As Aang continued to show everyone around the Southern Air Temple, Jolee could sense a lingering darkness within the Southern Air Temple. He knew that something terrible had happened here. Soon enough, Aang shows then a statue of a monk.
Sokka: Who's that?
Aang: Monk Gyatso! The greatest Airbender in the world. He taught me everything I know. He actually kinda reminds me of you, Jolee.
Jolee: I'm flattered.
Katara: You must miss him.
Aang: Yeah.
Aang then begins walking behind the statue.
Katara: Where are you going?
Aang: The Air Temple sanctuary. There's someone I'm ready to meet.
Aang then walks up some stairs that lead to a corridor behind the statue. Katara glances over to Jolee and Sokka. Sokka shrugs while Jolee remains silent. The trio walk after Aang. As they walk through the corridor, Jolee could sense a strong presence in the Force. It interested him greatly. Soon enough, the four reached the entrance of the Air Temple Sanctuary. The door supports a combination of metal colored pipes and three, blue, rolled up, pipes that are similar looking and arranges like the symbol for Airbending. The large wooden door is framed by the branches of an old tree standing on the left of it and the hallway is illuminated by sunlight that falls through little, round windows.
Katara: But Aang, no one could have survived in there for a hundred years.
Aang: It's not impossible. I survived in the iceberg for that long.
Katara: Good point.
Aang: Katara, whoever's in there might help figure out this Avatar thing!
Jolee: Aang, sometimes things are not as straightforward as we would like to think. Now something's off about this place. Perhaps it's just me being an old coot with a connection to the Force, but there's something here.
Sokka: Maybe a.....a medley of delicious cured meats!
Full of anticipation and longing, Sokka charges at the door, but it will not budge and he simply smacks into it, head first. He quickly turns around and puts his back to it, trying to push the giant door open. When the door does not move, he sighs, slides down to the floor, disappointed, and rests against the door.
Sokka: I don't suppose you have a key?
Aang: The key is Airbending.
Aang takes a deep breath. He spreads his arms and thrusts them forward, sending an air current into both of the tubes on the door. The wind makes one of the blue curled tube turn around. When it does, the tube changes colors to purple and the wind blows out like a horn. The process is repeated for the other two blue tubes as well. When the three blue tubes have turned and become purple, the door starts to slowly open.
Aang: Hello? Anyone there?
As the four walk into the room, they see a large amount of statues of people, lined up in a circular pattern.
Sokka: Statues? That's it? Where's the meat?
Katara: Who are all these people?
Aang: I'm not sure. But it feels like I know them somehow. Look!
Aang then points to a statue of an Airbender. They soon see statues of a Waterbender, an Earthbender and a Firebender.
Jolee: These statues must be placed for a reason. There's a pattern.
Katara: Air, Water, Earth, and Fire.
Aang: That's the Avatar Cycle.
Katara: Of course. They're Avatars. All these people are your past lives, Aang.
Aang: Wow! There are so many!
Sokka: Past lives? Katara, you really believe in that stuff?
Katara: It's true. When the Avatar dies, he's reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle.
As Katara said this, the concept of the Avatar Cycle caught Jolee's curiosity. The Avatar Cycle of reincarnation was a foreign concept to Jolee. In all his study of the Force, the idea of reincarnation seemed far beyond of what the Force was capable of. However, Jolee knew full well that the Force was capable of anything. Aang then stares at one of the statues.
Katara: Who is that?
Aang: That's Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me.
Katara looked at the statue and saw no writing.
Sokka: You were a Firebender? No wonder I didn't trust you when we first met.
Katara: There's no writing. How do you know his name?
Aang: I'm not sure. I just know it somehow.
Jolee: Must be part of that reincarnation business. It's easy to remember the name of a past life.
Suddenly, the three of them hear a humming noise from the entrance, an indication that someone else is nearby; the noise causes the group to take cover behind the statues. Jolee was the only one who didn't take cover.
Sokka: Hey! What are you doing?!
Jolee smiled as he knelt down and extended his hand. At this point, a Lemur begins walking towards Jolee.
Aang: Lemur!
Sokka: Dinner!
Aang: Don't listen to him. You're going to be my new pet.
Sokka: Not if I get him first!
This prompts a race to see who can be the first to catch the lemur. Jolee and Katara stays behind in the temple sanctuary while Aang and Sokka run after the lemur, each trying to trip up the other. Katara turns to Jolee who looks at the statues.
Katara: Is something wrong, Jolee?
Jolee: I've seen many strange things in my time, Katara. But this....this is something else.
Katara: I can't imagine the sights you've seen. I've always looked up at the night sky to see all those stars. It never once crossed my mind that there could be life out there.
Jolee: Perhaps your world's isolation worked in your favor. There's more to the Galaxy than the stars in the sky.
As Jolee said that, Katara took a moment to ponder on Jolee's words. With that, they slowly began to uncover the mysteries of the Avatar Cycle and Aang's connection to it.
YOU ARE READING
The Legend Of The Jedi (KOTOR X Avatar: The Last Airbender)
ActionAfter helping the redeemed Revan save the Galaxy from Darth Malak, Jolee Bindo returned to his solitary lifestyle. But by the will of the Force, the wise Jedi Master makes his way to an unknown world far out in the fringes of known space. There he f...
