Quantum of Harmonic Convergence - Legend of Korra, Season 2, Episode 12

This episode does a great deal of setting up, yet never slows down.  Believe it or not, but after a battle of sky bison and prop plane against the Northern Water Tribe, then the battle of Team Avatar against Unalaq, this is all just a prelude to the action of the last two episodes.  Each episode from here on in presents part of the final confrontation between Raava/Korra and Vaatu/Unalaq.  Each episode has periods of building excitement through fighting, and then crushing setbacks due to losses in battle or losing focus which bring the tension down until something new gives Team Avatar new hope, or Unalaq makes the situation worse and they must respond.  In this one, we get to the beginning of Harmonic Convergence and the freeing of Vaatu.

End of the world, schmend of the world, now break up with Korra

We start with comic relief on Varrick's battleship the Ju Li, as an incensed Korra practices ripping apart a dummy Unalaq while Mako watches and Bolin tells him to tell Korra the truth about the break up already.  Bolin shows off stuff he found on the ship, which includes a bite from a cat gator.  Apparently, there's a whole level of them on the battleship.  However, Mako's delayed in telling Korra about their breakup, as Asami, holding it together quite well, tells them they'll have to land at Katara's healing compound, where she is treating the injured Southern Water Tribe fighters that survived last episode's failed rebellion.  Kya and Tenzin bring Jinora, who has been without a spirit in her body for a week.  Katara is impressed with Jinora's endurance, but doesn't know how long her body can survive.

At the South Pole, Unalaq can taste his total victory.  Eska and Desna approach him, and tell him that he's conquered the South, can they go home now?  But Unalaq tells them the plan is just beginning, go and prepare for the inevitable battle with Korra.

Yeah, sure Dad.  We'll get right on it.

Team Avatar frets about getting to the South Pole without an army, until Bumi inspires a great and daring idea from Asami - she'll fly a prop plane to the South Pole base with Mako and Bolin and create havoc that will distract the base from Ugi the sky bison flying into the Portal.  The plan only goes well for about one minute, as Asami's expert maneuvers bring the plane with Mako and Bolin strapped to the wings right up to the base, dodging ice missiles from water benders below, and regular missiles from the Automatons that mysteriously ended up in Unalaq's hands.  Asami gets them close enough that Mako's fire can reach the base, and Bolin can toss some of Varrick's remote explosives into the base, causing an circle of flame throughout the camp.  It goes great until Desna and Eska get involved, hurling missiles at the plane until the back fuselage comes off and Asami crash lands, with Mako and Bolin thrown into the snow.

Unfortunately for Team Avatar, the portal is also guarded by a small herd of dark spirits flying in circles around the light energy emanating straight up from the portal.  Tenzin flying Ugi, with Kya, Bumi, and Korra on board is right behind Asami's plane until they decide to fly around, looking for a way in.  Dark Spirits immediately bombard the sky bison, dragging it down.  Bumi kicks at one particularly big one, but falls and grabs onto the back of the spirit briefly before they both fall off Ugi into the snow below.

Dude, it's a Spirit, not a cockroach

Bumi is just the prelude, the spirits bring Ugi down, with the passengers getting thrown everywhere.  A groggy Korra sees Norther Water Tribe Troops approaching, then comes to seeing her father, Tenzin, and Kya held as Unalaq's prisoners.  Asami, Bolin, and Mako are thrown in bound in chains for good measure.  Only Bumi is still at large, giving them absolutely no confidence whatsoever.  Unalaq and his kids enter, and Unalaq, who has gone total Bond Villain at this point, tells the whole team his plan.  He wants to free Vaatu from the Tree of Time so he can bond with Vaatu as Raava is bonded with Korra, becoming a Avatar of Darkness and Chaos, in counterbalance to Korra, the Avatar of Light and Peace.  Korra thinks this plan is awful, mostly because she knows enough about Vaatu to doubt he'll ever share Unalaq's body and spirit; he'll consume Unalaq as soon as they're bonded, and nothing will hold Vaatu in check from destroying human civilization.  Unalaq leaves for his big date, telling Desna and Eska to keep the prisoners out of the spirit realm so he can bond with Vaatu.  Korra tries working on them, but Desna loses his shit and shouts out that of course they believe in their father.

Bumi wakes up to see that his new enemy, a Dark Spirit, isn't done with him.  After some completely ineffective punches, and a knife throw that ends up almost killing himself, Bumi literally takes out his flute by mistake and desperately tries a little music, which of course works.  If you don't have strategy, try desperation.

He just wants a little love.  Is that so hard?

Unfortunately, Bumi decides this is a great idea for taking the base at the portal and rescuing his friends.  And who should come thundering up but Naga, the polar bear dog, with Bolin's pet ferret?  Bumi decides that's a sign from the universe that his cockamamie plan is destined for success.  So he infiltrates the base at the portal.

Like Maxwell Smart, but dumber

The Dark Spirits come to him, all right.  But they, apparently, have no taste, and attack Bumi despite the killer show tune medley he delivers.  So, Bumi beats it to the Automatons that Unalaq has at the base, and jimmies himself in there, only to discover the spirits can follow him right in.

Peekaboo!

The Dark Spirits also start the Automaton with their spirit energy, and since Bumi doesn't really know how to operate one, he just starts pulling levers.  The Automaton clumsily destroys the entire base when it throws a lasso that catches on to the antenna tower, bringing the tower down and sweeping it in a wide arc that takes out everything except the center tent with Team Avatar.  Bumi, about to lose the Automaton, ejects his seat, and comes exploding out.  He lands on ice and slides, still strapped in his seat, right into the middle of the tent, declaring his rescue went perfect.  The others are stunned, until Desna and Eska show up.  But Naga has those two covered, knocking them out as she storms into the tent.

Team Avatar doesn't have much time, only minutes until Harmonic Convergence.  They stumble to the portal, and Korra sends Asami back with Ugi and her dad, who is injured.  The plan at this point: Tenzin, Kya and Bumi will leave and find Jinora's spirit.  Bolin and Mako will keep Unalaq away from Korra long enough for her to close the North Portal, preventing Harmonic Convergence and keeping Vaatu locked away for another 10,000 years.  After not being able to promise that any of them will survive, Korra leads them in.

Seriously?  Why is this suddenly a Bond movie?

Unalaq is waiting with Dark Spirits, who attack Team Avatar.  Tenzin and his siblings beat it for the spirit wilds and the search for Jinora, and Korra launches an awesome Avatar attack, driving the Dark Spirits away completely.  

No more Dark Spirits for me, thanks!

Korra rushes to the portal as Mako and Bolin use fire and earth to battle Unalaq.  They are a beautiful fighting team, with Bolin using rocks not just as missiles, but also to create cover.  Mako's fire is all over the place.  Unalaq does some awesome move where he's in the air, then creates an ice slide so he slides down and lands right in front of Team Avatar.

But Korra is too late.  Vaaut mocks her as the planets align, and she is pushed back by the energy in the portals as they bend into the arc of Harmonic Convergence.  The energy from the arc reaches the Tree of Time, freeing Vaatu.

Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!

Unalaq is thrilled, but Korra can only stare with determination at Raava's longtime arch-enemy.