The Firebending Masters

Synopsis
Zuko is beginning to teach Aang Firebending, but finds that his Firebending is much weaker than usual. Aang hypothesizes that Zuko must not have enough rage to create fire like he used to in the past. Sokka then states that all they have to do is make Zuko angry and starts poking him wildly with his sword sheath, while Katara continues to shower Zuko with spite and derision, remarking how convenient it would have been for the group if Zuko's Firebending had failed him months before. Zuko then answered that he no longer wants to rely on anger and hatred, so Toph encourages him to learn from the original source and talks about how she learned Earthbending from the Badgermoles, the original Earthbenders. Zuko says that the Dragons were the original Firebenders, but that they have been extinct for some time. Searching for an alternate but equally viable source, Zuko then tells Aang about a civilization that died out thousands of years ago called the Sun Warriors. It turns out that the current Firebending country -- the Fire Nation -- inherited their skills from this ancient race and twisted them into a more aggressive style.

Zuko and Aang fly to the ruins on Appa; they land and start exploring the ruins. Aang nearly falls into a trap and Zuko is surprised that the trap worked even after centuries of being built and then bypasses the trap by running across the adjoining wall, Prince of Persia Style. They continue on and find a massive stone carving depicting Dragons and a Sun Warrior. Two of the Dragons are breathing fire onto the Sun Warrior. Aang is surprised because he got the impression that the Dragons were friends with the Sun Warriors, while Zuko remarks that they had a funny way of showing it. Aang asks Zuko what happened to the Dragons and Zuko reveals that the Dragons became extinct because Fire Lord Sozin encouraged Firebenders to hunt the creatures for glory and the title of 'Dragon'. He also tells Aang that the person who killed the last dragon was his uncle, Iroh.

While exploring the ruins some more, Aang and Zuko come across a locked door with a red jewel on top. Zuko sees a celestial calender designed to open the door on the Solstice and uses his sword to reflect sunlight onto the jewel. The door opens and Aang compliments Zuko's intellect. Inside they find various statues which depict a Firebending form called the Dancing Dragon. Aang imitates the first statue and discovers a tile switch. He persuades Zuko to perform the form with him and as they do, they activate an ancient key mechanism. Upon completion of the Dancing Dragon. A pedestal with a huge gold egg-shaped gem rises in the middle of the room. Zuko picks it up despite Aang's warnings, inadvertently triggering a trap. The chamber doors close and a glue like substance fills the room. Luckily and unluckily, Zuko and Aang find themselves trapped by the liquid in a barred skylight where they have plenty of air but no way to get free. They are then captured by the still-flourishing Sun Warrior tribe, which accuses them of attempting to steal Sun Warrior treasures. After explaining their desire to learn the true form of Firebending, Zuko and Aang are put through a ritual where they have to carry a portion of the First Fire up a mountain and present it to the true firebending masters.

They reach the Lair of the Masters and are sent to the top of a stairway. At the top they see two caves. Aang and Zuko present their fires and face one of the two caves each. Aang however loses his portion of the First Fire due to being distracted and scared, he then tries to get a piece of Zuko's Fire but accidently knocks his hands down extinguishing his flame as well. At that moment Two Dragons emerge from the two caves and start flying in circles around the them. Zuko and Aang earn the respect of the dragons by performing the Firebending technique that they learned from the statues, dancing with the dragons in the process. The dragons then breathe beautiful, multicolored flames around Aang and Zuko, revealing to them the true and harmonious way of Firebending.

When the dragons return to their caves, Zuko understands that he couldn't firebend because he lost his "inner fire". He used to draw his fire from rage, anger and his burning desire to capture the Avatar. After he joined Aang's group, he could no longer draw from this source. But after watching the dragons, he learns that he can draw from the true source, i.e. his desire to help the Avatar bring balance to the world. Aang realized that fire is not destructive, but energy and life, and was able to firebend as well. We then learn from the chief that Iroh was the last outsider to visit this place and be deemed worthy by the masters, and that he lied to keep the dragons alive so they could continue on; this expectation is thrust upon Zuko and Aang. The show ends with Zuko and Aang trying to convince the group at the Western Air Temple just how serious and ancient the new technique is, but they can't look past the unfortunate name of the form, the "Dancing Dragon".

Trivia

 * Iroh has the title "Dragon of the West". This was previously explained to be because of his fire breathing ability. However, this episode explains that Iroh earned this title through apparently slaying the last dragon. It seems that Iroh considers himself as a Dragon because of his fire breathing technique (possibly as a sense of personal justification) but the Fire Nations considers him a Dragon because of his apparent slaying of the last dragon.


 * The Dancing Dragon is most noteably similary to that of The Fusion Dance, Used in Akira Toriyama's Dragonball Z, Though The early movements of the dance are different from the movements in The Fusion Dance, it is tought by Fans that the finaly position Zuko and Aang Preform in The Dancing Dragon is identical to that of The Fusion dance, with the exception of the pointer fingers not being extended.


 * Zuko & Aang's Relationship this episode is the first to feature Zuko and Aang's Relationship develop in a way similar to that of Goku and Vegeata From Akira Toriyama's Dragonball Z anime series, though they do not have a rivalry between them like Vegeta and Goku have, they're different personalities and comedic actions in this episode are similar and can almost be identical to that of how Goku and Vegeta are towards each other.

Series Continuity

 * This episode shows Toph learning Earthbending from Badgermoles. She had previously stated she learned it from them in "Sokka's Master".