PLEASE DON’T FAIL!! | Avatar The Last Airbender Book 3 Episode 11 Reaction 

Was waiting for this episode. The reason Ozai chose to wait for the eclipse to end before attacking Zuko was because Zuko was also a student of Piandao (Sokka’s sword master), who taught him the dual dao swords. Between knowing that and the reports of the blue spirit, Ozai knows that without fire bending, Zuko is easily the best fighter in the room.

What I love about Zuko redirecting lighting, he only knew the theory before this. His first time actually having to use it was against possibly the most talented lightning bender alive. He grew so much since the boy exiled by his father, and it was all because of Iroh.

If Iroh never taught Zuko how to redirect lightning he would be dead. A horrible thought 🫣

I love that Azula uses acrobatics and hidden knives during her “fight” with the gang. It’s almost like she assimilated skills from Mai and Ty Lee.

This is why Zuko going back to the Fire Nation was ultimately a good thing for him. If he joined Team Avatar in Ba Sing Se, he might’ve had lingering doubts about whether he’d be happier with his original goal, but now that he’s seen that he wasn’t, he can be fully on Aang’s side

If I had a nickel for every time Mark Hamill was in a scene where an evil tyrannical ruler tries to kill somebody's son with lightning powers I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot but it's weird that it's happened twice.

I always love that Ozai says "You're Uncle's gotten to you" like it is an insult and Zuko responds with so much pride like it is the greatest compliment anyone could give him.

The writers must’ve loved getting our hopes up only to smash them at the last minute.

This also shows Ozai’s master firebending abilities since he only needed to feel a small piece of the sun to generate that much lightning

A small clarification, the thing about emotions and lightning was true for MAKING lightning. Zuko can redirect lightning, but is unable to make his own. Also, Ozai and Azula are such good manipulators, but I love that you can see some glimps of their emotions/thoughts here and there. E.g., Ozai intended to mock Zuko when he spoke about Iroh, but he seemed genuinely surprised for a moment after his answer. Another example was during the beach episode, when Azula occasionally had glimpses of worry for Ty Lee when she was upset, but quickly cover it up with her smug face again.

So you mean to tell me Ozai was hiding in a… SECRET TUNNEL!!!!!

22:00 "The redirect! Where you don't overuse your emotions!" - That was for generating lightning; not for redirecting it... The whole reason Iroh taught Zuko to redirect lightning instead of creating lightning was because he was struggling too much with his emotions to control it... redirection didn't require the same state of mind... Also... notice how Ozai was able to create lightning almost instantly... with no charge time and with both hands... Compare his lightning to Iroh and Azula.... Ozai is a major threat...

Zuko's arc has been amazing and even though his decision at the end of Season 2 broke our hearts, it was necessary for him. His arc wouldn't have been as good without it. He needed to get what he THOUGHT he wanted in order to see it's not bringing him happiness.

The scene between Zuko and Ozai is one of my favorite in all fiction. It's been built up for literally two and a half seasons. We've seen Zuko's history. We've seen him hunt the Avatar. We've seem him live as a vagrant and a refugee. We've seen him try, succeed, fail, have victories and defeats. We've even seen him have a more traditional opportunity for redemption that he passed. All of it was for this moment. And Goddamn is it satisfying. The writers knew they had to have him do something significant to redeem him for the whole audience. And this was how you do it. This is how you show a character struggle, grow, and redeem themselves. There's a reason he's my favorite character in this show.

This episode is the reason Zuko is my favorite character ever. Everything he ever went through, led up to this moment right here.

The amount of build-up this episode has while NOT being the end of the show is wild. They even brought “Sokkas Instincts” back around

The thing a lot of people don’t understand is how far ahead of the others Toph is with bending. Episode one katara is 14 and couldn’t lift a fish out of the water. When Toph was introduced she is 12 and is literally pimp slapping grown ass men into the next century. She started learning bending from the OG benders at a very young age, which is why she is so advanced

Young Azula: "Dad's going to kill you.~ Really, he is." It's crazy that for once, Azula *wasn't* lying.

22:07 The move Zuko couldn't actually do due to his inner turmoil was creating lightning. Iroh taught him how to redirect it since he was too innerly unstable to create it and the only reason Zuko hasn't used redirection before is because Iroh wasn't gonna shoot lightning at him

I am a 400 foot tall purple platypus bear... meanwhile toph: what is purple???

I’m still trying to figure out how it didn’t dawn on anyone the Fire Nature might know about the attack, especially when it was known Azula and her team had infiltrated the Earth kingdom. It was a great plan, BUT, y’all should’ve taken Azula’s spy work into account. Unless they didn’t know, which I found hard to believe no one remembered Azula’s infiltration

Zuko's smile on "Yes. He has" is one of my favourite moments in the show - Confronting Ozai is a huge moment for him, and when he does it, Ozai himself compares Zuko to Iroh, and Zuko is proud of that

Girl Azula has never lied in her life how dare anyone suggest otherwise? :)

Toph couldn't tell when Azula was lying. In real life, sociopaths can pass a lie detector test, because lying doesn't upset or disturb them the way it does normal people.

Zuko is really something else. He’s definitely one of my favorite characters from any tv show ever

Everyone's crazy about Zuko, but my number one moment by far in this episode is Azula going ""Sokka's your name, right? My favourite prisoner used to mention you all the time."

About the lightning thingy, controlling your emotions matters when GENERATING lighting, but redirecting energy is a completely separate ability, closer to when we saw Sozin redirecting heat in the Roku flashback. So Zuko still can't generate lightning of his own, but he learned redirection through Iroh's technique.

I really want to talk about Ozai's demonstration of power in this episode. For both Azula and Iroh it takes time and preparation before shooting the lighting, but Ozai did it almost in an instant, and with each hand!

I adore how they do a heroic inflection on the normally dour and evil sounding Zuko musical sting at the end of the episode

the fun thing about the reveal that the fire lord knew about the invasion is that we all know why he knows, because the earth king unknowingly told Azula about it in season 2, they have been planning the perfect defense against the invasion for months.

I'm not exactly sure why, but that moment where Zuko was redirecting his father's lightning back at him is one of my absolute favorites of the series.

I’ve watched this show a handful of times on my own and probably 35-50 reactors watch this show and I will cry at Zuko’s speech to his father every single time. It’s so powerful.

The way Azula couldnt be stopped by the avatar and the best earthbender says enough about her power

Years before Star Lord took the bait to Thanos, Sokka took the bait to Azula.

Quick note, because of an animation error around 11:40 one of the guards surrenders so hard they change genders

Azula is too skilled and almost too smart for her enemies. The characters in this show who can go toe to toe with her on her best day aren't up to 3. Take away her flawless bending, her martial arts is 10/10.

If there's one thing Zuko's good at, it's finding the Avatar. 👌

On the one hand, luck can do a lot for you or against you, but then again, you don't want your plan to rely on it. Then then again, "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy."- Moltke the Elder. I'd say it's more like 17 minutes to find and incapacitate. Because without his bending, Ozai is an easy target. Every last asset that could be scraped together has been bet on this mission. There are no spare chips to play, and this is their best shot, a decapitating deep strike at the Fire Nation Capital. 5:13 The hot air is also helping. No other earthbender alive could have gotten them through those doors like that. They are pushing through the defenses of the most vital command and control position of the Fire Nation. And these warriors aren't children. If killing gets things done faster, get on with it, the window of opportunity hasn't even opened yet, and they still need to occupy and control the capital by day's end to win. Katara is the heaviest hitter from the Southern Water Tribe. It probably shocks and impresses all these people from her village to see how strong she has become. She's also the only waterbender, and that makes her a good counter until the Eclipse takes away Firebending. On top of that, she's the best medic in the entire invasion force. So she's a very useful piece in this fight. "Are you?" The official wasn't lying, and probably didn't know that Ozai had pulled a switcheroo, but it does mean that Aang and co. are in the wrong room despite it being the throne room. Not Zuko though. As a royal, he knows where to look. I once got to see a total eclipse in person. Freaky. Ad the animals and insects were really freaked out too. Ozai is a mighty bender with top training, as are his royal guards, but for the next 8 minutes, Zuko is the most dangerous man in the room with his swords and training from Sokka's master. We've seen Zuko beat capable warriors with just his swords before, and for the these 8 minutes, even the most powerful Firebender is a normal* person. Ozai sat down because he's in danger, so better to humor the kid with sharp objects than bank on the human flamethrowers with no fuel disarming and restraining his son before he gets angry and guts Ozai like a pig. Even if they pull Zuko off Ozai, they won't be able to save Ozai's life. Then the Fire Lord would be dead. Long Live the Fire Lord.... as soon as the civil war ends. TLDR: Ozai's rigid thinking has left him vulnerable, so Zuko gets to speak his mind with the talking swords. Despite what walls she may put up, we've seen Azula has feelings. Being the odd one out on Ember Island. Having that singular moment of peak vulnerability where she said, "My own mother thought I was a monster." Even Azula has more flexible thinking than her father. He could have asked to borrow some of her Dai Li, and she'd gladly have transferred command. But no. Ozai had only firebenders in his hideaway. Save those tears, episode isn't over yet. We may have recognized that Zuko wasn't seeking a worthy path for a worthy father in book 1, but it's taken him a long time to come to grips with it himself. How wrong he was. How wrong his nation was and is. How wrong his father is and will always be. Zuko saw more than Ozai ever can and will. One thing that remains while the bending is out. GAINS. Bending is ultimately a very physical and labor intensive magic system. And we've seen Azula darting around before. Azula knows that the Eclipse can't be too long, so if she wastes their time in a chase, they can't get to her dad before the Eclipse is over. Aang may be a pacifist who believes in letting people live, but Sokka isn't. Moral W for Zuko indeed. If Zuko killed Ozai, it would just be seen as a power grab, and it would potentially plunge his home into a civil war between him and Azula. Like father, like daughter. The emotions thing is about firing the lightning you make. Zuko didn't master that. The redirect though, that's been tested and he has passed. The reason he didn't redirect before is that Iroh wasn't going to chance it, and nature didn't cooperate with Zuko going looking to get zapped. I told you to save your tears, for the Fire Nation had a counterattack waiting. A bombing run from their own improvements on the War Balloon concept. The balloons are easy to pop, but not the armored airships, and the latter has too many point defenders. Iroh knew the eclipse was coming, and that it was the best opportunity to get away. First priority is eliminating the deep strike mission in their home, but later? Later they can use these to bomb Earth Kingdom cities, towns, villages, mines, forests, and basically whatever targets they want. In hindsight the planned counterattack by air makes plenty of sense. The balloon was recovered in Book 1. The heroes deployed new technology, but the Fire Nation has a century of experience with industrialization, and have been on the cutting edge that whole time, with the mechanist being the only one we've seen actively trying to innovate and invent outside of the fire nation. The official in the tunnels was, if I'm not mistaken, the same one in charge of extorting the Mechanist and overseeing deployment of the last major experimental project, The Drill. Then there's narrative tension. The heroes are supposed to be on the back foot, especially technologically. Furthermore, it has been well set up that Sozin's Comet will be a major factor, and the Avatar is supposed to be at least highly skilled in all 4 elements. Finally, there are still 11 episodes. A decisive end to the war would be too early if it happened now. There is more to come, but the situation is more dire than ever. Though hope still lives. In the Northern Water tribe, the Earth Kingdom holdout regions, resistance groups, and Team Avatar. And a rebellious prince.

The villagers turning their back on Zuko in Zuko Alone comes back here. It breaks Zuko’s view of the Fire Nation’s reputation, he sees no matter the good he does it pales before the Fire Nation’s century of evil and people are understandably angry.

Zuko's redemption arc has got to be the greatest redemption arc of all time.

Can we just take a moment to recognize what a great voice actor Mark Hamill is?

Zuko finally growing upp and sacrificeing his goth gf to save the world truly a chad.

Can’t believe that Aang is slower than Azula.

23:52 dang Alicia he said his own invention, i'm sure my man knows he fucked it xD

The way they managed to write a defeat that left us feeling hope in the face of complete catastrophe is something special man, I swear. I absolutely adore this show.

@12:53 hearing Zuko say this on a real tv show in America in like 2007 really hit.

14:56 I saved what you said here because it resonated so heavily with me and my over demanding mother where if I just ignored her unreasonableness and focused on doing what I know is best for myself instead of constantly trying to meet her conditional love I would be in a much better place. (I'm 25 now and I am not in a good spot)

Correction - Zuko's inner peace is not key to lightning redirection, that's creating lightning. The lightning redirect is a move that was created for the first time by Iroh using water bending principles.

Ozai doesn't want Zuko to be his own man, he wants another soldier to order around.

15:20 Oh man, she has no idea how spot on that is for Azula later one

I never understood why aang couldn't catch up with azula when he can run faster than the wind in the previous seasons

Hope you are doing well Alicia ❤️

I SHOULD BE ASLEEP BUT IM SO EXCITED TO WATCH YOU GASM EMOTIONALLY (and cry) AT ZUKO’S BIG SCENE

9:39 it's cuz Ozai knows his best chance of survival would be to keep Zuko talking until the eclipse ends, than to risk losing both hands during those 8 minutes trying to disarm him. We've seen Zuko use those blades. We know he's is really good, if not better at fighting with them than he is at firebending. Ozai would lose his hands very quickly.

Avatar in general is one of the best shows Ive ever seen, but these episodes and the next few episodes are also some of the best the show has to offer imo.

They should teach zukos redemption arc in film school as a case study.

Dear Zuko, This is for you. "W" -Sincerely all of AliciaxLife's viewers.

13:10 Top favorite speeches ever.

I like the touch that the only time Ozai seems to "respect," what Zuko says, its when he first draws his swords and tells him to shut up. Everything else is met with sarcasm and belittling. But at that, he quietly complies and sits. Ozai only really respects the show of force. Nothing else

Sokka: they knew about the invasion Me: what, let me get this straight. You literally saw Azula and her gang impersonating Kyoshi warriors, got briefly captured by them, and you never considered the Fire Nation might know about the plan?

Ozai didn't sit down cause he respected Zuko...he just knew that without his bending powers, Zuko was an actual danger to him. He's arrogant, but not dumb.

W for Zuko! And to think, it all just gets better as the book goes on.

10:40There's something interesting about this scene though. The reaction that Toph feels when a person lies is caused by the person's fear of being caught in the lie. Toph couldn't tell that Azula was lying because it was such a preposterous lie that no one would believe it, so she would have no fear of being found out.

Alicia throughout most of the series: "I just want Zuko to get in touch with his emotions and become the man he's supposed to be!" Alicia at 12:00-12:10" Stop showing Zuko pouring out his emotions and becoming the man he's supposed to be!" Careful what you wish for, Princess Alicia. 🤣

There's a good reason Zuko's character arc is referred to as the best redemption arc of all time.

Oh FYI the inner peace bit is what's required to bend lightning, redirecting it doesn't require that and is just a learned skill. Zuko still can't lightning bend, the only reason he wasn't redirecting before is because iroh refused to shoot lightning at him, for obvious reasons

I've seen over a dozen ATLA reactions, and I love how absolutely NO ONE likes Haru's mustache.

did you notice how absolutely powerful Ozai is as a firebender? The very SECOND the eclipse was over that absolute very second Ozai could, he attacked. Azula couldnt feel that, she heard that the firebending was back from Ozais attack, and only then tried to firebend.

Yeah Book 3: Fire is probably my favorite season of television ever! And it just gets better until the very end.

Zuko not being able to fully cry out of his left eye still fucks me up. That's messed up, man

Yo be fair the mechanist didn't give them the war balloon

I'm like 95-99% certain that Ozai doesn't care about his kids even a little. At the very least he dosen't give even a ounce of a shit about Zuko.

at 9:38 he sat down because he respects power and Zuko had the power then

My favorite part of Zuko's redemption arc is that he had several opprotunities in books 1 and 2 to change sides and redeem himself. It isn't until he gets what he thought he wanted, and realizes it isn't what he actually wants, that he finally starts to come around. He needed that first hand experience, and that feels really real.

I'd say it's less Ozai respecting Zuko but more him being curious what Zuko has to say.

Ozai respects nothing, he sat back down because he can't do shit without firebending. He would've torched zuko if he had the chance

Toph is SUCH a come up

What gets me is that in that moment Ozai was 100% ready to flat out murder his own son with no hesitation. If Iroh didn't teach Zuko how to redirect lightning- technique he invented himself- Ozai would have killed Zuko right there and be happy about it...

Don't worry my beautiful friend Zuko and Iroh will meet again in due time and I'd advise you to have a box of tissues on stand by because the scene pulled on all of my heart strings

just caught up on the past few reactions cuz youtube had some reason stopped recommending them to me. nice timing xD

Nobody gonna talk about how buff Iroh ripped his bars apart like a monster? It's possible he could've just waited until last minute to use his fire bending on them, but the bars looked more torn apart than melted.

Ozai sat down because he knows that, during the eclipse, he's not as powerful as usual. He probably knows that Zuko is the Blue Spirit, and there's no evidence suggesting that Ozai has experience with weapons or hand-to-hand combat without bending, so Zuko is easily the strongest person in the room during those 8 minutes. Instead Ozai bides his time until he feels his bending return.

Zuko really just said "fuck this shit, I'm out".

Zuko's story is one of the best examples of character progression and growth in all of story telling in my opinion. He is and has always been the second protagonist of the story, with his own Hero's Journey. His character arc is one of the core reasons this show is so good in my opinion.

While Iroh is the best character within Avatar, Zuko is the best written character within the series, imo. I haven't really encountered a story even close his own. Well, there probably is a comparable story, but I can't think of them.

5:50 writers knew what they had to do there although it's a kids show in nickelodeon

Not gonna lie I thought Azula learned to earth bend😅 11:05

>a dozen of the strongest earthbenders in the world, trained for special and covert operations in the heart of the earth kingdom, jump the gang Alicia: *“Toph wins these.”* ON GOD!!!

Direct hit of a bomb on the swamp guy. Alicia: omg is he ok Yes because death is an illusion and so are pants

THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR, our boi Zuko finally found inner peace and he finally know what the right thing to do is!!!!

Toph is so broken that they had to write her out of some episodes so we could have some real stakes, lol

7:40 actually, he can't lie, until Toph is near )

W Zuko! He really does have one of the best character developments in any media

Ozai sat down because he didn't want to get shanked. Zuko trained as a fighter to compensate for his mediocre firebending talent. Ozai, an extremely talented firebender, never needed crutches like this.

Cuz remember azulon was gonna choose iroh to be fire lord but ozai ended up as fire lord

Real people take three steps forward and stubble and take two steps back. That’s why we had Zuko keep make wrong choices but still change a little.

You won’t see a better arc then zuko till all of invincible’s comic is put into a show

Zuko's redemption arc is so perfect that people are still comparing redemption arcs to his to this day. It's renowned as one of, if not the greatest of all time.

It has been a long time coming, but Zuko's glorious face turn is finally upon us!

Zuko is widely agreed upon to have the best character arc in any show. For sure the best redemption arc at least.