In Harm's Way

"In Harm's Way" is the fourth episode of Book Three: Change of The Legend of Korra and the 30th of the overall series. It aired on Nickelodeon along with "The Metal Clan" on July 11, 2014.

Overview
Korra discovers that the Earth Queen is forcing all the airbenders in Ba Sing Se to join her army.

Synopsis
Lord Zuko arrives on Druk outside of P'Li's prison in the North Pole to inform Tonraq, Desna, and Eska that he did not see any individuals heading toward the facility. He warns the group of an oncoming snowstorm, which Tonraq immediately identifies as the work of Zaheer, who is covering his and his cabal's attack on the prison with airbending. The two groups clash instantaneously, with Tonraq remarking that he can easily imprison Zaheer as he did thirteen years ago. The tribal chief attempts to subdue the airbender with waterbending, but the latter is able to evade his attacks with ease.

Desna and Eska attempt to subdue Ming-Hua with a series of ice projectiles which she avoids. As a result, the twins conjure a barrage of iceberg spikes in another attempt to stop her approach, but are unsuccessful as Ming-Hua weaves her way through the spikes and traps them in ice columns. Using an ice drill, the waterbender tunnels down to P'Li's cell and frees the firebender, much to her surprise. The two return to surface with P'Li hanging on Ming-Hua's back. The former casually remarks that it would have been easier taking the elevator as opposed to using ice claws to climb. Zuko's dragon immediately attacks the two with a fire blast which P'Li deflects, stating that she has waited thirteen years to feel warm again before attacking Druk with a combustion beam. The four criminals promptly flee the scene after Ghazan and P'Li subdue Zuko and Tonraq, respectively. P'Li embraces Zaheer and expresses how she thought that she would never see him again and the two kiss passionately, much to Ghazan's chagrin.

In Ba Sing Se, Tu provides Bolin and Mako with passports that could get them back to the Upper Ring. The two thank him for his efforts and proceed to bid their extended family farewell, eventually reaching Team Avatar's temporary home where they come across Korra and Asami training. Korra asserts the presence of airbenders in Ba Sing Se and calls Earth Queen Hou-Ting a liar, before finding out from the two brothers that the Earth Queen has been taking them to train as part of her elite army. The queen arrives shortly after with supposed news of airbenders in the Yang province, stating that it was exactly the type of news for which the Avatar was looking. Korra thanks her halfheartedly but expresses her desire to remain in the city for a while longer, with Asami stating that they need to stay for at least another day in order to fix the Future Industries airship. Hou-Ting leaves frustratedly, having an allergic reaction to Pabu's fur.

Inside their home, the members of Team Avatar discuss their disbelief over the Earth Queen's actions. Bumi justifies Hou-Ting, stating that it is technically legal for the earth monarch to conscript her citizens. Jinora expresses his concern over Kai's safety and believes that he was also taken, but is comforted by Korra who assures her that they will find him. Mako speculates that the airbenders must be underneath Lake Laogai and reveals that he read from one of Jinora's books that it used to hold a secret Dai Li fortress. Jinora states that she can explore it by creating an astral projection of herself, much to everyone's surprise. Although she reveals that the projection would not be as strong as it was during Harmonic Convergence, she ensures that the use of the technique will be successful if she is able to create the projection close enough to the lake.

In the training compound, the Dai Li sergeant tells the airbenders that they are the property of the Earth Queen and are responsible for protecting her at all costs, before forcing them to battle each other using airbending. Kai battles Yung, who asks him to be gentle as he is still a beginner. This angers the sergeant, who tells Kai never to show mercy and to attack his opponent with no restraint. Kai regretfully attacks Yung again and apologizes, prompting the sergeant to state that soldiers never apologize. The young airbender frustratedly replies that he is not a soldier much to the sergeant's amusement, who ensures Kai that he will eventually become one by the time he was through training him.

Korra, Tenzin, and Jinora arrive to a small island on Lake Laogai, where the young airbender proceeds to create an astral projection. She explores the abandoned remains of the Dai Li's fortress, but is unable to find any evidence of any airbenders being kept there. Korra asks Jinora if she knows of any other places where prisoners could be detained in secret, to which she replies that there are numerous possibilities, including the Crystal Catacombs beneath the Upper Ring, the sewers beneath the Lower Ring, and the maze of tunnels linking the three rings. Unfazed, Korra asks Jinora how she managed to find her during Harmonic Convergence and the latter reveals that she was able to do so due to the spiritual connection between the two of them, which allowed her to focus on Korra's energy. Korra urges Jinora to find Kai using the same method and expresses that the two have a connection, a statement which concerns Tenzin.

Back at the compound, the Dai Li sergeant attacks the airbenders with earth disks to test their abilities. Kai defends Yung, prompting the sergeant to attack him with a series of disks which inevitably subdue him. Kai is sent to solitary confinement after unsuccessfully trying to attack the sergeant, where he sees Jinora's projection. After assuring Kai that she will find a way to get him out, Jinora floats toward the surface and discovers that the compound is underneath the Earth Queen's temple.

After revealing to Team Avatar that the compound was hiding in plain sight, the group resolves to free the airbenders at night and are surprised by the arrival of Lin Beifong, who reveals to Tenzin that Zaheer and his cabal escaped their prisons and are in pursuit of Korra. Tenzin reveals that the group attempted to kidnap Korra soon after she was identified as the Avatar and that the motive behind the kidnapping remains a mystery. Lin urges Korra to return to Republic City, but the latter refuses to do so until she frees the airbenders from the Earth Queen.

The members of Team Avatar break into the compound later that night with several objectives: Korra, Bumi, and Tenzin search for the airbenders; Bolin, Mako, and Jinora search for Kai; and Asami and Lin wait outside with the airships to provide a means of escape. Korra and Tenzin find the airbenders and tell them that they are breaking out but that they need to hurry, prompting Bumi to alert Lin to come with the airships. Meanwhile, Bolin, Mako, and Jinora break Kai out but are confronted by three Dai Li agents, including the sergeant. Before they can leave, Korra and the airbenders are blocked off by Dai Li agents and Earth Queen Hou-Ting outside of the compound, the latter of whom asserting that stealing the airbenders would be an act of war. Korra dismisses the earth monarch's threat and manage to subdue the Dai Li agents with help from the airbenders. Inside, Bolin and Mako are able to defeat two of the Dai Li agents while Kai quickly subdues the sergeant after he threatens Jinora's life. Both groups flee the capital, as Bumi and the airbenders depart on the airships while the other members escape on Oogi. They land on a mountain summit somewhere in the Earth Kingdom, where Tenzin tells the airbenders that they are welcome to stay in the Northern Air Temple to train and live in the ways of the Air Nomads. All of the airbenders decide to go with Tenzin, much to his delight, while Korra and the rest of the group continue their search for more airbenders in the Earth Kingdom.

Credits
Written by:
 * Joshua Hamilton

Directed by:
 * Melchior Zwyer

Starring:
 * Janet Varney - Korra
 * David Faustino - Mako
 * P.J. Byrne - Bolin
 * J. K. Simmons - Tenzin
 * Seychelle Gabriel - Asami
 * Jeff Bennett:
 * Radio broadcaster
 * Royal guard #2
 * Dee Bradley Baker:
 * Pabu
 * Bum-Ju
 * Oogi
 * Henry Rollins - Zaheer
 * Mindy Sterling - Beifong
 * James Remar - Tonraq
 * Richard Riehle - Bumi
 * Kiernan Shipka - Jinora

Also starring:
 * Gary Cole - Dai Li sergeant
 * Bruce Davison - Lord Zuko
 * Greg Cipes - Tu
 * Carlos Alazraqui:
 * Yung
 * Guard #3
 * Skyler Brigmann - Kai
 * Susan Silo - Yin
 * Kristy Wu - P'Li
 * Jayne Taini - Queen Hou-Ting
 * Peter Giles - Ghazan
 * Grey Griffin - Ming-Hua
 * Mitchell Whitfield:
 * Gun
 * Royal guard #1

Series continuity

 * Mako mentions reading about a secret Dai Li fortress underneath Lake Laogai, which was discovered by Team Avatar in "Lake Laogai".
 * Korra references the time Jinora created an astral projection to help her find Raava during Harmonic Convergence in "Light in the Dark".
 * Korra expresses understanding over Tenzin and Tonraq's decision to keep her locked inside the Southern Water Tribe compound, a decision which she was made aware of by Unalaq in "Rebel Spirit".

Character revelations

 * Earth Queen Hou-Ting is allergic to animal fur.
 * Jinora retained the ability to create astral projections even following Harmonic Convergence.
 * Zaheer and his cabal attempted to kidnap Korra when she was young, which is why they were incacerated for thirteen years.

Trivia

 * This episode was one of four to be leaked by the Mexican Nickelodeon website, MundoNick, on June 8, 2014.