Episode Rankings: Avatar The Last Airbender

It's always great when a show lives up to the hype, and Avatar: The Last Airbender lived up to the hype. This is the greatest animated show of all time, I hold it up with Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings as a shining example of how to pull off a Hero's Journey. The world-building is so well-executed, the pacing is so finely tuned, and the characters are so fleshed out and lovable. It lasts just as long as it needs to and almost every episode in its three seasons is at the very least great. Here's my ranking:

1. Into The Inferno (S3.20) - Really amazing episode across the board but looking back it's kinda funny how the already great Aang vs Ozai fight got overshadowed by Zuko vs Azula.
2. The Ember Island Players (S3.17) - No recap episode could possible top this one. The game's over and Avatar won, this episode is hysterical!
3. Crossroads Of Destiny (S2.20) - The Empire Strikes Back of the series, both in that the heroes face a crippling loss, and in that it's amazing
4. The Avatar And The Fire Lord (S3.06)
5. Avatar Aang (S3.21)
6. The Storm (S1.12)
7. Lake Laogai (S2.17)
8. The Siege Of The North: Part 2 (S1.20)
9. The Eclipse (S3.11)
10. Zuko Alone (S2.07)
11. The Phoenix King (S3.18) - If only Toph got her life-changing adventure with Zuko...
12. The Chase (S2.08)
13. The Boiling Rock: Part 2 (S3.15)
14. The Earth King (S2.18)
15. Avatar Roku (S1.08)
16. The Puppetmaster (S3.08) - I adore how dark this episode is, it's probably my favorite Katara episode of the bunch.
17. City Of Walls And Secrets (S2.14)
18. The Siege Of The North: Part 1 (S1.19)
19. The Invasion (S3.10)
20. The Old Masters (S3.19)
21. The Blue Spirit (S1.13)
22. Tales Of Ba Sing Se (S2.14) - I don't love every short here, but Iroh's story is hands-down one of the best and most emotional moments in the series
23. The Western Air Temple (S3.12) - I think a lot of kids developed a crush on Zuko after this one, post-redemption Zuko is just the greatest.
24. The Blind Bandit (S2.06)
25. Sokka's Master (S3.04) - Honestly one of the best fights in the series.
26. The Guru (S2.19)
27. The Beach (S3.05) - The Breakfast Club: Fire Nation edition is such a bizarre concept but it does wonders in fleshing out Zuko, Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai. 
28. The Drill (S2.13)
29. The Avatar State (S2.01)
30. The Waterbending Master (S1.18)
31. The Firebending Masters (S3.13) - Pretty alright episode until that godly dragon dance.
32. The Southern Air Temple (S1.03)
33. The Awakening (S3.01)
34. The Southern Raiders (S3.16)
35. The Library (S2.10)
36. The Deserter (S1.16)
37. Return To Omashu (S2.03)
38. Imprisoned (S1.06)
39. The Serpent's Pass (S2.12)
40. The Fortuneteller (S1.14)
41. The Desert (S2.11)
42. The Avatar Returns (S1.02)
43. The Waterbending Scroll (S1.09)
44. The Boiling Rock: Part 1 (S3.14)
45. The Runaway (S3.07)
46. Bitter Work (S2.09)
47. The Northern Air Temple (S1.17)
48. The Warriors Of Kyoshi (S1.04)
49. The Headband (S3.02)
50. The Cave Of Two Lovers (S2.02)
51. Jet (S1.10)
52. The Boy In The Iceberg (S1.01)
53. Appa's Lost Days (S2.16)
54. The Spirit World (S1.07)
55. The King Of Omashu (S1.05)
56. The Swamp (S2.04)
57. Bato Of The Water Tribe (S1.15)
58. Nightmares And Daydreams (S3.09)
59. Avatar Day (S2.05)
60. The Painted Lady (S3.03)
61. The Great Divide (S1.11) - Yeah, this shouldn't come as a surprise. The one bad episode of the show.