For IGN's review of the first half of the one-hour season finale of The Legend of Korra, "Skeletons in the Closet," Click Here.

Warning: Full spoilers for the episode to follow.Meanwhile, on the other side of Republic City, the rest of Team Avatar was making a mad dash to take down Hiroshi's air field. Unfortunately, they were quickly dispatched and promptly put behind bars. But who needs metalbending when you've got a giant polar bear dog to spring you free? ("We got Nagaaaa, YEAH!") Following that, it was time to get serious. While General Iroh was off being all Iron Man ("Irohn Man?") and taking out the Equalist warplanes, Asami was forced to confront her father... BattleBots-style! It was unfortunate that Hiroshi couldn't be convinced to pull back, but it was nice that Bolin stepped in to help out Asami -- his pair up with Naga between the two mecha tanks was pretty great.Back in Republic City, however, things weren't going so hot. After unsuccessfully outing Amon as a bender, Korra and Mako had to free Tenzin and his children from captivity, giving Amon another chance to escape and go toe-to-toe with the Avatar. But it wasn't until Amon started bloodbending Korra that we were positive Tarrlok was telling the truth about him. And when Amon poised his thumb to remove the Avatar's bending, I was utterly shocked to see him actually accomplish his goal. Even more incredible was Mako's electrifying defense against Amon. At last, we got to see what a truly talented bender he really was.Of course, it was mere moments later when Korra returned the favor in a big, big way. I think I literally cheered when she threw that first airbending punch at Amon. It was seriously one of the most exhilarating moments of the entire season. Blow after blow, I was slack-jawed, all the way up until that blood-defying final knockout: "No... you... DON'T!" In that moment, I didn't even care if Korra got her other bending abilities back. So what if she only had one element at her disposal? All that mattered was that Korra had overcome her greatest obstacle, living up to the season's demanding title: Air.

Back at the Southern Water Tribe, it seemed as though all hope was lost for Korra and her stolen bending abilities. However, in an unexpected turn, Korra finally made a spiritual connection with Avatar Aang, who, along with all the other Avatars, was able to fully restore her powers. It was this scene in particular that had me absolutely floored. Between Korra's awesome display of elemental bending and Aang's theme playing in the background, I was emotionally overwhelmed. Just those few shots gave me chills beyond words and made me realize how rewarding it was to see Korra tap into her true potential. Never before had we seen such an iconic image of the ideal Avatar. This was easily the highlight of the entire episode.On a more somber note, I still think one of the most interesting scenes in the finale was Tarrlok and Amon's escape. I wasn't sure what to expect, but Tarrlok's final redeeming gesture was very powerful. And the way Amon's eye teared up just before the explosion, it was almost as if he knew what had to be done. Unless the creators have a very good reason, I actually hope that Amon and Tarrlok stay gone because I think this would be a satisfying end for both of them. As much as I love the voices of Steve Blum and Dee Bradley Baker, I don't think you could give these characters a better sendoff. Behind the whole show there's this great underlying story arc about two estranged brothers striving to carry out their father's quest for vengeance, only to realize that it was a fool's errand all along. It's really a touching concealed narrative, one that I think could be interpreted in a number of different ways.I doubt that many viewers were expecting such a rounded conclusion for the season finale. Not only is the main villain presumed dead, but Korra is now a fully realized Avatar. For all intents and purposes, this could have been a series finale. On the one hand, it lends itself to the standalone appeal of Season 1, but on the other, it would have been interesting to see Korra struggle with just one element, at least for a time. That said, there could still be some residual conflicts stemming from the Sato family: Hiroshi, while out of commission, still lives; and Asami, well, she kind of got the shaft on all fronts, particularly with Mako -- the dude straight up cheated on her. This again brings up the awkward execution of Mako and Korra's romance, but I suppose that's an issue better left alone until Season 2, where it will hopefully have more time to breathe and develop naturally. (Hey, we still have Bolin, right?)Cumbersome love triangle aside, this was a masterfully crafted season finale, not just for a Nickelodeon cartoon but for a television series in general. And given the season's decidedly optimistic finish, I can't wait to see what's in store for these characters next.

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love on Twitter and IGN . Oh, and long live Lin!