Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno


 * This article is about an episode, for the comet, see Sozin's Comet

Writers: Aaron Ehasz, Michael Dante Dimartino, Bryan Konietzko

Director: Joaquim dos Santos

Guest Stars: Mark Hamill (Ozai), Grey DeLisle (Azula), Jennie Kwan (Suki), Takayo Fisher (Lo and Li), Greg Baldwin (Iroh), André Sogliuzzo (Bumi), Victor Brandt (Pakku), Jen Cohn (Ursa), Keone Young (High Sage)

Overview
''Azula's mental stability begins to deteriorate as her coronation as Fire Lord approaches. Zuko and Katara confront her, but Azula challenges her brother to a one-on-one Agni Kai. Zuko is gravely injured while trying to protect Katara. Aang finally confronts Ozai but is unable to defeat him as he is still unwilling to kill him. Sokka, Toph, and Suki attempt to halt the Airship fleet but are soon separated, while the Order of the White Lotus battles for Ba Sing Se's freedom. ''

Synopsis
As Sozin's Comet flies through the Earth's atmosphere, Zuko and Katara are on their way to the Fire Nation. Zuko is worried that Aang will lose against Ozai, but Katara assures Zuko that Aang is going to come back, though she too is worried.

At the Fire Nation Palace, Azula is being cared for by her servants and cleaned before her coronation as the new Fire Lord. However, when a servant offers her a cherry, she spits out a cherry pit and thinks that her servant is trying to assassinate her before the coronation. Though the servant pleads for mercy, Azula banishes her and starts bossing her other servants around.

Sokka, Suki, and Toph make it to the air fleet, but are too late as the ships begin to depart for the Earth Kingdom. Toph Earthbends them onboard one of the ships.



Back at the palace, the Dai Li Group Leader and six other Dai Li agents arrive before Azula in the Fire Lord's room. She berates them for being five minutes late, which she thought was enough time for an assassination to take place. She therefore banishes the Dai Li from the Fire Nation for disloyalty.

On the infiltrated air ship, Toph knocks on the control room door and uses Metalbending to disable the soldiers and captain. Afterward, Sokka has an idea to get rid of the rest of the ship's crew. He poses as the ship's captain on a loudspeaker and orders all crew members to go to the bomb bay to celebrate a crew member's birthday. Coincidentally it really is one crew member's birthday, who is overjoyed that the captain remembered, but Sokka releases the platform underneath the bomb bay and all of the ship's crew fall screaming into the ocean; albeit, at a low enough altitude so that the entire crew survives with minimal injury to body and pride. Sokka increases the speed of the ship to catch up to Ozai's flagship.

Lo and Li approach Azula wondering why she is banishing so many people. But when they tell her perhaps it would be best to postpone the coronation, Azula gets even more paranoid and orders them to fight an Agni Kai. They lament that neither of them are Firebenders, so Azula banishes Lo, though she pointed at Li, confusing the twins as to who was really banished.



In Ba Sing Se, the Order of the White Lotus prepares for battle outside the city's walls. Iroh, feeling the power of comet, releases a powerful blast of fire that breaks down the wall. Soon the rest join in and invade the city, beginning to take down the comet-enhanced Fire Nation soldiers.

At the palace, Azula is looking in a mirror to try to do her hair by herself, but the result is very messy. Agitated, she haphazardly cuts the front part of her hair that refuses to do what she wants. As Azula looks into the mirror, she sees her mother Ursa reflected behind her, telling her she wouldn't miss her own daughter's coronation as Fire Lord. Ursa says Azula's use of fear to control people has left her confused, but Azula says she's had no other choice, and even her own mother fears her. Ursa denies this and says she really loves her. Enraged, Azula throws her comb into her mother's reflection and discovers Ursa was never really there at all, and she begins to sob to herself.

The ship Sokka and the others took control of can't catch up to Ozai's flagship, and they are afraid they're too late. Ozai uses the comet's power to begin to scorch the Earth Kingdom below with an amazing display of Firebending. Momo and Aang watch in the distance as Ozai's torrent of fire rains down upon the land. Aang has Momo leave him, and using Earthbending and Firebending, he destroys the flagship's engine and catches Ozai's attention. Ozai and Aang stare each other down, then unclothing his Phoenix King gear, Ozai propels himself towards Aang to fight. The flagship lands harmlessly on the rocks below. Sokka and the others wonder what happened, and see to their happiness that Aang has returned.



Ozai boasts that the Avatar has at last been offered up to him by the Universe as an act of providence. Aang says their fight isn't necessary, and that Ozai has the power to stop destroying the Earth Kingdom. Ozai declares he has all the power in the world and threateningly unleashes a fury of comet-enhanced Firebending, beginning the battle. Ozai and Aang's Firebending attacks collide, creating a massive explosion in midair.

Watching the fight, Sokka cheers Aang on. Suki wonders if they should help him, but Sokka believes they should not to interfere, intent on stopping the other ships from destroying the Earth Kingdom. As the fleet begins to rain fire down upon the land, Sokka crashes their stolen air ship into the others, but it falls short of crashing into all of them. Sokka and Toph are separated from Suki as their ship begins to break up, and they are forced to continue without her.

Back at the palace, Azula’s coronation begins, but is interrupted by the arrival of Zuko and Katara on Appa. Azula suggests they settle ownership of the crown in an Agni Kai. Katara warns Zuko Azula is trying to separate them, but Zuko already knows and senses there is something "off" about her, so he believes he can take her by himself. Zuko and Azula begin their fight with intense Firebending powered by the comet.



Aang and Ozai both seem evenly matched. Though Aang is able to counter Ozai's fierce Firebending, he is unable to land any successful hits himself, even with all four elements at his disposal. Eventually Ozai proves to be too powerful and too quick, and tired of seeing the Avatar evade all his attacks, resorts to a relentless barrage of lightning generation. Aang dodges the lightning until he can dodge no more, and catches the last one to Ozai's surprise, preparing to redirect it right back at him. However, still not wanting to kill Ozai, Aang instead redirects it into the sky. Ozai takes advantage of the Avatar's mercy and sends a blast at Aang while he recovers. Though Aang manages to stop most of the attack with Earthbending, he is blasted off of the top of the rock and falls helplessly towards a shallow lake below. Using Waterbending, he barely manages to save himself from a fatal fall. Aang looks up and sees Ozai swiftly approaching, eager to resume the fight.

Zuko continues his duel with Azula as Katara watches from the sidelines. Both of their attacks are fierce and unrestrained, setting fire to the buildings surrounding them. Zuko holds his own and counters all of his sister's attacks. Azula loses her footing while trying to dodge and tumbles across the ground. Zuko taunts her for not using lightning, knowing she's afraid he'll redirect it back at her. Infuriated, Azula prepares a lightning attack. Instead of sending it at Zuko however, she sees Katara on the sidelines and sends the lightning at her. Zuko shields her from the lightning and is gravely injured, but before Katara can reach him, Azula begins to attack her furiously, laughing maniacally.

Aang is overwhelmed and cornered by Ozai and Earthbends a shield around himself. Ozai taunts him for being weak and insults the Air Nomads, saying such a weak race did not deserve to live in his world. He tells Aang to prepare for death and attacks.

Series Continuity

 * This is the first episode in which Long Feng has been mentioned since "The Crossroads of Destiny".
 * This is the second time Sokka has mentioned Airbending Slice. The first time was in "Avatar Day".
 * This is the first time Ozai is seen Firebending flames. Before this it was either flashback or lightning
 * Azula somewhat makes a connection to "The Earth King" as she tells the Dai Li that they once said they were loyal to Long Feng before they betrayed him. In the end of "The Earth King", the Dai Li said "The military and The Council of Five remain loyal to the Earth King, but the Dai Li remains loyal to you, Long Feng, sir."

Trivia

 * Azula's long and disheveled hair is evocative of Oiwa, a classic villainess in Japanese legend and Kabuki theatre. Oiwa was a married woman whose husband killed her in order to marry a younger, wealthier woman, and thus her spirit was enraged enough to cross back over to the land of the living, where she exacted a bloody revenge.

Goofs
Although Sokka says "Airbending Slice", Aang was actually Firebending.

Awards
Joaquim Dos Santos won the "Best Directing in an Animated Television Production" caption in the 2008 Annie Awards for his directing in this episode.