by Tom Mason and Dan Danko
illustrated by Patrick Spaziante
based on screenplays by Tim Hedrick,
Aaron Ehasz, Michael Dante DiMartino,
Brian Konietzko, and John O’Bryan.
© 2013 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon,
Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender and all related titles, logos and
characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
Based on the TV series Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender ™
IF YOU ARE READING THIS,
you have uncovered one of the four hidden scrolls
I have compiled about the world of A
scroll contains sacred information about the Fire
Nation: stories, legends, and facts that I have
found about its history and culture. I hope that
this information will be as useful and intriguing
to you as it is to me. In the interest of protecting
the world, I ask that you keep this scroll safe, and
share it only with those you trust. Beware, for there
are many who wish to expose its secrets. . . .
Water.
Earth.
Fire.
Air.
These are the four nations of our world and the
four elements that bind it together.
A few selected people of each nation possess
the ability to manipulate their native element.
They call themselves Waterbenders, Earthbenders,
Firebenders, and Airbenders.
The most powerful bender in the world is the
Avatar, the spirit of the planet incarnate. Master of
all four elements, he alone maintains world order and
keeps the planet balanced and peaceful.
The four nations lived together in harmony until
the death of the last Avatar—Avatar Roku. Seizing the
opportunity before the next Avatar—an Airbender—
could be found and trained, Fire Lord Sozin led the
Fire Nation on a global campaign to wipe out the
other three nations.
Only the next Avatar can stop the Fire Nation
from conquering the planet, but most people believe
he perished when the Fire Nation attacked the Air
Nomads.
One hundred years after Avatar Roku’s death,
two teenage siblings have made a discovery that will
forever change the destiny of the world: They have
found a twelve-year-old boy frozen in an iceberg. His
name is Aang, and he is the last Airbender known to
be alive. He is also the world’s last hope for peace and
harmony.
He is . . . the Avatar.
“How do I look, Katara?” Aang adjusted the hand-
carved Fire festival mask that covered his face.
“Like everybody else,” I replied. “And that’s good.”
When traveling, the Avatar sometimes needs a disguise.
I’m Katara of the Water Tribe from the South Pole.
Who knew that when my brother,
Sokka, and I found Aang frozen in
an iceberg, he would turn out to
be the Avatar? And that we’d
have to help him save the world?
Talk about pressure . . . and
excitement!
And now we were in
enemy territory, in the dreaded
Fire Nation. Luckily, by
wearing festival
masks we could
stay a little
hidden.
Waterbender who, with her brother, Sokka, is helping
the Avatar master the elements.
The Fire Festival
LEGEND 1
I have never left the South Pole before, and
I was nervous as we entered the Fire Nation village.
this festival could be my only chance to watch some
masters up close,” Aang said as he grabbed my hand.
“There’s a big crowd over there. It must be good.”
I wasn’t so sure. A big crowd in the Fire Nation
could also be bad for us.
Aang stopped in front of a stage. A Firebending
magician juggled balls of fire, then waved his hands
in large swirls. The fireballs turned into cooing doves
that flew over the crowd.
“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen,” the magician
said as the crowd cheered. “For my next trick,
I need a volunteer from the audience.” He looked
around, then pointed at me! “How about you, little
lady?” he said.
I shook my head. Unfortunately, he didn’t give up.
“Aw, she’s shy,” the magician told the audience.
“Let’s give her some encouragement, folks!”
The crowd applauded and gently nudged me
toward the stage. I wanted to turn around and run
away, but I couldn’t risk calling attention to myself
or to Aang, so I went
onstage.
The magician tied me
to a chair with a long
scarf. “My next trick
is called ‘taming the
dragon,’” he announced.
I had a bad feeling about
that.
His arms jerked and
locked into position.
I recognized the basic
Firebending move. The
air around me warmed
as smoke swirled through his fingers.
Suddenly a flaming dragon burst from his hands,
and I tried not to scream. The dragon dove at my
head. I tried to pull away, but the scarf was tied too
tightly. Then the dragon turned and looped around
me again. His mouth was wide open, ready to take a
fiery bite of me!
That’s when Aang jumped onstage! Swirling his
arms in the air, he summoned a ball of air that coiled
in front of him. Then, with a flick of his hands, Aang
shoved the air forward, toward the dragon.
The beast disintegrated into a colorful cloud of
confetti that fluttered across the stage. Unfortunately
the blast of air also ripped off Aang’s mask. I was
saved, but now we were in trouble—big trouble.
Recognizing the markings on Aang’s head,
someone shouted, “Hey! That kid’s the Avatar!”
Sokka quickly jumped up and untied me. “It’s
time to go,” he said. I couldn’t have agreed more!
A young
man also joined us. “My name is Chey,”
he said. “I can get you out of here!” He threw a smoke
bomb onto the ground, and we took off, hidden by
the thick gray cloud.
We learned that Chey was a deserter from the Fire
Nation army. He led us to the camp of a legendary
Firebender named Jeong Jeong, who wanted no part
of Fire Lord Sozin’s war against the other nations.
Jeong Jeong’s camp was at a clearing, deep in the
woods. The aged Firebender was a ragged old man
with long hair, a scraggly beard, and an odd-shaped
battle scar. He looked like he’d been through a lot.
Aang approached him. “Master, I’m the Avatar,”
he said. “I need to learn Firebending.”
I was shocked when Jeong Jeong refused Aang’s
request. He said Aang wasn’t ready! “I had a pupil
once who had no interest in learning discipline,”
Jeong Jeong explained. “Learn restraint, or you risk
destroying yourself and everything you love.”
But Jeong Jeong soon had a mysterious visitor—
the spirit of Avatar Roku, the previous Avatar, who
ordered him to teach Firebending to Aang.
Jeong Jeong had to agree. Who could argue with
“Watch carefully,” Jeong Jeong told Aang.
I watched Jeong Jeong pick up a dead leaf from
the ground and gently wave his hand over it. The
center of the leaf burst into flame. That was a better
trick than the one performed by the magician from
the festival! He handed the burning leaf to Aang.
“Keep this flame from reaching the edges of the
leaf for as long as you can,” he said before leaving
Aang alone.
Aang concentrated, and the small flame smoldered
in the center of the leaf.
“I did it!” Aang exclaimed. I could tell that he
was impatient. These moves were simple, and Aang
wanted more. He tried a Firebending move on the
leaf. His right hand stiffened and pointed at the flame.
It burst into the air.
“Aang, be careful,” I said, worried that he was
doing too much, too soon.
Aang juggled the flame, but
all of a sudden he lost control.
A fireball flew toward me, and
I couldn’t stop it!
I knelt by the river and
bended the cool water over
my burning hands. In an
instant the pain and redness
were gone. I felt much better.
”You have healing abilities,” Jeong Jeong said,
smiling. “Like the great benders of the Water
Tribes. Water brings healing and life; fire brings only
destruction and pain.”
Suddenly we heard the dull roar of boat engines
coming up the river at full speed. “Zhao!” Jeong Jeong
exclaimed. He had found us. The evil admiral Zhao,
leader of the Fire Nation navy, must have picked up
our trail at the festival. I had to warn Aang. We had
to get out of there.
Jeong Jeong pulled me to my feet and pushed me
toward the woods. “Get your friends, and flee. Hurry!”
When I reached camp, Aang apologized for the
accident. “Jeong Jeong tried to tell me that I wasn’t
ready,” he said, “and I wouldn’t listen. I couldn’t
imagine what it would feel like to hurt someone like
that.”
I rested my hand on his shoulder. I had never seen
Aang so sad. “It’s all right,” I said. “But we have to
leave. Zhao is here, and he’s captured Jeong Jeong.”
Aang jumped to his feet and raced toward the river.
“I have to help him!”
Zhao was waiting for us. “Let’s find out what my old
master has taught you, Avatar,” he said with a growl.
”You were Jeong Jeong’s student?” Aang asked.
“Until I got bored,” Admiral Zhao replied as he
thrust his arms forward. Fireballs shot from his hands
toward Aang, but he dove out of the way.
Zhao was a Firebending master. I’m sure he had
experiences and abilities far beyond those of Aang,
but Aang had youth and energy on his side—plus he
was the Avatar. I hoped that was enough.
“I see Jeong Jeong taught you how to duck and run
like a coward,” Admiral Zhao said, sneering. “But I
doubt he showed you what a Firebender is truly
capable of.”
Zhao unleashed a barrage of multiple fire blasts.
I felt the heat even from where I was standing. Aang
raced across the edge of the water and jumped onto
the deck of Admiral Zhao’s ship.
“Ahoy! Look at me!” Aang taunted. “I’m Admiral
Zhao!”
Zhao jumped on
deck after him, hurling
multiple fireballs toward
Aang, blasting wildly.
“Sloppy. Very sloppy,
Admiral,” Aang said.
Admiral Zhao chased
Aang from deck to deck,
but Aang was too fast for him. Aang leaped aboard
the last boat, with nowhere else to run.
“I have you now, you little smart-mouth,” Zhao
said smugly.
“You’ve lost this battle, Admiral.” I couldn’t believe
how confident Aang was!
“Are you crazy, Avatar? You haven’t thrown a
single blow.”
“No, but you have.” Aang motioned around him.
Zhao’s ships were on fire. Thick, black smoke rose high
into the air. “Jeong Jeong said you had no restraint. I
just got out of the way while you destroyed yourself.”
Aang had won. I was so proud of him. Without
using Firebending, he had defeated a more powerful
enemy.
When Zhao realized what he had done, he cried
out “No!” before unleashing a final fire blast at Aang.
Aang flipped backward, landing on his feet in the
shallow water by the riverbank. “Have a nice walk
home!” he called.
Jeong Jeong and his tribe had disappeared during
the battle. We couldn’t find them anywhere. We
were safe for now, but Zhao would no doubt track us
again. Revenge is a powerful force in the Fire Nation.
The Fire Nation is mysterious and secretive. Little
is known about its culture because it is difficult to
infiltrate the group and gather information. No one
ever leaves the Fire Nation and lives to reveal its
secrets.
The leaders of the Fire Nation are driven by a single
goal: to destroy all other nations and conqu
er the
world. Not all citizens of the Fire Nation are dedicated
to the cause, but they live under the oppressive rule of
the Fire lord.
about the aggressive Fire Nation.
FIRE NATION
INSIGNIA
The Fire Nation insignia is a
stylized flame with three points at
the top and a rounded bottom. The
symbol is used primarily on flags
and uniforms and to mark Fire
Nation territories.
FIRE NATION FLAG
The Fire Nation flag is
a triangle-shaped banner
with the stylized flame
insignia at its center. Six
thin stripes extend from the
slanted edge.
The tyrannical Fire lord is the ultimate ruler of the Fire
Nation. He is the most powerful Firebender, and his will
must be obeyed. The title of Fire lord is passed down to
each generation’s eldest son through one family. However,
the current Fire lord, Ozai, is the second-eldest son. He
schemed against his father and his older brother, Iroh, to
claim the throne for himself.
FIRE NATION LEADERS
Jroh
Fire
Lord
Azulon
Fire
Lord
Ozai
The architect of the war, Fire Lord Sozin
was driven by one goal: to create a world where
Fire exists as the dominant element and no nation
could challenge his rule. When Roku died, Sozin
increased his powers, drawing energy from a
passing comet. Knowing that the next Avatar
would be an Airbender, he attacked the Air
Nomads, wiping them all out (except for Aang).
Then he began to invade the Water Tribes and the
Earth Kingdom.