Avatar: The Last Airbender/Recap/Book 2/06 The Blind Bandit

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

"My daughter is blind. Blind, and helpless, and tiny, and fragile. She can't help you."
"Yes, I can."

As the gang journeys into the Earth Kingdom proper, Aang's search for an Earth Bending teacher becomes more and more pressing. He enrolls in an Earthbending school, to little success; however, other students mention an underground Earthbending tournament, show, "Earth Rumble Six." Hopeful this might yield results, they go to find the show, watching a string of fights, each one being dominated by 'The Boulder', a tall, muscled man- perfect as a teacher. However, even he is defeated by the true champion; The Blind Bandit. Said champion is a young girl, barely twelve, and a member of the richest family in the area, and exactly the same girl that Aang saw in his vision. And she really is blind, but all the better a bender for it.

Aang is sure that this girl, Toph Beifong, is destined to be his teacher; however, her own reluctance and her father's resolute belief that his daughter is helpless poses something of a problem...

Tropes used in The Blind Bandit include:

Poppy: Poor Toph, she must be so scared...
Toph: (cut to her suspended in a cage) You think you're so tough? Why don't you come up here so I can slap that grin off your face?

  • Disability Superpower: Toph can't see. Her heightened sense of touch and bending abilities, however, allows her to sense vibrations in stone and pretty much see everything in 360 degrees.
  • Eye Am Watching You: Katara does this gesture to the two students after they tell her about the Beifongs.
  • Filing Their Nails: When the Gaang attend Earth Rumble VI to find an earthbending teacher for Aang, Katara sighs and mutters "This is just gonna be a bunch of guys chucking rocks at each other, isn't it?" while checking out her nails.
  • Foreign Wrestling Heel: Parodied with Fire Nation Man in the Earth Rumble. He has a Russian accent and wears red.
  • Hey, It's That Voice!: Master Yu is Uncle, the Boulder is Mick Foley, Toph's dad is Liquid Snake, and both of the kids Katara threatens are played by Robin.
  • I Have My Ways: Katara is asked how she got information from the uncooperative boys and replies suggestively, "A woman has her ways." Cut to the two boys covered up to their necks in ice.
    • And frozen to the wall. Feet first.
  • Ignored Epiphany: Lao Beifong realizes just how strong and capable his daughter really is. His response? To double-down on being overprotective.
  • Meaningful Name: 'Toph' means 'Fragile Lotus', which accurately describes her parents' attitude towards her.
  • No Celebrities Were Harmed: Several Professional Wrestlers, most obviously "The Boulder".
  • Overprotective Dad: Lao Beifong.
  • Pro Wrestling Episode
  • Shout-Out: Fire Nation Man is also a clear reference to The Ayatollah, partiularly with the use of his Fire Nation flag and his obnoxious national pride.
  • Stealth Parody: By Word of God, the Earthbending teacher Aang tries first is a spoof on a "McDojo."
    • However, "Earth Rumble Six" is a little too blatantly a Professional Wrestling joke to fit under "Stealth Parody."
  • Testosterone Poisoning

Katara: [sighs] This is just going to be a bunch of guys chucking rocks at each other, isn't it?

"HIPPO MAD!"

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