We begin with the Ferrets training on the eve of the championship match. Korra's waterbending at posters of Tahno, her waterbending adversary on the Wolf Bats. Korra says that she feels good about tonight's match, and Mako and Bolin agree.
Then the voice of death sounds on the radio: Amon. He really needs an Azula-like scare chord to accompany his addresses. He then declares that the championship game is going to be called off. Because if it isn't, "there will be severe consequences." The trio decide to go to city hall to stop them from acquiescing to Amon's threat. Oh come on, the council would never submit to a terrorist threat like that.
Cut to city hall, where they're submitting to Amon's threat. Korra&Ko appear, because the Avatar can just burst into closed council meetings like that. And naturally, this also transfers to Mako and Bolin because... they're the Avatar's friends. Tenzin is sorry for having to do it, but they're not going to allow the game to proceed. Even Tarrlok is in agreement... for some reason. Tarrlok justifies this by saying that he won't put lives at stake for the Avatar's game.
Thanks for missing the point, Tarrlok; you're basically saying that Amon can get whatever he wants so long as he issues a threat over the radio.
Mako and Bolin attempt to justify support Pro-Bending, saying that it brings benders and non-benders together. Yeah, still missing the point here. Korra finally gets at the real issue, being that capitulation lets Amon get what he wants. Tarrlok doesn't care, and he moves to adjourn the meeting.
But his gavel is destroyed by a black string. It's Chief Beifong. Obviously the daughter of Toph Beifong won't stand for this. She says that she expected this behavior from Tenzin, but not the rest of the council. She wants "the benders of the city" to stand up to Amon.
Your chief of police, ladies and gentlemen. How is it that out of this room of 9 people, six of them adults, it's Korra who actually understands what is really at stake here?
Tenzin doesn't want to escalate the conflict between benders and non-benders. First, Amon already did that. Second, the conflict is between Republic City and the Equalists; by phrasing it as benders vs. non-benders, you're doing exactly what Amon wants. Tarrlok however is more interested in Lin's proposal. Lin says that her metalbenders can provide security, since chi blockers can't get through their armor.
Yeah, you'd think Amon might have thought about that too, Lin...
Tarrlok is satisfied with Lin's idea, so long as she accepts "personal responsibility" for the safety of all involved. So he and the three unnamed other council members change their vote.
Tenzin asks for a word with Lin in private. He thinks that Tarrlok is up to something. Really? Was it that "personal responsibility" thing that clearly suggests that he wants her to fail and will gamble the lives of everyone in the arena on that? Lin doesn't care, so Tenzin says he'll be at the arena, though primarily for Korra's sake. Hey, why not bring a few of those OWL guys along too; they're supposed to protect the Avatar, right?
As Lin walks away, Korra tries to make nice by thanking her for helping with the council, but Lin completely ignores her. Tenzin tells Korra that she was always difficult to deal with since she was a child. Korra wonders what Aang did to make her hate the Avatar, but that wasn't it at all. It's really more Lin not liking Tenzin.
Korra shows that she actually is capable of human-levels of intelligence and realizes that Lin was the person Tenzin was dating before Pema. You know, the one Pema stole him from. Korra says that she's surprised Lin didn't throw Pema in jail; Tenzin says that she tried.
Your chief of police, ladies and gentlemen!
Tenzin says that Pema didn't "steal" him; Lin and he had been growing apart for a while, blah blah shipping blah, then he wonders why he's explaining all of this to Korra. As he leaves, she fires some good-natured ribbing at him.
Cut to Amon, where his lieutenant tells him that the council is keeping the area open. Which is just as Amon wanted.
Cut to the police searching the arena. Tenzin walks up to Lin, and he starts asking how thorough a job her officers are doing. Tenzin seems to take offense at her being pissed off for his implication that she doesn't know how to do her job. He then asks her to work with him. OK, Tenzin, what skills do you bring to this whole "secure the arena" thing? Because last I checked, you were an Air Nomad, not a trained officer. But Lin relents and decides to be "less abrasive."
Cut to Bolin giving a pep-talk... to his ferret. Such riveting entertainment folks. The announcer then introduces the challengers to the arena. Asami blows Mako a kiss as he enters the field of play, which Mako returns to Korra disgust. Thank you for more shipping, writers; I really needed that after ODing on it last ep.
The Wolf Bats come out in full costumes, complete with their own entrance music and fireworks. Cosplayers and emos in the crowd swoon over them.
The match starts with Tahno trying to waterbend-punch Korra. He clearly steps on the center-line to do this, but he isn't called on it. Or the, you know, attempt to punch someone. After a few fancy tricks, we learn that bending a long stream of water is illegal when Tahno does it to Bolin, but again isn't called on it. We also learn that bending outside of your zone is illegal, as someone does this and again isn't called on it. We next learn more illegal moves: freezing water, when Bolin is tripped up and removed from the ring. Also not called.
Even the announcer can see that the refs aren't doing their job. The Wolf Bats knock Korra and Mako into the final area, then seemingly out of the ring. But we now learn that if you hang on someone hanging on to the edge of the ring, that's the same thing as still being on it. Sure why not. Korra hurls Mako back into the ring, and he hits Tahno in the back while he was celebrating.
Korra asks about the shoddy officiating, and Mako suspects that they've been bought. Ya think? Even in real fixed matches, the refs have to try to look impartial. Korra naturally suggests a little rule-breaking themselves, but Mako has to point out that this would be really stupid, since the refs are trying to make them lose.
The next round sees a few more illegal tricks, as we learn that aiming at someone's head is illegal too. But the Ferrets manage to force a tiebreaker. Korra decides that she's taking on Tahno, so that Korra can manage to claim some form of victory in her own show. Korra takes him out with one feint and an uppercut.
Cut to a bit of banter between Lin and Tenzin. Hey Tenzin, she has a real job to be doing; maybe you should stop distracting her with your pointless chatter. Anyway, Lin says that she's surprised that Aang became Korra. Me too, and not in a good way. Tenzin says that the two of them might get along better if Lin gave her a chance.
The third round starts with a lot of bending and such. The announcer flat out says that the refs are in the tank for the Wolf Bats. Oh, and then the Wolf Bats get an All-Kill by crumpling up a stone disk, soaking it in water, and head-shotting the three Ferrets.
Tahno, celebrating, says, "Anybody else wanna scrap with the champs?!" You fool, you mad, mad fool! You can't say stuff like that in the Avatar-verse; be glad that The Dark Spirit of Azula itself was not summoned to punish you for your hubris.
We then see some of the people in the arena put on masks. Then they reach into their popcorn to pull out metal gloves. Tenzin notices one come for Lin but too late. The gloves are shock-gloves and Lin and Tenzin are quickly taken out. As are all of the other officers.
You mean Amon planned ahead to find a way to deal with guys wearing metal armor? What a shock!
Korra and Ko notice what's going on, but then Amon's lieutenant appears and electrocutes them via the water. The announcer narrates what's going on, even when a guy walks into the booth and shocks him.
Then... a Amon appears! He and 6 henchmen rise in the center of the arena. Tahno, I believe he wants to, um, scrap.
Tahno actually asks the ref what's happening. The Wolf Bats attempt to attack, but they are quickly subdued. Forced to his knees before Amon, Tahno offers him anything not to take his bending. But Amon cares not and lays his hand upon him. De-bended, the Wolf Bats are ejected from the field.
Korra&Ko are dragged out of the pool and tied up; Korra gets a few more flashes of that memory of the older Gaang, and holy crap Toph grew an extra finger!
Amon speaks to the crowd, talking about how the Wolf Bats are the perfect proxies for benders in general: bullies cheating their way to the top. He tells benders that if they stand against him, they'll meet the same fate as the Bats. Amon then addresses his Equalists, saying that they have enough people now to rise up and take the city.
While Amon talks about how this will all happen soon, we cut to Korra&Ko being rescued by Pabu, Bolin's ferret. Back to Amon: he says that technology has managed to level the playing field; their shock gauntlets allow anyone to effectively become a chi blocker. Of course, a gun would be even better at that, but we aren't allowed to have those in the Avatar-verse, as the story would then be over. Amon then says that they'll equalize Republic City, then the world.
The Equalists apparently have airships, which have taken out the police airships. One of them drops cables down through the roof for Amon and his followers. Lin wakes up and sees Amon getting away. As she moves to intervene, the bending field explodes. Once Pabu gets Korra&Ko free, Korra immediately tries to waterbend her way up to the airship. But she doesn't get nearly high enough. Fortunately, Lin is there to catapult her up the rest of the way. She attacks a couple of them, then tries throwing fire at Amon who casually gets on his ship in time to avoid the blast.
Lin manages to get there and tries to follow Amon, but some chi blockers attack her. Korra makes the save and she engages Amon's lieutenant while Lin recovers. Lin ascends up to the airship and Korra manages to beat the lieutenant. However, her final attack causes the glass under her feet to break; Korra never did learn to mind her surroundings. Lin abandons her quest for Amon and jumps after her, using her cables to slow Korra down.
Lin says that she played into his hand. Only because you underestimated him and thought your metalbenders could handle anything. Tenzin then dramatically declares that "Republic City is at war." I'm glad you were here to say that Tenzin, since it's the only thing you did this episode.
Another Series in Three Acts
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the arc. Again.
We had four episodes of character introduction and establishment, followed by a breather episode. That was the first act, where we set up the situation. With Amon's terrorist attack here, we step up into the second act.
The Pro-Bending tournament arc is over and done with. It's now the Equalists vs. Republic City, for the next 6 episodes.
And this is a great start to the second act. It touches on many of the major elements of that act. It brings up Tenzin and Lin's relationship, which will be a frequent background element of the second act. Amon gets out there and starts the war. And it gives us hints about Tarrlok, the way he wanted Lin to take "personal responsibility" for the success or failure of the police to protect people. The only major element that wasn't really brought up is something that will be dealt with next episode: where does Amon get those wonderful toys?
We have more of that implicit characterization with Lin and Tenzin, as well as with Lin's relationship with Korra. The latter is less well-defined; I assume that we're supposed to expect that their little duet erased Lin's dislike for Korra. It's unclear exactly why that would happen though, as they never really said anything to each other. They fight together, then they're friends. Kid's show logic, I guess.
But then again, when you've got 12 episodes, you pick your battles.
I find it interesting that Korra seems to have gotten over her fear of Amon so easily. And off-camera. Yes, she admitted her fear back in The Voice in the Night. But an admission of fear is not the same as dealing with it, confronting it, or surpassing it. One would have expected that overcoming that fear to be a consistent element in Korra's fight against Amon. There are still elements of it, like when she heard his voice on the radio. But it's completely missing at the end; she just throws herself after Amon without any hesitation.
Plus, she'll show fear of him later when she confronts him again. So it's not exactly a consistent thing; she's afraid of Amon, but only when the writers want her to be.
