and clasping his hands together, he begins to sing)

Iroh: (singing, and shifting from one foot to another as he rocks back and forth) It's a long, long way to Ba-Sing-Se, (his mouth becomes very wide in an animation effect) but the girls in the city they look soo prett-ay!

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Everyone but Zuko: 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Zuko: it'd not done.

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Broadsword Man: (displeased) Come on! We're talking (he whips out one of his broadswords) a gold piece here! (He whips out the other) Let's see some action!

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Katara: oh gosh no.

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(Cut to a close up of Zuko's face. His eyes burn with anger. Cut to a wider profile shot of Iroh and the Broadsword Man.)

Broadsword Man: (pointing a sword at Iroh) Dance!

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Everyone: 😠😠😠😠😠

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(The Broadsword Man begin to swing his swords at Iroh's legs. Iroh hops up and down to avoid the blows while continuing his song.)

Iroh: (singing) And they kiss so sweet that you've really got to meet the girls from Ba-Sing-Se!

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Everyone: 👏👏👏👏👏

Suki: ok how is Iroh still staying this happy.

Zuko: that's uncle Iroh for you.

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(Cut to Zuko, gritting his teeth and gripping his knees in his hands. Cut back to a frontal shot of the sadistic almsgiver.)

Broadsword Man: Hahaha! Nothing like a fat man dancing for his dinner. (Tosses coin) Here ya go!

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Everyone:😠😠😠😠😠

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(Cut to a wider profile shot. Iroh leans down and picks up the coin as the Broadsword Man walks away, reseathing his swords. Cut back to Iroh and Zuko. Iroh sits back down as both look towards their benefactor's retreating back o.c.)

Iroh: (smiling) Such a kind man!

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Suki: ok seriously. Teach me.

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(The camera zooms in on Zuko's angry and humiliated expression before flashing white.

When the image returns we see an overhead shot of a swampy area. Appa flies onto the screen and begins pulling away from the camera, the kids on his back.

Cut to Momo peeping over the saddle guard and chittering, then cut to a profile shot of Katara reading a scroll and looking vaguely bored. Pan left to reveal Sokka sharpening his machete, also looking bored. Cut again to Aang in the driver's seat. He looks ahead, a vacant, almost mesmerized expression on his face. He holds the reigns loosely in his hands. Cut back and forth between Aang expression and the swamp below. Some sort of communication is happening, but its exact nature is unclear. Cut to Sokka, who looks over Appa's side.)

Sokka: (to Aang, o.c.) Hey, you takin' us down for a reason?

(Cut to an underside shot of Appa, who is indeed descending. Appa emits a low groan. Cut back to Aang, still zoned out.)

Sokka: (from o.c.) Aang! (Aang flinches and the camera zooms backward to a wide shot of Aang and Sokka, now visible behind him in the saddle) Why are we going down?

Aang: What? (Wiping his forehead with his left hand) I didn't even notice.

(Cut to long, profile shot of Appa et al. They are descending at a steady rate.)

Sokka: Are you noticing now?

Katara: (coming up from behind) Is something wrong?

Aang: (looking down at the swamp with a slightly fierce expression) I know this is gonna sound weird, but... I think the swamp is... calling to me.

Sokka: (holding his stomach) It is telling ya where we can get something to eat?

Aang: No, I... I think it wants us to land there.

Sokka: No offense to the swamp, but I don't see any land there to land on.

Aang: I don't know... Bumi said to learn earthbending I would have to wait and listen, and now I'm actually hearing the earth. Do you want me to ignore it?

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Toph: I don't think so.

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(Appa continues to descend. Katara, Sokka and Momo peer over the saddle to look as they get closer to the swamp.)

Sokka: Yes!

Katara: I don't know... There's something ominous about that place.

(Momo chitters and exits the frame. Cut to a shot of Appa's head as he groans.)

Sokka: See Even Appa and Momo don't like it here.

Aang: Okay, since everyone feels so strongly about this... bye swamp.

(Cut to a wide shot of them flying on Appa. Aang shakes the reigns.)

Aang: Yip! Yip!

(Appa groans and flies out of the frame as he accelerates. Cut to a departure angle shot as Appa speeds away. As Appa and the gang recede, however, a huge noise is heard from o.c. A moment later a large tornado enters the frame from the rate. It moves at terrifying speed in pursuit of the kids, tearing up the swamp as it goes.

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Suki: oh no.

Toph: where did that come from.

Sokka: we don't know.

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Cut to a view of the saddle from behind Katara and Sokka's back. Sokka turns around. His eyes bulge as he sees what is pursuing them.)

Sokka: You better throw in an extra "yip"! We gotta move!

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Suki: definitely.

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(Appa tries desperately to evade the tornado. Aang manipulates the reigns furiously. The tornado is right on top of them, however, and they are unable to distance themselves. As the whirlwind bears down on them, Sokka is blown off the saddle. Katara catches his arm and holds onto him. As Sokka screams, )

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Suki: oh no.

Sokka: that was so scary but I've been through worse now.

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(Aang jumps out of the driver's seat and onto the saddle. He instantly creates an air bubble around them and Appa, just as they are sucked into the tornado. Sokka falls back into the saddle )

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Suki: oh thank god for airbending.

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(as Aang struggles to keep out the whirlwind. He fails as one of Appa's toes begins to stick out of Aang's protective air blister. Aang's barrier collapses and they are engulfed in the tornado, which throws them out in all different directions.

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Suki: Oh no!

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Cut to a shot outside the tornado. Appa is ejected deep into the swamp, knocking down much in his path as witnessed by the dust and dirt cloud that erupts over the swamp canopy. Cut to a shot inside the swamp as Katara and Sokka drop from the sky into the muddy water. It is dark in here, even though it is still daytime. The swamp canopy screens out most of the sunlight. A second later Aang drops into the frame using his airbending to cushion his fall. Cut to a shot of a Sokka shaped shadow in the water. Sokka gets up, rubbing his head and making pained sounds. The three get up and look about them.)

Aang: Where's Appa and Momo?

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Toph: gone.

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(Aang airbends himself through the trees and emerges at the top of the tree canopy. He scans around, but sees nothing.)

Aang: (calling fruitlessly) Appa! Momo!

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Toph:I don't think that's gonna work.

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(Cut back to an overhead shot of Sokka and Katara walking through the swamp. Cut to a shot of a crocodile like monster sits in the water some distance away, then cut back to Katara who points at Sokka.)

Katara: Sokka! You've got an elbow leech!

Sokka: (freaking out) Where! Where!

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Everyone but Sokka: 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦🤦

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(After he stops moving, it is clear the leech is hanging from his elbow. Katara crosses her arms and looks coolly at her brother.)

Katara: Where do you think?

Sokka: (angrily ripping off the leech and throwing it near Katara) Why do things keep attaching to me!

(Katara looks angrily at her brother for a moment before cut to a wide shot of Aang swinging on a vine back towards them.)

Katara: You couldn't find them?

Aang: No... and the tornado... it just disappeared.

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Suki: weird.

Aang: totally.

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(Cut to a frontal shot of Katara and Sokka, who turn around to look behind them into the dark depths of the swamp. The camera zooms in on the blackness, then fades to a shot of Appa hanging from the swamp canopy by a net of vines. Appa strains to free himself, but the vines hold him immobilized. Momo chitters and begins to chew threw vine after vine. Finally, Appa's weight is too much for the remaining vines and they fall to into the muddy water below.

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Aang: Appa!

Suki: aw poor appa.

Katara: yea poor appa

Aang: good things momo able to get him out.

Katara: yea

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Appa shakes as much water off him as he can, then takes off again. He flies right into another net of vines and is once again held fast. Appa groans in frustration again, as Momo begins the process once more.

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Everyone: chuckled

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Cut to a shot of some vines and weeds. A machete cuts through them to reveal Sokka and the others behind him.)

Sokka: We better speed things up!

Aang: (concerned) Maybe... we should be a little nicer to the swamp.

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Toph: there just plants

Sokka: EXACTLY.

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Sokka: (continuing to chop through the vines) Aang, these are just plants! Do you want me to say "please" and "thank you" as I swing my machete back and forth?

Katara: (also concerned) Maybe you should listen to Aang. (Cut to an overhead shot of the dark swamp) Something about this place feels... alive.

(Cut back to a closer shot of Sokka addressing Katara.)

Sokka: (slightly annoyed and gesturing with his machete) I'm sure there are lots of things that are alive here, and if we don't wanna wind up getting eaten by them, we need to find Appa as fast as we can.

(Sokka begins cutting a path with his machete once again. Cut to the p.o.v. of someone looking at the kids through the vines some distance away.

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Suki: what's that.

Sokka: that thing was there?!

Katara: apparently.

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Cut to Appa making footprints in the swamp floor. Momo sits atop his saddle as Appa plods on. A frontal shot of Appa reveals a large fallen tree in their way. Appa groans in frustration, then cut to a wider overhead shot. Appa collapses in a heap, refusing to move any farther, )

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Everyone chuckled.

Suki: he just gav up like that.

Aang: yup. Appa is tired or lazy..........Or both

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(then cut to Momo blowing the bison whistle in the saddle. Appa cringes and tries to cover his ears. Appa groans, but Momo bows it again. Cut to a wider shot as Appa swats Momo in the saddle using the flat of his tail like a fly-swatter. Momo chitters and falls backwards, clearly knocked silly.

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Everyone slightly laughs.

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Fade to a long shot of the kids walking through the swamp. They are walking up a large fallen tree, the water beneath them. It is hard to tell, but it looks like night has fallen.)

Katara: (calling out) Appa! Momo!

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Zuko: I don't think that's gonna work.

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Sokka: There's no way they can hear us and no way we can see them. We'll have to make camp for the night.

(Sokka is suddenly surrounded by about a dozen swamp flies which he flails at with his arms and machete. They go away just as )

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Toph:lol.

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(a huge bubble of swamp gas burps from the muddy water beneath them. The gas rises up to them.)

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Suki: uhh what's that?!

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Katara: What was that!

Sokka: Nothing. Just swamp gas. (The gas begins to swirl about them) Look, there's nothing supernatural going on here.

All: (As the gas reaches there noses) Ugh!

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Sokka: that smelled really bad.

Aang and katara: no kidding.

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(Their disgust in interrupted by a terrifying scream. The stop in mid retch and grab each other with bugged out eyes. )

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Everyone jumped a little.

Toph: haha the look on your faces.

Sokka: hey you got a little startled

Toph: I meant on the screen.

Sokka: oh.

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(The camera zooms backward to reveal a white bird in the foreground with a huge mouth. This is the source of the scream. It screams once more and flies off. Cut back to the terrified kids still gripping each other.)

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Toph: hahaha.

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Sokka: I think we should build a fire...

(Sokka runs over to some nearby tree or vine roots and starts hacking them with his machete. Aang and Katara enter the frame from the left, their backs to the camera.)

Aang: Sokka, the longer we're here the more I think you shouldn't be doing that.

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Suki:Especially with that vine monster thing watching you

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Sokka: (slightly sarcastically) No, I asked the swamp. It said this was fine. (He turns to address a nearby root) Right, swamp? (he grabs the root and begins to shake as he fakes a reply in a funny voice) "No problem, Sokka!"

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They all chuckle.

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