• Summary
• Episodes
• Cast
• News
• Videos
• Photos
• Downloads
• DVDs
• Similar
• Reviews
• Blog
• Forum

Zuko is making tea, saying how he isn't as good as his uncle, but he hopes he's learned enough. As he's serving the tea to the group he tries to tell a joke, but is shot down by Katara, and he smiles sheepishly. Sokka is uncharacteristically glum as everyone laughs, and asks Zuko if he can talk to him alone. Away from the group Sokka wants to know where war prisoners would be taken, and Zuko is reluctant to answer, saying that it would only make Sokka feel worse. Sokka says that it's his Dad he wants to know about. Zuko softens and tells Sokka about the maximum security prison that important prisoners are taken. It's on an island in the middle of a boiling lake, in the center of a volcano. Zuko warns Sokka that there is no way anyone could escape. Sokka just smiles and walks away, yawning as he says it makes him feel better just knowing. Zuko suspiciously watches him walk away.

Everyone is sleeping soundly as Sokka carefully tiptoes to Appa, almost stepping on Momo. He pulls himself up to the saddle and is falls back with a startled scream after he's see Zuko sitting there, waiting for him. Sokka recovers and says that he has to do this, to save his Dad, because it was his decision to stay on the invasion plan, even when things were going wrong. After repeating a much said line ("I have to regain my honor"), he tries to leave without Zuko. Zuko off handly wonders where Sokka is going to put Appa when he gets to the island, and after Sokka sighs in defeat, states that they will take the war balloon.

They leave a note for the group in Momo's sleeping paws that tells them they've gone fishing, and that Aang has firebending homework, to do every time he hears a badger frog croak. Grumbling Aang complies and we cut to Zuko fueling the war balloon, while Sokka stands uncomfortably by. An awkward silence descends and Sokka tries to make small talk, asking whether it was hard for Zuko to leave his home. Zuko says it wasn't but then backtracks and says that he misses one person (Mai). Sokka goes quiet and says that his first girlfriend turned into the moon. They both sit in a better silence than before, and night falls. Sokka is snoring when Zuko yells that they're here. Coming awake with a start, Sokka runs to the other side of the balloon, and they watch the volcano get closer.

The war balloon starts to sink, and they have to make a crash landing on the island, they push it into the water, and Zuko hopes that Sokka has another way off the prison rock, since there's no turning back now. Inexplicably they get inside the prison and manage to get prison guard uniforms. Immediately they are called to help stop a fight, and get separated, agreeing to meet back in the yard in an hour. Sokka helps put a prisoner in a chamber called a cooler (made to stop firebending), and Zuko asks other guards in the lounge about recent prisoners brought in. When they come back together, Sokka receives the crushing news that there are no water tribe prisoners. At first he seems like he's going to break down, but then jumps up, an incredulous expression on his face, and says that the whole thing wasn't for nothing. The camera cuts to the yard and we see Suki getting up from a bench.

Suki's lying in her cell, when Sokka comes in, and at first she doesn't recognize him, punching him back to the door when he tries to kiss her. He takes off his helmet and they embrace, he states that Zuko is here and he's going to get her off the island. While they're talking, a female guard comes and tries to get in, Zuko is forced to stop her, revealing himself, as Sokka manages to stay undercover.

The Warden (Mai's uncle), comes into Zuko's new cell and says he knows exactly who Prince Zuko is and doesn't take kindly to him breaking his niece's heart. He walks out leaving Zuko thinking.

Sokka comes down some stairs to find Suki and Zuko mopping the floors together, stating that he's happy they've met. At this Suki replies that she's already met Zuko when he burned Kyoshi, after a brief moment of tension, they settle down and Sokka starts to explain his escape plan. It involves unbolting a cooler, and using it as a boat to get through the boiling hot water to the wall of the volcano. As soon as he's done explaining, the prisoner Sokka helped put in a cooler, leans over the stair banister and says he heard the whole thing. Sokka tries to bluff, but the prisoner (Chit Sang), says he wants in or the warden finds out. Reluctantly, the group agrees.

They put their plan to action, first by getting Zuko thrown in a cooler so he can unbolt it. Then Sokka lets Suki and Chit Sang out of their cells and they head to the beach to wait. Sokka goes to get Zuko and the cooler, but as they are about to go, they overhear guards talking about new war prisoners coming in the next day. Sokka goes quiet and wonders if he should risk everyone's freedom on the slight chance that his dad might be coming in. Zuko waits and Sokka decides that they should leave.

They get the cooler down to the beach and prepare to leave, (Chit Sang has brought along two more of his friends). Sokka is still thinking, and Zuko asks him if he still wants to leave. Sokka says that he thinks it's better to cut your losses. Zuko says that they are probably going to fail a lot before they got it right, and even though they will fail (as Sokka's face gets glummer with every word), they still have to try, no matter what. Sokka's face gets determined, and he states that he's staying and they should go. Suki says she won't leave him, and Zuko says the same. Chit Sang and his buddies push off, as Sokka says he hopes they haven't made a huge mistake.

Morning comes; Chit Sang and the others are sweating and criticizing the slow current. Chit Sang tries to speed things up by yanking a piece of metal off the cooler to use as a paddle. As soon as he makes a stroke, boiling water splashes his hands making him yell. The guards find them, and harpoon the cooler reeling it back in. Sokka and the others are creeping along the wall trying to get in, and watch as the plan fails. Meanwhile a gondola is coming down to the prison.

Sokka realizes the new prisoners are on the gondola and he watches the people being offloaded one by one, not seeing his Dad. When it seems the last person has come off, he starts to admonish himself. Then a guard yells at one more person to come off the gondola, and Hakoda steps out. Sokka's eye's fill and he whispers "Dad..."
To be continued