PAGE 36

Panel 1

A low-angle panel as one sage perfectly executes a powerful attack: a roundhouse kick that sends a wave of flame toward his opponent. The other man's arms are up as he prepares to catch and deflect the attack, fingers curled.

SFX: FOOOOOOM!

Panel 2

The second sage tears the fire in half, casting it aside in either direction so that it spills harmlessly against the ground.

SFX: FSSSH

Panel 3

The second sage throws a handful of flame at the first.

Panel 4

A low-angle shot as the First sage is knocked to the ground, flinching from the fire and the impact. Behind him stands Zuko, who's come out of the temple and now watches them eagerly.

Panel 5

The focus shifts entirely to Zuko. For a moment, he looks more his age -- a boy who's excited to see powerful Firebenders at work.

Page 37

Panel 1

Zuko strides forward into the practice area, putting on a show of confidence. The effect is perhaps more comical than intimidating.

Zuko: Impressive!

Panel 2

Zuko stands directly in front of the Great Sage, arms crossed in an attempt to echo his posture. But the Great Sage is much taller than him, and he has to tilt his head back to look the older man in the eye. The Great Sage is not amused or charmed or even remotely impressed. If anything, his scowl deepens.

Zuko: I demand that you teach me to fight like that.

Great Sage: You demand?

Panel 3

The Great Sage towers over Zuko.

Great Sage: You are in no position to demand anything, Prince Zuko.

Great Sage: Fire Lord Ozai banished you from the Fire Nation, and we honor his will above all else.

Panel 4

High-angle shot of Zuko as he looks up at Shyu. His brashness of a few moments before is beginning to shift into humiliated anger.

Great Sage (off-panel): Shyu convinced me to take pity on you, so I have tolerated your dishonored presence for this long. But I will not tolerate interruptions of our duties.

Panel 5

The Great Sage's lips twist into a cruel little smile.

Great Sage: Besides...you've already been marked by a Firebending master.

Great Sage: You don't need another reminder of your weakness.

Page 38

Panel 1

Zuko clenches his jaw, furious even as his cheek burns with shame.

Panel 2

Zuko launches a reckless attack at the Great Sage, pulling as much fire as he can from the bowl at the center of the ring and throwing it toward the older man in an aimless, sloppy mess.

Zuko: GRAAAAH!

SFX: SHOOOM

Panel 3

The Great Sage easily avoids the attack.

SFX: fwissshhhh

Panel 4

Zuko overbalances and stumbles.

Caption: I was tired of pity and tired of being taken care of.

Page 39

Panel 1

Zuko presses in again, his hands full of flame.

Zuko: Rrrrrah!

Caption: Tired of living in the shadow of my sister.

SFX: fssssh

Panel 2

Annoyed, now, the Great Sage turns Zuko aside more violently, dissipating Zuko's blast and pushing him backward with a punch of his own.

Panel 3

Zuko's feet skid on the volcanic rock, but he's already running forward again.

Caption: Tired of being a disappointment to my father.

SFX: skffff

Page 40

Panel 1

No longer interested in playing this game, the Great Sage bends an arc of fire in Zuko's path.

SFX: FWOOOOOSH

Panel 2

Zuko clenches his jaw and shields his face with his arms as he's pushed even farther back.

Zuko: Unf!

Caption: I wanted so badly to be strong.

SFX: FSSSHHH

SFX: skfffffffff

Panel 3

The Great Sage unleashes an even more powerful attack toward a now desperate-looking Zuko -- he can tell just from looking at it that there's no way he'll be able to handle it without being burned.

SFX: FOOOOOM!

Page 41

Panel 1

Seemingly from no where, Iroh steps in just in time to deflect the attack, knocking it apart with his hands so that the fire spills to either side of himself and his nephew. Behind him, Zuko's mouth and good eye are wide with surprise as he crouches, still in his ready stance.

Panel 2

Iroh smiles at Zuko as if nothing unusual is going on, the Great Sage looking annoyed behind him. Zuko is completely mortified to have been "rescued" this way.

Iroh: Nephew, I am sorry to interrupt, but I believe Fire Sage Shyu is looking for you.

Panel 3

Iroh rests a heavy hand on Zuko's shoulder and leads him back toward the temple. The Fire Sages scowl after them. Zuko's face burns with embarrassment and he speaks to Iroh through gritted teeth.

Zuko: You didn't have to do that! I would've been fine!

Iroh: Your wounds have not entirely healed. Now is not the time to push yourself in this way.

Panel 4

Iroh smiles at Zuko in an attempt at reassurance. It's obvious that he cares very much for this boy.

Iroh: Be patient, Prince Zuko. When you are ready, I will teach you the more advanced Firebending forms myself.

Page 42

Panel 1

Zuko angrily shrugs him off.

Zuko: I don't want to learn anything from you!

Panel 2

Zuko storms into the temple and leaves Iroh standing alone on the rocks, watching him sadly.

Panel 3

Now inside his sparsely-furnished room at the temple, Zuko walks up to the mirror that hangs on one wall.

Panel 4

Zuko examines his forearms, where the Great Sage's attacks burned through the fabric of his clothes and singed his skin. He cringes a little from the pain, now that he has some privacy.

Panel 5

Zuko looks up at his reflection in the mirror.

Page 43

Panel 1

He pushes experimentally at the bandages over the left side of his face, wincing as he does so.

Panel 2

He slowly unwinds the bandages from his head.

Panel 3

A very close, narrow shot of Zuko's eyes. They're closed, his brow furrowed as he tries to work up the courage to look at himself.

Panel 4

The shot widens to include Zuko's neck and shoulders as he opens his eyes again. For the first time since his Agni Kai, he takes a close look at the state of his face -- the red, angry wound around his eye; the way it's been distorted by the shrinking, damaged skin. Zuko's expression is heartbreakingly unguarded, now, sad and scared and in shock.