The Legend of Korra – The Sting

Okay, this was a good episode to show off the supporting cast, considering Korra is missing and presumed dead, at least by Unalaq, Eska and Desna.  We see a ship of Varrick’s (filled with Asami’s mecha-tanks) get attacked, but this time it’s not by spirits but apparent Northern Water Tribe goons.  Mako, of course, thinks it’s still someone else.  But hey, cue the Keystone Kops messing stuff up again (seriously Beifong, can those two guys).  We see Desna and Eska waiting for their father by the spirit portal, and he comes out of it, surprising the both of them.  Most interestingly, the twins relate to him how Korra got ‘killed’ and they tell him “they (the spirits) are getting out of control”.  Sounds like he set them loose in the first place, eh?

The Sting, as it were, is Mako’s plan to ambush the people attacking Varrick’s ships with a dummy shipment.  I think it was an interesting character twist for Mako to go to the Triple-Threat Triad for muscle, though it ends up biting him in the ass.  I’m actually not sure HOW he thought Beifong wouldn’t catch on – suddenly Shady Shin gets his bending back?  Gee, who could do that?  They escape the ship, but find Asami’s warehouse emptied – she’s ruined until Varrick swoops in and buys a controlling interest in Future Industries.  Too late, Mako finds evidence that Varrick himself is orchestrating the attacks – his apparent wackiness seems to be a mask for his evil deeds.

Korra *does* appear at the tail end of the episode, washing up on a beach.  Found by Fire Sages, she airbends them back out of reflex, before discovering she’s suffering from amnesia.  Could that be Roku’s island?

If anything, this episode is a good reminder that all of these primary players are still barely into adulthood.  They’re making mistakes, bad ones, with far-reaching repercussions.  Some of this falls at Unalaq’s feet.  By driving Korra away from her parents and Tenzin, he removed Korra from her the few role models and advisers she listens to.  Knowing that she explores her past lives (heck, her FIRST life) in the next two episodes should bring her back around.  That’s another source of knowledge that she doesn’t tap in to.  Asami, Mako and Bolin are all in a similar boat, with parents gone and little support.  They need to band together, and I can’t wait for it to happen.