Avatar: the Last Airbender - "Imprisoned"

Okay, I'm gonna start off by saying I'm not really looking forward to this one. By my recollection, the Katara episodes were my least favorite the first time I've watched them, and going back and watching them again after seeing how the whole series plays out does not bode well for their rewatches.

As for the series itself, so far so meh. That would probably be the way to describe it. The last episode was pretty dull save for Bumi, and my experience with the first few episodes overall has been somewhere between okay and mundane. I'm actually enjoying less than when I first watched them as a kid. But, people keep telling me the series picks up later on so... let's hold on to that thread

Pre-Rewatch Recollection:
I recall this being the episode where some young earthbender (can't say I remember his name) is taken prisoner by the Fire Nation after helping out an old man. Katara then makes it her life's mission to help get him out. Yay...

Well, let's see if my fear of this episode is well placed.

My points:

1. We open with Team Avatar in the forest. I do like the music. If there is one thing I've consistently enjoyed in my rewatches, it's the music.
2. Sokka comes in and brings nuts for dinner. The rest of Team Avatar do not seem too pleased with this. Hey, if you're that hungry, eat Momo. Then he'll make a worthwhile contribution to this show.
3. We get loud noises as Momo plays with a rock. It gave me a little chuckle.
4. Sokka insists they run away from big booms instead of towards. Sorry, Sokka, but as the series shows, you're the only member of Team Avatar who is legitimately smart.
5. We see the young Earth Bender. Sokka insists they approach him carefully followed by Katara doing a Butch Hartman joke. My gosh. These things keep getting worse.
6. The Earth Bender sees Katara and runs away. Obviously, he has seen her future episodes
7. After the guy runs away, Team Avatar surmises they must be near a village. We then get a decent joke at the expense of Sokka. Sokka, you really have been the light in these episodes.
8. And we arrive at the village.
9. Wow, the animation looks... not the best when the characters are at a distance. I guess that's just a result of technology advancing.
10. We go inside the guy's house. The proportions here look a little off. They look like they live in a huge home.
11. The guy, now named Haru, denies seeing Katara. He really isn't a fan of her episodes.
12. People get concerned when Katara mentions she saw Haru earth bending.
13. Haru insults Team Avatar's clothes. I... um, I don't how to respond.
14. Okay, so a Fire Nation soldier comes in, Team Avatar looks awkward, and the soldier demands tax.
15. Now, we learn the whole details about this village. The biggest thing we learn here plot wise is that earth bending is forbidden.
16. The punishment of earth bending in this village is imprisonment. I gotta say, that is very merciful on the Fire Nation's part. A more absolute and effective way would be termination like what they did to the Air Nomads. Not good planning for the Fire Nation.
17. Appa is a good mascot, far more than anything Momo will ever be.
18. Yikes, the characters really don't look good at a distance.
19. Plot point: Haru bonds with Katara by mentioning how courageous his father is.
20. We get some details on Katara's necklace. The fact that she mentions that means something will happen to it. That's what happens when you give objects details and some background.
21. You know, not saying I ship it, but Haru and Katara have actual chemistry in their scenes together, much more than Aang and Katara, at least at this point.
22. The way Haru says, "The mine!"
23. The old man is durable. That looks like a lot of weight.
24. Haru saves the old man with his bending. We know how this goes.
25. All right, so the old man turns Haru in. Yeah, what a stab in the back. I wish we got some info as to why he screwed the guy who saved his life. Was it to pay his taxes? That's the only reason I could think of. Some clarity would be nice.
26. Fact: whenever someone fills a container full of water in a sad scene, that person will drop the container and break it. Katara's water jug scene made me laugh, but I don't think it's supposed to.
27. Katara is sad and feels responsible of Haru and decides to take responsibility.
28. Sokka exposition over the plan. Also, nice convenient vents.
29. Wow. The Fire Nation troops show up as soon as Team Avatar puts the rock over the vent. How convenient.
30. Team Avatar does bad acting.
31. Okay, do the Fire Nation troops not question Katara and Sokka? They're dressed and look like Water Nation tribe members. Surely they have been informed of what the enemy looks like.
32. Sokka: "Seriously, back off."
33. "That lemur! It's earth bending!" "No, you idiot! It's the girl!"
34. And yes, Sokka, these guys are indeed idiots for not recognizing obvious Water Nation tribe members. However, that doesn't excuse the fact that you guys should have gotten Earth Nation disguises to begin with.
35. And now we see the prison. Very industrial
36. Just going to emphasize again that terminating the earth benders would be more effective and less costly.
37. You know, I know it was thought to be impossible, but, with earth bending existing for centuries if not millennia, would Toph really be the first one to discover metal bending? Not one of the captives even try? I know their spirits are probably down but still.
38. We meet Haru's father. He seems all right.
39. He also feels defeated. Bummer.
40. Ew. Katara speech.
41. And she mentions she from a water tribe? Girl, do you know how stupid that was to admit? If I were one of the guards, I would report this to my superiors and move this prisoner to a place away from a ship surrounded by water. Or you know... termination. Point being that a very stupid thing for Katara to say and the guards are just as stupid for letting it go.
42. Also, (and I don't mean to keep bringing up execution), but I think the warden should have made an example of Katara. You know, "THIS is what happens if you even think about rebelling." That would surely break the earth benders' spirits even more.
43. I can believe Aang sneaking on board undetected because Airborne operations aren't really something the Fire Nation is used to facing, but how did he find Katara so fast? It's like he hopped on and just knew where she was. Did he have to check other places? I would've liked to see that.
44. "Inform the captain!" "Uh, you just threw the captain overboard!"
45. Aang notices smoke which means coal.
46. Um... interesting plan, Sokka, but... I have the strangest feeling that Aang trapping himself in a furnace full of very hot rocks isn't going to go well. I feel like that would lead to the next step in the Avatar Cycle.
47. Also, why does the Fire Nation they need coal on this ship? I really question that.
48. "One mistake from dying". I'm still saying that would've been easier to do in the first place.
49. Would all the coal really come out of that one vent near everyone?
50. Also, Aang probably has some form of lung disease.
51. Earth benders are still scared to take action.
52. Now they action.
53. Fire Nation troopers don't know how to use spears, apparently.
54. "Show no mercy!" Dude, if you hadn't shown any mercy to being with, you never would have even had this problem.
55. Everyone thanks Katara. Eh, why not?
56. Katara realizes she lost her necklace. Sorry, but you cursed it to that fate by giving it significance and a backstory.
57. And Zuko shows up, discovering Katara's necklace.

Thoughts:
This episode is a mixed bag. The animation could be bad or choppy in certain areas, and, while the episode could be funny, it also made me laugh in places where it probably shouldn't have. There are some very big conveniences and incredibly stupid characters/character choices that become just too distracting for me to forgive. There is only so much leeway I'm going to give a show, especially one that takes itself as seriously as Avatar. There are definitely some good moments in this episode: it was funnier than I remember (ironically or not), and even Katara didn't annoy me as much I feared (that's a plus), but I really found myself rolling my eyes at a lot of different points in this episode.

My arbitrary grade for this episode: B-
Sentence: Sokka's ears are perfectly within reason for the average size of the human ear.

So, those are my thoughts on this episode. What are your thoughts on this episode? What are your thoughts on my thoughts of the episode? Was there something I missed that could've made me enjoy it more? Did I give you more food for thought? I'd really like to know!

Either way, see ya later!

Comments

[Thepervertedeye]

this is your first time watching that show? wow

[RS-Belle14]

5433590
No. I've seen the show a few times back when I was a kid. I didn't get it back then. I'm rewatching it now to see if any of my thoughts toward it changed.