Korra is furious that she's Zaheer's prisoner, promising to kill her captors when she gets free. Zaheer sneers at her threat. Insisting that she'll never bend platinum, (it's too pure a metal to find any soil particles) he explains his plan. His acolytes, shrouded in black robes, carry a poison for Korra. When she enters the Avatar State as an automatic reaction in order to cure herself, the Red Lotus will strike her down.
Korra is horrified. She knows that if she dies in the Avatar State, there will be no transmission of Raava to another; the cycle of Avatars will truly end. This has been Zaheer's goal all along; one wonders if this is because he couldn't brainwash her as a child, or if that had ever been the plan. Without an Avatar, Zaheer thinks it will be easier to kill every other world leader, and establish a totally government-less world. Zaheer's world will be based on something he calls the only "natural order", where people's only obligations are to themselves and those they love. He also openly refers to the Red Lotus as his "brothers and sisters in anarchy".
Zaheer would have a world without borders, rules, or law. Only chaos. Only a world where the strong can prey on the weak with no one to stand in the way. He refers to Korra as the last Avatar.
Korra's not his only audience. Jinora has projected her spirit into the cavern, and quick zips back, with only bad news for the rest of the air benders, chained to the rock floor of a cavern with only one way out. Kya and Bumi languish in the corner, in no shape to do anything.
Zaheer calls for the poison, and a Red Lotus member bends it out of the bowl and onto Korra's skin. Note- the poison is somehow bendable. Zaheer, Ming Hua, and Ghazan prepare to kill her. A pool of lava forms far under Korra. Zaheer urges patience as Korra resists entering the Avatar State, trying to give herself whatever borrowed time she can. Buy her cries of pain, she must somehow withstand the poison and the Avatar State.
Ew, that looks gooey
Kai leads Lin, Suyin, Asami, Mako, and Bolin to the caves that contain the air benders. They let down a tired Tenzin, still recovering from his beating, who pleads that they rescue his family. Suyin is happy to give him whatever assurance she can. Suyin has a way of promising things- she'll find the traitor, she'll support Korra, she won't emerge without the air benders. She always comes through, and it's a reminder that for all her hijinks, she's actually dead serious.
Korra struggles against her chains. Zaheer seems triumphant. But to Korra's eyes, Zaheer is just Amon. Ghazan is Unalaq. Ming Hua warps into Vatu. All try to demolish her will.
I don't listen to "can't"
Back with the air benders, Iki is thirsty. And everyone needs to pee. So Pema asks for water. Which the guards guess they can do. Until that is, Jinora blows his tunic up, dislodging his keys. Meelo slips a finger, sending the key into Opal's lap, which she quickly hides. They've gotten the key, but Opal forgets to check before unlocking herself. The guards forget to check before trying to attack the air benders. A boulder slams into them, smacking them against the far cave wall.
Lin, Suyin, Kai, Asami, Mako and Bolin emerge into the chamber, ready for action. The guards are no match for Asami's daring acrobatics and shock glove.
Go ahead, make her day
The air benders are quickly free, and Jinora is quickly reunited with Kai. Jinora tells Tonraq, Mako and Bolin where to find Korra, who has finally succumbed to the Avatar State. And has figured out to bend the rocks her chains are bound to. Pulling one hand free, she discovers that she can bend platinum after all. She easily gets hits at Ming Hua and Ghazan. Only Zaheer is still standing. Korra's chains are mostly off, with one wrapped around her wrist.
You were saying that I can't bend platinum?
Still in the Avatar State, spewing flame from her mouth, Korra shoots fire at Zaheer as he flies out of the cavern. Korra zooms after him. Tonraq, Bolin and Mako appear just in time to see them leave. Bolin and Mako urge Tonraq to stay with Korra; they'll take on Ghazan and Ming Hua. Again. Will it go like these matches have gone before?
Coming for you, Z
Korra bursts out of the cliff face, quickly catching up to Zaheer. Tenzin watches as Zaheer throws her into a cliff peak. The battle is epic, and he's only distracted by his family, safe and sound. Tonraq calls for helping Korra.
Bolin takes on Ming Hua in the dark caverns of the Red Lotus. Ghazan and Bolin brawl together with rocks. until Bolin asks him, What are you smiling about? Ghazan reminds Bolin of his last loss, and launches another lava attack. Which Bolin deflects with his own, new-found lava bending. Bolin winks at Ghazan, who decides to test Bolin.
Guess what my new hobby is!
Zaheer dodges rocks from Korra, who flies by fire bursts from feet and hands. Zaheer throws air, disorienting Korra, who crashes into rock faces, still in Avatar State. She bends an enormous boulder into Zaheer and a cliff face. From a pool, she whips water, then freezes a chunk of ice on his foot. Ready to pounce to defeat him, the poison suddenly weakens her. Zaheer frees his foot just in time, and finds Korra, who is almost down for the count. Zaheer arrogantly points out that she can't fight Zaheer and the poison.
I'll quit when you're dead
Together and watching, the air benders don't know what to do. Tenzin notes that Zaheer has unlocked air bending powers long non-existent, and seems pessimistic anyone could defeat him. That answer doesn't satisfy Jinora, who points out that for the first time in a century, there are quite a few air benders together, and that collective power is nothing to discount. She urges all into circle, while her father, aunt and uncle look on in amazement. Jinora, together with the others, fashions a huge cyclone.
Ming Hua trips, losing water. When cornered by Mako, she slides down a chasm. Mako leaps down into chasm behind her, into a pool of water. Ming emerges with eight frickin' arms.
Look at me, I'm an octopus!
Mako finally figures out how to stop her while she hovers, still connected to the pool- he sends lightning into the pool. Lots of lightning, electrocuting her. She collapses. Mako breathes a sigh of relief before realizing Bolin is still fighting Ghazan. Bolin is racing Ghazan's lava, when Mako joins the fight, and the brothers knock him down with fire and rock. Ghazan, facing defeat, insists on killing them all. He starts to collapse the whole cavern, and Bolin just manages to bend a rock slide to get them out. They leave Ghazan to his fate.
Bye bye
Zaheer is just using air to crash Korra into stuff now, including a small rock cliff peak. Out for the count, Zaheer tries to kill her with the same air sucking he used on Hou Ting, only to find there's a vicious cyclone coming for him. Did he forget he's only a new air bender? Jinora, with a determined look on her face, keeps Zaheer from flying away with Korra over his shoulder again. While struggling inside the cyclone, he must let go of Korra, who whips her remaining chain around Zaheer's foot, crashing him into the ground, as she lands like a cat. Lin and Suyin bend a rock to hold Zaheer firmly in place.
Tonraq is instantly holding Korra, who is fading. Jinora kneels over Korra. Zaheer laughs for his victory. Jinora, who saw the poison administered, calls on Suyin to save Korra. Suyin examines Korra, then slowly bends the metallic poison out of Korra. It flows from her mouth in one big glob, and Suyin tosses it aside. Korra is saved, but weak. Tonraq declares he'll never let her go.
Happy ending?
Zaheer starts spouting about a revolution that's already begun, until Bolin puts a sock in it. His sock.
Yeah, a happy ending!
Weeks later, back on Air Temple Island, Korra is wheelchair bound and getting final touches on her outfit from her good buddy Asami. Asami, noticing how sad Korra still looks, comforts her that she's recovering just fine, and offers her whatever support Korra needs. She counsels Korra to enjoy today, as it's a big one for Jinora. Korra, maturer, agrees.
Oh, and you're up for vodka shots, right?
Outside the main Temple, Korra's parents, Lin, Tenzin, Lord Zuko, and even President Reiko try to comfort her. Reiko offers Korra a sincere thanks, after admitting that he does, in fact, need her. He's gone from open confrontation to wanting her around always. Lin bends a rock escalator for her, and she whisks herself, Asami and Korra up the steps to the main temple for the big event. Below, the world leaders worry about her condition, and finding the rest of the Red Lotus. Tenzin says trust her. Reiko and Zuko are more worried than the others.
Jinora's ceremony is a meaning-filled event. The Air Nation, off it's second group victory, is happy to see their shining star become a leader. Even Mr. 20-Something Apathy has decided to do something with his life. Calling Jinora forth, Tenzin welcomes her as an air bending master. He praises her for saving the world by not giving up on Korra or her fellow air benders. Knowing how important the ceremony is for the rebuilding of the Air Nomads, he also thanks Korra. Tenzin compares the rebirth of air bending as the world becoming anew, and praises Korra's sacrifice. He declare that the air benders will follow her example. While Air Benders stand proudly around their masters, Tenzin declares that the Air Benders will roam as nomads again, serving the world to restore balance and peace. Tenzin promises this personally to Korra. And reveals Jinora's new air bending tattoos. Together, other air benders bend incense through chimes. They are truly united. Korra's only response is a beautiful tear.
Don't worry, I cried too
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