The Spirit World (Winter Solstice, Part 1)

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"The Spirit World (Winter Solstice, Part 1)" *Avatar: The Last Airbender episode*
Aang in spirit form
Book	One: Water
Chapter	Seven
Episode #	Seven
Prod. code	107
Airdate	April 8, 2005
Writer(s)	Aaron Ehasz
Director	Lauren MacMullan
Guest star(s)	André Sogliuzzo (Captain) James Shigeta (Old Wanderer) Mike Hagiwara (Village Leader)

Previous episode "Imprisoned"
Next episode "Avatar Roku"

"The Spirit World (Winter Solstice, Part 1)" is the seventh episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender's first season.

When Aang is assigned to help defend a town from a monster that has been plaguing the town, his lack of ability and knowledge becomes obvious as he doesn’t know what to do. However, when Sokka tries to rush to Aang’s rescue during the fight, he himself becomes captured and is taken away by the monster, which turns out to be from the spirit world. Aang promises Katara that he’ll find Sokka and bring him back, but with Aang even doubting himself, will he be capable of finding where the monster went?

[edit] Episode synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The party arrives at an Earth Kingdom forest, and sees what looks like a huge black scar in the middle of the woods. They land only to find out that it was burned down by Fire Nation soldiers. Aang feels bad that he let that happen, but Katara assures him that the forest will grow back, because of all the acorns around. The party is startled when an old man comes asking the Avatar (Aang) for his help. The group arrives at a village in ruins and learns that it was being terrorized by a spirit, Hei Bai. They ask Aang to help them, and he doesn't know how, but he agrees. At sunset, he went out to confront the spirit. Aang was trying to talk to the spirit, but it seemed it wasn't listening. Sokka runs out to help Aang, but is captured and taken away by the spirit instead. Aang, while chasing after Sokka and the spirit, mysteriously enters the spirit world. Later, Aang is confronted by a dragon, which turns out to be Avatar Roku's dragon. The dragon takes Aang to a temple on a crescent shaped island to see Avatar Roku's statue. Aang finds out that Avatar Roku wants to speak to him about a comet, and the only time they can talk is during the Winter Solstice. The dragon takes Aang back to his body and there, Aang learns why the spirit is terrorizing the village. The spirit was upset and angry that his home was being burned down. At sunset, Aang shows the spirit that the forest will grow back by giving him an acorn. The satisfied spirit (which turned into a panda bear) leaves the village, and in its trail, it left a few bamboo stalks that the captured villagers (including Sokka) come out of. The show ends with Aang telling Katara and Sokka that he needed to go to the temple (which is in the Fire Nation) to speak with Avatar Roku by sunset on the Solstice (which was the next day).

In this episode Iroh and Zuko are seen tracking Aang and his friends. Iroh is relaxing in a self heated pool of water that he has turned into his own personal jacuzzi. Zuko is becoming very impatient and demands that his uncle get ready to leave right away. Iroh agrees, but when he stands up it is revealed that he is naked. Zuko is very embarrassed by this, and covers is eyes telling his uncle to take a few more minutes to get ready. He then gives a warning that if Iroh is not ready within a half hour Zuko will leave without him. Iroh slumps back into the pool and falls asleep. He is awoken by a sound and prepares for a possible ambush at once. After he overcomes his disorientation he notices a tiny field mouse and relaxes again at once. He gently takes the field mouse into his hands and begins talking to it. Iroh realizes he missed Zuko's time limit but does not seem to care saying that he had "a very sweet nap." Iroh is then ambushed for real by Earth Kingdom soldiers who capture him. While Iroh is with his captors he notices the spirit of Avatar Roku's animal guide, which is a magnificent Dragon. Iroh is shocked but quickly covers it up when the soldiers ask him what is wrong. Iroh then tricks his captors by asking them to tighten his chains. The Captain then has one of the soldiers tighten the chains, while Iroh stealthfully snorts onto the cuffs heating them up. When the soldier touches the cuffs he burns his hand and screams in agony. Iroh then makes a bold but ultimatey failed attempt for freedom. After he is caught the soldiers debate with themselves about what they should do. They quickly decide to crush Iroh's hands by dropping a huge rock on them. Just as the punishment is about to be inflicted, Zuko appears and kicks the rock that was about to be dropped on Iroh's hands aside. He then lifts his leg and with one swift movement breaks the chains that are binding Iroh in half, to which Iroh praisingly says "excellent form Prince Zuko." Zuko smiles and says "you taught me well." Iroh and Zuko then defeat the soldiers without much difficulty. After the fight Zuko says "now would you please put on some clothes?!"

[edit] Notes

Nickelodeon Asia aired The Winter Solstice parts 1 and 2 as a Chinese New Year's special on January 29th 2006, at 12 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. in Singapore, 12 p.m. in New Zealand and 6 p.m. in the Philippines.^{[citation needed]}
Iroh is shown to have some connection with the Spirit World because he sees Roku's dragon while others do not. It is later revealed that he has dealt with the Spirit World in the past in Siege of the North (Part 2).
At the end of this episode the moon's shape is crescent. However, in the second part of Winter Solstice, the moon as being full.
The monster's name "Hei Bai" (黑白, hēibái) literally means in Mandarin "black white", a clear reference to the panda spirit's fur colours.^{[citation needed]}
In the Spirit World Aang does not have his Airbending abilities. It is unknown if the other Bending forms are similarly hampered within the Spirit World.
Ba Sing Se is revealed to be the capital of the Earth Kingdom.