History Recap / AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheFirebendingMasters

* ContinuityNod: Aang's expression when he firebends, as well as the slow-motion, is virtually identical to when he first firebent in "The Deserter". Only this time he is in full control.

* TookALevelInJerkass: Katara shows this when she rather nastily taunts Zuko for losing his Firebending, insults that perhaps he wasn't a good firebender to begin with, and mocks his new form of firebending. Granted, she has some understandable reasons to be mad at Zuko. [[note]] Examples being his constant jabs of "barbarian" and "peasant", kidnapped Aang at the North Pole[[/note]]

* DarkAndTroubledPast: Zuko states that his uncle is responsible for killing the last dragon, which shocks Aang because he thought that Iroh was good. Zuko states that Iroh, like the rest of his family, had a complicated past. Ultimately subverted when it's revealed that the last dragons are still alive and Iroh lied about slaying the last dragons in order to protect them.

* TookALevelInJerkass: Katara shows this when she rather nastily taunts Zuko for losing his Firebending, insults that perhaps he wasn't a good firebender to begin with, and mocks his new form of firebending. Granted, she has plenty of understandable reasons to be mad at Zuko. [[note]] Examples being his constant jabs of "barbarian" and "peasant", the time he stole her mother's necklace, kidnapped Aang at the North Pole- and the part where she ''did'' open up to him at the end of the previous season just for him to sucker Aang into taking a bolt of lightning to the back. [[/note]]

* CallBack: The red and blue dragons resemble the ones Zuko dreamed of in Season Two, representing his good and evil sides.

* ContinuityNod: Aang's expression when he firebends, as well as the slo-motion, is virtually identical to when he first firebent in "The Deserter". Only this time he is in full control.

* DeathFakedForYou: Iroh did this for the last two dragons.

* IronicEcho: When Zuko complains about how slow Appa's flying, Aang gives the chipper instruction that Team Avatar always starts their day with an upbeat attitude. Later, when Aang loses his nerve over a booby trap he narrowly evaded, Zuko finds a way [[WallRun around it]] and facetiously points out Aang's lack of that "upbeat attitude".

* WallRun: Zuko runs on the wall to get past a trap.

* TookALevelInJerkass: Katara shows this when she rather nastily taunts Zuko for losing his Firebending, puts down his attempts to figure out why, and mocks his new form of firebending. Granted, she plenty good reason to be mad at Zuko: his constant jabs of "barbarian" and "peasant" still ring in her ears - and the part where she ''did'' open up to him at the end of the previous season just for him to sucker Aang into taking a bolt of lightning to the back.

* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: When Aang confides in Zuko his backstory of why he's afraid to fire-bend, Zuko reassures that he has faith it will be okay.

'''Zuko:''' [[CaptainObvious It's some kind of mystical gemstone.]]\\

''[[caption-width-right:350:Aang and Zuko are deemed worthy enough to learn the true and harmonious way of firebending.]]

->''"I understand."''

* DurableDeathtrap: Aang nearly gets killed by one. Lampshaded by Zuko when he wonders how century old booby traps could still work. Subverted in that the trap probably wasn't that old...

-->"I understand."

** He refers to Zuko as 'Sifu [[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheHeadband Hotman]]'

* DurableDeathtrap: Aang nearly gets killed by one. Subverted in that the trap probably wasn't that old...
-->"Zuko, I think the past is trying to kill me!"

* HeKnowsTooMuch: Subverted; after claiming that discovering the continued existence of the Sun Warriors (and the last two dragons) means Zuko and Aang can never leave the tribe, the chieftain then reveals he was just kidding. Then [[DoubleSubversion Double Subverted]] when he rather freakily insists they don't tell anyone [[DeathFakedForYou what they've seen and learned]] ([[SeriousBusiness since their lives and especially those of the dragons depended on secrecy]]).

* LeParkour: Zuko runs on the wall to get past a trap.

* RagnarokProofing: Subverted. The Sun Warriors are still alive.

* WorldOfCardboardSpeech: Both Aang and Zuko knew from near the start of the episode that their blocks to learning firebending were internal, but it's not until the near the end that they actually give the speech and break through the blocks.

Having been accepted by the Gaang, Zuko begins to teach Aang firebending, only to discover that his own firebending has gotten weaker. Realizing that he previously fueled his firebending with hate and rage, Zuko takes Aang to visit the ruins of the ancient Sun Warrior civilization in hopes of learning a new way to firebend.

* TookALevelInJerkass: Katara shows this when she rather nastily taunts Zuko for losing his Firebending; Zuko's constant jabs of "barbarian" and "peasant" still ring in her ears - and the part where she ''did'' open up to him at the end of the previous season just for him to sucker Aang into taking a bolt of lightning to the back.

* RaidersOfTheLostParody

-->'''Aang:''' What exactly is that?
-->'''Zuko:''' [[CaptainObvious It's some kind of mystical gemstone.]]
-->'''Aang:''' Well, don't touch it!
-->'''Zuko:''' Why not?
-->'''Aang:''' Remember what happened out there with those spikes? I'm just very suspicious of [[ConversationalTroping giant, glowing gems sitting on pedestals.]]

* PsychosomaticSuperpowerOutage: The reason for Zuko's firebending getting weaker.

* RedemptionDemotion: Ultimately inverted, as Zuko proves to be an even better firebender after this episode, but first played straight and [[DiscussedTrope discussed]] when his bending initially becomes much weaker.

* TookALevelInJerkass: Katara shows this when she rather nastily taunts Zuko for losing his Firebending.

* DontTouchItYouIdiot: Aang [[GenreSavvy clearly knows the rules]] for surviving a RaidersOfTheLostParody.

* StealthInsult: "You know, Zuko, I don't care what anyone says; you're pretty smart." It takes Zuko a few moments to understand the implication.