My personal favorite episode of season 3 ~Chad

Katara's "ME" ALWAYS gives me chills

Zukos reaction to Katara bloodbending is one of my favorite things. He has absolutely no idea what the limitations are, like when she can do it, so those threats she made toward him are horrifying

One thing that makes this episode so interesting is the similarities between Katara and Zuko with both of their mothers sacrificing themselves to protect them.

Some people don't like Katara in this episode, but I think it's outstanding in portraying prolonged grief towards losing a loved one. We've seen her warmth and overall tenderness, but I think a lot of it comes from suppressing her anger over the situation, a lifetime surrounded by war, pain and death. Seeing it finally come out feels raw and powerful, and Mae Whitman acts the hell out of it. Also I love the expression on Zuko's face when she starts blood bending the captain; he's like, "Holy shit, that could've been me."

I love the decision to portray Yon Rha as just some shitty old guy already basically condemned to his own personal hell, being force to spend the rest of his days constantly emasculated by his own mother. i also love them showing the reality of a young child holding a lifelong grudge and finally able to carry it out as a young adult. you create this image of the person who’s had so much power over your entire life from one brief encounter, a literal incarnation of evil, and when you’re finally able to confront them you expect to be david slaying goliath but in reality it’s just you standing over a feeble old man who’s begging for his life and pathetically trying to leverage his own mother’s life in exchange for his own as his final act. it weirdly humanizes him in a way you don’t expect.

Mae Whitman did an excellent job voicing Katara in this episode

There's a little detail that not everyone connects that adds to the tradgedy in Kya's death. At the end of book 1, Yagoda says to Katara that she is the spitting image of Kanna (grangran). In ep 7 of book 3, Sokka says that he can't remember what his mother's face looks like. In this episode, we finally see Kya's face, and which of her children looks EXACTLY like her? The one that can't remember what she looks like.

Zuko is probably thinking “shit, that could’ve been me” the first time he saw her Blood Bend.

Katara's life changing field trip with Zuko.

I still get chills when Katara says *"ME!"* and stops the rain. I love this episode, the moral debates, bloodbending callback and everything

Am I the only one who can no longer hear the word "tunnel" without it immediately being followed by "SECRET TUNNELLL" in my head?? 😂

This episode is amazing. You feel every ounce of Katara's rage, and feel her conflict when she does the right thing.

Him offering his mother is darkly comedic for this show.

Something that's useful to note is that when Zuko and Katara attacked that ship and Katara used her bloodbending against that one captain, it was only possible because it was the night of a full moon. I've noticed a few reactors by this point in the series forget that that very crucial caveat exists (which turns an otherwise busted ability into something that is very situational). Just to make it clear that it's not something Katara just has in her back pocket at all times.

This episode really reminds you how powerful Katara has become. She used to not even be able to do a water whip properly or make a wave. Now she’s making giant waves that are capable of moving ships, bloodbend, stop rain, she’s really come a long way:

Notice how in the morning after we see Sokka waiting for Suki in the tent, he's holding a lei of flowers. It's indicating Sokka got "lei'd" and Suki got "deflowered." 🤭

I always tear up at this one. Katara's feelings are just so intense. And the voice acting sells it soooo well.

Zuko's character arc is amaze-balls! Like, literally the best. Love this channel... you're almost done!!!

There is a theory that the reason they didn’t take Katara’s mom as a prisoner was because after Hama escaped they decided to just kill new southern water tribe benders in case they were blood benders

cant believe maple predicted aang blasting the fire lord into space!

One of my favorite things between this fight between Zuko and Azula is how Zuko no longer grunts and yells while firebending, because his fire no longer comes from rage. This has also made his style much more defensive and fluid, whereas before it was rigid and aggressive, something Azula exploited

I love how this episode links into Aang's internal struggle about what to do with the fire lord. If Katara has taken her vengeance, would Aang have acted differently in the end?

Katara is one of the extremely few fictional characters that I will defend to the death, making this episode a crucial point on which I decide whether or not to continue watching the reactor. Anyone who bashes on Katara for this episode (+her lashing out at Hakoda) clearly doesn't understand anything about childhood trauma, premature familial separation, delayed grief, and so on. She's suppressed her pain for the sake of caring immensely for those around her, all the while never getting the emotional support she needs. Katara's the reason Sokka was able to cope and move on from Kya's death, 'cause Katara literally filled that place for him, as Sokka himself admits in the Runaway. No one filled that place for Katara, making Kya's death MUCH more personal and ingrained, going as far to shaping her whole identity and self-image as a person, and traumatizes her with having witnessed her burned corpse. So while it wasn't the nicest thing to say, she is right; Sokka didn't love her the way she did. Note that Katara doesn't say "you didn't love her AS MUCH AS I did", as so many people so inaccurately remember. Such a smart and careful word choice by the writers that unfortunately goes unnoticed by many "fans" of the show. As for Aang, while he's also experienced the loss of his people, it really is different from Katara's. He does grieve in season 1 episode 3, but after that, he is able to move on (again, thanks to Katara filling that void), and it doesn't really get personally ingrained into him as much as to shape his whole identity as a person, but more of a plot device for his avatar growth. Again, Katara's loss is MUCH more personal and deep-rooted , affecting every part of her character, and is never properly filled or resolved. After always selflessly caring for others' needs while getting her's neglected, this episode is where she finally gets a chance to really get some care for HER needs, which are so evidently and painfully present whenever she brings up Kya. Poor girl :( Katara richly embodies so much of the shows core values and lessons, so anyone who has watched three whole seasons of Katara but somehow can't understand her here but slanders her instead with ridiculous remarks saying she's "annoying" "selfish and self-righteous" "talks about her mother too much" should be embarassed to even call themselves an ATLA fan.

My favorite theory is that hama was the southern water bender that they were looking for. Hama knew she was wanted so she never went back and that is why they raided during the day. It's really messed up but also a great way to tie those two events together. Sad but very deep!

Angry Katara is SO scary! If there is ever a zombie apocalypse I would want someone like that on my crew.

The look of horror and realization on Zuko's face...he realizes when she warned him...she wasn't kidding

Yon Rha's smile/laugh at the end was out of relief that Katara wasn't going to kill him.

It's true when you cannot know how much love and tenderness someone has, because just as high as that is, their opposite is just as intense.

That visual pun. Sokka making a flower necklace was put there as a pun by the animators. Insinuating he got "lei-d"

Fun Fact: Zuko’s first time seeing Katara Bloodbend and thinking bout what she told him he was shook shook

Zuko's really showing how much influence his uncle had on his bending now that he's found his purpose and made his pilgimage. He's much more defensive and deliberate, dissolving enemy fire while maneuvering instead of the frantic attacking he used to use. Actually, now that I think of it, maybe the reason he was always seen as less than his sister is that he really wasn't suited towards that kind of aggressive style taught by the modern Fire Nation? If the Sun Warrior style was taught, to him earlier, Zuko might have been seen as a talented Firebender. He's much more suited towards the ancient style he learned from the dragons- and from his uncle.

I’m surprised that this episode isn’t talked about more. This should have been a 2-part episode instead of The Boiling Rock

the look on Zuko's face when he sees her bloodbend is the high point of this episode for me and a testament to how good the animation is. You see everything going on in his head...

Katara likely saw her mom's burnt body and realized she died protecting her. Katara begins to trust Zuko, and Zuko's actions lead to Aang's death by another fire bender. Yeah, I think she's full of righteous fear and hate of fire benders. Most people would've killed that guy without hesitation. The look on Zuko's face with the blood bending and shield of rain was priceless. I think he realized that Katara's earlier threat was not an empty one. An enraged Katara could probably kill just about anyone she wanted.

Whaletail Island was first mentioned in the episode, "Lake Laogai".

"Not everyone in the family can be sane." I'm sorry, WHAT?! Pffft, Iroh good-aligned, but even his sanity is questionable at times. Azula's at the worst in but the Fire family is always a little crazy.

Feels like Whale Tail Island is mentioned a lot, but i can actually only recall two. This episode, and when a janitor mentioned that Appa was sent there while captured.

Here is my reading way to far into the show interpretation: Katara is a powerful Waterbender NOW. She was the last one to see her Mother back THEN. It doesn't matter that it isn't logical. Grief isn't logical. She blames herself for her Mother's death and feels tremendous guilt over the loss of her Mother. If she only had the abilities she has now there is no way that man would have taken her Mother from her then. You can read this as a through line for almost all of her character actions through out the series. She wants to learn Waterbending to be protect the people she loves. She's jealous of Aang being a naturally better bender because she wants to be better so bad, she steals the Waterbending scroll because it will lead to her being better. She becomes close with Haru because of his father having been taken, he is alive but her Mother isn't so she pushes to get him back for Haru. She falls for Jet because he is doing what she wished she had done, fight back against the Fire Nation. She wants to fight instead of heal in the Northern Water Tribe because THAT is how she will protect those closest to her. There are many other examples you could interpret this way. All this to say that she connected that grief and as she says when she pictures the face of the Fire Nation she pictures Zuko. This grief is guilt and when she forgives Zuko at the end of this episode she is really forgiving herself. She needed to get there and to have that decision this time, to have that power and to decide not to use it. Anyway, that's my take on it.

One of my favorite episodes of the entire series. The massaging this show had was amazing including the importance of forgiveness and how important it is .

1:10 "I am about to celebrate becoming an only child!" She's a-slippin', folks. 😄 Also, it's been said that those who use bloodbending open themselves up to madness. By now, the girls have seen some of this for themselves in TLoK ... And finally, another Zutara moment at 12:44. 🙄😏😁

Dude just got back from an all day fishing trip at south padre island. Caught 25 speckled trout 2 gafftops and 1 redfish. It was a great day. I come back fillet the fish made some great grub and just plopped down to scroll and see this this new video. This is a very nice cherry on top to my ice cream sundae of a day. I hope everyone else had as An amazing day as I did and if not may Tmmr be a better day for y’all.

Zuko seeing that bloodbending and being *very* thankful he switched sides when he did.

I scrolled through a few of the comments but didn’t see it mentioned so if someone already said it, I apologize. Whale Tail Island is where the lying guy who was sweeping in Ba Sing Se said that Appa had been taken. They were going to have to go almost all the way back to the Southern Water Tribe.

Adult episode from kids show, pretty dark, serious and great, love it

The one that i need to see is zuko mouth behind the mask when he reacted to katara bloodbending. Im curious what face he would behind the mask 😂😂😂

Season 3 katara brings out the tears man When she first spoke to her dad about how he left them and she needed him Broke me And this scene when she forgave zuko he voice is do emotional and soft

2:58 It’s not just that she doesn’t like him. We’ve really only seen her act this way with three people, and it always relates in some way to her mom. Jet and Zuko both bonded with her over her mother’s death, and then they both betrayed her on a deep level shortly after. And then Hakoda leaving to fight the war, which also left her and Sokka without a parent. Kya didn’t willingly leave, but Hakoda did. She worked things out with him pretty easily because she logically understood why he left. With Jet she didn’t have the chance to work things out before he died. And now we see her work things out with Zuko.

I always get so excited when I get the notification that an Avatar reaction has been posted! Always makes my day!

The question stands with a hell of a sting... "...What are you going to do when you face my father?" ...And, all at once, Aang is alone, tasked with the duty of having to reckon with something that could end all chapters of his innocence and childhood forever: the confounding paradox of a RIGHTEOUS KILL, so even the world entire may be saved. As the saying goes, he is "God's only man." In the words of Admiral Kirk of Star Trek fame, "I know that none of you were expecting this. I'm sorry. "I'm going to have to ask you to grow up a little bit sooner than you expected."

Whale tail island was mention when they found Jeff and the old man said they were going to take apa their.

I always feel so bad for sokka when katara says "then you didn't love her like I did" its super unfair and probably one of the meanest things any protagonist says in this series

This is probably one of the most hard hitting episodes for me since The Storm. When I was watching this as a kid, maybe 7 years old, my mom wasn’t in my life. I always felt connected to Zuko and Katara’s story when it came to their mom and missing them, but I remember as a kid I used to be running around pretending I was Katara, looking for my mother. Now before anyone cries, fast forward to 21 years old and me and my mom have coffee every morning, I’ve known her for years now, started seeing her daily at around 16 🙏🏼 But yeah, that’s one of the many reasons this show is the closest to my heart out of any form of media I’ve ever consumed.

8:23 i never noticed that she was crying

I love that, “oh shit” look on Zuko’s face when she bloodbends the guy.

I love that Katara shows the best and worst of herself in this episode! She is such a queen!

Katara stopping the rain is my favorite scene. Chills everytime. Something about just reversing nature in that way.

Yon Rha was the commander of the Southern Raiders for more than ten years. Katara hasn't seen him since she was eight years old, over seven years ago.

The next morning after the tent talk, Sokka is wearing Sukis flowers as a Lei, as a subtle reference to Sokka getting "lei'd" and Suki getting "deflowered".

1:51 don't even ask how did Zuko survive 😃

Whale tale island is where the livery worker tells the gaang Appa's been taken to.

3:37 Well, looks like Sokka was ready for a fun night. Bow chika bow wow!

Aang in The Library: "YOU MUZZLED APPA?! IM'A GO FULL KYOSHI ON YOU RIGHT NOW! IM'A GO HARRY DID YA PUTJA NAME IN DA GOBLET A FIAHHH ON YO ASSES! AVATAR STATE YIP YIP!" Aang in The Southern Raiders: "Revenge is for the weak, choose forgiveness instead! I mean, what did he really do, anyway, take your mother away from you? Come on, Katara, just forgive the guy already."

8:19 Can't even count how many times I've rewatched this show and I never noticed the tears in her eye up until now.,

The Raiders' ships are designed for attacking coastal villages.

As f*cked up as it is that Katara said that to Sokka, I think it mostly stems from her overhearing him admit that he can’t remember what their mom looked like. For someone who DEFINITELY saw her dead body, that’s gotta sting on some level

3:40 This is pretty much what it looks like! 😂🤣

one of my fav episodes 😭

Yon ra was a horrible man he burned her mom alive and left it specifically for katara father to see it. People say this show isn’t dark lol. Nicklodeon just did a great job with hiding some of it.

Yes, you heard whaletail island before, on episode lake laogai, they mentioned it before

Everyone: Nothing is worst than a Monday. Azula: Oh, pish posh! Hold my tea.

I fucking lost it when she called Zuko an eboy 🤣

I love you guys's reaction to this series.

The 2nd to the last episode will have you in aww in beauty and sound

This is my favorite episode of the entire show it was so good 😊

Survivor's guilt is always a bad thing.

Honestly even though the series was over after this book. I really hope that somone gets the rights to make the Graphic Novels that follow into either feature length animated movies or small mini series with lkesay 8 - 10 episodes. Zuko finding his mother and Sokka and Katara's return to the South are really interesting stories. Those are the only two I've seen anywhere, but I'm fairly certain there is also one with Azula too. I know there are KZfaq videos that tells us what happened after this series but I've never physically seen the story with Azula after the show. I wouldn't even mind seeing one with Toph and Aang all grown up either.

No one ever mentions how suki and sokka were getting it on.

8:50 Zuko be like : 👀💀🩸

11:40 I never noticed that little bit of foreshadowing.

The way Zuko dropped that question at the end...oof.

Two people that had awesome mothers meet a terrible person that doesn't care about his own

I saw someone compare Azula and Zuko: zuko started at level 1 and azula started at level 20. Growth rate eventually slows down for azula and zuko has a chance to catch up. Happens to prodigy kids too. Just thought it was a nice way compare them.

avatar 3:16 says Katara's gonna whip yo ass!

Just noticing that the same actor as azula voiced kataras mom 😅

I'm forever grateful to watch these reactions to my favorite non-anime animated series ❤.

Katara was meant to be named Kaya but theere was some copyright issues, her mum is a throwback to that

What always gets me in this episode is Katara never apologizes to Sokka for what she said.

LET'S F- GOOOOOO!!!!

Is that the only time that Toph earth bends while on Appa, or did I miss other times?

I ain’t gonna lie when I first watched this as a kid I thought the old man was gonna be redeemable then he threw his own mother under the bus 😂

Toph's earthbending style is based on "Praying Mantis" Kung Fu, which, some believe, was invented by a blind woman!

Field Trip Time

The look on Zuko's face when Katara bloodbends it's priceless.

That shit go crazy

Whale tail island mention by old man in ba sing se when Jet help Aang gang, old man said they brought Appa to that island.

Sokka was gonna get it going on lollll

I love and dread this episode. because it's the most human of all the episodes. Katara is willing to, and does terribel things in this episode, inclouding murder. She has no qualms about it. And of the gang she is maybe the "best" of them when it comes to doing "the right thing". Bur not when it*s about her mother, not when it actually important to her. Then all bets are off, which is terrifying to me. " Deamons run when a good man goes to war" really says it all. This episode is great, beacuse it is not preaching. It's an admition, to something we all feel. Everybody want's to be the better person, but usually it's not the reason we do the "right thing". Usually, it's because we can't, because in our heart we are the better person, just not the one we want to be.

I think the shippers of Zuko and Katara were empowered this episode

9:50 Maple is hilarious 😂 Monty Python ftw