Aang and his friends are prevented from taking the easy route into Ba Sing Se while escorting a family of refugees and are faced with the challenge of making their way through the deadly Serpent's Pass.
9.5
"Superb"
the episode begins with the group relaxing by a waterfall, Sokka is reading a map, Toph is splashing her feet in the water, while Aang creates ice around himself to float in the pool. Katara comes leaping off a cliff, waterbending a splash that soaks everyone, including Sokka and his map. Katara apologizes and bends the water out of the map, drying it before it can be damaged.
Sokka tells the others that the only possible route to Ba Sing Se is a narrow strip of land called The Serpent's Pass. It's dangerous, but it's their only chance, as they no longer have Appa to carry them over the channel. Katara chastises Sokka for bringing Appa up, but Aang says that he wants to focus on informing the leaders of the Earth Kingdom about the solar eclipse.The group is about to leave, when they run into a family of refugees: Tahn, his pregnant wife; Ying, and his sister. Katara invites them to travel with them, but the family tells them that the Serpent's Pass is far too dangerous. Instead, they plan on traveling via an underground ferry system that leads refugees to Ba Sing Se. Aang and the others agree to travel with them.
The group arrives at the station, unaware that Zuko and Iroh are on a departing ferry. Iroh, as usual, is taking things in stride, but Zuko is angry (more so than usual) at the squalid conditions he has to live under, particularly the barely-edible food given to the passengers on the ferry. A young man offers Zuko his sympathy. It's Jet along with Longshot and Smellerbee. Jet has a plan to get some better food from the ship's captain, and wants to know if Zuko wants in, too. The exiled prince quickly accepts after throwing his bowl of disgusting food overboard.
Back at the station, the clerk is turning out to be extremely strict and ruthless, and happens to have a Platypus Bear to enforce her rules, much to the dismay of a certain cabbage merchant. Aang requests four tickets, but is denied as he has no passport. Sokka reveals Aang's identity as the Avatar, but as of late, a great deal of people have been posing as the Avatar, and the clerk is not impressed. Besides, no animals (Momo) allowed. Toph steps forward and presents her family seal to the ticket master, showing that she is a member of the Bei Fong family, and claims that Momo is her "Seeing-eye Lemur". The sight of her prestigious family's seal quickly changes the tune of the clerk, who immediately grants them four tickets.
As they move to the ferry, Sokka is happy that they managed to get past the clerk, until a stern-faced girl in a security uniform jerks him back, demanding to see his passport and ticket. Sokka seems to recognize the girl, but can't quite identify her... until she gives him a kiss on the cheek. Sokka immediately recognizes her as Suki, the leader of the warriors of Kyoshi Island, who looks a lot different without all her makeup on.
The following reunion is happy, but the pregnant family shows up again, looking for Aang. Someone has stolen all their belongings, including their passports and tickets. Aang tries to get the clerk to give them replacements, but she refuses, complaining that she can't bend the rules. If she did, there'd be no laws and regulations and the civilization would end. She even refuses to allow them to use Toph's tickets. With no other choice for the family, Aang gives up their tickets, and offers to guide them through the Serpent's Pass.
As they leave, Suki, back in her traditional Kyoshi dress, catches up to them, asking to go with them. Sokka, knowing that it will likely be dangerous, is reluctant to let her come with them, but soon gives in.
The group reaches the pass, which, seemingly against its name, is very straight, but very narrow. Much of it is barely wide enough for people to pass through single file. The family seems to lose hope, and Aang says that perhaps it is best that they do abandon their hope, and instead focus on the present need to cross the pass.
As the group travels along a sheer cliff side, Suki points out Fire Nation forces patrolling the water, telling them that they are rumored to be working on a secret project. As they continue, Tahn falls when the ground under him crumbles. Toph saves him, but the falling rocks draw the attention of the patrol ship, which launches a fireball at them. Aang leaps into action, knocking the ball back and striking their engines. The ship returns fire, hitting the rock-face above them, and sending debris falling towards Suki. Sokka pushes Suki out of the way, and Toph saves him by deflecting the rocks. Sokka is too worried about Suki's safety to be thankful to Toph for saving his life, which annoys Toph. The group runs to the shelter of an outcropping wall of rock, leaving the ship behind to tend to its damage.
That night, Sokka is becoming overprotective of Suki, insisting that she not sleep so close to the edge, in case it breaks off. After he moves her sleeping mat he screams and pushes her away from her mat. She inquires what's wrong, Sokka is calm and tells her that he thought he saw a spider.
Meanwhile, on the ferry, Zuko and Jet sneak into the ship's galley and steal some rice and fowl while Smellerbee keeps lookout. They escape smoothly with the food before any of the guards notice their presence.Back at the pass, Katara talks to Aang, concerned about his attempts to suppress his emotions. Aang remembers how destructive he was when he entered the Avatar State, and is trying to keep himself in check. Katara tells him that while caring and hope may hurt sometimes, she doesn't want him to hold everything inside. Aang thanks her for her concern, but is still unconvinced. Elsewhere, Suki finds Sokka staring at the moon. Sokka explains that he's being so overprotective because of someone he lost (Yue) before, at the North Pole. Suki tells Sokka about someone she cared for, and lost as well, although he only went away. Sokka starts to get jealous, not realizing that she's talking about him. Suki moves in to kiss him, but Sokka, feeling guilty to kiss her in front of the moon, turns away.
On the ferry, Jet and the freedom fighters are distributing their stolen food amongst the other passengers. Iroh accidentally insults Smellerbee when he mistakes her for a boy. She storms off angrily, but is stopped by Longshot, who gives her a look. Smellerbee thanks Longshot for reminding her not to worry about the words of others as long as she has confidence in herself. Jet sits down with Zuko and Iroh to talk about Ba Sing Se. Jet seems to be repentant of his previous actions, and wants to start over.
That morning, Aang's group comes to a large setback: A portion of the pass is currently underwater. Katara steps forward, parting the waters to allow them to pass. As the path gets deeper, Aang helps her, forming a bubble of air for them to walk underwater safely. Momo, seeing the fish swimming by, jumps out into the water to catch one, but quickly jumps back in when something huge swims by. As it turns out, Serpent's Pass is named (and feared) not for its shape, but for the gigantic sea serpent that swims in the surrounding waters. The serpent attacks the bubble, forcing Toph to raise the sea-floor under their feet to bring them up to the surface. This strands them in the middle of the water, with the serpent circling around. Aang attacks the serpent, telling Katara to get the others across while he distracts it. Katara creates an ice bridge for the others to cross, then leaps to help Aang without a second thought. The others cross, except for Toph, who is afraid to go, until the serpent slams the ground behind her. She begins to cross, until the serpent destroys the ice, sending her into the water. Sokka calls that he's coming after her, but Suki dives in first and saves her. Toph, thinking that it was Sokka, gives Suki a kiss on the cheek, before Suki can tell her the truth, much to Toph's embarrassment, stating "You can go ahead and let me drown now."
Together, Aang and Katara manage to drive off using waterbending to create a large whirlpool and slam the serpent,into the cliff. The group finally crosses the Serpent's Pass, just in time for the mother to go into labor. Katara, who's had experience in birthing children, quickly takes charge.
The baby, a girl, is born with no complications, thanks to Katara. Aang, seeing the family coming together, renews his hope, which is what the family decides to name the baby. Aang decided to go on ahead to find Appa, but before he goes, he trys to tell Katara how he feels about her. As Aang leaves, Suki also gets ready to return to her comrades, telling Sokka that she went with him to make sure that he got through safely. She tries to apologize to Sokka for coming on to him the night before, but he silences her with a kiss.
Meanwhile, Aang flies over to the wall of Ba Sing Se, where he makes a terrible discovery: A massive drill, escorted by Fire Nation tanks, is approaching the wall.
