Bato of the Water Tribe


 * This article is about an episode. For the character of the same name, see Bato.

Writer: Ian Wilcox

Director: Giancarlo Volpe

Guest Stars: Richard McGonagle (Bato), André Sogliuzzo (Hakoda), Jennifer Hale (June), Amy Hill (Mother Superior), Tsai Chin (Aunt Wu), Jodi Carlisle (The Herbalist), Scott Menville (Messenger)

Overview
''Katara and Sokka reunite with Bato, an old friend of theirs. Bato suggests they find their father, and Aang fears his friends may leave him. Aang intercepts a message from Sokka and Katara's father and hides it. Later he comes clean about the message, upsetting his friends. Zuko finds a bounty hunter named June to help him track down the Avatar. After defeating Zuko, Katara and Sokka decide they can't leave Aang, as he is part of their family too.''

Synopsis
The group meets up with an old friend of their father from their Water Tribe village named Bato, who was injured and left behind. They head back to his current home in an Abbey of nuns who make perfumes and cures. Sokka and Katara spend so much time with Bato that they begin to neglect Aang. Bato starts talking about how Katara and Sokka might be able to see their father Hakoda, and that a message is arriving soon about their Hakoda's whereabouts. Aang runs off, feeling hurt that Katara and Sokka might leave him to go find Hakoda, rather than travel to the North Pole with him.

While Aang is contemplating their possible departure, he is greeted by a messenger with a Rendezvous Map from Hakoda. Instead of giving it to others, Aang hides it to ensure Katara and Sokka stay with him. Meanwhile, Zuko is busy relaxing with his uncle when a bounty hunter named June storms on his ship, finding a stowaway on board. Upon seeing how useful she would be, Zuko hires her to find the Avatar using the scent of Katara's necklace on her Shirshu in exchange for the damages to his ship.



The next day, Bato takes Sokka on a coming-of-age ritual called "ice dodging." Instead of ice, though, they use jagged rocks. With the help from Katara and Aang, they pass the test and all receive a ceremonial mark for their wisdom, bravery and trust. But when Aang receives the mark of trust, he is overwhelmed with guilt and gives the message to Katara and Sokka. Sokka is furious that Aang kept it from them, Katara is disappointed. They decide to leave Aang to find their father.

Soon down their path, Bato, Katara, and Sokka hear a wolf cry. Sokka suggests that the wolf is hurt, but Bato tells them that the wolf has been separated from its pack. He then explains how he knows this by telling about when he was wounded in battle and left in the Abbey to heal by his fellow Water Warriors, feeling the loneliest he has ever felt. This story reminds Sokka of when Hakoda left to fight abroad. Hakoda tells Sokka, "Being a man is knowing where you're needed the most, and for you right now, that's here, protecting your sister." Sokka and Katara realize their mistake and turn around to apologize to Aang.



Zuko, June, and Iroh appear on the Shirshu, having tracked Katara's scent. Even though the Avatar is not with Sokka and Katara, the beast flings out its tongue and paralyzes them and finds Aang's scent. Zuko heads to the Abbey as Aang was just leaving. Eager to save his friends, Aang battles Zuko among the rooftops, while Appa takes on June and the Shirshu. Aang manages to get Katara's necklace back but is soon trapped by the Shirshu and Zuko. The Shirshu begins to try to paralyze Aang, and Zuko firebends at Aang while Aang dodges everything.

Meanwhile Sokka and Katara are revived by some perfume given to them by the nuns, suddenly Sokka has an idea. He has the nuns pour out all their perfumes, and Katara starts Waterbending them all around. Since the Shirshu can only "see" with its nose, it gets overwhelmed from all the smells and starts lashing at random people. When Zuko and June are paralyzed by the beast, Iroh feigns paralysis to get close to June and holds her in his arms as he lies on the ground. Aang and the others use the opportunity to escape.

Later the kids are flying on Appa, Aang asks them what their plan is now. They tell him they're going to get him to the North Pole because he's their family too. Aang gives Katara back her necklace. Katara goes over and kisses Aang on the cheek. Aang blushes and twiddles with his thumbs as they fly off into the sunset.

Series Continuity

 * Katara's necklace, which she lost in "Imprisoned," is recovered by Aang during his battle with Zuko.
 * The level of Zuko's firebending has come along way since the first episode. In The Avatar Returns Zuko could barely land a hit on Aang, but in this episode the two are evenly mached and Zuko is only beaten when June's Shirshu goes berserk from the perfume.
 * The Herbalist and her pet cat Miyuki return in the episode. She can be seen gathering herbs near the ruins Sokka and Katara took sanctuary within in "The Blue Spirit."
 * June, Zuko and Iroh make a stop at Makapu village and briefly converse with Aunt Wu. June comments that "the girl must have spent a lot of time here," referring to Katara's repeated visits to have her fortune told.
 * When Zuko tries to get Nyla the Shirshu back on the scent, June sarcastically says "She likes you" when Zuko nearly gets stuck by its tongue. However, June may not have been kidding since, in the series finale, Nyla does the same to her while being pet.

Trivia

 * In the scene where June is arm wrestling in The Tavern, the man she is arm restling bears a striking resemblance to Ryu from Street Fighter.
 * While searching for Team Avatar, Zuko, June, and Iroh come across with the herbalist from the episode "The Blue Spirit" saying that the Avatar was there, but they were following the scent of Katara's necklace and she was sick at the sanctuary.
 * The mark of Intelligence is also seen on Aunt Wu, in The Fortuneteller. Only it's upside down.

Goofs
 * When June captures the stowaway, as she is running off the dock the stowaway can't be seen.