Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Siege of the North (1)

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Zhao begins to launch his attack against the Northern Water Tribe. As the walls of the besieged city begin to fall, the Avatar taps into the spirit world and seeks the help of one of the oldest spirits, in hopes of saving one of the most prominent areas of the world. Can Aang combine forces with the spirits and save the Northern Water Tribe? Read full recap »

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Writers:: John O'Bryan

Director:: Lauren MacMullan

Stars:: Dee Bradley Baker (Appa/Momo/Various Others); Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang); Mako (Uncle Iroh); Mae Whitman (Katara); Jack DeSena (Sokka); Dante Basco (Prince Zuko)

Recurring Role:: Jason Isaacs (Zhao)

Guest Star:: Jon Polito (Chief Arnook); Victor Brandt (Master Pakku); Ben Oiskin (Hahn); Johanna Braddy (Princess Yue)

When Sokka tackles Hahn and crosses his arms, his fingers are completely blue. edit »
The first attack destroys half of the figureheads on the gate, but when this damage is later seen, the damage is much lower and the figureheads are fine. edit »
During the afternoon while the FN is still bombarding the NP, the figureheads are missing from above the gate. edit »
When Aang tells Appa he'll take it from here, his left wristband is missing. edit »
All the young warriors for the mission are seen wearing light gray boots, but while Sokka is snickering at the out-of-date FN uniform, the young man to his left has black boots which change color when later visible. edit »

Portions of this episode was published in book format in Avatar The Last Airbender: The Lost Scrolls - Water and in Avatar The Last Airbender: The Lost Scrolls - Fire. edit »
This episode aired along with The Siege of the North, Part Two as the TV-Movie/Season Finale: The Siege of the North. edit »
Character Debuts: Hahn edit »
This is the second time Aang went into the Spirit World. The first was in Winter Solstice (1) (The Spirit World). edit »
This two-part season finale is Michael DiMartino's favorite episode of the first season, who describes it as "pretty epic" for an animation series. edit »

Sokka: What happened? Where's Aang?
Katara: Zuko took him. He took him right out from under me. edit »
Chief Arnook: Is something wrong, Sokka?
Sokka: Oh, no! Hahn's out there on a top secret mission while I'm here sharpening my boomerang. Every thing's fine.
Chief Arnook: Listen, I took you off the mission for selfish reasons. I have a special task in mind for you.
Sokka: What, you want me to scrub the barracks?
Chief Arnook: I want you to guard my daughter, Princess Yue.
Sokka: Sure...that shouldn't be too hard. edit »
Chief Arnook: Our first objective is to determine the identity of their commanding officer.
Sokka: His name is Zhao. Middle aged, big sideburns, bigger temper.
Chief Arnook: Sokka, I want you to tell everything you know to Hahn; he's leading this mission. Hahn, show Sokka your respect, I expect nothing less from my future son-in-law.
Sokka: Princess Yue is marrying you?!
Hahn: Yeah, what of it?
Sokka: Nothing, congratulations. edit »
(Katara defeats another student in a waterbending match)
Master Pakku: Nice work, Pupil Sangul. Maybe in a few years, you'll be able to defeat a sea sponge. (to his other students) Would anyone care for a rematch with Katara? (all the students shake their heads) Katara, you've advanced more quickly than any student I've ever trained. You have proven that with fierce determination, passion, and hard work, you can accomplish anything. Raw talent alone is not enough.
(Pakku and Katara look at Aang, who is playing with Momo)
Master Pakku: Pupil Aang!
Aang: Yes, Master Pakku?
Master Pakku: Care to step into the sparring circle? I figured since you found the time to play with house pets, you must have already mastered waterbending.
Aang: I wouldn't say mastered, but check this out!
(Aang waterbends himself into a snowman. Master Pakku and Katara look at him disapprovingly) edit »
Hahn: Let me tell you Sokka, I've courted a lot of girls, but Yue is the finest. And she comes with the most perks.
Sokka: Perks?! What does that mean?
Hahn: I mean, Yue's nice and everything, but the points I'll get with the Chief aren't bad either.
Sokka: Princess Yue is wasted on a self-absorbed weasel like you!
Hahn: Whoa, hang on. Why do you care? You're just a simple rube from the Southern Tribe. How would you know of the political complexities of our life? No offense. edit »

Breath of Fire
The "breath of fire" is actually a real Kundalini Yoga move (sans actual flame) called Agni-Prasana, where the air is pulled in and pumped out very rhythmically like pumping a bellows, powered by abdominal contractions and used to cleanse and energize the body. The inspiration was stated in the director audio commentary for the episode. edit »
The Snowman
Apparently a waterbending technique of Aang's invention, he spins around downward, pulls snow up over his body, then continues spinning upward until he is standing perfectly straight with both arms out. At this point resembles like a smiling snowman. edit »
The "sea sponge," to which Pakku stated that his pupil Sangook will be able to beat in a few years, was, as later admitted by the creators in the audio commentary for "The Siege of the North (Part One)," a friendly poke at another popular Nickelodeon character/show, Spongebob Squarepants. edit »
When the Northern Waterbenders freeze the first Fire Navy ship, it looks exactly like the frozen ship in the South Pole that Aang and Katara explore in the first episode, The Boy in the Iceberg. edit »
When Chief Arnook says "The enemy is on our doorstep," it is almost the exact line Gandalf says in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. edit »

10
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Count_Dracula08
member since: Oct 19, 2008
The Siege of the North (1)
The Bottom Line: "Exciting"
The battle begins! ...Continue »
Admiral Zhao is now heading towards the North Pole to destroy it and search it to find hidden secrets. Zhao must not get to them however, as he is going to use his power for evil and conquer the world. His main target is to overthrow the city and find its special area where you can easily make contact with the spirit world, it also has two key figures: the koi fish that are a symbol of Yin and Yang. They are in a holding pond that balance the world's power, push and pull, good and evil! Since Zhao is coming, Aang and Katara must find the spiritual area with a beautiful waterfall. They make it in along with the girl with white hair whose name i forget. She is really cool! Too bad she has to make a sacrifice (herself) to revive the white (good) koi fish. Zhao is about to destroy it (but i don't think that happens until the next episode.) Katara also says that it the area is warm due to good spiritual energy, and blcoks off the biting cold wind outside of it in the deep northern region. We got a part two for this chapter, but the next episode is book one's last chapter.
10/28/08 12:08pm | report abuse
9.8
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lordozai890
member since: Aug 15, 2008
The Siege of the North (1)
The Bottom Line: "Adventurous"
Part one of two. ...Continue »
This episode is the first part of the Siege of the North movie. The fight at the end between Zuko and Katara was a really good fight. I was surprised to see Zuko beat Katara in that fight. It was still a great fight with a great opener. Zhao's part of the episode was great also. His fleet practically destroyed the Water Tribe in seconds, well in that one shot. The fight between Aang and Zhao's men was pretty good too. Zuko and Iroh talking made me cry a little when Iroh said "Ever since I lost my son.." Zuko said "You don't need to say it" then Iroh says again "I think of you, as my own." That made me shed a tear. Overall, I give this episode a 9.8.
08/20/08 09:05pm | report abuse
9.7
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Breaker94
member since: Apr 27, 2008
The Siege of the North (1)
The Bottom Line: "Character development"
katara's waterbending is better than ever! ...Continue »
9.7/10 part 1 of the season finale. pretty good episode. zhao has a whole navy of fire nation ships. there's about a hundred of them waiting to attack the north pole. aang tries to go to the spirit world by standing on the spirit oasis. is aang going to save the north pole by using the spirits power? oh my god what if aang fails? he better not. and im just asking questions cuz i got nothing else to write. so yeah... 17 more to go. ahhhh i got nothing to type. why cant i think of anything to type!!! ok im done lol
07/08/08 05:23pm | report abuse
10
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Blind_Legend
member since: Jun 21, 2008
The Siege of the North (1)
The Bottom Line: "Exactly why I watch this series"
another perfect episode.... ...Continue »
The Siege of the North, Part One is one of the best episodes in the entire first season and SERIES! Anyone who is a fan of a lot of action and fighting then this episode would be perfect for you. It is also especially good because it leaves you on a cliffhanger to the next episode. Even though this episode and the next were aired on the same night though. If you are not a big fan of avatar, and you think you hate the show, then if you watch this episode, I would guarantee you would love Avatar for now on. Perfect episode, you must watch it!
06/20/08 05:31pm | report abuse
10
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Miroku78
member since: Nov 6, 2005
The Siege of the North (1)
The Bottom Line: "Exciting"
Should've gave part 2 a 10 too. ...Continue »
Great way to start off the finale. The whole Zuko capturing Aang really had me at the edge of my seat... or couch in a sense. I loved Aang's whole character of being mature and that whole finding a place to go to the Spirit World to meet Koh and stuff. Man that Katara and Zuko fight was epic.... too bad she lost in the end. But that's ok, cause she OWNed him in part 2. Well Seige of the North in general was a great hour-long episode and a great event. I wouldn't be suprised if this won an award one day.
06/06/08 09:57am | report abuse