Avatar the Last Airbender 3x7 & 3x8 Reaction | The Runaway | The Puppetmaster

[@frenchynoob]

Gotta love how Sokka is arguably the most intelligent member of the team, and Aang is a prodigy & wise beyond his years... but they hang together and suddenly their IQ drops to a single shared braincell, and it's hilarious everytime

[@rickyhilder1514]

All guys are like this we could be somewhat intelligent but once we get together we do the dumbest stuff

[@mranima748]

He a smart idiot

[@frenchynoob]

​@@rickyhilder1514amen to that

[@TheMickytheboss]

​@@rickyhilder1514amen x2

[@cshimp10]

That's kinda how friendships work, though. I'm highly intelligent, work with machinery all day, but I come home hang with friends and I go full moron. Probably a scientific name for it but hell if I know HAHAHAH

[@MK-lb3oc]

The bloodblending episode originally aired as a Halloween episode as well.

[@Coolguy365es]

Ironically it didn’t, itcame a week after, they wanted it to be release on Halloween, but season 3 airing was just a mess

[@eileensnow6153]

How tf did you post this comment a week before the video was posted??

[@jebeifinn443]

@@Coolguy365es Well Close enough :)

[@RamblinRichard]

I think Patreon members get to see a week before@@eileensnow6153

[@BobGnarley.]

@@eileensnow6153 True lol

[@steakismeat177]

Toph doesn’t gamble. Gambling implies there’s a likely chance of losing

[@funnylilgalreacts]

I stand corrected 😂

[@RLucas3000]

@@funnylilgalreacts if Avatar was an adult show like Game of Thrones, water benders would be able to pull the water out of people and kill them, just like the fire Lillie’s in this episode. People usually do 2, 2 for the final 4 episodes, and they break well like that. My favorite episode is the one before the final 4, I hope you like it!

[@jeffkoenig7402]

@@funnylilgalreacts and for the bazillion of us of us watching your channel, this is the first time you've ever been standing.

[@vanders626]

​@@RLucas3000people have stronger spiritual shielding than plants.

[@angelohernandez6060]

Azula is just stone cold bat sh!t crazy! Just plain born rotten.

[@jacobamidon3114]

Toph's first scam: "We'll cheat the cheater, we're like robin hood!" Toph's fifth scam, "So this is how you commit insurance fraud by impersonating a police officer."

[@nope19568]

we stan lol, should all be taking notes😂😂

[@santosic]

It's honestly realistic ;come on, you can't say that someone who decides to scam people doesn't start by doing small things first and then exponentially grows from there... 😅

[@ukyba]

A fun fact for you. If you look closely at the main characters, you will notice that their fighting styles are starting to mix and flow together. Just like Iroh was saying before about the four nations and learning from them. This episode was a great example. Katara displays an earth bending technique against Hama. That's why Hama looked so shocked. Water is flowing movements and fluid redirection. But katara stood firm, planted her feet, and then made a solid defense against the water and slammed against it. Then she used air bending movements to flip Hama and take her off balance and off her feet. Just little nods to the difference of our group's styles verses normal benders.

[@gerardlacroix6015]

Also, I'm pretty sure it's the same jing style that lets her break out of Hama's bloodbending. There is more than bending in the show, but Jing and Chi also. Something a lot of people tend to forget. The bending style aren't just about bending, but about Jing as well.

[@vampdan]

@@gerardlacroix6015 "[...] We bent not the elements [...]"

[@mistingwolf]

I would love a vid breaking down these kinds of details in bending. It's so cool~

[@rudewalrus5636]

@@mistingwolf In the DVD set there is an 'extras' piece that discusses the different martial arts styles that they modeled the four bending techniques after (and they are distinct for each).

[@pwnorbepwned]

Appropriately for the timing of Thai reaction, The Puppetmaster was a Halloween episode when it first came out. 😅

[@Ryaxx1]

I love that you say hi to Yue whenever the moon is on screen. Most ppl forget about her unless one of the characters mention her.

[@Sandkasten36]

The conversation between Toph and Sokka is in my top 5 Avatar moments. It shows so much depth to the characters. It's not just oh I miss my mother so much. They're writing these characters so relatable and let the scenes play out because of their backstory and trauma.

[@dragonsvideos6737]

When I saw that I thought sokka did that on purpose cuz he knew katara was there until I realized it was by coincidence that she heard them talk.

[@TheRealChristopherB]

The Runaway might honestly the perfect showcase of both sides of Sokka's character. He goes from faking a hand-written note from a blind person and thinking that its a totally great idea to confessing to a close friend how he doesn't even remember his own mother's face anymore and instead sees the face of his sister. Few characters in all of fiction have threaded the line between comic relief and genuinely in-depth character moments as well as Sokka

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

And that's the main reason some people don't like his character. One minute he's a General Irwin Rommel tactical genius. The next he's a Chris Farley slapstick goof who draws like a 4 year old.

[@carlostevezsmith1838]

@TheMrPeteChannel And that's also the reason alot of people love his character. For the reasons u stated🤣

[@TukaihaHithlec]

Two things about Hama. She wasn’t friends with Katara’s mother, but was with her grandmother. She didn’t release the other waterbenders because there were no more still alive.

[@DreZato12]

it's implied that there's none left but not confirmed, my interpretation when i was a kid was she only cared about revenge freeing the other waterbenders just never crossed her mind.

[@Anon21486]

Personally speaking, I am of the belief that at the time of Hama's escape, there may have been a few waterbenders left being imprisoned. However, after the escaped, any surviving imprisoned waterbenders were ordered to be executed to prevent another Hama incident.

[@lyrebirb83]

@@Anon21486 SPOILERS BELOW - - - - - - - "I'm afraid I'm not taking prisoners today." Rhan Ya confirms said theory. after hama's escape they stopped risking it, dead men dont bend.

[@PristinePerceptions]

​@@lyrebirb83Just putting it out there it is still a theory. A plausible one, but that's not a confirmation.

[@indracatraarccipasa5770]

​@@lyrebirb83 yup I agree 💯. Oh and it's "Yon Rha"

[@KevenNewsome]

Hama never actually taught Katara how to blood bend. Katara figured it out herself in moments. Notice her stance and hand movements are different than Hama's. It took Hama years to master it. And having just learned it she was able to control Hama where Hama couldn't control her. Just another example of how powerful Katara is.

[@IamnotJohnFord]

Katara is the Goku of ATLA. See a technique that took someone years to perfect. Do the technique in five minutes.

[@seimen4348]

Sifu katara

[@Saphthings]

it actually also flows from the last episode, where she used her own sweat. It was a linear conclusion, body liquid and then why not blood. So she was already heading towards creative ways but just wasn't evil/desperate enough to consider the blood.

[@spazzout1k350]

@@IamnotJohnFordisn’t she more like broly ?

[@TheIllio]

@@spazzout1k350 no she doesnt shout that much and doesnt hate crying babys

[@sothanatoasted]

So in the background when Sokka buys Hawky, there is a flyer for messenger hawk classes. Basically...Hawky isn't trained and has no idea how to messenger hawk. 😅

[@tadcooper9733]

He's doing his best!

[@biglc034]

Hama's motives are understandable and her ingenuity and resilience are impressive. But her pain and desperation drove her down the wrong path. Another victim turned into a victimizer. Great episode

[@rainestar82]

its such a great way to illustrate that the "hero" characters can become villains if they let their pain and anger take over. Its what Zuko's been fighting against... this whole show has such a wonderful theme of everyone having their own motivations but that ends dont necessarily justify means. Hama's story couldve easily been Katara's own had she not met Aang and had Sokka and her father not been in the picture at all.

[@jediburrito]

Something something israel palestine

[@Sinewmire]

like Jet, Hama is a perfect representation of the cycle of violence. Exactly why the world needs Aang.

[@jacfalle27]

“You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

[@jasonschuler2256]

@@mylesyuhYou can _maybe_ argue it’s not the place, but how can you possibly say this isn’t the time for it when it’s literally the biggest, most important story in the world right now? If this isn’t the time to talk about it, when is?

[@Sheriff6170]

I feel like I have to write the obligatory comment that is on every reaction to "The puppetmaster". The move Katara does at 37:49 is not a waterbending move. Normally waterbenders "turn the opponents evergy against them", by taking the water and bending it around themselves back to the opponent. Katara, just like uncle Iroh taught Zuko on "Bitter work", took inspiration from other schools of bending and used an earthbending technique, just standing her ground and blocking the water. That's why it surprised Hama so much, it was something she's never seen before. That technique, as well as the surprise factor, gave Katara the upper hand. This is the advantage that the Gaang has gained by travelling and training together - they can combine their knowledge and make each other stronger.

[@Metaljacket420]

Yeah this episode is a reminder of what we sometimes forget, Katara is a naturally powerful and now extremely skilled water bender.

[@ZheToralf]

It looks exactly like Aang defending from the explosion from Combustion Man back in "the beach".

[@eileensnow6153]

The move she does right after, the one that knocks Hama to the ground, is also 100% an earthbending move. She uses fists instead of open hands, her stance is wide, and her arms are stacked one on top of the other; she was using an earthbending stance!

[@rainestar82]

the move she uses to trip Hama is also more similar to airbending than waterbending to me! As much as Aang has learned from Katara and Toph, shes learned from her friends too.

[@ZeallustImmortal]

​@@ZheToralfI mean if youre blind sure

[@TheJokerAkaCirque]

As to Hama's fellow waterbenders, i always assumed the implication was that she was the only one alive by the time she escaped, which likely did no favors for her psychological state.

[@kwanarchive]

She probably has survivor's guilt so bad that it twisted her to what she became.

[@verez5518]

They don't say it but pretty sure Hama's friend who saw her captured was katara's grandmother cause they would be around the same age.

[@EricBervade]

Yup, they don't say it but they do show it. The friend looks remarkably like Katara, and we were told in the first season that she was the spitting image of her Gran Gran.

[@Twisted_Logic]

Something I really appreciate about the Puppetmaster is how it manages to fake you out multiple times without actually giving any real red herrings. That took some real writing chops to pull off. I also am glad you appreciate the gravity of how unethical the technique is. A lot of people I've seen react to this episode don't seem to see the issue with it and are excited that Katara got a power up.

[@peteryang5056]

Yeah, I’m always astonished by how many people completely miss the point of this episode. Bloodbending is a horrifying violation of another person, the idea that it can be shrugged off ethically and treated as another simple power-up is incredibly messed up.

[@sirmoonslosthismind]

@@peteryang5056 i feel most people, including katara, either overreact or underreact. the ends don't always justify the means, but sometimes they do. there are steps you should be hesitant to take, but you shouldn't take anything off the table. as in all things, you need a balanced mindset. yes, it's unethical to violate a person's body, but conversely it's also unethical to allow evil to triumph if you could stop it. our litigious culture encourages us to avoid getting involved in things, to preserve our moral purity while allowing evil to win and just scowling at it disapprovingly from the sidelines, but that's a false moral victory. it's not real. accepting the knowledge of bloodbending, and the burden of being appropriately judicious in its use, is infinitely morally superior to leaving it in the hands of others.

[@Jim-dy4wv]

​@@peteryang5056I think it is still a useful power that can be used ethically outside of battle. It's a power that can probably be immensely useful in medical procedures and other things.

[@thekenzy6589]

@sirmoonslosthismind I somewhat agree, but at the same time it's easy to say that you shouldn't let evil win, but what a lot of people seem to keep forgetting that this was knowledge that Katara didn't even want in the first place and the reason she breaks down is because of the betrayal of trust and partially the fact that she could end up becoming exactly like Hama a crazed mad woman who has no depths she isn't willing to stoop to to accomplish her goal. While yes having this power is definitely useful in the right scenario knowing when to use it is a different story not to mention even being able to use it ethically without letting yourself be taken over by it. It's like the old saying "power corrupts". Does bloodbending have the potential to be used properly? Of course. But will it be used the right is a different question. In the end there are still just certain lines that should never be crossed

[@elfbreath]

More translations: Toph's wanted poster says "Wanted: Authorities are offering a reward of 1000 gold for the arrest of this 12 year old girl. She pretends to be blind, and though she is small, she is very dangerouus. Information (leading to her arrest) will be rewarded." Weirdly enough Sokka says they're calling her "The Runaway", but the poster never says that.

[@RainyLS]

"Pretends to be blind"

[@PrinceIMC]

When Hama throws water at Katara she doesn’t redirect it, she doesn’t dodge it, she stands her ground and smacks it back like an Earthbender. Like uncle Iroh learning to redirect lightning by observing Waterbenders Katara seems to have been learning from watching Toph and Aang train.

[@whowantmuffin]

5:38 "toph having a piece of meteorite is going to be key" 29:30 *it's literally a key* 😂👌

[@raggydoll0189]

wow, that never occured to me

[@evilwelshman]

I think the bloodbending episode serves as a really good continuation on the themes of one of the previous episodes about how everyone is capable of immense good and evil. While it's easy to understand how firebending is evil, waterbending in the show has thus far been very coded as "good" - what with water being essential for life, its unique healing capabilities, etc. What Hama and bloodbending shows is that even waterbending has the capacity for evil.

[@randomcourier]

@@darkstar3116 oh i thought you were going a different way with the hammer Analogy, by either building a house(Creation) or pulling apart the nails and collapsing it(destruction) but caving in skulls work to lol.

[@christianfaux736]

Think about how much further blood bending could go. Stopping blood flow to induce heart attacks or strokes. Boiling blood to outright, and painfully murder someone. Even non-lethal horrors like blinding someone by boiling the water in the cells of their eyes.

[@Angelderbat]

The water tribe member in the front and center when Hama was taken was Katara’s Gran Gran. So, Hama wasn’t Katara’s mom’s missing friend, but was their Gran Gran’s missing friend!

[@MicahWo]

If you remember the Guru episode where Aang learns of Chakras you might remember that the Fire Chakra is right where Combustion Man's third eye tatoo is located. Also, they make a point at least once showing how his stomach flexes before he fires the blast. Remember Iroh teaching Zuko that fire bending comes from the gut and when teaching the lightning redirection move he talks about the "sea of chi" in the belly? These two things indicate that what CM does is an advanced fire bending technique. Whether it is incredibly difficult to learn, or something he created, or a strange variation of bending he was born with, has not been revealed on the show yet, but it is definitely fire bending.

[@torinkyifh5085]

I love Hama's story in particular because it really relates to Aang's discovery from Firelord Roku's story in episode 6, "Everyone is capable of great good and great evil".

[@xanthiusdrake2775]

An interesting take on bloodbending; while Hama's use was evil, if someone like a doctor/healer learned it, they could use it to stop people from bleeding.

[@murciadoxial8056]

these two episodes have a lesson for the audience that not a lot of people seem to mention, and that is that war is absolute hell, a truly and horrific circumstance that wounds and damages everyone who goes through it

[@CarBENbased]

Katara's fight with Hama is one of my absolutely favorite scenes in the entire series. It show's just how incredibly far she's come in her mastery of waterbending and how adaptable she is. But the ending of it is one of the most heartbreaking moments as well. In order to save her friends she has to do something which she finds abhorrent. It's just so incredible form a storytelling perspective and it always brings tears to my eyes.

[@clayongunzelle9555]

The trust Ang has in anything sokka comes up with always gets me no matter how dumb as long as it's from his bro sokka he's in😅

[@MicahWo]

Sokka is the brains of the group UNLESS he and Aang are working together and then they share one brain cell between the two of them lol

[@angryPabu]

It's not the first time Katara has bent water inside someone's body. In book 1 episode 4 she pulled the water from Aang's lungs when he almost drowned trying to ride the unagi. Some reactors after that go like this: "You can do that? human body is 70% water.... does that mean waterbenders can bend someone's blood? Nooo... it's a kid show; they won't go that far" Weeeeellllll...... about that I guess we're just lucky that all the airbenders are pacifistic nomads, imagine what the evil airbender could do to you😬

[@abuttnugget6753]

Yeah,you could checkmate a queen with that kind of move!

[@muchuchuroo]

​@@abuttnugget6753yeah I don't believe in queens 😏

[@anothervagabond]

@@muchuchuroo I assure you they exist, you just gotta go to the right bars.

[@BigBoyyNZ]

@@muchuchuroothe natural order is disorder 😈

[@jasonschuler2256]

@@darkstar3116Literally no one spoiled future episodes in this thread.

[@TankInATree]

Important part to know is that sometimes you don't want to know the most horrible thing that can be done to a person and especially not do it yourself. Some people are like "but it is a valuable weapon!"... some people are like "But now she knows about it and can defend against it!"... I am sorry, but that is not the point. Even the knowledge of a terrible weapon or a single usage of said weapon, is one MAJOR step closer to actually using it! If you use a weapon against a person, it becomes an actual option. It doesn't matter how good of a person you are... it will always stay there as the last way out! Katara didn't cry because she thought that she had become Hama... she cried because she didn't want to know some terrible weapon that could corrupt everything she stands for, but win a battle.

[@MrPsych77]

I still maintain it's not that valuable a weapon considering it can only be done during a full moon I mean what if combustion man attacks me at noon?

[@Melodymist]

to quote a character in Arcane: "Weapons can't be unmade and they are always used."

[@EldenRingplayer407]

For some reason, I used to think that Katara thought she *had* become Hama, but I dismissed it as “Katara saved the avatar so he can save the world, she didn’t kill Hama, she didn’t steal from the guiltless with bloodbending, so she can’t be like Hama”. But I believe that there might be a bit of that trust-breaking from Hama, and yes, using bloodbending to uphold her belief “that Aang can save the world” *can* actually and slowly lead her down a path of “I’ll do anything” to using methods that are borderline socio/psychopathic

[@Kickinthescience]

Hama’s voice actor ironically also voiced Arnold’s grandma from Hey Arnold. No surprise both old ladies were crazy and still active

[@MCGreggy28]

And grandpa is Bumi. 😊

[@nuclearbirds]

The VA for Hama also voiced Dot Warner in animaniacs. Just as crazy, but less evil.

[@Kickinthescience]

@@MCGreggy28 and just like Grandpa he gives advice in his crazy ways

[@hellogoodbyeandallinbetween]

Spoiler She also voices Yangchen

[@Appleman291]

Wow, this is really new fact for me, thank you

[@velinion1]

I think Sozen did feel guilty - he left a record of what happened in his last confession (and had it hidden) so I think he felt shame and guilt. I feel like he really did travel to the island to help his childhood friend... And then he saw an opportunity and ambition won out. Not saying he wasn't a horrible person - he was a genocidal maniac - but I think his affection for Roku was genuine and lasted despite Roku stopping his attempts at war.

[@topheavykoolaid]

Zuko probably also sees a bit of his actions in Sozin’s, where he chooses ambition over a close relationship, like Zuko betraying Iroh

[@TheJokerAkaCirque]

One of my favorite things about Combustion Man's appearances thus far is he just kinda suddenly shows up in a lighthearted plot somewhere in the middle. IIRC in the original airings they even kept him out of the "previously" so it was a full jumpscare.

[@Frank-Voight-Kampff]

I just knew you heart would meld when Sokka and Toph had their little talk on the cliff. Such a beautiful scene. ^^

[@Avumz83]

Combustion Man's name should be something like Clifford...😂 It's so funny how when Katara is talking to Hama she seems so much less creepy. Also, Jeong Jeong saw water bending as so much better than fire bending, but this episode shows just how evil any bending can be in the hands of the wrong person. Also, when you realize that Katara being the only bender in the whole South pole was not for lack of bending talent but a result of war, it's heartbreaking. It would only have been a matter of time before they came for her.

[@Twigpi]

Clifford is the perfect name for him. I can't see it any other way 😄

[@jasonschuler2256]

Spoiler for Episode 3x16 They _DID_ already come for Katara. The only reason they didn’t get her was because her mom lied and said she was the waterbender to protect Katara.

[@adrianramirez4884]

At 37:50 Hama is scared because Katara uses an earth bending technique to stop the water instead of traditional water bending redirection. You can start to see a lot of them mixing different styles of bending techniques😊

[@CaptainRickey]

Katara crying is twofold: the last person that was connected to her on a spiritual level being imprisoned after becoming an evil creature of a human, but also the shock and realisation of what she'd just done and the stuff she would now be capable of.

[@EldenRingplayer407]

Looking back, Idk if that’s one step worse than Aang losing all his airbenders. It was sad that his people died, but at least *he* met no living airbender who became an evil shell of a human rather than someone to connect to.

[@Golden_Flute]

When this aired, analog TV was still a thing and every once in a while, it would glitch. I still remember a lot of those glitches that happened during ATLA episodes, but the creepiest one was that the TV flickered a few times JUST at 35:00 and then Hama's face is suddenly really close to the screen. I remember jumping back, I was so scared! 🤣

[@Kit_Q]

ohmygosh I know exactly what you mean!! this episode always used to freak me out 😂

[@hkpew]

Analog TV doesn't glitch, only digital. The glitches are what happens when a digital signal isn't strong enough, you can still see it happen if you are trying to pick up modern digital broadcasts but are far enough away from the broadcast tower that the signal is not quite strong enough to always be distinguished from the noise. (I still watch broadcast TV and I'm far enough away from the broadcast towers that depending on the weather I get glitches like this all the time on my digital TV.) Analog broadcasts just get progressively more staticky as you get farther from the source. Nickelodeon, the original source of the show, was a cable only channel. You may have been watching it on an Analog TV but by then the signal was probably transmitted digitally over the cable and then converted to analog in your cable box. The glitches were probably caused by having a degree of compression in the digital signal that the cable box couldn't convert fast enough - electronics were not as fast in those days. So I guess if you'd had a digital TV back then you might not have had the glitching problem but it wasn't really caused by your analog TV, it was caused by a not fast enough cable box.

[@Golden_Flute]

@@hkpew K? 😑

[@TheGoddamnBacon]

​@@hkpewthat was not the explanation I was expecting, but damn it's a good one.

[@merlinpendragon1272]

I love how this show shows the two sides of the coin when it comes to disparities. In particularly Toph her parents specially her dad only saw her as her disability, and her adoptive family team avatar constantly forget she has one.

[@EricBervade]

When it comes to bloodbending I think it's always important to highlight that even though its called that, it's more than just bending blood. It's bending water in another body in general (36:15). And more specifically, it's likely mostly bending the muscles (which are 75% water), since that actually explains why you'd be able to control somebody else's movements.

[@scaredscorpion]

True, I imagine if you were actually bending the blood directly you'd probably cause burst veins and likely just kill the person with an aneurysm by accident

[@melanie62954]

Blood bending just sounds cooler than muscle bending. 🙂

[@captainslender12]

@@melanie62954 flesh bending is perhaps the most accurate name since it's any and all flesh. it's muscle, skin, bone marrow, veins, etc. all being pulled around at once.

[@captainslender12]

@@darkstar3116 I'm not sure I follow, if we were to just name it after what is being bent, specifically, it's just water bending. The reason I said 'flesh' bending is becuase it's not just the muscles or the blood that is being moved but all of a persons flesh (because it all contains water)

[@Saphthings]

This is the first time it occurred to me, but Hama said she heard them talking in the campfire. So she was actually there to kidnap them too but then heard them and changed her mind : O

[@asifmuhammadsyafiq8981]

It wasnt full moon on that night

[@mranima748]

The subtle buildup of katara bending bodily fluids in the runaway to subconsciously let you know you can bend the water from or in a person, genius writing

[@Chisel1337]

Quick fun fact I just learned! So you see how Aang wears his headband? It’s actually the waistbands for the school uniforms and the logo is supposed to represent a flame, but Aang wears it upside down so it looks like an arrowhead! Super cool!! Alright, now we got one really unusual episode left before you get essentially back to back masterpieces until the finale 💀🙏🏼

[@j3pelfrey]

Blood bending is one of the most terrifying things I think I have ever heard in fiction.

[@C.V.Q]

The puppet master is def in my top 5 fav episodes. It's just so creepy and Hama makes for a great villian due to her past being complex

[@dash8153]

Something to consider when it comes to bloodbending and Hama was that she said she could only do it during the full moon. So as long as during the full moon no one is around her, she could otherwise still be safely imprisoned with other people around her. But I do imagine it would require occasionally isolating her, or something so who knows, maybe one day she could escape if they weren't careful. All this to say that while blood bending is extremely powerful, they've also made it clear that Hama and Katara would need a full moon to do it, and can't just whip it out whenever.

[@OceanHedgehog]

If it makes you feel better, Sozin DID feel guilt. In the first sentence of his memoir, he says that he can't help but remember a time when the world was brighter, meaning he regretted betraying Roku and plunging the world into chaos.

[@stonecoldku4161]

Blood bending is the most horrifying bending technique. The implications of what someone could do with that ability. Imagine someone like Azula with that ability.

[@xanthiusdrake2775]

There is one possible positive use; stopping blood-loss from injuries, or if some health issue is causing blood-flow issues, it can help fix it. But the odds of someone learning it for good are insanely low.

[@charlie53echo]

We already learned long ago: "Stealing is wrong...unless it's from pirates." When "Combustion Man" was hit in his third eye, he tried to use his power, and it went Sparkle, Sparkle, Boom!

[@ShadowRyu]

I love how every time they show the moon you say hello to Yua 🥰🥰

[@samfisher6606]

Book 3, Episode 7: This episode is another example of Aang and Sokka as "two friends who share one brain cell." Book 3, Episode 8: So we talked about pulling knowledge from different sources, the reason why Hama was so shocked at Katara blocking her water strike is that that was actually an earthbending move, to stand your ground. Hama was expecting a classic waterbending move which redirected the water but instead, Katara did the opposite which threw Hama off.

[@VegetaLF7]

Exactly. One of the things I love about this series is how each of the benders become more powerful when they draw from sources of knowledge outside of their respective bending. Iroh learning lightning redirection from studying water benders comes to mind. The idea of being able to use one style of bending to grow their own style is so good.

[@primary2630]

yeah and I read the follow up move that hit her in the sides was an airbending one, which makes sense cause I think Aang had hit Zuko with that in season 1

[@samfisher6606]

@@primary2630 That feels like another earthbending move based on the stance but I can't tell. Do you remember where it is in the Aang/Zuko fight?

[@samkaranja5709]

36:08 the slow realization as it dawns in your mind. "No, it couldn't be, they wouldn't go there" BLOODBENDING "OMG!"😮

[@funnylilgalreacts]

“Kids show”

[@captainteeko4579]

Jet was young enough that his journey down the wrong path from victim to victimizer was changed but Hama was left to “live long enough to see herself become the villain” if you will😭

[@frenchynoob]

One note about Topb metalbending, that the show arguably explains pretty poorly, is that she's not really "bending" the metal: she bends the Earth impurities that havent been sifted out of the steel (or something, I dunno Im not a metallurgist). That's why Earthbenders can't bend Wood: no Earth in there, so no bendables for her to twist the Wood from within.

[@JoshuaH225]

Remember your own words for later. “Nothing wasted”. This show is masterful at tying episodes together.

[@adonayrivera8684]

I can say this is one of my favorite episodes from the whole series, it’s incredible how this old lady controls blood inside the body. That’s nuts! . Such a great reaction! ❤❤❤

[@zevikan8638]

Hama's whole thing was about controlling people, and Katara was so disgusted that she wanted nothing to do with it, she didn't want to learn bloodbending cause it would bring her closer to being like Hama. She fought Hama and wanted to beat her on her own terms without stooping to Hama's level but despite being more powerful, Hama still found a way to control Katara and make her more like herself. I think that's really what Katara crying at the end of the episode was about. Hama's underhanded ways made her powerless despite being a superior bender, and she was forced to resort to something that's completely antithetical to her character. It was a violation of her free will that was almost worse than being bloodbent, cause she was the one who ended up having to make that choice.

[@andreucole797]

When Socka was talking about seeing Katara as his mother hit me. I have an older brother from a different dad, I never even got to see mine. Growing up he became the fatherly/brotherly figure I needed

[@butterfly702angel]

I've been watching a lot of ATLA reactions from a lot of different channels lately, and I ALWAYS read the comments on this episode to see if anyone else got that, but so far I haven't seen anybody comment this. (P.s. sorry for the long comment. I'm kind of nerd when it comes to like world building/background info. I blame being a writer) SO FAR YOU ARE THE ONLY REACTOR I'VE SEEN MENTION IT TOO!! I'm so glad I'm not alone. But I'm honestly surprised that no one else has mentioned or caught on to the fact that Hama escaped ALONE (although yes technically she could be the last one alive, but somehow I doubt that, because if any of them HAD been the Avatar, it would have started the reincarnation process over again with the earth benders. So no, I don't think she was the last alive when she escaped). In the flashback you see the other waterbenders in other cages alongside Hama's, but when she escapes she doesn't help any of them escape too. She walks out alone. She doesn't pause or stop to talk to them. She just walks straight out. Although, it did occur to me that the water benders spirits could have been extinguished a long time ago, similar to the earth benders in Season 1, and thus not have escaped with her. However, considering that Hama specifically mentions that "any sign of trouble would be met with CRUEL RETRIBUTION" leaves me to believe one thing: that being tortured (and considering this is technically a kids show, the show writers probably wouldn't mention this even if they could, but you have to consider that they are war prisoners, and this happened a lot in wars, historically speaking anyways) and probably raped for decades, I think would have anyone jump at the chance to escape. But Hama doesn't even spare them a glance. Which when given more thought, probably led to the death of all the rest of the water benders who were still alive in the prison. The fire benders would NOT give any of the rest of them a chance to do the same, nor let them develop something so powerful as Hama did. Which also leads me to Katara's Mom, Kya's death. The fire benders were looking for Hama "the last water bender in the Southern Tribe" and when Kya said it was her? If they killed all the rest of the water benders that were still alive, they obviously weren't going to keep Kya alive either. I would also like to point out the reason behind the Raids from the fire benders on BOTH the North and South Pole, was because Fire Lord Azulon (who is the son of Sozin, who started this whole war, so he probably wanted to continue his father's legacy. He was also father to Iroh and Ozai, and grandfather to Zuko and Azula incase you missed that) assumed that the reason his father could not find the Avatar was because he perished in the Air Temples along with the rest of the air benders. The Avatar cycles is Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. So Azulon's obvious conclusion was if the Air Avatar is dead then the next would be born in Water (which he wouldn't have been wrong if Aang actually was dead). The only reason that the Raid on the Southern Tribe was even successful where the North one wasn't, is because they are a LOT smaller, not as hidden, nor have as much of a military/guards/army, etc. Yes they had water benders, but they were more of... (these are probably the wrong words to use, but for lack of any better ones) a peaceful and humble tribe. For example, they lived in igloos and had a small and tightly knitted village and community. I'm sure everyone knew everyone there pretty closely. They didn't have any "real" nobles or nobility besides having a Chief, which is normal for any type or kind of Tribe of that nature, even in the real world. In complete contrast, the North lived in this hugely crafted city made of ice that lay BEHIND giant ice walls in the middle of even more huge icebergs. I wouldn't necessarily have said they were hidden, not with the giant water symbol on the wall, but they WERE better protected. Not too mentioned they LITERALLY housed the Moon and Ocean Spirits in the middle of their city. They had nobles and prestige, hence "PRINCESS" Yue and her "arranged" marriage. They had some type of formal military and (at least I think this part, I'm not sure how much this is my opinion or if it is what they were based on from the creators) were basically a feudal nation, similar to Japan in some ways (I look at this picture when I think of this, specifically the left side column: medievaljapanalyssa.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/4/5/14459458/7348417.gif?614) AGAIN just stating that that is my opinion of how I view the Northern/Southern Tribes based off what I saw, it doesn't mean that it's true! Anyways, all in all the fire benders had a MUCH more difficult time trying to Raid the North Pole vs the South Pole. Also, to back up my theory that there WERE other alive water benders when Hama escaped, take into account that they are called RAIDS for a reason. They were obviously meant to steal what they wanted in quick and sudden attacks. So yes they "captured" rather than "kill" any water benders they found. If any of them actually were the Avatar, they would have already been in prison and not a threat, AND had the added benefit of 1. not having to look again in the much bigger Earth Kingdom for the Avatar and the threat they posed to the war efforts, and 2. destroyed the resources and basically "conquered" another nation which was the whole basis of Sozin's plan for the war, i.e. expanding his or rather the Fire Nation's Empire under Azulon. Anyways, sorry again for my very long comment, I just thought I'd share my thoughts on Hama and the North/South Poles as I don't think I've ever seen anyone else mention any of this before. Am I wrong for thinking like this? Or did anyone else think of this too? Also, LOVE your reactions!!💙You're one of my favorite reactors! I'm slowly making my way through all the rest of your videos as I find you hilarious and fun to watch! 🤗

[@cannonfire0187]

Notice when they open the box Toph blushed being so close to Sokka but then got annoyed when Katara got in between them

[@stanklove3000]

when i read that i thought this is a great detail, especially considering that this scene is like 1-2 seconds long, so i just wanted to see each frame in 0.25 speed, and now i think you're probably wrong, toph is blushing before sokka got closer to her, and annoyance appeared on her face when he pushed her to see what's in the box, before katara appeared between them

[@MiniT2025]

To this day, the simple act of Toph proclaiming that people are scraming under the mountain, chills my blood.

[@The5armdamput33]

41:55 "I wonder why she didn't let the rest of the waterbenders go." "I didn't see anybody else in their..." - I don't think anyone else made it... She did say that the Fire Nation "wiped them out"... It's implied (and I'm assuming) that holding them in prison forever wasn't the goal... so maybe executions? They did wipe out the airbenders, so it's plausible... - Maybe they weren't executed, but they weren't strong enough to survive those conditions long enough to serve a full life sentence?

[@chrisidornigie]

Combustionbending is a form of telekinetic firebending. It consists of the ability to channel chi through the forehead, often marked by an intricate third-eye tattoo, superheating the surrounding air and producing a beam of explosive energy capable of immense damage, both in short and long range.

[@rickyhilder1514]

"Toph manipulating the meteorite would be key" funny you should say that 😂

[@JNDReacts]

44:54 She’s not bending metal, she’s bending the particles of earth within the metal. And the plant bender in the swamp wasn’t an earth bender, he was a water bender. Wood is really just a dried out plant, which means no one can bend it because there’s not enough of any element within it.

[@chrisjacobsen7265]

Katara is the heart. Aang is the soul. Sokka is the brain. Toph is the braun

[@dapeach06]

Yep, Sokka is an electric shaver

[@ElAri1917]

@@darkstar3116 i think they mean brawn as in muscle

[@X21XXI]

POTENTIAL SPOILER!!!: Oh the writing in this show, the writing.. Sokka mentioning that he can't really remember his mother's face and only sees Katara's when he tries to imagine what she looked like is so heartbreaking, especially since he literally looks identical to her, whereas Katara is as the northern watertribe healer mentioned in s01 ''the spitting image of Kanna(Gran gran)'' and the fact the he's staring at his own reflection while mentioning this.. 😭😭😭.

[@PhirePhlame]

A neat detail is that Katara's counters didn't trip Hama up until that hard block Katara did near the end of their one-on-one. Up until that point, it had been perfectly-orthodox waterbending techniques, and then Katara suddenly shifted to a stonewalling action that resembled earthbending more than waterbending.

[@swordmage]

In some versions of eastern alchemy, on which this show's cosmos is partially based, the elements are Water, Fire, Earth, Metal and Wood. I'm unaware of tradition that treats wood as a form of earth, but that could make sense too. Given that Wood is sometimes an element in some eastern traditions, I am always open to them introducing a woodbender.

[@AlbionOfAvalon55]

ahhh the puppetmaster..... now that's one way to fear waterbenders and to destroy the belief that waterbenders are gentle when in fact they are like the very element they use calm but can be ferocious if needed be

[@JaredTVW]

Every time I watch this show, I see something new. For example, when Hama takes the water from the out of the Fire Lilies, it’s symbolic of how she is taking the life out of the lives of the Firenation people she is capturing.

[@darthrevan1712]

26:15 I never saw this before, but Momo is also screaming! Hahahahaha! He's in between Aang and Katara. It looks like a completely different animation for what they did to his face hahahaha

[@twilly4655]

The writing in this cartoon is way above of what i expected for a kids show

[@af3897]

I am SOOO glad she realized that the ship at 31:19 was the same ship in the first episode!! so observative!!

[@acemastaproductions4681]

Toph can metal bend. It means she’s able to manipulate the earthly minerals that make metal. Iron, zinc, and copper are earthly minerals found in blood. Theoretically a metal bender, by association, can “bloodbend” as well.

[@silentsparrow9807]

Combustion man is a Combustion Bender. He can psychically use firing creating fire with little to no movement, where as normal firebending requires proper form and technique using your arms and legs.

[@calebtoles3819]

Combustion Man fully opened his fire chakra which is why he can do what he does. It’s a pure expression of fire bending which is why it’s so strong

[@bluecoin3771]

This is one of my favorite episodes. A dark art and a ghost story to frame it.

[@michaelash8552]

Wood does not "come" from the earth. It comes from trees that come from seeds. The seeds grow into the earth. Earthbending mostly is bending rocks and minerals and "space earth".😆 The guy in the swamp was doing the same thing Hama is doing but just with vines.

[@NameOptional-p9u]

Toph learns metal bending and is the only one that can do it (during this time frame) Kitara learns "blood" (water) bending from Hama and no one knew that was possible either. So Aang has two super powerful benders backing him up....and masters that can teach him techniques that are new and revolutionary.

[@pillmuncher67]

People be like: "ATLA? Now, that's a funny and lighthearted kids show!" ARLA: "Have you met Hama?"

[@ZeniaRose]

Maaaaan Puppetmaster is one of my fave episodes. I can't help but voice-act along with Katara and Hama every time I watch it. :D

[@pauldrake2245]

Puppetmaster - gets em every time. What an incredible sleeper episode, style & substance:

[@a_listgray]

You are too cute and just altogether really wholesome love your detailed reviews and how much you're into the show, a show so many grew to love and still love to this day

[@normancrockett7685]

Rewatching the series through your reaction videos. I absolutely love how emotional you get and your thoughts on the virtues of the series. I also like that we have many other series likes in common

[@normancrockett7685]

My newest find, Blue Eye Samurai!

[@normancrockett7685]

I think we could be friends.

[@CasualFriedEggEnjoyer]

Cool thing about the katara fight with hama is that Katara used an earth bending technique @37:48 to stop the water, thats why Hama was supirsed. Waterbenders dont usually stand their ground, they move, they adapt.

[@The5armdamput33]

44:48 "If (Toph) can bend steel, and steel comes from the earth, then she should be able to bend wood, because wood also comes from the earth." - Wood is a living thing.... (it's dead, but it comes from living trees) that would be like bending worms or (badger)moles because they "come from the earth". - If anyone could bend wood, it would be Katara, but the wood used to build things doesn't have any moisture in it...

[@streamspoart2671]

These 2 episodes showing how powerful Katara is, mentally on runaway episode showed how she pulled the family after her mom gone at very young age and physically on puppetmaster showed how Katara really quick adapting and learning new waterbending technique

[@jonahcollazo1832]

There’s a great headcanon that says because Hama came from the Southern Water Tribe and was able to bloodbend that’s the reason the Fire Nation came to wipe out the rest of the water benders to stop anymore possible bloodbenders leading to Katara’s moms death.

[@hellogoodbyeandallinbetween]

Ironic that every time he makes an avatar promise, Aang breaks it almost right away

[@samblustein1918]

Hama is the perfect of example of the traumatized turning into one that traumatizes. One act of inhumanity does not justify another. When anger takes over, there’s no escaping it.

[@StarkRG]

The reason Toph can bend metal isn't because it _comes_ from the earth, but because it _is_ earth, just refined. You could possibly make an argument for wood being refined earth, but you could equally make the same argument for it being refined air (pretty much all the carbon that makes up a plant comes from the atmosphere).

[@kateorgera5907]

The Puppetmaster was, I remember, marketed as a Halloween episode. So good timing on the release! And yeah, it's appropriate

[@PlusOneGamer]

So the thing about Combustion man as far as I am aware is that he uses the mark on his forehead as a focus for his firebending. It's one of the chakra points. And if you notice, he takes a deep breath in from his stomach, and as Iroh a said firebending comes from the breath and that the stomach is the source of energy in the body. So it seems like he takes that deep breath and then channels that energy he's built for his bending through that narrow point on his forehead to create an intense explosion as opposed to a flame like most fire benders. I imagine it's like how when you have a smaller nozzle on a hose the stream is tighter, all that energy is being focused into a smaller area. Edit: and when you think about it, lighting bending kind of works the same way, only it's less volatile.

[@originalrkmorton]

And as mentioned by Aang's guru, obstructing the flow of chi interferes with bending. So being hit in the forehead causes the disruption of his targeted flow and make his sparkles to go boom all over the place.

[@Pandaemoni]

I would like Combustion Man to be played by Wes Chatham in the live action version. He does menacing way too well.

[@alejandrophoenix2287]

Aang was born the instant Roku died. The fire lord invaded the air nomads 10 years later. (When aang was 10)

[@fightscrimewhilesleeping4024]

Yeah, with this show, I've finally just come to be like: "My favorite character is whichever one I'm talking about at moment"😅

[@kamneved]

"Combustion Man" masters the advance technics of firebending, like metalbending from earthbending. Very dangerous for the user. Requires breathing and concentration. That's why he hurt himself after hitting by the stone in his head.

[@pigeonfog]

I think that 'The puppetmastwr is probably the best episode for showcasing one of season 3s biggest themes. For the first two seasons, the fire nation were 'the bad guys' but now that they are travelling through the fire nation, other than maybe combustion man, Hamma is the only truly evil character they've encountered and she's a water bender. It shows that ANYONE can be driven to goodness or evil if they are influenced by outside forces enough.

[@MeatSim9]

I love The Puppetmaster because of how Avatar uses it's magic system. It lays out the basics in the beginning, and as we continue on, it builds on those concepts, allowing us to make assumptions for future applications. Katara is a Waterbender. She can bend Water and with a little practice, Ice. We meet Huu in the Swamp, and he bends the Water in the vines. So it's not exclusive to pure Water. If you think about it, humans are 70% Water, so a logical leap would be that you could bend the Water inside a person. And then this episode came out and confirmed it. But it's completely glossed over how the bender would have to keep the blood flowing while they bend you. Blood carries oxygen to our brains, and without that flow, we would black out and die pretty quickly. Plus, you saw how Hama RIPPED the water right out of those trees, shattering them? Imagine doing THAT to a person.

[@The5armdamput33]

The thing on Combustion-man's head is a tattoo of an eye... It's for focus... He uses firebending like putting your thumb on a hose....

[@pthepersistent7369]

rewatching this I just noticed toph's faces during the scene with finding Hama's comb, hilarious!