Chapter Text

EXT. SOUTHERN ICE, EVENING

KORRA, now dressed in even heavier clothes, and UNALAQ travel together in a convoy of Northern soldiers on primitive snowmobiles. Water-benders smooth the ice in front of them creating what is effectively an ice road over the frozen continent. Glimmering spirits watch from the shadows of broken ice. Up ahead a dark storm gathers on the horizon.

KORRA

This is a serious ice road your men are making. Overkill?

UNALAQ

A secure path will make passage back easier.

KORRA

(turns back forward)

Hmm. That storm up ahead still looks bad. Should we hunker down until it passes?

UNALAQ

We can't afford to wait, we must complete our task before the New Year. And I doubt that it will pass. The land here is out of balance, this fury the physical manifestation of the south's forgotten soul.

KORRA

(distantly)

And the southern lights faded.

UNALAQ

The entire universe is linked; even one culture's failure can harm all of nature and even the spirits. But the opposite is true as well. If we help restore the spirit world, everything else will follow.

NORTHERN SOLDIER

There's a cave up ahead! We can shelter there for the night.







INT. ANTARCTIC CAVE

The entrance is mostly iced over, but water benders easily clear that in moments. The soldiers bring out oil lamps to light the place. KORRA and UNALAQ walk deeper inside the cave until the stone becomes dry. KORRA summons up a flame floating above her hand for light, and as she walks she sees bits of desiccated wood on the floor.

KORRA

Wood. Out here? It seems ancient.

UNALAQ

Legends say this land was once far richer than it is now. Perhaps in those days the holy polar forest extended out this far. If the spiritual energies were stronger then, anything is possible.

KORRA

(sees something)

Even people, living in the wastes.

KORRA raises her flame and the light falls over cave paintings covering the walls.

UNALAQ

(touching a hand to the stone)

How old might these be?

KORRA

Thousands of years. Tens of thousands. From when the south was covered in forests.

She walks by primitive paintings of forests and people. Then she focuses on other figures, ones that are not human.

KORRA

...and spirits.

The she walks a little farther and comes to a tall wall deep in the cave which is dominated by a version of the Yin and Yang symbol, a black shape and a white shape wrapped together in conflict. Both have the arcane pattern on them.

KORRA

Raava.

UNALAQ examines the paintings. First he moves near the image black and white shapes, with human figures bowing around them, then the broken trees surrounding them, then painted sprouts growing from the stumps.

UNALAQ

Two powerful spirits, locked together. And these humans honored them. There was conflict. But also renewal. Balance. Like two parts of the same whole. Order and chaos. Raava and...

KORRA

(distantly)

Vaatu.

As KORRA says that she shudders, feeling a distant drumbeat. She stares back at the cave entrance as she hears a distant whisper once more, now accompanied with a rumble.

UNALAQ

(concerned)

Avatar, what is it? Do you remember? How much do you remember?

KORRA

No, I...Just a word. A name. And...sensations. The memory, whatever life that was, it was too long ago. It's all confused.

KORRA stepps back.

KORRA

But if this Raava is connected to the Avatar, then the dark spirit, must be...the opposite? My enemy? And he is growing stronger for some reason.

(shakes her head)

Ugh, it’s there, something I need to know, but it slips through my fingers.

UNALAQ

Vaatu's pull has been increasing as the south's spiritual connection fell into disarray. The portal becoming impassable, separating the north and the south, it must have initiated his rise and brought the spirits into conflict with the Avatar.

KORRA

Mabey, but if that's true, then helping the south really might solve everything. That would certainly make things nice and simple for once. Well, simple for some ancient dark spirit of destruction and strife waking up to somehow undo the source of my power that I don't even fully understand. You know, simple.

(sighs)

I wish the others could be here.

UNALAQ

That would only expose them to danger. I know, this burden is greater than any human should have to bare. But you are the Avatar. You are more than human. Do not limit yourself with the earthly ties of one.

KORRA

(agreeing)

One thing at a time. One war at a time.







EXT. ANCIENT VILLAGE, DAY

KORRA wakes up on a reed mat under a rough blanket. She sits up and pushes back a grass curtain to exit her woven reed hut. Outside, the colors are odd and the vegetation is rich around a small center of human habitation. She moves slowly, as if confused or disoriented and walks through this ancient village on a large hill. A little further, a number of villagers are practicing combat with bone tipped spears. There is a noticeable absence of bending. KORRA kneels down beside a woven basket holding water, and takes a drink from it. A YOUNG MAN runs up towards her.

YOUNG MAN

The hunters are back, but they're hurt! Spirits attacked them, we have to go help!

The YOUNG MAN turns to leave but then notices KORRA hasn't moved.

YOUNG MAN

What are you waiting for? Wan, come on, man!

KORRA looks down into the bowl of water and sees a young black haired man's face staring up in her place.







INT. ANTARCTIC CAVE

KORRA wakes up in her sleeping bag in amid the Northern expedition to the south pole. She lies back down and returns to sleep.







EXT. THE SOUTH POLE, STORM

KORRA stands at the head of the Northern forces on an icy, windswept hill. Before her is the towering thunderhead of the storm, crackling with lighting and strange blue light. UNALAQ approaches her.

UNALAQ

The storms have grown worse since I was here in my youth. But there in front of us is the sacred forest, now frozen and choked in ice. In its very center lies the spirit portal to the north. If a lack of spiritual energy has unbalanced this southern end then the mere presence of the Avatar's power in that place might be enough to right it. If not, I am sure your wisdom will present a solution.

KORRA dramatically removes her heavy coat. Then the wind kicks up just as KORRA is about to talk and as it steals her breath she is triggered for a moment, briefly beset once more by the trauma of Zaheer suffocating her. However, she returns to the practiced motions of centering herself and he body calms. She breaths in and out and a tiny lick of flame dances on her breath.

UNALAQ

(worried)

Are you all right?

KORRA

(calm)

I'm fine.

(steps forward)

Stay behind me Unalaq. I don't know what to expect but I'm not going to hold back.

UNALAQ bows his head as KORRA walks forward towards the storm.







EXT. SOUTHERN WATER TRIBE, DAY

SENNA reunites with TONRAQ. They embrace as in the background Northern Soldiers can be seen searching people's houses.

TONRAQ

I'm so glad you're ok.

SENNA

We have our daughter to thank for that. Looks like she can influence Unalaq some after all.

(more serious)

But unfortunately not enough. We have to continue the plan, now.

TONRAQ

Korra's still not back.

SENNA

That should be another week at the earliest, and when she returns, so will Unalaq. Now is our chance to make a move.

TONRAQ

(shakes his head)

I swore an oath. That's how we got you out of Unalaq's prison in the first place. If we break our word now-

SENNA

Playing by the rules just means the people who wrote them get to win. We're on the weaker side, if we ever want a hope of freedom we don't have the luxury of staying honorable. This is about the future of our people, our own good conscious is a small sacrifice.

TONRAQ

(reluctant sigh)

Ok. Varrick's plan it is then. And we hope our daughter forgives us.







EXT. REPUBLIC CITY HARBOR, DAY

Varrick's ship pulls into the harbor. ASAMI stands on deck. VARRICK approaches her.

VARRICK

Ah, Sato, nice to be home huh?

He moves to clap her on the back.

ASAMI

Don't touch me.

VARRICK freezes and withdraws his hand, grin never slipping.

VARRICK

Hey, this is going to be fun. A neat game, two titans of industry sparing on the battlefield of business. It's exhilarating!

ASAMI

You want new arms and armaments for the southern rebellion. However, this is my city. By the time you get to your office I will have already blacklisted you with every other major manufacturer. And then I'm going to get President Chang's to put forth a bill mandating total neutrality until Korra issues her official Avatar verdict on the Southern situation.

(smiles at Varrick)

Sorry about your game, but burning bridges is quicker than building them. No matter what your scheme was, time is on my side to stop you.

VARRICK

Time? Oh, Sato, honey. Sorry, but you're already behind. You were so intent on keeping an eye on little old me you stayed on this slow tanker boat all the way from the south instead of gaining that little extra head start racing ahead by train or airship. Lady, I sent my instructions ahead as soon as we reached a telegraph line, and mailed the supplies by express. My scheme has been in motion for a week.

Out in the city there is a dimly seen flash, followed by the boom of an explosion and a plume of smoke.

VARRICK

Oh, well whatdaya know? Looks like some nefarious Northern Water tribe agents just attacked a heavily insured warehouse holding medical supplies for noble southerner freedom fighters. Huh, I wonder how that is going to play out for that 'neutrality'.

(grins)

Your move.







EXT. FROZEN FOREST, STORM

KORRA walks through a maze of jutting, twisted ice. Inside the frozen masses, dead tree branches and trunks can be seen. At a fork in the ice path, KORRA stops and closes her eyes. The she turns to one fork and continues down it. Behind her, shadows twist and reform in to lightning-like spirit snakes which begin to gather as they pursue her.

The numbers build until the serpent spirits attack. KORRA fights back but more are gathering, and KORRA begins to run deeper into the ice maze. She water-bends through the ice, closing it behind her bit the serpent spirits begin to phase through it, forming together into one giant serpent.

SERPENT SPIRITS

(whisper)

No.

KORRA emerges into an open ice chamber with a perfectly smooth ice floor. In the very center, just below the ice is a dome of light. She tries to water-bend the ice but it resists her somehow, just barely moving or changing.

The giant serpent spirit attacks and bodily seizes KORRA, pulling her back. KORRA fights with the elements, holding her own, until she concentrates and enters the Avatar State. The serpent spirit is driven back, shattering into smaller spirits once again. The Raava pattern begins to glow on KORRA's chest and she slowly walks forward. Then, without any bending, she punches down with her fist, driving it through the ice into the light below. The serpent spirits quail back and hang their heads. Then light erupts out .







EXT. THE SOUTH POLE, EVERSTORM

The Northern expedition waiting outside gasp as a pillar of light shoots up from the center of the frozen forest. A few of them fall down into bows. All around that light, the storm begins to calm and dissipate.







EXT. FROZEN FOREST

UNALAQ steps forward to see KORRA standing up on newly bare ground. The Raava pattern is already fading away from her body, but her eyes still shine as she raises her arms in a water bending form. All around, the ice which has choked the dead forest melts to water, then turns to fog which swirls away in a rush of wind.

UNANALAQ and KORRA are left standing in the bones of the forest before a glowing, shimmering light.

UNALAQ

(awed)

You did it. The way is fully open.

KORRA turns towards him, fury on her face. But then she resists and exits the Avatar state, her expression now one more of weariness and confusion.

KORRA

I've...been here. I've been here before. I've done this before. But...no, something's wrong.

UNALAQ walks towards the light.

UNALAQ

(rapturous)

Nothing is wrong. You have finally pushed this world back towards true balance. Now come and bask in the fruits of our labors.

UNALAQ enters the light and disappears within it. KORRA follows after, hesitant.







EXT. SPIRIT WORLD, TREE OF TIME

KORRA walks through shifting curtains of light which blind everything.

UNALAQ

(unseen)

For thousands of years, the holy men of the Water tribe only used this portal as a mere bridge across the material world, from the north and south. But that is because the true purpose of the portal was locked away. When I was here last I could only catch a glimpse, a whisper of the truth. But now, thanks to you, the way is open.

KORRA steps out of the light into the Spirit World. UNALAQ stands a little way off. The sky above them is a twisted roof of clouds in purple, blue, and black. The landscape is one of warped waves of rocks and twining streams which come together to, seen from above, form the shape of Yin and Yang. In the very center of the shape is a massive dead tree, and on the opposite side of the shape from Korra's light is another pillar of light just like that they exited.

KORRA

(stunned)

This isn't the north pole, or the south. We're in the spirit world. Physically in the spirit world. It's like when I blocked Kuvira's beam weapon.

UNALAQ walks off in the direction of the other light.

UNALAQ

When the power of Raava meets the power of Vaatu, the light and the dark combine to do amazing things. Now, when the ten thousand year convergence is so close, the border between worlds is as thin as paper before that might.

KORRA follows him.

KORRA

(suspicious)

You knew this was going to happen. You were talking about just restoring the portal to how it functioned a hundred years ago, a path between the north and south, a spiritual connection, but this is something entirely new.

UNALAQ

No, it is not new. This is the way things always should have been, if the men of the past had not made a terrible mistake.

KORRA

Hold it. This is more than you studying old stories. You're too confidant. You're absolutely sure of things so ancient there aren't books, things I can't even remember. Things about me. Mako was right, something's wrong. Where are you getting this information?

(waits for reply)

Unalaq! Answer me!

They have arrived in an open flat space near the massive dead tree trunk in the center of the shape. UNALAQ stops walking.

UNALAQ

I told you that I made the journey between the poles when I was a young man. In that maze of light I caught the brief glimpse of this other world, but I also heard something. I heard a voice. By fate I was there to hear him as he just began to wake from his age-long slumber.

KORRA

What are-?

KORRA is about to say something when she hears the sound of marching feet. Approaching is a long column of Northern soldiers, coming out of the other pillar light. Trucks and other vehicles are with them.

KORRA

An army! That's the entire Northern Water Tribe army! This is why you wanted me to fix the portal, to let them cross over into the south! My parents were right, it is an invasion.

(to Unalaq)

You bastard, after all your talk! What the hell happened to "one war at a time"?!

UNALAQ

Again, you focus on the wrong issue. It is all one war. The spirit world, humanity, they are one and the same within the grand balance. With the portal open the Water Tribe will now be truly united, strong enough to serve the world as humanity's protectors of faith in the new age to come.

KORRA

And you have a new empire to rule over. Damn it! I actually believed you might be different. Not just another twisted idiot, grasping for power at any cost.

UNALAQ

You are wrong. It is not my destiny to rule the unified Water Tribe. No, a different burden awaits me.

KORRA hears the ominous rumbling whisper again, only now it comes from all around. She shakes it off and rises up on a display of elemental power.

KORRA

We're in the spirit world with our true bodies now, which means I’m at full strength. I have all my bending, all my power. I could stop you. I could stop you all right now.

UNALAQ

The only way you could stop this many men is to destroy them. But that is not in your nature. You are a protector, you are a preserver, and above all, you understand the importance of order. These men have done nothing wrong. This unification of our tribe is a necessary step to preserve that order, to offer humanity protection against the change to come.

KORRA moves towards him but then a rippling pulse of distorted space emerges from the dead tree in the center of this landscape.

VAATU

(unseen, whisper)

Raava.

KORRA turns to look and suddenly, without moving, she pulled through twisted space to stand right at the foot of the huge tree, among its gnarled roots. She staggers back.

KORRA

(to herself)

That voice. Vaatu, the dark spirit, the awakening power, he's here. That's the voice you heard! He is the change that’s coming. We have to get out of here he can...But, no, I remember. He's...he's imprisoned. He’s trapped. He can't free himself, no spirit can break those bonds.

UNALAQ is suddenly standing right behind her.

UNALAQ

Bound in chains of all four elements. A mistake made long ago.

KORRA

(angry)

A mistake? Unalaq, what are you doing?!

UNALAQ

(frustrated)

No, you still don't get it. Please, Avatar Korra, understand why you opened the portals. You have seen how much suffering has been caused by our separation from the spirit world. A human race debased to pure materialism cannot be the proper balance. If the door between the worlds was sealed, if someone cut us off from the spiritual power of the universe, then it must have been a mistake.

KORRA

There’s an ancient evil spirit imprisoned in a tree, the one twisting and empowering spirits across the globe. And you’ve been listening to it?! It was hidden here for a reason.

UNALAQ

As I tried to teach you before, dark is not the same as evil. Vaatu is a part of the universe, like all other things.

(steps back)

If you are sure in yourself, confident in your understanding, then strike now, Avatar. But if there is any doubt then please hold back. There is still a week until the New Year, and I cannot not act before then. Retreat now, forestal this battle, find isolation and take that time to contact the past Avatars. Learn from them; from their wisdom, and from their mistakes. Hopefully, you will return to me. Hopefully, you will understand why I have to do what comes next. What you have helped me do.

(looks down)

And if you see her, tell my daughter I am sorry for the grief I will cause her.

KORRA has a moment of indecision, but the Water Tribe soldiers advance on her so she retreats a little bit. She rises up once more on elemental power, preparing to fight.

VAATU

(unseen)

So our battle begins once again. Tell me, are you prepared? If not, I will enjoy slaying you a thousand times.

KORRA is shaken by this voice that only she can hear. She turns and flees in a storm of air, panicked, but when she reaches the light of the southern portal she earth-bends up massive slabs of rock to seal it away. Then she enters the light from inside the new fort.







EXT. FROZEN FOREST

KORRA exits the light of the portal and seals up this side as well in slabs of earth. She stands before the newly made barrier, panting from her burst of exertion with her hands clenched into fists at her side. Then she screams in frustration and erupts into the light of the Avatar state.







EXT. OUTSIDE THE FROZEN FOREST

Northern soldiers from the expedition are moving forward to enter the forest when they are suddenly blasted by a fierce rush of wind. KORRA erupts out of the forest like a missile riding a hurricane and blasts out over the ice plains in the direction of the Southern Water Tribe. The remaining soldiers are left flabbergasted.







EXT. SPIRIT WORLD, TREE OF TIME

Northern Water Tribe soldiers attack the sealed over southern portal, their water-bending trying to drill through the rock. UNALAQ walks up to the roots of the dead tree, alone.

UNALAQ

(to himself)

She will understand. There is still time for her to understand.

The dead tree has gaps in its trunk, exposing a hollow core. Shimmering energy covers those gaps but something dark and huge is moving inside. Then dark orange symbols emerge into view, identical to the blue ones that sometimes glow on Korra. VAATU is inside the tree, a huge dark shadow of indistinct shape.

VAATU

The human in her might be convinced. But another force resides inside that body. With the spirit of light, there is no compromise. Raava is my opposite and my enemy, so it has always been since the dawn of existence.

UNALAQ

(sadly)

And so it must be. Conflict is the natural order.

(looks up)

That is the balance.







EXT. REPUBLIC CITY, DAY

Establishing shot of the city.







INT. REPUBLIC CITY THEATER

A crowd gasps in a theater. The screen shows footage from many places on the trip south, spliced together into Varrick's new narrative. Footage of Northern Troops marching and arming up in the Earth Kingdom town cuts to scenes of the southern water tribe after the spirit attack. Then it shows an actor dressed up as FAKE UNALAQ.

FAKE UNALAQ

I, the evil Unalaq, will not rest until my soldiers conquer and oppress every nobel denizen of the free and glorious south. Also, I am the one commanding the spirits to attack people across the globe until anyone can prove otherwise!

The screen then cuts to footage of Bolin. His mouth movements do not match up to the voice he is being given, FAKE BOLIN.

FAKE BOLIN

Not so fast, Evil Unalaq! I may be a humble son of the United Republic, but I won't let your army conquer innocent people anymore. Not while I have anything to say about it! How about it, Southern pal! We can work together to preserve liberty, freedom, and vastly cheaper gas prices in the United Republic once the southern oil fields are fully developed?

Footage of Tonraq nodding.

FAKE BOLIN

Yeah!

The theater crowd cheers, BOLIN is in the back of the theater with ASAMI and LIN watching all this.

BOLIN

Aw, come on! Why am I always to focus of Varrick's stupid movers?

(looks down)

Man, I shouldn't have bought popcorn for this.

ASAMI and LIN exit, with BOLIN following a moment later.







EXT. REPUBLIC CITY STREET, DAY

ASAMI, LIN, and BOLIN exit the theater. A big poster featuring Varrick looks down.

ASAMI

Chief Beifong, you need to do something. Varrick has three more of these "technology demonstrations" across the city. Everyone goes in to see the new moving pictures, but they leave with the idea that the UR should support the South's rebellion. Blocking Varrick's arms deals could be impossible soon. He might even sway opinion for our country to actually enter the war.

BOLIN

(resigned)

Ugh, and Varrick probably doesn't even care on which side we're on. If he could supply both armies, he would. What does Korra expect us to do here? This is an entire country and I'm literally arguing against myself!

(gestures to a movie poster with his picture on it)

LIN

As infuriating as that worm Varrick is, we found nothing linking him to the explosion last week and none of these moving picture shows are actually illegal. Apparently this qualifies as "art" and if people want to believe ridiculous lies, I can't arrest them for it. Yet. Which leaves the ball in your court, Sato. Whatever Korra's doing down in the south, it's not working yet. Things with the spirit world seem to be getting worse. I've had to seal off a mile around the Kuvira crater and even so there's been multiple attacks by spirits in the last week.

BOLIN

Man, if I hadn't see a big glowing bird last night I'd think all these attacks in the city were fake. It's all too neat, not crazy like the spirit attacks we saw over with Korra. Here, everything's hitting just the right places to get people on Varrik's side. But it's not like Varrick can actually control spirits to do what he wants, even Korra can't.

ASAMI

(realization)

No, but he can do something close. I almost hope he is doing it here. I'd love to nail him to the wall for war crimes. And I've got a device in the office that might work to catch him.







EXT. SOUTHERN WATER TRIBE, DAY

ESKA fights dark spirits in the streets of the southern water tribe, assisted by northern soldiers.

ESKA

(to soldiers)

Find that spirit energy machine! The rebels have to be using Varrick's new device to draw the spirits to our positions.

Fighting continues. A spirit possesses a northern soldier who lunges at ESKA with a sword until she freezes him in place with her water-bending.

ESKA

Tear these buildings apart. Rip through every home until you find the device. Any local who resists, take them down.

She vaults herself up onto a roof with a spike of ice and runs along up there, rushing towards other trouble.

A little ways off, MAKO stands watching this. He holds a map of the town, and is marking locations on it. Then he draws a circle, nods, and walks off in the direction ESKA went. He ducks around a corner.

A moment later, ESKA reappears, watching the exact place MAKO was last.







INT. SOUTHERN WATER TRIBE HOUSE

Several men are hurriedly disassembling Varrick's spirit energy machine.

SOUTHERN FIGHTER

Quick, get it packed up. The spirits are already attacking and Northerners are getting closer. We need to get-

The door burst open and MAKO enters, holding fire in his hand.

SOUTHERN FIGHTER

You?!

MAKO

Yeah, me. And this is the end of your-

The far wall burst open with spikes of ice and ESKA enters. She moves to attack the southerners before spotting MAKO.

ESKA

(to Mako)

You!

MAKO

(sighs)

Yes, we have established that.

ESKA

I should have known you were still working with the traitors.

MAKO

Hold up, I'm the one who tracked this machine down. Guessing you were following me? I'm trying to stop these spirit attacks just like you-

ESKA

Silence! You have been a thorn in my side ever since I first-

One of the Southern Fighters starts slowly slinking out of the room while their two captors are arguing. Then a distant horn sounds, interrupting the fight.

MAKO

Uh, what was that?

ESKA

I arranged a signal days ago. That means the Avatar has returned.

A second horn sounds.

ESKA

(blanches)

But my father hasn't.

ESKA and MAKO both look at each other. Then they both let out elemental blasts to smash the spirit energy machine before running outside.







EXT. WHITE LOTUS COMPOUND, DAY

The gates of the compound stand open as TONRAQ, SENNA, MAKO, TENZIN, and BUMI arrive on the road. The compound looks much the same as it did back when Korra lived here before she first came to Republic City. A WHITE LOTUS GUARD stands at the gateway.

TENZIN

Is she really here?

WHITE LOTUS GUARD

Yes. The Avatar is waiting inside.







INT. WHITE LOTUS COMPOUND, DAY

KORRA sits leaning against a building wall in the sun, clearly tired. KATARA, a water tribe woman in her 80s stands at her side, examining her with water bending, before nodding to the onlookers. Her friends and family draw around KORRA.

SENNA

(relieved)

You're ok.

TENZIN

(To Katara)

Mother, is she hurt?

(To Korra)

Korra, what happened? Where are Unalaq and the others?

KORRA

Tenzin, Bumi, I'm sorry. I should have listened. You were right. Unalaq tricked me. He's bringing an army in from the north through the spirit portal. The invasion is happening. And there's something else.

MAKO

(to Korra)

Things haven't exactly gone perfectly here either.

KORRA

(confused)

Mako? How are you still here?

MAKO

Yeah, well you know.

(serious)

Someone decided to start the war as soon as you left.

TONRAQ

Now's not the time.

MAKO

Of course it's not.

KORRA

Dad, I...I can't. I am in no position to judge after the mistakes I've made.

BUMI

Hey, you made it out of an ambush from a surprise army. Take it from my own history, that's a job well done. And at least you still have your shoes on.

KORRA

I unknowingly opened a path to physically enter the spirit world, and led Unalaq with his forces directly to where an ancient dark spirit named Vaatu is imprisoned.

BUMI

Ok, job not so well done.

TENZIN

Vah Tu? I don’t recognize that name, and what would Unalaq want with just one more dark spirit?

KORRA

Tenzin, I...! I don't know. But I am going to find out. Unalaq may have his army at the polar portals, but he can't keep me out of the spirit world.

MAKO

Well, whatever you learn, we'll be here to help you Unalaq. All of us.

SENNA

(growls)

That man wants to unleash even more spirits on our home. He wants us weak and begging and afraid. He will be disappointed.

BUMI

Damn straight. Er, sorry mom.

KATARA

(Smiles at Bumi's self-censoring)

I'd love to help too but my war days are over. As a member of the White Lotus I take no part in the political affairs of nations am allowed to cast no judgement on their conduct.

(Looks darkly at Tonraq and Senna)

Fortunately for some.

KORRA

Thank you everyone, for still trusting me. I just hope I can be an Avatar that lives up to your faith.

KORRA exits, entering a building.

Outside the White Lotus Compound, ESKA is clinging to the outer ice wall in a platform she water-bent herself, listening in on all this. She looks off to the south and leaps down to rush off in that direction.







INT. WHITE LOTUS COMPOUND

KORRA sits alone in a meditative posture. The room around her begins to fade out of reality as she slowly lowers her eyelids. Just before they close, her eyes begin to glow.







EXT. SPIRIT WORLD, LILY PAD MEADOW

KORRA opens her eyes in a supersaturated world, green grass under giant lily pads standing like trees. The landscape folds like gentle rolling hills made impossibly tall and steep. In the distance a giant wolf walks between the hills under a strange colored sky.

KORRA

Right. Unalaq, I'm coming for you.

She concentrates and the landscape begins to rush by her as she stands perfectly still. Above, the sky begins to darken into the swirling clouds around the Tree of Time. Then a hand grabs KORRA's collar and she jerks back, falling to the ground in a new part of the spirit world, neither here nor there. She spins to get up but UNALAQ now stands behind her.

UNALAQ

Avatar, I am sorry, but I felt your fury approach. You do not yet understand what needs to be done.

KORRA stands up and concentrates. The ground underneath her begins to change, moving out as the world begins to warp around UNALAQ into a cage.

UNALAQ

(bows his head)

In this world too, you are far more powerful than I. However, I have an advantage. I am here in my true body. I still have my bending, and you do not.

UNALAQ begins to water bend, slicing his way out of the cage. A blast of water hits KORRA and her reflexive martial arts move does nothing. Then UNALAQ blurs forward, and lays a palm on KORRA. He pushes and she flys back, the land rushing past around her.

KORRA comes to a rest back on the green hill where she first arrived. She rises up with a groan.

KORRA

Ugh. Even without a body, that still hurt.

She sits up and watches the spirit world in a moment of rest. On a nearby rock, a painting of a small deer walks and prances, then it steps out of the rock, walks through the grass and smoothly enters another solid surface. KORRA's breathing is now calm.

KORRA

All the paths forward have gotten me nowhere. The only way left is back.

She settles into a meditative posture and a spectral mist forms around her. Then the mist rushes forward to form the previous Avatar, AANG, sitting in her same posture facing her.

KORRA

Hello, Aang.

AANG

(smiles)

Hello, Korra.

KORRA

It's nice to see you again.

(pause)

Something bad is coming.

AANG

(serious)

I know. I am sorry that I have no more to offer you. I know nothing of Raava, not even that name. In my own life I never drew as deeply on my Avatar power as you have. I was afraid of it, and so I have deprived you of the chance to know more about our true history.

KORRA

That's all right. I just have to search deeper.

AANG bows his head. Then another burst of burst of mist flows out of KORRA, but this one flows out past AANG and coalesces into more Avatars behind him. The next row has two seated Avatars, three behind that, and so on off into the unimaginable distance where the landscape has somehow disappeared to reveal an endless expanse of clouds.

KORRA slightly changes her meditative posture and the past Avatars begin to flow past her as she plunges into the past.

PAST AVATAR 1

...exist to serve as the bridge between the spirit and material worlds...

PAST AVATAR 2

...duty to protect the balance. Defend the four nations and all that...

PAST AVATAR 3

...the Avatar serves the world...

KORRA's expression shifts as she meditates. The view tightens slowly onto her face as the background darkens to pure black.

PAST AVATAR 4

...they say people see fewer spirits now than in the ancient tales...

PAST AVATAR 5

...a pattern glowed on the last Avatar's chest, but I can't seem to make my own....

PAST AVATAR 6

...a whisper in my head. Not one of the past lives, something else, but it's getting quieter after every incarnation until...

PAST AVATAR 7

...I don't understand. I have memories that aren't mine and the elements are all...

PAST AVATAR 8

...What am I? Only the legendary hero could control four elements but now I have the same power as...

WAN

(softly)

What do I do now? How can I.., Raava, what do I do?

KORRA opens her eyes. She is sitting in a black void, and there is only one past Avatar remaining. WAN, an young man dressed in a roughspun tunic, sits in front of her, and his form is more wispy and indistinct than any of the others before him.

WAN

Who are you?

KORRA

I am you.

WAN

Then Raava kept her promise.

KORRA

Who are you?

WAN.

I am you.

(breaths out)

My name is Wan, and I was the first Avatar.

Light burst into the black void and rushes towards them, expanding into a full new scene of trees and sunlight.







INT. SATO INDUSTRIES TOWER, ASAMI'S OFFICE

ASAMI sits at her desk delivering orders to an employee, OFFICE MAN.

ASAMI

(to OFFICE MAN)

Right, finish getting those spirit energy detectors recalibrated as soon as you can. If we can get them pointed outward at the city instead of in, we might be able to triangulate Varrick luring spirits with his illegal technology.

ASSISTANT

(on intercom)

A representative of the Air Nation is here to see you, mam.

ASAMI

What? Um, send them in?

OFFICE MAN bows and exits up a set of stairs in the rear of the office.

PEMMA enters.

PEMMA

(cheerful)

Hi, Asami. I brought snacks.

ASAMI

Pemma, I know my dad's gone but that doesn't mean you need to adopt me.

PEMMA

(shrugs)

I've got four kids. At this point, what's one more? And they're good snacks.

ASAMI

Thank you.

PEMMA sits on a couch in front of the desk. ASAMI moves to join her.

PEMMA

No problem. So what are you up to?

Noises of moving heavy metal things come from upstairs.

ASAMI

(casually)

Repurposing monitoring equipment from a dangerous illegal experiment of mine to find a dangerous illegal experiment of Varrick's.

PEMMA

(calmly)

Ah, as you do.

An ASSISTANT enters and begins to pour tea for the two of them.

PEMMA

I love coming up here. It makes me feel fancy.

ASAMI

(raised eyebrow)

Your husband helped rule this country for twelve years and you are personally the progenitor of an elemental nation.

PEMMA

Eh, let's just say that the air monk vows of asceticism conflict with some of the privileges of rank. Also, Meelo breaks things.

ASSISTANT exits.

ASAMI

So, Pemma, what can I do for you?

PEMMA

Oh, you know, just company. Jinora's hardly ever in the city these days and Rohan's started preschool. Call it premature empty nest syndrome. With Tenzin still down south I need someone to talk to. And I thought you might need someone too.

ASAMI

(sighs)

You're a good woman.

PEMMA

(feigned nonchalance)

So how are you holding up? You know, with everything going on with Varrick, and your company, ...and Korra being away?

ASAMI

(smiles)

It's been killing you working up to that, hasn't it?

PEMMA

(smiles sweetly)

Answer the question.

ASAMI

(sighs)

I don't know. Korra's hardly been here for six months out of past four years, even after we started...whatever we are. It's infuriating, and frustrating, and sad. But then every once and a while, I catch myself being almost...relieved that she's far away. Sometimes she scares me. No, not like...She'd never do anything to hurt me. But she's so strong. And then there's her title and her history and story and it's all just so...big. Whenever I remember it I feel tiny next to her.

PEMMA

Oh honey. Fortunately, that's something I actually can talk about without making a fool of myself. Being with a bender when you don't have powers yourself is always tricky. Things can never be exactly equal. Then throw in political power on top of that and it all just becomes more ridiculous.

(leans back)

You know, I was nineteen when I first saw Tenzin. He was already an air-bending master, the son of the Avatar, and the sole heir to an entire culture that had once been eradicated down to a single child. I had run away from a farm to come join a temple. It took me five years to work up the nerve to even talk to him. You beat me on that timeline at least.

ASAMI

(laughs)

PEMMA

I'm not going to lie and say I had to overcome anything like you are. But love is love, and I know you two are strong enough to face anything the world throws at you.

Alarms go off upstairs. ASAMI jumps up and then a plume of smoke starts to rise in the distance. OFFICE MAN runs downstairs.

OFFICE MAN

We got a reading! Two miles south-southwest.

ASAMI

(triumphant smile out the window)

I've got you, Varrick. You're going to rot in prison.

PEMMA sips her tea.

PEMMA

(pleased)

So fancy.







EXT. SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE, EVENING

JINORA leans back against a wall, clearly tired. There are fresh gouges on the wall beside her. She reaches up to clutch her head in weariness. Then OPAL swoops down from the sky to land her glider staff nearby.

OPAL

Master Jinora, more dark spirits sighted in the temple's lower garden. Everyone managed to get away but acolyte Jinpa has claw slashes on her arm. She's getting stitched up but it's still bad.

JINORA

This is getting worse. All the spirits are turning violent, one by one, and the rebuilt air temples are centers of spiritual energy, just like south pole and the crater at Republic City. They are all sites that lost their knowledge of traditional spirit rituals. If there's a solution to this crisis, then neither Korra or I have found it yet.

OPAL

So what do we do? I haven't heard from Korra or Master Tenzin in weeks. The south's telegraph cable might have been cut. The air-benders and I can help drive these dark spirits back when we see them, but there's problems all over the world and if we're fighting here then we can't help anyone else.

JINORA

You're right. As long as we stay in the Air Temples, that means the Air Nation can't help the rest of the world. We need somewhere to evacuate our people to. Somewhere without a history. Somewhere so utterly consumed with materialism and rejection of the ancient ways that there will be no spiritual energy at all.

(looks at Opal)

OPAL

(sighs)

I'll wire my mother. Zaofu City here we come.