Rebound

"Rebound" is a comic book released by Dark Horse Comics on May 4, 2013, for Free Comic Book Day. It was later included in the anthology Team Avatar Tales, released October 2, 2019.
== Overview ==
When she finds herself in a slump after her breakup with Zuko, Mai opens herself to the advances of a seemingly innocent Fire Nation teenager, only to discover that he is far from what his charming demeanor suggested.
== Synopsis ==
Mai is working in a flower shop with her Auntie Mura, rapt in her contemplation of the once loving relationship she had with Zuko that has now fallen through. Her aunt interjects upon her reflection, mentioning that she had hired Mai not for her help, but in the hopes that being around flowers might cheer her up.
While working on a flower arrangement that looks particularly gloomy, a young man named Kei Lo walks in announcing he needs to buy a bouquet of flowers for a special someone. Mura instantly defers the handsome young man to Mai, hoping he can cheer her up more than her flowers could. Kei Lo asks Mai about a bouquet of flowers that would say "you're beautiful", to which she directs him to and he buys. When she notes that he is still at the store, he subsequently offers the flowers to Mai herself, successfully asking her out on a date.
The two share a meal at the local noodle shop, during which Kei Lo promises that if Mai admits that she smiled at his joke, he will tell her a secret. Upon her doing so, Kei Lo takes her by the hand and leads her to a stairwell by a decrepit building. Before they enter, Kei Lo assures Mai that he did not go out with her for "politics", but because he really likes her. She opens the door at the bottom of the stairwell and sees her father in the midst of numerous Ozai paintings and Fire Nation insignias.
Mai's father explains to his daughter that although Zuko had offered him a desk job in the government after the Hundred Year War, he was dissatisfied with the demotion and remained an Ozai loyalist. Tom-Tom makes his presence known by walking to his sister and calling her name, hugging her and saying that he missed her so much. She is greatly disturbed that her father allowed her brother to attend a meeting like this. Although he attempts to persuade her to join the organization with him and help bring down the new Fire Nation rule, Mai assures the society that she and Tom-Tom are leaving immediately. Her father subsequently orders their unharmed arrest, though the members of the New Ozai Society are no match for Mai and are swiftly defeated.
As one of the last men standing, Kei Lo does not make a move to fight with her, but instead tries to tell Mai that even though he had been ordered by her father to lead her there, he sincerely likes her. Mai knocks him out, however, declaring that to be the end of their date, and leaves her father in the middle of the wrecked room.
The next day, Mai takes Tom-Tom with her to their aunt's flower shop, where the toddler plays with the plants while Mai pines over a picture of her and Zuko.
== Production notes ==
=== Transcript ===
=== Translations ===
=== Series continuity ===
* The panel of Mai and Zuko together on the first page of the comic is a throwback to the tag scene of "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang".
* Overt insinuations to the fact that Mai has broken up with Zuko are references to the event as it occurred in The Promise Part Two.
* Mai's father recalls his days as the governor of New Ozai, a position of his that was revealed in "Return to Omashu" and abolished sometime after the War's end.
** The name of the society is also a direct reference to New Ozai, the city that Mai's father used to rule.
=== Trivia ===
* The image of Mai's eyes shown on the copyright and credits page of "Rebound" is reused with dialogue inserted on the sixth page.
== See also ==
* List of Avatar: The Last Airbender comics
* Team Avatar Tales
de:Alte Liebe
es:Recuperación
fr:Rebond
nl:Rebound
pl:Rebound
ru:Рикошет
Category:A to Z
Category:Comics
Category:Real world