The Legend of Korra - Bolin / Characters

Bolin

Voiced by: P. J. Byrne, Sebastian Fitzner (German), Alexandre Nguyen (French), Janusz Zadura (Polish)

"Maybe I just can't turn my back on people when they're down!"

^{Click here for his Book 4 appearance}

The younger of two brothers from a mixed-ethnicity union. Part of a pro-bending team along with Korra and his older brother Mako. Being younger, Bolin is a lot more playful and relaxed than his brother, and just wants a good time. He wants to take more initiative and get more respect, but his immaturity and naturally laid-back nature makes this difficult.

open/close all folders

#-F

10-Minute Retirement: Bolin several times tries to have a normal life outside of Team Avatar, but as circumstances force him to quit whatever job he tries to get, he ultimately accepts Team Avatar is his true place in life.
11th-Hour Superpower: Bolin spontaneously learns to lavabend in the Book 3 season finale.
The Ace: This trope is initially inverted for Bolin since while a skilled bender in his own right he was often Over Shadowed By Awesome when compared to everyone else in the Krew. This all changed after he mastered Lavabending and suddenly became second to Korra in terms of destructive power. Hell, by the end of the series one could argue that he is now approaching Toph/Bumi levels of raw earthbending power.
Acquired Situational Narcissism: After Varrick makes him a mover star, Bolin lets it go to his head, though he gets better after Varrick is exposed as a traitor.
Affectionate Nickname: Is given the pet name "Feeble Turtleduck" courtesy of Eska.
All for Nothing: Bolin's work on the Earth Empire and with Kuvira is this. He joins Kuvira because he believes that they are making lives better. Bolin strains his relationships with his brother Mako and girlfriend Opal, who disapprove of Kuvira because he idolizes her. Bolin goes so far as to lash out at Mako for not thinking she is a good leader. In "Enemy at the Gates", when he is sent to Zaofu to negotiate, he finds that Opal is angry and wants nothing to do with him. When Bolin tries to tell all the good the Earth Empire has done to improve the lives of the towns, Opal tells him that all of the towns that were forced to join the Earth Empire have turned into labor camps so Kuvira can get their resources and calls him out on never checking on those towns. Bolin refuses to believe her and snaps at her that he was certain that they were making the Earth Empire a better place to live. The tension between the couple is defused, however, when Bolin hears Kuvira issue a twenty-four hour ultimatum to surrender Zaofu, lest she would take it by force. Kuvira then confirms to Bolin that what he heard is true and threatens to send him to a reeducation camp. Painfully aware of how badly he misjudged her and how many people he's hurt in the process, Bolin goes to great lengths to help derail Kuvira's plans. Lampshade in "Remembrances":
Bolin: How can you call me "the hero of the world"? [Looks down.] I left my friends and family to join up with a psychotic dictator who imprisoned me and now, [Looks away in shame.] I'm running back home with my tail between my legs.
All-Loving Hero: Bolin is quick to forgive people who've done him wrong (i.e. Varrick). He can't bear to see another living thing, human or animal, be hurt. Resulting in his strong desire to do anything in his power to help.
All There in the Manual: His rank in Kuvira's army is Corporal, according to the concept art, but isn't stated on screen.
Always Second Best: When it comes to his brother Mako — in age and getting girls.
Amazon Chaser:
- Back when he had a crush on Korra.
Bolin: You're the smartest, funniest, toughest, buffest, talented-est, incredible-est girl in the world!
- In season 2, he begins a relationship with the aggressive Eska but it gets deconstructed as her said aggressiveness makes her a controlling, emotionally abusive girlfriend to Bolin.
- He also starts a relationship with Opal, who won't let him off easy when he makes a huge mistake. Before that, when Bolin approached her with his usual Casanova Wannabe routine, he compliments her airbending skills.
Amicable Exes: With Eska, if a bit awkward.
Annoying Younger Sibling: Downplayed. Not intentionally, but Bolin's naive and blunt nature does cause some problems for his older brother, Mako. Despite this, he and Mako are still very close and are each other's best friend.
Ascended Fanboy:
- Toph is Bolin's hero and not only does he meet her family during Book 3, but he also begins a relationship with her only granddaughter, Opal. He gets to meet her personally in Book 4.
- Bolin has a great admiration towards Lord Zuko and is in complete awe when they meet in person.
The Atoner: During the second half of Book 4 once he learns the truth about Kuvira's goals and abandons her army. He's painfully aware of how badly he misjudged her and how many people he's hurt and alienated in the process, including his girlfriend Opal, and he goes to extreme lengths to help derail Kuvira's plans and regain Opal's trust.
Audience Surrogate: He starts taking on the role in Book 2, with his prodding Mako to clean up his love life already, and goes even more into it in Book 3 with his reactions to Varrick and the Red Lotus. He's also a fan of the characters from the original series, based on his reactions to Zuko and Toph.
Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: Despite a somewhat rocky start, at the end of Book 2 he and Eska do genuinely care for each other. A little.
The Baby of the Bunch: Most childlike of the team. Mako is quick to admonish his little brother for his antics every now and then.
Badass Adorable: By being both a Lightning Bruiser and The Cutie.
Badass in a Nice Suit: Bolin foils a plot at a formal event in a nice Roaring Twenties-esque suit. Not before tearing the sleeves off first.
Bad Liar: He usually runs at his mouth, trying to cover one lie with a more exaggerated instance. It's a hint that Bolin wasn't acting when he gives his Anguished Declaration of Love.
Bad Powers, Good People: He learns lavabending, a strong contender for the scariest, most devastating bending technique in the show. It makes him no less goofy, fun-loving, or kind-hearted. Becomes even more pronounced after the Time Skip, where even though he is part of Kuvira's Earth Empire, he is the Token Good Teammate, joined so he could help the helpless and expresses reservations when Kuvira starts acting aggressive, all despite having the most destructive power out of all the group.
Bait-and-Switch: In Book 3, he reveals that he always wanted to learn metalbending but years of practice failed to produce any results. After several points where it seems like metalbending would be an important skill for him to finally pick up in a pinch, he instead learns lavabending.
Bash Brothers: With Mako. It's more common in Book 3, since the two are usually split up in the previous seasons.
Battle Couple:
- Downplayed with Eska. They fought together after briefly rekindling their relationship, but both decide to amicable break-up.
- Downplayed again with Opal. While they remain a couple by the series finale and proven their skill in their respective bending (even becoming more stronger during the Time Skip), they hardly fight beside one another.
Berserk Button: In season 4, during the first half of the season, questioning if Kuvira is a bad leader or saying his work on the Earth Empire was bad is a good way to make him mad, as his brother Mako and girlfriend Opal learn. Bolin learns the hard way that they were right and he regrets not listening to them.
Betty and Veronica: Bolin is the "Betty" (the sweet-hearted Big Fun) to Mako's "Veronica" (aloof, The Cynic) in a Sibling Triangle for Korra's "Archie". After seeing Korra and Mako kiss, Bolin, after a hostile initial reaction, amicably bows out of the love triangle. His crush on Korra is never mentioned again.
Beware the Nice Ones: Bolin is sweet, empathetic, and a hugger. However, he's a deadly bender when pushed, especially when Book 4 comes around.
Beware the Silly Ones: Bolin acts like a goofball, but when it comes to earthbending or lavabending, he's no joke, and can get downright deadly.
Big Beautiful Man: Stout, chubby, and muscular body? Check. Resident Chick Magnet and cutie? Check.
Big Brother Instinct: He gets very excited about having a little brother figure when Kai joins the group, and keeps sticking up for him no matter how clear it gets that the kid is up to no good.
Big Eater: He's the likeliest of the team to be munching on some snack (grapes, dumplings, popcorn, entire game hens, and so on) or another in any given random scene. Not long after the brothers' introduction, he's revealed to have taken out a loan against their winnings to do some impromptu grocery shopping. When given a look of chagrin by his brother, Bolin simply quips:
"I'm a growing boy!"
Big Fun: The burlier and more fun-loving sibling.
The Big Guy: Thematically. As the avatar, Korra has more raw power, but Bolin is still the most likely to use blunt force in a fight. Book 3 plays up his precise earthbending skills, however. And then there's his lava bending.
Big Ol' Eyebrows: They come from his father's side of the family, who all share them.
Birds of a Feather:
- Bolin explains to his brother Mako why he likes Avatar Korra: "Korra and I are perfect for each other. She's strong, I'm strong. She's fun, I'm fun. She's beautiful...I'm gorgeous!" Though unfortunately for Bolin, Korra doesn't feel the same way. While she does care very much about him as a friend, her affections lie firmly with Mako, who isn't so different from Korra.
- It pays off better in Season 3 when Bolin meets Opal, Lin Beifong's niece, who's just as dorky and kind hearted as he is.
Brains and Brawn: Provides the brawn when working with Varrick.
Breakout Character: Got little screentime or story in season one. Fast forward to season 4, where he's more important to the story than the other Krew aside from Korra, and received the same or more screentime as her.
Broken Ace: Bolin may not have had it as hard as Korra, but he's been through his own share of troubles. Bolin lost his parents to a firebending mugger (it's unknown if he was there with Mako), but it forced him to fend for himself, along with his brother, on the streets. As he grew up, Bolin gained a lot of insecurities whenever he compared himself to Mako-noted to be better at receiving more attention from the girls and being a better bender. He also thought of himself of a lesser earthbender because he could never metalbend. In the love department, Bolin always wanted to find that one girl, but never had much luck (e.g., Korra, Eska, and Ginger.) He does finally find his true love in Opal, but their relationship is strained because of his alliance with Kuvira. Bolin also suffers from his naive nature when he thinks someone is trying to help, but are just using him for their own selfish gain (e.g., Shady Slim, Varrick, and Kuvira) and have caused to put strain on his relationships with the people closest to him (e.g., Mako, Opal, etc.) It would be understandable if his idealism was shaken after moments like that.
Brutal Honesty: As for telling the truth, his mouth is as blunt as most Earthbenders can get. He does this twice in the first two episodes of season 2. The first time, it impresses Varrick, the second just causes awkward silence.
Butt-Monkey: Especially in the Book 2 premiere, when he gets pushed around a lot. Also, he easily gets taken advantage of by Korra's cousins.
Calling the Old Man Out: Not his own father, but he does call out Hiroshi Sato for his treatment of Asami. But note that he callss him MISTER SATO. Bolin is a POLITE young man, even when he's angry.
Bolin: You! Are! A! Horrible! Father!
Cannot Keep a Secret: Bolin is not the best at keeping secrets, as he accidentally blabbed to Asami about Mako and Korra's kiss while she was still dating his brother.
The Captain: Of the Fire Ferrets after Book 1. Mako and Korra have both quit.
Captain Obvious: He tends to point out things that are obvious to everyone else. It's usually Played for Laughs, but no one appreciates it.
The Casanova: Subverted. He is introduced as one, infamous for bringing his "crazy fangirls" with him backstage at the arena (which isn't unreasonable for a famous athlete). However, while later stories still show him quite popular with the ladies, he never displays the expected attitude, being more goofy than jaded.
Casanova Wannabe: Anytime he tries to get girls onscreen, it never ends well with him. He takes an interest in Korra in Book 1, but it was one-sided and then he saw Korra and Mako kiss. In Book 2, he tries to impress Eska, Korra's cousin, but her domineering attitude quickly alienated him. Ginger, the woman who plays his girlfriend on the big-screen, isn't too fond of him, either, though she warmed up after he saved the president. In Book 3, he initially tries to approach Opal Beifong in this fashion, but abandons it after she convinces him to be himself. In general, Bolin seems to do a lot better when he's not making an effort.
Character Development: It takes a while to kick in and is offscreen, but it does happen. Come Book 4, Bolin is less of the goofball we knew in the first three books. Now, he's more calm, mature, and has found his calling.
- One big example of his growth is his relationship with Varrick. In Book 2, Bolin blindly followed and admired Varrick, despite the man's shadiness. However, in Book 4, while Bolin still listens to Varrick, it's only when the older man has a point or actually knows what he's doing, and is now able to call out Varrick for his crazy or selfish stunts.
- Bolin also truly becomes an individual in Book 4, and not just one half of the Bending Brothers. Besides making his own decisions based on what he believes is right, his clothing also becomes very distinct from Mako's, sporting a brown leather jacket opposite Mako's plain bodyguard uniform, after both brothers having very similar costumes for the past three seasons.
- In the romantic department, Bolin had a pretty narrow view on how to approach a girl he was interested in (e.g., he would act as the Casanova Wannabe). However, after he meets Opal, who made it clear she didn't like said approach, he quickly drops the act. They becomes an Official Couple in Book 4; they were having relationship troubles during the Book because of his involvement with Kuvira, he tells her he knows he can't win her forgiveness with romantic gestures, but he won't stop trying because he loves her.
Characterization Marches On: One of the original aspects of Bolin's character was that he was a successful ladies' man. Aside from Mako mentioning that Bolin often brings fangirls into the gym (and one of them yelling Bolin's name during a match) in their debut episode, this has been nowhere on display for most of the series, with most of his attempts at romance (be it with Korra, Eska, Ginger or Opal) being rather lame and giving the vibe of someone with little experience.
The Charmer: Said to always have a lady on his arm, as well as a habit of bringing "crazy fangirls" to the Fire Ferret's room before matches. We get to see Bolin in his natural environment in Book 2 where he lives up to the trope.
Chekhov's Skill:
- Those Nuktuk movers actually paid off when he had to get Eska to let him and Mako go and feigned an Anguished Declaration of Love about how he left her at the altar because he was afraid of his feelings, which resulted in her softening just enough to free them. Although he might not have been completely acting.
- The precision Earthbending Bolin learned as a pro-bender came in handy for neutralizing P'Li's combustion bending, as well as allowing him to easily control a Deadly Disc made of lava with his lavabending.
Chick Magnet: Before a pro-bending match, one of said fans can be heard in the audience screaming "I love you, Bolin!" It was also mentioned that Korra wasn't the first girl he took backstage.
Chivalrous Pervert: Bolin really loves attention from the ladies, but deep down he wants just one girl to fall in love with.
Chromatic Arrangement: Green.
Chronic Hero Syndrome: Summed up in his line toward Mako in Republic City Hustle:
Bolin: Maybe I just can't turn my back on people when they're down!
Comfort Food: The noodles from a restaurant that serves Water Tribe food. He over indulges once he sees Korra kissing his brother.
Comically Missing the Point: In the Book 2 premiere, he did this a lot. No one appreciates it, AT ALL. This is evident especially when he hears the story about Tonraq's banishment, pointing out that Tonraq was supposed to be chief, but instead, Unalaq became chief. On the other hand, in that specific case, he unwittingly pinpoints a significant chunk of Unalaq's motives.
The Corruptible: Though he didn't realize at first, thanks to Varrick's "help" his morals degraded quite a bit. He was shown to care more about hot girls and his mover star career than helping his brother. He at least learned his lesson, though, and in Book 3 rejected Varrick's love advice out of hand despite being otherwise friendly with him. It happens again in Book 4 with Kuvira, who manages to talk him into helping her even after she's taken taken over the Earth Kingdom and reformed it as the Earth Empire.
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Was pegged right away as inheriting the "comic relief" role from Last Airbender's Sokka, and he's often the first character to take a fall or be comedically-injured. But the second pro-bending match in "The Spirit of Competition" demonstrates that Bolin can be just as badass as his teammates. Throughout the second and third seasons, Bolin shows many times that while he may be a complete goof, he is still a champion pro-bender and is just as competent in a fight as his brother. This is exemplified toward the end of season two when he and Mako put up a reasonably good fight against Unalaq and his children, who are by all accounts masters of bending. Later, in season three, he and Mako take a squad of Dai Lee agents to the cleaners. Bear in mind that these are benders who gave Aang and company a hard time (albeit in greater numbers), and who don't seem to have slacked off on their standards in the interim. Heck, of the New Team Avatar, he's the only one bar Korra (eventually) who actually impresses Toph, who notes with some surprise that Lavabending is a very rare gift.
The Cuckoolander Was Right: In Book 3, Bolin tries to convince Mako to help the rest of the team find the new airbenders. He makes up a sob story about about how their grandmother (who they never met) could be in Ba Sing Se, and how sad she would be if Mako doesn't come. And then, in Ba Sing Se, Mako and Bolin stumble upon their long-lost relatives...including their grandmother. On the other hand, Bolin was always aware that Ba Sing Se was their father's birthplace, but he wasn't sure his family was still around and kicking.
Cuddle Bug: Bolin is the most "hugsy" of the group, sometime crossing over into being The Glomp.
The Cutie: Exhibits some shades of this. The fandom definitely sees him this way though.
Dark and Troubled Past: Mako didn't mention Bolin being present at the time of their parents' murder, and he has been sheltered by his brother, but it doesn't negate how hard it must have been for Bolin as well.
Deadly Disc: His pro-bending career gave him a lot of practice earthbending stone discs with startling accuracy. What pushes it into this trope in Book 4 is when he lavabends a stone disc into a Hot Blade and uses it as a Precision-Guided Boomerang.
Deconstructed Character Archetype: Of the usual comic relief Idiot Hero. Contrary to Mako, being shielded from a Crapsack World not only leaves him feeling insecure in the presence of his brother, but also immature and Super Gullible that makes him a sucker for any sweet-talking villain, which eventually stops being cute and gets called out on in Book 4 and has to actively work to redeem himself and finally grow up.
Defector from Decadence: After discovering that Kuvira uses her subjects as slave labor and throws dissidents into re-education camps, he and Varrick jump ship, but get captured.
Delinquent Hair: Appears to sport a Ducktail hairstyle, which was popular with Real World greasers back in the 50's.
Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: It's implied in Book 2 after Mako and Korra quit pro-bending. Gets pointed out again in Ruins of the Empire, when he's working for Zhu-Li and claims he's found his purpose in life, prompting Mako to point out he said that about pro-bending, being in movers, working for Kuvira and being a cop. And judging by Bolin's weary sigh, he's not as happy as he claims.
Determinator: To a degree. Continues to fight despite his injured shoulder, as noticed by Shiro Shinobi.
Didn't Think This Through
- Bolin never thought of the full consequences of siding with Kuvira, and especially of Opal's reaction. Early in season 4, she made it clear to Bolin that she does not trust Kuvira or approve of him working with her. When Kuvira takes power and Bolin stays with her, it appears he never considered how Opal would react and thinks they still would be good. To Bolin's credit, in the episode "Enemy at the Gates", when Kuvira inducts Bolin into her "inner circle" on the basis that he would do a better job of reaching common ground with Suyin, when they arrive at Zaofu with the rest of the Earth Empire army, he points out that it would send the wrong message. Arriving in the city, Bolin and Kuvira are led by Baatar Jr. to the room where the rest of the Beifong family is awaiting them. Upon noticing Opal, he enthusiastically greets her and moves to embrace her, though he is angrily told off, as he had "chosen [his] side". Surprised about the outburst, he tells everyone that there should not be sides. The negotiations fail and when he learns the truth about Kuvira, he deserts Kuvira's army. Even so, he loses the trust and respect of his girlfriend Opal that he worked hard to regain.
- In "Beyond the Wilds," Bolin seems to think that using menial gestures like setting up a picnic for himself and Opal will make up for his working for Kuvira and not listening to her warnings about her, which inadvertently led to her family's kidnapping. Opal is rightfully pissed and corrects him very quickly; he only wins back her respect and love by helping her rescue them.
Opal: Oh. Steam buns. My favorite. This will totally make me forget that you worked for Kuvira, the person who captured my family and is probably torturing them right now. So yeah, let's just sit down and have a great picnic because we're so in love!
Die or Fly: As he, Mako, Asami, and Tenzin were trying to escape from the Northern Air Temple, they were all trapped in a tunnel while molten lava was closing in on them. Bolin then figures out lavabending at the last second and saves their lives.
Dishing Out Dirt: He's an earthbender.
Distressed Dude: He was kidnapped by Equalists in "The Revelation".
Dogged Nice Guy: A bit towards Korra. He's got some interest in her, in that he looks forward to her coming to practices and makes a rather romantic gesture of giving her a rose and a small cake after she and Mako saved him from Amon, but Korra doesn't display much interest back. Granted, this wasn't the best time since she was facing major confidence issues because of Amon. Later, he takes Korra out on a date, who mostly agrees to cheer herself up after being rejected by Mako, about two seconds before. After the date, Bolin brings her a bouquet of flowers only to be crushed by the sight of Korra kissing Mako.
Dork Knight: A goofy cutie dedicated to helping people who need it.
Drowning My Sorrows: Well, a G Rated Version involving noodles after seeing Korra and Mako kiss.
Easily Forgiven: Korra and Mako welcome him back with open arms after turning on Kuvira. After all, his closest friend and brother will always forgive him. This is averted with Opal, who is still angry with him and says that saving her family is the best way to redeem himself.
Endearingly Dorky: The primary source in the series. This comes of being a painfully naïve sixteen-year-old boy who is spoiled by his older brother, as well as just an absolute darlin' and the team Butt-Monkey. His pet fire ferret also helps a lot. He's also The Charmer who clearly succeeds because of his dorky nature rather than sex appeal, and to top it all off, he has a cat-like smile!
Elemental Eye Colors: An Earthbender with green eyes.
Epic Fail: When he was given money to bribe someone to help Tonraq's trial, he instead bribed two random people, as opposed to the judge. This is lampshaded by Asami.
Establishing Character Moment: Bolin is first seen walking to the arena, before catching sight of Korra being grilled by Toza. He immediately slicks his hair back, and walks over and covers for her.
Expository Hairstyle Change: Like Mako, in Book 4 he now has a hairstyle that is more restrained and kempt than what he wore previously, as befits his role as a peacekeeping soldier.
Fair Cop: This Chick Magnet joins the police force by Turf Wars.
Fatal Flaw: Bolin can be bit too quick to trust strangers and take their word at face value, partly because of his own core nature as an affable, immature person, and partly because Mako shielded him from the harsh realities of the world as best as he could when the brothers were growing up. Bolin's naivety especially bites him in the backside in Book 4, when he chooses to ignore his friends' warnings about Kuvira and all the red flags the woman herself is giving off, until he discovers she's a power-hungry dictator and he's pretty much trapped.
Foil: Bolin is the silly, cheerful, immature younger brother who is never afraid to cry, fanboy, or express whatever he's feeling; Mako is the serious, cynical, aloof older brother who has problems expressing his true feelings (i.e. the whole Love Triangle fiasco could've been avoided if he was more truthful). Mako ends up a Celibate Hero, while Bolin becomes an Official Couple with Opal.
The Fool: Although he does have bending and is far from incompetent, he's by far the most lackadaisical of the core heroes of Team Avatar. He certainly fits the characteristic of living on the edge, all the while having a cheerful (and seemingly naive) attitude, no matter how bad the situation gets. He gets more serious in Book 4, largely out of necessity.
Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: The cheerful, silly one to Mako's serious and level-headedness.
Forceful Kiss: Plants an unwanted one on Ginger while acting out a scene in a film.
Four-Temperament Ensemble: Sanguine- The most cheerful and forgiving of the gang, which also makes him the most gullible.
Fourth-Date Marriage: Narrowly avoided one with Eska...and ended up with his fiancée out to get him.
Friend to All Living Things: Bolin immediately rescued Pabu when he was about to fed to a carnivore. He also gets momentarily distracted in Book 3, when Meelo mentions baby Sky Bison.

G-L

The Glomp: Due to his overly-strong emotions, Bolin can cross into this.
Good Is Not Soft: Despite the ample notes of his kind and jovial behavior, Bolin is a very capable earthbender who can handle himself in many fights.
Green-Eyed Monster: A mild example. When he sees the extravagant gift basket Tarrlok sent her, he jumps at the chance to put the man who's been bothering Korra in his place. After Korra explains that the gifts are non-romantic, he seems relieved.
Handsome Lech: He's a skirt chaser, but he's implied to have not gotten so many Fangirls. Some girls have managed to fall for him with varying success and results, such as Eska, Ginger, Opal, etc.
The Heart: Of the four members of Team Korra, he has the biggest heart and most able at forgiving them when they screw-up. He doesn't even begrudge his brother or Korra after the day after he saw them kiss.
Heel Realization: While with Kuvira, Bolin learns the hard way that his own misjudgment ended up hurting many people, including those close to him.
Hellbent For Leather: Wears a brown leather jacket during the latter half of Book 4.
Henpecked Husband: A boyfriend variant with Eska, though Eska wanted to make him this. In "Civil Wars, Part 1" he was first seen pulling Eska and Densa in a cart. Later when Eska wants to wed him and gives him a necklace, Korra notes that this tradition is usually performed by the other gender.
Heroic Build: Best shown when playing bare-chested hero Nuktuk◊ in Varrick's movers. He seems to have slimmed down a bit◊ by Book 4, but is no less heroic for it.
Heroic Self-Deprecation: The reason behind Bolin's reluctance to train in metalbending is because he didn't believe that he was special enough to pick it up. He ends up mastering an even rarer form of earthbending, lavabending, instead.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: A sibling example, with Mako. They've always had each other backs and often give each other advice, be it with their bending or with the ladies.
Hidden Depths: Bolin has a strong business sense, as has been noted by both Asami and Varrick, and is a talented and charismatic public speaker (which is also noted, and exploited, by Varrick). He's also a much more powerful bender than is strictly obvious, holding his own against the Red Lotus, and impressing both Ghazan and Toph with his Lavabending. Bear in mind, they're the two most powerful Earthbenders in the series, and Toph is impressed by literally nothing else, noting with mild surprise that it's a very rare talent.
Honest Advisor: This is how Bolin impresses Varrick, by innocently pointing out the industrialist has failed to levitate himself with his own mind. All of Varrick's hangers-on were indulging his delusion.
Hopeless Suitor: Bolin doesn't realize how badly Korra's crushing on his brother when he makes his own overtures.
Horrible Judge of Character:
- Self-admitted in Book 2, as he failed to see how trying to court the female half of the Creepy Twins would go horribly wrong.
- He stands by Varrick much longer than anyone else.
- In Book 3, he keeps vouching for Kai even before Kai went through Character Development and he was planning on completely screwing over him and Mako (and even after he did screw them over repeatedly).
- And again in Book 4, where he can't see that Kuvira's heading down an obviously dark path even though he's working for her. This example is especially egregious because by this point, Bolin has been a member of Team Avatar for several years, and after all the trouble they've had with Tarrlok, Hiroshi Sato, Unalaq, Varrick, the Earth Queen and Aiwei, he should probably know better than to blindly trust authority figures by now. At least in this case, she's also very good at manipulating him.
Hunk: Bolin has a square jaw and a stocky, muscular frame. He's also a Chick Magnet.
Hypocritical Humor: "Some people just don't have respect for other people's property. Now let's steal this airship!"
The Idealist: Deconstruction. Bolin is an idealist, always motivated by a strong desire to help people and make their lives better. When the Earth Kingdom fell into chaos, he joined Kuvira and her army, believing she wanted to help others as much as he did. As a result, his idealism and naiveté prevented him from second guessing the extreme lengths Kuvira would go to in order to achieve their goals, until they were pointed out to him.
Idiot Hero: Bolin is far from stupid, but his naivete and gullible nature has gotten him into trouble.
Improbable Aiming Skills: He hits P'Li in the center of her forehead with a peddle, in the middle of the night, from behind a barricade.
Inelegant Blubbering: Is prone to this in certain episodes.
In Love with Love: Bolin truly wants a real relationship, but has a lot of trouble finding one: Korra wasn't interested, Eska was abusive, and Ginger had to spell it out to him that they were only a couple in the movers.
In Touch with His Feminine Side: He isn't afraid to show emotion and enjoys makeovers.
Jerkass Ball: In Book 2, Varrick making him a mover star goes straight to his head, even to point he plants an unwanted kiss on Ginger and acts flippant towards Mako. He gets over it.
Just a Kid: Dialogue seems to suggest Mako treats Bolin as this.
The Kirk: Also shares this role with Asami. To Mako's Spock and Korra's McCoy. He's not as stoic as Mako, but he's nowhere as impulsive as Korra.
The Knights Who Say "Squee!": He's quite a powerful Earthbender, but he holds Toph and Zuko in very high regard.
Ladykiller in Love:
- Despite his status as The Charmer his interest in Korra is both strong and genuine as he describes her to Mako as his dream girl. And his dismay at seeing Korra and Mako kissing is strong enough to reduce the usually cheerful young man to an emotional wreck.
- In Book 2, he starts pursuing a romance with Eska. He quickly regrets it. He breaks up with her by siding with Korra in a war against her father and running away on a really fast ship. However, he later admits that she simply came on too strong and he does care for her.
- In Book 3, he is smitten by Opal Beifong, a recently empowered airbender and granddaughter of Toph Beifong. This relationship has better chances than the previous two since it's neither one-sided nor highly dysfunctional, and is still open by the end of the season. As of Book 4 and the series finale, Bolin is a Official Couple with Opal.
Lame Comeback: To Mako in episode 5. Though, he wasn't all there when he tried to make it.
Mako: I told you dating a teammate was a bad idea!
Bolin: You're a bad idea!
Lantern Jaw of Justice: Fitting his stout build, Bolin has a truly impressive jaw.
Laser-Guided Karma: Bolin always had sympathetic reasons for joining Kuvira, as she was restoring order to the Earth Kingdom and appeared to be improving the lives of the people there, and it looked like Kuvira was a better leader then Prince Wu. But despite this, he still ignores his brother Mako and girlfriend Opal's concerns and refuses to consider he was doing anything but improving lives. He even went as far as to lash out and mock Mako for not thinking Kuvira is a good leader, saying that he will change the world while Mako will kiss Wu's feet. And it also appears that Bolin never thought of Opal's reaction to him staying with Kuvira when she took power, despite Opal making it clear that she does not trust Kuvira or approve of him working with her. So him learning the hard way that the woman he idolizes is sending the people of the territories she's conquered to labor camps and dissenters are sent to "re-education" camps, and him realizing that he strained his relationships with his loved ones for nothing, can be consider karma. Bolin is painfully aware of how badly he misjudged Kuvira and goes to great lengths to help derail her plans. Mako easily forgives him and welcomes him back with open arms. Opal, however, is rightfully angry with Bolin and only forgives him when he helps rescue her family.
Let's Get Dangerous!: Exactly what it says on the tin. He may be laidback, but when it's time to bend, it's serious business.
Leitmotif: A short bit of fanfare plays whenever he does (or is about to do) something heroic, like bombing the South Pole in "Harmonic Convergence", stunning P'Li in "The Terror Within", attempting to metalbend in "Long Live the Queen", discovering his ability to lavabend in "Enter the Void", battling Ghazan in "Venom of the Red Lotus", fighting the Earth Empire mechas in "Enemy at the Gates" and "Reunion", and attacking Kuvira's colossus in "Day of the Colossus".
Lightning Bruiser: Pro-bending emphasizes both power and speed. When giving pointers to Korra, he criticizes her conventional style as being powerful but leaving her open to attack, then demonstrates his own boxing-like style which allows him to attack quickly without sacrificing defense.
Living Emotional Crutch: To Mako, who explicitly stated to Korra in Book 1 that he wouldn't know what to do if something ever happened to his little brother.
Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places: Bolin has had a rough time with love from initially misreading Korra's friendship with him as romantic interest, to being emotionally abused by Eska, and then ends up planting an improv and unwanted Forceful Kiss on Ginger while acting out a scene in a film. It may just be his instinct to chase so many girls or Bolin has become desperate to get into any sort of relationship. It's so bad that when Opal is obviously interested in him, he has to have it spelled out for him by Mako. And even then, he starts out approaching her as a Casanova Wannabe, turning her off until she tells him to just be himself.
Lovable Jock: He is a good hearted young man who cares about his teammates but will call them out when they aren't pulling their weight and screwing up the chances to win.
Love at First Sight:
- His Establishing Character Moment no less. He starts hitting on Korra the moment he meets her, comes to her aid when she's about to be tossed out of the building by his landlord, and tells Mako that he's "got a good feeling about this one". In The Spirit of Competition he openly tells Korra he's liked her since he first met her.
- In Book 2, he becomes interested in Eska from the moment he sees her, although he had trouble finding the difference between her and her twin brother.
- Was on the receiving end of this from Opal in Book 3, but by this point he's so jaded by failed relationships that it takes Mako spelling it out for him to catch on.
Love Confession: Gives one to Opal in Book 4 after she chews him out for working for Kuvira, despite her warnings:
"All right, listen. Before you go, I just want to tell you that I understand how you feel. I know there is nothing I could do or no big gesture that could make up for all my mistakes, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop trying to win you back because ... I love you."
Love Hurts:
- He finds out Korra likes Mako the hard way. Seeing Korra and Mako kissing reduces him to an emotional wreck.
- Then there is of course Eska, who was emotionally abusive towards him.
- Opal ends up falling here in season 4. Bolin siding with Kuvira, someone Opal detests for betraying her mother and being a cruel dictator, puts a severe strain on their relationship. It eventually all but breaks and even after Bolin leaves Kuvira's army, it takes a while for her to forgive him.
Lust Object: He is a G-rated version of this trope to Eska, who seems to only seek him to possess him.

M-R

Magma Man: When trying to outrun a lava flow in "Enter the Void", he discovers the ability to lavabend.
Magnetic Hero: Due to his career as a Pro-Bender and being a natural public speaker. Deconstructed when Varrick decided to exploit this ability by casting Bolin as the star of his propaganda films, making him the poster boy of the Southern rebellion. Reconstructed after Bolin matures a lot by Book 4 and can use his charisma in a more responsible way.
Manchild: While not exactly a man just yet (he's sixteen), he fits the bill. Due to Mako's nurture, Bolin is childish, trusts easily, wears his heart on his sleeve, and has been relying on someone else almost his entire life. But he's beginning to reach for independence from his brother. According to his voice actor, part of Bolin's character arc is him maturing and learning that not everything is as he thought it was.
Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy:
- The comical, dramatic Feminine Boy to Korra's Masculine Girl.
- The emotional, sensitive, kind of wimpy Feminine Boy to Eska's domineering, fearless, take-charge Masculine Girl.
Meaningful Background Event: He's first shown in-series in the background of an argument between Korra and Toza; at first he's just passing through, then double-takes at Korra, slicks back his hair, and struts forward to help her out.
Meaningful Name: According to San's letter to Yin, Bolin's name is written in Chinese as 愽林. The characters mean "forest", alluding to Bolin's earthbending abilities.
Manly Tears: His reaction when he sees Korra kissing Mako is to sob in the most overblown way imaginable and run away. And then when Mako tries to snap him out of it, he breaks into Inelegant Blubbering.
Morality Chain: If Bolin wasn't around, the chances that Mako would've been the decent guy he is now wouldn't have been so good.
Morality Pet: To Varrick in Book 4; Bolin acts as his conscience and Varrick genuinely likes and respects the young earthbender.
Motor Mouth: The most talkative of the group.
Muscles Are Meaningful: Although that bulk isn't fat. Bolin's stockier frame is simply ripe with muscle.
My God, What Have I Done?: Downplayed. It appears that Bolin is so focused on stopping Kuvira that he is not allowing himself to think about how he messed up by trusting her, but he is upset when he meets the innocent people Kuvira is interning in her camps, realizing that he has had a part (albeit unwittingly) in ruining their lives. Played Straight in episode "Remembrances", where he spends the episode depressed because he left his friends and family to join up with a psychotic dictator, and fears that his girlfriend Opal will never forgive him.
My Master, Right or Wrong: Played with. Bolin clearly has some misgivings about Kuvira's decision to seize control of the Earth Kingdom/Empire, but he still sticks with her, at least for now. After learning the inner workings of her regime and realizing her true nature, he defects from her.
New Job as the Plot Demands: Somehow whatever job he has in the books advances the plot.
Nice Guy: As said with Lovable Jock and The Heart, he is an all around nice guy.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: The biggest flaw Bolin has is his big mouth. If Bolin hadn't told his brother that he, Asami, Varrick and Korra were planning to go to General Iroh, the President would've been none the wiser. Once Korra was sold out to the President, it caused Korra and Mako to break up.
Not What I Signed on For: Bolin wanted joined Kuvira because he wanted to do what was right, and he let himself believe that they were making lives better, but they weren't. Bolin found out that Kuvira has people placed in slave camps after they pledge their loyalty to her.
Obliviously Evil: In season 4, he has no idea what Kuvira is really doing and just thinks she's helping people. He has no idea to the inner workings of her empire, including borderline slavery and "reeducation centers" which he thought were simply trade schools.
Odd Friendship: With Varrick, though Varrick turns out to be a Big Bad Friend.
Official Couple: In Book 4, Bolin is in a Long-Distance Relationship with Opal, though her strained relations with Kuvira and Baatar Jr. are something of a sore spot between them.
Opposites Attract: With Eska in Book 2. Bolin is a happy, funny guy, while Eska is a bit of an emotionless Deadpan Snarker and a Royal Brat who sees Bolin as a means to an end. They don't work out.
Out of Focus: Once book 1's pro-bending plot ends, Bolin has very little personal stake in the plot, and his mover plot in book 2 is ultimately less important than Mako's investigation of Varrick.
Person of Mass Destruction: Once he masters Lavabending, which is hands down the most destructive bending technique on the show.
Pitbull Dates Puppy: With Eska in Book 2. Bolin is nice, friendly guy and a bit of a pushover. Eska, on the other hand, is an incredibly bossy and possessive Royal Brat who treats Bolin like a slave in the short time they go "dating" and even tries to force him to marry her before he ditches her.
Plucky Comic Relief: Gets most of the jokes, yet still remains a likable and complex character. Also helps he is friends with Varrick, another source of comedy.
Power Stereotype Flip: A sanguine Earthbender (when most Earthbenders are melancholic).
The Prankster: To Mako. Pabu is his partner in crime.
Punctuated Pounding: Against Hiroshi Sato in the finale of Book 1.
Redundant Romance Attempt: He initially attracts Opal without even realizing it and needs a genius of love like Mako to spell it out to him. And also tell him that his previous love interests were either The Ditz Ginger or Ax-Crazy Eska, so it's about time to aim for someone who is neither of those things. Bolin initially tries to act smooth which only turns Opal off. She immediately calls him out on it then advises him to Be Yourself, which greatly improves both their growing relationship and each's Character Development fitting with the franchise's Central Theme of Balance.
Renaissance Man: As goofy as he is, Bolin has an impressive and diverse skillset. By the end of the series, he is a championship-level pro-bender, a respected actor, a veteran soldier, and the world's only surviving lavabender (that we know of). In the comic Turf Wars, he adds "cop" to his resume, joining his brother as part of Republic City's police.
Romantic Runner-Up: He's very nice and funny, but Korra chooses his more handsome and skilled brother over him.
Runaway Groom: He skipped town before his wedding to Eska. He later admit he was just too nervous to marry her.

S-W

Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: The comical, In Love with Love Sensitive Guy to Mako's stoic, blunt Manly Man.
She-Fu: Unlike most earthbenders, Bolin does not rely on a stable stance and frequently incorporates acrobatic flourishes in his attacks. This may have been a habit carried over from his pro-bending days where success frequently meant being able to dodge and attack at the same time.
Shipper on Deck:
- For Kai and Jinora.
Bolin: Whoa! Tenzin's not gonna be happy about this!
Mako: Then don't tell him.
Bolin: How can I not? It's too juicy!
- In Book 4, he supports Varrick and Zhu Li. So much so that he officiates their wedding.
- When Bolin learned that Korra and Asami had become a couple, he immediately wanted them to go on a double date with him and Opal.
Shy Finger-Twiddling: Prone to this, when nervous. He does it when Korra initially does badly in her first match as a response to his brother's accusatory look, and again when menaced by Amon.
Sibling Rivalry: Bolin and Mako fell out with each other Book 2, that Bolin decided to move out on his own. They eventually patch things up.
Sibling Team: With Mako, either in pro-bending or in intense battles.
Sibling Triangle: Both he and Mako liked Korra at the beginning of season one. It came to its peek in "The Spirit of Competition" and to an end when Bolin realized that his romantic interest in Korra wasn't reciprocated.
Sibling Yin-Yang: Bolin is the easygoing, naive one of the two. Mako's serious, though not quite as downcast as his clone. Life in the streets toughened him up, and he feels responsible for both himself and his younger brother, being he's the only family he has left. They are a bit opposite in body builds as well: Mako is more wiry while Bolin is stocky.
Shockwave Stomp: Bolin demonstrates this in Book 4, bowling over a group of captors. And he wasn't trying to hurt them.
Sleeves Are for Wimps: He tears off the sleeves of his fancy suit before fighting a group of waterbenders trying to kidnap President Raiko and his wife.
Speaks Fluent Animal: Specifically, fire ferret. It's how he talks to Pabu.
Stepford Smiler: Implied, he claims that sometimes he cries himself to sleep. The fact he mentions it while on the subject of pro-bending indicates he didn't take losing so early (and easily) at the start of Book 2 well.
Stout Strength: He is on the bulkier side than his thinner teammates, but still shows good levels of strength.
Straight Man and Wise Guy:
- The goofy, silly Wise Guy to Mako's stoic, aloof Straight Man.
- By Book 4, he's the serious, reasonable Straight Man to Varrick's eccentric, sarcastic Wise Guy.
Street Urchin: He used to be one with his brother.
Strong Family Resemblance:
- He shares nearly the same physique as his late father.
- Although it's hard to see normally, since they use different hairstyles, color scheme and wear very different expressions, Mako and Bolin do look quite alike, as seen when Bolin does an impression of his brother and becomes nearly identical.◊
Suddenly Fluent in Gibberish: He seems to be able to understand Pabu.
Suspiciously Similar Substitute: He is this to Avatar's Sokka, as the wisecracking, sarcastic and somewhat bumbling comic relief. They both even have a similar inferiority-complex arc in their respective third seasons.
Technician Versus Performer: Along with Korra, is the Performer to Mako's Technician.
Token Good Teammate: His expressive nature and loyalty has made him unknowingly fill this role to Kuvira's Big Bad. He supports the Earth Empire purely because he wants to help people, but not for any sort of power lust. He realizes the truth in "Enemy at the Gates".
Took a Level in Badass: In "Enter the Void", just as he, Asami, Mako and Tenzin are about to be engulfed in Ghazan's lava, Bolin discovers his ability to lavabend. And it gets even better in Book 4, Bolin has spent nearly three years in Kuvira's army, his earthbending has improved drastically and he's nearly Ghazan's level when it comes to lavabending.
Took a Level in Dumbass: In Book 2. He'd been a gullible Manchild before in trusting Shady Shin, but here, he was suddenly a mouth-breather that can't tell real from pretend or bribe the right people. Thankfully, following books fix this so that he's both learning from his mistakes (ex. don't take Varrick's romantic advice) and harder to fool (ex. Kuvira keeping him in the dark and exploiting his desire to do good.)
Took the Bad Film Seriously: Invoked Bolin seems to genuinely believe in the movers he's making, even when other people think they're hilarious. When Varrick is telling his Abridged Series-style recap mover of Bolin's life, he's the only one upset about how it doesn't make any sense.
Trademark Favorite Food: Dumplings according to Mako in "Revelations".
Turn the Other Cheek: Generally, Bolin is more forgiving of people, even if they wrong him or his friends in some shape or form:
- Forgives Korra and Mako despite his heartbreak.
- He still respects Varrick, despite finding out that Varrick betrayed his and his friends' trust.
- He never let go of his feelings for Eska, in spite of her abuse.
- Quick to forgive Kai and defend him after the Artful Dodger repeatedly lies to them.
Uncanny Family Resemblance: His cousin from Ba Sing Se looks a lot like him. In fact, many of his father's side of the family have similar snub noses and heavy eyebrows.
Vitriolic Best Buds: Develops this with Varrick in Book 4.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: While a member of a totalitarian regime, he was a staunch believer in the Earth Empire as the bringer of law and order, and tries to use his position to improve the lives of citizens of the former Earth Kingdom. He realized entirely too late that he badly misjudged what the real core of the Empire was like, nearly paid the price for his misjudgment, and lost his girlfriend's trust and respect for him, which he had to work hard to earn back.
What the Hell, Hero?: One of many to call Mako out on his bad behavior, specifically in Book 2 where even a dumbass like he was could pick up Mako and Asami being on the rebound in not even a week since Korra left.
Wrestler in All of Us: Bolin also has some skill in wrestling and grappling, which he utilized during his one-on-one tiebreaker match with an experienced Black Quarry Boar-q-pine earthbending opponent.

Characters / The Legend of Korra - Bolin

Bolin

Voiced by: P. J. Byrne, Sebastian Fitzner (German), Alexandre Nguyen (French), Janusz Zadura (Polish)

Previous

Index

Next

Characters / The Legend of Korra - Bolin

Edit Locked

Bolin

Voiced by: P. J. Byrne, Sebastian Fitzner (German), Alexandre Nguyen (French), Janusz Zadura (Polish)

Previous

Index

Next