Bato of the Water Tribe

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"Bato of the Water Tribe" *Avatar: The Last Airbender episode*
(from left) Katara, Bato, and Sokka
Book	One: Water
Chapter	Fifteen
Episode #	Fifteen
Prod. code	115
Airdate	October 7, 2005
Writer(s)	Ian Wilcox
Director	Giancarlo Volpe
Guest star(s)	Richard McGonagle (Bato) Jack DeSena (Young Sokka) André Sogliuzzo (Hakoda) Jennifer Hale (June) Scott Menville (Messenger)

Previous episode "The Fortuneteller"
Next episode "The Deserter"

"Bato of the Water Tribe" is the fifteenth episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender's first season.

Aang feels neglected as Katara and Sokka reunite with Bato, an old friend of their father’s from the South Pole. They reminisce on their times in the past while waiting for a message to arrive from the siblings' father. Aang believes Katara and Sokka will abandon him and go out to find their father should the message arrive. When the messenger gives Aang the message to give to Bato, Aang hides the message from his friends in fear that they would leave him should they learn the location of their father. However, when Zuko recruits a bounty hunter named June to track Aang down, his friendship is put to the test as he must deal with the fact that he betrayed his friends while defending himself from yet another fight.

[edit] Episode synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The group meets up with an old friend from their Water Tribe village named Bato who had been injured and left behind. They head back to his current home in an Abbey of nuns who make perfumes and cures. They spend so much time reminiscing, that they neglect Aang. They suddenly start talking about how Katara and Sokka might be able to visit their father Hakoda, and that a message is arriving soon about their Hakoda's whereabouts. Aang runs off feeling hurt that Katara and Sokka might leave him to go find Hakoda instead of helping him.

While Aang is contemplating their possible departure, a messenger arrives with the news from Hakoda and instead of giving it to them, Aang hides it. Meanwhile, Zuko and his crew meet up with a bounty hunter named June and hire her to find the Avatar using the scent of Katara's necklace on her Shirshu.

The next day, Bato takes Sokka on a coming-of-age ritual called "ice dodging." Instead of ice, though, they use jagged rocks. With the help from Katara and Aang, they pass the test and all receive a ceremonial mark for their wisdom, bravery and trust. But when Aang receives the mark of trust he can't contain himself any longer and gives the message to Katara and Sokka. A furious Sokka and a disappointed Katara decide to go off to find Hakoda and leave Aang to go to the North Pole on his own. Soon down their path, Bato, Katara and Sokka hear a wolf cry. Katara suggests that the wolf is hurt, but Bato tells them that the wolf has been separated from its pack. He then explains how he know this by telling about when he was wounded in battle and left to die by his comrades, feeling the loneliest he has ever felt. This story reminds Sokka of when Hadoka left to fight the war, and he told Sokka that he couldn't come along and fight with him. Hadoka tells Sokka, "Being a man is knowing where you're needed the most. And for you right now, that's here, protecting your sister." Sokka and Katara realize their mistake and turn around to apologize and travel with Aang.

Zuko, June, and Iroh appear on the Shirshu. Even though the Avatar is not with Sokka and Katara, the beast flings out its tongue and paralyzes them and finds a new scent, the message that Aang had. They head back to the Abbey as Aang was just leaving. Eager to save his friends, Aang battles Zuko among the rooftops. Aang manages to get Katara's necklace back but is soon trapped by the Shirshu and Zuko. The Shirshu begins to try to paralyze Aang and Zuko fires blasts of fire at Aang while Aang dodges everything.

Meanwhile Sokka and Katara are revived by some perfume given to them by the nuns and suddenly Sokka has an idea. The nuns pour out all their perfumes and Katara starts waterbending them all around. Since the Shirshu can only "see" with its nose, it gets confused and starts lashing at random people. When Zuko and June are paralyzed by the beast, Iroh feigns paralysis to get close to June and holds her in his arms as he lies on the ground. Aang and the others use the opportunity to escape.

Later the kids are flying on Appa. Aang asks what the plan is now. They tell him they're going to get him to the North Pole because he's their family. Aang gives Katara back her necklace. Katara goes over and kisses Aang on the cheek. Aang blushes and twiddles with his thumbs. They all fly off into the sunset.

[edit] Notes

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Bato of the Water Tribe

In Japanese, the word hakoda (箱田) means 'box field.' However, the word hakkoda (八甲田) which means 'Eight armor fields' and a mountain range in Japan seems more befitting as his name.
The pronunciation of Bato is similar to Bátuó ( 跋陀 ), the Chinese name given to Buddhist monk Buddhabhadra who brought Buddhism in 464 A.D China and standardized the martial arts.
Bato returns in The Guru, where he has successfully rejoined the Water Tribe warriors.