Writer:	Elizabeth Welch Ehasz
Director:	Dave Filoni
Star:	Jack DeSena (Sokka),  Mae Whitman (Katara),  Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang),  Dee Bradley Baker (Appa/Momo/Various Others)
Guest Star:	Daniel Samonas (Teo),  Rene Auberjonois (Mechanist),  Kristoffer Tabori (Emissary),  Clyde Kastatsu (Storyteller)

Character Debuts: The Mechanist (edit) The part where Sokka saves himself from the falling war balloon by tying a rope to his boomerang and throwing it to Aang is probably based on the unaired pilot episode, in which he does a similar thing. (edit) Villain Debut: War Minister Qin.
War Minister Qin is the leader of the invasion on the Northern Air Temple. He also seems to be the Fire Nation Minister in charge of war technology, as the next time he is seen is leading a giant Fire Nation war machine. (edit) This is the first time we have ever witnessed a large scale invasion, possibly a foreshadowing for the season 1 finale. (edit) This episode aired in the UK on 14/10/06 (14 October 2006). (edit)

Aang: Our gliders.
The Mechanist: Yes, little light flying machines. They gave me an idea. Build a new life for my son, in the air! Then everyone would be on equal ground, so to speak! We're just in the process of improving upon what's already here and after all, isn't that what nature does? (edit) Sokka: Aang, you were right about air power. (Pointing to the sky) As long as we've got the skies, we'll have the Fire Nation on the run! (edit) Aang: You know what? I'm really glad you guys all live here now. It's like the hermit crab, maybe you weren't born here, but you found this empty shell and made it your home. And now you protect each other.
Teo: That means a lot coming from you. (edit) Aang: This place is unbelievable.
Teo: Yeh, it's great isn't it?
Aang: No, just unbelievable. (edit) Storyteller: So travelers, the next time you think you hear a strange large bird talking, take a closer look, it might not be a giant parrot, but a flying man! A member of a secret group of air walkers who laugh at gravity and laugh at those bound to the earth by it! (edit)

The Northern Air Temple was discovered by people walking up on foot; also, the Fire Nation army easily marched an entire unit up the walkways in order to get to the Northern Air Temple. But, earlier Aang says how the only way to reach a temple is through bisons. (edit) While the group and the people are inside The Mechanist room to see the presentation of war balloon, there is a sketch of Aang's glider. Also, there is a small sketch of bat wing at the corner. We can see it as a complete glider in season 3 chapter 10. (edit) At the end of the episode, the Fire Nation gains control of the war balloon. (edit) As in The Southern Air Temple when Aang goes to open the sanctuary doors, the locks are in "open" position. when he performs the airbending, they are in "locked" position until he opens them. (edit) While Katara asks how they can stop the incoming Fire Nation attack, her braid is missing. (edit)

The gliding used by the non airbenders resembles a popular activity called Hang Gliding. (edit) Sokka and The Mechanist put rotten eggs to help detect a leak of the natural gas. In the present, people do the same thing. They put hard-smelled things at invisible gases. However, the most famous case was Hindenburg case. Hindenburg was a large zeppelin with hydrogen gas inside the large balloon space. They used garlic to detect hydrogen leak. Unfortunatelly, Hindenburg got into an accident on 6 May 1937 and was destroyed. (edit) Considering his flying ability, Teo's name is likely a variation of the Mandarin word 'tiao' which translates to 'cicada'. (edit) The tanks in this episode seem ed after the Ford M1918 tank that was produced for the U.S. Army in World War I. (edit)