Book 1: Bato of The Water Tribe / The Deserter

Land of the One-Shots. 

Actually, Jun comes back in the series finale.

Sokka and Aang find some Water Tribe weapons; a battle took place in this section in the woods.

There are noticeable shifts in the lines and even character models at points throughout the series - it's a little less...outlines? in the faces and shadows in this episode. It gets smoother and crisper in season three, and I don't quite recall season two, but that's coming up soon!

Katara looks a little goofy.

I might just spend this episode pointing out how weird some bits look.

 A bounty hunter called Jun and her ... shirshieux, I think that's how they spell it, find a stowaway on Zuko's ship simply by the animal's sense of smell.

It might be the only animal species that has a completely made-up name and physiology in this verse.

There's a flashback with a younger Sokka, who also wants to go to war with his father, of course, we know he doesn't.

Back in the present, a man suddenly walks toward them - the titular Bato, and he beckons them all to come inside at an...abbey.

Admittedly this shot was in mid-movement, but the eyes still look super anime-esque in this scene.

Bending is a pretty spiritual activity, but I wonder what kind of deities these ladies might pray to. Or is it like the world of Redwall, where it's more about peace than religion? Though curiously, that was kind of retconned in that franchise, there's outright mentions of saints and hell in the first two books (and Portugal).

For as much as I mention Redwall, I should watch some of the show again.

Bato's quarters look just like the tents at the Northern Water Tribe, and the siblings are thrilled while Aang makes a snide comment about animal skins. In time, I'm sure he'll realize it was either 'skin animals or freeze to death'.

The Water Tribe citizens swap tales, and Aang feels left out. Bato says that Hakoda would be sending a message to him soon about the rendezvous point (That only really comes to fruition in season three), and that Katara and Sokka can go with him to see their father after two long years. Aang leaves in the midst of their excitement, coincidentally missing the part where the siblings pass on the offer, loyal to him.

The message arrives, Aang receives it...and then he hides it.

Water Tribe Ritual For Boys; Ice Doding.

Aang's trustworthiness is declared, until he reveals that he hid the map, and everyone is angry, even if, at most, maybe a day or two has passed. You know you fucked up when Katara ditches you.

It would have been cool for them to separate for a few episodes and reunite during the Siege of The North. This series basically begins the long, nearly seventy-year relationship between Aang and Katara, time apart would have been good.

Because they're reunited pretty quickly when the siblings have a Heel Face Turn / the shiershieux shows up at the "Coincidentally , We Make Perfumes" Abbey, with Iroh and Zuko.

There's a really good fight between Appa and the shirshieux (Who is actually named Nyla), and Aang and Zuko in the abbey court.

Chemical Warfare takes the animal out, as it can't see with it's nose when there are too many smells.

All's well, of course, as Sokka says that Aang needs them more than their father does, Katara gets her necklace back, and they're on their way to the North Pole.

---

But first, they stop in Fire Nation territory for the Fire Days Festival, to maybe find a firebending teacher.

They find masks;

Propaganda;

And firebending tricks that curiously foreshadow later events;

It's not a 1:1 comparison, but the nationalism encouraged in things like the puppet show....the current US is becoming eerily reminiscent of that.

Aang thinks Katara is really in danger and reveals himself, and they follow a defected Fire Nation soldier to a camp, where he tells them about Jeong Jeong, a pro Firebender who deserted from the Army, the first one to not be killed for doing so.

Then Jeong Jeong's personal army (?) comes in, apprehends the group, and take them to where he lives...but the guy says no, Jeong Jeong doesn't want to see you, because you haven't mastered Water and Earth.

There was really no set...path for the elements to be learned. Korra learns Airbending last and favors Firebending when she's a Waterbending Avatar so...

Aang goes into his tent. In an interesting bit, he hesitates before approaching him, maybe adjusting his walk, as Jeong Jeong did not want to teach him because his walk showed that he did not master the other elements.

Jeong Jeong goes "Look, fire ain't no joke, and you clearly don't respect it or take it seriously."

Then, somehow, suddenly Roku.  "I have mastered the elements a thousand times in a thousand lifetimes, now, I must do it once again. You will teach the Avatar Firebending."

He relents, and it seems that Aang has no idea what happened.

Jeong Jeong against reiterates that Fire isn't willy nilly like air, and it needs to be respected and used with caution. I wonder how the message will sink in for Aang?

By burning the love of his life. That's right.

 I love how Sokka comes in, raises hell about it, and tackles Aang.

Katara heals her own hands with some mystical waterbending stuff, Jeong Jeong is envious, and says that they have to leave immediately, because Zhao has found them.

In another battle, always good, Aang uses his recently learned lesson that Firebenders usually have a temperament and you can use that against them to let Zhao set fire to his own fleet of ships.