03x03 - The Earth Queen

[bunniefuu]

Earth.

Fire.

Air.

Water.

Only the Avatar can
master all four elements

and bring balance to the world.

The air nation has
its first recruit.

Team Avatar's search
for new airbenders

in the earth kingdom
led them to Kai,

an orphan with a shady past.

Meanwhile, Lord Zuko
is hot on the trail

of three escaped criminals
who pose a great thr*at

to the Avatar.

Unaware of the danger to her,

Korra continues her mission
to find more airbenders.

Next stop, the walled
city of Ba Sing Se.

Light on your feet, Uncle Bumi.

Remember, you want to
be quick and evasive.

Don't worry about
me, little lady.

I've been in a scrap
or two, you know.

Oh, you're just a youngster, so
I'm going to go easy on you.

Wouldn't want to hurt a kid...

Oh!

Uncle Bumi, you've got to
work on your stance changes.

Kai, that was just...
really good.

Thanks, Jinora. You're
a great teacher.

Hmm. Did I drop my wallet?

Give me that, you little thief!

It's so exciting

to be on a diplomatic
mission to Ba Sing Se.

- What's the earth queen like?
- I've never met her,

but I've heard she can be quite...
Demanding.

This is it, Mako! We made it!

This is where dad grew up!
Come here, look! Look!

Okay, calm down. I'm looking.

I wonder how many
airbenders are down there.

Ugh. The lower ring
looks terrible.

Yeah, I can smell it from here.

No wonder dad left.

Hello, middle ring!

Wow. Now, this is more like it.

Avatar Korra, master Tenzin, it
is a pleasure to welcome you

and your party to the
upper ring of Ba Sing Se.

I'm grand secretariat g*n.

Thank you.

Ahh, it's got that
upper ring smell.

Oh, no.

The queen hates animals.

We've got to get
them out of sight.

Well, I can just stash
Pabu in my shirt.

These two are gonna
be a little tougher.

Come with me, hurry. I'll
take you to your quarters.

Now, when you meet the queen,
make sure you bow low enough.

That's very important.

And don't look her in the
eye, she can't stand that.

If any food is served,
don't eat before she eats.

Oh, actually, I have to
taste her food first,

then she eats, then you can eat.
Better yet, just don't eat.

Seems like an awful
lot of rules.

Oh, you have no idea,
and I'm the one

who gets in trouble when
people don't follow them,

so please, please, for my sake,

just try not to
upset her majesty.

Here we are. Ooh, very swanky.

Now, go in and make
yourselves comfortable...

- Hey!
- And keep those animals

out of sight in the backyard.

Avatar Korra, if
you'd follow me,

we don't want to keep
her majesty waiting.

Your majesty, may I
present Avatar Korra.

You're ruining the koi pond!

It's completely overshadowed
by the topiaries!

Guards, take that buffoon away

and get me someone who
knows what they're doing!

You! Rip everything
out and start over!

I am surrounded by idiots.

So I finally get a
visit from the Avatar.

Let me guess, you
want something.

Well, actually, your majesty,
I was hoping you could...

I hardly think you're in a
position to ask me for favors

after everything the last Avatar
did to the earth kingdom.

He and fire Lord Zuko

took advantage of my
father's weakness,

and stole our lands to make
their own little empire.

The united Republic is
earth kingdom territory.

Well, I-I'm not sure what
I can do about that.

Not that you care,

but what's left of my
kingdom is falling to ruin.

Roving bands of barbarians

are raiding villages
in the countryside,

and now, some of my subjects are
refusing to pay their taxes.

I'm very sorry for
your troubles,

but actually... That
topiary is supposed to be

an eel-swan, not a turtle-duck!

Hey, has anyone seen Kai?

- Kai?
- Kai! Little bro?

He's not over here.

I don't think I've seen
him since we landed.

I knew that kid was no good.

He was just waiting
for an opportunity

to run away again.

- We have to find him.
- What's the point?

He obviously doesn't
care about us.

But he's my new little brother.

He's probably lost and scared.

He is just a little boy, and
he's our responsibility.

Besides, he's the only airbender
we've recruited so far.

We can't lose him.

Fine. Bolin and I will find him.

No! To your left!

Your other left!

Do you have these problems
with your servants?

I don't really have servants.

But, your majesty, the
reason for our visit

is that we're trying to gather
all of the new airbenders

who are popping up in
the earth kingdom,

and we'd like your help finding
the ones in Ba Sing Se.

Airbenders in Ba Sing Se?
Where did you hear that?

Before we left Republic
City, we got some reports.

Hmm. Well, before I even
consider helping you,

I'll need you to do
something for me.

Oh. Of course. What is it?

I have a vault full of tax money

sitting in a town South of here.

Barbarians have stolen
my past two shipments.

Go collect my money and
bring it back here.

Yes, your majesty.

Kai! Did you go fishing?

You under the bridge?

Here, sir, let me help you.

Oh, thank you, young man.
What a strange sudden breeze.

Yeah, that was really weird.

Thanks for your help.

Kai!

Get back here!

Kai, it's us!

Mako and Bolin!

Your new family!

Excuse me, pardon me.

No, no, carry on.

What are you doing

running around robbing people?

I was just practicing
my airbending.

Yeah, right. Let's go.

You're in big trouble.

Hey!

Your little brother, huh?

Yeah, just a lovable
little scamp, isn't he?

Reminds me of my little brother.

This is the express
line to the lower ring.

Next stop, po Kong station.

- Ah!
- Oh!

All right, let's see if
we can catch a train back

to the upper ring.

Passports and tickets.

We can pay, hold on.

Where's my money?

No. Kai wouldn't...

aw, man!

All right, b*at it, you two,

before things get ugly. Ah, hey!

The bad news is,
we're stuck here.

The good news is, you
can go the bathroom

wherever you want.

Are you sure we shouldn't
have brought more people

to collect the tax money?

There are royal guards
waiting at the vault.

I doubt anything will happen.

I think her majesty just
likes ordering me around.

Man.

Oh, I think I slipped
a disc sleeping here.

It's been a while since we spent
the night on a trash pile.

It's about how I remembered.

I bet everyone's freaking out
that we've been gone all night.

I'm worried about Kai.

He's just a little kid
out there on his own.

He's probably really scared.

Your breakfast, Master Fung.

Keep the change.

I love Ba Sing Se.

Whew, I'm getting hungry.

We might have to hustle
up a little breakfast

with the old fruit stand scam.

Come on.

You remember how it goes.

I push you into the stand, you
scream, I pretend to faint.

I don't want any part of this.
Besides, look at this fruit.

It's disgusting. We don't
want to steal this.

Hey, you trying to
steal my fruit?

No, I just said I don't want
any of this rotten fruit.

Oh, you too good for my fruit?

This is the best
fruit on the block.

So you want me to steal it?

Just try it, buddy.

Go ahead.

I'm confused.

Are we stealing
the fruit or not?

I knew it, thieves!

What's going on here?

Dad, these fruit thieves
are insulting our fruit.

Bolin? Mako?

- How do you know our names?
- Yeah, I mean,

I'm famous, so I get that, but
how do you know his name?

You look just like San.

Tu, you'll never believe
who these guys are.

They're your cousins,
my brother San's kids.

Lord Zuko, Uncle.

This is a surprise.

Finally something
interesting happens.

Ruling the tribe is so tedious.

Then you should enjoy this.

We need to check on
a secret ice prison

in the Western tundra.

Your father sent us a letter
years ago with your names,

but that was the last
we heard from him.

Then we saw your pictures
in the sports pages

with your bending
team, and Bolin,

we love those Nuktuk movers.

They're hilarious.

Yeah, they're not really
comedies, but, uh...

yeah, I could probably
be a pro-bender,

or an actor, or something

if I lived in a mansion in
Republic City like you guys.

You don't know what it's
like here on the streets.

You gotta be tough.

Oh, Mako and I grew
up on the streets.

We were homeless, then we
were kind of in a g*ng,

then we lived in a gym.

Hey, everybody! Look who's here!

San's kids, Mako and Bolin!

- No way.
- Come in.

Welcome.

Is it true? After
all these years?

Boys, this is your
grandmother, Yin.

Oh, it is so wonderful
to finally meet

my long-lost grandchildren.

Where is San and your mother?

Wait, you mean, you don't know?

I'm sorry.

They were k*lled
when we were little.

I don't like the looks of this.

Let's hurry up and
get out of here.

You here to pick up
the tax shipment?

Go ahead and load
it on the airship.

So much for our escorts.

Maybe we should've
brought everybody else.

Step away from the gold, ladies,
and you won't get hurt.

Sorry to disappoint you,
but we're taking this gold

back to Ba Sing Se.

Aw, we love gals with spirit.

Suit yourself.

Aah!

Oh!

Retreat! Retreat!

You're on the wrong side
of this fight, Avatar!

That gold belongs to the
people, not the queen!

Why do I get the
feeling he's right?

Why didn't anyone tell us
we have a secret prison

we could have been
throwing people in?

I'd like to put my
tailor in here.

He never gets my cuffs right.

They're so creasy.

We built this place
secretly with your father

to hold a very special prisoner.

She's a powerful
firebender named P'Li

who can create explosions
with her mind.

Ironically, I hired a guy
with a similar ability

to k*ll the Avatar myself once.

Didn't work.

Don't feel bad.

I tried to k*ll Korra after
she ruined my wedding.

It happens.

Let's just focus on keeping
this woman in prison.

The intense cold prevents
her from firebending.

There's certainly no way
anyone's breaking out of here.

That's what we thought about
the other three prisons.

Must be something
exciting going on.

No one interesting has
visited me in 13 years.

Don't get used to it.

He's out, isn't he?

Mmm, I'm feeling warmer already.

This is so great. We've
never had a family before.

Now we've got... 1, 2, 5, 11...

A big family! Yeah!

So why did dad leave Ba Sing Se?

Oh, he always had big dreams.

He couldn't wait to get
out and see the world.

Your grandfather thought
it was ridiculous.

He wanted San to stay home
and work the fruit stand,

but San was determined to leave,
and they had a huge fight.

And that was the last
time they ever spoke.

Oh, um, sorry, mom.

Come with me.

I have something to show you.

This is the only letter
we ever got from San.

It says he married
a beautiful girl

from the fire nation and
had two wonderful sons.

He sent this picture of
you all on his birthday.

Look, Mako. Dad's
wearing your scarf.

I'm so sad that I never
got to meet your mother,

but you have her eyes.

I know from looking at you
two that she must have been

a wonderful bride for my boy.

I'm sure they would
want you to have this.

Your majesty, the Avatar has
returned with the tax payments.

Finally. Secure it in the vault.

It's being done as we speak.

So now, your majesty, if
I could start meeting

some of the airbenders
here in the city.

The Dai Li thoroughly
searched the city,

but it seems your
reports were incorrect.

There are no airbenders
in Ba Sing Se.

So you can gather
your little band

and be on your way tomorrow.

You make me do your dirty work
extorting your own citizens

for your stupid palaces
and topiaries,

and then you just
want to send me away?

We're not going anywhere until
we find some airbenders!

We know there are some here!

Get her out of my sight!

This isn't over!

I'm going to find
the airbenders!

You know, San would have
been so proud of you guys.

Traveling the world
with the Avatar,

he would have loved that.

We actually need to get back to
the Avatar in the upper ring.

We're supposed to be helping
her find airbenders

in Ba Sing Se.

What? What happened?

One of our neighbors started
airbending about a week ago.

A couple days later,
two Dai Li agents

come out of nowhere
and snatch him up.

No one's seen him since.

They say the earth queen's
locking all the airbenders up

somewhere and using
them for experiments.

Tu! Don't talk like
that about her majesty.

Long may she reign.

We have to get back to the
upper ring and tell Korra.

I hope Kai is okay.

Here sir, let me help you.

Hey! What's going on?

I didn't do anything!
I'm with the Avatar!

Welcome to her majesty's army,
first airbending regiment.

From now on, you live to
fight for the earth queen.