Avatar Extras (Book Three: Fire)

This article is about Avatar Extras for Book Three of Avatar: The Last Airbender. For other similar uses, see Avatar Extras (disambiguation).

Promotional logo for Avatar Extras.

Avatar Extras was an event hosted by Nicktoons in which episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender were shown along with a series of pop-up "extras", in the form of on-screen text bubbles, which gave facts and humorous comments. The extras for Book Three: Fire were written by Joshua Hamilton,^[1]^[2] and first aired in June 2010.^[3]

The information provided by this event is slightly regarded as canon, though it is hard to differentiate between what is intended to be humor and what is intended to be factual. Regardless, Avatar Extras has helped the expansion of topics and subjects that were only briefly introduced during the series by various means, such as providing official terminology as well as specifying pieces of information and the exact age of certain characters.

Below is a list comprised of trivia and information released by Avatar Extras on episodes of the third book.

List of information by episode[]

"The Awakening"[]

Welcome to the first episode of Book Three.
Look, Aang has hair!

Aang waking up on the captured Fire Navy ship.
Airbenders shave their heads so that they can feel the air better.
It also makes them more arrow-dynamic.
Get it? "Arrow?"
Have you ever wondered what our main characters would look like in Fire Nation outfits?
Tah-dah!
Faint.
Recap: Mai and Zuko have a romantic past.
... And a romantic present.
Number of times Zuko has kissed a girl in the series ... 2.
Aang normally shaves his head every morning.
The official Water Tribe secret handshake.
This mark did not come from a paint ball.
... Aang was zapped by lightning.
Waterbending massage.
The "Florence Nightingale Effect" is when a nurse falls in love with their patient.
... Could that be happening now?
Remember Lo and Li? Azula's kung fu mentors?
Lo and Li are looking especially old.
... And their ears are especially droopy.
This is what happens at the end of Book Two.
Ba Sing Se is officially under new management.
Check it out, it's our favorite refugees.
Ba Sing Se was the last stronghold fighting the Fire Nation.
The Fire Nation capital city is located in a hollow volcanic crater.
The Bosco and Earth King story was made into a comic.

Sokka in a Fire Nation disguise.
This episode was written by head writer Aaron Ehasz.
... And it was directed by Giancarlo Volpe.
Not sure if anyone can tell, but Katara seems a little upset about something.
Pipsqueak and The Duke were part of Jet's Freedom Fighters.
Avatar was written and produced in Burbank, California.
The Avatar crew shared the same floor with the crew of SpongeBob SquarePants.
Two productions and only one bathroom.
... Not good.
And now, tips on how to look like a Fire Nation soldier:
... Wear red clothing.
... Always look angry.
-- Good job Aang.
And finally, if you want to look like a real Fire Nation soldier ...
Facial hair is a must.
Bato ... where's your facial hair?!
Admiral Chan gets his last name from Avatar writer, May Chan.
Admiral Chan is well known for being a lousy communicator.
Ember Island is a top destination vacation for Fire Nation elite.
We'll see more of Ember Island in an upcoming episode.
This is where Zuko used to feed the turtle ducks with his mother.
... Azula frightens animals.
Look, Zuko's old hairstyle is back.

"Load the Toph!"
His top-knot has taken its rightful place on his head.
Azula's not very reassuring.
"The Toph" is like a catapult.
... But with a lot more accuracy.
Check out the giant crossbow.
The Fire Nation loves building giant things.
Remember the giant drill?
Recap: Aang has officially mastered three elements.
He just needs to master firebending to become a full fledged Avatar.
The sea-serpent lives mostly off fish and other sea creatures.
But it's been known to attack ships in search of a meal.
This is the seedy merchants pier.
The kids first visited this location in the episode, "The Waterbending Scroll".
Fun fact: Before production on season three began, the creators and writers went on a writing retreat.
... And outlined the major events of the season.
They also played a little bocce ball.
This shot is reminiscent of the last time Zuko saw his mother.
Hey! That's Zuko's line!
Fact: The audience has never fully seen Fire Lord Ozai's face.
... Until now.
Recap: Hakoda left Katara and Sokka to go fight in the War.
The men of the Southern Water Tribe felt that they had to do something.
... After the Fire Nation destroyed their village.
Is this really happening?
Zuko has been seeking his father's approval for three years.
The Fire Lord is designed to look like an older, scarless version of Zuko.
You should never fly at night without proper lighting.
These shadowy creatures are sealguanas.
Sealguanas inhabit the outlying islands of the Fire Nation.

Yue aiding Aang using waterbending.
Aang is an awesome windsurfer.
... You would be too, if you were an airbender.
The following are words often used to describe Azula:
Conniving.
Back-stabbing.
Pure evil.
... And yet she's surprisingly attractive.
Sleep is important.
Roku was the Avatar before Aang and has become his mentor.
Roku is also Aang's past life.
So in a way, Aang is his own mentor.
Weird.
It's Princess Yue ... hooray!
Yue is the Spirit of the Moon.
Yue has a powerful influence over the ocean.
So she's nice to have around if you ever want to go surfing.
This is Crescent Island.
Our gang first visited here in the episode, "Winter Solstice, Part 2".
In that episode, Avatar Roku destroyed one of the island temples.
... And the lava still flows from that event.

"The Headband"[]

This is the Fire Nation capital city.
Can you guess who lives in the big house?
Yep, the Royal Family.
Look, a sealguana!
Fact: Clouds don't have mouths.
These "enemy birds" are actually toucan-puffins.
Toucan-puffins are harmless unless you're a cave-hopper.

The Fire Nation Royal Palace.
Unlike the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation is not one landmass.
The Fire Nation is actually an island chain similar to Japan.
... But the sushi's not as good.
Plus, Sokka loves shopping!
Cave-hoppers are a favorite snack of toucan-puffins.
... And flying lemurs.
This is the Fire Nation version of steam-cleaning.
Sleeping on the job.
This episodes reveals what life is like for normal Fire Nation citizens.
Glamour shot.
Nice Fire Nation topknot.
Originally, this necklace belonged to Katara's grandmother.
A good accessory completes any outfit.
Momo is not an accessory.
Kuzon was first mentioned in the episode, "The Blue Spirit".
"Stay Flamin" is the Fire Nation version of old-timey speak.
The carnivorous hippo-cow ...
... Only in the Fire Nation.
The last time Aang was in the Fire Nation was over a hundred years ago.
So his slang is a little dated.
Kids, don't play hooky.

Aang brought before his class.
Being thrown in school is better than being thrown in jail.
... Usually.
Ms. Kwan is a hard-nosed, no-nonsense school teacher.
She's been molding young Fire Nation minds for more than forty years.
When done properly, the Fire Nation salute is meant to look like a flame.
Fun fact: Ms. Kwan was the teacher to one of the Rough Rhinos.
... Vachir.
Lunch bell!
Note: Momo is not a monkey.
On Ji gets her name from Avatar staffer, Angie.
Hide is a star example of what the Fire Nation school system can produce ...
... Strong muscles and a weak mind.
"Hide and explode" is a lot like Hide and Go Seek ...
... Except more dangerous.
This episode was directed by Joaquim Dos Santos.
It was Joaquim's Avatar directing debut.
This is the Capital City Prison Tower.
It's located just outside the city.
... Holds the Fire Nation's most important prisoners.
And their most important prisoner is ...
Iroh.

Iroh imprisoned in Capital City Prison.
And usually Sokka has the terrible ideas.
Edible art.
Learning about secret rivers is an important part of Fire Nation curriculum.
... Not really.
Sokka is also a fan of secret messages ...
... Secret maps ...
... And sneak-attacks.
This is the first episode with Iroh where he doesn't talk.
... And the only time Iroh turns his back on Zuko.
The Fire Nation Oath was written almost a hundred years ago.
The oath was commissioned by Fire Lord Sozin.
... And it's titled "The March to Civilization".
"Blah blah blah" is not part of the oath.
Pop quizzes stink!
Fact: Aang was not there a hundred years ago.
... He was in an iceberg.
Tsungi horn solo!
This isn't the first time we've seen the tsungi horn.
In Book One Iroh plays the horn during his ship's "Music Night".

Sokka's alter ego, Wang Fire.
Marching in place is not the same as dancing.
The movie "Footloose" is about a town where dancing is banned.
So this is kind of Avatar's version of "Footloose".
... With awesome kung-fu fighting.
Hide has anger issues.
He's destined to become a strict Fire Nation officer ...
... Who will surely be hated by all those under his command.
But he started it!
Sokka has always wanted a mustache and beard.
... So this is a dream come true.
Check out more adventures of "Wang Fire" in the Avatar comic: "Private Fire".
In the comic, Sokka joins the Fire Nation Army.
... It turns out to be a bad idea.
Unusual romantic talk happening now.
Azula ... how long have you been standing there?
... Making out.
In other words, get out of here.
Zuko just fell for the oldest trick in the book!
Cute animal antics.
Usually being normal is a good thing.
In Avatar, the third act usually features a big fight sequence.
... But this third act is a little different ...
It features a big dance sequence.
Appa would kind of give away that Aang is the Avatar.
"The Flamey-O's" is a young, underground Fire Nation band.

Aang demonstrating a dance common in the ballrooms of Ba Sing Se.
The band's members are school aged kids who dream of touring the world.
... Or at least touring the Fire Nation.
Nervous kid.
Before the War, the Fire Nation was well known as one of the danciest cultures.
That's right, danciest.
Komodo-chicken is very gamey.
Uncle prefers roast duck.
Aang is currently living up to one of his nicknames ...
He really is a fancy-dancer!
It's an Avatar party!
Crowd sequences are often the hardest to animate.
This guy's nickname is "No-Neck".
... For obvious reasons.
Aang and Katara have been in a cave together before.
Remember the episode, "The Cave of Two Lovers"?
Rumor has it, they kissed in a cave.
Aang has turned up the charm ...
Way up.
This dancing is called "Capoeira".
Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art.
... It combines elements of kung fu, music, and dance.

The Headmaster.
Judge scores: 9.7, 9.0, and a perfect 10!
And that's it for "Dancing with the Avatar".
He's doing "The Sprinkler".
"The Sprinkler" has been turned off.
The symbol on Aang's headband is a Fire Nation symbol meant to resemble a flame.
But Aang wears the symbol upside down so that it looks like his arrow tattoo.
The Headmaster is the ultimate party-pooper.
Fact: Dancing is contagious.
... Like yawning.
Kids, learn from Sokka's mistakes ...
... And please do not glue things to your face.
Who's ready for a new bad guy?!
Meet "Combustion Man".

"The Painted Lady"[]

This is Aang's version of Marco-Polo.
It's Momo-Polo!
Momo wins!
Swimming in polluted waters can lead to leptospirosis.
... And it can also lead to smelling bad.
"Off the hook" - (slang, adj.) exceeding the minimal standard of satisfaction.
The men of the Southern Water Tribe are actually excellent fishermen.
Moss blanket.
This is Appa's version of a sleep visor.
Co-creator Mike DiMartino suggested that this village be floating.

The village of Jang Hui.
... After he saw a real village on the water.
Polluting factory ...
... Just another way the Fire Nation is destroying the world.
In this episode, the writers wanted to show the negative effects of the War ...
... And how it extends to even the Fire Nation citizens.
Sokka likes to look at the "big picture".
... While Katara is more detail-oriented.
But Katara hates being reasonable!
Note: Do not drink the water in this village.
... It's been known to cause unusual side-effects ...
... Like thinking you're more than one person.
Special offer. Only valid while supplies last.
There are many varieties of fish that can be eaten raw.
But it's best to fully cook anything caught in this river.
This is how benders purify water.
Sokka's master schedule is based off the real Avatar production schedule.
Actually, it is the real Avatar production schedule, shrunken down.
And just like our gang, the Avatar production was often behind schedule.
Without Appa, the kids would have no way of traveling from one Fire Nation island to the next.
... Aang could fly, but the others would have a seriously difficult time.
A purple tongue is a telltale sign of being sick.
... Or a telltale sign of eating something purple.
Yes.
This guy's name is spelled "Xu".
... Not "Shoe".
The "Painted Lady" gets her name from her unique markings.

Xu's statue of the Painted Lady.
Two-headed fish is the essential ingredient in "two-headed fish soup".
... A Southern Water Tribe specialty.
Fact: A master waterbender can glide across the water.
Look, the Painted Lady!
This is the mud clam sampler.
... Oozing with goodness!
Sokka loves sing-a-longs.
This is the Jang Hui Village.
... And it's located on the Jang Hui River.
In Chinese, Jang Hui can be loosely translated to "gray river".
Spirit magic sound effects.
... Everyone's got their own version.
And now, Katara's tips on sneaking out:
Wait until everyone's asleep.
... Stuff your sleeping bag with grass.
... And finally, dress up nice.
You never know who you'll run into.
Recap: Aang has a special connection with spirits.
... He's been in and out of the Spirit World a couple times.
The real Painted Lady is a Water Spirit.
Water spirits and the Spirit of the Moon are closely related.
Look, the moon!
Note: This is not what the real Painted Lady sounds like.
Katara's terrible at impersonations.

Katara disguised as the Painted Lady.
Ugly spirits include : "Hei Bei" and "Koh the Face Stealer".
Busted!
This story idea was originally pitched as "Katara as Robin Hood".
This smelting factory was built here ten years ago.
Smelting is the process of removing metal from ore.
The metal extracted here is used to create weapons for the Fire Nation.
Too bad Toph's not here.
Toph loves destroying things!
Busted!
... Again.
These purple berries can be found throughout the Fire Nation.
They're delicious, but messy.
Bad guy alert!
Fire Nation jet skis.
... Not used for recreational purposes.
When brothers and sisters argue it's best to stay out of it.
... Good job Aang and Toph.
Ahh ... brothers and sisters making up.
General Mung is a classic Fire Nation general.
... He sounds menacing ...
... He looks mean.
... And he's got a face scar.
Check it out - a female Fire Nation soldier!
... She's just as mean as the guys.
Women Fire Nation soldiers mostly serve in the homeland.
The following is straight from the script:

General Mung.
"The villagers and the Fire Nation Army watch as a thick and eerie fog rolls toward them".
..."Soon the fog is completely surrounding them. Suddenly there are loud booming sounds and strange roars".
..."We reveal Toph earthbending nearby and Appa bellowing".
Common knowledge: It's best not to get in a fight with a spooky-spirit.
... Or the Avatar.
The steam-powered jet skis are part of the Fire Nation war arsenal.
... They're perfect for short-range attacks.
... Or for running away.
Slow motion requires more frames per second.
... And for animation that mean more drawings.
General, you've been warned.
This is Avatar's "green" episode.
It has an environmentally friendly theme.
Katara has officially been busted three times this episode.
One more and she wins a prize.
... Not really.
Um ... can you say ungrateful?
Katara inspirational speech happening now!
Toph is pretty good at inciting a crowd.
No one's sure if this guy's quirky or actually crazy.
... But either way, drinking all that polluted river water can't be good for anyone's mental state.
Brain fry!
River cleaning montage music by "The Track Team".

"Sokka's Master"[]

The meteor streaking across the sky.

Meteor showers are streams of cosmic debris burning up in the Earth's atmosphere.
That's a double negative.
... Which equals a positive.
On average, over a hundred meteorites hit the Earth each year.
... But most of them are tiny.
Did you know? Benders can be affected by certain celestial bodies.
... For example, comets give firebenders unimaginable strength.
This might prove that benders don't just have a connection with Earth ...
... But with the entire universe.
Awesome hero sequence happening now!
Sokka's just a spectator.
He's in the splash zone.
Recap: Iroh's imprisoned because he refused to side with the Fire Nation.
Eating off the floor is unsanitary.
Is this the Fire Nation version of a pep-talk?
... It's not very peppy.
Fun fact: Many Fire Nation sets were inspired by real locations in Iceland.
... In fact, co-creator Bryan Konietzko traveled to Iceland to scout environments.
Smoked sea-slug: A favorite dish of Fire Nation commoners.
... Also a favorite dish of Sokka.
Men of the Southern Water Tribe are highly skilled in reading maps.
... And they're highly skilled in sarcasm.

Aang wearing battle armor.
Sokka's love for shopping was first revealed early in Book Two.
Caution! Do not stand too close to Sokka when he's trying out new weapons!
Look, it's battle armor Aang!
This outfit was inspired by an early toy design of Aang in armor.
... With wind sword.
That toy design did not get approved.
These are common Fire Nation weapons.
They can also be used for oral hygiene.
Stomach crunches are good for the abs.
These door-knockers are designed after lion-turtles.
... But lion-turtles are much bigger.
This butler's name is Fat.
His name has nothing to do with his body size.
... That's just a coincidence.
Master Piandao is designed to look like Sifu Kisu ...
Sifu Kisu is the kung-fu consultant on Avatar.
Rumor alert! Some say that Piandao is part of the "Order of the White Lotus".
Recap: The "Order of the White Lotus" is a secret society that spans nations.
That rumor cannot be confirmed nor denied ...
Fact: Toph's a picker.
... Always has been, always will be.
Adding, "Huh, huh?" to the end of a joke, doesn't make it funny.
Ah snap!
This is the second episode where we see Uncle, but he doesn't talk.
Calligraphy is a type of visual art.
... It's often called "The Art of Writing".
In other words, no erasing!
It looks just like him!
Fat is more than just a butler—he's also a sparring dummy.
This location was designed after the Gullfoss Waterfall.
The Gullfoss Waterfall is a real Icelandic waterfall.
Piandao is considered the greatest swordsman in Fire Nation history.

Piandao showing Sokka the ways of the sword.
He was the son to two firebending masters ...
... But Piandao is not a firebender.
This painting was done by writer John O'Bryan.
John O'Bryan was the official "Sokka art drawer" on the crew.
Look, more lion-turtle statuettes.
Rock-gardening is also meant to calm the mind.
Note: A rock garden is not a place where you grow rocks.
Sokka's version of a lounge chair.
Iroh's jailhouse work-out routine includes:
Stomach crunches. Upside down sit-ups.
... And clapping push-ups.
This strange clapping is part of his cool-down routine.
The kids are currently in for Fire Nation town of Shu Jing.
The town of Shu Jing is in a secluded location, so it's rarely bothered by the Fire Nation Army.
Piandao gets his name from the Chinese words "pian dao".
A "pian dao" is a deeply curved saber meant for slashing.
Piandao is not only the best swordsman in the Fire Nation ...
... But he's also the best sword maker.
An original Piandao blade retails for more than 300 gold pieces.
Red cheeks means she's lying.
And now, Uncle's final exercise in his work-out routine ...
Handstand push-ups!
... It's great for the shoulders.
Moving boulders uphill is easy with an earthbender around.
And now, an Avatar "how-to".
Making a sword can be easy.
Just find a giant boulder and break it into pieces.
Or a moon rock will do.
Next, melt rocks in kiln.
One thousand degrees for six hours.
Then you wait ... and wait ... and wait a little more.
Finally, pour molten metal into mold ...
... Hammer into shape.
... And tah dah! Your very own sword.
Average size of lion-turtle heart = twelve Appas.
This sword is truly like no other sword on Earth.

Sokka poised with his newly crafted sword.
Because it's made from a meteorite, it has a black blade.
Wow!
This guy's name is Warden Poon.
He spends most of his days verbally assaulting the prisoners in order to break their spirits.
... It's a living.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you stick to Iroh's jailhouse routine, you too can have a ripped body like this.
Sokka is not our first character to battle their master.
Remember Katara battling Pakku at the Northern Water Tribe?
Kung fu consultant, Sifu Kisu, helped to choreograph this and all fight sequences.
Piandao sword advertisement: "Blades so strong, you can slice through brick".
Piandao can't help but be proud of his pupil ...
... Even if he is trying to destroy him.
Another tip ...
... Run away screaming!
Piandao was once in a legendary battle where he alone defeated a hundred warriors.
Little help here!
Lee was the name Zuko used while in the Earth Kingdom.
"Knowledge of the arts belonging to us all" is a value held by the "Order of the White Lotus".
Fun fact: The white lotus motif can be seen throughout Piandao's castle.

"The Beach"[]

This sea-creature is Avatar's version of a tugboat.
Book Three takes place during the summer.
... And no summer would be complete without a vacation!
Fact: Ember Island is the top vacation destination in the Fire Nation.
... Try to say that three times fast.
Look, it's Lo and Li in their "comfy clothes".
The "smell of old lady" is a combination of heavy perfume, moth balls and mints.

Lo and Li's beach house.
This beach house once belonged to Lo and Li's parents.
Lo and Li are actually Azula's firebending mentors.
They are very stern and critical.
Yikes!
It's common for people to hide their tattoos.
... Especially during job interviews.
Waterbending water slide!
Messenger hawks are unique to the Fire Nation.
In the Earth Kingdom, important messages are relayed via couriers on ostrich-horseback.
Ember Island was first mentioned in the episode, "The Awakening".
This episode was written by Katie Mattila.
This is the first full Avatar episode she wrote.
Prior to this, Katie wrote one of the shorts in the episode, "The Tales of Ba Sing Se".
This episode is a glimpse into the lives of our bad guys.
We see what they're like when they're not busy being evil, or trying to catch the Avatar.
... Or generally trying to take over the world.
This shot is an homage to John Woo's films.
Azula is always looking for the upper hand ...
... Even in recreational fun.
This Avatar sport is called kuai ball.
It's similar to the real sport Takraw.
... Which is basically volleyball with your feet.
Intense.
They're the most popular boys on Ember Island.
Chan is the son of Admiral Chan.
Fun Fact: Lo and Li are Azula's firebending mentors ...
... But neither of them are firebenders.
This is a raven-hawk.

A raven eagle.
It was specially trained to intercept messenger hawks.
Fact: Tampering with mail is a federal offense.
... And can lead to a heavy Fire Nation fine.
Azula is great at being a menacing Fire Nation princess and conquering empires ...
... But she's not so great at being a normal teen.
And now, Azula's party tips:
Always show up to a party right on time.
Break the ice with a little awkward conversation.
And finally, be sure to compliment the host.
Zuko's jealous!
... Probably because they have the same haircut.
Sand-pagodas are a sure way to impress any girl.
Warning! Do not back Ty Lee into a corner!
... Or this could happen to you.
Azula has a unique ability to make people cry.
... She's good at making people cry in pain, too.
"Sweet Sugar Cakes" is the Avatar equivalent of "Babe".
Hey, look! It's the party-poppers.
Chan gets his name from Avatar staff writer, May Chan.
Note: Sandyland is not a real place.
Whoa! It's Azula's one and only kiss in the entire series.
Fact: Zuko hasn't cut his hair in several months.
Nana's vase was a Fire Nation heirloom.
You've just witnessed the first break up in the Avatar series.
We've seen this shot before.
Some of these flashback images were shown in the episodes, "The Storm" and "The Avatar State".
It's the Fire Lord's beach house!

Zuko entering his family's abandoned beach house.
This is Ursa, Zuko's mother.
"Combustion Man" was first seen in the episode, "The Headband".
Combustion Man uses his "third eye" to firebend.
This guy is a hired assassin.
Azula and Zuko haven't been to the beach house since their mother disappeared.
... That was more than three years ago.
Rumor alert! Some say Combustion Man was a Fire Nation soldier injured in battle ...
... Who was later healed using experimental techniques.
... Those experimental techniques gave him the ability to firebend using his mind.
This rumor alert is officially over.
Did you know? Combustion Man doesn't speak.
... So he's pretty good at keeping secrets.
Anyone remember rock-armor Aang?
He's back!
Good catch, Appa.
Bad impersonation.
This is a glimpse into what motivates these characters.
... Let's just say they're complicated.
Mai majored in psychology at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls.
... Not really.
An aura is a color representation of your mood given off by energy in your body.
Some people claim to be able to see them.
... Ty Lee is one of those people.
Recap: Ukano was the governor of "New Ozai".
You might remember "New Ozai" by its former name: "Omashu".
"Express Yourself" was a hit song by singer, Madonna.
Other things that are bad for the skin include grease.
... And fire.

Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, and Zuko after their antics.
They have officially made up.
Look, burning embers.
Some think embers represent a past conflict that continues to linger under the surface.
... Or something.
Azula and her gang are about to put a whole new meaning to the phrase "party crashers".

"The Avatar and the Fire Lord"[]

That's right! This episode is basically an Avatar history lesson.
... And history is exciting.
All text in the Avatar series is written using real Chinese characters.
Aang and the gang use cloud-camouflage to travel through the Fire Nation.
To do cloud-camo, you need to be a waterbender.
This island was inspired by the real volcanic island, Krakatoa.
This is the Royal Gallery located in the Fire Lord's Palace.
Portraits on the wall include: Ozai, Azulon and Sozin.
Fire Lord Sozin was 82 years-old when he began the war.
... And he lived to be 102 years-old.
Some say the comet's power is what allowed Sozin to live for so long.
Aang has gotten pretty good at getting into the Spirit World.
... He's had a lot of practice.
This is Avatar's version of invisible ink.
... It's only visible when held over fire.
The Dragon-Bone Catacombs are located underneath the Fire Sages' temple.

A younger Roku and Sozin.
The dragon is the animal related to the Fire Nation.
In fact, dragons were the original firebenders.
Currently, dragons are believed to be extinct.
Most secret doors in the Fire Nation can be opened using firebending.
Did you know? Roku's dragon is named Fang.
Look, it's Roku and Sozin in their younger years!
Fun fact: An early script for the premiere episode featured a scene where Sozin dueled Roku.
Sozin won't become Fire Lord for another eight years.
Grass face!
Blue Aang is also known as "Spirit World Aang".
Most people can't see into the Spirit World.
But there are a few who can.
... Including Uncle Iroh.
Fact: An Avatar's identity is revealed on their sixteenth birthday.
... Aang is the only exception.
The Avatar before Roku was an earthbender.
Not having worldly possessions is an airbender philosophy.
Yep, that's how Roku gets his signature top-knot holder.
It's not unusual for Aang's physical world body to mimic what it does in the Spirit World.
Recap: Sokka has traveled into the Spirit World.
... He was taken into the Spirit World by Hei Bai.
For more on Sokka's Spirit World adventure, watch the episode, "Winter Solstice, Part 1".

Roku learning airbending with Gyatso.
Monk Gyatso was Aang's mentor a hundred years ago.
These Air Nomads have not yet mastered airbending.
... You can tell because none of them have their tattoos yet.
Did you know: All Air Nomads are airbenders.
Waterbending was challenging for Roku because water is the element opposite of fire.
... It's the same reason why Aang has such a hard time learning earthbending.
Because it's the opposite of Aang's normal element: air.
Rock race!
Those adjectives describe many earthbenders.
"Bitter Work" is a rough translation of the words: "kung fu".
Avatar 101: The Avatar is the only person able to bend all four elements.
... And the Avatar alone keeps balance between the nations.
It took Roku twelve years to master all the elements.
... While Aang has to master them in less than twelve months.
... No fair!
Being the Avatar is the equivalent of being a rock star.
Unlike Aang, Roku reigned during a time of peace.
Fire Lord Sozin is considered one of the most ambitious Fire Lords.
Fire is an element that naturally wants to spread and take over.
... And many Fire Nation leaders have that same characteristic.
That's why mastering fire is mastering restraint.
This isn't a friendly visit.

Roku demonstrating mastery over all four bending arts.
Note: Do not start fights with a Fully-Realized Avatar.
... There's a good chance you'll end up looking stupid.
Ash is often a warning sign of a volcanic eruption.
Some volcanoes release lava slowly..
... While others have violent eruptions.
This is the violent kind.
Roku's island is located on the outskirts of the Fire Nation island chain.
This eruption foreshadows the coming war.
Aang and the gang fought against an erupting volcano in the episode "The Fortuneteller".
Lava is really just hot liquid rock.
Please do not touch!
The poisonous gas is mostly sulfur dioxide.
That's the first time we hear Roku's dragon called by his name.
Avatar State!
Sozin is described as being an opportunist.
... He is patient and waits for just the right moment to act.
This is the moment Sozin has been waiting for.
Fact: Roku died at the same moment Aang was born.
Avatar 101: Each new Avatar is born into a new element.
The Avatar Cycle is fire, air, water, earth.
Catching the last airbender was a task that has spanned four Fire Nation generations.
Iroh hasn't spoken since the end of Book Two.
... Until now.
He was reading the history of both his grandparents!

"The Runaway"[]

This statue is of Fire Lord Ozai.
... His muscles are slightly exaggerated.

Aang training in the use of seismic sense by dueling Toph and Katara simultaneously.
This is the only episode that starts in the middle of the story.
... Then flashes back to the beginning.
Aang has been learning how to see using earthbending.
... Just like Toph.
Training mishaps are common.
That was not a mishap.
Sokka is also helping to train Aang.
... Sort of.
And now our mud wrestling competition.
Our opponents are evenly matched as they're both able to bend mud.
Mud wrestling results: a tie.
This city used to be named "North Chung-Ling".
... But its inspiring statue of Ozai prompted authorities to change the name.
It is now called "Fire Fountain City".
This industrial town supports the Fire Nation war efforts.
This street performer is also known as a scam artist.
... Because scamming is an art.
This is how Toph acts blind.
Good acting!
This guy has a few tricks up his sleeves.
... Literally.
"Flamey-o" is Fire Nation slang for "cool".
Sokka's sword is one of a kind.
... Not only was it built by master sword maker Piandao ...
But it's also made out of meteorite.
In other words, the sword is worth more than forty silver pieces.
Look, the kids have fresh fruit.
Usually they can't afford fresh ingredients and are forced to live off of Katara's lotus-root soup.
Not fun for Momo.
An Avatar promise is a lot like a pinky promise.
Scam montage happening now.
This game requires more skill than strength.
... And Toph has got some skills.

Sokka scamming Fire Nation locals with his Wang Fire disguise.
Earthbending skills that is.
Look, Sokka is in his "Wang Fire" costume!
Sokka's Wang Fire persona was first seen in the episode, "The Headband".
Note: The kids are not able to use Earth Kingdom money in the Fire Nation.
... It could jeopardize their identity.
Recap: Toph's parents kept her hidden away from the world.
They hid her because they thought she was helpless.
The "third-eyed freak" was last seen in the episode, "The Beach".
"Sparky-Sparky Boom Man" references the distinct popping sound that precedes his attacks.
Toph's version of a bedroom.
This is the post office.
... It's one of many communication hubs in the Fire Nation.
That's right, Sokka just purchased the newest member of Team Avatar.
Wanted poster translation:
... Authorities are offering a reward of 1000 gold coins for the arrest of this 12 year-old girl.
... She disguises herself as a blind person, and although she is small, she is extremely dangerous.
"The Runaway" isn't Toph's only nickname.
She was also known as "The Blind Bandit".
... The Blind Bandit was her Earth Rumble VI persona.
This is how you buy Sokka's silence.
Messenger hawks are trained to deliver messages.
Sokka's still working out the kinks.
Note: Toph can only see things that are made of earth, or touching the ground.
Reminder: It's nearly impossible to lie to Toph.
She can feel your heart rate and knows when you're not telling the truth.
The last time Toph and Katara argued like this was in the episode, "The Chase".
Note: Our main group has no official leader.
... They run on consensus.
Sokka speaks messenger hawk.
Aang hasn't cut his hair for more than a month now.
... And it continues to grow throughout the season.
Look! Hawky delivered his first message!
Many Fire Nation landscapes were inspired by real locations in Iceland.
Note: Toph can't feel Katara because her feet are off the ground.
Recap: Katara's mom died in a Fire Nation raid.

Sokka explaining to Toph the reason behind Katara's motherly tendencies.
It's rare for Sokka to open up about his mom.
Toph's parents never knew that she was an awesome earthbender.
This scam was the original idea for the episode.
Look, it's the opening scene again!
Toph's reward is currently worth 1000 gold pieces.
Note: Toph has learned to bend metal.
... But she can't bend wood.
It's Combustion Man!
Note: "Combustion Man" is not his official name.
Appa's in charge because he's the biggest.
... And the loudest.
This is what happens when you try to scam a scammer.
Toph's shoes have no soles.
... She tore them off in a previous episode so that she can feel the ground better.
It's hard for Combustion Man to sneak up on anyone because of his metal limbs.
But he does have the advantage of being able to attack from a distance.
Recap: Sparky-Sparky Boom Man was hired by Zuko to take out Aang.
Ew! Sweatbending!
He really knows how to use his head.
Sparky-Sparky Boom Man grunts and makes noises ...
... But he doesn't talk.
His Achilles heel is his "third eye".

"The Puppetmaster"[]

Sokka likes to add his own sound effects.
The "Blade of Wing Fung" is Sokka's favorite ghost story.
Campfire stories are usually meant to scare you.
... And they're always more frightening when they happen to someone you know.
This is Avatar's version of a Halloween episode.
It has a spooky feel to it.

Hama telling Team Avatar that staying in the forest is unwise.
Katara does a good eerie voice.
It's common to think you hear something when you're scared.
Creepy old woman alert!
Creepy ... but nice.
Hama's not doing a great job at making the kids feel comfortable.
This is one of the only inns in this village.
... And it's one of the oldest.
Sokka is an "active sleeper".
Komodo sausage is made from the meat of komodo rhinos.
... And they're frequently served at Fire Nation picnics and sporting events.
Fun fact: Ash bananas are actually a type of yam.
In the episode, "Winter Solstice, Part 1", a spirit monster attacked a village and took villagers.
... So "Spirit World shenanigans" seems like the obvious answer.
Get ready for some foreshadowing ...
Sokka's back to playing detective.
He loves solving mysteries.
This episode is called, "The Puppetmaster".
... And not just because Hama likes to play with puppets.
Although, she does like to play with puppets.
He has a natural curiosity.
This is Toph's meteorite bracelet.
She got it from a real meteorite.
So to recap, Toph is an earthbender, a metalbender, and a meteorite-bender.
More specifically, it's a whale-tooth comb.
Stewed sea prunes are a down-home, Southern Water Tribe dish.
Hama acquired this quaint inn years ago when its former owner mysteriously disappeared ...
Aang tried stewed sea prunes in the episode, "Bato of the Water Tribe".
Hama is the only known southern waterbender in existence besides Katara.
Black snow is a sign of a Fire Nation attack.
... It's soot mixed with snow.
These firebenders are actually part of the Southern Raiders.

Southern waterbenders creating the shipwreck.
We'll learn more about them in a future episode.
This ship is still encased in ice at the Southern Water Tribe.
... It was first seen in the series premiere.
The Fire Nation took the waterbenders because they posed the biggest threat.
Hama was the last known waterbender in the village until Katara was born.
... That was almost 50 years without a waterbender at the South Pole.
Note: Katara's mother was not a waterbender.
Katara can be a bit of a waterbending nerd.
Katara carries a water pouch so that she always has water nearby.
She used sweatbending to break out of jail in the episode titled, "The Runaway".
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air.
Ice claws!
Sokka is defensive because the moon spirit is his ex-girlfriend.
... Confused? Watch the season one finale.
Fire lilies bloom all over the Fire Nation.
... They exemplify fiery purity and passion.
Katara's talking about Huu.
... Huu is also known as the "swamp monster".
Recap: A full moon strengthens a waterbender's ability.
Fun fact: The moon was the first waterbender.
... Of all the original benders, the moon is only non-animal.
Old Man Ding's actual age: 67.
Note: Most people can't see spirits.
... Unless the spirit travels into the physical world.

Hama drawing power from the full moon.
Ew. Varicose veins.
... She should get those looked at.
Toph can see the same whether it's in the light or the dark.
Spirit prison?
Look, it's a cat-owl sighting!
... You can tell by its distinctive meow-hoot.
This prison was specially designed to hold waterbenders.
Dry air = no water.
Blood is made up of roughly 70 percent water.
Bloodbending is considered a dark form of waterbending.
Bloodbending is sometimes referred to as the "puppetmaster technique".
Fact: Those who practice this technique open themselves up to madness.
... In other words, they go crazy with power.
Yikes!
In the writer's room, this technique was jokingly referred to as the "stop hitting yourself" technique.
Uh oh. Mad with power.
Whoa! We haven't seen a waterbender versus waterbender fight since last season!
Because Aang is a waterbender, he receives power from the moon.
... But he's still a little new at it.
Fact: Katara is a stronger waterbender than Hama.

"Nightmares and Daydreams"[]

Look! Koala sheep.

A flock of sleeping koala sheep.
Koala-sheep have the ears of a koala, but are fluffy like a sheep.
This location is called, "The Black Cliffs".
"The Black Cliffs" are made from volcanic glass.
This episode is considered one of the strangest in the series.
This Aang design is loosely based on another popular anime character.
Fact: Aang has never actually met the Fire Lord.
A common nightmare is to show up somewhere without pants.
Did you know? Aang's hair has been getting a little longer in every episode of Book Three.
The people assisting Zuko are "royal servants".
It's considered an honor to wash the feet of a prince.
Please do not attempt to touch royalty.
With a palanquin, someone else does the walking for you.
Fact: Anxiety often lead to lack of sleep.
... And Aang has a lot to be anxious about.
You know, with saving the world and all.
And the winner of Aang versus tree is ...
Tree.
Recap: Firebenders lose their ability to firebend during an eclipse.
It's known as, "The Day of Black Sun".
It's not uncommon for people with anxiety to talk a lot.
Dreams often represent how we see ourselves.
If that's the case, Aang has a strange self-image.

Aang having one of his stress-induced nightmares.
Check it out! An abacus!
... An abacus is an ancient Chinese version of a calculator.
Koala-sheep usually sleep for 18 or more hours a day.
Aang is currently sleeping 1 to 2 hours a day.
Our gang suffered from lack of sleep in the episode, "The Chase".
This is the first time we see Zuko enjoying his "princeliness".
Rose petals are for looks only.
... Do not eat.
And Zuko loves war meetings!
It's a fire-breathing, flying-hippo-cow!
Fact: Sokka can be a bit cranky when he's tired.
Recap: Aang has spent the last two and a half months preparing to fight the Fire Lord.
Nervous spasms.
Destressified: (Adverb). The act of chilling-out.
Breath yoga is a type of yoga done in a really hot room.
Aang cleared his chi paths in the episode, "The Guru".
Looks like they got clogged again.
Look, it's the return of Sokka's alter-ego, "Wang Fire"!
"Wang Fire" was a father, a police officer, and now he's a therapist.
Koala-sheep make great pillow.
This is the royal-spa.
... Located in the Royal Palace.
... And next to the royal throne room.
... Also known as the bathroom.
A "back-pounding" is Toph's version of a massage.

Toph suggesting acupuncture to relieve Aang's stress.
... Or is it like a really painful vibrating bed?
A baby boar-q-pine!
Zuko's last war meeting was over three years ago.
... In that war meeting he spoke out against his father.
... And Zuko ended up getting banished from the Fire Nation.
Ordering servants around is a Fire Nation royalty pastime.
That might have been Aang's most unconfident sentence ever.
Mega-Momo!
Whoa! It's a Fire Lord. Made of fire!
He also doesn't sound so good.
Aang has had a few nightmares in this episode.
... But this is no nightmare.
Dreaming while awake is not a good sign.
That was Aang's noodle-painting of Ozai.
Aang did the noodle-painting in the episode, "The Headband".
Momo just told an inside joke.
Appa's right.
Note: Appa doesn't usually walk on two legs.
Appa has the size advantage, but Momo's much quicker.
Appa, the three sword samurai.
You are witnessing the most bizarre sequence in Avatar history.

Appa and Momo fighting in one of Aang's hallucinations.
The name of this song is, "Everybody Loves Chakras".
Lyrics by John O' Bryan.
Counting sheep is supposed to be helpful in trying to fall asleep.
The idea is that you focus your mind on one thing, instead of thinking of many things at once.
Maybe Aang should try counting koala-sheep.
Hey, it's a koala-sheep wool bed.
Can you guess where the wool came from?
... These guys.
Was that a compliment followed by an insult?

"The Day of Black Sun, Part 1: The Invasion"[]

Today's the day ...
The invasion!
The episodes "The Day of Black Sun, Part 1 & 2" premiered as a special Avatar movie.
It's Due and Tho! They come from Avatar's version of the "backwoods".
Huu is enlightened.
This episode is a lot like a reunion episode.
We haven't seen Haru since the beginning of the series.
... And this is the first time we've seen him with a mustache.
The Hippo and The Boulder are Avatar's version of pro-wrestlers.
Recap: Originally, Sokka's plan was to invade using the Earth Kingdom Army. But after Azula took down Ba Sing Se, Sokka had to come up with a new invasion plan.
... Using a rag-tag group of old friends.
Aang's old glider was destroyed in the beginning of Book Three.
Did you know: Ming is actually voiced by tennis super-star, Serena Williams.
Serena is a big fan of the Avatar series.
Public speaking is a common fear. It's usually best to practice your speech before giving it.
... This is what could happen if you "wing it".
In the previous episode, Aang was the one with anxiety.
The Great Gates of Azulon is a narrow ocean pass protecting the Fire Nation Capital. We'll see more of the gates soon.

The Great Gates of Azulon.
Recap: A solar eclipse is when the moon passes between the sun and the earth.
Some speculate that this solar eclipse is Yue's way of helping
... Yue is Sokka's former girlfriend and the current Moon Spirit.
Check it out – battle armor Appa!
We haven't seen Aang with a shaved head since last season.
We'll find out what this letter says in the episode, "The Boiling Rock, Part 2".
Sokka is wearing his Water Tribe wolf armor.
Looks like Katara got her dad's ability to give inspirational speeches.
This was a statue of Azulon himself. Azulon was Fire Lord before Ozai.
... And Azulon personally commissioned the building of the gates.
But this is more than just a gate ...
It's a trap!
Recap: Azula found out about Sokka's invasion plan in the episode, "The Guru".
Southern Water Tribe ships run on wind power.
... Unlike Fire Nation ships, which are powered by steam engine.
New vehicle introduction happening now!
Submarines.

Waterbending-powered submarine navigating toward the Fire Nation Capital.
The mechanist has several old injuries from inventions gone wrong.
... Including patchy eyebrows and missing fingers.
Originally, the circle around his eye was a scar he got from a steam-powered telescope.
... But the creators decided to turn the circle around his eye into a monocle instead.
Ming isn't very good at taking a hint.
Stretching is good for the muscles.
Most of the world thought Aang died at the end of Book Two.
... And they think that Prince Zuko killed him.
Emotional moment alert!
Way to go, Aang!
Appa gets his own breathing apparatus.
Aang's previous glider was more than a hundred years old.
This beach landing was inspired by the real World War II invasion at Normandy.
When these giant hooks aren't used to defend the capital, they're used for fishing.
... Not really.
These are ice torpedoes.
They are propelled through the water using waterbending.
Water Tribe warriors in battle gear are meant to resemble a wolf pack.
Check out the earthbending tanks!
Earthbending tanks are another mechanist invention.
It's a tank battle!
Did you know: firebending tanks can flip over and drive on either side.
Get ready for the return of the ...
Swamp monster!

The earthbending-powered tanks advancing toward Capital City.
Huu actually bends the water in plants and uses them to fight.
This is the first time Sokka and his dad have been in a battle together.
... Taking out battlements is a family affair.
Sokka's meteorite blade is extremely sharp.
... And it can cut through steel.
Zuko's mother's name is Ursa. She disappeared several years ago.
Rumor has it, she had to leave to save Zuko's life.
Fact: Appa's armor actually slows him down.
Recap: Not all waterbenders are healers.
... There are only a select few with this special ability.
Earthbending tanks were inspired by the caterpillar.
They were designed to be flexible enough to go over just about any terrain.
It's the Fire Nation Capital City.
... But not as busy as usually is.
Aang has been practicing that line for weeks.
Fact: This is the closest anyone has ever come to taking down the Fire Nation.

"The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse"[]

A total solar eclipse can last from a few minutes to a few hours.
... This one will last for eight minutes.
Coincidentally, that's the approximate length of each act in the show.
Hakoda was injured in the previous episode.
... After a battlement exploded.
Look, our characters are back in their normal clothes.
Since they got to the Fire Nation, they've been dressing in Fire Nation disguises.
This isn't the first timing device the mechanist has made.
Anyone remember the mechanist's spark-candle-clock?
Watch the episode, "The Northern Air Temple".
Lava tubes are formed by lava that flows underground.
Toph is a human metal detector! She's also a human lie detector.
... She's multi talented.
Definition: Magma - molten rock in the earth's crust.
Lava fields provide natural obstacles.
They are nature's booby-traps.
Fact: This bunker was built during Fire Lord Sozin's reign.
... Sozin got a little paranoid in his old age.
Toph was added to the group at the beginning of Book Two.
That was more than three months ago in Avatar-time.
This move is known as a "rock-a-lanche".
Fact: An eclipse is the only natural event that causes firebenders to become powerless.
This is War Minister Qin. He oversees the newest Fire Nation inventions.

War Minister Qin divulging Ozai's whereabouts to Team Avatar.
... And he's not very good at keeping secrets.
The Fire Lord's bunker was designed to protect the Fire Lord during an attack.
Hey, this isn't the Fire Lord!
Fact: There is a vast network of tunnels and bunkers under the Royal City.
The warriors wear eclipse glasses so they can look at the eclipse safely.
Fact: Looking directly at an eclipse can damage the retinas.
Big Avatar moment happening now!
Backstory: When Zuko was younger he refused to fight his father.
... That's how he got his scar.
But things are different now.
Toph can tell if someone's lying because she can feel their heart-rate go up.
... On most people.
Bato is now leading the invasion.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if a firebender tried to firebend during an eclipse?
... This happens.
Finally, an episode where Zuko isn't confused about something.
He's enlightened.
Unlike the Fire Lord, Zuko has experienced life outside the Fire Nation.
Recap: The Dai Li were the secret police of Ba Sing Se. They are awesome earthbenders who can cling to walls.
... And they fight using their signature rock gloves.
Azula usually has an aggressive fighting style.
But she's pretty good at being evasive too.
Did you know? Earthbenders use their helmets as shields.
... They're not just for looks.
Azula's a deadly fighter.
... And she's also good at killing time.
Recap: Azula fought the Kyoshi Warriors at the end of Book Two.
We never found out what happened to them after that fight.
It's official. Zuko's a good guy now.
Pay attention! This clarifies what happened in the episode, "Zuko Alone".
Recap: Ozai was not in line to be the Fire Lord.
... It was supposed to be Iroh.
His mother was banished just like Zuko.

Ozai attacking Zuko with lightning.
Uh-oh. Eclipse over.
Zuko learned to redirect lightning from Iroh.
... But that was his first time ever doing it.
Fact: Ozai is the most powerful firebender. Period.
This invasion plan was supposed to be a surprise attack.
... But the surprise is still to come.
Hint: It's not a good surprise.
War balloons were first seen in the episode "The Northern Air Temple".
But we've never seen a war zeppelin! These zeppelins are called Fire Nation airships.
Note to self: Always have an escape plan.
These airships are developed from the same technology that created the mechanist's war balloon.
But unlike the war balloon, these airships can hold up to 50 firebenders.
Did Iroh's prison get attacked too?
... In a way, yes.
Originally, these zeppelins were going to be used to invade Ba Sing Se.
... But the writers decided they were better used for this attack.
This was our group's last chance to beat the Fire Lord before the comet arrived.
Recap: Haru's dad was imprisoned with other earthbenders on a metal rig.
... Until Katara helped break them out.
It's official. There's no escape.
Haru is the oldest of the group now.
... And he's got facial hair to prove it.
Depending on their size, Appa can carry about 10 to 15 people at one time.
The more weight he has, the slower he goes.
The Western Air Temple is also the name of the next episode.

"The Western Air Temple"[]

Momo is the only one who doesn't have to walk.
Appa is used to carrying only four people.
... And no armor.

The Western Air Temple.
The Western Air Temple is the only air temple our group hasn't visited.
... Until now.
This temple was built under a canyon overhang making it hidden to any passerby.
But the Fire Nation still managed to find it.
This isn't Zuko's first visit to the Western Air Temple.
This was three years ago—right after Zuko was banished.
Since this time, Zuko has been through a lot.
... He's been a refugee, an Earth Kingdom citizen, and a wanted criminal.
Today, Zuko is considered a traitor to his country.
Recap: Teo and his dad lived at the Northern Air Temple.
... They moved there after their village was destroyed by a flood.
... It's all in the episode, "The Northern Air Temple".
Fact: The Duke is very particular about his name.
Aang has mastered three of the elements so far. He's just missing that last one.
... Fire.
Recap: Jeong Jeong was a Fire Nation deserter who helped Aang learn firebending.
... But that didn't work out so well.
When practicing a speech, it's always good to have an audience.
... Preferably one that can give feedback.
Zuko is talking to a badgerfrog.
Zuko's first impersonation.
... Not bad.
Azula music cue happening now.
These hanging buildings were built to harness the power of the wind.
The nomads used to host world-renowned Pai Sho tournaments.
Recap: Zuko freed Appa while in Ba Sing Se.
... So Appa likes him.
It's the moment so many have speculated would happen!
Zuko joining the good guys.
From the beginning of the series, the creators always knew that Zuko would teach Aang firebending.
Fun fact: In the original series bible, Zuko was going to join the group at the end of Book Two.
Flying bison do love honey.
The following is a list of other bad things Zuko has done:
... Kidnapped Aang. Stole an ostrich horse. Destroyed multiple villages.
Fun fact: Combustion Man's actual name is never revealed in the series.
Aang said this in the episode, "The Blue Spirit".
... But that was right before Zuko woke up and attacked.
Recap: At the end of Book Two, Zuko told Katara that he had changed.
... But then he joined sides with Azula, so now Katara doesn't trust anything he says.
Katara's not great at coming up with threatening lines.
At least Zuko still has his badgerfrog.
Sokka knows all about sneak attacks.

Katara lashing out at Zuko.
That flap is actually called a "uvula".
Not a "throatal-flap".
Sokka and Katara never knew about the time Aang was saved by the Blue Spirit.
For example: He could have turned out like Azula.
Or how about the "You're-Really-Bad-With-A-Touch-Of-Not-So-Bad" award.
Recap: Toph didn't join the group until Book Two.
... So she missed out on a bunch of evil Zuko things.
Oh snap!
With burnt feet, Toph isn't a good fighter.
... Because she can't "see" like she normally does.
Katara is the cook of the group.
Toph entrance happening now.
... She's not usually this clumsy.
Katara's giving Toph a healing pedicure.
I guess you can say Toph's plan back-fired.
Get it? Fired.
Recap: Air Nomads are pacifists. But Aang is more than an Air Nomad.
... He's also the Avatar.
On average it takes 2 to 3 weeks for a second degree burn to heal.
... But thankfully Katara's healing powers will speed up the process.
Look, it's the assassin that Zuko hired.
He's known by our group as "Combustion Man", a.k.a., "Sparky-Sparky Boom Man".
This assassin has the unique ability to super-heat the air and cause explosions.
... He does this by shooting energy from his tattooed third eye.
Fact: Aang's airbending improves when he's in a place with a lot of wind.
Katara became a master waterbender beginning in Book Two.
... And she continues to get better throughout the series.

Aang creating a small tornado to defend himself and the members of Team Avatar from Combustion Man.
Sokka's boomerang has been with him for the entire series.
... Except for part of an episode when the Rough Rhinos took it.
The kids found out about Combustion Man's weakness in the episode, "The Runaway".
Recap: His weakness is his third eye.
That was the last time we see Combustion Man in the series.
Zuko's speech, take two.
Zuko has officially completed the "Hero's Journey".
Zuko accidentally burned Toph, just like Aang accidentally burned Katara.
... They have a lot in common.
Did you know? The firebending salute is meant to look like a flame.
Aang's group has no official leader.
... It's a majority rule.
In other words she agrees, but doesn't like it.
Awkward moment.
... Sokka's used to them.
Uncle was right.
This is Katara's no-joking face.

"The Firebending Masters"[]

This is the first episode with Zuko as part of the main group.
That's right. He's a good guy now.
Fire-fart!
Recap: Aang has done firebending before.
He first learned firebending in the episode, "The Deserter".
Firebending is not supposed to be a "nice" element.
... It's an aggressive element.
Fact: In high altitude there's less oxygen.
... And it takes longer for water to boil.
But higher altitude doesn't affect firebending like this.
Sokka comedy gold happening now.
If Sokka was a bender he'd probably be a jerkbender himself.

Zuko's weakened firebending due to loss of drive.
Katara, on the other hand, has been known to go through other people's stuff.
This episode explores the origins of firebending.
Note: Anger is not the same as annoyed.
Recap: Toph's feet were burned in the previous episode.
... And she's still healing.
Look! It's little Toph!
... And the not-so-little badgermoles.
Fact: Moles have terrible eyesight.
... But they spend most of their time in the dark anyway.
Fact: Appa's not a very good teacher.
Most dragons lived in the Fire Nation regions.
The Sun Warriors were basically ancient firebenders.
This is Zuko's second ride on Appa.
... His first Appa ride was at the North Pole as a prisoner.
This city is inspired by the ancient Aztec civilization.
Zuko's right. In fact, a lot of this city is mirrored in today's Fire Nation structures.
Airbending cartwheel!
Fact: Zuko learned firebending the traditional way.
... He had a series of kung fu teachers to show him proper forms.
Even Uncle Iroh taught him a few firebending tricks.
This is how Iroh got his nickname, The Dragon of the West.
In fact, this is supposedly the place where the last dragon lived.
Recap: Iroh was once a great general and heir to the Fire Nation throne.
... But after the death of his only son, his entire life changed.
The solstice happens twice a year.
The solstice refers to the time when earth is either closest or furthest away from the sun.
It shouldn't be too hard to outsmart a rock.
This isn't the first secret room of statues that Aang has been in.
Anyone remember the episode, "The Southern Air Temple"?
Recap: Aang is an excellent dancer.

Zuko and Aang trapped.
We saw a preview of his "moves" in the episode "The Headband".
Level one completed!
This loosely references the movie Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
... But instead of a giant boulder, this trap releases sticky-glue!
Too bad Aang's not a gluebender!
Fact: The Sun Warriors were well known for their innovative traps.
This episode isn't just about teaching Aang firebending.
... It's also about re-teaching Zuko.
Meet the Sun Warrior chief.
This is the only way to clean off the viscous glue.
... With the saliva of an anteater-sloth.
Truth: Aang always plays that card.
The Sun Warrior civilization was thought to be extinct for more than a thousand years.
Fun fact: The Chinese word "ranshoa" translates to "combustion".
The Eternal Flame is the Sun Warriors' most prized possession.
... And it is protected around the clock.
In other words, Aang needs to embrace his firebending.
... And Zuko needs to understand that firebending isn't rage.
This is Aang's first time firebending since he accidentally burned Katara.
This is the encouraging side of Zuko.
Hey! How'd you guys get here so fast?
The Sun Warrior chief's sidekick is named Ham Ghao.
... Ham Ghao is always butting into other people's business.
This ancient ritual illustrates the essence of Sun Warrior philosophy.
Zuko still believes he's the rightful heir to the Fire Nation throne.
This drum chant is the same music used for the ending credits.
This mountain was chosen for this ritual for a specific reason.
... It's the tallest mountain in the region.
... And therefore closest to the sun.
Ran and Shaw are two firebending masters like we've never seen before.

Ran and Shaw, the firebending masters.
Have you ever wondered what kind of firebending master lives in a cave?
That's right — dragons.
These are the last two in existence.
In Book Two, Zuko has a dream about a red and blue dragon.
The Dragon Dance is more of a kung fu form.
The Sun Warriors learned this form by watching the dragons.
Fire vortex!
Rumor alert! Many believe that this is where Iroh learned how to breathe fire.
The Sun Warriors have seen many people face the dragons.
... But only a few of them have been deemed worthy.
In other words, Iroh saved the last dragons.
Firebending lesson recap happening now.
It's back!
The Sun Warrior chief has a great sense of humor.

"The Boiling Rock, Part 1"[]

Note: Set-ups are extremely important in telling a joke.

The Boiling Rock.
Zuko hasn't told a lot of jokes in his life.
Recap: The kids are hiding out at the Western Air Temple.
... So that Zuko can teach Aang firebending.
Appa loves eavesdropping.
"The Boiling Rock" is infamous to Fire Nation citizens.
... It's kind of like Alcatraz.
Alcatraz is a famous prison in Northern California.
Zuko knows when someone is lying.
... Probably because he's told so many lies himself.
Momo often "sounds the alarm".
... While Appa's good at keeping his mouth shut.
This episode was written by May Chan.
It was the first episode she wrote for the series.
Recap: Zuko followed the kids to this location on his war balloon.
On average, badgerfrogs croak every two minutes.
... That's a lot of practicing!
Sokka was first in a war balloon in the episode, "The Northern Air Temple".
War balloons are much easier to control if you're a firebender.
The friend he's referring to is "the mechanist".
The mechanist's real name is never revealed in the series.
We haven't seen Iroh in more than 3 episodes.
The last time we saw Iroh was right before he escaped from jail.
Recap: Zuko was actually there when Yue became the moon.
"The Boiling Rock" is located inside an active volcano.
The island inside the crater is surrounded by boiling water.
... The water is naturally heated by underground volcanic steam vents.
This episode explores how much Zuko and Sokka have in common.
Note: Sneaking into the Boiling Rock is much easier than sneaking out.
The Boiling Rock houses the Fire Nation's most dangerous criminals.
Chit Sang is considered the toughest prisoner in the joint.

Chit Sang.
Chit Sang is sort of the leader of the prisoners.
... In other words, no one messes with Chit Sang.
... Except the prison guards.
"The cooler" is slang for jail.
But in the Avatar World, "the cooler" is literally a cooler.
Fact: Zuko has one of the most recognizable faces in the Fire Nation.
So it's probably a good idea to keep his helmet on.
Dating co-workers will get you fired.
Look, it's a gondola.
The gondola is the only way on or off the island.
The coolers in this prison are kept at freezing temperatures.
Fact: Cold temperatures make it difficult to firebend.
Did you know? This warden used to be the Head Guard at the prison in the Capital City.
Foreshadowing.
For most firebenders, a day in the cooler takes your firebending away for a week.
Zuko has learned a lot from Uncle.
... But he doesn't have Uncle's "way with words".
Prison-garb Suki!
Suki's prison uniform is the third different outfit we've seen her wear in the series.
Recap: The last time we saw Suki was in the episode, "Appa's Lost Days".
Sokka's dialogue references their dialogue in the episode, "The Serpent's Pass".
Back-story: Suki was imprisoned after she was defeated by Azula.
Note: Kissing prisoners is also against the rules.
Fact: Sokka has wanted to arrest Zuko many times in the past.
This warden is all about his reputation.
... On her mother's side.
Recap: We never officially saw Zuko break up with Mai.
... We only saw him write a letter and leave it in her room.
Zuko burned a lot of villages.
Sokka over-explains things.
... It's a character trait.
Chit Sang has tried to escape from the Boiling Rock several times.
... Several unsuccessful times.
In fact, no prisoner has ever escaped from the Boiling Rock prison.
Chit Sang is a stickler for grammar.
The plan is in motion.
Zuko stays warm using the firebending technique called the "breath of fire".
We first saw him do the "breath of fire" in the Book One finale.
This episode is about Sokka making amends for his failure during the invasion.
Fun fact: Chit Sang is named after writer May Chan's father.

Chit Sang getting burned by the boiling water, revealing his escape attempt.
Chit Sang claims he was wrongly accused of the crime that put him behind bars.
... And he maintains his innocence to this very day.
If you haven't noticed already, this is the first part of a two-episode story.
Fact: Metal is an excellent conductor of heat.
Fire whip!
It's never a good idea to talk back to your boss.
Zuko has never met Sokka's dad.

"The Boiling Rock, Part 2"[]

The Boiling Rock prison gets its name from the boiling water surrounding it.
Water boils at two-hundred and twelve degrees Fahrenheit.
That's a hundred degrees Celsius.
Look, it's Sokka's father!
Sokka last saw him in the episode, "The Day of Black Sun, Part 2".
The warden is really into eye-contact.
Sokka keeps forgetting that he's wearing a guard disguise.
This is the interrogation room.
The warden is really good at making people talk.
Hakoda is talking about the Capital City Prison.
Iroh was also held at the Capital City Prison.
... But Iroh managed to escape during the Day of Black Sun.
Zuko officially switched sides in "The Western Air Temple".
Katara still doesn't trust him.
Fact: Most prisoners at the Boiling Rock are in for life.
The Boiling Rock is an equal opportunity prison.
... They hire male and female guards.
Roughing up the prisoners is a favorite pastime of many guards.
Uh oh ... it's Zuko's ex-girlfriend!
This interrogation technique is called "The Hanging Headrush".
It usually works.
Mai has a lot of important relatives.

Mai reading Zuko the letter he wrote to her.
Zuko wrote this letter during the episode, "The Day of Black Sun, Part 1".
We finally get to hear what it says.
It's bad etiquette to break up with someone through a note.
... And worse to break up with someone through a text message.
Did you know? Suki is the oldest of the Kyoshi Warriors.
She's been training since she was eight years old.
The word "gondola" is deprived from the ancient Greek word Kovou, which means "glass".
The gondola is the only way on or off this island.
Scheduling time with the warden is nearly impossible.
Witnesses often have difficulty identifying suspects in lineups.
... Especially when they're all wearing the same outfit.
Teeth rattling — A tell tale sign of being nervous.
Recap: In the previous episode, this guard was picking on Chit Sang.
... So this is payback.
Interrogation room, take 2.
The warden only bows down to a few people.
Sokka's pretty good at bluffing.
This guard's job is to open and close all prison cells.
The escape plan is officially in motion.
Riot-making 101 ...
Identify the toughest, meanest prisoner and give him a shove.
Fact: Prison fights have decreased since the introduction of anger management classes.
Riot-making 102 ...
Ask Chit Sang to do it.
These prisoners are always looking for a reason to riot.
... It relieves the boredom.
Someone's in trouble.
The warden is Mai's uncle on her mother's side.
Note: Locking your ex-girlfriend in prison will only make things worse.
Zuko's usually the one that doesn't have a plan.
Recap: Suki is part of a fighting team known as "the Kyoshi Warriors".
They're kind of awesome.
This is the gondola tower.
There are two separate gondola tracks that run parallel to one another in opposite directions.
The gondolas are controlled by this lever.
... Not anymore.
This is the first time Hakoda has seen Azula.
Recap: Ty Lee used to perform a high-wire act in the circus.
... She has exceptional flexibility and balance.
Azula's rocket boosters come in handy.
Suki battled Azula and her gang in the episode "Appa's Lost Days".
... After Suki lost that battle, she was thrown into this prison.
One of Ty Lee's fighting techniques is chi-blocking.
... Chi-blocking uses pressure points to stop a bender from bending.
Note: Suki is not a bender.

Sokka, Zuko, and Suki preparing to battle Azula and Ty Lee.
Avatar 101: Azula shoots blue fire.
In other words: The warden would rather die than lose his perfect record.
Recap: No prisoner has ever escaped from the Boiling Rock.
It's Azula's music cue.
... Ominous.
Unfortunately, it doesn't.
She still cares!
Mai's main weapon of choice are stilettos.
Stilettos are tiny daggers.
She's getting herself into trouble.
In other words, no promotion for you.
Our gang is about to get a new vehicle.
A royal war balloon.
Recap: Mai is one of Azula's best friends since childhood.
Their friendship might not survive this.
... Also, Mai might not survive this.
Whoa. Double betrayal.
Recap: In the previous episode, Sokka left a note that said that they were going fishing.

"The Southern Raiders"[]

The Western Air Temple is one of the four temples of the Air Nomads.
"The Duke" always holds his helmet when he sleeps.
It's his version of a blankie.
This episode was written by Elizabeth Welch Ehasz.
And directed by Joaquim Dos Santos.
Aang saved Katara from falling rocks in the episode, "The Cave of Two Lovers".
Did you know? Toph's earthbending style is based on "Praying Mantis" Kung Fu.
Azula's signature evil grin.

Azula attacking the Western Air Temple.
Avatar 101: Azula is Zuko's younger sister.
... And she's a firebending prodigy.
These airships were developed from the same technology that created the mechanist's war balloons.
The last time Appa was in a tunnel was in the episode, "The Cave of Two Lovers".
Recap: Hakoda and Suki reunited with our main group in the previous episode.
... After Sokka and Zuko busted them out of prison.
Appa's rock mask!
It's not uncommon for brothers and sisters to fight from time to time.
... But usually not like this.
Fact: Since Zuko embraced his destiny, his firebending has become more powerful.
Katara's about to repay Zuko for saving her earlier.
... Now they're even.
Zuko the comedian.
It's usually Sokka who makes all the wise cracks.
Campfires can cause people to become emotional.
Ba Sing Se translates to "The Impenetrable City".
Ba Sing Se was conquered by the Fire Nation at the end of Book Two.
Katara's mom died when Katara was only eight.
Sokka was expecting someone else.
Hint: It wasn't Momo.
Rose petals + candles = Sokka's attempt at romance.
Sokka's tent looks way smaller from the outside.
Katara's coat has a symbol of a crescent moon on it.
The moon is the original waterbender.
Meet the Southern Raiders.

Kya, Katara's mother, in a flashback.
The Raiders' ships are designed for attacking coastal villages.
The Southern Raiders are an elite Fire Nation group.
Romantic evening with Suki take two.
Present for Suki?
Toph is next in line to take a trip with Zuko.
Aang and Sokka have already gone on journeys with Zuko.
Aang believes in the principal of non-violence, not vengeance.
It's been a rough year for Aang.
Katara had a mini crush on Jet.
Katara's mother's name is Kya.
Fun fact: In the original Avatar pilot, Katara's name was Kya.
In the episode, "The Puppetmaster", we met a character who devoted her life to revenge.
... Things didn't turn out too good for that character.
This is Katara and Zuko in their "stealthy revenge attire".
Soon Aang will face a similar dilemma when he faces the Fire Lord.
Some say that Aang has an old soul.
It makes sense because technically, Aang is a hundred and twelve years old.
A waterbender is most powerful during a full moon.
Fire Nation engineers erected dozens of towers throughout the oceans.
This is called ice surfing.
Do not try at home.
Ink-bending!
Ink is made up of mostly water.
Whaletail Island was first mentioned in the episode, "Lake Laogai".
This episode is a fan favorite.
... Because it reveals what really happened to Kya.
This is the first time that Katara and Sokka's mom is first shown in the series.
... And the last time that Katara saw her.
The necklace that Katara wears belonged to her mother.
... And her mother got it from Gran-Gran.
Submarine-Appa!
That's called the water whip.
Waterbenders, like Katara, can create giant waves.
... And the better the bender, the bigger the wave.
Firebending moves are based on Northern Shaolin Kung Fu.
This is the second time in the series that Katara has used bloodbending.
This technique allows the waterbender to control his or her opponent like a marionette.
Only the highest level waterbenders can do this technique ...
Bloodbending is considered a dark form of bending.
Staring contest.
Katara loses.
A lot of people have a hard time telling Fire Nation soldiers apart.
... Especially when they have their helmets on.
This is the old "face shoved against window" technique.
... It's highly effective.

Yon Rha, the Southern Raiders commander that killed Kya.
This is called "poetic justice".
... Look it up.
Yon Rha's mother has one of the biggest face moles in the Fire Nation.
Wind chimes originated in India in the second century.
They were used to scare away evil spirits.
Zuko wore a similar outfit when he sneaked into the North Pole at the end of Book One.
Cinematography 101: Pouring rain adds ambiance to a scene.
Yon Rha hates when people sneak up on him.
Yon Rha was the commander of the Southern Raiders for more than ten years.
Katara hasn't seen Yon Rha since she was eight years old.
... That was over seven years ago.
Yon Rha is talking about Katara.
Waterbending is based on the Tai Chi Kung Fu Style.
Like waterbending, Tai Chi includes slow movements.
Up-for-trade: Toothless, grumpy mother.
All trades are final.
Katara faced one of her greatest enemies ...
Now Aang needs to face his.
... The Fire Lord.

"The Ember Island Players"[]

Look, the kids are back on Ember Island!
... But they're not on vacation.
Ember Island was also featured in the episode, "The Beach".
Zuko and Azula came to Ember Island every summer when they were kids.
The design on the poster is an exaggerated version of the Avatar Season One DVD boxed set cover.
The title of the play, The Boy in the Iceberg, alludes to the first Avatar episode.
... In that episode Katara and Sokka found Aang frozen in an iceberg.
Despite their questionable talent, the Ember Island Players always manage to pack the house.
... Probably because the theater is the only nighttime entertainment on the island.
"Nosebleed seats" refer to seats in a public arena that are highest and, usually, farthest from the desired activity.
In other words — terrible seats.
Warning: The following scene contains events and situations of a highly exaggerated nature.
Welcome to Overacting 101.
... Featuring flailing arms, sentimental speeches and wailing ...
Lots and lots of wailing.

The Ember Island Players.
In the first episode of Avatar, Katara uses waterbending to free Aang from the iceberg.
... The first thing Aang asks Katara is if she wants to go penguin sledding with him.
Being played by a woman is never good for a guy's self-esteem.
Tearbend!? Bending has officially reached a new low.
What he needs is acting lessons.
Sokka is not as gullible as Actor Sokka.
Actor Zuko's scar is on the wrong side of his face.
The real Uncle Iroh is more interested in green tea than cake.
In the episode, "The Avatar State", Uncle Iroh gets a much needed massage.
Actor Sokka is wearing Sokka's season two outfit.
The Kyoshi Warriors were first seen in the episode, "The Warriors of Kyoshi".
This short scene is based on the episode, "The King of Omashu".
In that episode, we find out that King Bumi is one of the oldest earthbenders.
... And one of the most muscular.
And now it's time for a bad re-enactment of the episode, "The Waterbending Scroll".
Recap: Katara and Aang learned to do the water whip from the waterbending scroll.
The Blue Spirit is Zuko's alter ego.
... In other words, this is extremely inaccurate.
Jet's signature wheat grass has been replaced with a flower.
Jet was the leader of the Freedom Fighters, a group of refugee kids.
In the episode, "The Great Divide", Aang helps two enemy tribes cross a canyon.
... That episode was not a fan favorite.
Yue is the daughter of Chief Arnook, the ruler of the Northern Water Tribe.

The play's take on Aang and La's spiritual link-up during the Siege of the North.
... And the second girl Sokka kissed in the series.
Suki didn't know this.
The real "koi fish spirit" is made entirely of water and light.
... This version is made entirely of cardboard and paint.
The playwright, Pu-on Tim, was named after Avatar writer Tim Hedrick.
Pu-on Tim has spent the last seven months researching the Avatar.
... He believes that The Boy in the Iceberg is his masterpiece.
The critics don't agree.
Aang's signature staff has been replaced with a tiny fan.
Actor Aang is based on Peter Pan.
Peter Pan is a male character who is often played by a woman.
Fact: Toph does not release a sonic wave from her mouth.
... She actually releases a sonic wave from her feet.
Actor Iroh had to put on weight for this role.
In Book Two, Zuko's hair goes through several transformations.
This episode serves as a "recap" of the series.
... And gives the audience a chance to "look back" before the series finale.
... It also gives the crew a chance to make fun of themselves.
Jet's usual "hook swords" have been replaced by "hook-hands".
This sequence references the episode, "Lake Laogai".
For the record: Jet is dead.
The writers and creators toyed with the idea of Zuko and Katara falling in love.
"He's like a little brother to me" is the worst thing to hear from a girl you have a crush on.
... Then again, it's better than being told you're like a sister.
Uncle's dialogue is not verbatim.
Recap: In the episode, "The Crossroads of Destiny", Zuko betrays his uncle and chooses to attack the Avatar.
Stage magic!
The real Aang says "yip yip" to get Appa to fly.
... Not to get into the Avatar State.
The Avatar version of Charlie's Angels.
Good art causes an emotional reaction.
And this play is getting the kids pretty emotional.
Translation: This play = good art.
Aang's hat is the same hat that the character Xu wore in the episode, "The Painted Lady".
Recap: "Ember Island smooths even the roughest of edges".
... According to Azula's mentors, Lo and Li.
This episode was written by three writers.
... Tim Hedrick, Josh Hamilton, and John O'Bryan.
Toph had a conversation with uncle in the episode, "The Chase".
... And they shared a cup of tea.
Recap: Toph told Iroh that Zuko was very lucky to have him for an uncle.
Backstage Etiquette 101: Don't give actors notes on their performances.
... Even if they are playing you.
Another common Sokka phrase: "Slappa-doo!"

Aang and Katara talking during the intermission.
Recap: Aang kissed Katara right before he went off to battle.
Translation: Not interested.
Fact: Aang's not very good at taking a hint.
This is actually the reenactment of when Aang and Katara kissed.
... Like everything else, it's a bit inaccurate.
Sokka the comedy writer.
Actor Zuko's hairstyle is pretty close to Zuko's real hair.
This foreshadows the series finale.
These two actors took a crash course in kung fu in preparation for these roles.
Ozai's goal is to become the supreme ruler of the world.
Recap: Every hundred years Sozin's Comet returns.
... And the comet increases the power of firebenders one hundredfold.

"Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King"[]

Our gang is on Ember Island.
They've been hiding out in the Fire Lord's beach house for several episodes.
Fact: Firebending is an aggressive element.
Snail-sloths are a cross between a snail and a sloth.
Snail-sloths are the Avatar World's slowest animal.

Aang demonstrating his firebending.
In previous episodes, Toph was unable to bend sand.
It's a sand sculpture of Ba Sing Se!
Artistic license taken.
Sand Ba Sing Se is under attack!
Recap: Zuko is teaching Aang firebending so that he can defeat the Fire Lord.
Aang has struggled when learning each of the new elements.
Did you know? Aang has two scars from being hit by lightning.
... One on his back and one on the bottom of his foot.
The Fire Lord's beach house is one of the nicest on the island.
... And they're destroying the place.
Sozin's Comet was named after Fire Lord Sozin.
Backstory: Fire Lord Sozin harnessed the power of the comet to begin the War.
Fact: Aang will also have increased power during the comet.
The meeting took place in the episode, "Nightmares and Daydreams".
But we never saw what happened during the meeting.
Zuko's last meeting with his father ended with him being banished.
This is the Fire Nation's top brass.
Zuko spent the entire second season living as an Earth Kingdom refugee.
Azula has a knack for evil plans.
... She got that trait from her father.
Sozin is Ozai's dad's dad.
Sozin began the war by wiping out the Air Nomads ...
... Now Ozai wants to end it by wiping out the Earth Kingdom.
Team Avatar versus ultra powerful Ozai.
... It's going to be a close match.
Fact: Like Azula, Ozai is a lightning-bender.
Uncle is the one who taught Zuko how to do this.
Zuko can redirect lightning ...
... But he can't create and shoot lightning himself.
This is known as "raising the stakes".
Believe it or not, Aang is a pacifist.
Unlike the Fire Lord, the "Melon Lord" is made of melons.

The Melon Lord.
... Watermelons.
Realistic training exercise is the best preparation for battle.
... But this might be a little too realistic.
The "Melon Lord" power has gone to her head.
This episode raises an important question ...
What is Aang going to do when he finally faces the Fire Lord?
Spoiler alert: When he does face the Fire Lord, he's going to do something he's never done before.
Recap: Haru was an earthbender they met in Book One.
Haru also helped our gang during the invasion.
Translation: Even baby monsters look cute.
And the worst father of all time goes to ... Ozai!
Let's put glue-bending in the back-up-plan category.
Recap: The Avatar's job is to keep peace and balance in the world.
... It's a frustrating job.
Aang was taught meditation by the Air Nomad monks.
Momo never has the answers.
Look an island!
This is unlike any island in the Avatar World.
Note: Without Aang, the mission is doomed.
This is Aang's new staff.
His original staff was destroyed in the episode, "The Awakening".
Aang ran away in the Book Three premiere because he wanted to face the Fire Lord alone.
Could it be ...
... Nope. Just the actress from the play, "The Boy in the Iceberg".
Fact: You can't force a life changing experience.
Did you know? Appa is a vegetarian.
Saliva Sokka.
After 100 years of searching for the Avatar, Zuko was the first person to find him.
It's customary to bow in the presence of Fire Lord Ozai.
... And in the presence of Princess Azula.
Ozai is well known as the most powerful firebender in the world.

Ozai being crowned Phoenix King.
The image on the rug is of a phoenix.
... And there's a reason for that.
A phoenix is a mythological bird that can be reborn from its own ashes.
This is the Fire Nation's ceremonial changing of command.
Anyone remember this tavern?
Zuko and his Uncle were here in the episode, "Bato of the Water Tribe".
The shirshu is an animal indigenous to the Earth Kingdom.

"Sozin's Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters"[]

Fun fact: The design for June is based off Avatar staffer, Lisa Yang.
In the episode, "Bato of the Water Tribe", June teased Zuko about Katara being his girlfriend.
Zuko's actual girlfriend is Mai.
... Ex-girlfriend.
They like each other!
June's shirshu Nyla was named after Lisa Yang's dog.
Recap: The shirshu's whip-like tongue has paralyzing toxins.
... And the shirshu's ultra sensitive nose can detect a scent hundreds of miles away.
Recap: Aang wandered onto this mysterious island in the episode, "Sozin's Comet, Part 1".
Avatar 101: In the Spirit World, bending doesn't work.
June isn't necessarily a good guy or bad guy ...
... Her only motivation is money.
Recap: Iroh dropped this sandal when he was being kidnapped in the "Winter Solstice, Part 1".
... Thankfully, it still has a strong scent.

Aang summoning Roku's spirit for wisdom.
Zuko hasn't seen Uncle since before the "Day of Black Sun".
... And even then they weren't on speaking terms.
The Great Walls of Ba Sing Se are no longer protected.
... Since the Fire Nation conquered the city.
June's not really into long goodbyes.
A hexagon is a polygon with six edges and six vertices.
... Whatever that means.
Recap: Avatar Roku helps guide Aang when he's troubled.
Roku was originally from the Fire Nation.
Introducing ... the Order of the White Lotus.
This is from the episode, "The Avatar and the Fire Lord".
Avatar Roku kept peace among the four nations for many years ...
... But he couldn't stop the War.
Fun fact: Master Pakku carved a betrothal necklace for Katara's grandmother.
It's the very first necklace Katara wears in the series.
So Pakku is now their step-grandpa.
Pakku isn't really into nicknames.
Did you know? Jeong Jeong's design was based on Korean animator Sueng Yong Oh.
And Master Piandao was based on Sifu Kisu, the Avatar Kung Fu consultant.
The members of the Order of the White Lotus love to play Pai Sho.
Bumi thinks Momo is an extremely important member of the group.
... But no one knows why.
Avatar Kyoshi was the Avatar before Roku.
Some people believe that Chin had "short man syndrome".
... And that he wanted to conquer the Earth Kingdom to make him feel better about his height.
Recap: The last time we saw Bumi, he was being held captive in his own city.
Bumi taught Aang about the "three jings".
... Which included waiting for the right moment to strike.
... And this is the right moment.
The Fire Nation retrofitted the entire city to run on firebending.
Timberrr!
Bumi is eating "jennamite".
Jennamite is a fast growing crystal that's very delicious.
Avatar Kuruk was originally from the Water Nation.
He's Avatar's version of a surfer-dude.
We actually saw this face once before in the series.
... In the Book One finale.
Aang is getting conflicted advice.
Dinner at 4 o' candle and bedtime at 6:30 o' candle.
Uncle hasn't seen Zuko since he's been reformed.

Zuko reuniting with Iroh, who forgives him for his earlier actions.
Possible Uncle dream: Swimming in a sea of tea.
Uncle's snoring is caused by an elongated soft palate.
Avatar Yangchen and Aang are both Air Nomads.
A spider fly is the Avatar World's most contradictory animal combination.
In Buddhism, the concept of "detachment" is known as Nekkamma.
... It refers to a renunciation from the world in order to live a holy life.
This is not what Aang was hoping to hear.
The technical term for this is "hugging it out".
... And this is called "crying it out".
You may have noticed that there's a lot of sleeping in this episode.
Scientists say Avatars need at least eight hours of sleep.
The writers wanted Momo to be with Aang so he could have someone to talk to.
Who's ready for a big reveal?
If you see something like this while swimming, immediately head toward the shore.
That was known as a "Freudian Slip".
... Which is a fancy way of saying a "slip of the tongue".
Recap: Iroh is the older brother of Fire Lord Ozai.
Iroh and Ozai are the sons of Fire Lord Azulon.
Recap: Iroh was supposed to be the Fire Lord instead of Ozai.
In other words, Zuko has experience.
Iroh has always believed in destiny.
This is a big moment in the series ...
... Our main characters are each given a task to help end the War.
The giant eel hound is a cross between an eel and a grayhound.
Piandao taught Sokka "the ways of the sword".

Sozin's Comet returning.
Uncle's tea shop was called, "The Jasmine Dragon".
We've actually seen images and heard about this animal previously in the series.
The lion turtle is the oldest, most ancient creature in the Avatar World.
Most people believe that the lion turtle is only a mythical creature.
The lion turtle posses timeless wisdom and powerful, spiritual energy.
In fact, he teaches Aang something only an Avatar can do.
After the passage of one hundred years, Sozin's Comet has returned.

"Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno"[]

Check it out! Sozin's Comet has finally arrived.
Sozin's Comet is a lot like Halley's Comet ...
... It passes near earth every hundred years.
Azula is getting the royal treatment.
Coronation: A ceremony held to crown a new monarch with power.
Banishment is a common punishment in the Fire Nation.
Fire Lord Ozai banished Zuko when he was fourteen years old.
Look, it's the eel hound's second appearance in the series!
Eel hounds run and swim faster than any other animal.
Unfortunately, they're extremely difficult to train.
The kids have arrived at Ozai's airship base.
The base is within striking distance of the Earth Kingdom.
Earthbending catapult.
Recap: Ozai is heading to the Earth Kingdom to "burn it to the ground".
Guess who this fancy war balloon belongs to?
... Ozai.
Azula recruited these Dai Li agents from Ba Sing Se.
The Dai Li are master earthbenders.
They began training when they were only thirteen years old.
This is the first time we've seen Azula at the Fire Nation throne.
Toph is the only known metalbender.

Toph metalbending armor around herself.
She is able to locate the fragments of earth and manipulate them to "bend" the metal.
Celebrating birthdays is a good reason to get co-workers together.
Did you know? These airships hold fifty crew members each.
That's a lot of birthdays.
And next up on the chopping block is Lo and Li.
Recap: Mai and Ty Lee betrayed Azula at the "Boiling Rock".
Lo and Li have been teaching Azula firebending since she was a young girl.
They know Azula better than anyone ...
... And they know when she's beginning to lose it.
An Agni Kai is a traditional firebending duel that is centuries old.
It's nearly impossible to tell Lo and Li apart.
The Order of the White Lotus flag is designed to after the white lotus Pai Sho tile.
With the comet's energy, firebenders can deliver huge, super-charged attacks over much longer distances.
Proper breathing is important to kung fu technique.
Old people fight!
Joeng Joeng [sic] was the first firebender to desert the Fire Nation Army.
Check it out, comet-enhanced firebending!
After banishing all her helpers, Azula now has to do her own hair.
Recap: Azula's mother's name is Ursa.
Azula hasn't seen her for more than seven years.
These war balloon planks were designed so that firebenders can firebend off of them.
This is the first time we've seen Ozai firebending flames.
We did see him bend lighting on the Day of Black Sun.
After three seasons, it's the moment we've all been waiting for ...
... Aang will face Fire Lord Ozai.
Actually, it's "Phoenix King Ozai" now.
Ozai "flies" using firebending rocket power.
The Fire Nation has searched for the Avatar for four generations.
Aang prefers to solve his problems non-violently.
He's a human flamethrower!
Toph loves giving people nicknames.
She often refers to Aang as twinkle toes.
Get ready for a war balloon battle!
This location is the Wulong Forest.
At full capacity, a war balloon can travel at more than fifty knots.
Recap: Sokka and Suki are dating.
"War balloon slice" happening now!
The Coronation Temple and Plaza dates back hundreds of years.

Azula and Zuko fighting an Agni Kai enhanced by Sozin's Comet.
Recap: The Great Sage is the leader of the Fire Sages.
The Fire Sages once lived at the Fire Nation temple on Crescent Island.
... Until Avatar Roku destroyed it.
Right now, there is officially no Fire Lord.
Azula was recognized as a firebending prodigy since early childhood.
Azula's firebending is precise, stealthy, and deadly.
The Wulong Forest is known for the thousands of rock columns that tower over the landscape.
With the energy from the comet, firebending is Aang's most powerful element right now.
But firebending is the newest to Aang.
Zuko taught Aang how to redirect lightning.
... If not redirected correctly, the lightning can pass through your heart.
... Which isn't a good thing.
Redirecting lightning was a technique invented by Uncle Iroh.
Zuko's firebending became more powerful after he learned the true meaning of firebending.
Zuko learned the true meaning of firebending from the last two dragons, Ran and Shaw.
Azula is normally a much better fighter than Zuko.
But Zuko has learned to control his rage ...
... And Azula is starting to crack.
That's called a cheap shot.
The only (known) firebenders who can generate lightning are Azula, Iroh, and Ozai.

"Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang"[]

Welcome to the final chapter of the series.
This is the twenty-first episode of this season.
Did you know? This is the only season to have more than twenty episodes.
These airships fly with the use of hot air.
Unlike real airships, which fly using helium.
These airships are more like giant hot air balloons.
This is why you always wear your safety harness on the warship platform.
See, these guys have their harnesses on.
Sokka's "space sword" is made from a meteorite.
They're saved.

Aang having successfully entered the Avatar State.
The official title of this episode is, "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang".
It alludes to Aang becoming a Fully Realized Avatar.
Speaking of which ...
A Fully Realized Avatar has control while in the Avatar State ...
... And the Avatar State gives him the knowledge and power of all past Avatars.
In other words, the "Phoenix King" is in trouble.
Recap: Bumi is the king of Omashu and Aang's childhood friend ...
... He's also the most muscular 112-year-old in the Avatar World.
Avatar 101: Iroh is Ozai's brother.
... And he was in line to be the Fire Lord instead of Ozai.
Did you know? Ozai was the most powerful firebender in the world ...
... Until now. Aang is officially a better firebender.
Recap: Zuko was injured when he shielded Katara from Azula's lighting blast.
Also, Azula has gone mad.
Azula's firebending is enhanced by the comet.
This is Azula's "lightning bending" position.
As a waterbender, Katara has the ability to change the temperature of water.
She can freeze it and even turn it into steam.
Katara once used her healing abilities to save Aang from a lightning attack.
Ever wondered what would happen if a perfect Fire Nation princess finally snapped?
You're looking at it.
Ozai isn't used to losing fights.
... So this is especially frustrating to him.
... But very satisfying to the audience.
Did you know? Sozin's Comet passes extremely close to the Earth.
... The comet skims the atmosphere's surface.
In this episode we've seen bending moves that we've never seen before.
... But soon we'll see a move only a Fully Realized Avatar is capable of doing.
Spoiler alert! The move is called "energybending".
Fun fact: While in the Avatar State, Aang's voice is the voice of all Avatars.
It's the moment of truth!
Aang believes in the principle of non-violence.
The lion turtle's existence predates the era before the Avatar.
He possesses timeless wisdom, and powerful spiritual energy.
The lion turtle taught Aang energybending.
This beam of light is reminiscent to the light in the series premiere ...
... When Aang emerged from the iceberg.
That's right, energybending is the ability to take away someone's bending.
Ozai's rule as Fire Lord was the shortest in Fire Nation history.
... Only six years.

Aang energybending Ozai.
This is the Avatar State-enhanced version of the first waterbending move Aang learned.
In other words, Sokka was impressed.
Sozin's Comet won't return for another hundred years.
... Aang will be two-hundred and twelve years old by then.
Recap: Ozai came up with his new title in the episode, "Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King".
TV terminology: This is known as a "tag".
A tag takes place shortly after the main story is over.
The last time Zuko saw Mai was at the Boiling Rock Prison.
She saved Zuko's and Sokka's life while there.
This series finale was written by the show creators.
Sokka and Katara were last separated from their dad at the Western Air Temple.
Who's ready to meet the newest member of the Kyoshi Warriors?
Ty Lee!
Ty Lee was sent to prison after she chi-blocked Azula.
Aang's necklace and robe are similar to what Monk Gyatso, his mentor used to wear.
Did you know? The entire Avatar series spanned less than ten months.
Citizens from all four nations are in the audience.
It's the first time in more than a hundred years that citizens from other nations were invited to the Fire Nation Capital.
Epic.
This is more than a pep-rally ...
... This is Zuko's coronation.
Look, it's the Capital City Prison.
Rumor alert! Some think that line was a teaser for a possible fourth season.

Aang and Katara kissing, beginning their relationship and ending the series.
Note: There are only three seasons of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Rocking the tsungi horn!
Iroh's tea shop is up and running again.
Toph has the same face as in her wanted poster.
Some say Ba Sing Se sunsets are the most romantic in the world.
Who's ready for one last big Avatar moment?
Kataang wins!

Goofs[]

Avatar Extras for "The Painted Lady" states that the two-headed fish soup is a Southern Water Tribe specialty, which cannot be true since the two-headed fish is mutation of normal fish caused by pollution in the Jang Hui River.
Avatar Extras for "The Painted Lady" incorrectly spells "Hei Bai" as "Hei Bei".
Avatar Extras for "The Beach" incorrectly labels the raven eagle as a raven-hawk.
Avatar Extras for "The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse" states that war balloons were first seen in the episode "The Northern Water Tribe". The actual name of the episode is "The Northern Air Temple".
Avatar Extras for "The Firebending Masters" mentions that the solstice occurs when the sun is either closest or farthest from Earth, when in fact it is when the sun's rays directly strike one of the two tropical lines of latitude.
Avatar Extras for "The Southern Raiders" incorrectly names Kya, Kaya.
Avatar Extras for "The Ember Island Players" states that Katara used waterbending to free Aang in the first episode. This is incorrect as she used Sokka's club to free him.
Avatar Extras for "The Ember Island Players" states that the creators and writers toyed with the idea of Katara and Zuko falling in love. In Sozin's Comet: The Final Battle Michael and Bryan state that they never intended for Zuko and Katara to be together. However, this statement is contradicted by writer John O'Bryan, who said that the topic of Zuko and Katara becoming a couple came up a lot in the writer's room.^[4] This is corroborated by writer Joshua Hamilton who said that the staff argued about whether Katara should end up with Zuko or Aang.^[5] M. Night Shyamalan has also recalled that during the production of Book Three: Fire, DiMartino and Konietzko were undecided, "At that time they hadn't even decided where things were going to end, even like who Katara was going to end up with."^[6]
Avatar Extras for "Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King" states that Aang struggled learning each new element. This is untrue, as he picked up waterbending with ease.
Avatar Extras for "Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno" incorrectly spells Jeong Jeong as Joeng Joeng.
Avatar Extras for "Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno" states that Ozai banished Zuko when the latter was fourteen, when Zuko was actually banished at age thirteen.
Avatar Extras for "Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno" refers to airships as war balloons for most of the pop-ups.
Avatar Extras for "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang" states that citizens from all four nations are in the audience at Zuko's coronation; however, excluding the Avatar (who is not in the audience), no other Air Nomads exist in the world to be present.

References[]

↑ DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan; Hedrick, Tim & Hamilton, Joshua (July 1, 2014). "The Sting" commentary. Book Two: Spirits Blu-ray.
↑ Avatar Extras for "Book Three: Fire" on Nicktoons Network.
↑ Avatar: The Last Airbender. NickAndMore.com. Retrieved on September 22, 2023.
↑ Basco, Dante (host), Varney, Janet (host), O'Bryan, John (guest). (August 17, 2021). "Meet the Writer with John O'Bryan". Avatar: Braving the Elements. Episode 11. iHeartRadio.
↑ Basco, Dante (host), Varney, Janet (host), Hamilton, Joshua (guest), Zuckerman, Jeremy (guest). (May 31, 2022). "Secret Tunnel! with Joshua Hamilton and Jeremy Zuckerman". Avatar: Braving the Elements. Episode 51. iHeartRadio.
↑ Roundtable discussion with M. Night Shyamalan (March 30, 2010)