History NightmareFuel / AvatarTheLastAirbender

[[caption-width-right:253:"It's been a long time since [[WouldHurtAChild I've added a child's face]] to [[FaceStealer my collection]]."]]

* The titular character, who plans to flood a valley, killing an entire town's worth of Fire Nation soldiers and civilians alike. Keep in mind that he can't be older than ''sixteen'', yet he's trying to commit mass murder on a whole town of innocent people just to get rid of the Fire Nation troops.

This may be a kid's show, but considering that it's produced by the animated production division of Nickelodeon, a network that has gained infamy for having no shortage of terrifying moments across its many animated series, it's to be expected that ''Avatar: The Last Airbender'' will certainly fall into this standard as well... in some different ways. Brace yourselves...

* The sheer power we see the firebenders have thanks to the comet. Azula and Zuko throw fire blasts the size of houses at each other. Iroh blasts through the walls of Ba Sing Se. It's easy to see how the Fire Nation's first strike with the comet's power so devestating and how they wiped out the Air Nomads.

** Some of Aang's descriptions of the nightmares are even worse. Katara doesn't let him finish, But it seems to end pretty gruesomely.
-->'''Aang''': "You need to stop wearing your hair up! In my dream, your hair got caught in a train, and-"

This may be a kid's show, but considering that it's produced by the animated production division of Nickelodeon, a network that has gained infamy for having no shortage of terrifying moments across its many animated series, it's to be expected that Avatar: The Last Airbender will certainly fall into this standard as well... in some different ways. Brace yourselves...

* When the Gaang finds the picture of a baby, they assume it is Zuko. [[GoodCannotComprehendEvil Much to everyone's surprise,]] Zuko corrects them, noting that the picture is actually of ''his father''. When Suki states that Ozai looks "so sweet and innocent," he adds that said "sweet little kid grew up to be a monster, and the worst father in the history of fathers." The Gaang looks horrified as to how this innocent-looking child eventually grew up to become the corrupt and war-mongering dictator they're now against.

* Never make [[ScaryLibrarian Wan]] [[OminousOwl Shi]] [[KnightTemplar Tong]] angry. EVER. [[CreepySouvenir His punishments include killing and stuffing intruders to put on his display wall.]]

** The worst part of it all is that even in defeat, this result is [[TheBadGuyWins exactly what Hama wanted]]. Whether or not she's imprisoned, her technique has been passed on, to the next generation of the southern tribe waterbenders at that, and she's even capable of a waterbender than Hama is. Katara using the technique to bring her down only proves the seed has been planted for Hama's legacy to live on, and the realization leaves poor Katara in tears as Hama [[LaughingMad cackles as she's taken away.]] [[DownerEnding This is the shot the episode ends on.]]

* The utter [[AxCrazy insane]] [[UnstoppableRage fury]] she unleashes in her Agni Kai with [[TranquilFury Zuko]] is downright unnerving to comprehend.

* The way removing people's bending is treated in ''[[SequelSeries The Legend of Korra]]'' (practically a FateWorseThanDeath, with most of the victims ''begging'' for it not to happen and visibly traumatized afterwards) makes Aang's use of energybending rather... uncomfortable. The Benders are used to it being an extension of their body, so getting rid of it would be like ripping off somebody's arm... or one of their senses. Or both. Even worse, Amon's method doesn't strip someone of their bending, just their ability to use it. Meaning they have their abilities constantly just out of reach but are functionally perpetually chi-blocked. Of course, considering that this is [[AxCrazy Fire]] [[{{Jerkass}} Lord]] [[AbusiveParents Ozai]] that receives it, [[AssholeVictim he absolutely deserves it]].

* While trying to move through the cave, the Gaang and the hippie nomads hear a creature coming from a dark tunnel. A wolf bat leaps out and attacks them, scaring Appa and causing a cave in that results in them getting separated. The wolf bat's [[JumpScare Jump Scare]] is made more frightening on home media releases and most streaming, as the jump scare happens after a fade to black, and in the scene right before it, the proverbial camera zooms in on the dark tunnel. Since there's no commercials on home media, the screen is pitch black for a short minute before the wolf bat's jump scare happens with little to no warning.

* While trying to move through the cave, the Gaang and the hippie nomads hear a creature coming from a dark tunnel. A wolf bat leaps out and attacks them, scaring Appa and causing a cave in that results in them getting separated. The wolf bat's [[JumpScare]] is made more frightening on home media releases and most streaming, as the jump scare happens after a fade to black, and in the scene right before it, the proverbial camera zooms in on the dark tunnel. Since there's no commercials on home media, the screen is pitch black for a short minute before the wolf bat's jump scare happens with little to no warning.

** When The User is performing bloodbending a use it too much, they become soulness husk of themselves not caring what they are doing is wrong and become insane. The look of their eyes say it all when Hama escape from prison, she was a happy southern water tribe girl best friends with Kanna until the fire nation attack and took every waterbender from their home. Days went from months, the prisoners only can drink from their mouths so they couldn’t waterbend themselves out. After discovering the full moon, that she can use waterbending it gave the chance for Hama escape but while escaping she use brute and look like a zombie with no soul, her eyes look so lifeless. Being a bloodbender has a price when user is using bloodbending.

* ''Everything'' about [[BigBad Fire Lord Ozai]], the [[TheSociopath sociopathic]], cruel BigBad. From his [[FinalSolution genocide campaigns]] to his [[AbusiveParents treatment of his children]], he is a terrifying villain. The fact that he's voiced by Creator/MarkHamill (also known as ComicBook/{{the Joker}}) and [[NothingIsScarier never shows his face]] during the first two seasons makes him more unnerving.

** [[FromBadToWorse This gets SO MUCH WORSE]] following [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra The Legend of Korra]], where season one focuses heavily on the growing social conflict between benders and nonbenders. Lian’s machine uprising could very well [[VillainousPredecessor have been an inspiration]] for Amon’s Equalist Revolution.

This may be a kid's show, but Avatar: The Last Airbender certainly has no shortage of terrifying moments.

** While Azula's [[SanitySlippage mental health has degraged]] we see she is far from stupid. Rather than aiming her lightning attack at Zuko she aims for Katara. While Zuko was able to safely redirect Ozai's lightning attack, he isn’t able to act fast enough when jumping in front of Katara. [[OhCrap This leaves Zuko twitching on the ground while Katara is bow tasked with fighting an empowered Azula all on her own.]]

* How about Katara's ghost story at the beginning of this episode? Never fails to give the chills. Even though the story has nothing to do with the episode itself, it sure as hell sets up the mood.

'''Katara:''' No one knows. Nini's house stands empty to this day, but sometimes, people see smoke coming up from the chimney, like little Nini is still trying to get warm.

** She's a regular [[WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy Mandy]], isn't she? Throw in a few bonus points, too- [[Creator/GreyDeLisle same voice actors.]]