Season 1, Episode 7

The Skinny: The title of this episode–“The Aftermath”–is pretty apropos. Because this ep is the FALLOUT, yo. Amon has destroyed the Pro Bending arena, Beifong was unable to protect the spectators from an attack by Freaky Face like she said she could, and the threat of war between the benders and the Equalists is at a fever pitch. ALL THE SHIZZ, folks. This episode haz it. 

The Setup: Last week, all of the things happened. Well, the Pro Bending final is mostly what happened. The Fire Ferrets were facing the defending champion Wolf Bats, lead by Tano, aka Hair Flip. There was mad cheating on the Bats’ part, the Ferrets couldn’t beat it, and they lost. BUT THEN! Amon showed up. He had been threatening to do just such a thing unless the Council canceled the bending final so that the people of Republic City would know how AWFUL they are for glorifying benders. Except Amon only said all that with the hopes that the Council would do the OPPOSITE, thus leaving the Pro Bending Final as the perfect platform for him to basically spew his manifesto: bending sucks, benders suck WORSE, Equalists rule figuratively and soon will LITERALLY, because a new government will soon be in place so that ALL THE BENDERS GO DOWN EVERYWHERE. Republic City AND the world. BOOM. Onto the next one, folks.  

The Breakdown: Our little intro features Tarlock, the bastard, who is totally bringing his sneakiness to bear on Beifong after Amon was able to attack everyone at the Pro Bending final, and is calling for her job while looking all serious and legit and wouldn’t you know it, PERFECT for the position that isn’t even open yet. He’s a dirty dog, friends. I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him, which is not at all. He’s too big. I don’t even think I could shove him to the ground, and I’m no dainty daisy. BLERGH.

 So, since the arena was basically destroyed in last week’s attacks, Bolin and Mako have nowhere to live now. Korra shows up all excited because Tenzin said that the two of them could come live on Air Bender Island with Korra. HOLLA, roomies!! Mako and Korra shacking up together! Excitement all around! Of course, though, everyone gets awkward because it turns out that Hoe Cake has beaten Korra to the punch and offered Mako and Bolin a place to stay at her daddy’s ginormous estate (henceforth “The Estate”) and they’re going to live there instead. Hoe Cake shows up and, as always, is MADDENINGLY nice to Korra. She invites Korra to come over the next day to hang out, Korra says, *VOM* Hell to the naw!, Pabu greases the skids, Korra caves to the cuteness and also Bolin’s hilarity and agrees to stop by, and everyone’s cool for now. But still, Hoe Cake 1, Korra 0. I SEETHE.

Next day, Korra shows up at The Estate, and everyone is chilling in the pool. WHY Mako decides to wear a bathing suit that features a SHIRT is beyond me. Unfortunately, everyone is, like, enjoying themselves. When everyone goes to the racetrack out back (I KNOW), Korra and Hoe Cake get in one of the cars together, and I was like, “THIS IS IT. Hoe Cake is going to TAKE KORRA DOWN like the bad guy she is.” Alas. I was wrong. Hoe Cake and Korra actually bond and it’s altogether sickening. 

Mako, PLEASE. Korra would never make you keep that shirt on.

High on friendliness or whatever, Korra goes to powder her nose in one of the bazillion bathrooms on The Estate, and overhears Daddy Hoe Cake talking on the phone about how “now is the time to strike” and stuff. Earlier in the ep, we saw Beifong searching for the manufacturers of those chi-blocker gloves, and discovering a TON of them in a factory owned by someone who turns out to be Daddy Hoe Cake’s business rival. OF COURSE, Korra hears this convo and jumps to the same conclusion that everyone probably did–that Sato is in league with the Equalists–and runs to tell Tenzin and Beifong, who totally jump on the bandwagon.

Of course, news of this investigation DOES NOT sit well with Mako and Hoe Cake. Hoe Cake is indignant while Beifong and her metal benders search her dad’s factory, and Mako flat out tells Korra that if she keeps up with hating on his lady’s dad, THEY will not be friends anymore. Way harsh, Mako. Because even though the orignal search turns up nothing, YO!! I thought for a second that the phone call Korra overheard would be a red herring AND THEN IT WASN’T. Hoe Cake’s daddy is totally allied with Amon. He is the ENEMY. 

Guys. This shady factory worker tells Korra, Tenzin, and Beifong that the reason they didn’t find anything at Sato’s factory is because he has a hidden one underneath The Estate. When everyone shows up there to look for it, Mako and Hoe Cake are all,”What are you doing?! There’s nothing here! You are all WRONG!” And Hoe Cake is like, “I think I would know if my dad had a hidden FACTORY under The Estate!” But Beifong uses her metal bender magic and x-rays the ground and finds a tunnel that leads to a huge cavern underground with banners of Freaky Face all over and chi-blocker gloves and these big chi-blocker robots. And then guys? All of the shizz hit the fan OVER AND OVER AND OVER. ALL THE SHIZZ. All of it. It was bananas. I love how I kind of had an idea that it would be coming and it was more awesome than I thought it would be.  

EPIC BATTLING ensues between Hoe Cake’s dad, who shows up and uses one of those robots to go after Korra, Tenzin, Beifong, and a bunch of other metal benders. Apparently, he holds a grudge against benders because a fire bender killed his wife many years ago. This fight is basically The Tenzin Show. I mean, everyone is awesome, but GET SOME TENZIN! I LOVED seeing him air bend. He was seriously outstanding. Well, until he, and everyone, was knocked out by crazy Sato’s chi-blocker robots. EVERYONE. Including Korra. EEP!

HIS EYES ARE GOLDEN OMFG

That’s when Mako and Bolin show up to save the day, even though Mako had totally called Korra a liar earlier and said that their friendship was over because she DARED to suspect Hoe Cake’s TOTALLY SUSPICIOUS dad. (It gave me the angry-sads when he chose Hoe Cake over Korra. Seriously, get Hoe Cake out of here already. She ruins everything.) They wise up and are just about ready to get away with Korra, Tenzin, and Beifong when Sato catches them. He’s just about to put the smack down on Mako and Bolin when Hoe Cake shows up and is pretty effing shocked at what she sees. Her father pleads with her to understand why he’s doing this and makes his case to get Hoe Cake to his side by offering her a chi-blocker glove. Just when you think that she’s going to take the glove and chi-block/electrocute Mako and Bolin, she uses her dad’s chi blocker glove to electrocute HIM instead and kick some ass of her own. I will call her by her name just this once in honor of her making a tough decision and going against her own father and finding out he was a lying evil scum and then having to kick his ass: Asami is a tough chickadee. I felt bad for her. Now, Mako. End the madness please and send her packing. She’ll land on her feet. 

So everyone runs off, but not before Hoe Cake’s dad makes off with some of Beifong’s metal bending cops. Yo, can I get a “what, what” for ROGUE BEIFONG? GET IT, girl. I can’t wait to see how badass she gets while going after her missing benders and Amon. I was clapping and fistpumping and yelling. Beifong is quickly becoming my favorite secondary character on this show. She’s so FIERCE! Also, WHO NEEDS THE LAW when you have VENGEANCE? The correct answer is NO ONE. The law is useless. 

But VOM. Mako and Hoe cake are, like, stronger than ever. Seriously gagging over here. At least everyone is going to live on Air Bender Island with Korra, so that should make for some great drama and will hopefully provide ample opportunities for awkward encounters between Korra and Mako. But I’m intrigued: all those benders–and the Avatar–in one place. Seems like a HUGE target to me.  

The Last Word: So THIS EPISODE. I think it was the best one yet. SO MUCH happened. GAHH! It was nonstop action, and I LOVED it. The plot was advanced big time. The drama and jeopardy was top notch. And the conclusion was just the bomb. I’m seriously jonesing to see Beifong get revenge on Amon and rescue her benders, but I’m worried because now I feel like Tarlock is totally going to take her position and that gives me NAUSEA. 

The Lines: “Do you think your dad knows about this tunnel?”

“What a swell, scary factory you have under your huge mansion.”

Whew. That’s a lot. And I still feel like I’m missing things. But this should be enough to discuss! Hit the comments, friends!

Season 1, Episode 6

The Skinny: Korra, Bolin and Mako are ready to kick ass and take names in the Pro Bending Final against those HIDEOUS bending hipsters, the Wolf Bats, lead by he of the epic hair flip. (I seriously can’t remember his name. Only the hair.) OBVS there are shenanigans, Amon shows up in his FREAKY mask to ruin things, Mako is smoking hot, Bolin is lovable and hilarious, and Korra is BAMFy. 

Hair Flip = THIS loony toon.

The Setup: Last week was all “Republic City, 9021o.” Bolin decides that he wants to get all up in Korra’s biz, real PERSONAL-like, Korra realizes that Bolin is a SUPER awesome friend–as evidenced by their frat-party dinner date where they laughed and belched over noodles together–but she’s definitely got a THANG for Mako (GET IN LINE, SISTER FRIEND). Too bad for Korra that Mako and Hoe Cake are totally still together. BLAH. But what’s this? When Bolin broaches the topic of Korra as gf to Mako, and then proceeds to take her out, Mako gets a bit JEALOUS, y’all. And also confused about his feelings, because, all evidence to the contrary, he thinks Hoe Cake is something special. So leave it to our girl Korra to take the bull by the horns, confess her feelings to Mako, and go in for the smooch. BOOM. HE DIGS IT *fist pump*. But basically this puts a big, weird cramp on the Fire Ferrets chemistry as a team because Bolin still thinks Korra is the bees knees. They need to mend fences ASAP, though, because they are going up against the hipster benders, the Wolf Bats (THAT NAME. I don’t even know. Are Wolf Bats a thing? Like, howling, flying…rodents?), in the pro bending final. How did they get to the final, you ask? WELL. Korra opens one of the many cans of whoop-ass that she keeps hidden in her huge pants and wins it for the team. Korra, Mako, and Bolin decide to cool it with the kissy face business because they have some crazy hair-flipping dude to deal with in the final. ONTO THE NEXT ONE, FOLKS. 

The Breakdown: Things open up with a Fire Ferrets training session underway. Mako, Korra, and Bolin are gearing up to face the Wolf Bats in the Pro Bending Final by aiming their fire/water/earth at pictures of the Hair Flip. Korra’s feeling good about their chances even though they’re the underdogs. Just as she andthe boys are about to get really psyched up, though, their radio cuts out and Amon comes on and brings the cray cray. He says that everyone should enjoy the Pro Bending Final because–GASP!–he thinks Republic City should stop glorifying benders, and so wants the council to shut down the arena and cancel the finals. Then he brings the threats, saying there will be “severe consequences” if they don’t. Stunned faces all around.

Korra and the boys take this news and run to the council, where Tenzin, Tarlok, and the three mute members who only ever raise their hands while seated, tell them that they have caved to Amon’s threats and are going to cancel the final and stop pro bending FOREVAH. The Fire Ferrets are AGHAST, and Korra advocates keeping the finals on as scheduled because caving means that Amon wins. And we all know he MUST LOSE. While arguing their case, Chief Beifong shows up and surprisingly agrees with Korra. She thinks the benders need to stick up to the Equalists, and assures the council that her force of metal benders will have the arena locked up tighter than Fort Knox. Chi blockers can’t hurt metal benders, Beifong says. Then, Tarlock and his sneaky ass basically get Beifong to take personal responsibility for all the spectators. (DUN DUN DUNNNN!) So the council caves AGAIN, this time to the Fire Ferrets and Chief Beifong, and the Pro Bending Finals are a GO. Of course, they don’t realize at the time that Amon WANTED them to do this exact thing, so freaky face is all excited, although you would never know it because his only facial expression is over-botoxed blankness, what with the mask and all.

Apparently, Tenzin got the same vibes from Tarlock as I did because he warns Beifong that Tarlock is setting her up/being an asshat. Bei Fong is all, “bish please! I don’t need no babysitter!” Tenzin says he’s going to stay close to Beifong during the match anyway just in case. Korra butts in, Beifong makes tracks the minute Korra shows up to make nice, and THEN! Korra eventually realizes that the reason Beifong is basically a tightly wound ball of MEAN is because SHE used to be with Tenzin. Y’all, Beifong is a JILTED LOVER. SIGH. Even the adults bring the dramz. 

So, THE FINAL. FIRE FERRETS. WOLF BATS. I should have known it would end in disaster when Mako and Hoe Cake blew kisses to each other (UGH/GAG/VOM) before the match started. Hoe Cake is bad luck and I want her GONE, please and thank you. I prefer to remember Mako like THIS instead:

Lookin’ FINE, Mako. Lookin’ fine.

Anyway, the match is a doozy, but CLEARLY fixed from the first whistle. Hair Flip is a MAD CHEATER, guys. The Wolf Bats are pulling all kinds of illegal moves and the ref is, like, too busy counting his money to call any fouls. RIDICULOUS. Even though the Fire Ferrets bring it, and Korra is FILTHY, they are no match for the Wolf Bats’ dirty game. 

So, Hair Flip and his dirty, cheating cronies win the Pro Bending final. ALAS. But after the Wolf Bats are crowned champs, Amon makes good on his threats to drop the hammer on benders and people who support them. Remember how Chief Beifong was all, “my metal benders can take those wussy chi blockers any day, twice on Sunday?” Yeah, well, Amon’s soldiers, who have scattered themselves among the crowd, are sporting these electrical thingies in their hands, and they use them to shock Beifong and her crew out. PANIC!! MASS HYSTERIA!

And while this is going on, HOLY CRAP, Amon shows up in the ring and EFFING TAKES AWAY HAIR FLIP’S BENDING. He takes it all from ALL the Wolf Bats. BOOM! Amon then gets preachy about equality and how benders are THE WORST. But check it: While the Fire Ferrets are stuck tied to a pole underneath the ring, Amon is speachifying about how a new Equalist government will soon be in place in Republic City and how those electrical thingies are basically devices that allow ANYONE to possess the power of the chi blockers. GULP. Bigger gulp? Amon doesn’t just have his sights set on equalizing Republic City. He wants to eradicate bending from THE WHOLE WORLD. Dang. 

So, Korra finally gets free and goes after Amon and his cronies. Awesome bending is awesome, and Korra kills it, with some more help from Chief Beifong, her new bestie. They fight together, but of course, Amon gets away in his crazy zeppelin or whatever AIRSHIP of evil he flies around in and lives to flash his freaky face another day. 

The Last Word: I liked Korra teaming up with Chief Beifong, friends. I love how Beifong is a BADASS and Korra is a BADASS and they both have such strong personalities. They have so much more in common than they realize at first. Can’t wait to see how their relationship grows–or not–in the future. And also, Amon is NASTY. Like Tenzin said, “Republic City is at war.” Shizz is about to get REAL. I feel like Amon has moles everywhere and I’m suspicious of lots of people. (ahemTarlockcoughHoeCake’sDaddycoughahem). 

The Lines: “I am currently wetting my pants.” 

So, what did you guys think? How much did you throw up in your mouths when Mako and Hoe Cake were blowing kisses at each other? Do you think anything is going to come of all the reminiscing Tenzin and Bei Fong are getting up to? Maybe she won’t be so prickly or nasty to Korra anymore. And honestly: WHAT is up with Amon taking away bending abilities?! And where is he getting those chi blocker gloves?? (I have a theory about this last one, but since it’s probably hugely wrong, I might keep it to myself for now.)

Also, I have to give BIG hugs and props to Lisa from Lisa is Busy Nerding for doing such an ace job with these recaps. I’ve got BIG BIG shoes to fill! I hope I’m doing you proud, Lisa!!