History Recap / TheLegendOfKorraS1E8WhenExtremesMeet

* StandardFemaleGrabArea: [[MakingASplash Tarrlok]] grabs [[ActionGirl 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.

* MoodWhiplash: The first half of the episode is relatively light-hearted with plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments. Then Republic City becomes a police state similar to the Nazi era and the Red Scare. All of Korra's friends are arrested and Tarrlok reveals he can bloodbend, without a full moon, providing probably the biggest DownerEnding in the series so far.

* DownerEnding: Even worse than last episode. Asami, Bolin, Mako, and many other innocent people are in prison, and not even Tenzin can bail them out, and Korra's been sent somewhere, with Tarrlok saying she'll never see Republic City again.

* HopeSpot: It seems that by the end of the episode, Korra has defeated Tarrlok. Then he reveals his Bloodbending ability...
* IHaveYourWife: Tarrlok uses the fact he has Korra's friends in custody to blackmail Korra into serving him, but it backfires.

* ThunderShock: Korra's face when Ikki tells Asami that the Avatar is crushing on Mako.

** 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]] [[SchindlersList spell]] [[ComicBook/VForVendetta this]] [[POWCamp one]] [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler out?]]

** Later when Korra confronts him for arresting her friends and using his power to threaten and intomidate, which is exactly what Amon says is wrong with benders, he asks if she's not doing the same. She denies it, but it clearly affects her at least for a second.

* ContinuityNod:
** The wall fountain in Tarrlok's office incorporates a design of two koi in a yin-yang configuration, referencing the original incarnations of the ocean and moon spirits from the first series.
** Tarrlok's bloodbending ability.

** 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]] [[HotelRwanda really]] [[FantasticRacism need]] [[RedScare to]] [[SchindlersList spell]] [[ComicBook/VForVendetta this]] [[POWCamp one]] [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler out?]]

** "Asami, did you know Korra likes Mako?" spoken by Ikki to Asami(Mako's girlfriend). Though it affects Korra more than it does Asami.

* 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, thunder strikes, and fire.

** 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]] [[HotelRwanda really]] [[FantasticRacism need]] [[RedScare to]] [[SchindlersList spell]] [[ComicBook/VForVendetta this]] [[POWCamp one]] [[AdolfHitler 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.

* 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.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Korra is in the middle of firebending, closing in on Tarrlok when the fire suddenly disappears. In other words, Bending can be stopped with bloodbending.

** Probably half the reason he has a fountain in his office is to defend [[Properly Paranoid himself against attacks.]]

That night, Korra returns to City Hall to confront Tarrlok. Each compares the other to Amon, and at hearing Korra's retort, Tarrlok attacks her, and a fight ensues. Korra gains the upper hand by destroying the fountain behind Tarrlok and forcing him out of the room. Having run out of water, Tarrlok resorts to bloodbending, able to stop Korra from firebending at him despite the absence of a full moon. He sends Korra flying into a wall and approaches her. Korra has another vision of Avatar Aang, Toph, and Sokka at the trial of the unknown man. Sokka has a pained expression, and Toph is seen trying to attack the smirking individual with metalbending cables but is unable to. Aang struggles to reach the man, while behind Aang, people appear to be under control.

* ArrestedForHeroism: Not played lightly. [[spoiler: Asami, Mako, and Bolin get arrested for their acts and Tenzin cannot bail them out because of the new police regime.]]

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: [[spoiler: One has to admit despite being a sleazy politician, Tarrlok's a really good fighter and an extremely skilled waterbender.]]
* BadassBoast: Subverted. Korra says she is the Avatar and Tarrlok needs her in the BadassBoast fashion, but he quickly comments on her difficulty airbending. Korra later asks him [[spoiler:during their fight after she gains the upper hand]] if she's still a half-baked Avatar. [[spoiler:Cue Tarrlok using his bloodbending.]]
* BerserkButton: Korra presses Tarrlok's when she compares him to Amon for [[spoiler: his actions taken concerning maintaining peace]], while Tarrlok presses Korra's by arresting her friends as a bargaining chip then attacking her when it fails.
* [[spoiler:BlackMagic: [[BloodMagic Bloodbending]], which is seen as this by most waterbenders, makes a return.]]
* BoundAndGagged: [[spoiler: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.]]

** [[spoiler: Tarrlok's bloodbending ability.]]

* [[spoiler: DownerEnding: Even worse than last episode. Asami, Bolin, Mako, and many other innocent people are in prison, and not even Tenzin can bail them out, and Korra's been sent somewhere, with Tarrlok saying she'll never see Republic City again.]]
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: [[spoiler: 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.]]
** [[spoiler: 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]] [[HotelRwanda really]] [[FantasticRacism need]] [[RedScare to]] [[SchindlersList spell]] [[ComicBook/VForVendetta this]] [[POWCamp one]] [[AdolfHitler out?]]]]
** [[spoiler: While FromACertainPointOfView the metal-benders and Tarrlok do have the ability to arrest Asami for being out after curfew, Mako and Bolin are arrested after Mako says "You can't do that" to Tarrlok having her arrested.]]
* FascistsBedTime: Tarrlok imposes a curfew on all non-benders. [[spoiler:[[KickTheDog And then goads a neighborhood full of nonbenders into breaking it by cutting off their electrical power.]]]]
* FlashbackCut: Korra discusses her visions with Tenzin at the beginning, though he says he's not sure what they mean just yet. She then has another one of these [[spoiler: but it's more intense than the previous ones and reveals that Tarrlok may have something to do with Yakone]].
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Korra is in the middle of firebending, closing in on Tarrlok when the fire suddenly disappears. In other words, [[spoiler:Bending can be stopped with bloodbending.]]

* JerkassHasAPoint: Tarrlok, yet ''again''. He mocks Korra for not doing much in her airbending training, which is entirely true. That is, [[spoiler:until he locks Korra in the metal box, with the intention of kick her out of the Republic City.]]
* KickTheDog: Most everything Tarrlok does in this episode. [[spoiler: 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.

* HopeSpot: It seems that by the end of the episode, Korra has defeated Tarrlok. [[spoiler:Then he reveals his Bloodbending ability...]]
* IHaveYourWife: [[spoiler: Tarrlok uses the fact he has Korra's friends in custody to blackmail Korra into serving him, but it backfires.]]

* MoodWhiplash: The first half of the episode is relatively light-hearted with plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments. Then Republic City becomes a police state similar to the Nazi era and the Red Scare. [[spoiler:All of Korra's friends are arrested and Tarrlok reveals he can bloodbend, without a full moon, providing probably the biggest DownerEnding in the series so far.]]
* MurderIsTheBestSolution: [[spoiler: There were ''heavy'' implications Korra was going to murder Tarrlok, a ''far cry'' from what [[TechnicalPacifist Aang]] would do]].

* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: [[spoiler: Korra engages in a bending fight with Tarrlok, kicking his ass immensely, until Tarrlok reveals he can bloodbend.]]
* 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 [[spoiler: especially rounding up non-benders who have done nothing wrong]] make him no better than Amon, [[BerserkButton making his eye twitch with fury.]]

** Korra also gets one when [[spoiler:Tarrlok reveals that he's a bloodbender.]]
* [[spoiler: PeoplePuppets: Tarrlok is able to bloodbend, which might be surprising but is [[ManipulativeBastard exceedingly appropriate]].]]
* PersonalityPowers: Tarrlok. He's a [[SmugSnake smug snake,]] [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative bastard,]] as well as both a [[SleazyPolitician sleazy]] and [[CorruptPolitician corrupt politician]] [[spoiler: who can bloodbend.]]

* TemptingFate: Asami, Bolin, and Mako reassure Korra [[spoiler:that like Avatar Aang, she has friends on her side and they can save Republic City together. Then the three are arrested]]. Later, [[spoiler:Korra taunts Tarrlok about having no water to bend after destroying his office, which had a fountain. Then she gets [[BloodMagic bloodbended]].]]

* UnstoppableRage: [[spoiler: 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.]]
* WhamEpisode: Though both of the previous episodes were also, the implications towards the end--namely that [[spoiler: 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.

** [[spoiler:Which makes the later events of the episode all the more brutal.]]

* MurderIsTheBestSolution: [[spoiler: There were ''heavy'' implications Korra was going to resort to slaying Tarrlok, a ''farcry'' from what [[TechnicalPacifist Aang]] would do]].

** 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.

* Foreshadowing: Korra is in the middle of firebending, closing in on Tarrlok when the fire suddenly disappears. In other words, [[spoiler:Bending can be stopped with bloodbending.]]

** [[spoiler: 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]] [[HotelRwanda really]] [[FantasticRacism need]] [[RedScare to]] [[SchindlersList spell]] [[VForVendetta this]] [[POWCamp one]] [[AdolfHitler out?]]]]

** "Asami, did you know Korra likes Mako?" spoken by Ikki to Asami. Though it affects Korra more than it does Asami.

** 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.

* Foreshadowing: Korra is in the middle of firebending, closing in on Tarrlok when the fire suddenly disappears. In other words, [[spoiler:Bending stopped with bloodbending.]]