Avatar: The Last Airbender (season 2)

Book Two: Earth is the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, an American animated television series created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelodeon. The series starred Zach Tyler Eisen, Mae Whitman, Jack DeSena, Jessie Flower, Dante Basco, Dee Bradley Baker, Mako Iwamatsu and Grey DeLisle as the main character voices.[1][2]

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Season 2
Cover for the second season DVD
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes20
Release
Original networkNickelodeon
Original releaseMarch 17 (2006-03-17) –
December 1, 2006 (2006-12-01)[1]
Season chronology

In the second season, Aang and his friends Katara and Sokka are on a quest to find an Earthbending teacher which finishes when they recruit Toph Beifong. After finding important information concerning the war with the Fire Nation, Appa ends up kidnapped. Their journey leads to Ba Sing Se, the capital of the Earth Kingdom, where they uncover a great internal government conspiracy. Meanwhile, due to their actions at the North Pole in Book One, Zuko and Iroh are declared traitors of the Fire Nation and desert their country, becoming fugitives in the Earth Kingdom. Pursuing both Zuko and Aang is Princess Azula, Zuko's younger prodigy sister.

Book Two: Earth premiered on Nickelodeon on March 17, 2006. It consisted of 20 episodes and concluded on December 1, 2006. The season received considerable acclaim, with the series being called "consistently excellent."[3] The series won multiple awards, including Best Character Animation in a Television Production from the 34th Annie Awards[4] and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation at the 2007 Emmy Awards.[5]

Between January 23, 2007 and September 11, 2007, Paramount Home Entertainment released four DVD sets containing five episodes each before releasing the entire season as a boxset.[6]

Episodes
See also: List of Avatar: The Last Airbender episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byAnimated byOriginal air dateProd.
code 
211"Chapter One: The Avatar State"Giancarlo VolpeAaron Ehasz, Elizabeth Welch Ehasz, Tim Hedrick and John O'BryanDR MovieMarch 17, 2006 (2006-03-17)201
Aang and his friends rest at an Earth Kingdom outpost. They are to be escorted to Omashu, where Aang intends for King Bumi to teach him earthbending. But General Fong, inspired by Aang's battle-determining actions during the Siege of the North, suggests that Aang can defeat the Fire Lord and end the war immediately by triggering the Avatar State. After many failed attempts, General Fong finally succeeds in triggering the Avatar State by faking Katara's death; Aang nearly destroys the base in anger. The spirit of Avatar Roku tells Aang that the Avatar State is a defense mechanism that empowers Aang with the skills and knowledge of all his past lives, though there is a catch: if he is killed in the Avatar State the reincarnation cycle will be broken, causing the Avatar to cease to exist. The group decides to travel to Omashu alone. Meanwhile, Zuko and Iroh are visited by Zuko's sister, Azula, who has come bearing a message from the Fire Lord, requesting their return home. Iroh is skeptical, but plays along with Zuko's enthusiasm. A guard accidentally reveals that the summons is a ruse in order to imprison Zuko and Iroh as traitors to the Fire Nation while boarding Azula's ship. They manage to escape, but are forced to become fugitives. The episode ends with Zuko and Iroh cutting off their top knots and discarding them in the river.
222"Chapter Two: The Cave of Two Lovers"Lauren MacMullanJoshua HamiltonJM AnimationMarch 24, 2006 (2006-03-24)202
While on the way to Omashu, Aang and the group meet a group of carefree traveling bards, who take them through a vast tunnel known as the Cave of Two Lovers. Zuko and Iroh are sheltered by kind villagers after Iroh accidentally drinks tea made of a poisonous plant. Song, a young and compassionate healer, shows Zuko the effects of war from a normal citizen's perspective. Aang and Katara grow even closer as they discover the origins of the cave, which includes the tombs of the first two earthbenders, who are the namesake of Omashu. Their torch burns out, plunging them in darkness and eventually a kiss, thus revealing glowing lights in the ceiling, allowing the group to escape and make it to Omashu, which they discover has come under control of the Fire Nation.
233"Chapter Three: Return to Omashu"Ethan SpauldingElizabeth Welch EhaszDR MovieApril 7, 2006 (2006-04-07)203
Omashu has been captured by the Fire Nation. Aang and his friends sneak in to find Bumi and are nearly captured, but Sokka fakes a deadly illness to scare off the guards. They meet a resistance movement who tells them that King Bumi surrendered on the day of the invasion. Meanwhile, Princess Azula decides that in order to catch Zuko and Iroh, she needs to stop traveling with the royal procession, instead forming a small, elite team. Team Avatar help the city's entire population escape by faking an epidemic of "Pentapox", the fake sickness Sokka used to fool the guards. The Fire Nation Governor's toddler son Tom-Tom accidentally leaves with the citizens, mistaken for a kidnapping. The governor attempts to trade Tom-Tom for King Bumi, but Azula calls off the trade; she is now backed up by her childhood friends Mai, Tom-Tom's older sister and Ty Lee, both skilled fighters. Aang manages to rescue Bumi after a fight with Azula, but Bumi refuses to leave, saying that the proper time for his escape has not arrived. He instructs Aang to find an earthbending teacher who "waits and listens before striking". Azula, Mai and Ty Lee set out on their mission, having now added Aang as their third target.
244"Chapter Four: The Swamp"Giancarlo VolpeTim HedrickJM AnimationApril 14, 2006 (2006-04-14)204
While flying, Aang and friends are attracted to a mysterious swamp and are separated from one another. They begin to see unique illusions in the swamp: Sokka sees Princess Yue, Katara sees her dead mother, and Aang sees a mysterious giggling girl and a flying boar. They are reunited and attacked by a swamp monster who turns out to be a wise man from a tribe of swamp waterbenders who use the moisture inside the swamp's plants to manipulate the plants and hide their identities. He explains that all beings are connected, as the swamp is a single large tree, and the visions are of people they have met or will meet. Meanwhile Zuko, disgusted with having to live as a beggar, dons the mask of the Blue Spirit once again.
255"Chapter Five: Avatar Day"Lauren MacMullanJohn O'BryanDR MovieApril 28, 2006 (2006-04-28)205
Aang and friends stumble upon a town celebrating an Anti-Avatar Day. The villagers blame Avatar Kyoshi, one of Aang's previous incarnations, for killing their leader, Chin the Great. Aang reveals his identity and is arrested for Kyoshi's supposed crimes. Zuko disguises himself as the Blue Spirit to steal food for himself and his uncle. Iroh is not happy with what Zuko is doing, and Zuko decides it is best that they part ways. Katara and Sokka investigate and find evidence that appears to support Kyoshi's innocence. However, at Aang's trial, Kyoshi's spirit appears and recounts the events that led to Chin the Great's death: a "horrible tyrant", he was confronted by Kyoshi defending her home, who ultimately split Kyoshi Island from the mainland herself, causing Chin to die from a fall when he refused to back away from the cliff Kyoshi created. Aang is charged but subsequently pardoned after he defeats a group of Fire Nation soldiers attacking the village, and the town changes the anti-Avatar celebration to a pro-Avatar celebration.
266"Chapter Six: The Blind Bandit"Ethan SpauldingMichael Dante DiMartinoJM AnimationMay 5, 2006 (2006-05-05)206
Aang is still searching for an earthbending teacher, but with little success. At Xin Fu's underground earthbending tournament, Team Avatar witnesses a display of powerful earthbending against a fighter named The Boulder by a young blind girl named "The Blind Bandit", whom Aang recognizes as the girl from his vision in the swamp. She uses earthbending to sense her environment, perceiving the lay of the land around her; she therefore fits Bumi's advice that Aang's earthbending instructor should be someone who "listens and waits before striking". The girl, Toph Beifong, cannot become Aang's teacher due to her wealthy and overprotective parents, who attempt to keep her isolated from any danger and to make her conform to the expected social role of a young woman of the Earth Kingdom aristocracy. Xin Fu kidnaps Aang and Toph, thinking he was cheated out of prize money by them. Toph reveals her power by defeating Xin Fu's gang singlehandedly, but her parents become even more restrictive. She runs away from home and joins Aang. Toph's father, believing Aang has kidnapped her, promise Xin Fu and Master Yu a chest of gold if they bring her back.
277"Chapter Seven: Zuko Alone"Lauren MacMullanElizabeth Welch EhaszJM AnimationMay 12, 2006 (2006-05-12)207

After leaving his uncle, Zuko continues his journey through an Earth Kingdom town where a young boy named Lee befriends him. Zuko remembers his childhood, including Azula's chilling behavior and his own perseverance. Finally he recalls his mother's last words and the announcement that his grandfather died and his mother had suddenly disappeared. As Zuko defends Lee's family against abusive Earth Kingdom soldiers, he reveals his identity as the Fire Prince at the battle's end, and the boy, his family, and the townspeople reject him because of it.

288"Chapter Eight: The Chase"Giancarlo VolpeJoshua HamiltonDR MovieMay 26, 2006 (2006-05-26)208
Aang and his friends are relentlessly chased by a mysterious machine, which makes it impossible for the group to stop and sleep. The lack of sleep makes everyone irritable, and fuels a quarrel between Katara and Toph. It's revealed that they're being chased by Azula, Mai and Ty Lee. After running away multiple times, Toph blames Appa for the chase, since they're being tracked by Appa shedding his fur in a trail right to them. Aang lashes out at Toph for criticizing Appa, causing Toph to leave the group. Aang takes some of Appa's fur to act as a decoy to lure their pursuers away from Katara and Sokka, but he is found by Azula waiting for her in an abandoned village. Toph meanwhile runs into Iroh, who reminds her that it is not a sign of weakness to accept help from others the way she believes. He also reveals that he is tracking his nephew, trying to let him discover his own path. Aang battles Azula and later Zuko, but is joined by his friends just in time, as well as by Uncle. Azula feigns surrender when she is cornered six-on-one, but wounds Iroh and utilizes the ensuing chaos to escape. Katara and the group offer to help Zuko, but he lashes out at them to leave. The group can finally get some much-needed sleep as Zuko tends to his severely-wounded uncle.
299"Chapter Nine: Bitter Work"Ethan SpauldingAaron EhaszDR MovieJune 2, 2006 (2006-06-02)209
Aang begins his earthbending training with Toph, but grows frustrated when he encounters difficulty with earth, the natural opposite of air. Aang's inclination towards agility and evasion puts him at a disadvantage with earthbending, which requires a more direct, resolute form of combat. Elsewhere, Zuko struggles with a similar dilemma as Iroh tries to teach him lightning-bending, an advanced form of firebending; Zuko's anger keeps him from having the cold precision lightning bending requires. Deciding on another approach, Iroh shares with Zuko his belief that wisdom should come from many sources. He describes the relative strengths of each of the four elements, and the nations associated with them, and advises that understanding the other elements and other ways of life makes the Avatar so powerful, but it can also make Zuko more powerful. Iroh then teaches him the art of redirecting lightning, a firebending technique he created himself by studying waterbenders. When Sokka is endangered by a saber-toothed Moose-Lion, Aang is able to save him by firmly standing his ground as an earthbender would. Zuko claims he's ready to try and re-direct lightning, which Iroh staunchly refuses. Zuko resorts to standing on a mountaintop during a storm screaming at the heavens to strike him like they have in the past.
3010"Chapter Ten: The Library"Giancarlo VolpeJohn O'BryanJM AnimationJuly 14, 2006 (2006-07-14)210
Sokka decides the group needs some intelligence to defeat the Fire Nation. At an oasis, the group encounters a professor from Ba Sing Se University, who tells them about Wan Shi Tong's library in the Si Wong desert, said to contain a vast collection of knowledge. The group travels deep into the massive and forbidding desert and eventually locate the library nearly buried, but intact inside. Toph refuses to descend with the others and stays outside with Appa. Inside, Wan Shi Tong, a large spirit owl, tells the group that humans are no longer permitted in the library, as they only seek knowledge to gain an advantage on other humans. The group convinces him otherwise, and begin searching for information. Sokka discovers a crucial weakness to the Fire Nation that could end the war: an upcoming solar eclipse will erase firebending for its duration. Wan Shi Tong catches them in their lie and refuses to allow them to leave with the knowledge. He begins sinking the library before chasing the group. Outside, Appa is kidnapped by a gang of sandbenders, while Toph is busy preventing the library from sinking into the sand, along with her bending being weakened by not being able to fully sense vibrations in the sand. The others escape from the library, but Aang is devastated by the loss of Appa.
3111"Chapter Eleven: The Desert"Lauren MacMullanTim HedrickDR MovieJuly 14, 2006 (2006-07-14)211
Team Avatar is stranded in the desert, without sufficient provisions to make the trek out again now that they no longer have Appa. Elsewhere, Iroh reveals a mysterious association with a secret society when he uses a White Lotus tile as an opening in a match of Pai Sho, his favorite game. The move functions as a message to his opponent, who then helps protect Iroh and Zuko from Xin Fu and Master Yu, who decide to take a break from hunting Toph to try and collect the bounty on Zuko and Iroh. After a long trek and much hardship in the desert, Aang tracks down the sandbenders who stole Appa, and learns that Appa was traded to a merchant and is likely in Ba Sing Se to be sold. Upon hearing that Appa was muzzled, Aang becomes so angry and upset that he enters the Avatar State, destroying nearly everything around him but is eventually calmed by Katara.
3212"Chapter Twelve: The Serpent's Pass"Ethan SpauldingMichael Dante DiMartino and Joshua HamiltonJM AnimationSeptember 15, 2006 (2006-09-15)212

After leaving the desert, the group fortuitously meets up with Suki and attempts to lead a pregnant woman and her husband through the Serpent's Pass, a dangerous route to the outlands of Ba Sing Se. They are attacked by a Fire Nation ship and narrowly escape. Suki and Sokka attempt to rekindle their relationship, with Sokka acting overprotective to Suki after he lost Yue at the North Pole. Suki reveals she has feelings for Sokka as well. They almost kiss under the moon, though Sokka stops himself. Meanwhile, Zuko and Iroh, assuming new identities as Earth Kingdom refugees, are also on their way to start a new life in the Earth Kingdom capital, and encounter Jet and some of the Freedom Fighters, with whom Zuko starts to bond. Aang and the group are attacked again, this time by the serpent that lends its name to the route. He and Katara defeat the beast and the group arrives on the outskirts of Ba Sing Se. However, Ying goes into labor and delivers her daughter. Aang is moved to tears by the sight, and says that the couple has made him hopeful again. Ying decides to name her daughter "Hope". Sokka and Suki share their first kiss, while Aang confesses to Katara how the happiness of Ying's family reminds him how he feels about Appa and her. Aang departs with Momo to find Appa in Ba Sing Se, but is shocked to see that a massive Fire Nation drill is approaching the wall of Ba Sing Se.

  • This is part one of two of the 44-minute special Secret of the Fire Nation.
3313"Chapter Thirteen: The Drill"Giancarlo VolpeMichael Dante DiMartino and Bryan KonietzkoDR MovieSeptember 15, 2006 (2006-09-15)213

Aang reunites with his friends intent on stopping the drill. Though their offer to help is initially refused by the Earth Kingdom general at the Outer Wall, Team Avatar begins finding a way to take down the drill. They determine the best way is to sabotage the drill from the inside, then deliver a final blow to the top of the structure to take it down. Battling Azula, Mai and Ty Lee, Aang successfully stops the drill with it still plugging the hole in the outer wall. Meanwhile, Jet wishes to recruit Zuko for his Freedom Fighters, but Zuko bluntly refuses. Jet becomes suspicious of the two when he deduces that Iroh heated his own cup of tea using Firebending. Jet becomes intent on exposing Zuko and Iroh, while Team Avatar makes their way into Ba Sing Se.

  • This is part two of two of the 44-minute special Secret of the Fire Nation.
3414"Chapter Fourteen: City of Walls and Secrets"Lauren MacMullanTim HedrickJM AnimationSeptember 22, 2006 (2006-09-22)214

Aang and the rest of the group arrive in Ba Sing Se, determined to find Appa and inform the Earth King about the eclipse and chance for invading the Fire Nation. However, they soon discover that the protocols and bureaucracy surrounding the king block them from making contact with him. They are assigned a liaison, an uncomfortably cheerful young woman named Joo Dee, who refuses to leave the group alone and indirectly keeps them from making any progress with Appa or the king. This is only one of many disturbing rules they discover, which are enforced by the Dai Li, the "cultural authority" of Ba Sing Se. Katara comes up with a plan to see the Earth King, by her and Toph sneaking their way into a party at the Royal Palace while Aang and Sokka sneak in as servers. The quartet is eventually found out and greeted by Long Feng, Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se and the head of the Dai Li. Long Feng reveals that the Earth King has no true political power, only serving as a figurehead in meaningless tasks while Long Feng and the Dai Li control every other aspect of the city, including the military. They see it as a way to ensure Ba Sing Se remains the last total utopia on Earth, as the kids threaten to expose them. Long Feng makes an indirect threat regarding their goal of finding Appa if they continue to speak out, noting that they will now be watched 24/7 by Dai Li agents. They are escorted home by a different woman also going by the name Joo Dee. Elsewhere, Jet repeatedly tries and fails to gather evidence that Zuko and Iroh are firebenders, and his allies Smellerbee and Longshot begin to believe he is becoming dangerously obsessed. Jet's final attempt, confronting the pair at the tea shop they work in, followed by a sword fight with Zuko, ends in his arrest and subsequent brainwashing by the Dai Li into believing there is no war inside Ba Sing Se's walls.

Note: This was nominated a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour).[7]
3515"Chapter Fifteen: The Tales of Ba Sing Se"Ethan SpauldingThe Tale of Toph and Katara
Joann Estoesta and Lisa Wahlander
The Tale of Iroh
Andrew Huebner
The Tale of Aang
Gary Scheppke
The Tale of Sokka
Lauren MacMullan
The Tale of Zuko
Katie Mattila
The Tale of Momo
Justin Ridge and Giancarlo Volpe		DR MovieSeptember 29, 2006 (2006-09-29)215

The episode is a set of vignettes about each of the main characters' adventures in Ba Sing Se, providing a glimpse of their personalities and private lives.

  • Katara and Toph have a girls' day out in the inner city.
  • Iroh provides small small gestures of kindness to various people in the outer city, before venturing into the country to find a place to mark the birthday of his son, Lu-ten, who was killed in the siege of Ba Sing Se many years previous. Kneeling before a portrait of his son, Iroh tearfully sings "Leaves from the Vine", a folk song about a young soldier returning home.
  • Aang helps a zookeeper build a new zoo outside the wall.
  • Sokka accidentally ends up in a girls-only poetry club.
  • Zuko goes out on a date, resisting at first but winds up enjoying himself.
  • Momo looks through Ba Sing Se for Appa, finding only one of his footprints.

Note: Iroh's tale was dedicated to his voice actor Mako Iwamatsu, who had died just 7 days after Chapters 10 and 11 initially aired.

3616"Chapter Sixteen: Appa's Lost Days"Giancarlo VolpeElizabeth Welch EhaszJM AnimationOctober 13, 2006 (2006-10-13)216

After being abducted in the desert, Appa is traded to a Fire Nation circus, where the trainer whips, humiliates, and generally mistreats him. He eventually escapes with the help of a small boy. He later unwillingly fights a Boarcupine; he wins but is badly wounded. By fortune, Suki and the Kyoshi warriors come across Appa and help him recover from his injuries, but the warriors are attacked by Azula and her team. Appa is forced to flee at Suki's urging, lest he be hurt in the ensuing battle between Azula's forces and the Kyoshi Warriors. Dispirited, confused, and longing for Aang, Appa returns to his childhood home at the Eastern Air Temple, where he discovers a mysterious guru, Pathik, has taken residence in the ruins. The guru gains his trust and imparts to him Aang's location at Ba Sing Se, with a message for Aang attached to his horn. Appa arrives at Ba Sing Se, but just short of reuniting with Aang he is ambushed and captured by Long Feng, leaving the footprint that Momo found.

Note: This episode won a Humane Society award for its portrayal of the mistreatment of animals.
3717"Chapter Seventeen: Lake Laogai"Lauren MacMullanTim HedrickDR MovieNovember 3, 2006 (2006-11-03)217
Finally having enough of the rules of the city and the obstruction of the Dai Li, the group decides to evade their constraints to find Appa. As they do so, they run into Jet, although he does not behave as they would expect. He claims that he doesn't have the gang anymore, and that he has information on Appa's whereabouts. The group almost departs the city after being fed false information about Appa's whereabouts, but a chance encounter with Smellerbee and Longshot reveals to Team Avatar that Jet had been arrested by the Dai Li a few weeks ago. They eventually break Jet's brainwashing and travel to a facility located underneath Lake Laogai, in the hopes of finding Appa. Instead, they find Long Feng and the Dai Li waiting for them, declaring them enemies of the state. Elsewhere, Zuko discovers that Aang is in the city looking for Appa, and sets out as the Blue Spirit to find him. He finds Appa before Aang under Lake Laogai and plans to capture him, but Iroh arrives to confront him. Iroh scolds Zuko and furiously argues with him that he never thinks things through, harking back to his debacle of capturing Aang at the North Pole. Iroh asks if Zuko is chasing his own destiny, or a destiny someone else is trying to force on him. Zuko screams and throws his broad swords down in frustration. Aang, Jet and the group take on Long Feng and the Dai Li, with Long Feng temporarily restoring Jet's brainwashing to attack Aang. Aang is able to remind Jet he's a Freedom Fighter, which causes Jet to snap out of it and attack Long Feng. Jet is fatally wounded as a result while Long Feng escapes. The group pursues, which ends up in their reuniting with Appa as he helps them deal with the remaining Dai Li agents and Long Feng. Zuko and Iroh exit the compound, with Zuko tossing his Blue Spirit mask into the lake at Iroh's suggestion after freeing Appa.
3818"Chapter Eighteen: The Earth King"Ethan SpauldingJohn O'BryanJM AnimationNovember 17, 2006 (2006-11-17)218
The group breaks into the Earth King's palace to warn Earth King Kuei about the war. Despite Long Feng's best attempts to cover up the truth, the team eventually convince the King by showing him the destroyed Fire Nation drill, resulting in Long Feng seemingly being arrested for treason. Meanwhile, Zuko fights an illness which Iroh believes is a manifestation of the deep internal conflict within himself after setting Appa free, as he attempts to grapple with the gulf between his inner self and his image of what he thinks is required of him as a prince of the Fire Nation. Team Avatar is presented with information that was intercepted by Long Feng: Toph receives a letter from her mother saying she's in Ba Sing Se and wants to see her. Sokka and Katara are given an intelligence report that confirms the location of their father, while Aang receives the letter from Guru Pathik, offering to help him master the Avatar State. The team decides to split up to accomplish all their goals, though unbeknownst to them as they leave, Azula Mai and Ty Lee slip into Ba Sing Se impersonating Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors. The letter from Toph's mother is revealed to be a setup for her capture by Xin Fu and Master Yu, while Long Feng is shown to still be in command of the Dai Li while in prison.
3919"Chapter Nineteen: The Guru"Giancarlo VolpeMichael Dante DiMartino and Bryan KonietzkoDR MovieDecember 1, 2006 (2006-12-01)219
Aang travels to the Eastern Air Temple and meets Guru Pathik, who trains him to master the Avatar State through the unlocking of his seven chakras. As Earth King Kuei meets with who he thinks are the Kyoshi Warriors, he accidentally reveals the team's plan of invasion to Azula. Sokka finally reunites with his father Hakoda, and the two begin reconnecting. Azula plots with Mai and Ty Lee to organize a coup d'etat and take down Ba Sing Se from the inside. Pathik leads Aang through the intense experience of opening the chakras that run up his body, with the process needing to be completed without interruption. Mai and Ty Lee feed Dai Li agents information about their impersonating the Kyoshi Warriors as Azula sets her plan in motion. Pathik imparts great wisdom on Aang, such as the illusion of the division of the four nations and the four elements, while Toph simultaneously teaches herself metal bending while being trapped by Yu and Xin Fu. Back in Ba Sing Se, Katara discovers Zuko and Iroh are in the city and rushes to warn Suki, only to discover it's actually Azula. Katara is captured, and Azula decides it's time to go after Zuko and Iroh. As Aang is about reach enlightenment and be able to go in and out of the Avatar State at will, he has a vision of Katara in danger and chooses to help her, against Pathik's warning that he has locked his last chakra, cutting him off from the Avatar State altogether. Iroh and Zuko receive a message inviting them to serve tea to the Earth King. Aang picks up Sokka from Chameleon Bay and flies back to Ba Sing Se. Azula is brought to Long Feng's cell, who proposes that he can get Azula the Avatar in exchange for restoring the Earth King's trust in him. She is led back to her room by Dai Li agents smirking.
4020"Chapter Twenty: The Crossroads of Destiny"Michael Dante DiMartinoAaron EhaszJM AnimationDecember 1, 2006 (2006-12-01)220
Aang and Sokka reunite with Toph and set out to find Katara, though their fears are initially calmed by the King still believing Azula's impersonation. Azula has been placed in charge of the Dai Li by Long Feng while the coup takes place, and she begins to rule with an iron fist. Iroh and Zuko arrive at the palace, but are greeted by Azula and the agents. Iroh is able to evade capture, but Zuko decides to stand and fight Azula, though he's quickly overmatched by the Dai Li and thrown in prison with Katara. Iroh finds Toph and asks for their help in rescuing Zuko as well as Katara. Katara berates Zuko for trying to capture Aang and brings up the loss of her mother as a result of the war, causing Zuko to respond "That's something we have in common", calming Katara's anger. Sokka and Toph rush to the palace to warn the King of the coup, but they arrive as it is beginning, with the Council of Five's generals being placed under house arrest by the Dai Li. Sokka and Toph make it to the throne room, only to be defeated by Azula Mai and Ty Lee. As they and the King are led away, Long Feng arrives intent on double-crossing Azula, though the Dai Li agents no longer answer to him. Azula sits on the throne after perfectly guessing Long Feng's long and arduous climb to power, at which point he acknowledges being beaten at his own game. Back in the Crystal Catacombs underneath the palace, Katara contemplates using water from the North Pole spirit oasis given to her by Paku to heal Zuko's scar, but Aang and Iroh arrive at that moment to rescue them. Azula arrives a short time later and traps Iroh, offering Zuko his honor if he joins her. Aang and Katara try to escape the catacombs, but are attacked by Azula, and later Zuko, having made up his mind. Aang eventually has to let go of his attraction to Katara to conjure the Avatar State as Pathik instructed him, but as he enters it he is shot by Azula's lightning, killing him. Iroh steps in to help Katara escape with Aang and is subsequently captured. Katara uses the spirit water on Aang's wound, seemingly bringing him back to life. Team Avatar and Earth King Kuei fly over the wall in defeat, as the Earth Kingdom has finally fallen.

Production

The season was produced by and aired on Nickelodeon, which is owned by Viacom. The season's executive producers and co-creators are Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who worked alongside episode director and co-producer Aaron Ehasz.[8] Most of the individual episodes were directed by Ethan Spaulding, Lauren MacMullan and Giancarlo Volpe.[2] Episodes were written by a team of writers, which consisted of Aaron Ehasz, Elizabeth Welch Ehasz, Tim Hedrick, John O'Bryan; along with creators DiMartino and Konietzko.[2]

The season's music was composed by "The Track Team", which consists of Jeremy Zuckerman and Benjamin Wynn, who were known to the show's creators because Zuckerman was Konietzko's roommate.[9]

Cast

Most of the main characters from the first season remained the same: Zach Tyler Eisen voices Aang, Mae Whitman voices Katara, Jack DeSena voices Sokka,[2] Dee Bradley Baker voices both Appa and Momo, and Dante Basco voices Zuko.[10]

However, several new characters appear: Jessie Flower voices Toph Beifong, Grey DeLisle voices Azula, Cricket Leigh voices Mai, Olivia Hack voices Ty Lee, and Clancy Brown voices Long Feng.[2]

Mako Iwamatsu, who voiced Iroh in the first two seasons, died from throat cancer after production was completed; he was replaced by Greg Baldwin for the following season and The Legend of Korra.[11]

In the episode "The Tales of Ba Sing Se, the segment titled "The Tale of Iroh" features a dedication to Mako at the end when Iroh is tearfully singing to mourn the loss of his only child Lu Ten.

Reception

In a review of the Volume 2 DVD Release for Book 2, Gabriel Powers from DVDActive.com described the series as one of the best children's series in recent times, making comparisons with Samurai Jack and Justice League, and complimented it for its depth and humour.[12] Powers also comments:

Without dumbing down its characters, plots, or humour, and without overtly taming-up the action or peril, Avatar manages to enthral children and adults, ages 4 to 56...There is a genuine classic feel to the series, which uses actual Asian culture and lore as its base. Like Star Wars, the creative forces behind the show have tapped into that basic, generation spanning storytelling that will live long after the series' youngest fans are old and bitter.[12]

For the video and audio quality, Powers says "Season two generally looks better than the bulk of season one, but still has some issues" concerning image sharpness. Rotten Tomatoes gave it an 87% fresh rating in 2008.[13] Jamie S. Rich from DVD Talk says that "As a flat concept, Avatar the Last Airbender is nothing special, but in execution, it is head and shoulders above other children's entertainment", and that "as a whole, the look of Avatar is consistently excellent".[3]

The show also received acclaim for its visual appeal. In the 34th Annie Awards, the show was nominated for and won the "Best Character Animation in a Television Production" award, for Jae-Myung Yu's animation in "The Blind Bandit", and the "Best Directing in an Animated Television Production" award, for the episode "The Drill".[4] In 2007, the show was nominated for "Outstanding Animated Program" in the 2007 Emmy Awards for the "City of Walls and Secrets" episode,[14] though it did not win.[5] However, the show did win the "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation" award for Sang-Jin Kim's animation in the "Lake Laogai" episode.[5]

Home media

Nickelodeon began releasing DVDs for Book 2 on January 23, 2007.[15] The first four DVD releases contain one disc that consisted of five episodes each.[16] The final DVD was the "Complete Book 2 Box Set", which contains all of the episodes in the season on four discs, and packaged with a special features disc.[6] All of the DVD sets for Book 2 were released with Region 1 encoding, meaning that they can only play on North American DVD players. Book 2 was released on Region 2 on July 20, 2009.

Volume Discs Episodes Region 1 release Region 2 release Region 3 release
1 1 5 January 23, 2007 Not released June 4, 2009[17]
2 1 5 April 10, 2007 Not released August 6, 2009[18]
3 1 5 May 22, 2007 Not released October 29, 2009[19]
4 1 5 August 14, 2007 Not released March 31, 2010[20]
Box set 4[21] 20[21] September 11, 2007 July 20, 2009 September 9, 2010[22]

Footnotes
1.^ Production code format taken from the commentary for "Sozin's Comet: The Phoenix King"

References
General
  • "Season 2". Avatar: The Last Airbender. IGN. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
  • "Season 2 DVD Information". TVShowsOnDVD.com. February 24, 2005. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved September 6, 2008.
Specific
  1. "IGN: Avatar: The Last Airbender: Season 2". IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on 29 September 2008. Retrieved October 22, 2008.
  2. "Avatar: The Last Airbender Cast and Details". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved November 26, 2008.
  3. Rich, Jamie S. (September 12, 2007). "Avatar The Last Airbender — The Complete Book 2 Collection". DVD Talk. Retrieved June 6, 2008.
  4. "Annie Awards: Legacy - 34th Annual Annie Awards". International Animated Film Society. February 9, 2006. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved April 26, 2008.
  5. Mesger, Robin (September 8, 2007). "59th Creative Emmy Awards Winners" (PDF). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. pp. 11–12. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 28, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
  6. "Season 2 DVD Information". TVShowsOnDVD.com. February 24, 2005. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved September 6, 2008.
  7. "59th Annual Primetime Emmy Nominees". CBS News. September 14, 2007. Archived from the original on October 19, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  8. DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan (August 29, 2005). "Interview with "Avatar" Program Creators — Page 3". Animation Insider (Interview: Transcript). Interviewed by Aaron H. Bynum. Archived from the original on August 4, 2008. Retrieved May 29, 2008.
  9. DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan (August 29, 2005). "Interview with "Avatar" Program Creators — Page 4". Animation Insider (Interview: Transcript). Interviewed by Aaron H. Bynum. Archived from the original on May 27, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2008.
  10. "Dante Basco". 2005. Retrieved March 31, 2008.
  11. "Avatar: Why Uncle Iroh Was Recast In The Last Airbender". ScreenRant. 2020-07-15. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  12. Powers, Gabriel. "Avatar: The Last Airbender, Book 2, Vl.1". DVDActive. Archived from the original on 2008-10-11. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
  13. Powers, Gabriel. "Avatar: The Last Airbender, Season Two Collection". DVDActive. Archived from the original on 2008-11-21. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
  14. "59th Creative Emmy Awards Nominations" (PDF). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 2007. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
  15. "Avatar: The Last Airbender Search". Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
  16. "The Avatar: The Last Airbender Series". Amazon.co.uk. Amazon.com, Inc. Archived from the original on August 1, 2008. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
  17. "Buy Avatar: The Legend of Aang - Book 2: Earth - Volume 1 on DVD-Video from EzyDVD.com.au".
  18. "Buy Avatar: The Legend of Aang - Book 2: Earth - Volume 2 on DVD-Video from EzyDVD.com.au".
  19. "Buy Avatar: The Legend of Aang - Book 2: Earth - Volume 3 on DVD-Video from EzyDVD.com.au".
  20. "Buy Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book 2: Earth - Volume 4 on DVD-Video from EzyDVD.com.au".
  21. "Avatar: The Last Airbender — Season Two DVD Information". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2008.
  22. "Buy Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Complete Book 2 Collection (4 Disc Box Set) on DVD-Video from EzyDVD.com.au". Archived from the original on 2010-09-09.

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