The Waterbending Master

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"The Waterbending Master" *Avatar: The Last Airbender episode*
Aang
Book	One: Water
Chapter	Eighteen
Episode #	Eighteen
Prod. code	118
Airdate	November 18, 2005
Writer(s)	Michael Dante DiMartino
Director	Giancarlo Volpe
Guest star(s)	Lucille Bliss (Yagoda) Jon Polito (Chief Arnook) Johanna Braddy (Princess Yue) Victor Brandt (Master Pakku) Jim Meskimen (Lieutenant Jee) Keone Young (Captain Li)

Previous episode "The Northern Air Temple"
Next episode "The Siege of the North"

"The Waterbending Master" is the eighteenth episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender's first season.

When Aang and his friends get lost on their way to the North Pole, they are found by some of the Northern Water Tribe's soldiers, who take them to their capital. There, Aang manages to find a master to train him in the art of waterbending, but the master refuses to train Katara. Meanwhile, Admiral Zhao takes command of Zuko's soldiers to prepare for an assault on the Northern Water Tribe, having other plans in store for Zuko's fate.

[edit] Episode synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The kids reach the Northern Water Tribe, and Aang and Katara look for a waterbending master as Sokka falls for a princess. Meanwhile, Zhao plans an attack and Zuko must find a way to continue his quest for the Avatar.

Aang and Sokka are arguing about the whereabouts of the Northern Water Tribe, as they have traveled for two days straight. They are soon led to the tribe by Waterbenders. On the icy path to the palace, Sokka sees Princess Yue for the first time and falls in love with her.

Admiral Zhao is informed that the Avatar is going to the Northern Water Tribe and assembles a massive fleet to capture him. He takes command of the soldiers under Zuko. While he briefed Zuko and General Iroh, he sees the two scimitars on Zuko's ship that the Blue Spirit used to save the Avatar and makes the connection that Prince Zuko must be the Blue Spirit. Admiral Zhao then hires the pirates first seen in "The Waterbending Scroll" to assassinate Zuko.

Aang reluctantly learns from Master Pakku. He is angry that tribe's customs don't allow Pakku to teach Katara simply due to her gender. (Female Waterbenders are supposed to learn only healing, and Katara reluctantly goes to that class, which is taught by an old woman; the other students are all very young girls.) Disobeying the rules, Aang teaches Katara anyway on what he had learned. They are seen by the Waterbending Master and he refuses to teach Aang anymore.

Katara attempts to catch her breath.

The assassination plan is executed by the pirates. General Iroh takes Admiral Zhao's offer of taking command of the fleet. He only does this because he knows that Zuko is alive. Prince Zuko dresses as a Fire Nation soldier on one of the ships. He now has a chance of capturing the Avatar before Zhao does.

The Waterbending Master agrees to continue training the Avatar only if Katara apologizes. Katara, instead of apologizing, challenges the master to a duel. Katara is much more advanced in waterbending than we know and acquits herself remarkably. However, she still fails to land a single blow on Master Pakku and is beaten. Her grandmother's necklace, which fell off during the fight, is picked up by Master Pakku and it is discovered that he made it for Kanna (Katara's Gran-Gran) 60 years ago. Her grandmother left the arranged marriage to begin her life in the South Pole, refusing to let her tribe's customs rule her life. Also it turns out that the Princess has also fallen for Sokka but is more saddened to inform him that she is engaged to get married.

In the end, the Waterbending Master agrees to take them both as students and Admiral Zhao's fleet has mobilized for the Siege of the Northern Water Tribe.

[edit] Notes

The Northern Water Tribe uses special necklaces to mark engagement. The Southern Water Tribe does not.
Zuko survived the assassination attempt via a "fire shield," formed immediately prior to being hit by the large explosion. The shield itself is visible when the episode is viewed at a reduced speed.