On the surface, it’s pretty clear why the writers of the Netflix show chose not to adapt the events of “Imprisoned,” the sixth episode of Book One. Our trio of heroes coming across an Earth Kingdom village in the middle of nowhere, in an episode featuring no major supporting characters, and centered on a relatively minor conflict in the grand scheme of things? That doesn’t exactly lend itself to a more streamlined and concise interpretation of events. But for those eager for a little more exploration into Katara’s motivations, this is the episode for you.
We won’t spoil all of its surprises here, but rest assured that “Imprisoned” adds all sorts of world-building and crucial character moments for the entire gang — but especially for Katara. When they encounter a village under Fire Nation occupation where all the earthbenders were long ago taken captive, the thematic parallels between these innocents and the Water Tribe that Sokka and Katara left behind immediately become clear. At first, Katara urges new friend Haru to be proud of his earthbending powers rather than hide them, but this inadvertently leads to his own capture and imprisonment. Guilt-ridden but intent on freeing all the village’s earthbenders, Katara leads the rescue attempt to a Fire Nation prison ship … only to find that the townspeople have given up hope entirely during their long captivity.
Ultimately, the episode adds several important layers to Katara’s arc and stands as one of the earliest stand-out moments for our favorite waterbender.