The Legend of Korra: Turning the Tides Rewatch

February 20, 2016 1:38 PM - Season 1, Episode 10

The Equalists begin their attack on Republic City.

This episode brings in the following:

• Pabu has already decided that Naga is the greatest place to sleep.
• Even after having servants and never having to lift a finger, Asami knows how to help pick up dishes.
• Apparently firebenders can't remember they can boil water. Or maybe it's just Mako.
• Pema knows how to avoid conflict like a pro.
• Lin doesn't know how to deal with small children, but will definitely take care of Tenzin's family.
• Spiderrats are a problem in the city that require exterminators.
• Tenzin has amazing sense of air currents and can dodge all sorts of things.
• Amon has taken all the other council members and is now destroying Republic City.
• Hiroshi keeps a picture of his family in his pocketwatch.
• Korra cannot drive. Or park.
• There's a United Forces, which appears to be some sort of military group.
• Tenzin is great to have around if there's a gas attack of some sort.
• While the police have metal outfits, they have one weakness. Magnets.
• But mecha tanks have a great weakness too - having a car flown at them.
• As well as firebenders who can direct electricity and waterbenders who can fill up the exhaust pipes with water.
• Even though they don't have full airbendering mastery, Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo fight like champs.
• Rohan, the newest member of Tenzin's family, obviously inherited the family talent of dramatic timing.
• There are at least three sky bison who live full time on Air Temple Island.
• When all four of Team Avatar ride Naga, Asami doesn't get to ride on the saddle.
• Korra can waterbend an air bubble around Naga so that she can swim underwater.
• Lin sacrifices herself for the family. Or decides that there's not enough sheer badassery going on by fighting an airship on a sky bison so will, instead, TAKE APART THE AIRSHIP WHILE SHE'S ON IT.
• But she gets captured.
• Team Avatar is hanging out in the sewer. Asami can't decide if she's angry about Korra and Mako, or the flith getting into her shoes.
• Lin loses her bending because she won't tell Amon where Korra is.
• The United Forces General, General Iroh, is arriving in three days' time with his fleet.

In "I've heard that voice before":
There's really one thing to say. Yes, General Iroh is voiced by Dante Basco. The same Dante Basco who voiced Zuko throughout Avatar: The Last Airbender.

posted by Katemonkey (4 comments total)

So much happens in this episode and for once I'm not obsessed with the problems of Republic City and its politics or power structures because it's all fighting and all amazing people doing amazing things, interspersed with touches of comedy and beauty to make it even better.

I love all the fight scenes. I love seeing airbending fighting styles and I love seeing Lin take on entire fucking airships like a boss and I can even cope with Meelo's fartbending because they're just all so awesome!

"That lady is my hero." Yes, Meelo, you are completely right.

Silly bits:

My husband is watching this episode with me. As Mako sits watching Korra sleep, he says "Mako, nobody cares." Then, they show Asami standing in the doorway, and he says, just like Luke Skywalker in A New Hope, "I care."

I love Mako and Asami's argument, with Asami just laying it out flat. And Pema's FACE! Oh my God, that FACE!

And baby Rohan! Baby! Awww!

Actually, when my nephew was born, we were making jokes about how, since he had a big bushy pile of dark hair on his head, we could do a pretty good Tenzin, Pema, and Rohan cosplay. Except we'd have to carry around a baby. And we're pretty much just like Lin when it comes to children.
posted by Katemonkey at 1:42 PM on February 20, 2016 [1 favorite]

Lin's approach to childcare cements her place as best character.
posted by mbrubeck at 5:10 PM on February 21, 2016

Another beautiful and fun episode, with Team Avatar (including Asami) and the Jr. Airbenders kicking Equalist ass.

And again the kids are portrayed really well. I loved Meelo's line: "Not now, baby!" And the fart bending was silly fun.

I was happy to see that some Air Acolytes are also benders, because it could have sucked more if they didn't have any other skills when going against the Equalist foot-soldiers with their shock weapons.

Armchair strategist: why didn't Team Avatar climb up one of the mooring lines and take over an airship, even just to crash it into or obstruct the other airships?
posted by filthy light thief at 7:49 AM on February 22, 2016

Lin was so bad ass, ripping apart that air ship.

Fart bending. When I saw those airships headed towards the island, I started cackling already, because they'd have to fight CHILDREN air benders, including Meelo, who has already proven himself to fight dirty. I'm glad his sisters were equally resilient against the Equalists.

I'm really hoping that Lin can be thrown into a mountain with badger moles and relearn how to bend. Or that she was able to peacefully keep her bending when she took that deep breath. Is Amon a bending bender?

I was worried that the baby would be born right as Korra got killed. Thankfully that didn't happen. This was Pema's fourth child, though, so I was hoping for slightly better birth coverage than has been done in the past - that going into labor trope gets pretty grating.

I loved that Mako was able to redirect the electricity back to the mecha bot. Yes!

And, oh my. There is no question whose lineage is leading the United Forces, by name or by VOICE.
posted by jillithd at 12:16 PM on April 2, 2016