The scenes with Zuko and his old childhood summer home, and the group talking at the beach were the only parts of the episode I genuinely liked. The rest felt like blatant fanservice and some sort of attempt at a different genre that just didn't blend in at all. Teen dramady?

It felt like almost everyone was acting out of character, or as extreme versions of themselves. Not that there weren't little bits that were nice. Azula admitting jealousy of Ty Lee's popularity with the boys was a good moment. First she goes for the default mode of cutting down others to prop herself up, but then immediately apologizes when Ty Lee starts to cry. It showed a bit of humanity on Azula's part. To remind us that she really is a 14 year old girl underneath all that perfection and megalomania? Perhaps. What happened with Azula trying to make time with Chen afterwards just felt like...hrm...I suppose the extreme mood swings anime that I am not fond of.

Aang acted like an utter buffoon. I hope that going down that water slide was worth being hunted down by some sort of "Villain from Another Galaxy Metal Explodey Man." Don't even get me started on that fella. Internal logic don't jive with me one bit.

What did I like? Ty Lee and Mai, actually. Like I said, the one part I liked was the talk at the campfire and it was great to see both of them showing some real emotions. Ty Lee's passion about being a "circus freak" and Mai letting a bit out for once. Even Azula's tiny admission of knowing her mother favored Zuko and thought of her as a 'monster' was good. Zuko's admission was pretty much what I expected, but it's always nice for him to become a bit more self aware of things.

The episode would have ended okay for me if the Zuko and Ozai's Angels hadn't gone back to the party to trash the place like spoiled brats attempting to be villains. Azula and Zuko are royalty for crying out loud. They all tear up the place like temperamental thugs. Honestly, I think it was below them and in utter mean spirit instead of being funny.

I'm really hoping that they'll hit their stride with the season soon, getting back into more cohesive and advancing storylines.

I had so much love in my heart for this episode.

Everything Mai told Zuko, he needed to hear. Everything. And I think that hurt Zuko more than her actual breaking up with him. I think it was good for him to finally admit who he was angry with. And hopefully this means he will finally start to make the right decisions. Mai standing up to Azula was epic. I loved how she finally just told Azula to back off.

Azula made me love her even more this episode. Ty Lee was less annoying.

The Combustion Man battle was just a little random. I would've liked to have seen Toph bend the metal he has on his body. That would've been epic win.

AANG IN KATARA'S ARMS WAS MADE OF WIN

Sorry, had to capslock that. Anyway, in the end, this episode was pretty good. I liked it lots. And I've officially become a Maiko shipper.

First of all, I'd just like to declare how AMAZING youtube is, because i missed the eppy last night while i was at bible study. ;D

Anyway. I'll start with what I didn't like. Yeah, I pretty much felt that half of the episode was in some different form of manga. What was with the bird that flew through that guys ears? And the tearing-up-of-da-partay randomness? And Aang acting all "Let's go penguin sledding!" again! Everyone seemed out of character for half of the episode. It was weird. Because, after all that Aang's been through, he's changed. We can see the change. I didn't expect him to go back to random side adventures again, and, of course, BLOW THE SECRET.

And please don't even get me started on Maiko. I was so happy...until the ending. But I'm not too worried. It won't last.

So now the good things. Well, first and foremost, I LOVED the fact that Azula showed a weakspot. Several, actually. First of all, she can't catch a guy's eye for her life, and that makes her angry. Hooray for weaknesses! And the distress about her mother thinking she was a monster...emotions are GOOD. I also loved when the four started ranting about their pasts in a battle of "I hurt more than you do! You don't understand!" It was really interesting to hear Ty Lee's story, and Mai screaming "Leave me alone!" was what I needed to hear. I really thought she didn't care about nething, like Zuko did. Oh, about Zuko, I think it's great he's finally admitting he's angry with himself. See, by the end of the season I have this gut feelin he's gonna switch to the good side. Now he's just one step closer. But actually, I thought he was going to say that he was mad at his mother, not himself...

Yeah, I really liked the episode. Of course, I like every episode. I laughed at Azula's obsessiveness in the volleyball game. yeah. That was great. And I totally would have been in that bunch of giggling girls when Zuko -ripped- his shirt off. lol

I have mixed feelings about this one...

Let's note the things I liked. I loved how Zuko blew up, and was all "I'M ANGRY AT MYSELF!" I liked that because right before he said it, I turned to my little sisters (who also watch it) and said it to them, and then he went and said it. Yeah, it made me feel good. I also liked the old ladies, in every part of it. They were awesome, and everyone knows it. And didn't you just love that little taste of last nights dinner when they were in bathing suits? XD Mai blowing up was wicked, in fact Mai was the best I've ever seen her in this episode. The ending was spectacular, and that's all I have to say about that. I loved Azula going, "WE'LL BE THE STRONGEST COUPLE IN THE NATION !!" It was awesome. When Ty Lee couldn't answer the boys' questions, how she poked them all and flipped out of the corner? Yeah, that was win. XD

Now for the things I didn't like... I hated Azula admitting jealousy. I felt it was TOTALLY off character, and shouldn't have been said. Ty Lee... didn't like her at most points in this one. She was in character, BOY was she in character, but I simply think I don't like her character that much. The most major disappointment in all of the episode for me was the lack of more Gaang, but I knew it was going to be that way to begin with...

I have mixed feelings about the episode as a whole. I don't like too many character development episodes... but I kinda like this one... so it's confusing.

I have to state that first off, I pretty much hate filler eps of any kind, character developing or not. But this episode however, I did like. Mostly because I like these fire nation chars more than the Gaang. (Yes I am prepared to be beat to death by insane and irrational Gaang fans), I just like the internal diversity, and how instead of being all happy go lucky like the gaang usually is (excluding this season for the most part), and they show alot more of a realistic side of life.

Well in any case, I like the whole beach scene, with the epic (and note that is probably the first time I have ever used epic without quoting someone else) volleyball game, and the party scene between Zuko and Maei. "hey I saw you looking at him, you like him dont you?" "I dont even know him......."

It showed that Zuko can care about something enough to be jealous about it besides his "killing the avatar" vendetta. \

All in all, besides several points of them breaking out of character, it was a good ep all together. Plus, however uncharacter like and childish it may have been, the picture at the end was freakin Great =\

This was pretty much a love/hate episode for everyone ( from my point of view). There's probably things about this that everyone loved, and other things that everyone hated.

For me, I'll start with the things i liked. ;D
I LOVED how much it built up the fire nation gang's characters. Yet for some I thought it was too much. It was great finally knowing all about Ty Lee's story and it definitely gives the viewer a better understanding of her. She just wants to be different, but in a good way. I knew she was the one who would get all the guys in the group. It seemed natural to her.

Azula was awesome in some parts, but a little frightening in others. But it was great how she showed a lot of emotion as a real teenager, instead of just a crazy, emotionless villain. If you look back at her at the beginning of season 2, you'd never come to think that she was some-what a normal rich teen. Especially when she talked about her mother, and after she added that her mother thought she was a monster, I cracked up laughing when she simply said " She was right of course, but it still hurt." I almost didn't expect her to say it, because everyone else was so deep with their stories. And I loved how she had trouble talking with guys.

I actually am starting to like the maiko ship too! And I'm not really a big fan of any of the possible cannon ships believe it or not. Well, maybe Tokka, but besides that. I loved how Zuko was so protective. It just seemed like it was his character. Mai was great too because I knew there was some practical reason that she acted the way she did.

That explosion guy? Yeah he was pretty wicked. That fight was amazing between them. I can tell the Gaang now have a lot more on their hands to worry about than the Fire Lord and Azula. In fact, At this point I'm not even sure what Azula would do if the avatar just showed up looking for help. She already knows he's out there, and I know she would never help him. But still, after watching this chapter, I can tell I'm going to be surprised in the last few episodes.

What I didn't like was how Aang acted so stupid! Like Achiro said, just when everyone thinks he's actually growing up, he blows it with a stupid, selfish mistake! One reason why I don't see Aang with anybody, even Katara in the end. Of course that's not going to happen because hey, he's the main character in the show.

The part when Azula told Ty Lee she was jealous almost made me want to throw up. Seriously, it was so out of character. Azula wouldn't have said it like that if she said it at all, but I guess they added that in just to show that she really does have a heart. I also hated when Azula laughed when Zuko said Ty Lee was a circus freak. Sure, it's likely that Azula would do such a thing, but it's like one of her best friends! It was kind pretty cruel, but totally expected.

So those are my compliments to the episode, and rants. I'm sure I have more, but I'm too tired to think them up right now. Ha ha And I just love You tube too! I miss Avatar every Friday night and Saturday morning because I'm always out with friends. It's such an inconvenient time for me.

Hate to be the party pooper, but I liked very little about this episode. I felt rather let down. It just wasn't avatar...it was like some bad manga.
Some fans are elated, but I feel like the whole thing was a bunch of fluff that was scribbled out in less than a day.
Nothing appeared to have any thought behind it, except for a few things in the little tell-all meeting for depressed fire nation anonymous.

I just don't know. It's as if they thought we weren't happy with the way they were doing the show. Maybe when they found out they had an enormous teen following, they had to put something else in the show to cater to that demographic.

As for the metal man...he seemed like something out of a bad D.C comic. Or...I don't even know.

I watch avatar because it has a good mix of action and comedy, and up to this point it has had thought behind its plot and characters.
I felt like I was watching a bad fanfic of avatar.
Still, I'm going to keep watching in hopes that they will find themselves again somewhere along in the series.

Sorry to anyone if they loved this episode and were offended. My rant is now over.

I don't have anything major to talk about with this episode, but I felt it was super bored. I felt like they were trying to explain who the characters were, like their pasts and stuff, but I felt like I wasn't satisfied with any of it and they didn't even really accept their insanity or pasts at all. The only one who did was Ti-Li or however the circus freaks name is spelled.

I dont' know. It really bothered me the whole time. But I must say that Azula's crazy "I AM 1337 SAUCE!!!!" rants were histerical.

Personally I thought this episode was a nice break from the detailed plot of the series (and I'm prepared for any comments on that), and gave us all a nice bit of comic relief.

Ok yes, I agree that the Flamin' Four (for want of a better name) were over the top, Azula in particular, but I thought that it was good to get an episode of just good ol' fashion humour, and sitll managed to throw in a bit of character development at the end. Now I'm not saying there's never any humour in avatar, there's plenty of that, but I feel that sometimes it's just good to take a break from story and have a good laugh at 'em all.

For instance, the volleyball game: We can all see that all the way through there Azula's being way over dramatic of the situation, but I'm sure most of us also couldn't help but laugh a little at the end of it and Azula's victor speech. It's just one of the parts of the episode that shows us if Azula wasn't able to burn your face off you'd take her a lot less seriously. Just put all of Azula's lines and character into someone who can't defend themselves and see what you get, a character you can't take half as seriously..

Though I must admit I was a little downed at how the made the wicked witches more humane in this episode, what with their beach wisdom and disturbing poses. But at least it kept me laughing, and in the end isn't laughing one of they key reasons we watch Avatar?

And of course, there's all of Zuko's development and flashbacks. Those were parts that made me think of why this episode is mainly a comedic one, but still has story to it, albeit loosely.

The beach scene towards the end was a very good part of the episode if you ask me, as it finally shows why Ty Lee and Mai are Ty Lee and Mai, and it even humanises Azula a little, so that was a good effect.

And of course, we can't forget the final scene, which just made me personally laugh right out loud. It was just very entertaining to have the Flamin' Four recover from their emotional backtracking by bringing down the party.

The whole Aang Gang scenes frankly disconcerned me though, though I'm interested in learning more bout the combustion man.

So all in all, I think that this episode was a pretty good one; despite a somewhat lack of storyline to it, it still shows us that Avatar is a comedy show as well as a drama/action and that sometimes it can be good to focus on that element a bit more over the others.