The Cave of Two Lovers

Synopsis

On their way to Omashu, Aang, Katara, and Sokka meet a group of nomads who show them a short cut through the "cave of two lovers." But when the kids become lost in the caves, they have to trust in love in order to overcome the curse and get out of the tunnels.

Full Episode Summary

Aang, Katara, and Sokka are relaxing in the middle of a lake; Sokka is sunbathing while Katara and Aang are practicing their waterbending. A group of Earth Kingdom nomads then appear, displaying the characteristics of a carefree, nature loving people. Once the Avatar's group reveal their plans to travel to Omashu, the Earth nomads speak of a short cut through a tunnel passing under a mountain. Although Sokka does not want to trust these new characters, the kids later follow the nomads to the tunnels, because of an unsuccessful flight. However, a group of firebending soldiers destroy the entrance to the tunnels, trapping everyone inside.

Scared but undeterred, the group plans to create a map while traveling though the labyrinth. Oddly enough, this plan doesn't work and later causes the group to be separated; Aang, Katara, and Aang's pet Appa are separated by a rockslide (caused by Appa). The three travel blindly while Sokka tries to prevent his own death due to the nomad's strange and unusual behavior. After traveling (for what is estimated at three hours) Aang and Katara encounter a large tomb designed for the "two lovers" spoken of in lore. By reading script around the walls, they discover the true story of the "two lovers": two adults from feuding towns met at the top of a mountain. Although it was dangerous to meet, the loving couple still did secretly. Through their love, they used earthbending to create the vast labyrinth, which only they could travel through without getting lost. However, one day the man didn't come; he was killed in a battle. Instead of displaying anger, the woman displayed her never ending love to the two villages. This later caused the feud to end (think of Romeo and Juliet).

The two villages later created a city to display the couple's love, which is actually the city of Omashu (the names of the lovers are revealed to be Oma and Shu, whose names were joined together). The final line in the script states "love is most bright in the dark". Although first confused by this statement at first, Katara and Aang later find out that the two lovers put glowing crystals showing how to get out of the tunnel, and these crystals only glow in the dark. Finally, the two (plus Appa) get out of the tunnel. But what happened to Sokka and the nomads?

Strangely enough, the second group run into music loving, giant badgermoles in the underground. With the nomad's songs and music, the badgers showed the group to the exit and reunited them with Aang and Katara. But the episode ends with an unhappy note; the protagonists reach an Omashu captured by the Fire Nation.

Meanwhile, Zuko and his uncle, Iroh, are trying their best to survive on their own. Things aren't so easy for the used-to-be-pampered characters though -- Zuko can't find food (and has a new hair-do by the way) and Iroh ends up consuming a dangerous plant in the wild. After thinking whether they should go to an earth kingdom village (while risking being killed) or going to a Fire Nation town (which would risk being turned over to Azula), both decide to travel to an Earth village for medicine and food. They then meet a friendly mother and daughter, who are both suffering from the war. The episode becomes much more interesting when the teenaged daughter speaks of her father's death due to the war and her poor views of the Fire Nation. She later shows a burn on her leg when she wants the sympathize with Zuko and show her pain caused by the war. Surprisingly, Zuko does not show his anger when the girl speaks of the war badly; he instead seems to be dealing with his father's hatred and frowns when he see's the girl's scar.

This seems to be a turning point for Zuko, but a final scene proves otherwise. Once Zuko and Iroh leave the small family at night, Zuko steals the family's riding animal for easy traveling. The young girl witnesses this event, maybe not hearing anything, but acts like she saw nothing.

Concluding this, the gang finally gets up to the top of the mountain. When the gang saw the fire nation invasion they were devistated

Quotes

• Chong: We don't need a map. ...All we need is love.
• Sokka: We are going to O-MA-SHU!!!!

Katara: Sokka's right. We need to find King Bumi so Aang can learn Earthbending somewhere safe.

Chong: Well, sounds like you're headed to Omashu. (Sokka slaps his forehead)

• Katara: What if we...kiss?
• Sokka:I present to you the Earth Kingdom City of O...(pauses at the sight of a ruined Omashu bearing the Fire Nation flag).
• Zuko: If the Earth Kingdom discovers us, they'll have us killed.

Iroh: But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we'll be turned over to Azula. (Both look at one another and nod)

Zuko and Iroh: Earth Kingdom it is.

• Chong: (whispering to Katara and Sokka and referring to Aang behind him) Nobody react to what I'm about to tell you, but I think that kid might be the Avatar (Sokka hits his forehead).
• Aang: What?! I'm saying I'd rather kiss you than die! That's a compliment!

Katara: Well, I'm not sure which one I'd rather do! (hands torch to Aang and stomps off)

• Chong: I'm Chong. And this is my wife Lily. We're nomads. Happy to go wherever the wind takes us. (plays random notes on his banjo)

Aang: You guys are nomads? That's great! I'm a nomad!

Chong: Hey, me too.

Aang (Kinda annoyed): I know. You just said that.

Chong: Oh! (glances over at Sokka) Nice underwear! (Sokka turns bright red and walks away)

• Chong: Hey, I remember that line of the song! (Gets his banjo and stands in the front of the cave and sings) AND DIE!!
• (Chong tells the group about the "legend" of the Cave of Two Lovers)

Katara: Is this real or a legend?

Chong: Oh, it's a real legend.

• Sokka: We'll be fine. All we need is a plan. Chong, how long do those torches last?

Chong: Ah, about two hours each.

Lily: (takes five torches out): And we have five torches so that's ten hours.

Sokka:(stomps the five torches out): It doesn't work like that if they're all lit at the same time!

Lily: Ohh...

Trivia

• It is up to the audience's discretion as to whether or not Aang and Katara did kiss for the first time in the tunnels since the lights were turned off.
• We learn how Omashu was founded, and the legend of the first Earthbenders.
• The end of the episode reveals Omashu has been taken over by the Fire Nation.
• Appa actively dislikes being underground, as is evidenced by his nervous demeanor and atypical violent reactions in the tunnels. His relieved reaction upon leaving the tunnels is touching as well as hilarious!
• Humans are the not only lifeforms capable of bending -- badgermoles, for instance, can earthbend. Indeed, humans learned how to earthbend by observing badgermoles. Perhaps when Fire Nation soldiers in episode 6 thought that Momo was earthbending, it wasn't that unlikely to occur.
• The term "Love is brightest in the dark" could be interpreted as a double entendre.