When Extremes Meet

"When Extremes Meet" is the eighth episode of season one of The Legend of Korra and the eighth of the overall series. It debuted on June 2, 2012 on Nickelodeon.

Overview
''After Saikhan's appointment as Chief of the Metalbending Police Force, Tarrlok's control over the city strongly increases. As Mako, Korra, Bolin, and Asami form the New Team Avatar, they get in the Councilman's way, much to his displeasure''.

Synopsis
Mako, Bolin, and Asami arrive at Air Temple Island, where they meet Ikki, Jinora, and Meelo. The three children seem to take a liking in Pabu, all in their separate ways.

As the group is heading up to the temple, they learn that each gender has its separate side. Meelo notes that Asami is beautiful and asks for some of her hair. Mako then jokes that he has competition.

Meelo and Jinora show Mako and Bolin to their room, while Korra and Ikki show Asami to hers. On the way, Ikki blurts out to Asami that Korra likes Mako. Suprised by this, Korra freaks out as Asami answers, visibly uncomfortable. Korra then slams the door on Ikki preventing her in, much to Ikki's dismay.

Asami comments that she likes the room, noting how charming it seems, and adding that it has nothing to remind her of her father. When someone knocks on the door, Korra assumes it is Ikki and yells at her to leave. However, when Tenzin opens the door, Korra is visibly embarrassed. Tenzin greets them and does not take offense in Korra's actions. He then tells her that there is to be an official police chief election ceremony, and that they should attend.

As they arrive, they witness former Captain Saikhan assuming Lin Beifong's place as chief of the Metalbending Police Force. He announces that all information about the Equalists and their revolt will be directly passed down to Councilman Tarrlok. The startling revelation surprises both Tenzin and Korra.

Korra and Tenzin head to Tarrlok to talk to him. The councilman expresses his excitement and his wish for Korra to rejoin him and his task force now that the pro-bending season was over. Korra, however, strictly tells him that she has no intentions of doing so; furthermore, she had no need of his help, being the Avatar. Tarrlok, however, calls her a "half-baked Avatar in training" that cannot even airbend. Korra reacts with dejection to those words, as she believes herself a failure.

As she and Tenzin leave the ceremony on Oogi, Tenzin's sky bison, Korra asks Tenzin why she cannot airbend, depite already learning most of the forms. Tenzin tells her that Aang not only had his bending teachers but also the past Avatars to talk to. Korra then reveals her visions of Aang to Tenzin, who advises her to meditate on her visions.

After some time to herself, Mako, Bolin, Asami, and Pabu locate a crying Korra. The Avatar confesses to her friends what bothers her: that she feels alone and thinks she is "the worst Avatar". They encourage her by reminding that even Aang had not mastered all four elements when he had been fighting the Fire Nation and that he had his friends by his side. Together they decide to patrol Republic City with Bolin calling them the new Team Avatar. After Naga's refusal to carry all four members, Asami decides to use one of her father's satomobiles.

Using police scanners Hiroshi installed on the Satomobile, the team easily locates an Equalist group escaping, and captures them. When Tarrlok, his task force, and the police arrive, multiple reporters are already taking photographs of the team and their success.

Korra then mocks Tarrlok of his lateness, something the councilman does not take well. Next day he manipulates the Council into passing a law prohibiting for anyone to join the Equalists and banning non-benders to be out on the streets after a certain hour. Tenzin protests against the law saying that it restricts the rights of the non-benders. Nevertheless, the rest of the Council goes ahead and votes in support.

As the New Team Avatar finds a supposed "Equalist rally", they discover that the councilman has forced non-benders to live without electricity late at night. As the innocent people call for help reminding Korra that she is also their Avatar, Korra talks with Tarrlok. She is however completely ignored; furthermore, Tarrlok starts arresting the people because of his belief that they were Equalists. As Korra opposes him, he arrests Asami, Mako, and Bolin. Korra tells them that she will talk to Tenzin and resolve the entire issue as they are brought to jail.

As Tenzin arrives, he immediately sought the release of Korra's friends and other innocent non-benders saying that they are entitled to due process of law. Chief Saikhan directs him to Tarrlok, telling him that he is the one he would need to talk to to resolve this issue. Korra states that Saikhan is the worst chief of police ever, and is backed up by Tenzin.

That very night, Korra takes Naga to City Hall, where she meets Tarrlok. Tarrlok is keen to remind her that by intimidating him to cower to her will, she is doing exactly what the Equalists have been protesting against. Korra rejects the idea and retorts by saying that Tarrlok's oppression towards non-benders is similar to Amon's actions. At hearing this, Tarrlok lashes out at Korra and seeks to eliminate her from thwarting his plans. He uses waterbending to attack Korra and force her to the wall away from him. As being attacked with razor sharp icicles, Korra was unable to attack back. Korra eventually gained the upper hand by earthbending the fountain wall against Tarrlok, pushing him out of the room. He falls to the ground with Korra in pursuit. With no available water to bend, Tarrlok resorts to bloodbending despite the absence of a full moon, claiming she "doesn't know a lot about" him. With a swift motion, Tarrlok slams Korra into a building column and towers over her as she starts to black out. Korra then has another vision of Aang, Toph Beifong, and Sokka at the unknown individual's trial, who had been seen in previous visions. When Sokka appears to be incapacitated and in severe pain, Toph attempts to attack the individual with metalbending cables but is unable to. The vision quickly shifts to Aang, with several people behind him having their bodies being controlled. He reaches out with his hand toward the smirking man, but struggles to do so.

Tarrlok then ties Korra up in ropes and tells her that he is taking her somewhere far away from Republic City, where she will never get in his way again.

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
 * Dee Bradley Baker:
 * Tarrlok
 * Pabu
 * Naga
 * Oogi


 * Also Starring:
 * Kiernan Shipka - Jinora
 * Darcy Rose Byrnes - Ikki
 * Logan Wells - Meelo
 * Richard Epcar - Captain Saikhan
 * AJ Gentile - Council page
 * Jeff Bennett - Radio broadcaster


 * Additional voices:
 * Janet Varney
 * J.K. Simmons
 * Dee Bradley Baker
 * Darcy Rose Byrnes
 * AJ Gentile
 * Jeff Bennett

Series continuity

 * The New Team Avatar is formed.
 * A new chief of police is instated.
 * Korra has another vision, this time of the mysterious man bloodbending.
 * Shiro Shinobi returns to narrating the opening newsreel.
 * Mako, Bolin and Asami were arrested by Tarrlok's task force.
 * Asami uses the electrified glove given to her by her father in The Aftermath.
 * Korra is taken somewhere "far away" from Republic City

Goofs

 * When Tarrlok states Korra is his way, just after bloodbending her to the ground, his left arm is outstretched and pointing downwards, while his right arm is pulled back and almost parallel to the ground, just a bit downwards. In the next panel, his left arm is bent to his right side, across his chest, while his right arm makes an angle upwards.

Character revelations

 * Tarrlok is revealed to be a bloodbender, the third known user of the art in the franchise following Hama and Katara. He is also the first known bloodbender to be able to perform it without the need of a full moon.
 * Saikhan is the new chief of the Metalbending Police Force being appointed by his predecessor, Chief Lin Beifong.