Writer:	Joshua Hamilton, Michael Dante DiMartino
Director:	Ethan Spaulding
Star:	Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang),  Mae Whitman (Katara),  Jessie Flower (Toph),  Jack DeSena (Sokka),  Makoto Iwamatsu (Uncle Iroh),  Dante Basco (Prince Zuko),  Dee Bradley Baker (Appa/Momo/Various Others)
Recurring Role:	James Sie (Cabbage Merchant)
Guest Star:	Nika Frost (Smellerbee),  Karen Maruyama (Bureaucrat),  Kim Mai Guest (Ying),  Brian Tochi (Than),  Jennie Kwan (Suki),  Crawford Wilson (Jet)

Character Debuts: Than, Ying (edit) Suki's armor has a different color than her season 1 armor. Specifically the armor she wears in this episode is a darker green than it was originally. (edit) According to the episode commentary, the baby was originally going to be named the Chinese version of "hope," but the creators decided that nearly no one would get the reference. (edit) In the commentary on the DVD box set, Josh Hamilton, the co-writer, points out that on the map Sokka looks at in the beginning of the episode, the desert is colored the same as the water. (edit) Suki is able to swim effectively in even while in full armor, which is natural for a warrior raised on an island. (edit)

Aang: The monks used to say that hope is only a distraction. So maybe we do need to abandon it. (edit) Ying: I think what I want to name our baby, Hope.
Tahn: That's a beautiful name. (edit) Katara: (to Ying, about to give birth) You're doing great, Ying. Sokka, where's that water?! (Sokka comes in the background and watches) Katara: Okay, now get ready to push. One... two... three, push! (Sokka faints like an old lady) (edit) Cabbage Merchant: MY CABBAGES!!! (edit) Bureaucrat: Well, normally it's only 1 ticket per passport, but, this document is so official, I guess it's worth 4 tickets. (edit)

As stated in the DVD commentary, the Si Wong Desert is colored as a body of water, making it look like on the map that there are three bodies of water rather than two. (edit) When the gang comes to the break in the pass, why didn't Toph and Aang just earthbend a new path? (edit) When the sea serpent swims by on the outside of the water bubble, you see Aang and Katara standing still and not waterbending. So how did the bubble not collapse? (edit) In the episode, The Storm, Katara tells Aang that he gives people hope. Justly the couple name their daughter Hope because he the Avatar gave them hope of a new life. As if Karma takes place the whole process of birth along with seeing the newborn gives Aang hope of finding Appa and gives him the strength he needed to move on from his grieve and rage about Appa being stolen. (edit) Notice when Suki jumps in to save Toph her makeup isn't ruined a single bit. (edit)

Invasive Species

When the Ticket Woman is speaking with the Cabbage Merchant, she mentions that a cabbage slug would ruin the ecosystem of Ba Sing Se. This is a reference to a term in ecology known as Invasive species. It occurs when an organism is transported from its native land, by a human, human invention (i.e. ship), or animal, to a new land. There it will have no natural predators to it and will have free reign to grow and expand with little to no hindrance. An example of an invasive species would be the Chestnut Blight Fungus. (edit) Avatar Cosplay
When presented with the small group of imitators wearing costumes modeled after his image, Aang smiles and gives a nod of approval in their direction. This appears to be a "nod" towards the Avatar cosplayers (costume players), who have attended numerous panels dedicated to the show at various comic and anime conventions over the past year. Some of which have met Mike and Bryan in person and have been featured in Avatar Nick Mag articles. (edit) Sokka: Suki, you have experience with giant sea creatures, do something!
Suki: Just because I live near the Unagi doesn't make me an expert!

This is a clear allusion to Suki's native island of Kyoshi, whose waters are home to the Unagi, a similar giant sea serpent. (edit) The Serpent from the Serpent's Pass greatly resembles Seadramon from the television series Digimon. (edit) Serpent's Pass' entrance: Abandon Hope
These comes from Dante's Inferno. Dante reads these lines that are written in the gates to hell when he and Virgil passes into the Ante-Inferno before the river Acheron in Canto III. (edit)