The Beach
- Episode aired Oct 19, 2007
- TV-Y7
- 25m
On a forced vacation, Zuko, Azula, Ty Lee and Mai try to blend in with normal teenagers and learn about themselves and one another. Aang and company are attacked by an ominous assassin.On a forced vacation, Zuko, Azula, Ty Lee and Mai try to blend in with normal teenagers and learn about themselves and one another. Aang and company are attacked by an ominous assassin.On a forced vacation, Zuko, Azula, Ty Lee and Mai try to blend in with normal teenagers and learn about themselves and one another. Aang and company are attacked by an ominous assassin.
- Aang
- (voice)
- Katara
- (voice)
- Sokka
- (voice)
- (as Jack Desena)
- Toph
- (voice)
- (as Jessie Flower)
- Prince Zuko
- (voice)
- Appa
- (voice)
- …
- Azula
- (voice)
- (as Grey DeLisle)
- Mai
- (voice)
- Ty Lee
- (voice)
- Chan
- (voice)
- Lo
- (voice)
- …
- Ruon-Jian
- (voice)
- Additional Voices
- (voice)
- Additional Voices
- (voice)
- (as Max Roeg)
- Additional Voices
- (voice)
- (as Zach Throne)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen Zuko leaves the party and is walking towards his childhood holiday house, there are flashes of his happier memories. One of them is of a man holding a baby with another child next to him playing on the beach - one might assume it would be Ozai holding Azula, with Zuko playing next to them. But it's actually Uncle Iroh holding a baby Zuko, with Lu Ten next to them playing.
- GoofsTy Lee tells Mai that she was an only child for 15 years before Tom Tom, her little brother, was born. This would make her 17 years old. Mai is canonically a 15-year-old character though, so she would have been 13 when her little brother was born.
- Quotes
Ty Lee: Calm down, you guys. This much negative energy is bad for your skin. You'll totally break out.
Prince Zuko: Bad skin? Normal teenagers worry about bad skin. I don't have that luxury. My father decided to teach me a permanent lesson on my face.
Ty Lee: Sorry, Zuko. I...
Prince Zuko: For so long I thought that if my Dad accepted me, I'd be happy. I'm back home now. My Dad talks to me. Ha! He even thinks I'm a hero. Everything should be perfect, right? I should be happy now, but I'm not! I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!
Azula: There's a simple question you need to answer then. Who are you angry at?
Prince Zuko: No one. I'm just angry.
Mai: Yeah, who are you angry at, Zuko?
Prince Zuko: Everyone. I don't know.
Azula: Is it Dad?
Prince Zuko: No, no.
Ty Lee: Your uncle?
Azula: Me?
Prince Zuko: No, no, no, no!
Mai: Then who? Who are you angry at?
Azula: Answer the question, Zuko.
Ty Lee: Talk to us.
Mai: Come on. Answer the question.
Azula: Come on, answer it.
Prince Zuko: I'm angry at myself!
Azula: Why?
Prince Zuko: Because I'm confused. Because I'm not sure I know the difference between right and wrong anymore.
- ConnectionsFeatured in MsMojo: Top 10 Best Azula Moments on Avatar: The Last Airbender (2020)
Almost everything about the "airing of grievances" scene on the beach under the moonlight felt completely contrived. The dialogue was stilted and ham-fisted, which in my opinion ruined what could've been a genuinely powerful moment that would've added even more depth to our antagonists.
The nearly wordless scene immediately preceding it was more what I've come to expect from the show. Zuko looks back fondly on childhood memories made with his family on the island. It was subtle and poignant, adding to Zuko's inner turmoil by illustrating the difficulty he finds in justifying the positive nostalgia he feels while recalling times spent with a family that he is completely emotionally detached from in the present. The whiplash I got moving from that scene to one where each character spells out letter-by-letter the reasons why they each adopted their respective personas robbed me of any hope I had of being emotionally invested in the rest of the episode. It left a sour aftertaste, with all the makings of a classic ATLA characterization masterclass being squandered in pitiful fashion.
That being said, there are still nuggets of merit to be found here. Azula was delightful and sharp as ever. Her self-awareness added a "meta" dimension to the comedy of the episode that cut through a lot of the cheesier bits. The superficiality of Mai and Zuko's relationship lends serious credibility to Zuko's disillusionment with the present, where he's still wholly unsatisfied despite attaining everything he believes he's ever desired. We also get the introduction of a threatening secondary antagonist to add a bit of urgency to Team Avatar's invasion plan.
For the most part, the episode successfully leans into the cheesiness of the coming-of-age 80's dramedy (vis-á-vis "The Breakfast Club") aesthetic. Thus, it's still an overall fun watch. But in my opinion, the emotional climax wasn't executed nearly as well. That singular scene was one of the only moments of true cognitive dissonance I experienced watching the show, which I suppose is a testament to its overall brilliance. Regardless, that scene alone makes this one of the weaker episodes of the series for me.
- liammc-73274
- May 8, 2022
Details
- Runtime25 minutes