I rate & review Avatar: The Last Airbender

The Blind Bandit (Book 2, Chapter 6)

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Original Airdate: May 5, 2006
Writer: Michael Dante DiMartino
Director: Ethan Spaulding


Introducing a new major character (and especially integrating it to the principal cast) can be a tricky thing, with it either turning out badly (for example Scrappy Doo) or quite surprisingly well, and in this instance it is done marvelously. This episode is where the season definitely takes an upward turn for the better, not just in terms of plotlines and the directuon, but also with the characters. This one not only does some solid worldbuilding of the Earth Kingdom (with Team Avatar visiting a new town and setting out to find Aang that earthbending master he's looking for) but introduces the interesting and entertaining titular character.

I think it hits things off well, with some enjoyable bits with the gang in this new town, like some good humor with Sokka buying a fancy satchel he's tempted by & Aang trying out a free trial at Master Yu's earthbending academy (and Yu, despitesuch a minor character, is quite memorable, not being a particularily great master who, instead of starting out with some basics and understanding the element of earth, has the students throw boulders at one another at once, which definitely reveals this is not the master who "listens to the ground" that Aang is looking for). The underground earthbending tournament ('Earth Rumble VI') comes up as two mean boys and Katara forcing the answer out of them offscreen (with some of her waterbending tactics) was a funny little silly moment.

The tournament itself has a great setting (an underground arena cave with an arena, very visually interesting) and is an obvious WWE wrestling spoof with colorful characters such as Xin Fu (the host), The Boulder (an humorous 'The Rock' parody), the Big Bad Hippo, Fire Nation Man (obviously the "bad guy loser"), all with distinct designs (and Sokka being an over the top fanatic is really funny IMO). The earthbending itself is great and has some cool choreography (and the animation work is splendid; I also love the stylized slideshow) & then the champion, the Blind Bandi,t is introduced, being a blind preteen girl who kick some real ass & well, she's quite the character, arrogant and boastful but also charming & cunning, listening to the ground before making her moves (and how).

Aang "fighting" her as a volunteer contestant (trying to talk with her, having recognized her from his swamp vision) and accidentally winning due to very low key airbending (which looks like earthbending) was a neat scene of the first meeting (and the Bandit proving to be a loner with a temper). We quickly find out (after another run in with the boys from before, who are easily scared by Katara, lol) that the Bandit is from the wealthy Bei Fong family (their symbol being a flying boar, which also ties into Aang's swamp vision). The first real meeting of Team Avatar and the Blind Bandit is a nice one, with them sneaking into the Bei Fong grounds (and of course she's stubborn and antagonistic, giving Aang the nickname "twinkle toes") so they try as "regular" visitors headed by the Avatar.

There's lots of great bits here: her name is Toph, her earthbending teacher is Yu & her parents are extremely overprotective and blind about how "fragile and helpless" she is (even having kept her training basic) and her having to play her part. Funny scene with Aang (after telling about his goal and needing an earthbending teacher) trying to make her admit she'd be a great teacher candidate and her being antagonistic, butting heads with him to the confusion of the others. Of course, Toph isn't heartless but later comes to apologize& there's a nice down to earth chat between the two, with her explaining how she "sees" with her feet & wishes her life was carefree like Aang's but stay due to her parents (I like that they quickly humanized her & made us understand why she's defensive).

Then we have Xin Fu and the earthbending wrestlers capturing the two in metal coffin boxes (as Xin believes Aang & the Bandit cheated themselves to the money), making for an entertaining hostage drama, with the bad guys getting their money back and releases Toph but keeps Aang as the Fire Nation has a reward for him, showing how even the Earth Nation has a lot of bad, selfish people (making the show's world feel so much more real) & Toph taking on all the wrestlers in a great action finale, loaded with neat and slick fight animation (and I always liked how they visualized her sensing movements on the ground right before she attacks) and humor too, all displayin how excellent Toph really is (and it should go without saying she's successful and makes them look like amateurs).

The ending was bittersweet, as the father still doubles down on the oveprotection & bans Team Avatar (what a sack of crap), but it is eased by how Toph rushes to the gang in the dark and comes with them as "her father changes his mind" (yeah, right). I also liked her "tough love" humot by getting back at Aang for besting her & being hit by the master belt Sokka throws to her from atop Appa's saddle (showing some of her weakness). Good stinger with Toph's father , hiring Yu and Xin Fu (really, the guy who kidnapped and ransomed your daughter?) to bring her back (as he's deluded in thinking the Avatar kidnapped her. Are we sure that Firelord Ozai is the big bad guy of the show, lol?). Anyhow, a great story & intro for the newest member of Team Avatar. Now the fun begins.

5/5, no complaint here, really. Pretty much everything worked out as intended here (if not even better at times). One of the best episodes thus far in the series, but also one of the most important and one that did change the series as a whole with the introduction of a character whom had made her disability into a strength & whom really changed up the status quo and much of the overall story. I'd even go so far as to say it is one of the most iconic episodes of the series.
 
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Heck yeah, our favorite ass-kicking girl is finally here. Great introduction episode for her, showing her strengths and weakness and making her so much fun, cool, three-dimensional and endearing in no time. And I like what the episode also seems to tell about toxic family relationships through the writing of Toph's parents' characterization.

Also, not doing my know-it-all here since I just checked it out but it was written by Dante DiMartino, not Ehasz.
 
@Wile E. the Brain, Thanks for the correction on the writer (and no problem). Either as I was thinking of how Ehasz was the one responsible for making the character of Toph as we know her (he suggested it should be a young girl instead of a hunky teenage guy who was to be in a love triangle with Katara & Aang, which was Konietzko & DiMartino's original idea) or the end title card was incorrect on my DVD set (which has been the case before, such as both parts of 'Siege Of The North' utilizing that of Pt.2, I noticed). I should have been more careful when checking the wiki article for the episode prior to posting.
 
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Either as I was thinking of how Ehasz was the one responsible into making the character of Toph as we know her (he suggested should be a young girl instead of a hunky teenage guy who was to be in a love triangle with Katara & Aang, which was Konietzko & DiMartino's original idea)
Hey, I didn't know that, that's cool trivia right here. Thanks for that !
 
@Wile E. the Brain, I'm not a 100% percent sure about the love triangle (It is only what I have heard) but it wouldn't be a surprise at all (the creators did get their wish for a love triangle in the sequel series, but I prefer not to talk about that), but the rest is true.

I'm quoting from the Toph article on wikipedia:

Toph was initially conceived as a sixteen-year-old boy that was athletic and muscular, designed to be a foil to Sokka. As the series progressed and the time came closer to the introduction of an earthbender that would join the main characters and die later on, head writer Aaron Ehasz introduced the idea of a little girl being able to defeat strong and muscular adult earthbenders, which though found humorous by some of the staff, was initially rejected by Avatar co-creator Bryan Konietzko. Following several long discussions, Konietzko stopped fighting the idea and warmed up to it, after which Toph was made female and introduced into the series, becoming one of Konietzko's favorite characters.
 
Zuko Alone (Book 2, Chapter 7)

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Original Airdate: May 12, 2006
Writer: Elizabeth Welch Ehasz
Director: Lauren MacMullan


This one (and quite obviously due to that title, both focusing on and featuring no other of the main cast other than Zuko (aside from a short appearance by Iroh in a flashback), is kind of amazing and, to be honest, one of my favorite episodes (probably not just of this show but of all animation). It is a great one just about Zuko, his present day life and troubles (being a lonely wanderer) and featuring his past as a youth (with his strong bond with his kind mother and stormy relationship with his little sister Azula), and also manages to be a great homage to a western, maybe especially those with Clint Eastwood in the lead role, as Zuko really embodies "the man with no name" here, and it it is such a great, interesting & enthralling story.

The start is quiet, with no dialogue and just showing Zuko traveling the wilderness of the Earth Kingdom on the stolen ostrich horse (from 'Cave Of Two Lovers'), starving and having a lack of water (he has a gaunt appearance with visible cheekbones and everything. It is really telling he should've stayed with Iroh). It is so perfectly moody and there's a great moment where he contemplates stealing food from a traveling couple (but deciding to leave them be when seeing the woman is pregnant. For those uninitiated reading this, the couple will return in a later episode, by the way). This opening makes clear that this episode will be different, having more of a darker, serious tone overall.

Then we have Zuko arriving in a small town that has a bandit problem (a band of corrupt Earth Kingdom soldiers) & is taken in by a farmer family (after having stood up against the bad soldiers, including having inadvertedly helped the young son as well). It creates a nice scenario where he meet some kind people and gets a temporary home, hear of the war struck this town (with the real soldiers fighting in the war, including the family's older son, Sensu). I like how he's very quiet and aloof, yet is still nice and helpful (and shockingly, doesn't want to accept dinner until after it is suggested he help out with fixing a barn roof. Quite different from the entitled, selfish jerk who stole the ostrich horse).

I really enjoy the detail that the father says he doesn't have to disclose his name nor or his past ("A man's past is his business") & Zuko get some nice friendship bonding with the son, Lee (I like how it is the same name as Zuko's usual alias, which immediately cancels out him using that name here) and even shows how to properly handle and use the dual broadswords, which was really sweet. He even directly defends the family from the thugs (who reveal Sensus battalion got captured): He works perfectly as an anti-hero (his episode is important in his continued development). When he then leaves, he gives his ceremonial knife (as seen in 'The Avatar State') to Lee, continuing his journey to find himself.

There's also a subplot in the form of Zuko's flashbacks to his youth. These develop the Fire Nation royal family really well, showing the bond between young Zuko (a surprisingly nice kid) and his very kind mother Ursa, but also budding sociopath Azula (a cruel and bloodthirsty little girl: sadistic, disrespectful & downright nasty at times) & her friends Ty Lee and Mai (whose crush on Zuko is made clear), Iroh having taken the city of Ba Sing Se (and having sent Zuko and Azula gifts, or spoils of war, in the form of the ceremonial knife and a doll that looks a lot like Toph respectively), Ozai doing some subple plotting to gain the position of power he clamor & we meet the former Firelord, Azulon (an old, cruel man).

It really show how messed up the royal family is, especially as soon as Iroh's son Lu Ten is reported killed & Iroh gave up (tragically seen as a pathetic loser for having a heart & soul), Azula's constant sadistic playfulness & mental torment toward Zuko (not even skipping a beat to upstage him. I like Zuko desperately trying to be as good and failing, but praised by his mother while Ozai is displeased) & Ozai trying to make his father forego Iroh's birthright as the one to inherit the throne, angering Azulon who force him to kill his firstborn as punishment for his insolence (heard indirectly through Azula to Zuko, who tell himself that "Azula always lies", but the viewer absolutely get enough hints to believe it).

The flashback get a dramatic ending with Ursa leaving in the middle of the night (under mysterious circumstances), saying her goodbyes to Zuko (and telling him to never forget whom he is), Azulon is proclaimed dead the next day (which definitely do imply that Ursa had something to do with his death) and after we see a royal Fire Nation funeral (I always like them doing some worldbuilding & seeing rituals from the various nations is certainly quite interesting) Ozai becomes the new Firelord (getting his wish now that Iroh is branded a traitor), setting up the chain of events that will lead to Zuko's banishment. This is probably one of the strongest flashback stories on the show, if not the best.

Similarily to the previous episode, there's a hostage crisis, with the thug soldiers capturing Lee (who pulled the knife on them) & Zuko goes to save the kid during a sunset (with some great action of Zuko fighting the guards and having trouble with their leader, until he remembers whom he really is and unleashes his firebending). It is a sad ending, where he has to leave due to having disclosed his real identity as Prince Zuko and heads off into the sunset alone again (the townsfolk are unfair, especially Lee, but I understand them. They hate their own corrupt soldiers, but they hate the Fire Nation even more, especially the banished prince whose father is the reason why the war goes on)

Wonderful episode which continues Zuko's arc beautifully, reinforcing and developing his character and backstory (with the characters within also getting a fair bit of development) & also being a great homage to the Western genre, with excellent scripting & fantastic animation (good ol' Lauren MacMullan). In my opinion, it is one of the strongest outings of the series and one of my favorites, where practically every moment works (I remember that when I last saw the show, this was maybe my favorite standalone overall, but I am not sure if it will still be this time. Still a top episode for me). Despite not including the heroes and delivering a "villain episode", it is one of the show's best moments.

5/5

(And here I promised to myself to make my reviews shorter. Damn this episode for being so good, interesting and fun to talk about).
 
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There it is, my absolute favorite episode of the series. Kind of ironic that it is the only one who doesn't feature any of the good guys I know. I just love this atmospheric, intriguing story which feels inspired (any story about an anonymous, mysterious man coming to a small village while hiding a part of his past / personality) while still keeping a personal touch, Zuko was a great choice for such a story because while he is the antagonist, at this point we know how three-dimensional he is, we got attached to him, so it totally works. It's a bleak story with a heartbreaking - but credible - ending, adding a new twist to the "being alone to remember you roots" kind of plot, and I definitely appreciate how well balanced the switches between the present and the flashbacks are (seeing such a poor use of that in a film like Batman : Soul of the Dragon recently made me appreciate this episode even more). Simply amazing.
 
@Wile E. the Brain, You know, I kinda expected this would be one of your favorites as well, but not really your No.1, but I am happy that it is your favorite. Season 2 has so many great episodes but this one, not even halfway into the season, really stand out, even with all the greats that do follow it. It really is a special episode that do so much for Zuko as a character and really sell his part as a tortured soul looking to find himself and where he belongs but having a hard time to do so (and I also think it is one of those that can be analyzed and picked apart, being such a rich story). Maybe it is one of the greatest animated episodes of a kids' show?
 
The Chase (Book 2, Chapter 8)

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Original Airdate: May 26, 2006
Writer: Joshua Hamilton
Director: Giancarlo Volpe


Here we go from a different episode about Zuko to one about the continued journey of Team Avatar (now with their newest member, Toph) and it is a great, energetic and rather fast paced episode where the road of not only the heroes but also those of the antagonists intersects in an interesting way. The plot is fairly simple, being a chase story with the gang being constantly chased by a mysterious war machine on threads and they don't get to catch a break, but it is loaded with great character stuff, solid action, some excellent humor but also doing something differently and that makes it stand out: The heroes doesn't get any sleep and grow increasingly tired and cranky, which heightens the tension between throughout and adds to the intensity of the story.

It has a good set up, with some surprisingly development for Appa, that with him shedding fur as it is spring, which also gives a funny little moment of levity with Katara thinking things will be different now that the group has another girl with Toph, but she turns out to be as immature as the guys (joking around with Appa's shedded fur), but it also makes for a nice set up (or tease) of the conflict that arises between Katara & Toph (whom doesn't help out, continously insisting that she "carry her own weight)": Katara is for all intents and purposes the Team Mom (whom hold the group together) and Toph still acts like she's the loner and only really helps herself (being unable to change), so the two of them growing agitated at the other (as opposites) makes sense.

This conflict creates some tense scenarios with their dialogue (Katara criticizing Toph's selfish unhelpfulness and the latter defending herself with no compromises), but also has some very funny bits of them butting heads and trading venomous barbs (and the expressive animation is great, with some hilarious facial expression), plus the moments with Aang & Sokka finding themselves in the middle of it was also great (adding some humorous moments, such as Sokka's comments). Also, it is made worse with how the group are being chased by this ominous tank train which keeps them from settng up camp to sleep (and Sokka is soon driven crazy by the lack of sleep), traveling from place to place: I love how there's both internal and external conflicts at play

Them confronting the pursuing tank train made for a neat little action bit (and the train contains Azula, Ty Lee & Mai on these giant gecko lizards) and the group escape on Appa yet again. Then there's Appa falling asleep while flying (fortunately woken up so they can crash land), really telling they cant go on escaping, plus the group conflict reaches its climax with the literal "blame game" scene of Katara blaming Toph & Aang joing in when Toph when she criticizes Appa (or rather his shedding) for the enemies finding them, exploding with Toph leaving the gang to Aang's regret (and speaking of Toph, her "What!?!" when Katara blames her is by far one of my favorite moments with her. The perfect mix of shock, anger and disbelief in her voice is great).

Aang's plan is a good one, with them washing Appa so that they get lot of loose fur, after which Katara & Sokka travel forth on Appa while Aang takes another route (spreading a trail of loose fur after him), but of course, Azula is too clever and vary and realizes the ploy, going after the trail of fur while her two friends follow Appa (who accidentally broke off the top of some pine trees); she really is an excellent multifaceted villain. There's a neat subplot with Toph running into Iroh and they have a great little chat over some calming tea, with Iroh delivering some nice wisdom (and speaking of his unnamed nephew who's lost, with Toph giving him some advice) & Toph heading off to rejoing her friends with a new viewpoint. I really like this calm scene.

The chase & confrontation with Katara and Sokka (and Appa) against Ty Lee and Mai is a lot of fun, but Aang going into this abandoned, derelict desert town and just sit down calmly to wait for Azula was a great sequence (and the ghost town itself give some real Western vibes, following up on the homages in 'Zuko Alone) ). The meeting between the foes is great, with Aang getting to understand Azula is Zuko's sister (but not reacting much He's just so damned tired) & then Zuko show up and it's a great battle between the three (with great animation and choreography). Great finale with the rest of Team Avatar showing up (including Toph) & Iroh as well, with all cornering Azula (for the first time working together), seeming to build up to a possible big finale.

Then the episode subvert expectations well, with Azula shooting Iroh (a shocking, cowardly move) and allowing for enough confusion to make her swift escape. Then Zuko is Zuko and refuses Team Avatar's help and yells & firebends at them to make them leave (I understand he's griefstricken, but yeah, shouldn't have lashed out at them), closing the episode on a nice note of the gang finally some well-deserved shut-eye. What an episode, full of drama (I surprisingly enjoy the inter-group conflict, something that often can be annoying but was good and understandable here), action & humor, with expressive animation work. Not as great as the previous one, but still a really great episode with a lot going on and it really keeps up the momentum as it goes.

4.5/5
 
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Bitter Work (Book 2, Chapter 9)

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Original Airdate: June 2, 2006
Writer: Aaron Ehasz
Director: Ethan Spaulding


After an intense action-packed episode as the previous one, we have this one: a character building episode that finally has Aang start his earthbending training under the tutelage of Toph but finding it difficult & Zuko's training is being resumed by Iroh and he tries to learn something new in order to properly take on Azula the next time. It has heart, some drama and even adversity (with the main challenges that Aang & Zuko faces in their continued training being quite similiar, making this another episode where the story of each of them seem to interconnect on an emotional level) but also quite the bit of strong humor, mainly provided by the humorous second (but not as prominent) subplot with Sokka whom winds up stuck in a tough spot by accident.

One thing that is made clear (and with gusto) right from the start is that Toph is quite the bit of a different bending teacher than Katara: While the latter's teaching is calmer and more dynamic, the former's teaching is certainly energetic and rougher, greeting Aang with a lot of energy and has him start off by try move a rock (while he thought he was gonna learn advanced stuff, being reminiscent of how he wanted to get to the "good stuff" in 'The Deserter) and him not being able to move the rock despite doing the same as Toph shows, which does present a good dilemma: Aang really does think like an airbender when he should go at the problem with a head-on, direct approach as Toph literally shows (which makes sense when it comes to earthbending, which requires direct bluntness to "get").

So Katara suggests Aang to be "eased in" with earthbending with a "positive teaching experience" with lots of encouragement and "a gentle nudge in the right direction" which Toph, rather obviously (and hilariously), interprets in her own way, having Aang go through demanding and rigorous training, the training montage is great, with some nice humor but also good development of Aang gradually starting to become better, gaining an understanding of earth and impressing Toph (I also noticed the amusing error of Toph having an opening for her blind eyes when creating the rock armor around her). Then comes the test where he has to stop a rolling boulder, but chickens out and isn't able to, feeling that he lacks the toughness and courage to (which naturally angers Toph,while Katara understands).

As told in his conversation with Katara (while doing some water exercising), I think it is interesting that the likely reason for his "earthbending block" (as I'd call it) being that earth is the direct opposite of air (while air and water go well together, explaining why he picked up waterbending so fast) & I like how she encourages him that he'll get it at some point (and he starts addressing her as Sifu Katara, like he did to Toph at the start of the episode. That was really nice). Then later there's Aang trying to meditate and Toph taunts Aang by using his staff as a nutcracker & it is a great bit with her sarcasm being pretty funny and Aang keeping himself from confronting her about it being a good moment but also interesting (but really tying into his non-violence approach as an airbender monk)

Meanwhile, there's Zuko, now rejoined with his uncle Iroh (who has recuperated after Azula's attack). There's a funny scene with him having made some tea (which Iroh doesn't disclose tastes awful) & Iroh resuming his nephew's training and teaching him about lightningbending is really good (with some really great teaching monologues). Zuko has the lightning blow up in his face as he hasn't inner peace (insert 'Kung Fu Panda 2' reference) and is upset when, after being told how to redirect lightning, that Iroh won't test out shooting lightning at him to redirect (which is perfectly understandable and the old man's hope that Zuko won't ever have to use the technique is really good and well meaning, but I can see how Zuko felt cheated after his uncle's rather in depth explanations).

The small side story with Sokka (out hunting for meat again, bringing back his love for food) accidentally getting stuck in a crack in the ground (with only a small cute moose lion critter to keep him company) was really amusing and entertaining (giving the episode a really good dose of silly humor & the baby moose lion "Fofoo Cuddlypoops" is neat). It nicely ties into the main story, with Aang ending up having to fight off the mother of the moose lion (or rathesabretooth moose lion) and it is a nice display of action and airbending with Aang really standing up to the creature and scaring it off. I like how Toph having been there for a while and testing his patience once more by using his staff as a nutcracker & he stops her (doing just like he did toward the giant moose lion).

I think the story was wise to use the confrontation with the beast as Aang's ultimate test here to really sell him having innate toughness to stand up to both the creature and to Toph, which leads him to try move the rock (like at the start) and pushing it away with ease, being congratulated by Toph (Yer an earthbender, Aang!), but Appa still manages to push him to the ground with considerable ease (a funny moment). Oh, and Toph easily get Sokka out of the crevice (of course). The episode does end on a downbeat note, with Zuko being atop a mountaing and screaming at the dark rainy sky to give him lightning, and breaking down in tears and screams in his angst (while he seem pathethic of hum, it is easy to understand how he feels everything being against him).

So overall, a solid character-based episode, with a lot of neat training (that has a lot of standout moments, such as Iroh explaining the four elements to Zuko, along with his flashback snippet with young Lu Ten, his son, which was really touching), good continued development for Aang as well as Zuko with them subjected to earthbending and lightning traininh (and more with Toph not completely having gelled with Team Avatar yet, not immediately understanding why Aang has a hard time with earthbending), nicely handled dramatic scenes as well as all good humor so yeah, Another strong entry in an already improved season.

4/5
 
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The Library (Book 2, Chapter 10)

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Original Airdate: July 14, 2006
Writer: John O'Bryan
Director: Giancarlo Volpe


This episode is probably one of the more interesting ones of the second season to me, with Team Avatar, while visiting a watering hole" just by the vast Si-Wong desert, hearing from an professor from Ba Sing Se about an ancient library containing a vast collection of knowledge and deciding to help him out in finding it & Sokka hopes the gang might also find something to use to help end the war, gaining information to give to the Earth King in Ba Sing Se. It is an intriguing story with some good mystery and adventure, almost giving a bit of an Indiana Jones vibe with the team in the search and exploration of this hidden library of old & truth be told, it always stood out to me as a really good one overall.

It has a great opening with with Aang playing the flute and causing these singing groundhogs to pop up to sing to the tune (it is a hilarious bit to open with), there's a good bit with them planning "mini-vacations" and Sokka contrasting it with pressure to stop messing around and move forward (I think he's right, as they don't have all the time in the world) also give some nice humor (including him stating they need intelligence to win the war & Katara saying they'll look for his "intelligence" soon). They visit the "Misty Palms Oasis", a nicely designed little place (and a bit amusing how the signature iceberg has severly degraded over the years from how Aang remembers it), the local cantina is like something from 'Star Wars' (a feeling helped much due to the sandbenders outside, that are reminiscent of the tusken raiders, with goggles and body wraps).

The professor that the team meets inside the cantina, Zei (the head of anthropology from Ba Sing Se university), is a likeable character (filling the part of the obsessive, wide-eyed scientist nicely, with some good humor coming from how he starts treating Aang like a science specimen. Good gag with him with measuring Aang's head with the phrenology tool), though I also like Toph's dry sarcasm (she's already such a great addition to the cast. Zei speaks of the lost library of the great knowledge spirit (and the literal "foxy" knowledge seekers) and Sokka decides they should go there next, I like the moment of the professor meeting Appa (and his experience of riding this sky bison for the first time), but also the fact that we learn more about the sandbenders, that show much interest in Appa and travel using these wooden sand-sailers.

Cue a journey into the desert (and Toph joking with them that she spots the library was hilarious) & I like the slowrealization of Aang that the spire they spot is actually the top library (which is completely buried in sand). Toph stay outside with Appa (understandably) & the animation direction sell the depth of the library & the knowledge spirit, Wan Shi Tong, is an impressive creature (a huge black & white owl with a creepy voice, feeling like something out of a Ghibli film). Their first meeting with him is a thoroughly good scene, with some interesting dialogue (such as him explaining that he doesn't usually permit humans as they abuse knowledge to make conflicts, like a certain firebender Admiral did years ago) and he takes gifts from them in exchange for letting them browse the collection (and his interactions with Sokka give is really quite funny).

There's some nice moments where they look into the archives (and Aang sees a drawing of a giant lion turtle) and Sokka's going to find what happened on "the darkest day in Fire Nation history" is full of intrigue, with of the literal fox knowledge seekers leading them to a working planetarium room (great sequence), finding out that a solar eclipse will happen (and cause the firebenders to lose their power); this is probably one of the most important moments story-wise in the series. Of course, Wan Shi Tong catches them, angered that they intend to use information for war, begins sinking the library forever and takes a more monstrous form as he chases the gang and try to kill them (effectively becoming a villain. It is very interesting to see how the show presents a spirit like this, whom only sees the world in literal black & white, blind to nuances).

The chase itself is intense and makes for a great action climax, with Sokka along with Aang going back to know which date the eclipse happens and Toph (in the subplot) meanwhile struggling with stopping the library from quickly sinking and saving Appa from the sandbenders who come to capture him (it's a tragic scene with her struggling to pull off both, doing poorly in the soft sand that prevents her from "seeing" as well as she usually do, and choosing her friends inside over Appa). One of my favorite little moments is Sokka hitting Tong with a giant book ("Sokka style"), professor Zei himself choses to stay in the library his obsession is interesting (but still I don't think it is worth to stay there and die for. Still, I have to applaud this subverting the usual ending of him choosing a life outside over never-ending knowledge, dark as it is).

The very ending of Aang & co making it outside to the desert in the last second and confronting a saddened, mournin Toph & finding Appa is gone, and has tears welling up for his lost pet and oldest friends (of the group, at least) was a great final moment, setting up the continuation of this eventful episode perfectly. While this probably isn't one of my favorite episodes, it is still great, blendin story well with the usual adventure, comedy and some excellent worldbuilding & does what it does really well (and is subversive a few times as well, also as it initially seemed like it would be a one-off episode but then turned out to be more story-important than expected, with a lot of wonderful moments throughout).

4/5
 
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Do you have any brief thoughts on the recent trio of episode I have covered, @Wile E. the Brain? Or are your memories of them too vague in comparison to the "big" ones like 'The Blind Bandit' and 'Zuko Alone'?

I'm just very curious about your opinions on the various episodes of the season (like you are of mine) 😉. The rewatch is going well so far. Fun to revisit this show again after so many years, just too bad about the impopularity around here.
 
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Don't worry, it's just that recently I don't have much time to comment on the episodes (and to do other stuff aha) but I'll definitely do that as soon as I can, certainly this week-end. In the meantime I'm still reading your reviews, we agree on a lot of points.
 
The Desert (Book 2, Chapter 11)

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Original Airdate: July 14, 2006
Writer: Tim Hedrick
Director: Lauren MacMullan


Following up as solid of an episode as 'The Library', this one really pulls off a feat in my opinion, being even better. Sporting a natural direct continuation of the last one, this one sees Team Avatar stranded in the middle of the desert (following Appa's capture and abduction in the previous episode) and has to make their way across it but having some problems holding together (especially with Aang's mental state being a volatile mix of anger, sadness and depression), but also dealing with the continuation of Zuko & Iroh's travels (and increasing need of help from someone friendly) as well as Master Yu & Xin Fu's search for Toph (which turns into a manhunt for the two Firebenders who are still wanted), a welcome subplot that is well woven into the overall episode, which is a near perfect mix.

The main plot is the best one by a long shot, making the gang's journey through the desert interesting, really dramatic but also surprisingly funny at times. What really makes it stand out is the main conflict being due to Aang's angered, grieving mental state since Appa is gone, lashing out at Toph but also his other friends, accusing them for being selfish (and then abandons them to go search for Appa with his glider and the bison whistle, but naturally returns to the group later after not finding his lost giant bison): It really makes this story something different (showing a surprisingly dark and moody side of the usually nice and upbeat Aang, who's even a little unsettling at times with his humorless attitude and getting surprisingly vengeful at times, but he's also understandable as he is so worried. It also gives him some neat character development, but also really adds to the desperation of the desert trek plot, being like the powder keg)

The gang's travel through the desert is no crying shame plot-wise either, with stuff such as them not having any water except Katara's bending water (which she, as Sokka points out, used on the "swamp guy" in a funny moment), Toph having trouble "seeing" due to the sand & Sokka ingesting cactus juice (ending up drunk and tripping on it throughhout the episode, in some very hilarious and memorable scenes. These could easily have been unfunny cringe, but they really do work much due to the voice actor's deliveries, producing some pretty iconic scenes that are still references by fans at times) and Katara assuming the leadership role as one trying to keep the group together (and keep them collected here and now instead of drifting off like Sokka in his delirium & Aang's worry-born anger) make her the anchor and the one doing the logical thinking (She really shines here as the Team Mom). The animation & art is also top notch, really making the journey visually interesting and selling at how vast and seemingly endless the desert is (and giving some doubt to their trek).

The do find one of the sandbender desert gliders (mysteriously buried under the sand, hmm?) and uses it to travel through the desert (and Aang seem to look for a conflict with the sandbenders, stating a dark wish to meet them which has him guessing they took Appa), with the compass leading them to a rock formation, which gives the climax of the episode with this large rock containing the hive of buzzard wasps (big wasps with the neck & heads of vultures) that attack them. This is a very neat and exciting bit of action, with nice moments such as Katara directing Toph where to throw rocks, Aang rescuing Momo from one of the wasps (but also, scarily enough, goes to apparently kill it out of pure vengeance, yikes) & Sokka (still being delirious fighting nothing (which gives a nice laugh). The end has sandbenders appearing (making these sand volcano attacks to scare off the buzzard wasps) and confront the gang about their glider.

Toph recognizes the voice of the youth (who is angry at being accused of stealing Appa) as the one who did in fact steal the bison, having Aang exploding (as I had been expecting) by destroying their gliders and start unleashing his Avatar state on them (especially after Toph reveals the guy had Appa outfitted with a muzzle) and he threatens to destroy them all by kicking up a sandstorm in the emotional climax of the episode (and it is an intense one for sure) and Katara manages to calm him down by embracing him with a hug, leaving him crying over Appa, which creates a really sad ending (despite the fact that the sandbenders promised to help lead the group out of the desert). I think it was a brave thing to end this episode with Appa still missing (as it could've been so easy to have him discovered in the end), but nope, he's off sold to someone and taken to Ba Sing Se (it seems), which do leave the door open for a continuation.

We also follow Zuko & Iroh again opens up with a confrontation with the Rough Rhinos (from 'Avatar Day'), fighting them off and escaping, Iroh inspired to get him and his nephew help from some old friends that don't want to attack him. They go to the Misty Palms Oasis and Iroh's love for the Pai Cho game & the Lotus tile pay off, with a game revealong that he's a member of the Order of The White Lotus that he looks for help by & gets (after a secret meeting). The duo also have to avoid Xin Fu & Master Yu, whom try the two firebenders and claim the reward: I really like the scene where Fung instigates a bar fight between thugs and the earthbender duo as an escape cover (the action itself is good) & the way Zuko and Iroh get away in the end (to continue their journey, with the White Lotus having given them passage to Ba Sing Se) was amusing, ending with Yu and Xin going back to their original mission to get Toph back .

All in all, a very densly packed episode even more so than the previous one and my preferred of the two. It really gives a new dimension to Aang but also give the rest of the cast some great moments and a lot to do or say (and there's a lot of great lines here), there's some solid action, drama, emotion and also humor, ending on some great notes, especially the main plot (and really, this one and the previous episode could just as well be combined into lone long episode as they feel like part 1 & 2). And so, the story goes on...

4.5/5
 
Next review should be up sometime tomorrow or so.

Also, I am curious to know what you think of the second season/book up to this midway point, @John95? Last time you commented was midway into the first season so it'd be interesting to hear some more thoughts from you.
 
The Serpent's Pass (Book 2, Chapter 12)

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Original Airdate: September 15, 2006
Writers: Joshua Hamilton & Michael Dante DiMartino
Director: Ethan Spaulding


This episode is a great next part on the continuing journey of the Avatara and his friends (now sans Appa) and it has a great trek plot (much like the previous one) with some neat adventure, humor and drama, with a well-written and suspenseful story of the team leading a small group of Earth Kingdom refugees (only some of the hundreds fleeing from the Fire Nation's reign) over an infamous and deadly rock pass to get to Ba Sing Se & Zuko and Iroh meanwhile making their own journey to Ba Sing Se but on a ferry ship, but something else that makes it stand out is the amount of more-or-less familiar faces from prior episodes that show up and they all are all written into the plot surprisingly well and serve their role nicely without coming off as blatant fanservice, which I think is worth some kudos. It doesn't seem to be a very popular nor memorable episodes among fans (almost sometimes feeling like a forgotten one), but I really like it a lot.

Righ off the bat, there's a nice scene of Team Avatar taking a break by a pool of water (where Katara performs a "cannonball", breaking off a little from her usual mature routine), Sokka studying the maps he took from the ancient library & Aang, most interestingly, isn't angry about the loss of Appa anymore but is withdrawn and almost closed off (which is the quite opposite of his angry jerk behavior prior) but just wanting to get to Ba Sing Se (clearly because Appa might be there). They meet a trio of traveling refugees, which start the parade of familiar faces (sort of), with two of the three are the couple seen in 'Zuko Alone' (the man and his pregnant wife) and together, they all go to this secret ferry station hidden in a cave (instead of the dangerous "Serpent's Pass" which Sokka read about in a map, where we see the loads and loads of refugees from the Earth Kingdom (which shows further of how the Fire Nation has negatively impacted the world).

There's some great little moments here, such as the cabbage merchant (another familiar one) being denied passport due to his cabbagees (that are promptly destroyed by the security platypus bear, prompting another "My cabbages!"), Team Avatar being denied places on a ferry due to the lack of passports despite Aang being the Avatar (whom is believed to be another impostor, cue visual of Aang cosplayers having tried. Kinda made me think of the Elvis impostors), Toph just showing her family's seal (also passing off her friends as her valets & Momo as her "seeing-eye" lemur) to get four tickets & also one of the ferry guards turning out be another familiar face: Suki the Kyoshi warrior who greats Sokka first of all (resuming their little relationship of sorts) and is saddened about the loss of Appa (she's likeable & cool, plus I love her re-introduction, especially as she hasn't her warrior outfit nor white facepaint, at first looking like some random girl).

Then disaster strikes (of sorts), as the belongings (including the tickets) of the refugee trio get stolen and Aang leads them and his friends across the Serpent's Pass and Suki joins them (in her warrior getup again. I like that she wasn't just there as a cameo). The journey across with intense, with some good bending action (Katara and Aang bending water around the group so they can walk across a sunken part of the pass was a great bit), neat action scenes (an attack from a Fire Navy ship & an attack by a sea serpent that Aang and Katara fight while the others escape. It's a great setpiece, with both the battle and Toph, showing some real vulnerability). The humor is great too (some excellent stuff with Toph who get so many good moments). There's also some nice drama inbetween (Sokka and Suki's relationship developed & Aang confronted by Katara about why he's closed off (regretting how he acted in the desert) and rejecting a hug but bowing instead.

It also gets a great ending, full of humanity and hope, being the refugee couple's baby being born (which feels implied due to the sea serpent attack being stressful on the mother) with some help from Team Avatara (with Katara leading the charge after Sokka going into a full panic mode, the latter of which is very funny). The birth of the baby girl cheering Aang up out of his quiet depression and giving him hope (with his sayings inspiring the baby's name) was so sweet and wholesome & really made me feel all fuzzy (especially with Aang and Katara finally embracing,). So Suki leaves to go back but not before her and Sokka affirms their love & Aang travels ahead to Ba Sing Se (promising to wait for his friends there) & there's a great twist at the end that keep him from going any further (or us from seeing the city behind the huge stone wall), setting up the next episode with a lot of danger due to what is looming closer to the wall.

The subplot with Zuko and Iroh on one of the ferries (traveling among the refugees) was a nice addition, with Zuko sulking as usual and Iroh thinking about how he's returning to the place of his military disgrace all those years ago ("As a tourist!") & them being approached by none other than.... Jet! (*gasp*!) and two of his freedom fighters (Smellerbee & Longshot). Interesting story of Zuko and the former freedom fighter leader joining forces to steal food from the kitchen to give to themselves, their three companions & to all the other refugees as well (so they won't have to eat the cheap slop served). It is intriguing considering they both have sorta similar troubled pasts and demeanors (despite being different in other ways) & their interactions are good with nice dialogue (aslo nice to see Smellerbee and Longshot fleshed out, the former being revealed to be a girl & the latter being they silent yet thoughtful type). Very good episode.

4/5
 
The Drill (Book 2, Chapter 13)

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Original Airdate: September 15
Writers: Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko
Director: Giancarlo Volpe


Now we have one episode which tend to be considered the second part of two (with 'The Serpent's Pass' being the first part) and as far as a follow up goes, it is really strong and well written, presenting a great plot of Team Avatar facing the Fire Nation's new and surprisingly giant war machine, a huge drill machine (probably the single largest vehicle of the Fire Nation thus far in the series) designed for one purpose alone: Breaching through the wall of Ba Sing Se. The story itself is pretty much perfectly paced with some good build up and then execution once it lets loose, being an very exciting and interesting episode with the usual quality of humor, action and adventure, also seeing all characters well utilized. I must also comment that for me using the term Team Avatar a lot since the start of this project, this is really the episode the term stems from.

I like the abeformentioned build up from the start, with Aang heading back to the group after he sees the drill and lets them see for themselves (as him and Toph pull off some "elevator bending", using a chunk of earth to get themselves & the rest of the group up on the wall, the General Sung (defending the outer wall) is an entertaining, amusing and kinda memorable character (at first so arrogant and sure him & his soldiers will succeed, but soon realizing they need the Avatar's help) & the goings inside the drill is some real good stuff too, seeing the return of Azula & her cronies/friends Mai and Ty Lee as well as war minister Quin (seen the last time in 'The Northern Air Temple') being the one in charge of the drill (and the drill itself has a great design and one certainly understand the scale and intricacy of it by visually showing how it works).

The action also starts off greatly, with Mai and Ty Lee making short work of the earthbender soldiers trying to stop the drill (but really only showing Ty Lee paralyzing some & nothing of Mai. I guess they couldn't show the latter embedding her knives into people for censorship reasons, lol), which gives a problem for Team Avatar but also a solution (which Sokka comes up with): Taking down the drill from inside, like Ty Lee does to people with her paralysing fist attacks. Them gettng into the drill with some prominent help from Toph who provides cover and a way of getting in underneath is a great bit (also having a great joke as they are in the hiding in a hole she made, with Sokka commenting its darkness and her snapping back with sarcasm. Speaking of these blind jokes, I think they handle those jokes well without making them offensive).

Having Toph staying outside of the metal monstrosity was not only a good way of making things a little more difficult for the heroes (as she's a powerful character), but also a nice "throwback" to when the team was only Aang-Katara-Sokka (and it was only natural she'd not go inside, as she'd be away from earth and dirt). Some great bits follow, with the ambush on an engineer to steal lueprints (a funny little "icing" scene) & the plan shifting from cutting through the support girders to only weaken them: I like these problem-solving scenes (and Sokka cheering them on give some good humor); I'll also comment on the red lighting inside the machine making it look hellish, much like previous Fire Nation-related places. A confrontation with Azula's trio is inevitable, adding some more stakes (also nice reference to Ty Lee finding Sokka cute).

Sokka & Katara chased by Ty Lee & Mai is a fun sequence (involving an escape down the pipe for "rock slurry", a mixture of grounded down rock from the breached wall which goes out the back end of the drill. I like how much effort is put into showing how the mechanics work), the showdown of Aang vs. Azula on the drill is the highligh (I haven't thought of it before, but Azula's surprisingly quiet, direct and cold here. She only have a couple of brief lines to her two friends, and no taunts or jokes toward the enemy either). The intercutting from their battle to Katara building up the pressure in the drill by holding back the slurry increased the epic feel (though Sokka is verging on being a bit much with his "Just bend the slurry woman", slipping back into his early season 1 sexism, but Katara slapping his face with some slurry was an entertaining comeback).

The very finale work like a charm (Aang jamming a stone spike into the drill Avatar-style, breaking the weakened support beams and flooding it with slurry, taking it down, defeating Azula and her cronies as well in the process. Also, the usage of Aang's theme music is great): It is scenes like these that really do make the show quite different than most other animated shows at the time (and this one felt kind of like a mini-movie). I also very much enjoy the finale of the gang celebrating on top of the wall & Sokka starting to try come up with different team names for their group (with all of them being turned down). Nice ending, though I wonder what happened to all the Fire Nation soldiers aboard the drill (I assume Azula's trio escaped, but I cannot see everyone else doing so when the earthbenders come to "clean house" or so to speak.

The episode, like the previous one, has a subplot for Zuko & Iroh, now having reached the transit station of Ba Sing Se. Iroh havesome nice moments, such as charming the cranky ticker lady and the cold tea scene, but the continued interactions of Jet and Zuko is what matters (with the former trying to recruit the latter, but Zuko declining) and there is a nice turn of events, with Jet seeing how Iroh's tea is suddenly warm and Zuko sees Jet's face change of anger & suspicion (well-handled moment with no dialogue). Nice following bit of Zuko scolding him from heating his tea (and Iroh lamenting the loss of his tea is very much funny) & I like the detail of how they, on the monorail car, meet a couple with a baby (the same ones Aang's crew helped), but most of all Jet being so sure they are Firebenders set up a direct follow-up. Solid ep overall.

4.5/5
 
Well. Better late than never, huh ?

I've got such a soft spot for The Chase. It's such an intense episode where the conflict between the characters finds a neat representation with that war machine chasing the gang without interruption, but it still gets some time to breathe, like when Iroh appears. Though, I believe it's a bit early to do a "Toph threatens to leave the gang" situation but maybe it's just me. Great episode though.

I also really like the diptych The Library / The Desert. Part of why I love Zuko Alone this much is its atmosphere, and there are bits of that in those two episodes, even if they're more energetic, less contemplative and more polyvalent. I like seeing the characters in such a situation, especially in the second part.

(ending up drunk and tripping on it throughhout the episode, in some very hilarious and memorable scenes. These could easily have been unfunny cringe, but they really do work much due to the voice actor's deliveries, producing some pretty iconic scenes that are still references by fans at times)
I think it also owes a lot to the animation. The perspective and proportions, the colors, the movements, everything is golden as far as animation goes during those scenes, and it makes them even funnier. Who directed this one again ? Oh yeah, obviously.

The Drill is another fairly intense episode and I really like how this one is paced as far as I remember, as well as how it uses the scales to add to the epicness. Like you said, this episode is probably one of the closest of feeling like it could work as its own mini-movie, thanks to the way it's written and directed.

As for the other two, they're among the episodes I don't have a lot of memories of, aha.
 
Nice to get some more opinions, @Wile E. the Brain. And now, some opinions on your opinions:

Though, I believe it's a bit early to do a "Toph threatens to leave the gang" situation but maybe it's just me.

While that can be argued, I think it made nice sense she'd get into a conflict with them soon due to how used she is to be a loner and do everything for herself just for herself and not being a team player at all (also, I think it's a good thing they got the conflicts out of the way sooner in this and in some of the following episodes rather than clogging up later episodes).
I also really like the diptych The Library / The Desert. Part of why I love Zuko Alone this much is its atmosphere, and there are bits of that in those two episodes, even if they're more energetic, less contemplative and more polyvalent. I like seeing the characters in such a situation, especially in the second part.

Those two were perfectly placed in the middle of the season and the latter gave a real interesting scenario by having Appa (whom have so often been sort of a pillar of safety for them) taken away. It was a bold move but I think necessary in a sense as it did give some great character development and explored Aang's character even further.

I think it also owes a lot to the animation. The perspective and proportions, the colors, the movements, everything is golden as far as animation goes during those scenes, and it makes them even funnier. Who directed this one again ? Oh yeah, obviously.

Oh yes, the animation of the Sokka tripping scenes in 'The Desert' definitely does a lot for it to work and the reliable director did her job, but the writing and vocal performance (comic timing included) is still important for it to be just right.

The Drill is another fairly intense episode and I really like how this one is paced as far as I remember, as well as how it uses the scales to add to the epicness. Like you said, this episode is probably one of the closest of feeling like it could work as its own mini-movie, thanks to the way it's written and directed.

I think some other episodes also feel like mini-movies, but this one do stand out with how it was handled (like you say). It's a great action heavy story, more so than many other episodes of the show.

As for the other two, they're among the episodes I don't have a lot of memories of, aha.

I don't blame you for not recalling much of 'Bitter Work' or 'The Serpent's Pass' as they are sort of these "middle" episodes between some that are memorable and more epic, while the abeformentioned two are really mostly about character developments. I still think they are all good ones and have some good drama, humor and action, but I do perfer those around them.
 
City Of Walls And Secrets (Book 2, Chapter 14)

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Original Airdate: September 22, 2006
Writer: Tim Hedrick
Director: Lauren MacMullan


I really should say that I remembered relatively little of this episode, not because it is bad (which it really isn't), but more as it's more of an introduction to the great big capital city of Ba Sing Se than anything, being more of a gradual build where we do see the city, its workings and secrets being made clear while Team Avatar discovers it is not as great as they thought (being saddled with a guide and not being able to meet the Earth King with their urgent matters regarding the war itself). It is a very solid and intriguing but also unsettling and a little creepy mystery plot, the abeformentioned build-up to the ending where everything just click together (And Zuko's and Iroh's story of them now finding themselves in the city while Jet tries to out them as firebenders is a real good one) so the sum turn out to be more than its parts, much due to the great writing and directing. A solid thriller with political elements.

It does a great job of introducing and explaining Ba Sing se, at first the initial visuals of Team Avatar's train ride to the station, where we see how really vast the city is behind the walls & then there's some more in depth bits once their guide Joo Dee (who's a really unsettling presence with her constant grinning smile and cheerful attitude that somehow feels stilted and amiss. Great voicework by Lauren Tom, known from 'Futurama') takes them further, making it clear it is marred by segregation with these "rings" consisting of the lower rings (where the new arrivals, normal people and underclass live), the middle ring (that has the university among others) & upper ring (where the most important people live & where the friends gets a house): Aang's sadness about the segregation which against the equality he was taught is certainly understood (nice it did tackle these things that are still ongoing in real life. Political commentary in a kids' cartoon isn't common, let alone on Nickelodeon).

Joo Dee herself is an infuriating person, who ignore the urgency of the team and Sokka's request to immediately see the Earth King (and she seem to have negative effect on whomever the group meets). To make matters worse, no one want to talk or even think about the Fire Nation's war against the world (and is outright afraid to mention anything that could help, especially after discouraging glances from Joo Dee) & the secret police force, the gang doesn't get to meet the Earth King until a scheduled month ("6 to 8 weeks, actually") which feels like a commentary on absurd bureaucracy, the mysterious Dai Li agents are dangerous and are to be avoided (as a nervous neighbor warns, including that the war is also forbidden to be mentioned, which seals the fact that something is going on). It is a great mystery that is uncomfortable and creeps up on the viewer (and also like Toph's immediate cynicism when entertaing the city, just seeing walls and rules, which really was prescient).

In spite of all the mystery and seriousness, the gang do get some lighthearted scenes, such as with them in their new house when getting a plan of how to see the earth king, being during the party held for the king's pet bear: Funny conversation about what kind of bear it is (But it is just a bear, apparently. This place is weird indeed, lol), but I also like the planning of how they'd sneak in and act as upper class people, with some fun back and forth between Katara and Toph (whom is sure her friend's would be stopped right away) as well as Aang and Sokka (and Momo, surprisingly) goofing around and acting like nobles. The party sequence itself, with Katara & Toph getting in (wearing formal clothes) with Long Feng (a top official) and Aang & Sokka sneaking in as busboys was a great one, with some funny moments but also mystery, with them stopped from seeing the king (seen only in silhouette, kept a secret) and brought into the office of Long Feng, the grand secretariat of state.

It's here the episode do come together with all the mystery, unease, creepiness and whatnot: Long Feng is not the pleasant one but in actuality technically the stern true ruler of the city (with the king essentially being a puppet, which is obviously denied by him) and determined to keep this "peaceful, orderly utopia" and if people knew about the war there'd be panic which would disrupt this "perfect" society (all what we've seen makes Ba Sing Se a corrupt police state with fascism vibes). The dialogue is sharp and Long Feng is already turning into a great political villain (I like his subtle threat to Aang regarding the latter's search for Appa and how it "would be a shame if he couldn't complete his quest"), plus the end note with Joo Dee replaced by a new one was perfect. All this is surprisingly deep and dark (a giant, grand city marred by political corruption) & makes it quite complex and really interesting (as now the heroes are trapped and under surveillance).

Regarding the subplot, it's an interesting one as well, showing Zuko & Iroh in the lower ring, with Iroh already starting to settle in while Zuko's in a surly mode as usual (Iroh's quote is great: "Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not") and getting a job at a tea shop where Iroh becomes popular (Iroh's interaction with Zuko about the "hot leaf juice" absolutedly killed me) all being good material, but the suspense as well, with Jet obsessing over proving the two are Firebenders, spying & trying to out them (and both Smellerbee & Longshot trying to convince him to drop it). As I've said, he is an interesting tragic character who's consumed by his hate for the Fire Nation to the point of letting it ruin his life. Him accusing Iroh & Zuko at the shop gives a great swordfight of him against Zuko (excellent choreography and action) which ends with Jet arrested by the Dai Li (whose rock gloves they shape into handcuffs is a great concept) and taken away to be brainwashed, subjected to a spinning light and the saying of "There is no war in Ba Sing Se"...

4/5
 
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The Tales Of Ba Sing Se (Book 2, Chapter 15)

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Original Airdate: September 29, 2006
Writers: Joann Estoesta, Lisa Wahlander, Andrew Huebner, Gary Scheppke, Lauren MacMullan, Katie Mattil, Justing Ridge, Giancarlo Volpe, Elizabeth Welch Ehasz & John O'Bryan
Director: Ethan Spaulding


Now this is really quite the interesting episode. With all the happenings, drama & intrigue that has been going on in this season, especially within the recent episode (such as the rather dark and heavy previous one), the show does something different here: An anthology episode (and so close to the end of the season when everything's heating up). Normally, an episode like this technically should be a groaner, but no, it actually is really good, if not actually great. This one isn't as much about what the characters are striving to as much as it is about the characters themselves & it createa something new for the show which still develops the players (and lets them breathe as well, which is deserved after the recent happenings), making this a bit of a "a day in the life" type of episode that does wonders in terms of character building (and proves that even anthology episodes can add things to a series instead of being seen as pointless to the overarching story of a serialized show).

The first tale is 'The Tale Of Katara & Toph' and it is a neat one about Katara taking Toph on an "girls day out" and it's a nice one with Toph being herself (at the local spa, which gives some nice bits of humor) while still letting her inner girl come out and get to actually feel "girly", which she ends up liking (and I do really like that scene where she gets back at the bully girls who tease her makeup appearance , with Katara helping out). I like the development of Toph, with being blind she isn't concerned about outer appearance or approval (but being teased still hurt her) and Katara compliments (saying how strong, confident & self-assured Toph & how she's admirable because of it) was great. Toph commenting that she never will be able to see how she looks like (and Katara telling her she's very pretty, but Toph replies she cannot do the same for her) was sweet and a little funny as well (showing they've worked out their issues from earlier in the season where they were opponents).

Then there's 'The Tale Of Iroh' and it is simple yet perfect, with Iroh trying to help out with his friendly, wisdom-filled ways, doing things like giving gardening advice, cheering up a crying child with guitar playing and singing, telling some kids using earthbending to play football (that breaks a window) that it can (usually) be good to admit mistakes & giving a mugger advice (which includes managing to sway the man's ways with tea and friendliness, encouraging him to become the masseur he wants to be with some good advice, being that help from others can come a long way). Then comes the end scene, with the sun setting and Iroh being by a lone tree on a hill, setting up a memorial for his deceased son & he tearfully sings the song from earlier (a sad, heartbreaking scene). Also nice dedication to Iroh's VA Mako (who passed away during the production of this season. A snippet of his vocal for the next season can be heard in & scene where he talks to the footballing kids).

'The Tale Of Aang' is a fun little story, with our hero searching for Appa and ending up at a miserable zoo with miserable animals (due to the Dai Lee no longer giving any funding due to the zoo's impopularity). Him helping the zookeeper to give the animals the open spaces they deserve by moving them himself was a fun plot, both in terms of him doing some Avatar business by helping out, but also being a funny story with him being over his head situation with the animals wreaking havoc (including a "rabaroo" eating the cabbage merchant's cabbages). Aang using his bison whistle to get all the animals where he wants & using earthbending to create a big, open zoo was a neat sequence & the ending was funny, with it turing out that Aang also caused the city's pets to follow the zoo animals and thus inadvertedly captured them too in the enclosures (that is some whistle Aang has there). As the zookeper says, he should indeed stick to saving people (which he does best).

What follows is 'The Tale Of Sokka' (written by our own Lauren MacMullan) and well, it is the shortest and least extensive of the tales in this episode, just a simple tale following Sokka on a stroll and stumbling across an haiku-making club for young women (which is named 'The Five-Seven-Five Society', apparently). The conflict" here is him ending up in an "haiku battle" against the society's leader lady (whom explains the rules of the haiku poetry, which is important for those not familiar) and it is a funny little story with him turning out to be very naturally good at making haikus, countering the very formal and stiff haikus with his wild ones (an hilarious scene, kind of like a rap battle). The ending was a funny one, with him mistakenly adds an extra syllable and a large guard toss him out, leaving him to rethink his new positive opinion on poetry.

Then we have 'The Tale Of Zuko' . It has a great story for Zuko, who discovers that the pretty girl who's often visiting the tea show isn't someone who figured out that him & Iroh are firebenders but has an apparent crush on him (and Iroh fixes Zuko a date). The following story entails their awkward date, with Zuko trying his best to be nice and charming but being unsure. I really enjoy how this displays a new and kinder side to Zuko (and show's he could live a normal life) & Jin being really likeable. The finale with them going to this Firelight Fountain & him doing something nice to her (by having her close her eyes and he skillfully uses his bending to light the small lanterns) was great and the romantic following moment was cute. It does get a bittersweet ending with him breaking their kiss and going back home as "It's complicated" & I love the final moment with him at first slamming the door to his room, but then opening it up slightly to tell Iroh that the date was nice.

Finally, there's 'The Tale Of Momo' and it is very straightforward but still solid (also interesting to get a solo story about the team's main pet aside from Appa). It is him dreaming of Appa whom he misses, is awakened by thunder & goes around the city looking for his sky bison friend, thinking he sees him but it always turns out it's something else & ends up in trouble with a triof of pygmy pumas (that look like small panthers) who attack and chase him around the city. There's a funny little bit with him as part of a performance held by an organ grinder (according to the wiki, he's the brother of the zookeeper) and his two dancing monkeys & also some suspense once Momo & the pumas are caught by animal control and driven to be subjected to a butcher (with Momo freeing himself & also the pumas). It gets a neat ending with the pumas (now his friends) leading him to an back alley, where de lies down to sleep in an familiar looking three-toed footprint in some exposed dirt.

So yeah, all in all this is a great episode with the show doing something really different an succeeding. In terms of anthology episodes, this is one of the finest of any animated series, surpassing even a lot of what 'The Simpsons' is offering. I think my favorite tale was that of Zuko, but the strongest scene was the end of Iroh's (also, to be honest, this was probably my first guess of what would be your favorite episode @Wile E. the Brain. 'Zuko Alone' was my second or third guess).

5/5
 
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Appa's Lost Days (Book 2, Chapter 16)

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Original Airdate: October 13, 2006
Writer: Elizabeth Welch Ehasz
Director: Giancarlo Volpe


While the last segment of the prior anthology episode shown how a story centered around one of the team pet characters could look like, this one commits to that premise full force by showing what has happened to Appa since his abduction in the desert (two weeks ago according to the episode) and it is a really neat but also sad story, with him suffering so much hardships and for the most part never being able to rest peacefully on his way to find Aang and the others. It is essentially one long chase (of sorts) and is full of drama and some action & humor, but it remains one of the more somber pieces of the show, which do make it stand out (on top of never really featuring the main human characters other than in brief roles). It showed that an episode about Appa definitely could be as good as many of the other episodes of the show.

As said, it begins in the desert and shows the events from Appa's perspective. There's sort of a repeat of the scene where he is captured by the sandbenders and Toph tries to save him while stopping the sinking library: There's a few new neat shots & we heard the young leader saying that of putting a muzzle on the creature & Appa is soon taken down and dragged away. A lot of interesting stuff follows, such as Appa causing one of the sand gliders to get lost in some dunes (the one Team Avatar finds in 'The Desert') & he's sold to a tribe of merchants wearing beetle-like helmets before being sold to the Fire Nation circus (which previously appeared in 'Return To Omashu'): Interesting to see it again.

I like the whole circus plot thread, which has some great dramatic elements of Appa mistreated by the sadistic animal trainer (who like to threaten with his firebending whip) but also some humor of him using is innate airbending to get food & befriending a young and helpful Fire Nation boy (who resembles Aang), leading to his escape during his performance (in which he knocks out the trainer cold, which was a funny little moment). Some callbacks follow, with him returning to the site of the library (but not finding the gang) and heading on and going to the cliff nest of the buzzard wasp (that he has to escape from, now also covered in some hive sap). I also like the moment with him trying to find food.

The bit where he seeks shelter in a barn gives a great dream scene of him remembering his life as a baby bison and meeting Aang, his friend for life, for the first time (nice bit of backstory), but it comes to a dramatic end where he is scared off by the equally scared farmer (who only sees a giant monster, which can be understandable). I also like the addition of Aang (sleeping at the Serpent's Pass camp) dreaming the same dream as Appa & Iroh (on the ferry) spotting Appa flying overhead but deciding to keep quiet about it. There's a good suspensful part with Appa landing in a forest and ending up fighting an boar-q-pine (combo of boar & porcupine) and winning, but ending up with quills embedded in his skin.

He sleeps for days (at least it seems to be for a while) in an old mineshaft entrance, followed by the Kyoshi warriors appearing again, led by Suki, as they are picking berries nearby, causing Suki to discover clumps of Appa's fur and finding him, at least giving a bit of sunshine to the story with them helping Appa by feeding and cleaning him (of the circus shackles, the hive sap & the quills). Then the peace is ruined by Azula, Mai & Ty Lee showing up on their giant lizards (I suppose this takes place after 'The Drill' so maybe they escaped on their mounts), leading to a solidd fight scene of the warriors vs. the trio (even though Suki is the only one who really puts up much of a fight against the trio) & Appa escapes.

Appa heads forth (and over a sea, where he is spotted by water tribe ship, namely by Hakoda, the fater of Sokka & Katara, who appears for the first time in the flesh here) and we get to the Eastern Air Temple, which is probably the most interesting part here IMO. There's a brief flashback as Appa remembers that he originates from this now empty place & there being a strange old guru there, Pathik, whom slowly but steadily lets Appa warm up to his presence in a great little fun montage. The guru is a good chatacter, who has been waiting for Aang and Appa, senses Appa's hardships, helps the bison to be at peace & ties a message to Aang to one of Appa's horns before the latter leaves. Great scenes.

The final bit works perfectly: Appa arrives in Ba Sing Se during night and led by a noise lands in an alley (spotted by the three pygmy pumas from the last episode, which shows how they knew where to lead Momo) & a man with a whistle steps forth: Long Feng, whom swifly uses earthbending to capture Appa underneath the ground, with only Appa's lone footprint left in the dirt, which was the perfect callback to the final scene of the last episode. What a story this was, sad and tragic as it was (of course the animal gets the story with a lot of cruelty), but still having a lot of hope in the end (especially with the guru scenes, that set up later happenings). While rarely singled out as a great, I think it should be.

4.5/5
 
Lake Laogai (Book 2, Chapter 17)

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Original Airdate: November 3, 2006
Writer: Tim Hedrick
Director: Lauren MacMullan


The mystery and intrigue of Ba Sing Se and the conspiracy behind the scenes continues here, in an overall solid episode that really gets to the matter of the issue (and how). While the previous two episodes were quite different from what could be expected (an anthology and one about Appa), they still very much built up to this one, which sees Team Avatar trying to find Appa once and for all, rules and obstructive bureaucrats be damned & uncovering the secret behind Long Feng & the Dai Li agency which has something to do with the mysterious Lake Laogai. It's a great mystery story, that also sees the comeback & untimely farewell of an returning character

It starts with a nice, fun scene of Aang & Katara having made professionally printed Appa flyer posters & renders Sokka's really bad drawings of Appa (that comes under criticism and sarcasm) pointless, gives a good laugh. Interestingly, the flyers that Aang releases over the city catches the attention of Zuko who grabs one of them (after a humorous scene of Iroh getting bought out by some rich guy who promises Iroh his own tea shop and a home in the upper ring. Nice to see Iroh fulfilling his dream, but feel a little sorry for the shop owner). I also like the moment of Aang blowing up with anger once Joo Dee (mysteriously back again from somewhere called Lake Laogai) and confront them with new rules, saying they don't care for rules or permission anymore (Sokka's "That might come back to bite us in the blubber" is great &Toph blowing out a side of their house just to break some rules was hilarious).

The gang putting up the Appa wanted posters was a nice bit (with a very funny moment of Toph attempting to prove she can put up posters. I think that was absolutely hilarious) and then they split up to cover more ground, but the Zuko plot of him showing Iroh the flyer about the lost Appa, against showing his wishes to capture the Avatar, was also good, if not even more interesting (I think that Zuko's arc and story is possibly the strongest of the show) and it gets more interesting, with Iroh not wanting him to stir up trouble again and question him on what he really want to do with his life (which is a theme in this episode): This really is the start of something new for Zuko. There's also an intriguing bit with Long Feng confronting Joo Dee (who breaks down) and sends her to Lake Laogai again (and her eyes creepily dilates as she complies) & assures the Dai Li they will handle Team Avatar "quietly" (so much intrigue)

So Jet reappears, this time confronting Katara and it is an dramatic reunion, with her attacking him out of vengeful anger with waterbending (which involves a lot of sharp ice, which shows her emotional state), but he's strangely apolegetic. The rest of the gang show up and I think this leads to some of the most interesting stuff of the episode, that of something feeling off with the positive, helpful way he acts but Toph (revealed to being able to sense when someone's lying) says he's being truthful so they let him help out in finding Appa. It points to Appa having been sold to some nobleman far away (according to "Old Sweepy" the janitor, who reminds me of Scruffy on Futurama), which poses an interesting dilemma. Then Smellerbee & Longshot show up and Jet doesn't recognize them & Smellerbee cite his capture by the Dai Li which he doesn't remember (and Toph say they are both being truthful), causing the episode to take a darker turn as it turns out Jet's been brainwashed.

The scene where they try to jogg his memory is a great scene, with Sokka getting a humorous moment (thinking a straw in Jet's mouth will help) & Katara using her healing methods to help him remember (and maybe uncover where he was brainwashed might've been where Appa is kept), and it does give a good flashback to Jet's youth (when the Fire Nation burned down his town, which also reveals it was the Rough Rhinos specifically) but also relevant info on secret catacombs underneath a lake: Lake Laogai (which is when the puzzle pieces laid out at the start start interlocking). Meanwhile, the Blue Spirit is back in action again (long time no see) and he actually manages to trick and capture a Dai Li agent to force him to tell what he wants to know or he'll kill the guy (A great and intense nighttime scene and so well directed. I love the atmosphere of this episode overall, which do make it stand out all the more).

Team Avatar & their new allies get to Lake Laogai, Toph uncovers a secret entrance & they head into the catacombs of the underground facility, presenting some great dark, sickly green visuals & the creepy element of as young women being brainwashed and conditioned into being Joo Dees, but also show the Blue Spirit (alias our favorite scarred, surly teen) has beaten them to a chained Appa. Long Feng and the Dai Li trapping the Avatar & friends give a great, well animated battle scene against the Dai Li (excellent earthbenders who can even run on walls) & Aang as well as Jet break free to chase Long Feng. This turns into an dramatic battle of Aang against Jet, who'se brainwashing is activated by Long Feng, and the way it ends, with Jet finally remembering his friends was great, but then it turns tragic when Feng mortally wounds him & escapes, which was a bit of a shocking moment (even for this show).

Zuko confronted by Iroh in Appa's holding cell was a great bit as well & very dramatically heavy as well as poignant, that with Iroh really saying the truth when essentially scolding Zuko: The teen never thinks things like these through and so often acts on impulse without planning ahead (such as at the North Pole, when he had captured the Avatar but almost got both killed) and tells him to outright look into his soul and forge his own destiny (find whom he is and what he really wants himself, not his father), causing Zuko to throw his mask and swords (such a great scene and very important). Jet's farewell scene is a somber one, with Katara using her healing and sensing that Jet's in really bad shape & Longshot speaking (!) telling Team Avatar to go find Appa (and Toph implies Jet will die, despite him trying to assure them he'll be alright): They really made us care for Jet, whom I think redeemed himself.

Unfortunately, Appa is gone once the gang reach the cell and they escape outside, leading up to an confrontation where they are cornered by Dai Lee & Feng: Cliffhanger? Nope, Appa magically appears and defeats the Dai Lee and Long Feng effortlessly (the latter in an surprisingly funny way, love that bit and how it might turn important later on) & finally, Team Avatar are reunited with their lost friend, with Aang the most glad of them all at seeing his oldest best friend back, ending nicely with them flying away & Aang comforting Katara on the loss of Jet (by including her in a group hug). Then the perfect last addition of Zuko & Iroh exiting the underground facility, the latter telling the former he did the right thing & Zuko leaving behind the Blue Spirit mask, letting it sink into the depths of the lake (with it no longer being needed) and promising a new start. Perfect end note.

4.5/5

(I will also add that this was the final episode of the series directed by Lauren MacMullan, but it was an excellent one to go out on. Great direction to go along with the writing).
 
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The Earth King (Book 2, Chapter 18)

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Original Airdate: November 17, 2006
Writer: John O'Bryan
Director: Ethan Spaulding


A good follow up episode, taking place pretty much immediately after the last one ended, with Appa reunited with Team Avatar (whom are at a bit of a crossroads now, unsure of what exactly to do after all they've witnessed and experienced). This one continues the excellence set by this second season with some great moments leading up to (and including) the first meeting of the group and the mysterious Earth King (whom may not be so mysterious as imagined), but I would say that after the first act/half or so is more of a "wrap-up" of what has been going on ever since they got to Ba Sing Se, now with the cat being out of the bag and the conspiracy revealed, and it sets up the following remaining two episodes (including the season finale) with more good moments, most being very based on the characters (as it should) so it is nice to get some breathing room (of sorts) while the plot and subplots are still progressing nicely.

A brief rendevouz on an island in the middle of the lake do give some interesting dialogue, that of Katara actually suggesting they just leave Ba Sing Se behind but Sokka insisting on they just go see the Earth King with the news on how to turn the tide of the war (which is a bit of a nice conflict. Of course there's someone who'd want to leave this awful place, but the right thing to do is especially possible now that Appa is back). The following scene of them storming toward the Earth King's palace is a highlight, not just of the episode but of the series, a very slick, well animated and epic action scene of them using all their bending to fight their way into the palace (without harming or killing any guards, whom are still on their side) and the excellent scoring and small character bits & humor only helps. When thinking of the show's action, this one always comes to mind as a standout so def one of my favorite scenes of the series, very easily.

Then we have the into of the Earth King himself, Kuei, and I like how there's really nothing special about him look-wise, just a fairly ordinary looking man with a narrow face and small glasses & he's portrayed quite well, both being skeptical of the Avatar's crew and their news of a war going on an him being the victim of a secret conspirary led by Long Feng (whom obviously had beaten the gang to the king), but still being intrigued by the fact that it is the Avatar visiting and being open to him trying to prove the claims. This leads to the main section of the episode, which is mostly about Team Avatar trying to prove they're telling the truth to the king, with Long Feng trying to disprove them with whatever lies and cover ups he can: I really enjoy the interactions, the bits of drama and the humor that comes from all of this, such as the king being brough outside the palace for the first time (and riding the public transit for the first time).

I like the moment thee king is ready to give up (after the entrance to the lake is "conveniently" revealed destroyed) but being convinced to trust the gang by the one thing that was hard to cover up: the Drill, still broken and stuck in the outer wall, and he choses to trust the kids rather than his advisor Long Feng (who turns quite pathetic out of desperation, trying to pass the drill off as imported construction equipment. His nervousness is so clear), whom is swiftly arrested (and Sokka's lame pun on Long Fengs name is so cheesy it's great, also making for a nice act break joke). The remainder of the plot commit to resolve things, such as the gang recieving letters that Long Feng had been hiding from them (the letter to Aang from the guru & a letter to Toph from her mother who's in town and want to se her) and Sokka and Katara get a report that their father is by the coast (good scene), but more importantly, the group decide to split up to go to their different letter-senders (though Katara stays to help plan a battle strategy against the Fire Nation).

The ending isn't all straightforward but progresses the overall story in some interesting ways: Long Feng is imprisoned in the dungeons but the Dai Li is still loyal to him and not the king (and what I didn't catch before is one of them serving him a neat tray of some luxurious foods, showing where their true loyalities lie), Toph is captured by Xin Fu & Master Yu (who tricked her with the fake letter) and she's put in a metal coffin box (like those her and Aang were locked in 'The Blind Bandit' episode) to be taken home against her will & the king is paid visit by a trio of Kyoshi warriors that are really Azula, Mai & Ty Lee in disguise (cleverly showing the outcome of the battle in 'Appa's Lost Days'), ending with a spooky close-up shot on Azula's yellow eyes (that are really telling that to us, this is not a real Kyoshi warrior, as they have blue eyes) so the episode did certainly end on some really intriguing "to be continued" notes. Good show.

There's a subplot, of course, and it's a great "angst coma" one with Zuko falling gravely ill of fever all of a sudden and Iroh tending to him: I like the explanation of the fever is due to Zuko being at conflict within himself due to the selfless things he did (which do go against how self-serving he usually is) & there's a few neatly direcred hallucinatory dreams (such as him dreaming of himself as a firelord and two dragons, a blue and red one symbolizing Azula and Iroh respectively, with Azula trying to convince him to fall asleep forever Iroh keeping him alive: It's a real good dramatic little side story that continues Zuko's journey to self-discovery in an interesting way with some neat symbolism, depth and characte moments with Zuko (I like the one bit where Iroh offers him some water in a big spoon, but Zuko just drinks it, tosses the spoon, grabs the entire bucket, chugs it and tosses it away. That bit always stood out).

So yeah, another good episode, but I wouldn't say as good as some of the previous ones. it continued the story in a good fashion and has a lot of good moments throughout (especially the palace-storming sequence at the start), but I think the ones prior were sharper, with this one being mostly a "middle story", wrapping up some aspects while setting up new ones and some new plotpoints coming up, but I think that's fine.

3.5/5
 
Gonna give a shout-out to @kupomog (whom I know is, or at least was, a fan of the show). It would be neat to see you drop in once in a while with some opinions on the episodes (as I'm curiously interested in hearing some of your thoughts) when you feel like it.

Also, I might take a little break from this thread once I wrap up the second season, in part due to the non-existent traffic in the thread (aside from the input from Wile E. the Brain) but also to allow myself to progress a little more with the rewatch.
 
The Guru (Book 2, Chapter 19)

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Original Airdate: December 1, 2006
Writers: Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko
Director: Giancarlo Volpe


Continuing on from where the last episode left off, this one quickly proves to be a great entry full of character moments and development: Within the first minutes, it is immediately made clear this follows the various main characters in their own little subplot, mainly showing Aang visiting the Guru Pathik at the Eastern Temple, but the others get their share as well, with Sokka reuniting with his father Hakoda and the other men of the Southern Tribe, Katara in Ba Sing Se helping out with the plans of invading the Fire Nation on the Day Of Black Sun (which Sokka did tell the king about), Toph being trapped in the metal box and trying her best to get out, Azula (and Mai & Ty Lee) having infiltrated the city in their guises & Zuko having come out of his fever a changed, transformed man, now being happy and content with his life in the city.

Speaking of that last subplot with Zuko & Iroh, it opens the episode with Zuko waking up and being so uncharacteristically nice and optimistic about the new day, their new (and current) apartment & looking forward to the opening of Iroh's tea shop (named the Jasmine Dragon by the latter) so things do seem to look up for them (as he states), and this is an intriguing next part of Zuko's journey (having come back the right way and finding things are looking up for them), but even with his optimism and how things seem to be positive and heading the right direction for the two, there a building dread in the plot (with how the previous episode ended) and one do get the feeling everything won't work out so well, which makes this subplot the perfect one to start the episode off with (and since it didn't get resolved last time).

The main story is certainly the one with the titular guru, as Aang journeys to see Pathik and starts his training, in which he is supposed to learn how to control that pesky Avatar State (and I like how this, in the next to last episode of the season, harkens back to the problem really presented in its premiere episode 'The Avatar State'). This story is essentially the Avatar version of Luke trained by Yoda in 'The Empire Strikes Back' (yet again the show really show a Star Wars connection), with Pathik, as the ancient and wise master (whom even knew Monk Gyatso, which would make him very old) teaching Aang control step by step with how the unlocking of chakras will allow him to go in and out of the State at will: I love all of these scenes, starting with the introduction of what chakras are (with Pathik's demonstration with the pools) and Aang bit by bit unlocking chakra after chakra (with some great dialogue and emotion to it all); this is the show excelling at the spiritual side of things.

One of the most interesting subplots do come in the form of Azula and her two friends (still disguised as Kyoshi Warriors) brought before the king (as the warriors are close friends of the Avatar) and finding out about the plan to invade the Fire Nation on the Day Of Black Sun (I like how Azula's brief surprised reaction is shown in her eyes) and what ensues is a good and intriguing plot of Azula seeing a chance to finally conquer Ba Sing Se and devises a plan involving the Dai Li and Long Feng (whom she found out had been plotting against the king by the king himself, who doesn't know these Kyoshi warriors isn't the real deal) to pull off a coup: I like her whole plan, letting the Dai Li hear about their plan, having Azula brought to Long Feng and proposes a deal to let him get the throne while she gets the Avatar & it's essentially one big chess game.

Then there's Aang (on his way to the guru) dropping off Sokka by Chameleon Bay, where the Southern Water Tribe Warriors are, and the reunion of Sokka and his father Hakoda (whom he meets after wandering into the camp) is a great and very rewarding emotional little scene which does so much (and we also meet Bato again, who's by Hakoda'd side, which was kinda neat). Their little plot here is a nice one, with some fun interactions of the two (such as them preparing some "tangle mines", designed to "stink and sink" Fire Nation ships & Sokka finally being seen as a warrior). it is not a very extensive subplot (in an episode full of various subplots, maybe the most subplot heaviest thus far), but it has the right amount of everything to it (and again, it is rewarding having the two finally reunite and spend some quality time together).

Toph's get a minor but still important plot, with her (still locked in the metal box) being taken away on a wagon by Xin Fu and Master Yu, and trying to get out but not being able to (as she cannot bend metal). There's a nice moment where she almost tricks Yu into letting her out as she needs to "go to the bathroom", but what's r interesting is her banging and striking against the metal actually dents it and she continues to try force it bit by bit, ending up locating the grains of earth within the metal and ends up inventing metalbending, which allows her to escape (and gets another great moment by tricking her captors and trapping them in the box as well: As she says before she uses the ground literally push herself away (looking like surfing), she really is the greatest earthbender (and Yu saying he needs to go to the bathroom still makes me chuckle).

As for Katara, her plot her is maybe even more minor (being her tasked to deliver the invasion plans to the king), but still essential as it also deals with her spotting Zuko and Iroh working at their upper ring tea shop and thinking they are still up to no good (as she's understandably out of the loop, not knowing how they changed their ways) running in a scared haste to see the king with a warning & just so happening to mistake Azula (in the Kyoshi garb) for Suki (informing her that Zuko and his uncle have infiltrated the city. Oh the irony), ending with a great dramatic moment of her hearing Azula's surprisingly calm reply and seeing her golden eyes, attempting to attack but being swiftly defeated by Ty Lee and captured (that final shot of her paralyzed on the ground with her water pouch leaking out on the floor was great cinematic one).

The great chakra unlocking story of Aang (which is seriously great, with a lot of depth, dramatic content and hard hitting emotional moments), is cut short due to the abeformentioned turnout of the Katara plot, with how him trying to unlock the final chakra, in which he has to let go of his earthly attachments, which in essence is Katara herself, but forcing himself to do it (and to some wonderful mystic visuals of him confronting a giant shadow version of himself), but dropping out of it when sensing his friend and love interest in danger and rushing to save her without completing his training and rushing back on Appa (despite Pathik's warning of how he won't be able to go into the Avatar State at all if he doesn't complete the training). This scene is another 'Empire Strikes Back' moment (the season really is very similar to that of that movie).

Things are really getting tighter at this point, with Sokka coming with Aang (as he sees on Aang's saddened face something is really, really wrong) and says goodbye to his father, Zuko and Iroh invited to serve tea to the Earth King (which is an obvious ruse) & everything seeming to go according to Azula's plan (Long Feng thinks he's using her, when it is the opposite), leaving the episode on a strong note. This is certainly an improvement over the last episode, being a diverse multi-plot story which has it all and more (especially with Aang's chakra training plot with it's spiritual depth: It is almost too bad we don't see him visting the guru again, but it did make the latter's appearances all the more special).

4.5/5
 
Out of curiosity, why did you think The Tales Of Ba Sing Se, of all episodes, would be my favorite one of the series ? I mean, don't get me wrong, I love this episode as much as the next guy, and as far as anthology episodes go, it's definitely one of the best out there (because it allows the writers to try something different while it lets the characters feel genuine and have some development), it really works as a breather episode. I'm just curious to know why did you think this one would be my number one pick (I would have asked you the same question if you said that for any other episode, let's be clear aha). At the end of this project, I'd be curious to see what your own favorite episode would be. So many picks possible.

The previous episode introducing Ba Sing Se is another one of my favorites for the moment (maybe not top 10, but certainly top 20). I'm a sucker for episodes like this one, doing a big set-up revolving around a mysterious place or character or whatnot, and Ba Sing Se sure is a place that can benefit from such a thing.

Appa's Lost Days is a neat episode as well. On paper, a whole episode dedicated to Appa doesn't sound that exciting, props to the writers for finding a way to make it work, teasing it since the animal's kidnapping and showing up at the right moment. I wouldn't have minded a whole episode featuring Appa and no one else from the main cast, à la Zuko Alone, but I'd understand if that sounds repetitive. At least, this one doesn't feel like the writers desperately tried to make lightning strike twice.

(with a very funny moment of Toph attempting to prove she can put up posters. I think that was absolutely hilarious)
One of my favorite jokes of the series because it works on so many levels. I love that Toph incorrectly guesses the wrong way she put the poster up, aha.

Oh yes, the animation of the Sokka tripping scenes in 'The Desert' definitely does a lot for it to work and the reliable director did her job, but the writing and vocal performance (comic timing included) is still important for it to be just right.

They're important obviously, just wanted to say that the animation work helps a lot as well, but really, EVERYTHING works in those scenes. I especially like the "mushy giant frieeeeend" bit, Sokka kinda sounds like he's coming straight out of a Depeche Mode song aha.

Again, I'm sorry I don't have much to say about most of the episodes, there are several episodes I've only seen once a couple of years ago, so I try my best, but you really make me want to watch them again as soon as I can. Take all the time you want to start your reviews for season 3, maybe I'll have the time to rewatch some upcoming episodes I do want to discuss about because I remember what makes them so interesting.
 
Out of curiosity, why did you think The Tales Of Ba Sing Se, of all episodes, would be my favorite one of the series ? I mean, don't get me wrong, I love this episode as much as the next guy, and as far as anthology episodes go, it's definitely one of the best out there (because it allows the writers to try something different while it lets the characters feel genuine and have some development), it really works as a breather episode. I'm just curious to know why did you think this one would be my number one pick (I would have asked you the same question if you said that for any other episode, let's be clear aha). At the end of this project, I'd be curious to see what your own favorite episode would be. So many picks possible.

Well, I haven't got any particular reason why I had uessed it was gonna be your favorite, really. I guess it was because I know it is very popular and beloved (by the fans, at least), I think it is such a great and classic episode myself & I figured it was one you'd love as well, so it was my first thought, with Zuko Alone being my second best guess.

I too wonder which one will be deemed my personal favorite. So many to choose from. We'll see.

The previous episode introducing Ba Sing Se is another one of my favorites for the moment (maybe not top 10, but certainly top 20). I'm a sucker for episodes like this one, doing a big set-up revolving around a mysterious place or character or whatnot, and Ba Sing Se sure is a place that can benefit from such a thing.

Maybe I gave that one a bit too low grade, maybe since I didn't remember it all too well, but it is indeed great with how much story, intrigue and development they managed to pull off in that one, having some great direction going on (but then again, it's a MacMullan episode so it comes to no surprise. I think it was really too bad she left. Would have loved to see her work in the third season).

Appa's Lost Days is a neat episode as well. On paper, a whole episode dedicated to Appa doesn't sound that exciting, props to the writers for finding a way to make it work, teasing it since the animal's kidnapping and showing up at the right moment. I wouldn't have minded a whole episode featuring Appa and no one else from the main cast, à la Zuko Alone, but I'd understand if that sounds repetitive. At least, this one doesn't feel like the writers desperately tried to make lightning strike twice.

I would sorta have to agree that the small appearances from the main cast did feel a little superfluous and it would'b been interesting with just Appa and the secondary characters, but I still loved how they incorporated them into the episode (such as the bit with Aang having the same dream as Appa. That was a great moment).

One of my favorite jokes of the series because it works on so many levels. I love that Toph incorrectly guesses the wrong way she put the poster up, aha.

I still chuckle when thinking of that moment. What a great joke (though most, if not all, the blind jokes work on the show).

It is great how she goes from an insulted anger and wanting to prove her worth to show a surprising lot of humility, shame and regret within a couple of seconds ( Her "It's upside down, isn't it?" as she has glued the poster with the backside facing front nearly kills me  ): It is another instance where the voice acting do such much (Jessie Flower is pitch perfect in the part).

They're important obviously, just wanted to say that the animation work helps a lot as well, but really, EVERYTHING works in those scenes. I especially like the "mushy giant frieeeeend" bit, Sokka kinda sounds like he's coming straight out of a Depeche Mode song aha.

That much is true. It's just pulled off so perfectly, both in terms of writing, animation and voiceacting. Cheesy as said, but not cringeworthy at all and actually really funny and memorable.

Again, I'm sorry I don't have much to say about most of the episodes, there are several episodes I've only seen once a couple of years ago, so I try my best, but you really make me want to watch them again as soon as I can. Take all the time you want to start your reviews for season 3, maybe I'll have the time to rewatch some upcoming episodes I do want to discuss about because I remember what makes them so interesting.

I hope you'll revisit those episodes you don't recall at some point (any chance at going back to the show I consider a win). I will soon start on my review for the season finale and then be back after I've seen some more episodes.

I must also thank you for showing interest in this thread (the only one). Too bad that you're the only one following this thread and posting. I had guessed there'd be more interested, but I was wrong (the apathy towards this amazing series on this board is disappointing, but then again, the genre isn't popular around here).
 
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The Crossroads Of Destiny (Book 2, Chapter 20)

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Original Airdate: December 1, 2006
Writers: Aaron Ehasz
Director: Michael Dante DiMartino


And so it has come to this, the last episode of the second season and the one which every of the recent happenings and plots has been leading up to and where the paths of the main characters really converge: It is a season finale that ends the season with a bang & interestingly not in the way one would come to expect (but so much for the better, at least in a sense of making the rest of the story really interesting). The finale for the first season was a strong two parter, but for a single part episode (if not counting 'The Guru' as part one) it gives a really intriguing and satisfying end to the season, having a lot of the action, drama, character development & humor one has come to expect from the show.. It's a great one to say the least (and I will be unable to talk about it without going into some heavy spoiler territory, especially with that finale).

Having had all the important happening set up with the previous episodes, it starts off immediately with Aang & Sokka racing to Katara's rescue on Appa & themhaving Toph join them again (interrupting her earth-surfing) was a really funny moment with them making her lose her concentration and fall (their "Oooh" was great). Aang lying that he did master the Avatar State was an interesting moment, which obviously set up something to come. Strangely enough (but not so strange to us viewers), the Earth King (still in his seat) says that everything's fine with Katara and that she left with the Kyoshi Warriors (that our heroes don't know is Azula & her two cronies/friends in disguise), but they find their upper ring house empty and this reveals that Katara is indeed in some form of danger (which is proof of something going on).

Zuko and Iroh's visit to the Earth King's palace to serve tea (as per the invitation) inevitably leads to them caught in an ambush by Azula who surrounds them with Dai Li agents, prompting a great escape scene with Iroh demonstrating why he's named "The Dragon Of The West", by drinking hot tea and using it to breate fire (a surprising moment, but great) and taking off with Zuko, whom decides to be a hero (and stupid) by staying behind to confront Azula, whom refuses a duel and captures her brother (she's really does not waste time). Zuko thrown into a crystal cave prison with Katara gives a great interaction, with her angry monloguing at him while he just sits there quietly and takes it & when she mentions how the Fire Nation took her mother, he actually says he's got that in common, which get her interest: That's an interesting turn

Iroh coming to Aang & company's house and ask for help was another interesting turn: There's a great callback with Toph answering the door and telling Aang & Sokka (who's of course skeptical) about when she did run into Iroh before and calls him her friend (how sweet) & there's a nice moment with Iroh revealing his captured Dai Li agent (the same one that was intimidated by Azula), whom they force into revealing Katara's location: the Crystal Catacombs, an underground crystal cave (a part of old Ba Sing Se). Aang makes a tunnel down there as he heads down with Iroh while Sokka, Toph, & Momo go to warn the king: I really like Aang's conversation with Iroh, about how he left the guru before training's was complete, and Iroh telling Aang was right in choosing happiness & love instead of "overrated" power & perfection: I like his philosophy

Azula now taking charge of the Dai Li with her scary and inspirational manipulationis a neat plot turn that builds the coup she has been planning (and it shows how great of a villain she is, a 14yo girl terryfying grown men, almost making one of them "pee his pants", at least according to that immature statement by Mai). She, along with Mai & Ty Lee, obviously catches Toph & Sokka by surprise & after an entertaning confrontation of Toph & Sokka against her friends, she wins by threatening to kill the king & forces them to surrender to be captured & imprisoned with the king (and his pet bear, Bosco, whom I've neglected to talk about). Long Feng trying to have the Dai Li arrest her but them refusing was also a great scene: Azula deducing Feng having clawed his way to power with trickery, forcing him to surrender as she has the "divine right to rule" was an amazing moment. Much of this episode really is about her manipulating herself onto the throne of the Earth Kingdom.

Aang & Iroh reunited with Katar & Zuko respectively in a nice scene (I like the moment of enmity between Aang & Zuko, especially the first glances they trade here), but I also liked the prior moment of Katara offering to help heal Zuko's scar with the bottle of spirit water from the North Pole (which she got the season premiere): Her actually warming up to him was surprisingly emotional. Aang & Katara escape up into the Crystal Catacombs while Iroh stay behind with Zuko), but the real intriguing part is Iroh telling Zuko that he's grown so much and can finally choose the good path & Zuko being tempted when Azula arrives, feeding him tales about the homeland and how he'll regain his father's love & honor if he helps her, while Iroh persuades him not to listen and begs him to listen to his heart: This is literally Zuko's dream from a couple of episode's back, where he's tempted by the power of bad and told to stay with the power of good , but this time it happens for real.

The Crystal Catacombs has a great design (a large enclosed hall with a pool of flowing water & giant pillars. Maybe one of the most impressive sights thus far) and it is here the final battle of the season takes place, with Aang & Katara confronted by Azula but also Zuko, who appears at the start, looking at both the Avatar & Azula before making his decision.... and it is the wrong one, siding with Azula and unleashing all his firebending at Aang & Katara. His betrayal turn is a shocking moment & kinda spoils what has been built up with the previous episodes, but does feel perfectly natural and understandable: Not even his prior conflict with himself and his fever coma can fix his trauma and emotional baggage, especially with Azula playing on his vulnerable side (I think the one shot where he's attacking Aang with an aggressive volley of fireballs and his face reads desperation says it all. Here he has a quick & easy path to honor and redemption and of course he'll take it).

The battle itself, with Aang & Katara vs. the sister-brother pair of Azula & Zuko, is an impressive action scene, with great animation & great bending moves (such as Katara really displaying her sheer amount of skill and power, almost defeating a surprisingly distressed Azula if it hadn't been for Zuko): It is mainly Zuko vs. Aang & Katara vs. Azula and the battle has drama, stakes, intensity & aggression, almost to a scale not seen often prior in the series (and I always liked the detail of both Aang & Katara looking really beat up in the end, with Aang's clothes being torn and ripped & Katar's hair has come loose and hangs like a bushy mess. Really shows the seriousness of this confrontation). Facing a hoard of Dai Li agents, Aang decides to meditate & let go of his attachment to go into the Avatar State & this epic moment turns shocking when Azula plays it smart, striking him with lightning (before he's completely gotten into the Avatar State). Yhat really took a nightmarish turn.

Katara then leaping into action, washing away all the enemies and saving Aang from falling to his death & escaping with a torrent of water (while Iroh leaps into action and holds off his niece and nephew like a true hero) was also perfect. Iroh surrenders is captured and turns away his face, full of disappointment at Zuko giving into his still living inner desire for honor and redemption and choosing the "quick and easy path" (like Vader did): I also interpret Iroh's saddened expression as a failure on his part (which is really sad, especially after all his effort). There being a follow up scene with Azula & Zuko was an important addition, showing Zuko is actually saddened and regretful about his recent actions, feeling that he betrayed his uncle & isn't so sure his honor really will be restored, but Azula says Iroh was the betrayer and he restored his honor himself; Zuko still being torn about it, in spite of Azula's reassurance, was a great end note for him this season (showing he's not all lost).

Meanwhile, Toph usee metalbending to let her escape along with Sokka, the Earth King (who's "Not leaving without Bosco!") & they join up with Katara & Aang, with all of them fleeing on Appa (but at least Aang gets a new shot at life as Katara uses the spirit water. Them looking at each other both mirrors their first encounter & is a very bittersweet emotional moment). This ending, with the gang (and the Earth King & Bosco) leaving Ba Sing Se behind, with the king stating the Earth Kingdom has fallen, is such a downer ending (and the opposite of the final scene of the S1 finale), but it still works so perfectly as the end of the dark middle chapter of this trilogy of seasons (with the leads at their lowest point) & despite everything seeming lost (with nothing revealing when or how things will turn around), there is still hope in the dark as the Avatar is still alive.

5/5. One of the finest episodes of the season, balancing all the aspects of story and characters perfectly (and the title has meaning, referring both to Zuko as well as Aang) and ending with an interesting and bold cliffhanger that not many kids' animated series had done up to that point. It remains one of the best, not only of the season but also of the entire series (and it feels like many other animated shows has been influenced by it: For instance the episode 'True Colors', the popular second season finale of 'Amphibia', share some similarities with it). Excellent end to the season, not so much because it is dark (though that aspect helps), but it is so dramatically dense & epic, coming together perfectly.


And that closes out my look at the second season, which I think is possibly the strongest of the series (and one of the best season's of any animated series, almost having all quality episodes). When I return to this thread, I will delve into the third and last season (which I think might be the most interesting one to talk some about).
 
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Book 2: Overview

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Looking at the second season overall, I think the main word that comes to my mind is "confidence" as the series shows really shows a lot of it and in droves. Maybe more so than before, at this point after the solid and epic two-part finale of the first season, the sky was essentially the limit and the second book continued the story in an excellent and very interesting way, with our heroes heading off to face new adventures and challenges in the great big nation of the Earth Kingdom & much like the first season, the pararell plot with Zuko and his uncle Iroh continued (and in an fascinating way, with the two now being deserters & outcasts who travel on their ways to find a new life, while Zuko goes through a lot of changes from the simply angry prince obsessing about capturing the Avatar for honor's sake).

It was being more complex than the previous season, still having the same great worldbuilding from before, the humor, action and all that, but there was a bit of a shift to a stronger and steadier storytelling, which really proved that confidence I was talking about: They really knew what they wanted to do and had proved it with the first season & like usual, it is often the secon part of a trilogy that is the most complicated one and it showed here, being more in tune with slightly "darker" storytelling, with a lot more depth, heavier drama & a lot of complex stories, themes, dynamics, conflicts and politics at play (with a lot of important aspects being introduced and developed as it went along). The animation also got a great bump in quality, being all the more expressive and consistent this time.

The season started off really well with a strong premiere & while the following few episodes were usually good, they were more on less on par with much of what the first season offered (and one of them also one of the weaker of the series'), but once it got to the sixt and seventh episode, something really happened and it took a jump up in quality (and how!), really finding its groove and then continuing on from there with a lot of great, intriguing, action-packed & character building stories, making even greater use of the juxtaposition of showing Team Avatar's progressing story as well as that of Zuko and Iroh (of which the former took an even greater role this time around, with some excellent plotlines and character growth, becoming one of the highlights of the series and a standout in storytelling).

There's a lot of new faces this time around, the first and main one of which is Azula, Zuko's sister and whom is an excellent new antagonist, essentially assuming the role Zuko had in the first season and being expertly brought to life in all her cruel, cold and calculating sociopathic glory by the writers and voice actress Grey Griffin and proves to be one of the best antagonists of the series, deadly, dangerous & clever but still not black & white evil but actually being more messed up than seen at a first glance. Then we got a new main chatacters Toph , the blind, small pre-teen girl and master earthbender. She quickly proved to be a great, likeable and fun character and a fantastic addition, having a strong personality with a lot of toughness, sass and sarcasm, ending up being one of the best characters.

The latter half gets even more complex and the last 1/4th of the season takes place in one place, being the capital of Ba Sing Se, from which a lot of story is tapped with some great and interesting diverse stories full of intrigue and whatnot (including the first and only anthology episode of the series, which also was surprisingly great) and it was interesting to get a villain & organization who's not affiliated with the Fire Nation and whom acts as the final villain, before the season finale nears and joins the various side plots that has been going on throught the season in an explosive manner, ending things on an surprisingly note & works perfectly as the last episode of the season (which really seals the fact that this season has been an way more complex season than the previous one and all the better).

Summed up, this is as strong of a sequel season as there can be, with everything positive aspect of the first season being built upon and done justice with some superb storytelling and direction, producing a lot of the best plots and episodes of the entire series while all the while driving the story forward with incredibly little (to non existant) filler. It feels like almost everything has its place here and no episode is wasted on something that doesn't add to or build the series or its universe in some way. While the first season had some less good episodes, this one has relatively no disappointments, with the weakest being the early 'Avatar Day' and maybe 'Cave Of Two Lovers', while the remainder of the season has a lot of greats: 'The Blind Bandit', Zuko Alone', 'The Desert', 'The Drill', 'Tales Of Ba Sing Se', 'Appa's Lost Days', 'The Guru' & the finale 'Crossroads Of Destiny' all comes to mind as really, really solid episodes.

With how well this season turned out it should be hard to top it. but the series isn't over yet and while I recall the following season not being as rock solid overall, I remember it having a lot of really good to great (or just plain interesting) episodes in it that I look forward to talking about when I return to this unpopular thread (and then I will try to contain myself and write a little less to not bloat the reviews too much. It's just that I like S2 too much and it's so easy to talk about). Anyhow, Next up: Book 3!
 
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