The Legend of Korra/Recap/S2 E3 Civil Wars, Part 1

In the Southern Water Tribe, many troops of waterbenders from the Northern Water Tribe march through the streets, telling the citizens of the Southern Water Tribe to return to their homes. When the Southerners in the street just stand there and glare at the soldiers, the Northern waterbenders make short barriers of ice and push the civilians out of the way, while other waterbenders in their battleships form large walls of ice around the harbor.

At this time, Unalaq is explaining to Korra that his soldiers are there to protect the now-open spirit portal at the South Pole. He also informs Korra of another spirit portal at the North Pole than can be opened, allowing both spirits and humans to pass from one pole to another at will. Seeing the potential to reunite the tribes, Korra favors the idea.

Meanwhile, at the Southern Air Temple, Tenzin, his elder brother, and sister are suddenly bickering about how their late father had spent much more time with Tenzin rather than with Bumi or Kya, as he was the only airbender. Tenzin assures them both that Aang had loved them all equally, but is then interrupted by Jinora and Meelo, who have been riding around on air scooters. Pema soon realizes that Ikki is nowhere to be found and chastises her eldest daughter and son for teasing Ikki and causing her to run off. Tenzin is determined to find Ikki and reluctantly lets Kya and Bumi accompany him.

In Tonraq and Senna's home, there is a meeting regarding the recent activities of the Northern soldiers. Varrick and other Southern waterbenders are determined to start a rebellion against the Northern Water Tribe for not letting them live in peace and live their own customs and views, despite Korra's attempt to explain Unalaq's actions. Tonraq tells Korra that she must talk to her uncle to put a stop to the civil war that is stirring between their tribes.

In the streets of the Southern Water Tribe, Bolin is pulling a cart carrying Desna and Eska, while the twins discuss their hatred for the South. As the three and Pabu arrive at their destination, Bolin sarcastically comments to Eska that he will miss her when she is gone, but much to his dismay, Eska reveals her plan to move back to the North with Bolin, where they will live together in "icy bliss". Bolin decides it would be best to break up with her after receiving Mako's counseling.

Korra confronts Unalaq and tells him that a lot of Southerners feel like their tribe is being invaded and that there could be a civil war. Unalaq explains that a civil war would further disrupt the balance between both tribes, the rest of the world and the spirits. Unalaq assures her that only the Avatar can prevent the war between them all and reunite them as one tribe, but Korra is not so sure.

Meanwhile in the streets, passing Northern Water Tribe soldiers become agitated when three native children drop snowballs on them, and the soldiers waterbend the children off the roof in retaliation. Adult Southern waterbenders intervene, causing a standoff, until Korra arrives and attempts to alleviate the situation. Seeing this, they accuse Korra of siding with the North and a young waterbender girl throws a snowball and calls her "the worst Avatar ever". Realizing his daughter is having no success, Tonraq arrives and settles the matter by telling the Southern benders to return to their homes. He attempts to talk to Korra, but she storms away on Naga.

Back at the air temple, Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi are searching for Ikki, though in vain. Kya points out that Tenzin is not spending enough time with his kids because he is too busy with his other duties, similar to his father. Tenzin walks away to avoid the subject, as Kya mentions the fact that they did not have a perfect childhood, despite what Tenzin believes.

In the Southern Water Tribe, Korra approaches Mako, explaining her frustrations with her Avatar duties. Mako responds by suggesting that she forget about everything for the time being and that they have a nice dinner. However, the dinner ends up being quite awkward, since Bolin, Desna, and Eska join them. As soon as the twins go to get some food, Bolin confesses that he could not break up with Eska due to her threatening to freeze him in a block of ice and feed him to dolphin piranhas.

Returning to Ikki's search party, Bumi is telling a slightly exaggerated story from when he was in the United Forces. The three come across a large waterfall and Bumi starts climbing down rather than taking the path, insisting that it will be faster. Tenzin and Kya easily reach the bottom using their respective bending abilities, but Bumi slips and falls, hitting his head.

At the Southern Water Tribe, Korra runs into her mother, Senna, who asks how she feels about the tensions between their two tribes, and specifically between her and her father. Korra tries to explain that all she had ever really wanted was to be the Avatar and that she is still furious with her father for having lied to her about his banishment and about his and Tenzin's keeping her confined in the Southern Water Tribe as a child. Senna tries to assure Korra that she and Tonraq merely wanted her to live a normal life until Korra was ready to fulfill her duties as the Avatar. Korra insists that she cannot standby and let their tribes go to war. Senna reminds her that the North and South have been at odds for decades before she was born and she cannot expect to undo them in a day. Korra storms off angrily, ready to stop the growing rebellion Varrick is leading, of which she believes her father is a part. When she arrives at Unalaq's residence, she sees Northern soldiers tied up and rushes to find her uncle, but she sees masked men have taken her uncle captive. After a futile attempt to negotiate with the rebels, Korra chases them, doing everything she can to slow them down without hurting them. She finally catches up to the man who she thinks is her father, but it turns out he is not and her father did not actually join the rebellion. Korra then convinces Unalaq to give the rebels a fair trial rather than throwing them and Varrick in jail.

Meanwhile, Kya is busy healing Bumi of his injury, while explaining to him that he cannot do everything a bender can, but he immediately objects reminding Kya that she is not his mother. The three continue to bicker about Kya moving all over the world, Tenzin going on vacation with Aang, and Bumi acting immature. Kya brings up that she was the one who moved to the South Pole to comfort Katara after Aang died. Tenzin, fed up with the conversation, finally tells his siblings to check for Ikki back at the temple and continues looking by himself.

Korra approaches her parents and apologizes to her father for thinking he was involved with the rebels and for the pain she caused her parents. Tonraq then apologizes for holding Korra back, and Senna then reveals her and Tonraq's initial plans to have a normal life, which changed when they found out Korra was the Avatar. Senna stated that they had always knew that there would come a day when the world needed Korra and Korra would no longer need them. However, Korra denies it, claiming that she would always need them and gives her parents a hug. But their family moment is interrupted, as Unalaq enters the hut with several Northern soldiers and arrests Tonraq and Senna for allegedly plotting against him, much to Korra's surprise.