The Cave of Two Lovers

Writer: Joshua Hamilton

Director: Lauren MacMullan

Guest Stars: Barbara Goodson (Song's Mother), Kim Mai Guest (Song), Laraine Newman (Lily), Derek Basco (Moku), Dee Bradley Baker (Chong)

Synopsis
Aang and Katara practice Waterbending, while Sokka is relaxing in the middle of a lake. A group of Earth Kingdom nomads then appear, displaying the characteristics of a carefree, nature loving people. Once the Avatar's group reveal their plans to travel to Omashu, Chong speaks of a short cut through a tunnel passing under a mountain. Although Sokka does not want to trust these new characters, the kids later follow the nomads to the tunnels after an unsuccessful attempt to fly over the mountains due to Fire Nation catapults placed there.

Just before our heroes enter, Chong mentions that the tunnels form a labyrinth protected by a curse. Only those who put their trust in love can find the way through; those who don't will be forever lost. Once they enter, a group of pursuing Firebending tanks destroy the entrance to the tunnels, trapping everyone inside. Scared but undeterred, Sokka plans to create a map while traveling though the labyrinth, but gradually finds that the map is useless due to the fact that the tunnels are changing around them. The nomads plan to all stick together so no one gets lost. Oddly enough, this plan does not work and the group is separated by a cave-in caused by Appa's panic at being underground, exacerbated by an attacking wolfbat and a carelessly wielded torch. Aang's quick action saves everyone from being crushed by the falling rocks, but the group is separated. Aang, Katara, and Appa are in one group, while Sokka and Momo are forced (to his great displeasure) to travel through the tunnels with the musical nomads, who assure him that he should not "let the falling rocks turn his smile into a frown."

After traveling for what is estimated at three hours, Aang and Katara encounter a large tomb designed for the "two lovers" spoken of in lore. By reading script around the walls, they discover the true story of the "two lovers": two adults from feuding towns met at the top of a mountain. Although it was dangerous to meet, the loving couple found a way to continue their relationship in secret. After learning Earthbending by observing the natural skills of badgermoles they created a labyrinth which only they could navigate as a place to be together. However, one day the man did not come; he had been killed in the war between their two people. While the woman's fury was initially expressed in a display of Earthbending prowess which could have destroyed both of the warring towns, she instead declared the conflict at an end. The two villages later created a city to honor the couple's love, which eventually grows into the city of Omashu (the names of the lovers are revealed to be Oma and Shu, whose names were joined together). The final line in the script states "love is brightest in the dark." Katara is inspired by this to suggest a possible way to solve the labyrinth; perhaps by following the example of the lovers and kissing, she and Aang could find the way out. Although Aang (due to his unexpressed but growing affection for Katara) finds this idea highly intriguing, he attempts to reassure an embarrassed Katara that he could not imagine kissing her. When she seems put out by this response, he assures her that what he meant was that, in choosing between certain death and kissing her, he would definitely choose to kiss her ("It's a compliment!") This cools the ardor between them for a while, but later, as the torches are burning out, desperation (and possibly affection) lead them to dare the unknown. As the torchlight fades, we see them leaning toward each other, closing their eyes. In the resulting darkness, Aang and Katara find out that the two lovers put glowing crystals showing how to get out of the tunnel, and these crystals only glow in the dark. Finally, the two (plus Appa) get out of the tunnel.

Sokka and the nomads continue to find dead ends in their quest for the exit, and eventually are confronted by a pair of enormous badgermoles, who corner the group. As Sokka tries to escape, he accidentally touches a dropped guitar which makes a sound. The angry badgermole pauses, intrigued, and Sokka tries to play a song to pacify the beast. The nomads quickly realize what he is doing, and contribute their talents. They are successful in taming (or at least pleasing) the badgermoles, who take them to the exit of the labyrinth, where they are reunited with Aang, Katara, and Appa. After the badgermoles leave them, Katara notices a big red rash on Sokka's head, which was the result of him hitting himself every time the nomads do something stupid; Chong announces that he thinks the one painted with tatoos is the Avatar, forcing Sokka to hit himself again.

Meanwhile, Zuko and Iroh, are trying their best to survive on their own. Things are not so easy for the formerly pampered characters though -- Zuko can not find food and Iroh ends up consuming a dangerous plant in the wild (he thought it was a legendary tea plant). He then finds berries which could cure him or give him blindness. Zuko tells him they aren't taking anymore chances and throws the berries away. After thinking whether they should go to an Earth Kingdom village (which would risk capture and execution) or going to a Fire Nation town (which would risk being turned over to Azula), both decide to travel to an Earth village for medicine and food. They then meet a friendly girl named Song. She asks what their names are. Zuko says his name was Lee and Iroh's name was Mushi; Iroh gets him back by saying he was named for his father so they call him Junior. The episode becomes much more interesting when Song, speaks of her father's capture when the Fire Nation raided her village. She then asks Zuko whether his father is fighting in the war as well and Zuko admits it, but does not tell her that his father is the Fire Lord.

Minutes later, Zuko sits on the front porch. Song sits next to him and realizes that the Fire Nation has hurt Zuko as well. When she tries to touch his scar, Zuko rebuffs her. She then shows Zuko a Firebending burn on her leg, sympathizing with him and showing him that the Fire Nation hurt her as well. Surprisingly, Zuko seems shocked by her injury.

This seems to be a turning point for Zuko, but a final scene proves otherwise. Once Zuko and Iroh leave the small family at night, Zuko steals the family's Ostrich Horse for easy traveling. Song witnesses this event, but did not stop them. She instead just closes her door as Zuko and Iroh left.

Concluding this, Aang, Sokka, and Katara finally get to Omashu. When the gang sees the Fire Nation has taken Omashu they are devastated.

Translations

 * The sign over the entrance to the cave reads, in ancient Chinese script, 情人洞, meaning "Cave of the Lovers".
 * The sign over the door in Song's clinic reads 醫 (yī), meaning "Doctor".
 * The first panel of the Lover's story reads, in ancient Chinese script, 男女相隔二地 and 會于此峰, which means approximately "The man and woman (Oma and Shu) were separated by two areas; they will meet at this mountain."
 * The character that appears when Katara reads about the war between the Lover's villages reads 戰 (zhàn), meaning "War".
 * The final panel of the Lover's story reads, in ancient Chinese script, 奧瑪舒城 永志恋情, which means approximately "Omashu City, to forever remember their love."
 * The Lovers names, Oma and Shu, are written as 奧瑪 (ào mǎ) and 舒 (shū) respectively; 奧瑪 means "mysterious carnelian", while 舒 means "relax".
 * The calligraphy on the relief of the Two Lovers seems to read 愛在黑暗?光明, which means something along the lines of "Love is brightest in the dark."