History Heartwarming / AvatarTheLastAirbenderBookTwo

--> '''Iroh:''' Perfection and power are overrated. I think you were very wise to choose happiness and love.

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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/inhonorofmako.jpg]] [[caption-width-right:350:Thank you, {{Creator/Mako}}. May you rest in peace.]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/inhonorofmako.jpg]] [[caption-width-right:350:Thank you, {{Creator/Mako}}. May you rest in piece.]]

* Zuko choosing to free Appa. Even more so when, out of all the people who were kind to Appa or aided in his quest to find Aang during his lost days, Zuko can add himself to the list.

* Zuko's clumsy, unsuccessful yet incredibly sweet efforts to take care of Iroh, and Iroh drinking the (unintentionally foul) tea that Zuko gave him, even after finding how bad it tastes.

* After their successful takeover of Ba Sing Se, Azula sincerely reassures a guilt-ridden Zuko that his honor is restored.

** Sokka's love for his boomerang brings an enormous, genuine panic into the GrandFinale, where he is BARELY holding onto Toph, thousands of feet in the air. Two enemy soldiers are about to attack, so he hurls his boomerang at one and his "space sword" at the other. They both do the job, but neither comes back. Suddenly, the weight of the scene is so much more, because his beloved boomerang is gone forever. And then more soldiers approach, and Sokka's grip starts to slip...
** And then ''Suki'' comes back, which is just as heartwarming.

* Zuko going to rescue a boy that he barely even knows from some Earth Kingdom soldiers. Any doubt that there was good in him should have gone away right there. Then it turns into a TearJerker as he's run out of town for being a [[FantasticRacism Firebender]] and the son of Ozai. It's also a hint to Zuko of just how much the rest of the world hates the Fire Nation, something he includes in his CallingTheOldManOut speech to Ozai.

** Aang also trusts Toph's judgement enough to ask Iroh for advice himself concerning his conflict between his love for Katara and his mastering of the avatar state.

* Zuko's date with Jin. The scene where he lit all the lanterns with Firebending for her -- risked discovery, death, so much -- just to make her happy was very touching. Also, Zuko admitting that at the end, he did have a great time. He finally had one moment where he could experience real joy as a normal teenager.

* And there's also a bit of heartwarming FridgeBrilliance. One of the cats takes the tuft of Appa's fur that Momo had been hanging onto, and runs with it. At first glance, one may think that the cats were tricking Momo, but the cat stops, turns, and places the tuft of fur right on Appa's footprint where he was captured. Momo just lies down with the tuft as the cats watch nearby.

'''Pathik:''' The air nomads' love for you has not gone from this world.\\

'''Pathik:''' Let your grief flow away.\\

* After their successful takeover of Ba Sing Se, Azula seemingly sincerely reassures a guilt-ridden Zuko that his honor is restored.

* The two guards in the teashop don't hesitate to move to defend Iroh and Zuko from Jet. Even though Jet was right about them being firebenders, all they saw was an armed young man about to attack two workers for no reason. The only reason they don't intervene immediately is because Zuko beat them to it and borrowed their swords for the task.

* Even though Zuko insults Iroh and implies that he's nothing but a jealous old man, Iroh still comes with Zuko when they join Azula, just to protect him.

* Tom-Tom being reunited with his parents. The mother's cry of [[http://piandao.org/screenshots/earth/earth3/earth3-1499.jpg "Tom-Tom!!"]] as they turn around and see him, and Aang's [[http://piandao.org/screenshots/earth/earth3/earth3-1503.jpg smile]] as he watches from nearby just makes you feel... Fuzzy. Like socks.

* Appa's [[BigDamnHeroes triumphant return]] when he is finally reunited with the [[FanNickname Gaang]] at the end of Lake Laogai, and everyone hugs him.

'''Pathik:''' It is still inside of your heart. And has been reborn in the form... of ''new'' love.\\

* The two guards in the teashop don't hesitate to move to defend Iroh and Zuko from Jet. Even though Jet was right about them being firebenders, all they saw was an armed young man about to attack two workers for no reason. The only reason they don't intervene immediately is because Zuko beat them to it.

* Despite his later actions, Zuko is genuinely upset when he sees Song's burn scars. This moment seems to kick off the start of him realising that the war has hurt innocent people.

** In turn, Iroh assures Zuko that tea still tastes good whether its from a golden tea set or a porcelein pots and tin cup. It's almost as though he's metaphorically telling Zuko he still loves his nephew, [[MeaningfulEcho whether he's a rich prince or a penniless thief]].

* Quite a minor example, but Zuko is about to take food from a couple, but he stops after seeing the woman is pregnant. And it really hits hard when you realize that the woman, who we see later, is pregnant with [[RuleOfSymbolism Hope]]. Sparing her life is what brings hope for Zuko's path to redemption and allows this baby to be born healthy, thus giving Aang hope to find Appa.

* When Toph and Iroh are talking over tea. Iroh talks about Zuko. When Toph leaves, she says this...

* We're treated to a flashback of a younger Iroh playing happily with his son. It's clear just from the few seconds we see just how much of a loving, caring bond they had and how much better of a father Iroh was than Ozai ever could be.

** That last piece of dialogue there is a nice icing on the cake, as Katara was desperately wanting Aang to address her as that for a good chunk of the episode.

* The fact that neither Sokka, Toph nor Katara lash out at each other once throughout this episode. It would be perfectly understandable if they did, given the hopelessness of their situation, but the three of them are actually much more tolerant and cooperative with each other than usual. Especially when compared to "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheChase The Chase]]", in this episode they don't have a single argument. It just goes to show that when the chips are down, [[TrueCompanions Team Avatar sticks together.]]

* All of the Water Tribe soldiers greeting Sokka cheerily when they see him. Follwoed by him greeting his father.

** At one point, young Azula ridicules how Iroh surrendered the seige of Ba Sing Se after he lost his son, calling him a loser. But instead of agreeing with her, youngZuko calls her out on her LackOfEmpathy. He's empathetic that Iroh gave up the seige, not out of weakness or cowardice, but because he's lost his son forever. Compared to the present-day Zuko, he's more understanding towards how his uncle works.

** At one point, young!Azula ridicules how Iroh surrendered the seige of Ba Sing Sei after he lost his son, calling him a loser. But instead of agreeing with her, young!Zuko calls her out on her LackOfEmpathy. He's empathetic that Iroh gave up the seige, not out of weakness or cowardice, but because he's lost his son forever. Compared to the present-day Zuko, he's more understanding towards how his uncle works.

* Zuko going to rescue a boy that he barely even knows from some Earth Kingdom soldiers. Any doubt that there was good in him should have gone away right there. Then it turns into a TearJerker as he's run out of town for being a Firebender and the son of Ozai. It's also a hint to Zuko of just how much the rest of the world hates the Fire Nation, something he includes in his CallingTheOldManOut speech to Ozai.

* The fact that neither Sokka, Toph nor Katara lash out at each other once throughout this episode. It would be perfectly understandable if they did, given the hopelessness of their situation, but the three of them are actually much more tolerant and cooperative with each other than usual. Especially when compared to ''[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheChase The Chase]]'', in this episode they don't have a single argument. It just goes to show that when the chips are down, [[TrueCompanions Team Avatar sticks together.]]

* Toph remembers Iroh from their conversation in ''[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheChase The Chase]]'' and calls him an old friend.

** Also: