Avatar: The Last Airbender

Season 2

The Avatar State

1. The original script had Azula vaporize the ship captain after he mistakenly refers to Zuko and Iroh as prisoners, thus blowing Azula's cover story. This was changed because the creators deemed it to be too intense for younger viewers.
2. In the Japanese Edo period, samurai would cut off their top-knot (or chonmage) as a way of stepping down from their position, signaling the end of that era of their life.
3. While Aang has already gone into the Avatar State several times, this is the first time it's actually referred to as such.
4. With this episode, Aang has gone into the Avatar State in every one of the four nations: the first time he changed was in the Air Temple when he discovered Monk Gyatso's body, then in the Fire Nation Avatar temple, then in the Northern Water Tribe, and now finally in the Earth Kingdom.
5. This episode reveals what the Avatar State is and the pros and cons of using it.

The Cave of Two Lovers

1. Zuko tells the healer that Iroh's name is "Mushi" which causes Iroh to glare at him because "mushi" translates to "insect" - not a very manly name.
2. It is told in this episode that Oma and Shu were the first Earthbenders that learned from the Badger Moles. In Legend of Korra, that is not the origin story of Earthbending.

Return to Omashu

1. The character of Mai is very similar to the character from Charles Dickens' book 'Bleak House', Lady Dedlock. Mai even says "...but this place is unbearably bleak."

The Swamp

1. Toph's first appearance was technically in this episode through a vision and her first appearance as a character to be added to the team wasn't until two episodes later.
2. At the very beginning of the episode we see a cart with different masks being wheeled past Zuko and Iroh. One of the masks is that of the Blue Spirit, which Zuko wears later in the episode, and future episodes. It's assumed Zuko stole it from the cart as the two of them have been on the run with very few possessions and it's unlikely he kept the mask he wore previously.

Avatar Day

1. Sokka's (Jack De Sena) detective outfit is likely a reference to Sherlock Holmes: a hat with large flaps protruding from it, a magnifying glass of some kind, and finally his dragon "pipe" which actually, comically, blows bubbles instead of containing any tobacco.

The Blind Bandit

1. The Boulder was originally going to be voiced by Dwayne Johnson and was based on his wrestling persona "The Rock."
2. Originally, Toph wasn't meant to be a girl. Her character started out as a heavily muscled guy, who was a bit of a mean-spirited jock, to better contrast against Sokka's supposed nerdiness. The prototype of her original design is depicted as the Earthbender in the opening title sequence and was later used for Roku's earthbending teacher Sud from season three.
3. Toph (The Blind Bandit) shares many characteristics with Prince Adam (He-Man). Both were born in a rich and powerful family, both have amazing powers which they hide from their parents by pretending to be weak and incompetent, and to conceal their true identities they use only a different outfit and name. Interestingly, Toph's father is voiced by Cam Clarke who also provides the voice for Prince Adam/He-Man in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002).
4. The earth-bending tournament "Earth Rumble VI" resembles wrestling matches in most respects. "The Boulder", who is said to be the former "Earth Rumble" champion, is voiced by Mick Foley - an actual former wrestling champion, who had competed in a "Royal Rumble" tournament (in particular).
5. First official appearance of Toph
6. The only time in the series were we see Aang in some form of Earth Bending clothes.
7. First and Final appearance of Toph's parents.

Zuko Alone

1. In "The Cave of Two Lovers," Zuko tells the healer his name is Lee. In this episode, the boy he goes home with is called Lee. This may explain why Zuko hesitates when Gansu asks his name instead of using the fake name he came up with earlier.
2. It was not said directly, but it was implied by the comics that Ursa, Zuko's mother, killed Azulon.
3. Near the beginning of the episode Zuko contemplates stealing food from a couple, but decides not to when he sees the woman is pregnant. This is the same couple who travel with the Gaang when the woman goes into labour and Katara delivers the baby, in the later episode 'The Serpent's Pass'.
4. The only episode of the series not featuring Sokka, Katara, and Aang (although Aang's spiritless body can be seen during the "Previously on Avatar..." introduction). Also, the first episode not featuring Appa, and the last one without Toph (she appears in every subsequent episode until the end of the series).

The Chase

1. Iroh is chasing Zuko. Zuko is chasing Azula. Azula is chasing Team Avatar. Hence the title "The Chase"
2. First time all members of team Avatar and the help of the White Lotus appears

Bitter Work

1. "Bitter Work" is the rough English translation of the Chinese words for martial arts "Kung Fu." Given that Aang and Zuko both learn a different form of kung fu, the episode title is rather appropriate.
2. Another episode showing the parallels of Aang and Zuko.

The Library

1. The knowledge spirit's name, Wan Shi Tong, is Chinese for "He who knows ten-thousand things." Accordingly, this is how he introduces himself.
2. According to the parchment, the date of the "darkest day in fire nation's history" is the ninth day of the seventh month of the Dragon year.According to the planetarium, the date of the next solar eclipse is the first day of the eighth month of the Monkey year.
3. The planetarium reveals that the Sun and Moon do not revolve on the same plane. This should make eclipses very rare.
4. The rotating table in the library's planetarium casually reveals the calendar system of the Avatar world for the first (and only) time. It is almost identical to the traditional Chinese one : The innermost circle represents the time of day, marked with Yin and Yang symbols (modified with Sun and Moon dots) for night and day. There are no markings for hours, minutes, and seconds, so it remains unclear how Sokka read the exact time of the eclipse.The innermost ring represents months, numbered with Chinese numerals from 1 to 12.The second ring represents days of the month, numbered from 1 to 30.The third ring apparently corresponds to the Chinese year's "heavenly stem" 10 counter, but instead there are 16, each marked with a pair of Chinese symbols.Finally, the outermost ring contains the pictures of 12 animals, which identify years in exactly the same way and order as the "earthly branches" of the Chinese calendar.
5. This is part 1 of what was originally shown as a 1 hour Avatar movie special: "The Fury of Aang".
6. Aang opens a scroll and comments on a "weird lion-turtle thing", which helps him understand how to defeat Lord Ozai

The Desert

1. This is part 2 of what was originally shown as a 1 hour Avatar movie special: "The Fury of Aang".
2. Some of the moments in this episode tie in chronologically with Book 2 Chapter 16 Appa's Lost Days.

The Serpent's Pass

1. The husband and pregnant wife (Than and Ying) that Team Avatar travels with are the same couple Zuko considered robbing at the beginning of Avatar: The Last Airbender: Zuko Alone (2006) . He decided not to when he noticed Ying was pregnant.
2. The words "abandon hope" are carved into the entrance to the Serpent's Pass. This is likely a reference to Dante's Inferno, in which the words "abandon all hope ye who enter here" are carved into the gates of Hell.
3. This episode along with the next one (The Drill) were shown back to back and initially advertised as the Avatar movie special: "The Secret of the Fire Nation".
4. Third appearance of the Cabbage Man
5. First episode to air after the passing of Mako, the voice of Uncle.
6. The serpents pass is so called name for the sea serpent that lives around the sliver of land that connects the two continents.

The Drill

1. This is part 2 of what was initially advertised as the Avatar movie special: "The Secret of the Fire Nation".
2. The theme music played in the background as Aang delivers his final attack on the Drill, was specifically designed for this moment.

City of Walls and Secrets

1. The Dai Li Police Force was created by Avatar Kyoshi. She created the Dai Lee to serve, protect and be an official enforcement organization for the people of Ba Sing Se.

The Tales of Ba Sing Se

1. Uncle Iroh's tale concludes in honor of Mako, who passed away during the production of the second season.
2. The Cabbage Man makes another appearance in this episode, during the Tale of Aang.

Appa's Lost Days

1. This episode won a Humane Society Genesis Award for its depiction of animal cruelty in the Fire Nation circus.
2. The Eastern Air Temple is shown for the first time in this episode. Of all the four air temples this is the only one which doesn't have an episode entirely dedicated to it (and named accordingly).
3. Although it's hard to notice, Sokka and Katara can be seen sleeping next to the camp fire when Aang dreams about Appa. This is their only appearance in the episode, thus making it the only episode of the series where they don't have any lines (there is one other episode where they don't appear at all though).

Lake Laogai

1. The "Lost Appa" posters Aang, Katara and Sokka hang up around Ba Sing Sey read "Have you seen my flying bison? His name is Appa. He has six legs and weighs ten tons. If you have any information, please contact Avatar Aang in the Upper Ring, 96th District, House #217"
2. Sokka is shown to be left handed while attempting to draw Appa's posters
3. The Lost Appa posters say Aang is staying in House 217. That's the episode ID. Season 2, Episode 17.
4. Features the last time Zuko ever uses the Blue Spirit persona as he drops the mask into Lake Laogai once he and his uncle resurfaces.
5. Final Appearance of Jet.

The Earth King

1. The Earth King's throne is a giant badger mole, which makes sense as, per the show's lore, they were the original earth benders.
2. We see the legendary dragons of the Sun Tribe
3. In each season there is an attack on a nation's capital city. Book 1, Siege of the North Part 1 and Part 2 the Fire Nation attacked the Northern Water Tribe. Book 3, Day of Black Sun Part 1: The Invasion and Part 2: The Eclipse the Alliance attacked Capital City of the Fire Nation. In this episode Team Avatar attacked the Earth King's Palace.
4. When Aang is talking about the Guru at the Eastern Air Temple, Sokka asks if a Guru is "some sort of poisonous blowfish?" This is a reference to Fugu, the sushi prepared from a poisonous blowfish.

The Guru

1. First time to show metalbending.
2. Final Appearance of Guru Pathik

The Crossroads of Destiny

1. Final episode to feature Mako as the voice of Iroh.
2. Final Appearance of Long Feng.
3. This is Basically The Empire Strikes Back of the show