ZZzzzz… *snort* W-wha? You’re saying that WASN’T the series finale of Korra? Oh… okay. Weird. Alright, let’s get this started…
It’s been 3 months since the end of Book 1, and things have changed. Spirits are attacking freighters, Bolin is leading a new Fire Ferrets team that completely sucks (which is weird considering at his best, he’s good enough to perform a comeback solo against a top-tier team), Mako is a cop for some reason…
…and the background artists have gotten spectacularly lazy.
Seriously, high quality background art is one of the two most consistent high points of the franchise (the other being world-building). Losing one is absurd.
Anyway, the setting finally shifts away from Republic City back to the Southern Water Tribe, where Korra and Tenzin’s family plans to attend a festival. Included in Tenzin’s family is his brother Bumi, who is NOT an evil Bloodbender. I mean, I assume so. It’s still early in the season though.
Tenzin also plans to take Korra on a trip to the Air Temples of the world to further improve her Airbending.
Bolin soon becomes smitten with two Water Tribe twins (Eska and Desna) who are pretty hot… though it turns out one of them is a guy. Let’s see if it matters to Bolin.
While they’re checking out the festival, we are introduced to Unalaq, chief of the Northern Water tribe (and also, apparently Korra’s uncle). He’s also obviously going to end up being evil, but at least this time the writers went with subtlety rather than Tarrlok-grade blatancy.
Bolin and Asami aren’t important, so they go off on their own subplot to gain the support of Varrick as a shipping partner for Future Industries.
Turns out, Bolin’s honestly in a world of suck-ups is refreshing to Varrick, who also seems to suffer from some form of ADHD.
He also has an assistant named Zhu Li, who is just ADORABLE.
Originally I was going to do a .gif, but that just didn’t do her justice. So here’s a frame-by-frame.
Is it too early? No, no it’s not. Zhu Li’s my new favorite character. Don’t pout, Jinora. You’re still a strong #2.
Varrick also has an actress named Ginger, who Bolin fawns over, proving he has absolutely zero taste.
Eventually, Varrick does get back on topic and agrees to a deal with Future Industries.
Back at a feast, Unalaq laments the decline of the Southern Water Tribes and their spiritual connections and offers to train Korra, but Korra’s father and Tenzin are both against it, because they’re kind of dicks for no reason. Then again, Korra’s also kind of a dick for no reason and has learned nothing about patience over the last 12 episodes.
At the festival , Bolin finally decides to make his move and by all rights should have struck out, but he proves amusing enough.
The festival is interrupted when a giant spirit shows up and starts wrecking stuff. Korra and the gang try to fight the spirit off, but they can’t do crap, and neither can any of Korra’s mentors.
Unalaq saves the day by appeasing the spirit somehow, and I’m sure it isn’t because he set the spirit on the festival in the first place. Tenzin and Unalaq have a fight over who should be mentoring Korra, and Korra has had enough, dumps Tenzin, and declares she’s going to be Unalaq’s student so she can learn to beat the crap out of spirits. The episode ends with Unalaq saying she has “plans” for Korra while tense musical cues play. Y’know, subtlety.
And wouldn’t you know it, that’s all just one episode. Huh. I… better be more conservative with the caps these next few eps.
In the next episode, Unalaq brings Korra on a trip to the South Pole, where their goal is to open an ancient spirit portal while the spirit and physical worlds are at their closest. Meanwhile, Tenzin Family Vacation!
I guess the important takeaway here is that Tenzin is treated with reverence while Bumi and Kya… aren’t (because they’re just Waterbenders). But, again… I dunno how bending and genetics work together. I’m sure they could still produce Airbending offspring… if they were still virile.
Back in the southern expedition… Mako, Bolin, and the twins are also coming. As is Korra’s father Tonraq. Unalaq decides now is the time to explain Tonraq’s past: he was banished from the Northern Water Tribe.
And that means flashback time!
Turns out, Tonraq was a general in the north, and in order to drive away “barbarians” (wut? Barbarians? Really?) he chased them into a spiritual forest and completely laid waste to the forest in order to capture the retreating forces. Then the spirits came to wreck the northern tribe out of retribution.
I thought this was the reason the igloo fortress wasn’t seen in book 1, but it seems it was mostly left intact.
Meanwhile, back at the Southern Air Temple, Jinora attacks me with cuteness out of retribution for kicking her from the #1 spot.
Back in the South Pole expedition, the group gets closer to the eternal blizzard known as the Everstorm.
So, yeah… background art has improved quite a bit since the first episode. Still some problems with characters being off-model, but baby steps.
A spirit attack wrecks the team’s equipment, but rather than follow Tonraq’s advice of going back, Korra decides he should go back while the rest of the team continues. So yeah… way to banish your dad, Korra.
The group arrives at a frozen forest in the center of the south pole, and Unalaq actually gives some sage advice about following the guidance of the past Avatars. See, even though we know he’s going to turn out to be some kind of villain, at least he isn’t acting like it 24/7.
The Avatar has to make it to the portal alone, so… she does.
Meanwhile, Jinora wakes up and makes her way to a hidden Avatar statue. Out of freaking nowhere, really. It kinda breaks up the flow of the episode for no particular reason. But hey, it’s Jinora, and she’s given importance, so who cares?
Back at the portal, Korra can’t seem to break the ice sealing the portal away, and she gets attacked by a conglomerate of spirits.
But, thanks to Avatar State, Korra is able to open the portal and…
Meanwhile, something happens to the statue Jinora was looking at.
So, everything seems to have been fixed in record time. But then a bunch of Northern Water Tribe ships arrive, and Unalaq says something about additional steps needing to be taken to unite the Water Tribes.
Sounds like Asia for Asians to me, but I’m sure Unalaq’s a good guy, right?
In the next episode…
The North invades the South, but Unalaq successfully sells Korra on a vision of tribal unity by opening the northern spirit portal, which would allow the two tribes to travel between north and south instantaneously, which, admittedly, sounds freakin’ awesome.
Meanwhile, Tenzin Family Vacation!
Ikki ran away after some teasing, and now it’s up to the family to find her. Also, Bumi and Kya still salty that Aang took Tenzin to all their family trips and left them behind. Because Aang was a colossal dick.
Back at the water tribe, Korra tries to explain Unalaq’s vision of a unified tribe while pretty much everyone else is contemplating war.
Also, Eska and Desna have the creepiest laugh ever.
I would like to say that the twins have been nothing but a waste of time so far, but their creep factor and bullying of Bolin have produced at least three amusing Rule 34 pics, and for that I am grateful.
Amusingly, Bolin goes to Mako for advice and gets told to break up with Eska. Because Mako’s totally an expert on breaking up with girlfriends offscreen. He probably should’ve told Bolin to find someone to rebound off of though. I suggest Asami.
Korra tries to stop a civil war from erupting and, again, Unalaq gives some good advice about the Avatar needing to play a role as a leader while not showing favoritism. Though it’s a little harder to take him seriously when he’s presented like this:
Meanwhile, the search for Ikki continues. I’m also forced to correct myself as it seems Bumi is a non-bender. Gee, he sure could’ve been more important in the previous book.
Back in the water tribe, Bolin sucks at breaking up in the face of Eska-grade intimidation, and Korra is still as stubborn as ever with the whole people-looking-out-for-me-is-a-bad-thing deal.
Korra tries to talk to Unalaq again, but finds he’s in the middle of being kidnapped by Tonraq. Or at least who Korra believes is Tonraq. Turns out it was a rebel force organized by Varrick. Seems like Unalaq’s going to be after him now, but… hey, I’m on whatever side Zhu Li’s on.
Meanwhile, the search for Ikki… still continues. And the search party implodes due to Kya and Bumi still being jealous that they weren’t given the same respect as Tenzin when they’re all Aang’s children as well. BTW, they’re both older than Tenzin and they haven’t grown up.
The episode ends with Unalaq accusing Korra’s parents of conspiracy to assassinate him. Oh, and Ikki’s still missing. Imagine that.
Next episode!
The search for Varrick… is a thing now. And Bolin still hasn’t broken up with Eska. By which I mean he’s still alive. As for Varrick…
Oh, and Tenzin finally finds Ikki.
I guess the obvious parallel here is that they both feel like they’re bullied by their siblings. I’d tell them to grow up, but… well, they’re having a tea party with air bisons.
They eventually do realize an important lesson about family and leave the cave though.
Meanwhile, at the south, Bolin tries to break up with Eska, which Eska counters with forced marriage. Potentially rape. Who knows? Let’s see where this ends up…
The judge finds Korra’s mother Senna innocent. But then all the other men are found guilty of treason. Punishable by death. Totally unfair. Senna is found innocent just because she’s a woman? If a woman wants to be a traitor, she has that right!
Unalaq gets the judge to reconsider and change their punishment to imprisonment… which sounds merciful except Unalaq wanted them imprisoned in the first place before Korra told him that they have a right to stand trial.
Tonraq doesn’t want Korra to break him out since that could start a war… so Korra decides he’s going to threaten to kill an old man instead.
The judge lets it slip that the entire trial followed Unalaq’s script. Also, apparently, Unalaq is responsible for Tonraq being banished… which probably didn’t need to be a thing.
BTW, being “banished” in this world just seems to mean moving to another continent and getting married, doesn’t it?
The New Team Avatar finally fights together as a unit for the first time since forever and breaks into the prison… only to find out Tonraq is on a ship headed to the north. So the gang has to bring Varrick over to his ship to catch up.
They make it to Varrick’s ship, but they need to get past a blockade. If only they had a plane… Oh, wait… they do.
The gang eventually catches up to the prison ship (and wrecks the biplane JUST FOR A DISTRACTION) to break Tonraq out.
Meanwhile, Tenzin’s family comes together and all is well. Also, we’re treated to a family photo.
Tonraq is ready to bring the fight to Unalaq, but he sends Korra away to get the United Forces on the southern tribe’s side. Bolin’s happy though since he’s finally made it out of Eska’s clutches.
…or not.
So uh… wow. This series moves pretty damn fast. I’ve found it better than Book 1’s pacing so far, but that could also have to do with how much I disliked Republic City as a setting. Plus lack of Pro Bending filler as well as lack of relationship drama. True, we’re trading it for relationship comedy, but… I guess that can still fall under the umbrella of Bolin comedy.
I originally wanted this post to be episodes 1-7 (the full first disc) but… do you see how long it is? At least 1-4 is more in line to my Last Airbender posts, which all took a lot out of me when I did them. Would be better if this were another 12-episode season, but it seems I’ll have to do 5 episodes each for the next two posts.