Avatar: The Last Airbender (TV Series)

The Great Divide (2005)

Rene Auberjonois: Gan Jin Leader, Additional Voices

Photos 

Quotes 

• Aang : Wait a second. Jin Wei? Wei Jin? I know those guys!

  Gan Jin Leader : Yes, yes, we're all aware of the story.

  Aang : No, I mean I really knew them. I might not look it, but I'm 112 years old. I was there 100 years ago on the day you're talking about.

  [Aang starts telling his story] 

  Aang : There seems to be a lot of confusion about what happened. First of all, Jin Wei and Wei Jin weren't enemies. They were brothers, twins, in fact. And they were eight. And most importantly, they were just playing a game. The sacred orb from the legend, that was the ball. And the Eastern and Western Gates were the goal posts. Jin Wei had the ball and was running toward the goal when he fell and fumbled it. Win Jei didn't steal the ball, he picked it up and started running it back toward the other goal, but he stepped out of bounds. So the official put him in the penalty box, not for twenty long years, but for two short minutes. There was no stealing and no putting anyone in prison. Just a game.

  Zhang Leader : You're saying the sacred orb was actually a sacred ball?

  Aang : Nope, just a regular ball.

  Scout : What about our tribe's redemption ritual?

  Aang : That's what the game was called, Redemption. As soon as someone got the ball from one goal to the other, everyone would yell, "redemption!"

  [the leaders look at each other] 

  Aang : Don't get me wrong, Wei Jin was kind of a slob and Jin Wei was a little stuffy, that much is true. But they respected each others differences enough to share the same playing field.

  Zhang Leader : I suppose it's time we forget the past.

  Gan Jin Leader : And look to the future.

• Aang : [to the fighting tribes]  s! Focus! How many times do I have to say it? Harsh words won't solve problems. Action will!

  Zhang Leader : Perhaps the Avatar is right.

  Gan Jin Leader : Yes, perhaps he is.

  [Cut to Aang, whose eyes are shiny with hope. He smiles widely] 

  Zhang Leader : Harsh words will never solve our problems.

  Gan Jin Leader : Action will!

  [Both leaders draw their swords and approach each other. They cross swords in front of Aang, who draws back with a cry of surprise and fear] 

  Gan Jin Leader : To the death, and let this be the end of this rivalry!

  Aang : [Nervously]  You know, I take it back. Harsh words aren't so bad.

• Katara : So, why does your tribe hate the Zhangs so much?

  Gan Jin Leader : You seem like a smart girl, Katara. I bet you would enjoy hearing some history.

  [Begins telling the story] 

  Gan Jin Leader : The patriarch of our tribe, Jin Wei, was an Earthbender warrior who was assigned an important duty; transporting our sacred orb from the Great Eastern Gate to the Great Western Gate. Taking the orb from the East to the West represents the sun's rising and setting. It was our tribe's ancient redemption ritual. But as he approached the gate, Jin Wei was attacked by one of the Zhang, a vermin named Wei Jin, who looked at the orb with envy. That coward, Wei Jin, knocked Jin Wei to the ground and stole our sacred orb.

  [closes his eyes in remembrance] 

  Gan Jin Leader : Our people have never forgotten. You can never trust a Zhang.

• Zhang Leader : You're not seriously going to cave into these spoiled Gan Jins. I mean, we're refugees too. And we've got sick people that need shelter.

  Canyon Guide : [Holding out the palms of his hands in a gesture of placation]  I, uh... well...

  Scout : We've got old people who are weary from traveling.

  Zhang Leader : Sick people get priority over old people.

  Gan Jin Leader : Maybe you Zhangs wouldn't have so many sick people if you weren't such slobs.

  Zhang Leader : If you Gan Jins weren't so clean, maybe you wouldn't live to be so old.

• Katara : Everyone listen up. This is the Avatar. And if you give him a chance, I'm sure he can come up with a compromise that will make everyone happy.

  Aang : Uh, you could share the earthbender and travel together.

  Gan Jin Leader : Absolutely not! We'd rather be taken away by the Fire Nation than travel with those stinking thieves.

  Zhang Leader : We wouldn't travel with you pompous fools anyway!