Notice how, like the first season, Korra's up against a technological juggernaut. In the first season, it was controlled by Asami's dad, in league with the Equalists. Now, it's in service to a fellow bender as she makes a play to reclaim the United Republic for her own.
Once again, the history. At the end of the 100 Years War, after the defeat of Fire Lords Ozai and Azula, the question remained of what to do with the Fire Nation's colonies in the Earth Kingdom. Covered by graphic novels, new Fire Lord Zuko, a staunch ally of Avatar A'ang and happy to right the wrongs of the Fire Nation, was poised to return these colonies to the Earth Kingdom, but found out that numerous Fire Nation people now considered the colonies to be a separate entity, not unlike Northern Ireland in our world. The colonizers had created their own culture, as well as intermarried with Earth Kingdom dwellers. Zuko led a tense standoff against A'ang and the Earth King Kuei at the time, and got an important concession from both; the founding of a new nation, the United Republic.
King Kuei donated the land, a sore spot with his future successor, Hou Ting. It went beyond Zuko's hope of a place where former Fire Nation colonizers could continue to live in peace; it became a home to peoples all over the world, with the capital Republic City. A'ang came to believe in the United Republic; and Toph came to be its first Chief of Police. It was literally a creation of the original Team Avatar. But it didn't just irk Hou Ting. For the first time, the show gives us a good map showing where the United Republic is; tucked into the Northwest Corner, around a great bay, the United Republic is the one dark green spot on Kuvira's map of a reunited Earth Empire. And she's coming to get it back.
Oh, yeah, I guess I'll let Reiko know after I march on the place
Her speech to her troops is extremely well received, as she promises them that this is the final victory, and they praise her as the Great Uniter. Behind the scenes, she and Bataar quietly anticipate winning, ruling "their" realm, and hug. Kuvira looks sincerely happy to almost complete her work with the man she loves. Is she letting herself imagine a happy future for herself?
And I'll live happily ever after
Since the United Republic's been dark green the whole time on her map, this was very likely always her plan. Was Reiko wrong to trust that she'd give up power? Once she refused to step down, Reiko immediately assumed she would attack Republic City, and wanted to prepare for it. Once again, Reiko can be wrong, but his sense of a threat rarely is. And he shows that he can change plans based on new information and counsel from Tenzin and Korra.
Reiko, while Kuvira is rallying her troops, is meeting with his Kuvira Response Team. Progress is limited. While Asami and Varrick are busy assembling the Hummingbird Hovercraft they've designed, Wu has been trying to evacuate the city. He's managed to convince eighteen families to evacuate. Reiko and Korra aren't happy with his progress until Mako reminds them that the evacuation is voluntary, and people still don't see Kuvira as a threat to Republic City. That all changes when Bolin, again, storms into a private meeting with huge news on Kuvira. Like before, he's got company with new information: Suyin Beifong and Zhu Li. Reiko is pissy about the interruption, but has no problem believing Zhu Li, who confesses that she stayed behind to try to stop Kuvira, but only managed to delay the inevitable. Reiko gives Wu and Mako the order to evacuate all citizens, and they leave with Lin Beifong to announce to the city that everyone is leaving. They think they have a couple weeks, maybe a little less, to get everyone out, build their hovercraft, and repel Kuvira's forces.
Varrick still doesn't know Zhu Li has escaped, and he's busy "inspiring" his workers, which means he shouts at them to work harder and faster. Bolin appears to prepare him for seeing Zhu Li, but nothing can prepare him for seeing his trusted assistant who mocked and betrayed him in his minute of need. Zhu Li makes a heartfelt apology, declaring that she didn't mean any of the insults, even though they're all true. Varrick looks hesitant to re-accept her, but quickly goes into shouting mode, and sends her back to work. But, Zhu Li's not just here to apologize; she's been cleaning up Varrick's messes for too long, and she's back from putting her life on the line to delay Kuvira; she angrily leans so far into Varrick he's got to bend over backwards for her. She demands to be his partner.
Listen, Bub- we both know I should be your boss!
Varrick doesn't know what to make of this as she stalks away, with Bolin freaking out that a tiff between Zhu Li and Varrick is the last thing Republic City needs.
Mako, Lin and Wu take over a comm unit connected to Republic City's public address system, and Mako informs the City that the mandatory evacuation is on. And spouts a lot of gibbeldy-gook straight from some bureaucrat's emergency response handbook. The city call boards light up with people panicking that they have no idea what to do and no one's helping. Mako, confused, ends up giving his seat to Wu. They guys' been totally useless, but today, he reveals something he's got down; smooth-talking the people of Republic City into calmly complying with the city's evacuation order. He tells the people that it's okay to be scared, but all they need to do is proceed to the nearest way out of town, and he'll handle the rest. The City immediately launches in evacuation; and Mako is amazed at Wu's new-found people skills.
With Pema offering to help Wu evacuate the City, Reiko has cut all mass transit lines that Kuvira could use to access Republic City, hoping to slow her Spirt Power Superweapon down. Team Avatar awaits her invasion, as Asami and Varrick race to finish their own countermeasure. General Iroh, back from the second season at last, is camped outside Republic City, with the United Forces ready to take on Kuvira's Mecha Droids and troops.
Somewhere along the border of the Earth Realm and the United Republic, a lone watch station awaits, too. They're surprised by Kuvira's forces, coming a week early. They're ready though, proceeding to sound the alarm to Republic City. But they never get to do that. Because, Kuvira has an alternate mode of transport for her Superweapon Cannon. The mountain top watch station gets the rare sight of a fighter so tall, so massive, it can look at them at the top of their mountain. And it's got the Superweapon Cannon mounted on its shoulder, ready to use.
Wait, what's that red light????
The soldiers at the watch station can see the end coming, they know they have no time to even run for their lives, as Kuvira's Mega Mega Colossus Robot Cannon Holder aims, fires, and obliterates the watch station. Republic City has no way of knowing Kuvira is coming early, and won't know at all how she's bringing her Superweapon.
While the rest of the City leaves, and the air benders assemble to defend the city, Team Korra is finally truly united. And they've decided the time has come to confront Kuvira together. Mako, Bolin, Asami and Korra inform Reiko that they want to take a sky bison, fly to Kuvira, and destroy the Superweapon before it can be used on anyone. Reiko gives his blessing, and they're off, soaring around the mountains that surround Republic City. They don't get far before seeing the monstrosity that Kuvira's built. Bolin had no idea, and no one has any idea of how to defeat the thing, especially not once Kuvira sees them, and we see that the Colossus is controlled by her at the top, in a bridge that she controls by bending the metal levers. No wonder it moves like her.
No wonder it's awful like her
Kuvira fires on them repeatedly, and they almost crash, but they dodge the weapon's laser blows, leaving blown off mountains in their wake as they hastily retreat back to Air Temple Island, where Reiko has been taken for his protection by Lin Beifong. They have only bad news, and no one has any idea how to stop Kuvira now. Korra decides to find General Iroh, and give him what help she can. Asami decides that she will find a completed Hummingbird and get in the air. Tenzin's air benders, including Kai, station themselves so they can see the action from the City's rooftops. Everyone waits silently, tensely.
This would be a really bad time to have to pee
Camped out in the field leading to Republic City, which has been strung with wire barricades to slow Kuvira's Mecha Droids and tanks, Korra and General Iroh wait, and both are amazed at the site of Kuvira's Colossus. As Korra described, it's 25 stories tall, taller than most of Republic City's buildings, and Kuvira arrives and demands Reiko surrender the city. At first, he balks, but Kuvira goes right to demonstrating her Superweapon Cannon on ships in the harbor. To General Iroh's horror, Reiko immediately surrenders. But, what else was he to do? Watch the City be destroyed? What if Kuvira fired on the train station, where Pema and Wu still feverishly work to evacuate residents? Surrendering turns out to be what Korra needs to buy some time.
Go ahead. Make my day.
No one still has any idea of how to beat Kuvira's Colossus. But, they all realize that Bataar Jr. might know, and Kuvira is sending his airship to Air Temple Island to discuss surrender terms with Reiko. So, they know where Bataar Jr. is. Korra decides to lead Kai, Jinora, Tenzin, and Bumi to the airship, kidnap Bataar, and somehow convince him to tell them the how to defeat the Superweapon. Korra's vague about how she'll get him to talk, but we can tell she plans on meaning business somehow, and nobody argues with her.
Except Meelo, who really wants to go and is defeated by his own wildcard farts. Guess someone will have to learn some control, and soon. Tenzin, dressed in the new spiffy airbender outfits, flies with them, quietly landing on Bataar Jr.'s airship, sneaking in flawlessly, and quickly kidnapping Bataar and flying back to Republic City with him. When Bataar's airship lands, and Lin and Reiko do a great job of pretending to be surprised he's not there, and that Kuvira is violating their agreement. While Korra tries to threaten Bataar into talking by going into the Avatar state and lifting him up, chair he's tied to and all.
I'm playing bad cop today!
Bataar chuckles when Korra threatens him, but he's right; Korra puts him down, unable to torture or harm him. So, Suyin tries to talk to her son, one last time. She's convinced that Bataar has some sort of ulterior motive in all this. But Bataar shows that he's a true believer in Kuvira. And still refuses to spill any secrets about her Superweapon. So, Korra figures out what she can do to Bataar. She tells him that for as long as he lives, he'll never be in Kuvira's presence again. No matter how much Kuvira searches for him, Korra will always keep them apart. And, Bataar gives. Because he really loves the homicidal, power-hungry maniac. And he repeats Korra's play to Kuvira. Who looks angry at first. Then sad. But she relents, and tells Reiko and Team Avatar that she'll retreat.
That word must have multiple meanings. Because, while everyone else relaxes, tragedy averted, Kuvira is having Bataar's urgent, loving plea for them to live in the Earth Empire together tracked, so she knows where he and his captors are. Or, at least, where Korra is. Before anyone can flee or stop her, she's got the Superweapon Cannon aimed on the Hummingbird factory, where Team Avatar has holed up with Bataar. She'll kill everyone, her enemies and greatest fan, to get what she wants. Reiko and Lin look on in horror as the factory, it's Hummingbird hovercraft, and Team Avatar are obliterated. Lin launches into the air to look for any survivors, as Kuvira sighs, and puts Bataar Jr. behind her.
Is this the Gambit? Sacrificing Bataar to strike at her most powerful enemies too? Or is the Gambit to show up with a surprise Colossus in the first place? No matter what, she's definitely appeared with overwhelming force. And with Bataar not talking, Team Avatar still doesn't know how to defeat her Superweapon Cannon, or the Colossus. Will Raava come up with something? Will the Spirits decide they need to join the fight? Is Korra even alive to try to defeat Kuvira?
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