While this episode can't help but pale in comparison to its predecessor, "The Warriors of Kyoshi" is another really good step forward for the series. Addressing sexism, letting fame go to one's head, and the destruction of war, this still manages to have some great fun and humor in it.
Wanting to ride some giant koi fish, Aang takes the gang to Kyoshi Island, where they are mistaken for Fire Nation agents and taken hostage by the island's defense of female warriors. Sokka's annoying sexism is addressed, thankfully, and his brief romance with leader of the warriors Suki is a good deal better than the set up and forced one developing between Aang and Katara. Learning about using opponents' strength against them is the beginning of Sokka's development as a warrior himself, and it's the true start of his character growth. Aang, on the other hand, is beloved by the village after proving he's the Avatar, accumulating something of a fan club who chase him around like The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night. His spinning marble trick that causes one onlooker to foam at the mouth from excitement is one of the most bizarrely hilarious jokes of the entire show, and the riding of the various lake creatures is good fun. Aang learns not to let fame go to his head, and when his presence attracts Zuko and the Fire Nation, he witnesses the horrors of war as the town is burned. This theme would remain throughout the series, and Aang's willingness to reduce damage by having a lake monster spray water on the town is an early example of his practice of nonviolence. The story is simple but effective, and it's a fun time on top of that.
While the topics addressed are hit a little too directly (Sokka's blatant sexism and Aang's immediate overindulgence in his fame could have been a little more subtle), they're noble intentions, and pulled off well enough for a children's TV show. The Aang-Katara set up romance already feels tired at this point, but the new characters and location, along with the good action and lessons learned, make up for it. It's another good, solid early episode.
Wanting to ride some giant koi fish, Aang takes the gang to Kyoshi Island, where they are mistaken for Fire Nation agents and taken hostage by the island's defense of female warriors. Sokka's annoying sexism is addressed, thankfully, and his brief romance with leader of the warriors Suki is a good deal better than the set up and forced one developing between Aang and Katara. Learning about using opponents' strength against them is the beginning of Sokka's development as a warrior himself, and it's the true start of his character growth. Aang, on the other hand, is beloved by the village after proving he's the Avatar, accumulating something of a fan club who chase him around like The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night. His spinning marble trick that causes one onlooker to foam at the mouth from excitement is one of the most bizarrely hilarious jokes of the entire show, and the riding of the various lake creatures is good fun. Aang learns not to let fame go to his head, and when his presence attracts Zuko and the Fire Nation, he witnesses the horrors of war as the town is burned. This theme would remain throughout the series, and Aang's willingness to reduce damage by having a lake monster spray water on the town is an early example of his practice of nonviolence. The story is simple but effective, and it's a fun time on top of that.
While the topics addressed are hit a little too directly (Sokka's blatant sexism and Aang's immediate overindulgence in his fame could have been a little more subtle), they're noble intentions, and pulled off well enough for a children's TV show. The Aang-Katara set up romance already feels tired at this point, but the new characters and location, along with the good action and lessons learned, make up for it. It's another good, solid early episode.
