Today is the day. Can you believe it?
After all that time searching for a teacher,
I'm finally starting earthbending.
And this place, it's perfect. Don't you think?
Sokka?
[groaning]
Oh, you're still sleeping, huh?
[groaning]
[whispering] Sorry.
Good morning, earthbending student!
Good morning, Sifu Toph.
Hey, you never call me Sifu Katara.
Well, if you think I should ...
[grumbling]
Sorry, Snoozles,
we'll do our earthbending as quietly as we can.
[screaming]
[grumbling]
So what move are you going to teach me first?
Rock-a-lanche? The Trembler?
Oh, maybe I could learn to make a whirlpool out of land!
Let's start with ... move a rock.
Sounds good, sounds good!
The key to earthbending is your stance.
You've got to be steady and strong.
Rock is a stubborn element.
If you're going to move it,
you've got to be like a rock yourself.
Like a rock. Got it.
Good. Now the actual motion of this one is pretty simple.
Okay, you ready to give it a try?
I'm ready.
[screaming, groaning]
Rock beats airbender!
I don't understand what went wrong.
He did it exactly the way you did.
Maybe there's another way.
What if I came at the boulder from a different angle?
No, that's the problem.
You've got to stop thinking like an airbender.
There's no different angle, no clever solution,
no tricky trick that's going to move that rock.
You've got to face it head on.
And when I say head on, I mean like this.
Whoa!
I've been training Aang for a while now.
He really responds well to a positive teaching experience.
Lots of encouragement and praise, kind words.
If he's doing something wrong,
maybe a gentle nudge in the right direction.
Thanks, Katara. A gentle nudge. I'll try that.
Keep your knees high, Twinkle Toes!
[grunting]
[groaning]
Rock-like!
[grunting]
Huh?
[gasping]
[groaning]
[grunting]
Rock-like!
This time we're going to try something
a little different.
Instead of moving a rock, you're going to stop a rock.
Get in your horse stance.
I'm going to roll that boulder down at you.
If you have the attitude of an earthbender,
you'll stay in your stance and stop the rock. Like this!
Sorry Toph, but are you sure this is really the best way
to teach Aang earthbending?
I'm glad you said something. Actually, there is a better way.
This way, you'll really have to sense the vibrations
of the boulder to stop it. Thank you, Katara.
Yeah, thanks, Katara!
Heh.
I guess I just panicked. I don't know what to say.
There's nothing to say, you blew it!
You had a perfect stance, and perfect form.
But when it came right down to it,
you didn't have the guts!
I know. I'm sorry.
Yeah, you are sorry!
If you're not tough enough to stop the rock,
then you can at least give it the pleasure of smushing you
instead of jumping out of the way
like a jelly-boned wimp!
Now, do you have what it takes to face that rock
like an earthbender?!
No, I don't think I do.
Aang, it's no big deal. You'll take a break
and try earthbending again when you're ready.
Besides, you still have a lot of waterbending to work on.
Okay?
Yeah, that sounds good.
Yeah, whatever, go splash around until you feel better.