Michaela Jill Murphy: Toph

Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King

Toph

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: [grabs 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]

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.

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.

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: 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]

[In front of a melon with a face carved into it, which has been placed on top of a stick]
Sokka: Gather round, Team Avatar. In order to take out the Fire Lord, or, in this case, the Melon Lord, our timing has to be perfect. First, Suki and I will draw his fire. Then, Katara and Zuko charge in with some liquidy hot offense, and while the Melon Lord is distracted, Aang swoops in and Bam! He delivers the final blow.
Toph Beifong: Uh... what about me?
Sokka: For now, you're the Melon Lord's forces.
Toph Beifong: So I get to chuck flaming rocks at all of you?
Sokka: Whatever makes the training feel more realistic.
Toph Beifong: [smiles] Sweetness.