....EARTH {{serial chapter summaries}}


Episode Title: Avatar Roku: Winter Solstice Part I
Book: Air
Episode Number: 7
Chapter Number: 7
Summary:
      Appa is flying in the air as Katara is commenting on how soft they look, that it would be like landing on a pillow if they could jump on them. Aang is eager to see if that's so but comes back up, stating that clouds are made of water. As they near the ground, there is an sharp area of burnt earth, a sign that the fire nation had been around. Aang is upset because it is his job, as Avatar, to protect nature.
      Elsewhere, at another stop, Zuko is antsy to get moving but finds his uncle disposed of in a hot spring and leisurely basking and very relaxed. Zuko orders his uncle to get up but promptly tells him as Iroh reveals he's naked, that he has an half hour to get ready before Zuko leaves, with or without Iroh.
      On the area that had burned down, Aang is feeling depressed and Katara attempts to cheer him up. Sokka's idea is to hit him with an acorn but that helps Katara who points out that acorns are proof that life will grow back on the darken soil. A elderly man approaches the three, asking if Aang is the Avatar. After confirmation, he asks Aang for help. His town had been plagued by a Spirit for three days, each time a hostage being taken. That the spirit was around was no surprise, it was getting close to the Winter Solstice, where the bridge between the Spirit World and natural world's borders blur together, so that the spirit part can exist in the reality. The Avatar is supposed to be a bridge between the two worlds and so that's why they asked him.
      Uncle Iroh is fast asleep though something surprises him awake. Seeing nothing more than a meadow vole, a tiny mouse, he grouses good-naturedly that his nephew must have left him, since it's been more than a half hour. The earth moves and slams around Iroh, trapping him as Earthbenders appear. They had caught 'the Dragon of the West' and were taking him prisoner.
      As Aang paces the front of the town, where the spirit, Hei Bai would appear, he has no idea what to do. He goes on to talk about not going into the town, frightening people and kidnapping them and assumes that the spirit had listened when in fact, it appears and ignores Aang. It goes around attacking with a sonic scream, while Aang tries to reason but it's not going well. Not content with hiding, Sokka runs out when Aang needs help though he tells Sokka to get back inside but then the spirit zooms in and takes Sokka. Aang instantly gives chase. The spirit disappears in a panda statue where Aang settles on and wakes up in the Spirit World.
      The Earthbenders are bragging that they captured Iroh, who held a seige of 600 days of Ba Sing Se, the place they're heading toward. Iroh shifts and pretends how tired he is, as he collapses and drops a shoe off while they drag him back on the ride to continue their trip. Zuko eventually appears, showing that he's been trailing after his uncle since discovering him gone and realizing that the Earthbenders had captured him.
      Aang returns to the town and tries to get Katara's attention but realizes as the sun rises that they can't see him because he's in the Spirit World. Even Appa cannot see him. He calls out to Avatar Roku but instead spies a dragon fast approaching. He attempts to airbend but it's revealed that you cannot bend in the Spirit World. The dragon lands and Aang realizes that it's Avatar Roku's animal guide, such as Appa is Aang's animal guide. The Dragon uses a whisker against Aang's forehead for communication and Aang climbs on to fly off toward where Avatar Roku is waiting. They breeze by the Earthbenders and Iroh who is the only one to see the dragon.
      At that point, Iroh attempts to trick his way to freedom, commenting that his cuffs are too loose only to fire them up and strike at the Earthbender. He lunges and falls into a roll down the earth but is captured again.
      Aang is led to a temple somewhere in the Fire Nation, where there is a statue of Roku. While staring, he notices the calender on the ground and sees a vision of a comet and then the calender speading up to the day of the Winter Solstice. That would be when Aang could talk to Avatar Roku.
      Zuko sees Appa in the air and feels drawn to chase but chooses to go after his uncle. He comes in time just before the Earthbenders, judging him as a too powerful a threat, could break his hands. Despite that they are outnumbered two to five, Iroh comments that the two are not outmatched. It doesn't take much to defeat the Earthbenders.
      Aang returns to his body and it's night time again. He waits for Hei Bai who appears and tries again to talk to the angry spirit. He touches the forehead and sees the forest that is no more. Hei Bai was the protector of the forest and is angry at what happened to it. Aang shows him the acorn and tells him that the forest would return and the spirit is satisfied. All hostages are returned and Sokka is asked if he's all right. He's been gone for twenty-four hours and he just has to go relief himself badly. Aang then tells them about his vision and that in order to talk to Avatar Roku, he would have to go to the crescent shaped island. Worse yet, this island is in the Fire Nation.