CNET Networks Entertainment GameSpot | GameFAQs | SportsGamer | MP3.com | TV.com | Metacritic
Score: 9.1 Superb 485 votes

The Fortuneteller

Episode Number: 14    Season Num: 1    First Aired: Friday September 23, 2005    Prod Code: 114
When the group tries to help a man who is being attacked by a platypus-bear, they discover that the local town has a fortuneteller named Aunt Wu in it, who has been forecasting the town's fate for years, but when Sokka and Aang discover one of the fortuneteller's most vital predictions is dead wrong, they have to develop a plan to convince the stubborn townspeople that their beloved Aunt Wu was wrong. Will they manage to save the village in time, or will Aang fail in his duty as the avatar?

Cast and Crew

Add Cast | Add Crew
Writer: Aaron Ehasz, John O'Bryan
Director: Dave Filoni
Star: Mae Whitman (Katara),  Dee Bradley Baker (Appa/Momo/Various Others),  Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang),  Jack DeSena (Sokka)
Guest Star: Tsai Chin (Aunt Wu),  Clyde Kusatsu (Calm Man),  Jessie Flower (Meng),  Cameron Monaghan (Twin #1/Twin #2)

Notes

add »
This episode is in the Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 1: Water, Volume 4 DVD, along with The Blue Spirit, Bato of the Water Tribe, and The Deserter. (edit)
The voice actor of Meng (Jessie Flower) was later re-casted as Toph in the second season. (edit)
The symbolic cloud formations read by Aunt Wu foreshadow events later in the episode, and perhaps later in the series. The bending arrow is referring to the arrows tattooed on master airbenders, and the bending is referring to, well, bending the air. The "wavy moon" cloud is referring to waves, which is obviously referring to water, and the moon, whose gravitational pull is what creates waves in the ocean, is important to waterbending (as indicated in Siege of the North). The cumulus cloud with the twisted knot coming off the end of it can be interpreted in several ways. In the word "cumulus," "cum" means "together" or "with," as in "cumulative." ("Cum" comes from the Latin word "cum," meaning "with.") The knot also represents tying together. (edit)
This episode aired in the UK 7/10/06 (7 October 2006). (edit)
Cloud Formations: According to Aunt Wu's cloud reading book, a fluffy bunny cloud forecasts doom and destruction; a bending arrow cloud forecasts good crop season/big harvest; a cumulus cloud with a twisted knob coming off the end of it means the village will not be destroyed by the volcano that year; and a moaning skull cloud forecasts volcanic doom. (edit)

Quotes

add »
Twin 1: I'm an earthbender!
Twin 2: I'm not! (edit)
Villager: Aunt Wu reads from the clouds whether or not our village will be destroyed by the volcano.
Aang: Hey, that cloud looks like a fluffy bunny!
Villager: You'd better hope that's not it. The fluffy bunny cloud symbolizes death and destruction.
Sokka: Do you realize what you just said? (edit)
Aang: So, Sokka, you know some stuff about ladies, right?
Sokka: Some stuff? You've come to the right place. What can I do you for?
Aang: Well, there's this girl...
Sokka: (thinking of Meng) I think I know who you mean.
Aang: You do? And you're okay with it?
Sokka: Of course I am. And, to tell you the truth, I've been picking up the subtle vibe that she likes you too.
Aang: She does?
Sokka: Oh yeah, she's crazy about ya. All you have to do now is not mess it up.
Aang: Well, how do I do that?
Sokka: The number one mistake nice guys like you make: being too nice.
Aang: You can be too nice?
Sokka: Yup. If you want to keep her interested you have to act aloof, like you don't really care one way or the other.
Aang: Well...okay.
Meng: Hey Aang, I was wondering- Aang: See ya later.
(Aang leaves)
Sokka: Wow, that kid is good. (edit)
Calm Man: Whoa! Close one. Haha!
Katara: Run down hill, then climb a tree!
Sokka: No, punch him in the bill!
Aang: And then run in zigzags!
Calm Man: No need. It's going to be fine. (edit)
Katara: Okay, okay, but, one more thing.
Aunt Wu (exasperated): Alright, what is it?
Katara: Should I eat a mango or a papaya for breakfast tomorrow?
Aunt Wu: Papaya! (slams door)
Katara: Aww... I hate papaya. (edit)

Trivia

add »
When the turkey-goose is pulling Sokka's wolf-tail, it turns the same color as the fuzz on his head. (edit)
The volcano is called Mt. Makapu, meaning 'bulging eye' in Hawaiian. (edit)
According to Aunt Wu, Katara will live to see her grandchildrens' third child, and she will pass away while she is asleep. (edit)
When Sokka speaks to the man in the red shoes, the rock that he will kick from anger is not there, but after the man walks away, the rock is present. (edit)
The position of Meng's missing tooth changes throughout this episode. (edit)

Allusions

add »
The Chinese character for wu means witch, the symbol is for wizard, sorcerer, witch, shaman.

The Chinese character for meng means to dream, the symbol is for dream, visionary, wishful. (edit)
Platypus-bear attack

Many of the things the gang suggests to do are things that should be done when attacked by certain animals:

Sokka: Play dead: many animals are not interested in something they presume dead.
Katara: Climb a tree: used to escape grizzly bears.
Sokka: Punch him in the bill: punch a shark in the nose to get it away.
Aang: And then run in zig-zags: running in zig-zags is used to avoid alligators. (edit)
The paper umbrella that Aang and Katara carry/use to go into town while it rains, is a similar color/style to the traditional umbrella carrying that is reserved for a couple of romantic intentions.

Red is for weddings/luck/etc.

A Japanese tradition started when two people are seen together sharing an umbrella, they are romatically linked, and only they can share an umbrella together. (edit)
The symbol on Aunt Wu's forehead is the mark of Isis, the Egyptian goddess of fertility. It is often depicted on the tarot card, The High Priestess. (edit)
Reading someone's fortune by using bones is a very ancient way of predicting the future. Some say it even dates back before written history, but it has been recorded in some forms of Chinese fortune telling. (edit)
Tell the world what you think of The Fortuneteller, write a review for this episode.
Write a Review

Community Reviews (93)

 
9.3
Superb
The Fortuneteller
"Character development"
one of my favorite moments of Aang showing that he can do a lot more with his power than fly and ride a spinning ball of air.
Continue » Posted Jul 21, 2008 9:41 am PST
9.2
Superb
The Fortuneteller
"Filler episode"
kataang moment.
Continue » Posted Jul 8, 2008 2:26 pm PST
10.0
Perfect
The Fortuneteller
"Another great installment"
Another great Kataang episode!
Continue » Posted Jul 1, 2008 5:12 pm PST
9.0
Superb
The Fortuneteller
"Series classic"
hillarious episode
Continue » Posted Jun 20, 2008 5:20 pm PST
9.5
Superb
The Fortuneteller
"Series classic"
This is a great episode, one of my favourates. Aang stops a volcanoe and Sokka just freaks out, Fantastic!
Continue » Posted Jun 16, 2008 8:45 am PST
Previous Next
advertisement

Episode Vital Stats

 
Episode: The Fortuneteller
Season Number: 1
Episode Reviews: 93
Episode
Score:
9.1 Superb 485 votes
Rating Statistics:
perfect: 198 (40.9%)
superb: 181 (37.4%)
great: 60 (12.4%)
good: 18 (3.7%)
Other: 27 (5.7%)
Your The Fortuneteller Score
This content requires Macromedia Flash Player 7 or higher. Get Flash
Review This Episode Contribute

Top Contributors

 
Retired pooldude256
Score: 4,119 points
Editor High00Lord
Score: 1,438 points
Retired UGamer08
Score: 1,268 points
avataraang4
Score: 889 points
Retired The_Huntsman
Score: 710 points
SPDShadowRanger
Score: 581 points
Retired ISpeakTheTruth
Score: 533 points
phoenixfirework
Score: 500 points
Miroku_of_Nite1
Score: 381 points
cutiepie2191
Score: 369 points

Episode Downloads

 
Avatar: The Last Airbender Episodes can be downloaded from these services:
The Fortuneteller No. 14 season 1
1 iTunes Quicktime get download