History Recap / TheLegendOfKorraS3E9TheStakeout

* KickTheSonOfABitch: When Zaheer [[FateWorseThanDeath throws Aiwei into the Fog of Lost Souls]], no one shed a tear.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: It's retroactively revealed that Unalaq's plan to kidnap a young Korra backfired spectacularly for both him and the Red Lotus. Zaheer and company's imprisonment was a massive blow to the secret society, derailing their plans to train the then-still-impressionable Korra and knocking their top members out of commission for over a decade. Korra being taken in by the White Lotus unwittingly protected her from Unalaq, forcing him to have to revamp his plans to re-open the Spirit Portals and free Vaatu.

* NotSoDifferent: Zaheer argues that Korra and the Red Lotus share the same goals, citing how she kept the portals open rather than separate the human and spirit worlds. While Korra agrees on that point, she draws the line at causing complete chaos.

* ContinuityNod:
** Pai Sho returns, as does Bolin's role as Nuktuk.
** The Misty Palms Oasis itself was last seen in "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheDesert The Desert]]" in season 2 of the previous series. The ice in the center of town has grown since then. That appearance also involved a game of Pai Sho and the Order of the White Lotus.

!!Tropes

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Bolin gets creeped out by the older female fan who had NoSenseOfPersonalSpace.

* CurbStompBattle: Mako and Bolin do not fare very well against Ghazan and Ming-Hua, especially since Ghazan keeps turning Bolin's attacks against him. Mako wasn't any better given he was fighting a master waterbender when the moon was up.

* DownerEnding: The episode ends with all of Team Avatar captured, Korra & Asami by the Earth Queen's forces, Mako & Bolin by the Red Lotus.

* EvilOverlord/[[OurPresidentsAreDifferent President Buffoon]]: Zaheer cites Fire Lord Sozin, Earth Queen Hou-Ting, and President Raiko as examples of corrupt or inept leaders who the world would've been better off without.

* OrderVersusChaos: This is the dynamic between the Red Lotus and the White Lotus. The Red Lotus wants to eliminate the world's governments, believing people will never truly be free until there's no one ruling over them. They see the White Lotus as traitors to their original cause by openly serving these governments, rather than existing apart as had been the case before the end of the Hundred Year War. The same episode features a nice analogy with Pai Sho, which depending on the region is considered either a fast-paced and exciting game or one about strategy and waiting for the proper time to make a move (and as presented, order beats chaos every time).

* RealityEnsues:

** Korra and her friends freeing the airbenders the Earth Queen tried to conscript has made them wanted criminals in the Earth Kingdom.

** The way Bolin says "Pai-Showdown" is just like how they say it in [[WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown Xiaolin Showdown]]

* SomethingPerson: Bolin refers to Ming-Hua and Ghazan as "Water-Arm Lady" and "Lava Guy."

* TemptingFate: After getting the room across from Aiwei's the landlady at the Misty Palms Inn warns Mako that it might be to small for the entire Krew to fit in. He assures her it will be fine. Smash cut to the Krew, and their {{Team Pet}}s, stuck in a cramped room they can barely move around in.

* VillainHasAPoint: Zaheer is right about the White Lotus essentially becoming glorified bodyguards, as it's the only thing they've done for the entire series. Korra also has to concede that both the Earth Queen and President Raiko only excel at proving his point about poor/corrupt governments, though she considers eliminating them entirely to be the opposite extreme.

* VillainousRescue: The Earth Queen inadvertently saves Korra and Asami when her forces capture the two of them before the Red Lotus could.

-->'''Zaheer''': That was Unalaq's idea.

* EvilOverlord/[[OurPresidentsAreDifferent PresidentBuffoon]]: Zaheer cites Fire Lord Sozin, Earth Queen Hou-Ting, and President Raiko as examples of corrupt or inept leaders who the world would've been better off without.

After tracking Aiwei to the Misty Palms Oasis, the Krew split up searching for clues. Korra and Asami stay at Aiwei's jeep and find a note telling him to meet Zaheer at sundown in a place called Xai Bau's Grove. Meanwhile Mako and Bolin find out that Aiwei is staying in the Misty Palms Inn. After reconvening Team Avatar proceed to stake out Aiwei's room so they can follow him to Zaheer. However as time draws closer to sundown, and Aiwei hasn't left yet, Korra goes into the truth seers room and sees that he is meditating. This leads Korra to realize that Xai Bau's Grove is in the Spirit World. Korra ventures into the Spirit World, where Zaheer distracts her by telling her about the origins of the Red Lotus and their goals. After being alerted by their leader, Ghazan and Ming-Hua travel to the Misty Palms Inn to capture Korra. While Asami escapes with Korra's unconscious body, Mako and Bolin hold off the two members of the Red Lotus, which eventually leads to their own capture. Although Asami manages to evade her pursuers, she and Korra are arrested by the Earth Queen's forces

* ArcWelding: Unalaq was part of the Red Lotus, although he betrayed them, and releasing Vaatu was originally the Red Lotus's plan.

** Unalaq was a member of the Red Lotus, and attempted kidnapping of Korra when she was a child was ''his'' idea/

* RedHerring: Zaheer makes Korra believe that the Red Lotus has captured her while they were talking. When Korra wakes up from the Spirit World, she is restrained [Franchise/HannibalLecter Hannibal-style.]] When she asks Asami what happened, she reveals that they were captured by the Earth Queen instead.

* RedHerring: Zaheer makes Korra believe that the Red Lotus has captured her while they were talking. When Korra wakes up from the Spirit World, she is restrained Hannibal-style. When she asks Asami what happened, she reveals that they were captured by the Earth Queen instead.

** The Red Lotus are [[BombThrowingAnarchists anarchists]] who believe that true freedom only be achieved by the elimination of all world leaders.

* TheReveal: Zaheer and his group are members of a secret society called the Red Lotus, a RenegadeSplinterFaction of the White Lotus, who believe that the latter group lost their way when they started openly serving the Avatar after the Hundred Year War. The Red Lotus desire true freedom which they believe can only be achieved by the elimination of all world leaders. And the idea to kidnap Korra when she was a child was Unalaq's who was once a member of the Red Lotus himself.

* BadBoss: Zaheer throws Aiwei in the Fog of Lost Souls for his failure to cover their tracks and failure during their attempted kidnapping of Korra.

* TemptingFate: After getting the room across from Aiwei's the landlady at Misty Palms Inn warns Mako that it might be to small for the entire Krew to fit in he assures her it will be fine. Smash cut to the entire Krew, and their {{Team Pet}}s, stuck in a cramped room they can barely move around in.

After tracking Aiwei to the Misty Palms Oasis, Korra ventures into the Spirit World, where Zaheer distracts her by telling her about the origins of the Red Lotus and their goals. After being alerted by their leader, Ghazan and Ming-Hua travel to the Misty Palms Inn to capture Korra. While Asami escapes with Korra's unconscious body, Mako and Bolin hold off the two members of the Red Lotus, which eventually leads to their own capture. Although Asami manages to evade her pursuers, she and Korra are arrested by the Earth Queen's forces

** Pai Sho returns as well, as does Bolin's role as Nuktuk.

** Korra is is BoundAndGagged in a manner similar to [[Literature/TheSilenceOfTheLambs Hannibal Lecter]].

* BoundAndGagged: Korra wakes up to find herself in a straitjacket, muzzled, and strapped to a dolly to make sure she can't bend. [[Literature/TheSilenceOfTheLambs Remind you of anything?]]

* BoundAndGagged: Korra is straight-jacketed, strapped to a dolly, and masked to make sure she can't bend.

* KirkSummation: When Zaheer tries to frame Korra's attempted kidnapping as raising the Avatar a new way under the training of expert masters, Korra retorts that the Red Lotus's plan essentially amounted to kidnapping and brainwashing a little kid.

This episode was the first to released exclusively on Nick.com for online viewing on August 1, 2014.

* FallenHero: According to Zaheer, Xai Bau was once a member of the Red Lotus, but formed the White Lotus as a splinter faction out of growing disgust and dissatisfaction with the direction the White Lotus was heading.

* FallenHero: According to Zaheer, Xai Bau was once a member of the Red Lotus, but formed the Red Lotus as a splinter faction out of growing disgust and dissatisfaction with the direction the White Lotus was heading.

* KirkSummation: When Zaheer tries to frame Korra's attempted kidnapping as raising the Avatar a new way under the training of expert masters, Korra retorts that their plan amounted to abducting and brainwashing a four-year-old child.

* {{Ridiculously Cute Critter}}s: The Misty Palms Oasis appears to be peppered with random adorable spirits. The residents treat them as pests.

* WhamLine: In response to Korra asking about why they tried to kidnap her.

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Bolin gets creeped out by the older female fan who had NoSenseOfPersonalSpace.

* BoundAndGagged: Korra is straight-jacketed, strapped to a dolly, and masked to make sure she can't bend.