Battle for Republic City

"URN"

- The time has come for the Equalists to claim Republic City as their own.

The Battle for Republic City was the final stage of the Anti-bending Revolution, in which the Equalists launched aggressive attacks on Republic City and successfully took control of the metropolis. Three days later, the first division of the United Forces arrived with the task of ousting the Equalists and retaking the city. Although this initial counterattack failed, the continued effort of Team Avatar in liberating the city eventually expelled Equalist governance, restoring stability by the time further assistance arrived.

History
After escaping Tarrlok's hideout and Amon's pursuit, Avatar Korra returned to Air Temple Island, where she explained the events that transpired following her abduction. After revealing that Amon took Tarrlok's bending and kidnapped him, Tenzin expressed his disbelief, remarking that the Equalist leader was getting increasingly emboldened and that he must be entering his endgame.

Overthrow of the United Republic Council
To initiate the large scale attack on Republic City, the Equalists systematically ambushed the members of the United Republic Council. Disguised as exterminators, Equalists captured the Fire Nation councilwoman in her home when she was about to head out to a Council meeting. They also captured the representatives of the Southern Water Tribe and the Earth Kingdom. Three Equalists attempted to kidnap Tenzin, but were unsuccessful after the Councilman exhibited his airbending prowess. The council page then appeared and informed Tenzin that all the other Council members had been kidnapped, based on reports from Chief Saikhan. At this point, the Equalists moved forward with their plans and began to bombard the residential boroughs and the city's establishments with a large fleet of airships.

Engagement at police headquarters


Tenzin rushed to the police headquarters, where Saikhan informed him that Amon was launching simultaneous attacks throughout the city and that his forces were spread out too thin to successfully counter the insurgency. Upon hearing this, Tenzin ordered the telegrapher to send a wire to the General of the United Forces, requesting assistance on the matter. The telephone lines were sabotaged shortly after the dispatch was sent out, and the Equalists began to attack the headquarters by incapacitating the citizens inside with nerve gas. However, Tenzin, Saikhan, and several officers were able to vacate the building by isolating themselves from the gas with an air sphere created by the Councilman, but they were stopped by mecha tanks that were waiting outside. Tenzin repelled the attacks, but was overwhelmed by the successive assaults, only to be aided by Team Avatar. Despite their success, Chief Saikhan and several officers were captured by the Equalists and, after defeating the mecha tanks and the remaining Equalist forces, the group headed to Air Temple Island upon noticing that an Equalist airship was closing in on it.

Defense and conquering of Air Temple Island
On the island, Lin Beifong prepared herself for an impending attack and ordered the airbending children and Pema to remain inside. Subsequently, Pema went into labor, and was aided by two Air Acolytes. After putting up a fight, Lin was knocked down by the Equalists and the Lieutenant, but was soon saved by Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo. Moments later, Tenzin and Team Avatar arrived as more airships were on their way. The Councilman took his family, including his newborn son Rohan, on Oogi to escape Republic City and ordered Korra to hide until the United Forces arrived. After Tenzin's family and Lin left, more Equalists arrived on the island, where the White Lotus sentries held them off while the rest escaped. Team Avatar then left the air temple on Naga after the polar bear dog easily blocked an attack issued by the Lieutenant and made him fall from a cliff; they proceeded to go into hiding underneath Republic City.

Lin's sacrifice


As Tenzin, his family, and Lin left Air Temple Island on Oogi, they noticed two airships trailing the bison. Lin shot a metal cable onto one of them, telling Tenzin not to turn back despite what might happen. She landed on the airship and managed to destroy it using metalbending, and then mounted the next airship, but was knocked out by two Equalists before she could destroy the vessel. She was delivered to Amon, who took away her earthbending after she refused to disclose any information regarding the Avatar's whereabouts.

Battle at the harbor
The United Forces soon received a message sent by Tenzin stating that the city had fallen to Amon and his forces. The General of the United Forces, Iroh, heeded the call and sent a reply that his fleet would arrive in three days to help liberate the city.



While waiting for the United Forces to arrive, Team Avatar hid underground with Gommu and his fellow vagabonds. The Equalists in the meantime hung banners all over the city including Aang Memorial Island and the Pro-bending Arena, and prepared themselves for a counterattack. Eventually, the United Forces arrived in Republic City's harbor, and met no initial resistance. The tides quickly turned, however, when Equalist naval mines began detonating beneath the battleships, and Equalist biplanes began flying toward the harbor. The biplanes, led by Hiroshi Sato, were able to successfully destroy the battleship fleet using bombs and torpedoes, and General Iroh was knocked into the water during the battle, but was quickly saved by Avatar Korra, who brought him back to Gommu's hideout.

Planning the counterattack
Back at their temporary camp, General Iroh asked Gommu to send a telegraph to Commander Bumi, telling him not to approach the city until he received another message from Iroh telling him that it was safe to enter. Team Avatar then split up, with Korra and Mako going to search for and confront Amon, while Bolin, Iroh, and Asami headed toward the Equalist airfield, hoping to destroy it.

Upon reaching Air Temple Island, Korra and Mako discovered Tarrlok locked in the temple's attic, where the former waterbender confessed that he was Amon's brother. Tarrlok recounted the story of his childhood with Amon to Korra, and then instructed the Avatar to defeat him and "put an end to this sad story".

Battle at the airfield and in the skies
Meanwhile, General Iroh, Bolin, and Asami made it to the Equalist airfield, but were quickly captured. While the trio was imprisoned, Hiroshi revealed he intercepted Iroh's transmission and knew where Bumi's fleet was hiding. With the help of Naga, however, the team broke out of their prison cell and approached the airstrips.



Upon reaching the individual airstrips, General Iroh hijacked an Equalist biplane that was about to take off, and used it to successfully destroy the remainder of the biplane armada before it was able to reach and destroy Bumi's battleship fleet. In the process, he ejected while his damaged plane crashed into Aang's statue, causing Amon's giant mask to fall off his face. Meanwhile, Bolin and Asami faced Hiroshi Sato, who was in a mecha tank, as well as a number of other mecha tanks, back at the airfield. After a brief battle, Hiroshi was captured, and the airstrips were destroyed by Bolin's earthbending.

The final duel
Back at Air Temple Island, Korra and Mako decided that they were going to infiltrate Amon's rally at the Pro-bending Arena, and expose him as not only Yakone's son but also as a waterbender. Upon entering the rally and revealing Amon's secret to the crowd, however, the Equalist supporters did not believe the Avatar while the duo realized that Amon had captured Tenzin and his family, and was preparing to rid the world of airbending permanently. Through Korra and Mako's intervention, however, the airbenders were able to escape.



Following the escape of the airbenders, Amon chased after Korra and Mako, and cornered them in one of the arena's gyms. While there, he utilized bloodbending to successfully sever the Avatar's connection to the elements. Despite being restrained by bloodbending, Mako was able to shoot a bolt of lightning at Amon, thus buying them enough time to escape into the hallway. They did not make it far, however, as Amon quickly caught up with them. Right as the masked man was about to remove Mako's bending, Korra released a barrage of airbending blasts, much to the surprise of Amon, eventually launching him out of one of the arena's windows and into the harbor. Upon witnessing their leader falling into the water, the Equalist supporters became furious at the Avatar, until Amon rose out of the bay by means of a water tornado, revealing he really was a waterbender. Amon then fled the scene, successfully dodging Mako's firebending attacks.

Aftermath


Following his defeat, Amon released Tarrlok from his cell in the temple attic on Air Temple Island. He begged his brother to run away with him and start over together, and the two brothers escaped Republic City via a speedboat. During their journey, Tarrlok found a stash of electroshock weapons in one of the boat's compartments. In a final act of atonement, he picked one up and used it to detonate the motorboat's fuel tank, killing both himself and his brother.

Trivia

 * The sea battle during Iroh's first attempt to enter and retake Republic City resembled a typical World War II battle of the Pacific Theater.
 * The fact that the airplanes completely destroyed Iroh's fleet is similar to the doctrine pushed for by a United States general named Billy Mitchell, who predicted that aircraft would render battleships obsolete.
 * It is also similar to the destruction of the United Kingdom's Force Z in World War II, when the UK's battle-cruiser HMS Repulse and battleship HMS Prince of Wales were easily and quickly destroyed by Japanese aircraft.
 * General Iroh's anticipation of dealing with Hiroshi Sato's mecha tanks and not a squadron of aircraft also draws similarities with the attack on Pearl Harbor. The commanders at Pearl Harbor were more worried about sabotage than an air attack and prepared their air force to protect themselves against saboteurs, costing them dearly on the morning of the attack. Additionally, the battleships in both situations were bunched up, thereby making them easier to destroy.