Out of the Past

"Out of the Past" is the ninth episode of season one of The Legend of Korra and the ninth of the overall series. It debuted on June 9, 2012 on Nickelodeon.

Overview
''After being imprisoned by Tarrlok, Korra tries to analyze the mysterious visions she has been having. Meanwhile, Tarrlok finds an alibi and successfully covers up his duel with Korra as an Equalist attack. Tenzin and Lin Beifong begin looking for Equalist hostages.''

Synopsis
After Tarrlok arrives in the mountains, he locks Korra in a metal cage and leaves her to herself.

The next morning, Tenzin's telephone rings, as he is sleeping with his wife and youngest son. As Meelo picks up the phone, he states his displeasure of the earliness of the call. Tenzin takes the phone from him and is shocked to learn that Korra has been kidnapped.

As he arrives at City Hall, he finds Tarrlok having his arm treated by a healer and conversing with Chief Saikhan along with reporters on the scene. As Tenzin questions him of the events, Tarrlok makes up a lie, stating that Korra was captured by the Equalists when she came to his room asking to free her friends. Tarrlok had faked the whole scene as an attack by the Equalists by placing Equalist materials such as the electric glove and the equalist grapple.

As Lin Beifong, currently in the hospital, hears of the events, she puts her armor back on, takes off her Metalbending Police Force chief badge and sets out to the Police headquarters. There she rescues Asami, Mako, and Bolin, telling them of the Avatar's kidnapping. The three were saddened to hear this from Lin, especially Mako. As the four visited Tenzin, the councilman was surprised that Lin decides to forgo her stay at the hospital as well as the fact the three were out of prison. Lin reminds Tenzin that finding Korra is important and they decide to look for Korra together. Lin theorizes that in order to find Korra, they might have to look underground to which Asami agrees, remembering her father's factory. Bolin shares the idea the Equalists might be using tunnels to move underground, recalling how the Equalist drove to tunnels when he was abducted.

In the mean time, Korra struggles to escape the metal prison Tarrlok had placed her in, shouting and throwing herself against the sides of her prison. Upon realizing the futility of her actions, she sits down while Tenzin's idea of meditating to learn Aang's message comes to her mind. She meditates and successfully has visions on Aang's past. On her vision, she sees Aang and Toph Beifong talking alongside metalbending police. Toph tells Aang that he doesn't need to be here as she can handle this. Aang replies by saying that he wants to see it for himself. Toph submits to his request calling Aang by his nickname of "Twinkle Toes" with Aang displeased, saying that he's old enough to not be called by that anymore. The vision forwards to that of Aang and Toph in a restaurant arresting Yakone of his alleged crimes per witness statements. The vision ends with Korra pleased that she was finally able to connect to her past life.

As Lin, Mako, Tenzin, Bolin, and Asami locate the tunnel in the snowy streets of Republic City, the former policewoman leads them through the dark passages using her Seismic Sense. Asami notices that Mako's strong determination to find Korra as abnormal and she is discomforted. She later asks Bolin to tell her if they have shared feelings towards each other. Bolin tells her that they had in fact kissed once during the tournament, but that it was "no big deal", and she had nothing to worry about. As two Equalists on motorcycles enter a passage, the team follows. They climb on a small rail box, which they take the cross on the other side. After locating the prison, Lin Beifong rescues her former policemen, whom have now lost their bending. On the hallway, Mako interrogates an Equalist about Korra' whereabouts. The Equalist dismisses the idea that they had captured the Avatar and that they weren't the one that attacked City Hall. Tenzin in shock, deduces that Tarrlok's statement was a fluke and that he was the one that kidnapped Korra all along.

As the team goes back to find Tarrlok, they are ambushed by the Lieutenant and other Equalists chi blockers. Lin, however, evades their attack by using a metal pipe as a ramp, piercing a hole in the roof, and then piercing another leading to the streets.

Meanwhile, Korra dives deeper in her vision, witnessing Yakone's trial. Chairman Sokka and the rest of the United Republic Council hear out the accusations towards Yakone. The prosecution is accusing Yakone of resurrecting bloodbending, a technique that has been tabooed all these years, supported by statements from witnesses. Yakone's lawyer counters by reminding them of the rarity of such a skill and if ever Yakone has the ability to do so. He adds to his statement about the skill's usage, which allows a bender to do so only under the full moon and that the witnesses claim that they saw Yakone bloodbending every day other than the day a full moon is present.

After a period of time, Sokka announces the verdict of the council. He explains how in his day, he had fought a firebender able to produce fire from his head, defeating him with his "trusty boomerang" and how before Toph Beifong had discovered metalbending, everyone had thought that such techniques were impossible. He rules that while bloodbending is indeed a rare skill, his past experience has taught him that there are people capable of doing skills deemed impossible to do and that Yakone is one of them. Thus, the Council imposes that Yakone is "guilty of all charges" and sentenced to "life in prison".

After the verdict, Yakone takes a stand while his eyes appear to bulge. At this time, Sokka is bloodbended, with his body contorting to Yakone's will. Toph tries to intervene with metalbending, but she too is overpowered. Yakone goes on to bloodbend everyone in the room, even Aang who was struggling to reach him. Yakone bloodbends Toph into releasing his handcuffs as she holds the keys. After his hands are freed, Yakone puts everyone unconscious and escapes from the City Hall, using a smal carriage pulled by an ostrich horse. Aang tries to stop him but Aang is put under bloodbending and falls unconscious. Seconds later, Aang's tattoos and eyes glow and he awakes.

As Tenzin, Lin, Mako, Bolin, and Asami arrive in City Hall, they meet with the rest of the Council and Chief Saikhan. Lin and her former captain share a cold greeting. In the mean time, Tarrlok arrives, asking for news of the Avatar. Tenzin however, accuses him that it was him that had captured her all along. Tarrlok refuses, but the Council page tells Tenzin and the rest that he had witnessed Tarrlok put Korra in the back of a truck. Lin asks him why he is telling this information now. He replies by admitting that he was fearful at first, at Tarrlok disclosing his ability to bloodbend without the presence of a full moon. As the group approaches Tarrlok, Tenzin advises him to give in, and make it easier on himself. Tarrlok, however, knocks out everyone through bloodbending and runs away.

As Korra dives even deeper into her past life's experiences, she witnesses Yakone leave City Hall and climb on a carriage. As he rides away, Avatar Aang enters the Avatar State and chases after Yakone using an air scooter. Aang airbends the carriage crashing it across the street. As he closes in on the carriage, Yakone jumps out from it and bloodbends Aang to stop his attack. Yakone states that he was going to finish Aang's life once and for all, levitating him and trying to break his neck. When he just about to die, Aang enters the Avatar State and effortlessly breaks free of Yakone's control over him. Aang earthbends Yakone preventing his movement and advances on him. He used energybending on Yakone, thus taking away Yakone's waterbending and his ability to bloodbend. As Korra's vision comes to an end, she understands that it had been Aang who was warning her about not to trust Tarrlok.

As the group recovers, they decide to go looking for Tarrlok, as that would be the only way to locate Korra.

Tarrlok arrives at Korra's hiding place, telling her that his life had been ruined because of her. Korra deduces that his secret as a bloodbender has finally come out. As Tarrlok tells her that he will start a new life and goes upstairs, he sees Amon alongside some of his chi blockers. The mysterious man behind the mask tells the chairman that it was time for him to be equalized. Tarrlok retorts by saying that they have never seen his type of bending yet and immediately uses his bloodbending to put down the chi blockers. However, Amon continues standing and starts to advance towards Tarrlok. Tarrlok tries once again, but, although quite slowly, Amon continues to move towards him. In the end, the councilman looses his bending. As Amon orders his men to electrocute the box as a safety precaution and take Korra, the Avatar uses a handkerchief to evade the electric shock. As Lieutenant opens the box. Korra uses firebending to escape. She goes outside the cabin just as she was able to get a glimpse of Amon abducting Tarrlok. Korra waterbends sharp icicles on Amon to give her some time to escape. Though successful, she slams into a tree down the mountain and is later found by Naga, who brings her to the city. As Tenzin, Lin, Mako, Bolin, and Asami find her, Mako carries her in his arms and lays her on Oogi.

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
 * Naga
 * Oogi
 * Mindy Sterling - Beifong
 * Steve Blum - Amon


 * Also starring:
 * D.B. Sweeney - Aang
 * Kate Higgins - Toph
 * Chris Hardwick - Sokka
 * Clancy Brown - Yakone
 * Logan Wells - Meelo
 * Lance Henriksen - Lieutenant
 * Richard Epcar - Saikhan
 * AJ Gentile:
 * Council page
 * Metalbender officer
 * Jeff Bennett:
 * Radio broadcaster
 * Bailiff
 * Maurice LaMarche - Defense attorney


 * Additional voices:
 * Mindy Sterling
 * Steve Blum
 * Jeff Bennett
 * Kate Higgins
 * Dee Bradley Baker
 * Clancy Brown

Series continuity

 * Tarrlok lies to Tenzin and the Police about the events at the end of "When Extremes Meet", placing Equalist gear in the scene of his battle againts Korra so as to blame them for her disappearence, when instead it was he who kidnapped her.
 * Korra's flashbacks in "A Voice in the Night", "And the Winner Is...", and "When Extremes Meet" are fully explained. The visions were trying to warn Korra not to trust Tarrlok.
 * Asami finds out from Bolin that Mako and Korra kissed.
 * Sokka mentions Combustion Man from Avatar: The Last Airbender in the flashback.
 * Bolin recalls the time he was kidnapped in "The Revelation".

Character revelations

 * Tarrlok is Yakone's son.
 * Some of the members of the Metalbending Police Force lose their bending, along with Tarrlok.
 * Amon is only minorly affected by bloodbending, as he was shown to be able to move towards Tarrlok even though the latter was bloodbending him, although he was slowed down a bit.

Goofs

 * When Yakone first uses bloodbending in Korra's vision, his lawyer is seen slumped over to the right of him. However, in the next shot of him, seen from behind, and all subsequent shots, the lawyer is on his left.
 * When the group enters the secret equalist hidden panel inside the tunnel, Asami is not shown entering the door before it closes. She is shown inside the hideout afterwards, however.

Trivia

 * The healer treating Tarrlok's wound is the first male healer seen in both series.
 * This is the first (and so far only) episode where Meelo makes an appearance where his sisters do not.
 * When the Lieutenant electrocuted the metal box Korra was in, she used her armband to suspend herself so as not to touch the box's walls. However, she didn't need to do that - the box was essentially a Faraday cage, which means she was safe from the electricity coming from the outside of the box.
 * The Equalist that Mako threatens is seen in the audience of And the Winner Is...