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Wake up.
Wake up.
Aang knows he has to wake up. He knows it perfectly well.
But he can’t.
When he opens his eyes, when he finally wakes up and regains control of himself, of the Avatar State, it’s already too late.
The Fire Lord lies before him, dead.
For a moment, nothing registers with Aang.
For a moment, the rest of the world seems far, far away. For a moment, Aang doesn’t know what’s happening, doesn’t know where he is, because it doesn’t matter, because right now, all that matters is the person in front of him, that broken body that isn’t moving, that isn’t breathing.
The Fire Lord is dead.
And it’s Aang’s fault.
You did what had to be done, he almost hears the voice of Avatar Roku. You did what had to be done. He wanted to colonize the world; he was no better than Sozin; he wanted to keep the colonies in the Fire Nation’s grasp; he wanted to destroy the Earth Kingdom’s culture.
He was just a colonizer and deserved to die.
No. That’s not it.
Because… Because Aang can’t believe it, because that doesn’t sound like his friend, because it’s impossible and… and for a year, the Fire Lord worked with them, helped them, taught him firebending, was an incredibly good friend to him…
Aang can’t bring himself to believe that it would all end like this. That they were deceived by him, that it was all just a game, that from the very beginning the Fire Lord was never on their side…
I trusted Sozin, too, he hears the voice of Avatar Roku. I couldn’t stop him at the very beginning, but I didn’t, and then it was already too late.
Sometimes, you have to stop someone by force, even if it’s painful.
Aang knows this. He knows it.
But he still doesn’t want to believe it.
He doesn’t want to believe that this was the only solution to the situation. That he had to defeat – kill – the Fire Lord.
And the Fire Lord is dead now, and the Avatar did it for the good of the world, and that should be right, but Aang can’t bring himself to believe it, and the face he’s looking at is familiar. Those are the same golden eyes that once glared at him with hatred, and then, months later, would always soften, barely even noticing him. These are the same lips that once twisted into a grimace of rage, but then, much later, formed a smile. This is the face of his friend, someone Aang had always seen in his future.
But those eyes will never see anything again.
Those lips will never form a smile again.
And suddenly – suddenly it hits him.
It hits him, causing Aang to rush toward him, dropping to his knees beside the Fire Lord, beside his body, grabbing his arm, hoping that this is just one big cruel joke, that it isn’t true, that it’s just a nightmare.
“Wake up,” he pleads, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks. “Wake up, please.”
But the Fire Lord doesn’t answer.
The Fire Lord is dead.
Zuko is dead.
And Aang is the one who killed him.
He can barely turn on his side before he starts vomiting.
He has no idea what’s happening with the rest of the world.
He doesn’t know, and he doesn’t want to know.
He doesn’t want to know because right now, the only thing he can do is hold his friend’s body and cry.
Right now, Aang is filled with sadness and hatred.
He’s sad because his friend is gone.
He hates himself because it’s Aang’s fault.
Because Aang wasn’t able to control the Avatar State. He knew, of course he knew, how dangerous it was, but despite that, he abandoned his training with Guru Pathik to master the Avatar State, because Aang couldn’t bring himself to let of Katara… and then, after Azula struck him with lightning, Aang lost the ability to enter the Avatar State, but when he was fighting Ozai, a rock hit him in the back, right on his scar, and Aang entered the Avatar State, and everything was working perfectly…
Except that he hadn’t actually mastered the Avatar State at all, except that Aang was still afraid of it, except that his control over it was still inadequate…
And that’s exactly why, now, when he tried to enter the Avatar State, he lost control. He wasn’t able to control his actions; he wanted to do the right thing, he wanted to stop the war…
But instead, he killed his friend.
Because he wasn’t able to control the Avatar State, just like back then, in the North, when he killed thousands.
Because it was easier to blame it on the Avatar State, that way, it wouldn’t be Aang who was killing, but the Avatar…
But it doesn’t matter, because in the end, Zuko is dead, and it’s Aang’s fault, it’s his fault, his fault…
So Aang kneels beside his body and cries, unable to move.
The world doesn’t stop.
The world doesn’t stop; Aang knows this as he hears screams in the distance, but ultimately, it doesn’t matter, because it doesn’t concern him, because right now, all that matters is Zuko and the fact that Aang killed him, and it’s his fault.
Aang hates himself so much.
Somewhere far, far away, people are realizing what has happened.
“The Fire Lord is dead!” someone shouts. “The Avatar killed the Fire Lord!”
For a moment, there is silence.
And then, screams are heard.
The Earth Kingdom soldiers, the Freedom Fighters let out cries of joy. It’s as if Fate is on their side.
The Fire Nation soldiers, the men protecting Yu Dao, let out screams of terror. They can’t believe what has just happened. Some of them immediately drop their weapons to the ground, ready to surrender.
Then, Kori Morishita, a young Earthbender from the colonies, steps forward.
“Don’t even think about surrendering!” she shouts. “The Fire Lord gave his life to protect us, to save Yu Dao!”
“Raise your weapons, proud soldiers of the Fire Nation!” shouts one of the Fire Nation generals, General Takechi. “Support Miss Kori!”
The soldiers, though initially tempted to retreat and surrender, raise their weapons.
Because their Fire Lord was murdered while trying to protect his people.
And that means everyone here owes him a huge debt.
They must avenge his death.
Surrender is not an option.
King Kuei can’t believe what he’s seeing.
Katara shows him what the situation is like in Yu Dao, that people from the Fire and Earth Nations live here, and Kuei… Kuei didn’t know that. He was convinced that Yu Dao was a colony that had been mistreated by the Fire Nation, one that was waiting to be liberated, to be saved.
Meanwhile, it is a colony that has been integrated into the Fire Nation, one where Fire and Earth mix together and, somehow, are able to coexist.
The world is changing right before his eyes.
So Kuei asks Katara to come back because they must stop this attack; he needs to speak with the Fire Lord to try to reach some kind of agreement, since so far Fire Lord Zuko has actually cooperated with him, and the Fire Nation has withdrawn from the newer colonies, the only problem remaining is the older ones… but perhaps there is a solution to this situation.
When Kuei and Katara arrive on the battlefield, they realize that the Fire Lord is dead, that the Fire Nation is being supported by Earthbenders from the colonies, that the battle is in full swing, and that no one knows what has become of the Avatar.
Kuei does the only thing he believes is right in this situation.
He orders an immediate withdrawal of the troops.
Later, much later, as both armies are retreating, Ty Lee approaches Suki, holding Kyoshi Warrior’s uniform in her hands.
“Ty Lee…” Suki begins.
“I trusted you,” says Ty Lee, tears welling up in her eyes. “I trusted you and believed we’d find a way to end this conflict. I wanted to believe that even though we’re from different countries, we’d be able to be friends.”
“Ty Lee…” Suki says again.
“Take this uniform,” Ty Lee says, practically shoving it into her hands. “And don’t ever try to give it to me again.”
“You’re leaving,” Suki realizes.
“Of course I am. War is coming, Suki, and I’m not going to stand on the side that murders my friends. And you know, that I abandoned one of my friends for over a year. And that friend of mine is going to need me now, especially since her brother has just been murdered.”
Letters are traveling across the world.
Messenger hawks are flying all over the world, spreading the news of what has happened in Yu Dao.
One of them reaches Caldera.
Shortly afterward, Ozai is released from his cell.
Fire Lord Zuko is dead, Princess Azula is incapacitated, and Prince Iroh is far, far away in Ba Sing Se. It isn’t hard to convince the soldiers guarding Ozai to set him free.
And so, Ozai is free.
Ozai is free; his allies are all around him, close by, surrounding him and helping him take control of the palace.
That evening, Ozai sits in the study that once belonged to his son and reviews the information about what has happened and what has changed.
He reviews it, and reviews it, and reviews it.
After a moment, he makes a decision.
“Tell the world,” he orders. “The Fire Nation has learned from its mistakes and will not attempt to attack other nations. But we will protect those who are ours. Colonies with a long history that feel part of the Fire Nation are under our protection, regardless of whether their inhabitants bend fire or earth. As of today, earthbending is legal in the Fire Nation and its colonies, and anyone who wishes to serve us will not be punished for it, regardless of whether their parents are Earthbenders or Firebenders.”
Ozai stands up.
“My son gave his life for the people of the colonies, for families of mixed blood, so they would not have to be separated. The Fire Nation accepts its sins and faults and will continue to pay war reparations for the years of war. We will not back down from the peace terms. But if the colonies wish to remain part of the Fire Nation, so it shall be, and the Fire Nation will protect our people.”
A day later, news of Ozai’s decision spreads around the world.
The younger colonies, those that have only recently returned to Earth Kingdom rule, those that hate the Fire Nation, view this with concern and begin to arm themselves.
The older colonies are also beginning to arm themselves, but not because they fear an attack by the Fire Nation. No, these colonies were under Fire Nation control for over a hundred years, and nowadays hardly anyone remembers the islands they came from. They’re full of people of mixed heritage, those who are secretly Earthbenders or befriend them.
Not everyone supports the Fire Nation.
But they’ve learned to live together.
And they know that if the Earth Kingdom comes here, they will tear families apart by force. They will force Earthbenders who consider themselves Fire Nationers to call themselves Earth Kingdomers. They will force Firebenders, who for generations have known no home other than the colonies, to return to the main islands. And if any Firebenders stay, the Earth Kingdom will maim them, crush their hands, and strip them of their bending.
Meanwhile, the Fire Nation has promised them equal rights. They promised that the laws would be changed, that the colonists wouldn’t have to hide, that they wouldn’t have to leave their homes, and that families wouldn’t be torn apart.
In Yu Dao, Kori Morishita and her cousins are the first to swear allegiance to Fire Lord Ozai.
After them, others follow.
Earthbenders who consider themselves Fire Nationers. Fire Nationers of mixed blood who have never seen the Main Islands. Earth Kingdomers who don’t necessarily like the Fire Nation, but don’t want their friends and family to leave and abandon them.
Not everyone follows their example. There are those who whisper quietly that something is wrong, that this is yet another example of colonialism, that they are losing the chance to regain their independence.
But soon after, the vast majority of the older colonies are ready to fight so they won’t have to return to the Earth Kingdom, not now that they know the Earth Kingdom and the Avatar are not their allies and are willing to murder the man who fought for the colonies’ sake.
Ozai smiles.
He doesn’t care about the colonies, he doesn’t care about the Earthbenders, and he doesn’t care about their well-being.
But during the year he spent in captivity, he learned that not everything goes according to his plans.
Besides, in this case, it’s better to make the colonies allies rather than slaves.
Aang feels as if he’s in limbo.
He knows something important is happening all around him, that a lot is going on, but it doesn’t matter.
It doesn’t matter because Aang wasn’t able to master the Avatar State, and now Zuko…
“Aang,” Katara kneels beside him. “Aang.”
He lifts a weary gaze toward her.
“Aang,” Katara repeats. “Why did you do that?”
Tears well up in his eyes.
“I didn’t mean to.”
“You killed Zuko while in the Avatar State.”
Aang flinches. He doesn’t want this, no, no, no, this wasn’t supposed to happen.
“I didn’t mean to,” he repeats. “I didn’t mean to do that, I just… I just couldn’t control the Avatar State. I thought I had it under control, I should have had it under control, because I was able to enter the Avatar State when I fought Ozai and I was able to control it… so why not now?”
“Then why–?”
“I don’t understand this!” Aang blurts out, burying his face in his hands just so he doesn’t have to look at Katara. “I don’t understand this, I don’t understand! I was ready to sacrifice you in Ba Sing Se; I was ready to do anything to master the Avatar State, but it didn’t work! It’s just like with Guru Pathik all over again, when I chose you–!”
“Wait, what are you talking about, Aang?”
Aang looks up at her with a tormented expression.
“I didn’t master the Avatar State when I went to Guru Pathik,” he confesses. “Because he wanted me to let go of my attachments, to let go of you, to get rid of my love for you. So I said no, that in that case I didn’t need the Avatar State and that I could manage without it, but I still almost entered the Avatar State in Ba Sing Se, and you see, I didn’t have to let go of my love for you… but then, when Azula struck me with lightning, my chakras were blocked…”
“And you never thought about trying to unblock them?”
“Because then I’d have to lose you!” Aang raises his voice. “I love you more than the Avatar State, more than anything…!”
He reaches out his hand to her.
Katara steps back, suddenly terrified.
“I don’t believe it,” she shakes her head in disbelief. “I don’t believe it, Aang. You gave up mastering the Avatar State for me. Because of me.”
“Because I love you–”
“That’s not love, Aang,” Katara takes another step back. “Not a single Avatar before you ever had trouble controlling the Avatar State because of who they were with. I know that. And I can see it now. What we had was abnormal. Every time you entered the Avatar State, I had to risk my life to control your anger, to calm you down… do you remember Ember Island? When you kissed me without my consent? What did you say?”
If I hadn’t blocked my chakra, I’d probably be in the Avatar State right now!
Aang shakes his head because… because he doesn’t know what to say.
“It wasn’t like that,” he whispers.
“All this time, I’ve always been the one who had to calm you down,” says Katara, her eyes wide, incredibly wide. “The mere thought that I might choose someone else was enough to send you into the Avatar State. Aang, what you feel for me… it’s not love. It’s an obsession. It’s exactly what the Guru told you to let go of.”
“No!” Aang protests. “That’s not what he meant!”
“That’s exactly what he meant,” Katara’s voice becomes gentle, but also a little sad. “You were supposed to let go of your obsession, your unhealthy attachment to me. But you didn’t, you never mastered the Avatar State, and now Zuko is dead!”
Her voice suddenly grows louder, rising to a higher pitch.
“You killed him, Aang, and it’s my fault!” Katara stares at him with growing horror. “It’s my fault because it was because of me that you never mastered the Avatar State!”
“I was able to control it when I fought Ozai!”
“That was just a one-time fluke!” Katara screams, tears welling up in her eyes. “You told me you’d mastered the Avatar State, and I believed you! I believed that I could finally be safe with you, that you’d never enter the Avatar State when you got angry…! But that wasn’t the case! You lied, and now Zuko is dead, and it’s my fault!”
“I didn’t mean to do that! I had no control over it!”
“But it happened!” Katara points out. “It happened, and now Zuko is dead, and I’ll never be able to tell him how I feel about him!”
Aang freezes.
“What?” he asks, confused.
For a moment, Katara looks as if she’s in shock. As if she’d said something she hadn’t planned to say.
Finally, she closes her eyes in pain.
“I loved him,” she says after a moment, opening her eyes. “I loved him, but I knew I’d never be able to choose him. I knew Zuko had chosen Mai and loved her, so I didn’t want to get in their way. Besides, a part of me always loved you, Aang, and knew that you loved me. But now I see that you never loved me, Aang. I don’t know who you loved, but it wasn’t me. And if it was me, and if it was my fault that you couldn’t control the Avatar State… if I’m the one destroying you, then I won’t let it continue. It’s over, Aang.”
Aang freezes.
“Katara…” he begins slowly.
“You said you chose your love for me over mastering the Avatar State?” Katara asks. “Then look at the consequences of your choice. Zuko is dead. Ozai has been freed and is the Fire Lord. The world is on the brink of war. We need the Avatar, not someone who’s obsessed with one girl and can’t master the Avatar State because of it, Aang. It’s over.”
“I don’t understand,” tears stream down Aang’s cheeks. “I don’t understand, Katara.”
He wants to be furious. But for now, he feels only emptiness and pain, such immense pain.
“I won’t support you anymore, treat you like a child, or like my own son,” a steely resolve flashes in Katara’s eyes. “I can’t be at your beck and call, soothe your anger, and hope that’s enough to snap you out of the Avatar State. And I don’t want to be the woman who destroys you. I love you, Aang, but your love is turning into an obsession, and I can’t ignore it any longer. You have to get the Avatar State under control, and if that means you have to let go of your feelings for me, then so be it.”
Having said that, Katara turns away.
“This is over, Aang,” she says. “We are done. And don’t think for a second that I’ll ever change my mind. I have no intention of being with someone who kills my friends or the people I love because of me, because you cannot let me go, because you call your feelings love.”
And she walks away.
Aang falls to his knees.
Because that’s not true. He loves her. It’s not an obsession. It’s true love, he really does love her. He chose her over the Avatar State.
And because of that, Aang never mastered it. And because of that, Zuko is dead.
And it’s his fault.
Aang bursts into tears.
He hates himself so much, so very much.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
It was never supposed to be like this. Because Aang tried, he really tried. He was ready to give up his love for Katara at Ba Sing Se. But in the end, he never did that; in the end, he never gave her up and stayed by her side, true, but that was because Katara was giving him signs, Katara was interested in him, she was the one who first said she wanted to be with him, she was the one who kissed him that evening in Ba Sing Se… She was the one who had been with him for the past year, always supporting him. She never said she might have any feelings for Zuko; she always smiled at Aang, she was always by his side, she always supported him…
Besides, this isn’t an obsession.
Aang loves Katara. He’s always loved her, always wanted to support her, did everything to be worthy of her, wanted to put a smile on her face, Aang always stood by her side, always supported her.
That’s love, that’s true love.
But he wasn’t able to master the Avatar State.
And now Zuko is dead, the world is on the brink of another war, and Katara left him, out of fear – fear of him. Fear of what Aang might do.
Aang hates himself so much.
It was never supposed to be like this.
He likes Zuko. He loves Zuko; Zuko is– was his friend, his brother. Aang never wanted to hurt him, and okay, he made that stupid promise, but Aang never intended to keep it… he was just stupid enough to enter the Avatar State, thinking he could control it, but it turned out he couldn’t, and now Zuko is dead, and it’s Aang’s fault, he’s the one who killed him…
Aang hates himself.
He hates himself, hates himself, hates himself.
So he curls up into a ball and cries.
The world keeps turning.
King Kuei is discussing with his advisors what needs to be done.
When he sends a message asking them to discuss the future of the colonies, Ozai sends him the head of the Earth Kingdom ambassador who was stationed in Caldera.
You killed my son, Ozai writes, playing the role of a good father who truly cares for his son. My son only wanted to save the colonies. He cared about them; he cared about the people who live there.
But you killed him anyway.
There will be no talks.
The Fire Nation does not wish to start another war, but we will hold onto our current territories. We will not accept your authority.
The Council of Five reads Ozai’s reply.
Kuei sighs sadly.
This means war.
Azula is released from the asylum.
She still sees people who don’t exist and hears voices she shouldn’t hear. Sometimes, she sees her brother in mirrors.
But this time, Mai and Ty Lee are by her side.
Her father looks at her expectantly.
Azula kneels before him.
She doesn’t know what to do; she doesn’t know what’s right and what’s wrong, but she knows she must follow him.
Aang heads to Ba Sing Se.
He doesn’t know what to do. He can’t bear the looks from his friends, the way they lean toward each other. He knows that each of them is wondering which side of the conflict they should take, what they should do. He knows that some of them, if not all, blame him for what happened.
So he heads to Ba Sing Se to ask Iroh for help, to do something, because… because Ozai is now the Fire Lord, it shouldn’t be this way, it’s wrong, but Aang no longer knows what’s right and what’s wrong, and it’s his fault; he’s the one who always fails; it’s his fault…
But when he arrives at the Jasmine Dragon and asks for Iroh, Jin, who is now working at the shop, shakes her head sadly.
“You won’t find him,” she says.
“What do you mean…?”
“As soon as Mushi” Jin begins, using Iroh’s alias “found out his nephew was dead, he fell into a depression. He started drinking. A lot. And then… one day he left and never came back. They found him later at the bottom of the river.”
“No,” Aang shakes his head. “Iroh would never…”
“He didn’t kill himself, if that’s what you’re afraid of,” says Jin. “He was pushed. Some people figured out that Mushi was Iroh. And when the Fire Lord was killed by the Avatar, they decided it was right to kill every Fire Nationer in the city.”
“No…” Aang shakes his head again. “No…”
No, no, no, this wasn’t supposed to happen, not like this.
“You should be careful, Avatar Aang,” Jin lowers her voice, and in her eyes you can see resentment she doesn’t even try to hide. “Your actions have led everyone in this city to believe they have the right to kill any Firebender or Fire Nationer. Last night alone, over a hundred people were murdered. People found the lists that the Dai Li had hidden… or they were given to them. They found first names, last names, addresses… so they went there and slaughtered them, every last one. Tomorrow they’ll do the same, and they’ll try to attack you too if they find out you’re a Firebender.”
“I’m an Airbender…” Aang remarks automatically.
“You’re an Airbender, an Earthbender, a Waterbender, and a Firebender, all at once,” Jin replies. “You’re all of those at the same time. Now excuse me, I have a lot of work to do. After someone murdered my boss, a lot of responsibilities fell on me.”
With that, she leads him out of the tea house.
“Oh, and it would be nice if you didn’t show up here,” she adds. “Preferably never again.”
Aang doesn’t know what to do with himself.
He knows the world doesn’t stop turning just because of him.
He knows a new war is brewing.
He knows that in some parts of the world, fighting is already underway.
He knows he should help.
But he’s afraid.
He doesn’t want to make the same mistake he made before. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone else. He never wanted to kill Zuko, he never would have if he’d been in control of himself. but he can’t control the Avatar State, and Aang is so afraid that he’ll enter the Avatar State again, so afraid that he’ll hurt his friends, that he’ll give in to rage…
And it was his fault, it’s because of him that Zuko is dead, it’s because of him that a war is now beginning, it’s because of him that Katara left him, and it was Aang’s fault, and Aang can’t escape that thought…
It was his fault, and Aang can’t bear it.
So he runs away.
The world is engulfed in flames; Aang hears constantly that the conflict is only escalating, that people are dying every day, that new forces are joining the conflict.
Aang hears about this and can’t bear it.
So he runs and runs and runs, unable to bear it.
The Fire Nation hates him. They see him as a monster, as a murderer.
The Earth Kingdom wants Aang to take their side. To fight on their side.
Aang wants to help; Aang wants to do something good; he wants to help the world, but he’s afraid that his actions will only make things worse…
So he runs away.
And he reaches the Southern Air Temple, where it all began.
And that’s where it all ends, because Aang realizes that the world doesn’t need him as the Avatar, that whatever he does now, he’ll only let others down, and nobody wants him.
So he says goodbye to Appa, says goodbye to Momo, and stands on the edge of the cliff.
He doesn’t know what to do; he doesn’t know how he can help this world, but he knows that Aang won’t help this world.
But perhaps the next Avatar will be able to save them all.