Problems arise for our heroes, when they meet a young revolutionary named Jet (Crawford Wilson). This episode, written by Aaron Ehasz, was first broadcast on 6 May, 2005.

After stumbling upon a Fire Nation encampment, Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen), Katara (Mae Whitman) and Sokka (Jack De Sena), Jet rescues them and reveals his hidden encampment and his young band of rebels.

Katara develops a bit of a crush, Aang is taken by his forest lifestyle, but Sokka begins to suspect that Jet isn’t as upfront and freedom-oriented as he appears. He behaves in a thug-like manner and is willing to manipulate Katara and Aang into helping him flood a reservoir, which they do.

Then they discover he plans to blow up the damn to flood and destroy a Fire Nation town.

Illisions shattered, the trio must fight for their own freedom, and Katara (and Aang) show some great development of their waterbending abilities, but it’s too little too late, as the damn explodes! But we learn that Sokka got everyone out of the town before the explosives went off. He saved countless lives and Sokka chastises Jet for losing his way.

Reunited in their common goal, the trio set off with Momo and Appa on their journey to the North Pole.

The Great Divide was written by John O’Bryan and debuted on 20 May, 2005.

Continuing their journey northward, they encounter two feuding tribes who must make a trek through a dangerous canyon. Aang, Katara and Sokka lend a hand, joining the guide (Leonard Stone), but it seems despite all their similarities, the feuding tribes just can’t find common ground. The Zhangs are accused of being thieves and ruffians, while the Gan Jin seem to be too prim and proper to survive on their own.

Each believes they have a reason to hate the other, to mistrust, and consequently live up to that mistrust. And this puts all of them in danger from the canyon crawlers, giant voracious insects.

Aang struggles to remain impartial and get everyone through, but things threaten to devolve into violence until both sides are united to fight the canyon crawlers who are attacking them for the food that no one was supposed to bring in, but both tribes did, knowing the others would as well.

Aang eventually finds a way for them all to work together, and is able to put the tribes’ feud behind them, and it all ends well, but it’s interesting to see how distrust and hate can originate through misperception.

As an added bonus Rene Auberjonois plays the Gan Jin leader!

The Storm is a dreamlike wonder of an episode. Written by Aaron Ehasz, it debuted on 3 June, 2005.

Aang and Iroh (Mako) both share stories when the Airbender’s group, and the pursuing Fire Nation led by Zuko (Dante Basco) fall afoul of a storm. Zuko’s crew is less than happy with the attitude of their young leader, something Iroh attempts to assuage, and when the storm strikes he tells the crew the story of how Zuko received his scar and why he was banished.

Zuko attended a meeting overseen by his father (Mark Hamill!), the leader of the Fire Nation and voiced his opinion about the needless sacrifice of Fire Nation forces, that led to a public punishment, as Zuko was challenged to a Fire Duel for his actions, and had to face his father, something he refused to do – his father delivered the scar he bears and banished him to search for the Avatar as a way to be rid of him.

Aang, in turn, begins to remember why he disappeared, and what he may have done to cause his disappearance for one hundred years. Aang was less than happy to be chosen as the Avatar, he wanted to be just a kid, sure a monk, but still a kid. And when his mentor Gyatsu (Sab Shimono) is ordered to send Aang to another monastery because he’s too emotionally connected to the child, Aang runs away from home and his responsibilities, eventually ending up in the iceberg.

There’s a great voice cast at work throughout this episode, as the regular cast is joined by not only Shimono and Hamill, but Clyde Kusatsu, Robert Pine, and the one and only James Hong!!

The series continues to intrigue and entertain as the characters and the story continues to develop. You can catch up on the entire story with Paramount Canada’s release of Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Complete Series on blu-ray, available now.