The Earth Kingdom has fallen to the Fire Nation, and things are in a dark place for Team Avatar as Book 3: Fire gets underway. Written by Aron Ehasz, the third and final season began on 21 September, 2007.

Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen) has been out of it for a while. He’s grown some hair, and is stunned to find himself waking on a Fire Nation ship. But it’s a Fire Nation ship under the control of his friends. Katara (Mae Whitman) and Sokka (Jack De Sena) have reunited with their father, Hakoda (Andre Sogliuzzo) and their ship has kept them safe while Aang recovers.

Less than thrilled with the idea of staying secret Aang is determined to face the Fire Lord (Mark Hamill) on his own, and leaves the safety of the ship, but soon realizes that his friends’ plan, to make the world believe Aang is dead, works better in the long run.

Meanwhile, Zuko (Dante Basco) has returned home with Azula (Grey Griffin) and is being welcomed by his own father, the Fire Lord, who applauds him for killing the Avatar. Zuko is aware that Aang may have survived thanks to Katara’s water-healing ability, and believes his sister may be setting him up for another fall when Aang is revealed to be alive.

Lots going on, lots of things with fathers as both Katara and Zuko confront and deal with their emotions around their parents.

A brilliant season opener.

The Headband. In order to keep his continued presence a secret, Aang must don a headband to hide his arrow, and they all have to don disguises to pass in the Fire Nation. Unfortunately, Aang has grabbed a school uniform, and the local constabulary turn him over to the local school.

Written by John O’Bryan, this episide was first broadcast on 28 September, 2007.

It’s an interesting episode, because while it does provide some intersting narrative tidbits, it also lets Aang be a kid for awhile. Though he gets in a bit of trouble and Sokka and Katara have to pose as his parents. And on a riff on Footloose, Aang organizes a secret dance because dancing isn’t allowed in the capital.

This allows for a really nice moment between Katara and Aang as they continue to develop the possibility of a relationship. Course parents show up and cause a problem, which may mean the end of Aang’s schooling, but at least he showed his classmates that there are other viewpoints and ideas that can be explored and not just what they are told is truth.

Zuko meanwhile has a blossoming romance with Mai (Cricket Leigh) and goes to see Iroh in prison. His uncle won’t speak to him after his betrayal. So Zuko seeks someone out that will hunt down and kill Aang once and for all.

The Painted Lady was written by Joshua Hamilton and first debuted on 5 October, 2007.

The gang heads up a polluted river to a dying fishing village. Itseems a nearby factory is poisoning the river. Aang, Katara, Katara and Toph (Micheala Jill Murphy). Seeing the condition the village Katara pleads for the group to help more, though Sokka is focused on getting them on task with defeating the Fire Lord.

Soon, a local legend, the Painted Lady, seems to make an appearance to help the village. This spirit is helping feed the village, but it’s a little odd that she showed up as soon as Aang and the rest arrived. Aang believes that if she’s a real spirit, he may have a connection to her, but in reality, it is Katara trying to do what’s right.

Together, she and Aang work to stop the factory and its assault on the environment, allowing the village, and the river on which it floats to thrive. But that may have painted a target on the village when the Fire Nation troops that run the factory attack. Team Avatar will have to use their wits and some trickery to keep the village safe before they continue their journey.

The third season is already a stellar watch, the characters have come so far, and it’s an absolutely stunning watch. Check out Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Complete Series on Blu-ray, available now from Paramount Canada.