It’s so important that dancing is right there at the core of firebending. Dance is expression and passion and celebration. And yet we saw in the “filler” Footloose episode that dancing had been completely removed from Fire Nation culture, because they’re so cut off from their roots and they’ve lost sight of the true meaning of firebending. And even without realizing it, Aang’s natural instinct was to bring dance back to other kids’ lives.

Fun fact: if you noticed, Zuko grunted and yelled every time he firebended prior to 3x13. But after learning the true origins of firebending, he can do it without making a sound. Almost like he had to force it out before, and now can do it effortlessly.

I love the fact that once his rage is gone, Zuko's main personality trait is social awkwardness 😄

"Hello, Zuko here" is still maybe my favorite line in the show. I love how Zuko thinks introducing himself like a dork will put everyone at ease.

Iroh has been trying to teach humility to Zuko for years. This episode is when he finally gets it. “Shame is not the opposite of pride, but its source.”

Most people feel Katara's anger towards Zuko is over exaggerated, but I think it is perfectly justified. We as viewers, saw Zuko's growth but Aang, Katara and Sokka didn't. Last time they saw him, he was attacking Aang after Aang and Sokka decided to help uncle Iroh to find zuko. And Aang almost died. If it wasn't for Kataras spirit water, the avatar cycle would have been broken. Even if Zuko changed after that, it would have meant nothing. So Katara's threat to Zuko is well deserved. Zuko understood how uncle Iroh was trying to help him, but he also need to know how much pain he caused to Aang, Katara and Sokka.

I love how you call Zuko "kiddo". The fandom feels such affection and ownership of these characters.

"Why am I so bad at being good" live rent free in me as one of most memorable Zuko's line.

Sun Chief: "But seriously, don't tell anybody." Aang's Literal next line: "With this technique the dragons showed us..."

I think a lot of people (not you lol) forget that Katara has the most reason to be distrustful of Zuko. Toph has almost no reason not to trust him except what she's been told by the others. Aang has always thought there was some good in Zuko. Sokka distrusts everyone at first lol. But Katara actually opened up to him and had a moment with him, only for him to turn around and side with Azula. So, I think her reaction is justified. For her, this is a second chance, not a first.

I think Katara's anger is mostly a holdover from last season. When she was with Zuko in the crystal cavern, they had a moment of genuine connection where even offered to use the spirit water on his scar. Her threat at the end of 3x12 felt a lot like when she shouted "I thought you had changed!" during their battle. The last time she trusted a 'transformed Zuko', it ended with Aang dead in her arms.

The "Firebending masters" episode always makes me tear up. It's not necessarily emotional, but it's a cinematic masterpiece. The sheer beauty of doing the dragon dance with the dragons, the rainbow flames and the MUSIC just bring out all the emotions.

Baby Toph learning from the Badger moles is the cutest

Two of my favorite season 3 episodes! I love how Zuko's redemption still feels VERY Zuko. He's changed and he's good, but he's still Zuko and I appreciate that so much.

This the most realistic approach in letting Zuko join. Them letting him join with open arms was NEVER gonna happen. While we’ve seen Zuko’s growth, the gang hasn’t and last time they saw him, Aang got killed so the immediate rejection is justified

I absolutely love how in-character the GAang's reaction to Zuko joining is- Aang is optimistic, Toph doesn't care because she's got the least experience being victimized by him, Sokka would probably be the one to hold the biggest grudge if it weren't for the fact Aang needs to learn firebending because Sokka's always been able to put practicality & pragmatism above all else, and Katara *actually* holding the biggest grudge works because she had a front row seat to Zuko's failure to reform in the S2 finale as well as being the "mom friend" of the group (as someone who is similar in personality- when you love big and make it your job to take care of your people, the "darker" flip side of that is you're willing go harder & dirtier than anyone else to protect them)

"Monkey feathers! The Winter Solstice again" the foul sailor mouth on Aang.😂

The Firebending masters is probably one of the most beautiful episodes ever done imo

I was 18 when season 3 came out ( I almost didn't watch the show because I thought it was just for kids) I relate to Zuko in so many ways, lots of family trauma, lots of anger issues, and a scar on my face (though from a dog attack) Zuko's redemption helped me, and while it took a few more years, I too was able to find my peace.

"Fire is life, not just destruction". I really liked to hear that sentence. Particularly when you consider how severely this show has vilified the element of fire and the fire nation-to the point where the main character of the show vowed never to bend it. I get that, especially in regards to the devastation the Fire Nation caused on the globe. However, fire is life, as the firewarrior stated, and it also provides warmth and vitality. I adore how they highlighted the positive aspects of the element of fire as well. I adore this program so much because of this.❤

Zuko is the prime example of a well done redemption arc. The feeling of pride we get when he decides to finally join up with team avatar wouldn't be as strong if Zuko never messed up and fell back into line in the fire nation. It's so much more realistic to see a character fail after trying to do something different or new. His redemption feels earned because he struggled, failed, then eventually succeeded.

She straight up told zuko "I'm just gonna kill you, k?" lmao which is terrifying since she knows bloodbending

I love your reaction to finding out uncle saved the last dragons rather than killing them

Now that Zuko knows the real source of fire-bending, he's a whole new man. Pay attention to his fire-bending now. He no longer yells, or screams when he's bending, he's at peace and just uses the bending the way it was meant to be used. Also, just another example of why Iroh is the best character in this show. 😄

People dont give Sokka enough credit for basically taking down Combustion Man single boomerangly

Zuko's character development arc is among the best, whether we are talking animated or otherwise.

Zuko and Aang are absolutely adorable. You're right we get a fusion of Zuko's childhood and exile personalities in his Team Avatar personality. He's grumpy and pessimistic, but also humble, friendly, and well-meaning. His teaching style is demanding and uncompromising, but he's actually more liberal with praise than Toph, nor does he ever cross the line into bullying like she does. He yells like a drill sergeant because he probably first learned from a military teacher. But he's encouraging and supportive toward Aang too. When he's frustrated now, it's also different than it was before. It is simply frustration, not rage. He isn't rude anymore, because he isn't raw anymore. He's confident in what he's doing. And I'm so glad Toph recognized after the original pain and panic that Zuko only hurt her in mistaken self-defense. His dad literally tried to kill him a day or two ago. It is by no means unrealistic for Zuko to be in fear of his life when he is woken up suddenly. I'm also glad Katara was able to help her. On another show, that scene could have gotten so dark. Re: the Gaang's reception of Zuko, Aang took the lead from his oldest friends. If Sokka and Katara had been more welcoming at first, I believe Aang might gave also been. He trusted the people he knew first and best, who have become his family. Privately, later, he admitted to them he thought there might be more to Zuko. And when Zuko explains himself better and Aang can relate to his mistakes, he is the readiest minus Toph to accept Zuko. Sokka is actually VERY fair, given the history. He's pragmatic and would take Zuko prisoner. Once Toph explains how taking Zuko up on his offer is the smartest thing for them to do and Aang accepts Zuko's offer, Sokka does more than just defer to Aang. He makes something of an effort. He can't resist the odd dig, but he tries to be friendly, and that matters. Katara, however-others have mentioned that last time she trusted Zuko, even for a moment, he took up with Azula again, and Aang wound up dead. I also think it's significant what she says to Zuko at the end of Season 2. Through Season 1, as Zuko pursued them incessantly, she came to conflate him personally with all the trauma she herself and all her people have endured. He compounded that trauma in his actions in Ba Sing Se. Furthermore, since she did trust him for a moment and was willing to extend her friendship, she now feels personally humiliated and betrayed by him. And because she hasn't been privy to the fact that he actually was exiled from the Fire Nation for the entirety of the time he pursued them and gave up on the chase for months to live as a peaceful refugee, she really has no idea that he won't gain by defecting again. He might be able to explain, but would she listen to him?

Imagine being Uncle Iroh during Zuko's Agni-kai against his father, watching his brother mistreat is son so badly.

These 2 episodes make you see how much of Iroh has impacted Zuko. The rest of the series doesn’t disappoint 🤗

We must recognize the genius that Sokka is once again. The man calculated the trajectory perfectly of an UNSEEN opponent and got a headshot. Sokka may have felt underappreciated when he said the rest of the gang was so special because they are benders and yet SOKKA was the one to take out Combustion Man.

I love how this show teaches us that Uncle Iroh, just like every great person you know, has done things that he isn't proud of. We sometimes forget that Iroh has done even worse things than Zuko, but he doesnt let his past define him. This is something that Zuko learns, and its something we should all learn as well.

"I think your feet need their eyes checked" is one of my favorite throwaway lines in the show.

22:36 I have a feeling that someone's going to be a big fan of Varrick when that time comes. 👀👀👀

Now that Zuko's in the team: I love how the benders of our Gaang represent the four elements how Iroh describes them: Katara is very caring and motherly about the others ("Water is the element of change. The people of the water tribes have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything.") Toph can be very stubborn as we saw in the first few episodes with her, but is also often the rational one as we saw here ("Earth is the element of substence. The people of the earth kingdom are persistent and enduring.") Zuko is very ambitious and, despite him being with the good ones now, still temperamental ("Fire is the element of power. The people of the fire nation have desire and will, and the energy to achieve what they want.") Aang is very humorous and a free spirit, always thinking outside of the box. ("Air is the element of freedom. The air nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom.")

it's a testament to the patience and love Iroh has. He knew the hurt child underneath Zuko's angry façade.

Without exaggeration or hyperbole, I have watched Avatar: The Last Airbender all the way through at least 20 times. But, I have never enjoyed watching this show as much as I have while watching your reactions. Thank you so much for sharing your Avatar journey with the world. I can't speak for anyone else, but I greatly appreciate it!

THIS is how you do a redemption arc for a character. Many shows are simply ok to turn a character good when he says "sorry" instead of actually repenting and making an effort.

The fact that we've heard those ICONIC drums the entire series, and they finally get introduced canonically in the story deserves a chef's kiss. Can we also talk about how your sponsorship bit alway felt like a little mini snack haul video on it's own, because that was amazing! Great reaction as always!

Seeing her get emotional gets me emotional. This is my favorite animated tv series of all time. Seeing others enjoy it is truly heart warming. It also quite a treat to actually see Aang and Zuko learn the original way of firebending, at the exact same time. It also great that the last time you saw 2 dragons, was when Zuko's two great grandfathers and Aangs past life were fighting a volcano. A friendship destroyed. This episode, dragons reappear and a friendship was born. Interesting parallel

Zuko doesn't have the best character arc in the series... he has the best character arc in all of fiction.

It’s nice to see Appa remember that Zuko and his uncle freed him

ATLA doesn't feel like ATLA until Toph shows up but Team Avatar isn't complete until "Hello, Zuko here!" It's always weird to me how late in the show this happens.

I love how they learn from the source of fire bending. Also you then see the forms from the Dancing Dragon used by Zuko from here on. It's a good continuity move that they incorporated!

I love how deftly this show manages to technically be a kid show while saying very adult things. Like Katara saying 'slip up and I'll f*ing kill you' but couched in terms of destiny...

Appa licked Zuko like a random dog you only fed one time and the dog remembered

This is such an incredible conclusion to an arc that's been going almost from the beginning of the show.

Iroh telling Zuko he needs to let go of his pride if he wants his shame to go away..... cut to "If you won't accept me as a friend, maybe you'll take me as a prisoner." Such a great moment.

No spoilers, but I'm so happy that for the ad spot you basically told Nathaniel to "do the thing " 😂

The end credit theme playing during the fire bending masters episode symbolizes Aang and Zukos journey coming full circle. This episode finally concluded the arc of them as enemies/opponents which drove the narrative of the show for so long.

I rewatched the trailer for Book 3, and it turns out the dragons were already revealed lololz. I also love how Katara just let Aang go with Zuko alone immediately, especially given her threat to him just the chapter before "Why is Combustion Man not listening to Zuko?" Cause it was personal at that point lololz. He really said "keep your money!"

"Hello, Zuko here," Perfect. Flawless. No notes XD

I don’t even blame Katara either cause I cried when I saw her crying and holding Aang literally dead due Zuko betrayed her on season 2 finally. That’s why her speech on chapter 12 is one of my favorite ones; the first time when I watched it I felt her pain. Such a great reaction! greetings from Brooklyn! ❤ My favorite chapter is coming next week ❤❤❤

"Monkey feathers! The solstice again." My fave line from this episode. The only world where monkeys have feathers

There is no live action movie in Ba Sing Se. Here we are safe. Here we are free.

“Don’t tell anyone”. They immediately tell their friends. Still. One of the most beautiful episodes ever.

This is an absolutely timeless show. I watched it when it first came out on tv, and i have watched it probably 4 times since. Whenever new fans start watching the show, im always excited and envious that i can't watch the show again for the first time.

Commenting this as I'm watching so I don't know if you'll mention it later 😅 but I so love the symbolism of Aang accepting Zuko into the group *at* the Western Airtemple. An airbender forgiving a firebender at the exact place where the Fire Nation brutally murdered airbenders 100 years prior? It's so good. The writing of this show, and the symbolism behind it, is just *so* good edit: and of course the fact that they don't show us Zuko's scar as he and Aang talk after the fight. Throughout the whole show the scar has been a visual storytelling method and they just keep nailing it on the head with the symbolism

the firebending masters is easily in the top 5 episodes for me! aang is my favorite character & zuko is close behind; the relationship between zuko & aang is so great. they spent the whole series showing how the two parallel each other & seeing that finally pay off is so special. they’re finally becoming friends!

I like the detail of Zuko expecting Appa to be faster. Of course, Appa was very difficult to chase, and the view from the sky diminishes the sense of motion.

Combustion Man's forehead tattoo represents the "Third Eye" of Eastern mysticism. You can learn more about his fire-bending technique in F.C. Lee's A:TLA novels The Dawn of Yanghchen and The Legacy of Yanghchen.

What gives me the chilliest chills is that Roku said the exact words to SOzin i that Katara said to Zuko

I like how Toph is the one to give Zuko a chance, since her opinion of him is based on her interaction with Iroh back in Book 2.

One thing I love is that even though Zuko changed sides he still didn’t change his personality. He is still a hot headed, emo boy at heart and I am here for it.

From the Avatar Wiki: Ran (燃) means "burn" or "ignite" in Chinese. Shaw, more correctly shāo (燒), means "burn" or "blaze". The characters can also be used together to mean "combustion", "flaming", or "kindle".[

At this point I want a series about Iroh’s life journey. All the stuff this show gives us about his past make me so curious to see him in his prime. Maybe a something leading from his younger days in the fire nation army to his tragic loss at ba sing and possibly right up to zuko’s banishment

I love reliving these episodes through reactors on KZfaq, especially the last few after The Day of Black Sun. It gets me all emotional again 😂😭 and you care about these characters so much, its amazing to watch. Thank you so much for sharing your journey!

My fav. episode! The firebending masters!!! It's honestly the best of this series imo

notice from now on that not only zuko doesn’t grunt while fire bending because he doesn’t need the anger anymore for it to work, but that he is increasingly using more different styles of fire bending influenced by other bending techniques, much inspired by Iroh’s speech in book 2 about how knowing other bending techniques could make him a whole lot powerful. such a nice touch from the writers of this amazing series🥰✨

I love how in love you are with these characters. These last few episodes are the most amazing in the series, and I love watching them again with you.

As many others have said here, the judgement scene from The Firebending Masters is one of the most beautiful shots in the series. I love it so much! Also, you don't have to worry about saying Zuko's character arc is the best, it's pretty widely accepted that his is just so wonderfully written it's not just the best arc and redemption story in Avatar, it's one of the best in all media ever!

Zuko's arc is so impeccable, so incredibly well put together, it is an arc that 90% of even prestige TV would kill to have.

Your comments about loving this show so much... hear hear. It's wonderful seeing someone understand the experiences we've had, and to see someone finding the same joy and passion for this story.

22:37 Zhu Li, do the thing.

Katara knows blood bending. That threat was a promise

my fav thing about the Firebending masters is when they say Iroh was the last firebender to be taught by the masters, it shows that Zuko has gone full circle of trying to get his fathers approval, to completely becoming Irohs suragate son, following in his footsteps directly as litterally the next in line to learn from the masters. and we have seen how powerfull Iroh is, he probably could have overthrown his brother at anytime but is a master of Neutral Jing Katara had given him the benefit of the doubt before and once bitten twice shy, and refering back to what Zukos mother said about messing with mommas babies, Katara is the mother figure

So now that we're past the moment of truth, I've been wanting to mention this for awhile, but I think it was so important for Zuko to *succeed* at getting what he thought he wanted. His "honor", his father's trust and respect. He had to win that in order to grow past it. That's why, as upsetting as it was to see him turn on team Avatar back when we thought he was finally going to turn good, narratively he had to go full villain before he could really properly reflect on what he really wants. It makes it much more meaningful as a character journey than "I'm joining the Avatar because we have a common foe in Azula."

22:36 "Nathaniel! Roll the thing!" Ohh boy she hasn't seen Legend of Korra yet but that reminded me of a certain character

Combustion is another form of firebending the way the bounty hunter does it is just a controlled way. If you remember when Iroh was showing Zuko how to make lightning Zuko accidently made explosions infront of himself

Zuko talking to himself is one of my favorite scenes ever.

"The Firebending Masters" is my favourite episode of all the seasons. Zuko is my favourite character, I relate a lot to him, his anger, him evolving, him finally choosing his destiny and not having his destiny chosen for him and seeing that dance with him, Aang and the dragons always makes me tear up. Firebending is also my favourite type of bending: fire is dangerous, but it is also life.

I really like how they animated Aang and Zuko's dancing motions in sync with the dragons, they really emphasized where those movements came from and how they match up.

The shots in the whole facing the dragon sequence are amazing in the Firebending Masters. animation at it's perfection.

"Only lick people you feel safe around!" That's good advice!! Even though The Avatar and the Fire Lord is my personal favorite episode, I can't wait to see your reaction to The Ember Island Players and the finale!!!

I love how much you love that show! Now you understand why the fans are so passionate about it. Every time I try to convince my friends to watch it, they don't believe it's that good, but it absolutely is!!! 😂

This is one of my favorite episodes. Zuko learns that honor is like respect you have to earn it not force upon someone. When you do all you are gaining is fear and hate.

From this episode on, Zuko does not grunt in anger every time he firebends, which was something he did frequently in seasons one and two and part of season three.

Aang: maybe you can give a lesson sometimes buddy Appa: **Grunting** (translated: let go your earthly tether, enter the void, empty and become wind)

One of my favorite little world building details in the Firebending Masters is that this is the source for that song that played during our first agni kai and over all the credits, but also that when they are doing this ritual there are people holding rings of fire, and once the ritual is finished, they extinguish the fire in a circle motion that ends in the fire nation hand bow position that aang learned in fire school. So that tradition carried through to the modern fire nation probably without any of them knowing it came from this ritual learning the secret from the masters

Notice zuko is not angry any more when he is bending. in the past he used to grunt and yell while fighting, notice how it changes

"Roll the thing" ......hmmm interesting phrasing 🤔🤣

I can’t believe you were pretty much quoting Varrick with that Tokyo treat Ad! 😂 “Nathaniel ROLL THE THING!”

This could be said for many of the episodes, but this is some good storytelling: the dialogue, journeys, challenges, character growth, stakes, wins, losses. Really good stuff!

22:31 Daaaamn!!!!!! That was ALMOST perfect if Angela said "do the thing", I would have lost it.

It’s weird to remember that, in the timeline of the show, it’s been less than 10 years since Iroh was a conqueror, trying to siege the Earth Kingdom capital. Like, most of the cast was already born by the time he began his reformation into the man we meet him as.

WE ARE IN THE ZUKO ADVENTURES ARC. let goooooo

The Firebending Masters is my favorite episode. I love "magic" that involves dancing in fantasy books and stuff. So I love that they implemented dancing into the original source of firebending. Absolutely amazing episode

One of the little things I recently found out, Zuko doesn't make angry noises when bending after this episode. He learned a better way.

Kataras reaction was well justified. The last time Katara saw Zuko, they had a really good talk in the prison about how he had changed, and it seemed (and was) very genuine. Even to the point where Katara offered to heal his scar, which is such a big part of him. And then he betrayed them all. A betrayal so bad that actually got Aang killed, and almost ended the Avatar cycle for good. That is not a great last look, so of course she's very on edge. The only reason she accepts is, is because Toph gave the go ahead, and Aang is accepting enough to give him a chance (Sokka was pretty indifferent)

There is a video about the "Perfect Musical Symmetry" of Avatar after you finish the show.. that might be worth watching, it heavily ties in how the music reflects Aang's and Zuko's journey and how they are mirrors of each other.

Sun Warrior Chief: Seriously, don't tell anyone. Aang (Literally in the next scene): With this technique the dragon showed us... Lmao Aang.