This article contains spoilers for Avatar: The Last Airbender episode 2, "Warriors". Avatar: The Last Airbender sees the classic Nickelodeon animated series getting the live-action treatment from Netflix.
As before, the new adaptation follows the titular airbender, Aang, and his friends as the youngster sets off to master all four elements — Fire, Water, Earth and Air — so he can bring balance back to the world.
Avatar's second episode follows Aang and his new friends to Kyoshi Island, where he hopes to learn more about his heritage and to try and find a way to bring his powers into check a little bit as he continues his journey to become the Avatar. Kyoshi isn't really used to visitors, though, and the island community isn't quite as welcoming to Team Avatar as they might have hoped... and they certainly don't welcome the Fire Nation members who are hot on the Avatar's heels. Here's a full recap of how Avatar: The Last Airbender episode 2 played out.
On Aang's trail
Episode two opens with Prince Zuko tearing his ship cabin to shreds, furious that he's lost his notebook all about the Avatar's whereabouts and confused that he ran away rather than facing him in battle. Iroh consoles him, arguing that, since they're in a quieter part of the world, there are not many places the Avatar can be hiding.
Aang wants to travel to Kyoshi Island to visit Avatar Kyoshi's shrine. Kyoshi was incredibly powerful and a master of the Avatar State, and he hoped there would be something there that would help him better control his powers a little better. Sokka is initially unwilling to come along for the ride, but Katara convinces him they need to protect Aang. Once Aang's said his last goodbye to his former mentor, Gyatso, they climb about Appa and head off, along with a new companion in the form of a winged lemur.
Zuko and Iroh have landed at a port that contains the HQ of the regional Fire Nation Commander, Zhao, and Iroh plans to get info about the Avatar's whereabouts from him... without giving away the fact they're searching for the Avatar. Later, they meet with him and ask for access to maps and surveillance records under the guise of tracking marine life. After their visit, a firebender informs Zhao that Zuko has both found and lost the Avatar. Zhao reasons that, if Zuko's looking to him for leads, the Avatar could still be in the region, and sends the other man off to check for anything unusual in their records.
Aang and co. arrive on Kyoshi Island in front of the former Avatar's shrine (which is built in Kyoshi's image), but they're quickly ambushed by Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors. Kyoshi is not open to outsiders, and they're accused of trespassing on sacred ground. Katara tells them Aang is the Avatar, but the warriors don't believe them, as there would be a sign if he was; at the moment, beams of light shoot from the eyes of the shrine, centered on the young airbender.
The trio are brought before Mayor Yukari, who explains that the island has stayed out of the conflict by keeping to itself, and they expected the outside world to leave them alone in kind. Aang explains his only aim is to learn about his past selves, but Yukari doesn't want to make any exceptions to their rules.
Eventually, Mayor Yukari's daughter, Suki, convinces her to allow them to stay. Yukari relents, gifting the travellers 48 hours to look through their archives, and offering them food and shelter. There are some hints of attraction between Sokka and Suki as the episode wears on, with the pair sparring and swapping fighting styles and techniques (in all cases, Sokka's outclassed).
Kyoshi's power
Aang struggles to find anything to help him train, but Katara finds some key information in a book detailing Kyoshi's past: the other Avatars are inside Aang, and he just has to find a way to connect to them to discuss his path forward.
Elsewhere, Prince Zuko spots that Zhao's boat has left port, and a market trader informs him the commander has gone in search of reports of a "flying cow" (Appa) off Kyoshi Island. Worried Zhao will find the Avatar first, Zuko rushes to the same location. He wants to capture Aang so he can head home, and doesn't want Commander Zhao to take that chance away from him,
Sokka seeks Suki out, and they continue to train together. Meanwhile, Katara travels with Aang back to the shrine. Aang calls out to Kyoshi for help, and enters a sort of dream state, where he can communicate with the former Avatar. Kyoshi explains that the Avatar State is the concentration of power from his past selves, and how it can be a powerful weapon if controlled.
In the village, Sokka and Suki discuss being warriors who can't bend the elements, and they have a moment where they almost kiss... but a town alarm interrupts them. Zhao's landed on Kyoshi, and the Fire Nation are on their way. Off the coast, Zuko frets that there's no more he'll be able to reach the island before Zhao, but Iroh guesses the Avatar is likely at Kyoshi's shrine, rather than in the village, and they head that way instead.
Mayor Yukari and the Kyoshi warriors confront Zhao and his men. He tries to intimidate them into giving up the outsider, but they refuse, and a huge battle breaks out. The islanders (and Sokka) put up a great fight, but start to grow overwhelmed, and Yukari asks after Aang's whereabouts.
At the shrine, Katara tries and fails to rouse Aang from his conversation with the old Avatar. She and Zuko lock eyes, and the Fire Nation Prince rushes up to their location. Katara and Zuko fight, but he's a far more powerful bender. But as he's about to strike Katara down (and Aang sees visions of what will happen if he fails in his quest), Kyoshi offers him a demonstration of her power and takes over his body.
Next thing we know, Avatar Kyoshi crashes down next to Katara and rescues her from Zuko. Then, she heads to the village and repels Zhao's men with ease, causing the Commander to order an immediate retreat. Once the threat is removed, Aang returns to his body. Yukari thanks them for giving the island a reason to believe in themselves and in the Avatar, and Suki sees Sokka off with a gift of one of her war fans and a kiss.
Team Avatar then leave the island behind aboard Appa. Sokka asks whether they'll see more of Kyoshi, but Aang explains he learned he can only call upon past Avatars at their respective shrines. They'll next be visiting the Northern Water Tribe; Aang has foreseen something bad will happen there, something only he can stop. Katara also knows that their waterbenders are the best of the best, so they'll be the perfect people to help train the young Avatar to master another element.
Episode two then ends with Zuko asking Commander Zhao not to tell anyone else about the Avatar's reemergence. He agrees, offering to pool his resources with Zuko's. Secretly, though, Zhao but betrays that arrangement almost immediately, sending a report to Fire Lord Ozai confirming that the Avatar has returned.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is now streaming on Netflix.
