LogFAQs > #937439587

#52: The Western Air Temple (3.12)

Another box checker. This episode is important plot wise because it's when Zuko finally joins Team Avatar, though his actual conversion to good happened in the previous ones. The episode itself is mostly a sequence of awkward attempts by Zuko to convince them that he is now good, in a way that is so sloppy it almost feels 4th wall breaking. It is pretty funny, though. There is an action sequence in the end against Combustion Man too, which I'm glad was the last one because Combustion Man is kind of lame. He only has one move!

After watching the show, I've come to the conclusion Zuko's biggest weakness is emotional intelligence. If this was DnD, his dump stat would be Wisdom. He just isn't good with people, he doesn't know what to say or how to please others or how to read others, and this episode shows. Heck, the rest of the season keeps showing it as Zuko becomes the default target for jokes.

But Zuko is fundamentally good, he has a moral compass that shakes but ultimately doesn't break, and he doesn't want to hurt people unecessarily. That's what makes him the best firebending master for Aang.

The other interesting thing about the episode is how Toph tries to reach out to Zuko more than the others. Which makes sense, since she didn't spend a full season being hunted by him. She makes some solid points, and even tries to meet him by herself, though Zuko blows it again by accidentally burning her feet. Well, in the end it works out, and that's the phrase that best describes this episode.