Episodes untied to show continuity

[Mindbender]

So I was thinking about the 61 episode ATLA, and I think I've come to the conclusion that only two episodes are completely unconnected to the continuity of the rest of the series. By that I mean, no future episodes tie make to it, so it could be skipped and you would not miss out on something that was brought up in later episodes. Those two episodes are The Great Divide and The Painted Lady. Did I miss something in those two episodes that tied to the continuity?

List of characters and story elements are by no means comprehensive. A character being introduced is only relevant if they appear in a future episode.

1 The Boy in the Iceberg: Several main characters and plot points are introduced.
2 The Avatar Returns: The Avatar state is introduced and it is established that Katara and Sokka will accompany Aang on his journey.
3 The Southern Air Temple: Momo, Zhao and Gyatso are introduced.
4 The Warriors of Kyoshi: Suki and Kyoski are introduced.
5 The King of Omashu: Bumi and Omashu are intorduced.
6 Imprissoned: Haru and Tyro are introduced.
7 The Spirit World (Winter Solstice, part 1): Hei Bai and the Spirit World are introduced.
8 Avatar Roku (Winter Solstice, part 2): Roku and Sozin's Comet are introduced.
9 The Waterbending Scroll: The pirates and Pai Sho are introduced, Katara begins training Aang and loses her necklace.
10 Jet: Jet and his gang are introduced.
11 The Great Divide: No characters or story elements are introduced that are later referenced.
12 The Storm: Azula is briefly introduced, we learn significantly about Aang's and Zuko's backstories that are referenced in future episodes.
13 The Blue Spirit: Zuko's Blue Spirit alter-ego is introduced.
14 The Fortuneteller: The fortuneteller is introduced and is seen again in the next episode.
15 Bato of the Water Tribe: Bato and June are introduced
16 The Deserter: Jueng Jueng and waterbending-healing is introduced, Aang firebenders and vows never to do so again.
17 The Northern Air Temple: Teo, the Mechanist and War Minister Qin are introduced, the Fire Nation acquires war balloon technology.
18 The Waterbending Master: Pakku and Yue are introduced.
19 The Siege of the North, part 1: The Fire Navy attacks the Northern Water Tribe, Zhao captures the moon spirit.
20 The Siege of the North, part 2: Zhao dies, the Northern Water tribe is saved, the Fire Lord declares Zuko a fugitive.
21 The Avatar State: Azula is properly interduced, Lo and Li are introduced, Katara receives water from the Spirit Oasis, we learn about the liability of the Avatar State.
22 The Cave of Two Lovers: Zuko steals and ostrich horse, we learn Omashu has been conquered by the Fire Nation.
23 Return to Omashu: Mai and Ty Lee are introduced, Bumi tells Aang what to look for in an Earthbending master.
24 The Swamp: Unknown Water tribe (Foggy Swamp tribe), including Huu, Due and Tho are introduced, Aang has a vision of Toph.
25 Avatar Day: Rough Rhinos introduced, we learn Suki and the other Kyoshi warrior have left Kyoshi to fight in the war, Zuko and Iroh part ways.
26 The Blind Bandit: Toph intorduced.
27 Zuko Alone: We learn why Iroh ended his siege on Ba Sing Se, his son Lu Ten's death, we learn how Ozai came to power and about Zuko's mother.
28 The Chase: Toph meets Iroh, Iroh and Zuko are Iroh are reunited, Aang formerly meets Azula.
29 Bitter Work: Aang begins Earthbending, Zuko learns about creating lightning and how to redirect it.
30 The Library: We learn of the eclipse, Appa is kidnapped, Zuko and Iroh get documents to go to Ba Sing Se as refugees, the Order of the White Lotus is introduced.
31 The Desert: We learn Appa is probably in Ba Sing Se, the Gaang gets out of the desert.
32 The Serpent's Pass: Suki runs into the Gaang, Jet meets Zuko.
33 The Drill: Jet sees Iroh firebending, the Drill is destroyed and left at the outer wall.
34 City of Walls and Secrets: Joo Dee, Bosco and Long Feng are introduced.
35 Tales of Ba Sing Se: Momo curls up in Appa's footprint.
36 Appa's Lost Days: Azula and her friends attack the Kyoshi warriors.
37 Lake Loagai: The Gaang learn the details of Long Feng's conspiracy to control the city.
38 The Earth King: Earth King Kuei is introduced, Long Feng is arrested, Azula enters Ba Sing Se disguised as the Kyoshi Warriors.
39 The Guru: Azula makes a deal with Long Feng to overthrow the King, Aang locks his seventh chakrah, Toph discovers metalbending, Azula has Zuko thrown in prison.
40 The Crossroads of Destiny: Zuko betrays Iroh, Aang is killed while in the Avatar State and brought back by Katara, The Earth Kingdom falls.
41 The Awakening: Modified invasion plan revealed, Maiko shipping, Aang has hair.
42 The Headband: Gaang decided to steal clothes to blend in rather than hide out, Wang Fire beard introduced, Zuko visits Iroh in prison for the first time and hired Combustion Man.
43 The Painted Lady: No characters or story elements are introduced that are later referenced.
44 Sokka's Master: Piandao is introduced, Sokka gets a space sword.
45 The Beach: The Gaang meet Combustion Man.
46 The Avatar and the Firelord: Many story elements are reveals, including that Roku is Zuko's great-grandfather.
47 The Runaway: Combustion Man attacks the Gaang and his weakness is revealed.
48 The Puppetmaster: Katara learns bloodbending.
49 Nightmares and Daydreams: Zuko attends a war meeting that leads him to his epiphany.
50 The Day of Black Sun, pt 1: Aang discovers the Capitl City is deserted during the eclipse.
51 The Day of Black Sun, pt 2: Invasion force adults captured, Zuko makes his intentions know to his father.
52 The Western Air Temple: Zuko joins the Gaang.
53 The Firebending Masters: Aang learns to firebend.
54 The Boiling Rock, part 1: Sokka finds Suki and his dad.
55 The Boiling Rock, part 2: Sokka frees Suki and his dad.
56 The Southern Raiders: Plot about Katara's mom revealed, Zuko redeemed to Katara.
57 The Ember Island Players: Gaang stays at Royal family's summer home, actor Aang and actor Toph introduced (shown again in Sozin's Comet, part 1), Katara tells Aang abou her feelings and reluctance about their relationship.
58 Sozin's Comet, pt 1: The Pheonix King: Aang swims to the Lion Turtle
59 Sozin's Comet, pt 2: The Old Masters: The Gaang finds the Order of the White Lotus
60 Sozin's Comet, pt 3: Into the Inferno: Aang confronts Ozai
61 Sozin's Comet, pt 4: Avatar Aang: Aang and the Gaang save the world.

[vanja1995]

Hmm I'd say Painted Lady is still important, I think episodes like that slow down the pace of a show... in a good way.

I also think that the Runaway doesn't NEED to be watched to still understand, Combustion man's weakness could as easily be just discovered in WAT... but that by no means makes the episode useless, it still has lots of character development for Toph and Katara... I don't think any episodes aren't good, is what I'm trying to say

[Mindbender]

In The Puppetmaster, Katara also mentions to Hana that she's used her own sweat for waterbending, so The Runaway ties into the continuity through that too.

[QiBreezy]

Tales of Ba Sing Se and Appa's Lost Days are fairly irrelevant to the continuity of the story, although I love both episodes.

[Orwill Yatke]

The value of the episodes is in the existence of the episode itself. The story doesn't need to be short to be sweet. Major plot details have more value when the minor storyline facts are known as well. Please influence others positively. Have a good day.

[Mindbender]

Tales of Ba Sing Se and Appa's Lost Days are fairly irrelevant to the continuity of the story, although I love both episodes.

Appa's Lost Days show the Kyoshi Warriors being captured by Azula's gang and reveals how they got the Kyoshi Warriors' costumes.

Those two episodes are The Great Divide and The Painted Lady. Did I miss something in those two episodes that tied to the continuity?

I have since remembered that both The Great Divide and The Painted Lady were mentioned in The Ember Island Players. so no episode can be taken away without leaving something unexplained in a later episode. Except for maybe Tales of Ba Sing Se. Momo discovering Appa's footprint doesn't really inform later episodes.

[BlackInk]

Momo discovering Appa's footprint doesn't really inform later episodes.

Well how the footprint got there is shown in Appa's Lost Days. Does that count?

[Legend_of_Iroh]

Nice thread! I am about to go through the series with my mom and I wanted to make it a more streamline view to catch her up to Korra.

Of course, two episodes are not a lot. The forums may find more.

[TheFireLord]

List of characters and story elements are by no means comprehensive. A character being introduced is only relevant if they appear in a future episode.

1 The Boy in the Iceberg: Several main characters and plot points are introduced.
2 The Avatar Returns: The Avatar state is introduced and it is established that Katara and Sokka will accompany Aang on his journey.
3 The Southern Air Temple: Momo, Zhao and Gyatso are introduced.
4 The Warriors of Kyoshi: Suki and Kyoski are introduced.
5 The King of Omashu: Bumi and Omashu are intorduced.
6 Imprissoned: Haru and Tyro are introduced.
7 The Spirit World (Winter Solstice, part 1): Hei Bai and the Spirit World are introduced.
8 Avatar Roku (Winter Solstice, part 2): Roku and Sozin's Comet are introduced.
9 The Waterbending Scroll: The pirates and Pai Sho are introduced, Katara begins training Aang and loses her necklace.
10 Jet: Jet and his gang are introduced.
11 The Great Divide: No characters or story elements are introduced that are later referenced.
12 The Storm: Azula is briefly introduced, we learn significantly about Aang's and Zuko's backstories that are referenced in future episodes.
13 The Blue Spirit: Zuko's Blue Spirit alter-ego is introduced.
14 The Fortuneteller: The fortuneteller is introduced and is seen again in the next episode.
15 Bato of the Water Tribe: Bato and June are introduced
16 The Deserter: Jueng Jueng and waterbending-healing is introduced, Aang firebenders and vows never to do so again.
17 The Northern Air Temple: Teo, the Mechanist and War Minister Qin are introduced, the Fire Nation acquires war balloon technology.
18 The Waterbending Master: Pakku and Yue are introduced.
19 The Siege of the North, part 1: The Fire Navy attacks the Northern Water Tribe, Zhao captures the moon spirit.
20 The Siege of the North, part 2: Zhao dies, the Northern Water tribe is saved, the Fire Lord declares Zuko a fugitive.
21 The Avatar State: Azula is properly interduced, Lo and Li are introduced, Katara receives water from the Spirit Oasis, we learn about the liability of the Avatar State.
22 The Cave of Two Lovers: Zuko steals and ostrich horse, we learn Omashu has been conquered by the Fire Nation.
23 Return to Omashu: Mai and Ty Lee are introduced, Bumi tells Aang what to look for in an Earthbending master.
24 The Swamp: Unknown Water tribe (Foggy Swamp tribe), including Huu, Due and Tho are introduced, Aang has a vision of Toph.
25 Avatar Day: Rough Rhinos introduced, we learn Suki and the other Kyoshi warrior have left Kyoshi to fight in the war, Zuko and Iroh part ways.
26 The Blind Bandit: Toph intorduced.
27 Zuko Alone: We learn why Iroh ended his siege on Ba Sing Se, his son Lu Ten's death, we learn how Ozai came to power and about Zuko's mother.
28 The Chase: Toph meets Iroh, Iroh and Zuko are Iroh are reunited, Aang formerly meets Azula.
29 Bitter Work: Aang begins Earthbending, Zuko learns about creating lightning and how to redirect it.
30 The Library: We learn of the eclipse, Appa is kidnapped, Zuko and Iroh get documents to go to Ba Sing Se as refugees, the Order of the White Lotus is introduced.
31 The Desert: We learn Appa is probably in Ba Sing Se, the Gaang gets out of the desert.
32 The Serpent's Pass: Suki runs into the Gaang, Jet meets Zuko.
33 The Drill: Jet sees Iroh firebending, the Drill is destroyed and left at the outer wall.
34 City of Walls and Secrets: Joo Dee, Bosco and Long Feng are introduced.
35 Tales of Ba Sing Se: Momo curls up in Appa's footprint.
36 Appa's Lost Days: Azula and her friends attack the Kyoshi warriors.
37 Lake Loagai: The Gaang learn the details of Long Feng's conspiracy to control the city.
38 The Earth King: Earth King Kuei is introduced, Long Feng is arrested, Azula enters Ba Sing Se disguised as the Kyoshi Warriors.
39 The Guru: Azula makes a deal with Long Feng to overthrow the King, Aang locks his seventh chakrah, Toph discovers metalbending, Azula has Zuko thrown in prison.
40 The Crossroads of Destiny: Zuko betrays Iroh, Aang is killed while in the Avatar State and brought back by Katara, The Earth Kingdom falls.
41 The Awakening: Modified invasion plan revealed, Maiko shipping, Aang has hair.
42 The Headband: Gaang decided to steal clothes to blend in rather than hide out, Wang Fire beard introduced, Zuko visits Iroh in prison for the first time and hired Combustion Man.
43 The Painted Lady: No characters or story elements are introduced that are later referenced.
44 Sokka's Master: Piandao is introduced, Sokka gets a space sword.
45 The Beach: The Gaang meet Combustion Man.
46 The Avatar and the Firelord: Many story elements are reveals, including that Roku is Zuko's great-grandfather.
47 The Runaway: Combustion Man attacks the Gaang and his weakness is revealed.
48 The Puppetmaster: Katara learns bloodbending.
49 Nightmares and Daydreams: Zuko attends a war meeting that leads him to his epiphany.
50 The Day of Black Sun, pt 1: Aang discovers the Capitl City is deserted during the eclipse.
51 The Day of Black Sun, pt 2: Invasion force adults captured, Zuko makes his intentions know to his father.
52 The Western Air Temple: Zuko joins the Gaang.
53 The Firebending Masters: Aang learns to firebend.
54 The Boiling Rock, part 1: Sokka finds Suki and his dad.
55 The Boiling Rock, part 2: Sokka frees Suki and his dad.
56 The Southern Raiders: Plot about Katara's mom revealed, Zuko redeemed to Katara.
57 The Ember Island Players: Gaang stays at Royal family's summer home, actor Aang and actor Toph introduced (shown again in Sozin's Comet, part 1), Katara tells Aang abou her feelings and reluctance about their relationship.
58 Sozin's Comet, pt 1: The Pheonix King: Aang swims to the Lion Turtle
59 Sozin's Comet, pt 2: The Old Masters: The Gaang finds the Order of the White Lotus
60 Sozin's Comet, pt 3: Into the Inferno: Aang confronts Ozai
61 Sozin's Comet, pt 4: Avatar Aang: Aang and the Gaang save the world.

Good work in compiling this list!

I would also add that The Fortuneteller is fairly useless, as is the Cave of Two Lovers. Even though Tales of Ba Sing Se and Appa's Lost Day's do not add any new characters, they are two of the most emotional episodes from Avatar: TLA, so that should have some relevance to the overarching plot, imo. Other than that and the episodes in bold above, each episode adds something to the continuity.