Kuvira and Korra had their first confrontation on The Legend of Korra season 4, episode 5. Check out our recap and share your thoughts on “Enemy at the Gates”!
The army
Kuvira brings her massive mechanical army to conquer Zaofu, but tells Bataar Jr. that she does not plan to use force. Instead, she plans to use Bolin to negotiate a surrender with Suyin.
Energy
Varrick films an experiment to harness the pure energy of the spirit vines. The experiment rapidly overheats, sending a blast of energy out of the back of Kuvira’s train – and Zhu Li with it.
Varrick just manages to save his long-suffering assistant from certain death, after which Zhu Li experiences a sexual awaking that is decidedly unreciprocated by her boss.
Kuvira investigates the commotion, and Varrick assures her that he is shutting down Project Spirit Vine – this power is so potentially dangerous, it awakens even Varrick’s callous conscience. But the Great Uniter will have none of this, and dangles Varrick out of the train until he agrees to continue.
A chance to heal
Asami visits her father Hiroshi, who is thinner and has aged badly in prison. She demands that he stop contacting her. Hiroshi tells his daughter that she is the sole bright spot in his life, and promises not to contact her again; Asami leaves in tears.
After seeing a father and daughter playing Pai Sho in the park, Asami returns to the prison. She admits to Hiroshi that she doesn’t know if she’ll be able to forgive him – “but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try.” She challenges her father to a game of Pai Sho.
Family reunion
Kuvira and Bataar Jr. invite Bolin into Kuvira’s inner circle. Bolin is eager to help convince Suyin to join the Earth Empire, but is unnerved by the huge military presence around Zaofu.
“The army is here to project strength,” Kuvira assures him, “You’re here to present peace.”
The trio meet with Suyin and her family. Opal is furious at Bolin, and Suyin refuses point-blank to capitulate to Kuvira’s demands. Bolin tries to diffuse the painful family history in play, and assures Suyin that the Earth Empire significantly improves life for everyone.
But Opal has a different side of the story. Citizens of Earth Empire towns are forced to work as slave labor, and dissenters are sent away to unknown destinations. Bolin refuses to believe her, and Suyin orders Kuvira to leave.
Kuvira issues an ultimatum: Suyin has 24 hours to sign over the city, or Zaofu will be taken by force.
Dissent
Bolin is finding life in the “inner circle” to be a lot more evil than he bargained for. Kuvira is enraged when he suggests leaving Zaofu alone, and threatens to ship him to a “reeducation camp.”
Uh, yikes?
Terrified, Bolin insists that he is loyal to Kuvira.
The rift
Korra and the airkids arrive in Zaofu. Korra also hopes to end the hostilities without a fight, and believes in discussing the matter diplomatically with Kuvira.
Korra meets with Suyin, who is thrilled to see Korra and fills her in on the beginning of Kuvira’s split from Zaofu. Kuvira was upset when Suyin turned down the leadership of the Earth Kingdom, confused at why her mother figure would refuse the opportunity to spread Zaofu’s advancements across their nation.
Unsatisfied by Suyin’s inaction, Kuvira recruited Bataar Jr., Varrick, and Zaofu’s elite guard, and went to subdue the chaos in Ba Sing Se.
“If you leave now, you will never be welcomed back,” Suyin warned, but Kuvira was unmoved.
“When I choose to return,” she promised, “It will be on my own terms.”
An unexpected bond
Suyin asks Korra to remove Kuvira from power, but Korra doesn’t want to fight.
Korra meets with Kuvira, and asks her to back down. Kuvira says that the world was in chaos while Korra was gone; Korra empathizes with her need to make “tough decisions.” Korra agrees to renegotiate with Su, while Kuvira promises not to attack until Korra returns.
Betrayal
Bolin helps Varrick and Zhu Li escape in mecha-tanks, but are attacked by Bataar Jr. In spite of a brave stand by Zhu Li, and some excellent lavabending by Bolin, the three are defeated and returned to Kuvira.
Zhu Li begs for mercy, insisting that she had misplaced her loyalties in thankless service to Varrick. She pledges her life to Kuvira, who accepts; Varrick is dragged off to weaponize the spirits vines, while Bolin is to be sent to a reeducation camp.
Strike
Korra returns to talk to Suyin, but Bataar tells her that she is too late. Suyin and her twin sons have snuck into Kuvira’s camp “to put an end to this.”
Well, something is going to end.