The show follows Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen), the last airbender and the “Avatar”, on his journey to bring balance to a war-torn world by mastering all four elements: air, water, earth, and fire.

On his quest, he is joined by companions Katara (Mae Whitman), Sokka (Jack DeSena), and Toph Beifong (Jessie Flower), and hunted down by Fire Nation prince Zuko (Dante Basco) and princess Azula (Grey DeLisle).

The episode, written by Aaron Ehasz and directed by series co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino, follows Aang returning to the city of Ba Sing Se, which Azula has now taken over, to rescue Katara.

It received universal acclaim with praise for its visuals, fight choreography, emotional moments, pacing, storytelling, and dark tone when compared to the remainder of the series.

[2] Sokka and Aang hurry back to Ba Sing Se on Appa to rescue Katara who has been captured by Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee.

Sokka and Toph go to rescue the Earth King Kuei, but Azula holds him hostage after the two find out Mai and Ty Lee are not Kyoshi Warriors.

However, Azula explains that the Dai Li serve her now as they recognize the "divine right to rule", something you are born with and cannot achieve through conniving and trickery like Long Feng did.

Aang lets him know about how he turned down cosmic energy over his love for Katara,[a] to which Iroh gives him the advice that "sometimes life is like this dark tunnel... but if you just come moving forward, you will come to a better place" just as the two enter the Crystal Catacombs.

Katara expresses her hatred towards Zuko, claiming that when she thinks of the Fire Nation his face appears and that he doesn't know what the war cost her, telling him she lost her mother.

Azula arrives and tempts Zuko into helping her, claiming if he does so he can reclaim his honor and their father, Ozai will accept him back in the Fire Nation, before going after Aang and Katara leaving him to choose.

As Azula reassures a distraught Zuko that he has gained his own honor by helping her and betraying his uncle, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Kuei look on Ba Sing Se as the latter sadly states that "the Earth Kingdom has fallen."

Main cast members Zach Tyler Eisen, Mae Whitman, Jack DeSena, Jessie Flower, Dante Basco and Dee Bradley Baker appear as the voices of Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph Beifong, Zuko, and Appa respectively.

"[20] The episode and the previous, The Guru, have been often compared to the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back in how it presents an ending to the second part of a trilogy where the heroes lose.

"[2]Ian Cardona of Screen Rant made multiple comparisons between the two, stating that: "In the sequel to A New Hope, Luke, Han and Leia found themselves on the run from a more menacing Empire in a film that was much darker and more spiritual than its predecessor.