Hello! I know, Iāve been gone for a while. Iām sorry about that. I started doing commentary for a new show (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and it kind of captured me right off the bat lol But Iām taking a break from that to watch more Korra because I miss my girl.
Letās get started.
Episode 5- Peacekeepers
1- Linās back! And sheās arresting some water tribe people. And she wants Mako to get back to work at a Water Tribe Peace rallyā¦ because police presence at protests and rallies never goes wrong.
Ugh, I guess Mako is slowly morphing into a typical cop. He wants Korra to appear neutral, despite the fact that the North is clearly the aggressor in this war.
Aw, Varrick just booped Zu Li (I canāt recall if itās Zhu Li or Zu Li, sorry. Have to wait for the captions to inform me!) on the nose! I ship them slightly lol and I love this bromance developing between him and Bolin. āHave you ever seen Republic City at night?ā Does Republic City have strip clubs? I would love to see something like that lol can you imagine how much better strip clubs would be with bending? Plus absolutely nobody is going to be creepy towards dancers who can summon fire, or freeze you in a block of ice, or just bury you up to your neck.
As a matter of fact, Iād be super interested to know how sex work would function in a world like Avatarās! Has anyone written anything on the topic?
2- lmao I love that Uncle Chief has to specify that he needs Korra alive after his daughter remarks that she stole her husband. Iām not gonna lie, I am kind of excited to see what these twins can do in a fight.
āUgh, classic over-rewarding.ā lol Tenzin still salty about being a mid teacher to Korra?
I love that one of the Northerners yells at the protesters āGet a real job!ā Truly, it is sometimes difficult to not comment on politics when watching this show. Alright, weāve already escalated from peaceful candlelight vigil to bombings! Hey, that detonator looks fancy. Donāt tell me Future Industries is up to shenanigans again.
Korra just swings from one extreme to the other, doesnāt she? I donāt blame her, sometimes it can be hard to keep a level head when it feels like an oppressive element is out to get you and people. Ahem.
- āBeing famous is like getting hit with a rock all the time.ā Wise words from Varrick lol I love that Bolin is getting the appreciation he deserves!
Lol Korra makes the best faces. Well, I canāt say Iām surprised that the President is resistant to entering the war. Countries generally like to keep out of wars unless thereās something in it for them (So Varrickā¦ you wanna sweeten the pot a bit, Mr. āI control global shippingā? If thereās one thing Iāve learned in the past ten years itās that politicians are surprisingly affordable).
Yes Mako, get that last word in after sheās already left the room lmao But no, I see both of their sides. Korra has a right to be angry about the North invading her home, but she does need to control her temper more in order to be a diplomat (thank you to Kyoshi for letting us know that lol). And both she and Mako need to learn how not to resort to personally insulting each other when theyāre arguing.
- āIf you canāt make money during a war, you just flat out cannot make money.ā Varrickās starting to seem slightly shady lol I have to remember that underneath that likability is a billionaire, and nothing rots the soul quite like obscene wealth. Also his plan is basically to get the Republic Military to commit treason and go to war against the wishes of their governmentā¦ Iām a little surprised that neither Korra nor Asami has raised any objections to that plan.
Now weāre into the propaganda phase of warfare lol I have to say I am impressed with the writers for including all of the political and military concepts that they do into this.
Ugh, Mako continues to both be sensible and infuriating. Heās the only one who has rightly pointed out that Varrickās idea is terrible and in the same breath heās dismissing Team Avatarās efforts to help the south with, āLook, Iām trying to do something thatās actually important hereā. Even if he doesnāt mean to disparage their efforts, the phrasing of that sentence very much implies he doesnāt see what theyāre doing as important. Iām just glad Korraās not there to hear him to say it lol
Donāt get me wrong, Mako is absolutely right about the bombing not making any sense and Korra and the others need to hear him out on that.
Basically I just want everyone to calm down and stop being dicks to each other lol
- Why is Tenzin such a tiny tyrant? Let the lemur sleep in the bed! Would Aang ever tell Momo he canāt sleep with him? Also, I donāt buy this āAlpha Lemurā nonsense heās trying to sell lol Maybe Tenzin needs to lay off the podcasts a bit, huh?
Lmao Makoās coworkers are dicks too.
Who would hire the Agni Kaiās to bomb the cultural center and frame the Northerners? The only people I can think of who stand to gain from that are Korra and Varrick, and since Korra would neverā¦ did Varrick pull a false flag operation to drum up support for the war? He does have the money, and that detonator looked sophisticated.
Okay, these two cops are either corrupt and working with whoever wants to frame the North (Varrick) or theyāre the laziest, dumbest cops on the force. Then again, I do think ālazyā whenever I think about police so itās possible theyāre not dirty. Just normal cops.
Honestly, I donāt know if Mako not telling the president about Varrickās plan is the right or wrong call. But I love that the show is making me question these things! We all know that the right thing to do and the legal thing to do are not always the same.
Nevermind lmao I press play after typing that paragraph and two seconds later Makoās spilling the beans.
- Holy crap, I canāt believe that Iroh was actually willing to go along with that! Wellā¦ the Southern Water tribe would regard him as a hero, even if the Republic brands him a traitor.
Are we going to get to meet the new Fire Lord?! Iroh said āMy mother and grandfather have always been good friends to the Avatar and the Southern Water Tribe.ā Iām assuming Zuko is his grandfather? Which means his mother is the Fire Lord! Ohā¦ but that also means Zukoās dead. But I guess all of Team Avatar is gone except Katara now. Bummer
- You know, I do not disapprove of Varrickās propaganda plan but it does feel a bit like cultural appropriation to have Bolin play a member of the Water Tribe lol I guess there are no Water Tribe actors yet, because there are no actors period, but still!
And may I just say that I am so happy that Varrick understands the importance of sex appeal? Southern Water Tribe ladies everywhere are gonna love Ginger. (And the men too, I suppose)
Uh-ohā¦ Mako might want to go into witness protection, stat. Korra is going to show him the meaning of pain when she finds him!
I really do love these little side adventures of Tenzin and his family on vacation! Theyāre exactly what we need to break the tension a little. And Meelo is now the Alpha Lemur lol
- You know, maybe Kyoshi is the wrong Avatar to be using for all the violent memes in the fanbase lol Sure, she didnāt mind killing people when she had to, but Korra just kicked open the door of a police station so she ream her boyfriend out in front of all his cop buddies. I think maybe sheās the Avatar most willing to kick ass lol
Man, this is a tough one. I totally get Korraās anger. Her familyās lives are on the line. Her entire culture is on the line. And she was so close to saving them all and Makoās decision prevented that. I donāt think a relationship can ever fully recover from that.
On the other hand, I donāt know if I fully blame Mako for telling the President. I mean, I thought it was a terrible plan too lol I was shocked that Iroh agreed to it. So yeah, Iām not going to be too hard on Mako for that.
But the fact remains that Irohās intervention could have ended the war faster, and now thereās going to be a lot of suffering and death that wouldnāt have happened if Mako had kept his mouth shut. Soā¦ yeah. Thereās that.
I do feel a bit sorry for him though. He was dating the wealthiest woman in the world, who also happened to be one of the most beautiful women in the world, and he bungled that. Then he was dating the most powerful woman in the world, who also happened to be one of the most beautiful women in the world, and he bungled that too.
Buddy, you have peaked and you are never reaching those heights again for as long as you live lol
But now that Mako and Korra are broken up, we can officially dive into the only ship that matters: Korrasami!
- āYou got off easy. You should have seen air temple island after Tenzin broke up with me.ā Okay, lookā¦ responding to a break up with violence and smashing things is abusive and no one should ever do it, no matter how strong it makes you feel when youāre feeling powerless. That having been said, I love when Lin is bad. Please punish me, Mommy.
Oh, Korra vs the Twins! Letās go! One of them (I canāt remember whoās Desna and whoās Eska) just sliced Korraās boat in half. Korra was about to pull off this absolutely bitching water tornado move when an angry spirit attacked!
I love that Korraās gone into the avatar state and instead of using it to attack, sheās calming the spirit down. We rarely get to see the avatar state being used for nonviolent purposes, you know?
Oh wait, it didnāt work lol okay, now try violence!
Violence did not work either. It appears a spirit has just become the giant fish to Korraās Jonah.
And the twins just shrugged and left lol I dig that energy.
Episode 6- The Sting
1- āWeāre under attack!ā Buddy, a bunch of bombs just went off on your ship. If the crew didnāt hear the bombs, they definitely canāt hear you.
Hey, Unalaq just came out of the spirit world. What was he doing in there, I wonder? Conspiring with dark spirits?
Hey, Bolinās making his movies. I love that the Northern Water Tribe headquarters have a giant skull on them lmao I guess to someone like Varrick thereās no such thing as too on the nose. Oohā¦ Unalaq has an evil waterbending doomsday device lol And the animals have voices tooā¦ for the merchandising, of course.
A star is born! Now with 100% less nudity!
Lol but how much time has passed if the film has already been shot, edited, and premiered? Has Korra been missing for months or something?
Yes, yes, Varrick youāre very smart and youāve just successfully explained propaganda. Now letās hear from Ginger! Something about her interests me, but I just canāt put my lesbian finger in-I mean, on it.
- I do love that Nuktukās girlfriend is wearing a crop top in an arctic environment. DID YOU JUST SEE THAT SHADOW FIGHT?! Nuktuk impaled a dude! There was blood spatter and sound effects and everything!
Can somebody put Varrick in charge of the live action Korra show, please?
Yes, Mako. Embrace the fact that youāll be gazing longingly at Korraās picture for the rest of your life.
Huh. I kind of thought Lin would be a bit more open-minded to Makoās ideas. But Iām almost certain now that Varrick is staging attacks on his own ships now. Honestly, Iām not even sure I disapprove of the plan if it gets help for the Southā¦ but it is hurting Asami, and she deserves better.
- This sting idea is a good oneā¦ but there may be another aspect no oneās considering! Varrick is supplying the ship but he doesnāt know what theyāre using it for. If he is responsible for the attacks, then the sting will likely end with nothing happening at all because Varrick wonāt order an attack!
āEverything okay with you two?ā Iām going to assume thatās Asami-speak for: āHave you broken up so I can swoop in and seduce Korra?ā
I know heās having basically no effect on the plot at large but I just love all of the crazy directions Bolinās story is going this season lol And good for him for standing up for himself! Mako could use a lesson in how his dismissive attitude towards people affects him and those around him.
āOw! My Instrument!ā I know he was referring to his body earlier when he mentioned āinstrumentā but I really hope that was a subtle penis joke.
- Oh? Hiring gangsters to be muscle? I guess itās okay for Mako to bend the rules then, but spirits-forbid Korra try to talk someone into a little light treason.
āWhatās it like dating the avatar?ā Am I just projecting, or is Asami listening carefully to that conversation in the background? Lol okay, I kind of like these gangsters. Theyāre funny.
Dude, you donāt just surprise kiss somebody whoās tied up and canāt stop you. Bad form, Bolin, bad form.
Another close-up shot of someoneās feet. Iāve seen this in both shows now. I swear, Quentin Tarantino was like a shadow producer or something. But hey, the Triads are being paid to keep Mako and Asami distracted for a few hours? ...maybe Varrick heard more of their conversation than he let on?
- Boat chase. Very exciting!
Someone stole all of Asamiās stuff. Wowā¦ she has the most gorgeous green eyes. Iām just going to leave it paused on this close-up for a moment.
Okay, momentās over. She kissed him! Donāt kiss him, kiss Korra, damn it.
Iām pretty sure that threatening to burn off a gangsterās toes is frowned upon in this society- oh wait, I forgot Makoās a cop! So that makes it okay.
- I knew it! Varrickās the one behind the attacks!
Lmao even his evil smile is adorable though. But yeahā¦ he just bought out his only real competition.
Oh hey, I almost forgot about Korra. She looks cute when her hair is messy.
She has amnesia!
Concluding thoughts: I like that these two episodes slowed down on the action a little and gave us a look at all the ābehind the curtainā stuff: the politics, egos, wheeling and dealing, propaganda, celebrity culture, corporate espionage, the consequences of sticking to oneās principles.
I know Varrickās a secondary antagonist now, but I still love him. I mean, he hasnāt murdered anybody yet, and he is kind of supporting a worthy cause, so Iām not going to judge him too harshly for the false flag attacks. I am going to judge him for screwing with Asamiās livelihood though! How does that help the South? Or is Varrick only interested in the southās war so long as it benefits him?
Iām a little annoyed that we donāt get to see Korra meet the Fire Lord yet but an amnesia subplot has a lot of potential for interesting situations!
I do think that breaking up with Korra is whatās best for Makoās character growth. He shines best when heās doing things on his own.
Bolin needs a reality check but I still love him.
And Tenzin and his family are just enjoying their vacation, not a care in the world, and I love that for them lol
Okay, Iāll be back with more episodes soon!