Lake Laogai
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- This article is about an episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender. For other uses, see Laogai (disambiguation).
| "Lake Laogai" Avatar: The Last Airbender episode |
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 The Gang at the top location of Lake Laogai |
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| Book | Two: Earth |
| Chapter | Seventeen |
| Episode # | Thirty-seven |
| Prod. code | 217 |
| Airdate | November 3, 2006 |
| Writer(s) | Tim Hedrick |
| Director | Lauren MacMullan |
| Guest star(s) | Clancy Brown (Long Feng) Crawford Wilson (Jet) Nika Futterman (Smellerbee) Lauren Tom (Joo Dee) Marc Donato (Longshot) |
| Previous episode "Appa's Lost Days" |
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| Next episode "The Earth King" |
"Lake Laogai" is an episode from the animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which airs on Nickelodeon. It is the seventeenth episode of the second season of the series.
Aang and his friends continue to search for Appa and, unbeknownst to them, they aren't the only ones looking for him. Also, the kids meet up with Jet, whom they are reluctant to trust, especially Katara.
[edit] Episode Synopsis
At Aang's house, Sokka is attempting to draw pictures of Appa, but Aang and Katara burst in with a stack of professionally-made posters they had a printer make featuring much better pictures of the lost bison than Sokka's crude drawings. The group plans on spreading the flyers all over the city, hoping someone will have some information. Aang spreads these posters by flying on his glider and dropping them throughout the city.
Meanwhile, Iroh's tea-making skills have earned him acclaim through the city. So much so that a rich patron is willing to give him his own tea shop in a higher level of the city, or higher ring as they are called in Ba Sing Se. His present employer attempts to dissuade Iroh, commenting to the patron about poaching his employee. When the patron mentions that Iroh can relocate to a better apartment, and have complete creative freedom over the shop's design, including naming the place, Iroh accepts. While this is a dream come true for Iroh, Zuko is much less enthusiastic, commenting sarcastically that he will try to contain his joy. He goes outside to sulk, and one of Aang's flyers falls into his hand, alerting him to the fact that the Avatar is in the city.
Later, Aang returns home, impatient to see if the flyers have had any success. He sits down on the floor, after Katara mentions it only being the first day of the flyers being passed out. There is a knock on the door after the first second that Aang has sat down for. Aang's whole face lights up and he says, "Wow, patience really does pay off!" It's Joo Dee... the first one who met them when they entered the city. She explains the mysterious disappearance as having taken a short vacation to Lake Laogai. She informs the group that dropping flyers without clearance is against the rules. Aang has had quite enough of the "rules", and tells Joo Dee off, saying that he intends to find Appa, and that she should stay out of his way. Toph is elated at the opportunity to break the rules, and expresses this joy by breaking the side wall of their home with Earthbending. The group heads out, while two Dai Li agents watch from on top of a building.
Elsewhere, Long Feng is disappointed in Joo Dee's second failure to control the Avatar and his friends. She worries that the group no longer trusts her. Long Feng simply says, "Joo Dee, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai." Joo Dee's eyes go blank, her elated sense of worry becomes subdued. Long Feng tells her to await further orders. As she leaves, Long Feng himself reveals that he is also worried that the Avatar may disrupt his control over the city and the king.
Back at their little apartment, Iroh is still excited over his new opportunity, eagerly thinking of new names while packing his luggage, when Zuko shows him the flyer. Iroh, on the other hand, warns Zuko that further pursuing the Avatar could jeopardize their attempts at rebuilding their lives. Zuko rebukes this, belittling Iroh's idea, while the general insists there is nothing wrong with wanting a life of peace. Zuko is still set upon reclaiming his destiny, but Iroh tells him that he should take the time to think about what Zuko himself wants from his life, and why.
Out in the city, the gang is setting up more posters when Katara runs into Jet. He tells her that he wants to help, but Katara distrusts him and attacks. Jet deflects her attacks, and tries to prove his honesty by dropping his hook swords. The others arrive, drawn by the noise, and Jet tries again to explain himself. Then Jet shows them a flyer. Toph, reading Jet's heartbeat and breathing patterns, pronounces that he's telling the truth. Katara is distrustful, but agrees. Jet leads them to a large empty warehouse, where he says they may have been holding Appa. Toph confirms it by finding a tuft of Appa's fur, and an old cleaning man says that Appa was sent off to Whale Tail Island, down near the South Pole. Aang immediately wants to set off, and Jet offers to come along. Toph asks Katara whether Jet was her boyfriend. She gets mad and says no, but Toph can tell she's lying.
On their way out, the group is sidetracked when Smellerbee and Longshot happen to come across them. Katara once again turns on Jet, as he had claimed to have left the gang behind. Jet insists that he's been living alone in the city, but Smellerbee claims that he was dragged away by the Dai Li. Toph realizes they are both telling the truth, even though their stories don't match. Sokka quickly figures that Jet has been brainwashed by the Dai Li.
That night, a Dai Li agent walks alone down a street and is bumped aside by Zuko, dressed as the Blue Spirit. He chases the Spirit down an alley and attacks him, but he only attacks a straw-stuffed decoy. Zuko quickly captures him, demanding that the agent tells him what he needs to know.
Meanwhile, the group, plus Longshot and Smellerbee, are holding Jet. Katara guesses that Jet was used to try to lead them away from the city on a false lead. Aang, realizing that Appa may be held in the same place they brainwashed Jet, tries to get him to remember where he was taken. Sokka suggests Jet could be deprogrammed with a kiss from Katara, but the thought repulses her and Aang. Smellerbee suggests remembering the Fire Nation's attack on Jet's home and the subsequent death of his parents. When trying to remember, though, the memories are too painful. Katara uses her healing to try to soothe it. Jet remembers that he was taken to a secret facility under a lake. Sokka remembers what Joo Dee had said about her "vacation", fully jogging Jet's memory. The base is under Lake Laogai.
The group makes their way to the lake the next day, and Toph quickly finds and uncovers the underwater entrance. They go inside, quietly making their way through the dark corridors. In one room, a group of women are blankly repeating statements told to them by a Dai Li agent. All of the women refer to themselves as Joo Dee and act like the Joo Dee who led the party around the city. Jet leads the group to a cell he thinks will be big enough to hold Appa, and opens the door. Inside his cell, Appa gets up as his cell door is opened. But Zuko is the one who reaches the bison first.
Meanwhile, the gang find themselves confronted by Long Feng and several Dai Li agents. A battle quickly breaks out. Toph shows the true mastery of earthbending when she incredibly takes down several Dai Li agents. Long Feng escapes, with Aang and Jet in hot pursuit. Long Feng tries to make one last bargain with Aang, to leave the city immediately in exchange for their freedom and Appa, but he and Jet refuse. Long Feng then tells Jet the same sentence he told Joo Dee earlier, and, like the hostess, his eyes go blank, and Jet turns on Aang.
In Appa's Cell, Zuko is confronted before he can free the bison. But he is greeted by Iroh. Zuko reveals that he is the Blue Spirit to his uncle, although Iroh's behavior indicates that he has known this for some time. Iroh scolds Zuko for his actions, claiming he lacked crucial planning when thinking of this plan. He found Appa as he wanted, but now he could do nothing with the creature. Iroh further chastises his nephew by bringing up Zuko's last attempt to capture the Avatar, in which he might have frozen to death because he did not have a follow-up plan for once he had abducted Aang. He pleads with Zuko to make his own destiny in life, and not to follow the path chosen for him by his father. Distraught, Zuko throws down the Blue Spirit mask and his swords.
Elsewhere, Aang is trying to get Jet to snap out of his trance, while avoiding his attacks. He finally gets through to him by reminding him of his past as a Freedom Fighter. The memories of his old comrades awakens Jet, and he hurls one of his hook swords at Long Feng, who dodges and retaliates with earthbending. After dealing a grievous blow to Jet, Long Feng escapes as the others enter the chamber. Katara tries to heal Jet, and realizes just how badly he was injured. Longshot, speaking for the first time in the series, tells Aang and his group that they should go and find Appa, and leave Jet to Smellerbee and himself. Jet tries to assure Katara that he'll be fine, but as they leave, Toph sorrowfully says that Jet was lying. Jet's fate after the attack remains to be seen. As the four exit the room, Smellerbee tends to Jet while Longshot points his bow at the doorway in case Dai Li agents enter the room.
They finally reach Appa's cell, only to find the chains broken, and Appa gone. Thinking that Long Feng had taken him, they rush back to the surface, only to find themselves surrounded by the Dai Li. Momo suddenly takes off into the sky, only to have Appa come down and break through the Dai Li trap. Long Feng tries to attack Appa, only to have his foot caught in Appa's mouth, with the bison then throwing him into the lake, and Long Feng's body skips 3 times on the water before sinking, followed by Appa spitting out one of his shoes. Aang and the others joyfully reunite with the Flying Bison. As the Avatar crew fly away, Katara looks back at the lake, deeply saddened by Jet. The group hugs.
Back at the lake, Zuko and Iroh exit the underground facility, and Iroh comments that Zuko did the right thing. Zuko looks at the Blue Spirit mask, and Iroh tells him to leave it behind. Zuko then swiftly drops the mask into the lake, never to be seen again.
[edit] Notes
- The posters that Katara printed of Appa were the same promotional ones given out during the 2006 Comic-Con International in San Diego.
- Toph mentioned that lying has a physical effect on the body such as heart rate and breathing patterns. This is scientifically true and is the exact same way lie detectors work.
- Sokka draws with his left hand, but writes with his right, as seen in "The Library".
- The letter that was tied to Appa's horn by Guru Pathik in "Appa's Lost Days" is not seen in this episode. It is revealed in "The Earth King" that the Dai Li took possession of the letter when they captured Appa.
- The creators stated at the PMX that this episode contained, in their opinion, the best fight scene of the series.
- This episode marks the first occurrence of Longshot speaking.
- In "City of Walls and Secrets," and "Tale of Zuko," the sign in front of the teashop seem to read "包氏茶館" (bāo shì chá guǎn) which means 'Bao clan's teahouse.' There, the owner's lastname is Bāo (包) which means 'to cover.' However, here, he was called 'Pao' by rich patron who wanted to give Iroh his own place.
- The name "Laogai" "劳改" means to 're-educate through labor'. Laogai is an extensive prison labor camp chain used by Communist China with estimates of the number of inmates ranging from 10 to 20 million, often holding outspoken political disidents and prisoners of conscience such as Christians, Buddhists, Tibetans and Falun Gong practitioners. Child labour is common and widespread in the manufacture of fireworks, textiles and toys in laogai.
[edit] Scheduling Changes
Originally, various sources stated that “Lake Laogai” would air on October 20, 2006 in its usual 8 p.m. eastern timeslot. However, shortly before the expected airing, the schedule on Nickelodeon ‘s official site was changed to remove the airing. The schedule was then revised several times over the next few days. On October 23, it stated that “Lake Laogai” and “The Earth King”, the episode originally scheduled to air after this one, are slated to air on November 4, 2006 at 11 a.m. No explanation for the unusual timeslot was offered. Additionally, the schedule claimed "The Earth King" would air the night before, putting it out of sequence. On October 24, the schedule was further revised, now indicating “Lake Laogai” would air in the usual 8 p.m. timeslot on November 3. Furthermore, the two airings at 11 and 11:30 a.m. on the fourth were revised to be Avatar episodes with no episode description given, and "The Earth King" no longer appears on the schedule. To add to the confusion, "Lake Laogai" could be viewed on TurboNick on October 27. It was removed on October 30, suggesting that its early availability was an error. Avatar's creators, Bryan Konietzko and Mike DiMartino, even admitted at the PMX that they weren't aware that the episode was already being shown on Nick.com.
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