Yip Yip Hooray! An Avatar Podcast

The Yip Yip crew ends the podcast with who it started with, inviting Jessica over for a socially distanced breakdown of the finale and the series as a whole. Jordan theorizes why the rest of the world let the Fire Nation subjugate them. Jessica is still really drawn to Azula and feels she gets done dirty in the finale and wishes her brother Zuko had more colors in his firebending. Katie discusses why Aang clings to his culture more than other Avatars. Jessica breaks down the old Avatars’ advice. Jessica and Katie pine for one more Azula scene. Yip yip!

The comet arrives! The group finishes Avatar: The Last Airbender by watching the series finale “Sozin’s Comet” with chapters 18: The Phoenix King, 19: The Old Masters, 20: Into the Inferno, and 21: Avatar Aang. Jordan talks about Zuko’s quest for forgiveness in the back half of Book Three. Troy still hasn’t seen Black Panther. Katie loves the score in the last episodes. Jordan feels like the Spirit World is intervening in the events of the finale. Katie is unimpressed with Katara during the Final Agni Kai. Troy takes exactly two notes, namely how Toph still can't bend wood. Jordan repeats the very last word spoken in the series and it's perfect.

It's our penultimate podcast before the series finale! Katie and Jordan catch up with Jessica on The Boiling Rock, The Southern Raiders, and The Ember Island Players. Jessica shares how she thinks the series will end, which may or may not include Toph killing Ozai. The group destress distress by talking Bake Off. Katie discusses field trips with Zuko and his chemistry with Aang. Everyone wants more Toph-centric storylines. Jordan is still upset how the Moon is the original water bender and introduces a Yue theory. Jordan wishes Suki had been recruited at the beginning and realizes Earth Kingdom girls don’t mess around. Jessica feels Mai needed a proper apology from Zuko and Zuko should have also apologized to everyone for the Book Two finale. Katie seems to think having someone bloodbend you would be a relaxing experience. Jordan despises Whale Tail Island, so the group tries to rename it. 

It's the calm before the comet! The Yip Yippers discuss Book Three chapters 16: The Southern Raiders and 17: The Ember Island Players. As a teen, Jordan could never appreciate the journey of the final episodes prior to the finale. Troy assumes Azula effectively tracks Team Avatar because they’re currently not bathing. Katie forgets who Haru is. Jordan goes on a tirade about the Hama and Kya connection theory. Katie loves that Azula is unstoppable. Jordan is angry that no citizens of the Fire Nation can identify Zuko as a member of the royal family. Awkward seating shenanigans is Katie’s favorite moment in Ember Island Players. Troy discusses his issues with the theatre. Katie isn’t impressed Jordan finally realizes Ember Island Player’s three-act structure coincides with a season of Avatar. Jordan discusses the stacked voice acting cast for the play versions of Team Avatar and Co. Troy hates musicals. 

Let's go to prison! This episode, we cover Book Three, chapters 14 and 15, "The Boiling Rock" Troy apparently hates the name “Boiling Rock” and would rather have Friends-style episodic titles like “The One Where Sokka Gets a Sword”. Jordan is curious about Zuko’s redemption. Katie loves the dynamic between Zuko and Sokka. Troy believes Azula had a “Powerpuff Girl” moment and is creeped out by The Warden. Katie loves Zuko trying to be wise and philosophical. Troy has trouble with today’s slang. Katie gives heart-eyes for Sokka’s heart-eyes. Everyone agrees Suki is fantastically hardcore. Troy and Jordan argue over gravity-defying stunts in these episodes. The Blu-Ray subtitles typo "hot squats" as "hop squats" but Jordan still wants to do them and feel the burn and addresses the single worst Sokka moment in the series. Katie thinks Boiling Rock would have made for a wild series finale. 

Hello, podcast here. This episode, we cover a turning point in the series with Book Three, chapters 12: The Western Air Temple and 13: The Firebending Masters. Jordan goes on a scorched earth tirade about the eight-month hiatus between the original airing of Day of Black Sun and Western Air Temple. The gang talk Zuko’s job interview. Troy tries not to get distracted by Greg Baldwin as Iroh, because he wants to know more about Iroh before he became Dragon of the West. Katie announces Boomerang is MVP of Western Air Temple, but Jordan argues Toph is MVP of the episode, and pretty much 90 percent of all episodes. Troy wants to know Combustion Man’s name and Jessica wants to learn more about his backstory. Jordan is surprised with Katara’s final line of Western but Troy thinks it’s justified. Jordan is unimpressed with Aang’s regression in the episode. Troy picks up the real-world inspiration for the Dancing Dragon immediately. Jordan isn’t pleased with the end credit song sneaking into the show. Jessica is still holding out hope Cabbage Man is going to show up and announces her favorite character is Azula.

It’s time for the Day of Black Sun! This episode we cover the special mid-season finale The Day of Black Sun Book Three chapters 10: The Invasion and 11: The Eclipse. We’ve waited an entire season for the invasion of the Fire Nation and... they fail. Katie and Troy hijack the opening of the podcast, the gang discuss high school, and Jordan waxes poetic about his dear friend Smiley Jr. Troy assumes Dee Bradley Baker was drinking while doing Appa’s voice during the invasion. Jordan accuses Troy’s “tea” of being something Iroh wouldn’t touch. Sokka’s public speaking fears resonate with Troy. Katie says Appa is MVP for the duo of episodes. Jordan didn’t know Aang kept his Fire Nation pants and boots. Nobody can explain the Gaang’s new outfits. Troy hates all gliders. Jessica joins to give all her hot takes!

We recap the first six chapters of Book Three with Jessica, who is loving the Fire Nation fashion. Jordan shows off his Appa pillow. The gang discuss the issues of a hairy tattoo. Jessica announces her Netflix preview is Aang with a full head of hair at the Fire Nation school. Jordan shares Iceland is an inspiration for Fire Nation and Jessica says Vikings cut all the trees down. 

It's the calm before the Invasion! This episode, we cover Book Three chapters 7: The Runaway, 8: The Puppetmaster, and 9: Nightmares and Daydreams. Troy still has difficulties pronouncing Toph’s name. Katie notices any Toph-centric episode always has some confrontation with Katara. Jordan really wanted to see Toph go for a dip in her money like Scrooge McDuck and loves projecting personality traits and hobbies onto Sparky-Sparky-Boom-Man. Katie spots a super weird moment where Sokka and Aang foam at the mouth, Foam-at-the-Mouth-Guy style. Troy and Jordan argue about which bending discipline could bend wood. Troy has a new favorite villain. Jordan draws parallels between Hama and Aang. The crew dive into the ethics of advanced waterbending. Troy announces “This better not be a weird episode,” right before we watch “Nightmares and Daydreams”. Jordan reveals the unexplored concept of Momo being Monk Gyatso reincarnated and has beef with Aang’s nightmare visions. Troy thinks Aang should have focused on reopening all his chakras prior to the invasion. 

We tackle some history in this episode with Book Three chapters 5: The Beach and 6: The Avatar and the Fire Lord. Nobody can agree on how many Wiggles there are. Troy says “Zuko is finally out of the closet”(?) Katie isn’t happy with “The Beach” because characters were objectified, body-shamed and featured aging women as sight gags. Jordan feels like Lo and Li were stripped of their character in favor of spouting proverbs. Jordan and Katie are bothered that Zuko and Mai have one of the shows only romances and it drips of toxicity in this episode. Erik von Detten makes out with Azula. Zuko’s assassin is revealed to be modeled as the “Anti-Aang”. Katie questions how Roku and Sozin were friends and theorizes the whole 100-Year War could have been avoided has Sozin explored outside the borders of the Fire Nation. Katie wonders if Sozin thought he was going to be the Avatar. Troy discusses the altered relationship between Aang and Zuko after the royal lineage is revealed. Jordan waxes poetic about portraits of previous Fire Lords not named Sozin, especially one who has mustache for days.