Book 2: The Desert / The Serpent's Pass

Well, this suuuuucks!

Aang is understandably distraught and blames Toph, until Katara steps in, rightfully pointing out that it was either "Save Appa or save us,"

The episode is basically Katara keeping everyone together.  We can run it down quickly;

• Aang is sullen, withdrawn, and depressed.
• Sokka gets turnt on peyote.

• Katara is clearly very tired but she keeps pressing on.

• The human styles look a bit weird for them.

There are some striking bits of scenery here.

Again, I am a sucker for a pretty desert picture.

Eventually, after tensions rise even more, Toph finds a boat in the desert. Well, it's a sandglider, and it sure beats walking to the giant rock in the desert.

But it's really just a giant Buzzard-Wasp hive. Which is terrifying. Also, apparently they make honey in this verse.

And for the first and last time in this series, Aang straight up murders a living being - one of the wasps tried to take Momo.

Soon they're surrounded by Sandbenders, the very same who took Appa. And Aang loses it, finally, on the people who started this whole debacle.

Katara has had e-fucking-nough for the day and drags him out of the Avatar State again.

I had genuinely forgotten that we returned to the adventures of Zuko and Iroh in this episode. After being ambushed by the Rough Rhinos (Fun fact, you can see a Yuyan Archer in their group - remember them?) and defeating them in an intense battle, the pair head to the very same bar our kids were in just hours ago. Wow, what a small world!

Iroh has a hushed conversation with a stranger playing some kind of board game;

Fung: (When Iroh places the lotus tile in the center of the board) I see you favor the white lotus gambit. Not many still cling to the ancient ways.
Iroh: Those who do can always find a friend.

Why, they are both members of the Order of the White Lotus! And what is the Order of the White Lotus?

They're....people who can get you to Ba Sing Se.

Seeing Aang be 100% hellbent on finding Appa reminded me very much of myself and my struggle to get an independent life going in the middle of the ruins of the American economy by capitalist baby boomers who have no empathy for people who have to live in a world they destroyed.

But I digress.

---

But not quite yet. It's not that easy for The Gaang, but at least they have water to drink now.

Aang's in a better mood!

 Lots of it, as they give up their ride on a cushy boat to help a young family get to Ba Sing Se by walking on a thin, rocky ledge in the middle of an ocean with a giant sea serpent.

It's not a thrilling episode. Katara encourages Aang to share his feelings. The most interesting bits are the returning characters;

Suki was inspired to leave Kyoshi Island and help out with the war effort.

Jet is going to Ba Sing Se to find a better life.

And this is very terrifying, and that's about it really.