This episode is in the Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 1: Water, Volume 1 DVD, along with The Boy in the Iceberg, The Avatar Returns, and The Southern Air Temple. (edit) Traditionally, only women are trained as Kyoshi warriors, although there have been exceptions over the years, including Sokka. (edit) Since Kyoshi Island holds no significant military advantage and is home to only a few Earthbenders, this island has remained untouched by the Fire Nation for the past 100 years. (edit) Military Debut: Kyoshi Warriors (edit) Character Debuts: Oyaji, Avatar Kyoshi, Koko (edit) According to the Avatar "Escape From the Spirit World" online event, Avatar Kyoshi lived for 230 years, making her the oldest Avatar in history. (edit) Now a fan favorite, the "Foaming Mouth Guy" was originally designed to simply faint in his scene, but an additional creative contribution from an animator named Ryu Gi Hyun took it a bit further. (edit) This is the first time Katara uses waterbending on water she cannot see when helping Aang. (edit) The warriors of Kyoshi Island dress in the same robes, wear the same make up, and use the same fan weapons as Avatar Kyoshi. (edit) This is the first episode in which we see a character blush (Aang and Sokka). (edit) This is the first time we see an Avatar as a girl. So, apparently, the Avatar can be of either gender. (edit) This episode first aired in Britain (UK) on Nickelodeon on Friday 11, November 2005. (edit) Creature Debut: Unagi and Elephant Koi (Affiliated Nation Unknown) (edit) Sokka is kissed on the cheek in this episode by one of the warriors of Kyoshi named Suki. (edit) Sokka finally shows some respect for women (women warriors) by begging for training from them, and apologizing for being so rude. (edit) Kyoshi was the Avatar about 300 years before Aang was born, or 400 years before the chronological occurrence of the events in the episode. (edit) The people of Kyoshi are part of the Earth Kingdom. (edit) The Warriors of Kyoshi are all women. (edit) The Fire Nation returns in this episode to capture Aang. (edit) Hero Debut: Suki (edit)

Sokka: Uh (pause) hey, Suki.
Suki: Hoping for another dance lesson?
Sokka: No (pause) I (pause)well, let me explain.
Suki: Spit it out! What do you want?
(Sokka gets down on his knees)
Sokka: I would be honored if you would teach me.
Suki: Even if I'm a girl?
Sokka: I'm sorry if I insulted you earlier. I was wrong. (edit) Suki: There's no time to say goodbye.
Sokka: What about, "I'm sorry"?
Suki: For what?
Sokka: I treated you like a girl when I should have treated you like a warrior.
Suki: I am a warrior.
(Suki kisses Sokka on the cheek) But I'm a girl, too. Now get out of here! We'll hold them off. (edit) Sokka: (In laughing disbelief) Wait a second, there's no way that a bunch of girls took us down.
Suki: A bunch of girls, huh? The unagi's gonna eat well tonight.
Katara: No, don't hurt him! He didn't mean it. My brother is just an idiot sometimes. (edit) Katara: He looks pretty good out there.
Sokka: Are you kidding? The fish is doing all the work! (edit) Katara: All done with your pants. And look what a great job I did! (throws pants at Sokka)
Sokka: Wait! I was just kidding. I can't wear these! (sticks hand through hole in pants) Katara, please!
Aang: Relax, Sokka. Where we're going, you won't need any pants! (edit) Katara: Aang... do some airbending... (edit) Sokka: You have no idea where you're going, do you?
Aang: I know it's near water.
Sokka: I guess we're getting close then.
Aang: Momo, marbles please? (Momo goes in his shirt and gets marbles) Katara, check out this airbending trick. (does airbending trick)
Katara: That's great Aang.
Aang: You weren't even looking.
Katara (looks at Aang): That's great!
Aang: I'm not doing it. (edit) Sokka: (To Aang) Stop bugging her, airhead, you gotta give girls space when they do their sewing.
Katara: (annoyed) What does me being a girl have to do with sewing!?
Sokka: Simple. Girls are better at fixing pants then guys, and guys are better at fighting and hunting and stuff like that. It's just the natural order of things.
Katara: All done with your pants and look what a great job I did! (throws Sokka's pants at his face) (edit) Sokka: Where are the men who ambushed us?!
Suki: There were no men, we ambushed you. (edit) Suki: Wait for an opening and then... (pause)
Sokka (Suki falls to the ground): Hmmm.
Suki: I fell on purpose to make you feel better! (edit) Aang: Katara, remember how the Unagi almost got me yesterday?
Katara: Yeah.
Aang: Well, I'm gonna go ride it now. It's gonna be real dangerous.
Katara: Good for you.
Aang: You're not gonna stop me?
Katara: Nope. Have fun.
Aang: I will.
Katara: Great.
Aang: I know it's great.
Katara: Well, I'm glad you know.
Aang: I'm glad you're glad.
Katara: Good!
Aang: Fine! (leaves) (edit) Prince Zuko: Come out Avatar, these girls can't protect you. (edit) Prince Zuko (meditating, as his Uncle enters his room): The only reason you should be interrupting me is if you have news about the Avatar.
Uncle Iroh: Well, there's news Prince Zuko, but you might not like it. Don't get too upset.
Prince Zuko: Uncle, you have taught me that keeping a level head is a sign of a great leader. Now, whatever you have to say, I'm sure I can take it.
Uncle Iroh: Okay then. We have no idea where he is.
Prince Zuko (as the candles he was meditating in front of go up in flames): What?!
Uncle Iroh: You really should open a window in here.
Prince Zuko: Give me the map.
Uncle Iroh: There have been multiple sightings of the Avatar, but he is impossible to track down. (the map has a zigzag pattern of the Avatar's movements drawn all over it)
Sokka (showing the Avatar's map with no markings): You have no idea where we're going, do you? (edit) Prince Zuko (looking at a map of the world): How am I going to find him Uncle? He is obviously a master of evasive manuevering.
Sokka (looking at the same map): You have no idea where you're going, do you?
Aang: Well, I know it's near water.
(screen zooms out to show them flying over an ocean)
Sokka: Well I guess we're getting close then. (edit) Sokka (after blocking Zuko's attack): I guess training's over. (edit) Prince Zuko: The Avatar is on Kyoshi Island?
(leaves the screen)
Uncle Iroh (reaching for Zuko's fish): Are you going to finish that?
Prince Zuko: I was going to save it for later! (takes his fish with him)
(edit) Aang: Sokka, dig in!
Sokka: I'm not hungry.
Aang: But you're always hungry. (edit) Katara: He's just mad because a bunch of girls kicked his butt.
Sokka: They snuck up on me!
Katara: Right. Then they kicked your butt. (edit) Koko: What's taking you so long, Aangie?
Katara: Aangie...
Aang: Just a second, Koko.
Katara: Simple monk, huh? (edit) Aang: Hey Sokka, nice dress! (edit)

When Aang is putting on his clothes after riding the koi fish, the arrow on his back is missing. (edit) When the Kyoshi Warrior second to attack (before Suki) knocks the soldier from his komodo rhino, strange pale gray shapes appear on his face. (edit) When Katara looks over the rock to see Zuko, the beads in her bun are missing. (edit) When Aang says "That's me", the ropes around his wrists are missing, making it appear like he is leaning on the post or standing near it albeit with his knees bent. (edit) Once again, Aang's eyes change color, from gray to brown. (edit) When the Gaang is tied to the pole, Aang is the only one that has the ropes tied to his hands. none go across his body, whereas Sokka and Katara are securely bound. (edit) At 0:04:44-0:04:46, [when Aang runs into Sokka](DVD) Momo appears to be much, much larger than normal. He is standing next to Katara, and his head is far above her waist line. (edit) Goof: If you look closely you can see that the number of fans on Sokka's belt changes throughout the episode. (edit) The inhabitants of Kyoshi Island are the first (and so far only) members of the Earth Kingdom to be seen outside of their traditional green, yellow and brown colors. Rather they wear blue. (edit) In The Avatar State, it is revealed Avatar Kyoshi was the Avatar before Roku. However, in the previous episode, when Aang is looking at the statues in the sanctuary of the Southern Air Temple, the statue next to Roku appears significantly different, almost reminiscent to a male Earthbender. This is due in part to Kyoshi's character design not yet being finalized at the time of the scripting of this episode. (edit) The dark green stripes on the Kyoshi Warrior's sleeves vanish, when Suki sarcastically says that they would have lost to Sokka in a fight. (edit) When Katara is telling Aang the supplies are for their trip, the purple lining of her hood turns the same shade of blue as the hood. (edit) In the scene where Katara asks Aang to help her carry a basket, in the background is a person arguing with a pole, at the end of Aang and Katara's "fight" he's sitting down sad, as if he lost. (edit) When Suki is teaching Sokka how to fight, the number of fans she has in her belt changes. When she starts to fight Sokka, she takes one out. When she is knocked of the ground, the fan goes flying and there are two in her belt. She gets up with a fan in her hand, and there are none in her belt. When she goes to attack Sokka again, she is holding a fan with two in her belt. (edit) When Aang is pondering out-loud to Katara what makes his stay at Kyoshi Island so enjoyable, the screen pans to Aang's fan-club behind him, then the screen focuses on them, and Kyoshi's statue suddenly materializes behind them. (edit) The ridges of Sokka's choker vanish when Suki grabs the front of his jacket when the gang is tied to the statue of Avatar Kyoshi. (edit) Oyaji's name (the Chief - real name revealed later on) means Old Man or Grandfather in Japanese. (edit) When Aang is showing his marble trick to the islanders, Sokka's ponytail is the same color as the fuzz on his head. (edit) The yellow clip of Katara's necklace continues to appear and disappear throughout the season starting with this episode or will match the color of the necklace. The size of the pendant of Katara's necklace also changes from the size of a coin to normal size, all starting with this episode. (edit) When Aang puts on his pants after running away from the Unagi, they are shown to be red. But earlier in the episode his pants are yellow. (edit) There is a shot where Zuko has three feet. (edit) In Japanese, Unagi means eel, and in this episode the Unagi is a giant eel. (edit) When Sokka is challenging Suki, she takes Sokka's sash off his waist and ties his hand to his foot. When he falls down, you can see it and it has transformed into rope. (edit) When the first view of the Avatar Kyoshi statue is seen, the paint's faded and the wood is weathered. Once Aang flies over it, it looks freshly painted, even though it isn't refinished until the second half of the episode. (edit)

The Kyoshi warriors probably came from the Amazons in Greek mythology. The Amazons were a race of female warriors. In fact, today an amazon is a powerful woman. (edit) The design of the Kyoshi Warriors' makeup is modeled off that of Kabuki theatre. (edit) The warriors of Kyoshi are skilled in what appears to be Tessenjutsu, the martial art of fighting with the tessen, or Japanese war fan. (edit) Suki means "love" in Japanese. Suki can also mean "chink in one's armour". (edit) Kyoshi is a word used to refer to a "teacher" or "instructor" in Japanese. It is also a martial arts title which is used in modern Japanese as more modest synonym for sensei. (edit) This episode pays homage to some of the old western movies. The Kyoshi residents and warriors scatter and hide just before Zuko's bold entrance into the village with his group of soldiers, demanding that the Avatar come out. The village itself is even set up a bit like the traditional western movie small town with one wide, dusty road down the middle and small, crowded buildings on either side. (edit) The fans the warriors of Kyoshi use as weapons has a lot of history in Asian societies. They have been used in both Chinese, Korean, and Japanese martial arts, such as the Japanese Tessenjutsu, for centuries. It was actually a weapon among the geisha and oiran for a long time, used to defend clients. It's supposed to distract your opponent from your fist meeting his face. (edit)