Book 3: The Day of Black Sun (Both Parts)

Hey, where's Nightmares and Daydreams?

It's more of a joke filler episode than anything else. Since I don't like breaking up double-parters of episodes, skip.

Briefly, though - There are Wacky Hijinks with the Gaang, and Zuko realizes that being a person his father likes blows.

Onto The Invasion a season in the making.

Wakey Wakey, it’s the Day of Black Sun!

Allies from the past two seasons have returned, including Haru and his father, the wrestlers from Earth Rumble Six, Hakoda, The Machinist and Teo from the Southern Air Temple, and PIpsqueak and The Duke.

Most importantly;

Let’s glide!

Iroh is still imprisoned - but not for long. He warns Ming to, well, take a specific day off soon. She can’t be blamed for something is she isn’t there.

 and yes that is tennis superstar Serena Williams!

Sokka outlines the plan. Kind of badly. But Hakoda steps in, and the gist is;

1. Navy attack by going through the Great Gates of Azulon to the capital.
2. On land, fight people, secure a tower, and go to the tower and let Aang fight the Fire Lord.

And the eclipse only lasts for eight minutes. 

Real shit is about to go down!

But not before Aang gives Sokka a pep talk. “Your moment of truth isn’t in front of a map, it’s out there. On the battlefield.”

I really do love their friendship. And really hate how we don’t know a single whit about what happened to Sokka in Legend of Korra.

Meanwhile, at the palace, Zuko has had enough for the day and begins to write a letter.

Step 1 is almost complete until -

How long would it take the ropes to burn.

But as the boats are taken over, BLAM, SUBMARINES.

That happens.

This is adorable really, as Zuko says “I’m sorry, Mai,” and leaves her apartments. 

“Ah, I see you have the THREE OUT OF FOUR ELEMENTS MASTERED Badge, please, go right ahead!”

The fight commences.

Until Hakoda takes injury and Sokka goes to lead the invasion.

Aang is infiltrating the capital city, and finding it quite empty.

If you can’t take the lack of heat…

The palace is just as empty.

….. Stay out of your capital? 

And the throne room? Take a guess.

Nice shot though.

Onto part two;

The battle is still going and it’s pretty boring, and Aang returns to his friends to let them know about the developments.

Guessing that the royal family is in a bunker, they decide to look for him, and of course Toph is the one who can do it best, finding a bunker in the heart of a volcano. 

So it turns into a Diddy Kong Racing sequence but without race cars.

There are biplanes, sorta.

And they find the very large and round bunker, with Toph breaking it open to go inside.

Back outside, the eclipse is finally happening, and the Fire Nation Soldiers retreat. 8 minute countdown, let’s go!

Who do they find in the bunker?

But of course. Azula also points out that she’s known about the Invasion for months, as well as returning with some Dai Li agents.

She also drops the knowledge that - remember Appa’s Lost Days? Where she fought the Kyoshi Warriors - Suki included? And how in the Book 2 finale, she and Mai + Ty Lee had their uniforms?

What did you think happened to Suki?

Meanwhile, at another Bunker, Zuko finally tells his father the truth - “The Avatar is alive. Also, you suck and you’re cruel, the world hates us, I’m going to free Iroh, and join the Avatar..”

Ozai: “So, where’s your mom?” 

You can really hear the edge of The Joker in Mark’s voice here, but it’s distinct enough so that it’s still two different characters. We stan a legend!

Ozai said basically what I said during a write up weeks ago - Ursa killed Azulon because he, Azulon wanted Ozai to kill Zuko after Ozai was a dick to Iroh. 

And it’s at that very moment where the Eclipse is over, and Ozai aims to do what he wanted to six years ago.

But Zuko blocks his lightning attack and redirects it to him.

Azula frees herself and gets away, but not before telling them where her father is. Aang still wants to try and take him out, but the odds are too against them now.

The Mechanists’ airship designs have been stolen and built by the army. So I guess they didn’t have them in the initial takeovers of Ba Sing Se, but they had tanks? I’m not an Industrial Revolution expert, whatever.

Aang and Katara stall to give the others time to run.

And Iroh has escaped.

 You’ve got to do this on your own, Zuko.

In the end, the army goes to destroy the submarines, meaning that only the youth could escape on Appa, leaving the adults to be held hostage.

While the group heads to the Western Air Temple, someone is following them.

(For good this time).

I wonder if people hated this set of episodes because the good guys failed. That's a reason to hate things, right? Isn't that what people who didn't like The Last Jedi say?