Remember, this is the name of the two-part episode that includes The Spirit World and Avatar Roku. I assume that, although each separate episode has a Story Enneagram, that the overarching story will also follow one. Let’s see.
ONE
Spirit’s One is also this section of the One. The gang travels north until something interrupts them.
TWO
As I guessed in my Spirit review, the overarching Two is Aang’s sadness and need to talk to Avatar Roku. We already know from the Roku review that the Eight is indeed that meeting. Finding Roku — how do you talk to a spirit? — is the Trouble of the story resolved at the climax.
You’ll remember, though, that this moment in Spirit felt extremely awkward and forced. You’ll also notice, looking back, that the beginning of that story has a lot of padding that isn’t part of the overarching plot. The Two section is sloppy in both overviews.
THREE
In the Four of Spirit — Aang’s Four just before Zuko’s Four! — is where we finally find the Three. It’s the moment when Aang inadvertently flies into the bear totem and enters the spirit world. The notion that Aang accidentally finds the answers is part of the mirror moment. He doesn’t know that following the Spirit Monster through the bear will knock him into another reality. It just happens. I like the choice and find it very playable.
However, you may remember that in Spirit this choice is very messy. The bear should have been its Three but wasn’t. Ultimately this is not a problem that can be solved by moving an image of the bear into a better slot. This section of the story, in the overarching Winter Solstice and in Spirit, needs another rewrite to smooth all this out.
FOUR
The rest of Spirit is the Four.
SWITCH
The change from Part One to Part Two is, as was obvious and clear, the Switch. Aang doesn’t know what to do in the Four, and does know in the Five.
FIVE
The majority of Roku is the overarching Five. Getting to the temple, basically, until they stand in front of the door to Roku’s sanctuary.
SIX
Sokka, inspired, crafts little bombs to use on the fire-bending door lock. The blast in each hole should trigger the mechanism. It doesn’t.
However, the scorch marks and Momo’s shadow on the other side of the door make it appear that the door has been opened. Tricking the Fire Sages becomes possible. An accident — devising a way to get into the inner room where Roku’s spirit waits — is a great thematic mirror. I love what it says about Aang’s journey to become a full-fledged Avatar. Luck is as important as preparation. I also love that Sokka, the non-bending average guy, solves the problem in a creative way. You could also say that Sokka solved the problem at the Three! He got captured by the Spirit Monster, causing Aang to fly after him.
This Six is a great foundation for reworking the Three.
SEVEN
Aang’s decision to escape through the door no matter what, as in Roku, could be the overarching Seven. His decision to use Sokka’s trick on the door is also part of the Seven. I would call this a cascading Seven, with one decision leading to another.
EIGHT
This aligns with Roku.
NINE
As does this.
I like the moments when Spirit aligns with Winter’s Four and Roku aligns with Winter’s Five. It’s so very tidy. The resolution lines up pretty well, too. It’s that beginning that feels haphazard. If anyone had asked me (heh) I would’ve called for one more rewrite on that opening sequence. Trim the fat and make the intention clearer with straightforward beats.