The Gaang are awakened by a Ring of Fire, but while they prepare for battle, the new arrivals are not enemies, but their allies- Pakku, Bumi, Jeong "JJ" Jeong and Piandao.
Katara's momentarily confused, but soon explains to Toph that they're their "old masters," and is excited to see them, as they're powerful benders who can fight the enemy, and grown-ups who will have a plan, and be powerful allies when Sozin's Comet comes.
I'm somewhat reminded of the ending of Lord of the Flies, in which the kids are rescued by a naval officer, who's apparently part of the war that was raging outside the island, and these adults have spent a significant part of their lives fighting a war (JJ and Piandao were, at one point, on the wrong side). In any case, it's worth remembering that the war was started by adults who are long dead, and continued by those who still live.
Katara wants to affectionately greet Pakku, but she does so with a bow for the sake of propriety. Of course, this leads into the part from canon in which Pakku reveals that he married Katara's grandmother. The part with "Grampakku" ensues, and Katara believes that Pakku's blunt rfusal will not deter Sokka.
Katara, not wanting to leave the newer Gaang members out, and hoping that Zuko will bond with JJ over their difficulties teaching Aang firebendig, introduces them. Sokka then sees Piandao again, and respectfully greets him once his exuberance is gone. Katara recalls how Sokka talked about Piandao all the time, but while it was annoying, she was grateful that Piandao saw potential in Sokka.
Toph shakes hands with JJ vigorously, something she is wont to ddo. At times, it seems odd for an Eastern tradition like bowing to go alongside a Western one like shaking hands, but it happens. Suki asks how the old people know each other, prompting Bumi to joke about old people knowing each other, and Katara mentally noting how unlikely the group is, but Piandao then mentions the White Lotus, which Zuko has heard of before.
As Bumi confirms Zuko's guess, he gets very close to Zuko, and Katara comments on Bumi's tendency to do that when he emphasizes something. Zuko's reasonably polite introduction and offered handshake are ignored, as Bumi already knows who he is. Zuko ,in an effort to get Bumi to get the point, introduces him to Toph and Suki.
Piandao continues expositing about the White Lotus- its mission and it being summoned a month ago by a Grand Lotus- Zuko's uncle. Naturally, Katara asks to see him, and Piandao can arrange that. Bumi notices Aang's absence... of course, after noticing Momo's gone. Of course, he's confident that Aang and Momo will be fine with each other, before launching himself into the air.
In the episode, it transitions back to Aang and Momo's part of the story; it's fairly common to have Alice mention or think about Bob before the scene shifts to Bob. But here, all it leads to is the newer members of the Gaang discussing, with various degrees of tact, how much of a "nutbag" Bumi is. Perhaps Katara might have learned something from the faith Aang's oldest human friend has in him, but we'll never know.
Bumi lands as the canon scene transitions back to the old masters and the rest of the Gaang, and Sokka asks about Bumi's escape. Bumi tells the story about how he escaped during the eclipse- as far as recaps go, TV Tropes did it better. He then asks the Gaang if they did anything "interesting," and as Katara wrestles with the question, Zuko and Sokka say no.
Bumi and Toph get into a conversation about earthbending, during which time Bumi gives Toph rock candy (causing Katara to hope that Toph doesn't get sick before the comet arrives). They then debate what they have accomplished- liberating his city vs. winning every Earth Rumble vs. earthbending with his face vs. inventing metalbending. The last one clearly floors Bumi (although one side comic showed Bumi and Toph having a fight and reaching a draw), and Bumi wants to hear more.
JJ asks Zuko how training Aang went, and Zuko's surprisingly postiive, reporting that Aang mastered his stance and breathing. JJ hears more, pausing to second-guess Zuko's decisions. Not only does Zuko find this annoying, but since JJ essentially failed at teaching Aang firebending, he really has no room to talk.
Sokka, Suki and Katara walk with Piandao and Pakku. Pakku mainly asks about Katara's progress in her training, but a little about Aang, and even less about Sokka. Katara wonders if he's getting used to being a grandfather, noting that her grandmother didn't play favorites with her and Sokka, and hopes that Pakku will pay moe attention to Sokka. This is reinforced when, after being introduced to Suki, he gives a perfunctory gesture that it's nice to meet her, before turning back to Katara to ask whether she has a boyfriend.
Sokka is about to disclose Katara's relationship with Zuko before Katara cuts him off. Suki's amused, while Piandao and Pakku are curious about Katara's outburst, but she convinces them that they don't have a relationship. Pakku says this is good, because any boyfriend must deal with him first. Katara decides to have a talk with him about how "sexist" that attitude is.
While Pakku does have his share of sexist attitudes (see the entire part in which he refused to train Katara), one has to wonder whether people being suspicious of those their children or grandchildren marry is necessarily sexist. For the most part, when two people marry, the partner with the wealthier or more conservative family has the greatest difficulty with getting his/her spouse accepted (Same-sex relationships are another matter entirely).
Of course, some in-laws get along well. For example, in Gamma, which I mentioned before, after Discharge is turned into a monster and killed, his parents move in to help out his pregnant wife, whom they essentially consider their daughter.
But enough about that. As the group approaches their destination, Piandao complains about Pakku's attitude toward Sokka, and then brings up Sokka's swordsmanship training. Sokka says that he's been keeping up his training, in spite of his difficulties sparring with the Dual Wielding Zuko, and Piandao proposes a spar.
They reach an earth wall, and Bumi earthbends open a door to "old people camp" proper, even though not all of the White Lotus members there are old. Piandao, on Zuko's request, shows Zuko where his uncle is, but Zuko can't bring himself to go into Iroh's tent. Katara isn't surprised, knowing that Zuko has long been afraid to face Iroh after betraying him at Ba Sing Se. Of course, Katara herself was mad at him for a long time (and notes the irony of trying to comfort him to face Iroh), but she realized that no one was more angry at him than he was at himself, and forgave him at some point during "Stalking Zuko," and she suspects it's during one of the many dishes washing scenes.
Katara asks Zuko if he's sorry, and he, obviously enough, says yes. Katara believes that if she has forgiven him to the point at which it isi "impossible" for her to be mad at him, so will Iroh, as she knows, from how Zuko talks about him, how much they love each other. Katara says this to Zuko, and it's enough to convince him to go in.
The scene worked well, but by this point, Zuko's angst over having to see Iroh again has gotten somewhat excessive. This is one case in which canon did a better job, by having one scene in which Zuko confesses his regrets and worries to Toph, who reassures him in her own way. The good news, however, is that once Iroh forgives Zuko, this issue will be put to rest.
Katara loiters, not to eavesdrop or anything like that, (of course, she backpedals), until Pakku approaches her, asking to talk. He leads her to the others; Bumi and JJ are talking philosophy, Sokka and Piandao are sparring and Suki and Toph are encouraging and heckling Sokka, respectively.
Piandao's pleased with Sokka's progress, and Sokka attributes it to daily training and sparring with Zuko. Piandao, however, says that Sokka is adaptable, able to incorporate moves from other styles. Sokka is quite proud, and even more so when Piandao considers inducting Sokka into the White Lotus after the war.
What I liked
- A touching description of Zuko and Iroh's love for each other.
What I didn't like
- Reading sexism into potential tension between in-laws.
- By this point, Zuko's angst over seeing Iroh again is a bit overplayed.
