This was excellent, I'll just say it up front. After a slow, rather gentle season of Korra, we end on a finale so epic that it can hold its own with the ATLA finale. First, the plot.
Korra and the gang realize that the only way to save the Air Benders from Zaheer is for Korra to give herself up. They devise a plan: Mako, Bolin, and Asami will go to the Air Temple to get the Air Benders, while Korra will go to a separate location to hand herself over, with Tonaq, Lin, Suyin, and other Zaofu cops standing by to get Korra back, once the Air Benders are safe.
Korra hands herself over to Zaheer after getting confirmation from Mako that the Air Benders are safe - but then, it turns out to be a trap! The Air Benders were really just empty cloaks filled with water by Ming-Hua. So Mako, Bolin, and Asami have to fight against Ming-Hua and Ghazan, while also getting an injured Tenzin out. Ghazan sets the whole place to melt in lava, trapping them inside. Bolin uses his Earth Bending to get them out through the walls, but the lava is encroaching. At the last minute, he is able to Lava Bend to save them all! Kai then shows upon his baby bison and flies the three kids and Tenzin to safety, as the Air Temple crumbles behind them.
While all of this is going on, Korra tries to escape from Zaheer and P'Li, learning that the Air Benders are still captives. Tonraq, Suyin, Lin, and the other cops all help out. Toph's two daughters take on P'Li, and they kill her. Zaheer pushes Tonraq off the edge of a cliff, and Korra believes he is dead. Even though Korra is chained hand and feet, she still puts up a good fight, but is finally subdued by Zaheer, who escapes from Lin and the others by flying (unaided) away, a new skill that Air Benders don't usually have.
Tenzin, Mako, Bolin, Asami, and Kai unite with Lin, Suyin, the thankfully still alive Tonraq, and the others on the ground. Now that Korra has been taken by Zaheer, they need a plan to get her back. They also need a way to get the Air Benders back, and Kai has the answer to that one: he saw where the Red Lotus took the captives! They think Korra might be in the same place, so they all go to find them.
Meanwhile, the captives are trying to get away from some anonymous Red Shirts - I mean, uh, Red Lotus members. Tenzin's family and Opal devise a plan to get out, actually managing to get their hands on a key, but a guard member sees them. Lin and the gang show up to rescue them, though! Now that everyone has reunited, Jinora can tell everyone that she went into her Spirit state and found Korra, and that they need to rescue her.
While this has been happening, we see Korra chained up in the air. Zaheer, Ghazan, and Ming-Hua are all there. They force poison in through Korra's skin, which will force her body into the Avatar State as she tries to reject the poison. They will then kill her, ending the Avatar Cycle. Once in the Avatar State, Korra is able to escape and duel with Zaheer. Zaheer flies, and Korra uses Fire Bending to propel herself in the air (like a jet pack). Epic battles ensue, with Zaheer and Korra in the air, and Bolin and Mako fighting Ming-Hua and Ghazan in a cavern. Mako kills Ming-Hua by Lightning Bending while she's standing in water, and electrocuting her. Ghazan takes the cavern down around his own ears using Lava Bending, and Bolin and Mako escape.
Korra and Zaheer are still fighting it out, so Jinora gets all the Air Benders together to create a giant funnel that pulls Korra and Zaheer to the ground, allowing Korra to slam him to earth. Lin and Suyin enclose him in rock. Suyin is then able to get the poison out of Korra using Metal Bending, because the poison was metallic.
We flash forward a few weeks later to see that Korra is still in an extremely weakened state from the poisoning. She is in a wheel chair, and seems defeated in both body and spirit. Jinora becomes an Air Bending master, complete with shaved head and tattoos, and at the ceremony, Tenzin promises that he and the other Air Benders will embrace their nomadic roots and travel the world, restoring balance and keeping the peace on behalf of Avatar Korra, who is still recovering.
Thus ends the season. HOLY SHIT!
I'll very quickly list the few negative elements, but seeing as this was practically a flawless double episode, I don't really have much to say.
The biggest problem was that I was a little bit confused about Ghazan's death. He and Bolin were Lava Bending, and then Ghazan decides to bring the whole place down around his ears so that Bolin and Mako will die with him. Okay, I get that, but then Bolin and Mako are able to easily escape using Earth Bending, so why didn't Ghazan just do the same? Did he just get tired of fighting? Maybe I'm missing something.
The other tiny thing... there were a few jokes that missed their mark. Bolin stuffing a sock in Zaheer's mouth could have been funny, but it would have been funnier if someone else, say, Bumi, had said "oh, put a sock in it!" And then Bolin had said "way ahead of you" and done just that. Instead, Bolin just sticks a sock in Zaheer's mouth and then explains the joke, saying "get it?" It was too much.
Also, they name-dropped this Metal Bending cop girl... I think her name was Kuvira (spelling is a total guess). It was really obvious that they're setting her up for something, but it made no sense and felt awkward. Oh well.
But enough of that nitpicking nonsense. This episode was AMAZING!
Let's start with the obvious strengths: the fight sequences. The creativity in each one of these fights was just so incredible to behold.
In Korra's first fight, she's bound hand and foot, but she's still able to creatively jump around using her feet. The Metal Benders are in fine form as they swing themselves up the mountainside. Tonraq kicked some major ass against Zaheer. There were also quieter moments, such as Lin telling Suyin she loved her, just as she went off to fight, or the epic slow-motion shattering of Tonraq's ice spear. Zaheer's flying felt like a natural progression for his character - both surprising and inevitable as it happened.
Meanwhile, we've got Bolin's epic Lava Bending discovery - their trip through the Air Temple was really creative and suspenseful, and even though I figured Bolin wasn't going to die, it was still genuinely frightening to see him rush forward towards the lava in one last desperate bid to save himself, his brother, Asami, and Tenzin.
Then there's Zaheer and Korra's second showdown. Coming off of the first fight, where Korra is chained up, to the second one, where Korra manages to free herself from impossible odds, was really powerful. In an animal-like fury over the death of her father, her eyes bright in the Avatar State, she holds her own against a man with the power of flight. This was such a cool scene, reminding me of Aang's last battle with Ozai. All four elements were in play, and the fact that Korra seemed almost inhuman in these moments made it all the more frightening.
Although this fight was rightfully the focus, Bolin and Mako's fight against Ming-Hua and Ghazan was equally intense. It was such a smart move to give Bolin the power of Lava Bending. After waiting and waiting for his Metal Bending skills to come out, it was a lovely subversion of my expectations to see him Lava Bend instead. And to use it against the guy who introduced the concept to us was really awesome. (Random side-bar... I feel like Lava Bending is something of a combination Bending technique. Fire Bending and Earth Bending combined, almost. Since we know that Bolin has Fire Bending in his lineage, given Mako's abilities, maybe that's why he can Lava Bend? It's just a theory).
Mako kills Ming-Hua in one of the coolest ways possible. I was wondering if she would actually die - after P'Li's quick death by the hands of Lin and Suyin, I was wondering if the other Red Lotus members would get the axe, too. And the way it happened was just so creative! Lightning Bending is something that Mako doesn't do all that often, but he manages to pull off something seriously impressive here.
Then there's Jinora, who uses the power of teamwork to save Korra from Zaheer. I know that sounded cheesy as all hell, but I was so proud of her, and I loved the idea that the Air Benders, even though they might not be experts, can work together to create something powerful to take down a true master.
Suffice it to say, beautiful animation, creative fight choreography, and an ever-mounting intensity made these Bending sequences amazing to watch.
The next thing I must praise is the progression of Korra's character through this double episode. Because she runs the gambit, here, and it's all amazingly rendered and portrayed through the animation. First, we see her determined yet somehow oddly defeated at the same time. She's going to give herself over, and while she trusts her friends to save the day if possible, she's also willing to truly sacrifice herself if it's the only way to save the Air Nation. Then, as she's fighting Zaheer the first time, she thinks Tonraq is dead. She is an extremely talented Bender, and she lets her rage fuel her to continue fighting. But... at least this first round, she cannot succeed.
The scene where Korra is poisoned while chained up in mid-air... is this actually supposed to be for kids? My God, this was dark. The animation was so creepy, as Korra flickers in and out of the Avatar State, trying to avoid entering it completely. The strength of her character really shone through when she showed that she was more worried about the Avatar Cycle being broken than she was about her own life. And those hallucinations of Amon, Unalaq, and Vaatu were really disturbing. Nicely done. When she finally enters the Avatar State, she's in full bad-ass mode, but it's scary because it honestly doesn't feel like Korra anymore. This is something else, something beyond anything we've seen from her before. There's no control, only rage and desperation.
Juxtapose Korra madly fighting for her life and for revenge, with the Korra from the last scene. Again, the animation is so impressive, in that it truly shows us Korra's desolation and hopelessnes. It seems that her worst nightmare has come true - she cannot fight as the Avatar any longer. She feels useless. However, she's not completely defeated, as we see moments of joy when Pema and Tenzin's kids crowd around her. Tenzin honors Korra by offering to do the job of the Avatar for her, but at the same time, Korra feels such a sense of loss in these moments.
It's also interesting to note that President Raiko accepts her back, calling the Red Lotus members "terrorists." Honestly, I think Korra kind of understands where the Red Lotus were coming from, even after all they've done. This episode did attempt to humanize them a bit more, what with P'Li and Zaheer's scene together (I love how tall P'Li is, by the way) and Zaheer's genuinely anguished reaction to her death. As Raiko congratulates Korra on eliminating this threat, I can just see Korra thinking back to Raiko's politics and wondering if the man in front of her isn't just another - more quiet - example of the evil she's been facing this whole time.
I love the teamwork aspect to this episode, as every character gets their chance to help out and shine. In particular, I think it's lovely that Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi are all virtually out of commission for all of these fights. Tenzin has to live with the fact that his entire family is captured by the Red Lotus - wife, kids, and siblings. When they're freed, Tenzin then has to rely on his daughter to lead the way. He knows when to back down, and I enjoyed that. All of the rest of them get to kick ass, though. The sisters Lin and Suyin; the brothers Mako and Bolin. Korra. The Metal Benders. Jinora and the Air Benders. All of them were important in defeating the Red Lotus.
And now on to the best thing ever: JINORA! I actually, honest to God, started crying when Tenzin lifted her hood and she was bald, with the full tattoos. This was such a brave, beautiful, meaningful, precious thing for the show to do. I can't even explain how much it meant to see Jinora become a master. She is honestly one of the very best things about this show. I have a friend who complained that Kai's character was pushing Jinora to the side, but I disagree. Jinora really took charge this episode, helping to lead her people and bring down Zaheer. The love and respect that Tenzin shows for her is another reason to praise Jinora as a character. She may be a young girl, but she's a Bending master and commands all of the attention and respect that that entails.
I want to take a feminist moment to say that I love the women on this show. There are a lot more of them here than there were in ATLA, and they are so varied and amazing. You've got Korra, who's portrayed as very muscular rather than curvy; she's rash, hot-tempered, but amazingly generous and kind. Asami, who's the traditional beauty in appearance, but is a technological genius and a gentle friend. Middle-aged women, like Lin and Suyin, whose story-lines focus on their sisterly bond rather than any men in their lives. P'Li, a good head taller than her love interest, who is one of the most intimidating characters on the show. Ming-Hua, who didn't have much of a character, but was a double-amputee and was still an enormous threat. Kya, who is well past middle age but still strong, needing no man or children to validate her. Pema, a quiet and strong mother who is devoted to her family. Opal, a sweet young teenager who wants to explore her talents and still find love along the way. Jinora, a gentle yet fierce child who knows how to lead her people, and who shaves her head to participate in the honorific of her people. I can't think of any other show that would really shave a kid's head as a sign of honor. It's such an amazing thing.
Yikes, this review is getting long. Let me list just a few more moments that I felt were really important.
The Southern Air Temple is gone! Not only was this a dramatic and effective shot, as we see the temple melt away into lava; it's also such a good story decision. It was the catalyst for Tenzin and the other Air Benders to become nomads, and a way of getting these characters out of their comfort zones once again.
Asami. She didn't have a lot to do in this episode, but I loved it when she grabbed Korra's hand and promised to be there for her if she needed to talk. That was such a sweet moment for these two good friends.
Kai and his cute little bison! Kai has been sort of boring as a character since they actually got to the Air Temple... I thought he had real promise when they introduced him, and then he was just kind of... shrug. But he was really adorable in this episode. I liked how none of the adults would listen to him at first, even though he saved their lives. When he finally does get to speak, turns out he has useful information! Who knew that kids his age could be helpful? I mean, it's not like Jinora has ever helped anyone before... :)
Gosh, I really should stop there. This is getting ridiculous. If you couldn't tell, I loved this episode so much. The Legend of Korra has had its ups and downs, but if they're capable of this, I'm excited to see what's coming for us next season.
10/10
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