Katara wakes up late, and a lot of the other delegates are also slow to rise as a result of having partaken in fire whiskey the previous night. Zuko, more of an early bird, takes advantage of this to clandestinely deliver Katara flowers.
Zuko takes the opportunity to ask about Katara's taking every opportunity to see him with his shirt off, and I have to wonder whether it really took him this long to notice. Katara gets embarrassed at this, but hides under the blanket and ends up making out with him until her father comes and he hides. Katara ends up having to secretly take his shirt with him, so she can give it to him when they're once again alone.
Hakoda has some good news, and notes that Arnook is more reasonable, including by acting nicer toward Hakoda, making gestures of friendship and allowing Katara to attend meetings. The meeting itself gets off to a promising start, as Arnook, having been visited by Yue, proposes a moment of silence for her and the rest of their lost loved ones. But then, Arnook proposes building big ice walls around the Southern Water Tribe, even though they had a history of being open (from what we see of them in Legend of Korra, they have smaller but more sensible and modern defenses). Arnook then hears about the possibility of war crimes charges against General Fong, and he's only appalled because Water Tribe people were harmed. Katara doesn't dare speak up lest she risk being permanently ejected from the meetings.
Arnook proposes that the South isolate themselves from the other nations, as while they might be looked down upon, they don't need anyone else. Arnook and Pakku then argue "oh so politely" about whether isolationism is ideal, although Arnook stops being polite when he denounces the Fire Nation's morality, citing, among other things, the fact that Piandao, the regent, is gay.
Unfortunately for Katara, the subject of inter-nation marriage comes up, and Hahn has to weigh in on it. He and his father aren't quite of one mind, though, as Hahn demands a law against mixed-race marriages, while his father suggests that it's for the good of the tribe. This leads Bato, who doesn't agree with either of them, to make an impassioned speech revealing his love for Ming, thereby going against Hakoda's plan to keep his relationship secret.
Unfortunately, Hahn dismissively says that if Ming is from the Fire Nation, he can "fuck her and leave her," and Bato, taking any insult against his girlfriend as a personal insult, punches Hahn in the face, leading to an all-out brawl that even Sokka joins in when Hahn insults him for "fuck(ing) a Kyoshi Warrior." Eventually, Katara and Pakku break it up, and Pakku declares that no one gets to insult Katara and Sokka, which Katara is pleased to hear for a moment, until he adds that the South shouldn't think itself above the North's customs or think of the ban on interracial marriage as a bad thing. He then forcibly adjourns the meeting and asks to talk to Katara, which Katara does not look forward to.
Pakku's grateful for Katara's keeping a cool head and breaking up the brawl, but unfortunately, he reiterates his support for banning interracial marriage. He describes the children of such unions as torn between two cultures, and while those in the world are "lost cause(s)," he hopes to ensure the mistakes are never repeated (as opposed to doing anything for those children). Katara asks if love doesn't count between people of two different races, and Pakku says yes, calling it nothing more than lust. He adds that Katara and Sokkka's late mother would not want her son to fall in with the Kyoshi warrior, who would be forced to give up her homeland and her freedom to marry a chieftain. He then suggests that Katara is reasonable by comparison, and reveals that he hasn't given up on finding her a husband, resulting in an Oh Crap! reaction from her.
Pakku and Katara join Hakoda and Sokka, as part of Pakku's efforts to get Hakoda talking with Arnook again. Sokka acts as though he's never heard of a homosexual before, and Pakku simply says that Bato doesn't let unkind comments bother him, and Sokka shouldn't get angry on his behalf (perhaps unwittingly encouraging his relationship with Suki). Pakku goes to talk to the North, Hakoda goes to talk with Bato, and Katara wants to talk with Sokka, who instead wants to spar with Zuko.
Zuko's amenable to the suggestion, having had a hard day himself. Evidently, he argued with Kuei over his lack of initiative, while also being infuriated with the Dowager's refusal to consider torture of firebenders to be a war crime. Zuko, evidently regretting his Brutal Honesty, considers an in person apology to be more honest, but Jee says that honesty is the last thing he needs.
Mai arrives, and Katara notes that the Gloomy Hairbuns nickname no longer applies, since she changes to a ponytail. Apparently, Iroh invited Jin over as a surprise to Zuko. Zuko's less pleased, though, but feels as though he has to take Jin out for the sake of politeness.
Zuko asks Katara whether they should really feel as though they have to keep their relationship secret from their friends. Toph and Iroh are the most trustworthy, and so are the others they know, although Sokka would tell Hakoda. Katara tries to change the subject by giving him back his shirt, but then vehemently refuses, saying that he might get off easy, but her reputation would be ruined. Zuko reluctantly concedes, but says this will require him to take Jin out.
Zuko gets Katara to trust him, but he also subtly suggests that she should also stop stalking him. Katara's willing to keep that promise, although she knows it's a habit, and would have done so if not for Jet.
What I liked
- Interesting question about whether Zuko and Katara's relationship needs to be secret.
What I didn't like
- Pakku throws up yet another roadblock to Zuko and Katara's relationship, without getting much of a rebuttal.
