I think her defeat was legit.
Ever since SR, she was pretty even with Zuko.

Did anyone else feel bad for Azula even though she was pure evil up until then?

I really felt bad. And the strong backround music that was faded & the sorta-slow fighting made it soo intense. I really, through all the hate and strife, felt bad for Azula.

I would really like to see Azula some how come to terms with her issues, but as for a full rehibilitation from sociopath to reletively normal...I don't see it happening. Zuko had issues, but he was never so much of a homocidal maniac as Azula proved to be in the end.

If they do decide to continue, I think Azula might stay as a a villian, albiet a more sympathetic one.

And I personally really can't give anyone a full win for that fight. Zuko said himself that something was clearly off about Azula, all her fights up until the last had shown her to be compeltly in control of herself, which was clearly not the case here. And their match in SR was to short to call, even back in the Chase Zuko held up for a short while against Azula, the question would be whether he could keep it up for a prolonged battle.

and am i the only one irked by how Katara can seem to find large amounts of water whenever she needs it?

oh yeah I know she could have pulled water from the air or something...but not enough to stop a comet-enhanced firebender. Instead there just happens to be an open drain running straight through the royal courtyard.

I did love the way the animators showed that Azula had cracked with the way her posture had deteriorated. Did you see towards the end when she would stand up straight her arms would just hang there limp swaying in the wind? That's when you know that a character has gone nutty. Though I will say that i think it would have been a far better ending if she hand't been chained up but instead had just kept on firing wildly then slowly start to get tired and fall to the ground crying. It would have been more powerful I think but it was still very good moment.

I don't know, seeing her chained up and practically writhing on the ground was a VERY powerful image. You really can't help but pity her after that, you can see it the way both Katara and Zuko look at her

I cried when she was squirming at the end, screaming and crying and shouting blue fire. I've never liked Azula, she was too evil =p. But, my God, she's had a rough time. There was so much pain in that scene. I feel horrible for the girl. But I do think that her fighting capabilities were brought down by her insanity. Obviously. Ever since Mai and Ty Lee left her, well, she fell apart.

Thats exactly what I have been asking myself lately, I don't think I have ever felt the emotion I felt coming from this series of episodes than any other cartoon...and even more impressive is that it is a series targeted for children and aired on a very child focused network.

Avatar had always seemed a little mature for its target audience, but considering how much I, a 21 year old was affected, I can't help but wonder what might be going through the minds of members of the origional target audience.

btw, i might recomend holding off on the hug, she still seemed to be spewing a large amound of fire...

Yeah, her being chained like some crazed animal was really something.

Nah just put on one of those full body silvery fire-proof suits and give her a hug... she needs it bad.

She was hot...but in the end she was like a exorcist...give her to me *shifty eyes* I am a psytherapist.

I thought Azula looked like a vicious dog trying to get out of its cage