Book 2: Lake Laogai / The Earth King

Welcome to a good pair of episodes; The second of which is probably my second favorite in the series because it hosts my favorite action piece.

Have you seen this flying bison.

No, I haven't.

And yes, despite trying to make a new life, Zuko is still hunting the Avatar.

It's amazing how much Zuko reminds me of myself right now.

The OG Joo Dee returns, freshly brainwashed from a visit to Lake Laogai, and says that they cannot put up posters looking for Appa anymore - but Aang has had enough for the day and tells her, fuck your rules, fuck your regulations, we're doing this my way! Yeah!

Also, the Gaang is being watched by the Dai Li. 

When Joo Dee returns to Long Feng to alert him about the news, he re-invokes the sleeper-agent side of her with the phrase, "The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai," and he will keep an eye on the Avatar situation in case it should escalate. 

"I am honored to accept his invitation."

Now-sleeper-agent Jet returns, seemingly like his normal self, and Katara is rightfully mad about his past actions and wails on him.

Legends Only.

She's like "We can't trust him," and considering his earlier actions, no matter how much I can agree with him, Katara is quite right. But Aang wants his help to find Appa, and that is what makes Katara relent.

Jet takes them to a barn where Appa isn't - but he was there before! 

As the group leaves, Smellerbee and Longshot see them and rush after Jet, wondering how he got away from the Dai Li, which makes things make a lot of sense, if that made sense.  

Katara uses the magic spirit water to jog his memory, and Jet (as well as everyone else) realizes he was taken to Lake Laogai. Just like Joo Dee.

Tunnel found!

Eesh.

I wonder how they get young women to do this. 

It's a cultural internship for Ba Sing Se City College!

In what might be one of the coolest fake outs in the show, as Jet, having lead the Gaang beneath the lake, opens the door to a cell, Appa looks up -

Alternatively, our gang looks up -

There's a pretty cool fight scene here that reminds me why Earthbending is my favorite of the elements.

Now you know why I. Am. The best!

Aang and Jet corner Long Feng as he escapes...and triggers Sleeper-Agent Jet with the magic words.

He attacks Aang, until he reminds him of who he is, then turns around to attack Long Feng, who...

Killed by your own gravestone. Kind of.

Iroh has followed Zuko and gives him a dressing down, how his plans are half baked, and to stop trying to live up to his father's expectations and be who you want to be.

As the Gaang is cornered, help comes out of nowhere - 

Yes, Virginia, Zuko did free Appa.

Great, right? Now it's finally time to see The Earth King.

Not so fast.

Here it is, my favorite fight scene in the show; I want to show off how nice and saturated and soothingly brown it is;

If you can see it for yourself, the actual video, do so. This is amazing.

Meanwhile, not two seconds after Iroh congratulates Zuko on doing a good thing, the boy's body rejects it and he passes out.

It's probably something to do with Chi.

He has a nightmare, where a pair of dragons whom we will see again circle him as he sits on the Fire Lord's throne in full regalia. One talks with Azula's voice, coaxing him to relax, while the other has Iroh's voice, insisting he stay alert.

Our kids break through the barriers and finally come face to face with Earth King Kuei.

 and are almost taken into captivity once again...until Long Feng lets it slip that the Avatar is among them.

There's a segment of back and forth where both the Gaang and Long Feng try to convince the somewhat ... sheltered king of their side. Eventually, the Gaang ends up taking Kuei on his first train ride ever.

He didn't know what a TRAIN was. I'm surprised he even knew what a WAR was. He even says "I've never been outside of the palace!"

The finally show him the great wall of Ba Sing Se, and the remains of the Fire Nation drill. And when Long Feng shows up and tries to talk his way out, whose side does Kuei take?

Seeing as he calls for the Dai Li to arrest Long Feng, well, you figure it out.

Back in the throne room, Kuei listens to Sokka's plan about The Day of Black Sun. I've enjoyed seeing these moments where Sokka gets to shine in this rewatch.

Though I have to wonder why Katara is kind of frozen in motion back there and not looking at....anyone else.

The King points out that sending all those troops would leave the city vulnerable. I'd think a bigger problem would be convincing the troops that there is a war, or that they should heed the orders of a king they've never seen before.

Either way, they have his support! Finally!

And a general has found records of everyone in the city of Ba Sing Se in Long Feng's quarters.

And they all fit in that tiny box!

Toph gets a letter that says her mother is in the city.

Aang gets a note from an Air Temple - Guru Pathik.

There's a report that Hakoda's warriors are near by. There's a really sweet moment where Sokka and Katara are arguing...over who stays to help the Earth King while the other sees their father, because of course they both would really love to go.

So, everything is coming up roses for Team Avatar!

Meanwhile, in prison, a guard reaffirms that the Dai Li remain loyal to Long Feng. What a shocker, a police state can't trust it's police.

And Toph goes to see her mother!

Yeah, your mother was a lawnmower.

And the Kyoshi Warriors are here too!

... Wait a minute.