Sound storytelling structure. I have only one critique at the end of the breakdown.
ONE
The team flies on a very tired Appa, who can barely keep out of the icy ocean below them. Just as they say they can’t find the Northern Water Tribe, spikes of ice knock them into the water and boats surround them.
TWO
Admiral Zhao knows where the Avatar is headed. This is no little Earth Village, he says. He’ll need a massive invasion force for the Northern Water Kingdom.
Water benders escort our team on Appa into their city. Thick ice walls and multiple gates, removed by bending, surround the compound. It’s a stunning place: canals, decorative bridges, tiers of buildings, all made of ice and compacted snow.
THREE
Sokka notices a beautiful, white-haired young woman in a gondola.
FOUR
Uncle Iroh sings on ship — an evening of light entertainment — until Zhao boards them.
Meanwhile, our team has a celebratory meal, like a luau, to welcome them. The Avatar is introduced, and so is Princess Yue, whose 16th birthday is today. It’s Sokka’s crush. She sits next to him at the head table, and he asks if she’d like to . . . do an activity? Throughout, the water bending master, Pakku, demonstrates for their entertainment. When he meets Aang, he sets a sunrise training session.
Back to the Fire Nation, Iroh brings Zhao into Zuko’s room. On Zuko’s wall are two crossed swords. Seeing them, Zhao flashes back to the Blue Spirit and his blades. He knows. Is he recruiting for the invasion? Is he commandeering Zuko’s ship? Whatever, Iroh agrees to go.
SWITCH
Katara is so excited to accompany Aang to the morning training session. When Pakku sees her, though, he says no. Girls are forbidden to train for fighting. Women water benders learn healing. Aang says he won’t train if Katara can’t, but she stops him. He needs to study. She’s furious, though.
FIVE
Sokka and Yue, both blushing, agree to meet later.
Zhao pays the pirates from an earlier episode to attack Zuko.
Katara goes to learn healing, and all the students are little girls. However, the teacher recognizes Katara’s necklace; she knew Gran-gran, who once lived here and was engaged to a local young man.
Aang trains, but he’s frustrated.
The pirates attack, blowing up Zuko’s ship. It’s shot in such a way that we think Zuko died on board.
SIX
Sokka and Yue meet. They obviously like each other, but she hesitates. This was a mistake, she says, running off.
SEVEN
When the team reunites that evening, Sokka is depressed. As Katara complains, Sokka casually suggests that Aang train her. They love that idea.
But they get caught by Master Pakku, who refuses to continue training the Avatar.
EIGHT
He tries to appeal the decision to a city council of elders, which doesn’t work. Katara becomes furious.
Meanwhile, Iroh agrees to serve as Zhao’s general, now that Zuko is dead.
Back to Katara’s trash talk at Pakku. They duel, water bender vs. water bender. He credits her with knowing her stuff, but he eventually imprisons her in shards of ice. During the battle, he knocks off her necklace, and then picks it up. It’s mine, he says. I carved this years ago.
On the Fire Nation ship, Iroh passes a soldier in the hallway. It’s Zuko in disguise. They planned the whole thing!
Now that we know more about the tradition of engagement necklaces, we’re ready to learn, along with Sokka, that Yue is wearing one. She’s very sad, but she’s set for an arranged marriage and can’t see Sokka anymore.
NINE
Early morning training now includes Katara.
And Zhao sets course for the North, his massive armada steaming along behind.
CRITICAL NOTES
Thematically, I would’ve liked to see more about the women’s training as water benders. If they’ve focused their bending exclusively on healing, they must have amazing techniques and unique spells by now. However, they’re only a MacGuffin to move Katara in a certain plot direction. I don’t actually believe the showrunners gave one thought to what a society with healing benders would look like. Katara’s there to get the necklace/Gran-gran plant for Pakku’s reveal later, and to be humiliated by being sent to the little girl school. If they’d shown a room full of women practicing heal innovations, and Katara had still chosen to study fighting, every aspect of her character and the world-building would’ve been richer.