Mark Watches ‘Avatar’: S02E04 – The Swamp

In the fourth episode of the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Team Avatar get trapped in a swamp as Zuko and Iroh are forced to deal with living a non-luxurious life. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Avatar.

I think it’s pretty funny that this episode comes after “The Rebel Flesh” in terms of what gets reviewed for Mark Watches, as I sort of feel the same way about this episode of Avatar as I do that episode of Doctor Who. I enjoyed it in my own way and I would not defend my like of it to anyone else.

That’s sort of a rare thing to come by, and I certainly had to learn to stop being defensive about things I enjoyed, lest I wanted to, like, have friends. When you enjoy something, it’s pretty natural for you flail about and then tell all your friends and then post about it obsessively and then sometimes even take that thing to your friend and maybe you sit alongside that person and you try to pay attention and you’re mouthing the words to all the lines of dialogue because maybe you’ve seen it a trillion times and you could probably recite the whole thing with your eyes closed and then you start trying to make subtle glances over to your friend to see if their face is showing the same emotion yours did the first time you watched it and you’re hoping they laugh at the right parts and jump and squeal at the others and maybe you are hinging far too much of your own happiness by hoping that every person in your life has the exact same taste as you do.

Taste. That’s what it all comes down to, doesn’t it? Hell, that’s most of what comprises these reviews: thoughts of mine that relate to what my personal taste is. This is not an unspoken topic ’round these parts, as that’s pretty much what a lot of what our conversations center around, too. I actually find that fascinating, and it’s why I make it a point to read the comments. Something that makes me giggle with joy can make another person wince, and I love that. I love that that is a thing! Of course, what excites me more is when something is universally loved or reviled by fandom; that’s much more fascinating to me because it is like seeing a rare wild animal in the forest or something. And what sort of things can a show do that are so openly loved or hated?

Well, we’ve seen some of that here on Mark Watches. “The Doctor’s Wife” is a great recent example, so apparently Neil Gaiman needs to write more television episodes! I jest. There’s much more to that episode than just the fact that Gaiman wrote it. But even things like the finale of season one of Avatar or “Objects in Space” during Firefly or quite a few episodes of LOST and The X-Files become revered by the fandom, and yet none of them have anything in common. (Unless I’m wrong? omg did i just give someone an idea for a thesis or, better yet, a really good post on Tumblr.)

So why does this happen? And how does a fandom become an almost collective conscious about certain issues when it normally is a splintered, fractured entity of almost innumerable variables?

With that in mind, I’ll repeat myself and begin again. I liked “The Swamp.” I don’t feel any desire to defend that, either. By the time it was over, though, I could already imagine some of the comments:

  • MEH
  • FILLER
  • WASTE
  • GO BACK TO THE MAIN STORY
  • OH MY FUCKING GOD IROH SINGING FOR MONEY I WILL PAY FOR THAT SHIT

Well, that last one might just be me, but I suspect there are others of you in the Avatar fandom who greatly enjoy that man’s beautiful musical talent as much as I do.

We’re dealt another dual story in “The Swamp,” despite that Iroh and Zuko’s story is remarkably brief. That singing is featured rather wonderfully here in the opening scene as the writers continue to explore how the two of them deal with being fugitives. I was absolutely fascinated with how this show deals with the issue of class, and how complicated and intersecting it is. Zuko is absolutely incensed at the concept of groveling and asking for money, and he makes a comment about how he is trying to keep his dignity, a concept that I think the writers do a great job of contrasting with the utter joy on Iroh’s face as he dances for the swordsman. If begging denotes a lack of dignity, then why does Iroh seem to have so much of it?

On top of that, this is all paralleled with the way that the swordsman treats the two of them: as beggars, they are lesser beings than he is, and they deserved to be treated as such. Zuko internalizes that message and chooses to act out violently in a way that, to him, inherently supports the message. If this man treats them as inferior humans, then they must be, right?

UGH THIS WAS ON NICKELODEON AND CHILDREN SAW IT AND MAYBE LIKE ONE OF THEM TOTALLY REALIZED HOW AMAZING THIS WAS AND MY HEART IS FULL OF SO MUCH JOY. This show, y’all, it’s doing wonderful things to my heart.

Of course, this side plot, which doesn’t get any screen time until the very end of the episode, culminates with the return of the Blue Spirit, whereupon my brain did this:

;KKSDJF A;SKLDFJ LAS;DFSD;FKU AS;LFDDFS;;L ASF;KDLJ A;AKSDJF ;;KAJSDF;LK ASKL ;J

Oh god, are we going to see more of Zuko as the Blue Spirit? In no world will I complain about this.

I think that I’ll be able to look back on “The Swamp” and appreciate it even more when I realize how much of a part it played in the larger narrative. The reason I say that is because two fairly important questions are not answered at all within this specific episode, and I imagine that later detail will provide context for the events that got Team Avatar separated and trapped inside the swamp.

That first detail is in regards to the “call” that Aang gets from the swamp below as Appa continues flying to….wait, where are they going? Did I miss that in a past episode? We know that King Bumi can’t help out Aang, so they must find a new earth bending master, but we don’t know where or who they are, so are they just….wandering?

Ok, anyway, that doesn’t really matter right now! Appa flies on as Sokka and Katara (mostly Sokka, ever the skepticist) both aren’t really sure that Aang is actually feeling something at all. Which…look, Sokka, the dude is the Avatar. As you admitted later in the story, Avatar stuff happens to him. Surely this could have been one of those incidents, right? Regardless, they all don’t get much of a choice at this point, as an unbelievably gigantic tornado descends on them and Aang is unable to hold it off. It separates Momo and Appa from the three humans in the group. Which is actually a really interesting dynamic, when you think about it. It’s another sign that the writers treat the animals in this story as actual characters, not just fodder for humor or a means to accelerate the plot. We can all surmise about what sort of personalities they have at this point, even though neither of them have had much of a backstory at all. That’s actually a pretty spectacular thing when you think about it, no?

This is when Question Number One is not answered:

WHO CREATED THE TORNADO THAT BROUGHT DOWN TEAM AVATAR?

I mean, Sokka and Aang sort of talk about it, but I refuse to believe that this is a plot hole, as it would be a rather egregious one. I mean….right? Oh god, I’m teasing you all again with my ~Innocence Privilege~ , aren’t I? OH GOD PLEASE DON’T ANSWER THIS.

While I’m not going to pretend that we all haven’t seen this exact story told before (group gets split up in ~nature~ and each sees a specific vision/hallucination catered to them), I still can’t help but feel, at the very least, quite intrigued at how this all happens. This is certainly the most confusing episode of Avatar so far, and part of that is because so much of it feels unresolved, as if this is a set up for another part of the story to be told.

As the humans are split off format he animals, the initial dynamic sets Sokka against Katara and Aang, who are both convinced that they did not fall into this swamp entirely by accident. Sokka, always committed to being the skeptic, ignores both of their warnings to stop hacking down vines. Surely there’s nothing else in this swamp? I find Sokka’s skepticism totally fascinating, both because I can see a twenty-year-old version of myself in him, when I was committed to being the most irritating cynic of all time, and because….ok, seriously, I can’t help but think that Aang lives in a world where bison can fly and people can bend the elements to control them and that there is a parallel world existing side-by-side with this one where spirits go to live. Is it really that out of the realm of possibility that there’s some sort of creature or spirit or entity in a swamp that is affecting them? Oh, Sokka, you are so adorable.

And while I wasn’t the least bit surprised that the “monster” that lived in the swamp further split up the group, as it’s a familiar story telling device, I was shocked at exactly how depressing the visions were that the three of them experienced. We’re shown Katara’s vision of her dead mother. Hello, show on Nickelodeon, what the hell are you doing to my heart. I could not believe how raw the moment was. While I thought I knew what I was getting into when the scene changed over to Sokka’s perspective and we saw Princess Zue, I was not prepared for this:

“You didn’t protect me.”

WHAT THE FUCK THAT IS BELOW THE BELT YOU MYSTICAL SWAMP MONSTER. Was the point of these visions to make these people feel like awful human beings?

And that’s when the second unanswered question is dropped on our laps:

WHO WAS THE LITTLE GIRL THAT AANG SAW?

We know from what Huu says at the end that the swamp will manifest those we’ve lost as a reminder of the spiritual world, so of course the question then concerns itself with who was in Aang’s vision. Oh god, how awful is that going to be when we see her and then we know she’s going to die? That’s going to be SUPER FUN AND AWESOME FOR EVERYONE.

“The Swamp” is also intriguing to me because it’s the first chance to meet water benders that are not living at either one of the poles. It expands the world we know in terms of the show itself, but it’s great to watch Sokka and Katara’s world expand as well, since they previously thought that water benders only lived on the poles. It helped explained something I wondered aloud about to my friends whilst watching this: how the hell are those natives making their boats move?

I definitely liked the goofy natives, but I think that, ultimately, I’m a bit more impartial to the nomads from “The Cave of Two Lovers.” I think part of that is because they were developed a lot further than these ones, who mostly existed to provide some (great) humor and to chase around Momo and Appa. (Seriously, why would you want to eat Appa when you could fly all over the world on his back?)

All in all, this was a neat episode, not particularly my favorite, but one that I think is part of a larger story. Well, at least I hope so, as it still feels largely incomplete, which is part of the reason I think others in the fandom may not care for it that much. I mean, I do understand that the pacing and information we got was just weird as shit, but come on. I LIKE WEIRD SHIT. Now I just want to know what the hell just happened. I SHALL PRESS ON.

THOUGHTS

  • “Didn’t know there was Waterbenders anywhere but here. They got a nice swamp there, do they?” “No, it’s all ice and snow.” “Mmm. No wonder you left.”
  • “Time is an illusion and so is death.” OMG AANG IS A TIME LORD.
  • I’m seriously ok with the ongoing joke that nearly everything that causes Sokka pain is his own fault. Including his war with the vines in this episode.
  • “Bet he tastes a lot like possum chicken.” “You think everything tastes like possum chicken.”
  • “You have an elbow leech.” “Where?” “Where do you think?”
  • I will say that part of the reason I did end up liking Tho and Due so much was the unbelievable homage they paid to Dukes of Hazzard.

About Mark Oshiro

Perpetually unprepared since '09.
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345 Responses to Mark Watches ‘Avatar’: S02E04 – The Swamp

  1. Let's all talk about Christopher Nolan's casting for The Blue Spirit Rises!

  2. ldwy says:

    I like this episode, but so far it's not a fave. I feel like the next one is basically a part two? The biggest thing I can't get out of my mind? How does waterbending equate with vine-bending? I didn't think a plant could be manipulated? Is it commonly explained with "water makes plants grow?"

    Love Iroh's good attitude. UH OH Blue Spirit is back!

    Sokka, I'm pretty sure something mystical is going on.

    Love the catfish-gators!!

    • Hue says he bends the water in the plants. He's not bending the vines, just the water in them. So the vines move with the water.

    • leenwitit says:

      Well, when you think about the structure of a plant, it's full of tubes that carry water from the roots of the plant/wherever it gets water from to the rest of the plant. In theory, you could absolutely manipulate the water contained in those tubes via bending and therefore move the plant about, since moving the water causes the tubes to move and by extension the plant.

      • hungriestgame says:

        colleen go study

      • Arymetore says:

        True, but I think it takes a plant/vine with excessive amounts of water for Hue to essentially bend plants. Because I don't think we see him bend a tree or a more woody plant, right?

    • Laura says:

      Plant cells have a lot of water! That's what he's bending.

    • Krystal says:

      Every living thing is made up of water, including plants.

      • ldwy says:

        Thanks everyone. I suppose the fact that they're very flexible swamp plants is what makes it possible.

        (I do know that every living thing is made up of water, but we haven't seen any water benders bend their opponents or anything, so I hadn't been thinking of this.)

        • Tauriel_ says:

          Well, since so far we've only seen Hue doing it, I think it's safe to assume that the technique is not exactly easy and not everyone can bend the water in plants so that they can move as wished.

          Which makes Hue a double badass. 🙂

  3. rainbowsinside says:

    Does Hugh's voice sound familiar to any of you?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiSqEadjYhk

    (For those of you who don't live in the southern US, Whataburger is a fast food chain that's all over the place down here.)

    When me and my friends realized who did his voice we had to keep rewinding the scene because we couldn't stop laughing and making burger jokes.

    Sorry if I ruined an otherwise amazing speech for any of you.

    P.S. Those screamy birds are simply the best!

  4. Dragonsong12 says:

    I actually really enjoy this episode, first and foremost for the creepy visions (Yue – UGH! That was wonderfully horrible) and also for the new use of water-bending – bending the water in the vines to make a swamp monster? Brilliant!

    I don't think it was as action-heavy, but it had a lot of focus on reflection…about yourself and the world around you. It doesn't leap to the front of my favorite episodes, but I honestly do enjoy it.

  5. Jon says:

    Mark, I'm not sure where you got the impression that anyone who shows up in a vision has to die.

    • xpanasonicyouthx says:

      Didn't Huu say it was a lost loved one? Specifically?

      • I can understand your confusion because Hue says it shows you visions of people you've lost to remind you that they're still with you, but since Aang didn't know the girl, it must be someone he hasn't met. But not necessarily someone he's going to lose. Remember that time is an illusion, so in the present, Aang has "lost" this person because she is not with him at this point in time. She will be in the future, however, and the swamp is reminding him that he will have this person in his life, just as Sokka and Katara had those people in their lives.

        TIMEY-WIMEY, SPACEY-WACEY.

      • Shay_Guy says:

        Well, everyone eventually dies.

        But Hue said "In the swamp we see visions of people we’ve lost, people we loved, folks we think are gone." And Aang pointed out that his vision was completely different — i.e., that that was only what it normally did. Why would this Avatar-vision have to have anything with death?

  6. chichichimaera says:

    This is completely unrelated to this episode, because I don't really have much to say about it, and also because I just discovered this amazing Tumblr blog and wanted to share it. Be aware though that it contains screenshots from all 3 seasons, so I'm just going to post some of the ones related to stuff we've seen so far.

    All pics come from Texts From The Fire Nation

    <img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i95/Gestalt1/tumblr_ll7258qnvV1qi3k37o1_500.jpg&quot; border="0" alt="Photobucket">

    <img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i95/Gestalt1/tumblr_lkjiy9Q3BE1qi3k37o1_500.jpg&quot; border="0" alt="Photobucket">

    <img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i95/Gestalt1/tumblr_lkjiw7iHc61qi3k37o1_500.jpg&quot; border="0" alt="Photobucket">

    <img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i95/Gestalt1/tumblr_lkjitgYoLK1qi3k37o1_500.jpg&quot; border="0" alt="Photobucket">

    <img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i95/Gestalt1/tumblr_li339oTg7I1qi3k37o1_500.jpg&quot; border="0" alt="Photobucket">

    <img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i95/Gestalt1/tumblr_li32elrxSn1qi3k37o1_500.jpg&quot; border="0" alt="Photobucket">

  7. arctic_hare says:

    So we start off this episode with Iroh being adorable and then THE BIGGEST ASSHOLE IN TOWN SHOWS UP TO ASSHOLE IT UP. YOU JACKASS I WILL REACH THROUGH THIS SCREEN AND SMITE YOU. YOU DON'T TREAT IROH LIKE THAT. (Also he kinda looks like Van from Tales of the Abyss, EXPLAINS THE ASSHOLERY.) I was glad that Zuko (in Blue Spirit disguise) beat him up at the end. He totally deserved it (though Zuko does lose points for being so entitled). Also, on rewatch, I noticed there's a Blue Spirit mask on that cart at the beginning. FORESHADOWING.

    Over in Team Avatar land, I hope Yoda's down there, Aang. Nothing else could get ME to land in a swamp. Not that they have a choice for very long, though. AND EW GIANT LEECH AAAH.

    Oh no, Appa. 🙁 🙁 🙁

    So, Katara sees a vision of her mother, and Sokka sees Yue… but who the heck did Aang see? A MYSTERY. Also, those visions were totally fucked up, especially Sokka's. YIKES.

    Overall, I… don't have a lot to say about this episode, it didn't really inspire any long-winded analysis in me for some reason, even though I did enjoy it. I appreciated the environmental message at the end, though, and am intrigued by the prospect of learning the identity of the girl in Aang's vision.

    • monkeybutter says:

      Your comment about the environmental message reminded me that the swamp, especially the canopy, reminded me of Nausicaa, which is gorgeous and should be watched by everyone (it also has an environmental message, like most Ghibli films, haha)!

    • Tauriel_ says:

      Let me share your OUTRAGE at the asshole who insulted Iroh.

    • notemily says:

      I herd u like environmental messages so we put them all over this TV show

    • TheWelshPirate says:

      Fuck that snobby asshole. I was also quite steadfastly on Zuko's side in this matter. I couldn't even help myself from feeling a slight peng of annoyance when Iroh went so far as to complement him after he left. "General, I both respect and admire you, and you are far to good a person for this world. But, REALLY? Nobody would have thought any less of you if you had called that swordman a dipshit under your breath."

      Oh, and one of my favorite Sokka lines: WHY DO THINGS KEEP ATTACHING TO ME!?!

    • sakiexcel says:

      Oh my God, he does kind of look like Van. I never noticed that!

  8. affableevil says:

    I know that this is not a particularly beloved episode, and I can't say it's a ~special favorite~ of mine or anything.

    But, I feel like it's got some beautiful things to say about love and loss, with the whole "Time is an illusion and so is death" speech. And Yue 🙁 And Sokka and Katara's mom 🙁

  9. echinodermata says:

    This is hardly a favorite episode of mine, but it still does some interesting things. And then some things that aren't really engaging to me. So yeah, some of my response is meh, but some of it is nodding along.

    So let me get this out of the way: Sokka saving the day with his own philosophy that so counters Aang's is one of the things I really enjoy about this show – a skeptic in a fantasy world that gets to be right and contribute to saving the day many times over! But not so much in this episode. I'm pretty used to it, so it's not that I outright hate this plot point or anything, just that it fills me with some resignation.

    Moving on to less critical things, poor Iroh! It's a tribute to his character that I don't even really mind the notion of him asking Earth Kingdom people for money, even after having lead an army against them. And he takes the heckling in stride, and calls the dude a "kind man". Oh, Iroh.
    <img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/sv1g8p.gif"&gt;

    And oh look, another environmentalist message! But more heavily handled. And then add ATLA's version of hillbillies. Uh, okay. That's…nice? NO ONE EAT APPA, OKAY?

    So there was some heartbreak in this episode, which I found pretty unexpected the first time. Katara seeing her mom but not really; Sokka seing Yue and her blaming him. And then a random giggling girl that Aang chases. And it's someone he's never met, not someone he's lost. Ooh, mystery.

    Random thoughts:
    The aesthetic in the swamp is interesting. Not quite to my taste, but it has its moments.
    <img src="http://img852.imageshack.us/img852/6675/204pretty.png"&gt;

    That goddamn screaming bird I want to strangle it.

    Appa roaring and shutting up the swamp creatures was fun.

    I like swamp guy's wooden mask.
    <img src="http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/8538/204mask.png"&gt;

    That's an interesting new "avatar state" (in quotes cause it's not the usual deal) power.

    Blue Spirit! Zuko going scary! Because it's the guy who taunted them at the beginning! And of course it ends there, with us to speculate on what happened.

    • hpfish13 says:

      I love how giant Uncle's mouth gets when he's singing!!

      • jeno says:

        Heh, his teeth really reminded me of Fullmetal Alchemist. Are there Homunculi in the royal family?

    • Diana Kingston-Gabai says:

      Moving on to less critical things, poor Iroh! It's a tribute to his character that I don't even really mind the notion of him asking Earth Kingdom people for money, even after having lead an army against them.

      I always thought that's part of the reason why he's so glib about their situation – he almost wiped these people out once, now he's humbling himself in penance.

      • Tauriel_ says:

        I've never thought of that, but it totally makes sense and is perfectly in-character for Iroh.

        ILU IROH! <3

  10. Laura says:

    … ah, ninja'd

  11. monkeybutter says:

    Yeah, The Swamp isn't my favorite episode or anything, but I still like it. It's good for callbacks to things that happened earlier in the series, like Zuko/Blue Spirit and his continuing internal conflict, the interaction of the spirit world and the real world, Sokka's loss of Yue, and Katara's loss of her mother. Oh, and Katara's magnificent crown:

    <img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2z4zazr.png"&gt;

    The swampbender was right; Momo is smart. He knew he'd need that tiara later on. I also liked that Tho and Due were a Dukes of Hazzard reference, because, hey, why not? And I might be weird, but catgators are kinda cute (I spent a large chunk of my childhood vacations trying to ward of boredom and catch a gator, but I always came up with catfish. It's a good mix for me!).

    • sakiexcel says:

      I know they're catgators, but my first thought ever time I see them is "koicodile" (which I maintain is a much better word, but wrong on both counts).

  12. rainbowsinside says:

    It's even better when you go back and realize that Hugh (Huu?) starts off a couple sentences with "Just like you…"

  13. Mauve_Avenger says:

    This was an episode I could take or leave, but I do have to say that I love how the show establishes continuity in this episode, with two callbacks to "The Blue Spirit." I just hope this formatting works.

    Zuko presumably lost his Blue Spirit mask when his ship was burned by Zhao and the pirates, so where did he get a new mask? He got a new one from the cart that goes past him at the beginning of the episode:
    <img src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m593/the_mauve_avenger/Other%20Animation/BlueMaskReappears.gif"&gt;

    And then there's the stuff that Momo threw at Due during the chase scene. Anything look familiar?
    <img src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m593/the_mauve_avenger/Other%20Animation/DueHitwithCrown.gif"&gt;
    <img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/29ohcac.gif"/&gt;

  14. Mauve_Avenger says:

    This was an episode I could take or leave, but I do have to say that I love how the show establishes continuity in this episode, with two callbacks to "The Blue Spirit." I just hope this formatting works.

    Zuko presumably lost his Blue Spirit mask when his ship was burned by Zhao and the pirates, so where did he get a new mask? He got a new one from the cart that goes past him at the beginning of the episode:
    <img src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m593/the_mauve_avenger/Other%20Animation/BlueMaskReappears.gif"&gt;

    And then there's the stuff that Momo threw at Due during the chase scene. Anything look familiar?
    <img src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m593/the_mauve_avenger/Other%20Animation/DueHitwithCrown.gif"&gt;
    Apparently, they kept the crown that Momo brought Katara when she was sick in "The Blue Spirit":
    <img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/29ohcac.gif"&gt;

  15. Mauve_Avenger says:

    This was an episode I could take or leave, but I do have to say that I love how the show establishes continuity in this episode, with two callbacks to "The Blue Spirit." I just hope this formatting works. (ETA: And it didn't. New format ahoy.)

    Zuko presumably lost his Blue Spirit mask when his ship was burned by Zhao and the pirates, so where did he get a new mask? It was right there on the cart that goes past him at the beginning of the episode:
    <img src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m593/the_mauve_avenger/Other%20Animation/BlueMaskReappears.gif"&gt;

    And then there's the stuff that Momo threw at Due during the chase scene. Anything look familiar?
    <img src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m593/the_mauve_avenger/Other%20Animation/DueHitwithCrown.gif"&gt;
    It's the crown Momo brought to a sick Katara in "The Blue Spirit." Apparently, they've had it stashed away on Appa's back the whole time:
    <img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/29ohcac.gif"&gt;

  16. barnswallowkate says:

    Since Sokka & Katara both see people they really care about, and Aang sees a random girl, does that mean all the Kataang shippers saw this and went WHO IS THAT WHY IS SHE HERE GO AWAY GO AWAY?

    Mark I am also afraid the girl Aang saw is going to die (because the other vision-people are dead too) and that would be pretty rough for a kids' show.

    The swampbenders' arm flapping to drive the boats made me laugh really hard.

  17. audzilla says:

    The cute little bird with a terrifying, human scream seriously made me laugh for like ten minutes.

    I liked a lot about this episode in terms of the subtle bending-physics it throws at us. Well, of course plants are full of water – so why not? And watching Zuko's youthful, rich-kid pride clash with Iroh's more worldly humility makes me <3 them both.

  18. ABBryant says:

    I know you wanted an entire episode devoted to Appa and one devoted to Momo, but have half an episode for the both of them instead.

    Sorry.

  19. Manself says:

    I love this episode so much. It somewhat reminds me of the Teen Titans episode “Fear Itself” (Seriously, what show hasn’t use this as a title for an episode at some point?), in which the group gets “picked off” one by one by a mysterious force. I blame this affinity for such episodes on my obsession with Scooby Doo as a child (I also trace my love of shows with good group dynamics and good ol’ fashion mystery solving to those meddling kids and their talking dog). Plus, the battle with the swamp monster is one of my favorites of the entire series, as it allows Katara to be a complete BAMF. I’ve always assumed this ep was well-liked among the fandom, but now I realize that I have no actual proof. Either way, you’re not alone in your enjoyment of “The Swamp” (Or “The Rebel Flesh”).

    Oh, and Katara’s response to “That means we’re KIN!” for the glorious victory.

    • canadadian says:

      I had the exact same thought! When everyone was sleeping and that vine wrapped around Sokka, I couldn't help but think of Beast Boy: "The monster hunts you down one at a time, starting with the good-looking comic relief guy – ME!"
      Later: gets grabbed by tentacles "What did I tell you? Funny guy goes fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrssssssst!"
      …I may or may not watch too many cartoons.

  20. psycicflower says:

    If there's one thing this episode does, it's highlight the need for a Appa and Momo adventures spin off. I would watch the hell out of that.

    ‘The coin is appreciated but not as much as your smile.’
    I really like Iroh begging and how much he seems to enjoy it, even when that guy was being an arsehole to him. It really reinforces the fact that Iroh generally seems to be happy anywhere, doing anything. I doesn't take anything fancy for him to be content and I really love that about his character.

    The episode is hard to judge with the loose ends it leaves but I enjoyed it well enough, but that could just be because of the swamp people and how much I want them to have a sing along with the hippies. I also really liked meeting a new group of water benders and I love how they make use of their powers for speed boats and giant swamp monsters.

    Oh god, how awful is that going to be when we see her and then we know she’s going to die? That’s going to be SUPER FUN AND AWESOME FOR EVERYONE.
    How very River Song.

  21. Dragonsong12 says:

    That was specifically for people you know. Aang doesn't know the person he saw. It may be someone who's dead, but Huu's comment doesn't include people you don't know, only those you do. His comment on Aang's vision was only "You're the Avatar, you tell me" which indicated to me that he didn't really know about incidents like that.

  22. Kaci says:

    Oh my sweet holy fuck, Mark. The way you described the feeling of making your friend watch something and then mouthing the words and being SO EXCITED and then looking over to see if they're having the same reaction and how your happiness hinges on if they share your taste? I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE, "OMG YES THIS," IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.

    Perfect example: a few weeks ago, my mom decided she wanted to watch A Very Potter Musical because I quote it all the damn time. So we sit down together and there I am, bopping along to the songs, singing, mouthing the words, and I keep looking over and her face is just -_- So it ends, and I ask her if she liked it, and she refuses to answer. Finally, I keep wheedling and I get a perfectly respectful, "It had its good points, but it's not really my kind of humor. I can see why you enjoy it, though, and they were all very talented performers." That is a perfectly kind response! I acknowledge this! But I tell you, I moped around for the rest of the evening completely upset about it because SHE DIDN'T LOVE THIS THING THAT I LOVED.

    *cough* So…yeah. DITTO TO WHAT YOU SAID.

    • kartikeya200 says:

      This also is SO ME. I'm always trying to get people I know to watch the stuff I like, so I can watch them and be happy if they happen to also zomg like it. And then be all mopey-and-trying-to-hide-it if they don't.

      Been trying forever with my mother and Avatar, for that matter. But she refuses to give it a chance, because it's a cartoon. Agggh, pet peeeve.

    • chichichimaera says:

      Seconded so hard.

    • Elexus Calcearius says:

      I know exactly what you mean. Its so brilliant when you reccomend something to someone and they love, but when they don't…

      I've gotten to the point when I'm actually quite afraid of talking about what I like and don't like. Its because so many people in my life will actively look down on me if I like different stuff from them. I hardly expect everyone to enjoy the same stuff as me, but it becomes very tiring when people make continuous comments about how stupid the stuff I enjoy is, and that they wouldn't watch another minute of it if they were forced.

      ( yes, I'm a bit bitter. </rant>)

    • egao-gakari says:

      LOL that happened with me and my mom too, only with "Juno", which I loved when it first came out and I actually brought her to the theater to see it even though I'd already been. Only I didn't realize it would dredge up a bunch of memories for her about her own unplanned pregnancy (not teenage, but unmarried) and how unfairly her own parents treated her, and we spent the whole drive home with her crying about how real parents are never as cool with it as Juno's are and the movie was giving young girls a false impression about how gravely a pregnancy affects their lives and the lives of those around them. TOTAL miscalculation on my part, partly because I wasn't aware at the time exactly how unplanned her pregnancy actually had been, and I felt awful and have been reluctant to share anything else I like with her since in case it opens up more old wounds :/

    • notemily says:

      My entire family thinks science fiction, fantasy, and being a huge Fan of anything in general is a waste of time. So when I try to talk to them about the things I love, namely, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Discworld, Sandman, Avatar, Buffy, etc., they just give me blank stares and my sister makes a comment about how "weird" I am. So I totally get where you're coming from. I always want to be like, THERE ARE HUGE COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T THINK THIS STUFF IS WEIRD! I AM NOT AN ANOMALY! but whatever, people like what they like. Sigh.

      It's a good thing my sister married a guy who likes B horror movies and comic books. At least there's one person at family gatherings I can have a geeky conversation with.

      • kartikeya200 says:

        Awww. 🙁 That completely sucks. While my parents refuse to take animation seriously (except when I catch them crying at Disney movies I SAW YOU DOING THAT, DAD), my entire family is, quite literally, full of total dorks who will randomly start quoting some movie or tv show or comedy sketch and then we'll all finish each other's quotes. My family is very good at being Fans of things.

        I mean, there's a reason I was playing video games before I could properly walk and have been a trekkie since before I can remember.

        • notemily says:

          …I don't get it.

          • TheWelshPirate says:

            About your sister making fun of you for being a fan of things only to marry a B-movie/comic book geek. As a fanboy of both of those myself, I know how intense those communities tend to be in their devotion. So I just thought it was an amusing bit of irony. No offence intended.

            • notemily says:

              Oh, OK. No, I wasn't offended, just confused. It is a bit weird–they get two different movies from Netflix or whatever and watch them on separate TVs in separate rooms. I don't even know. Maybe my sister likes Weird Fans Of Things more than she lets on… 😛

  23. @maybegenius says:

    I actually really enjoy this episode, too. Not a ***FAVORITE***, but I like it.

    I could be totally wrong on this point, but I kind of had the impression that the swamp was "calling" to Aang because it was like, "HEY AVATAR BRO THERE IS A BIG FUCKING TORNADO COMING YOUR WAY AND YOU SHOULD GET ON THE GROUND." At least I like to think that the swamp was throwing out a warning. Maybe he could just "hear" it because of his interconnectedness with the Spirit World, IDK.

    The variety of waterbending displayed in this episode is so cool to me! After seeing Katara's techniques, it's an interesting change with their windmilling arms and… dance moves? IDK. Also this is an instance of using bending in creative ways that are outside the box. Bending the water inside vines to create some sort of super-powerful plant monster? IMPRESSIVE.

    Appa and Momo being off alone and having adventures together makes me so happy. They are BEST FRIENDS.

    My one qualm with this episode was Hue's abrupt character shift? One second he's a vicious/mysterious plant monster who is trying to seriously harm the GAang, and then when they figure out what he is and are like WTF, he's like, "Oh, my bad, I just protect the swamp. Here, let me take you to the heart." Like, what. I don't understand what happened there. BUT OH WELL.

    That said, this episode actually got under my skin with the creepy shots looking through the vines (which looked sort of like creepy tangled hair) and the dark and the seeing of dead people and everything. Brrr. I have a think about not knowing where I am + fear of the dark, so this episode hit some of my fear centers pretty good.

    <img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d61/lostluck_personal/TV%20gifs/AAAAAHHHH.gif"&gt;

  24. kartikeya200 says:

    <img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/kartikeya/Avatar/swamp5.jpg"&gt;

    Oh Mark, your unpreparedness level is so very very high, and I am so very very excite. Why must there only be one a day?

    Anyway, I stayed far, far away from this fandom, so I have no idea what the fan reaction is. But I like this episode. Like you, not one of my favorites, but I like it quite a lot. And while the message may feel heavy-handed, it's one of those messages that you can't really drop enough anvils about.

    <img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/kartikeya/Avatar/swamp4.jpg"&gt;

    The swamp was a visually rich and dense location, which required tons of detail in the drawings and paintings.

    <img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/kartikeya/Avatar/swamp3.jpg"&gt;

    <img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/kartikeya/Avatar/swamp2.jpg"&gt;

    Distant relatives of the Water Tribes, the Swampbenders and the Swamp Monster appeared threatening at first.

  25. kartikeya200 says:

    <img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/kartikeya/Avatar/swamp5.jpg"&gt;

    Oh Mark, your unpreparedness level is so very very high, and I am so very very excite. Why must there only be one a day?

    Anyway, I stayed far, far away from this fandom, so I have no idea what the fan reaction is. But I like this episode. Like you, not one of my favorites, but I like it quite a lot. And while the message may feel heavy-handed, it's one of those messages that you can't really drop enough anvils about.

    <img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/kartikeya/Avatar/swamp4.jpg"&gt;

    The swamp was a visually rich and dense location, which required tons of detail in the drawings and paintings.

    <img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/kartikeya/Avatar/swamp3.jpg"&gt;

    <img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/kartikeya/Avatar/swamp2.jpg"&gt;

    Distant relatives of the Water Tribes, the Swampbenders and the Swamp Monster appeared threatening at first.

  26. Hyatt says:

    Oh god, how awful is that going to be when we see her and then we know she’s going to die?

    Hey, she might not die! Yue technically didn't die, she just became part of the Moon Spirit; maybe something similar will happen to Mystery Vision Girl! …that's not much better, is it?

  27. cait0716 says:

    Mark, you need to read more Neil Gaiman. I don't know how much you've read, but I am eagerly awaiting The Sandman reviews. In the meantime, you should read this: http://neilgaiman.com/mediafiles/exclusive/shorts… for the following reasons:
    1) It's short (9 pages long)
    2) it's free (hooray!)
    3) Neil Gaiman re-writes Sherlock Holmes in the voice of HP Lovecraft. I know that involves at least two of your favorite things

    If that link doesn't work, the story is called "A Study in Emerald" and it's available for free on Neil Gaiman's website

    /off-topic

    • lisab says:

      Study in Emerald also won a Hugo, and since he a) didn't think anything of his would even be nominated that year he acccepted the job of hosting the hugos, and when he actually WON said Hugo he hadn't prepared a speech because he didn't think a sherlock holmes/lovcraftian mashup would win, so he gave the most famous Hugo acceptance speech ever: aka, the one that started with "fuck, I won a hugo."

      It is also available (full text! with awesome lovecraftian advertisements!) as a perfectly lovely poster that I have framed on my wall.

    • justicerobin says:

      YES YES OMG YES

      So much love for that story.

    • @Siesiegirl says:

      A Study in Emerald is amazing. There should be more Sherlock/Lovecraft in the world.

  28. thefireandthehearth says:

    I'll admit, this isn't a ~personal favorite~ episode, but I still enjoy it. It deals with themes of loss and survivor's guilt in an particularly mature way. (especially considering that this is Nick, of all channels) I cannot be the only one who wanted to reach through the screen and give Sokka giant hug after he saw Yue. All of the sads, everywhere. An then a reference to the Buddha! Always fun.

    What did annoy me was the swamp folk's reaction to Appa. HE VERY CLEARLY HAS A SADDLE ON HIS BACK, SO THUS HE IS OWNED BY SOMEONE, POSSIBLY THE AVATAR. DON'T EAT PEOPLE'S PETS, FFS.

    As, seriously, fuck that guy who was lording over Iroh. Zuko's anger at everything is rarely good, but I can't say I was upset by what he did.

    And then it ends with the twin mysteries of who is that girl and can I have her flying pig? Seriously, I want a flying pig.

  29. Shamu says:

    Oh, as a Louisiana native, I felt the same way.

  30. monkeybutter says:

    The swamp spirit seems to be screwing with Mark Watches to force me to do something productive. NOT GONNA WORK, SWAMPY.

  31. tchemgrrl says:

    I'd pay to hear Iroh sing DIRTY songs. You know he has lots of them, and that they are hilarious.

    Rewatching these, I am tiring of Sokka Scullying everything up. Magic is real in your world, kiddo, dill with it.

  32. arctic_hare says:

    She got them from Wizard Derk, clearly. He breeds flying pigs.

  33. Pseudonymph says:

    I had this gut reaction the first few times I saw this episode but after my most recent rewatch I'm not sure it's really fair. The Foggy Swamp people are not actually stupid. Yeah, they were ignorant of the fact that there are Water Benders at the poles but Sokka and Katara were ignorant of the fact that there were Water Benders anywhere besides the poles.

    It's possible that the writers gave these characters that accent in an attempt to signal that they are ignorant in which case, yeah, that's bad. But Huu was a badass, enlightened guy and the other Swamp Benders didn't seem any less intelligent than the other locals the Gaang has encountered in other regions.

  34. WHATATWIST says:

    WHY DIDN'T YOU LET HIM GO ON THINKING THAT SHE WAS DEFINITELY GOING TO DIE? YOU'RE NO FUN AT ALL.

  35. Patrick721 says:

    Oh god, that would be hilarious. He and Nanny Ogg could go on tour together or something.

  36. psycicflower says:

    WIBBLY WOBBLY, TIMEY WIMEY

    (Clearly we Doctor Who fans know how to use extremely technical terminology.)

  37. Shamu says:

    Hmmmm. I liked this episode, but I didn't love the portrayals of Tho and Due. I know they were a Dukes of Hazzard homage, but their constant displays of ignorance felt kind of like a slap toward my heritage. And if they had to portray 'Cajuns', I don't know, it just bugged me that they've got generic 'southern' accents. We don't sound like that! Though I suppose since the media at large is so rarely accurate in its portrayal of Cajun-types, no one from outside of Louisiana would know the difference. Sigh. There were problems with it, but overall I'm more partial to Raymond's portrayal in Princess and the Frog. Jim Cummings nailed the accent!

    Huu I liked okay.

    On the other hand, I did love the swamp people's waterbending style airboats! And possum-chickens! And catfish-gators! Those were all cute touches.

    IROH, I WOULD GIVE YOU TEN GOLD PIECES IF YOU SANG FOR ME.

  38. majere616 says:

    Don't forget spacey-wacey.

  39. Tauriel_ says:

    THIS. SO MUCH THIS. XD Iroh and Nanny Ogg would be the best couple ever. XD

  40. Saphling says:

    This. I agree with everything you just said. I kept… trying to ignore the swamp people, their accents, their ignorance, their eating of bugs, their near-lack of clothing… *sigh* This is the only episode of Avatar that I haven't utterly liked, and the portrayal of the swamp people is why.

    • Pseudonymph says:

      I think this is an unfortunate attitude but also an understandable one. As I mentioned above, I felt similarly when I first watched this episode but after my last rewatch I realized the Swamp People are not particularly ignorant at all.

      There's nothing about accents, bug-eating, or certain kinds of clothing that automatically signals ignorance but I think people in the U.S. are accustomed to certain stereotypes being played for laughs in which the stereotyped characters are supposed to be ignorant.

      But I really don't think that's what's going on in this episode. The Swamp People just have a different culture than what's been previously portrayed on the show and that includes a different accent, different diet, different clothing, etc.

      • notemily says:

        I agree with this. The Swamp People's habits fit their lifestyle. They don't wear many clothes because the swamp is warm enough. They eat bugs because… that's what they eat! The audience, along with the Gaang, might see them as strange, but that's just because their culture is different from what we're used to seeing. They're ignorant about things outside the swamp because they've never been outside the swamp. Although… where were the women in this ep? Those swamp people didn't just materialize out of the swamp…

  41. Saphling says:

    When you enjoy something, it’s pretty natural for you flail about and then tell all your friends and then post about it obsessively and then sometimes even take that thing to your friend and maybe you sit alongside that person and you try to pay attention and you’re mouthing the words to all the lines of dialogue because maybe you’ve seen it a trillion times and you could probably recite the whole thing with your eyes closed and then you start trying to make subtle glances over to your friend to see if their face is showing the same emotion yours did the first time you watched it and you’re hoping they laugh at the right parts and jump and squeal at the others and maybe you are hinging far too much of your own happiness by hoping that every person in your life has the exact same taste as you do.

    I believe this is why we're here, Mark. 😀 Hoping we can see the same joy in you that we felt when we first saw these shows/read these books.

  42. ShinSeifer says:

    Yeah, I do this all time… you can say it is my favorite past-time, making people watch or read or play something I love and watching their reactions… It is more entertaining than actually discovering new stuff myself, esecially when I guess right the tastes of my friends… And usually I'm pretty good at that. I've come to term to the fact that not everyone may like something… for example, I will NOT try to make my mother read Harry Potter because I honestly don't think she would like it, but I am SO-TOTALLY trying to convince my roommate to play Metal Gear Solid because I don't care what he says, he WILL love it I KNOW IT! Sometimes all you need is to tie your friends to a chair and make them watch the first few episodes and the show will do the rest. I've lost count of how many times this tactic has worked with LOST… =P

  43. Everyone is definitely going to die. But it's okay since death is an illusion.

  44. @maybegenius says:

    I had the same feeling. At first blush, it definitely seems like "hurr hurr stupid swamp hicks, they're so dumb," and they made some questionable commentary about eating Appa just because they could. But in the end, I felt that they weren't really treated as stupid? They proved to be capable benders and managed to trap both Momo and Appa. At the end, they had their own knowledge and culture and were kind and treated the GAang well. IDK. They didn't strike me as particularly ignorant. I think maybe it was more of a culture difference shock than "hey look at these backwater idiots." Admittedly the accent was played for some cheap laughs, though.

    • xpanasonicyouthx says:

      That's exactly as how I read it, too, being one who was raised in poverty, it felt like the initial presentation started off that way, but by the end, and coupled with the obvious Dukes of Hazard reference, made me feel like they were presented in the same loving light as the nomads.

      • lilah80 says:

        See, maybe I'd feel differently if I'd ever seen Dukes of Hazard. Then maybe I'd get the reference.

      • TheWelshPirate says:

        I get a sneaky feeling that Mike and Bryan intentionally tried to catch some of us in our own unrealized prejuduces. Let's be honest, who first assumed that Tho and Due were going to be ignorant BECAUSE of their accents? They used a common stereotype to trick us in to expecting the stereotype. Bryan, Mike…

        <img src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=31489685">

        • Tauriel_ says:

          Yeah, they're pretty devious, they make you assume a stereotypical view, and then TWIST the story and whack you over the head with it. XD

  45. accioetoile says:

    I rewatched this episode last night, and all I could think of was the jabberjay scene from Catching Fire whenever the screaming bird appeared.

  46. leenwitit says:

    I don't think that has to do with the amount of water. If you tried to bend a woody plant, it would shatter. It's not flexible.

  47. Lioness says:

    I can't dislike this episode. It has Swamp Buddha! Who can resist Swamp Buddha?

  48. Amanda says:

    I love the swamp guys so much. Yeah, they're kind of yokel-ish, but I like that there was more to them than their yokel-ness. They're waterbenders, and kind of badass. And Huu is an enlightened wise man. And they're perfectly hospitable and friendly once they realized that the Gaang were friendly. It's kind of like the hippies: they could have used the negative stereotypes just for some cheap laughs, but instead they turned out to be a bit more rounded than usual and the effect was awesome.

  49. Pimento says:

    I re-watched this episode thanks to you, Mark, and enjoyed it more than I had. As I had mentioned earlier, I tend to re-watch favorites, so I usually ignore episodes like The Swamp. I thought the waterbending was lovely this episode, and Katara’s scene was heart-breaking. Plus this episode sets up a lot of stuff! Really, enjoy this relative calm, Mark, because very soon shit is going to get VERY REAL and you are not prepared for how unprepared you are!
    Also, during the show’s run the creators had a few shorts Chibi-style that ran when episodes came to an end. There is one based on the swamp called Swamp Skiing. It is hilarious for its Sokka action and is spoiler-free. I hesitate to link though because of possible spoilery comments people tend to make, plus the related videos posted on YouTube. But you should definitely watch it (and the other shorts) at some point!

  50. Lioness says:

    WHO WAS THE LITTLE GIRL THAT AANG SAW?

    Mark honey, you just leveled-up in not-preparedness.

  51. Ina300 says:

    Mark your fears are baseless. Most people in the fandom loved this episode.

  52. Pelleloguin says:

    While not in my top ten Avatar episode list, I did like this episode. The writing was very neat. You know that Yue's death is eating up Sokka's conscience. You know Katara misses her mother. But this episode shows you just how much this is effecting them in the most heartbreaking way. And there is singing Iroh. I always llove singing Iroh.

  53. Macy says:

    I really liked The Swamp solely for its WTF Factor. That tree. So incredibly beautiful and eerie.

    "WHO WAS THE LITTLE GIRL THAT AANG SAW?"

    *grins even wider*

  54. tearbender says:

    Oh, the swamp visions. It's like a twisted version of the Mirror of Erised, only meaner.

    I would love some backstory in the future of the swampbenders. Did they originally belong to one of the Tribes but migrate?

    When I first started watching this series, I don't think any episode had made me cry yet at this point, but the whole sequence where Katara starts running to the vision of her mother before breaking down and sobbing…nearly got me there. In a cast full of excellent voice actors, I feel Mae Whitman sometimes gets overlooked as the straightwoman, but she was perfect here.

    I had the wild hopeful thought that the tornado was sent by a group of surviving airbenders, which would have been awesome, given the quick fake-out handed to us in the Northern Air Temple 🙁

    Princess Zue:
    Hee, typo, or an unconscious product of your Zuko/Yue shipping tendencies? :p

  55. slharrop says:

    Meta & Speculation: Iroh as a Hero Mentor and Zuko Growth (or lack thereof) in his Hero Journey

    One of the lovely bits of story telling in this episode was the scene of Iroh begging. One of the rewards of a completed hero quest is the discovery of true internal balance. Throughout the series Iroh has demonstrated such lovely internal balance – he's a great warrior (AKA Total BAMF), loves his games, takes joy in the arts and nature and just about everything else-but here he demonstrates his complete internalization of dignity. The circumstances are irrelevant, bad behavior of other people doesn't phase him; Iroh owns his dignity. It can't be given or taken by another. It is simply his. He is so clearly attempting to mentor Zuko and Zuko refuses to pay attention to his examples (repeated and frequent, and so very on point to what Zuko has to internalize). From a literary standpoint, Iroh is a hero mentor, a person who having completed his (or her) own hero journey attempts to aide the next generation on their path. I want more Iroh backstory, so badly.

    From a standpoint of Zuko's growth and development, he has missed the message, yet again. Zuko remains trapped in his father's snipe hunt. The literal snipe hunt is for the Avatar, the more important snipe hunt is for his father's love and respect. I think Iroh's past comments concerning his brother's lack of regret, the ease in which his sister manipulated Zuko, and how very clear it was that she was lying while Zuko flung rationality and experience away to walk into her trap points to a very ugly picture — Zuko's father isn't capable of giving love and respect. At most, he appears able to dole out rewards for remaining within a very strict set of boundaries and horribly harsh punishments for straying. His relationship with Azula may be better, but what little I've seen of her hints at an equally harsh upbringing with slightly better luck staying within the boundaries. For Zuko to grow and accept the 'call to adventure' (which would place him on his own true quest to reform the Fire Kingdom) he is going to have to sunder himself from his father and discover his own dignity, which like Iroh's can't be given or taken away only claimed.

    Speculation on the Swamp and Visions

    My reading of the swamp visions was that they were both very personal and impacted by the person's attitude towards the swamp. Sokka's relationship with the swamp was adversarial, his vision of Princess Zue could have brought comfort, but because he was adversarial it instead brought his fear and guilt to the surface. Katara's vision of her mother was more neutral, matching her relationship with the swamp. Aang of course was respectful to the swamp and brings a sense of joy to his interactions with just about everything, so his vision was curious, playful, and odd (doesn't that simply suit him). I saw it as an odd subtle message about how so much of what you get in life is directly related to what you bring.

    Also, as the Avatar, Aang's relationship with the spirit world and time is a bit odd. His vision could be related to a past Avatar's life, could be a past Avatar, could be someone from his own past that he doesn't remember clearly, or given his odd relationship with time could be either someone from his future (or even a future Avatar). I rather like that they don't give an answer to that puzzle.

    From a simple structural standpoint, the season seems to be on the cusp. Zuko is now armed, Azula has her team, and the Avatar once more is on the hunt for a teacher. Like Mark, I suspect that I am not prepared.

    • echinodermata says:

      Really love your reading of the swamp visions.

    • Oh, this was lovely and interesting. I look forward to reading what you have to say as the series progresses!

    • Tauriel_ says:

      I absolutely LOVE your meta analysis of Iroh and Zuko. And the swamp, too. Please continue to write these, they're very interesting and insightful! 🙂

    • monkeybutter says:

      I saw it as an odd subtle message about how so much of what you get in life is directly related to what you bring.

      That reminds me of Sokka's fortune: "Your future is full of struggle and anguish, most of it self-inflicted." Or even Aang's fortune that he should follow his heart. That Aunt Wu is a smart lady. I like that the spiritual aspects of this show emphasize free will, and that the characters' interactions with the metaphysical are so closely tied to their physical states. The spirits, or Iroh, provide insight, but the Gaang and Zuko have to forge their own paths.

      I really like your analyses, and nope, you're definitely not prepared!

    • Elexus Calcearius says:

      Great analysis! I especially love how you equated how harsh the message was with the characters' reaction to the swamp. The Katara one is especially interesting; it could be set up to bring pain, or perhaps the Swamp though it was literally bringing her joy by showing her someone she had lost.

    • notemily says:

      I love your paragraph on Iroh's internalized dignity. It's exactly what I was trying to say in another comment, but articulated better.

      • slharrop says:

        I think Iroh is one of the most self-actualized characters I've seen on TV and it is totally cool to see it as a child's cartoon. They really got this one right.

  56. Diana Kingston-Gabai says:

    I think that might've been a coincidence, though – if the swamp only shows you people you've lost, wouldn't Aang have seen Monk Gyatso instead?

  57. Jupiter Star says:

    Okay, let's all open up to each other for a moment and discuss the MOST important question raised in this episode:

    WHERE CAN WE GET A FULL VERSION OF "THE GIRLS FROM BA SING SE?"

    • Shamu says:

      Ever since I first watched the series, I've sung "Do You Know The Way To Ba Sing Se?" a la Dionne Warwick to myself on occasion. But yeah, I'd kill for that. 😀

  58. Tauriel_ says:

    So, apparently the world of Avatar has its own version of "It's a Long Way to Tipperary". 😛

  59. doesntsparkle says:

    Part of the reason that I get so much joy out of this place is because Mark points out things that I never thought about.

    I was absolutely fascinated with how this show deals with the issue of class, and how complicated and intersecting it is. Zuko is absolutely incensed at the concept of groveling and asking for money, and he makes a comment about how he is trying to keep his dignity, a concept that I think the writers do a great job of contrasting with the utter joy on Iroh’s face as he dances for the swordsman. If begging denotes a lack of dignity, then why does Iroh seem to have so much of it?

    Great question. Zuko has fallen farther than he probably thought possible. He was indignant to be an exiled
    prince, now he's a wanted criminal. I think that Zuko is so angry at the world and himself for what has happened to his life and begging just adds to his angsty self-hatred. In Zuko's mind, dignity and stubborn pride are the only things he has.

    So, why does Iroh have so much dignity? Because he's awesome. Seriously though, age and life experiences are part of it, but deep down, Iroh just enjoys life much more than Zuko possibly can. Iroh has dignity because he's capable of making the most out of wherever life takes him.

    • MichelleZB says:

      I love that Zuko is all WTF I HAVE HONOUR I CAN'T DO THIS.

      Zuko doesn't know what honour is yet.

    • notemily says:

      I think Iroh also has dignity because he knows exactly who he is, and while he knows that other people might think of him as a "lowly beggar" or whatever, HE knows he's awesome and will never stop being awesome, no matter how little money he has. Supreme self-assurance.

  60. Anonymouse says:

    I don't really know the fandoms take on this episode,but I don't really see it as being filler. Maybe it's because, as a writer, the first thing I notice is character depth. Probably because that's what I like to focus on in my own novels, I really appreciate seeing it done well, particuarily in a children's show. The dreams, especially Sokka's, are so beautiful (in a developmental way, not that seeing visions of the dead is a good thing…).

    I really like to see more of Sokka/Yue because Sokka is such a (so-called) "manly man" and doesn't comment on his feelings. Looking back at the series, you can almost count on one hand how many times we see Sokka's thoughts and emotions portrayed at any deep level, and those times are usually very brief and treated more as a background story. While this is entirely consistent with his established character, he obviously has to feel some guilt and whatnot about Yue, and the swamp vision was a wonderful way to express that.

    I also want to quickly touch on how Sokka's skepticism is treated in this show. I loved how when he first saw Yue, he tried to convince himself she was a trick of the light. Even when he found out the others had had visions, he came up with a "rational explanation" and stuck with it. His skepticism, while a little odd when he travels with the Avatar and experiences supernatural stuff all the time, is a wonderful contrast to the other two, and a true rarity in children's fantasy stories (at least within the main cast of the story).

    Also, I agree with you Mark. The writers treatment of Appa and Momo is WONDERFUL! I don't have pets myself, but I've seen people whose pets act more like people than people sometimes. Even animals have their own personalities that can be expressed in the story, and it's great that Appa and Momo get their own spotlight. That being said, it would be kind of weird if Appa got a backstory… Fanfiction time?

  61. fantasylover120 says:

    I like this episode. Yes it's a filler and yes I sort of want them to get on to the story but it's still a good filler (yes, there can be such things). I sort of liked that it didn't answer everything either. The thing with the tornado is left up in the air as well as what the swamp actually is (my theory is that it's just a very spiritual place like people claim parts of the world here are very spiritual). It was a very nice ep. Maybe not the most exciting but still interesting, especially in the Zuko/Iroh camp. And incidently, yes I would totally pay to see Iroh sing and dance. I'd probably join him too. We'd be awesome drinking buddies 😉

  62. xpanasonicyouthx says:

    If your comment is removed, it was for a reason. Please stop doing this coy, teasing spoiler thing.

  63. echinodermata says:

    Both your comments have been reported for annoying "spoilerbait" type info. Take it to the forums or the spoiler blog, and leave it off Mark's blogs.

  64. Meghan says:

    I have to admit, after I watched episode 3, I went on an Avatar benge and ended up watching the entire season 2… And now I'm dying for you to get further! lol

  65. elyce says:

    This was actually the very first episode of Avatar I ever saw. It was back in 2007 at a friend's apartment and I just remember thinking how weird it was. Nothing made sense to me at the time and my friend was trying to explain the plot and I was just like, what? what is this? Perhaps that's why I didn't get into it and never watched more than a few episodes until last year. I wouldn't call this the best episode of the bunch, it's not horrible either. For once, Nickelodian hits a home run in TV shows. Something that hasn't happened since the 90s.

  66. thefireandthehearth says:

    OMG DARK LORD OF DERKHOLM YES PLZ

    Ahem, sorry.

    • arctic_hare says:

      DON'T APOLOGIZE, DARK LORD OF DERKHOLM IS MY FAVORITE BOOK EVER 😀 And I am glad to see another fan of it!

      • kyrissa says:

        Dark Lord of Derkholm lovers unite! That book is the awesomest, I've read it like 10 times.

      • thefireandthehearth says:

        It's probably my favorite of Diana Wynne Jones's work. It's so clever and snarky, while still being enjoyable. I wish Derk was my dad- admittedly, I'd probably be a griffin, but I am okay with this. And invisible cats!

        • arctic_hare says:

          Same here, I'm a huge huge fan of hers, and Dark Lord is my favorite of favorites of her work. I loved the griffins and the invisible cats, and also the sarcastic geese. They gave me no end of lulz. 😀

  67. Len says:

    I like how the hillbilly swamp man plays the part of Mystic Native Imparting His Native Wisdoms Onto the Main Character

  68. isoycrazy says:

    I enjoyed the episode for the visions as well. But I will point out, as time is an illusion to the swamp, Hue does mention one can see people related to one's future.

  69. bookgal12 says:

    I remember this episode somewhat for the most part because of its excellent use of foreshadowing without it being directly in your face the entire time. I mean, Aang's brush with the laughing girl was kind of in your face when it comes to foreshadowing. I want to say more but I have to stop myself from revealing spoilers. All I can say is that you are seriously unprepared, Mark. You better buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride :).

    I am always interested in the different cultures they show in Avatar, and was intrigued by the swamp people and their..taste for flying bison. I liked how they used water bending in a different way then we are used to seeing especcially with that seaweed monster thing. I thought that the swamp visions all three characters had were very distinctive and in the case of katara and sokka heart wrenching. When I saw Katara running towards her mother, it was so sad that I can't even describe it properly.<img src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSFZWNzD7bZIOUwjlS2fFjEqJaBjEfCrXAul5nQcMMgJmL8EYiP"&gt;

    Sokka's illusion of Yue was even more saddening with her saying "You didn't protect me." Line which places more guilt upon Sokka's shoulders. Even though I haven't experienced love to the extent of Sokka I can still feel the weight of grief and guilt he is feeling when he sees Yue. I'm going to move on to my favorite character, Iroh before I forget. I am always glad to see more of how Iroh interacts with people outside of Zuko. I find that he is courtious to those he was enemies with only a short time ago. We see it this episode as well as with the healers way back when. I was angry at the street tough for using his blades to make Iroh dance, but to see that Iroh kept his unshakable cool made me think twice about shaking my fist at the street tough.

  70. hpfish13 says:

    I wish we could do this too!! But I agree, I don't know how it would work.

  71. When Katara drops to her knees and starts sobbing, I just…

    I mean.

    Man. Was not expecting that on my fun kids' show. 🙁

  72. Elexus Calcearius says:

    I have to agree with you on the classism thing. This is why I would quite like to have a more long-term character from the swamp, someone who could be developed and shown to be more in-depth than just a hillbilly caricature.

  73. ldwy says:

    I interpreted that line a little differently from Mark, maybe. That it showed people with a strong and emotional connection to us-either they've died, or we loved them, or we've been separated from them. Not necessarily all?

    But I too thought the vision Aang saw might be someone he knew in a past life!

  74. Shay_Guy says:

    OMIGOD WHO IS THE LITTLE GIRL, AND WHY CAN HER PIG FLY?

    What, yours can't?

  75. Meru223 says:

    I didn't really like 'The Swamp'. Not that it's a bad episode; it's just there and doesn't do much for me. That being said there are still things I enjoy in the episode and I believe the episode needs to be here.
    You know, like Iroh singing. How can I dislike an episode where Iroh sings? It's interesting to see Iroh and Zuko dealing with the fact that they are now fugitives and have to fend for themselves. It's here that I realise how young Zuko still is, thinking that begging is equated with a loss of dignity. Well Zuko, what would you rather do starve or lose a little bit of dignity? I think there are more important things afoot then losing some dignity, ok? OK!

    But then of course we have to have one person come along that treats Iroh and Zuko like they are worthless (well maybe worth some entertainment) just because they are begging. Cementing the idea Zuko has about this into his mind. Ugh. The worst thing about this is I see this happen in real life. Not quite as dramatic, just the idea that people asking for money in the streets (without performing some form of entertainment) are lower than oneself. How some of my friends talk about people who beg sometimes is so so horrible. It's like they are not even people, just an INCONVIENCE IN THEIR DAY BY TAKING UP ABOUT 5 SECONDS OF THEIR TIME. I regularly challenge their thinking in this respect since it disgusts me.

    Ok, MOVING ON.

    That swamp. THAT SWAMP. Yeah it creeped me out. Swamp 'calling' for you to land… then RANDOM TORNADO? Yeah, how about NO. Also… TELL ME WHERE THAT TORNADO CAME FROM NOW I MUST KNOW! Maybe there is some timey whimey stuff going on and Aang did it himself. I DON'T KNOW OKAY THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IN MY BRAIN.

    So they all get split up and Sokka gets all skeptical on us again, WHICH IS WONDERFUL. I love Sokka's skepticalness, even in a world of elemental bending and spirit worlds and avatars there are still things to be skeptical about according to Sokka and it is LOVELY.

    Visions. Oh man so I've been re-reading Deltora Quest lately and I swear THOSE BOOKS ARE FILLED WITH VISIONS OF DEAD PEOPLE. And even though I have read these books A MILLION TIMES (DON'T JUDGE ME) creeps me out every time. So watching this episode with creepy visions of dead characters saying AWFUL THINGS THAT MAKE MY HEART HURT. No thank you.

    Katara's vision was heart wrenching in its own way. Seeing the hope well up in Katara before it gets ripped away. Ugh. But let’s not stop there. Sokka's vision is where I felt absolutely gutted. Sokka being skeptical here made me laugh. Really Sokka? Really? SHE IS THE MOON WHY ARE YOU DOUBTING HER APPEARANCE. But then Yue says the worst possible thing and I feel completely ripped apart. Then I start hoping that is not really what Yue thinks because… god that is horrible.

    Now…WANT TO KNOW WHO WAS IN AANGS VISION RIGHT NOW. According to the end of the episode we will get to meet her, which is AWESOME. CAN WE MEET HER REALLY REALLY SOON? PLEASE SHOW~! When it was said that I can't help but think the big info dump at the end of the episode is setting things up for later. The idea of time being an illusion made me really happy, because now in my head a Doctor who/Avatar crossover is canon. I'm just saying.

    And just to finish up. Oh those water benders. Aren't they FANTASTIC? I love them; I don't know why I just do. All in all I don't mind the episode but it's not really one I enjoy rewatching too often.

    LIST OF AWESOME~!
    •"No I asked the swamp, it said this was fine, Right swamp? No problem Sokka"

    •"I've been looking all over for you"
    "Well I’ve been wandering around looking for you"
    "I was chasing some girl" Oh Aang XDDDD

    •Everything the Swamp Water Benders say. They are AWESOME.

    •Appa and Momo fending for themselves. They make the cutest team ever.

    •The vine monster turning out to be a water bender. This show. THIS. SHOW.

    • kartikeya200 says:

      If it helps, I'm quite sure that's absolutely not what Yue thinks. It's actually an echo of what Sokka himself said to Yue right before she died/ascended/turned into a fish:

      "No, I won't let you. Your father told me to protect you."

      Yue did what she did over Sokka's protests, and seemed…content does not seem quite the right word, but there wasn't any sign of resentment on her part. She did her duty to her people in a larger, more lasting way than she ever could have expected, which I think, given what we're shown about her, was what she felt was absolutely the most important. She quite literally saved her tribe, and who knows how many other people. I think Yue would have resented it if Sokka somehow managed to stop her, but Sokka sees it as a failure on his part because there wasn't anything he could do, and he knows it, and Sokka's the guy always coming up with clever ideas or ways out of impossible situations and the one who builds himself up as Someone Who Protects People, like his father.

      Whew, words!

      • Meru223 says:

        That's how I interpret it too, Sokka's subconscious putting words into Yue's mouth because of how he sees himself but sometimes my brain likes to make me think my assumptions are wrong and lead me to the most depressing conclusion.

        She most definitely would have not been too happy if Sokka stopped her. It would have been simultaneously selfish and stupid on Sokka's part. I believe Sokka goes on blaming himself to a degree not because he truly thinks it's his fault but more because it's a way to make sense of what happened. And all of this makes my heart hurt so much.

        • TheWelshPirate says:

          ^ ONE MILLION TIMES YES!

          I refuse to believe Yue is capable of saying something so cold and hurtful to anyone, much less somebody she loved. Sokka tried to plead with her to stop, but she still willingly did what she knew she had to, even though it visibly hurt her to cause that pain in her loved ones. But I believe she only regretted the necessity of the act, and not the act itself. Keeping that in mind, it would be disgustingly hypocritical and vile of her to return as a spirit just to rub her own death in Sokka's face, and that would instantly make her my most hated character in the series if it was true. So I refuse to accept the possibility of it.

          [cont.]

          • TheWelshPirate says:

            Personally, I like to think that "The Swamp" was trying to help them to better understand themselves by forcing them to confront and acknowledge what they consider to be their Greatest Failure/Worst Moment In Life. Except for Aang's vision, but I won't expound upon that to avoid any spoilers.

            • Meru223 says:

              That's a really interesting point. I never looked at it in quite that way before.
              I interpreted their visions as not just who they loved but what they want or need the most. Their heart's desire whether that be from a practical sense or a romantic sense. I won't expand on how Aang's fits in this because ~SPOILERS~

              • TheWelshPirate says:

                That's an intriguing interpretation. I can definitely see how the "heart's desire" angle fits in with Katara's, and even Aang's vision, but I'm not so sure about Sokka's. I'm sure that Sokka wants to see Yue again more than anything else, but I doubt he has a strong desire for her to blame him for her death.

                • Meru223 says:

                  I think with Sokka blaming himself it's more a strong desire to blame someone for her death and self blame is not an uncommon thing for someone who is grieving to do. Add to that the mind-set he had in needing to protect her and not being able to do so. It's an interesting thing to think about.

                  Another thought I had about it was he needed to know how she felt about what he did (or didn't do) and he jumps straight to the worst conclusion (since I believe what she says is his own thoughts being channeled through the vision, like being able to see into your own heart).

                  • TheWelshPirate says:

                    That's a good point, that he might "desire" to place the blame on himself. Either way, I definitely agree that it's his own self-inflicted guilt speaking through Yue's voice.

  76. Jay Gatsby says:

    As someone who already knows what the entire grand narrative is, I really love episodes like "The Swamp" where the characters are freed from the force of the plot and allowed to journey about.

    Remember what was said in "The Cave of Two Lovers," "Don't let the destination get in the way of the journey." I feel that the writers added that point exactly to subtly comment on this urge that people have where episodes are divided between "filler" and "plot" episodes. We get "destination fever" and feel cheated when we aren't developing the plot directly. I suppose I follow the cult of the nomads and say that to enjoy a show, we need not feel pressed to stick to one grand narrative but instead enjoy moments where a new story is being told.

    This narrative that takes place aside to the main grand narrative is more realistic than forcibly following one plot. Imagine if you (I'm talking directly to YOU, READER) were to describe your life as a story that is unfolding. Would you have one grand narrative that is followed religiously or would you have multiple narratives that are beside a main narrative? The latter would be true.

    I would go so far to as to say that we as humans get "destination fever" with our own lives. We feel an urge to have things happen in our lives as soon as possible (graduate college, find a mate [and progress in that relationship to marriage], develop a career, etc.) I believe that we would be happier both in our own lives as well as when watching a show if we try NOT to have "destination fever" and enjoy the present moment/journey. From here on out, I'll try to take that advice to heart and I suggest that YOU (THE READER) try the same experiment. Maybe you and I could be happy.

    • Pseudonymph says:

      "I feel that the writers added that point exactly to subtly comment on this urge that people have where episodes are divided between "filler" and "plot" episodes."

      Great point! I never considered that.

  77. Lariren says:

    He would totally know a dirty version of the Girls of Ba Sing Se.

  78. Lariren says:

    Somewhere on Deviant Art (and I don't have the ability to search for it or know of it off the top of my head) there is a comic about Katara and Sokka's first reactions to the world outside of the South Pole that is hilarious/probably didn't happen but makes me laugh every time.

    Also Iroh sort of dances in this too. I WANT MORE SINGING AND DANCING IROH!

  79. Hotaru_hime says:

    Oooh, I like this episode.
    The Swamp Water Benders… if you've ever been to Louisiana, you know who these people are based off of. It's like they lifted people straight out the bayou and put 'em in an animated show. Some people might find it an insulting stereotype, but as I've met plenty of people like this (and lots of them proudly proclaim it), I don't really care. I also love how the Swamp Monster made me think of an amalgamation of Noh Face from Spirited Away and Swamp Thing from DC Comics.
    I always thought the tornado was from that mystical tree? It didn't look like it hurt any of the surrounding area, but it's not like we know. But I was mad that Appa had to go through all that misery! Poor baby!!!
    Iroh… I love this man. I want to have a series base on his own life because OH MY GOD, how can a man who was a prince of the Fire Kingdom be so humble and silly and yet full of dignity and honor? Zuko, look at this man!!! YOU SHOULD WANT TO BE HIM.

  80. MichelleZB says:

    Yeah, there's this bit of dialogue–

    Aang: But what about my vision‌? It was someone I had never met.
    Hue: You’re the Avatar. You tell me.
    Aang: (to himself) Time is an illusion… so, it’s… someone I will meet‌?

    Which pretty much explicitly says what the show's trying to say.

  81. MichelleZB says:

    FAKE SPOILER:

    All the characters in the show die brutal deaths, so prepare yourself.

  82. MichelleZB says:

    And it's time for MichelleZB's official Wet Blanket Nitpick comment!

    "I definitely liked the goofy natives, but I think that, ultimately, I’m a bit more impartial to the nomads from “The Cave of Two Lovers.”"

    Don't you mean "partial" instead of "impartial", Mark?

  83. Classtoise says:

    Actually, the Swamp is very important. It shows that the physical Avatar world ALSO has it's less-than-normal side (aside from, like, bending) in the form of the tree, among other things that I will leave unspoiled.

    But most importantly, it shows that there are Waterbending tribes BESIDES the North and South, giving a sense of a bigger world. The Air Nomads were at the south, east, north, and west. The Earth Kingdom is a HUGE chunk of land with massive cities, and the Fire Nation inevitably has outposts somewhere I'd imagine. But the Water Tribe was kept mostly arctic and antarctic…until The Swamp.

    "We know that King Bumi can’t help out Aang, so they must find a new earth bending master, but we don’t know where or who they are, so are they just….wandering?"
    More or less, yeah.
    They don't explain it, but they're sort of hopping from town to town in the Earth Kingdom, hoping to get a lead to an Earthbending teacher for Aang. It's the Avatar equivalent of stopping at gas station to ask directions.

    Also, tornado is probably a simple answer in the episode (not spoilers!): It was likely a water spout, and Aang was trying AIRbending to undo it, not WATERbending.

    But the crowning moment of the episode.
    "Hey…you're Waterbenders!"
    "You too? That means we kin!"
    And Katara's reaction.
    I don't know if it was MEANT to be an "Hey, that means I can hit on you!" tone of voice/reaction or if it was unintentionally hilarious.

  84. notemily says:

    As soon as the Yue Vision said "you didn't protect me," I was sure it was just a vision, and not Yue's actual spirit coming to talk to Sokka. Because Yue knows that she CHOSE to give her life to the moon spirit, and in fact insisted on doing so over everyone else's attempts to talk her out of it. So why would she be angry at Sokka for not "protecting her" from something that was her own decision? I think that was just a reflection of Sokka's own fears and insecurities.

    Aang's vision really doesn't seem to fit with the others, unless he's like Merlin and ~lives his life backwards~ or something. (That would be awesome.) Unless the point was just to lead him to the heart of the swamp, which certainly worked. But why wouldn't the swamp spirit or whatever show him a vision of Monk Gyatso, which would fit with the others' visions of people they loved and lost? Well–the obvious answer is to make us INTENSELY CURIOUS about who the girl is.

    I loved Momo in this ep. When he blows the bison whistle to try and get Appa moving, or when he is all freaked out about the sounds at night, or when he throws stuff at their pursuers and the guy is like "what's a lemur need a shirt for?" Hee. Momo is adorable.

    I just assumed it was ~the spirit of the swamp~ that sent the tornado. Because it was SO IMPORTANT for them to… see visions of people? I DUNNO.

    CREEPY SCREAMING BIRD IS CREEPY.

  85. majere616 says:

    Things in Avatar that Creep Me Right the Fuck Out:
    1. Koh the Face Stealer
    2. That Thing
    3. Azula

  86. majere616 says:

    10? I think you mean ALL OF THE GOLDS!

  87. Macy says:

    THAT BIRD. I LOVE IT.

  88. Avit says:

    Treat his ouvre as a series?

  89. Noybusiness says:

    Er, Mark you mean you're more *partial* to the nomads.

  90. stephanienienie says:

    This episode has grown on me after all these years. I love the beautifully crafted environment (one of my recent drawing/painting projects was based on some of the trees in this episode), and the Buddhist undertones of "All is one." Also, Hue reached enlightenment under that huge tree, like how Sakyamuni reached enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.

  91. Tauriel_ says:

    He does say in Suggestions that he's open to movie series, too… Not sure if Miyazaki films can qualify as such, though.

    But I'd love to see Mark review Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Howl's Moving Castle.

    • Avit says:

      I would be all waving my favorite one around and stanning like a boss, but Mark already has so many irons in the fire…

      (all the irons. all of them.)

    • sabra_n says:

      And My Neighbor Totoro! Totoro is very important! 😛

  92. Evil Midnight Lurker says:

    I totally want to catch that little screaming bird in a Pokeball and evolve it into a GINORMOUS screaming bird.

    I also, of course, want a sky bison and flying lemur. WHY IS GAME FREAK NOT ON TOP OF THIS.

  93. Skulls, Candied says:

    DARK LORK OF DARKHOLM, OMFG no one i know around me has read it OMG this is why i luvs the internet

  94. Elizabeth says:

    Aang is totally a Time Lord. Appa is his TARDIS.

  95. sabra_n says:

    This episode ended up being better upon rewatch than I remembered – I had it mentally classified as a step above "The Great Divide", but it turned out I'd forgotten nifty things like the swamp visions and Iroh's general awesomeness. I'm still kind of instinctively twitchy at the hillbilly benders, and this episode will never be one that I'll actively seek out to rewatch, but…hey, it's still better than "The Great Divide". 😛

    Also, if you like to hear Mako singing you should listen to the OBC of Pacific Overtures. Mako singing Sondheim!

  96. 00Kakkoi00 says:

    No, in the forest time doesn't count, so the forest showed visions of the past and the future. Both Katara and Sokka saw visions of important people to them from their past, the fact that both the people are dead now is a coincidence. Aang saw someone that was going to be very important to him in the future, death has nothing to do with it.

  97. Ellie says:

    SO MUCH UNPREPARED GAH I WANT TO SPOIL YOU SO BAD.

  98. potterfanatic says:

    I see you there, Blue Spirit mask at the beginning of the episode!

    I love it whenever Iroh sings. 🙂 “ It’s a Long, Long Way to Ba Sing Se!”

    The elbow leech. *shudder* No thank you. Also, Sokka says “Why do things keep attaching to me?!!” A nice reference back to the Purple Pentapuses (or is it Pentapi?) in the previous episode. Little continuity things like this show that the writers are paying attention to and acknowledging past episodes. It’s one of the many reasons I love this show so much.

    I love that little screaming bird.

  99. Pingback: Mark Watches ?Avatar?: S02E04 ? The Swamp | watchesreviews1901

  100. Coughdrop01 says:

    Please tell me I'm not the only one who regularly gets "It's a long long way to Ba Sing Se" in my head constantly. This is such a problem that when I was rewatching this and Iroh started to sing I was all "OH NO THIS EPISODE HAS THIS SONG NOOOOOO"

    Not, of course, that I don't love the song. But its a total earworm…

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