Korra was forced to confront the past in The Legend of Korra season 4, episode 9. Check out our recap and share your thoughts on “Beyond the Wilds”!
Bad choices
Hipster airbender Ryu leads a tour through Republic City’s Spirit Wilds, where everyone is snatched by angry vines. Jinora senses the “surge of spiritual energy” from the wilds, and goes to investigate with Opal and Korra.
Korra reads the vines for information, and sees Kuvira’s mechatanks carving up the Spirit Swamp — though her purpose is unknown, it must be bad. Opal and Korra run to tell President Raiko — Opal hopes this will gall him into attacking Kuvira. Jinora remains to search for Ryu.
Politics
Korra and Opal burst in on a tense meeting between President Raiko, Tenzin, Fire Lord Izumi, Lin, and… Prince Wu. Raiko and Lin want to attack Kuvira’s forces, but Tenzin observes that Republic City has not been attacked.
Korra is upset that she was not asked to the meeting. Bolin and Varrick race in too, and manage to communicate that Kuvira has a superweapon, which Korra quickly connects to the harvesting of the spirit vines.
“If she figures out how to harness their power, we are all doomed,” Varrick proclaims.
Raiko considers this just cause for attacking Kuvira, but Tenzin refuses to use the airbenders for an unprovoked attack. Fire Lord Izumi feels the same way — she will not drag the Fire Nation into another “nonsense war.” She does agree to help fortify the borders when Raiko capitulates to her objections.
Plans
After Bolin apologizes to Opal, Lin and her niece make plans to rescue Suyin and their family on their own. Korra and Bolin each lament their recent failures, and then they all group hug with Mako again.
Jinora is seized by the vines, but manages to astral-project her distress to Korra.
Locked in, locked out
Korra races to the Spirit Wilds with Mako. They escape from a vine attack by racing into an overgrown building, where they find Jinora, Ryu, and the others suspended in strange green pods; they are trapped in the Spirit World.
Korra tries to meditate into the Spirit World, but finds herself blocked by the terrifying memory of her final fight with Zaheer. She convinces a reluctant Tenzin to let her confront Zaheer.
Reunions
Bolin reunites adorably with Pabu and has the fire ferret lead Opal to a sneaky picnic. Opal is furious, and refuses to eat with Bolin.
Meanwhile, Raiko recruits Asami and Varrick to work together to stop Kuvira. Asami reluctantly agrees, and twists Varrick’s arm until he promises not to double-cross her.
Chains
Korra goes to see Zaheer. She finds her old nemesis floating in his chains, unsurprised to see her. Korra is determined not to fear him any longer, but her resolve quickly fails and she turns to leave.
But Zaheer teases her back. “I spend most of my time in the Spirit world,” he says, “and it’s well-known that the Avatar Spirit hasn’t been there for a few years.”
Korra is furious that Zaheer can meditate into the Spirit World, while she cannot. She claims that he is the problem — “You poisoned me,” she cries. “You ruined me!”
“Blaming me is a crutch to make you feel better,” Zaheer observes, telling Korra that her power is “limitless.”
Korra shoots back with the consequences of Zaheer’s quest for chaos — killing the Earth Queen led to “the worst dictator the world has ever seen.”
Zaheer seems genuinely sobered by Kuvira’s power. “She needs to be stopped,” he muses. He offers to lead Korra into the Spirit World, promising that she can trust him. “We may have been enemies once,” he says, “but for now, our interests align.”
The way out
With nothing to lose, Korra begins to meditate. She finds herself reliving the fight with Zaheer. Zaheer talks her through the terrifying memory.
“Don’t be afraid,” he says, as Korra crashes helplessly to the earth. “Hold on!”
Korra plunges to her death… and finds herself sitting serenely in the Spirit World. Korra reconnects with Raava, who leads her to Jinora and tells her that she is most powerful in the Spirit World. Korra is able to release Jinora and the others with spirit-bending.
Leaving the prison, Korra tells Mako that she feels “whole.” She can accept what happened, and that will make her stronger.
The things we do for love
Bolin apologizes again to Opal as she prepares to leave with Lin. He tells her he loves her, and won’t stop trying to win her back. Opal appreciates the sentiment, and invites him to help rescue her family in Zaofu.
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