This episode is in the Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 2: Earth, Volume 2 DVD, along with The Blind Bandit, Zuko Alone, Bitter Work, and The Library. (edit) Originally the idea for Azula following the group (via Appa's fur) was intended as a Season 1 episode (Only Zuko would have followed the group instead of Azula). (edit) This episode aired in the UK on 26/11/06 (26 November 2006). (edit) Azula uses a defensive firebending move to evade attacks from Aang, Toph, Katara, and Zuko. This move was also used by Jeong Jeong in season one, in The Deserter. However, she had used blue fire instead. (edit) After Azula hits Iroh with fire, she is attacked by all four elements at once from all four types of bending (Katara's waterbending, Toph's earthbending, Zuko's firebending, and Aang's airbending). This is the first time that a bender from each nation has been shown fighting on the same side against an opponent. (edit) Ty Lee's Kyusho Jitsu moves must not last long since Katara and Sokka were able to help Aang fight Azula in a really short time after their fight. (edit) Katara states that she is frightened by Ty Lee's Kyusho Jitsu techniques. (edit) Katara is the second person to refer to Sokka as "ponytail", the first being Smellerbee in Jet. (edit) Toph apparently does not like being off the ground. (edit) The mysterious machine was created by the Fire Nation. (edit) Creature Debut: Mongoose Dragons; Fire Nation tropical jungles origin. These are large animals that Azula, Mai and Ty Lee ride on. They are a cross between a Mongoose and a basilisk, a lizard that can run across water. While they travel on land on all fours, they are also able to stand on their hind legs and sprint across water. The real lizards have the ability to run on water which has earned them the nick-name the "Jesus Christ lizard." (edit) During one of their fights, Katara shows her colder side as she mocks Toph's blindness by making snide remarks about how beautiful the night sky is to her. (edit) Azula hints that she is Zuko's sister to Aang, though he was extremely exhausted and may not have picked up on what she was hinting. (edit) In previous episodes, Azula has used lightning, but in this episode, she has been using blue fire. This brings even more question to Azula's powers and special attacks of firebenders. (edit) In this episode, Aang, Katara, Toph, Sokka, Iroh, and Zuko temporarily team up trying to bring down Azula. (edit) In this episode, Aang and Azula finally meet formally and duel. (edit) Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai were controlling the machine that was chasing Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph. (edit) This is the second time that Azula and Zuko face off; the first time was in The Avatar State. (edit) Zuko, Azula, and Aang all encounter each other in this episode for the first time. (edit) Azula and her team return to try and capture Aang after their first appearance in Return to Omashu. (edit) This is the first time Zuko has encountered Aang since The Siege of the North (Part 2), and the first time he has encountered Azula since The Avatar State. (edit) Appa starts shedding in this episode. (edit)

Iroh: My pleasure. Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights.
Toph: No, thank you for what you said. It helped me. (edit) Katara: Let's get out of here!
Aang: Maybe we should face them. Find out who they are. Who knows, maybe they're friendly.
Sokka: Always the optimist.
(edit) Toph: Who's Zuko?
Sokka: Oh, just some angry freak with a ponytail who's tracked us all over the world.
Katara: What's wrong with ponytails, ponytail?
Sokka: This is a warrior's wolftail.
Katara: Well, it certainly tells the other warriors that you're fun and perky. (edit) Iroh: There is nothing wrong with letting people who love you help you. Not that I love you (pause) I just met you. (edit) Azula: Well, look at this. Enemies and traitors all working together. I'm done. I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor.
(when Iroh isn't looking she blasts him with blue fire) (edit) Aang: What did I just do!? I can't believe I yelled at my earthbending teacher... Now she's gone.
Katara: I know. We're all just trying to get used to each other... but I was so mean to her.
Sokka: Yeah. You two were pretty much jerks.
Katara: Thanks, Sokka.
Sokka: No problem. (edit) Sokka: How's a guy supposed to sleep with all this yelling and earthquaking!? (edit) (Katara has been pinned to a tree by Mai's daggers and Sokka is unable to get up from the ground after being paralized by Ty Lee as Mai and Ty Lee advance)
Sokka: How you doin'?
Katara: Well, you know. (edit) Katara: Ever since you joined us, you've been nothing but selfish and unhelpful!
Toph: Look here Sugar Queen, I gave up everything I had so that I could teach Aang earthbending, so don't you talk to me about being selfish.
Katara: Sugar Queen? (Toph uses Earthbending to slam the door) Did you just slam the door in my face? How can you be so infuriating? (Circling tent in a comical fashion) (edit) Azula (to Aang): Do you really want to fight me?
(From off-screen the ostrich-horse is heard, then Zuko bursts in between Aang and Azula)
Zuko: Yes, I really do. (edit) Sokka: (pause) The plan right now is to follow Appa's lead and get some sleep.
Katara (Katara glares over at a sleeping Toph): Of course, we could have gotten some sleep earlier if Toph didn't have such issues.
Toph (Toph awakens and slams her hands on the ground, causing the ground to crack): What?! (edit) Sokka (The sun rises over the mountains): Oh, no. The sun is rising. (moan) We've been up all night with no sleep!
Aang: Sokka, we'll be okay.
(cue sci-fi alien music)
Sokka: Are you sure? I've never not slept before. (freaks out) What if I fall asleep now and something happens? (Sokka's eyes buldge out) And something always happens! (edit) Katara: Hey, Toph, I wanted to apologize for earlier. I think we're all just a little tired and getting on each other's nerves.
Toph: Yeah. You do seem pretty tired.
Katara: (glares) I meant all of us. (edit) Toph: There's something coming towards us.
Aang: What is it?
Toph: It feels like an avalanche, but also not an avalanche.
Sokka: Your powers of perception are frightening. (edit) Aang: (Watching Katara and Toph fight) Should we help them?
Sokka: I'm just enjoying the show. (edit) Sokka (after Ty Lee hits him on the head but hurts her fingers): Nice try, but no. (edit) Aang: All right, you've caught up with me. Now who are you, and what do you want?
Azula: You mean you haven't guessed? You don't see the family resemblence? Here's a hint: (Puts hand over her left eye and says in a deep voice) "I must find the Avatar to restore my honor." (Aang is silent) It's okay, you can laugh. It's funny. (edit) Ty Lee (after being beaten by Appa; about Sokka): Was it just me or was that guy kinda cute?
(Mai scowls) (edit) Mai (about Katara and Sokka): I thought the time Ty Lee and I finally caught you guys, it would be exciting. Oh well. Victory is boring. (edit) Mai: (sarcastically about Appa's shedding) Wads of wet fur, delightful.
Ty Lee: They're not wads, more like bundles or bushels... something with an "uh" sound.
Mai: Clumps?
Ty Lee: Clumps! They're clumps! (hugs Mai; Mai scowls) (edit) Aang: (To Katara and Toph) Ok, ok. You both need to calm down.
Katara: Both?! (turns to face Aang with a crazed look on her face) I'm completely calm!
Aang: (looks surprised, then slowly backs away from Katara) I can see that. (quickly walks away) (edit) Sokka (about the machine following them containing Azula and her gang): What are we gonna do about this tank full of dangerous ladies following us? (edit) Azula (to Zuko): I was wondering when you would show up, Zuzu.
Aang: Zuzu? (Aang starts laughing) (edit) Toph: (about Mai, Ty Lee, and Azula) We can take them, it's three on three.
Sokka: Actually, there's four of us.
Toph: Oh sorry Sokka, I didn't count you, no bending and all.
Sokka: I can still fight!
Toph: Okay three on three, plus Sokka. (edit) (talking about Aang)
Prince Zuko: Back off Azula, he's mine.
Princess Azula: I'm not going anywhere. (edit) Toph: Hey! You guys picked a great campsite. The grass is so soft. (Feels ground with her feet)
Sokka: That's not grass, Appa's shedding.
Katara: Aw, gross!
Aang: It's not gross, it's just a part of spring. You know: rebirth, flowers blooming, and Appa gets a new coat.
Katara: Ahh, the beauty of spring. (edit) (Appa is shedding and Aang and Sokka are playing with his shed fur)
Katara: Well, I'm just glad we finally have another girl in the group, because you two are disgusting.
Toph (walking up to Aang, Katara and Sokka): Excuse me, but does anybody have a razor? Because I have some hairy pits! (reveals Appa's fur under her armpits) (edit)

When approaching the trapped Aang, after setting the room on fire, the pieces of clothing over Azula's shoulders and chest is rounded when it should just be set at a straight angle. (edit) When Ty Lee is running towards Sokka (before she does a large flip), her shoes are missing their straps, making them look like slippers. (edit) When Toph returns and knocks down Azula, the yellow-green section of her wristbands disappears. (edit) At 05:39 (DVD time), the second time the train approaches the gaang, Toph opens her "tent" door and says, "that thing is back." in this shot, there are stitches on the side of her "tent" and wrinkles, despite the fact that it is all made of solid earth. (edit) When Katara is mocking Sokka's ponytail, her shirt's collar are regular white lines rather than being wide at the top to nearly touching her shoulders and being curvy. Also, beneath the left half of the collar, Katara's skin is white. (edit) When they all face Azula together, they are standing and attacking in the Avatar cycle; air (Aang), water (Katara), earth (Toph), and fire (Zuko). (edit) Azula's Mongoose-Lizard disappears shortly after the beginning of the fight against Aang and Zuko. (edit) As Toph slings her bag onto her shoulder after talking to Iroh, the slit on the back of her shirt vanishes. (edit) When Azula dismounts her Mongoose-Lizard, her boots appear to be made of cloth yet in other appearances they are made of metal. (edit) When Zuko is chasing after Azula's train machine and we see him from the front when he looks up, his burnt ear is normal. (edit) After Aang pushes Azula off the beam she falls to the bottom floor of the abandoned house. Yet, when Aang runs out the door the angle in which Azula's attack comes from is all wrong! It came straight behind him which would have been an impossibility with her standing several feet beneath his position. (edit) The metal studs on Toph's belt continue to disappear throughout the show, beginning with this episode. (edit) When Appa tips over and the gang are deposited on the ground, you can see that Toph, Katara, and Aang are spread out on the ground. But when Aang begins to speak, you can see the three are much closer and laid out in a circle. (edit) When they all attack Azula together, they are standing in this order: Sokka, Aang, Katara, Toph, and Zuko. However, when the smoke clears seconds later after the explosion, Aang and Katara have switched spots for some reason. (edit) At one point while Katara is confronting Toph (The first time), you can see the carving on her necklace. She shifts postion slightly, and the carving disappears. (edit)

The blue jay that lands on Aang head while he talks about springtime is a reference to a similar bird that performs the same action in the unaired pilot. According the the audio commentary, the original concept was that nature had a tendency to be attracted to Aang due to being the Avatar, which to a certain point has been suggested in past episodes, such as when he was able to take control of the Unagi in The Warriors of Kysohi. (edit) Appa Shedding: Appa's shedding is caused by spring, or the season of change, and usually occurs with most mammals that have large amounts of hair. (edit) Swirling Flames: When the group fired all four elements at Azula, there was an explosion and she disappeared. Her disappearing trick was similar to Jeong Jeong's disappearing act in The Deserter. She surrounded herself in fire and vanished. (edit) The giant lizards that Azula and her crew ride on are most likely based on a group of tropical American lizards known as Basilisk Lizards who can run across the surface of water for a short amount of time. (edit) Once again, the show borrows some elements from a Western movie. The chase, the deserted ghost town, the standoff and the battle royale, or more commonly "Texas shootout," which took place in this episode are all well-known sequences of a Western movie. One of the most reminiscent parts had to be at the end when Azula shot down Iroh after surrendering. This parallels to how in the movies, the villain puts his hands in the air and pretends to give up right before whipping out his pistol and shooting his opponent down. (edit) Sokka fights hand to hand with Ty Lee, in this fight, Ty Lee manages to cripple most of his limbs with her pressure point fighting style, when Sokka refuses to give up and headbutts her with only one leg working, it is an allusion to the fight of the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. (edit) 3-Way Duel: The way Aang, Zuko, and Azula had each other in a total stalemate is known as a Mexican Standoff.
On the DVD auido commentary for this episode, the Avatar series creators compare this episode to the Western genre of films, specifically The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from which they derived the standoff scene.
(edit) When Sokka makes a wig out of Appa's hair, it looks very similar to Marge Simpson's bizarre hairstyle. (edit)