News of a traitor puts the trio at odds in Omashu, where a mechanist and rebels with a charming leader muddle their plans to protect the Earth Kingdom.
For the last century, humanity has been suffering because Aang ran away out of fear. As such, he refuses to let people suffer when he knows he can do something about it. It's very heroic. Sure, it also serves as a distraction from the core mission. Aang was warned that he must reach the Northern Water Tribe before a tragedy occurs. That's his fate. Yet he sees what could possibly be another airbender flying through the sky. He needs to investigate. He needs to know he isn't the last of his tribe. What he discovers is the son of an engineer who has designed another way to fly without bending. It's impressive. Teo is committed to fighting back against the Fire Nation. He can't sit back and do nothing. He isn't limited in any way. However, he resides in a city where very few things are as they seem. Aang has visited Omashu before. It's one of the great cities in the Earth Kingdom. It has withstood the Fire Nation this entire time. The people are still distrustful of outsiders. Security is severe. Aang, Katara and Sokka have to hide who they are in order to gain entry. Once they enter the city, they find it impossible to leave.
The group benefits from a local merchant who doesn't perceive them as threats. In fact, Jet immediately proves himself as a good judge of character. He knows these outsiders are just like him. They are just looking for a place to belong. He has wisdom to pass along. Aang teaches Katara to tap into her emotions to master her bending. It doesn't work. The pain of her mother's death only causes the same disastrous outcome. Jet inspires her to bask in the good memories. It's just as essential to remember her mother staring at the sunrise every morning. That's a precious memory that should be central to how she is remembered. After that, Katara has no problem in mastering the water whip. She's grateful to Jet and his ragtag team of Freedom Fighters. She sees them as the good guys in this fight. They attack the Fire Nation spies that have bombed the city. The spies hide their true motives. It's not a tactic Zuko believes his father would approve. And yet, Zuko has been away from home for a long time. Fire Nation soldiers should always be proud of their identity. That loyalty and strength is tested from every corner of the narrative. People are told where they belong. That doesn't fully address the complexity of who they are and who they are meant to be in this conflict.
Aang is already annoyed when Zuko appears after tracking him. No matter what he does, he seemingly can't escape this Fire Nation soldier. Zuko is hellbent on capturing the Avatar. Nothing will stop him. He is headstrong and determined. Iroh tells him to temper his bending. They are covertly in Omashu. They can't draw attention to themselves and their abilities. Aang doesn't hold back his airbending. He is the last of his kind. People remain in awe of what he can do. No one has ever seen an airbender before. It's a new form of power that has emerged. Aang uses it to his advantage. It allows him to make friends. It's also the greatest skill he has when targeted by those threatened by what he will become. Aang is a prize Zuko must collect. The truth about the Avatar's return can't get out. And yet, Zhao is eager to earn good will with the Fire Lord. Ozai sees the commander as insignificant. However, he uses praise of Zuko achieving the impossible to motivate his daughter, Azula. In turn, she reaches out to the commander. She exerts her influence in the hopes of shaping this situation to her benefit. Those in power must wield it precisely. Zuko hasn't quite learned that lesson. He's not as strategic as others. He will have to be after Iroh sacrifices himself so his nephew can escape.
Aang's presence isn't immediately accepted either. He's not behind the threat to the King of Omashu's life. Instead, the Freedom Fighters are constructing a false flag operation to topple the government. Plenty of rebels exist. Some even reside within the Fire Nation. Ozai is never in any danger. His adversaries often haven't thought through their plans. He is always one step ahead. He's confident in his abilities. That's how he commands the story. Others project importance onto those who shape this conflict. It's necessary for the viewer to see it personally. A lot is made of the King in Omashu. Yet he isn't actually seen until the moment when his life is in danger. Jet insists he is senile and incapable of leading the Earth Kingdom refuge. That has allowed outsiders in who threaten their way of life. Jet and his friends are the beneficiaries of that kindness. They want more. They will kill in order to achieve their goals. They will do whatever it takes. Katara can't abide by that sense of justice. She thought she knew who was fighting for a righteous cause. In the end, she has to step in with her improved skills to prevent countless deaths. Innocent bystanders would have been lost if not for her.
Despite all of this, chaos still reigns. More details aren't given as to how the Freedom Fighters recover from this failed assassination. The Mechanist doesn't offer an explanation for why he is covertly working with the Fire Nation. Aang, Katara and Sokka are simply reacting to an extreme situation. One where they have no choice but to respond. That makes them passive characters in a world where so much has happened because of the absence of unity. Ozai proclaims he's delivering peace. Others are horrified by his reign of terror. Plenty want that power for themselves. And then, Aang is meant to restore balance. That's a daunting task. One he seems ill-equipped to handle. The Earth Kingdom guards apprehend him after his battle through the streets with Zuko. The heir to the Fire Nation throne escapes. Aang is captured. He tried his best to put out the fires. He wants to save lives. He doesn't want to endanger them. The ideal of what he is suppose to be is damaging enough. The city has already made plenty of compromises just in order to keep standing. Aang had to confirm what he saw. What he experiences afterwards is a complicated tale of mistrust. He doesn't know what to believe. As such, that prevents the characters from coming across as more than duplicitous. That's difficult to recover from in a narrative built around hope and trust in the protagonists overcoming all even against the mightiest of threats. That may be true only when dealing with one specific story at a time. When more are added, then too much is lost along the way to convey an overall message and concise theme.
