Cactus juice



Cactus juice is a naturally occurring, psychoactive substance found in certain cacti plants in the Si Wong Desert. Cactus juice made its only appearance while Team Avatar was in this desert, when Sokka, parched of thirst, cut open a cactus and drank the fluid contained within. The people who drink cactus juice go into a deranged mental state.

History
As a result of wandering around the Si Wong Desert, the members of Team Avatar became parched. Sokka and Momo noticed a cactus nearby, and in desperation, drank the juice contained within. However, the juice contained a powerful hallucinogen. Momo began to soar in the sky aimlessly, while Sokka advertised the dangerous liquid, among other things. Katara then took charge and attempted to lead the two on, despite their unstable state.



Sokka began asking unrealistic questions, such as, "Who lit Toph on fire?", "Why don't we ask the circle birds?", and, "How did we get out here in the middle of the ocean?" Meanwhile, several hundred feet away, Aang slammed his glider into the loose sand in frustration, causing a giant mushroom cloud to form. Sokka noticed this, calling out, "It's a giant mushroom! Maybe it's friendly!", once again exhibiting his deranged mental state. He then began to repeat the phrase, "Friendly mushroom! Mushy giant friend." The juice began to wear off after the group reached the magnetic center of the desert, leaving Sokka still questioning his mental stability.

Upon arrival at Ba Sing Se, Sokka warned the group not to get their hopes up about the city, suggesting highly illogical and supernatural disasters they could encounter. Toph replied to his paranoia by asking, "You've been hitting the cactus juice again?" referencing to Sokka's hallucinated state during their time wandering in the desert.

Connection

 * Although it is a commonly held belief that cacti hold water with which someone can quench their thirst in the desert, in reality, many cacti contain hallucinogens such as mescaline which was what Sokka and Momo unknowingly consumed.
 * Although resembling the fishhook barrel cactus in appearance, it shares the same hallucinogenic properties of the Peyote cactus, which is native to southwestern Texas and throughout central Mexico.