First Things First: If you’ve been watching the show and thinking… “meh,” last episode was aptly titled because THE TIDE WAS TURNING, YO! The episode was nuttier, funnier, dramatic-er, stupidly schmoopier, and epic-er than those that came before it. If nothing else, it was NOT meh. It was anti-meh. It was insane hysterical laughter followed by crazy random shouting/shrieking with no distinguishable words (I actually did this). T’WAS CRAZE-AMAZE-BALLS!!!
Also, Bangarang.
This last one is because DANTE BASCO CAME BACK AND I AM FILLED WITH LOVE AND REMEMBER ZUKO?! AND RUFIO?!!! I am utterly unashamed about my love for both characters, and now Dante, the voice of Zuko, is back… as Iroh (presumably son of Zuko and Mai, named in touching homage for Uncle Iroh)!
Guess who’s now in love with General Iroh?
Yeah, ME!
…aaaand every other female Avatar fan ever.
Also, my brother and I watched that episode together and we said, “GET WRECKED!” a lot. There are Epic and Hysterical fight sequences.
Anyway, last episode, THAT was the turn-around that I’ve been waiting all season for. And now it’s finale time (*BEWARE, SPOILERS BELOW! IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED THEN WATCH THE EPISODE FIRST AND THEN COME BACK*), and I promise you, it only got better.
For those of you who haven’t been keeping up (tsk tsk/OHMERGAWD YOU REALLY MUST FIX YOUR LIFE)…
Here’s a little explanation/disclaimer: I’m going to talk about the season finale of The Legend of Korra. I’m probably going to rant a little bit, if we’re feeling really crazy, I might even rave, and mostly I’ll record my reactions to everything that happens in the episode as I watch it. It’ll be like live blogging… but not live.
To The Episode, WolfBatman!
In the News Reel/Last time, on The Legend of Korra:
The Equalists are on the attack!
Beifong’s bending is gone!
GENERAL IROH!!!
Tenzin and the family had to flee
In the City:
Sato being spokes person
United forces on the way
Aang’s statue has been covered by a giant Amon mask and things
Under The City:
Korra and Mako are dressed as Equalists
Asami is moody about how Mako loves Korra GET OVER IT
The hobos are lovely hosts
And Bo likes their food
Asami does not
Korra and Mako talking about FEELINGS
AND NOW I CAN’T IMAGINE MY LIFE WITHOUT YOU IN IT!!!
Almost kissing music!
On Air Temple Island:
Man, when Amon has a place surrounded, he goes all out
Ooh, Amon with the “cleansing of the impurity” talk as he lines people up and takes their bending away. So very ethnic cleansing/genocide adjacent.
Yo, the therapists of Republic City are going to have their hands full after this one
On A Boat/With the United Forces:
EVERY TIME GENERAL IROH SPEAKS, I LITERALLY SQUEAL
He’s the best
And he’s right, it’s not right because there are MINES!!!
It’s time for a naval battle, yo.
Korra dives into the water (because that’s … really smart? Don’t be an idiot, Korra)
“WHERE DOES HIROSHI FIND THE TIME TO KEEP INVENTING NEW EVIL MACHINES!!!”
You guys, we have WWI style dog fights, and if Korra could get out of the water right now, that would be great
THERE ARE TORPEDOES AND STUFF, GET OUT OF THERE
Also, Iroh, are you all right?
YOU’RE A FIREBENDER!!! Yay. (I mean, I expected no less, but really. Am still pleased)
Is Korra going to go into the Avatar state?
Because, girly, that was some pretty impressive water/bomb bending, but NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME!!!
Torpedo headed toward General Iroh’s face!
DON’T YOU THREATEN TO KILL GENERAL IROH RIGHT AFTER BRINGING HIM IN!!!
Under the City (Reprise):
It’s cool; Korra saved him, and is healing him.
General Iroh is great—second wave of reinforcements are going to wait for them
COMMANDER BUMI!!!! Tenzin’s brother!!! (So many delicious Easter eggs)
Team Avatar is going to ground the ships
Korra’s going to face Amon … just because? She isn’t good at patience stuff… that’s … consistent character writing at least, I guess.
Mako says he’s going with her. Duh. Because he lOooooves her.
Asami is making a face. Because she also knows that Mako loves Korra. Stealthy, dude.
“KORRA, AMON IS A NASTY DUDE, BE CAREFUL” Bolin’s the best!
Mako says he cares about Asami and they get going – right, well, I expect someone to throw some dishes next season (Asami, I’m looking at you)
I LOVE THAT HOMELESS GUY!
On Air Temple Island (Part II):
Korra and Mako put on their Equalist disguises and get into the occupied Air Temple Island
Also, best soundtrack ever
Tarrlok’s being held in the attic
BECAUSE HE’S AMON’S BROTHER!!!
WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT!!
Flashback Land:
AMON IS FROM THE NORTHERN WATER TRIBE AND A WATER BENDER, AND A BLOOD BENDER!!!
What!
Yakone underwent intense plastic surgery and escaped to a northern water tribe
Then the brothers had intense horrible daddy issues when Yakone told them that he wanted them to be blood benders, take over Republic City, and take revenge on the Avatar.
Poor baby Tarrlok (and even baby Amon/Noatak)
Poor puppies.
Amon was a prodigy and a psycho?
Man, this show is awesome at making me love potentially evil people
HE MADE YOU BLOOD BEND EACH OTHER?!!!
What is wrong with him, WIFE, WHERE ARE YOU?!!! GET YOUR KIDS AND RUN AWAY!!!
Teen Tarrlok is so sweet/abused.
Teen Amon, is a psycho genius and … I super love him, actually.
Standing up for baby brother/sibling things will kill me every. stinkin’. time.
THIS IS LIKE GAME OF THRONES LEVEL OF FAMILY MESSED-UP-NESS !!!
I just want to gather them up and give them huge hugs and take them to therapy and make it okay.
Poor babies.
Back in the Attic:
So Amon’s been using bloodbending to take away people’s bending.
Uh-oh, and TARLOCK DID BLOODBEND HIS BROTHER!!! (unknowingly, but still. Poor babies)
Korra and Mako are going to try to expose him as a bender in front of all of his supporters at the crazy big Amon Rally.
At the Equalist Airfield:
General Iroh is giving orders to mess up that airfield/ground the planes
They just walked into the first electric fences (AFTER Asami noticed that it was pretty weird that they put up fence posts, but no actual fences. Sigh. Dudes, she’s not a super genius, but y’all should focus a little harder on the strategy aspect of your Survivor game, ‘kay? Thanks)
At The Arena:
Mako and Korra are infiltrating the rally
Amon onstage and rock concert/NAZI/Communist-esque Propaganda is EVERYWHERE
Korra does the J’accuse! Thing, and Amon says ha ha, what a pathetic lie
Amon’s mask is coming off
And he has a crazy scar on his face—SO DID TARRLOCK LIE?!
Is possible (I mean, it is Tarrlok, guys)
AMON’S GOING TO TAKE THE BENDING OUT OF TENZIN AND HIS FAMILY!!!
NOOOOO!!!
That’s basically genocide!
They are the last airbenders IN THE WHOLE DAMN WORLD!!!
And look at Jinora and Ikki and Meelo!
They’re too little and funny and cute to do that to!
Back at the Equalist Airfield:
Asami, Bolin, and Iroh are all in a Sato cage.
Sato and Co. intercepted the message to Bumi, and are going to destroy his fleet
Bolin does not know how to metal bend, but Naga can break anything.
Asami’s taking one of the suits
IROH JETTED HIMSELF INTO A PLANE THAT HE CAN’T FLY!!! Aw man, he is my favorite by so much it’s insane
At the Arena:
Amon is trying to bait them into fighting
It’s working
Korra’s freeing the Tenzin family
YEAH, TENZIN!!! GET WRECKED, EQUALISTS!!!
Nobody puts airbending babies on stage to be publicly abused! (Admittedly, that one got away from me… a bit)
Poor babies (this is a phrase I’m stuck on this episode, apparently)
MEELO’S SO CUTE!!!
PRISON BREAK!!
Amon Chasing Korra Through the Arena:
Amon just jumped through fire!
Man, I sometimes forget that I’m the girl who really really really loves her some martial arts movies. I remember now. These fight sequences are so beautiful.
Was Tarrlok lying, or wrong, or is Amon lying/suffering some heavy amnesia? (all of my theories are soap opera theories and they’re awesome)
Okay, so Amon’s definitely bloodbending Korra and Mako
Amon’s trying to take Korra’s bending!
What?!!! ?!!!
Folks, for all intents and purposes, it appears that Amon took Korra’s bending away.
I refuse to believe that that worked.
She’s the Avatar!
She can out bend his bloodbending—and she’s the only one who can permanently take away bending (this is my guess)
On a Plane:
General Iroh is on screen and he’s shooting lightening at everyone and he’s my favorite, and now he’s using his firebending as a jebpack and hijacking other people’s planes and I love him. Hi, pretty.
He just blasted the Amon mask off of the Aang statue!
As my mommy said, “Well, THAT was symbolic.”
“THANKS, AANG.”
Man, I hope Dante had the best time ever with that scene in the booth. Because it filled my heart with joy and song and I feel like I could levitate, I’m so happy.
In the Suit Shed:
Asami and Sato are fighting in the suits
Uh-oh.
He’s having a mechanized King Lear moment
Bolin’s throwing rocks at him and saying, “Mr. Sato, you are a horrible father.”
Oh, Bolin. You are the best.
Asami tazes him, though, so it’s okay.
Oh, Hey. Remember When Amon Took Korra’s Bending? Yeah, Back To That:
Uh-oh.
His second in command just saw everything and is rebelling. I like him.
But he’s getting bloodbent.
Mako just electrocuted the heck out of Amon
GO MAKO!!
But Mako’s getting his butt kicked again now—he’s about to get his bending taken away.
SHE STOPPED HIM BY AIRBENDING (BECUASE OF THE LOVE CONQUERS ALL MANNER OF LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS CLAUSE IN TV SHOWS)!!!
And she just defenestrated him via airbending (any kind of defenestration is awesome. But defenestration via bending? Even better).
And now he’s revealing himself as a waterbender, and his scar makeup washed off.
How ya like that for a tie-up?
Amon escapes into the water
In the Attic Again:
The brothers talk
Amon offers to take Tarrlok with him—that’s awesome!
And I am full of heartbreak for their family issues.
Back on Free Air Temple Island:
Sounds like it’s real—Korra’s bending (except airbending, I guess) is gone.
UNCLE BUMI’S HERE!!!
Tenzin’s back to being a grumbly old man.
On a Boat:
Noatak and Tarrlok, bothers in a boat,
Uh-oh, there’s a tear on Amon’s face
WHICH TARRLOCK MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE JUST BLOWN UP?!!!
In the South Pole:
Katara says that Korra’s bending is gone except for airbending.
I rather thought they might do that.
Poor baby.
WHAT ABOUT THE AVATAR STATE!!!
Dramatic “No, it’s not going to be okay” things from Korra.
To be fair, I get it. I would be a mean mess too.
And guess who goes after her: Yup, Mako.
Oh god, they’re being moody.
And Korra thinks she’s not the Avatar anymore
Mako confesses his love to her!
She runs away on her polar bear dog
Girl, I know that move.
Alone on an Iceburg:
Korra is crying a magical tear into the water
Tenzin approaches to be comforting
“Not now Tenzin, I just want to be left alone”
Girl, you’re stealing all of my moves.
But It’s not Tenzin, it’s Aang!
And all of her previous incarnations! That’s the sweetest thing ever, to find out that she’s not alone.
AVATAR STATE!!!
She’s okay, and Mako was there to witness it all, and hug and say I love you too, to, and smooch and whatnot.
Whatever.
Pfft. Teenagers.
Back At Katara’s Place:
SHE’S BRINGING BACK BEIFONG’S BENDING!!!!
MY HEART IS SO FULL OF JOY AND SHINYNESS AND I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S OVER!!
There had better be a second season!
Season Finale Grade: A+
(Where are my gold star stickers?!)
Season Grade: B
Let’s be real yo, there were moments when I was tempted to give it up (but even in those moments, it was a smart, funny, complicated show that sometimes just fell short of being AS awesome and AS smart and AS funny as I really wanted it to be).
But it kept bringing me back and MAN, AM I GLAD THAT IT DID!!!
Here’s hoping that next season is consistently as awesome as this finale.
Later, diary.
Love,
Borah