The husband and pregnant wife (Than and Ying) that Team Avatar travels with are the same couple Zuko considered robbing at the beginning of Zuko Alone (2006) . He decided not to when he noticed Ying was pregnant.
The words "abandon hope" are carved into the entrance to the Serpent's Pass. This is likely a reference to Dante's Inferno, in which the words "abandon all hope ye who enter here" are carved into the gates of Hell.
This episode along with the next one (The Drill) were shown back to back and initially advertised as the Avatar movie special: "The Secret of the Fire Nation".
First episode to air after the passing of Mako, the voice of Iroh.
Third appearance of the Cabbage Man