Writer:	Tim Hedrick
Director:	Lauren MacMullan
Star:	Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang),  Mae Whitman (Katara),  Jack DeSena (Sokka),  Dee Bradley Baker (Appa/Momo/Various Others),  Makoto Iwamatsu (Uncle Iroh),  Dante Basco (Prince Zuko),  Jessie Flower (Toph)
Recurring Role:	Clancy Brown (Long Feng)
Guest Star:	George Kee Cheung (Pao),  Lauren Tom (Joo Dee),  Crawford Wilson (Jet),  Nika Frost (Smellerbee)

Military Debut: Dai Li (edit) Character Debuts: Long Feng, Bosco, Pao, Joo Dee, Earth King Kuei (edit) In this episode, it is revealed that Aang knew of Ba Sing Se long before the series began, and long before they heard about it in 'The Great Divide.' (edit) Zuko uses a new name: Lee.
Iroh uses a new name: Mushi. (edit) This episode was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program. (edit)

Joo Dee: One doesn't just pop in on the Earth King! (edit) Iroh: I just want our new place to look nice in case someone brings home a lady friend. (edit) Iroh: Would you like a pot of tea?
Zuko: We've been working in a tea shop all day! I'm sick of tea.
Iroh: Sick of tea?! That's like being sick of breathing! (edit) Aang (Referring to Toph and Katara): Where could they be?
Toph (To Aang): Another crab puff, please?
Aang: How did you find us?
Toph: I could recognize your little footsteps anywhere twinkle toes. (edit) Guard: No entry without an invitation. Step out of line please.
Toph (irritated): Look, the Pangs and the Yum Soon Hans are waiting in there for us. I'm going to have to tell them who didn't let me in.
Guard (unyielding): Step out of line please. (edit)

When Katara leans in to tell Aang of Long Feng's persistent tailing of them, the yellow item on her collar turns the same color as the collar for a moment. (edit) When asked for her name Katara answers to keep her disguise Huamei. In Chinese this means "beautiful flower". (edit) If Jet got arested at night, then why did it show Jet having a flashback in Lake Laogai about Long Feng aresting him in daylight? (edit) In the earth king's palace, Sokka had food in his tray, but after Joo Dee found him, his food disappeared, and later the food reappeared. (edit) When Aang approaches the Earth King, the soldiers immediately carry the pavilion away, and a line of 6 guards approach Aang. in the next shot, however, there are only 4, and then the other two reappear when Long Feng addresses Aang. (edit)

It could be argued that Long Feng and the Dai Li are based off 'Big Brother' and the Thought Police of George Orwell's 1984. In this book Orwell describes a totalitarian reigime where 'Big Brother' controls and watches over everyone, using the Thought Police to spy on people and make sure they don't commit 'thinkcrime', which in Ba Sing Se means mentioning the war. (edit) The formal attire of the upper ring citizens is based on Manchurian clothing. (edit) The word Dai is a Chinese male name meaning: draw back or pull. The word Li is also a Chinese male name that means upright. This is perhaps a reference to the fact that they uphold order in Ba Sing Se and their Earthbending. (edit) Katara: I can't believe we finally made it to Ba Sing Se in one piece.
Sokka: Hey, don't jinx it! We could still be attacked by a giant, exploding Fire Nation spoon, or find out the city's been submerged in a ocean full of killer shrimp.
Toph: You been hitting the cactus juice again?
Sokka: I'm just saying, weird stuff happens to us.

Sokka's comment breaks the fourth wall slightly and can be seen as a send up to how prominent plot twists have been this season. Ironically, multiple major twists occur at the end of this very episode. (edit) Ba Sing Se's "rings" heavily suggest towards social class systems (lower-class, middle-class, upper-class) that have and continue to divide certain (primarily Western European-influenced) societies. The comments made by Aang and Katara on the stratification further help illustrate the social issues and tensions the divisions have been known to inevitably produce. (edit)