The Blue Spirit
After yesterday's powerful episode, we follow up with one that's just as powerful. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to discuss some spoilers.
Sokka and Katara have come down with a fever from their exposure to the previous episode's storm, so Aang is forced to set out on his own in search of medicine. While searching, he's apprehended by the Yu Yan Archers, an elite military unit serving the Fire Nation who have been requisitioned by newly-promoted Admiral Zhao. Since executing him outright would result in him reincarnating, Zhao opts to imprison Aang in his fortress. But a masked swordsman known only as "The Blue Spirit" infiltrates the fortress and helps Aang escape.
This episode has a lot going for it. The Yu Yan Archers are pretty cool, with their uncanny precision and accuracy providing a new threat while also proving that even non-benders can flourish in this world. There's a great moment when their commanding officer refuses to let Zhao requisition them, beliving his hunt for the avatar is a vanity project. But when a messenger hawk arrives revealing that the Fire Lord is promoting Zhao and tasking him with hunting the Avatar, the officer immediately caves.
Aang and the Blue Spirit's escape is fantastic, with Aang fending of soldiers with his airbending while the Blue Spirit uses twin swords to lop off spearheads. This culminates with the pair cornered at the front gate, when Zhao states he needs to keep Aang alive. The Blue Spirit promptly takes Aang hostage, ordering them to open the gates without any dialogue. Zhao concedes, using the Yu Yan Archers to knock the Blue Spirit out.
Which is where I have to reveal a spoiler: Aang discovers that the Blue Spirit is actually Zuko. This comes up again later, which is why it was necessary. But it also establishes a major low point for both characters. Aang was imprisoned while Katara and Sokka were incapacitated, while Zuko was faced with losing his only chance to return home as Zhao takes charge of his quest. We also see Aang refuse to leave Zuko to be captured, with a poignant aftermath as he suggests they could have been friends in another lifetime. In the end, both leave and grow withdrawn. It's such a strong downer ending.
The Fortuneteller
With the political situation in recent years, I've found this episode difficult to sit through.
The party visits a town near a volcano which serves as the home of a fortuneteller named Aunt Wu, discovering that the townspeople are overly reliant on her predictions. Katara grows enamoured after being told that she'll marry "a powerful bender", while Sokka is more skeptical about it. Aang tries to grow closer to Katara, while Aunt Wu's assistant Meng develops a crush on him. However, things grow tense when Aang and Sokka discover that the volcano is about to erupt despite Aunt Wu predicting that it wouldn't destroy the town.
Yeah, a lot of the episode is dedicated to Aang and Katara's playground romance. All in all, that side of the story holds little interest for me. I'm not the biggest fan of rom-coms. Even if it is kind of sweet that Aang weaves a necklace for Katara after she lost one that belonged to her mother in "Imprisoned".
Having said that, there's still plenty of humour. There's a funny moment when Aunt Wu predicts from a simple look that Sokka will face many self-inclicted misfortunes, because it's written all over his face. A lot of this comes true has he expresses his frustration, such as when he kicks a stone which bounces off a sign and hits him. I also find it funnier in hindsight that Meng is voiced by Jessie Flower, who would later join the main cast as Toph in the second season.
I must admit that I really hate this town. When the eruption is imminent, Aang and his friends attempt to warn the townspeople, but they ignore them because Aunt Wu said the town wouldn't be destroyed. It has a freaky cult vibe. Nevertheless, it's pretty cool how they do convince them, and handled a lot better than the situation in "The Great Divide".
In conclusion, while the rom-com tropes aren't my thing, this episode nevertheless has an important lesson about independent thought.
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