Avatar: The Last Airbender episode 2 recap: On Kyoshi Island

 

Episode two opens with Prince Zuko tearing his ship cabin to shreds, furious that he's lost his notebook all about the Avatar's whereabouts and confused that he ran away rather than facing him in battle. Iroh consoles him, arguing that, since they're in a quieter part of the world, there are not many places the Avatar can be hiding. Zuko and Iroh have landed at a port that contains the HQ of the regional Fire Nation Commander, Zhao, and Iroh plans to get info about the Avatar's whereabouts from him... without giving away the fact they're searching for the Avatar. Later, they meet with him and ask for access to maps and surveillance records under the guise of tracking marine life. After their visit, a firebender informs Zhao that Zuko has both found and lost the Avatar. Zhao reasons that, if Zuko's looking to him for leads, the Avatar could still be in the region, and sends the other man off to check for anything unusual in their records.Aang wants to travel to Kyoshi Island to visit Avatar Kyoshi's shrine. Kyoshi was incredibly powerful and a master of the Avatar State, and he hoped there would be something there that would help him better control his powers a little better. Sokka is initially unwilling to come along for the ride, but Katara convinces him they need to protect Aang. Once Aang's said his last goodbye to his former mentor, Gyatso, they climb about Appa and head off, along with a new companion in the form of a winged lemur.

Zuko and Iroh have landed at a port that contains the HQ of the regional Fire Nation Commander, Zhao, and Iroh plans to get info about the Avatar's whereabouts from him... without giving away the fact they're searching for the Avatar. Later, they meet with him and ask for access to maps and surveillance records under the guise of tracking marine life. After their visit, a firebender informs Zhao that Zuko has both found and lost the Avatar. Zhao reasons that, if Zuko's looking to him for leads, the Avatar could still be in the region, and sends the other man off to check for anything unusual in their records.

Aang and co. arrive on Kyoshi Island in front of the former Avatar's shrine (which is built in Kyoshi's image), but they're quickly ambushed by Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors. Kyoshi is not open to outsiders, and they're accused of trespassing on sacred ground. Katara tells them Aang is the Avatar, but the warriors don't believe them, as there would be a sign if he was; at the moment, beams of light shoot from the eyes of the shrine, centered on the young airbender. The trio are brought before Mayor Yukari, who explains that the island has stayed out of the conflict by keeping to itself, and they expected the outside world to leave them alone in kind. Aang explains his only aim is to learn about his past selves, but Yukari doesn't want to make any exceptions to their rules Eventually, Mayor Yukari's daughter, Suki, convinces her to allow them to stay. Yukari relents, gifting the travellers 48 hours to look through their archives, and offering them food and shelter. There are some hints of attraction between Sokka and Suki as the episode wears on, with the pair sparring and swapping fighting styles and techniques (in all cases, Sokka's outclassed).Aang struggles to find anything to help him train, but Katara finds some key information in a book detailing Kyoshi's past: the other Avatars are inside Aang, and he just has to find a way to connect to them to discuss his path forward. 

Elsewhere, Prince Zuko spots that Zhao's boat has left port, and a market trader informs him the commander has gone in search of reports of a "flying cow" (Appa) off Kyoshi Island. Worried Zhao will find the Avatar first, Zuko rushes to the same location. He wants to capture Aang so he can head home, and doesn't want Commander Zhao to take that chance away from him, Team Avatar then leave the island behind aboard Appa. Sokka asks whether they'll see more of Kyoshi, but Aang explains he learned he can only call upon past Avatars at their respective shrines. They'll next be visiting the Northern Water Tribe; Aang has foreseen something bad will happen there, something only he can stop. Katara also knows that their waterbenders are the best of the best, so they'll be the perfect people to help train the young Avatar to master another element. Episode two then ends with Zuko asking Commander Zhao not to tell anyone else about the Avatar's reemergence. He agrees, offering to pool his resources with Zuko's. Secretly, though, Zhao but betrays that arrangement almost immediately, sending a report to Fire Lord Ozai confirming that the Avatar has returned.