The Chase (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

"The Chase" is an episode from the animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which airs on Nickelodeon. It is the eighth episode of the second season of the series.

As Aang and his friends, including the newly added Toph, are pursued relentlessly by a mysterious machine, their exhaustion puts them at each other's throats.

Episode synopsis

After appearing to have just landed in a dried up creek, the group begins to descend from Appa and set up their campsite in a forest within the southern Earth Kingdom. As they begin unloading, Toph congratulates the team for picking such a nice camping site, as the grass is very soft. Sokka points out that the "soft grass" is actually Appa's fur; Appa is shedding his thick winter coat. Katara comments how gross it is, but Aang begs to differ and state that its just apart of the rebirth of nature that comes with spring. He and Sokka then proceed to mess around in the fur; Sokka piles the fur on his head to form a tall pillar of hair while Aang creates a large mustache and beard. Not amused, Katara dryly states how good it is to have another girl in the group. However, Toph joins in on the play, stuffing large masses of fur under her arms to resemble armpit hair. This display brings all, Katara included, into bursts of laughter.

As the group continues to set up camp, Katara notices that Toph is slumping lazily against a rock. Katara informs her that they usually divide the work among the group, implying she would like Toph to help them set up camp. Toph tells her not to worry, as she feels she can carry her own weight, suddenly earthbending a trianglar, earthen, makeshift tent with two slabs of stone. Katara rephrases her last statement, telling her that they all have a job to do, including Momo, who then appears on her shoulder with berries. Toph refutes that she does not feel she has to help anyone else, because no one needs to help her. Katara attempts once more to suggest to Toph that she help out, but all this does is further irritate her. Katara finally gives up and walks back to their campsite. Later on, Katara tries to rectify with Toph for the previous argument, apologizing and noting that she thinks that they're all just a little tired and getting on each others' nerves. Toph, rather than sharing the blame and accepting her overture, simply agrees that she does seem a bit too tired and lays down to sleep. Katara, though clearly incensed by the insulting retort, brings herself to half-heartedly tell Toph goodnight and walks back to her own tent.

During the night, Toph awakens suddenly. Feeling the ground, she senses something approaching and alerts the rest of the group. When asked exactly that something is, all she can say is that it feels like an avalanche, but also not like an avalanche. Despite the limited detail, Aang declares that it is better to be safe than sorry and they hastily depart aboard Appa. Once high above in the sky, the group looks back to see plumes of smoke trailing the smokestack of a large black, train-like vehicle with three compartments traveling through the barren region close by. After feeling as if they have put enough distance between themselves and the machine, the group decides to make camp again. Toph immediately disembarks and nonchalantly bids the rest goodnight. Katara straighforwardly asks Toph if she could help unload this time, but Toph repeats her unwillingness to assist. Seeing as she can't quite get the point, Katara starts to remind Toph that she's a part of the team now, but all this serves to do is further agitate Toph, who once more declares that she can pull her own weight. Katara and Toph break out into another, more heated argument. Katara accuses Toph of being selfish and unhelpful ever since she joined them. Toph interjects that she has no room to be calling her selfish, making note of the fact that she abandoned the opulent lifestyle she once lead in order to teach Aang earthbending. When Katara tries to argue, Toph encases herself within another stone tent, only this sealing off the front opening and shutting out Katara, infuriating her further. Aang questions Sokka on whether they should intervene, but Sokka lightly replies that he is just enjoying the show. Nevertheless, Aang tries to calm them down but Katara hysterically screams that she is completely calm. Taken aback, Aang wisely and slowly backs away.

Later that night, the three are attempting to sleep, which, even without being pursued by the machine, is still difficult and is only made worse by Katara making snide remarks of how pretty the night sky is to Toph, sacastically expressing how bad it is she is not able to see them. Toph responds by bending a stream of earth towards Katara, launching her into the air. She falls on top of her brother who is not too happy to find his sister landing on top of him and throws her off. Toph then urgently removes the doorway from her tent and informs the rest that the machine is back. Sokka desires for the machine to be far away enough to get at a least a few minutes of shut-eye, but plumes of smoke rising from trees nearby say otherwise. Flying away on Appa once more, Katara and Toph ponder on just what the thing is and how it continues to find them. Though just as confounded, Aang affirms that he will be sure to lose it this time. Some time later, on top of some cliffs, Appa softly crashes onto a large, circular patch of land on one of the cliffs and tips onto his side, spilling the riders onto the ground. The exhausted group cannot even bring themselves to pick themselves off the barren floor. Sokka believes that they should just forget about setting up camp, instead opting to finding the softest pile of dirt and going straight to sleep. Katara agrees and interjects that Toph would not have helped out anyway. Toph retorts that she did not realize that she still needed someone to tuck her into bed. Aang distills the potential quarrel by reminding the two that they are still being chased by something and have no idea who or what it is. Katara suggests that it might possibly be Zuko, as they have not seen him since the North Pole. When Toph naturally questions who this Zuko is, Sokka simply retorts that he is just some angry freak with a ponytail who has chased them all over the world and that it is impossible for whoever is after them to have followed them to their location. He then slumps down and tells everyone to get some sleep, only to be interrupted by a frantic Momo. Though initially ignored, it becomes apparent that Momo is alerting them that something is approaching; it turns out to be the machine again. Katara wants to leave, while Aang suggests confronting them, as they could turn out to be friendly. Sokka's dry disbelief of Aang's optimism is almost instantaneously acknowledged as the machine slows to a halt and the middle section opens to reveal three young Fire Nation women astride three Mongoose Dragons. As the white smoke pours out and a ramp descends, Ty Lee, Mai, and Azula appear.

The three girls rush forward, climbing the stone path towards the group. Katara recognizes the trio as the girls from Omashu and the four swiftly assume each of their unique battle stances. Toph confidently declares that they can take them, three on three, not counting Sokka, which incenses him to no end, and proceeds to make rock formations and a giant wall spring from the ground. The rock pillars fail to even temporize the nimble Mongoose Dragons, who easily climb over them without breaking a stride, and a lightning bolt from Azula effectively decimates a considerable portion of the stone wall. Seeing how unsuccessful they are so far, Sokka agrees that they would do better to retreat. Katara, Sokka, Aang, and lastly a reluctant Toph board Appa's saddle and take off yet again.

Soaring through the night skies once more, Katara is astonished that the girls managed to follow them all the way from Omashu, while Toph is upset that they were so quick to run off without even putting up a decent fight. Amazed by her brash proposal, Katara, reminiscent of their last encounter with the three girls, remains adamant towards their decision against fighting such fierce opponents, especially in regards to Ty Lee, admitting that the prospect of losing her bending frightens her. As they fly past nearby hills, the sun begins to rise behind one, causing Sokka to freak out irrationally towards the prospect that they've lost an entire night of sleep and that something will happen if he falls asleep during the day. Katara points out that whenever they land those girls show up, so they have no choice but to just keep flying. Aang somberly notes that they cannot keep flying forever. Not too far away, the tank-train continues to speedily rip across the grasslands, traveling in their direction. However, it is revealed that Zuko, using the machine's deep trails, is also in pursuit.

Back on Appa, Aang questions what their plan should be. Katara says they will think of something after a nap, which Sokka happily agrees to. Suddenly, Appa begins to fall from the sky after falling asleep. The four desperately cling to the saddle for dear life as the bison plummets from the sky. Aang makes his way down Appa's face and tries to wake him as they close in on the forest below. Appa manages to regain consciousness, and begins to fly forward, but is still dropping fast. Brushing the tips of the trees, Appa soars just above the forest and crashlands next to a river. Seeing as how now everyone is completely exhausted, Sokka and Katara pick up their sleeping bags and seek a spot to sleep, once more foregoing the setup of camp. With an annoyed but sarcastically placid face, Katara blames Toph's issues for their lack of sleep under the belief that if Toph had helped out earlier, they could have set up camp faster, gotten some sleep and may not be in this situation. Infuriated by her statement and ignoring Aang's attempts to once again resolve the tension, Toph restates that she carries her own weight and never asked anyone for help. She also goes on to state that if anyone should be blamed, it should be Appa pointing out that Appa is leaving a furry trail that leads the machine right to them. Aang is angered by Toph's accusations and yells that it is Appa who is the one carrying her weight he never had a problem flying when there were just three of them. Toph becomes silent, grabs her bag, and begins to leave, having had enough. Sokka stands in her way, but she effortlessly earthbends him to the side and continues walking.

Aang is now heartbroken and ashamed of his outburst, and Katara herself feels guilty of how mean she has been to Toph. Sokka agrees that they have both been jerks as he is sipping tea. Katara now wants to find Toph and apologize, but Appa's fur trail still presents a problem. Then, Aang gets an idea. Appa is lying down in the middle of a river, Sokka and Momo are scrubbing him, and Katara and Aang are hosing him down with some water streams. Now that Appa's a bit lighter due to the cleaning/forced shedding, he will not lead a trail for the girls to follow. Katara, Sokka, and Momo get on to Appa, now without a saddle or luggage so as not too weight him down. Appa takes off, brushing into the top of some trees while doing so. Aang gathers some of Appa's fur into a bag and flies off. Toph continues through the forest; however, she meets an old man, who happens to be Iroh. Azula reaches the point where Aang and his friends split up. She also does not fall for the false trail because she spots the broken tree tops. She instructs Mai and Ty Lee in the direction of the broken tree tops (caused by Appa, Sokka, and Katara), while she follows the fur trail (led by Aang). Aang arrives in a Western-like ghost town and awaits his stalker while Katara and Sokka continue to search for Toph. Ty Lee and Mai suddenly catch up, and Katara urges Appa to reach the river, feeling they may not be able to be followed across water. As soon as they cross the river, Appa collapses, but they celebrate their escape. Unforunately, Ty Lee and Mai's lizards prove to be able to cross the river with ease. Ty Lee battles Sokka, while Mai battles Katara (both of whom, as well as the rest of their group, are suffering from a severe lack of sleep). Ty Lee is successful in paralyzing Sokka's arms and one leg, but Sokka injures her when he headbutts her hand. Mai manages to pin Katara's arms to a tree trunk with blades. Although Katara and Sokka are beaten, Appa manages to blow Mai and Ty Lee away and into the river, saving the two siblings. Ty Lee and Mai climb out of the river, and Ty Lee remarks, "Is it just me, or was that guy kinda cute?" speaking of Sokka. Mai only rolls her eyes.

Aang is still waiting for his pursuers to catch up. Azula then appears over the horizon and approaches. Aang demands to know who she is and what she wants. Azula gives him a clue to her relation to Zuko, covering up her eye with her hand and trying to imitate his voice, but Aang is unable to see the resemblance.

Toph has tea with Iroh on a small cliff. She comments that Iroh is probably thinking she cannot take care of herself, as he would not let Toph pour her own cup of tea, but Iroh explains that he poured her tea only because he wanted to and for no other reason. Toph tells him that everyone treats her like she is helpless, but she can take care of herself. Iroh responds that she sounds like his nephew, mentioning how both seem to feel that they have to do everything themselves, but both have friends and family that love them and want to help them. He also adds that he has been trying to track Zuko, so that even though Zuko may want to be alone to figure out his problems at the moment, Iroh will be right there should Zuko need him. The meeting inspires Toph, and she decides to go back and find her friends, but first tells Iroh that Zuko is lucky to have an uncle like him, and also that perhaps Iroh should tell Zuko that the uncle needs the nephew as well.

When Zuko finally catches up to Aang and Azula, they begin to have a three-way battle, although both Aang and Zuko mainly ignore each other and focus their attacks on Azula, with both of them obviously believing her to be the most dangerous or the true enemy. Despite this, Azula dominates much of the fight, preventing Aang from escaping the battle when he attempts to do so, dodging a trap he sets for her, knocking Zuko out, and then trapping Aang under a pile of fallen rubble before Katara and Sokka join in to rescue. Meanwhile, Iroh joins to aid and revive the fallen Zuko. Finally Toph joins in, asserting her place back with her friends. Azula, surrounded and realizing that she is desperately outnumbered, pretends to surrender, only to slyly blast Iroh in the chest during a moment of distraction while Iroh notices and recognizes Toph. This causes everyone to attack at once; however, Azula creates a fire shield and vanishes.

After Azula's disappearance, everyone notices that Zuko has already run over to and is kneeling over the badly wounded Iroh. The group approaches them, but Zuko tells them to get away. Toph looks upset; her feet are zoomed in on a groaning Iroh, perhaps implying that she recognizes him from earlier and also possibly that she recognizes his wounded condition. Katara tries to reason that she can help, but Zuko will not hear it. He shoots some fire over their heads, yelling at them to leave. Unable to do anything else, the group decides to leave.

That night, Appa lands on a rock formation, and Toph can be seen sleeping next to Katara and the others.

Production notes

• After Azula hits Iroh with fire, she is attacked by all four elements at once from all four types of bending. The way the four characters are positioned are in order of the avatar cycle (left to right); Aang = Air, Katara = Water, Toph = Earth, Zuko = Fire .
• On the DVD audio commentary for this episode, the Avatar series creators compare this episode to the Western genre of films, specifically The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly during the Mexican standoff between Aang, Azula and Zuko.