History Recap / TheLegendOfKorraS1E8WhenExtremesMeet

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: One has to admit despite being a sleazy politician, Tarrlok's a really good fighter and an extremely skilled waterbender. Probably half the reason he has a fountain in his office is to defend [[ProperlyParanoid himself against attacks.]]

* CryCute: Korra has this in angst to the airbending block before her.

* AdultFear: The ending would be horrifying to any parent, especially those of a teenage girl.

->''"There are a lot of things about me that you don't know."''

Mako, Bolin, and Asami move into Air Temple Island after losing their homes in the previous episodes. Since Chief Lin Beifong has resigned, Saikhan takes her place and says he will bring any issues to Tarrlok. Korra and Tenzin find this suspicious, but Tarrlok says he only has Republic City's interests in mind.

Later, Korra and Tenzin talk to Tarrlok, who wishes for Korra to rejoin his task force. Korra refuses, telling him that she's the Avatar. Tarrlok challenges her statement and reminds Korra that she cannot airbend. As Korra and Tenzin leave city hall, Tenzin reminds her that Avatar Aang had past Avatars to talk to and advises her to meditate on her visions.

In the evening, Asami, Bolin, Mako, and Pabu meet up with Korra, forming the "new Team Avatar". Using one of Hiroshi's vehicles, the team apprehend a group of Equalists.

The next day, Tarrlok persuades the Council, save Tenzin, to pass a law that allows the arrest of anyone "associated" with the Equalists, and imposes a curfew on all non-benders. Team Avatar discovers a crowd of non-benders protesting against Tarrlok for taking out the electricity in their homes. Korra tries to reason with Tarrlok and is ignored because he supposedly believes all of the non-benders are Equalists at a rally. He orders the arrest of Asami for being an Equalist's daughter, and Mako and Bolin for arguing against him.

Korra goes to Tenzin to bail her friends out, but Chief Saikhan cites due process of law, ensuring they and the innocent non-benders won't be freed any time soon.

!!Tropes:

* MurderIsTheBestSolution: There were ''heavy'' implications Korra was going to murder Tarrlok, a ''far cry'' from what [[TechnicalPacifist Aang]] would do.

* PersonalityPowers: Tarrlok. He's a [[SmugSnake smug snake,]] [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative bastard,]] as well as both a [[SleazyPolitician sleazy]] and [[CorruptPolitician corrupt politician]] who can bloodbend.
* PrecociousCrush: Meelo's crush on Asami.

* SpannerInTheWorks: Tarrlok was counting on Korra either being like Tenzin or [[WeCanRuleTogether joining him,]] as he ''bitterly'' states, Korra, being [[ChaoticGood Korra,]] messed his plans ''up'' to the extent he had to expose his bloodbending ability just to survive.

* WhamEpisode: Though both of the previous episodes were also, the implications towards the end -- namely that going by Korra's vision and what we now know about Tarrlok, he may have something to do with Yakone, who Aang defeated 42 years ago. And the immediate ending.

* MightMakesRight: Korra accuses Tarrlok of doing this and proving Amon right in the process. Tarrlok instead says that she also does the [[NotSoDifferent exact same thing with her bending abilities]].

* NotSoDifferent: Tarrlok says this to Korra on going to extremes to assure the peace. Korra promptly turns it back on him, saying that his recent actions especially rounding up non-benders who have done nothing wrong make him no better than Amon, [[BerserkButton making his eye twitch with fury]].

->''There are a lot of things about me that you don't know.''

!!Tropes in this episode:

--->'''Tarrlok:''' How is your airbending going? Made any significant progress with that? ''(Korra looks down in shame)'' I didn't think so.

'''Korra:''' ''(Taken aback)'' Of- ''(Determined)'' Of course not!\\
'''Tarrlok:''' Isn't that what you came here to do? Intimidate me into releasing your friends? ''(Korra glares at him)''

* ArtShift: Happens in the background with Korra's reaction to Ikki bring up the subject of Korra's crushing on Mako. It includes a realistic sky background, lightning strikes, and fire.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: One has to admit despite being a sleazy politician, Tarrlok's a really good fighter and an extremely skilled waterbender.
** Probably half the reason he has a fountain in his office is to defend [[ProperlyParanoid himself against attacks.]]

* BeyondTheImpossible: Tarrlok is able to bloodbend Korra even though it's not a full moon (in fact when shown the moon is actually at a crescent meaning his water bending should be fairly weak). When Korra asks how it's possible Tarrlok just replies that there are lots of things she doesn't know about him.

* BoundAndGagged: Korra after Tarrlok defeats her. Though he nearly got his eyebrows singed for forgetting the "gag" bit when Korra spits some fire at him in her thrashing.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Tarrlok and the police rounding up all non-benders who don't go in for curfew...and anyone trying to defend them. ''And'' the non-benders only came out because Tarrlok had their power shut off for some reason.

* GroundShatteringLanding[=/=]ThreePointLanding: Korra gouges out a landing crater in the council chamber as a show of force to Tarrlok.

* IHaveYourWife: Tarrlok uses the fact he has Korra's friends in custody to blackmail Korra into serving him, but it backfires.

* KickTheDog: Most everything Tarrlok does in this episode. In order--tries to get Korra back on his task-force, imposes a curfew on all non-benders, shuts off many non-benders' homes' power at night and arrests them when they gather to protest, arrests Asami, then Mako and Bolin when Korra tries to help the non-benders, attacks Korra when she tells him he's no better than Amon, uses bloodbending to subdue her when she wins, and finally locks her in a car headed far away, saying she'll never see the city again. That's a ''lot'' for an implied 48 hours.

** Just as the Krew form the new Team Avatar, Meelo, coming out of nowhere, lands on their hands and farts.

* StandardFemaleGrabArea: [[MakingASplash Tarrlok]] grabs Asami by the arm with a water whip after Korra tries to stop the police from arresting the non-benders. Probably justified; Korra would retaliate against the police, but Asami likely wouldn't be so eager.
** Completely justified. The only weapon Asami had was her electro glove, which is probably the last thing you'd want to use on a Waterbender. And though her self defense training may very well have included chi-blocking, we only see her beating up Equalists (read: other non-benders), and that with some of their own technology; for all we know she'd get curbstomped going up against benders herself. Also while Asami isn't subdued simply by being touched with the water whip she's smart enough to know resisting will not help anyone in this situation and it's better to bide her time, if possible.

* UnstoppableRage: Tarrlok proves his competence as a fighter as he gives Korra the fight of her life, driving her to the point that she earthbended a ''stone wall''. If anything, the girl was seeing red and was ready to end the man with her firebending before Tarrlok pulled the bloodbending card.
* WhamEpisode: Though both of the previous episodes were also, the implications towards the end--namely that going by Korra's vision and what we now know about Tarrlok, he may have something to do with Yakone, who Aang defeated 42 years ago. And the immediate ending.

* WorstWhateverEver: Korra's opinion on Saikhan being the worst chief of police ever for not letting the innocent non-benders and her friends go free and going along with Tarrlok's draconian measures. Tenzin agrees with her.
** Which, considering [[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderAvatarDay the stories]] he's likely been told, is [[FridgeBrilliance saying a lot]].
* YouAreNotAlone: When Korra stresses about not being able to airbend, Mako, Bolin, and Asami come along and remind her Aang was not alone and neither is Korra. Which makes the later events of the episode all the more brutal.

-->'''Tarrlok:''' How is your airbending going? Made any significant progress with that? ''(Korra looks down in shame)'' I didn't think so.

-->'''Tarrlok:''' You obviously have something on your mind. Spit it out.\\

* NotSoDifferent: Tarrlok says this to Korra on going to extremes to assure the peace. Korra promptly turns it back on him, saying that his recent actions especially rounding up non-benders who have done nothing wrong]] make him no better than Amon, [[BerserkButton making his eye twitch with fury]].

* BeyondTheImpossible: Tarrlok is able to bloodbend Korra even though it's not a full moon (in fact when shown the moon is actually at a crescent meaning his water bending should be fairly weak). When Korra asks how it's possible Tarrlok just replies that their are lots of things she doesn't know about him.

* OhCrap: Saikhan gets one when Tenzin finds him in the lobby.

* UnstoppableRage: Tarrlok proves his competence as a fighter as he gives Korra the fight of her life, driving to the point that she earthbended a ''stone wall''. If anything, the girl was seeing red and was ready to end the man with her firebending before Tarrlok pulled the bloodbending card.

** Anyone suspected of helping the Equalist terrorists, or of even being the same "type" as them (ie. non-benders) are arrested and held indefinitely with no hope of release. [[WarOnTerror Do]] [[ANaziByAnyOtherName we]] [[Film/HotelRwanda really]] [[FantasticRacism need]] [[RedScare to]] [[Film/SchindlersList spell]] [[ComicBook/VForVendetta this]] [[POWCamp one]] [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler out?]]

* SpannerInTheWorks: Tarrlok was counting on Korra either being LawfulGood like Tenzin or [[WeCanRuleTogether joining him,]] as he ''bitterly'' states, Korra, being [[ChaoticGood Korra,]] messed his plans ''up'' to the extent he had to expose his bloodbending ability just to survive.

* ThunderShock[=/=]WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises: Korra's face when Ikki tells Asami that the Avatar is crushing on Mako.