The Skinny
Last week, someone bombed the Southern Water Tribe cultural center in Republic City. Everyone–including Korra–thinks it was the Northern Water Tribe, but Mako doesn’t think so. Also, Varrick cast Bolin in one of his fancy motion pictures and he has to walk around half naked with like a fur scarf carrying a club. Asami is shipping Meka tanks to the south to support their war against the north. Korra and Mako broke up (GASP!) not long before the Avatar was seemingly EATEN by a dark spirit OMG.
The Breakdown
A ship is making its way through the night when one of the sailors notices some little glowing things thrown up over the sides of the ship. His puzzlement doesn’t last very long before THEY EXPLODE, some water benders show up, and the soldiers are forced to abandon the ship. GULP. Turns out this ship was carrying a load of Asami’s Meka tanks to the south. OOPS.
In the north, Desna and Eska are waiting for their father–at the spirit portal. Which Unalaq WALKS OUT OF the spirit world and is, characteristically, SHADY about it. He asks his kids about Korra, and they tell him that they almost got her until a dark spirit came and took her. Desna comments that the dark spirits are out of control, but Unalaq ignores him and complains about them not capturing her. Eska tells him that the Avatar is DEAD. O_O
In Republic City, Varrick is beginning to screen his anti-Unalaq movie and people are buying what he’s selling hook, line, and sinker. Bolin looks LULZ-tastic in his fur and shorts. Also, Nuktuk has a theme song. I DIE. So hilarious. Basically, Bolin spends the movie trying to defeat Unalaq and save his movie GF, Ginger. It’s turning into an awkward-hilarious off-screen thing, too.
Varrick and Bolin are watching the movie and Varrick is feeding Bolin some lines about how AWESOME he is and that he’s becoming a STAR. Varrick is counting on these movies to persuade the President to let the United Forces back the Southern Water Tribe. I hope you’re not holding your breath, man. Then Varrick’s assistant tells him that one of his ships was attacked.
Mako is reminiscing about better times with Korra when Asami comes in disbelieving that her whole shipment was destroyed. She’s worried about money and her company going under, but Mako tells her not to sweat it: He has an idea. Beifong is questioning the ship’s captain about the ambush, but he isn’t really able to give her any more details, except that the bombs seemed to be detonated remotely. Mako makes the connection between the cultural center and runs off to grab something.
Mako busts in to once again proclaim his idea that the Northern Water Tribe isn’t behind the attacks. He shows the captain the remote detonator, but the captain tells him it was too dark to notice. Beifong and the other cops have no patience for Mako and his theory. BEIFONG is pissed. When Mako tells everyone that he has an idea to catch the bad guys, Beifong lays into him.
Turns out Mako’s idea is a big sting operation. Mako wants to do it but doesn’t think he can pull it off without the cops, and BEIFONG already told him no way, Jose. Asami pleads him to go through with it to save her company and the only thing left of her family. Varrick steps in, though, and so Mako’s sting is ON. Asami and Mako against the world!
Later, Mako and Asami are loading dummy crates onto Varrick’s boat when Asami asks him where Korra is. Who could be more helpful than the Avatar?! Mako doesn’t tell her that he and Korra are broken up, but it gets super awk and then he leaves to go ask Bolin for help instead.
And you guys, Bolin is basically living the celebrity life. He’s soaking in damn hot tub, for crying out loud, and has a STATUE of himself that he uses as a hat rack except he has no hats. When Mako asks him for help, Bolin tells him that he’s busy. When Mako points out that Bolin is soaking in a hot tub, Bolin says he has to “maintain his instrument.” I DIE. Anyway, Mako storms out. No help from Bolin.
Good thing that Mako has another idea up his sleeve. It’s UNSAVORY though. He goes to the Triple Threats for help, and he uses the Avatar’s ability to reinstate bending as bait. Asami sweetens the pot with the promise of new cars, and the Triple Threats are in. NOT LIKING THIS AT ALL.
So now that the Triple Threats are in, the sting is DEFINITELY a go. Asami, Mako, and Two-Toed Ping are hanging out waiting for an attack to happen. He asks Mako what it’s like to date the Avatar and he finally admits that they broke up. Asami sounds a little too chipper about it for my taste.
Meanwhile, Bolin and Ginger are filming more scenes. Bolin kisses Ginger even though it isn’t in the script. LULZ Bolin is trying to put the moves on Ginger and it’s kind of an epic fail. Bolin is letting Nuktuk get to his head.
Back on the ship, Mako is getting impatient for something to go down and he overhears some other Triple Threats talking about how much longer they have to stay on the boat. Turns out that someone PAID the Triple Threats to keep Mako and Asami DISTRACTED by seeming to go along with the sting. Mako tells Asami that someone double crossed them, and then a fight starts when Asami and Mako take one of the lifeboats and speed off. Bending and chasing ensue until Mako and Asami make it back to Republic City. When they get there, they go right to Asami’s warehouse, which was chock full of Meka tanks before they left. Now, it’s empty. All of Asami’s Meka tanks have been stolen. Every last one.
Asami is beside herself and feeling really down. Mako, because he’s a stand-up guy, says that they’ll figure it out. He’s being all supportive and Asami is feeling it, so she hauls off and kisses him. Mako doesn’t really react at all and things get a little weird. He leaves, promising to figure out what happened.
He goes after Two-Toed Ping and corners him. Mako tries to intimidate info out of Ping, but he legit has no idea who paid the Triple Threats to distract Mako and Asami. But someone did pay them off. There is a bad guy to be found!
Mako goes to visit Bolin to ask if he’s seen Varrick. Except Bolin is so method he only answers to Nuktuk. LULZ. Bolin/Nuktuk tells Mako that they’re about to shoot an explosion scene, and Mako notices something SUPER familiar about the bombs. He goes to talk to the guy in charge of the pyrotechnics and the guy tells Mako that it’s a Varrick Industries EXCLUSIVE, and he whips out THE REMOTE DETONATOR THAT MAKO FOUND AT THE CULTURAL CENTER ATTACK. OMG.
Gratuitous shot of Mako’s pretty eyes. *Stares into their depths* Courtesy of www.cap-that.com
Mako rushes off to find Asami to tell him that VARRICK double crossed them, but when he finds her, Varrick is already there. He’s just bought a controlling interest in Future Industries to help save Asami’s company. She looks thrilled, and so even though Mako was two seconds away from unmasking Varrick as the bad guy, he doesn’t. But Varrick looks like he knows that Mako knows, and Mako makes some veiled threats toward Varrick.
So, what’s an episode of Legend of Korra without KORRA?! Remember how last ep Korra was on her way to the Fire Nation to get help with the Southern war, except she was apparently eaten by a dark spirit? The good news: Korra isn’t dead. She’s washed up on the shores of the Fire Nation. Bad news: She has NO IDEA who she is, and she has no idea how she wound up there. Her memories are GONE. EEEP!
The Last Word
OMG. The Avatar doesn’t even know she’s the Avatar. This seems like the perfect setup for next week’s episode that introduces us the first Avatar, Wan. Also, HANDS OFF MAKO, Asami. I was kind of hoping going into this season that she would find a connection elsewhere because she deserves one, but who knows. But the big reveal of this ep of Varrick as the bad guy? I kind of wasn’t surprised. He’s so wacky that it’s almost obvious that he’s putting on a show, but I’m curious about why and what his motives are. I can’t imagine that it’s just so he can acquire Asami’s business, but maybe? Thoughts?
The Lines
“Who’s gonna fight for friends and freedom? Nuktuk!
He’s the biggest, baddest, bending-ist man I know.
Who protects the icy tundra? Nuktuk!
Battling Northies up there in the snow!
When Unalaq starts trouble, he’ll punch him in the mouth.
He’s Nuktuk, the hero of the South!”
