The spirit cannon and our hearts both went “Boom!” in The Legend of Korra season 4, episode 11. Read our recap and share your impressions of “Kuvira’s Gambit”!
The past and the future
Kuvira gives a rousing speech about how the lands of the United Republic were stolen from the Earth Empire by Aang and Zuko and must be recaptured. (Clearly Kuvira hasn’t read The Promise, because it was more complicated than that.) She and Bataar Jr. are excited to attack Republic City and rule their empire together in domestic bliss.
Not gonna take it
Bolin and the BeiFongs burst in with Zhu Li to tell Korra, Mako, President Raiko and Wu, and Lin about Kuvira’s terrible progress: Giant spirit cannon, attack in two weeks, you know the drill.
Korra decides to cut the rail lines, as that’s surely the only way Kuvira can transport the weapon to Republic City. Raiko orders a mandatory evacuation of all citizens from Republic City.
Bolin brings Zhu Li to Varrick, who is overseeing the construction of Asami’s Hummingbirds. Zhu Li apologizes meekly for appearing to betray her boss, but then dials up her awesomeness and storms out when Varrick tries to turn her back into his assistant.
Preparations
Mako makes an impressively terrible evacuation announcement, but Wu saves the day with a soothing speech about working together and not letting fear control the people of Republic City. Apparently this is sufficient to make Lin think Wu might be a good king.
Tenzin’s family (minus baby Rohan) decide to stay in the city to help with the evacuation and aerial reconnaissance. As the city is evacuated, General Iroh arrives with aid from the United Forces.
Korra and Team Avatar leave that evening on a dangerous mission. They want to sneak behind enemy lines and take out the spirit cannon before Kuvira reaches Republic City. That way, Korra hopes, the United Forces will have a fighting chance — and maybe they can even avoid a war.
The trouble I’ve seen
But even this preemptive action is much too late, as soldiers at a United Republic outpost quickly discover. Not only is Kuvira’s army advancing two weeks weeks early, but the Great Uniter has mounted the spirit cannon on a FREAKING ENORMOUS MECHASUIT, which destroys the outpost in a single blast.
Team Avatar finds their path intersecting with Kuvira’s and is rapidly educated on the updated timeline. They also become terrifyingly well-acquainted with the walking spirit cannon when Kuvira nearly blasts them out of the sky.
Korra’s skybison-flying gets them safely back to warn Republic City, but Kuvira is unconcerned.
“Nothing can stop us,” she tells Bataar, who is flying alongside in an airship.
White flag
Back in Republic City, Korra delivers the bad awful impossibly terrible news, and goes to help Iroh at the front lines.
Kuvira marches through the mountains; throughout the emptying city, soldiers, airbenders, inventors, and politicians watch in horror as their spirit-powered doom advances.
Kuvira stops before the United Republic lines. Over the radio, Raiko orders her to surrender, which even we find hilarious; Kuvira demonstrates her power by blowing up ships in Yue Bay… and then turns her cannon on the United Republic army, forcing President Raiko to surrender.
Bataar heads to Air Temple Island to accept Raiko’s surrender, while Kuvira demands that the Avatar be handed over to her. Listening over the radio, Korra flees back to Republic City, promising Iroh that she will “find a way to beat that thing.”
Achilles’ heel
Korra and the airbenders (sans Meelo) kidnap Bataar from the airship in order to learn how to take out the spirit mechatank. They bring him back to Asami’s factory for interrogation, but Bataar calls Korra’s bluff; she is unwilling to harm him.
Suyin begs her son to stand down and come home, apologizing for however she has hurt him. Bataar is unmoved. “Kuvira is my family now,” he says.
This gives Korra an idea for how to crack Bataar. Kuvira might win, she admits, but Bataar will be coming with Korra.
“I’m going to make it my life’s mission to never let you see the one you love again,” she promises. Either Bataar convinces Kuvira to leave the United Republic alone, or she and Bataar will never see each other again.
Sacrifice
Meanwhile, massive confusion has broken out on Air Temple Island when Bataar’s airship arrives without Bataar. As a hilariously offended Raiko reports this to Kuvira, Korra has Bataar radio the Great Uniter to relay her threat.
Bataar begs Kuvira to leave Republic City behind so they can get married and rule the Earth Empire. “The only thing that matters is that we’re together for the rest of our lives,” he says, as Kuvira traces the radio signal to the factory.
“You’re right,” Kuvira says, forcing back her emotion. “This city isn’t worth sacrificing our life together. I love you, Bataar.”
Kuvira aims the spirit cannon right at the factory. “No, she wouldn’t!” Bataar cries, but she does, and the building explodes in flames before Korra and the rest can escape.
We have no idea what’s going to happen
Lin races off Air Temple Island to search for survivors, while Kuvira takes a deep breath from the cockpit of the spirit-tank. Her expression is utterly inscrutable.