Original artwork, not a still
Leaves from the vine, falling so slow, like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the foam.
— Avatar: The Last Airbender ‧ 2005
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The tough old general who spends most of the series cracking tea jokes finally lets the grief show, and it lands because the tune is so small and gentle. A children's lullaby about a soldier coming home becomes a father's lament for the soldier who never did. Fans still sing it, cover it and cry at it, and it is often named as the show's emotional high point.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Avatar: The Last AirbenderShow the scene
In "Tales of Ba Sing Se", the Book Two anthology episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender (2006), Iroh gets a segment of his own, "The Tale of Iroh". Wandering the Earth Kingdom capital's market, he plays the folk tune on a stringed instrument to calm a crying boy. Later he lays out a picnic and a portrait of his dead son Lu Ten on what would have been Lu Ten's birthday, and sings it again, his voice breaking. The episode closes with a dedication to Mako Iwamatsu, Iroh's voice actor, who died on July 21, 2006, weeks before it aired.
Sources (2)
- Avatar Wiki, The Tales of Ba Sing Se"The Tale of Iroh" segmentReference checked
- Avatar Wiki, Songs in the World of Avatar"Leaves from the Vine" entryReference checked
Context reviewed
