Suyin looks unthrilled as one of her monorails zips to the edge of town. Bataar, her husband, advises calling for the United Forces via Reiko. Suyin rises at the train stops. She turns as she casually dismisses her husband's idea. The United Forces will never arrive in time to beat Kuvira's entire army, Air Force and Ground Troops. Numerous squares made of rows of battle-armored soldiers fill the valley that leads to Zao Fu, with airships hovering above.
Sure, Kuvira arrives with the upper hand. But calling Reiko is still a good idea. They would just have to hold out until the United Forces could arrive. Although, Zao Fu risks having nothing left to defend when the United Forces finally do show up.
Bataar Jr., on the Trans-Earth Realm Monorail Magnet Train with Kuvira, anticipates that Zao Fu will be theirs by the next day. Kuvira has no illusions about Zao Fu becoming hers easily or quickly. She's brought her whole army because she's well aware just how bitterly Suyin will oppose her. Kuvira has one hope for taking control of Zao Fu without a fight: Bolin. Bataar Jr. isn't so sure Bolin can do it, but Kuvira wants Bolin to at least try to convince Suyin to join the Earth Empire.
Uh... what?
High above the countryside of the Earth Realm, Jinora, Korra, Iki, and Meelo are on their way to Zao Fu, too, on Pepper the sky bison. Jinora wants to take Korra back to her father on Air Temple Island. Korra says, based on what Iki learned from her new friends, that she plans to meet Kuvira at Zao Fu. Whatever Kuvira's got planned, she should know she'll have Korra to deal with too. Meelo jumps in excitement over the coming to-the-death-cage-match. Korra says it will be more like a lunch meeting that resolves all. Meelo denounces the effort to find Korra if he doesn't get to see her fight.
Kuvira's speeding train is also home to Varrick's continued experiments on the spirit vine extracted from Republic City. Only, he's found a way to cut it into smaller slices, each one placed in a glass and metal container and hooked up to a main battery. Varrick, documenting his latest experiment, has figured out that spirit energy is unstable in the physical world. But he thinks he has a way to harness it, feed it into a battery, and use it. His magic? A level of unpredictability he humbly calls the Varry Effect.
And it's Zhu Li's voice! Almost never heard since Season 2, this episode is Zhu Li's chance to shine! When Varrick proceeds with his experiment, the spirit vine does indeed feed a ton of energy into his battery. The spirit vine quickly overloads the battery's capacity, and Zhu Li can't turn the transfer of power off. It doesn't take long for the whole thing to blow up, literally, sending a huge ray of purple energy out the back in a destructive blow. The explosion also throws Zhu Li out the back of the train, to hold on for dear life. Varrick, despite his selfishness, spends his last energy hauling Zhu Li back into the train. Or rather, because of his laziness, because he tells Zhu Li to get busy cleaning up the mess left behind by his massive new ray gun.
Kuvira and Bataar appear, mildly concerned, but Varrick and Zhu Li appear all right. What worries them more is that Varrick decides he's not proceeding with any more work on extracting energy from spiritual artifacts. It's too much power, Varrick tells her. It could destroy much more if used by someone evil.
Bataar scoffs at Varrick's pretense of ethics. But Varrick becomes pensive, trying to describe how it feels to suddenly realize that a thing that can be done doesn't mean it should be. It's Zhu Li who explains, with not a little condescension, that he's hearing his conscience.
Varrick has never heard of a conscience, but he's willing to listen to it, mostly because his own creation almost killed him and the only person willing to clean for him. Kuvira has no such qualms. Her only quibble is that Varrick would rather listen to his conscience than her commands. When Varrick once again puts his foot down, Kuvira takes advantage of the opening at the back of the train. Varrick's metal collar becomes Kuvira's weapon, as she bends the metal around his throat in a chokehold, and sends it zipping out the train, to hold Varrick in the air, suspended outside the back of the train. She explains that his conscience isn't nearly as important as what she'll do to him if he refuses her again.
Your conscience can only annoy you. I can kill you.
Varrick, believing in self-preservation above all else, quickly gives in, and is brought back inside, and thrown on the floor. As Bataar and Kuvira leave, he looks less than thrilled with his demotion from partner to prisoner.
Back in Republic City, Asami has an unpleasant task to complete. She appears at her father's prison to return his letters, unopened. She matter-of-factly orders her father to stop writing to her. She tries to leave, but Hiroshi Sato wants to take the opportunity to apologize with her. She sits, to hear that of all his accomplishments, she is his favorite. She cries a little, before almost fleeing. Asami's loneliness, as her father almost killed her and her friends, and her former partner Varrick turned out to be sabotaging her company, and her Team Avatar friends have moved on must be pretty bad.
I wish I could quit you
Bolin, on the train and apparently not knowing anything about the explosion at the back of the train that just happened, is a little nervous as Kuvira explains that Bolin is now in her Inner Circle. All he has to do is help Kuvira out of a jam. Zao Fu doesn't want to re-join the Earth Realm, out of some old personal business, and Bolin could really help her out if he could convince Suyin to join Kuvira's Earth Empire.
Bolin, excited at his new promotion, says he's got this in the bag. Kuvira flips up the metal shade to reveal her army surrounding Zao Fu, so Bolin realizes he'll have to get to work right away. He's a little doubtful that an entire army at Zao Fu will really convince Suyin that they've got Zao Fu's best interests at heart, but Kuvira repeats the "It's just for show" line, and Bolin agrees to represent peace. After all, Kuvira really wouldn't destroy her home, would she?
The doors to Suyin's private study to show Bolin, Bataar Jr., and Kuvira enter. They are met by Suyin, angry, Bataar Sr., disappointed, and Bataar Jr.'s four angry siblings. Yes, Opal has come to fume at her brother. And Bolin. Bolin wants to rekindle all the friendships they had together. And he wants to attempt a team building exercise. Suyin and Bataar Sr. want their son back. And Kuvira gone. And her army gone with her.
What? You're not happy to see us?
Kuvira plays the whole thing smoothly, saying the army is just to show Suyin what she's achieved, which is the creation of a fighting force that can wipe out her home town on her order. Bolin sells them on all the new Satomobiles and Magnet Trains they've left behind. Opal, arms crossed, informs Bolin that the only thing left behind in Kuvira's wake are forced deportations to re-education camps, and the remaining locals used as slave labor. Bolin literally tells her she should trust him instead of her own eyes. Kuvira, Bataar, and Bolin leave, but only after Kuvira gives them one day to surrender to her. After that, her army will show them just what she can do.
Bolin doesn't want to believe that Kuvira would actually attack Zao Fu. As much as he wants the Earth Realm united, Zao Fu doesn't have any unrest or bandits and there's no real need to fight over it. Bolin, after hearing that villages they've "united" from multiple sources are basically pillaged, asks Kuvira what's really going on. Kuvira claims that she decides how everyone can best serve the Empire, and then that's what everyone does. Bataar calls them "hard truths", but Bolin's starting to realize that's another way to say "I helped a dictator gain power". Bolin proposes the alternative of just declaring Zao Fu no longer part of the Earth Empire, but Kuvira advances on him, telling him that's just another way to say "defeated". And, no one defeats Kuvira. And maybe Bolin would like to question Kuvira from a re-education camp. Bolin realizes he's not going to be taught new skills. Unless slavish devotion is a skill.
Team Korra arrives in the valley, seeing Kuvira's army before striding into Suyin's study, where her family still worries about tomorrow. Korra offers Suyin her help to stop Kuvira. They walk out into her garden, the same one Suyin first taught Korra how to metal bend in. Among the meteorites, Suyin fills Korra in on her three-year feud with Kuvira.
It started in Suyin's private study. There, three years ago, President Reiko and Tenzin asked Suyin to take her forces and stabilize Ba Sing Se, as well as the Earth Realm, which had fallen into violent chaos. Suyin refused, on the grounds that conquering places doesn't spread progress or justice. Kuvira, the only guard allowed to witness the conversation tried to persuade Suyin as well, but Suyin cut Kuvira down right there. Suyin was sure that the people of Ba Sing Se would be impossible to restrain by an outsider. Kuvira kept her peace for the night.
But in time, she had persuaded Bataar Jr., Varrick (and presumably, Zhu Li) the rest of Suyin's guards, and some of Zao Fu's elite to take Suyin's airships and leave Zao Fu. When Suyin threatened Kuvira that she'd never be welcome back if she left, Kuvira declared that she would return if and when she chose to, and how would be up to Kuvira. The airships, now Kuvira's, flew away. When Kuvira did what Suyin had declared impossible, by stabilizing Ba Sing Se, Reiko and Tenzin decided to trust her to bring the rest of the Earth Realm together. When Kuvira refused to yield power to Wu, Suyin realized Zao Fu would be on Kuvira's hit list.
Korra offers her help again, and Suyin requests, with no hesitation, that Korra enter the Avatar State and crush and annihilate Kuvira's army. Korra balks at going back to her old way, at fighting first and trying to manage the situation second. Korra offers to speak to Kuvira. What is there to say?
Asami's back in Republic City, resting at the statue that will have to fill in for her old friend, Korra. What to do? The only close friend in town is Mako, who is busy minding a totally useless Wu. In lieu of someone's advice, Asami realizes what to do next from the sight of a father and daughter playing Pai Sho. The game she schooled Bolin in last season. Which she learned from her father. When the two playing in front of her share a hug when the daughter wins, Asami stands, ready to do what she'd never do if her friends were in town.
Varrick is panicking at being locked in the train to continue working. He didn't even worry in prison in Republic City. But then again, he has no control here. The feeling must be unsettling. Zhu Li either isn't worried or already knows how she's getting out. When Varrick hears another voice calling to him, it's Zhu Li who points out that it's coming from the roof hatch that they could have climbed out of hours ago. Bolin, coming down from the roof hatch he's snuck into, grabs Varrick at the same time Varrick grabs him, and both declare that Kuvira's nuts.
It's a real meeting of the minds
From there, it's easy for all of them to quietly slip out the roof hatch. But how to get away? And where to go?
While Kuvira's lost staff slip away, Kuvira entertains the Avatar. Bataar and Kuvira are polite, if reserved. Kuvira turns frosty as soon as Korra politely asks Kuvira to retreat with her army. Did Kuvira have a plan for the Avatar's inevitable return? Hard to say, but Korra immediately tells Kuvira is out of bounds, and taking it won't fly. Kuvira says she's an unstoppable force, and Zao Fu is the last city to be reunited with the Earth Realm. Kuvira presents herself as someone who's faced the same dissension while doing something important that Korra's had to endure. Korra starts to wonder, and Kuvira helps make up her mind by agreeing not to do anything until Korra has tried to get Suyin to surrender Zao Fu. With Kuvira appearing reasonable, Korra backs down and agrees.
I'm glad you're here for me to defeat personally
Our Team of Genius expats, Bolin, Varrick and Zhu Li, have stolen some armored battle suits, to move quickly around the steep terrain. They've gotten away from Kuvira pretty quick, but Bolin calls a halt to discuss how to get into Zao Fu. Varrick declares Zao Fu lost, and tells Bolin that Republic City needs to know that Kuvira is developing a super weapon based on the spirit vine's power. Bolin wants to discuss, but Bataar Jr. has angrily discovered they're missing, and he and two of his guards have arrived in their own battle suits.
Bataar's aggression is over the top, and in his battle suit, he can unload on the three runaways. Bolin's suit is electrified, shocking him and sending him sprawling. Zhu Li shows herself the only competent, as she immediately lowers her helmet, and launches into fighting two of their attackers. Bolin is fired on and has to evac from his suit. Varrick actually accidentally attacks Zhu Li before losing his own suit. Bolin, now free, and now a lava bender, gets the guards out of their suits by melting them, and then traps them in rocks. But Bataar, still growling in anger, has captured Varrick, who is totally disappointed with Zhu Li for only kicking ass a little. Zhu Li, who's the only one who could hold on to her suit, is incredulous.
It's time I was under new management
Back at Republic City prison, Asami admits that she wanted to hurt her father, to relieve her own pain. Her dad wants to repair their broken relationship, and Asami's only possible solution is try to relive old times playing Pai Sho. Dad happily agrees. The game is on. With no great Avatar adventure, what's in store for Asami?
Bolin, Varrick and Zhu Li look like kids who expect the principal to cane them. And Kuvira doesn't disappoint. In her private den, she banishes all of them to imprisonment. Varrick's will include working on the spirit vine's power and weaponizing it under constant armed supervision. Only Zhu Li objects. Well, she throws herself on the floor and begs for Kuvira's forgiveness. For the first time, she gets real lines as she confesses to Kuvira that she's been devoted to a selfish, stupid, spoiled little boy. Zhu Li recites every indignity she's suffered from Varrick, leaving no entitled episode out. In the end, Zhu Li offers Kuvira the same loyalty, stating that Kuvira has earned it, and that Kuvira is smarter and greater than Varrick could ever be.
Kuvira is flattered, and cautiously optimistic that Zhu Li will work out after all. Zhu Li capitalizes on Kuvira's approval immediately. For once, she orders Kuvira's guards to do "The Thing". In this case, "The Thing", is dragging away a desperately frightened Varrick, who holds his hands out to her in fear as the guards drag him away. Zhu Li looks ridiculously happy to be giving orders for a change.
Korra returns to Zao Fu, to find Bataar Sr. alone. She wants to speak to Suyin right away, but Bataar tells her that Suyin isn't waiting for any truce to end. Instead, Suyin took her kids into Kuvira's camp, presumably to attack Kuvira. Korra, realizing that Kuvira will interpret it as breaking the cease fire, realizes that Zao Fu is in even more danger than before.
The spirit vine energy is a pretty clear symbol for the energy that comes from splitting the atom. And the super weapon is clearly a symbol for the atomic bomb. We developed an atomic bomb in a race with the Germans, so the good guys could have it before the bad guys. Will the show take that approach? Or will our heroes seek to destroy any attempts by anyone to create something so destructive? Is Kuvira a stand-in for Hitler or Lenin? The Earth Empire, in size and history, does resemble Russia, rid of its horrible, autocratic and greedy Czars, now suffering under new leadership. Only, Kuvira may differ from Communists of old by actually being capable of governing. But is that what she wants to do? Govern? Why govern if not to bring people opportunities for economic security, increasing knowledge, and pursuing happiness?
Anyone notice that, as time goes on, Kuvira becomes more measured and restrained (well, in speech), and Bataar is more dedicated to gaining power? Kuvira seems to actually believe that only she can modernize and Earth Realm, and that her way will lift the country out of chaos, oppression and poverty. But the whole odyssey seems personal for Bataar, who insists that he's done with his family and the shadow he claims they cast. He and Opal, for a long time, were non-benders, and Bataar worked so closely with his father, that maybe he never felt left out. Until, that is, Opal gained her own bending powers. Then Bataar would have felt like the misfit. The engineer who had to work harder to gain everyone's attention. Did he think his family would beg him to return if he and Kuvira gained control of the Earth Realm? As Kuvira's prospects improve, Bataar only seems to grow angrier. Is he more of a threat to the world's balance than Kuvira?
Bitter, party of one
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