Rescue in Pohuai Stronghold

"fire"

- We are the sons and daughters of fire, the superior element, and until today, only one thing stood in our path to victory, The Avatar! I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner!

The Rescue in Pohuai Stronghold was a rescue mission devised by banished Prince Zuko in order to rescue Avatar Aang from Admiral Zhao. This was not normal, as the banished prince was bent on hunting Aang, but did this so it would be him to capture Aang, regaining his honor.

Ending up being very important to the outcome of the war, as if this had never happened, Fire Lord Ozai would have come and taken Aang back to the Fire Nation. If this had happened, The War would have been over in a decisive victory for the Fire Nation, rather than the defeat coming from the Battle at Wulong Forest.

History
Prince Zuko has spoken out against a general's tactics during a war meeting. Because of this, his father, Fire Lord Ozai, expressed it as Zuko insulted him, and forced him to an Agni Kai. In that Agni Kai, a non-fighting Zuko, crying and begging for his father to spare. Ozai was not merciful, and in a single blast of fire, he burned his son's face, leaving a vicious scar. Zuko was then banished, and forced to hunt for the Avatar.

Avatar Aang was awakened months prier to the rescue, and the banished Prince Zuko finally saw his chance to redeem himself. But Aang was joined with his friends Katara and Sokka, and always seemed to dodge his attacks and attempts.

Ever since their Agni Kai, Zuko and Commander Zhao were bitter rivals. Soon, the hunt for the avatar became a nasty competition between the two. Despite Zhao being a very powerful man, and clearly having an advantage over Zuko, he lacked the maximum resources and benefits since he was only a Commander.

Prelude
Commander Zhao had arrived at Pohuai Stronghold to discuss using the Yu Yan Archers for capturing Avatar Aang with Colonel Shinu. Shinu refused to grant him them, as they needed them for security and not some wild goose chase. Just then, Fire Lord Ozai's messenger hawk arrived to deliver Zhao's promotion to Admiral. Shinu was forced to accept.

Meanwhile, Avatar Aang and his friends had to stop at an abandoned city, as Sokka, and soon Katara were both ill from the recent storm. Aang decided to go find medicine for his friends. Aang finally found a herbalist in an old house. She advised Aang to find some frozen frogs in a near by pond, and to have his friends suck on them, as the frog excretes a substance that can cure his friends.

While trying to find the frogs, Aang was ambushed by the Yu Yan Archers. Despite his expertise in Airbending and basic knowledge of Waterbending, he was soon captured. He was then put in a prison of Pohuai Stronghold, where he was harassed by Admiral Zhao. Zhao told him that the situation was hopeless, and that no one was coming to rescue him. Aang dared Zhao to fight him, but Zhao refused and leaves.

Infiltration
Zuko had decided to rescue Aang in order for him to be the one to capture him and gain his honor. He had recently found a blue opera mask he found at a theater and decided to incorporate it in his disguise to execute the rescue. Donning the eventually named persona "Blue Spirit," using the mask and black attire, he sneaked into the stronghold by hiding under a cart of goods. While the guards were distracted by Admiral Zhao's speech, he sneaks through the sewers and into the fortress's center.

Zuko soon reached the hall in front of Aang's cell. He created a disturbance by rolling a Fire Nation helmet down the hall, while hiding around the corner. This lured one of the guards down the hall, who was chained to the ceiling. More cautious than before, two more guards steadily approached the hallway, stopping when they see their fellow soldier chained and gagged. Zuko used their moment of surprise to his advantage, jumping down behind them and quickly chaining and gagging both up in the same fashion. The final guard was about to call for help with his horn, but Zuko quickly throws a knife, skillfully knocking the horn out of the soldier's hand. The soldier then begins to firebend, which Zuko counter-attacks with a bucket of water, before he trips him (and presumably binds and gags him as well).

He then entered Aang's cell. He unleashed his swords at Aang. Being chained up, Aang could only scream in horror. However, much to Aang's delight, (and confusion), Zuko freed him. The two left the cell, even though Aang realized he had left behind a few frogs.

Meanwhile, Admiral Zhao was having a scribe write a speech to Fire Lord Ozai about his accomplishment. Zhao then came across the defeated guards, and upon seeing Aang not in his cell, ordered the gates to be closed. Zuko and Aang are soon confronted by guards.

Hasty Escape
As Aang and Zuko tried to climb down a rope to get off a wall and quietly escape, the guards soon spotted them and cut the rope. Aang prevents him and Zuko from falling to their deaths by creating a cushion of air. Zuko and Aang then engaged in a battle with all of the guards. As the gates closed, Aang tried to run through them. Zuko, however, was not quick enough, and Aang returned by Zuko's side to help him.

Soon, guards started to climb up the wall Zuko and Aang are on using ladders. Aang blasted many guards off with Airbending, but soon more guards made their way onto the wall, and Zuko and Aang were forced to flee. Zuko then climbed onto Aang's back, and they hopped on from one ladder to the next. The last ladder they were on was then set on fire, however, forcing them to jump off of it.

Battle Through the Gates
Now on the floor and at the gates, Zuko and Aang were surrounded by guards. The guards fired furiously at Aang, who could do nothing but create an air shield to protect him and Zuko from the flames. Zhao ordered the guards to stop, however, due to the fact that Aang must be captured alive.

Using this to his advantage, Zuko put each of his swords across Aang's neck, threatening to kill him. Zhao ordered the guards to open the gate, much to Shinu's dismay. Zhao then, however, ordered a Yu Yan Archer to fire an arrow at Zuko so he can recover Aang. The archer precisely hit Zuko, and Zhao sent his soldiers to retrieve the Avatar.

As the soldiers made their way to Aang and Zuko, Aang removed Zuko's blue spirit mask hiding his identity. Bewildered to see who had just saved him, Aang nearly left Zuko behind to be captured or even killed. Instead, however, he fled with Zuko, leaving an angry Zhao to sulk over his loss.

Aftermath
Sokka: "Aang, how was your trip? Did you make any new friends?"

Aang: "No. I don't think I did."

After escaping, Aang took himself and Zuko to safety in the forest, where he lay Zuko down to rest. When he slipped back into consciousness, Aang told him about his life before he was frozen, and about his friend Kuzon. After asking him if they could ever be friends like him and Kuzon, Zuko fired angrily at Aang, who dodged out of the way. Aang ran off through the trees, and Zuko walked out of the forest.

The two were both quiet and affected after returning to their designated places. In the mountain place, Aang gave Sokka and Katara the frozen frogs and cured them (though Sokka swears they gave him a wart on his "throat-hole-flap" ), and Zuko returned to his ship requesting no "disturbances."



Prior to his Siege of the North, Zhao had, after gathering a large army including Zuko's own crew, entered Zuko's ship, and saw his broad swords, and immediately confirmed what was possibly a long suspicion of the Spirit's true identity. He hired pirates to kill Zuko after this, though when they did so Zuko came out alive, faking his death.

A few months later, after the Invasion of the Fire Nation, Team Avatar discussed a now good Zuko joining their group as they were at the Western Air Temple. In Zuko's defense, Aang mentioned what the rescue to his group, which he had never told them about before. This was still not enough for them, as Sokka stated that Zuko only did so so he could have Aang for himself.

During the late summer of 100 ASC, the Ember Island Players produced a play entitled The Boy in the Iceberg, chronicling the adventures of Team Avatar. Due to the sole research behind the production was word of mouth and unclear sources from witnesses, the play was largely inaccurate. A scene involved the Rescue, but the Blue Spirit was portrayed as a man with an immensely large mask that covered most of his body, and Zhao was replaced by Zuko as Aang's captor.

The much larger outcome was realized much later and after the rescue. Without the rescue mission, Aang would have been successfully taken in by the Fire Lord, and without him the war would have ended in a slick victory for the Fire Nation instead of the defeat caused a couple months later in the Battle at Wulong Forest. The Fire Nation was instead in the position it was prior to the Rescue, but now gained a new enemy in "The Blue Spirit."

Appearances and References

 * The Blue Spirit
 * The Western Air Temple
 * The Ember Island Players (In play)