We get a double dose of Korra this weekend as we ramp up to next week's finale.
We jump in this week as Korra and Tenzin return from the spirit oasis with Jinora still unconscious. Back at Republic City Varrick is premiering the finale to Nuk Tuk: Hero of the South. Bolin checks on Mako in jail and Mako tries once again to convince Bolin that Varrick is behind everything. Bolin leaves the prison unconvinced and heads to Republic City's first red carpet event. Also in attendance for the premiere are President Raiko and his wife. The premiere is being held at the pro-bending arena which has been repurposed into a theater with a giant screen hanging over the field. Our two favorite incompetent detectives are working security for the event and are too busy stuffing their faces with free pastries to notice a small boat full of water benders approach the arena. The water benders sneak into the area and quickly capture the detectives.
Inside, Bolin is having trouble enjoying his fictitious adventures without Mako and Korra around. He steps outside and notices the boat. After a quick investigation he finds the detectives and they tell him the water benders are after the president. Bolin takes off and bursts into the President's box right before he and his wife are dragged away. Then we get one of my favorite sequences as Bolin battles the water benders across the arena. He knocks them out of the box and onto the pro-bending field. The water benders try to fight back but they don't stand a chance against Bolin on his turf. Bolin takes them out with his battle mirroring the battle taking place on the screen behind him.
The last water bender still standing confesses that Varrick was the one who hired them and the truth finally comes out. Varrick and Zhu Li are arrested and Mako is cleared of all charges. Korra arrives with Tenzin and his siblings right after the attack and catches everyone up on what happened since she left. Even with these details President Raiko refuses to help saying his troops must stay to protect Republic City. After releasing Mako, the newly reunited team Korra pays Varrick a visit in jail. From his custom jail cell, Varrick gives them the location of the stolen Future Industries tech. He also gives them a battle ship so they can break through the blockade at the South Pole. Down south Tonraq and the resistance can't wait any longer and launch their attack on Unalaq's forces. They make decent progress until Unalaq himself shows up riding a dark spirit. Tonraq and Unalaq finally confront each other. They're evenly matched for most of the fight but in the end Unalaq wins and captures his brother.
Team Korra heads south preparing for the assault on Unalaq. By the time they arrive at the South Pole the resistance has pretty much been wiped out. They leave Jinora with Katara so that she can keep healing her and keep her energy up before devising a plan of attack. They split up into two teams. Mako, Bolin, and Asami take a plane to run interference while Korra and Aang's children ride a sky bison. Mako and Bolin use fire bending and Varrick's explosives to attack the troops Unalaq has protecting the portal. On their way to the portal Bumi falls off the sky bison when he tangles with a dark spirit. After a brief amount of fighting both groups crash land and everyone is captured. Unalaq visits his prisoners to gloat and of course reveal his evil plan. After harmonic convergence releases Vaatu, Unalaq will fuse with Vaatu to become a dark Avatar.
Bumi wrestles with the dark spirit for a moment before discovering that playing music with his flute can calm the spirit down. He quickly sneaks into the enemy camp and attempts to use his flute to control the spirits. His plan fails spectacularly when the spirits in the camp hate his music. He jumps into a battle mech for protection and the dark spirits posses the mech. The dark spirits cause the mech to go haywire and rampage across the entire camp inadvertently defeating all of Unalaq's men and freeing the good guys. Asami takes Tonraq back to the healing tents and while everyone else heads into the portal. As soon as they're in the spirit world Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi head out to look for Jinora. With the clock counting down to harmonic convergence, Korra immediately tries to close the portal. Mako and Bolin try to keep Unalaq busy but there just isn't enough time. The planets align before Korra can close the portal and Vaatu is released.
The season finale of The Legend of Korra airs next Friday at 8:00 pm on Nickelodeon.