The Blind Bandit
Its starts off with Sokka wondering if he should by tis expensive and flashy bag. Since he takes so long Aang and Katara decides to go. A man who’s handing out flyers for a local Earth bending academy happens to pass Katara and Aang and gives them one. Katara and Aang decide to go since he needs to find someone to teach him the element.
The two arrive at the Earthbending Academy. But all Aang gets is a rock to the stomach. Master Yu (the academies teacher) tries to sell Aang a year’s worth of lessons, but Aang thinks that Yu isn’t the right teacher for him.
They over hear two students talking about this Earth Rumble VI, an underground Eartbending tournament. They thought that they might find some good Earthbending teachers there. So they ask them where it is. They sarcastically tell them “It’s on the island None’ya... None’ya business!” and the two walk off laughing. Katara follows them and freezes them to the wall and force them to give information.
They found out that it’s inside a jagged mountain. The whole group looks for seats, wondering why so many front seats are empty. Suddenly a rock comes crashing towards the, providing a clear explanation why they were empty. The host Xin Fu explains the rules “ each contestant must knock the other guy out of the ring to move on to the next round.
The first round was the Boulder vs The Hippo and the Boulder wins. Aang isn't too impressed with The Boulder because, as Aang puts it, Bumi said I need a teacher who listens to the earth; he’s just listening to his big muscle. The Boulder now has a chance to take on the champion The Blind Bandit.
Aang and his friends realise the champion is nothing more than a little blind girl. The blind Bandit teases him, saying that it sounds as if he’s scared. The Boulder gets ready to attack her. She taunts him again, calling him “The Pebble” and laughs to herself. As she laughs Aang realises that she’s the girl from the vision he had in the Swamp.
The Boulder is about to attack, but The Blind Bandit senses the vibrations his steps create in the ground and makes her move. She disrupts his first step, causing him to slip into a leg split. The little girl quickly knocks The Boulder out of the ring as he screams in pain. Sokka is devastated; Katara is amazed and wonders how she did it. Aang explains to Katara, "She waited and listened!"
Xin Fu then offers a bag of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat The Blind Bandit. After a short silence, Aang jumps into the ring. The Blind Bandit teases him, Aang tries to explain he doesn't really want to fight, but rather talk to her. However, the champion begins to fight. Aang uses his Airbending, drifting above the floor of the ring to dodge her, and she is unsettled by being unable to track him. Aang blows away a rock she sends at him, accidentally pushing the champion off the ring and erroneously winning the match. Aang rushes to catch The Blind Bandit, telling her he thinks she's supposed to be his Earthbending teacher. Upset she lost, she quickly departs the stadium. Disappointed, Aang collects the gold pieces and belt.
The next day, the group heads to Master Yu’s Earthbending academy in search of The Blind Bandit. Aang then realizes they are asking about the wrong person. When he describes the girl from his vision, the young men don't recognize the description, but they do know a local family whose symbol is a flying boar – The Bei Fong family. The group leave to check out the lead.
Back at the arena, The Boulder tells Xin Fu that there was no Earthbending when the champion was defeated, leaving him to believe The Blind Bandit intentionally lost in order to split the money with the challenger. Xin Fu is furious by this and intends to get his money back.
The group arrive at the Bei Fong estate, but it's heavily guarded. They head around back and climb over the outer wall into a gardened area. Suddenly, the group is thrust into the air by the earth being pushed up from underneath them. The Blind Bandit, now dressed in an elegant dress, confronts Aang as to why he's come, calling him "Twinkle Toes." Aang and friends explain he's the Avatar and is in dire need of an Earthbending teacher. After they refuse to leave her alone, The Blind Bandit calls the guards, forcing the group to leave. The guards arrive and guide her inside, revealing her name to be Toph. Over the wall, Aang sneakily smiles to himself and has an idea of what to do next.
Toph's father and mother are meeting with Master Yu to confirm that she is not trying anything dangerous in her lessons, and Master Yu assures them that he has kept Toph at the basic level. A servant comes in to tell them a visitor has come – the Avatar and Toph gets nervous.
At dinner, Aang, Katara, Sokka and Master Yu have joined Toph and her family. Toph's father inquires of Aang how long he feels the war will go on. Aang explains he hopes to defeat the Fire Lord by summer, but still needs an Earthbending teacher. It has become clear to the group that Toph is keeping her amazing Earthbending skills secret from her parents, as well as her identity as The Blind Bandit. Although Master Yu is mentioned as a candidate for Aang's teacher by Toph’s father, Aang attempts to bring up the possibility of Toph as his teacher instead, but she hits Aang's foot with Earthbending under the table to shut him up. Aang tries to reveal Toph's secret identity, but she Earthbends Aang's chair forward, causing his face to smash into his soup. Not to be outdone, Aang returns the favor with an Airbending-enhanced sneeze, throwing Toph's soup onto her (as well as Master Yu and Toph's mother). Toph and Aang start to fight, but dinner is finished.
Later, Sokka, Katara, and Aang are getting ready for bed (as guests of Toph’s family). Aang is surprised by Toph’s sudden appearance. She calls a truce, and the two of them walk the grounds of her family’s estate while she explains to him how she sees using Earthbending. Toph envies Aang’s carefree life, but knows she has commitments to her family that prevent her from leaving to join him. Just then, the two of them are ambushed by Xin Fu and his wrestling thugs: The Boulder, The Hippo, Fire Nation Man, The Mole, The Gecko, and Wild Man. A ransom note is left demanding 500 gold pieces for the safe return of their daughter. Toph’s father enlists Master Yu’s help, and Sokka and Katara state come along as well.
They arrive at the arena with the ransom, and Toph is released. When Katara asks about Aang, Xin Fu states that he plans to turn the Avatar over to the Fire Nation for a reward. He is flanked by all the wrestlers, who threaten them to leave. Katara runs after Toph as she leaves, asking for her assistance. Her father protests, saying Toph is weak, helpless and fragile, which causes Toph to reject her father and assist them. Toph heads back into the arena demanding Aang’s release. The Earthbenders begin to attack, and Toph tells Sokka and Katara to leave them to her. Toph defeats each opponent almost effortlessly. This amazes and shocks Toph's father and Master Yu. Finally, Toph faces off against Xin Fu and sends him flying into the wall. Master Yu exclaims, "She is the greatest Earthbender I’ve ever seen!"
Back at home, Toph tries to explain her secret identity to her parents, hoping it won't upset them. They decide Toph has had too much freedom and must be confined and guarded from now on. Aang, Katara and Sokka are forced out of the house, and Toph sheds tears for losing the possibility of gaining friends and what little freedom she had left.
Preparing to leave on Appa, they are overjoyed when Toph comes running up, telling them her father has changed his mind. Toph knocks Aang into a tree as payback for knocking her off stage at the championship battle. Toph then requests the championship belt back, and Sokka tosses it down to her, forgetting she can't see, causing the belt to hit Toph square on the head. Sokka sheepishly apologizes and Aang falls out of the tree.
Toph’s father brings a small chest to a table in front of Master Yu and Xin Fu, saying he knows they are different, but have a similar interest. He then opens the chest to reveal a large amount of gold. He is offering it to them for the safe return of his daughter, whom he states was kidnapped by the Avatar, revealing Toph ran away. As the quartet fly away on Appa, Toph appears to be enjoying her first taste of freedom.
I hope you enjoyed it
JUICED!
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