The Legend of Korra Episode 11 and 12 Review: Korra’s Season Finale

[FLOWPLAYER=https://tvovermind.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/korra.flv,600,400]

The Legend of Korra, season finale; words that have come around all too soon. The show that started with so much promise and exceeded it every episode has finished its first season. Tinged with a sadness that I have to wait till 2013 (earliest estimates) for Book 2, the two part season finale was bloody fantastic.

Episode 11, Skeletons in the Closet, started by showing Amon and his Equalists in charge of Republic City; he even put an Amon mask on the statue of Aang. Mr Sato is talking at a rally for Equalists, saying that they must fight against the United Forces, who are on their way. Two Chi-Blockers slide away. It turns out to be Korra and Mako, who get into the sewers. Korra wants to go and knock some heads but Mako tells her they have to wait for Iroh. Korra hates being patient.

When they get back to their base, Asami is clearly jealous but Mako brushes it off. It gets worse for her when she realises she’s eating trash. Later on, Mako finds Korra against Naga. Neither of them can sleep. They almost share a moment but Korra cuts it off, saying she needs to sleep. Meanwhile, at the Air Temple, Amon is ‘˜cleansing’benders of their powers. He’s very much on the rampage.

In the morning, Team Avatar check the coast is clear and then climb up so they can see the ships coming in, as the United Forces begin to arrive. Team Avatar, as well as Iroh on the ship, know something is wrong. The dock is full of mines that start taking the fleet out. Korra dives into the water as Iroh tells his benders to take out the mines. Unfortunately it gets worse as Equalist airplanes, armed with torpedoes and bombs, start attacking the ships.

The planes are destroying the fleet, despite the awesome Firebender powered cannons shooting at the planes. Korra takes a plane out as she is atop a water tower and also uses Waterbending again to redirect a torpedo, taking out another but the fleet is in peril. Iroh, who was as cool as anyone, was fighting planes off with Firebending but he gets blown up by a bomb, falling into the water. Korra saves him, and takes him back to the underground hideout.

Iroh explains that he was prepared for Mecha-Tanks but not for planes. Korra heals him as Team Avatar explains that Amon always seems to be one step ahead. Iroh says Amon might be winning but more reinforcements are coming and he needs to send a message. They send a message to Bumi, the wild man commander in the United Forces, Tenzin’s brother, telling him to await their signal at Red Sand Island. Iroh says he’s going to destroy the air-fleet; they leave at dawn. Korra says she’s tired of running and isn’t going. After she says she’s going to confront Amon, Mako says he’s staying with her. Iroh says he’ll respect the Avatar’s instinct and the next day they get ready to set off.

Mako and Bolin share a ‘˜bro’moment, saying good-bye to each other. Korra sends Naga with Bolin, to look after him. Asami and Mako share an awkward moment, it sounds like a polite yet disappointed break-up. Korra consoles him as Asami, Iroh and Bolin ride Naga, heading for the mountains and the Equalist airbase. Korra and Mako, in their Equalist disguises, head into the water, Korra Waterbending to get them through the water. As they arrive at the Air Temple, they see Amon leaving. They plan to hide in the Temple and wait for him to return.

The Lieutenant sees them and tells them, believing them to be Equalists, that they’ve been reassigned to the rally at the Pro Bending arena. When he leaves, Korra says she knows a secret way into the Temple. They climb into the attic but Mako notices they’re not along. Tarrlok is locked up in there. Thy take their masks off and he sarcastically asks if they are there to rescue him. They tell him they didn’t know he was there and after finding out that he is the only prisoner on the island, Korra asks him what makes him so special. Tarrlok tells them he is Amon’s brother!

Tarrlok tells them he only found out after he’d been captured, and begins the story of how everything transpired. Amon’s real name is Noatok, and is from the Northern Water Tribe; he is a Waterbender and a Bloodbender. It started with Yakone, their father, escaping prison and changing his identity. Noatok was the elder sibling and always looked out for Tarrlok. Life was good, apparently, until they discovered they were Waterbenders.

Yakone, although no longer a Bender at that point, was a fierce teacher. Even at a young age, Noatok wanted people to be treated fairly and equal. When Tarrlok was seven, Yakone took Noatok and him on a hunting trip. It was then that he told his two sons his history. He mentioned that Bloodbending was outlawed due to Katara. Yakone began training his kids in Bloodbending to claim Republic City and destroy the Avatar. Their purpose was to avenge him and their good days were over.

Tarrlok hated Bloodbending, and had no stomach for it, but Noatok revelled in his new power and was a prodigy; mastering his father’s psychic Bloodbending at only fourteen. Noatok carried the burden of his father’s expectations and demands and grew cold and detached. One day, Yakone made them Bloodbend each other. Tarrlok, after suffering Bloodbending thanks to Noatok, refused to Bloodbend his brother, not wishing the sensation upon anyone. Yakone called him a weak disgrace but Noatok intervened, Bloodbending their father. They argue, with Noatok pointing out that they are his sons, not tools of revenge. Noatok wanted him and Tarrlok to run away but Tarrlok couldn’t, for their mother’s sake. Noatok called him weak and ran off.

Tarrlok and Yakone searched for Noatok for days, but couldn’t find him. They believed him to have perished in the storm. Their mother was never the same and Yakone stopped teaching Bloodbending, as with Noatok gone, so were his plans for revenge.

Tarrlok finishes his story and tells Avatar Korra that he is truly sorry. He thought he was better than his father but became a soldier of revenge just like he’d wanted Tarrlok to be; just as Noatok had become. Tarrlok says that even though the revolution is a lie, he believes that Amon truly thinks all of the world’s problems are because of bending. Mako asks how he figured out Amon was Noatok. Tarrlok says he had a familiar sensation when Amon took his bending, which he eventually recognised as his brother’s Bloodbending grip. Korra says that Amon uses Bloodbending to take people’s Bending away. Tarrlok doesn’t know how he does it, but has never met a stronger Bender than his brother.

Korra wonder how they can beat him but Mako points out Amon redirects any attack on him with Bloodbending; that’s how he was able to challenge Benders. Korra says they can’t wait to attack him but there is another way to beat him. Thy finally have an advantage over Amon; they know he is a Waterbender. She says they’ll expose him at the rally, taking away his power and followers. Korra thanks Tarrlok, who says he must remain locked up, but tells her to defeat Amon and end their family’s sad story. The episode ends as Mako and Korra leave the Air Temple.

NEXT: Episode 12, Endgame