Reunion

B

"URN"

- Not exactly what I imagined for out first day back together." "But it was kind of like old times.

"Reunion" is the seventh episode of Book Four: Balance of The Legend of Korra and the 46th of the overall series. It was released online on Nick.com and through the Nick app on November 14, 2014.

Overview
''Korra returns to Republic City with the airbenders and reunites with Tenzin. After informing him of what happened in Zaofu, she meets up with Asami and Mako for the first time in three years, though their reunion is crashed by Prince Wu and tension runs high among them. When Wu is kidnapped by supporters of Kuvira, Team Avatar tracks him to Central City Station and rescue him. To protect him from further kidnapping attempts, Wu is left at Asami's residence to stay with Mako's extended family. Meanwhile, Bolin and Varrick team up with a group of fugitive firebenders and waterbenders to cross the fortified Earth Empire border. Successfully evading arrest by the guards, they reach the shore and are given a lift in gratitude for their help. In the Foggy Swamp, Kuvira's army begins to harvest spirit vines at the banyan-grove tree.''

Synopsis


At Air Temple Island, Pabu approaches Naga and bites her tail. Naga watches Pepper, who carries Korra, Jinora, Ikki and Meelo. Korra sees Naga and she greets her happily. Pepper lands and Korra runs to Naga. They hug and Naga licks Korra's face. Meelo tells loudly to his parents they had come back and had brought the Avatar, while Bumi says to Korra he and Bum-Ju had missed her. Tenzin rewards his kids and Meelo asks if he could have his tattoos. Tenzin answers negatively and leaves, while Pema smiles. Tenzin approaches Korra and hugs her, welcoming her. He asks her what had happened to Zaofu and Opal says Kuvira had captured her mother, father, and brothers. Korra adds she though she would have been strong enough, though after failing, she had felt such a failure. Tenzin tries to comfort her, saying she would not face Kuvira alone and says they were glad she was there. Bumi asks Opal where Bolin was and if he was still on Kuvira's side. Opal answers that she did not know why he had stayed with her after what she had done to her family, though added that she was also unsure as to his whereabouts.



Meanwhile, Bolin carries a stubborn Varrick on his back through a forest, panting with exertion. Bolin suggests that Varrick walk for a while, to which Varrick responds that, upon his escape from his imprisonment in Republic City, Zhu Li had carried him twenty miles on her back in one day, even after she had sprained her ankle. Reminding Varrick angrily that Zhu Li is not here, Bolin dumps Varrick off his back and onto the ground; Varrick lies on the ground, despondent, and he tells Bolin to leave him where he lies for the worms to eat, believing himself to be deserving of death. Bolin angrily scolds Varrick for this, reminding him that he is responsible for the creation of the spirit-energy weapon, which has the capacity to wreak havoc on the world and hurt large numbers of people, to which Varrick yells back that he does not want to be reminded of it. Bolin, calming down, tells Varrick that both of them were fooled into doing Kuvira's "dirty work" and that they have a duty to return to Republic City to warn the citizens of the impending threat the weapon poses. Varrick, accepting, takes Bolin's hand and gets to his feet, telling him that he has a way with words and offering to carry Bolin for a while. Bolin, relieved, jumps on Varrick's back and Varrick, struggling under Bolin's weight, takes one slow, painful step and triggers a booby trap on the ground; they are pulled high into the air, where they come to rest hanging from a tree limb, trapped in a hanging net, as Bolin shouts his disbelief at their seemingly random entrapment to nobody in general.



Asami sits in a waiting area at a restaurant in Republic City, reading a magazine with a Future Industries advertisement on the back cover. Korra, walking up to her while she reads, tells her that she hopes Asami has not been waiting for very long. Asami stands up, embracing Korra, telling her that she only waited three years. After they both tell each other how good it is to see the other and compliment each other's appearance, Asami leads Korra into the restaurant, where Mako stands leaning up against a wooden pillar near a booth, waiting for them. Mako and Korra embrace; their reunion is cut off by the sudden appearance of Prince Wu, who immediately begins flirting with Korra, to the dismay of both Asami and Mako. As they all seat themselves at the booth, Asami and Mako on one side and Korra and Wu on the other, Asami, in a heated whisper, asks Mako why Wu is with him, to which Mako replies, remorsefully, that he could not get Wu to leave him alone. He adds that Wu promised to behave cordially while he was with them, at which point Wu leans over to Korra and asks Korra to enter the Avatar State simply so he can see her eyes glow; he looks very put out when she unconditionally refuses. Asami asks if she can go into the Avatar State again. Before Korra can answer, Mako asks how Asami knows that. Korra confesses that she wrote to Asami and not to Mako and Bolin, much to the firebender's frustration. Korra tries to make amends by asking what has been going on with her friends. Asami tells them that she has visited her father in prison, something Korra thinks is dangerous. Asami snaps back that Korra cannot just disappear for three years, come back, and act like she knows what is best.



Wu interrupts the bickering trio, by saying that Mako should escort him to the bathroom. Mako adamantly refuses and Wu is forced to go on his own. In the bathroom, an attendant is waiting for Wu and uses a spray which knocks Wu unconscious.

Back in the Earth Empire, Bolin and Varrick are still trapped in the net. Bolin wishes he had Pabu, as he would be able to chew through the ropes. Varrick says the same about Zhu Li, when they are found by a group of escaped prisoners. At first, the group think Varrick and Bolin are just some soldiers, but Varrick objects to this by saying that they were part of Kuvira's inner circle and Bolin adds they had been part of, but not anymore. Baraz, the group's leader, cuts them down, saying he has just the plan for them.

Back at the restaurant, Mako worries about Wu and goes check on him at the bathroom. Korra and Asami stand outside the bathroom and Korra notices the bathroom attendant walking past with a cart full of laundry bags. She follows him and asks him if he had seen Wu, while he is dumping the laundry into the back of a van, but he tells her he had not. Suddenly, Wu rolls out the laundry bags and Korra looks the attendant angrily. He bends the ground under her to launch her into the ceiling. He runs in front of the van and Mako and Asami go out to check Korra. The van speeds up and leaves, while Korra goes after them, telling the others to get the car. The van leaves the alley next to the hotel and Korra launches a fissure its way, but the van jumps over and keep driving. Asami and Mako come and Asami stops the car next to Korra,she jumps in and they follow the van.

Despite the traffic, they manage to reach them, but when the van turns at another alley and the attendant bends up a wall, blocking the way. Asami continues straight and Mako tells her to turn right at the next block, but she does not, saying she knew better the streets, because she had built some of them. Korra stands up the car and jumps onto the van, deplaning with airbending. She metalbends the roof open, but he does not see Wu. She pulls the driver from behind and she stamps on the brakes, stopping the van next to a couple of spirit vines. She pulls him out the van, while the car comes. He tells Mako and Asami Wu was not there. Mako grabs the attendant and slams him into the van, asking him where the prince was. He answers he was halfway to Kuvira by then. A police car comes and Mako tells the driver to tell Lin Beifong that Wu had been kidnapped. The car leaves and Asami and Mako are worried about where Wu could be. Korra touches the spirit vines and feels Wu's energy. She tells the others they were taking Wu to the train station. Asami wonders how did she know that and Korra tells them she would explain them on the way, jumping in the car and telling her to drive.

Back in the Earth Empire, Bolin and Varrick's captors have the two bound as the waterbenders of the group refill their waterskins by a river. Bolin questions what a bunch of firebenders and waterbenders were doing in one of Kuvira's re-education camps. Baraz and his friend Ahnah clarify that it is more of a prison, as Kuvira had been imprisoning anyone not of Earth Kingdom origin, and they presume the two of them were well aware of what she was doing, being a part of her inner circle. Bolin reiterates that they were only part of the inner circle for about a day. Varrick then demanded to know where they are going. The escapees explain that they intend to use the two of them to make it past the border patrol and then they may consider letting them go. However, Bolin knocks their captors down with earthbending before using lavabending to create a divide between them, apologizing for what Kuvira did and restating that he and Varrick are no longer aligned with Kuvira. Varrick adds that they cannot risk crossing the border checkpoint without being recognized. Baraz then tells them that the checkpoint is the only way out, as the wall surrounding it is constantly patrolled. Ahnah does not trust the newcomers, but relents when Baraz reasons that if Bolin wanted to kill them, then he would have buried them in lava, so they have to trust each other.

Back in Republic City, as Team Avatar are driving through the streets, Mako asks Korra how she was able to discern Wu's location. She explained that she learned it from Toph Beifong herself, having learned to connect with spirit vines from the Foggy Swamp. As they arrive at the train station, they split up to find Wu.

Meanwhile, Bolin and Varrick lead the escapees to the border checkpoint, claiming that they captured them and were taking them to a secure facility. The checkpoint guard questions where the prisoners escaped from. Bolin answers Camp 14, to which he points out is the other way. Bolin then lies that he is acting on Kuvira's orders, so the guard asks for his transfer papers. Varrick then goes into a tirade, threatening to report the guard if he did not let them through. Thankfully, his ploy worked and they opened the gate. But as they are passing through, Bolin and Varrick's mugshots are recognized and the Earth Empire soldiers. As a fight breaks out, Varrick sneaks away and spots a generator inside the guard station and manages to fashion a makeshift electromagnetic pulse to disable the mecha tanks. Varrick then calls to Bolin to flee with him, but the latter refuses to abandon Baraz's group and uses lavabending to force the soldiers back. Baraz thanks him for his help, even though he did not have to come back.

At the Republic City train station, Korra uses her spirit powers to locate which train Wu is on. Team Avatar is able to get on board as it was leaving the station. As they pass through the passenger compartment, Mako questions how sure she is that Wu is on the train. Korra then rebukes him for not watching Wu like he was supposed to, unaware that Kuvira agents had overheard them. They then make their way into the baggage car, where they find Wu stuffed into a suitcase. Unfortunately, two Kuvira agents attack them. Korra deflects their metalbending attacks before airbending them against the roof. As two more agents approach from opposite ends of the train car, Korra shuts the doors and metalbends the roof. Wu refuses to go outside, so Korra airbends them out. Unfortunately, Kuvira metalbenders begin to metalbend the roof of the adjourning car to box them in, so Korra airbends her friends off the train. Wu excitedly thanks Mako, stating that he will probably get a raise, but the latter insists he thank Korra. He expresses he is indebted to her and offers to take her on a date, to which he flatly declines. Team Avatar then get nostalgic before sharing in a group hug, which Wu tries to include himself, only to be kept at arm's length by Korra. She then asks what to do about Wu, as it is too dangerous to bring him back to the hotel. Mako decides to hide him at the Asami's mansion, where his family had been staying since the fall of Ba Sing Se. His grandmother Yin swoons upon seeing Wu. Wu then desperately runs in to find the bathroom, having held his bladder all day.

Meanwhile, Bolin apologizes to the escapees for what Kuvira had put them through. Ahnah then offers to give him and Varrick a boat ride up north. Varrick, noting the dingy boat they are using, attempts to decline, but a nudge from Bolin prompts him to change his statement.

Elsewhere, Baatar Jr. uses a probe on spirit vines in the Foggy Swamp, determining that they are more powerful than the samples from Republic City. Kuvira then orders her men to harvest the vines until there is nothing left.

Credits
Written by:
 * Michael Dante DiMartino

Directed by:
 * Colin Heck

Starring:
 * Janet Varney - Korra
 * David Faustino - Mako
 * P.J. Byrne - Bolin
 * J.K. Simmons - Tenzin
 * Seychelle Gabriel - Asami
 * Zelda Williams - Kuvira
 * Logan Wells - Meelo
 * Jeff Bennett
 * Radio broadcaster
 * Head soldier

Also starring:
 * John Michael Higgins - Varrick
 * Sunil Malhotra - Wu
 * Susan Silo - Yin
 * Richard Riehle - Bumi
 * Alyson Stoner - Opal
 * Todd Haberkorn - Baatar Jr
 * Steve Blum - Baraz
 * Nika Futterman - Ahnah
 * Jim Meskimen
 * Train conductor
 * Guard post soldier
 * Bathroom attendant
 * Dee Bradley Baker
 * Naga
 * Pabu
 * Poki
 * Bumju
 * Pepper
 * Sugar glider

Series continuity

 * Mako learns that Korra wrote to Asami during her time away from Republic City, something Korra asked Asami not to disclose to him in "Korra Alone".
 * Asami reveals to Korra and Mako that she is attempting to reconnect with her father and visited him in prison in "Enemy at the Gates".
 * Varrick recalls how Zhu Li carried him for twenty miles a day after they escaped Republic City in "Light in the Dark".
 * Varrick reiterates that Bolin is a natural speaker, the reason for which he made the earthbender a mover star in "Peacekeepers".
 * Korra recalls learning how to detect spiritual energies by harnessing the power of the spirit vines, a technique she learned from Toph Beifong in "The Calling".

Character revelations

 * Asami helped build some of the new roads in Republic City.
 * Yin and her family have been living at the Sato estate since 171 AG.
 * Kuvira has been purging settlements in the Earth Empire and imprisoning citizens who are not of Earth Kingdom descent.
 * Korra is able to track individuals by sensing their energies through her surroundings.

Trivia

 * The heavily fortified border and the Kuvira's military's task, of guarding it against potential invaders as well as to keep dissidents from leaving, is reminiscent of the Iron Curtain, and the Berlin Wall in particular.
 * The device Varrick disassembles to make his EMP emitter is the same one on the magazine Asami was reading in the beginning of the episode.