History Recap / TheLegendOfKorraS3E13VenomOfTheRedLotus

** Mako and Ming-Hua's fight has echoes of Zuko and Katara vs. Azula, except the firebender is the protagonist and the lightning is used against the waterbender rather than the person who was trying to protect her. There's bonus points for having Creator/GreyDeLisle voice the antagonist.
** Bolin and Ghazan's fight echoes the Zaheer and Tenzin fight, in which a prodigy takes on a master and acquits himself well, but is ultimately overwhelmed until backup arrives.

* OhCrap: Ghazan looks alarmed when Korra breaks free and takes out Ming-Hua. He gets another one immediately afterwards when Korra uses airbending to reflect his lava right back at him.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
** Even a powerful and skillful fighter can make a critical mistake and lose a fight if they don't fully know their opponent. Ming-Hua has never seen Mako lightning bend and has no reason to assume that he can. She lures him into a part of the cave that seems to favor her because it's flooded with water, which she instantly turns into a weapon. Mako responds by hopping out of the water and using his lightning to fry her. Not knowing what your opponent is capable of can result in getting a rude shock, (no pun intended) or even worse outcomes.
** Even though the metallic poison ([[http://intelligence4.tumblr.com/post/95564981225/william-ruzicka-on-the-red-lotus-poison confirmed]] to be mercury, a natural liquid metal) is removed and Korra survives, she is confined to a wheelchair and seems emotionally devastated, barely speaking. Though she is expected to get better, it's clear that she ''isn't'' going to just bounce right back from the physical, mental, and emotional injuries that were inflicted on her.

* WhipItGood: Korra uses the chain she's bound with as a whip.

* ContinuityCavalcade: The climactic battle sees nods to several elements of Books 2 and 3's [[SignatureScene signature scenes]] of the original series, particularly the location (the crystal cavern and an aerial battle through a forest of spires), plot elements (the Avatar Cycle is threatened when the BigBad attempts to kill the Avatar while in the Avatar State), fight match-ups (Mako vs. Ming-Hua/Zuko and Katara vs. Azula; Korra vs. Zaheer/Ozai vs. Aang), and even the conclusion of the fights (the Avatar is left severely handicapped following their near-death experience; the Big Bad is humiliated after their defeat and it is PlayedForLaughs).

* AdultFear:
** The worst kind imaginable for Tonraq: Holding your child in your arms as they slowly die, powerless to help them.
** Tenzin had some cause to worry, since his family were in the clutches of the Red Lotus and he was also powerless since he was too battered to fight, but that worry pales in comparison to Tonraq's tearful despair.

** Ming-Hua's waterbending arms prove to be her downfall, as they conducted Mako's electricity very well.

* AllForNothing: Zaheer lost the love of his life and his two closest friends in a plot to end the Avatar Cycle, and it proved to be for nothing since the poison was removed from Korra just in time to prevent her from dying.

* BittersweetEnding: Jinora is initiated as the first airbending master of the new Air Nation, Zaheer has been imprisoned and the other members of his group are dead, and Tenzin vows that the new Air Nation will devote itself to helping the world rather than living apart from it. However, Korra's still recovering from Zaheer's poison and looks emotionally devastated, too weak to walk or even dress herself, and it's unknown just how long it will take her to get back on her feet. The Northern Air Temple, one of the few remaining pieces of Airbender history from before the 100 Year War has been destroyed. The Earth Kingdom is in disarray following the Earth Queen's death with fallout from the chaos threatening neighboring lands, and no one knows how many members of the Red Lotus are still out there. In addition, there's still no solution to the spirit vine problem in Republic City.
* BookEnds: This Book begins and ends two weeks after a major incident in Korra's life. However unlike the start where the season takes place two weeks after Korra's greatest victory, the season ends two weeks after Korra's greatest defeat.

* BreakTheBadass: The whole ordeal proves pretty traumatic for Korra. Not only does the metal poisoning take a toll on her body, leaving her wheelchair bound, the near death experience and the hallucinations have left her an emotional wreck, barely speaking. The last scene of the season is her releasing a SingleTear while everyone else is enjoying Jinora's ceremony.

* TheCameo: While the poison is sinking in, Korra hallucinates the members of the Red Lotus as previous [[ArcVillain Arc Villains]] Amon, Unalaq and Vaatu.

* HopeSpot: After spending most of their fight not being able to touch him thanks to his new flight abilities Korra is finally able to freeze Zaheer's leg cutting off his maneuverability and gets ready to land a devastating blow. Unfortunately the poison finally kicks in and she ends up collapsing and is barely able to use her bending at all.

* RealityEnsues:
** The Red Lotus greatly underestimated the power Korra has in the Avatar state. This is the power of a ''god'' after all.
** Bolin's new MagmaMan abilities ''do'' take away a good portion of Ghazan's advantage, since Bolin has control over the lava Ghazan throws at him now, but the older lavabender is much more experienced at bending lava and thus still has the upper hand until Mako joins in.

** The Avatar State doesn't cure poison, so Korra's battle is cut short once the poison gets the better of her determination.

-->'''Asami:''' ''[holding Korra's hand]'' I want you to know - I'm here for you. If you ever want to talk, or... anything.

** When the poison is pulled out of Korra's system, the way she pukes it is similar to ''A Haunting In Connecticut.''

* VictoryByEndurance: Once Korra breaks free and begins chasing Zaheer, this becomes his strategy. He has absolutely no chance of beating her in a straight fight, but he can try to evade her long enough for the poison to either kill her or weaken her enough that he can finish her off. While he needed a few lucky breaks and [[WorfHadTheFlu a host of other factors working against Korra]], this plan [[NearVillainVictory came very close to working]] and Zaheer would have killed Korra if not for the intervention of Jinora and the other airbenders.

* WeAreEverywhere: Zaheer reminds everyone that he may be defeated, but the Red Lotus is far from defeated. Sadly, the heroes accept this to be true, and vow to prepare for it.

* BullyingADragon: The Red Lotus' plan to end the Avatar Cycle by killing Korra in the Avatar State his a snag with the part of the plan that involves forcing Korra into the Avatar State. The strength she gains from the Avatar State allows her to break free from the chains holding her and fight back.

-->'''Asami:''' ''(holding Korra's hand)'' I want you to know - I'm here for you. If you ever want to talk, or...anything.

* BullyingADragon: The Red Lotus' plan to end the Avatar Cycle by killing Korra in the Avatar State his a snap with the part of the plan that involves forcing Korra into the Avatar State. The strength allows her to break free from the chains holding her.

* HighVoltageDeath: Mako fries Ming-hua with lightning after she lures him to an underground pool.

* SingleTear: The final frame of the season is Korra letting a devastated tear lose while everyone else is watching Jinora's ceremony.

* VillainousUnderdog: Zaheer is outclassed against Korra in the Avatar State even the poison hindering, so he aims to survive by outlasting the poison does its work. He nearly wins once the poison starts to become too much even in the Avatar State, and Korra only survives thanks to the other airbenders coming to her rescue.

* HumilationConga: Zaheer is the only survivor of the quartet of villains, which means he lives long enough to his plan to end the Avatar Cycle fail. On top of that he's going to be sent back to prison, robbing him of his freedom until the day he dies.

* DiedInYourArmsTonight: Just barely averted after Korra is left on deaths door and Tonraq holds her in his arms. Thankfully Su is able to save her by metalbending the poison out of her body.

* TimeSkip: Asami mentions in the final scene that it has been two weeks since Korra's battle with Zaheer.

* BreakTheBadass: The whole ordeal proves pretty traumatic for Korra. Not only does the metal poisoning take a toll on her body, leaving her wheelchair bound, the near death experience and the hallucinations have left her an emotional wreck, barely speaking.

* ChainPain: Korra used the chain she ripped out of the ground as a flail and [[InstantKnots catches Zaheer by the foot]] to slam him into the ground.

* HeroicWillpower: Korra is able to resist going into the Avatar State for a while on the strength ofher will.

* OhCrap: Ghazan looks alarmed when Korra breaks free and takes out Ming-Hua.

** Even a powerful and skillful fighter can make a critical mistake and lose a fight if they don't fully know their opponent. Ming Hua has never seen Mako lightning bend and has no reason to assume that he can. She lures him into a part of the cave that seems to favor her because it's flooded with water, which she instantly turns into a weapon. Mako responds by hopping out of the water and using his lightning to fry her. Not knowing what your opponent is capable of can result in getting a rude shock, (no pun intended) or even worse outcomes.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: While hallucinating, Korra imagines Zaheer, Ghazan, and Ming Hua turning into Amon, Unalaq, and Vaatu respectively. When this happens, they start telling her that she's no longer needed and the Red Lotus will succeed in their plans.

* SuperStrength: Korra's physical performance in the Avatar state makes it clear that bending isn't the only thing that's amplified. She is able to snap the chains holding her and tear one free from the rock wall it's bolted to through just brute strength.

* WorfHadTheFlu: Korra is nearly killed by Zaheer while in the Avatar State thanks to a number of factors. Primarily, she is suffering from severe mercury poisoning, which eventually catches up to her and leaves her unable to fight back. Zaheer, meanwhile, has far greater mobility and only needs to wait Korra out, going in for the attack once the poison has sufficiently weakened her.[[http://ikkinthekitsune.tumblr.com/post/102124509499/iruka-2013-heres-a-point-about-this-scene-that Estimations]] on how much that one platinum chain weighed are around ''fifty pounds'', and mercury is very heavy too. Assuming a liter of mercury was forced into her body that would be an agonizing additional thirty pounds or so. Korra is only able to defeat Zaheer after receiving help from the airbenders.

* PlotHole: Per the [[MagicAIsMagicA rules of earthbending,]] mercury ''should'' be unbendable due to it's purity.

** Bolin's new MagmaMan abilities ''do'' take away a good portion of Ghazan's advantage, since Bolin has control over the lava Ghazan throws at him now, but the older lavabender still has the upper hand until Mako joins in. On the other hand, Bolin's lavabending keeps Ghazan from immediately ending the fight, and Ming-Hua finds herself on terrain that looks like it favors her but actually favors Mako, causing her to be soundly defeated.

** Even though the metallic poison ([[http://intelligence4.tumblr.com/post/95564981225/william-ruzicka-on-the-red-lotus-poison confirmed]] to be mercury, a natural liquid metal) is removed and Korra survives, she is confined to a wheelchair and seems emotionally devastated, barely speaking. Though she is expected to get better, it's clearly something that she ''isn't'' going to just bounce right back from.

* PlotHole: Per the [[MagicAEqualsA rules of earthbending,]] mercury ''should'' be unbendable due to it's purity.

** Zaheer's line, "we lucky few, this band of brothers and sisters of anarchy," is an allusion to the line, "we happy few, we band of brothers," from the St. Crispin's Day Speech from Creator/WilliamShakespeare's ''Theatre/HenryV''.

** Ghazan drops his [[FauxAffablyEvil laid-back personality]] when he realizes Mako and Bolin have him cornered.