- Earth. Fire.
Air. Water.
Only the avatar can master all four elements...
And bring balance to the world.
- So much has changed these past three years.
Mako is a bodyguard for the future earth king,
Prince Wu, while Bolin works for Kuvira,
The earth kingdom's interim leader who has
Brought stability to a nation plagued by chaos.
Meanwhile, after wandering the world trying to heal herself,
A spirit led Korra to the swamp, where she met Toph Beifong.
Will this earthbending master be the key
To Korra regaining her avatar mojo?
- So then the crowds are gathered,
All excited to see my coronation,
When all of a sudden, these boulders come rolling through.
And guess what pops out of 'em? Earthbender dames!
These gals start banging the boulders like drums
And sing the song of my royal lineage.
It's the most dynamite six-hour show you've ever seen
In your life.
- Shouldn't you be getting ready to... I don't know...
Rule the whole nation?
- Now, now, now. Don't get yourself in a tizzy.
I'll have ministers for all that.
No sir, Mako. When we get to Ba sing se,
It'll just be two kooky pals livin' the life!
- Yay...
- Getting excited for your big day?
- Does a platypus bear poop in... hey!
You can't put bleachers there!
There won't be enough room for the dance of the badger-moles!
Look, it's gonna go like this.
- You sure that's the guy you want running the earth kingdom?
- Trust me. We'll be sending a delegation
Of experienced advisors to handle day-to-day governing.
- I see the prince is becoming accustomed to
The burdens of leadership.
- You know royals. They love a ceremony.
Have you received any word on the avatar's location?
- Not yet, but I have airbenders all over the world
On the lookout for her.
I hope they find her soon.
I'm concerned about reports I've heard
Regarding Kuvira's growing military.
They say she's throwing some of her dissenters
Into prison camps.
- Well, she'll be stepping down tomorrow.
We can worry about correcting any of her mistakes after that.
- And you're not worried about her
Handing power over to prince Wu?
- When Kuvira started cleaning up the earth kingdom,
She knew her position wasn't permanent.
She gave me her word that she'd step down.
- Still, I'd feel a lot better if Korra were here.
- You've gotta help me get back into avatar fighting shape.
I'm getting my butt kicked
By losers all over the earth kingdom.
The world needs me.
- Get over yourself.
The world doesn't need you one bit.
- But while I've been the avatar, I've stopped
Some really bad people from doing some really bad things.
- Listen, when I was chief of police of republic city,
I worked my butt off busting criminals.
But did that make crime disappear?
Nope.
If there's one thing I learned on the beat,
It's that the names change, but the street stays the same.
- So, basically, you're saying that
Everything I've ever accomplished has been pointless.
And I thought Beifong was grumpy.
- I'm the original Beifong.
- So, you're not gonna train me?
- Well, I was planning on soaking my feet in mud
For a few weeks.
But I can't stand you
Being so pathetic and getting your butt kicked all the time.
All right. I guess I can help.
- Thank you! - Nah-ah-ah-ah.
You want to hug something, go hug a tree.
We're here to work.
- Hello, republic city!
Bolin is back!
And Eska's also here.
- I see you have replaced me with a new girlfriend.
Well done. She seems very threatening.
- Oh, no, no. That's Kuvira.
She's kind of my boss.
- Boss. Girlfriend. Same thing.
- I'm afraid there's been a mistake, your eminence.
We have you and your brother booked in the same room,
With only one bed.
- It's no mistake. Desna sleeps in the tub.
- Never thought I'd be allowed back in
The republic city four elements.
Raiko must have turned purple
When Kuvira made him pardon me of my alleged crimes.
- You're an upstanding citizen again, sir.
- Upstanding is right! And don't forget to
Fill the extra bag with as many of those little soaps
As you can grab. Love the lavender scent.
- Bolin!
Look at you!
My little brother got all... Important.
- I know, right?
I see myself in the mirror sometimes,
And I think I'm in trouble before I realize,
It's only me.
- So... What's it like working for Kuvira?
From what I've heard, she's pretty harsh.
- No! I mean, she can be tough, sure,
But we're turning around the earth kingdom
Like you wouldn't believe.
You remember how bad grandma's neighborhood in Ba sing se was?
All that's completely changed.
I mean, we are really... Helping people.
But what have you been up to? Fighting crime? Busting triads?
Chasing the ladies, Mako style?
- Well, I've been working for Wu.
And, uh... Yeah.
- So have you seen Korra yet?
- No. She was supposed to come in with Tonraq,
But he says she left the south pole months ago.
No one knows where she is.
- Mother.
- Hello, Baatar junior.
- It's just "Baatar" now.
So, now that you've seen all the good we've done
Since we left Zaofu, you must be sorry that
You didn't come and help us.
- I don't if I'd call marching all over the earth kingdom,
Forcing people to bow to Kuvira, "doing good."
- You're going to have to get over your grudge with her.
I'm sure you've heard that we're engaged.
She's going to be an official member of our family.
- I'm just glad that she'll be stepping down after tomorrow.
- You prefer to be ruled by that royal idiot?
- I hope I'm not out of order saying this...
You're pretty easy on the eyes for a military type.
I'll put in a good word for you with the hotel staff,
Maybe get you a little upgrade.
I've been living here for years. They love me.
- I won't be needing your help.
We've reserved the presidential suite.
- Well, I think someone is pulling your chain, gumdrop.
See, I'm in the presidential suite.
- Not anymore. I had you moved out.
- Wait, what? Cam, where's all my stuff?
- We moved you into a very nice junior suite
On the seventh floor.
- Junior suite?
- Something you should know about me...
I always get what I want.
- Your royal cabinet is here, your majesty!
- Where have you been?
My coronation is in ten minutes.
Where's everyone else?
Where are the seven sacred chests of exquisite finery?
Where are my grandfather's taffeta pantaloons?
- Sadly, most of your servants were scattered
And the royal things were looted after the queen was...
Removed from office.
So your coronation may not have some of the usual items...
Like... The crown.
- There's no crown?
How can you have a coronation without a crown?
How will people know when I'm officially the king?
- We still have one of the royal jewels we can pin on you.
- An earring?
- Think of it more as a royal brooch.
- Are you telling me that there are no dancing badger-moles?
No acrobat bell-ringers?
No horn-blowing announcer-y guy?
- It will be a very simple, intimate, elegant ceremony.
A wonderful day for your kingdom.
Just try on the brooch, your grace.
You'll see it will look beau... - don't...
Touch me.
- Okay. Bring it.
- Tell me what you did wrong.
- Well... I was thinking that you were gonna...
- Exactly.
You were thinking.
Go again.
- Pathetic.
Of all the avatars I've worked with, you're by far the worst.
I know that's only one other avatar, but still.
- Ah! Hey!
It seems like you're enjoying having someone around
To beat up an awful lot.
- Yeah, the swampbenders out here really can't take a punch.
- So... What made you want to drop out
And disconnect from the rest of the world?
- I'm more connected to the world than you've ever been.
The roots and vines... they run all over the world.
I can see Su and Lin, Zaofu and republic city...
I see everything.
- You're blind compared to me.
- Now rise, Wu of the Hou-ting dynasty,
King of all the earth lands,
And glorious defender of Ba sing se.
Long may you reign.
- Go Wu. Woo.
- Thank you for that incredibly brief but very moving ceremony.
I am touched by the love of my devoted countrymen
Who have worked so hard
To restore their beloved leader to the throne.
One of them deserves special attention.
Kuvira? Rise.
For your service to the realm, I would like to present you
With the Kyoshi medal of freedom,
Our nation's highest honor,
Which was somehow not stolen, unlike the royal pinkie rings.
Hmph.
- Thank you.
And if you don't mind, I'd like to say a few words.
- Why not? We've got six hours to fill.
- Growing up in Zaofu with Suyin Beifong,
I learned that the idea of a royal family passing a title
From one generation to the next was archaic,
And that technology and innovation should be
What drives a nation forward.
It was the pathetic rule of kings and queens that caused
The earth kingdom to descend into such incredible disarray.
It's taken me three years to get it back on track,
And there's no way I will allow it
To slip back into the dark ages.
I'd like to make an announcement to the world.
The earth kingdom is no more.
And from here on out, this man has no authority.
- Wait, what?
But I just got the royal brooch.
- I have created a new earth empire,
And I will continue to lead it into the future myself,
Bringing about a new era of prosperity for my people.
- We love you, Kuvira!
- All hail the great uniter!
- And let me assure my fellow leaders of one thing...
Anyone who crosses our borders or stands in our way
Will be crushed.
- Thank you, Kuvira!
All hail the great uniter!
- Worst coronation ever.
- Were you surprised? Because I was really surprised.
Won't this turn all the world leaders against us?
- Relax, kid, what can they do?
Kuvira controls the whole nation now,
And republic city is begging for the metal that we're mining.
This train has left the station,
And we own the track!
Now that's a nice-looking hunk of spirit vine.
Let's take it back to the lab
And get it stabilized immediately.
- You look worried, Bolin.
- Yeah, well... I just have some misgivings
About how you kind of ambushed Tenzin and the other leaders.
- You believe in the work that we've done
For the people of the earth empire, right, Bolin?
- I do, but...
- Then stick with me.
I'm going to need your help now more than ever.
Raiko and the other leaders want to bully us into
Accepting some idiot king who will serve them
But neglect the people.
We have to stand strong against them.
- I'm just not sure about this whole empire thing.
It seems pretty aggressive.
And what was that part about the crushing?
- That was just some tough rhetoric to let people know
That we mean business.
Believe me, conflict is the last thing I want.
Will you help me make history, Bolin?
- Hmm. I'll stand by you.
- Thank you.
- We need to talk.
- Can you give us the room, please?
- I met with the world leaders,
And I've come as their representative.
- So now you're taking an interest in world affairs?
A little late, isn't it?
When the queen fell and everyone was asking you
To help keep the earth kingdom from falling apart,
All you wanted to do was hide in Zaofu
And let others deal with the consequences.
- That's hardly fair. I didn't want to seize power
For myself, which is what you've done.
I'm telling you, for the good of everyone,
You have to step down.
- I stepped up.
I provide stability and equality.
Tell your world leaders to stay out of earth empire business.
We won't accept their hand-picked dictator.
- What makes you so different?
You're just another tyrant.
And don't pretend the people put you where you are.
I know what happens to cities who don't want
To hand over control to you.
- Then you know what's coming for Zaofu.
- First I lose my suite, then I lose my throne.
My royal brooch is a lie!
I know you must be crushed,
Not getting to come back to Ba sing se with me.
- Don't worry about me. I'll find a way to make it.
- Good ol' Mako, my big tough guy.
Ugh. Okay, I just have to go on,
Move forward, take decisive action.
Let's go shopping!
Ugh. Get rid of him.
He's with her.
- He's my brother.
- Interesting ceremony, huh?
- You aren't going to keep working for Kuvira
Now that she's going against the wishes
Of the entire world, are you?
- You don't understand. Kuvira is helping out
All the poor people in the earth empire,
People like our family. This is for the best.
- I don't know, bro.
- Okay, why don't you come with me, and you'll see for yourself?
We've done a lot of good, and Varrick is working on
Some new innovations. We're making history.
- By crushing anyone who gets in your way?
- That was just some tough rhetoric
To let the people know that we mean business.
I mean, Kuvira is basically just like Korra...
She might seem hard to deal with,
But it's just because she's so passionate
And believes in what she's doing.
- It seems like she's just a dictator
Who's taking the earth kingdom by force.
- Oh, okay, so you think your new best friend in there
Would be a better leader than Kuvira?
- Well, no, but still... - still what?
Come on, Mako, I'm making a difference out there.
What are you doin', huh?
You're just some glorified butler
For some snotty, rich bozo.
- I'm sorry. I don't want to work for
Your glorious emperor in her military dictatorship.
- Fine!
I'm gonna go back to my awesome train,
Where we bring freedom wherever we go.
Enjoy licking the king's boots in your junior suite!
- Sorry, sport. I heard it all.
- Can't believe him!
- I know! Insulting another man's suite?
It's beneath low.
But I think I know what would cheer you up...
A visit to little Ba sing se fashion mall!
I'll buy you a smoothie.
- Yeah. Okay.
- That was terrible.
- Ha! Maybe for you.
I had a great time!
I never realized how much I missed tormenting the avatar.
I wish you were putting up more of a fight.
But it was still fun.
- You were tossing me around like a rag doll all day long.
- I know! And I'm an old lady.
Imagine me in my prime.
Ha-ha! I would have destroyed you!
- I just don't understand why I can't get back
To my former self. It's like...
I'm a step slower. I'm tentative.
I just can't get back in the groove.
- Probably carrying around that metal doesn't help.
- What metal?
- The little bits of metal poison stuck in your body.
Are you trying to tell me you can't feel metal
In your own body?
You really are the worst avatar ever.
- I thought Su got it all out.
- No, my girls never really picked up metalbending
All that well, if you ask me.
- That's been my problem this entire time!
I gotta get it out.
You can get it out for me, right?
- Who do you think you're talking to?
- Once we're done with these, we can go into the middle ring
And I'll let you pick out some new suits.
Then we'll hit the boutiques in the upper ring for me.
Where did you get those shirts?
- Aces, right? Kuvira is my hero.
- They're selling them over there.
- You can't sell that junk in here!
This is the little Ba sing se fashion mall,
And I'm the little king here!
Respect the brooch!
- Stop it, little king!
- I am the glorious defender!
- I'm covered in juice! Get him!
- We need to get you out of here.
- Ooh!
It's destiny!
Look where we are, Mako...
The royal palace.
The throne!
Out of my way!
- Hey! It's my birthday!
- It's my coronation day!
You'll have another birthday next year,
But I'll never have this day back again!
Never!
- Okay, you're losing it.
- This is the worst day of my life!
- Why?
Do you really want to be the king?
I mean, Kuvira might be a power-crazed dictator,
But at least she spent the last few years working hard
To make the earth kingdom somewhat better.
If you were an earth kingdom citizen,
Do you think you're the kind of person you want as your king?
What have you ever done for your people?
I'm sorry. That was out of line.
- No. You're right.
No one ever talked to me like that before.
I guess I'm just a joke who got what he deserved.
- Let's get you out of here and back to some place safe.
- Carry me? - No.
- Okay. If you want me to bend out this metal,
You need to relax.
- I am relaxed.
- Ha! Seriously?
Your body is like a twisted tree trunk.
- Just do it! I'm ready!
- It wouldn't hurt if you would just relax!
Stop fighting me!
- I'm not fighting!
- Ya! - All right, that's it.
You're going to have to do this yourself.
Clearly, you want to keep the metal in there.
- What do you mean?
Why would I want poison inside me?
- I don't know. Maybe so you have an excuse
Not to go back to being the avatar.
If you don't get better, you can't do your job,
So you don't have to worry about getting hurt again.
- What? That's ridiculous.
- Whatever. When you want it out,
You can bend it out.
I can't deal with all your issues for you.
- Wait! What am I supposed to do now?
- How should I know?
Ask the spirit that brought you here.
The good news is, if you're looking for a place to hang
Where no one will bother you,
You picked the best swamp in the world!
- This is a mission of the utmost importance.
Conflict is coming to the earth kingdom,
And we need to find the avatar.
Can I count on you three to bring Korra home?
- You can count on one of us.
I don't know about these two ladies.
- From now on, developing this technology is
Your number one priority.
- This is going to change everything.