Legend of Korra 4×2: Korra Alone

Legend of Korra
4×2: Korra Alone

Full episodes available at Nick.com.

Episode Summary (from the Avatar Wiki): While being haunted by a shadow of herself in the Avatar State, Korra reminisces about the hardships she went to in the course of three years. In 171 AG, she retreated to the Southern Water Tribe in an attempt to heal her body and her mind. After two years and with Katara’s help, she was able to recover physically, though continued to have visions about Zaheer and the attempt on her life. In 173 AG, she set out on a journey across the world to reconnect with Raava, though to no avail. In 174 AG, while wandering through a small Earth Kingdom town, she decides to confront the vision of herself and ends up losing. However, when a small dog begs her to follow it, she does so and after passing out in a swamp after a new confrontation with her Avatar self, she wakes up in the home of Toph.

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The first episode of season four was good, but I got caught up in other stuff, and basically stopped watching Legend of Korra. And then I heard about the series finale, and decided I had to catch up RIGHT NOW!

It was interesting to watch this episode having been spoiled for The Thing that happens in the last episode. Especially Korra’s interactions with Asami, both when she’s leaving Republic City and when they’re writing back and forth. I don’t know if I would have picked up on it if I didn’t know where the show was going, but with that knowledge, it’s definitely there. Korra’s comment about being able to talk to Asami more easily than the others. The way Asami grasps Korra’s shoulders before she leaves.

Basically, I think they’re amazing together, and I’m still in happy shock that The Show did The Thing.

But even without that piece, this was a powerful episode. Korra is suffering physically, mentally, and spiritually from everything Zaheer did to her. She’s suffering from PTSD, which slows her physical recovery. She has flashbacks to fighting Zaheer, and to being imprisoned and poisoned.

Then when she tries to go out into the real world, she hallucinates? herself in the Avatar state. She turns away from Republic City to go elsewhere, but she’s quickly recognized as the Avatar by a seafood vendor dude who wants to take her picture for his Avatar Wall. (I loved his picture of Aang and the seafood wraps!)

When a convenient pair of thieves rob a nearby woman, the vendor shoos Korra into action … and the fighting triggers another flashback, leaving Korra beaten on the sand.

There’s an ongoing theme of people and spirits questioning if she’s the Avatar — it’s the same thing Korra’s struggling with inside. She can’t go into the Avatar state anymore. She can’t find Raava. There’s so much despair, but she keeps trying. She travels all over the world. She goes to the spirit world. She finally tries to face her hallucination, which leads her to the arena, where she keeps fighting (and losing), until a spirit comes along to lead her into the swamp, where she fights her hallucination one last time, only to find TOPH!!!

Yeah, I was very happy with this episode. It had heart that some of the earlier seasons seemed to lack. It had real consequences for everything Korra has been through.

If I didn’t have to get ready for the holidays, I would probably pull an all-nighter and watch the rest of this season tonight!