With the world of Avatar having been established in Book 1, Book 2 is a chance for the series to really go buck-wild, introducing some of the best characters, darkest moments, and craziest set pieces in the whole series, and thoroughly demonstrating why Avatar: The Last Airbender is so great.
While Book 1 had a concrete goal of the characters trying to reach the North Pole, Book 2 doesn't quite have that. This season is generally far more character-driven, as the major storylines are based off of character motivations. Zuko spends the whole season struggling with his morals, Aang is struggling to control the Avatar State, Azula is trying to stop Team Avatar by any means necessary, and so on. While this does make Book 2 a bit less focused than the first, I think the focus on character definitely makes up for it. It helps the villains are far more compelling, Zuko is more complex, the general episode quality has drastically boosted, and the season still manages to find a way to end on a satisfying albeit grim note. It's surprising just how dark Book 2 gets compared to the first as well. Between a character getting killed off, stories of childhood abuse, a city that gaslights its own people, and the general downer that was the finale, this season goes to dark places for a kid's show. The Ba Sing Se arc in particular really elevates the show to something truly amazing, as I'll discuss later on in this review.
The character dynamics that I loved about the first season are even better this time around. Not only is the cast a bit more developed, but we even get some of the best characters in the show introduced in this season. As I mentioned before, Azula is an incredibly compelling and formidable villain. While she and her troupe get their best moments in Book 3, her manipulative nature and distinct voice makes her a joy to watch, and she has just enough victories to truly make her a terrifying source of conflict. This season also introduces Toph, who is probably my favorite character of show. While she doesn't have as much depth as the other characters, her sarcastic quips, badass fighting style, and charming dynamic with the rest of Team Avatar is a lot of fun to watch. Even the preexisting characters have improved this time around, particularly Zuko and Iroh. Zuko spends the season split on whether or not to stay with the Fire Nation, a decision that is incredibly compelling and well thought-out. I love how Iroh and Azula act like the "angel/devil" on Zuko's shoulder, pretty much both pulling him in separate directions. It all works as great set-up for Book 3, where Zuko finally starts making decisions on his own.
Book 2 is a nearly flawless season in that pretty much every single episode (except maybe "Avatar Day") is excellent. I really wish I could add more episodes on here:
The Blind Bandit: Toph's debut episode is absolutely hilarious. The wrestling match leads to some really fun and inventive earth-bending fight scenes (along with a perfectly aged "The Rock" parody), and Toph makes a very strong first impression with some really badass moments scattered throughout the episode.
Zuko Alone: Another one of Avatar's excellent flashback episodes focuses on Zuko on his own as he arrives at a small Earth Kingdom village. The flashbacks that show Zuko's childhood and Azula's unrelenting cruelty are painful enough, but it's the ending where Zuko is automatically shunned just for being a fire bender that really hits hard. The episode is almost entirely lacking in humor too, making it stand out all the more.
The Chase: Coming right after Zuko Alone is this deceptively eventful episode. It mostly just seems like your average fight between Team Avatar and Azula, as the former is rendered pretty much unable due to their constant pursuit. However, the tension slowly builds throughout the episode as all of the characters butt heads, and the final act once Zuko and Iroh arrive is pure unadulterated awesomeness. For a split second, you get a glimpse of a Team Avatar with Zuko in it, and it's just plain exciting.
City Of Walls And Secrets: Kickstarting probably my favorite arc of the series, this episode genuinely surprised me with how dark and mature its story is. After pretty much an entire story arc based around the cast traveling to Ba Sing Se, they finally arrive only to realize that the town has been pretty much gaslighted into believing there was never any war. It's a surprisingly eerie place packed with strange secrets. Not to mention, we also get an awesome Zuko vs Jet fight as well.
Tales Of Ba Sing Se: The concept of an episode that splits the whole cast into individual shorts is a unique one, and while not every storyline is great, Tales Of Ba Sing Se boasts a perfect blend of character development (Zuko's date subplot), humor (Sokka's haiku subplot), and absolute gut punches (Iroh).
Lake Laogai: This episode is just plain satisfying. We finally learn what's going on in Ba Sing Se (everyone's being brainwashed), and Appa is finally saved. Iroh's plea to Zuko to do something right for once is surprisingly intense for his character, and Jet's (presumed) death is yet another dark turn for the show.
The Earth King: Yep, another Ba Sing Se episode. It gets off to an action-packed start as Team Avatar storms the palace and shows the Earth King everything that's been going on. The whole episode feels like it could work as a season finale, as it's packed with satisfying resolutions and surprising twists. The final sequence in particular is just an absolute cliffhanger-palooza!
Crossroads Of Destiny: Unlike last season's finale, Crossroads Of Destiny is actually a pretty downer ending as Aang almost dies, Zuko joins Azula's side, Ba Sing Se falls, and Iroh is captured, leaving me thoroughly hooked for next season. The finale does a great job of bringing the whole cast together and having them interact in unique ways, like Aang and Iroh, and Katara and Zuko. Zuko's betrayal also genuinely surprised me, but it still feels purposeful rather than used just for the sake of dragging out his redemption arc.
Overall, I loved Book 2. The increased focus on characters and darker tone made for some of the most compelling animated content I've ever seen, especially during the final Ba Sing Se. Avatar was great from the start, but this is the season where it became truly amazing.
5/5 Stars
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