Haru, his father, and other captured earthbenders had lost their will to fight against the Fire Nation due to being cut off from any earth they could bend. When Katara, Aang, and Sokka managed to provide them all with coal to bend, Haru was the first earthbender to rise up again. Following his example, his father and the other earthbenders regained their courage to fight and with the help of Team Avatar, they overpowered the guards and escaped.