ATLA, book 1, eps 7&8 (The Spirit World and Avatar Roku)

A two-parter in which Aang's mission becomes clearer and rather more urgent. Sokka gets kidnapped when he goes out to help Aang fight a spirit creature who is attacking an Earth village (the spirit creature reminded me strongly of the polluted river spirit in Spirited Away, and like them it is a basically good spirit that has been turned bad by the actions of humans). When Aang pursues the spirit, it sends him into the spirit world to tell him Avatar Roku has a message for him, but can only give it at a certain time – the winter solstice – in a temple in the Fire Nation. I am not all that fond of messages about messages but am prepared to mostly buy this one, especially as the message itself – that Aang has until next summer to master all four elements before the Fire Lord gains unstoppable power from the return of the comet used to initially trigger the war – is admirably clear.

The sequence from the blockade run (Appa!) to the temple and its destruction was where I realised I was hooked; I like the complication of the Fire Sages and their variable loyalty, I enjoyed Sokka's attempt to break in and Katara's using its failure as a trick was particularly nifty. I also feel very, very sorry for Zuko, who firstly has to rescue his mostly naked uncle from a bunch of Earth benders and then runs a blockade back into the Fire Nation (from whence he is banned etc) only to miss Aang yet again. I am curious about Iroh's past.

I note that having this be winter solstice with them travelling between poles is only confusing me further about the geography of this world.