The Legend of Korra/Recap/S1 E8 When Extremes Meet



"When Extremes Meet" is the eighth episode of The Legend of Korra, which aired on June 2, 2012.

Mako, Bolin, and Asami move into Air Temple Island after losing their homes in the previous episodes. Since Chief Lin Beifong has resigned, Saikhan takes her place and says he will bring any issues to Tarrlok. Korra and Tenzin find this suspicious, but Tarrlok says he only has Republic City's interests in mind.

Later, Korra and Tenzin talk to Tarrlok, who wishes for Korra to rejoin his task force. Korra refuses, telling him that she's the Avatar. Tarrlok challenges her statement and reminds Korra that she cannot airbend. As Korra and Tenzin leave city hall, Tenzin reminds her that Avatar Aang had past Avatars to talk to and advises her to meditate on her visions.

In the evening, Asami, Bolin, Mako, and Pabu meet up with Korra, forming the "new Team Avatar". Using one of Hiroshi's vehicles, the team apprehend a group of Equalists.

The next day, Tarrlok persuades the Council, save Tenzin, to pass a law that allows the arrest of anyone "associated" with the Equalists, and imposes a curfew on all non-benders. Team Avatar discovers a crowd of non-benders protesting against Tarrlok for taking out the electricity in their homes. Korra tries to reason with Tarrlok and is ignored because he supposedly believes all of the non-benders are Equalists at a rally. He orders the arrest of Asami for being an Equalist's daughter, and Mako and Bolin for arguing against him.

Korra goes to Tenzin to bail her friends out, but Chief Saikhan cites due process of law, ensuring they and the innocent non-benders won't be freed any time soon.

That night, Korra returns to City Hall to confront Tarrlok. Each compares the other to Amon, and at hearing Korra's retort, Tarrlok attacks her, and a fight ensues. Korra gains the upper hand by destroying the fountain behind Tarrlok and forcing him out of the room. Having run out of water, Tarrlok resorts to bloodbending, able to stop Korra from firebending at him despite the absence of a full moon. He sends Korra flying into a wall and approaches her. Korra has another vision of Avatar Aang, Toph, and Sokka at the trial of the unknown man. Sokka has a pained expression, and Toph is seen trying to attack the smirking individual with metalbending cables but is unable to. Aang struggles to reach the man, while behind Aang, people appear to be under control.

Korra regains consciousness and discovers she's been tied up. Tarrlok tells her that he is taking her somewhere far away and will never see Republic City again.

Tropes in this episode:
"Tarrlok: That's what I admire about you Korra; your willingness to go to extremes to get what you want. It is a quality that we both share."
 * Adult Fear: The ending would be horrifying to any parent, especially those of a teenage girl.
 * Armor-Piercing Question:
 * "Asami, did you know Korra likes Mako?" spoken by Ikki to Asami.
 * Played for Drama when Tarrlok asks how Korra's airbending training is going when she reminds him she is the Avatar.
 * Arrested for Heroism: Not played lightly.
 * Art Shift: Happens in the background with Korra's reaction to Ikki bring up the subject of Korra's crushing on Mako. It includes a realistic sky background, thunder strikes, and fire.
 * Authority Equals Asskicking:
 * Badass Boast: Subverted. Korra says she is the Avatar and Tarrlok needs her in the Badass Boast fashion, but he quickly comments on her difficulty airbending. Korra later asks him if she's still a half-baked Avatar.
 * Berserk Button: Korra presses Tarrlok's when she compares him to Amon for, while Tarrlok presses Korra's by arresting her friends as a bargaining chip then attacking her when it fails.
 * Bound and Gagged:
 * Close-Call Haircut: Tarrlok's first attack causes this for Korra.
 * Continuity Nod:
 * The wall fountain in Tarrlok's office incorporates a design of two koi in a yin-yang configuration, referencing the original incarnation of the moon spirit from the first series.
 * Cool Car: Asami drives yet another one of these this episode.
 * Cry Cute: Korra has this in angst to the airbending block before her.
 * Does This Remind You of Anything?:
 * Fascists' Bed Time: Tarrlok imposes a curfew on all non-benders.
 * Flashback Cut: Korra discusses her visions with Tenzin at the beginning, though he says he's not sure what they mean just yet. She then has another one of these.
 * Freeze-Frame Bonus: When the metalbenders are arresting the non-benders, take a good look who is in the crowd with them.
 * From the Mouths of Babes: Ikki pulls this on Korra. She reveals Korra's crush on Mako to Asami, who was unaware of the crush beforehand. Ikki also likes to comment on stuff that isn't appropriate.
 * Giving Someone the Pointer Finger: As seen in the page image.
 * Ground-Shattering Landing / Three-Point Landing: Korra gouges out a landing crater in the council chamber as a show of force to Tarrlok.
 * Kick the Dog: Most everything Tarrlok does in this episode.  That's a lot for an implied 48 hours.
 * Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: Tarrlok briefly gains the upper hand against Korra when he shields himself with a water bubble being fed from the wall fountain. Korra can't breach it and he can fire icicles from it without affecting its integrity. Korra responds by earthbending the entire stone wall at him.
 * Hope Spot: It seems that by the end of the episode, Korra has defeated Tarrlok.
 * I Have Your Wife:
 * Might Makes Right: Korra accuses Tarrlok of doing this and proving Amon right in the process. Tarrlok instead says that she also does the exact same thing with her bending abilities.
 * Mook Horror Show: The back half of Korra's fight with Tarrlok plays out like this. He's got no water to bend while an angry Korra tears her way through the wall and blows up the floor, her voice practically dripping with malice as she closes in.
 * Mood Whiplash: The first half of the episode is relatively light-hearted with plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments. Then Republic City becomes a police state similar to the Nazi era and the Red Scare.
 * A Nazi by Any Other Name: Unreasonable curfews imposed? One group of people singled out for draconian laws? Take over of the police department and converting them into personal enforcers? Yeah, Tarrlok's going this route.
 * No-Holds-Barred Beatdown:
 * Not So Different: Tarrlok says this to Korra on going to extremes to assure the peace. Korra promptly turns it back on him, saying that his recent actions  make him no better than Amon, making his eye twitch with fury.
 * Oh Crap: Saikhan gets one when Tenzin finds him in the lobby.
 * Korra also gets one when
 * Personality Powers: Tarrlok. He's a smug snake, manipulative bastard, as well as both a sleazy and Corrupt Politician
 * Precocious Crush: Meelo's crush on Asami.
 * Puppet King: The new Police Chief Saikhan is serving Tarrlok.
 * Shock and Awe: Mako uses lightning very efficiently to take down some Equalists' motorcycles and a van, without killing any of them. Asami also gets to shock a couple of chi-blockers who jump onto her car.
 * Standard Female Grab Area: Tarrlok grabs Asami by the arm with a water whip after Korra tries to stop the police from arresting the non-benders. Probably justified; Korra would retaliate against the police, but Asami likely wouldn't be so eager.
 * Tempting Fate: Asami, Bolin, and Mako reassure Korra . Later,
 * Title Drop: A very subtle one.
 * Puppet King: The new Police Chief Saikhan is serving Tarrlok.
 * Shock and Awe: Mako uses lightning very efficiently to take down some Equalists' motorcycles and a van, without killing any of them. Asami also gets to shock a couple of chi-blockers who jump onto her car.
 * Standard Female Grab Area: Tarrlok grabs Asami by the arm with a water whip after Korra tries to stop the police from arresting the non-benders. Probably justified; Korra would retaliate against the police, but Asami likely wouldn't be so eager.
 * Tempting Fate: Asami, Bolin, and Mako reassure Korra . Later,
 * Title Drop: A very subtle one.


 * Thunder Shock: Korra's face when Ikki tells Asami that the Avatar is crushing on Mako.
 * Wham! Episode: Though both of the previous episodes were also, the implications towards the end--namely that  And the immediate ending.
 * Worst Whatever Ever: Korra's opinion on Saikhan being the worst chief of police ever for not letting the innocent non-benders and her friends go free and going along with Tarrlok's draconian measures. Tenzin agrees with her.
 * Which, considering the stories he's likely been told, is saying a lot.
 * You Are Not Alone: When Korra stresses about not being able to airbend, Mako, Bolin, and Asami come along and remind her Aang was not alone and neither is Korra.