IT CAN'T END LIKE THIS!! NOOO!! | Avatar The Last Airbender Book 2 Episode 20 Reaction 

in this episode, an abuse victim goes back to their abusers with the promise of affection

"Maybe he's trying to 1-up Azula and infiltrate" Ladies and gentlemen, the power of copium.

Also when Zuko tries to confront Azula, you can see that he has started to apply what Iroh taught him about learning from other nations. He does a water bending motion to gather his flame and pushed it out like a wave,

This finale SHOOK the fanbase when it first aired. Like, you could FEEL the betrayal. And the worst part was that it was the finale. So season 3 was a long way off, and we all just had to SIT IN IT

"You've beaten me at my own game." "Don't flatter yourself. You were never even a player." One of the very best villain quotes ever. Especially with how Azula delivers it with such contempt.

Azula is a crazy good villain. Right then and there, when she struck Aang with lightning, she KILLED him, not only that, he was in the Avatar State, had Katara not healed him with Spirit water and brought him back to life, Azula would've killed the AVATAR, remember, if you die on the Avatar State, the cycle ends.

18:45, zukos expression here is genuinely the most heartbreaking part. There's no conviction or even anger here, it just looks like raw unbridled panic. He knows that he's made the wrong choice, but he can't back out of it now and is desperately trying to just block out what I can only Imagine is a tsunami of conflict going on in his head.

I will never get tired of seeing people react to the 2nd book finale, because everyone is stuck in the "kid's show" mentality, and all expect a happy book finale, then BAMM! They get hit by the utter despair from the finale and what kind of situation it sets up for the group for the future.

As much as it sucks that Zuko whent with Azula it makes sense. Imagine spending 3 years working towards a seemingly imposble goal and finally having a chance to get everything you have fought and sacrificed so much blood sweat and tears for and being able to get it.

I always forget that Azula is only 14 years old. Crazy really.

One of the things I loved about Toph's character is that she's slowly showing she wants help and that she can genuinely express herself. Rather than being weak perfect daughter or the compensating Blind Bandit Tough Girl. It's not focused on but the fact that Toph hates flying bareback and is no longer clinging to Appa hoping to hang on, but is now trusting Sokka enough to hold onto him in these moments where she's very much a blind little girl is wonderful. Also this is the same Sokka she ripped into for not being able to bend, that she's now trusting to watch over her when she can't do it herself really hints that they may have a tighter bond than the show is depicting since it tends to focus more on Aang.

I love this season finale because of the contrast with the first one. Not a massive invasion that they were able to stop, not a great victory but a massive defeat. And it's so interesting to see that it all started in The Library episode: they found an advantage against the Fire Nation but they lose Appa for a month (an advantage that it is not anymore because Azula knows), and they stopped the drill and with that the falling of Ba Sing Se, but that gave Azula the idea of conquer it from the inside. So they just failed to protect the city, the advantage is probably doomed already, and in top of that Aang can't access the Avatar state. Also, back then it was an agony to wait eight months between this episode and the last season haha

What breaks my heart is this was the last time we heard makos voice in the show, and it had to be an episode where zuko betrayed iroh

Also, just so you’re aware of how close we actually were to things getting even worse: in the beginning of the season, it’s revealed that is Aang dies in the Avatar state, the reincarnation cycle will be broken. Azula shot him in the back while in the Avatar state. He was *that* close to dying and never coming back!

Zuko is a good bean, but he only just got the ability to choose his way. Before capturing the avatar was his only option, now he can opt a new path but he hasn't looked inward and asked what he wanted yet. In short, he was forced to decide what he wanted before he was ready to make that choice.

The voice actress for Azula has done a tonne of voice acting. The one that sticks in my mind though is that she was the evil babysitter Vicky in fairly odd parents

So they use the scarred eye compared with the whole eye often and it represents the internal conflict within Zuko, but even though it looks ugly, the scarred side is the good side the "punished for doing the right thing side"

I remember watching this episode live then waiting 9 months to see the start of book 3, it was such an agonising wait after this finale.

Btw Katara saved not only Aang but the whole cycle of avatars. As avatar Roku said "if you die in the avatar state, the cycle will end and avatar disappear forever"

It’s important to remember that it’s been Zuko’s dream to get his “honor” back for YEARS and he only decided to go down a different path just recently. A dream like that doesn’t just go away that quickly, especially with Azula showing up and giving him the means to actually achieve it

The first and second seasons of Avatar follow a pattern similar to the original Star Wars movie trilogy: Book 1: water is like a new hope where it ends on a major win and the whole thing is upbeat overall while still showing how the Fire Nation is a major threat. Book 2: Earth is like the Empire Strikes Back where the heroes are on the run as the villains start getting some major wins and ends on the hero at his lowest point (defeated by the bad guys and on the run). Aang even abandoned his training to save a loved one like Luke abandoned his training with Yoda.

I remember seeing on Twitter the voice actor of Azula saw a kid watching an episode with character, and she wanted to do the Azula voice behind her.

2:42 and Toph can't tell he's lying because she can't feel the vibrations

Iroh parising Aang for choosing love over power is so wholesome. Iroh is the best, really. Technically Toph should also know that Iroh is Zuko's uncle because they all faced together Azula that one time. So I'm not sure if she is simply ignoring that or if it's a minor plot hole.

You are lucky you won't have to wait a prety looooong time to get to the next season... This cliffhanger was pure violence back in the day.

Long Feng thought Azula would spare him if he bowed, but she murdered him anyway with that comment.

Alicia: "I can't believe they'd end the season on such a dark note." Me, with Trollface: "Good thing no other happy show you're watching has a surprisingly dark season finale." I really love how much faith you have in Zuko. Even though I'd say it's rather misplaced right now.

Azula, Iroh and Zuko conversation was the manifestation of the blue and red dragon in Zuko’a dream

Azula is and always will be one of my favorite villains in all of fiction. Shes just constantly playing 4d chess while everyone else is play chutes and ladders. Every line she has just sends a tidal wave of chills down my spine. She even commited one of the cardinal sins and stopped someone from transforming.

I’ve always wondered if Zuko would have joined the Avatars side if Katara had managed to heal his scar.

"Don't flatter yourself, you weren't even a player." is such a phenomenally slept on villain line. My absolute favorite villain line next to "For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important moment in your life. But for me, it was Tuesday."

All the voice actors did a really good job. I've seen this show many times and still feel every emotion the characters portray.

Don't know if you know, but Azulas VA is also Lady Briarwoods.

One of my favorite things about this show is how often the characters just full on fail. Not a knock or two before succeeding, but just take heavy losses.

I just realized watching this...when Toph asks Aang if he mastered the avatar state, Aang clearly lied and Toph would have known it IF they were on the ground, but since they were on Appa, she couldnt feel him lie with her feet...how many times have I seen ATLA and didnt notice that lul

I love how Alicia's interactions with this series can be summed up with "Oh its adorable... OH its TRAUMATIZED"

Long Feng was playing chess. Azula was playing boxing.

There's actually a comic before book 3 that goes into what happened after this. Also we had to wait a full YEAR for the next book so think how crazy that felt for us when it was still running on tv. They straight up star wars this finale. Last book a hopeful ending. This ending, utterly stressful

What's even more profound about what Azula did at the end was...she dealt a lethal blow to Aang...while he was in the avatar state! If you remember what Roku said in the first episode of this season... "If you are killed in the avatar state, the reincarnation cycle will be broken; and the avatar...will cease...to exist!" So, Azula didn't merely almost kill Aang, she almost killed the avatar...PERMENANTLY!!

So we talked about pulling knowledge from different sources. The first move that Zuko uses when fighting Azula is actually a waterbending move.

I couldn't say this because it would have lead to some kind of spoiler for this episode, but remember that special spirit spring water Katara got from master Paku at the start of Book 2? You wanna know what that is? Chekov's Gun. That water is Chekov's Gun. There is another example of Chekov's Gun that we all saw during some time in Book 2, but I'm not going to say what it was. It will not be fired until SOME POINT during Book 3. Edit: Nooooooooooo! Don't watch the Live Action Movie!!!!!! BAD IDEA!!!!!! D: DX ): DX D:

I think the one thing that everyone misses is the fact that Azula actually visibly moves when Aang is starting to go into the avatar state.

i love that toph doesn't need saving if it is physical danger but that she still needs her parents and friends for emotional reasons. She is so strong in a lot of ways but soft and squishy on the inside. :) my kinda girl!

"Deception. Disgrace. Evil as plain as the scar on his face." -From soundtrack of Lion King 2

Never have I clicked so fast to a video on RU-vid. I've been waiting so hard for this, but it's finally here! Man, this emotional roller coaster of an episode is just great. I really hope you're doing well, Alicia! Can't wait for you to see Book 3. That's season is on another level.

This is such a great episode. We all are expecting Zuko to make a better choice, but instead he comes up to the cliff and jumps off it. Just think about the fact that it was 10 months between the end of S2 and beginning of S3 when these were coming out! There was a couple of canon cartoons and a game online that explained some of what happens between the end of S2 and beginning of S3, worth a watch if you want to bridge the gap between the seasons.

And there's Zuko's vision in real life. The blue and red dragon talking to him, both trying to convince him to make a decision.

"I am NOT gonna cry at a kid's show!" "That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true..." ;}

13:47 That piece of dialogue is just incredible. Just... I can't even describe.

Sokka and Toph knew they weren’t the real Kyoshi Warriors because Ty Lee didn’t know who Suki was. As soon as she asks “Who?” Whatever cover they had with these people was blown.

"You thought we were playing Checkers when we were playing Uno." That's hilarious to me.

When my friends and I watched the live action we got super passed and had a lot of food. We kinda embraced it and had fun

The good boy's still got some growing to do. TIME FOR SEASON 3!!

I think what makes Azula such a great villain is how wherever she goes she becomes the main threat, the entire plot bends underneath the gravity of her presence every time she arrives. It's as if Azula's strong will is allowing her to enforce her warped view of reality on the world around her, turning it into everyone else's reality. It's not like other unstable villains who feel like everyone's looking down on them, it's hard not to get swept up in Azula's energy. That's part of why Zuko's heel turn at the end of book 2 feels so natural, his metamorphosis means that his new self is young and impressionable. He learned right from wrong but it's so fresh that when he sees a closing door from his old life in front of him it tears him up inside, and when you add Azula to all of this, there was basically no chance for Zuko to choose right in that moment.

book 2 ending is just empire strikes back^^ protagonist seeks out weird old master to complete avatar/Jedi training, is told to ignore their attachment, has a vision, chooses attachment, faces the enemy and a crushing loss that results in temporary hand-loss/death. Of course Zuko's redemption arc is way stronger than Vader's.

You've brought up a lot points that would traumatize or scare kids when watching this. When this was still airing, what traumatized me the most wasn't anything in the show itself, but rather, this cliffhanger is the thing that left the largest impact on me as a kid. What isn't clear to people who have only recently found the show is that Avatar had a very inconsistent release schedule. It took them six months to air the last ten episodes of this season, and six of those episodes were aired in pairs, represented by three tv movies. The first ten episodes of the season were aired slowly, roughly one episode every other week from March of 2006 to early June, before they stopped dead with no word of why. The Library and the Desert were released together six weeks later in mid-July, and that was how we lost Appa. The following two episodes, The Serpent's Pass and The Drill, were also released as a block two months after that, in mid-September. They returned to some semblance of consistency after that, with a new episode every one to three weeks for the rest of the year, until The Guru and The Crossroads of Destiny were released in an hour-block on December 1, and no hints as to when or if the continuation would come. Incidentally, the third season started almost ten months later, and it was hardly the longest break between seasons, but what made it so bad for me, personally, was that it was the very first season finale that had I actually experienced, particularly one with a cliffhanger that was so heavy and one that invited so much investment. The inconsistent schedule really didn't help things, because it always felt like it was on the edge of being discontinued at any point. That concern did sort of pan out for the third season, in fact. The first eleven episodes of third season were handled fairly respectably, with a clean schedule of one episode per week from September 2007 to November, concluding with a two-episode mid-season finale. That was the first and only time they managed to act like a weekly show for more than two consecutive episodes. It's the second half of that season that showed just how rushed they were to get it all out. The last ten episodes were released over a five day period in July 2008, from the fourteenth to the nineteenth. Three days with one episode, one day with two episodes, and the last day with a two hour, four episode concluding movie. Those last ten episodes were just so rushed compared to what came before that it left a notable blemish on the series. Zuko went from a sympathetic character who was also an antagonist to an actual member of the group, but viewers only had five days to actually absorb that to see how he fit with them before it was all over. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed those episodes, but I remember watching every episode over that week and feeling overwhelmed and oddly bitter that the payoff for Zuko's journey was so short lived. I've watched the series over quite a few times since then, but I always end up forgetting things that happened in those episodes, I think, because I didn't really get the chance to internalize them like I had with the story up until that point.

14:06 "You think we out here playing checkers? Bitch, we playing Uno!" Alicia holy *heck* how are you always dropping the best lines

I still remember crying so hard when I saw aang fall from azulas lightning as a kid it hurt so bad

18:46 love they way you can see that he's not sure if he made the right choise but becouse he already made it at that moment he's fourcing himself to keep attacking Aang.

i love how Katara was ready to use the spirit water she had been saving for "something important" just to heal Zuko's scar but didnt try using it was Jet was literally dying

Well good news, it DOESN'T end this way! There's an entire book left to go! Looking forward to watching you go through it soon! :)

"i know zuko choose good and has a plan" she's on that good copium fr

Book two is one of the greatest seasons of TV of all time. There are so many banger episodes, one of the funniest and one of the most charming filler episodes ever (Avatar Day and Tales of Ba Sing Se), the best character developement for an antagonist iˋve ever seen and so much wisdom spit from uncle Iroh.

Now that Long Feng is really long gone if it hasn't been said before but his va is Clancy Brown aka Hank from Detroit become human or Mr Krabs.

Broke an anime sacred rule, you don’t attack during a power up smh 😔👊

The Dai Li realized that Azula is more powerful then Lex Luther.

daily reminder that azula managed alll of this at the age of 14...

The scene with Zuko and Katara is pretty much the entire basis for Zutara shippers. heh Can't wait to see you react to season 3, there are some really great episodes still to come!

"Zuko has a plan" The copium is real lol

I know a lot of people will call it copium but I do believe Azula wanted Zuko back genuinely. Before he had a soiled reputation so it wasn't an option but this finale presented an opportunity for her to restore him. I won't deny she used him to her own ends but ultimately she didn't need him, she chose to get him back.

Goddamn is this a good episode. Iroh demonstrating why he is "The Dragon of the West". Zuko and Katara having a heart to heart. Azula being the baddest bitch who ever bad bitched. Iroh giving Aang advice. The fight. Zuko's Crossroad of Destiny. In a season that is already stacked with bangers this may be the biggest banger of the season. And I never get tired of people reacting to Zuko's choice here.

Iroh had spent the whole series pulling triple shifts at parenting, becaue with the brief exception of Sokka's dad and Toph's parents stepping in near the very end, none of those kids had a parental figure that taught them properly for most of their lives. So yeah, for as much as the series lets them learn their lessons and grow up in their own, it really wouldn't have worked without Iroh. Even when after the finale of Season 2 he is separated from Zuko, his teachings remain and keep guiding the wayward prince from screw up to redemption.

Another great reaction, Alicia! I wish you well and can't wait to see your reactions to Book 3. 😁

I was the 1000th like!! Witness MEEEEEE!!!!!! Sorry, the truth is I just wanted to admit it took me all these years to realize Iroh knew where to find them from the flyers they spread around when they was still looking for appa

I always think of azula as exactly what cersei lannister wishes she was.

Book 2 really follows the classic trilogy trope of being the darkest.

"I still have so much faith in zuko" this is the problem smh always think yall can change him. And this ladies is why toxic relationships exist

I remember that the wait between the season 2 final and the start of book 3 was almost a year. It was a horrible wait

You're reactions are the best, i always feel a little bad because seeing you get all emotional about this show is my favorite part 🤣😅

I love how you went from simping Long Feng to trash-talking him

Liver damage tutorial: take a drink every time Alicia calls anyone who isn't a baby a baby.

You weren't even a player. The read!!! One of my favorite Azula moments 😂😂😂

The good ole Star Wars formula. Season 1 = New Hope / Season 2 = Empire Strikes Back.

Curiosity I just noticed. Obviously, Book 2 ending is sad. In Daoism, the unbalance (excess) of Earth Element is sadness. Maybe a coincidence since Avatar bases on the Western four elements, and not Daoist five. But I think this is a cool note

Literally everyone goes unto denial when Zuko chooses to help Azula.

The end of Act 2 is traditionally the shittiest time for the heroes. You don't expect that structure from a kids show but they absolutely went for the Empire Strikes Back treatment for the end of Book 2. Maimed hero, the only bright spot is that the heroes get away, villain victory.

Small fun fact: the voice actress for azula is the same as delilah briarwood from the legend of vox machina

If you recall to zuko's illusion when he was sick, 2 dragons were at his sides, azula and iroh, it went from fake to real.

And here is the conclusion of why Guru Pathik was right all along. Aang still loved Katara before and after that little time in the crystal box. What he finally did was realize that if he needs to risk his love in exchange for a chance to do a greater good, he can do it. Instead of keeping uselessly fighting alongside her, he gave himself a few seconds to prepare in order to achieve a greater goal, which _also_ included saving her. Shame Azula was there. If he hadn't been to childish to understand this lesson back at the temple, he'd have come into this fight already knowing how to use the Avatar State. Would have left the temple five seconds later, but would have wiped the floor with Azula. Really goes to show, the issue isn't the feelings, it's letting them force you to do stupid shit.

Game recognize game and azula said lao fang was looking kinda unfamiliar 😂

The season 2 finale is excellent from a narrative perspective, especially from a CHILDREN'S SHOW... however... the season 3 finale... is one to end all finales... they pull it off, that's all i will say... they pull it off...

I keep forgetting Earthbender have that running technique. She's making great time. Azula hasn't left our minds in thinking of villains since watching. Though.... well we'll get to that soon enough. Lying is chakra gunk, Aang, and what were you told about that? Dragon is a very big title among Firebenders. Look at all those bear hedges. Such decadence. Old Zuko is back, and his pride got him caught. No wonder Iroh facepalmed at him staying to fight. Bet you didn't expect to see Iroh teaming up the the Gaang at the start of the series! And yet, it's perfectly natural! I love this show! Sokka's still the skeptic, and it fits him. I mean, Zuko was the heir to the nation that has waged the most destructive war in recorded history. Her mother is gone, her nation reduced to a mere scattering of villages, if not just the last one, entire forests turned to ash, and he personally hounded them for so long, took her prisoner, nearly doomed her home's sister nation by taking Aang away. She is making assumptions, and inaccurate ones, but all she has ever seen of Zuko and the fire nation has been negative. Many people would likely start physically lashing out with full force in her shoes. A common theme of failing regimes in their waning days, their secret police are the only thing that works well. Azula would never not be a monarchist. A person born a peasant sitting on a throne, even a foreign one? She'd torch that throne first. So, I still prefer Kataang to Zutara, but I will admit the scene with her offering to use the spirit water to heal his scar is when Zutara grew turrets and an armor belt. Zuko is teetering, and here comes Azula towards the scales carrying weights. Azula may be lying about some things, but beyond it being a lie Zuko wants to believe, there is a grain of truth. If he helps turn the tide for the Fire Nation here and now, and if he is credited for neutralizing the Avatar, then he could come home in glory. Katara is a hard counter to Azula. "I thought you had changed" And that would be Zutarra running aground on some sharp shoals. Aang rocking those crystals like Ben 10 rocks Diamondhead. Ty Lee. Would like her if she had someone else leading her friend group, Not quite like Toph, there's a bit of Aang's air scooter in this technique. Iroh probably could have, but he doesn't want to take a life if it can be avoided, and Azula and Zuko are family. He'd have had to pull no punches, and that would have left a charred corpse of at least his niece or nephew. Azula won. The Avatar is grievously wounded, she has captured Iroh, brought Zuko back to the fold, and taken control of the Earth Kingdom's capital by subverting its protectors of "cultural heritage." But neither her victory nor the Fire Nation's is complete. Holding a capital doesn't necessarily induce surrender, and the Avatar is only grievously wounded, not dead. Hope survives.

That's why Iroh is called "Dragon of the West" he's one of the few benders that can breathe fire.

Azulas VA is in vox machina as the vampires wifey if u didn’t notice yet

I wish we could have seen you when the lightning struck for the pure shock but a fun fact is that based on an old game on nicks website ang was apparently dead until katara healed him with the spirit water.

Now give us the seed of their world. An ancient city that isn't below the mountain? Sweet!

It’s here! I’m so excited.

glad am I to have caught up to your reaction to avatar last week, can't wait for the next book!

Watching the justification of trying to figure out Zuko is fantastic lol

Ty Lee never stops flirting.