History Recap / AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheNorthernAirTemple

* ForTheEvulz: According to the Mechanist, some Fire Nation soldiers found them shortly after they moved to the Air Temple and decided to destroy it despite it being of no real benefit to them at the time, so it can be assumed that they were going to do so out of malice.

* SteamPunk: This aspect of the show is really amped up in this episode. It first features a repurposed temple home to a refugee community that flies around in personal gliders and powers their home using a huge system of boilers and a harnessed deposit of natural gas. Later, the battle against the Fire Nation sees a division of armored tanks go against a war balloon.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: Aang is justified in being upset about the destruction of so much of his cultural heritage, but the refugees are also justified in trying to survive after their previous homes were wiped out, and the temple ''had'' been abandoned for almost a hundred years.

* ChekhovsGun: The war balloon.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Take a good look at [[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheDrill the plans that the Mechanist is working on...]] Also take note of the War Minister Qin's interest in the balloon wreck.
* GadgeteerGenius[=/=]ReluctantMadScientist: The Mechanist. We also get to see some of Sokka's talent for devices.
* GoodVersusGood: Aang versus the refugees. It's a morally complex situation where no one is really right or wrong.
* GunshipRescue: How the ending battle is won.

* InspirationallyDisadvantaged: Averted with Teo, who might be an excellent pilot, but this is never suggested to be because he is paraplegic, nor does anyone seem to consider him in any way unusual. The only notice that anyone takes of Teo's handicap is when Sokka is impressed by his "glider chair".
* InspiredBy: Sokka and The Mechanist's idea of adding the scent of rotten eggs to the gas to identify the source of the leak is similar to the real-world process of [[TheCoconutEffect adding ethanethiol to otherwise odorless LPG to make it detectable for humans]]. In fact, many of the Mechanist's inventions are inspired by real life. People told time with grooved candles before clocks (albeit not ones with gunpowder spaced along the fuse); hot air balloons have similar vents to those proposed by Sokka.
* ForTheEvulz: According to The Mechanist, some Fire Nation soldiers found them shortly after they moved to the air temple and decided to destroy it despite it being of no real benefit to them at the time, so it can be assumed that they were going to do so out of malice.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: The Fire Nation grabs the wreck of the war balloon and manages to make it work.

* ProtectThisHouse: This episode is about protecting a temple.

* SteamPunk: This aspect of the show is really amped up in this episode.

* SwallowedAFly: When Katara tries out a glider.

* ThoseMagnificentFlyingMachines: The aesthetic of the flying machines is reminiscent of this trope.

* YankTheDogsChain: After hearing about flying people at the temple, Aang is naturally crushed to learn that all their flying is done with mechanical assistance.

''[[caption-width-right:333:The Earth Kingdom civilians glide around the temple.]]''

-->--'''Aang'''

As our heroes approach the North Pole, they hear rumours of flying people--not from the past, but still living, over at the Northern Air Temple. However, upon arriving, they discover not airbenders, but ordinary refugees who have used technology invented by their leader, the Mechanist, to fly and do other amazing things. All this invention comes at a cost, however, often damaging the original artwork and architecture of the temple, and Aang finds himself distressed to see his heritage being destroyed. As he tries to come to terms with how much things have changed, the Fire Nation continue to advance, seeking out the refugees' technology.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Take a good look at [[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheDrill the plans that the Mechanist is working on...]] Also take note of the War Minister Qin’s interest in the balloon wreck.

* InspiredBy: Sokka and The Mechanist's idea of adding the scent of rotten eggs to the gas to identify the source of the leak is similar to the real world process of [[TheCoconutEffect adding ethanethiol to otherwise odorless LPG to make it detectable for humans]]. In fact, many of the Mechanist's inventions are inspired by real life. People told time with grooved candles before clocks (albeit not ones with gunpowder spaced along the fuse); hot air balloons have similar vents to those proposed by Sokka.

* BerserkButton: Aang did not take kindly to how the refugees have changed the temple.

* AcousticLicense: Aang and Teo can easily understand each other talking from glider glider in mid-air.

* BittersweetEnding: Heavier on the bitter. The heroes manage to drive the Fire Nation troops away from the Northern Air Temple, but the Fire Nation now has a working prototype of a war balloon, which in time, allowed the invention of the airships, which enabled a much more efficient environment destruction method for the Fire Nation during the arrival of Sozin's comet. Judging by the Mechanist's worried expression at the end of the episode, he seems to have realized the implications of this.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Take a good look at the plans the Mechanist is working on[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheDrill ...]] Also take note of the War Minister Qin’s interest in the balloon wreck.
* GadgeteerGenius[=/=]ReluctantMadScientist: The Mechanist, we also get to see some of Sokka's talent for devices as well.

* InspirationallyDisadvantaged: Averted with Teo, who might be an excellent pilot, but this is never suggested to be because he is paraplegic, nor does anyone seem to consider him in any way unusual. The only notice anyone takes of Teo's handicap is when Sokka is impressed by his "glider chair".

* RageBreakingPoint: Aang clearly isn't happy with the refugees' treatment of the temple, but he seems to be on his way to accepting it...until a wrecking ball destroys a sculpture of a monk right in front of him. Aang's response is to destroy their equipment and call them out for desecrating a temple.

-->'''Katara:''' How do I land this—Ackk! Bug! BUG! That was a BUG!

* YankTheDogsChain: After hearing about flying people at the temple, Aang is naturally crushed to learn all their flying is done with mechanical assistance.

* BittersweetEnding: The heroes manage to drive the Fire Nation troops away from the Northern Air Temple, but the Fire Nation now has a working prototype of a war balloon. Judging by the Mechanist's worried expression at the end of the episode, he seems to have realized the implications of this.

* ForTheEvulz: According to The Mechanist somemFire Nation soldiers found them shortly after they moved to the air temple and decided to destroy it despite it being of no real benefit to them at the time, so it can be assumed that they were going to do so out of malice.