The Boy in the Iceberg
- Aang offering to fly Katara to the North Pole, when they are currently at the South Pole, just so she can learn waterbending.
- Also, when the large iceberg cracks as a result of Katara's water-bending, both Katara and Sokka's ice flow is nearly swamped. As they hang on, Sokka has his arm around Katara to help hold her in place until their floating ice chunk stabilizes, despite her yelling at him the scene before.
- Similar to the one above, we also have Sokka holding up his spear and standing in front of his sister when Aang emerges from the iceberg.
- After Aang learns he was sealed in the iceberg for a hundred years, he briefly has a Heroic BSoD. Katara comforts him.Katara: There must be a good side to this.Aang: (smiles at her) I did get to meet you.
The Avatar Returns
- Katara arguing against banishing Aang, to the point that she decides to accompany him if he is. Aang convinces her not to, despite neither Sokka nor Gran-Gran being particularly welcoming to him.
- Later coming to defend them from Zuko's crew and giving himself up to protect the villagers. Sokka and Katara later repay the favor, with Gran-Gran firmly encouraging them to do so.
- Despite being a full antagonist at this point, Zuko accepts Aang's deal not to attack the Water Tribe if he comes quietly. Even as an antagonist, Zuko proves that he has honor.
- Another, and more subtle example, is when Zuko and his crew are trapped, and Zuko orders them to free the ship and chase after the Avatar…as soon as they finish thawing out their frozen comrades, showing that despite his strict command, and obsession over chasing the Avatar, he’ll put his crew’s well-being first if push comes to shove.
- Even after Aang escapes with the help of two Southern Water Tribe villagers, Zuko still doesn't go back to interrogate the villagers or attack them in revenge.
The Southern Air Temple
- When Aang goes into the Avatar State at the end, Katara brings him out of it by saying this:Katara: Aang, I know you're upset... and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. I went through the same thing when I lost my mom. Monk Gyatso and the other airbenders may be gone, but you still have a family! Sokka and I, we're your family now!
- When Katara dumps snow on Sokka's head to hide the Fire Nation helmet to spare Aang learning that his home was destroyed, Sokka isn't even angry with Katara afterward. He understands that she just wants to protect Aang as long as possible (though he points out the futility of trying to hide what happened).
- When Sokka finds Aang crying, his first instinct is to softly assure him that he wasn't really going to eat Momo. When he notices Gyatso's skeleton surrounded by dead Fire Nation soldiers, he immediately tries to comfort Aang in a brotherly sort of way.
- The scene where Aang goes into the Avatar State the second time at the Southern Air Temple. Sad as it is to see Aang lost his family, we get a brief montage where we see the Avatar Spirit triggering lights all across the different nations. A beacon of hope and renewal, and all across the nations will now know the Avatar lives.
- This bit of dialogue after Zuko's Agni Kai against Zhao:Iroh: Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you. Thanks for the tea. It was delicious.Zuko: [as they leave] Did you really mean that, Uncle?Iroh: Of course. I told you ginseng tea is my favorite.
- Blink and you miss it, but Zuko actually smiles a bit at the end of that scene. He knows what his uncle really meant.
- Iroh saved Zuko in the first place, after he let his nephew fight his own fight, only intervening against a sneak attack.
The Warriors of Kyoshi
- The parting exchange between Sokka and Suki.Suki: There's no time to say goodbye.Sokka: What about, "I'm sorry?"Suki: For what?Sokka: I treated you like a girl when I should've treated you like a warrior.Suki: I am a warrior. [Kisses Sokka on the cheek] But I'm a girl, too. Now get out of here! We'll hold them off.
- In general, Sokka’ plot line. He starts off with a sexist view on women and he learns the hard way that girls can fight just as well as guys. Rather than become resentful towards Suki, he owns up to his attitude and seeks to learn from her. His newfound attitude sticks for the rest of the series.
- Oyaji thanking Aang for using the Unagi to save the village from burning.
- Even though it was the Avatar's presence that brought Zuko and his men, no one on Kyoshi Island demands, or even expects, Aang to stay and fight for them. Instead they encourage him and his friends to leave while they still can, despite the trouble they could get into for harbouring him.
The King of Omashu
- Upon discovering that the cuckoo titular king was his childhood friend, Aang parrots something he'd always tell his old friend Bumi in the past, eyes noticeably filled with Tears of Joy before running into Bumi's arms for a hug. After a hundred years of being frozen and falling distraught over the loss of loved ones and friends, Aang found a surviving friend. Aw, and they both haven't changed a bit (well, for Aang, literally).
- Before the group leaves to continue their journey, Aang and Bumi ride down the Omashu chute system just like they use to do.
- The stern guard at the city gate stops the Gaang to reprimand what he believes is a young man letting his aging grandfather carry a heavy bag himself. Keep in mind, the guard had just been yelled at by said old man.
Winter Solstice, Part 1: The Spirit World
- When Iroh gets captured by earthbenders. Zuko deliberately gives up a prime opportunity to follow Appa and capture Aang in favor of rescuing his uncle. He shows up in this nick of time and breaks Iroh's chains, and then this happens:Iroh: Excellent form, Prince Zuko.Zuko: You taught me well.
- Earlier in the episode, Iroh is sitting in a hot spring and a frustrated Zuko says that if he isn’t back at the ship after half an hour he’s leaving without him. Zuko finds out about Iroh's capture when he goes to check on him after the deadline has passed. In other words, Zuko, despite his bluster and temper, would never leave his uncle.
- Once Aang realizes that Hei Bai is the spirit of the forest, he empathizes with angry spirit about how devastating it was to see the forest burnt and he reassures Hei Bai that the forest will regrow. This gives him peace and he releases the people he abducted.
- While his actions were highly ineffectual and resulted in him being abducted, it was nice seeing Sokka become concerned enough about Aang’s safety that he jumped in to help him fight Hei Bai.
- The Senlin Village elder kindly comforting Katara and kindly reassuring her that he's confident that both Aang and Sokka would return soon.
Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku
- Aang tries to leave Katara and Sokka in Sentin Village while he flies to the Fire Nation out of concern for their safety. Neither of them have any of it.
- Shyu helping Aang and his friends get to the sanctuary, even to the point of fighting his fellow sages. While the show has given Iroh some lighter moments, Shyu is the first truly good Fire Nation member the gang has met that was their ally. He also is aware that his home country is in desperate need of the Avatar just like the rest of the world.
- Roku’s conversation with Aang about Sozin’s Comet. When introducing himself to the boy, he has a gentle smile and jokingly asks what took him so long. He never expresses anger or frustration with Aang as he tells him about Sozin’s Comet. Not to mention him having full confidence that Aang will save the world from Ozai.
The Waterbending Scroll
- Aang asks Katara if she can teach him some of the waterbending that she taught herself. Katara at first is mildly jealous when Aang starts picking up on her movements faster. Aang notices and points out kindly that she had to teach herself, but he has a great instructor already. Katara smiles.
- After snapping at Aang out of jealousy over his waterbending abilities, Katara is immediately remorseful, apologises profusely and hands him the scroll. On his part, Aang forgives her instantly.
- Sokka silently calling Katara out for her attitude toward Aang.
Jet
- When Sokka goes to warn the Fire Nation-occupied village of Jet's attack, while the Fire Nation soldiers initially don't believe him, once an older Fire Nation man, whom Sokka saved from Jet, vouches for him, the soldiers waste no time evacuating the village. This shows that even though the Fire Nation may be The Empire, they are not all heartless.
- While he's later far more aggressive towards the Gaang, Jet at least gently tries to explain the necessity (in his mind) of flooding the village to a hesitant The Duke.
The Storm
- Uncle Iroh's remark that he knows things will never be normal even if Zuko captures the Avatar, but it the idea it will gives Zuko hope.
- Monk Gyatso knew the burden of being the Avatar weighed on Aang, and tried to counterbalance.. and kick Aang's butt at Pai Sho.
- It's fleeting and serves as to further hammer home how miserable Zuko is in his exile, but the flashback to a time when Zuko and sister were happily playing in a field shows that he indeed has some happy memories with his family. There was even a brief shot of someone warmly placing their hand on Zuko's shoulder, implied to be Ozai of all people, indicating that perhaps there was a time that Ozai actually tried to be a warm father.
- When Zuko notices that the helmsman is in danger of falling to his death, he immediately climbs the ladder to save him. Despite earlier declaring that he cares little about the safety of his crew, when it really comes down to it Zuko proves that he's willing to put his life in danger to save them.
- Furthermore, when they spot the Gaang flying nearby, Zuko declines pursuing them in favor of getting them out of the storm safely.
- Zuko apologizing to Iroh for his earlier disrespect and rebuff. Iroh gently accepts his apology.
- Lieutenant Jee is right behind Zuko in rescuing the helmsman, and carries the man down the ladder after rescuing him. Also the fact that his frustration towards Zuko is mainly fueled by the prince's disregard for his fellow crew members and lack of respect towards Iroh.
The Blue Spirit
- Despite Zuko being his enemy, Aang barely hesitates to rescue him when he's knocked out and Zhao's soldiers are rapidly approaching.
- At the end, when Aang is watching over Zuko, and even wonders whether or not they could have been friends under different circumstances. What makes this heartwarming is that Aang isn't being naïve. He's ready to jump away when Zuko firebends at him, and doesn't bother to tell Sokka and Katara later. It's just the fact that Aang is an All-Loving Hero who genuinely wants to befriend everyone, even if he's aware he can't.
- What’s more about this scene is that when Zuko first offers to be a part of Aang’s gang in the third season, he brings up this conversation. It seems like Zuko had enough time to consider the possibility that they could have become friends if things were different.
- Towards the beginning of the episode, there's a brief scene of Lieutenant Jee respectfully assisting Zuko in speculating where Aang might be. It seems as though the events of the last episode made Jee a lot more loyal to the prince's mission.
Bato of the Water Tribe
- All the times that Bato tells Sokka and Katara that Hakoda would be proud of them.
- Even though Aang lied and Sokka is furious with him, Katara doesn't even think of choosing sides until Sokka asks her to.
- Bato is rather understanding when he finds out that Aang was withholding the letter from him, even though it was he who the letter was addressed to. Instead of chewing Aang out for his action, he instead tries to calm Sokka down and urges him not to make any rash decisions in his anger.
- Sokka and Katara changing their minds and going back for Aang. Notably it's Sokka who insists that they stay with Aang, despite previously being furious with him.
- Katara kissing Aang for finding her necklace.
The Waterbending Master
- After berating Katara for being a girl (and thus, unfit to train with him in his view) for the entirety of the episode, Pakku gets one line at the end that is the epitome of Heartwarming:Pakku: [seeing that Katara has entered his training area] What do you think you're doing?! You're late.
- During Katara's duel with Pakku, look at the crowd cheering for Katara. Not just girls and women, but boys and even men are cheering her on. Seems like change was a long time coming.
- Also, throughout the whole episode, Sokka, who previously displayed sexist behavior, defends Katara and even helps by suggesting she train with Aang. Especially given how dismissive he was about her waterbending previously. Cleary, his lesson in humility from Suki stuck.
- When Aang decides not to learn from Pakku in protest for Katara, she immediately tries to reason with both of them. Despite her obvious frustration towards the situation, she acknowledges that Aang's Avatar duties are far more important.
The Siege of the North, Part 1
- Pakku's "Determination vs. Raw Talent" speech to Katara feels like a much-earned reprieve from "The Water-bending Scroll". After struggling with her jealousy at Aang's ability to quickly master what took her months or even years, it's nice for Katara to hear that being a slow study at water-bending does not make her skills less, but in fact is the mark of determination and growth.
- It's also nice that after his sexism in the past episode, Katara had become Pakku's star student. This shows that he genuinely moved past his sexist beliefs.
- This exchange:Iroh: Ever since I lost my own son...
Zuko: Uncle, you don't have to say it.
Iroh: I think of you as my own.
Zuko: I know, Uncle. We'll meet again.- Iroh giving Zuko a hug right after.
The Siege of the North, Part 2
- Aang deciding that instead of leaving an unconscious Zuko behind to freeze to death in the snow, they should bring him in tow (if tied up). It shows that, although Zuko's done very little to earn their mercy, Aang still values all life.
- Hei Bai returns to help Aang return to the physical world. Roku even calls him Aang’s friend, meaning that Aang’s actions in “Winter Solstice, Part 1: The Spirit World” impacted the spirit so much that he considers Aang a friend.
- Momo staying in the Spirit Oasis waiting for Aang to return. Even though Aang’s body was no longer there, Momo still waited for Aang.
- Zhao has just killed the moon spirit. Everything's dark and bleak and the Fire Nation is wreaking havoc on the Northern Water Tribe. Who sadly picks up the dead fish and mourns with the Gaang and Yue? Iroh. The Gaang doesn't know anything about him beyond the fact that he's Fire Nation and Zuko's uncle. Yet it's that moment when they (and the viewers) know that he's really on their side.
- The episode yet again shows Zuko's inner goodness. Zhao, a man that has belittled and even tried to murder Zuko is grabbed by the Ocean Spirit. Zuko starts to run only to turn back and offer Zhao his hand in rescue. Depending on how people interpret Zhao refusing the offer it's either prideful 'I'd rather die than be rescued by you' or a silent 'save yourself!'
- Chief Arnook, though clearly saddened by his daughter's death, never once tries to blame Sokka, and instead expresses pride in his daughter's sacrifice.
