Summary
Episode 3 is the best yet, introducing new characters and a more lived-in feel than we’ve seen thus far.
Episode 3 is my favorite installment of Avatar: The Last Airbender thus far. Set entirely in the titular Earth Kingdom city of Omashu, it excels by folding in new characters and allegiances, and allowing us a glimpse of how an ordinary place and ordinary citizens have adapted to the ongoing war with the Fire Nation. This is by far the most lived-in and textured that the show has felt thus far in Season 1.
The episode starts with an attempted coup against Zuko’s father, Fire Lord Ozai, which is foiled by his daughter Azula. This is an important scene for a couple of reasons. For one thing, it introduces Azula, who hates her brother, seems to enjoy watching people burn alive, and is perfectly happy to scheme to get her way. But it also shows us how pro-Avatar sentiment is beginning to proliferate even within the Fire Nation, and thus why Aang is such a threat to Ozai in ways beyond the obvious.
Omashu
Anyway, Aang follows what he believes to be an Airbender to the fortified Earth Kingdom city of Omashu, a once-great center of trade and commerce that is now a hub of paranoia, spies, and Fire Nation sneak attacks. The “Airbender” turns out to be a young boy named Teo who has a wheelchair outfitted with wings. More on him in a minute.
In the meantime, the gang is snuck into the city by a handsome guy whose name we later learn is Jet. Functionally, he fulfills a very similar role to Suki in Episode 2, providing an immediate love interest for Katara. But, again, more on him later.
Aang and co. promptly meet Teo’s father, Sai, a mechanist – read: engineer – working for the King. Omashu is being periodically bombed by what is assumed to be Fire Nation saboteurs, and Aang decides to remain in Omashu until he can help Teo uncover the plot.
Who is behind the bombings?
However, things take a turn when Katara spots Sai meeting with a Fire Nation spy. Jet appears out of nowhere and tells her that he’s a traitor who has been selling secrets and designs to the Fire Nation. Since she has no reason not to believe this, she accompanies Jet in following the Fire Nation spy and brawling with his associates.
Jet is the leader of a Robin Hood-style band of freedom fighters based in the forest. His associates include a giant guy named Pipsqueak and an archer named Longshot. Jet helps Katara improve her Waterbending abilities even further by reminiscing about her mother.
Meanwhile, Aang and Teo investigate a cave where they believe the bombs are being produced and, problematically, uncover evidence that implicates Jet as the bomber. This causes a rift within the group, as Katara is inclined to believe Jet, while Sokka, who has bonded with Sai over engineering, won’t entertain the idea of him being a traitor.
This is cleared up about 30 seconds later, which is disappointing as it doesn’t allow any of the friction within the group to manifest. As it turns out, Jet is guilty, though that doesn’t explain why Sai was meeting with a spy. Either way, Jet reveals he has planted a bomb on Sai with which he intends to blow up both him and Omashu’s King, whom he is on his way to meet with. The gang rushes out to stop Sai, but they’re confronted by Iroh and Zuko, who have infiltrated the city after Zhao received reports of an Airbender there.
While Katara and Sokka try to catch up with Sai, Aang fights Zuko. This is my favorite fight of the series thus far since it’s much less reliant on CGI and has some real choreography and physicality. There’s also a bit of character weaved in, as Aang questions Zuko about why he’s so adamant about capturing him, and you can tell that Zuko hasn’t stopped to consider anything he’s doing. With Azula sneakily sending letters to Zhao asking him to provide her updates on Zuko’s mission, it seems clear who the most villainous of these two siblings is.
Anyway, at the end of the episode, chaos erupts, as Zuko gets carried away and uses his Firebending abilities, drawing the attention of the Earth Kingdom military, who arrest Aang while Zuko is able to slip away.
What did you think of Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 1 Episode 3? Let us know in the comments.
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