Line #68 WhatAnIdiot/AvatarTheLastAirbender


1	%%
2	%%PUBLIC SERVICE REMINDER: This is an AudienceReaction
3	%%your "justifications", "however" or Natter don't matter on somebody's else's AudienceReaction
4	%%LEAVE THEM OFF, PLEASE
5	%%If something's blatantly wrong, just remove it
6	%%
7	%% Image kept on page per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1659661133097063000
8	%% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread.
9	%%
10	[[quoteright:333:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sokka_facepalm.png]]
11	[[caption-width-right:333:A typical reaction from a fan who notices such [[DarthWiki/WhatAnIdiot idiocy]].]]
12
13	Even the cast of [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender a famous Nickelodeon cartoon]] aren't immune to stupidity.
14
15	'''NOTE: You may put examples from both the show and the graphic novels.'''
16	----
17	[[foldercontrol]]
18
19	[[folder:Season One]]
20	* "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 to with his friend Bumi. They soon are riding along at breakneck speed.\
21	'''You'd Expect''': Katara to tell Aang to stop the cart or at least control it better.\
22	'''Instead''': All she says is, "Use your airbending!", giving Aang the idea of making the cart go faster. Rather than control the cart, he lets it spin wildly off the tracks and cause intense property damage.\
23	'''The Result''': The trio are brought before the Omashu King, on charges of entering the city with false identities and destruction of cabbages.\
24	'''Fortunately''': It turns out the king is Bumi one hundred years older, who recognized Aang from the mine cart trick (and the fact that Aang ''literally'' looks like he did 100 years ago). 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.
25	* "The Great Divide": In a hilarious moment that fans have long since erased from show memory, Aang tasks himself to escort two feuding tribes through a giant canyon, the Gan Jin and the Zhang. Their guide instructs everyone to not bring food, and the trip will only be for a day. They can go without meals for a short while. The Canyon Guide explains that food will attract Canyon Crawlers, deadly predators. This is a matter of life and death before going hungry.\
26	'''You'd Expect''': The Gan Jin and the Zhang tribes would separately have a feast ahead of time and prepare to abide by the rules.\
27	'''You'd Also Expect''': Sokka and Katara would confiscate any food that they see, for this reason.\
28	'''Instead''': Both tribes sneak in food, reasoning they shouldn't starve and the other party would bring in their meals. When Sokka sees that his tribe broke the rules, they bribe him with a meal to buy his silence. Aang, as usual, is the only one honorable enough and sensible enough to listen to the guide.\
29	'''Predictably''': Crawlers attack both tribes, and the Canyon Guide gets injured in the skirmish. When Aang has to save them, on an empty stomach, he snaps at the tribe leaders for breaking the rules and then refusing to take responsibility for their actions by blaming the other group. The only reason he doesn't go Avatar State on them is that he finds their generations-long grudge so stupid that a plausible lie -- he claims to have known the ancestors and they were playing a friendly sporting match, not having artifacts stolen-- undoes about a hundred years of hatred. To top it all off, the Canyon Guide quits and also calls out the groups once everyone is safe and on their way to Ba Sing Se.
30	* "The Storm": After so much arguing, Iroh lets Zuko attend a war meeting presided by Ozai. In the meeting, a Fire Nation general suggests a plan to use the freshly minted recruits as a distraction to attack an Earth Kingdom battalion in a surprise attack from the rear, which Ozai seems to consider.\
31	'''You'd Expect:''' Zuko to keep quiet. At this point, Ozai has already been mistreating Zuko for a long while, and tried to have him killed on Azulon's orders.\
32	'''You'd Also Expect''': Zuko to realize Ozai will not accept anything from him, even if it's a much more sensible option, due to Ozai's hatred for the boy.\
33	'''Instead:''' Zuko loudly objects the general's advice. Despite him having good motives, due to Ozai's approval of the plan, he could be seen as directly going against his father.\
34	'''As a Result:''' Ozai (now seeing a golden opportunity to get rid of his weak son) challenges him to an Agni Kai. Zuko refuses to fight his own father, and Ozai burns his face as punishment and banishes him from the Fire Nation [[SnipeHunt until he captures the Avatar]].\
35	'''Fortunately:''' This all goes swimmingly, until Zuko helps Azula temporarily kill the Avatar and is welcomed back to the Fire Nation. Despite everything, Zuko is unable to forgive Ozai for scarring him and eventually turns against him once Ozai makes his genocidal plans clear, which wouldn't have happened if Zuko didn't use his banishment to become a better person and learn more about the plight of the opposing Nations.
36
37	* "Siege of the North":
38	** Aang has only a few months to master all four bending disciplines before Sozin's Comet arrives and the firebenders get a massive power boost, at which time they will kill many, many people.\
39	'''You'd Expect:''' Aang to focus on learning waterbending from Pakku as fast as possible, which is pretty fast in his case.\
40	'''Instead:''' When he meets Pakku, he says he'll starts after he's had a couple days to relax. Pakku smacks him down for this, and he does show up for his lessons, but spends them goofing off, to the point that Katara surpasses him by a mile. He is literally ''playing'', rolling around in the snow in circles while laughing like a hyena, when soot starts falling from the sky.\
41	'''The Result:''' Aang is entirely dependent on his airbending in the ensuing fight, making him much less effective.
42	** Hahn is a GloryHound who, despite his arrogance, manages to get close enough to kill Zhao and end the siege.\
43	'''You'd Expect:''' Hahn to sneak up behind Zhao and kill him by surprise. He'll get the glory for killing Zhao, be regarded as a worthy successor to Chief Arnook, and maybe even get Yue to reconsider her feelings toward him.\
44	'''Instead:''' He loudly shouts his intent to kill Zhao, charges at him, and [[CurbStompBattle Zhao effortlessly throws him overboard]].\
45	'''As A Result:''' Zhao is able to proceed with his siege and kill the moon spirit, and Yue sacrifices her life to restore the moon spirit. So even if Hahn survived being thrown overboard, his union with Yue is unequivocally over.
46	** Zhao is invading the Northern Water Tribe in order to capture the Avatar. From his studies, Zhao is also aware that the Ocean and Moon spirits (which power waterbending) are in the heart of the Tribe's city. Killing the Moon Spirit would destroy waterbending, however it would also cause serious trouble for the whole world, as both Aang and Iroh warn Zhao with Iroh even threatening him to stop.\
47	'''You'd Expect:''' Zhao to realize that ''killing the moon'' would hurt the Fire Nation as much as the rest of the world and that he'd think of some alternative that isn't nearly as catastrophic, such as taking the moon spirit hostage to ensure the cooperation and/or surrender of the Northern Water Tribe.\
48	'''Instead:''' Zhao kills the moon and it becomes clear that to him, the destruction of waterbending was a bonus. He just wanted to be able to brag that he killed the moon.\
49	'''Result:''' Aang fuses with the now ''extremely pissed off'' Ocean spirit, transforming them into a gigantic humanoid koi monster. [[ProductionNickname Koizilla]] proceeds to lay waste to the entire Fire Nation force, preventing Zhao's conquest of the Northern Water Tribe, and Zhao himself is later dragged underwater by the Ocean spirit. [[spoiler: He has a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', where it's revealed that he's ended up in the Fog of Lost Souls as punishment for his actions.]]
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder:Season Two]]
53
54	* "The Avatar State":
55	** 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.\
56	'''You'd Expect:''' The General would KnowWhenToFoldEm and not try to intentionally piss off the Avatar or just realize that you ''cannot'' control a supernatural force if it needs a violent trigger.\
57	'''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. To make matters worse, when Aang finally comes down from it, the General wants him to do it again, having learned nothing.
58	** Azula is assigned to bring Zuko and Iroh back to the Fire Nation as prisoners. To ensure the pair cooperate with her, Azula lies to them about the Fire Lord seeing the value of family and wanting Zuko back. Given her perfectionism, it is implied that Azula had kept her troops in the loop for the plan to work.\
59	'''You'd Expect:''' As one of her many troops, keep up the lie or shut up until they have the traitors secure. Messing up the plan will piss off Azula.\
60	'''Instead:''' One of Azula's officers refers to Zuko and Iroh as "the prisoners" ''on the way up the ship'', leading to the pair of them [[OhCrap realizing it's a trap]] and inflicting a CurbStompBattle on the crew before making their escape.
61	* "The Cave of Two Lovers": Iroh comes across a plant that is either "the rare white dragon bush, whose leaves make a tea so delicious it's heartbreaking!", or else "the white jade, which is poisonous."\
62	'''You'd Expect:''' He'd demonstrate the good sense possessed by even the most scatterbrained Cub Scout and not touch the thing with a ten-foot-pole until he's 100% certain it's the right one. This can be ascertained by testing it on the skin and then the tongue, so it's not all or nothing.\
63	'''Instead:''' He drinks it and almost dies. You know it's bad when ''Zuko'' lampshades that this was a stupid decision, smacks berries that could be deadly poison, and says they don't have a choice but to get help from a nearby village.
64	* "Return To Omashu": Mai's family mistakenly thinks that the Resistance captured her little brother Tom-Tom. What actually happened was that Momo was indiscreet when stealing fruit from the governor's mansion, and Tom-Tom clung to him thinking that he was a toy. Still, the rebels don't want the baby in their camp, because he is a liability.\
65	'''You'd Expect''': Her mother and father would send a message to negotiate a truce, maybe with Mai in tow, to figure out what the rebels want. Never show your full hand with hostile enemies.\
66	'''Instead''': They immediately send a message saying they'll exchange King Bumi for Tom-Tom -- just don't hurt their baby.\
67	'''The Result''': By the worst timing, Azula enters the city to recruit Mai for her team. Azula is less than impressed that the governor let all of their new citizens go, leaving them with no labor to rebuild "new Ozai" from the ground up, or that they gave up so much leverage for one child. She forces Mai to lead the hostage exchange and call it off, implicitly threatening Tom-Tom's life. Mai doesn't have a choice given the glare that Azula levels at her, and she allows Sokka to get Tom-Tom out of the line of fire while focusing on incapacitating Katara. Aang reveals he was going to return Tom-Tom anyway at the end of the episode.
68	* "Avatar Day"
69	** When the Gaang show up at Chin Village, they discover that the titular Avatar Day is dedicated to ''denouncing'' the Avatar. This includes setting wooden effigies of Aang, Roku, and Kyoshi ablaze.\
70	'''You'd Expect''': Them to pull a ScrewThisImOuttaHere before any of the villagers discover Aang.\
71	'''Instead''': Katara douses the flames, and then ''Aang reveals himself to the entire village''.
72	** Later, Aang is put on trial for the murder of Chin the Conqueror, whom Avatar Kyoshi supposedly murdered. Kyoshi appears and recounts that Chin was conquering the Earth Kingdom and brought an army to her peninsula. While we don't hear their conversation, it didn't go well for Chin; Kyoshi immediately blew off his clothes and went into the Avatar State.\
73	'''You'd Expect''': Considering that Chin has his entire army, that while Kyoshi is doing her bending that they would attack her with the WorfBarrage before she can finish what she's doing. If someone is trying to fight the Avatar, they should use all they have.\
74	'''Instead''': He stands there, nearly naked, and maintains a defensive earthbending position.\
75	'''The Result''': Kyoshi successfully separates the peninsula from the mainland, and sends his army running. Oh, [[FailedASpotCheck and Chin ''dies'' by refusing to budge from the cliff that has formed under him]].
76	* "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]]. With [[CurbStompBattle ease]].\
77	'''You'd Expect:''' Lao Beifong would reevaluate how he's been treating his daughter and realize she is not as fragile as he feared. This would lead to less restrictions on her travel and give her more personal agency.\
78	'''Instead:''' He announces that [[ParentalObliviousness he has been permitting her too much freedom by letting her wander the gardens of the family compound on her own]], and that [[KnightTemplarParent she will be guarded 24/7 from now on]]. In addition, he orders the Avatar and his companions to leave at once. This ultimately causes Toph to run away completely from him. [[NeverMyFault He then blames the Avatar for kidnapping his daughter]] and hires a team to kidnap her.
79	* "Zuko Alone": In the flashback in which Zuko reminisces about his mother, it is revealed that Iroh retreated from Ba Sing Se after his only son Lu Ten was killed in the fight. To capitalize on this, Ozai asked Azulon to make him the Fire Lord by arguing that Iroh's line ended with him now, and to punish him for giving up on '''the''' golden chance to end the Hundred-Year War.\
80	'''You'd Expect''': Excusing his TheUnfavorite to Ozai, Azulon to realize that despite Ozai's KickTheDog moment, Ozai ''does'' have a point, and thereby admonish him by berating him and instead making him Iroh's heir. With this, the Fire Nation Royal Family won't lose its power over the throne and Iroh could also keep Ozai in line whenever needed.\
81	'''Instead''': Azulon, in a moment of utter fury, promptly orders Ozai to kill Zuko for making light of Iroh's pain. Azulon is committing a major blunder here: Zuko is Ozai's direct heir, and even if Zuko gets killed, [[SpoiledBrat Azula]] will be next in line, which won't be a good thing for the Fire Nation. He is also a HorribleJudgeOfCharacter, Ozai would have happily killed Zuko if Ursa didn't intervene.\
82	'''Result''': Ursa, after learning about Azulon's orders, conspired with Ozai to kill him. Ursa gave him a poison, which Ozai then used to kill his own father and seize the Fire Nation's throne anyways. Ozai then lied to Iroh that Azulon wanted him to succeed after his death. Ozai will then commit atrocities after atrocities culminating in the plan to burn the Earth Kingdom down, permanently staining his legacy.
83	* "The Library":
84	** Sokka, seeking intel about the Fire Nation, finds out from a scholar that there's a great library in the desert, run by spirits. When they get there, the Giant Owl Librarian, Wan Shi Tong, is incredibly suspicious of the Gaang and all humans, due to his belief that humans only seek knowledge to use for war with other humans, which was supported by the fact that the last human visitor burnt down a section of his library and used his knowledge for destruction and violence.\
85	'''You'd Expect''': Aang would remember that messing with spirits for their knowledge can lead to unpleasant results and would warn Sokka about this. After all, Sokka got kidnapped last season by a spirit mistook him for a human that burned down a forest.\
86	'''Instead''': Aang vouches for Sokka and doesn't warn him about the danger of messing with spirits. He also doesn't rebuke Sokka for slipping various scrolls into his sack. So when Wan Shi Tong catches them, Aang can only offer a weak apology that they're trying to do the right thing. But Wan Shi Tong points out that ''all'' humans believe that they are doing the right thing, and he's not going to let them abuse his knowledge anymore and decides to sink his library into the desert with the Gaang still inside.
87	** Sokka knows that the owl doesn't want his knowledge to be used for war.\
88	'''You'd Expect''': He would exercise some discretion in searching for the knowledge that a powerful spirit possesses.\
89	'''Instead''': When the Gaang realizes that firebenders lose their powers doing a solar eclipse, Sokka excitedly says that they'll invade the Fire Nation during one and jubilantly declares, "The Fire Lord is going down!" right as [[RightBehindMe Wan Shi Tong shows up]].\
90	'''The Result''': When Wan Shi Tong sinks the library, Toph is forced to hold it up so the Gaang can get out, and is unable to stop the sandbenders from abducting Appa.
91	* "The Desert": A group of sandbenders have kidnapped Appa, forcing Toph to watch since she was keeping the Library afloat long enough for the Gaang to escape. They later encounter the Gaang when they have made it out of the desert using one of the sandbender sails. It turns out the ringleader's father is the chief who believes in SacredHospitality and says they're welcome for food, water, and shelter.\
92	'''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. Even if he doesn't know about her blindness, there is no guarantee he will be recognized due to obscuring his face. Plus, his dad so far doesn't know that he violated SacredHospitality and stranded a group of innocent people in the desert.\
93	'''Instead''': He loudly accuses them of having stolen the sails before his dad can establish himself as the leader.\
94	'''Predictably''': The chief gives him a WhatTheHellHero, as Toph recognizes his voice and tells Aang that he was the one who kidnapped Appa. Aang, after the long few days they had in the desert trying to get water and futilely flying after Appa, ''[[RageBreakingPoint finally snaps]]''. He goes into the Avatar State and starts destroying the sails, demanding to know what they did to the sky bison. The ringleader son is forced to confess as his father gives him a DeathGlare and goes, "[[WhatWereYouThinking What have you done]]?!" It's only because of Katara that Aang doesn't ruin his pacifism and bury everyone alive in sand. Also, the sandbenders have no way of retrieving Appa, so you know that the chief is going to give his son a heavy punishment for his stupidity and KickTheDog moment.
95	* "The Drill": Iroh and Zuko have just made it into the heavily-defended Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se alongside a boatload of Earth Kingdom refugees, who do not look kindly upon the Fire Nation. He has just gotten a cup of tea that's not hot at all.\
96	'''You'd Expect:''' Iroh would just put the tea aside and wait to get something better or hold on to it until they're in private before Firebending to warm it up.\
97	'''Instead:''' He makes a loud fuss about the tea being cold, and THEN uses Firebending to heat the tea up, putting himself and Zuko in danger of being discovered as Fire Nation spies. Even so, he ''does'' get noticed by Jet, which causes complications in later episodes.
98	* "City of Walls and Secrets":
99	** 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.\
100	'''You'd Expect''': Jet to let it go, as his friends advise him. They're starting a new life, and so far Iroh and Zuko aren't posing a threat. He can act later if he sees anything suspicious.\
101	'''Instead''': Jet storms into the tea shop and threatens Iroh at swordpoint hoping to provoke him into defending himself with firebending. Zuko defends his uncle using only his swords, and holds off Jet long enough for the police to arrest him.
102	** 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. Before this fact, however, they tell both Joo-Dee, Long Feng's brainwashed spy, and Long Feng himself that this knowledge is a GameChanger against the Fire Nation.\
103	'''You'd Expect''': Long Feng would at the very least hear the Gaang out. Even if he doesn't know that Sozin's Comet will give the Fire Nation a massive boost in power in a few months, Ba Sing Se is the only major Earth Kingdom city outside of Fire Nation control right now, and it just had its outer wall breached ''the day before''. Keeping up TheMasquerade will be pointless when the Fire Nation literally burns the truth into the city's citizens. Not to mention that at this point they don't realize he's evil, just a little overbearing and watching their every move. He could maintain PragmaticVillainy and pretend to be on their side.\
104	'''Instead''': He refuses to help Team Avatar at all and actively conspires against them, even though the Fire Nation winning the war would not help the Dai Li or himself. It ends up backfiring ''heavily'' against him.
105	** It's revealed that during the interim between Appa being kidnapped and the Gaang traveling to Ba Sing Se Long Feng found Appa and captured him. Cue the Avatar coming to Ba Sing Se to both notify the Earth King about the eclipse, and to find his beloved friend. Long Feng now has a valuable bargaining chip in hand and the most powerful bender in existence who wants to help his city. Then Aang finds out that every bureaucrat is forbidding him from seeing the Earth King and crashes an important party to meet Kuei. Long Feng captures the Gaang and makes Aang meet him in private.\
106	'''You'd Expect''': Long Feng when confronting Aang for his insolence and determination to see the Earth King would blackmail him by saying that he has Appa, or control over Appa's life, and if anything happens to him, the Dai Li will hurt the sky bison. He could make Aang wait a month to see the Earth King, as Joo Dee originally promised the Gaang, and use him as a pawn during the interim. Aang would be forced to stand down since it's revealed that no one in the city knows where Appa is, let alone where the Dai Li headquarters are until Jet gave the kids a lead.\
107	'''Instead''': He merely implies that he has the sky bison and instead threatens to expel the kids from the city so they can't find Appa. Then he leaves the kids to their own devices in "Tales of Ba Sing Se". When Aang puts up Lost and Found posters for Appa, the original Joo Dee under Long Feng's orders tells him they aren't permitted; he slams a door in her face.\
108	'''To Make Matters Worse''': Long Feng thinks the best thing to do is send out a brainwashed Jet to lead the Gaang on a WildGooseChase, far from Be Sing Se. This is despite the fact that Jet was forced to tell them that the Gaang hates his guts owing to their previous encounter, and Katara nearly freezes him alive.\
109	'''The Result''': While it is bad luck for Long Feng and Smellerbee and Longshot reveal to the Gaang that Jet was arrested a few weeks ago, and Jet doesn't remember this, it was still pretty stupid. Jet with Katara's help is able to remember where Appa really is -- Lake Laogai-- and this starts a chain of events that reveal Long Feng is a usurper.
110	* "Lake Laogai": Zuko finds out that Aang is in Ba Sing Se, too, thanks to the "lost pet" flyer about Appa and it reignites his desire to capture the Avatar and restore his honor.\
111	'''You'd Expect:''' If Zuko really wants to take up chasing Aang again, he make use of ''Aang's address written on the flyer'' and take him on without the advantage of having his Bison.\
112	'''Instead:''' He infiltrates the base of the local SecretPolice, which is made up mostly of elite Earthbenders, planning to steal a huge, flying bison with horns that has no reason to be cooperative. Zuko has no idea whatsoever what he's going to do if he actually rescues Appa. In fact, Iroh who follows him to the base [[DidntThinkThisThrough even points out the flaws in his plan]] and how he's blindly following someone else's will to snap him out of it.
113	* "The Earth King": Long Feng's conspiracy network has been blown wide open by Team Avatar, and irrefutable proof (the broken Drill) is shown with the Fire Nation insignia. The Earth King has [[BrokenPedestal lost all trust on his advisor]] now.\
114	'''You'd Expect:''' The Earth King and/or Team Avatar to make sure Long Feng is in the care of people loyal to the former.\
115	'''Instead:''' They pretty much just forget about him and leave him in the care of the Dai Li, the same people who served as Long Feng's [[{{Mook}} mooks]] when he was running his conspiracy.\
116	'''As A Result:''' Long Feng is broken out, and he allies with Azula to reclaim control over Ba Sing Se, and to pull a coup over the Earth King. Azula ends up backstabbing him once the Earth Kingdom falls, and the [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Dai Li loses the trust of the Earth Kingdom]], at least until WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra.
117	* "The Crossroads of Destiny": It's the final battle of Ba Sing Se. Zuko and Katara have just been rescued by Iroh and Aang respectively, and they have to rescue the Earth King from a Dai Li coup. Azula approaches Zuko in the middle of battle and promises that if he helps her win then she'll reward him and help him come home with honor. Katara in the meantime has started to bond with Zuko, even considering that she could heal his scar.\
118	'''You'd Expect''': Zuko would remember that "Azula always lies, Azula always lies," and she has always been a manipulative liar since they were children. She tried to deceive him at the beginning of season two so as to capture him and deliver him in chains to their father. Also, she just captured him with the Dai Li's help. With all of this taken into account, Zuko has every right to [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech call out Azula for being]] [[CainAndAbel a horrible and unloving sister all his life]] and [[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal then stab]] ''[[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal her]]'' [[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal in the back]] [[HeelFaceTurn to save Katara and the Gaang]].\
119	'''Alternatively, You'd Expect''': For him to create a distraction that would divert Azula away from Katara, allowing for her along with the rest of the Gaang and Iroh to either focus all their attention on taking out Azula or just get out of there.\
120	'''Instead''': He trusts her and saves her from Katara. This allows Azula an opportunity to shoot Aang while he's in the Avatar State, nearly killing him and destroying the Avatar Cycle. In fact, as far as Zuko and Azula know, the Avatar ''is'' dead.\
121	'''The Result''': Iroh sacrifices himself to help Aang and Katara escape so he is captured and returned to the Fire Nation as a prisoner causing a rising sense of guilt in Zuko at his betrayal. Azula keeps half her word: she helps Zuko regain his reputation and father's approval so that he is no longer exiled, but she believes Zuko may be withholding information on the Avatar's possible survival so she credits him for killing the Avatar. Now Zuko has the constant worry of how his restored reputation will fail if the Avatar is discovered to be alive. To make matters worse, his intel in the Earth Kingdom gives his father and sister the idea to burn it all to the ground.\
122	'''Fortunately:''' Zuko has his much needed CharacterDevelopment as he learns he's angry with himself for letting himself be fooled by Azula's words and betraying Iroh for a non-existent peace for him. He also learns that Ozai and Azula plan to burn down the entire Earth Kingdom [[DisproportionateRetribution just to suppress some rebellions there]], which leads him to do a HeelFaceTurn in order to stop his family from committing genocide. He also passes along the news to Team Avatar as a result, leading them to stop Ozai and his Fire Nation fleet ''in the nick of time'', meaning without Zuko's betrayal, the Earth Kingdom would have been wiped out. On the other hand, he wouldn't have endangered the Earth Kingdom in the first place if he had let Katara capture Azula.
123	[[/folder]]
124
125	[[folder:Season Three]]
126
127	* "The Awakening": Even after Ba Sing Se is taken and they fail to use the Earth King's armies to launch an invasion on the Fire Nation, the gang continues with their plans and decides to recruit a group comprised of their allies they've met on their travels to help with the invasion. Meanwhile, the Earth King decided to travel the world in disguise.\
128	'''You'd Expect:''' For him to tell the heroes that he blabbed about the invasion plans in front of a disguised Azula before leaving, meaning that the element of surprise is no more. Even if the Fire Nation is caught off guard by Team Avatar recruiting their own inner circle of allies to replace the Earth King's armies, this doesn't change the fact that the Fire Nation is made aware of the solar eclipse and would have measures prepared.\
129	'''Or''': Katara to realise their invasion plans are compromised. She was the one who, with the plans in tow, ran back to the Earth King's palace after spotting Zuko, and there she discovered too late that [[TheDragon Azula]] had already infiltrated Ba Sing Se. It stands to reason that Azula, the enemy, has acquired the invasion plans and has informed the Fire Nation of it.\
130	'''Instead''': Neither the Earth King nor Katara think to remind them of this.\
131	'''The Result''': The invasion fails because the heroes still think they have the element of surprise and were caught off guard when that isn't the case. Not only that, but Aang is revealed to be alive to the Fire Nation.
132	* "The Headband": While ''hiding in the Fire Nation'', Aang decides to attend a Fire Nation school to try and learn more about the Fire Lord.\
133	'''You'd Expect:''' Aang to keep his head down, stay quiet, and learn all he can without drawing attention to himself.\
134	'''Instead:''' During the daily oath to the Fire Lord, which he doesn't know, Aang tosses out random Fire Nation-related words loud enough for everyone to hear. [[ArtisticLicenseHistory He also questions the official story of the Air Nation having an army]], plays too loudly during music practice, and gets in a "fight" with a local rich bully.\
135	'''The Result''': Aang needs to bring in his "parents" for a conference, with Katara and Sokka putting on a PaperThinDisguise to stop the principal possibly sending "Kuzon" to the colonies [[DisproportionateRetribution for disruptive behavior]].
136	* "The Avatar and the Fire Lord": Avatar Roku learns that his best friend, Fire Lord Sozin is cultivating feelings of nationalist expansion and wants to spread Fire Nation colonies throughout the world.\
137	'''You'd Expect:''' Roku to do everything in his power to quell Sozin's expansionist thoughts using everything he learned in traveling the world to explain or demonstrate why such expansion is a bad idea and make sure that Sozin has been convinced of this fact.\
138	'''Instead:''' Roku blows Sozin off and tells him to just forget it. And when Sozin implores him to listen, Roku says that he doesn't want to hear any more of this, leaving Sozin feeling betrayed by his best friend, bitter and isolated and proceeds to establish colonies anyway.
139	* In "The Runaway", Sokka, Toph, and Aang return to camp with tons of supplies. When Katara asks them where they got the money, Aang explains how Toph scammed a scammer out of his money. A concerned Katara says that if they keep this up, the Fire Nation will bust them. Aang makes an "Avatar promise" that they won't make a habit of these scams.\
140	'''You'd Expect''': Aang would keep this promise.\
141	'''Instead''': Cue a scamming montage.\
142	'''The Result''': [[FeudEpisode Katara and Toph butt heads over the scams]], culminating in Toph accusing Katara of being motherly and the girls splitting up.\
143	'''You'd Then Expect''': Aang and Sokka to give both Toph and Katara some time to cool off or do something that would let them blow off steam, and then try to get them talking to acknowledge that BothSidesHaveAPoint.\
144	'''Instead''': The boys try faking an apology letter from Toph to Katara, using Sokka's new pet hawk to deliver the message.\
145	'''The Result''': Katara realizes that the boys faked the letter because ''Toph is blind'' and can't write. She yells at them, then walks off in a huff to try and cool down.
146	* "The Puppetmaster":
147	** 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.\
148	'''You'd Expect:''' Hama to try and contribute to the war effort against the Fire Nation, thereby using her hatred of them constructively, and/or seek out one of the three Water Tribes in the world, so that she'll have more of a chance of passing on her technique.\
149	'''Instead:''' Hama just stays near a non-military Fire Nation village, and her revenge consists of her using Bloodbending to abduct a few of the villagers every full moon.[[labelnote:*]]The only time she can use Bloodbending.[[/labelnote]] It is only by sheer luck that Katara encounters her allowing the technique to be passed on.
150	** In the present, the Gaang investigates the disappearances in the village. Thanks to Toph's earthbending and ability to make facsimile keys out of stone, they are able to find and free the innocent Fire Nation villagers from a mountain cell. They confirm that it wasn't the Moon Spirit kidnapping them, but Hama, using the power of the full moon to bloodbend their limbs. Sokka and Aang go OhCrap when they remember that Hama is training Katara under the full moon. They need to save her!\
151	'''You'd Expect''': They would remember that Hama still has her powers, and they should take her out as soon as possible, ideally before she can bloodbend either of them. Aang knows enough earthbending to immobilize her harmlessly so she can't waterbend. Or, have Sokka go for help while Toph and Aang go to rescue Katara since Toph can earthbend as well.\
152	'''Instead''': When they find Katara fighting Hama, they shout to Hama that she's outnumbered and to surrender.\
153	'''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 is faced with the horrible realization about being a bloodbending master, while Hama returns to prison.
154	* "The Day of Black Sun":
155	** Aang discovers that the Fire Nation is made aware of the eclipse, with Fire Lord Ozai hidden away. He flies back and informs the rest of the invasion force about the discovery.\
156	'''You'd Expect:''' For the heroes to cut their losses and bail in the submarines alongside their friends. A conveniently empty city pretty much screams '''TRAP'''. If they still want to exploit the window of opportunity provided by the eclipse, have only Team Avatar break into the bunker as only Toph can metalbend an entryway while the rest who can't fight underground escape.\
157	'''Instead:''' Under the logic that the ''empty'' Royal Palace needs securing, the entire invasion force presses on and enters the empty Fire Nation capital, gaining practically zero tactical value while making escaping all the more harder.\
158	'''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 with most of Team Avatar's allies were imprisoned. In "The Boiling Rock", Sokka even says that they should have cut their losses when they had the chance.
159	** Toph finds a hidden bunker, where Azula is waiting for them. After a few minutes of chasing her down, Sokka realizes that she's messing with them to use up their limited time, and tells everyone to ignore her because they can find Ozai on their own. Azula taunts Sokka with the revelation that she's got Suki prisoner.\
160	'''You'd Expect:''' Sokka would ignore her. After all, he knows as well as his friends that Azula is just trying to waste their time.\
161	'''Instead:''' He takes the bait and yells, "Where is Suki?!" Not only that, but he says this twice. Azula, to the surprise of no one, doesn't talk.\
162	'''The Result''': [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Thanks to him, Team Avatar runs out of time]] when Azula (and, by extension, the Fire Nation) regains her firebending. With the tables turned against them, [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere Team Avatar has no choice but to flee the capital]] while most of the invasion force are arrested.
163	* "The Western Air Temple":
164	** Following the DarkestHour and realizing that they essentially lost the war to the Fire Nation, the Gaang plus a few young survivors of the Black Sun invasion escape to the Western Air Temple. Aang is wracked with guilt about how he was forced to leave behind people that believed in him and wants to take a break by showing the stragglers a tour of his former home. Katara and Sokka want to figure out plan B now that Azula has proof the Avatar is alive and she let them escape after getting her powers back.\
165	'''You'd Expect''': They would give Aang some time to emotionally recuperate, if anything let him complete the tour. Maybe they should take a break as well, as Sokka teared up on hearing that Azula tortured Suki. The poor kid was nearly suffering a nervous breakdown from nightmares about the invasion failing a few days before, and is clearly being a StepfordSmiler. Aang may be the Avatar and the last hope of stopping the Fire Nation, but he's also a child.\
166	'''Instead''': They keep telling Aang that they need to come up with another plan to both help him stay alive and become strong enough to fight Ozai.\
167	'''Predictably''': Aang speeds up the tour and pretends he can't hear Katara or Sokka as he shows around Haru and the other kids.
168	** Then Zuko appears, right when the Gaang has discussed that they can't do any war plans until they find a Firebending teacher for Aang. Jeong Jeong is still in hiding, and rescuing Iroh is definitely not an option. Zuko is the last choice they want because it was his fault Ba Sing Se fell, and he knows this as he offers his services and starts apologizing for all his misdeeds. Katara is especially less than happy to see Zuko, while Toph monitors his heartbeat and realizes he's not lying.\
169	'''You'd Expect''': They would capture him immediately and put him under heavy guard, and maybe make plans to move locations because if he followed them, other soldiers might have as well. This is a Fire Nation prince who, as Sokka recounts bitterly, spent a year chasing them around the globe and stymied their war efforts. Katara previously froze Jet in a block of ice when he approached them in Ba Sing Se. Freezing up Zuko would be child's play compared to that, or letting Toph put him in makeshift handcuffs. Then they could get some valuable intel from him about the Fire Nation if they don't want to trust him as a firebending teacher.\
170	'''Instead''': Katara and Sokka tell him to buzz off, and Katara smacks him in the face with a water whip when Zuko offers to surrender to them formally. Aang says, in an OOCIsSeriousBusiness moment, that he doesn't want Zuko as his firebending teacher after what Zuko did.\
171	'''The Result''': Toph goes to talk to Zuko that night, alone, but after a miscommunication, he burns her feet by accident, and she flees in a panic. Sokka lampshades, as he and Katara help Toph to a fountain where Katara can heal her, that maybe leaving the trigger-happy Fire Nation prince free to roam around their current refuge was not a good idea. They make plans to capture Zuko so he can't attack them.\
172	'''To Make Matters Worse''': The team realizes in hindsight that they should have evacuated well after Zuko joins the team on probation, since he's not the only one who can track them down. After the Boiling Rock breakout, Azula tracks them down to get revenge on Zuko, forcing the survivors to split up.
173	* "The Boiling Rock":
174	** Zuko and Sokka sneak into the Boiling Rock prison to find Hakoda. While he doesn't arrive, Sokka does notice that ''Suki'' is there and goes to reunite with her. As they have a BigDamnKiss, Zuko knocks urgently when a guard approaches and wants to enter the cell.\
175	'''You'd Expect''': Zuko would tell the female guard that another guard is already in there checking on the prisoner for misbehavior, and loudly announce it so Sokka can appear before their cover is blown. Suki apparently is checked on regularly, given her SeenItAll reaction to Sokka appearing in her cell and trying to kiss her before taking off his helmet; that earns him a punch before she recognizes him.\
176	'''Instead''': He lies that the lights are broken in the cell and the prisoner can ambush her. When she doesn't buy it, he attacks her.\
177	'''The Result''': The female guard calls for help, and Sokka has to "arrest" Zuko to keep his cover.
178	** The Warden then confronts a bound Zuko. It turns out he is Mai's uncle, and is angry on her behalf about Zuko writing her a DearJohnLetter before defecting. On the other hand, he doesn't know why a traitor prince would sneak ''into'' a Fire Nation cell rather than the other way around. Zuko tells him he could just turn in the traitor and win a bounty; the Warden says that's not happening. We find out it's because Mai wanted a chance to confront Zuko about his breaking up with her.\
179	'''You'd Expect''': He would interrogate Zuko about why he's here, and why he seemingly came alone. Then keep him away from the other prisoners.\
180	'''Instead''': He releases Zuko into the general inmate populace, warning him that most of them would want him dead if they knew he was the Prince.\
181	'''Predictably''': Zuko nearly escapes that night with Sokka and another inmate who's a firebender but doesn't even know who Zuko is or why he should be hated. The next day, Zuko's talk with Mai in an interrogation room unwittingly convinces her to save him, Sokka and Suki when they make an escape with the Warden as a hostage. Cue the Boiling Rock having its perfect escape-proof record broken, Azula losing her two female friends, and Mai arrested for treason.
182	* "The Southern Raiders": Katara has been tolerating Zuko out of necessity, but has warned him that if he ever steps out of line or gets it in his head to betray the Gaang again, she will "[[NeverSayDie end]]" him. As a result, she's been cold and snarky towards him, even when he saves her from a falling boulder as Azula attacks the Gaang at the Western Air Temple.\
183	'''You'd Expect''': Zuko would either remember that he was partly responsible for the fall of Ba Sing Se and keep his distance from her, or accept that Katara hates him. You can't win everyone over, as he saw with Jet.\
184	'''Instead''': Zuko is genuinely bewildered that despite his "field trips" with Aang and Sokka that Katara still has it out for him. After she remains cold to him over dinner, Zuko asks what her problem is since everyone else trusts him now.\
185	'''The Result''': A furious Katara reminds him that [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot they wouldn't be on the run in the Fire Nation in the first place if Zuko hadn't betrayed her in Ba Sing Se]]. Not to mention [[ItsPersonal she was the only person who trusted him at the time]] since Toph only trusted Iroh, Sokka was focused on rescuing the Earth King, and Aang expressed GreenEyedMonster at Zuko for bonding with Katara in prison. Her DeathGlare also reminds Zuko that it's partly his fault that Aang died, albeit temporarily.\
186	'''Fortunately''': Zuko redeems himself in Katara's eyes when he helps her track down the Fire Nation general who killed her mother in cold blood. After the fact, Katara finds it in her heart to forgive Zuko.
187	* "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, and that it was his intel on the Earth Kingdom that gave Azula and Ozai the idea.\
188	'''You'd Expect''': He would have told the Gaang about the Fire Lord's plans as soon as he was accepted by the group enough to trust his information.\
189	'''Instead''': He doesn't reveal this until only a few days before the Comet's arrival.\
190	'''Or You'd Expect:''' The Gaang informs Zuko that Aang hasn't completely mastered earth or fire, so they have postponed the battle with Ozai till after the Comet passes.\
191	'''Instead:''' The Gaang didn't tell Zuko anything regarding it.\
192	'''The Result''': Aang freaks out as he feels completely unprepared to face the Fire Lord especially since the Avatar state is blocked. His friends keep pressuring him to simply focus on killing Ozai as it presents his best chance for success but it clashes painfully with the pacifist beliefs of his Air-Nomad heritage. This spiritual crisis causes Aang to be drawn to a mysterious island that may present a way out of his dilemma but he leaves without telling the rest of the Gaang. His unexpected disappearance leaves them in a panicked state to try and come up with an plan to deal with the Fire Lord without Aang.
193	* "Sozin's Comet - Part 4": 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.\
194	'''You'd Expect''': Suki knows that Sokka was subject to seeing Ty Lee, Azula and Mai impersonate the Kyoshi Warriors. In fact, Ty Lee blew their cover by flirting with Sokka, who pointed out that he was with Suki and a Kyoshi Warrior ought to have known that. Suki ought to tell him ahead of time that Ty Lee has switched sides and has proven to be very useful. Then there's no misunderstandings.\
195	'''Instead''': She leaves this very important detail when reuniting with the Warriors.\
196	'''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.
197	[[/folder]]
198
199	[[folder:Graphic Novels]]
200	* ''[[Comicbook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderThePromise The Promise:]]''
201	** Following Ozai's defeat and the subsequent end of the Hundred Year War, the Harmony Restoration Movement is established to remove the Fire Nation's colonies in the Earth Kingdom. It hits a snag when it comes to the older colony of Yu Dao, where the Fire Nation colonists and the Earth Kingdom citizens have intermarried and integrated deeply with one another over the last century, to the point that forcibly relocating the colonists would cause more problems than it would solve.\
202	'''You'd Expect:''' The city mayor and his family to contact Zuko and explain Yu Dao's situation to him, and try and persuade him to leave Yu Dao alone. It also wouldn't hurt to remain polite and respectful during any negotiations, considering that Zuko is their ''freaking head of state''.\
203	'''Instead:''' Kori Morishita, the mayor's daughter, attempts to assassinate Zuko, which results in her arrest, and Zuko storming over to Yu Dao to personally enforce the Harmony Restoration Movement there. While he's there, Kori and Mayor Morishita frequently belittle him, even comparing him negatively to Fire Lord Ozai. You know, the genocidal and maniacal tyrant who abused Zuko for most of his childhood.\
204	'''Result:''' The only thing that stops Zuko from imprisoning Kori and her father for the rest of their lives is Mrs Morishita -- practically the OnlySaneMan in the family at this point -- defusing the situation while simultaneously revealing herself to be an Earthbender, after which Zuko proves to be a ReasonableAuthorityFigure who would have been perfectly willing to help Yu Dao, if only he'd been made aware of what was going on beforehand.
205	** As a result of the above, Zuko decides to end his support for the Harmony Restoration Movement. Aang and Katara naturally learn about this, and head to Yu Dao in the hope of talking about it to him. A Fire Nation soldier orders them to leave, and Aang explains that he just wants to talk with Zuko.\
206	'''You'd Expect:''' That Zuko would have anticipated Aang showing up, and given his guards sensible instructions on what to do if and when he arrived. Even if Zuko didn't, there is nothing stopping the guard from simply asking Aang to just wait at the gates while he goes to find Zuko.\
207	'''You'd Also Expect:''' Zuko, who has known Aang and Katara for over a year by this point, to know that they're not going to attack his troops for no good reason.\
208	'''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 uncontrolled Avatar State, and the only thing stopping him from ending Zuko is Katara talking him out of it. And Zuko then has the gall to tell Aang that they both need to calm down and talk, even though - as Aang rightly pointed out - that's what he had wanted to do in the first place.
209	** Zuko is clearly conflicted on what to do regarding the colonies and decides to ask someone for help.\
210	'''You'd Expect:''' That he would consult his uncle, who has always given him good advice, or perhaps someone from the Gaang, who could surely help him with the whole Harmony issue.\
211	'''Instead:''' He consults the {{Jerkass}} and manipulative Ozai. While Ozai does give Zuko advice regarding leadership, the way he gives it makes Zuko reluctant to take it, for fear that he'll be acting just like his father.
212	* ''[[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheRift The Rift:]]''
213	** Aang decides to celebrate Yangchen's festival, an old Air Nomad holiday, with the rest of the Gaang and the Air Acolytes. Toph soon stops enjoying the holiday when Aang insists on following through with the ceremonies of the holiday despite not knowing any of their purposes, since it reminds her of [[GildedCage her unenjoyable childhood]]. It gets to the point that she becomes visibly upset, and Aang notices.\
214	'''You'd Expect:''' That Toph would explain her issues with participating in the holiday to Aang, and either ask if she can be excused from the celebrations or just suck it up and stick it out. Aang may have been a bit overly-enthusiastic about celebrating Yangchen's Festival with his friends, but it's not like he chained her up and dragged her along. Alternatively, Aang could just ask Toph what her problem is.\
215	'''Instead:''' Toph pretty much decides to behave like a spoiled brat, whereas Aang immediately treats her like such without ever thinking that she might have a reason for her behaviour.
216	** As Aang prepares to destroy the Earthern Fire Refinery and the surrounding town in order to try and pacify General Old Iron, Toph appears and demands to know what's going on, being one of the biggest fans of the refinery and all it represents. Aang now has to give her an explanation.\
217	'''You'd Expect:''' "There's a giant, all-powerful spirit who's going to go to war with humanity if this land isn't returned to its natural state!"\
218	'''Instead:''' ''(paraphrased)'' "One of the previous Avatars made a deal with a giant, ancient spirit, then humans built over this land and the spirit's probably coming back now...you know what, forget it! I have to do this, so just trust me!"\
219	'''Result:''' This explanation completely fails to satisfy Toph, who assumes that Aang is once again putting his people's traditions over the rest of the world, and the two of them get into a battle that could have ended in one of them getting killed if Old Iron hadn't shown up when he did.
220	* ''[[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderSmokeAndShadow Smoke and Shadow:]]''
221	** 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, his goal being 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.\
222	'''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 additional guards watch out for the Kemurikage, while at the same time investigating the kidnappings and trying to find a more permanent 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.\
223	'''Instead:''' Zuko only takes Aang's advice, and as far as we can tell, leaves his people completely unprotected from the Kemurikage.\
224	'''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.
225	** After an investigation and subsequent fight with the Kemurikage, Zuko discovers that the "spirits" are in fact fakes. The next morning he learns from Mai, Ukano's daughter, that Ukano is the leader of the New Ozai Society, and deduces that he might be behind the fake Kemurikage.\
226	'''You'd Expect:''' Zuko to make public his discovery that the Kemurikage are fakes, as well as Mai's testimony against Ukano. While that's happening, he can have his guards search for Ukano and/or allow Aang to go and try to talk to him.\
227	'''Instead:''' While Zuko does have his men look for Ukano, he also has the Capital City sealed off, an unnecessary move that does nothing but drive up fears among his people. Then to add insult to injury, his soldiers try to arrest the members of the Safe Nation Society - who by this point are regarded as heroes by the people - and anyone else remotely connected to Ukano, despite there being no proof that these people are involved with Ukano's conspiracy. Cue massive unrest and disorder.\
228	'''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.
229
230	* ''[[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderNorthAndSouth North and South]]''
231	** Noa, Kam and Soonjei, a trio of construction benders working in the South Pole, discover a group of kids trespassing on their building site for the third time that week. After hearing the builders complaining, Katara offers to move the kids along for them.\
232	'''You'd Expect:''' The builders to let her deal with the problem. If they want to be dicks/put a stop to the whole trespassing thing, there's nothing stopping them from sending a report to their bosses, or even going to the kids' homes and talking to their parents.\
233	'''Instead:''' The builders decide to scare the kids with some bending, seemingly forgetting that - even if they don't know who exactly she is - Katara's a potential witness to anything that happens.\
234	'''Result:''' Being a young waterbending master with a large protective streak, Katara acts in defense of the kids, and quickly makes clear that she could [[CurbStompBattle curb stomp]] the builders if she really wanted to. The builders later learn that Katara's the daughter of the South's new Head Chieftain when they encounter her in Hakoda's office; really, they're ''very'' lucky that she decided not to elaborate on the building site incident to her father and their bosses.
235
236	* ''[[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderImbalance Imbalance]]''
237	** Lao and Toph have reconciled due to the events of ''The Rift'' and that she saved his life. It's just as well since the Gaang have been called to handle a new problem -- in Cranefish Town, industrialization has put many benders out of jobs at factories. They have formed gangs and taken to assaulting nonbenders, most of whom weren't the engineers and factory owners. Lao is hearing their complaints as one of the factory owners and is attending a town meeting.\
238	'''You'd Expect''': Lao would suggest a solution that wouldn't insult all of the benders in the audience, given his CharacterDevelopment and acknowledgement that he was too hard on Toph.\
239	'''Instead''': He suggests an outright ban on bending. [[ImStandingRightHere In front of his own daughter]] whom he tried to stop from bending, and a bunch of bending council representatives.\
240	'''Predictably''': No one votes for this measure. Aang and another owner Liling have a better idea: create a police force of benders and nonbenders alike to tackle the gangs, and train the nonbenders in chi blocking so they can defuse a violent situation within seconds.
241	** Liling is a VillainWithGoodPublicity and BitchInSheepsClothing that truly believes that industrialization will make benders obsolete. She also thinks that it was the nonbending Earth King's "weakness" that let him fall to Azula, not the fact that his own advisor Long Feng betrayed him. To this end, in Cranefish Town she offers to organize a police force, under the Avatar's supervision, and use her factories as a resource for this purpose to establish peace as bending gangs attack nonbenders.\
242	'''You'd Expect''': She would directly work with Aang on a PragmaticVillainy solution, since he was on her side during the council meeting discussing the problem with bender gangs as well as technology growing too fast. He understands her perspective completely and believes there is a third option. Also, maintain her PragmaticVillainy and not openly turn against the Avatar and his friends while setting up her conspiracy, and maybe be honest about her insecurities.\
243	'''Alternatively''': Not commit any sabotage while the Avatar and his friends are in town, or at the least do what Azula and Long Feng did and maintain discretion. They saved the Earth King after all and by this point have tackled three or four international conspiracies. Even if Liling doesn't know this, Aang is the freaking Avatar. He'll be duty-bound to stop her and maintain peace.\
244	'''Instead''': She and her daughter Yaling sabotage the factories owned by nonbenders. Her plan is to send Aang on a SnipeHunt so that he can't interfere with her plans to stage a coup. She also plans to sabotage the Earth Kingdom's forces if they try to quell any rebellion or coup that they'll stage in Cranefish town. Liling proceeds to ''announce all these plans'' at a rally and reassuring everyone she has it under control.\
245	'''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.
246	[[/folder]]

Context WhatAnIdiot / AvatarTheLastAirbender