Avatar: The Last Airbender/Recap/Book 1/06 Imprisoned

"We can't abandon these people. There has to be a way to help them."

Our heroes befriend a young Earthbender named Haru. However, Haru has to train in secret, as his village is under the control of the Fire Nation, who have outlawed earth bending for fear of a rebellion. The gang encourages him to improve his skills; however, he is found out, and taken by the Fire Nation into slavery. Katara pretends to be an Earthbender in hopes to orchestrate a rescue, and she, with back-up from Aang and Sokka, must somehow get the imprisoned to help themselves.

Tropes:

• Acting Unnatural: When the Fire Nation soldiers barge into Haru's house after the Gaang has followed him home.
• Bad Bad Acting: Katara and Sokka when they're trying to get Katara arrested for earthbending and speak in the most stilted tone possible
• Cut Apart: Fire Nation troops walk around menacingly as the Gaang sleeps, the troops then knock on a door... which is opened by Haru.
• Drop What You Are Doing: Katara drops what she's doing (a perfectly nice ceramic jug of water) when she realizes that Haru's been arrested and taken prisoner for illegal Earthbending.
• The Farmer and the Viper: Haru uses his Earthbending to save an old man from a cave-in. Later that night, the old man rats him out to the Fire Nation and gets him arrested.
• Large Ham: George Takei as the warden.
• Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner: Haru's father is about to throw the warden of his prison overboard.

Warden: Please, no! I can't swim! Haru's father: Don't worry, I hear cowards float.

• Prison Episode
• Rousing Speech: Katara attempts this twice with the earthbender prisoners. The first time doesn't go so well; the second time seems to fail at first, but then Haru steps up...
• Ungrateful Bastard: The guy who Haru saves with his earthbending turns him into the Fire Nation. What a bastard.