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This interviewer enters the grounds hosting the modest building nestled amongst a garden full of bright green oaks and blossoming fire lilies. Everything appears new—and it is; construction for embassies belonging to each of the nations began soon after Fire Lord Zuko ordered the end of the Hundred Year War and the full retreat of his forces. The Water Tribe embassy, with Southern and Northern wings for the respective tribes, is the first to be completed. (Construction for the Earth Kingdom’s and Air Nomads’ embassies are underway and currently scheduled to finish in two and three years, respectively.)
The building itself is as unique as its nation: a domed entry room containing various pelts and weapons hang from the muted, gray-blue walls and a raised fire about ten hands high is lit in the center of the room, its smoke rises and escapes from an opening in the ceiling.
Immediately upon entering the main hall, similarly sparsely decorated with drab colors and foreign objects, this interviewer and his assistant is greeted by two tribesmen clad in savage-looking headdresses with wolf heads atop each one. They then lead this small group of four down a set of stairs off the hall and into a side room with a low ceiling before leaving to return to their duties. Four utilitarian chairs sit facing each other in pairs. Nothing else but an empty fireplace is in the room.
Several minutes after arriving, the soundless shift in air as a well-oiled door opens into the room and reveals the Prince of the Southern Water Tribe. Unlike his cold, stark surroundings, the Prince’s presence is full of energy and he addresses this interviewer informally, apologizing for his tardiness with a smile and explained that he was still getting used to the layout of the embassy; in fact, he didn’t know this room existed before our interview.
The Prince is youthful, but there’s a way about him that confirms his time on the battlefield. He sits and leans back in his chair, seemingly at ease, though his leg bounces and won’t stop until he gets a few questions into the interview.
What follows is a transcript of the conversation:
Urakik Bak, Interviewer (INT): Let’s get started then, if you’d like. Good afternoon, Prince—
Prince Sokka (PS): I’m loving this ‘Prince’ thing. It’s got a nice ring to it.
INT: You are a prince, are you not?
PS: I suppose. I am the Chieftain’s son, which is like your version of the Fire Lord—I hate that guy. Sorry, I meant Fire Lord Ozai, not Fire Lord Zuko. Zuko’s great—so like how Zuko was the Prince ‘cause he was his son, I guess I am a prince. I just don’t use the title. Call me Prince, though. I like it.
INT: Of course. Now, as you came in this room, you said you were still getting used to the layout of the embassy—how long have you been here?
PS: Let me think. I think a week, but Katara—my sister—will know for sure. You’re interviewing her next, right?
INT: Yes—
PS: Are you okay telling her I was a great interviewee? I don’t know how you rate that sort of thing but she has it in her head that I’m going to ruin everything or start a war or— Hold on. you’re writing down everything I’m saying, right?
INT: Yes, this is my assistan—
PS: So even if I say, ‘I am an idiot. Not Sokka—Prince Sokka. He’s awesome—but me, the writer of this, is an idiot,’ you have to—
INT: Yes, if you wouldn’t mind…
PS: Oh, yeah. Sorry. Usually it’s Aang or Zuko or Katara doing the talking to reporters. I’m just the sarcasm guy.
INT: I think many people would disagree with that. You defended your town for two years after your father, Chief Hakoda, left, and strategized two attacks on the Fire Nation, one of which was for this very caldera.
PS: Yeah, I guess when you say it like that… It feels really weird to be staying here after everything that happened.
INT: But you said you’ve only been here about a week; where were you before you arrived here?
PS: I was on a boat, and before that I was home—the Southern Water Tribe, I mean. I help my dad with rebuilding the village, making sure everyone is getting what they need, organizing hunts, that sort of thing.
INT: So you do much to help with the governing.
PS: I guess you could say it like that. It’s not like your government. There’s Dad and the elders, of course, but, honestly, we’re so small we don’t need more than that—oh, and there’s the ambassadors, but we haven’t yet decided on who they will be. The North has had more of that kind of thing, even before the end of the war.
INT: Have you considered the position of ambassador?
PS: (Laughs) No, that’s not my thing.
INT: What are your plans for the future?
PS: I really haven’t thought that far ahead. Right now, even with everything going on between our nations and getting reparations sorted out, I want to enjoy the time we have. We don’t have the fate of the world hanging over our heads anymore and now I just want to rest.
INT: I can understand that. What kinds of things do you like to do to relax?
PS: Hunt and fish, mostly. Tiger seals are fun and all, but I like to go after something more challenging like a polar leopard.
INT: And this relaxes you?
PS: (Laughs) I know, it sounds like the opposite but it does, in a way. It takes my mind off things back home and I never really had time to do it when we were with Aang. He’s a vegetarian so…
INT: I see. You mentioned the Northern Water Tribe. How has your tribe’s relationship with them changed since the end of the war?
PS: It’s slowly gotten better. Communication takes a long time with only hawks and boats, and even with Aang helping it takes close to a week to hear from them, but it’s gotten better. We’re actually waiting on some waterbenders to arrive and begin building up our village again. Katara is strong but she knows more about destroying buildings with her bending rather than creating them.
INT: Has your relationship with Princess Katara changed at all since you began traveling with the Avatar?
Here, his countenance shifts a little away from his otherwise easygoing attitude and he cocks his head.
PS: We’re still brother and sister. I don’t…
INT: But has the dynamic changed? Have you gotten closer as siblings?
His smile disappears completely and his expression turns thoughtful and somewhat sad.
PS: We’ve always been close in the way siblings usually are. In some ways we’ve gotten much closer and, in others, farther apart. It’s not like it was before we started this journey—that’s for sure—and I think it’s changed throughout the journey too. And now, Katara has her own responsibilities and so do I. I have Suki, and she has Aang—even though we’re all split up right now trying to put things right. But I suppose things would have changed between us whether or not we had discovered Aang and went with him to stop the war; I think that’s just the way things go. Thankfully, we still see each other almost every day for one reason or another; like I said, it’s a small village.
INT: Is there anything you regret about leaving with the Avatar?
PS: Sorry. If I could add something to my last answer…?
INT: Of course.
PS: Since this will be recorded for everyone to see, I wanted to add that no matter what we end up doing or wherever we go, she’s always going to be my little sister. Nothing’s ever going to change that or how I feel about her. Got that? Good. Now, for your other question: no, I don’t ever regret following Katara to rescue Aang. There’s been a lot of loss in our lives but we always have each other’s back even if she’s being an idiot or I am. I would have had so many regrets had I not gone. I wouldn’t have met so many important people in my life now.
INT: And Suki, the Kyoshi Warrior, is one of those.
Prince Sokka’s expression brightens and he makes no show to hide his true feelings.
PS: Yes! She’s…she’s great. She’s strong and tough and helped teach me how to fight. But she’s just…she’s a good person.
It’s clear he could go on but, like any lover, he hesitates to share those feelings that should only be shared between a man and his lady.
INT: We’re over our prescribed time already, but if I could ask two more questions?
PS: Spirits, time sure goes by fast. Sure, go ahead.
INT: Thank you. First, besides your part in ending the Glor—I mean, the Hundred Year War—what are you most proud of so far and is there anything you want to achieve in the coming years?
PS: ‘Glorious Expansion,’ right? Spirits. I almost forgot how it was here. Is Zuko—Fire Lord Zuko—teaching you guys how it actually went down?
INT: Yes.
PS: Good… Sorry, I know it’s tough to hear, but my people and I lived it, and so did Aang. The least any one of us can do is know what really happened. But to answer your question…well, it’s difficult to answer since I’ve done a lot these last two years but—Wait, I’ve got it: I helped invent the first prototype of the Fire Nation’s airships. It can be used for any kind of transportation, not just as a war machine. In the future, I think I want to see the Southern Water Tribe grow and make sure we can prevent another Ozai-type from rising up and destroying everything we’ve built.
INT: Finally, do you have a favorite joke you like to tell?
PS: I like you! Let’s see…I don’t know about ‘favorite,’ but one’s just coming to me now: When you interview Katara you’re an interviewer, but when you interview me, shouldn’t you be an interview-him? Get it? Interview-her? Interview-him?
INT: I see.
PS: Does humor not exist in the Fire Nation yet? (Gestures to Assistant) Oh, well, at least she laughed.
Though it had not been this interviewer’s intention, Prince Sokka’s previous answer had struck a nerve and he knew it. It does him, his Tribe, and his father much credit that, rather than letting it lie, he sought out to address it.
PS: Hey, if I could just say one more thing?
INT: Of course.
PS: Look, I know things will be tough between our two nations for a while. There’s hurt feelings on both sides, but what helped me get past a lot of it was making friends with good people like Zuko, and realizing most people aren’t trying to destroy the world and create enemies—not intentionally. People have reasons, usually good ones, for how they act. After all, isn’t that why you’re interviewing us? You already know what we’ve done, but you want to know who we are.
INT: Yes, you’re right, of course. It’s interesting: I don’t know if you read the previous interview I released—
PS: No, sorry.
INT: I was only going to say that Fire Lord Zuko said something similar: that it would be a long road for our nations to repair our relationship, but he believes we can come together in the end.
PS: Look at that; something we agree on already.
Not much more what said before he left, wearing the same welcoming smile he came in with, though his expression seemed more genuine, more personal than before. There had been a connection—a good, if only brief, one. The young warrior informed this interviewer that he only had to wait a minute for Princess Katara to come down to give her interview.
All in all, if all the men from the Southern Water Tribe are like Prince Sokka, so honorable and protective of his family and Tribe, there is no mystery why they were able to withstand generations of oppression. His behavior convinces one that despite that dark past, Prince Sokka has a bright future ahead in whatever venture he decides to pursue.