The Legend of Korra Recap | Episode 8

Episode 8 • The Terror Within

We begin this episode in Xaofu, where Korra and Bolin are practicing their metal bending. Well, Korra is practicing it. Bolin is struggling to actually DO it. But Korra manages to get a win, whereas Bolin resorts to earth bending in a fit of frustration before Asami REALLY craps on his day and reminds him that tonight is Opal’s going away dinner. GUYS. BUT I SHIP IT. I have complete confidence that these two are NOT DONE.

Also, remember how Varick is still around? He’s created an airbender finder. But LOL it doesn’t work. Anywho, everyone says goodbye to Opal and the rest of Team Avatar + Lin Beifong prepare to go search for more airbenders the next day.

BUT LO! Something is rotten in the state of Xaofu! That night, while everyone sleeps, ZAHIR AND HIS CRONIES ARE SNEAKING IN. HOW IS THIS HAPPENING. Pabu begins FA-REAKING out and trying to wake up Bolin, who wants no part of it. Ming-Hua does some water bending thing with the glass of Korra’s bedroom window, and then the bastards SHOOT NAGA WITH TRANQUILIZERS. DO. NOT. MESS. WITH. NAGA. Korra wakes up and tries to fight them off but is hit with a dart herself and passes out. Zahir grabs Korra and leaves. THANKFULLY, Bolin chooses now to listen to Pabu’s warnings, wakes up, and sees Zahir running off with Korra over his shoulder.

A HUGE fight ensues. Like, HUGE. ALL the benders get into it, including Su & Lin. Zahir, Gazan, Ming-Hua, and Pa-Li put up an insanely good fight, shooting things with their minds, lava bending, and trying to use an air glider. Bolin gets in a great shot as well that saves the day. It really looks dire for them for a while, and they almost make off with Korra anyway before Su and Lin are able to grab Korra from them and airlift her to safety using their metal bending. Team Zahir manages to airbend all of them away without a trace.

The next day, Team Avatar, Su, Lin, and the truth-seer, Aiwei, try and figure out how Zahir and his gang even got into Xaofu. They determine that one of the guards must have let them in and Aiwei begins questioning them all–even Varick (lol not him) and Su, at Lin’s request (obvs these two still have some things to work on)–until one young guard sits down and Aiwei deems him the GUILTY ONE. Except he doesn’t look it at all.

Team Avatar begins searching the guard’s home and finds a suspicious note and the guard logbooks. Not looking good for the kid. Mako wants to question him right away, but Aiwei wants to let him stew. Mako instantly throws shade at Aiwei and is frustrated that they aren’t confronting the guard. Mako begins to question the guard’s guilt and then Varick shows up and he posits that PERHAPS the guilty person isn’t the guard, but AIWEI HIMSELF.

When Team Avatar goes to Aiwei’s home to do some sleuthing, they aren’t very successful at first, but then they find a bookcase that MOVES, and Su’s advisor all of a sudden seems SUPER shady. And of course, he shows up while Team Avatar is still there. Aiwei says he’ll talk to them over some tea when Korra mentions that things aren’t “adding up.” Aiwei manages to talk around their questions and then asks them who they think is the traitor if not the guard. Silence fills the room as it becomes clear that Team Avatar suspects Aiwei, and then he says, “You have no idea what’s coming for you, Avatar.” And then he sneaks out of his home using the secret hideaway behind the bookcase. When Team Avatar manages to make it back there as well, they see that Aiwei has rigged a bomb and it EXPLODES OMG.

Thankfully, Korra and her airbending save Team Avatar. But Aiwei has escaped through a tunnel behind his home. Korra tells Su that Aiwei is guilty, which is a huge blow. He was her number one advisor. They determine that Zahir and his team got into Xaofu through the tunnel in Aiwei’s home, but despite more searching, he’s already gone.

Korra wants to suspend the search for more airbenders to look for Aiwei and find out what’s going on with Zahir and his gang, but Lin wants nothing to do with it. She wants to take Korra back to Republic City, but Lin says it’s too dangerous. Su agrees with Lin and Korra backs down. They prepare once again to leave the next morning.

Exceptttt…in the middle of the night, Su shows up in Korra’s room with the keys to her jeep. She tells Korra to take Naga and the Team and go find Aiwei, saying that she’ll deal with Lin. Team Avatar heads off into the night to hunt down Aiwei.

So, this episode was great because one, it took place entirely with one storyline. I kind of love those episodes sometimes. Also, I love that Team Avatar was able to defeat Team Zahir this time, although it makes me nervous thinking how desperate this will make them. Also, what is this ominous “you have no idea what’s coming for you” business? And can I tell you that, even though I’m really enjoying this season, I’m missing some of the romance feels. But I’m also really digging the action! What do you guys think?