The Avatar State

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"The Avatar State" *Avatar: The Last Airbender episode*
Aang in the avatar state
Book	Two: Earth
Chapter	One
Episode #	Twenty-one
Prod. code	201
Airdate	March 17, 2006
Writer(s)	Aaron Ehasz, Elizabeth Welch Ehasz, Tim Hedrick, John O'Bryan
Director	Giancarlo Volpe
Guest star(s)	Daniel Dae Kim (General Fong) James Garrett (Avatar Roku) Victor Brandt (Master Pakku)

Previous episode "(Book 1: Water) The Siege of the North"
Next episode "The Cave of Two Lovers"

"The Avatar State" is an episode from the animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which airs on Nickelodeon. It is the first episode of the second season of the series.

Aang and the gang meet an Earth Kingdom general who has big plans for defeating the Fire Nation by using Aang's powerful "Avatar State."

[edit] Episode synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Aang has a dream that he is in "Avatar State," but is outside his body and witnessing it first hand which frightens him. He wakes up, on a Northern Water Tribe boat that is heading for the earth kingdom. Aang, Katara, and Sokka leave the rest on the boat and set off for Omashu to learn earthbending from King Bumi. Meanwhile, Zuko is growing steadily more upset as the three year mark of his banishment draws nearer. Iroh tries to console him to no avail. Iroh says,"Why would he banish you if he didn't care?" Meanwhile Azula, Zuko's sister, is shown speaking to the crew of her ship, instructing them to be prepared to fight members of the royal family or face her wrath. She is also hostile to the captain of her ship when he tries to tell her that the tides will not allow her ship to dock.

Aang and the gang meet Fong, an Earth Kingdom general, who believes Aang is wasting time learning bending and should just try to trigger his Avatar Spirit and go after the Fire Nation. Aang feels so guilty over the casualties of the war he agrees. Meanwhile, Azula is shown practicing advanced firebending techniques and is annoyed when she fails to achieve perfection. These techniques, strangely, involve lightning. Shortly after this, she arrives and presents Zuko with an interesting prospect. Azula claims that their father regrets his banishment and wants him home, for there was rebellion heating against the Fire Lord and she claims that he needs family whom he can trust around him.

In the meantime, Aang realizes that he should not try to trigger his Avatar State. Hoping that Fong would understand, Aang confronts him, but Fong foolishly tries to trigger the Avatar State by endangering Aang and, when that fails, endangering Katara. This enrages Aang, who falls under the Avatar State and manages to defeat Fong and his troops. However, during the battle, Avatar Roku communicates with Aang and explains that should an Avatar die while in this state, the Avatar Cycle dies with it. Meanwhile, as Iroh and Zuko are about to board Azula's ship, her captain inadvertently reveals that the two are considered prisoners, so Iroh and Zuko fight off Azula and her men, with Iroh absorbing and transferring the lightning bolt Azula was about to use against her brother. Knowing that it was but a lie and the Fire Lord wants nothing to do with either of them, Iroh and Zuko cut off their top-knots, forsaking their homeland.

In a dream, Aang sees himself in the Avatar State.

[edit] Notes

It is revealed in this episode that the Avatar State is a defense mechanism, triggered when the Avatar is in danger or under a great amount of emotional stress, mainly sadness and anger. The Avatar State is when all the knowledge and experience of the former Avatars are combined into the current one. However, even though the Avatar is near-invincible in this state, should the Avatar die in this state, the Avatar cycle will be broken and the Avatar will cease to exist.
It is revealed that Azula has the ability to generate lightning through Firebending.
Avatar Kyoshi makes an appearance as the Earthbending Avatar shown to Aang by Roku as he explains the purpose of the Avatar State.
Aang Earthbends for the first time in this episode (during his Avatar State).
The dagger Zuko uses to cut his hair is the same dagger that Iroh gave to him while he was a general stationed at Ba Sing Se, as revealed in "Zuko Alone."
The Avatar representing Airbending during Roku's explanation of the Avatar State is the first female Airbender seen thus far. The creators (jokingly) referred to her as "Avatar Susan" when asked what her name was at the Pacific Media Expo. Judging by her appearance, female Airbenders did not have their heads completely shaven as the males did, instead merely removing the hair covering the arrow tattoo on the forehead.