Legend of Korra Re-Watch - 4x07: Reunion
Hey, kids! It’s about that time again. Episode 7!
In which the band gets back together and rocks out to such hits as “Rescuing the Prince from Danger” and “Fighting Off the Bad Guys.” Meanwhile, Bolin and Varrick frolic through the forest and team up with some fellow runaways.
*Screenshots and Edits by Me (Edits via Imgflip.com)*
Previously, Jinora, Ikki, Meelo, and Opal brought Korra to safety on a sky bison. This episode opens on the heroes finally landing on Air Temple Island and Korra embracing Naga after three years apart.
They’re joined by Bumi (plus Bum-Ju), Tenzin and Pema. Tenzin congratulates the kids on succeeding in their mission, saying that he’s proud of them. Meelo: “Proud enough to get me my master tats?”
Tenzin shoots him down immediately. Pema giggles at her son’s indignation.
Redirecting his attention to Korra and Opal, Tenzin asks exactly what went down in Zaofu.
Definitely the latter.
In short, it’s revealed that Kuvira took over the township and captured Opal’s family. Korra is disappointed in herself for not being able to prevent it, but Tenzin assures that no one expected her to defeat Kuvira on her own.
Then Bumi asks about Bolin. Opal explains that she can’t believe he’d stay with Kuvira after what she did to Opal’s family, but no one knows where he is. The scene transitions to answer that very question.
Bolin and Varrick are coming to terms with their new status as vagabonds in the woods. The former is carrying the latter on piggyback.
When Bolin complains about having to do all the work, Varrick says that when he escaped prison at the end of Season 2, Zhu Li carried him twenty miles in one day, “and that was after she sprained her ankle!” Poor Zhu Li, man, no wonder she finally snapped a couple episodes back.
In response, Bolin yells that Zhu Li isn’t here, and Varrick plops dramatically on the ground to decompose, claiming that he deserves it.
But Bolin won’t let him get off THAT easily.
He reminds Varrick that he’s responsible for the WMD that Kuvira’s building, and Varrick whines some more about how he’s a “horrible, horrible person!”
So Bolin gives a pep talk in which he promises that the two of them will make it up to the world by heading to Republic City and warning everyone about the super weapon.
Then Varrick makes this face:
He concedes that Bolin sure has a way with words - no wonder Varrick made him a “mover” star! Then he allows Bolin to take a break from the heavy lifting. Never mind the fact that Varrick’s not exactly a man of physical strength.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), they don’t even make it a single step before they’re caught in a trap.
Bolin’s actual reaction: “Are you kidding me??”
Back in Republic City, Korra heads down to this universe’s answer to The Four Seasons hotel (The Four Elements) and meets up with Asami.
And this is when astute viewers, with the retroactive knowledge that this will end up becoming a thing, might notice the blossom of the Korrasami romance beginning to take place. Asami raves about how much she missed Korra, then compliments her new haircut. In response, Korra says with a blush that Asami is looking “snazzy as always.”
(Well, not technically since they’re both bisexual, but you know what I mean.)
At this point, Asami points Korra in Mako’s direction, since he’s saved them a table. Makorra’s reunion is just as warm and fuzzy as Korrasami’s.
And then Prince Wu pops up to introduce himself as the “rightful heir to the throne” and Mako’s boss.
He tries to win the Avatar over with his charm and flattery, and Korra remains unimpressed.
(True.)
Asami whispers angrily at Mako for bringing Wu on this trip, since he promised this lunch would just be for the three of them. With a metaphorical tail between his legs, Mako explains that he couldn’t just ditch the Prince.
And then Wu requests that Korra pop into the Avatar State, because he wants to see her eyes glow. Korra replies:
Asami asks if Korra can even go into the Avatar State again, since she was worried when Korra revealed that she couldn’t in her letter back in Episode 2. The news that Korra wrote to Asami and no one else causes Mako to go:
Mako states that a simple hello would have been nice while Korra was away, but Korra explains that she was at a loss for words. Then she asks to let bygones be bygones, and wants to know what’s been going on with her friends. Asami explains about how she’s begun the reconciliation process with her father, and Korra is skeptical about whether he can be trusted. Asami cries: “You don’t think I know what my own father is capable of? You don’t get to disappear for three years and then act like you know what’s best for me!”
Before Korra can respond, Wu breaks up the argument by announcing that he has to go use the facilities.
Between Wu and Varrick, this episode is just all about the drama queens.
Mako refuses to accompany him as usual, so Wu goes by himself. The bathroom attendant offers to spritz Wu with a little cologne, and Wu’s like: “Make it a double!”
But the “cologne” turns out to be an Avatarverse chloroform equivalent, and Wu passes out.
Back in the Earth Kingdom forest, Bolin and Varrick take turns lamenting about their current predicament.
Then the people who set the trap reveal themselves as escaped Earth Empire prisoners.
This show could always use a little more Steve Blum - it’s not required, of course, but it doesn’t hurt - who in this role is just doing a friendlier-sounding Amon. (If that’s even possible.)
Bolin and Varrick tell the escaped prisoners that they were members of Kuvira’s inner circle who jumped ship. “Were!” Bolin assures, “Not anymore!” Steve Blum announces that he knows just what to do with a couple of “Kuvira’s top men.”
Cut to: Republic City. Back at the restaurant, Team Avatar is all:
So Mako decides to go check on him.
But he’s nowhere to be found. Out in the lobby, Korra notices a suspiscious laundry cart and goes out to investigate.
She asks the hotel worker if he’s seen the Prince, but the worker goes:
Then Wu pops out of the laundry pile. The hotel guy jumps into the driver’s seat and slams on the gas.
Team Avatar gets their own car to chase after the kidnapper.
Asami swerves through traffic like a New York City taxi driver, ignoring some of Mako’s instructions on how to get to the culprit quicker with the justification: “I know these streets better than you; I built some of them!” Eventually, they catch up to the getaway truck and Korra jumps down to metalbend the top off.
They stop in front of a spirit vine to interrogate Wu’s kidnapper.
But the goon reveals that the Prince is in another castle, and then he goes:
Actually, he says: “All hail the Great Uniter!” but eh, same difference.
Mako places him under arrest for kidnapping and throws him in the back of a police truck, instructing his subordinate cop about further security measures.
So now Team Avatar is at a loss for what to do next.
Mako decries: “The ONE TIME I don’t watch him pee, and this is what happens!”
I’m not even gonna touch that line.
Korra goes up to the spirit vine and tries out that tracking ability she learned in the Swamp. In short, it works.
Korra instructs Asami to drive to the train station, promising to explain how she knows where to go on the way there.
Bolin asks how a bunch of water and firebenders ended up in one of Kuvira’s reeducation camps. Steve Blum Character explains that Kuvira has been “purging” anyone not of Earth Kingdom origin and “locking them up.”
Seriously, guys, you can’t just drop that bomb on us and then say, “Deal with THAT!”
Steve Blum is surprised that Varrick and Bolin didn’t know anything about that, being part of her inner circle and all. Bolin admits that “the inner circle thing” lasted less than a day. Varrick demands to know where the runaways are taking himself and Bolin. The waterbender lady explains that there’s a checkpoint nearby that Bolin and Varrick will talk their way past, and after that, “we’ll see about letting you go.”
Bolin and Varrick exchange glances, and Bolin is left with no choice but to unleash the big guns:
Varrick: “LAVA TIME! Bet you weren’t expecting that!”
Bolin explains for the twenty-eighth time that he and Varrick don’t work for Kuvira anymore, so they won’t be much help getting past a checkpoint. If you look at Varrick, you’ll notice the shit-eating evil grin on his face that lasts the duration of Bolin’s dialogue.
Well, it made me chuckle.
But Steve Blum Character counters that the checkpoint is the only way out of the forest. One argument about whether each party can trust one another later, all the fugitives decide to come up with a plan to get past the checkpoint.
Meanwhile, in Republic City, Team Avatar has the following conversation as they drive to the train station:
Just replace “Dagobah System” with “Swamp” and “Master Yoda” with “Lin’s mom” and you’ve got Korra’s explanation almost word-for-word. Asami asks what Toph was like in person, and Korra describes her as a “crankier, more miserable version of Lin.” Mako asks if that’s even possible, and Korra says: “You’d be surprised.”
Then the Krew ends up at the train station, whereupon they decide to split up to find the Prince.
Over in the forest, Bolin, Varrick and the team of runaways have made it to their destination. A summary of Bolin’s attempt to get the prisoners past the guard:
Then Varrick lets the guard have it.
In any case, Varrick’s tirade is enough to convince the guard that they’re legit.
But of course their plan is foiled by the presence of wanted posters.
At this point, Bolin and the runaways begin to straight-up fight the guards and the mecha tanks.
Varrick, on the other hand, sneaks into the control center to reverse-engineer the mecha tanks.
All the while the action continues.
Varrick declares his work satisfactory and pushes the lever with a prayer that it will indeed shut down the robots.
And it does.
With a chuckle, Varrick declares that he’s still got “that Varrick touch!”
Before he and Bolin can escape once and for all, though, Bolin decides to do the honorable thing by lavabending the gate closed right as the guards run through it so the runaways can join them.
At the train station back in the City, Korra, Mako and Asami continue their wild goose chase after the kidnapped Prince.
Korra activates her tracking powers again.
The Krew gets on the train containing the Prince, who is stirring around in a suitcase.
But a couple of Kuvira’s goons catch up to them, and Korra and Mako fight them off before Korra metalbends the roof open.
The Prince insists that he’s not jumping up there, and Korra makes this face:
…before promptly tossing him onto the hood of the next car down.
Unfortunately, our heroes have got company.
After the Krew fights off the enemies, Korra airbends a sphere so the four of them can nose-dive onto the ground below.
Wu thanks Mako for saving him, and promises to give him a raise.
At what point does subtext become regular text?
Mako insists that Wu should be thanking Korra, since they never would have found him without her. And so Wu goes:
Korra responds to his offer for a night on the town with:
And so she redirects her attention to Mako and Asami. The rest of the scene goes like this:
The team decides that it’s too dangerous for Wu back at the hotel. Fortunately, Mako knows just the place to keep him: his family’s safe-house. Apparently Asami was nice enough to lend her property to Mako’s extended family after they fled Ba Sing Se last season.
Mako introduces Prince Wu to his grandmother, and Wu’s charms sweep “Grandma Mako” (as he humorously calls her) off her feet.
Bolin/Varrick and the runaways thank each other for their help escaping the Earth Empire.
The runaways offer Bolin and Varrick a lift on their boat, since everyone’s heading the same direction. Bolin accepts, despite Varrick’s misgivings (he’s allergic to drowning). Before stepping on the rickety thing, Varrick goes:
Cut to: Kuvira and Baatar measuring the energy of some mysterious something that turns out to be the Banyan Grove Tree from the Swamp.
They come to the logical conclusion:
Then the camera zooms out and we get this beauty:
Oh you guys are such scamps. I love it!
But we won’t find out what happens with this until Episode 9, because next episode is the ultimate Dammit, Nickelodeon! I am of course referring to the (in)famous Clip Show Because the Network is Incompetent and Threw Their Best Show Under the Bus. Since a clip show doesn’t warrant an entire recap (A recap of a recap? That’s just silly.), I’ve found a way to take care of it before we proceed. ‘Til then!
