Dante Basco credited as playing...
Prince Zuko
- Sokka: [landing on the ground atop Appa] Judging by the looks on your faces, I'm guessing you guys didn't find Aang either.
- [jumps down to the ground]
- Zuko: No. It's like he just... disappeared.
- Toph Beifong: Hey, wait a minute. Has anyone noticed that Momo's missing too?
- Sokka: Oh, no. I knew it was only a matter of time. Appa ate Momo!
- [opens Appa's mouth and climbs in]
- Sokka: Momo! I'm coming for you, buddy!
- Katara: Sokka, Appa didn't eat Momo. He's probably with Aang.
- Sokka: That's just what Appa wants you to think.
- [he squirms further into Appa's mouth]
- Zuko: Get out of the bison's mouth, Sokka! We have a real problem here! Aang is nowhere to be found, and the comet is only two days away!
- Katara: [carries a scroll] I have a surprise for everyone!
- Toph Beifong: I knew it! You *did* have a secret thing with Haru!
- [Sokka, Suki and Zuko stare]
- Katara: Uh, no. I was looking for cooking pots in the attic, and I found this!
- [she opens the scroll to reveal a painting of a baby]
- Katara: Look at Baby Zuko!
- [baby voice]
- Katara: Isn't he cute?
- [the others giggle and go, "Aww!"; Zuko is silent]
- Katara: Oh, lighten up. I'm just teasing.
- Zuko: [opens his eyes] That's not me. It's my father.
- [everyone is silent; Katara rolls up the scroll]
- Suki: But he looks so sweet and innocent.
- Zuko: Well, that sweet little kid grew up to be a monster, *and* the worst father in the history of fathers.
- Aang: But he's still a human being.
- Zuko: [taken aback] You're going to *defend* him?
- Aang: *No*. I agree with you. Fire Lord Ozai is a horrible person and the world would probably be better off without him, but there's *gotta* be another way.
- Zuko: Like what?
- Aang: [shrugs] I don't know.
- [Team Avatar is on the beach, looking for Aang]
- Sokka: Look! There's his footprints!
- [the footprints go into the sea]
- Sokka: The trail ends here.
- Suki: So... he went for a midnight swim and never came back?
- Katara: [looks worriedly out to sea] Maybe he was captured.
- Sokka: [kneeling; inspects the footprints] I don't think so. There's no sign of a struggle.
- Toph Beifong: [squats down next to Sokka] I bet he ran away again.
- Sokka: Uh-uh. He left behind his glider and Appa.
- Toph Beifong: Then what do *you* think happened to him, O sleuthy one?
- Sokka: [stands up] It's pretty obvious. Aang mysteriously disappears before an important battle? He's *definitely* on a Spirit World journey!
- Zuko: But if he was, wouldn't his body still be here?
- Sokka: [downcast] Oh, yeah. Forgot about that.
- Katara: Then he's gotta be somewhere on Ember Island. Let's split up and look for him.
- Toph Beifong: [latches onto Zuko's left arm] I'm going with Zuko!
- [the others stare at her in surprise]
- Toph Beifong: What? Everyone *else* went on a life-changing field trip with Zuko. Now it's *my* turn.
- [she hugs his arm tightly; Zuko blushes]
- Katara: [after Aang disappears] What should we do, Zuko?
- Zuko: I don't know.
- [they all stare at him]
- Zuko: Why are you all looking at *me*?
- Katara: Well, you *are* kind of the expert on tracking Aang.
- Toph Beifong: Yeah. If anyone's got experience hunting the Avatar, it's you.
- Katara: What's wrong with you? You could've hurt Aang!
- Zuko: What's wrong with *me*? What's wrong with all of *you*? How can you sit around having beach parties when Sozin's Comet is only three days away?
- [they all stare sadly at him; Aang and Katara blink]
- Zuko: Why are you all looking at me like I'm crazy?
- Aang: About Sozin's Comet... I was actually gonna wait to fight the Fire Lord until *after* it came.
- Zuko: After?
- Aang: I'm not ready. I need more time to master firebending.
- Toph Beifong: And frankly, your earthbending could still use some work too.
- Zuko: So, you all knew Aang was gonna wait?
- Sokka: Honestly, if Aang tries to fight the Fire Lord right now, he's gonna lose.
- [to Aang]
- Sokka: No offense.
- Fire Lord Ozai: Hmm. Prince Zuko, you've been among the Earth Kingdom commoners. Do you think that adding more troops will stop these rebellions?
- Zuko: [pause] The people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong. They can endure anything, as long as they have hope.
- Fire Lord Ozai: Yes, you're right. We need to destroy their hope.
- Zuko: My whole life I struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance, but once I had it, I realised I'd lost myself getting there. I'd forgotten who I was.
- Katara: [facepalms and falls to her knees] I can't believe this.
- Sokka: I always knew the Fire Lord was a bad guy, but his plan is just pure evil!
- Aang: [over the thought of killing Fire Lord Ozai] This goes against everything I learned from the monks. I can't just go around wiping out people I don't like.
- Sokka: Sure, you can. You're the Avatar. If it's the name of keeping balance, I'm pretty sure the universe will forgive you.
- Aang: [shakes his fists and wheels around in rage] This isn't a joke, Sokka! *None* of you understand the position I'm in!
- Katara: Aang, we *do* understand. It's just...
- Aang: Just what, Katara? *What*?
- Katara: [frowns] We're trying to help!
- Aang: Then, when *you* figure out a way for me to beat the Fire Lord without taking his life, I'd love to hear it!
- [storms away from his friends]
- Katara: Aang! Don't walk away from this!
- [follows him a short distance until Zuko gently grabs her left shoulder]
- Zuko: Let him go. He needs time to sort it out by himself.
- [they watch Aang leave with concerned expressions]
- Zuko: [to Aang] I know you're scared, and I know you're not ready to save the world, but if you don't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save anymore.
- Zuko: There's one technique you need to know before facing my father: How to redirect lightning. If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it. You turn your opponent's energy against them.
- Aang: That's like waterbending!
- Zuko: Exactly. My uncle invented this technique himself by studying waterbenders.
- Aang: So, have *you* ever redirected lightning before?
- Zuko: Once... against my father.
- Aang: What did it feel like?
- Zuko: Exhilarating... but terrifying. You feel so powerful holding so much energy in your body, but you know if you make the wrong move, it's over.
- Aang: [nervous chuckle] Well, not *over* over. I mean, there's always Katara and a little Spirit Water action, am I right?
- Katara: Actually, I used it all up after Azula shot you.
- Aang: Oh.
- Zuko: You'll have to take the Fire Lord's life before he takes yours.
- Aang: I'll just do that.
- Toph Beifong: [walking with Zuko, looking for Aang] And then when I was nine, I ran away again.
- Zuko: [not really paying attention] Uh-huh.
- Toph Beifong: I know I shouldn't complain, my parents gave me everything that I ever asked for. But they never gave me the one thing that I really wanted. Their love. You know what I mean?
- Zuko: Look, I know you had a rough childhood but we should really focus on finding Aang.
- [walks on]
- Toph Beifong: [to herself] This is the worst field trip ever.
- Aang: Why didn't you tell me about your dad's crazy plan sooner?
- Zuko: I didn't think I had to. I assumed you were still gonna fight him before the comet. No one told *me* you decided to wait!
- Aang: [falls to his knees] This is bad. This is really, *really* bad.
- Katara: Aang, you don't have to do this alone.
- Toph Beifong: Yeah. If we all fight the Fire Lord together, we got a shot at taking him down.
- Sokka: All right! Team Avatar is back! Air, Water, Earth, Fire... Fan and Sword!
- [gives Suki a clump of leaves and holds up a palm tree leaf, which wilts]
- Aang: Fighting the Fire Lord is gonna be the hardest thing we've ever done together, but I wouldn't want to do it any other way.
- [everyone except Zuko laughs and walks over to Aang for a group hug]
- Toph Beifong: Yeah.
- Sokka: All right.
- Katara: Get over here, Zuko. Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs.
- [Zuko rolls his eyes and joins the group hug; Appa flies over and lands on top of them]