Warning: Fullfrom the episode to follow.

Avatar nightmare fuel...

It's rare that a 22-minute episode of a show can tell an emotionally satisfying story all its own, but this week's The Legend of Korra was definitely one of those episodes. In "Korra Alone" (named after the equally awesome Avatar: The Last Airbender episode "Zuko Alone"), every single moment left an impression, as Korra endured a three-year journey of healing. While parts of the episode offered clear nods to the hero's journey, the story never got too bogged down in monomyth tedium. Rather, it gave itself free reign to explore Korra's headspace.At the onset, we picked up where the premiere left off, with Korra finishing (and losing) an underground bending match. From there, she came face to face with her past self, still shackled in chains from her fight with Zaheer. Even now, it's not entirely certain just who or what this entity was, but it did seem to represent a dark fragment of Korra's psyche -- an inner demon, of sorts. For reference, let's just call her "Nega-Korra."Anyway, this figure was a notable addition here, and served as a constant reminder to Korra that she'd yet to overcome her fears. Whether Nega-Korra was a guide or a tormentor is certainly up for debate, but she was clearly more than just a figment of Korra's imagination (as evidenced by the plant spirit being able to see her too). In any event, Nega-Korra's omniscient presence here was a great visual. As one of my favorite character designs from Book Three, I was glad to see the return of shackled Korra -- even if she did send shivers down my spine this time.

NYCC: Korra Creators Give Thanks to the Fans

Haircut = Character Development

Another strong aspect of "Korra Alone" was the flashbacks to the Southern Water Tribe, where Korra began her physical therapy. It was great having Katara there as well, reprising her mentor role. Korra's "Beatrix Kiddo" moment was a cool way to start things out ("Wiggle your big toe," anyone?), while Katara's story about Aang gave Korra an emotional link to her previous life. However, the most powerful sequence here had to be Korra's first steps, paired with that stirring musical cue of Korra's theme. (Major props to composer Jeremy Zuckerman, who was firing on all cylinders this week with the music.) Also, the image of Korra embracing Naga is literally one of the sweetest things I've ever seen.Korra's letters were a nice touch as well, as Asami, Mako and Bolin wrote about their respective life changes. I also thought it was interesting that Korra eventually only wrote back to Asami, which further established their unbreakable bond. (Korrasami forever!) Likewise, Tenzin's visit to the Southern Water Tribe was a sweet if heartbreaking callback to the series premiere, particularly Korra's training session with the guards, which didn't go nearly as well this time around. How times have changed...Honestly, the one odd thing about this episode (though not really a complaint) was Korra's oh-so casual departure from the South Pole. Despite the fact that she's now an adult, I thought for sure she'd have to put up more of a fight with her parents to go off on her own to Republic City, especially given her weakened state and the possibility of Red Lotus members still lurking about. Luckily, that didn't seemed to matter here, even when Korra diverged from her original path. In fact, one particular run-in with a merchant brought about one of the most lighthearted moments of the episode, as Korra joined the merchant's "Wall of Avatars" -- a collection of photos solely made up of her and Aang. (Indeed, you could almost hear foaming-mouth guy losing his mind at the sight of Aang spinning those sushi rolls.)Of course, the rest of Korra's journey was much more serious. Her visit to the Spirit World, for example, was a significant touchstone in that it proved Korra's connection with Raava had been blocked or perhaps even severed, with one spirit noting that he couldn't feel Raava's presence. (Theoretically, this could also mean Nega-Korra was an alternate form of Raava. Hmm...) Eventually, though, Korra's globe-trotting journey caught us up to the present, where it was revealed that Korra wasn't just fighting an opponent in the ring; she was fighting herself. Again, very hard-hitting stuff in terms of the visual narrative.

Naturally, this culminated in a thrilling showdown between Korra and Nega-Korra in -- where else? -- a mystical swamp. This scene in particular had distinct monomyth vibes, and aesthetically, it was pretty much an Avatar tribute to Luke Skywalker fighting Darth Vader on Dagobah. That homage continued into the next scene as well, where Korra awoke in a cave to find a kooky old hermit -- no, not Yoda, but the Blind Bandit herself: Toph Beifong! ("Nice to see you again, Twinkle Toes.") Perhaps now we'll see Toph training Korra, helping her mend her spiritual self, just as Katara did for Korra's physical self. Of course, as we already know, Toph prefers a no-nonsense approach to guidance, as opposed to Katara's constant positive reinforcement. Unlike with Aang though, I think Korra might actually appreciate Toph's tough love.