History WhatAnIdiot / AvatarTheLastAirBender

** Azula taunts Sokka with the revelation that she's got Suki prisoner.\\

'''You'd Expect:''' Sokka would ignore her. After all, he was the one who said Azula wouldn't tell them anything.\\
'''Instead:''' He rises to Azula's bait and yells, "Where is Suki?!"\\

'''The Result''': [[NiceJobBreakingItHeroThanks to him]], Team Avatar runs out of time when Azula (and, by extension, the Fire Nation) regains her firebending. Now they have no chance of fighting the Fire Lord.

* "The King of Omashu": Aang, Sokka, and Katara sneak into the city of Omashu because Aang wants to ride on the mail-carts like he used who with his friend Bumi. They soon are riding along at breakneck speed\\
'''You'd Expect''': Aang would use his airbending to control the cart better, as Katara suggests.\\
'''Instead''': Aang uses his airbending to make the cart go faster. Rather than control the cart, he lets it spin wildly off the tracks and cause intense property damage.\\

'''The Result''': Kyoshi successfully separates the peninsula from the mainland, and sends his army running. Oh, and Chin ''dies'' by refusing to budge from the cliff that has formed under him.

** Azula taunts Sokka with the revelation that she's got Suki prisoner. Toph pins her to a wall while Sokka rages out and demands to know where Suki is. Aang says, correctly, that she won't talk.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' Sokka would stab Azula in the heart with his sword, considering that interrogating her is pointless and she's going to regain her powers any second.\\
'''Alternatively:''' If Sokka's own morality along with the show's age rating prevents him from going that far, at least take the chance to properly subdue her like cuffs around the hand and feet with some nearby earth or metal so that they don't have to worry about her later.\\
'''Instead:''' He just repeats, "Where is Suki?!" Yeah, because it was so effective the first time.\\
'''The Result''': She breaks free seconds later, and they still don't know where Suki is. She continues to menace them right up to the finale, including almost killing Sokka's sister.

** The entire Dai Li conspiracy plot. The Gaang comes into Ba Sing Se with intelligence that could turn the tide of the war, but learn that the city is actually controlled by[[EvilChancellor Grand Secretariat Long Feng]], with the Earth King being a figurehead and Long Feng's puppet.\\

** The entire Dai Li conspiracy plot. Nothing Long Feng does serves his interests. The Gaang comes into Ba Sing Se with intelligence that could turn the tide of the war.\\
'''You'd Expect''': Long Feng to say the King is a figurehead and direct them to talk to the general on the outer wall. Ba Sing Se just had its outer wall breached ''the day before''. Even if he keeps up TheMasquerade, it will be pointless when the Fire Nation literally burns the truth into the city's citizens.\\
'''Instead''': He refuses to help Team Avatar at all and actively conspires against him even though the Fire Nation winning the war would not help the Dai Li or himself.
** Long Feng obtains Appa.\\
'''You'd Expect''': Long Feng to give them Appa and tell them to get out.\\
'''Instead''': He keeps Appa hostage, indirectly trapping the Gaang in the city. What's more, he obstructs their investigation as they go to various pet shops and merchants by having Joo-Dee intimidate the owners.\\
'''The Result''': They now HAVE to bring down Long Feng and do so. It is no wonder Azula says he was never a player.

'''Instead:''' The guards attack Aang and Katara, and keep doing so even when Aang insists that he only wants to talk. Then when Zuko shows up, he immediately tries to restrain Katara rather than asking for an explanation. This causes Aang to go into an out of control of the Avatar State, and the only thing stopping him from ending Zuko is Katara talking him out of it. And after all the above, Zuko has the gall to tell Aang that they both need to calm down and talk, even though, as Aang rightly pointed out, that was what he had wanted to do in the first place.

'''The Result''': Hama shows them the foolishness of their decision by bloodbending them, and forcing the boys to attack each other and Katara. Aang doesn't know how to resist the bloodbending the way Katara can, and apologizes for nearly whacking her. Katara has to bloodbend Hama and master the technique, to save her brother and the Avatar, which was the end goal that Hama wanted. Cue BittersweetEnding as Katara cries about being a bloodbender master, while Hama returns to prison.

* "The Puppetmaster": Many years ago, a Waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe by the name of Hama was captured by the Fire Nation. She eventually escaped by developing [[PeoplePuppets Bloodbending]] and using it to incapacitate her guards. [[BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil As a result of the torment she suffered at their hands]], Hama hates the Fire Nation and everyone in it. Meanwhile, she hopes to pass on Bloodbending to the next generation of Waterbenders.\\

'''Instead:''' The guards attack Aang and Katara, and keep doing so even when Aang insists that he only wants to talk. Then when Zuko shows up, he immediately tries to restrain Katara rather than asking for an explanation. This causes Aang to go into and out of control of the Avatar State, and the only thing stopping him from turning Zuko into a smear on the street is Katara talking him out of it. And after all the above, Zuko has the gall to tell Aang that they both need to calm down and talk, even though, as Aang rightly pointed out, that was what he had wanted to do in the first place.

** Spirits known as the Kemurikage are going around kidnapping children in the Fire Nation. Ukano, who is the leader of the reactionary New Ozai Society seeking to overthrow Zuko, urges him to declare a curfew and set up a task force to fight the spirits, in order to make Zuko look like a tyrant. Aang meanwhile tells Zuko that such things won't work, and that they should investigate things more closely before they take any action.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' Both Aang and Ukano have good ideas -- albeit unintentionally on Ukano's part. Zuko can have a task force set up or perhaps assign more guards to watch out for the Kemurikage while he investigates the kidnappings and tries to find a better solution. Even if a task force or additional guards are unlikely to be of use, the move will at least reassure the people that Zuko's watching out for them. And who knows, the task force or guards might get lucky and stop one of the spirits.\\
'''Instead:''' Zuko only takes Aang's advice, and as far as we can tell, leaves his people completely unprotected from the Kemurikage. As a result, Ukano is subsequently able to undermine Zuko by producing his own task force, the Safe Nation Society, and having them "fight off" the Kemurikage.

* "The Runaway": 
** PlayedForLaughs. Toph and Katara end up having a FeudEpisode because Katara found out that Toph is running scams, enough for her to earn a wanted poster in the Fire Nation. She expresses AngerBornOfWorry that if Toph keeps this up, the Fire Nation will bust them, especially with "Sparky Sparky Boom Man" as Sokka labels the assassin coming after the Gaang. Toph gets mad at Katara for going through her things, and for trying to be a mother to her, saying she already has one who's a pain in the neck. The boys, Aang and Sokka, are caught in the middle.\\
'''You'd Expect''': They would give both Toph and Katara some time to cool off or do a training session to let off steam, and acknowledge BothSidesHaveAPoint. Katara ends up being correct that a scam would eventually backfire on Toph-- ironically when Katara is trying to help her pull off a scam to show that she can be cool. Toph is also correct that Katara can be motherly to a fault, even when her friends don't want or need a parent. When Sokka talks with Toph later, and unknown to them Katara is listening, Toph actually cries and admits that Katara is a better mother figure than her own mother, because she knows that Katara respects Toph's autonomy while providing guidance. This allows the girls to make up since Katara feels bad that Toph's home life was less than optimal.\\
'''Instead''': The boys try faking an apology letter to Katara, using Sokka's new pet hawk to deliver the message. Hawky flies the short distance.\\
'''Predictably''': Katara stands up and yells at them; in case they forgot, Toph is ''blind'' so she can't write. She walks off in a huff and to cool down.\\
'''To Make Matters worse''': Aang then blithely suggests maybe faking an apology letter to Toph. As Sokka lampshades, "We're going to run into a similar problem." Only then does Sokka realize that maybe talking to the girls and getting them to emotionally connect would be a better idea. 

* "The Chase": As Toph has joined the team, she's brought one great asset: the ability to tell if an enemy is coming using vibrations in the sand. The problem is that this unknown enemy is the equivalent of a SuperPersistentPredator, hunting them down at night while they're trying to tuck in and rest. As a result, the Gaang starts to get tired as Toph interrupts their sleep to warn them they need to move, multiple times. It gets to the point where Katara snaps at Toph after begging her for help with setting up camp, with Aang failing to mediate. They also realize they're in no shape to face the said foe, revealed to be Azula in a tank with Mai and Ty Lee. While Toph attempts to go CombatPragmatist, she finds out that the lizards can navigate earth hazards and Azula can blast apart rock with lightning. Toph eventually figures out that it's Appa's hair that must be allowing Azula and her friends to hunt down the Gaang. Azula apparently gets to sleep in the tank and doesn't get exhausted. Nor do Ty Lee and Mai. She's also after Aang specifically, not his friends, and he realizes he can invoke LetsSplitUpGang to encourage Azula to chase him instead. \\
'''You'd Expect''': There are several options at this point. Toph needs to mention that Appa's shedding hair is the problem, as the Gaang could simply wash it off and leave a dead-end trail or send the princess on a WildGooseChase. That should at least buy them some time. With that said, in the meantime, the Gaang could set up shifts. Aang and Toph could get some sleep while Katara and Sokka defend the camp, or vice-versa if Sokka wants shut-eye and Toph doesn't want to be babied. They're tired but not super-exhausted yet so they can at least mount a counterattack, or the benders can use the elements they know to trip up the tank.\\
'''Alternatively''': .The other Gaang members could sleep on Appa until Aang finds them a landing spot. Toph commented that his fur is very furry and thick. Or fly back to the base with the general that wanted to induce the Avatar State, at least make an attempt since dealing with trigger-happy Fire Nation patrols is safer than dealing with Azula; Fire Nation soldiers are more likely to miss. At the least the guards would buy them time to sleep for a few hours if the Gaang made it or if they sought refuge with the Omashu resistance.\\
'''Alternatively Alternatively''': The lizards that the GirlPosse are riding are tough but they don't have impenetrable armor. Toph could impale them with bits of rock and leave them to dangle. Azula can only deflect so much. With how powerful Toph is as well, she could attempt to sabotage the tank.\\
'''Instead''': The Gaang decides that the only good decision is to keep flying and running away. Katara has the excuse that Ty Lee scared her by removing her bending, but Aang knows that he can evade Azula in combat if not defeat her.\\
'''The Result''': ExhaustionInducedIdiocy occurs, where everyone starts fighting with each other and Appa falls asleep mid-air. Toph nearly quits the Gaang when she says that it's Appa's fault they're being hunted, with Aang shouting at her because Appa just carried her away several times over; it takes Iroh convincing Toph to return that she does, helping Aang and Zuko fight off Azula. 

'''The Result''':  SleepExhaustionInducedIdiocy occurs, where everyone starts fighting with each other and Appa falls asleep mid-air. Toph nearly quits the Gaang when she says that it's Appa's fault they're being hunted, with Aang shouting at her because Appa just carried her away several times over; it takes Iroh convincing Toph to return that she does, helping Aang and Zuko fight off Azula. 

'''The Result''':  SleepExhaustionInducedIdiocy occurs, where everyone starts fighting with each other and Appa falls asleep mid-air. Toph nearly quits the Gaang when she says that it's Appa's fault they're being hunted, with Aang shouting at her because Appa just carried her away several times over; it takes Iroh convincing Toph to return that she does, helping Aang and Zuko fight off Azula. 

'''Instead:''' He has his men attack Aang in the climax, and when Aang finally does go into the Avatar State, it turns into a CurbStompBattle but Aang realizes he has no control in that state and that he would not currently be an effective force against the Fire Nation.

* "The Blind Bandit": Lao Beifong, a wealthy Earth Kingdom merchant, discovers that Toph, the blind 12-year old daughter he kept hidden within his estate has been sneaking out to participate in quasi-legal underground pitfights. He then sees firsthand that she is a powerful and accomplished Earthbender when she [[CuteBruiser beats half a dozen experienced adult earthbenders into submission]].\\

'''The Result''' They now HAVE to bring down Long Feng and do so. It is no wonder Azula says he was never a player.

* "Sozin's Comet - Part 1". Aang has decided that he has not had enough time to train properly to take down the Fire Lord and decides it would be better to wait until after Sozin's comet passes before he fights him. Zuko reveals that his father will use the enhanced firebending power granted by the comet to raze the Earth Kingdom and defeat the last great threat to his power. That's why he switched sides to help Team Avatar because he feels guilty about not speaking against it.\\

PlayedForLaughs. After the war is won and the former Fire Nation prisoners are freed, Suki reunites with the Kyoshi Warriors and finally gets her trademark outfit and freedom back. She finds out that former enemy Ty Lee was in jail with them and bonded with them, pulling a HeelFaceTurn. Since Suki is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure and feels she settled her score with Ty Lee during the Boiling Rock jailbreak, she agrees to take in Ty Lee as a Kyoshi Warrior. There are just two conditions: Ty Lee has to be on her best behavior, and she has to teach him chi blocking since nonbenders otherwise are outmatched against benders. Ty Lee figures that's a fair bargain.\\

'''Predictably''': Sokka has a  FreakOut and pulls a defensive stance when he sees Ty Lee in Kyoshi Warrior garb again, telling Suki to watch out! Suki getting captured and impersonated had traumatized him, after all, and Ty Lee was behaving with a VillainousCrush during the time she was hunting him down on Azula's orders. He then does a JawDrop when Suki explains the circumstances but accepts them readily. For what it's worth, Ty Lee keeps her end of the deal, proving that her HeelFaceTurn is for real and she's much happier to be a Kyoshi Warrior than as Azula's lackey. 

'''Predictably''': Sokka has a  FreakOut and pulls a defensive stance when he sees Ty Lee in Kyoshi Warrior garb again, telling Suki to watch out! Suki getting captured and impersonated had traumatized him, after all, and Ty Lee was behaving with a VillainousCrush during the time she was hunting him down on Azula's orders. He then does a JawDrop when Suki explains the circumstances but accepts them readily. For what it's worth, Ty Lee keeps her end of the deal, proving that her HeelFaceTurn is for real and she's much happier to be a Kyoshi Warrior than as Azula's lackey. 

'''The Result''': Toph uses her LivingLieDetector abilities to figure out that Liling was lying about sending support when on a house visit to her and logically deduces that she was involved. When Yaling invites Toph to a probender rally, Toph alerts the others who arrive incognito before attending and appearing supportive. They bust Liling and arrest her. Aang lampshades that this isn't his first rodeo in stopping a conspiracy, and tells Liling WhatWereYouThinking. While they still have to fight her bender supremacist gangs and rearrest her when she busts out, Ru gains a HeelRealization on learning that her mother doesn't think her life is worth more than that of Yaling's for the crime of being a nonbender, and tells Team Avatar where to find Liling and her crew. It's only because he realizes that it wouldn't solve anything that Aang refuses to administer the debending on Liling that he did on Ozai, saying the real victory is proving that she's wrong. 

'''Bonus Idiocy:''' Zuko's rationale for doing the above is that Aang's more moderate approach didn't work -- except that the main purpose of said approach was to gather information and nothing more, something ''it quite clearly did''. Which Zuko then proceeded to practically ignore. Fittingly, one of the last scenes in the comic is Zuko apologizing to his people for all his recent screwups.

'''Fortunately''': It turns out the king is Bumi one hundred years older, who recognized Aang from the mine cart trick. Rather than imprison or punish the Avatar, he subjects Aang to three challenging but harmless trials and covers Katara and Sokka in rock candy. Bumi does warn Aang that future opponents won't be as merciful and he needs to learn to think outside the box to defeat them.

'''You'd Expect''': The ringleader would keep his mouth shut because Toph is blind and thus didn't see him or his men commit the kidnapping. There is no guarantee he will be recognized. Plus, his dad so far doesn't know that he violated SacredHospitality and stranded a group of innocent people in the desert.\\

'''Alternatively:''' If Sokka's own morality along with the show's age rating prevents him from going that far, at least take the chance to properly subdue her like cuffs around the hand and feet with some nearby earth or metal.\\

'''You'd Expect''': Aang would remember that messing with spirits for their knowledge can lead to unpleasant results and would warn Sokka about this.\\

'''Instead''': He keeps Appa hostage, indirectly trapping the Gaang in the city.\\

[[caption-width-right:342:A typical reaction from a fan who notices such [[WhatAnIdiot idiocy]].]]

* "The Avatar State": A war-weary Earth Kingdom General tries to force Aang into the Avatar State to end the war with the Fire Nation early. After a FailureMontage, which includes [[HilarityEnsues giving Aang caffeinated tea and pouring mud on him]], Aang admits that he thinks the state can only be activated when he is in danger.\\

* "City of Walls and Secrets": Upon realizing Iroh is a firebender, Jet tries to get proof and expose him. Unfortunately, he finds that since Zuko chided him, Iroh is more cautious and does not firebend even in private.\\

* The entire Dai Li conspiracy plot. Nothing Long Feng does serves his interests. The Gaang comes into Ba Sing Se with intelligence that could turn the tide of the war.
'''You'd Expect''': Long Feng to say the King is a figurehead and direct them to talk to the general on the outer wall.
'''Instead''': He refuses to help Team Avatar at all and actively conspires against him even though the Fire Nation winning the war would not help the Dai Li.
** Then he obtains Appa.
'''You'd Expect''': Long Feng to give them Appa and tell them to get out.
'''Instead''': He keeps Appa hostage, The Gaang in the city
'''The Result''' They now HAVE to bring down Long Feng and do so. It is no wonder Azula says he was never a player.

'''The Result''': The invasion fails, Aang was revealed to be alive to the Fire Nation, and most of Team Avatar's allies were imprisoned.

'''The Result''': When the airships are deployed, the entire invasion force is unable to escape in time before the subs are destroyed. In a single day, the Fire Nation effectively has all opposing resistance captured and served to them on a silver platter. In "The Boiling Rock", Sokka even says that they should have cut their losses when they had the chance.

'''Instead''': He keeps Appa hostage, keeping the Gaang in the city and giving them motivation to bring down Long Feng. It is no wonder Azula says he was never a player.