The Aftermath

"The Aftermath" is the seventh episode of season one of The Legend of Korra and the seventh of the overall series. It debuted on May 19, 2012 on Nickelodeon.

Overview
''After the Pro-Bending Arena closes, following Amon's ambush, Mako and Bolin are invited to reside in Asami's mansion. While spending time there, Korra begins to suspect that Hiroshi Sato is working for the Equalists. As the Metalbending Police Force investigates the claims, they discover stunning secrets.''

Synopsis
With the closure of the Pro-bending Arena, Korra tells Mako and Bolin that Tenzin has allowed them to stay on Air Temple Island. However, they inform her that Asami has already invited them to live in the Sato estate, her father's upscale home. When Asami shows up, she and Bolin, the latter of whom pretending to speak as Pabu, convince Korra to come over to the estate. Korra finally accepts the invitation and leaves the arena.

Lin Beifong and her Metalbending Police Force are shown raiding Cabbage Corp's headquarters, where they find multiple Equalist posters and weaponry, such as electrified gloves. The owner, Lau Gan-Lan, is arrested in front of the cabbage merchant's statue; Lin Beifong then announces the official closing of the company.



Korra then arrives at police headquarters, where she sees Tahno, miserable for being unable to restore his bending. After a short conversation and a promise of taking down Amon, Korra sees Hiroshi Sato conversing with Lin Beifong and Tenzin, and leaves. Later, she visits the rest of the Fire Ferrets in Asami's house, where Bolin proudly tells her of all the perks that come with living in the Sato estate.

After Korra and Asami go to see a race, furthermore participate in one, Korra goes to the restroom. After having a slight run-in with some make-up powder, she leaves the restroom and overhears Hiroshi talking of how the investigation of Cabbage Corp bought them time, and how it was the right moment to strike. Korra quickly leaves the estate and goes to Tenzin and Lin, telling them of what she heard. Although quite disbelieving at first, they realize that Hiroshi's hate for benders may be because of the murder of his wife, done by the members of the Agni Kai Triad, twelve years ago after an invasion and robbery at the mansion.



As they come to inspect, Bolin, Mako, and Asami are quite annoyed; however, Hiroshi gives them permission to check the entire Future Industries. No Equalist material is found. That all changes, however, when what appears to be a factory worker slips a note in Korra's hand, telling her where to meet him to learn more about Hiroshi's plot with Amon. As Lin, Tenzin, and Korra meet him, their contact admits to being an Equalist, now repentant over Amon's desire to create war between benders and non-benders. He reveals that Hiroshi Sato is working for the Equalists, producing equipment for them in a secret underground facility beneath his own estate. The former Equalist also reveals that there are rumors about Sato planning something big involving the Equalists.

After they are directed to a factory under the Sato estate, Lin and her metalbenders, taking Korra and Tenzin alongside, enter the estate, with intentions of finding and eliminating any threat. Under the pressure of losing her job because of Tarrlok's speeches against her, Lin uses seismic sense to discover a secret tunnel from Hiroshi's workshop to the secret, underground factory. Lin orders Officer Song to stay behind and make sure Bolin, Mako, and Asami do not come down; then she enters, followed by her men, Korra, and Tenzin.



As they come to the bottom, they witness the machines produced by Hiroshi. They are then locked in by a wall made of platinum, something that metalbending cannot control or manipulate. Lin guesses that the informant was nothing more than a setup. Unable to get out, the metalbenders, Lin, Tenzin and Korra are all forced to face Hiroshi and the Equalists; however, the machines play their part in giving the Equalists the advantage. In the meantime, Mako tricks Song by purposely "sneezing" a breath of fire as Bolin secrectly throws in a little earthbending to trip the officer. Bolin topples the man, as well as tying him up and Mako enters the factory with his younger brother, leaving Asami behind.

All of the benders in the factory are easily defeated by Hiroshi's mecha tanks. Hiroshi then orders the chi blockers to round up their captives to be brought to Amon. As Mako and Bolin enter and try to save an unconscious Korra, Tenzin, and Lin, they are spotted by Hiroshi and the Lieutenant. Mako accuses Hiroshi of sponsoring the Fire Ferrets and the Avatar just to gain their trust. Hiroshi, using an electrified glove, confirms it and states it broke his heart watching Asami fall for a "firebending street rat" like Mako; then Asami enters. Seeing her disbelief and shock, Hiroshi asks her for forgiveness and tells her of how he is doing this because of the loss of her mother, who had been killed by firebenders. He then gives his daughter a glove and tells her to join him and Amon in making a world a better place, free of benders. As Asami takes up the glove, the Fire Ferrets look up in disbelief and despair. However, Asami, to everyone's surprise, electrocutes her father and the Lieutenant, then helps them escape as the Equalists take notice.



Back on the police airship, Korra tells the two brothers that they and Asami are still welcome to come live on Air Temple Island, a proposition which they now gladly accept. At the same time, Lin tells Tenzin that Tarrlok was right that she has failed her duty as Chief of the Police Force and that she will resign the next morning. When Tenzin tells her not to give up, she replies that she is going to look for her men 'outside the law' and hasn't given up. Korra then turns to Mako and tells him to go to Asami, knowing that she needs him. As he does so, Asami passionately hugs him as the airship slowly approaches the Republic City coastline at night.

Credits

 * Written by:
 * Michael Dante DiMartino
 * Bryan Konietzko


 * Directed by:
 * Joaquim Dos Santos
 * Ki Hyun Ryu


 * Starring:
 * Janet Varney - Korra
 * David Faustino - Mako
 * P.J. Byrne - Bolin
 * J.K. Simmons - Tenzin
 * Seychelle Gabriel - Asami
 * Mindy Sterling - Beifong
 * Dee Bradley Baker:
 * Tarrlok
 * Pabu
 * Naga
 * Butler


 * Also starring:
 * Richard Epcar:
 * Captain Saikhan
 * Warehouse worker
 * Daniel Dae Kim - Hiroshi
 * James Sie - Lau Gan-Lan
 * Rami Malek - Tahno


 * Additional voices:
 * J.K. Simmons
 * Dee Bradley Baker
 * Richard Epcar
 * Jason Harris
 * Mindy Sterling

Series continuity

 * The schematic for the mecha tanks Hiroshi uses first appeared during the Lieutenant's conversation with Amon in "Welcome to Republic City".
 * This the first time Tarrlok has narrated the opening newsreel, instead of Shiro Shinobi.
 * This is the first time Lin Beifong is seen using seismic sense.
 * korras relation with asami improves greatly
 * hiroshi reveals hes an equilist making him public enemy #3 after p.e.#1 amon and his lacky the lutenate #2
 * aparently technolegy has fouled the metalbenders as the mecha suits are metalbender proof

Character revelations

 * The Agni Kai Triad was responsible for the death of Hiroshi's wife in 158 ASC.
 * Hiroshi Sato is a member of the Equalists, and has been producing technology for them.
 * Asami Sato does not support her father's ties with the Equalists, and opposes the organization's actions against benders.
 * Lin Beifong decides to resign as Chief of Police, and is committed to do whatever it takes to take down Amon and the Equalists, even if it is outside the boundaries of the law.

Goofs

 * When Lin Beifong and her officers were searching Hiroshi Sato's personal workshop, Lin used her metalbending to move a large piece of the floor, revealing the secret tunnel. Later on in the episode, however, Bolin earthbends part of the floor in order to trip a metalbending officer.
 * While Asami was electrifying the Lieutenant, she also touched him with her other hand, which was bare, but she was not electrified as well.
 * In the scene where Korra meets Tahno, a man can be seen on a bench across from Tahno. In the next shot, however, he is gone.
 * Mako was seen wearing his gloves while packing with Bolin, however, when he waves goodbye to Korra as she leaves, he's not wearing them anymore.

Trivia

 * The push daggers that came out of Lin Beifong's arms are similar to an Indian weapon known as the katara.
 * This is the second episode in a row where Ikki and Jinora haven't appeared.