The Avatar Musical Book 1 - The Tale of Zhao (Zhao, Iroh)

-The Tale of Zhao-
Zhao has a plan to defeat the Northern Water Tribe and secure his place in history.

NOTE: We are not affiliated with the Tiktok ATLA Musical! Our musical was written from 2009-2018 but never released widely. With ATLA back in the cultural conversation, this seemed like the perfect time to shine a little light on this old project of ours. Plus, more ATLA musical songs can only be a good thing, right?

-Lyrics-

ZHAO: [spoken]
Oh, I’m more than aware of the prowess of water benders, General Iroh. I am very conscious of the moon problem and I do have a solution in mind.

IROH:
A solution?

ZHAO: [sung]
During my last campaign in Gaoling
I discovered a most peculiar thing
A library, full of secrets and hidden away

In this library, I found a scroll
That gave me the key to achieving my goal
It told me where to find the moon and ocean today

[Iroh looks deliberately at the ocean and at the sky.]

IROH: [spoken]
...I'm afraid I don't-

ZHAO: [spoken, impatiently]
The spirits, General Iroh! The spirits of the moon and ocean! The guardians of the Water Tribe, the source of their bending!

IROH: [spoken, with dawning horror]
Ohh, the spirits of the... Admiral Zhao! Surely you don't intend to enter the spirit world!

ZHAO: [spoken]
Of course not!

[sung]
The spirits took on a physical form
In a hidden oasis, a sacred room
And that is the place my men and I will storm
That haven will be the moon spirit's tomb

Waterbending will vanish
Their morale will break
And the North Pole will be mine to take

IROH: [spoken]
Admiral Zhao, with all due respect, destroying the moon will throw the whole world out of balance. You have no idea how the physical or spirit world would react to such a catastrophe. None of us can predict that!

ZHAO: [sung]
I would slay a hundred spirits
If it led to victory
And I’d blaspheme a hundred times
If it brought me glory
And I would wipe out a hundred nations
To be sure they tell my story

IROH: [spoken, urgently]
Admiral Zhao--

ZHAO: [sung]
No time for superstition
when history's on the line!
This victory will be mine!

IROH:
There's more than history on the line
There's more at stake here than your chance to shine
I beg you to think; consider the risk; who knows what awaits?
There's no turning back once you've battered down the gates

I've been in your shoes, I've heard glory's call
And I fear your pride will be your downfall

ZHAO: [spoken]
I know what I'm doing, General Iroh.

IROH:
I pray that is true, Admiral Zhao. If you'll excuse me...

[IROH leaves. Zhao seems thoughtful.]

ZHAO:
Someday, children will cry and pray
"Why has the moon gone away?"
And they'll tell the tale of this fateful day
The tale of Zhao the Invincible!
The incredible!
The unstoppable!

The world-shaker
Game-changer
King-maker
Moon-slayer

The time is now
To write the tale of Zhao!

-Credits-
ZHAO: Danny Paparozzi
IROH: Maxwell Dziabis

Music & Lyrics by Sarah Shope and Diana Heslin
Arrangement by Sarah Shope