Jet (episode)

''This article is about an episode. You may be looking for the character of the same name.

Writer: James Eagan

Director: Dave Filoni

Guest Stars: Mitch Holleman (The Duke), Crawford Wilson (Jet), Sterling Young(Sneers) (Pipsqueak), Nika Futterman (Smellerbee), Marc Donato (Longshot), Mitch Holleman (The Duke)

Synopsis
The episode begins deep in the woods with Momo stumbling into a hunter's trap that leaves him caged and hanging from the branch of a tree. Fortunately, Aang, Katara, and Sokka soon notice he is missing, and Aang uses his Airbending to rescue the lemur. Sokka examines the traps of two other animals they free, and determines that they were constructed by the Fire Nation; thus, he advises that they leave quickly. However, he decides that they should not fly on Appa, as they will be easier to spot. Katara protests slightly, but Sokka tells her that his "instincts" indicate that they should stick to traveling on foot. They get lost in the woods, due to Sokka having led their course based upon his "instincts." Aang and Katara relent, but soon grow frustrated over their slow progress. The two start teasing Sokka over his choice, just as they stumble into the middle of a Fire Nation campsite.

A Firebender cuts off the group's escape route by setting the ground behind them aflame, and Sokka tries to bluff their way out of the predicament, as they are seriously outnumbered. However, a group of children led by a teenaged boy wielding dual hook-swords suddenly descends from the trees, and begin combating the Fire Nation soldiers. Aang and Katara help to battle the opposition, but each time Sokka prepares to engage a soldier, he is knocked out by the children's leader, who single-handedly dispatches more than half a dozen of them. The leader introduces himself as Jet, and his allies as the Freedom Fighters: Sneers, a somewhat obese hand-to-hand combatant; Longshot the archer; the slim-bodied blade expert Smellerbee; The Duke, a shorter and younger fighter than the others; and lastly the gigantic, log-wielding, ironically-named Pipsqueak. Aang wastes little time in befriending the Freedom Fighters.

Katara very quickly develops a crush on Jet, and acts rarely by shamelessly flattering him briefly. As Katara and Jet speak, in the process indirectly insulting Sokka's instinctual behavior, The Duke and Pipsqueak raid the now-abandoned Fire Nation campsite, finding crates filled with jelly candy and barrels of explosive blasting jelly. When the Freedom Fighters mention bringing their score back to the hideout, Aang expresses interest, and Jet invites them to come. Katara eagerly accepts on behalf of the group. When they reach the site of the Freedom Fighters' hideout, however, there is nothing to be found, as Sokka comments. However, Jet offers Sokka a rope dangling from between the thick foliage of the branches above, which yanks him up through the canopy. Aang uses Airbending to simply jump into the trees, and Jet holds on to Katara while he is pulled up. During their ascent, Katara blushes deeply at the close contact. Upon reaching their hideout in the trees, Jet explains to Katara the Freedom Fighters' mission: several years ago, the Fire Nation took over a nearby Earth Kingdom village, Gaipan. The Freedom Fighters have since then ambushed Fire Nation troops and done everything in their power to cut off the town's supply lines. Their goal is to one day force the Fire Nation from the town permanently. Katara expresses further infatuation with Jet, temperately praising his bravery, which provokes a sarcastic comment from Sokka. Jet, however, shows no ill will in response to this comment. He then explains to Katara that all of the Freedom Fighters live in their treetop base, and none of them have their families anymore- Longshot's home village was burned to the ground, while The Duke was found on his own. Jet himself lost his parents' lives at the hands of the Fire Nation, which incites great sympathy in Katara, having also lost her mother to the Fire Nation.

That night, Jet gives a speech to all of the Freedom Fighters, congratulating them on their victory over the Fire Nation. Immediately afterward, he also privately compliments Aang and Katara for their role in the battle, as well as their Bending proficiency. Katara blushes and diverts attention from herself, revealing that Aang is the Avatar. After learning this, Jet states that he hopes to have Aang and Katara help in their battle with the Fire Nation. Sokka quickly interjects, stating that they plan to leave that very night. Jet replies with feigned disappointment, stating that he was hoping Sokka would assist him in a mission the following morning. Sokka hesitantly accepts, and the next morning he waits in the trees overlooking a path with Jet. Using a trick with his machete to amplify vibrations, Sokka alerts Jet when a man approaches. Jet and two other Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Pipqueak, descend, despite Sokka's statement that the approacher is just a feeble old man. Jet and his Freedom Fighters bully the man, eventually knocking him prone onto the ground, the whole time with Jet ruthlessly ignoring the man's pleas for mercy. Sokka stops Jet from striking the man further, and tells him to stop his actions. Jet orders the man searched, and turns on Sokka angrily. He ignores Sokka's insistence that the man is harmless and innocent, justifying himself by stating the man is with the Fire Nation. Inevitably, Jet and the Freedom Fighters leave with the man's belongings, Sokka reluctantly following with regret evident in his expression.

After Jet and Sokka return, Aang finds the latter deep in thought, leaning against a tree. Aang has been enjoying hanging out with The Duke, while Katara has made Jet a hat from the leaves of the trees. Sokka dismisses this and announces that they're leaving. Aang and Katara object, to which Sokka responds by revealing Jet's previous bullying action. Doubtful, Katara demands to hear Jet's side of the story. Jet reiterates that the man was with the Fire Nation, and then produces a knife, which has a compartment for poison in the hilt. He claims that the man was an assassin, sent especially to kill him. Sokka is still angry and heavily doubts Jet's story, stating that he never saw a knife on the man's person, although the explanation has convinced Katara and Aang. Sokka storms off, stating that he will be preparing to leave. Upon his departure, Jet quickly pleads for Katara and Aang to stay, stating that the Fire Nation plans to burn down the forest- he needs the two to use Waterbending to fill the nearby reservoir, which will allow the Freedom Fighters to quench the fires. Katara approaches Sokka with Aang, and adamantly refuses to leave until they have helped Jet. She accuses Sokka's actions as having resulted from jealousy, and refuses to listen to the reasons he gives for his actions.

That night, Sokka overhears Jet and the core of the Freedom Fighters sneaking out of their base, and decides to follow them. The six bring with them the barrels of blasting jelly on a cart, and Jet reviews their plan: to blow up the barrels directly beneath the dam of a river, which runs through the city. With the reservoir full, the village will be flooded, wiping out the Fire Nation soldiers stationed there. The Duke expresses concern for the lives of the innocents living there, which include Earth Kingdom citizens, but Jet replies that they must be willing to make this sacrifice. Sokka has overheard all of this, but he is caught by Smellerbee and Pipsqueak. As dawn arrives, Sokka is dragged out to face Jet, and confronts him over the plan. Although he attempts to persuade Sokka to persist in the plan, Jet soon realizes that the young Water Tribe warrior will not change his decision, and has Pipsqueak and Smellerbee walk him into the forest so as to prevent him from warning Aang and Katara of the plan.

Soon afterward, Jet leads Aang and Katara to an extremely shallow river, which leads into the reservoir. Katara, still unaware of Jet's true plans, apologizes for Sokka's crude behavior, to which Jet responds by lying that Sokka has already apologized for himself, their dispute is resolved, and Sokka is currently out scouting with Smellerbee and Pipsqueak. Although Aang and Katara find it strange that Sokka would be so quick to apologize, they do not question Jet's word. Suddenly, a steam geyser goes off directly under Aang's feet, launching the Avatar several dozen feet into the air. Jet states that they have reached their destination as Aang floats safely back down on his own accord. Jet explains to Aang and Katara their role in the mission- they must Bend the water that resides beneath the vents. Upon release, the built-up pressure beneath the geysers will keep the flow of water going, thus filling up the river leading into the reservoir. Katara initially doubts her ability to Bend water that she cannot see, but Jet provides her with words of encouragement, accompanied by his hands on her shoulders, and soon she and Aang successfully release the water from one of the vents. Jet leaves Aang and Katara to their work, stating that he will be at the reservoir and will meet them back at the hideout. However, Jet underestimates the time Aang and Katara need to release an adequate number of geysers, and they quickly have the river at a high enough level. They decide to go to meet Jet at the reservoir.

Sokka, with his hands bound, by this time is being marched through the forest by Smellerbee and Pipsqueak. Although he attempts to convince the two Freedom Fighters to reconsider Jet's plan, they refuse to listen; they are loyal to Jet, who has demonstrated great leadership in the past and whose actions have always turned out for the better of the Freedom Fighters. Sokka gives up trying to reason with the two, and spots a number of Fire Nation traps that he, Aang, and Katara came across before meeting Jet. He breaks away from his escorts, and tricks them into pursuing him straight into the traps, which leave them caged and suspended from the branches above. Sokka frees his hands, and quickly moves to stop Jet's plan.

Just then, Aang and Katara come to the edge of a cliff overlooking the dam, where they spot four Freedom Fighters setting up the barrels of blasting jelly. Aang immediately realizes Jet's plan, and moves to fly down and stop it on his glider. Katara, however, is in denial, until Jet jumps forward and snags Aang's glider with his hook-swords, preventing the boy from flying off. Jet confesses what his true plan is, and attempts to convince Katara that the action is necessary. After he and Katara have experience the pain of losing loved ones, he argues, they cannot allow the Fire Nation to hurt anyone ever again- they must be merciless. Katara is completely nonplussed, but Jet persists, stating that he had hoped she and Sokka would understand his reasons. Katara immediately responds to Sokka's mention by demanding to know where he is, and tears begin to flow from her eyes. Jet places a comforting hand on her cheek, but Katara has had enough- she draws water from her canteen and uses it to violently throw Jet to the ground. Aang goes for his glider so that he can prevent the explosion, but Jet reaches it first, snatching it off of the ground with his hook-swords and placing it on his back before engaging Aang in combat.

The two head into the trees, where Jet adapts an aggressive fighting style, swinging his swords dangerously. However, Aang avoids almost all of his attacks, using his superior agility and Airbending prowess. Still, Aang is reluctant to fight Jet, and for quite some time fails to make any progress in reclaiming his glider- the key to saving the village. Eventually, he blows back Jet with a powerful Airbending move, sending the teenager plummeting to the ground until he succeeds in catching a branch with his swords. This causes Aang's glider to drop from his back, and the two race to the ground after it. Jet succeeds in kicking Aang from behind in mid-air, causing the Avatar to crash into a branch and fall to the ground, directly beside his glider but extremely dazed. As Jet lands, however, Katara arrives on the scene, Bending water from a small nearby stream to aggressively attack Jet, pushing him back towards a tree and then freezing him to its trunk. She berates him for betraying her trust, but before she can get too far in her tirade, she is startled by a bird call from off in the distance. Jet responds with his own call, the signal to set off the explosion. He has managed to delay Aang and Katara just long enough for his Freedom Fighters to set up the blasting jelly. Aang tries to fly on his glider, but it is no use- the glider's main sail is torn in several places, damaged at some point in the scuffle. Aang and Katara can only wait, and hope that Sokka succeeds where they have failed.

Longshot, perched in a tree, fires an arrow with a burning tip, igniting the jelly and wrecking the dam. In mere seconds, the village is completely flooded. Sad, hurt, and angry, Katara turns on Jet and resumes insulting him for his actions; still, Jet does not back down, stating that this act was a victory against the Fire Nation, who will forever be absent from the valley, which will be safe. Suddenly, Sokka arrives, riding Appa and accompanied by Momo. Jet is infuriated to learn that Sokka successfully warned the villagers of the impending flood, and the town was evacuated. Although at first the stationed Fire Nation soldiers believed him to be a spy, Sokka's warnings were supported by none other than the elderly man that he and Jet encountered the previous day. With the man's urgings accompanying Sokka's, everyone was safely escorted out of the village to safety. Jet calls Sokka a fool, as he has ruined the people's chance to win freedom from the Fire Nation; Sokka responds by coldly stating that there would be no one left alive to appreciate this freedom. Katara turns her back on Jet, and she, Aang, and Sokka fly off on Appa, leaving the leader of the Freedom Fighters frozen against the tree.

Production notes

 * According to the Nick.com's flash website for Avatar, the episode was originally titled "The Rebels."

Goofs

 * Katara claims to have never tried to bend water that she could not see, even though she did so in previous episodes, such as when she took the water from Aang's lungs in The Warriors of Kyoshi and when she took water from the well in Imprisoned.