Fragmented
is a The Legend of Korra one-shot fanfic by CMR Rosa.
Bolin has spent his entire young adult life stumbling from one mishap and misadventure to another. However, his ties to the former Earth Empire may have finally devastated his prospects for career advancement. Can Bolin overcome this latest failure and become the successful adult he aspires to be?
’’Fragmented’’ contains the following examples:
- Death Glare: The first sign that Bolin is in trouble is when the United Forces recruiter glares knives at him when he identifies himself.
- Deconstruction Fic: Of Bolin's past behavior and membership in Kuvira's army, his reputation as, at worst, a member of a warmongering extremist and, at best, a weak-willed Manchild who constantly joins the wrong crowd means he is barred from being a member of a serious military force. Bolin himself feels guilty about being fooled by Kuvira and all the times he let down his friends and family because of his idealism, which natively led him to trust the wrong people because he believes he was making a difference let him be depressed and feeling unworthy of being forgiven because he fears that he will make the same mistakes again in the future. Even when his girlfriend Opal assures him that she already forgives him and knows that he will make up for what he's done, he continues to be depressed because he believes that she has too much faith in him. After talking with Prince Wu, who gave him a pep talk stating that he was not the only one Kuvira fooled, that many people were feeling stupid and hurt for supporting her, and that he could be better by improving himself, does Bolin forgive himself. After talking with his brother Mako and friend Korra, Bolin decides not to take the job as Prince Wu's new bodyguard, part with Prince Wu on good terms to be a Earthbending teacher, having moved on from his mistakes and learned from them to be a better person.
- Horrible Housing: Bolin lives in a rundown and dirty apartment littered with garbage.
- Persona Non Grata: For being a member of Kuvira’s army, Bolin is permanently barred from ever becoming a member of the United Forces.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: Bolin’s reputation as a member of the Earth Empire means the United Forces do not want him in their ranks.
- Took a Level in Cynic: Being rejected from the United Forces has left Bolin with a bit of a chip on his shoulder toward life. When Korra comes in asking for his help, he considers himself too much of a failure.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: When Bolin started losing faith in himself, Opal, Mako and Prince Wu each help reassure him that he is still a good person. It doesn't matter if he's made mistakes by working with Kuvira, he's also learned from them. This bolsters his confidence and Bolin decides to take up Korra on her offer to tutor the next generation of Earthbenders at the end of the story.
