The Rift Part One

The Rift Part 1 is the first installment of The Rift trilogy. It was released in comic book stores on March 5, 2014, and is scheduled for release in regular stores on March 18.

Overview
''Aang asks his friends to help him celebrate Yangchen's Festival, an extremely sacred Air Nomad holiday that has not been held in over a hundred years. However, visits from the spirit of Avatar Yangchen herself lead Aang to discover a jointly owned Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom refinery that is operating on - and polluting - land sacred to his people.''

Synopsis


In Yu Dao, Avatar Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph meet with Iroh for a ceremony in which the colony's new government is to be announced. Iroh tells them that Fire Lord Zuko was unable to attend because he was supporting Ursa and her family, who were visiting the Fire Nation Capital. A short time later, Kori appears and announces the new government, comprised of two Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation representatives each. Toph is not sure such a government can work, but Aang assures her that the colony is to be an example for others to follow.

The group attends the banquet along with a few members of the newly-founded Air Acolytes. The Avatar turns to see a hooded figure in Air Nomad clothing waving at him, causing him to question Xing Ying if that individual was a late arrival, to which she answers that they are not. Aang chases this figure out to the palace balcony, only to find it is the spirit of Avatar Yangchen. She begins to speak, pointing to nearby mountains, but Aang cannot hear anything she is saying, and she disappears before he can establish any further communication.



Back at the celebrations, everyone has sat down and is enjoying a banquet in celebration of the successful election. While Sokka attempts to convince the Air Acolytes to eat some turtle duck, Toph is asked how her metalbending school is going; she explains that there have been so many new students that she has had to resort to building earth tents for them to sleep in. She does not have the money to expand the building, but also feels that she should not charge tuition because she wants it to be "something new". Mentioning that she did not charge Aang tuition prompts Katara into wondering where the Air Nomad has gone, and searching for him, she finds him on the balcony of the building, attempting to meditate in attempts to reconnect with Yangchen. Visibly upset, Katara tries to cheer him up by explaining that while meditating is important, it is also important for him to be seen partaking in the celebrations inside. Suddenly struck with an idea, he returns to the party and announces to the Acolytes that they would be going on a field trip the next day.

Flying on Appa the next day, Aang begins to explain the field trip; they are traveling to a sacred Air Nomad site in order to participate in Yangchen's Festival, and ancient tradition. The Air Acolytes eagerly ask for information, which Aang happily provides. He tells them that they will go to a statue of Yangchen and bow four times, afterwards moving down to a meadow and playing traditional Air Nomad music. There, a meal will be shared before they traveled to a small island off the coast to fly kites. Upon landing at the statue, it becomes apparent that Aang has one small detail wrong; the statue is not one of Avatar Yangchen. He is confused at first, and a little taken aback when Sokka asks whether he minds that he does not know to whom he is bowing. Aang simply replies "that's just how it's done". Toph, who had been listening to the conversation, is reminded of how her parents used to give her such reasons for doing things she did not understand, such as praying to ancestors, and why she was not allowed outside to play with other children. She balks as Aang asks everyone to bow, and denounces the festival before completely refusing.



After bowing to the statue, Aang asks everyone to take out their instruments and they begin the trek to the meadow. Moving through a relatively dense forest, Yee-Li is perfectly content clanging her cymbals together; however, despite the less-than-savory reaction of Aang, Sokka, and Toph when she pulled them out earlier, everyone reacts negatively when Toph metalbends them to stop the noise. She demands to know the point of the whole ritual, although after a few tense moments Aang only suggests that they keep moving. Xing Ying asks if the meadow is beyond a town that lies in their path, and Aang reacts with surprise; the town is where the meadow should be.



Walking into the town, Aang is dismayed at the sight. Toph and Sokka are excited by the smell of meat, and go off to find the source while everyone else continues looking around. Suddenly, they are approached by a young woman named Niyok; it is revealed that she knew Katara before the latter left the Southern Water Tribe. However, Katara is met with suspicion from Nutha, Niyok's sister. The Air Acolytes express concern over Aang, who has missed the exchange between the Water Tribe natives after having another vision of Yangchen. She leads him to a fenced-off area that has a repugnant smell; by creating raised platforms and having his friends stand on them, Aang is able to earthbend them over the fence. The smell is ten times worse, and wandering through the area, they come across a river that has been defiled. Before they can explore further, they are accosted by several guards, who attempt to apprehend them, claiming they are trespassing. A small fight ensues, and the Air Acolytes are pushed out of the way. Katara asks Aang if he wants her to end the battle, however, he declines, stating that it is the perfect learning opportunity. He shows that, by following the Air Nomad way of violence-avoidance and peace, everything eventually works out. He demonstrates by airbending above the guards, and their own projectiles are blown back to them, knocking them out.



Suddenly, they are interrupted by a young man, who introduces himself as Satoru. He is very pleased to meet Aang and Katara, stating that the Avatar is "even more impressive in person". Aang begins to try and set up a chance to talk to Satoru about the refinery. however he does not have a chance to talk for long as the engineer's attention becomes focused elsewhere. Toph, Sokka, and Momo walk past the group, and it is revealed that the blind earthbender is what has captured Satoru's attention. Rushing over to introduce himself, he praises how she saved the world and invented metalbending, before offering to giver her a tour of the refinery. Aang tries again to engage Satoru in conversation, however, he is far too focused on Toph to pay attention to the Avatar.



During the tour, Satoru explains that his uncle discovered that the area was rich in natural resources. Due to political reasons, Satoru's uncle, who owns the refinery, was unable to build on there previously as he was Fire Nation, but the land is in Earth Kingdom territory. Aang attempts to interject, but once again he is shut down as Satoru continues his story, telling Toph that after the end of the Hundred Year War, his uncle was able to find an Earth Kingdom business partner to help. Continuing the tour, Satoru shows everyone a massive room filled with machinery and benders. He explains that there are jobs for everyone, from firebenders heating giant furnaces and earth- and waterbenders working to separate and purify the rocks and gems. Even nonbenders are able to work by operating the machinery. Sokka is most impressed by it all, comparing a second room filled entirely with machinery to the work of the mechanist.

The tour continues as they walk back outside. Sokka discovers a forklift, and attempts to drive it as Satoru finishes talking to everyone. The engineer is interrupted by the forklift breaking due to the excessive speeds Sokka attempted to drive it at. Satoru apologizes, telling everyone that he will have to ask someone else to continue the tour, as it will take some time for him to fix the forklift; Toph brushes him off, explaining that she could see every detail of the forklift's motor, and within a few seconds, she is able to find the dislocated gear and reattach it. Satoru praises her abilities, and after she explains that it was so easy even her metalbending students could do it, he has an idea. He suggests to Toph that she and her students come to work for his factory every now and then for a small wage. Toph accepts, however, she tells him that, instead of paying her, he could just sponsor a new building for her school. They agree on the partnership; on the side-lines, Sokka complains about all the "oogie-osity" between Toph and Satoru, although Katara thinks it is nice being able to see Toph's softer side.



Aang has again missed everything because an apparition of Yangchen, and a sudden vision of a monstrous creature destroying a settlement appears to him. Moments later, Yangchen disappears, although the vision has given him the confidence to push forward and interrupt Satoru and Toph. He begins to explain that the refinery should not have been built on land sacred to the Air Nomads, but before Satoru can talk, Toph interjects, telling him that the area was abandoned and that Satoru and his uncle had every right to build there and make the area useful again. Aang tries to explain that there is something bad going on, but his concerns are met with open skepticism when he cannot even explain to Toph what the complete issue is. Katara joins the conversation, reminding Aang of the river. Seeing the airbender in such disbelief, Satoru claims that the refinery did not pollute the river. No one believes him until Toph moves forward and, putting her hand on his chest, asks him to repeat himself. After reading his heartbeat, she claims that he is telling the truth, although she is pulled away shortly afterward by Aang.



He tells her that he knows what it is like to have a skewed opinion of someone due to having strong emotions toward them. Toph counters, asking him whether it was similar to his view on his cultural rituals. Pointing to the refinery, she continues by saying that the ethic there was what they had been trying to build with Yu Dao: a place where people worked and lived in harmony, regardless of where they came from. She insults his traditions, and Aang takes it personally, yelling at her. They are momentarily disoriented by a loud rumble, and both Katara and Sokka plead for them to calm down as they are scaring the workers. Toph is affronted that Aang blames it on her not being able to control her bending, and shouts again. An even larger rumble cuts her off, and several crates of refined crystals from the refinery tip over. Satoru asks them to leave, insulting Toph further; it is only when a cry for help reaches them that they realize a machine has malfunctioned and is spewing rocks everywhere.

While Katara and Sokka work to clear everyone from the area, Toph and Aang go into the building to try and save the person who cried for help. He is stuck under the malfunctioning machine, and though Satoru shouts that there is a power cord they can turn off, they do not hear him. Aang earthbends the machine away from the man, thereby freeing him. When he is safely out of the way, Toph punches the machine, effectively destroying it. The chaos over, Aang begins to apologize to Toph for his early words. She forgives him, asking whether he thinks he is trying too hard to hold onto the past. He concedes that perhaps he is, although he also asks her whether she is trying to hard to escape hers; she tells him that some people have to run away, just to live.



Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Mongke and the Rough Rhinos. They tell Aang that they were hired by the owner of the refinery, though that talk is also cut short by the appearance of Satoru's uncle, who demands to know what happened to the machine. Satoru turns to Toph, asking whether she could have just unplugged it; she responds with a shrug. Satoru's uncle turns to another person, Lao, telling them that he knew Satoru would not be any good running the place. The engineer bows, telling them that he would make everything all right. Lao steps forward, face blank as he looks at Toph; she recognizes her father as everyone looks on in shock.

Series continuity

 * When Sokka is complaining about not being given the chance to buy a "manly, manly bag" before leaving for the festival, Toph tells him that they will be sure to find him one that matches his "manly, manly belt", a nod to "The Blind Bandit" when he took her Earth Rumble championship belt and it coincidentally matched a bag he bought earlier.

Goofs

 * On page 53, the mechanist's name is spelled as "machinist".

Trivia

 * The name above the refinery reads, which literally translates to "dirt-fire company".