Tripping Over Books

Season 1, Episode 6

The Skinny: Korra, Bolin and Mako are ready to kick ass and take names in the Pro Bending Final against those HIDEOUS bending hipsters, the Wolf Bats, lead by he of the epic hair flip. (I seriously can’t remember his name. Only the hair.) OBVS there are shenanigans, Amon shows up in his FREAKY mask to ruin things, Mako is smoking hot, Bolin is lovable and hilarious, and Korra is BAMFy. 

Hair Flip = THIS loony toon.

The Setup: Last week was all “Republic City, 9021o.” Bolin decides that he wants to get all up in Korra’s biz, real PERSONAL-like, Korra realizes that Bolin is a SUPER awesome friend–as evidenced by their frat-party dinner date where they laughed and belched over noodles together–but she’s definitely got a THANG for Mako (GET IN LINE, SISTER FRIEND). Too bad for Korra that Mako and Hoe Cake are totally still together. BLAH. But what’s this? When Bolin broaches the topic of Korra as gf to Mako, and then proceeds to take her out, Mako gets a bit JEALOUS, y’all. And also confused about his feelings, because, all evidence to the contrary, he thinks Hoe Cake is something special. So leave it to our girl Korra to take the bull by the horns, confess her feelings to Mako, and go in for the smooch. BOOM. HE DIGS IT *fist pump*. But basically this puts a big, weird cramp on the Fire Ferrets chemistry as a team because Bolin still thinks Korra is the bees knees. They need to mend fences ASAP, though, because they are going up against the hipster benders, the Wolf Bats (THAT NAME. I don’t even know. Are Wolf Bats a thing? Like, howling, flying…rodents?), in the pro bending final. How did they get to the final, you ask? WELL. Korra opens one of the many cans of whoop-ass that she keeps hidden in her huge pants and wins it for the team. Korra, Mako, and Bolin decide to cool it with the kissy face business because they have some crazy hair-flipping dude to deal with in the final. ONTO THE NEXT ONE, FOLKS. 

The Breakdown: Things open up with a Fire Ferrets training session underway. Mako, Korra, and Bolin are gearing up to face the Wolf Bats in the Pro Bending Final by aiming their fire/water/earth at pictures of the Hair Flip. Korra’s feeling good about their chances even though they’re the underdogs. Just as she andthe boys are about to get really psyched up, though, their radio cuts out and Amon comes on and brings the cray cray. He says that everyone should enjoy the Pro Bending Final because–GASP!–he thinks Republic City should stop glorifying benders, and so wants the council to shut down the arena and cancel the finals. Then he brings the threats, saying there will be “severe consequences” if they don’t. Stunned faces all around.

Korra and the boys take this news and run to the council, where Tenzin, Tarlok, and the three mute members who only ever raise their hands while seated, tell them that they have caved to Amon’s threats and are going to cancel the final and stop pro bending FOREVAH. The Fire Ferrets are AGHAST, and Korra advocates keeping the finals on as scheduled because caving means that Amon wins. And we all know he MUST LOSE. While arguing their case, Chief Beifong shows up and surprisingly agrees with Korra. She thinks the benders need to stick up to the Equalists, and assures the council that her force of metal benders will have the arena locked up tighter than Fort Knox. Chi blockers can’t hurt metal benders, Beifong says. Then, Tarlock and his sneaky ass basically get Beifong to take personal responsibility for all the spectators. (DUN DUN DUNNNN!) So the council caves AGAIN, this time to the Fire Ferrets and Chief Beifong, and the Pro Bending Finals are a GO. Of course, they don’t realize at the time that Amon WANTED them to do this exact thing, so freaky face is all excited, although you would never know it because his only facial expression is over-botoxed blankness, what with the mask and all.

Apparently, Tenzin got the same vibes from Tarlock as I did because he warns Beifong that Tarlock is setting her up/being an asshat. Bei Fong is all, “bish please! I don’t need no babysitter!” Tenzin says he’s going to stay close to Beifong during the match anyway just in case. Korra butts in, Beifong makes tracks the minute Korra shows up to make nice, and THEN! Korra eventually realizes that the reason Beifong is basically a tightly wound ball of MEAN is because SHE used to be with Tenzin. Y’all, Beifong is a JILTED LOVER. SIGH. Even the adults bring the dramz. 

So, THE FINAL. FIRE FERRETS. WOLF BATS. I should have known it would end in disaster when Mako and Hoe Cake blew kisses to each other (UGH/GAG/VOM) before the match started. Hoe Cake is bad luck and I want her GONE, please and thank you. I prefer to remember Mako like THIS instead:

Lookin’ FINE, Mako. Lookin’ fine.

Anyway, the match is a doozy, but CLEARLY fixed from the first whistle. Hair Flip is a MAD CHEATER, guys. The Wolf Bats are pulling all kinds of illegal moves and the ref is, like, too busy counting his money to call any fouls. RIDICULOUS. Even though the Fire Ferrets bring it, and Korra is FILTHY, they are no match for the Wolf Bats’ dirty game. 

So, Hair Flip and his dirty, cheating cronies win the Pro Bending final. ALAS. But after the Wolf Bats are crowned champs, Amon makes good on his threats to drop the hammer on benders and people who support them. Remember how Chief Beifong was all, “my metal benders can take those wussy chi blockers any day, twice on Sunday?” Yeah, well, Amon’s soldiers, who have scattered themselves among the crowd, are sporting these electrical thingies in their hands, and they use them to shock Beifong and her crew out. PANIC!! MASS HYSTERIA!

And while this is going on, HOLY CRAP, Amon shows up in the ring and EFFING TAKES AWAY HAIR FLIP’S BENDING. He takes it all from ALL the Wolf Bats. BOOM! Amon then gets preachy about equality and how benders are THE WORST. But check it: While the Fire Ferrets are stuck tied to a pole underneath the ring, Amon is speachifying about how a new Equalist government will soon be in place in Republic City and how those electrical thingies are basically devices that allow ANYONE to possess the power of the chi blockers. GULP. Bigger gulp? Amon doesn’t just have his sights set on equalizing Republic City. He wants to eradicate bending from THE WHOLE WORLD. Dang. 

So, Korra finally gets free and goes after Amon and his cronies. Awesome bending is awesome, and Korra kills it, with some more help from Chief Beifong, her new bestie. They fight together, but of course, Amon gets away in his crazy zeppelin or whatever AIRSHIP of evil he flies around in and lives to flash his freaky face another day. 

The Last Word: I liked Korra teaming up with Chief Beifong, friends. I love how Beifong is a BADASS and Korra is a BADASS and they both have such strong personalities. They have so much more in common than they realize at first. Can’t wait to see how their relationship grows–or not–in the future. And also, Amon is NASTY. Like Tenzin said, “Republic City is at war.” Shizz is about to get REAL. I feel like Amon has moles everywhere and I’m suspicious of lots of people. (ahemTarlockcoughHoeCake’sDaddycoughahem). 

The Lines: “I am currently wetting my pants.” 

So, what did you guys think? How much did you throw up in your mouths when Mako and Hoe Cake were blowing kisses at each other? Do you think anything is going to come of all the reminiscing Tenzin and Bei Fong are getting up to? Maybe she won’t be so prickly or nasty to Korra anymore. And honestly: WHAT is up with Amon taking away bending abilities?! And where is he getting those chi blocker gloves?? (I have a theory about this last one, but since it’s probably hugely wrong, I might keep it to myself for now.)

Also, I have to give BIG hugs and props to Lisa from Lisa is Busy Nerding for doing such an ace job with these recaps. I’ve got BIG BIG shoes to fill! I hope I’m doing you proud, Lisa!!