History Recap / TheLegendOfKorraS4E1AfterAllTheseYears

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
** The problems left hanging at the end of the third season -- Ba Sing Se falling into chaos, Korra's recovery, the bandits terrorizing the Earth Kingdom -- couldn't be cleaned up overnight. Three years later, they're still major issues.
** Despite Tenzin stating the New Air Nation would keep things under control, they prove to be ineffective due to their low numbers. As indicated by Kai and Opal, while they are capable of helping people and fighting off bandits, they are not enough to stabilize the Earth Kingdom which allows Kuvira to conquer the different territories since she has more resources and manpower.
** After three years, the people of Republic City and the spirits of the Spirit Wilds have learned to get along. This has resulted in it becoming a tourist attraction and the people are happier now by accepting and adjusting to the changes. Now people treat Korra as a hero for her previous actions as indicated by renaming the park 'Avatar Korra Park' and erecting a statue in her honor.

* AdultFear: When Tonraq reaches Republic City and finds out his daughter, who has seemingly been writing him letters from there for six months, never arrived.

A lot has changed in three years.

* RealityEnsues:
** The problems left hanging at the end of the third season -- Ba Sing Se falling into chaos, Korra's recovery, the bandits terrorizing the Earth Kingdom -- couldn't be cleaned up overnight. Three years later, they're still major issues.
** Despite Tenzin stating the New Air Nation would keep things under control, they prove to be ineffective due to their low numbers. As indicated by Kai and Opal, while they are capable of helping people and fighting off bandits, they are not enough to stabilize the Earth Kingdom which allows Kuvira to conquer the different territories since she has more resources and manpower.
** After three years, the people of Republic City and the spirits of the Spirit Wilds have learned to get along. This has resulted in it becoming a tourist attraction and the people are happier now by accepting and adjusting to the changes. Now people treat Korra as a hero for her previous actions as indicated by renaming the park 'Avatar Korra Park' and erecting a statue in her honor.

'''Korra:''' (irritably) I get that a lot.\\

* FalseReassurance: When trying to convince Prince Wu that he has nothing to fear from taking the Earth Kingdom throne Tenzin and Lin tell him that the nation is ''mostly'' stabilized and there is an "almost zero" percent chance of him being assassinated. This is still enough to visibly scare him.

-->'''Asami:''' (talking about Korra) I can't wait to see her. It's going to be weird, having the old Team Avatar back in the city '''after all these years'''.

* FacelessGoons: Averted in the case of the bandits, which all have individual designs and many of which are women, but played straight with Kuvira's masked troops who occupy the state of Yi.

* RedBaron: Kuvira is known as "The Great Uniter".

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Prince Wu to Asami.

* BadassNormal: The bandit who steals the supplies off Lefty's back holds his own surprisingly well against Kai.

* BlackSheep: Something happened three years ago that estranged Suyin's eldest son, Baatar Jr., from the rest of the family. Opal is notably cold toward him when they run into each other.

* BloodSport: Korra vanished six months ago and is competing in an underground earthbending fighting ring (with the same logo as Earth Rumble from the previous series), hiding her identity.
* BrokenBird: Korra essentially ran away from home and is currently getting beaten up in underground fighting rings hiding her true identity. She's visibly depressed over the trauma she suffered in her final confrontation with the Red Lotus.

* ChainedToARailway: Kuvira binds the captured bandits to the railroad behind her train, leaving them the option of either joining her or hoping someone finds them in the middle of nowhere before the next train comes speeding by.

* FalseReassurance: When trying to convince Prince Wu that he has nothing to fear from taking the Earth Kingdom throne Tenzin and Lin tell him that the nation is ''mostly'' stabilized. This is still enough to visibly scare him.

* FightClubbing: Per BloodSport above.

* LeonineContract: Kuvira gives the Governor of Yi a [[InsistentTerminology generous offer]] of military support in exchange for control over his lands, but as long as he refuses, he's left at the mercy of bandits which have greater numbers and resources than he does. Despite trying to keep from giving in, he's forced to after bandits hijack a food shipment that Kai and Opal were delivering.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Lin teases Wu about possible assassination attempts in his future. Later she has to break the news to Mako that he has to give up his spot on the police force because Wu personally requested Mako as his permanent bodyguard. Mako is not enthusiastic about it.

** Mako when he learns Raiko has essentially loaned him to Prince Wu on a permanent basis.

** On the other hand, three years and no Avatar to blame have convinced people to stop complaining and actually live with the Spirit Wilds. This has resulted in it becoming a tourist attraction and the people are happier now by accepting and adjusting to the changes. Now people treat Korra as a hero for her previous actions as indicated by renaming the park 'Avatar Korra Park' and erecting a statue in her honor.

* RoyalBrat: Prince Wu, great nephew of the deceased Earth Queen.

* UpperClassTwit: Again, Prince Wu.

* GenreSavvy: Rocks blocking the train tracks? Yep, bandits.

** On the other hand, three years and no Avatar to blame have convinced people to stop complaining and actually live with the Spirit Wilds. This has resulted in it becoming a tourist attraction and the people are happier now by accepting and adjusting to the changes. Now people treat Korra as a hero for her previous actions as indicated by remaining the park 'Avatar Korra Park' and erecting a statue in her honor.

* RealityEnsues: The problems left hanging at the end of the third season -- Ba Sing Se falling into chaos, Korra's recovery, the bandits terrorizing the Earth Kingdom -- couldn't be cleaned up overnight. Three years later, they're still major issues. On the other hand, three years and no Avatar to blame have convinced people to stop complaining and actually live with the Spirit Wilds. Now it's a tourist attraction.

* BloodSport: Korra vanished six months ago and is competing in an underground earthbending fighting ring (implied to be Earth Rumble from the previous series), hiding her identity.

** A dozen or so bandits vs. Kuvira. She doesn't break a sweat.

* DullSurprise: Tonraq's reaction is surprisingly subdued for someone who just learned his daughter has been missing for six months. It's almost as if he isn't surprised at all.

* RoyalBrat: Prince Wu, great nephew of the deceased Hou-Ting.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Kuvira may act like, well a jerk, to the governor but she is right. Without her support his state will be overrun and his people will starve. Even if the airbenders aid had gotten through it would have only delayed the inevitable. Without her forces sooner or later the state would have fallen to the bandits.

* CombatPragmatist: Kuvira beats the bandits by using metal binders to blind and then restrain them.

* BodyGuardCrush: Prince Wu may harbor one on Mako, considering how [[HoYay touchy-feely]] he is with his rather more reserved protector.

* BodyGuardCrush: Prince Wu may harbor one on Mako, considering how [[Ho Yay touchy-feely]] he is with his rather more reserved protector.

* KneelBeforeZod: Kuvira forces the Governor of Yai to pledge his loyalty to her, unless he doesn't want to keep his position.
* LeonineContract: Kuvira gives the Governor of Yai a [[InsistentTerminology generous offer]] of military support in exchange for control over his lands, but as long as he refuses, he's left at the mercy of bandits which have greater numbers and resources than he does. Despite trying to keep from giving in, he's forced to after bandits hijack a food shipment that Kai and Opal were delivering.

* RealityEnsues:
** The problems left hanging at the end of the third season -- Ba Sing Se falling into chaos, Korra's recovery, the bandits terrorizing the Earth Kingdom -- couldn't be cleaned up overnight. Three years later, they're still major issues. On the other hand, three years and no Avatar to blame have convinced people to stop complaining and actually live with the Spirit Wilds. Now it's a tourist attraction.
** Lin derisively makes note of Raiko's friendliness to Wu as a political game. Pretty understandable, given that the last ruler of the Earth Kingdom was hostile to the United Republic and harbored a desire to take it back. Stronger ties between these nations are definitely something worth striving for.

* PuttingOnTheReich: Kuvira's troops wear dark metal helmets reminiscent of either Samurai helmets or World War II German Army helmets (or Darth Vader helmets, [[FacelessGoons complete with mask]]).