![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Possibly I should investigate icons. Anyway, Aang, Katara and Sokka visit an Earth kingdom city that is not ruled by the Fire Nation, inflict a certain amount of wanton property damage (I am actually on the side of the cabbage owner here) and then have to solve the king's trials or be progressively frozen in rock crystal candy. The identity of the king is pretty obvious to the audience, and it's hard to know how hard it is for Aang to solve - there's not enough backstory visible for us to find it out - but I do like the hug.
In the next episode we're in a small town controlled by the Fire Nation, and the Earth benders are imprisoned on a metal ship so they can't earthbend. Katara initiates all the action here - she talks a young Earthbender, Haru, into using his skills, then deliberately gets captured to track him when he is caught as a result, and then gives all the inspiring speeches on the ship. The end scene - Zuko picking up Katara's necklace - was not something I expected at all and sent appropriate chills down my spine.
Worldbuilding comments - three episodes in the Earth kingdom, and we've seen an independent city, a neutral one, and one controlled by the Fire Nation. I need to stare harder at the map in the opening credits, although this may not help! All the Earth benders we see are male, but there's no problem with Katara pretending to earthbend. The captured Earth benders are not killed - but also not used? Initially I thought they were working on the ship, but then apparently not. Omashu (the city with the mad king) did not appear to be at war, but presumably is - but just distant from any Fire nation troops? How did the troops get to the Air city anyway? (questions largely rhetorical!)
I am also totally with the fire nation henchpeople on the lack of need to distinguish between a flying bison and a flying buffalo, not least because I can't tell the difference either.(Hmm. A flying buffalo would presumably be useful for making very special mozzarella).
In the next episode we're in a small town controlled by the Fire Nation, and the Earth benders are imprisoned on a metal ship so they can't earthbend. Katara initiates all the action here - she talks a young Earthbender, Haru, into using his skills, then deliberately gets captured to track him when he is caught as a result, and then gives all the inspiring speeches on the ship. The end scene - Zuko picking up Katara's necklace - was not something I expected at all and sent appropriate chills down my spine.
Worldbuilding comments - three episodes in the Earth kingdom, and we've seen an independent city, a neutral one, and one controlled by the Fire Nation. I need to stare harder at the map in the opening credits, although this may not help! All the Earth benders we see are male, but there's no problem with Katara pretending to earthbend. The captured Earth benders are not killed - but also not used? Initially I thought they were working on the ship, but then apparently not. Omashu (the city with the mad king) did not appear to be at war, but presumably is - but just distant from any Fire nation troops? How did the troops get to the Air city anyway? (questions largely rhetorical!)
I am also totally with the fire nation henchpeople on the lack of need to distinguish between a flying bison and a flying buffalo, not least because I can't tell the difference either.(Hmm. A flying buffalo would presumably be useful for making very special mozzarella).