Water.
Earth.
Fire.
Air.
Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony.
Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation att*cked.
Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them.
But when the world needed him most, he vanished.
A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar an airbender named Aang.
And although his airbending skills are great.
He has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone.
But I believe Aang can save the world.
Book One: Water Chapter Eleven: The Great Divide Um aren't you forgetting the tarp? Right got it.
Sokka, you're supposed to put the tarp on top of the tent.
You know, so we don't get rained on.
Ordinarily you'd be right, but seeing how it's the dry season, you're not.
Besides, that tarp makes a pretty warm blanket.
But what if it does rain? But what if it doesn't? Then I would have put the tarp up for nothing.
You're infuriating! Katara, why don't you worry about gathering the firewood because that kindling's looking pretty sorry.
Well if you don't like my firewood have it! Fine by me! If you're not going to do your job urg! Okay, I got the grub if you guys got the Hey, where's the campfire? And what happened to the tent? Why don't you ask Miss Know It All? Queen of the Twigs! Oh yeah? Well you're Mister Lazy Bum, King of the Tents! Okay, listen guys.
Harsh words won't solve problems, action will.
Why don't you just switch jobs? - Sounds good.
- Whatever.
You see that? Settling feuds and making peace.
All in a days work for the Avatar.
Come on Momo, that's fair.
Appa's got five stomachs.
Here it is, guys, The Great Divide.
Wow! I could just stare at it forever.
Okay.
I've seen enough.
How can you not be fascinated, Sokka? This is the largest canyon in the entire world.
Then I'm sure we'll be able to see it very clearly from the air while we fly away.
Hey! If you're looking for the Canyon Guide, I was here first! Ooooo canyon guide.
Sounds informative.
Believe me, he's more than a tour guide, he's an earthbender.
And the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help.
And he's takin' my tribe across next! Calm down, we know you're next.
You wouldn't be calm if the Fire Nation destroyed your home and forced you to flee.
My whole tribe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba Sing Se! You're a refugee.
Humph.
Tell me somethin' I don't know.
Is that your tribe? It most certainly is not.
That's the Zhang tribe.
A bunch of low-life thieves.
They've been the enemies of my tribe for hundred years.
Hey Zhangs! I'm savin' a spot for my tribe so don't even think of stealing it! Where are the rest of the Gan Jin? Still tidying up their campsite? Yes! But they sent me ahead of them to hold a spot.
I didn't know the canyon Guide took reservations.
Heh! Of course you didn't.
That's the ignorance I'd expect from a messy Zhang! So unorganized and ill prepared for a journey.
Sorry about the wait, youngsters.
Who's ready to cross this here canyon? Um one of them I think.
I was here first! My party's on their way! I can't guide people who aren't here.
Guess you guys'll have to make the trip tomorrow.
Wait! Here they come! You're not seriously going to cave into these spoiled Gan Jins! I mean, we're refugees too! And we've got sick people that need shelter.
I uh well We've got old people who are weary from traveling.
Sick people get priority over old people.
Maybe you Zhang's wouldn't have so many sick people if you weren't such slobs.
If you Gan Jins weren't so clean, maybe you wouldn't live to be so old.
I could smell your stink a mile away.
Well Aang, ready to put your peace making skills to the test? I don't know.
A fight over chores is one thing.
These people have been feuding for hundred years.
Everyone, listen up! This is the Avatar! And if you give him a chance, I'm sure he can come up with a compromise that will make everyone happy.
Uh you could share the earthbender and travel together? Absolutely not! We'd rather be taken by the Fire Nation than travel with those stinking thieves.
We wouldn't travel with you pompous fools anyway! I am not pompous! Alright! Here's the deal! We're all going down together and Appa here will fly your sick and elderly across.
Does that seem fair? Sorry Appa.
You'll have to do this on your own.
And this feuding tribe stuff is serious business.
Are you sure it's a good idea getting involved in this? To tell the truth, I'm not sure.
But when have I ever been? He's the Avatar, Sokka.
Making peace between people is his job.
His job's gonna make us cross this whole thing on foot, isn't it? Okay, now comes the bad news.
No food allowed in the canyon.
It attracts dangerous predators.
No food! This is ridiculous.
Aww, you babies can go a day without food.
Would you rather be hungry or dead? Now, we're headin' down in ten minutes.
All food better be in your gut, or in the garbage! Appas's gonna take good care of you until we get there.
See ya on the other side, buddy.
Yip, yip! Nice bending! The job's much more than bending, kid.
Folks want information.
Many of you are probably wondering how canyons are formed.
Experts tell us this canyon was most likely carved into the ground by Earth Spirits who were angry at local farmers for not offering them a proper sacrifice.
Guess the spirits are still angry! Hope you all brought sacrifices.
Okay everyone stand clear of the wall.
Why'd you do that? These people are fleeing the Fire Nation, aren't they? I gotta make sure we can't be followed.
We'll be safe now.
We gotta help him! Okay now you gotta help me! What was that? Canyon crawler.
Oh, ugh! And there's sure to be more.
Your arms they're broken.
Without my arms, I got no bending.
In other words we're trapped in this canyon.
I thought the whole point of ditching our food was so we wouldn't have to deal with things like canyon crawlers It's the Zhangs! They took food down here, even after the guide told them not to! What! If there's anyone who can't go without food for a day, it's you pampered Gan Jins! I hope you're happy.
We're stuck in the canyon with no way out.
Why don't you thank yourself, food hider! Look.
Sticking together is the only way to I'm not walkin' another step with the likes of them.
Now, there's something we can agree on.
Any ideas? No bending.
We need to get out of this canyon.
I won't die down here! I won't become part of the food chain! See? We're going to become part of the food chain because of you! Sure.
Unjustly blame the Zhangs like you always do! Gladly! Enough! I thought I could help you guys get along, but I guess that's not going to happen.
We should split up.
Gan Jins on this side and Zhangs on that side.
We'll travel in two separate lines.
Sokka, you go with the Zhangs.
And Katara, you go with the Gan Jins.
See if you can figure out why they hate each other so much.
So, you guys aren't going to put up your tarps? What for? It's the dry season.
Exactly! Besides, we like to use the tarp as a blanket.
Finally, someone gets it.
You really think it'll rain? No, but you can never be too careful, right? Would you care for some bread, Katara? So it was you guys who had food! Oh come now.
You really think that tribe of thieves isn't smuggling food? Why should my people go hungry when the sneaky Zhangs are stuffing their faces? Well, I guess it's okay if everyone's doing it.
So, why does your tribe hate the Zhang so much? You seem like a smart girl, Katara.
I bet you would enjoy hearing some history.
The patriarch of our tribe, Jin Wei, was an earthbender warrior who was assigned an important duty, transporting our sacred orb from the Great Eastern Gate to the Great Western Gate.
Taking the orb from the east to the west represents the sun's rising and setting.
It was our tribe's ancient redemption ritual but as he approached the gate, Jin Wei was att*cked by one of the Zhang! A vermin, named Wei Jin, who looked at the orb with envy.
That coward, Wei Jin, knocked Jin Wei to the ground and stole our sacred orb.
Our people have never forgotten.
You can never trust a Zhang.
Care for some meat? Would I!? I know what you must be thinking.
We're horrible for endangering everybody by bringing food down here.
The Gan Jin think so badly of us they probably assumed we brought food in and decided to bring food in themselves.
That's why we brought food in.
Our conflict with the Gan Jin goes back over a hundred years Our forefather, Wei Jin, was leaving the western gate of our village when he saw a figure in the distance.
It was a man of the Gan Jin tribe, Jin Wei, collapsed on the ground.
Noble Wei Jin stopped to help him.
Jin Wei was transporting a sacred orb, a very powerful relic used in his tribe's redemption ritual.
Wei Jin tried to tend to the man's wounds, but Jin Wei insisted the orb was more important, and asked him to take it back to his tribe.
Kind Wei Jin promised to send help for the man as soon as he could, but as Wei Jin crossed the border to return the orb into Gan Jin territory he was arrested! Instead of thanking him for his kind and selfless deed, they sentenced him to twenty long years in prison.
We Zhang's will never forget that injustice.
That's just terrible.
You gonna finish that? Sure would be nice to be around one of those campfires, telling stories and laughing.
It's okay, Momo, we'll be out of here soon enough and then we can eat our weight in leechy nuts! Nah, I'll wait for the leechy nuts.
It's lonely, isn't it? Being impartial.
I wish I could help these people get along, but it just seems impossible.
Anyhow, I guess our biggest problem is getting out of here.
I'm not so sure the two problems are unrelated.
All clear! We're almost to the other side.
Katara, Sokka, will these people cooperate long enough to get out of the canyon? I don't think so, Aang, the Zhang's really wronged the Gan Jins.
They ambushed Jin We and stole the sacred orb.
What are you talking about? Yeh, Katara, what are you talking about? We Jin didn't steal the orb, he was returning it to their village gate and was wrongfully punished by the Gan Jin.
Not punished enough if you ask me! Okay! Okay! I get it! Now I need your help.
Let's get everyone together at the base of the canyon wall.
Please everyone! As soon as we get out of here we can eat, and then go our separate ways, but I need you all to put your heads together and figure out a way up this cliff.
Maybe the Zhang can climb the walls with their long, disgusting fingernails.
Oh, sorry! I forgot that to the Gan Jin, unclipped fingernails is a crime punishable by twenty years in jail! Why you dirty thief! You pompous fool! Guys! focus! How many times do I have to say it? Harsh words won't solve problems, action will! Perhaps the Avatar is right.
Yes, perhaps he is.
Harsh words will never solve our problems action will! To the death! And let this be the end of this rivalry! You know, I take it back! Harsh words aren't so bad! Is that food? Everyone smuggled food down here!? Unbelievable! You guys put our lives in danger because you couldn't go without a snack for a day!? You are all awful! So hungry is that egg custard in that tart? Oh no! That's a lot of canyon crawlers! We barely survived one! They're coming back for me! They've had a taste, and they're coming back for me! Sokka, wait! I don't care about this stupid feud! I just want us to get out of here alive.
Me too.
I only took their side because they fed me.
Everybody! Watch me! Do what I do! Now, follow me! We're riding out of this hole! Everyone! Get off! We made it! I never thought a Gan Jin could get his hands dirty like that.
And I never knew you Zhang's were so reliable in a pinch.
Perhaps we're not so different after all.
Too bad we can't rewrite history.
You thieves stole our sacred orb from Jin Wei! You tyrants unjustly imprisoned We Jin for twenty long years! Wait a second! Jin Wei? Wei Jin? I know those guys! Yes, yes, we're all aware of the story.
No! I mean I really knew them.
I may not look it, but I'm 112 years old.
I was there a hundred years ago on the day you're talking about There seems to be a lot of confusion about what happened.
First of all, Jin Wei and Wei Jin weren't enemies, they were brothers, twins in fact and they were eight and most importantly, they were just playing a game! The sacred orb from the legend that was the ball.
And the eastern and western gates were the goal posts.
Jin Wei had the ball and was running toward the goal when he fell and fumbled it.
Win Jei didn't steal the ball, he picked it up and started running it back toward the other goal.
But he stepped out of bounds, so the official put him in the penalty box, not for twenty long years, but for two short minutes.
There was no stealing and no putting anyone in prison.
Just a game.
You're saying the sacred orb was actually a sacred ball? Nope, just a regular ball.
What about our tribe's redemption ritual? That's what the game was called, Redemption.
As soon as someone got the ball from one goal to the other, everyone would yell, "redemption!" Don't get me wrong, Wei Jin was kind of a slob and Jin Wei was a little stuffy, that much is true, but they respected each others differences enough to share the same playing field.
I suppose it's time we forget the past and look to the future.
Good to see ya, boy! Did you miss me? I cannot thank you enough, Avatar.
Well, you know, I try.
Let us travel to the Earth Kingdom capital as one tribe! I'm goin' too! I'm sick of this place! That's some luck you knew Jin Wei and Wei Jin.
You could call it luck.
Or, you could call it lying! What!? I made the whole thing up.
You did not! That is so wrong.
Now where's that custard tart? I'm starving!