In the tenth episode of the first season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the trio come across a ragtag group of fighters, not unlike themselves, and discover the joy in similar company. However, one of the members is hiding a dangerous secret and Sokka is faced with a treacherous decision. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Avatar.

There is a Very Important and Necessary Conversation That We Need To Have that is going to happen right now.

NO SHIPPING WARS ON MY GODDAMN BLOG

In 2010, as I was slogging through Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, I posted a review. Ginny was in that review. I said things. (I don’t even remember what I said. That doesn’t matter.) I then enjoyed my vacation in the Grand Canyon. I left that gorgeous place to over 100 emails and nearly a thousand comments because I had unknowingly ripped open a fandom wound. Thus, the Great Ginny Slutshame of 2010 happened.

I would not like to do that again.

I have been made aware that the shipping for Avatar, which, I might remind you, is LARGELY A SHOW FOR CHILDREN, AANG IS TWELVE, STOP SHIPPING HIM WITH ANYONE, can get out of hand. [AUTHOR’S NOTE ABOUT THIS: People posted some seriously creepy Aang fic and fanart that totally crossed the line in decency, and this is what I mean about Aang shipping. I am not referring to romantic/friend shipping, just the TRULY INAPPROPRIATE SHIT I HAD TO SEE AND WILL NEVER UNSEE. Sorry for not making that distinction! –Mark]

So.

No shipping wars allowed. Talk about characters and their relationships and you are certainly welcome to share your views on shipping, but no pooping all over someone because they’re a Zutara shipper (WHY DOES THAT TERM EXIST) or a Kataang shipper (BLEACH MY EYES) or Irappah shipper (THE ONLY TRUE OTP) and just BE NICE.

Ok? Ok.

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HOLY SHIT THIS EPISODE. What an amazing story, packed with bleak imagery, difficult decisions, a lot of awkwardness, and a plot that (finally!) focuses on Sokka. The overarching message? Nothing is quite as black and white as it seems.

Well, in specific contexts, of course. I think that, universally, treehouse communities are pretty fantastic, and I am pressed to think of an example where a maze of bridges and house set in the trees is actually an awful thing. Maybe if you’re a thief of joy, that might be the case. So, the Freedom Fighter village, complete with it’s visual cues taken from the Ewok village in Return of the Jedi, is definitely a black and white thing. So are fresh-baked cookies with a glass of milk (whatever type of milk suits your fancy). Oh, and Appa. Appa is clear-cut as far as I’m concerned, unless there’s an episode coming up that reveals his demonic past.

So, ok, some things are black and white. That is not the point. It is a separate point that we can talk about some other time! This point concerns moral ambiguity, the desperation of war, and how violence can lead to a further justification of violence. All in an animated show on Nickelodeon. (Now that I will enjoy bringing up repeatedly, especially since it excites me forever that these wonderful storylines, narratives, and messages were presented to so many IMPRESSIONABLE YOUNG MINDS. I’m tenting my fingers right now. Muahahahahaha.)

Almost as if I could sense that things were changing, this is the first episode that completely breaks from the pattern every Avatar episode had given us so far. Not once is Prince Zuko or Uncle Iroh mentioned or seen during these twenty-five minutes. I know, I know. I said that all episodes with Iroh are the pinnacles of perfection just by virtue of him being in it, but I have to put aside my disgusting stanning for him and admit that this Iroh-less episode was truly magical, a stunning tale that didn’t have an old man talking about tea in it. That is it’s own form of tragedy, but “Jet” more than makes up for it.

Opening with a nonchalant Momo getting caught in a metal trap (and being very nonplussed once he escapes, because….hell, he’s got his treats), which initiates Sokka’s desire to lead the group in their trip to the North Pole. He makes a Very Good Obvious Point that should have been made earlier: Prince Zuko catches them each time they move because they’re flying on a giant bison. Sorry, Appa. You are kind of noticeable. Everything that Sokka says here is actually quite reasonable in terms of how they should travel. Walking, while uncomfortable compared to flying, is a great way for them to lose Zuko’s tail.

There’s two things at work that I’m glad weren’t ignored. First, I love that Katara makes a point to state that she doesn’t understand why boys always need to have a “leader.” In this situation, it seems best that the group just make decisions together instead of delegating them to one person. (I also like that Aang outright declines to be a leader himself, since that’s both too obvious and…well, he’s twelve. Twelve! He’s got enough going on for him.)

On top of that, though, is the tendency for Sokka to be dismissed. His sense of humor probably contributes to some of that, but I felt he made it abundantly clear that he was actually trying to be serious about their journey. It’s not that Aang and Katara dismiss Sokka in an aggressive, angry manner that stood out to me. It’s specifically the fact that they make the whole thing a joke that shows how they feel about them. I think that, for Sokka, his dependence on humor both as a coping method and as his social attitude has sort of come around to work against him, though I don’t want to place the blame on him for how his sister and Aang treat him. It’s ultimately their actions that cause a lot of what happens here.

So, we have two things clashing: Sokka’s humor and Sokka’s idea of his TOTES MASC LEADERSHIP ABILITIES. And these things clash in a very interesting way in “Jet.” Sokka’s Instinct tells him that they should walk, so the trio agrees to do so after poking fun at the entire concept. But wait! They walk straight into a Fire Nation camp and everything is dangerous again! But wait! Ok…what? Who are these people and what are they doing here??? HE HAS TWO SWORDS WITH HOOKS ON THEM. OH MAN THAT DUDE IS A GIANT WHAT IS EVEN GOING ON

This story is then taken over completely by the Freedom Fighters, a random, ragtag band of people who have all lost something because of the Fire Nation. They’ve banded together and built the sweetest treehouse society ever in order to do whatever they can to TROLL THE FIRE NATION. I’m sorry, this sounds like THE BEST LIFESTYLE TO HAVE EVER EXISTED EVER. I initially went back and forth on them: I was excited they were being introduced, then hesitant that they had another motive, and then excited again because they seemed like they might have been a more permanent fixture beyond just this single episode. After constantly switching back and forth, I didn’t know what to feel about the Freedom Fighters.

Meeting Jet sure didn’t help, because it was fairly easy to feel conflicting things about him. It’s no surprise that Katara developed a crush on him pretty quickly. I don’t blame her. He seemed carefree, willing to risk his only life to help those in need, and he was unbelievably talented with those double hook-swords. Plus, he has what looks like an amazing band of friends! (SMELLERBEE IS THE BEST AND HAS THE BEST NAME. THE END.) I think it’s a good sign when a person has an amazing group of friends. I personally feel better about someone in this case.

In addition to this, Katara and Jet share a bleakly intimate moment in the treehouse village, as we learn how much tragedy has struck all of these people. How was I supposed to realize that Jet had such a dark side? It’s a great example of how people can take a traumatic moment and cope, internalize, and manifest it in entirely different ways. On that bridge, Katara and Jet seem so much like the same person.

So I figured that “Jet” would go in one of two directions: Jet was hiding a secret or Jet would join up with Aang and company by the end of the episode to continue their adventures. I suppose I’m wrong on both counts, since he wasn’t ever technically hiding something before the three travelers arrived. Instead, “Jet” gives us a story about how people fighting for the right cause can go so very wrong.

I really love that Sokka is at the forefront of this story, too, because it makes the most sense that out of the trio, he’d be less “taken in” by Jet. Aang and Katara are utterly fascinated by his ability, first of all, and add Katara’s crush on him, and you’ve got a fine example of being smitten. On top of that, Katara projects her hope on to other people, something I’m prone to do and know by experience that it leads to a great deal of disappointment and heartbreak. Am I getting better at this? Nope, not in the slightest. I don’t know why, given my own history, I expect the best out of people. Watching Katara do this here in “Jet,” though, was sort of like having a mirror held up to myself. And then I punched myself. Yeah, pretty much like that.

Again, children’s animated cartoon! My god, totally unprepared for this.

The first signs (and the rather subtle parallels to the opening conversation about leadership) that something is wrong happens that night, after all the Freedom Fighters are introduced and we learn that they’ve been pestering the Fire Nation, who have taken over a local Earth Kingdon village. Jet gives an impassioned, humorous speech to all the Fighters, and it’s hard to ignore that the dude just has charisma. He’s one of those people well aware that people will listen to him, and he takes advantage of it to give these outsiders hope. I don’t want to ignore that this is a good thing.

But after the speech, he specifically addresses Katara and Sokka separate from everyone else and maybe it was just me, but it suddenly seemed so…manipulative. Everything else I just explained away (there’s that hope of mine again) as products of his current situation or because I didn’t know Jet well. But him singling those two out and specifically excluding Sokka was way too purposeful for me to think it was just an unfortunate implication in my brain. Then, when Katara reveals that Aang is the Avatar, you can see the interest pique on Jet’s face, and I decided then that there was something fishy about the dude. He all but confirmed it once Sokka tried to storm off, insisting they were leaving the next day, and Jet slyly coaxed Jet into helping him.

The best part? Even though I was right, I was still COMPLETELY NOT PREPARED.

Finally, Sokka is included in something, but I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be a pleasant situation. The big “twist” revealed here is that Jet and his buddies are completely, bullying assholes. Well, they start off that way, choosing to pick on an older man merely because he’s part of the Fire Nation, stealing from him to add insult to injury. Bless Sokka, because it could not have been easy to immediately turn on Jet and tell him what he’s doing is wrong, especially since he’s outnumbered. It’s an incredibly brave moment for Sokka, proof that he can do right by trusting his instincts. Those instincts tell him that this is not what they should be doing.

My slight enjoyment of Jet turned to HATEFUL RAGE by the end of the next scene. Jet is truly manipulative, a liar, and predatory, spinning an elaborate lie in order to turn Katara against her brother and Aang against his friend. He preys on their desire and jealousy to get them on his side. AND IT WORKS! They completely buy it and, after Katara gives her brother a stern talking to about his own jealousy, they agree to help Jet refill the local reservoir so that they’ll have more water to fight the Fire Nation.

Oh, Sokka. You were so right and even you didn’t realize it.

This episode from this point takes a remarkably bleak tone, one that surprised even me. It was obvious that the reservoir had a larger part in Jet’s plan, but Sokka is both too curious and too desperate to prove his case to ignore this anymore. Sneaking out that night to see what the Freedom Fighters are up to, he discovers that Jet is planning to blow up the dam and release the waters onto the Earth Kingdom village below in order to wipe out the Fire Nation.

Oh, yeah, and it would DROWN ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF THE EARTH KINGDOM. What??? WHAT???? This is a kids’ show, THEY CAN’T DO THAT RIGHT. RIGHT. RIGHT.

Oh my god, my brain basically exploded. Sokka was right and now people might die because no one would listen to him. AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH.

The confrontation between the two of them is rich with subtext, both calling back to the way Sokka was teased about being a “leader” and watching someone else act out that leadership in terrifying ways. The way that Jet talks about “sacrifice,” as if they are sacrificing themselves and not the HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE IN THE VILLAGE is so goddamn unsettling, because in his mind, this is what a warrior is supposed to do. (With the exception of maybe Pipsqueak, this whole band of fighters are teenagers and children. That sort of makes this plan even scarier.)

This same theme is brought up again when Pipsqueak and Smellerbee are escorting Sokka out into the forest after he rebukes Jet’s offer. Sokka does his best to reason with them, but the two are steadfast in their support of their leader. For them, Jet has never let them down. His decisions always seemed right and the outcome of his choices benefited the group. How could he be wrong about this plan?

It’s a way for the writers to (briefly) talk about this sort of devoting following that can come with enigmatic leaders like Jet. I’m sure that Pipsqueak and Smellerbee truly believe that Jet wouldn’t do something so terrible; we even saw bits of that when Katara and Aang refused to believe that Jet was a bully, despite that Sokka insisted he was.

When Aang and Katara do finally realize the full extent of the plan with the reservoir, we are subject to THE ABSOLUTE BEST FIGHT SCENE YET. Both Aang and Jet are uniquely skilled in such wildly different ways that their fight is far more intense and showy than anything we’ve seen yet. Even though Aang has the advantage of being the Avatar, Jet’s physical skill is undeniable. Mixed in with all this was the first distinct thought that I had regarding the use of color in “Jet.” I hadn’t noticed until the fight scene how inexplicably dark everything was, especially the use of such deep reds, which not only symbolized that these people were in Fire Nation land, but that their anger was almost like blood, especially in terms of Jet’s behavior here.

Despite that Aang and Katara both “capture” Jet and Katara gets a chance to scorn Jet for betraying her, things do not go as planned. The birdcall, the signal to ignite the damn, floats through the forest and Jet responds. Aang and Katara realize that despite their efforts, they are too late, that if Sokka does not come to the rescue, the village is doomed.

As Longshot sends his fire arrow into the sky, I expected Sokka’s familiar boomerang to knock it out of the sky, but my jaw dropped as I watched it hit the dam, the explosion freeing all of that water, and we cut to the Earth Kingdom village as a giant wave of water drowns it all.

You’re kidding me, right? Oh my god, did they just drown a bunch of people on a CHILDREN’S CARTOON??? Consumed with horror, I was so creeped out by Jet’s little victory speech, stating that the Fire Nation would forever stay out of this valley. AND SO WOULD THE PEOPLE YOU JUST KILLED, YOU ASSHOLE.

I don’t think the end of this episode ruins the complete shock I felt as the wave crashed over that village. I was happy that Sokka was able to save the day, so to speak, because he needed a chance in this series to show his sister and friend that sometimes, maybe they should listen to him and take him seriously. I mean, he saved all of those people ENTIRELY BY HIMSELF. UGH. Love you, Sokka.

I don’t know if we’ll see the Freedom Fighters again after this. THAT MIGHT BE AWKWARD. But I would like to, in some capacity, though I imagine that there would be some bitter feelings between them all.

THOUGHTS

• “Walking stinks! How do people go anywhere without a flying bison?” I KNOW, RIGHT?
• Ok, I laughed so hard when Aang and Pipsqueak were laughing about Pipsqueak’s name and Pipsqueak slapped Aang on the back so hard that he hit the ground, face-first.
• Sokka’s voice squeaking. LOL.