Netflix Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1 recap guide: All 8 episodes explained

Season 1 episode 4 recap: Into the Dark

The fourth episode opens with Aang and Iroh both locked up in separate jail cells at Omashu. Aang asks Iroh what he thinks the Earthbenders will do with them and Iroh tells him he's not sure. Back at Sai's house, Sokka confronts Sai about his partnership with the Firebenders. Sai confesses and explains that his reasoning for helping the Fire Nation is that they threatened to kill him and Teo if he didn't. He also explains that the Fire Nation would attack Omashu if he didn't help them. Suddenly, Katara rushes into the house and tells Sokka, Sai, and Teo that Aang is in prison. Meanwhile, Zuko has disguised himself as an Earthbender guard and returned to Omashu to rescue Iroh. The show then cuts to the title card.

After the titles, we cut to a short flashback to 100 years ago. We see Aang joking around with a young boy named Bumi. Then, we cut to the present time, where Aang talks to Iroh from his jail cell. Earthbender guards then enter the room and take Iroh to an Earth Kingdom labor camp. Meanwhile, Sokka and Katara learn from Teo that they can travel through secret tunnels under Omashu to get into the palace and rescue Aang. But Sai explains to them that the tunnels are unstable and that those who travel through them never come out. Although they know it's a dangerous risk to take, Katara and Sokka are determined to save Aang, so they continue with the plan.

Back at the King's palace, guards bring Aang to the King. As the guards try to explain to the King what Aang did, the King cuts them off and informs them that Aang is the Avatar. He also mentions that Aang is good at rock-skipping. This is when Aang realizes who the King is. It's Bumi! With their reunion, Bumi calls for a feast. Aang tries to explain to Bumi the importance of him getting to the Northern Water Tribe as they eat, but Bumi doesn't want to listen. Instead, he forces Aang into doing several challenges.

Elsewhere in Omashu, Katara prepares for her travels into the secret tunnels and bumps into Jet. Jet accuses Katara of being a traitor, and Katara rejects his claims. As she tries to walk away, Jet grabs her shoulder, but Katara smoothly throws him to the ground and then pins him to a food cart with her waterbending abilities. Meanwhile, Zuko makes it into the palace and finds out that Iroh has been taken to the labor camp and Aang to the King.

As Katara and Sokka finally reach the tunnels, they run into a group of singing nomads who share the tunnels' origin story with them. Although scared of what they may find in the tunnels, Katara and Sokka still proceed to travel through them. Elsewhere, Iroh is being taken by carriage to the labor camp. One particular Earthbender guard messes with him. We later find out that this guard is the brother of an Earthbender who died during the Siege of Ba Sing Se, an Earth Kingdom city. Since Iroh was in charge of the siege, he was technically responsible for the guard's brother's death. That's why the guard is messing with him. In a flashback scene, we learn that Iroh had abandoned the siege after his son was killed and this led to the Fire Nation seeing him as a coward.

Back in the tunnels, Katara and Sokka get lost. But as they retrace their steps, they soon realize that they're not lost—it's just that the tunnels are changing. As they continue through the tunnels, they run into an enormous badgermole intent on eating them. Katara and Sokka try to run away but end up at a dead end. Since there's nothing else they can do, and they're certain the badgermole will kill them, they decide to hold hands and apologize to each other for the unkind words they shared with each other earlier. But to their surprise, the badgermole doesn't end up eating them. It even escorts them through the tunnels to the palace. Elsewhere, Zuko finally finds Iroh and rescues him. They leave Omashu on a small boat.

Back at the King's palace, Bumi brings Aang to an arena, where he challenges him to a duel. His reasoning for the duel was that he wanted to teach Aang what it means to be the Avatar. Just as the duel reaches its end, Katara and Sokka run into the arena and help Aang. The duel ends, and Aang reminds Bumi of their old friendship. They reminisce about the past for a bit before it's time for Team Avatar to leave Omashu for the Northern Water Tribe.

Then, we cut to a flashback of the day Zuko was banished from the Fire Nation. Iroh tells Zuko that he'll accompany him on his journey to find the Avatar, and Zuko reluctantly lets him come along. The episode cuts back to the present time and shows Zuko and Iroh as they travel by boat. Zuko looks up into the sky and sees Appa flying through the clouds. When Iroh asks him what he is looking at, Zuko says nothing. That's how the fourth episode concludes.