- Azula: Wait. You want to be Fire Lord? Fine. Let's settle this. Just you and me, brother. The showdown that was always meant to be: Agni Kai.
- Prince Zuko: You're on!
- Katara: What are you doing? She's playing you. She knows she can't take us both, so she's trying to separate us.
- Prince Zuko: I know, but I can take her this time.
- Katara: But even you admitted to your uncle that you would need help facing Azula.
- Prince Zuko: There's something off about her. I can't explain it, but she's slipping, and this way, no one else has to get hurt.
- Sokka: [pretending to be a Fire Nation captain] Attention, crew, this is your Captain speaking. Everyone please report to the bomb bay immediately for hotcakes and sweet cream. We have a very special birthday to celebrate.
- [cut to the bomb bay where the crew is standing around waiting]
- Firebender #1: Hey, I'm Quin Li. I work up in communications.
- Engineer: Oh, hi. I work down in the engine room. That's probably why we never met before. Big airship, you know?
- Firebender #1: [Awkwardly] Huh.
- Engineer: Yep.
- Firebender #1: So, do you know whose birthday it is?
- Firebender #2: [Coming up to them] I can't believe the Captain remembered my birthday. He really does care.
- [first lines]
- Katara: Zuko, don't worry. We can take Azula.
- Prince Zuko: I'm not worried about her. I worried about Aang. What if he doesn't have the guts to take out my father? What if he loses?
- Katara: Aang won't lose. He's gonna come back... He has to.
- High Sage: By decree of Pheonix King Ozai, I now crown you Fire Lord...
- Azula: What are you waiting for? Do it!
- Prince Zuko: Sorry, but you're not going to become Fire Lord today. I am!
- Prince Zuko: No lightning today? What's the matter, afraid I'll redirect it?
- Azula: Oh, I'll show you lightning!
- Fire Lord Ozai: After generations of Fire Lords failed to find you, now the universe delivers you to me as an act of providence.
- Aang: Please listen to me. We don't have to fight. You have the power to end it here and stop what you're doing.
- Fire Lord Ozai: You are right. I do have the power. I have all the power in the *world*.
- [fire erupts from his mouth and hands]
- Azula: [struggling to put her hair up] All right, hair, it's time to face your doom.
- [she slashes at her hair with scissors, then grins manically]
- Ursa: [appearing in the mirror] What a shame. You always had such beautiful hair.
- Azula: What are you doing here?
- Ursa: I didn't want to miss my own daughter's coronation.
- Azula: Don't pretend to act proud. I know what you really think of me. You think I'm a monster.
- Ursa: I think you're confused. All your life, you've used fear to control people, like your friends, Mai and Ty Lee.
- Azula: [hysterically] But what choice do I have? Trust is for fools. Fear is the only reliable way. Even you fear me.
- Ursa: [gently] No, I love you, Azula, I do.
- [Azula screams and hurls the brush at her mirror, breaking it; then collapses, sobbing]
- Azula: My father asked you to come here and talk to me, didn't he? He thinks I can't handle the responsibility of being Fire Lord, but I will be the greatest leader in Fire Nation history.
- Lo: I'm sure you will, but considering everything that's happened today...
- Li: ...Perhaps it's best if you postpone your coronation.
- Azula: What? Which one of you just said that?
- [Li and Lo point to each other]
- Azula: What a shame. There's only one way to resolve this. You two must duel each other. I order you to fight an Agni Kai.
- Lo, Li: But... We're not Firebenders.
- Azula: All right, fine.
- Azula: [Points to Li] Lo, you're banished. Li, you can stay.
- [Azula leaves]
- Li: [to Lo] But I'm Li, so who's banished?
- Fire Lord Ozai: [to Aang] You're weak, just like the rest of your people. They did not deserve to exist in this world, in *my* world. Prepare to join them. Prepare to die!
- Prince Zuko: [after wearing down Azula] No lightning today? What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it?
- Azula: Oh, I'll show you lightning!
- [charges up her lightning while Zuko assumes his redirection stance. Azula glances to the left and sees Katara standing behind Zuko. She smirks and fires the lightning toward Katara. Zuko notices and runs to intercept the blast, while Katara looks on in shock and terror. Zuko leaps in front of her, catching the lightning. He absorbs it and redirects most of it into the air. He then falls to the ground, badly injured]
- Katara: Zuko!
- [starts to run toward him, but a fire blast stops her in her tracks. Azula stands before her, hunched over and swaying. She laughs maniacally while running at Katara]
- Sokka: Go Aang! Airbending slice!
- Suki: Shouldn't we be helping him?
- Sokka: The Fire Lord is Aang's fight. We need to stay focused on stopping that fleet from burning down the Earth Kingdom.
- Toph: And how do we do that, Captain Boomerang? I can't see outside of this floating hunk of metal.
- Sokka: Airship slice!