We kick off the season with Shiro Shinobi recapping Korra's battle with Unavaatu in Republic City, during which he reveals that the Spirit Wilds — areas of huge Spirit Vines — that were created during the fight are now home to spirits, before wondering what other changes are in store for the city. Then the episode begins proper with Bumi chasing after Bum-Ju, after what appears to be an argument involving a spirit-sized handmade sweater. Bumi ends up scaling a large tree branch hanging precariously over a cliff, before the branch breaks with him on it. It looks like he's going to fall to his death, but at the last moment, despite never having the ability before, he somehow saves himself with airbending.
We cut to one of the Spirit Wilds, where Korra, Jinora and Tenzin are walking. Korra's fuming over her inability to get rid of all the vines, for which she's received a lot of flak from both the press and President Raiko, who isn't accepting blame for how his inaction led to Vaatu escaping in the first place. Korra goes to City Hall to explain things to the press, but they give her a hard time, and she nearly gets into a shouting match with Raiko, before Lin breaks it up. As everyone leaves, Asami assures a downcast Korra that they'll figure something out.
Cut to Air Temple Island, where Bumi tries to reveal his new airbending abilities to Tenzin, but is unable to do so. He's still at it as the family settles down for dinner, but he manages to airbend again when Meelo throws a plate at him (It Makes Sense in Context). Korra and Asami join the family during this time, and Bolin's also there, having resided at Air Temple Island ever since his and Mako's apartment became "occupied" by Spirit Vines. Mako himself is absent, since he's not comfortable with being around both of his ex-girlfriends (Korra and Asami, for those who skipped Book 2) right now.
Speaking of the guy, we go to Republic City Police Station, where Mako's been rooming since the vines appeared. He's called to investigate a domestic disturbance, and upon arriving, he learns that a man named Daw, the brother of one of the residents, suddenly started airbending out of nowhere. Mako's understandably a bit skeptical at first, but he's convinced after he gets flattened by a door that had been airbent off its hinges. Daw runs away, and flees into Republic City.
Dawn comes, and we're back on Air Temple Island, Mako and Lin having gone there to report Daw's escape to Tenzin. Things are awkward between Mako and his exes, and he and Lin soon leave to look for Daw. Korra and Asami do the same, and Asami decides this is a good opportunity to start teaching Korra how to drive, reasoning that "You're the Avatar, master of all the elements. You should know how to drive. Besides, it's relaxing." (It turns out to be anything but). The girls take the opportunity to bond over their relationships with Mako, and Korra remarks that it's nice to have a "girlfriend" she can hang out with. It may be in the platonic sense, but you can bet the shippers are going to love that... Anyway, the bonding session is bought to a stop when the girls nearly crash into a Spirit Vine blocking the road, prompting an argument between Korra and a spirit. One of the spirit's remarks (Spirits, vines. We're all the same.) gives Korra an idea...
After a scene of Tenzin and his kids rejoicing over the emergence of new airbenders after they were nearly wiped out 170 years ago, we cut to somewhere in Republic City, where Korra's using her spirit calming technique on some vines in the hope of removing them. It ends very badly, to put it mildly; the vines recede, but reemerge with a vengeance almost immediately and nearly destroy a nearby building.
We return to Air Temple Island once again, where Tenzin finds a despondent Korra wondering if she was wrong in leaving the portals open, but Tenzin assures her that she did nothing wrong, just what she thought was right. Korra remarks that the people of Republic City aren't happy with her as a result, to which Tenzin replies that her job isn't to make the people of Republic City happy, but to maintain balance in the world. On that basis, some of her actions will inevitably upset some people, while making others very happy. Case in point, him: Korra's actions during Harmonic Convergence may very well have been responsible for the return of the Air Nomads (though he now refers to them as the Air Nation), which can only be good for the world.
The talk is then interrupted by Bolin bringing the news that Daw has been found on the top of Kyoshi Bridge, out of fear of his newfound bending. Everyone converges there, and Korra manages to talk Daw down, assuring him that while she can't remove his bending, there are people (i.e. Tenzin) who can help him adjust to the monumental change he's just experienced. The moment is then ruined by Raiko coming and banishing Korra from Republic City, following her failure to get rid of the vines. Korra's not bothered; she's decided that she'll travel the world to find the new airbenders, and rebuild the Air Nation. Tenzin decides to join her, and wonders out loud who else might have received the gift of airbending...
We cut to a White Lotus prison somewhere in the mountains, home to just one prisoner, a man named Zaheer. After talking about a legendary airbending guru named Laghima, whose talents apparently included becoming weightless, to the point that he could live without having to set foot on the ground, Zaheer states that "...when you base your expectations only on what you see, you blind yourself to the possibilities of a new reality." It turns out that Harmonic Convergence also gave him airbending, which he uses to fight his way out of his cell and lock his guards in it. Before he leaves, he states that it's the end of the White Lotus, and it'll soon be the end of the Avatar.
Tropes:
- Apologetic Attacker: Daw, the new airbender who accidentally slams a door into Mako and later blows the police off a bridge.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Tenzin announces his excitement of finding new airbenders and rhetorically wonders who else is discovering this wonderful gift. The next scene cuts to an isolated, high security prison, where a non-bending criminal named Zaheer is held. He breaks out of prison with his newly obtained airbending.
- Bring My Brown Pants: After saving him from falling of Kyoshi bridge Korra introduces Daw to Tenzin who comments that this is the first time he's meet an Airbender whose diaper he hasn't had to change. Daw then replies that, since he just fell off a bridge, he could use a diaper change.
- Call-Back:
- Asami told Korra about the kiss in Book 2 with Korra telling her not to sweat it due to events in Book 1 where she kissed Mako when he was seeing Asami.
- Korra tries to use the spirit pacification technique on the vines. It just makes them come back twice as strong.
- Cleaning Up Romantic Loose Ends: In this case by getting rid of them completely, as Korra and Asami finally put their Mako-related difficulties behind them once and for all. You half expect them to turn to the camera and say "There, happy now?"
- Continuity Nod:
- The mechanized air glider staff design made by The Mechanist is still around as well, alongside the traditional air nomad glider. No word yet on if the snack compartment is still part of the design.
- The vine-covered buildings Korra attempts her spirit purification are by the bridge Korra ran across in "Welcome to Republic City" (specifically, the bridge on which she lost the metalbending officer by creating an ice-wall he slammed into)
- Did Not See That Coming: The White Lotus bodyguards did not expect Zaheer to acquire airbending abilities.
- Die or Fly: Bumi first airbends when he's falling off a cliff.
- The Door Slams You: Daw blows a door off its hinges into Mako, Mako and the door then fly across the room to slam into the opposite wall.
- Double-Meaning Title: Referring to both the appearance of new airbenders and the Love Triangle of past seasons being done and over with for both ladies can start fresh as closer friends than before.
- Drives Like Crazy: Asami lets Korra drive her car. At least this time Korra doesn't hit anything.
- The Exile: Korra is exiled from Republic City because she can't fix the vine problem. She takes it in stride, though.
- The Gadfly: Asami gets a good one on Korra when she pretends that she didn't know that Korra kissed Mako while they were still dating. Korra has a serious Oh, Crap! look on her face before Asami reveals that she is screwing with her and that she knew all along.
- Forgiven, but Not Forgotten: Asami's exasperated sigh about Mako implies that she's still willing to be friends and teammates with him, but is otherwise as tired of his romantic antics as the audience.
- Forgot About Her Powers: Korra, when asked by a panicked Daw to remove his airbending, she apologizes saying she's unable to, despite having Energybending and Aang used it to depower Ozai 70 years ago.
- Forgot to Mind Their Head: Mako is sleeping on a cot under his desk at the police station. When his phone ringing suddenly wakes him up, he naturally bumps his head underneath the desk.
- From Bad to Worse: What Korra's solution to the vines wound up being.
- Hannibal Lecture: Zaheer delivers one of these to his guards before revealing his new airbending abilities, using it to escape.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: Korra has not fared well in the eyes of the people of Republic City after Harmonic Convergence. Her approval rating is only at 8%.
- Homemade Sweater from Hell: Bumi tries to get Bumju to wear one that Bumi made himself.
- Hope Spot: It seems as though Korra can remove the gigantic vines with Unalaq's spirit pacification technique. She can... but the vines grow back to a greater degree seconds later.
- How Do I Shot Web?: People who just suddenly get bending abilities don't automatically know how to use them. Bumi can barely make his bending work and the other new airbender we meet suffers from such Power Incontinence that he's a danger to himself and others.
- Instant Expert: Zaheer, though justified since he's a dedicated student of airbender culture. He's also implied to have been a Badass Normal before this, given his Tailor-Made Prison, so he's got a lot of the physical training out of the way.
- Irony: Bumi turning out to be one of the first of the new airbenders is a rather
Hilarious in Hindsight example of this, considering how Tenzin and Kya teased him about not being able to bend his way down the cliff like they did in "Civil Wars Part One" (something airbending would in fact have been quite useful for). It's also Heartwarming in Hindsight, considering how several times Bumi admitted to being ashamed he hadn't (in his belief) made Aang proud like Tenzin did, and that all his bragging throughout the second season about not needing bending to be a badass is clearly how he copes with not being a bender. - Jaw Drop: The reaction of everyone in the room when they first see Bumi airbending. Special mention though to Bolin, Meelo and Ikki who live up to their habit of making epic faces.
- Mass Super-Empowering Event: Harmonic Convergence has created airbenders the world over out of former non-benders.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Tenzin notes that Korra would have to be going through some issues if she started meditating.
- Power Incontinence: Bumi can't figure out how to use his airbending at first, while Daw reflexively airbends without meaning to. The latter ends up climbing to the top of Kyoshi Bridge out of fear for the harm he may cause.
- Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: Zaheer to the guards at his prison:Zaheer: When you base your expectations only on what you see, you blind yourself to the possibilities of a new reality.
- The Precarious Ledge: Daw ends up on top of Kyoshi Bridge and is in real danger of falling. Then he actually falls when reaching out to take Korra's hand. Luckily, she's been flying around the city on a glider and scoops him up before he lands.
- Ship Sinking: Korra and Asami agree to write off the love triangle for good.
- Ship Tease:
- On the other hand, Korra and Asami hit it off pretty well. Asami also has a pretty flirty exchange with Korra when offering to teach her to drive, hair flip and all.
- Korra in kind is happy to now have a "girlfriend to hang out with and talk to... besides Naga" and nearly crashed the car from staring at Asami at the same time.
- Shown Their Work: The poem by Guru Laghima that Zaheer recites is written in a real poetic style — specifically, haiku note .
- Zaheer: "Instinct is a lie/Told by a fearful body/Hoping to be wrong."
- Tears of Joy: Tenzin sheds some after realizing that with the rise of new airbenders around the world his fathers dream of the restoration of the Air Nation can finally be fulfilled.
- Time Skip: Shiro Shinobi notes in the recap that it has been two weeks since Harmonic Convergence and Korra's battle with UnaVaatu.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: President Raiko. In the past, he had been unwilling to help Korra because he didn't want to involve the city in the Water Tribe civil war...and he does so in a polite way. Here, he acts openly hostile towards Korra and kicks her out of the city for not clearing out the spirits quickly.
- Ungrateful Bastard: The people of the United Republic and Republic City, with President Raiko even banishing her from the city. Granted, Korra's actions did lead to most of the city being covered in huge vines, but she did stop Unavaatu from destroying it.
- Wham Episode: Bumi is one of the few to have obtain the power to airbend. It is soon revealed that there is a now a resurgence of Airbenders since all but Aang were wiped out nearly 200 years ago (100 before the original series, and around 70 between that and Korra).
- You Have to Believe Me!: No-one believes Bumi can airbend... until that plate that serves as the episode image.
