The Awakening

Season 3, Episode 1, Aired
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Episode Summary

Aang awakens to find himself aboard a captured Fire Nation ship with a full head of hair and with serious injuries from the battle in Ba Sing Se. At his side are Toph, Katara, Sokka, and their father Hakoda who recount the events that led the four to the ship and together they contemplate their next move. Aang struggles with the fact that the world thinks he is dead and his own desire to face the Fire Lord before he is ready. Meanwhile, the once exiled Prince Zuko deals with his own issues as he makes his long-awaited journey back to the Fire Nation, and wonders what is now in store for him.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (112)

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  • The Awakening

    10
    "Perfect"
    By TrueTvWatcher, Jan 12, 2011 Report Abuse
    The Awakening was a really great season three opening episode of Avatar The Last Airbender. I really enjoyed watching this episode because Aang wakes up to a crazy world where things aren't what they seem. It was really cool to watch the scenes where Azula and Zuko return home and are admired by large crowds of people as their deeds are announced. I thought it was interesting how Azula continues to weave her web. Aang had to deal with being kept a secret, while Katara had a touching moment with her father. This episode was awesome and I look forward to watching the next one!!!!!!!moreless

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    0 0

  • disappointing

    4.0
    "Poor"
    By carnagae1225, Jan 04, 2011 Report Abuse
    This episode was very disappointing. When I heard about season 3 I was so excited and waited eagerly for three months waiting for it. When I finally saw it was disappointing, It can be compared to when a young child peeks at his christmas parents too early, very melodramatic. This inner conflicts of the characters didn't make sense. Katara's anger at her father came out of nowhere. In the The previous episodes she seemed excited to see her father and did not express any ill feelings toward meeting him. Zuko's inner conflict was confusing as he didn't didn't explain himself it well enough. Also the relationship of Zuko and Mai was also sudden. It is never established why Mai likes Zuko and most importantly why Zuko liked Mai.moreless

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    1 4

  • Picking up right where it left off!

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By ZaleIsBackAgain, Feb 06, 2010 Report Abuse
    As always it is the strong writing of Avatar that gives it great episode after great episode. How it is able to cover so many issues and execute them in such great manner is just textbook example of how all cartoons that isn't a comedy need to be run. Once again the issue of honour and dignity is risen with not only Aang losing his most recent battle, but also Zuko winning it. Although there really wasn't much action besides that chase scene, it was still in a way exciting and exhilarating. Azula is really proving to be one of the more cunning and manipulative villains out there; how she tricked the fire lord in thinking Zuko was the one that killed the Avatar, and then having a legit reason for doing so, was one of the most unexpected things in the show so far. An awesome season opener.moreless

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  • Aang is alive that means that the next Avatar is not born and that mean something would change the show

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By dragondude4, Jan 03, 2010 Report Abuse
    Finally every one must of wait like a year to start book fire here is a good idea what if they made aang in dream which makes it book air where we learn more of Aangs life and at the season final Aang wakes up and then finds out he is in the fire nation ship and then book fire starts and Aang has hair and this big I don't know what it is man it looks like something splated aang and Zuko goes home and people think aang dead and they didn't say if they think the next Avatar is born or not and Princess Yue makes another appence and if Sokka found out he slaps Aangs bumpmoreless

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  • What?! Aang's dead!! :O

    10
    "Perfect"
    By pubbe3323, Mar 31, 2009 Report Abuse
    okay, i know aang isn't dead. But the whole world thinks he's dead though. I'm not sure though if i like the hair... and yes, i saw this episode when it first aired, i just didn't think about writing a review til now. I'm just wandering how aang is going to take out Azula and Zuko? I've always like Zuko... i feel so bad for him. Mother abandoned him, father hates him, sister could careless about Zuko, and the only way to regain his fathers trust is by capturing the avatar... which is nearly impossible oh yeah!! and Zuko thinks Uncle Iroh hates him nw toomoreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Several story lines in between this episode and the previous episode were dealt with in canonical interlude comics featured in the second all Avatar Nick Magazine issue. These include: The return of Hakoda's fleet and the capture of the Fire Nation ship, Zuko's reacquaintance and relationship with Mai, and the travels of the Earth King and Bosco. Edit
    • As a result of remaining unconscious for several weeks, Aang has grown a full head of hair. Edit
    • Following the conquest of Ba Sing Se, Azula had the Dai Li destroy parts of the two walls in order to allow the Fire Nation easy access into the city. Also, according to the canonical comic Going Home Again, Azula has passed her position as ruler of Ba Sing Se over to Joo Dee, dubbing the former guide the "Supreme Bureaucratic Administrator". Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • On the DVDs this episode is listed simply as "Awakening". Edit
    • This episode is available in Book 3: Fire Volume 1 DVD, along with, The Headband, The Painted Lady, Sokka's Master, and The Beach. Edit
    • Pipsqueak and the Duke, two Freedom Fighters who have not been seen since the season 1 episode "Jet" are finally seen again. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Zuko: No. There's no way he could've survived. Azula: Well, then I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. Edit
    • Toph: Hey, what's... (Grabs Aang's dismantled glider from the water) Oh... it's your glider. Aang: That's okay. If someone saw it, it would give away my identity. It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive. (Spins glider and slams it into the lava. He leaves, and soon after the torn glider burns away.) Edit
    • (As Aang is clinging to driftwood) Aang: I'm not gonna make it. I failed. (Lightning strikes and Roku's spirit appears) Aang: Roku? Roku: You haven't failed, Aang. Aang: But everyone thinks I'm dead again. They think I've abandoned them...and I'm losing this war. I'm letting the whole world down. Roku: If anyone is to blame for the state of the world, it is me. I should have seen this war coming and prevented it. You inherited my problems...and my mistakes. But I believe you are destined to redeem me and save the world. (As Aang looks away) Aang: I dunno... (Moonlight floods the screen and Yue's voice speaks) Yue: You already saved the world. (She appears before the moon as Aang looks to her) And you'll save the world again. But you can't give up. (She descends to Aang and he becomes resolute) Aang: You're right. I won't give up. (He creates a wave and Yue helps intensify it, sending him forward on his journey to the Fire Nation.) Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • The scene in which Aang is holding on to a piece of driftwood in the middle of the ocean is reminiscent to a similar scene in Titanic. As both Aang and Rose cling to wreckage, both appear to lose all hope, until someone comes along to tell them not to give up. Both end up surviving because they decided that the other person was right, and that they shouldn't give up. Edit
    • Once Aang has washed up onto the beach, Momo comes and licks him awake. This appears to be an allusion to the The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, which had one scene where Aragorn's horse licks him awake while he was lying on the bank of a river. Edit
    • The way the giant serpent attacked the ship by wrapping itself around it is similar to the old stories and paintings about the giant sea monsters in the unknown waters. Edit

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