Writer:	Tim Hedrick
Director:	Giancarlo Volpe
Star:	Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang),  Dee Bradley Baker (Appa/Momo/Various Others),  Jessie Flower (Toph),  Jack DeSena (Sokka),  Mae Whitman (Katara)
Guest Star:	Chris Butler (Fat),  Robert Patrick (Piandao),  Wayne Duvall (Warden Poon)

Now every person in the group has been formally trained by a real master: Aang by Monk Gyatso, Katara by Master Pakku, Toph by the Badgermoles and now Sokka by Piandao. (edit) Hero Debuts: Piandao, Fat (edit) In Sokka's master, the landscape is highly influenced by photographs and land formations in Iceland. This episode won an animation award and a character animation award. A point in this episode was to bring out the character of the martial arts director into an Avatar character called Piandao.
During the scene in the armory shop, we find Sokka playing with nunchucks, which we learn to be a practice of self-discipline and concentration. When Aang finds some highly dramatic armor, there is music played by Jeremy Zuckerman on the electric guitar. The sword belonging to the swordmaster was modeled from the Chin dynasty, about 300-400 years old. Sokka' sword technique in this episode comes from a collection of sword styles, generally, "walking dragon swordsmanship."
In the episode, we can see examples of artistry from the landscapes of Iceland, such as the waterfall scene, opening scene, and scene where there is a type of volcanic formation in the background.
It is also told that Serena Williams played a voice for Avatar as the kind guard lady, Ming, in Iroh's cell, from the day of Black Sun. (edit) Piandao trains Sokka just for three days. First day is basic training, second day is the sword-making process, and third day is the final test. (edit) This is the first time Sokka has shown disappointment about not being a bender. (edit)

Toph: You noodlebrains don't know what you're doing. I miss Sokka.
Katara: Oh, I've got one! (trying to make a joke) If you miss him so much, why don't you marry him?
(Toph turns away from them, an uncomfortable silence follows) (edit) Piandao: (on Sokka's painting) You added a rainbow.
Sokka: Is that all right?
(Piandao sighs) (edit) Piandao: Landscape painting teaches a warrior to hold the lay of the land in his mind. (edit) Katara: (Piandao reveals that he always knew Sokka was a water tribe member) Why would you agree to train someone from the water tribe?
Piandao: The way of the sword doesn't belong to any one nation. Knowledge of the arts belongs to us all. (edit) Master: (talking to Sokka) As we trained, it wasn't your skills that impressed me. No, it certainly wasn't your skills. You showed something beyond that. Creativity, versatility, intelligence. These are the traits that define a great swordsman, and these are the traits that define you. (edit)

When Aang, Katara, and Sokka stand to see the falling meteor, Aang's arrow can be seen sticking out to between his eyebrows. (edit) When the gaang brings Piandao the meteor at the gate, Toph's red dress thing is missing, making it appear that she is only wearing the maroon cloth. (edit) After Sokka chides the others for complaining for their lack of appreciation and before Katara comments about the steamed sea slug, the yellow insignia on Aang's forehead is missing. (edit) This episode again shows Sokka's poor drawing skills, when he tries to draw the landscape as part of his training. In Lake Laogai Sokka drew a humorously bad missing poster of Appa. (edit) When Piandao defeats Sokka, the rest of the Gaang rushes to help. Toph, Aang and Katara move into their fighting stances. But what was Katara going to do? Dressed as a Fire Nation citizen, she was not carrying her water pouch, and there was no water around. (edit)

The masters castle is based in a traditional Chinese architecture style. (edit) Aang:All I need to complete the outfit is a wind sword.

In the video game Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, one of the bosses weilds a weapon known as a Wind Sword.
(edit) Toph: And besides, its so hot today.
Aang: How hot is it?

Aang's statement is a direct reference to Match Game, an old game show which featured celebrities and contestants answering fill-in-the-blank questions. Possibly the show's most famous recurring bit had host Gene Rayburn reciting a statement along the lines of "It was so hot Monday morning..." to be answered by the audience, "HOW HOT WAS IT?," and complete the sentence with a playful hyperbole. (edit) A sword made of a meteorite's ore appears in different movies, such as in the movie 'Ring of the Nibelungs/Curse of the Ring'(inspired by Das Nibelungenlied, however in the saga Siegfried's sword, the Balmung has a different origin), and in the movie 'Seven Swords', where The Transience Sword is one of the most powerful weapons. (edit) When Iroh is working out non-stop in his cell, it is an allusion of 'Escape from Alcatraz', where even though the character played by Clint Eastwood is in a cramped, high-security cell with little food, he works out non-stop and ends up in the best shape of his life. (edit)