When one of their own is captured, the team concocts a risky plan to reach the Earth King. An illness changes Zuko's perspective - and Iroh's.
Aang sees the good in everyone. He trusted Long Feng. He believed he was a friend guiding him through the politics of Ba Sing Se. Ultimately, Long Feng was the greatest threat to Aang's mission. He was more concerned with protecting his own power than doing the right thing. Even after that's revealed, Aang is more furious with his friends. He believes they failed him. Friendship and support requires them being there for him no matter what. Each of them have embarked on their own journeys in Ba Sing Se. They kept secrets. Aang felt the distance. His friends weren't abandoning him though. They were pursuing their own interests. They were struggling on their own. Their actions didn't reflect on their support of Aang. When the mission fails, he lashes out. Not everything is as innocent as he wants them to be. He's enraged upon losing Appa. He can't find his friend. No flying is allowed in the city. That means the season hasn't seen a lot of Appa in action. It's been more focused on Aang talking about their connection. Once that friendship was gone, Aang was even more volatile. He had to be willing to destroy everything in order to find what was missing. It's poetic in a sense. Bumi's words finally make sense. That doesn't mend what's been broken amongst Team Avatar. They all feel betrayed. Meanwhile, Long Feng remains in power.
Azula actually sees Long Feng and the dynamics in Ba Sing Se simply. She knows how to play to Long Feng's ego. She exploits the power he wields to get exactly what she wants: Aang and Zuko. She won't hesitate to kill when the time comes. That's the lesson she has learned. To be strong, she must act swiftly. She can't allow her brother to rise above her. His experiences have shaped him in a different way. Zuko has made his choice. He has decided to be good. He accepts Iroh's generosity. He allows himself to be happy in the city. He also heads out at night hoping to make a difference as the Blue Spirit. He aims to do some good. He atones for past mistakes. Iroh understands that plight all too well. He too must ask for forgiveness. Multiple atrocities were carried out in his name. The Fire Nation defectors know the man he was. People were burned alive under his command. Jeong Jeong abandoned his post and Lu Ten died as a result. Even knowing that information, Iroh asked to be seen with the possibility for redemption. The White Lotus offers that. He notices the symbol of the old ways. These individuals have their own mission in the city. He joins them as his true self. He's not hiding who he is or what he did. Forgiveness is offered. It's powerful. Iroh has purpose beyond protecting his nephew.
Sokka created a plan to finally get Aang in front of the Earth King. It actually works too. Aang can finally share all that he has discovered about the Fire Nation. He has a plan to disrupt the attack that's coming. King Kuei must trust that this warning is genuine. Instead, he places his belief in Long Feng. Even General Sung turns against the team. She must protect her family from the threat Long Feng poses. He wields all of this information expertly. He exposes the secrets and crimes Team Avatar have committed during their time in the city. He undercuts their credibility. He does so to keep the Earth King on his side. He also undermines the team's faith in each other. It's an explosive event. One that threatens to tear apart the team for good. This is the loss Aang must suffer in order to prevail in his mission. As such, it's more obvious why the narrative behaved certain ways. It needed to result in this conclusion where each member of the team went their separate ways. They had to be distraught enough to walk away. That means some moments are more forced than others. Sokka didn't think about the Beifongs potentially building the Fire Nation ships that attacked the South and killed their mother. That's all Katara can imagine. Toph thought her friends saw her. Instead, she returns to her mother as the sole source of comfort. Aang has reason to act now that he finds Appa beneath the city. The sky bison isn't the only one who needs rescuing. The Dai Li arrest Katara and Zuko for their vigilante activities while Sokka is subdued by Mai who has been released to present as a Kyoshi Warrior again.
