'There is no war in Ba Sing Se.' Credit: NICKELODEON / NETFLIXĪ:TLA continues to shock us with this episode straight out of 1984, in which the Earth Kingdom capital city reveals itself to be the complete opposite of earthbending’s true nature: secretive, manipulative, and completely dishonest. At the same time, our first glimpse at Ozai is of a man who is larger than life and everything Aang fears. Realizing how Zuko got his scar is an early horror in the series, a warning that this 'kids' show' (it opens in a post-genocidal authoritarian society) is going to push us. In Zuko's, we see a curious, empathetic boy, the polar opposite of the angry jerk we know.

In Aang's flashbacks, we meet Gyatso, who makes it clear where Aang gets his personality, and their personal connection amplifies the pain of knowing the entire Air Nation will be brutally wiped out. It's both a riveting episode in and of itself and one of the most crucial to the entire series - a 20-minute microcosm summarizing the character arcs of Zuko and Aang through flashbacks, unexpectedly humanizing the former and highlighting the parallels between them both. The first half of Season 1 brings us into the world of A:TLA, but The Storm gives us the history we need to invest in this story moving forward.

Aang revisits his past and the events that led to him ending up in the iceberg.

Watch avatar the last airbender season 2 episode 3