Legend of Korra Recap | Beyond the Wilds

Legend of KorraEpisode 9 | Beyond the Wilds

Things are coming to a head in this last season (*sniffles*) of our beloved show. Last week was a great recap of allll the seasons so far, but Episode 9, “Beyond the Wilds,” brings us back to the action in real time. And WOOOO, the THINGS!

So, we begin this episode with our old friend, the hipster airbender, Ryu. They’re apparently leading tours through the spirit wilds in Republic City now, and Ryu is guiding a group that includes his parents. He’s honestly not the best tour guide, and he has to deal with one of those annoying people who asks a ton of questions, but none of them deserve what happens next: the vines go BONKERS and KIDNAP THE WHOLE GROUP, all boa constrictor style. WTF SPIRIT WILDS!

On Air Temple Island, Jinora races to Korra and Opal–who is still understandably freaking out that no one seems to be doing anything to help her rescue her family–because she felt a major energy disturbance in the spirit wilds and she’s getting bad vibes. The girls head over there and are investigating things. Jinora remarks how they should’ve run into Ryu’s tour group by now, but Korra doesn’t place too much confidence in that concern, Ryu being…well, Ryu. Instead, she tries to get  reading on the spirit vines and she discovers something pretty awful: Kuvira’s harvesting of the spirit vines in the swamp. Korra figures that this is what’s making the vines in Republic City get sticky fingers for people. She and Opal run off to tell the President while Jinora stays behind to see what she can see.

Meanwhile, the President is holding a council meeting with Tenzin, Wu, and the leader of the Fire Nation. They are discussing how to proceed with regards to Kuvira. Wu offers some hilarious suggestions on how to get Kuvira to relinquish her grip on the Earth Kingdom by, among other things, offering her a fake all-expenses paid trip to the tropics that turns out to be a prison. There is disagreement on whether or not the United Republic should go on the offense or defense. In the midst of “kicking it world leader style,” Korra enters and is about to tell them all what she sensed in the spirit wilds when Bolin and Varrick show up! YAY their road trip is over! President Ryko is on the verge of capturing them when they reveal that Kuvira is making a super secret weapon that would be incredibly deadly and awful. Korra puts it together that Kuvira’s weapon uses the spirit vines, but the world leaders still disagree on how to go after Kuvira. When the leader of the Fire Nation backs out of attacking her, defense wins.

Bolin tries to apologize to Opal, but before he can get very far, Beifong comes out of the meeting and the two agree that they need to go on an unsanctioned mission to save their family. EEP! Bolin, Korra, and Mako have a nice little reunion, too. All of Bolin’s traitorous sins are forgiven and they have a group hug. AWWWW!

Legend of Korra

Back in the spirit wilds, Jinora is still looking for Ryu when, WATCH OUT, GIRL, the spirit vines come after her and capture her. DUN DUN DUNNNNN. She spirit bends to Korra to say that the vines have taken her.

At the edge of the spirit wilds, Korra offers to go into the spirit wilds to find Jinora. Mako goes with her. The two of them are attacked by a spirit vine but get away. They eventually wind up blockaded into a room where there are these glowing pods suspended in the vines. It’s Jinora and the tour group. When Korra tries to enter the spirit world to find their trapped spirits, she is instead plunged into a memory of her battle with Zahir and is unable to enter the spirit world. She confides in Mako that she’s been unable to enter the spirit world since their battle.

Korra tells Tenzin that she needs to face Zahir to save everyone. Tenzin hesitates, not sure that Korra is ready, but Korra convinces him that this is something she needs to do. Zahir is imprisoned in the mountains and Korra and Mako are going to head there.

Legend of Korra

Meanwhile, Bolin is FINALLY reunited with Pabu–YAY! And Bolin is still on the path to getting Opal back. He uses Pabu to trick Opal to come to a picnic, but Opal pretty thoroughly shuts him down. These two are NOT in a good place right now. Then the action shifts to President Ryko’s office, where Varrick and Asami are meeting with him. The two bicker a little bit, but Ryko says that he needs the two of them to work together to stop Kuvira’s weapon.

Korra and Mako make it to Zahir’s mountain prison and Korra is eager to face him and get over her fear once and for all. However, Zahir proves that he still holds power over her. Zahir is able to meditate into the spirit world even though Korra is not and she blames him for not being able to access her spiritual gifts. They argue about the powers of the Avatar being limitless until Korra mentions that it was his actions that led to the rise of Kuvira. Zahir says that she has to be stopped and Korra agrees to his offer to let him guide her into the spirit world.

legend of Korra

When Korra arrives in the spirit world for the first time in years, she is connected with Raava once again. Raava leads Korra to where the spirit of Jinora is being held. When Korra arrives where her spirit is being held, she protests when Raava says she neds to connect to the spirit energy. Korra believes she has no power in the spirit world, but Raava tells her otherwise. Korra is able to use her spirit energy to release the spirits of Jinora and Ryu and his tour group.

Legend of Korra

Back in Republic City, Jinora is reunited with Tenzin, who is finally understanding that Korra is still capable and powerful. Mako and Korra have a good talk about how Korra feels better now that she’s confronted Zahir and her past. Is it just me, or did Korra and Mako have some nice little feelings cropping up? I think they did. Bolin sees Opal on her way to Xaofu. He confesses his LOVE for Opal and swears that he’ll do anything to get her back. Opal says the one thing he can do to win her again is go on the secret mission to rescue her family.

What did you guys think of Beyond the Wilds?

The Legend of Korra | Reunion

Legend of KorraEpisode 7 • Reunion

Howdy friends! Many apologies for being MIA with the recaps. Thankfully for all of us, Lisa has been KILLING IT. Check out her recap of last week’s episode to get all caught up before diving into Reunion!

So this week starts off in the BEST way possible, you guys because THIS HAPPENED:

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Korra returns to Air Temple Island with Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo and is LOVE-TACKLED by Naga. She literally RAN to her. They haven’t seen each other all season, and I DIE. In fact, when I watched this episode, I thought that they were gazing at each other at one point, but it didn’t happen. Let’s just pretend it did, though, k? At any rate, BEST way to start an episode about the Avatar reuniting with her family and friends.

Once Korra escapes from her epic Naga hug, Tenzin breaks the heartwarming welcome vibe by wanting to dive right into business. He wants to know what happened in Zhaofu. Opal fills everyone in by telling them that Kuvira and her entire Earth Empire force has taken control of the city and captured her parents and brothers (minus the Percy-esque Batar Jr.). It’s dire. Korra feels like she got an F at Avatar 101. Opal–and everyone–is worried about Bolin. They don’t know where he is or what’s going on with him.

Never fear, though, friends, because Bolin and Varrick are together once again! Except they probably aren’t cut out for outdoor life right now.

Legend of Korra

 

I can’t with these two. They–or Bolin, rather–are tromping through the woods trying to make it to Republic City so that they can tell everyone about Kuvira’s spirit vine weapon. They don’t get two feet from this picture before they are captured, though. They make me LOL.

Back in Repulic City, Korra is finally reunited with Asami. YAY GIRLFRIENDS! They are going to meet up with Mako and his charge, Prince Wu, for lunch. When Korra walks into the restaurant, Mako is all chilling like so:

Legend of Korra

 

I still ship this.

Anywho, Mako and Korra share a big hug. Korra meets Wu and he is smarmy as usual. Like hitting on Korra and being totally obnoxious. She’s not interested. During their lunch, Asami asks Korra if she is still unable to go into the Avatar state. Mako perks up because, HELLO, he had no idea Korra COULDN’T. She’d only confided in Asami. It’s a little awk for a while when it comes out that Korra wrote to Asami while she was in the South Pole but not Mako or Bolin. Mako is a little put off that she didn’t reach out to him. Well, actually, he pouts. Asami fills in Korra about her dad and then the girls get into a little spat. Prince Wu gets a little sick of the lack of attention and makes a production of going to the bathroom WITHOUT Mako. LULZ.

Bad decision, though, Wu, because in the bathroom he gets sprayed with some stuff by a bathroom attendant. Wu down. After he’s been gone for a while, Mako–who was still pouting–goes to check on him, only to discover that he’s gone. Korra sees someone suspicious outside and follows him. She gets a glimpse of Wu in the back of a truck before she’s attacked by the attendant and him and his cronies make off with Wu.

Asami and Mako pull up and they go chasing after the truck. They lose the Wu truck for a few seconds and by the time they catch up to it, Wu is gone. They switched him out into another vehicle. WAH. They do find out that he was captured by men loyal to Kuvira, though, and while Mako and Asami are trying to figure out where the bad guys took him, Korra wanders over to a spirit tree and is able to connect with Wu’s energy. She finds out that he’s on a train. When Mako and Asami ask her how she did her little trick, she explains that in her travels she found Toph, who taught her some fab stuff.

Back in the woods, Bolin and Varrick are cut down by a group of rag tag people who they find out are escapees from one of Kuvira’s reeducation camps. They’re from the Fire and Water nations and they aren’t much pleased to meet people from Kuvira’s inner circle. Turns out that Kuvira has been taking non-Earth Empire citizens and sending them off to her camps. This is all news to Bolin and Varrick. The prisoners have a plan to use Bolin and Varrick to get them through a checkpoint and out of Kuvira’s grasp, and they all agree to trust each other. When they get to the checkpoint, it takes a little talking to at first. The soldiers eventually let the group through, but then one of the workers sees Bolin and Varrick’s pictures on a wanted poster. A fight ensues and the Bolin gang emerges victorious with a little help from some tinkering by Varrick and some heroic lava bending by Bolin.

When Mako, Asami, and Korra get to the train station, they take a few minutes to locate Wu in the train car. Mako and Korra bicker a little bit and my feels. It’s not all fun and games, though. They run into some of the Earth Empire guards who were taking Wu to Kuvira, and they all fight on top of the moving train until Korra airbends them away. The three of them have a group hug and MY FEELS AGAIN. Aftewards, Mako takes Wu to Asami’s house, where his grandmother and family are living since they left Ba Sing Se. Grandma Mako has like instant hearts of eyes for Wu. It’s adorable.

Bolin and Varrick are about to say goodbye to their new friends when they’re offered a boat ride north. Varrick protests on the grounds that he’s “allergic to drowning” but eventually relents.

In the last scene, we get our first glimpse this episode of Kuvira. She and Batar Jr. are testing some tree vines for spirit levels and they’ve just hit a MAJOR jackpot. The tree they’re testing has readings off the charts. Kuvira orders her soldiers to cut the whole tree down until there are no vines left.

Legend of Korra

Look at this tree! *is devastated* But WTF IS THIS SPIRIT VINE BOMB.

Thoughts on episode 7, guys? 

The Legend of Korra Recap | Korra Alone

Legend of KorraCheck out Lisa’s recap of Episode One to get all caught up on Team Avatar!

This week, we get to spend some quality time with our beloved, in crisis Avatar. Korra is looking beat up, friends. She’s doing some underground bending matches and, umm, losing. After she cleans herself up following her most recent loss, she wanders out into an alleyway–not exactly sure where she is–and sees…DUN DUN DUNNN…HERSELF. Avatar-state Korra, pre-haircut, pre-downward spiral, pre-new wardrobe of khaki green. And apparently this isn’t the first time down-on-her-luck Korra has seen her. They fight, until some kindly neighborhood folks come upon the scene, only to see just the one Korra, flat on her ass. It’s clear that something isn’t right in Korra’s melon.

Legend of Korra

Broken Avatar is broken. Sad face.

We go into flashback mode to Korra leaving Republic City. Team Avatar is saying their farewells before Korra leaves to go to the South Pole three years ago. She only meant to be gone for a few weeks, apparently. Tenzin assures Korra that the airbenders will handle anything that comes up, and Team Avatar tells her to get better soon and stay in touch. Something is rotten in the state of the Avatar, you guys.

In the Southern Water Tribe lands, Korra has nightmares of her final face off with Zaheer. She has a heart-to-heart with her mother, who doesn’t see any improvement in Korra’s state of mind or her recovery. She promises her mother that she’ll visit Katara.

The poison from Zaheer did lots of damage, obvs, but Katara tells Korra something that I’m sure is going to feature prominently in her recovery: In the end, whether or not Korra gets better is squarely on her own shoulders. Korra sounds very frustrated. I guess she hasn’t been able to move her lower body? Did we know this, friends? Anyway, in the middle of her sessions with Katara, she has flashbacks and gives up.

Legend of Korra

Emo Korra writing to Asami

All of Team Avatar are writing to her, and Korra reads her letters from them. Bolin even DRAWS HER PICTURES like a kindergartener. I love him. HE IS EVERYTHING. But even their friendship from afar doesn’t seem to break through Korra’s mental and physical blocks. She yells at Katara and seems to be losing hope, and lonely. Katara reminds her of the suffering Aang endured when the Air Kingdom was destroyed, and says that he turned his suffering into motivation and found peace. Something tells me that Korra just isn’t there yet, you guys. But she manages to have a breakthrough in her physical therapy. WORD. YOU CAN DO THIS, GIRL.

Legend of Korra

Bolin’s picture.

Back to present-day Korra walking down a shady street by herself. She sees a little puppy behind her and then, AVATAR KORRA is there. The puppy starts growling ADORABLY. (Seriously, this dog is super cute.) It’s little growls make Avatar Korra go away. Korra follows the puppy.

Another flashback sees Tenzin visiting Korra. She has improved tremendously from before and is putting on a fire-bending demonstration. In the midst of it, she has a flashback of Zaheer. Tenzin assures her that rushing things won’t help anyone, but Korra is worried about the Earth Kingdom. Tenzin says that things there are under control, thanks to Kuvira. As always, Korra remains impatient. She writes a letter to Asami and says that she’s getting a lot better but still cannot go into the Avatar state without having visions of Zaheer. Then she asks Asami not to tell Mako and Bolin that she’s written to her instead of them, but that it’s easier to talk to her. I LOVE THIS FRIENDSHIP FOREVER.

After talking to her parents, Korra tells them she wants to go back to Republic City, but that she wants to go alone. SHE LEAVES NAGA I DIE. NOT NAGA. I HAS THE SADS. Korra winds up in some tropical-looking place that is most certainly NOT Republic City. She gets caught up in chasing down some thieves who are, of course, benders, and she can’t stop them.

As Korra is arriving in Republic City, she sees the vision of Avatar-state Korra on a cliff and turns around. She docks somewhere, removes her trademark Water Tribe clothes and hacks off her hair. Avatar identity crisis is in full swing.

Korra winds up at the Northern Water Tribe lands and visits the spirit portal. Some spirits see her meditating and wonder aloud if she’s ACTUALLY the Avatar because they don’t sense any Ravaa energy. Korra hasn’t been able to connect to the Avatar’s energy for two years at this point and won’t accept help from the spirits. She’s determined to figure things out for herself. She sends a letter to her parents lying, saying she’s in Republic City, when in fact, she’s wandering the desert trying to find herself. The Avatar-state Korra follows her everywhere, which seems to include the Earth Kingdom, where Korra now lives.

Back in real time, the puppy has brought Korra to the swamp, and it turns out to be one of the spirits she met at the Northern spirit portal. In the swamp, she finds Avatar-state Korra. They fight again, and Korra is on the defense for most of the early going. Then Avatar-state Korra pulls her into this weird puddle of white…stuff and Korra goes under.

When Korra wakes up, she’s in an underground cave with an old woman who says that she knew the Avatar in one of her previous lives. Then, YOU GUYS, she turns out to be OMFG TOPH BEIFONG. I CANNOT I CANNOT I CANNOT. KORRA HAS FOUND TOPH BEIFONG. THIS IS ALL THE THINGS.

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What did you guys think of this episode? I died, personally.

Legend of Korra Recap | Episodes 9 & 10

the legend of Korra

Recaps of Episodes 9 and 10 coming atcha, where LOTS of things happened!

Episode 9 • The Stakeout

So this episode begins with Team Avatar chasing down the traitor, Aiwei. Naga–super pet–tracks him through a middle-of-nowhere town in the desert. The team walks into a bar to get some info and Bolin gets all excited when he thinks that his WANTED poster is, in fact, some display of the locals’ fandom of his movies. Alas. Anywho, turns out that they are all wanted by the Earth Queen and the locals aren’t super friendly. Also, no Aiwei just yet. MOVING ON.

Back in Xaofu, Lin and Su have a spat about the fact that Su let Team Avatar go to hunt down Aiwei. Lighten up, Lin. Just a little bit?

Meanwhile, Naga tracks Aiwei to ANOTHER town in the middle of the desert, the Misty Palms Oasis, but this time, her nose knows. Team Avatar finds Aiwei’s jeep abandoned behind some rocks. Mako and Bolin head into town to see if they can find Aiwei while Asami and Korra stay on the outskirts to wait. While they’re waiting, Korra wonders what Zaheer has up his sleeve and Asami finds a clue about a potential meeting place between Aiwei and Zaheer in the jeep. However, when the girls try to find the place on a map, they can’t. OOH.

In town, Mako and Bolin ask a few questions and have some success until two bounty hunters spot them and they try to hide from them. BUT THEN! They spot Aiwei walking down the street and they follow him. When they go back to get the girls, they all share their info. Korra wants to go in guns blazing, but Mako advocates a stakeout instead.

Team Avatar rents a room in the same inn as Aiwei and waits for him to leave for his meeting with Zaheer. Things are dragging out and getting boring when Korra gets fed up with waiting and she storms over to Aiwei’s room. When she busts in she finds Aiwei mediating on his bed. Turns out that his meeting with Zaheer is in the spirit world. Korra goes to join him, leaving Mako, Bolin, and Asami to guard their bodies.

In the spirit world, Korra finds Zaheer and Aiwei meeting. Zaheer is telling Aiwei that he’s compromised the operation and left a loose end. Zaheer finds out where Aiwei’s body is located and throws him over a cliff in the spirit world. Korra confronts him and asks him WTF he wants. Zaheer is pretty forthcoming.

He tells Korra that he and his group are part of the Red Lotus, people who want to restore freedom to the world. They’re basically anarchists. Zaheer says that her kidnapping attempt was her uncle, Unalaq’s idea. He has some pretty negative thoughts on Avatar Wan and Korra determines that the Red Lotus wanted to kidnap her so that she could open the spirit portals and free Vatuu. The mission of the Red Lotus? To restore balance, but the kind that eradicates all governments and keeps people from being truly equal. They believe that disorder is the only natural order. EEP!

Meanwhile, Zaheer manages to both meditate and tell his cronies where Aiwei’s body–and Korra’s–is. Pa-Li sends Gazan and Ming-Hua to grab Korra. When they arrive in Misty Palms, Asami makes off with Korra’s body on Naga while Mako and Bolin stay to fight. It doesn’t go well for them. Like, at all. Mako and Bolin are captured by Zaheer’s group, and it looks like Asami and Korra are going to make it, but they are also captured, but not by Gazan and Ming-Hua. They are captured instead by the Earth Queen’s forces and are being taken back to Ba Sing Se. Zaheer and his baddies take Mako and Bolin and head to Ba Sing Se themselves.

Episode 10 • Long Live the Queen

Korra and Asami are being loaded onto an airship to head back to Ba Sing Se. Korra is trying to warn the Earth Queen’s forces about Zaheer, but they think she’s cray. Asami, who is such a BAMF, manages to break free of her bonds and says that she can get them off the airship because it’s been crappily made. She runs off to get the keys to Korra’s bonds.

Meanwhile, Mako and Bolin are in a van with Zaheer. Bolin is hilariously making friendly small talk with Gazan and Ming-Hua when they arrive in Ba Sing Se.

In the Earth Queen’s throne room, she’s getting a briefing from her servant on the arrival time of Korra’s airship when Zaheer is granted an audience by saying that they know where to find her missing airbenders. Zaheer is trying to negotiate the Earth Queen handing the Avatar over to them to avoid an international incident in return for information about the airbenders. The Earth Queen agrees to their terms. She sends Mako and Bolin to the dungeon.

Back on the airship, Korra creates a diversion for Asami to unlock her chains and the two try to take over the ship. Instead, the ship crashes in the desert and winds up having to deal with a SUPER huge sand monster. EEP. The sand monster gives the crew some motivation to let Korra and Asami help them put the ship back together so they can get to Ba Sing Se.

Back in the throne room, the Earth Queen gets word of the airship crash and the potential escape of Korra. Zaheer and his group decided that they aren’t going to chase Korra anymore; she’s going to come to them. They walk into the throne room and after a tense conversation about showing respect for the crown, Zaheer attacks the Earth Queen by LITERALLY STEALING HER BREATH. RIGHT OUT OF HER MOUTH. HE KILLS THE EARTH QUEEN. OMG OMG.

Zaheer then makes an announcement to all of Ba Sing Se, telling them that he took down the Earth Queen, but that he’s not trying to take over the Earth Kingdom and that all the citizens of Ba Sing Se are free, and Gazan earth bends down the wall that surrounds the city. Mako and Bolin are still stuck in the dungeon. Bolin tries to metal bend to get them out, but he isn’t able to do it. No worries, though, because Zaheer shows up and breaks them out with a message for Korra.

Korra and Asami and their sand sailer eventually make it back to Ba Sing Se just in time to meet up with Lin, Korra’s dad, and Lord Zuko (HAI!), who have tracked Team Avatar their. Korra finds out that the Earth Queen has been killed and she tells her father and Lin that it’s the Red Lotus. DUN DUN DUNN.

Whew! This season is shaping up nicely in terms of the drama, although I have to say that I miss the romance a little bit. But I like this Red Lotus angle and I can’t believe that they KILLED the Earth Queen! DANG! Now I’m ready for more air bender goodness, so let’s hope that we see some more of them next week! 

The Legend of Korra Recap | Episode 8

the legend of Korra

So let’s start off this week with some Legend of Korra news: This episode that I’m recapping for you RIGHT NOW is the last Korra episode that will be on TV. GASP!!!!  I know. I feel you. But! Emphasis on the “be on TV” part, because the remaining episodes of this season will ALL appear online. So we dodged a bullet there, friends, and it’s a good thing too because Episode 8 returns us to our standard one half-hour episode with the standard AWESOMENESS as well.
Don’t forget to check out our past recaps to get caught up!

Episode 8 • The Terror Within

We begin this episode in Xaofu, where Korra and Bolin are practicing their metal bending. Well, Korra is practicing it. Bolin is struggling to actually DO it. But Korra manages to get a win, whereas Bolin resorts to earth bending in a fit of frustration before Asami REALLY craps on his day and reminds him that tonight is Opal’s going away dinner. GUYS. BUT I SHIP IT. I have complete confidence that these two are NOT DONE.

Also, remember how Varick is still around? He’s created an airbender finder. But LOL it doesn’t work. Anywho, everyone says goodbye to Opal and the rest of Team Avatar + Lin Beifong prepare to go search for more airbenders the next day.

BUT LO! Something is rotten in the state of Xaofu! That night, while everyone sleeps, ZAHIR AND HIS CRONIES ARE SNEAKING IN. HOW IS THIS HAPPENING. Pabu begins FA-REAKING out and trying to wake up Bolin, who wants no part of it. Ming-Hua does some water bending thing with the glass of Korra’s bedroom window, and then the bastards SHOOT NAGA WITH TRANQUILIZERS. DO. NOT. MESS. WITH. NAGA. Korra wakes up and tries to fight them off but is hit with a dart herself and passes out. Zahir grabs Korra and leaves. THANKFULLY, Bolin chooses now to listen to Pabu’s warnings, wakes up, and sees Zahir running off with Korra over his shoulder.

A HUGE fight ensues. Like, HUGE. ALL the benders get into it, including Su & Lin. Zahir, Gazan, Ming-Hua, and Pa-Li put up an insanely good fight, shooting things with their minds, lava bending, and trying to use an air glider. Bolin gets in a great shot as well that saves the day. It really looks dire for them for a while, and they almost make off with Korra anyway before Su and Lin are able to grab Korra from them and airlift her to safety using their metal bending. Team Zahir manages to airbend all of them away without a trace.

The next day, Team Avatar, Su, Lin, and the truth-seer, Aiwei, try and figure out how Zahir and his gang even got into Xaofu. They determine that one of the guards must have let them in and Aiwei begins questioning them all–even Varick (lol not him) and Su, at Lin’s request (obvs these two still have some things to work on)–until one young guard sits down and Aiwei deems him the GUILTY ONE. Except he doesn’t look it at all.

Team Avatar begins searching the guard’s home and finds a suspicious note and the guard logbooks. Not looking good for the kid. Mako wants to question him right away, but Aiwei wants to let him stew. Mako instantly throws shade at Aiwei and is frustrated that they aren’t confronting the guard. Mako begins to question the guard’s guilt and then Varick shows up and he posits that PERHAPS the guilty person isn’t the guard, but AIWEI HIMSELF.

When Team Avatar goes to Aiwei’s home to do some sleuthing, they aren’t very successful at first, but then they find a bookcase that MOVES, and Su’s advisor all of a sudden seems SUPER shady. And of course, he shows up while Team Avatar is still there. Aiwei says he’ll talk to them over some tea when Korra mentions that things aren’t “adding up.” Aiwei manages to talk around their questions and then asks them who they think is the traitor if not the guard. Silence fills the room as it becomes clear that Team Avatar suspects Aiwei, and then he says, “You have no idea what’s coming for you, Avatar.” And then he sneaks out of his home using the secret hideaway behind the bookcase. When Team Avatar manages to make it back there as well, they see that Aiwei has rigged a bomb and it EXPLODES OMG.

Thankfully, Korra and her airbending save Team Avatar. But Aiwei has escaped through a tunnel behind his home. Korra tells Su that Aiwei is guilty, which is a huge blow. He was her number one advisor. They determine that Zahir and his team got into Xaofu through the tunnel in Aiwei’s home, but despite more searching, he’s already gone.

Korra wants to suspend the search for more airbenders to look for Aiwei and find out what’s going on with Zahir and his gang, but Lin wants nothing to do with it. She wants to take Korra back to Republic City, but Lin says it’s too dangerous. Su agrees with Lin and Korra backs down. They prepare once again to leave the next morning.

Exceptttt…in the middle of the night, Su shows up in Korra’s room with the keys to her jeep. She tells Korra to take Naga and the Team and go find Aiwei, saying that she’ll deal with Lin. Team Avatar heads off into the night to hunt down Aiwei.

So, this episode was great because one, it took place entirely with one storyline. I kind of love those episodes sometimes. Also, I love that Team Avatar was able to defeat Team Zahir this time, although it makes me nervous thinking how desperate this will make them. Also, what is this ominous “you have no idea what’s coming for you” business? And can I tell you that, even though I’m really enjoying this season, I’m missing some of the romance feels. But I’m also really digging the action! What do you guys think?

 

The Legend of Korra Recap: Episode 9, “The Guide”

Legend of Korra

Legend of Korra

The Skinny

Korra has reconnected with her Avatar-ness by reaching into her past memories and learning the story of Wan, the first Avatar. She also knows that she only has a few days to defeat Unalaq before “harmonic convergence”–DUN DUN DUNNN. Meanwhile, Varrick is getting his dirty hands in all the pots: He’s turned Bolin into a movie star and bought out Asami’s company, but the only one who suspects him is Mako. EEEEP!

The Breakdown

We begin in the Eastern Air Temple, where Tenzin and his family are now vacationing. Jinora is sitting on the ground with some semi-translucent fairies floating around her. Tenzin shows up and it’s obvious that whatever Jinora was seeing in those fairies, he doesn’t see at all. Jinora calls them “imaginary friends.” Hmmmm…interesting. Tenzin is trying to get everyone excited about some sightseeing and Meelo looks like this:

Legend of Korra

Meelo and his snot bubble of boredom. I love him. Source

Then! KORRA SHOWS UP!!! HUZZAH!!! The kids are so excited to see her. Thank goodness for Tenzin’s itinerary, otherwise she wouldn’t have known where to look! Tenzin asks her why she isn’t in the South Pole, training, and Korra fills him in on the civil war, which Tenzin has no idea about. Air Temples obvs don’t have whatever passes for internet in Avatar-land.

Korra and Tenzin are catching up later, and Korra blames herself for this whole mess. Tenzin knew that Unalaq wanted power, but not that he would go so far as to try and free the dark spirit, Vatu, from his prison. He assures Korra that it isn’t her fault. Korra needs to close the Southern spirit portal, though, and Unalaq has the south all barricaded. Korra says that her best shot at closing the portal is for her to enter the spirit world and close it from the inside (am I the only person who does NOT like the sound of this??) Tenzin says that he’s going to help Korra enter the spirit world.

Meanwhile, Unalaq is pissed at his kids for not capturing Korra and how he’s making them fix their mess. He says that harmonic convergence is his way to change the world, and Eska tells him that they will make it up to him, although Desna seems more skeptical. Unalaq needs his children’s help to open the Northern portal. Desna says that he thought only the Avatar could open the portal, but Unalaq thinks there’s another way.

Bolin, meanwhile, is acting his little heart out in Varrick’s movies. Asami shows up while Bolin is left hanging upside down in between takes. Mako shows up and tells Asami that he knows who’s been stealing from Future Industries: Varrick. He explains the evidence he found, but Asami doesn’t believe him. She kind of brushes his accusations off, but she gets a little FEELY, if you know what I mean, and Bolin GASPS! and asks if they’re dating again, which they are not. Mako insists that Varrick is the bad guy. He tells them about the explosions and the remote detonators. They still won’t believe him. He gets all frustrated and tries to storm off, but then two of Varrick’s henchmen stop him. Varrick is looking for him, apparently.

At the Eastern Air Temple, Tenzin takes Korra to a particularly spiritual spot and everyone is sitting around mediating, trying to get into the spirit world. Not working. Tenzin tries a different spot and is choking on the incense. Right as they are moving to another spot, Jinora sees her fairies floating around Korra’s head. They fly off in a different direction from everyone else. Kya asks Jinora what she’s chasing, but Jinora tells her nothing. I say, FOLLOW THE FAIRIES.

Next, Tenzin and Korra are sitting inside a temple. He tells her to stop talking, but doesn’t actually shut up himself. He’s getting frustrated that they can’t get into the spirit world. Korra asks him how he first got into the spirit world so that they can try that instead, and he drops a bomb: He’s never even been there. His meditation has never got him there. He’s studied, though, and hoped that this would be enough. He implores Korra to trust him, when Kya asks Jinora if SHE knows anything that might help, and Jinora says, HELL YEAH, I DO! My fairy friends know the way!

Jinora asks her spirit friends to show themselves to everyone, and they become visible to everyone. The whole party is kind of stunned at Jinora’s spiritual development. The spirits are leading Korra away from the temple.

Back at the northern portal, Desna and Eska are unsure how they will open the portal without any spiritual gifts. Unalaq says that they will enter the spirit world and give them something they’ve never had: bending. He tries to water bend his way into the spirit world with Desna and Eska’s help. Desna is hurt, but Unalaq tells Eska to leave him. She refuses and takes Desna back to a healer, leaving Unalaq to try and open the portal with his own bending but is unsuccessful.

Mako has been brought in front of Varrick, clearly thinking that Varrick is up to no good. Turns out, though, that Varrick is trying to recruit Mako to his security team. He’s trying to pass-aggro threaten Mako by saying that he wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to Asami since they’re kind of dating again. And then he does the same with Bolin. Varrick says that without Mako helping him, “who knows what could happen” to Asami and Bolin. WTF VARRICK DON’T MESS WITH MAKO. Mako blows him off anyway.

At the air temple, Tenzin and the fam are on an air bison, heading to the place where the Jinora’s spirits are leading them. Korra tells Jinora about Wan and how he became the Avatar by joining with the spirit of Rava. Jinora remembers the statue she found in the Southern Air Temple, and it all makes sense: It was Wan and Rava, becoming the Avatar. Korra and Jinora realize that the day Jinora found the statue was the same day Korra opened the Southern spirit portal.

Legend of Korra

Once on the ground, the spirits take everyone through a forest and they come upon some rocks that have carvings on them. Tenzin says that they are in an ancient airbender spiritual circle, and Jinora confirms that the spirit energy is high, but it’s a strange spirit feeling. Tenzin says they need to cleanse the space to increase its connection to the spirit world. He does some fancy airbending and then a hole opens in the ground and a bunch of what look like dark bat spirits pour out. UH OH.

All of the benders get to work to stop the weird bats, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. That is, until Korra does some fancy shmancy spirit bending, and turns them into light. NOW the area is cleansed. Tenzin laments that Unalaq was able to teach Korra so much more about the spirit world than he was, but Korra assures him that he was the better teacher because he was unselfish, something Unalaq is not. Korra apologizes for firing him as her mentor and they have a nice moment. They’re all going to mediate to enter the spirit world.

In Republic City, Mako is in his apartment when Asami shows up. She just wants to see if he’s ok. Asami invites him to dinner at the same place where they had their first date and then they kiss. NO. Good thing that their smooch is interrupted by the POLICE showing up–including BEIFONG–to confront Mako about hiring the Triple Threats. He fesses up that they were trying to get to the bottom of the theft of Asami’s Meka tanks and the Triple Threats were the only one who would help. Beifong says that the Triple Threats ALSO told her that Mako stole a bunch of stuff himself, and what do you know? The cops find cash and explosives in Mako’s apartment. WHAT IS GOING ON! Mako denies knowing anything about it, but the cops arrest him anyway, calling him out for being a Triple Threat himself and for using Asami to help his gangster buddies rob her. He denies it again and tells her that Varrick is setting him up as the cops lead him away.

So, Tenzin is still having some trouble getting into the spirit world. It’s nighttime now, and he’s had no luck so far. He wants some more time, but his sister says that Jinora was probably meant to guide Korra instead. Tenzin resists and says that Jinora isn’t ready, but Korra tells him that they are running out of time. He finally agrees to let Jinora lead Korra into the spirit realm to close the portal. THIS is the scene from the promo all those months ago. It’s awesome. The spirit world is GORGEOUS.

Legend of Korra

Spirit world. SIGH. So bright and lovely. Source

The last scene is Unalaq, standing in front of the prison where Wan entrapped Vaatu. UNALAQ IS VaATU’S LACKEY. Unalaq apologizes to Vaatu for failing him and not being able to open the portal. Because the Avatar is dead, Unalaq thinks that opening the portal will be impossible, but Vaatu tells him that Korra is alive and that she’s just entered the spirit world. She is coming for Unalaq. DAAAANG. Should’ve seen this coming.

The Last Word

Friends, WHAT is Varrick’s end game?!? I can’t figure it out! Is he working with Unalaq? Why does he want Future Industries? Why does he want Mako out of the way? Also, ENOUGH with this Mako and Asami thing. Please, no. Also, is it just me, or are you guys missing Bolin this season? A little bit? I mean, I love that we get lots of Korra, even though she was unbearably moody in the early going, but still. I don’t laugh as much this season and I think it’s because, one, we’re dealing with more serious things. That’s great! But two, it’s because Bolin is more on the sidelines than before. And speaking of missing people, there hasn’t been NEARLY enough BEIFONG for my liking. I’m hoping that she’ll be the one who helps get Mako off of these stupid charges. How could she believe the EFFING TRIPLE THREATS?!

Last thing, though: I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Jinora is becoming so important and that we are slowly meeting the next generation of benders. It makes me hopeful for the future of this world.

So what did you guys think? What do you think Varrick is up to? Did you figure out that Unalaq was working for Vaatu?

The Legend of Korra Recap | Episode 8, “Beginnings, Part 2”

Legend of Korra

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This episode is about to be AVATAR-HEAVY. Our Avatar was largely absent from last week’s episode until the end, which revealed that the dark spirit who attacked Korra while she was on her way to the Fire Nation didn’t kill her. Instead it dumped her on an island somewhere, all of her memories WIPED. She doesn’t even know she’s the Avatar, and her friends don’t know where she is. This was a BIG two-part episode, friends, but let’s focus on Part 1 first.

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The Legend of Korra Recap: Episode Six, “The Sting”

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WHEW! This season of The Legend of Korra is flying by! Story-wise, I mean. Lots happening ALREADY!

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