The Legend of Korra: Old Wounds (3x06)

Another Lin Beifong episode! Yay! Let's be quick about it.

Korra starts to learn Metal Bending from Suyin*, and Bolin wants to learn too. He's nervous about asking Suyin for help, since he's embarrassed that he hasn't been able to Metal Bend his whole life, despite the fact that Toph has been his hero for many years. In the end, Opal and Bolin talk. Bolin admits that he's afraid, and Opal says that she is, too. She wants to go to the Air Temple to train with Tenzin, but she's afraid of disappointing her family. Finally, they both face their fears. Opal gets ready to go to the Temple, and Bolin starts training with Suyin.

The bulk of the episode focuses on Lin. She goes to get acupuncture to help relax from her stress, and doing so unlocks some old memories. She remembers being a police chief in Republic City, and having to confront her sister, who got involved with criminals. Turns out, Suyin is the one who gave Lin the scar on her face. When Toph finds out that Lin tried to arrest Suyin for her behavior, she insists that she can't have a daughter in jail. She sends Suyin away to cover up what happened.

In the present, Lin finally confronts Suyin about what happened all those years ago. Suyin says that she and Toph have already talked about it and moved on, and that Lin is the one still holding on to the past. The two of them get into a big fight, which Opal finally breaks up using Air Bending. The two sisters talk, and agree that they can try to amend their relationship, although they will need to take it slow.

We also check in with the villains, as Zaheer and his gang leave Republic City and continue to try and track Korra. Zaheer apparently knows that Korra is with the Metal Benders, and will be coming after her.

Complaints?

I feel like I'm a broken record, here. I just don't really have anything bad to say! I mean, I'm still curious as to why there aren't more Spirits just wandering around the world, but I feel like maybe they're saving that for next season. Which I'm totally cool with, by the way. In all honesty, I think they're smart to be focusing in like this, and not spreading the season too thin. I think that was one of the problems they had last season.

The good stuff?

While the villains weren't in there much, they still seem properly menacing. I really, really, want to know what Zaheer's deal is, and I'm excited that they aren't telling us his motive right away. It's much more interesting to keep us in the dark, at least for a bit!

Bolin had some character development! He's mostly just comic relief, but in this episode we see the continuing development of Bolin and Opal, and we see that he has goals and dreams. I was happy to see him want something, and work to get it. I hope that we keep seeing this, and that it wasn't just a one-episode occurrence.

Of course, Lin was the main focus. I'm really, really, intrigued by what we saw in the flashbacks. I think it's pretty clear that Suyin was out of control, and in that sense, it seems like Lin was the one always in the right. But yet we see that Lin has a different failing: Suyin has moved on and changed, while Lin won't let go. I think it's an interesting character study, for both of these sisters.

Also, you have no idea how much I squealed when Toph showed up. She was only there briefly, but I think even her development in this episode was nicely done. Trying to reconcile this serious, morally ambiguous Toph with the Toph we knew as a kid is sort of difficult, but at the same time, I can see how this would happen to her, given the pressures of being the Police Chief.

That Earth/Metal Bending fight between the two sisters was epic. I'm really impressed with the animation and creativity of that fight. So, so, cool. Also, the sickest burn in this whole episode was definitely when Suyin brought up Lin's relationship with Tenzin. Ouch!

Alright, I'll leave it there. What an interesting, strong episode!

9/10

* In my previous review, I wrote her name as Su Yin. I have now seen it spelled as one word, but I'm not sure which is canonically correct... I'll try to figure that out.