This episode was leaked in early November of 2007 before it aired. (edit) It has been stated on Nick.com, under the character section for Day of Black Sun Part 2: The Eclipse, that Haru, Teo, and The Duke will stay with Aang and the Gaang for a temporary amount of time. (edit) In this episode, we discover that War Minister Qin stole the idea for the war balloon. We also get to see War Minister Qin for the first time since The Drill. However in this episode he is portrayed as weak and pathetic. (edit) This is the last Avatar episode aired in 2007. (edit) This episode was animated by Moi Animation. (edit) Although The Eclipse, being the second part of The Day of Black Sun, should be counted as the 11th chapter, in the American airing, it marked as Chapter 10 in the episode title. The Canadian and UK airing marked it as Chapter 11. (edit) Fire Lord Ozai displays the ability to generate lightning through Firebending; he is the third person in the series to do so, after Iroh and Azula. (edit) Haru, Teo, and The Duke are added to the Gaang. Zuko has also decided to join. (edit) The timer the mechanist gave Sokka is the first working, ticking clock shown in the show. (edit) Out of the 3 major battles the gang has fought in, this is Aang's second loss. His other loss was at Ba Sing Se, and his one win was at the Northern Water Tribe. (edit) Azula is revealed to be so good at lying that she can even fool Toph's ability to sense truth and lies. (edit) The main goal for the troops in this episode was a decapitation strike, but it fails. (edit) Zuko tells Ozai that the Avatar is alive. (edit) The Fire Nation Zeppelins seem to be used for large scale carpet bombing, and a mobile anti air defense. (edit) The Fire Nation has developed the hot air balloons into zeppelins. (edit) Zuko is shown seeking the gang out to join them at the end of this episode. (edit) Suki is mentioned again in this episode being captive in the Fire Nation. (edit) It is revealed that Azula brought some Dai Li guards to the Fire Nation for personal protection. (edit) Sokka was given a timing device to show how much time they had until/during the eclipse. (edit) The episode Zuko Alone revealed, through flashbacks of his childhood, the story of Zuko's relationship with his mother, and her sudden disappearance on the eve of Fire Lord Azulon's death. Her specific fate has remained unrevealed, and this episode reveals that she was banished and might still be alive. (edit) This is the first time we see the war balloon since The Northern Air Temple episode. (edit) In this episode, Zuko finally shows his ability to redirect lightning like his uncle taught him in Bitter Work. (edit) The Firelord seems to be able to launch lightning quickly without the movements needed by Azula and Iroh. This shows the gap in power he has to other fire benders. (edit) Despite having the production code 311, this episode is in fact Part 2 of Chapter 10, The Day of Black Sun. Although aired separately as the eleventh episode, it is not Chapter 11. (edit) Everyone has new outfits for the battle except for a few characters (all of the Aang gang has new outfits). (edit) This, along with episode 310, will be the first hour long event in the third season.
This episode will be the 2nd half hour. (edit)

(Katara looks off into the distance, with her father and a few others behind her.)
Hakoda: Katara, is something wrong? You seem distracted.
Katara: (hesitates): Yeah... is that... is that Aang?!
(Aang flies into view, coming from the direction of the Palace. He lands and the others approach him.)
Sokka: Please tell me your here because the Fire Lord turned out to be a big wimp and you didn't even need the eclipse to take him out. (edit) War Minister Qin: The Fire Lord’s chamber is that way down the hall to the left and up the stairs. You can’t miss it.
(Aang and Sokka both glare at him)
Aang: (suddenly smiles cheerfully) Thanks! (edit) Sokka: What would we do without you?
Toph: Perish in burning hot magma.
Sokka: Yeah, pretty much. (edit) Zuko: I've learned everything, and I've had to learn it on my own. (edit) The Mechanist: Goodbye son.
Teo: Bye dad. I'm really proud of you.
The Duke: I'll miss you Pipsqueak.
Pipsqueak: Take care, The Duke.
Haru: We'll be back for you, Dad.
Tyro: If we don't escape on our own first.
Hakoda: We lost today, but we've never been this close. We tasted victory, and that counts for something.
Katara: We'll miss you, Dad.
Sokka: Bye dad. We won't be apart for too long this time. I promise. (edit) Sokka: Stop wasting our time and give us the information. You're powerless right now, so you're in no position to refuse.
Toph: And stick to the truth. I'll be able to tell if you're lying.
Azula: Are you sure? I'm a pretty good liar. I am a four hundred foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings.
Toph: Okay, you're good. I admit it. (edit) (Toph metalbends through the door of the bunker)
Sokka: I am so glad that we added you to the group! (edit) Zuko: Uncle.
(Sees the bars broken and the guard on the ground)
Zuko: Where is my uncle?
Warden Poon: He's gone. He busted himself out. I've never seen anything like it, he was like a one-man army. (edit) Azula: Dad's all the way at the end of the hall then down a secret stairway on the left. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to see you now.
(Azula runs away)
Sokka: I fell for it. I used up all our time.
Toph: It's not your fault Sokka. Azula was ready for us. She had every move planned out.
Sokka: And now it's too late. (edit) (The Earthbender soldiers encounter a group of Firebender soldiers)
Tyro: Stop! Surrender peacefully, and we will not harm you.
Firebender: We will never surrender! (attempts to shoot fire but only produces a tiny spark due to the eclipse) Okay, we surrender. (edit) Zuko: For so long all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honor that I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you. You, my father who banished me just for talking out of turn. My father who challenged me, a 13 year old boy to an Agni Kai. How can you possibly justify a duel with a child?
Firelord Ozai: It was to teach you respect.
Zuko: It was cruel, and it was wrong.
Firelord Ozai: Then you've learned nothing.
Zuko: No, I've learned everything, and I've had to learn it on my own. Growing up we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history. And somehow the war was somehow our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was. The people of the world are terrified by the Fire Nation. They don't see our greatness, they hate us. And we deserve it. We have created an era of fear in the world. If we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness.
Firelord Ozai: (Laughing) Your Uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?
Zuko: Yes, he has. (edit) Azula: Oh, sounds like the firebending's back on! (edit) Zuko: After I leave here today, I'm going to free Uncle Iroh from his prison, and I'm going to beg for his forgiveness. He's the one whose been a real father to me.
Ozai: (chuckles) That's just beautiful, maybe he can pass down to you the ways of tea and failure.
Zuko: But I've come to an even more important decision. (pauses) I'm going to join the Avatar, and I'm going to help him defeat you. (edit) Azula: So, Sokka's your name right? My favorite prisoner used to mention you all the time. She was convinced that you were going to come rescue her. Of course, you never came, and she gave up on you.
Sokka (Distraught and teary eyed rushes to Azula): AAAGH!!!

Azula: (Concealing a weapon): Come and get it...
Toph: Sokka, look out! (Slams Azula's hand to a wall causing her to drop the weapon)
Sokka (Pinning Azula even closer): Where is Suki?! (edit) Azula: And since you can't see, I should tell you I'm rolling my eyes.
Toph: (Angrily) I'll roll your whole head! (edit)

When Sokka took command of the invasion, there were several destroyed and frozen Fire Nation tanks. When the the Fire Nation air force attacks the submarines, the tanks are gone. (edit) As Bato tells the gaang to take the youngest and escape, you can see that the beads in Katara's bun are missing. (edit) While Hakoda is talking as Katara sits him down, the gold bands on Toph's ankle bands are gone. (edit) As Hakoda says that he suspects firebenders will appear any minute, you can see that the beads in Katara's bun are missing. (edit) In Zuko Alone we learn the story of Zuko's upbringing. Specifically about the disappearance of his mother, Ursa. In this episode we learn that she is alive and that she was exiled. (edit) In the episode The Blue Spirit, Aang has the ability to run faster than the wind, but he couldn't catch Azula in this episode. (edit) When the swamp benders failed to defend the subs from the Fire Nation, Tho, Due and Hue appeared to be very close to the subs, but seconds later they all disappeared from the scene. (edit) Originally, there was a cup on the little table beside Firelord Ozai, but when Ozai was telling Zuko about what happened to his mother, the cup disappeared for one moment, and then later re-appeared. (edit) When Zuko first entered the firelord's bunker there was a ceiling lamp hanging quite low to the ground on his right, but later the lamp disappeared and re-appeared later. (edit) In the scene where the gang was planning for the search of the Fire Lord, at first there was no door behind Hakoda, but later it appeared to be a gaint door behind him. (edit) When Aang, Sokka, and Toph are in the cave with Azula, Aang's new glider is shown with a very long tip while it is horizontal. A few seconds later, while Aang turns it vertical, the tip appears to shrink more than half its normal length. (edit) The Fire Nation was under a total solar eclipse. As the sun was completely blocked out, it should have been pitch black, or at least very dark. Instead, the lighting is barely darker than normal, in fact it is lighter than is normally used for evenings in the show. (edit) It is shown that Zuko has mastered Iroh's technique of absorbing and casting back lightning by routing it through his stomach after he counter-attacks Ozai. (edit) The eclipse glasses that the invasion forces uses are similar to the eye coverings that sandbenders use in season two. (edit) This is the first episode in which we find out what happened to Suki after her fight with Azula in Appa's Lost Days. (edit) As of this episode, the Gang now consists of:
-Aang
-Katara
-Sokka
-Toph
-The Duke
-Teo
-Haru (edit) Sokka, Aang, and Toph run across a room with lava vents on the floor. Since lava has a temperature around 1,300 °F, the groups clothes, or even shoes would have caught on fire. Or in Toph's case, gave her Simon Legree burns on her feet. (edit)

Azula claims she "has known about the invasion for months." A reference to The Guru, where the Earth King accidentally revealed this to Azula, whom he thought was a Kyoshi Warrior. (edit) The eclipse glasses made by the Mechanist for the invasion forces are identical to Inuit bone goggles used to protect the wearer's eyes from the sun's glare on the snow. (edit) The battle in this episode ends like the Battle of Dunkirk. Except it wasn't a total evacuation. (edit) The use of Zeppelins for large scale bombing seems to be a allusion to the airships used in the game Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2. (edit) The overall design for the Fire Nation zeppelins seem to be somewhat based on the airships found in early Final Fantasy games. (edit) The Fire Nations use of Zeppelins is much like how Germany used them during WWI. (edit) The forming of the eclipse seems to be somewhat of a allusion to the video clips played at Pink Floyd concerts of a solar eclipse happening. (edit) Solar eclipse glasses are used by the troops during the invasion. These are commonly used in modern times to view solar eclipses. (edit) The Water Tribe troops are shown moving in a testudo or tortoise formation. This was commonly used by Roman Legions. (edit)