Avatar: The Last Airbender (2003–2008): Season 3, Episode 4 - Sokka's Master - full transcript

KATARA: Water...

Earth...

Fire...

Air.

Long ago...

The four nations lived
together in harmony.

Then everything changed
when the Fire Nation attacked.

Only the Avatar master of
all four elements could stop them.

But when the world
needed him most

he vanished.

100 years passed, and my brother
and I discovered the new Avatar



an airbender named Aang.

And although his airbending
skills were great

he has a lot to learn before
he's ready to save anyone.

AANG: Oof.

But I believe Aang
can save the world.

[♪...]

[MAN READING]

AANG: Blending in is better
than hiding out.

If we get Fire Nation disguises,

we'll be just as safe as we would be
hiding in a cave.

You have no right
to judge me, Uncle.

I did what I had to do in Ba Sing Se,
and you were a fool for not joining me.

I see you favor
the White Lotus Gambit.

Not many still cling
to the ancient ways.



Those who do can always
find a friend.

KATARA: Wow, this is amazing
to watch.

Kind of makes you realize
how insignificant we are.

Eh, you've seen nothing once,
you've seen it 1,000 times.

[ALL GASPING]

SOKKA: Oh, man.

You've never not seen
anything like this.

[EXPLOSION]

KATARA: The fire is gonna
destroy that town.

AANG: Not if we can stop it.

[GROWLING]

There's a creek over here.

I'll bend the water
on to the fire.

Toph, let's make a trench
to keep the fire from coming any closer.

What should I do?

[MOMO SQUAWKING]

Keep an eye on Momo.

So what, I'm just
a lemur-sitter?

There, there.

Feel better?

[GASPING]

Sokka, stand clear.

Right, stand clear.

Got it.

[INHALING]

[GASPING]

Good work, everybody.

[MOMO WARBLING]

[GASPING]

[MAKING EATING NOISES]

MAN: Look at you.

You're just a fat,
disgusting old man.

You do nothing, you say nothing.

You just eat and roll around
in your own filth like a pig.

You're a disgrace.

These people have no idea how close
they were to getting toasted last night.

Yeah, the worst thing
about being in disguise

is we don't get
the hero worship anymore.

I miss the love.

Boo-hoo, poor heroes.

What's your problem?

You haven't even touched
your smoked sea slug.

It's just, all you guys can do
this awesome bending stuff

like putting out forest fires, and flying
around, and making other stuff fly around.

I can't fly around, OK?

I can't do anything.

That's not true.

No one can read a map like you.

I can't read at all.

Yeah, and who keeps us laughing
with sarcastic comments all the time?

I mean,
look at Katara's hair, right?

-What's up with that?
-What?

What's wrong with my hair?

Nothing, I was just trying to...

SOKKA: Look, I appreciate
the effort, but the fact is

each of you is so amazing
and so special, and I'm not.

I'm just the guy
in the group who's regular.

I'm sorry you're feeling so down,

but I hope you know none of us
see you that way.

I know something that's gonna
make you feel better.

You do?

Shopping.

Maybe a little something
to reinvigorate my battling.

Hey, how about these?

Hi-ya!

"Smack-a-dacka-doo!"

[GRUNTING]

AANG: What do you think?

Pretty slick, huh?

All I need to complete
the outfit is a wind sword.

What's a wind sword?

It's where I get a sword handle

And then I just swing
this around and bend air out like a blade.

[MAKING WHOOSHING SOUND]

Yeah, nice.

[WHIMPERING]

I'll just stick to what I got.

[GROANING]

[GRUNTING]

Ooh.

That's what Sokka's
talking about.

MAN: You have a good eye.

That's an original from Piandao

the greatest sword master
and sword maker in Fire Nation history.

He lives in the big castle
up the road from here.

That's it.

That's what you needed
all along, Sokka.

A sword?

Not the sword.

A master.

We've all had masters
to help us get better.

You should see if you
can study with Piandao.

That's a great idea.

I could've never gotten to where
I am without Master Pakku.

Everyone needs a teacher.

I learned from badger moles.

They don't talk,
but they're still good teachers.

It would be nice to be
a master swordfighter.

All right, I'll talk to him.

[GRUNTING]

[GASPING]

Can I help you?

I've come to train
with the master.

You should know the master
turns almost everyone away.

What did you bring him
to prove your worth?

Well, uh...

Right.

Let's get this over with.

Master, my name is Sokka,

and I wish to be instructed
in the way of the sword.

PIANDAO: Sokka.

That's an unusual name.

Oh, uh, really?

Uh, where I come from,
the Fire Nation colonies

it's a pretty normal name,
for Fire Nation colonials.

PIANDAO: Let me guess.

You've come hundreds of miles
from your little village

where you're the best
swordsman in town

and you think you deserve
to learn from the master.

Well, actually, I've been
all over the world.

PIANDAO: Yep, here we go.

And I know one thing for sure,
I have a lot to learn.

You're not doing a very good job
of selling yourself.

I know.

Your butler told me that when I met you,
I would have to prove my worth

But the truth is,
I don't know if I am worthy.

Hm, I see.

Well, then, let's find out
together how worthy you are.

I will train you.

The first thing you must learn is that
your weapon is an extension of yourself.

You must think of it as
another part of your own body.

Like a second head.

Well, more like
an extra-long, really sharp arm.

The sword is a simple tool,
but in the hands of a master

it becomes the most versatile of weapons,
and just as the imagination is limitless

so too are the possibilities
of the sword.

AANG: What should we do today?

I'm tapped out.

I already picked my toes, twice.

Twice?

The first time was for cleaning,

but the second time's just for
the sweet picking sensation.

Sokka's been in charge
of the schedule.

I'm not sure
what we should be doing.

Plus, it's so hot today.

How hot is it?

I don't know.

Real hot?

It's so hot, it's so hot,
Momo is shedding like Appa.

Huh, huh?

I guess the jokes
don't run in the family.

KATARA: Oh, everyone's a critic.

[APPA GROWLING]

[GRUNTING]

The warrior practices a variety
of arts to keep his mind sharp and fluid.

The first you will learn
is calligraphy.

Write your name.

Writing my name will make me
a better swordsman?

When you write your name,
you stamp the paper with your identity.

You must learn to use your sword
to stamp your identity on a battlefield.

Remember, you cannot take back a stroke of
the brush, or a stroke of the sword.

You are getting ink
on your face.

I am?

I am.

So this is about putting
my identity on the page, right?

[GRUNTING]

Landscape painting teaches a warrior
to hold the lay of the land in his mind.

[GRUNTING]

In battle, you only have an instant
to take everything in.

Now, paint it.

And no peeking.

SOKKA: I'm finished.

You added a rainbow.

Is that OK?

[SIGHING]

[GRUNTING]

PIANDAO: Sokka.

[GRUNTING]

Concentrate on
what you're doing.

Rock gardening teaches the warrior
to manipulate his surroundings

and use them to his advantage.

Hm, manipulate them
to my advantage.

Oh.

[GRUNTING]

Ah.

[GASPING]

Hey, would you mind grabbing
a cold drink for me?

[GASPING]

I'll take a slice of lemon
in mine, please.

[SIGHING]

What's going on in there?

Crazy old man.

KATARA: So where are
we going next?

We're starting from here.

No, we're over on this island.

You noodle-brains don't know
what you're doing.

I miss Sokka.

Ooh, I got one.

If you miss him so much,
why don't you marry him?

PIANDAO: You've had a good
first day of training.

I have?

But I thought I messed up
every single thing we worked on.

You messed things up
in a very special way.

You are ready for a real sword.

[GASPING]

Are you giving me one of yours?

No.

[GROANING]

Your sword must be
an extension of yourself

So tomorrow, you will make
your own sword.

Choosing the correct material is the
most important step in crafting a sword.

You must trust your steel
with your life.

Choose carefully.

[GRUNTING]

Master, would it be possible for me to

leave and bring back
a special material for my sword?

I wouldn't have it
any other way.

-Sokka's coming.
-[GASPING]

Hey, guys.
What are you doing?

AANG: Sokka?
TOPH: You're back.

We missed you so much.

Say something funny.

Funny how?

[LAUGHING]

What's their deal?

I don't know.

They missed you or something.

I didn't care.

Thanks.
That warms my heart.

Anyway, I need some help.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Who's this?

Oh, these are my friends.

Just other good
Fire Nation folks.

Do you think we can make
a sword out of a meteorite?

We'll make a sword unlike
any other in the world.

Sokka, when you first arrived,
you were so unsure.

You even seemed
down on yourself.

But I saw something
in you right away.

I saw a heart as strong as
a lion turtle, and twice as big

and as we trained, it wasn't
your skills that impressed me.

No, it certainly
wasn't your skills.

You showed something
beyond that.

Creativity, versatility,
intelligence.

These are the traits
that define a great swordsman

and these are the traits
that define you.

You told me you didn't know
if you were worthy

but I believe that you are more worthy
than any man I have ever trained.

I'm sorry, master.

You're wrong.

I am not worthy.

I'm not who you think I am.

I'm not from the Fire Nation.

I'm from the Southern
Water Tribe.

I lied so that I could
learn swordsmanship from you.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, too.

[GASPING]

No, this is my fight, alone.

You used to be
the pride of the Fire Nation.

Our top general,
The Dragon of the West.

Now, look at you.

Look what you've become.

[GRUNTING]

[GRUNTING]

PIANDAO: Excellent.

Using your superior agility
against an older opponent.

Smart.

[GRUNTING]

PIANDAO: Good use of terrain.

Fighting from the high ground.

[GRUNTING]

Yes, use your surroundings.

Make them fight for you.

[SCREAMING]

[PANTING]

[GRUNTING]

[COUGHING]

Very resourceful.

Excellent work, Sokka.

I think I'm a little old
to be fighting the Avatar.

How did you know?

Oh, I've been around a while.

You pick things up.

Of course, I knew from the beginning
that Sokka was Water Tribe.

You might want to think of
a better Fire Nation cover name.

Try "Lee."

There's a million Lees.

But why would you agree
to train someone from the water tribe?

The way of the sword doesn't
belong to any one nation.

Knowledge of the arts
belongs to us all.

Sokka, you must continue
your training on your own.

If you stay on this path,
I know that one day

you will become an even
greater master than I am.

Wait.

The master wanted you to have this,
as something to remember him by.

It's a Pai Sho tile.

AANG: The White Lotus.
Hm.

KATARA: What does it mean?

I have no idea.

Ooh, that reminds me.

Toph, I thought
you might like this

Since you've probably never had a chance
to bend space earth before.

Sweet.

Check this out.

You know, I don't think there's
such a thing as "space earth."

If it's from space,
then it's not really earth.

SOKKA: Must you ruin everything?

KATARA: I can't believe
I missed you.

[♪...]