All 7 Episodes of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, Ranked

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix, and the live-action series adapts Book 2 of the Nickelodeon show in just seven episodes. In doing so, the live-action ATLA makes changes to the original — some of which will no doubt prove more controversial than others. The new episodes do mark a step up from Season 1, capturing more of the humor and charm present in the animated series. They also make several smart additions, whether it’s a team-up between two iconic Last Airbender figures or the choice to give one player more on-screen closure.

Not every episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 shines, however, as the fidelity, pacing, and writing vary in strength from one installment to the next. Funnily enough, some of the best chapters deviate wildly from the original but hold up when looked at as separate entities. Here’s how we’d rank each Season 2 installment, from weakest to strongest. SPOILERS ahead for Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 on Netflix.

7) “The Parable of the Two Dragons” (Episode 6)

Despite leading into a more action-heavy and intense finale, Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, Episode 6 is the weakest installment of the latest outing. “The Parable of the Two Dragons” has few moments that stand out as great, and it’s a surprisingly slow segue from Wan Shi Tong’s Library to the fight in the Crystal Catacombs. The Earth King’s introduction is lackluster (it’s because Bosco is missing, isn’t it?), and there’s too much of an emphasis on Earth Kingdom politics in general. The tensions between Team Avatar are over the top and feel too angsty to match the original show’s tone. And Azula’s story, for which the episode is named, feels awkward and out of place amid it all.

Zuko’s storyline serves a purpose, but it also drags on at a snail’s pace. The main highlights of “The Parable of the Two Dragons” are the emphasis on Iroh’s backstory and the team-up between the Painted Lady and Blue Spirit. Sadly, neither of those things are enough to save this chapter from ranking the lowest. With so many story changes and ill-paced moments, it feels like this screen time could’ve been spent on including Guru Pathik instead.

6) “City of Walls and Secrets” (Episode 3)

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, Episode 3 picks up on the heels of Toph joining the Gaang. “City of Walls and Secrets” is a step down from her introduction, and it lacks much of the excitement of later chapters. That said, Miya Cech continues to shine at Toph, even if Episode 3 trades her crude rejection of her upbringing for greater practice navigating the upper rungs of the Earth Kingdom. And the choices made surrounding Team Avatar’s efforts to get to the Earth King are where this chapter falls short. Although the team dynamics are fun, having Aang learn to Earthbend so quickly — and under such odd circumstances — takes away from an important arc.

The focus on everyone acclimating to Ba Sing Se also makes this episode slower than most of Season 2’s, even with its strengths. It’s nice to see Sokka’s grief over Yue getting attention, and the show honors the animated series’ most iconic moments. From Joo Dee’s insistence that “there is no war in Ba Sing Se” to Sokka’s cactus juice experience, it’s all there, albeit slightly less magical than in the original. Of course, all of it unravels differently, with the series mashing multiple storylines together to fit them in. Some of it works, and some of it doesn’t. Overall, this episode is fun but not the season’s greatest.

5) “The Water Falls, the Stones Emerge” (Episode 4)

Aang may Earthbend for the first time under dubious circumstances in Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, but Episode 4 sort of makes up for it. The opening sequence of Toph and Aang training in “The Water Falls, the Stones Emerge” is exactly what Aang’s Earthbending story should look like, and it’s one of the series’ better choices. There are a few nice inclusions in this episode, from Suki’s fight with Azula to the return of the Cabbage Merchant. And we’d be remiss not to mention Iroh’s grief over his son, which is a nice nod to the original Avatar: The Last Airbender. All these details demonstrate a passion for the story this series is based on.

There’s also some solid action in this chapter, which places it above slower installments like Episodes 3 and 6. Unfortunately, there are a few missteps as well. As the characters adjust to Ba Sing Se — and start to pick up on the conspiracies there — there are divergences from the original show that don’t really work. Aang’s dynamic with Katara is totally off, with him being uncharacteristically angry at her. It’s also jarring to see him side with someone like Long Feng over his own friends. Sokka and Toph’s poetry pit stop feels unnecessary, too, as does the continued focus on Toph being blackmailed. This episode is a mixed bag, landing it in the middle of this list.

4) “Somewhere Safe” (Episode 1)

“Somewhere Safe” kicks off Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, and despite two years passing off-screen and in-universe, it does so pretty seamlessly. The premiere throws viewers right into the action, wasting no time catching us up with Team Avatar and the Earth Kingdom. It gets points for handling its timeline jump so well, but the premiere is also just a fun time. There’s banter between the characters, Suki gets more attention, and there are some great bending sequences. It truly sells the excitement of being back in this world. Azula and Ozai’s scene is also a highlight, expanding on the villains in intriguing ways.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2’s opener isn’t a perfect installment, as there’s some awkwardness as the show returns. Aang’s visit to Bumi is a bit melodramatic, and it makes Bumi feel like a totally different character. Azula pitting Mai and Ty Lee against each other — and it actually working — is also a head-scratcher. These are minor flaws in the grand scheme of things, but combined with the premiere wading back into the story, they land “Somewhere Safe” in the middle of a ranking.

3) “Ten Thousand Things” (Episode 5)

Apart from the finale, “Ten Thousand Things” has the highest stakes of ATLA Season 2 — and is one of the most gripping installments outside of the closing chapter and one other episode. Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, Episode 5 adapts the team’s journey to Wan Shi Tong’s library in live-action. And although it takes some wild swings away from the original story, there are things to appreciate about this installment. Its inclusion of Jet is one of the less frustrating changes the series makes in Season 2, and it gives the character on-screen closure and a more heroic last stand. On top of that, the episode brings Wan Shi Tong to life in terrifying fashion, which makes this an edge-of-your-seat watch.

There are issues with this episode as well, ranking it lower than “Something Broken” — despite the finale making a more dubious change — and “A Fight, Once Begun.” Some of the decisions made in this chapter feel oddly placed, from Professor Zei betraying the Gaang to Toph randomly having a heart-to-heart with Kyoshi. Taken on its own, it’s a thrilling episode of TV. Compared to the original series, it’s a bit more disappointing.

2) “Something Broken” (Episode 7)

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2’s finale has some great moments, including ones that are pulled directly from the animated show. Katara’s conversation with Zuko stands out as a highlight, as does the fight sequence at the end. The biggest reason this chapter doesn’t rank higher is because of its changes to its source material. The decision to forgo “The Guru” is perplexing, and it brings this chapter down a notch. It undercuts one of the most important conflicts of Aang’s narrative, and then it has him enter the Avatar State all too easily — a twist that feels perplexing and unearned.

If fans can get past the jarring changes to the original and look at this episode on its own, it does have the right emotional beats and action moments for a finale. It raises the anticipation for Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 3, though one episode outshines it by feeling more like the original show.

1) “A Fight, Once Begun” (Episode 2)

The second episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 features the long-awaited introduction of Toph, and it genuinely lives up to the hype. Despite criticisms of Toph’s introduction when it comes to the layer of sand on the arena floor, everything else about the character’s entrance feels well done. Miya Cech embodies Toph well, bringing her to life with the right balance of charm, sass, and earned confidence. Her showdown with The Boulder is well written and executed, as is everything that follows. Team Avatar meeting Azula is another highlight, meshing action and humor in the spirit of the animated show.

Of all the episodes in Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, “A Fight, Once Begun” feels the most tonally consistent with the original series. Succeeding as an adaptation places it just above the two higher-stakes, action-heavy chapters that make questionable changes to the story. Sand issues aside, this is an installment fans of Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender will enjoy.

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