Tripping Over Books

Season 1, Episode 10

The Skinny: Legend of Korra is absolutely SPEEDING towards its conclusion, friends. So much so that I don’t know how I can possibly call this litte part of my recap “The Skinny” because in reality, it’s more like “The Morbidly Obese.” SO MUCH goes on in each new ep that I can’t help thinking of one word: snowball. But in as short as possible, here’s what’s hanging in the balance for “Turning the Tides”: There’s trouble in Hoe Cake’s paradise, because Mako has basically shown his hand when it comes to his feelings for Korra. He just hasn’t admitted it yet. Korra is recovering from her kidnapping at the hands of Tarrlok, who lost his bending when Amon–AMON!–showed up at his lair where he was keeping Korra and gave him the Thumb of Doom (this is what I call that moment when Amon puts his thumb on bender’s foreheads and saps their bending). War between the Equalists and benders is imminent. As in, it’s basically started already. 

The Setup: I’m going to TRY to keep this as brief as possible but DANG GUYS!! ALL THE THINGS keep happening to Team Avatar and friends! Last week, Korra was kidnapped by Tarrlok and kept in a shack in the mountains. Tarrlok imprisoned Korra in a metal box barely big enough for her to stand in because he’s a giant tool. This fact is solidified when, back in Republic City, he drops a steaming pile of MAD LIES on everyone, saying that Korra was kidnapped by Equalists, who then attacked Tarrlok and left him beaten and unconscious. Beifong hears the news that the Avatar has been taken and goes to bust Mako, Bolin, and Hoe Cake out of jail so that they can all go looking for Korra, albiet in the wrong places. Guys, Mako IS NOT CALM AT ALL about Korra’s abduction. I totally called this, but I’m not bragging (maybe a little). Hoe Cake recognizes his reaction as “OMG, my one true love has been taken from me, but I hope I am not too late to save her so that we can be together forever!”

Back at the shack, Korra has some more visions of Aang that eventually lead her to understand something about Tarrlok: he is the son of a ruined mob boss who could blood bend at will. She’s ruined his plans to run the city that his father lost, and after Team Avatar realizes his lie, he goes to get Korra and run away. BUT THEN AMON SHOWS UP AND RESISTS TARRLOK’S BLOOD BENDING AND TAKES IT AWAY FROM HIM AND THEN TRIES TO TAKE KORRA BUT SHE GETS AWAY. Naga saves her and takes her back to Republic City, and into the wide open, waiting arms of Mako, who looks like he would have literally DIED to save her. Guys, I love them. Onto the next one, folks. 

The Breakdown: Deep breaths. Ok. Guys? This is the episode where BIG SHIZZ happens. We’ve basically been gearing up for what happens this week all season, and the best part is WE STILL GET MORE. I cannot stress to you how amazing these last few episodes have been. Let’s get into it.

The recap this week is basically The Tales of Amon the Evil Freaky Face, and it reminds us of all of his evil-doing, as well as the evil-doing of his minion, Mr. Sato, aka Hoe Cake’s dad. Also, those robots have a name! Who knew? They’re called Mecha tanks. Good to know.

So, Korra is back on Air Temple Island, recovering from her ordeal by sleeping it off. She’s had it rough lately, guys. Mako is sitting at her bedside. GUYS!! He’s watching her sleep in a legit not creepy way and then he does this:

SIGH

OMG I DIE. So sweet. The only poison in the honeypot? Hoe Cake is looking on from the doorway and she looks so heartbroken. Just because I don’t ship her and Mako doesn’t mean that I don’t feel terrible for the girl.

Later that evening at dinner, everyone is glad to have Korra safely back on Air Temple Island. She’s HOUSING some of Pema’s home cooking while Mako sits next to her. While Pema and Hoe Cake start cleaning up, Korra gives Tenzin, Beifong, Mako, and Bolin the 411: Tarrlok is Yakkone’s son, and a blood bender. Or, well, he WAS a blood bender until Amon captured him and took his bending away. Everyone is FREAKED THE EFF OUT that Amon showed up at all and is growing bolder by the minute. This is when Tenzin utters this line that is one of those LOL “Thanks for pointing that out, CAPTAIN OBVIOUS” things when he says he “fears Amon is entering his endgame.” DUH. But true.

In the kitchen, Pema and Hoe Cake are cleaning up when Pema has some pains. Dear Baby Airbender, this is a VERY BAD time to be born. Please slam on the breaks. Thank you. Anyway, Mako comes in to ask for more hot water for Korra’s tea. To be honest, guys, he kind of demands it. Hoe Cake snippily tells him to boil the water himself because he’s a fire bender. Pema leaves the kids to it, and they have THE TALK. Doesn’t go well. Hoe Cake asks Mako if he has feelings for Korra, and Mako basically says that Korra was going through something dangerous and horrible and that OF COURSE he would have worried about anyone in that sitch. Basically avoiding the question by answering a slightly different one. THEN she brings up the kiss, and Mako gets all annoyed/flustered. Mako wants to hold off talking about it further until after all the drama settles, but Hoe Cake says there might not be any relationship to talk about after. Uh oh. And also, YAY!

Mako needs some relationship advice, guys. Here’s mine: It’s OVER with Hoe Cake. Get thee to KORRA!

Friends, one of my FAVORITE things about these last few eps–aside from Makorra, OBVS–is this nice little friendship between Beifong and Tenzin. I love how loyal they are to each other, especially because I don’t get any weird “let’s get back together” vibes from them. Just old friends being badasses together. Tenzin, knowing that he needs to go handle some things with the council, asks Beifong to stay and look after his family. She agrees. This is BEFORE she realizes what this entails, though, and I LOVED and LOLed at the thought of Beifong giving Meelo a bath. HA! HAHAHA!! Those two.

Next we see two people talking. One of them is a council member, who is apparently NOT mute. Two SHADY guys show up at her house and electrocute her, taking her away. Same deal happens to Tenzin as he approaches City Hall, except he gets away like a BAMF. A legit BAMF. Guys, someone is going after the council members. Tarrlok’s aide shows up and tells Tenzin that all of the council members have been taken and that Tenzin is the boss now. WHEW. THEN some of Amon’s airships show up and explosions go off all over the city.

Republic City is under attack. Tarrlok’s aide is MELODRAMATIC to the extreme, guys, and I LOLed a little bit. But still, true. A tragic day indeed.

On the airships we meet up with Mr. Sato, who is super bf’s with Amon now. Mr. Sato is looking at a picture of his family, no doubt fueling his hate for benders by seeing his wife. He says he’s been waiting for this day for a long time. Amon agrees. It’s time for the Equalists to claim Republic City for themselves. BOOM. END GAME IS HAPPENING, friends.

Republic City is in ruins. SAD DAY. Korra and Team Avatar are in the city to help in any way they can. They find their car and things get a little AWKWARD. Mako and Hoe Cake have issues, man. You know things are bad when your girl FORCES you out of shotgun in her car. Dang.

At police headquarters, we’ve got trouble. Attacks everywhere, danger, destruction. The rescue ships the police are trying to call in have been sabotaged. Tenzin shows up and says, “This is a case for the General of the United Forces.” OH MAN! SOUNDS LEGIT. But then things get hairy, and a gas starts coming in through the vents. Amon’s trying to smoke ’em out, yo. They evacuate…and are surrounded by the Mecha tanks. Tenzin tries to withstand them, but all the metal benders are taken, including the Chief of Police, Saikhan. It’s Tenzin vs, like 5 of these things. He holds his own like a BAMF, but eventually he falls and hits his head. The robots descend on him. It’s looking for real DIRE.

But then! Team Avatar shows up, and they take out the robots. Well, Mako gets electrocuted, but somehow withstands it and sends the shocks back to the robot. Guys, HE’S CONTROLLING LIGHTENING HOLY EFF. Bolin and Korra take the rest of them out, while Hoe Cake saves Tenzin with her glove. Seriously. She takes out a gaggle of chi blockers by herself, just as Tenzin is about to be taken away.

Observing from above is Amon and Mr. Sato. Mr Sato is bummed that Hoe Cake is fighting with the benders. Like, “wah, wah, wah, my daughter is fighting for the NONEVIL people. *sad face*” Amon assures him that they’ll capture the benders before long and he’ll have his daughter back soon. DUN DUN DUUUNNN.

AND THEN OMG JUST AS THINGS ARE LOOKING a lit but up, TENZIN AND TEAM AVATAR SEE ONE OF AMON’S AIRSHIPS APPROACHING AIR TEMPLE ISLAND WHERE IT DOCKS AND DROPS OFF CHI BLOCKERS. It’s just some guards, Beifong, the kids, and Pema, who says, “GREAT time to have a baby, I think” and promptly goes into labor. GUYS. OMG. O.M.G.

Air Temple Island is under attack. There’s chi blockers all over the place. Beifond stands there like a MOTHER CUSSING BAMF and goes after a whole crew of them herself. I seriously love her. Meanwhile, Pema is in the early stages of labor. (WORST timing ever.) Beifong is electrocuted and is looking altogether beaten. Until JONORA SAVES HER. THEN IKKI COMES AND HELPS TOO. MEELO, snot nose, takes out a few as well. GUYS, THE KIDS SAVE THE DAY. I die.

Tenzin makes it home and Beifong tells him that the kids saved her and it’s a nice heartwarming moment in the eye of the storm. Because not only did the kids kick ass and take names, Pema has delivered a son, Rohan. (I will henceforth shout “ROHIRRIM!!!” whenever this child is shown/mentioned. I must.) It’s a sweet family scene and I loved it.Until Korra arrives and says that there are more airships coming.

And there are. Tenzin decides that they have no defense anymore. They all need to leave Air Temple Island. Beifong says that she will go with them to protect the last airbenders. Tenzin tells Korra to hide for now, and wait for the United Forces to show up. She bristles, but agrees to stay below the radar. For now. As Tenzin and his family leave, two airships go after them. The rest of the airships descend on Air Temple Island. Korra, Mako, Bolin, and Hoe Cake get on Naga to leave as well. The chi blockers move in on the remaining guards, who are taking one for the team so the Avatar can get away. I can’t lie: This is the SHIZZ that chokes me up, y’all.

WTF NAGA IS AWESOME!!!! OMG I LOVE HER. She leaps like a badass into the sky and takes out a chi blocker. Then she goes under water. Naga.

The airships are gaining on Tenzin and his family. You can almost feel that a MOMENT is upon us, guys. And what do you know: Beifong gives Tenzin and his family a long look, and tells them to keep going no matter what happens to her. She metal bends onto the airships and leaves them. *sniffle* But it’s apparent that she only left them to be a MOTHER EFFING BADASS. She takes one of the airships out with her metal bending, and does a pretty good job on the other one before she’s taken by chi blockers. BEIFONG!! ILY FOREVER. I feel like she’s such a badass that I might have to start writing her name ONLY in CAPSLOCK. BEIFONG. YOU ARE THE BEST. Meelo says that Beifong is his hero. Tenzin and the WHOLE WORLD agrees. GUYS. I AM FULL OF SADS AND WORRY. All of the sacrifice GOT ME.

MOTHER CUSSING BEIFONG

Korra and Team Avatar are in the sewers under Republic City, where they will try to hide this one out a little while.

Beifong is back on Air Temple Island. Amon is there. Saying he’ll take her bending unless she tells him where the Avatar is. She says “NO WAY BASTARD.” I’m seriously welling up and filling with anger right now. Beifong loses her bending. She sacrifices her bending for the Avatar and for Tenzin, her once love. SIGH. BEIFONG!

BUT YO. Here’s where shizz goes to the NEXT LEVEL. The last shot is of the United Forces fleet, where the wire Tenzin sent has finally arrived. A solider shares the news that Republic City is under attack from Equalists, and we pan up to see the General. WHO IS A HOTTIE. I mean, he’s no Mako. But he’s FINE. AND HIS NAME IS GENERAL IROH. HIS VOICE IS PRINCE ZUKO. He says that he’ll go back to Republic City to fight with the Avatar. Guys, this general is totally related to Fire Lord Zuko, but I don’t know how. Son?

Heeeeeeeyyy, Iroh!

I AM NOT CALM AT ALL RIGHT NOW, guys. I am anxious, and excited, and GAAAH!!!

Also, prediction: Iroh + Hoe Cake. Write it down.

So. What do you guys think? Has this not been a KILLER build-up to what is, so far, a KILLER climax?! 

Season 1, Episode 9

The Skinny: In which the “skinny” is, in fact, kind of a big fat spoiler that I can’t even ruin way up top here. And so I avoid it like whoa and direct you to the recap below. But guys, I’ll tell you this: If you thought Team Avatar getting arrested and then Korra finding out that Tarrlok is a blood bender right before she gets forcibly removed from Republic City was dramatic, THIS ep was out of control. Also, several of my theories from last week ACTUALLY came true this ep. HOLLA! 

Guys, lookit! HE HAS HAIR OF SNAKES.

The Setup: GUYS. SO many things happened last week. Some of them involved Mako, Bolin, and Hoe Cake getting arrested. Some of them involved said trio moving onto Air Temple Island, where Tenzin’s kids promptly flashed their AWESOME. Some of them involved Tarrlok being a shady ass. Some of them involved Korra feeling bummed about her lack of progress in learning her airbending. One of them even involved Mako and Korra having a teensy flirty moment in the car. But the THING that happened last week mostly involved Korra and Tarrlok, who finally laid all the cards on the table and fought each other, a battle that has been brewing, if not for the whole season, then at least the last few eps. Accordingly, their showdown was EPIC, and ended with a revelation about Tarrlok: He’s a MOTHER-CUSSING BLOOD BENDER, who can use his “gift” without a full moon. Which is exactly what he did to Korra when he crippled her with his EVIL for “getting in the way” and threw her in the back of a car and out of town. GUYS. He told the Avatar–the AVATAR!–that she would never see Republic City again. This afer he threw her friends in jail, and is slowly but surely chipping away at Tenzin’s power on the council. THIS GUY. I should have known. He has three ponytails. If that’s not a sure sign of evil…

The Breakdown: So the intro reminds us that–GASP!–the Avatar has been abducted! And basically goes on to describe the battle royale between Korra and Tarrlok, blood bender, sneaky bastard, and all-around meanie. UGH. Still can’t believe how awful he is, except for the times that I TOTALLY ALWAYS KNEW HE WAS BAD. 

So we open in a dingy basement, where Korra is being bloodbended down the stairs by Tarrlok. IT IS CREEPY TO THE MAX, and is not made any better when he locks her in a BOX, yo. Not a room, not a cell. A freaking steel box that’s barely bigger than a casket. As Korra is screaming her head off, Tarrlok leaves, and it’s revealed where he has hidden our girl: In an isolated shack waaaay up in the snowy mountains. Dang, guys. He is taking no chances. 

Back on Air Temple Island, Tenzin, Pema, and Meelo are sleeping in the same bed. HA! Kids. The phone rings, and Meelo goes to answer it and give the caller the WHAT FOR, reminding said caller–with attitude–that it’s 6 in the morning and this better be GOOD. He’s so hilarious, guys. Tenzin takes the phone and it’s obvious that he’s just heard the news: Korra is gone. BOOM.

BUT. Notice that I didn’t say kidnapped. That’s because Tarrlok is spinning the web of LIES, friends, and plays the victim when Tenzin goes to city hall, where a crime scene photographer is taking pictures of the aftermath of Korra v Tarrlok. Tarrlok is looking weary and fake-innocent while receiving treatment for his wounds. He tells Tenzin how Korra came to him last night to talk about why he arrested her friends. True enough. BUT THEN he takes a sharp left to Liarville and says that EQUALISTS attacked them, he was electrocuted by one of those gloves, and that the EQUALISTS TOOK KORRA after he was knocked out. I CALL SHENANIGANS. But Tenzin believes him, and so does everyone else.

But look at who we have here, just hearing the news and GEARING UP: Beifong, I think still recovering from the battle with Mr. Sato. She goes to bust Hoe Cake, Mako, and Bolin out of jail so that they can help her find Korra and her missing metal benders, who were kidnapped a couple weeks back. Of course, VOM, Mako and Hoe Cake kiss when they see each other. AWKWARD! But then Beifong tells them that Amon kidnapped Korra, and they need to go find her. Guys, Mako is so instantly worried and anxious that if I was Hoe Cake I’d be like, “Now I see,” you know? Don’t worry, though. Beifong brings the funny by HILARIOUSLY using her metal bending to fix Bolin’s fly for him. SERIOUS LOL, guys. 

Meanwhile, Korra is still trapped in her steel box, and with all of this time she’s got now, she thinks back on Tenzin’s urge to meditate. So she does. And WHOA. She has another vision of Aang where he and Toph Beifong (Lin’s mom) are talking about an out-of-the ordinary criminal, and they go to arrest a baddie, Yakone. Who kind of looks like Tarrlok to me. He seems like a mobster or something, and he runs his mouth the whole time he’s being arrested. Hmmm…

IRL, Team Beifong goes to Tenzin and they all round up and figure out a place to start looking for Korra down some backstreets of Republic City. Beifong does her metalbender X-ray magic and discovers a tunnel underground. They all are still totally unaware that Tarrlok has told everyone a lie about what happened to Korra, and that they are looking for her in the wrong place. They’re still looking for the Equalists and Amon, not realizing the real bad guy is feeding them some quality BS that only serves HIS anti-equalist vendetta. 

So, underground, Team Beifong starts the arduous process of checking the tunnels for some sign of…something. Hoe Cake takes this opportunity to ask Bolin if Mako is ok. He seems really concerned about Korra (FIST PUMP!), she says, and she’s worried about him. She asks Bolin if he thinks Mako likes Korra as more than a friend. Bolin oversells his denial, guys, as he has a tendency to do, and she knows it. Hoe Cake tells him to tell the truth. He does and mentions the kiss Korra and Mako shared. Bolin tries to assure her that it was nothing, but of all the things Hoe Cake may be, let’s be serious: she’s actually awesome. Friendly, generous, fun, brave, and SMART. She knows the kiss was SOMETHING.

This is solely for the purposes of refreshing everyone’s minds….And also to say MOAR OF THIS PLEASE.

Any brooding that might happen is instantly put on hold, though, when some motorcycles enter the tunnel. Team Beifong hides as the motorcycles go through a door in the wall. Beifong against shows her true badass colors by opening the door with her mad skillz. What they find is basically a chi-blocker/equalist garage/transportation center. They over hear some chi-blockers talking about a prison, and figure that Korra is being held there. 

When they arrive, Beifong finds her officers, who have already lost their bending, but when Mako asks her about Korra, she says she doesn’t see her. He FLIPS on a guard there and asks where the Avatar is. Mako is about fire bend the guard when he–the guard–tells them that the Avatar isn’t here, and that Equalists didn’t attack City Hall. Tarrlok is LYING. Team Beifong FINALLY realizes that Tarrlok has taken Korra, but not before the alarms in the prison go off, and SHIZZ GOES DOWN. Chi-blockers v Team Beifong on moving train tracks. Beifong saves the day, though. 

UGH, guys. This box Korra’s in must SUCK. At least she’s meditating some more, and has another vision of Aang and Yakone, this time at a trial. Turns out Yakone has been ruling the underworld of Republic City with an illegal gift: Blood bending, which he can do at will. His lawyer spins the truth and seems to be making a good case for Yakone. But the council still finds him guilty, and sentences Yakone to life in prison. AND THEN. Guys, HE BLOODBENDS EVERYONE in the courtroom. Even Aang. Vision over. Scary, yo. 

Team Beifong goes to City Hall to confront Tarrlok. He’s all, “Y’all crazy!” until his aide tells them the truth: She saw Tarrlok put Korra in the back of that car and send her away. THEN SHE THROWS HIM UNDER THE BUS and reveals that he’s a blood bender. Team Beifong tries to take him down and find out where he’s taken Korra, but he blood bends them all until they pass out and runs away. Guys, he basically does the same thing that Yakone had done in the courtroom in Korra’s vision of Aang. WTF CUT YOUR EVIL HAIR. 

Afer they come to, they realize that Tarlok blood bended them all. The new CoP seems to be coming around to the good side and sends the force after Tarrlok, while Team Beifong decides to try and go after him themselves. 

Back to Korra’s vision: Yakone is still blood bending the courtroom and uses his skills to escape. Aang tells him that he won’t get away with this, and Yakone says that Republic City is HIS, and that he’ll be back one day to claim it again. Then runs away. 

Aang goes all Avatar state on his retreating ass and TAKES HIM THE EFF DOWN. Yakone tries to kill Aang with his blood bending, but CAN’T because Aang goes Avatar state AGAIN and takes away Yakone’s bending. FOR GOOD. Whew. 

Back to the dingy basement. Korra and Tarrlok have a chat. Tarrlok’s all pissed that his perfect plan–to rule Republic City like his daddy, Yakone, could not–was ruined by Korra. She tells him that it’s over, but he says, nuh uh. He’s going to run away and start anew, and Korra is going to be his hostage. As he’s leaving, he comes to the top of the stairs and sees…

MOTHER CUSSING AMON. WWWTTTTFFFF!!!!!

Korra hears that Amon is upstairs and understandably looks FREAKED. Meanwhile, Amon tells Tarrlok that it’s time for him to be “equalized.” Tarrlok, being his arrogant self, tells Amon that he’ll NEVER equalize him. Tarrlok blood bends the chi-blockers, who go down right away. But Amon is able to resist it, guys. WHO THE EFF IS THIS GUY?! Tarrlok is ALSO freaked out and asks Amon, “What are you?” “I am the solution,” Amon says. @&*%@! THEN, he TAKES TARRLOK’S BENDING AWAY, and, frankly, Tarrlok looks dead. 

But then, DANGER! Amon tells his revived chi-blockers to go get the Avatar, and to electrocute the box to knock her out first. Freaking Tarrlok, putting her in a metal box. They go down to the basement, but Korra is SO FREAKING SMART, guys, and uses her cloth cuffs to block herself from touching the box as they electrocute it. She fakes them out like a PRO. Like the EFFING AVATAR. Of course, she gets away from them. 

Outside, she sees Amon putting Tarrlok in the back of a car. They have a staring contest. Korra does some water/ice-bending, and runs off. Amon chases her, but she gets away by bend-skiing down the snowy mountain. And then! JOY!!! NAGA FINDS KORRA and brings her back home. Naga is, no question, the most awesome pet there ever was. 

As everyone’s badgering Korra with questions, Mako pushes them all out of the way, picks Korra up in his arms, and carries her to Appa. He tells her that he was so worried about her. She says that she’s glad he’s there. As he’s setting her down, he tells her that she’s safe now, and touches her face. CARESSES IT, guys. Hoe Cake looks heartbroken, and while I was giddy and excited at the Makorra sweetness, I felt bad for her. 

The only time Mako smiled this WHOLE EP…

…was while he was doing THIS. I MEAN…

The Last Word: I totally thought that the baddie in Korra’s visions would be Tarrlok’s dad. And I TOTALLY called the way Mako would react to hearing about Korra’s abduction. But guys, I don’t even really care. Because even though I wound up puzzling things out ahead of time, I was still breathless watching. The ACTION is awesome right now.

Also, TWO WEEKS FROM NOW IS THE SEASON FINALE, GUYS. IT IS THE SHOWDOWN. KORRA. AMON. The only time they’ve ever shown a preview, and it looked OUTSTANDING. Although there is still another episode next week, so it could have been a taste of everything left. But still. *bites nails* I CANNOT WAIT. 

I can’t even process questions right now. Please, talk amongst yourselves.