The Spirit World is the first part in the Winter Solstice tale. It was written by Aaron Ehasz and was first broadcast on 8 April, 2005.

Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen), Katara (Mae Whitman) and Sokka (Jack De Sena) arrive in a small village that is being attacked nightly by a Hei Bai, a forest spirit, as the Winter Solstice draws closer. It seems with the approach of the Solstice the veil between the material and spiritual world thins, and this spirit is angry at part of its forest being destroyed by mankind, specifically the Fire Nation, but it’s taking it out on the village.

Aang must find a way to calm the creature, as well as discover a way to talk with the Avatar before him, Roku. Mistakenly finding himself in the spirit world after following the Hei Bai, he encounters Roku’s spirit animal that guides him to a remote island inside Fire Nation borders, and shows him a vision of when he can converse with Roku, and something more troubling, a comet headed towards them.

Zuko (Dante Basco) finds himself searching for his Uncle, General Iroh (Mako) after he was captured by Earthbenders. Along the way the viewer learns that despite the fact that most people cannot see spirits, Iroh can.

Time is ticking for Aang to reach the crescent island and speak with Roku. He has one day to reach his destination!

Avatar Roku, the second part of the Winter Solstice story, was written by one of the series creators, Micheal Dante DiMartino, and it first aired on 15 April, 2005.

On Aang’s flying bison, Appa, the group leaves the village just as Zuko arrives and races for the crescent island. We learn that Zuko has been banned from Fire Nation lands, but Zuko won’t turn from his quest.

Appa barely makes it, and Aang races through the Firebending temple in an attempt to find where Roku’s statue is, but Zuko arrives and the group falls into conflict, compounded by the return of Zhao (Jason Isaacs).

But Aang is able to trick his way into Roku’s chamber, and when the solstice sun hits the right spot, he is able to talk with the previous Avatar. Roku (James Garrett) adds a ticking clock, warning that the comet will be able to give the Fire Nation power, and that he must be ready to assume his role and responsibilities by summer’s end.

Aang not only has to learn earthbending, waterbending and firebending by then! Can he do it?

Roku tells him that he will be with Aang, and will be found when the young Avatar needs him, but for now, they’ll have to race to escape the collapsing crescent island and elude Zuko and Zhao.

There’s lots going on, and Zuko is dogged in his pursuit of Aang. Will things amping up, will the young monk be ready for what comes next?

The Waterbending Scroll was written by John O’Bryan and debuted on 20 April 2005.

Katara is not only desperate to improve her waterbending abilities but is eager to help and teach Aang, who is worried about the comet’s arrival, Roku’s warning, and his need to learn three more bending skills. Unfortunately, Aang catches on to what Katara has already learned incredibly quickly, and that leaves her a bad mood, and washes the supplies downriver.

Zuko and Iroh take a brief sojourn so that Iroh can get a new lotus tile for his game. This once again leads them to run across our group, who are in a marketplace, where Katara finds an expensive waterbending scroll in the hands of pirates.

Katara steals the scroll (stealing from pirates is okay), and the chase is on, but despite her promise to share the scroll with Aang, she’s more intent on using it herself, being slightly jealous of how quickly the Avatar has picked up the techniques she’s worked so hard on.

When the group falls fafoul of not only Zuko, but the pirates as well, only some quick thinking and some waterbendnig by both Aang and Katara will save them.

A nice little message episode, but one that also advances the characters and the overall narrative. It remains a well-written and well thought out story.

Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Complete Series is available from Paramount Canada on Blu-ray now!