The Legend of Korra/Characters

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


These are the characters from the Nickelodeon animated series The Legend of Korra, sequel series to Avatar: The Last Airbender.

As the first season is currently[when?] running, beware of spoilers.

Subpages:


New Team Avatar

Avatar Korra

"I'm the Avatar! You gotta deal with it!"

Voiced by Janet Varney,
Cora Baker (as a child)

Korra is the present Avatar, successor to (and reincarnation of) Aang. Born to the waterbenders Tonraq and Senna, she is a teenage girl from the Southern Water Tribe with a rebellious streak. On her quest to become a fully realized Avatar and pacify the anti-benders in the United Republic, she asks Tenzin to teach her airbending.

  • Action Girl: Quite obviously.
  • Arrogant Kung Fu Girl: In Korra's first present-day scene, her teachers complain that she is amazingly good at learning the practical sides of bending, but amazingly bad at learning the discipline and wisdom that's supposed to go with them.
  • Badass:
  • Berserk Button: Don't mess with her friends, and especially don't provoke her to violence if you have.
  • Betty and Veronica
    • The Veronica to Asami's Betty for Mako's Archie.
    • She's also the Archie for Bolin's Betty and Mako's Veronica. It's that kind of show.
  • Blithe Spirit: She's certainly making an impact even in the constraints of Republic City. Though it's Deconstructed when most of the authority figures dislike her recklessness or outright manipulate her for personal gain.
  • Boisterous Bruiser: She rarely fights out of outright malice; it's simply her preferred way of dealing with conflict.
  • Boobs of Steel: Korra is one of, if not the most physically capable character on the show. She is also very well endowed.
  • Braids, Beads, and Buckskins: Downplayed. Korra wears a tan-colored, fur-trimmed pelt around her waist and a parka while at the South Pole. While in Air Temple vestments, she still wears a few of her Water Tribe accessories.
  • Bratty Teenage Daughter: Though not actually related to Tenzin, his status as The Stoic and Team Dad and Korra's Hot-Blooded nature means they frequently butt heads, so Tenzin sometimes sees her this way. Tenzin even begs his children at one point not to grow up to be teenagers like Korra. Jinora declares she will make no such promises.
  • Break the Haughty: In "The Voice in the Night". The idea of having her bending taken from her is so terrifying that she is afraid to fight back, until her bravado forces her to try. Amon just made it worse by easily capturing her and taunting her about how he's saving her for last.
  • Charles Atlas Superpower: She lifts Tenzin and his children in a Bear Hug effortlessly, and tosses a Mook at least a few meters through a shop through brute strength alone. In "And The Winner Is..." she is able to not only hold on to the edge of the pro bending ring, not only catch and hold on to Mako (who also ended up over the edge), but toss Mako back into the ring, averting a knockout loss for the Ferrets.
  • Child Prodigy: Even more so than Aang; she could already bend water, fire, and earth before the White Lotus even confirmed her as the Avatar. She has, however, admitted a lack of understanding when the spiritual aspects of bending and being the Avatar come up.
  • The Chosen One
  • Chromatic Arrangement: Blue, though her personality fits the typical red. She does find reason to wear warm colors often, while training in airbending and pro-bending.
  • Cool Big Sis: While not biologically related to Tenzin, she is a live-in student and eats at the family table instead of with the Air Acolytes. Meelo and Ikki have imitated Korra whenever she's frustrated, which does not please Tenzin at all. But Tenzin also cares about her on a personal level.
  • Country Mouse: Korra spent her whole life at the South Pole and is amazed when she sees Republic City for the first time.
  • Cute Bruiser: She's not particularly tall, but she is capable of lifting men much taller than herself. With one arm. And of lifting Tenzin's entire family in a bear-hug without even realizing she's doing so.
  • Dance Battler: Korra sure loves flips and kicks. It's also evident in the way she navigates the airbending obstacle course. Jinora's demonstration is fairly clinical: she turns on a dime but keeps her upper body rigid. Korra uses a lot of spinning to do the same.
  • The Danza: Her voice actor in her Minor Kidroduction was named Cora.
  • Deadpan Snarker
  • Destructive Savior: In "Welcome to Republic City", she quickly puts down a trio of gang members. However, it results in greater property damage than the gang members themselves would have caused. This puts her and Lin Beifong at odds. In "When Extremes Meet", she and the new Team Avatar similarly tear up large sections of the street in pursuit of the chi-blockers. Tarrlok tries to call her on it, but lacks the force of personality to keep her in check.
  • Dreaming of Times Gone By: Occasionally has visions of her past life as Aang, when knocked unconscious.
  • Dude Magnet: Both Bolin and Mako are attracted to her. Tahno offers to show her how a "real pro bends."
  • Dynamic Entry: See Establishing Character Moment.
  • Effortless Amazonian Lift:
    • While hugging Tenzin, Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo, she manages to effortlessly lift them off the ground. All at once.
    • Also easily lifts a man several inches taller than her by the collar, with one arm, and holds him in the air for a while.
    • Then, during Episode 6, she hangs onto the edge of the ring with one hand, holding onto the very tall Mako with the other, and throws him back into the ring with one arm.
  • Elemental Eye Colors: Is from the Water Tribe and has Blue Eyes.
  • Elemental Powers: Unlike Aang before her, Korra starts her series having already learned all but one of the elements.
  • Enlightenment Superpowers: Korra has great difficulty with the spiritual aspects of being the Avatar, which is a problem because her ability to consciously access the Avatar State depends on spiritual enlightenment.
  • Establishing Character Moment: Her entrance. She Earthbends a wall across the room, loudly and proudly proclaims herself the Avatar, and demonstrates by bending three elements at once. She's four.
  • Fish Out of Water/No Social Skills: A big part of Korra. Moving from an isolated compound in the South Pole (which was already slower to develop than the other nations) to the booming urban center of Republic City causes a lot of problems.
  • Fluffy Tamer: The first person to have ever tamed a polar bear dog.
  • Forceful Kiss/"Shut Up" Kiss: Plants quite the good one on Mako. He reciprocates.
  • Four-Temperament Ensemble: Choleric.
  • Freudian Trio: Id.
  • Friendless Background: Growing up in an isolated compound populated strictly by teachers and guards, Korra's only friend before arriving in Republic City was her polar bear dog.
  • Genki Girl: If there's one quality she and Aang share, it's energy.
  • Glowing Eyes of Doom: In the Avatar State as shown on promotional artwork, which has yet to happen in the show.
  • God in Human Form
  • Good Is Not Soft: She's a lot more prone to taking violent solutions to problems than Aang, and has done a few questionable things, like attacking and threatening an Equalist protestor in "The Revelation" and continuing to attack Tarrlok even after acknowledging that she has rendered him helpless.
  • Good Parents: Though minor characters, Korra's parents Tonraq and Senna are shown to be loving and supportive. Unlike most characters in the original series, Korra doesn't seem to have any parental issues, which is fitting as she was born and raised in peacetime.
  • Goo-Goo Godlike: Most Avatars don't discover their potential until they are told at age sixteen, and even Aang didn't find out until he was twelve. Korra had discovered her ability to bend three elements with no formal training at four years old.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: Toward Asami at first.
  • Hard Work Hardly Works: Averted. While Korra is quite talented, she has also been shown regularly practicing on her own.
  • Heroes Love Polar Bear Dogs: As she wasn't able to leave the South Pole, Naga was her only close friend.

Mako: Your best friend is a... polar bear dog. Somehow that makes perfect sense.

  • The Heroine
  • Honor Before Reason: Despite being terrified of Amon and being coerced into joining a task force, she goes on a raid rather than go back on her word. Later, she challenges Amon to with a one-on-one duel, which ends badly when Amon ambushes her with dozens of chi-blockers instead of arriving alone.
  • Hot Amazon: Bolin seems to think so. "You're the smartest, funniest, toughest, buffest, talented-est, incredible-est girl in the world!"
    • Mako joins his brother in that account, mentioning that she's strong and a good athlete in the list of good qualities in their conversation of Korra being girlfriend material.
  • Hot-Blooded: This is likely why she took to Firebending so well, despite being a native Waterbender.
  • I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: She lets Mako be with his girlfriend Asami, partly because Asami needs his support. Considering her character, this is actually a pretty big deal.
  • Implacable Woman: Certainly came off as this in her fight against Tarrlok. The only thing that finally stopped her was his bloodbending.
  • Innocently Insensitive: Part of her spiritual weakness is that she's almost completely oblivious to other people's feelings, most obviously in episode five where she goes on a date with Bolin, then forces a kiss on Mako the very next day. She doesn't really get that this is a problem until she sees Bolin's reaction.
  • Instant Expert: Korra was able to bend fire, water and earth without any training at a very young age. Averted with airbending, which she has not been able to use even after a season of constant training.
  • Jumped At the Call: In stark contrast to her predecessor.
  • Kung Fu Kid: Korra was Waterbending, Earthbending, and Firebending when she was just a little girl, way ahead of when she should have been able to.
  • The Ladette: Loves fighting, and engages in burping contests with gusto.
  • Lame Comeback: Becoming a pattern with her. "You're oppressing yourself!" most notably.
  • Legacy Character: As the latest Avatar, Tenzin refers to her as Aang's legacy.
  • The Medic: Katara taught her how to utilize the healing properties of water.

Korra: "Relax, I'm a healer. I learned from Katara, the best there is!"

  • Mighty Glacier: Compared to the pro-benders, Korra comes off as quite slow, favoring strength over speed and usually blocking attacks with all three elements. Tenzin's training is helping to counteract that weakness, though.
  • Naive Newcomer: At first, she was surprised to find that not everyone in Republic City was rich. A cheerful old hobo corrects her.
  • Nature Spirit: Korra is the Avatar, a reincarnation of the spirit of the world itself.
  • Neck Lift: She does this to the park protestor to get information on Bolin's location.
  • The Nicknamer: "Pretty boy", "Mr. Heartbreaker", "Mr. Hat trick", "City boy", "Cool guy", "Team Captain"... Mako seems to be the prime victim of these, as he owns the last four.
  • Nobody Calls Me Chicken: Prone to it. Tarrlok gets her to join his task force by intentionally getting a reporter to invoke this.
  • Not a Morning Person: States that the morning is "evil". As she is a native waterbender who gets an energy boost from nighttime, this is justified. Also justified by the fact that she's still in her teens; an age group that typically does not do well in the mornings.
  • Not Good with People: Nearly a perfect example of the more primal type 2 (adept at hunting for food, managed to tame an enormous wild animal at a young age, with a loose regard for rules), except that the reason she is bad with people is because she was isolated from them. While she is clearly lonely without human peers and makes an effort to socialize, she still seems more comfortable around Naga and Pabu.
  • Not Helping Your Case: Korra stumbles into this repeatedly.
    • In "Welcome to Republic City" when she discovers and tries to argue against an Equalist protestor decrying benders as an oppressive establishment, he easily manipulates her confrontational attitude to make her look like the bad guy in front of a large audience of listeners.
    • Later in the same episode, she's incredulous when police insist she be arrested for causing property damage during her well-meant Curb Stomp Battle of a trio of gangsters. Instead of coming along quietly to explain her presumption of Hero Insurance, she flees the police, fighting as she bolts, and forcing them to use an airship to bring her in, which earns the enmity of Chief Beifong.
    • Matters worsen in "The Revelation" when, desperate to find a friend kidnapped by Equalists, she shakes down the same protestor for information in public, smashing his megaphone, flipping his table and hoisting him by the shirt, and must again flee the police when he wails (quite rightly) that he's being oppressed.
  • Not Wearing Tights: Korra essentially takes on a superhero role in Republic City, but has no secret identity. She even announces her arrival and status as the Avatar at a press conference.
  • One of the Boys
  • Personality Powers: The cause of Korra's knack with three elements and issues with airbending in particular, as explained by her airbending teacher:

Tenzin: Often the element that's most difficult for the Avatar to master is the one most opposite to the Avatar's personality. For Aang, it was earthbending.
Korra: Yeah, well, I'm about as opposite an Airbender as you can get.

  • Physical God: With emphasis on physical.
  • Rage Breaking Point: A mild example, but whenever Korra gets frustrated by her airbending training, she tends to incinerate whatever she was trying to airbend.
  • Red Oni: To Mako's Blue Oni.
  • Reincarnation: Of the spirit of the planet and most recently Aang.
  • Sacrificed Basic Skill for Awesome Training: The Order of the White Lotus, on Aang's instruction, protected her while bringing in teachers to nurture her Avatar abilities. Consequently, Korra has poor social skills but is an extremely powerful bender.
  • Shadow Archetype: She's designed to be the "anti-Aang". Her official bio even says she couldn't have less in common with Aang if she tried. This is highlighted by her inability to pick up Airbending quickly (since her personality is very confrontational), just like Aang had trouble picking up Earthbending as an Air Nomad and pacifist. She also neglects the spiritual aspects of being the Avatar, which Aang picked up on more easily than any physical bending forms.
  • She Cleans Up Nicely: In "The Voice in the Night", tomboy Korra wears a dress with her hair down. No one comments on it in the show, but she does manage to pull it off quite nicely.
  • Skirt Over Slacks: A variation. Over her pants, she wears a fur-trimmed pelt worn like a Showgirl Skirt.
  • Sleep Cute: With Mako in "The Revelation". Cue awkwardness and blush.
  • Sleeves Are for Wimps: She tries to roll up her Airbender uniform's sleeves. Tenzin does not approve and slides them back down.
  • Smug Super: Downplayed Trope. Korra is initially inclined to brag and gloat, both when declaring herself Avatar in toddlerhood and as a teenager Curb Stomping gangsters.
  • Spirited Competitor: Word Of Bryke says she picks fights for no reason, whereas Aang was a Martial Pacifist.
  • Spiritual Antithesis: Korra was designed to be everything Aang wasn't. This is in keeping with other mentioned Avatars; Kuruk was easygoing and neglected his Avatar duties as a result, his successor Kyoshi was serious yet quite heavy-handed to compensate, Roku's merciful personality led to him spare the instigator of a century-long war...
  • Super Mode: Hasn't accessed it so far, consciously or reflexively, even in a situation when she was helpless and fully expected to have her bending stripped from her.
  • Superhero: See above. Her interpretation of what being the Avatar means. Chief Beifong strongly disagrees.
  • Superpower Lottery: She's the Avatar. It's in the job description.
  • Tomboy:
  • True Companions: What she, her teammates, and Asami have become by episode 8.
  • Unresolved Sexual Tension/Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Mako. Episode five took this and ran it Up to Eleven.
  • Unskilled but Strong:
    • Referenced during her Firebending test:

Katara: She's strong.
White Lotus Member: She lacks restraint.

    • Also detailed in the opening animation where Korra is the Waterbender. She lifts more water than she needs and lets the excess splash back down, then creates an uneven wobbly circle of water--stumbling a bit--before splashing about twenty gallons at the camera. Compared to Master Pakku's perfect balance and poise, it is indeed quite sloppy.
  • The Worf Effect: She's the Avatar; the strongest member of her team, able to bend three elements with unrivaled power. However, the metalbending police, Equalist mooks (twice), the Wolfbats, and Tarrlok have all beaten her with use of strategy. Combined with her airbending block, it has taken a heavy toll on her self esteem.
  • You Are Not Alone: In episode 8, when she cries about not being able to take the burden of saving the city alone, Mako, Bolin, and Assami come along and remind her Aang was not alone and neither is Korra. They are there to help her save the city.
    • Defied by the end of the episode.


Mako

"Don't worry about it, I'll figure something out. I always do."

Voiced by David Faustino

The elder of two brothers from a mixed-ethnicity union. With Korra and his younger brother Bolin, they form a pro-bending team. Having been a street rat after his parents' death, Mako took it upon himself to care for his brother, and would do anything for him. Around strangers he shows an icy, controlled personality, but around close friends and family can show a much sweeter side.

  • Adorkable: He can come off like this sometimes, mostly when he's surprised or flustered. And when he does, you can totally tell why he's related to Bolin. Hell, half of his Adorkable appeal comes from his interactions with Bolin.
  • Badass: Moments after we meet him, he finds himself alone against a full team in a pro-bending match, takes said third round in an impressive show of skill, and wins it by himself when he knocks all three of his opponents into the water. In about the span of about a minute or so. Simply by tiring them out while he dodged everything they threw at him... in the third zone. "This Mako's got moxie!" indeed.
    • Badass Longcoat: Well, it's more of a tail coat, but creates the same effect.
  • Betty and Veronica:
    • He's the Archie conflicted between Asami and Korra, respectively.
    • He can also bee seen as the Veronica to Bolin's Betty with Korra as Archie. Yes, two connected love triangles.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Regardless of his rough edges, Mako loves Bolin, and he's fiercely loyal and very protective of him. He willingly took (and presently still does take) most burdens and responsibilities of their living conditions. He also sheltered his brother from the harsh realities and darker nature of their environment, which led to Bolin's current naiveté and dependency. Both siblings have such an immense, strong bond, actually, that neither would second guess giving their lives for one another despite their clashes.
  • Blue Oni: To Korra's Red Oni. In addition to their different temperaments, he's powerful, but more focused and technical as opposed to Korra's usual method of dealing with opponents.
  • Charles Atlas Superpower: Not as big an example as Korra, but Mako has shown considerable upper strength than his body type would normally allow. He grabbed an Equalist that held his brother from behind, and launched him over his head somewhere yonder and far off-screen. Then in episode five, he effortlessly carried muscled, stocky build Bolin (who just ate and was flailing around) on his shoulder like a rag doll without an inkling of weight strain. And possibly took him home the distance from the noodle shop to the pro-bending arena that way.
  • Chick Magnet: Has obtained the affections of both Korra and Asami. It's also lampshaded.

Bolin: "Leave some ladies for the rest of us!"

  • Chromatic Arrangement: Red, but his personality fits the typical blue.
  • Crash Into Hello: How he meets Asami - she accidentally hits him with her moped due to his jaywalking.
  • Dark and Troubled Past: His life on the street and seeing his parents killed in a mugging when he was eight qualifies.
  • Dead Guy, Junior/Named After Somebody Famous: Meta example of the former. He's named after Mako, prominent Japanese-American actor who performed the original series' role of Iroh until his death.
  • Deadpan Snarker
  • Elemental Eye Colors: A Firebender with Amber Eyes.
  • Elemental Powers
    • Playing with Fire: He's Korra's Firebending friend.
    • Shock and Awe: He can also manipulate lightning. Notably, he can fire non-lethal shots, which he uses to disable a truck driver in episode 8.
  • Expy: To a small extent. The creators said he reminds them of Zuko "without the angst"; a bit of a brood but he's "lighter".
    • Ironic considering that much of the fandom compare his personality to that of Katara.
  • Fingerless Gloves: Part of the pro-bending uniform quota, but he also has his own personal pair.
  • Fire Is Red: Downplays this. Most of his outfit is in neutral colors except for red trim, and his red scarf.
  • Four-Temperament Ensemble: Melancholic.
  • Freudian Trio: Superego.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: To his chagrin in "The Spirit of Competition" when Bolin and Korra head out on their date. Korra totally calls him out on it after he wrongly accuses her of using his brother for some Operation: Jealousy ploy.
    • It also serves as a Green-Eyed Epiphany. It's implied that whatever he's feeling for Korra has been suppressed, and for good reason (his brother and Asami are core cases). It isn't until Bolin takes his interest for her seriously that Mako begins to confront what he's been denying. And he still attempted to deny it for most of episode five.
  • I Did What I Had to Do: To survive. His defense and justification for his past workings with the Triple Threat Triad.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: In contrast to his brother, Mako can come off rather grouchy and irritable. While Bolin is initially very friendly with Korra, Mako clashes with her. But he's not incapable of kindness, rather warm-hearted to those he knows well, and acknowledges when he's in the wrong as well as give credit where credit is due.
  • Justified Criminal: He once worked for the Triple Threat Triad for money. While he only ran numbers and "stuff", he's not proud of what he did and forbids Bolin from doing the same once they cut ties with them.
  • The Lancer: To Korra, in both Foil purposes and character.
  • The Leader: Type II - Captain of the Fire Ferrets.
  • Lightning Bruiser: When it comes to pro-bending, as the sport calls for it. In his introduction in "A Leaf in the Wind" he defeats a pro-bending team single-handedly while demonstrating power, speed, and endurance. He's considered one of the top players in the pro-bending arena with reason.
  • Love At First Sight: Blushed the second he laid eyes on Asami, and then later had floating hearts surrounding his head. She at least made an impression. Their relationship is getting severely contested with Mako's admittance of his feelings for Korra, however.
  • Meaningful Name: He is named after the late actor who had a role in the first series.
  • Mr. Fanservice: Hot, sweaty, messy-haired working man Mako wiping his forehead. Yes.
  • Mundane Utility: Mako, along with several other firebenders, are shown shooting lightning for menial labor in a factory.
  • Not So Above It All: His first encounter with Asami leaves him a slack-jawed, love-drunk idiot emitting pink hearts.
  • Only in It For the Money: Being a past Street Urchin and understandably needing cash (he and Bolin are still poor) to keep them from having to return to that life, this is Mako's main goal for competing in the pro-bending tournaments - to hit that jackpot.
  • Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: In-universe example. He has only a slight Brooklyn accent around people he doesn't know personally (Korra, Butakha), but it gets heavier when he talks to Bolin or other street kids.
  • Opposites Attract: His and Korra's dynamic. She challenges him, figuratively or literally.
  • Parental Abandonment: His and Bolin's parents were murdered by a firebender during a mugging. Which led to...
    • Promotion to Parent: Mako taking care of Bolin at a young age, while the two of them were living on the streets.
  • Pretty Boy: Visually, of course, as well as outright called a "beautiful man" by the creators.
  • Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Male example.
  • Real Men Cook: Unsurprising when you take in Promotion to Parent, though. Also, his firebending would help greatly.
  • Relationship Sabotage: A minor case with trying to deflect Bolin's interest in Korra. By claiming she is not girlfriend material after saying aloud to Bolin a sentence earlier that she was. And emphasizing that dating a team mate is a bad idea. Of course, this doesn't deter Bolin at all, and it could be said that a part of Mako was looking out for him in some way.
  • Scarf of Asskicking: Red, and one which the fans have responded to extremely well. It's been shipped all on its own. And it's affectionately called Scarfy by some.
  • Sibling Team: With Bolin.
    • Sibling Yin-Yang: Mako's serious, though not quite as downcast as his Expy. Life in the streets toughened him up, and he feels responsible for both himself and his younger brother, being he's the only family he has left. Bolin is the easygoing, naive one of the two.
    • Sibling Triangle: Both he and Bolin like Korra.
  • Sleep Cute: Shared one with Korra in "The Revelation".
  • The Smart Guy: Of the group. He figured out how the promotional posters of Amon's rally led to its location.
    • The Strategist: Came up with a plan to get Bolin and escape the rally. In fact, his rationality and analytical mind are at least fundamentally highlighted.
  • The Stoic
    • Not So Stoic: He's controlled, keeps a cool head under pressure, and masks his expression with indifference. That doesn't mean he's emotionless--he simply has more muted reactions than Korra or Bolin. Particularly evident when he meets Asami and is completely love struck. And let's just say Korra really pushes his patience sometimes.
  • Street Urchin: Before the events of the show. Mako is still well-versed in street info and connections, knowing the location of the Triple Threat Triad headquarters after working for them, and about chi-blocking and the Equalists.
  • Tall, Dark and Handsome: A straight example. Even his voice actor described him as "tall and handsome", and his official bios are consistent in restating this fact. The show isn't shy about it either.

Jinora: Oooh, he's cute. Korra, is that the handsome firebender boy that drives you crazy?


Bolin

"What do you think? Bolin's got some moves, huh?"

Voiced by P.J. Byrne

The younger of two brothers from a mixed-ethnicity union. Part of a pro-bending team along with Korra and his older brother Mako. Being younger, Bolin is a lot more playful and relaxed than his brother, and just wants a good time. He wants to take more initiative and get more respect, but his immaturity and naturally laid-back nature makes this difficult.

  • Adorkable: The primary source in the series. Must be in the genes.
  • Always Second Best: He has an inferiority complex when it comes to Mako - in age, fighting abilities, and getting girls.
  • Badass: A bit goofy, but he definitely qualifies.
  • Betty and Veronica: Bolin is the Betty to Mako's Veronica in a Sibling Triangle for Korra.
  • Big Beautiful Man: Though not obese or overweight (promotional artwork where he is shirtless shows he's a bit stocky in build), he is certainly not as lean and wiry as his older brother. This trope is mainly here because Bryke used these exact words to describe him.
  • Big Eater: Took out a loan against their winnings to do some impromptu grocery shopping. When given a look of chagrin by his brother, Bolin simply quips:

Bolin: I'm a growing boy!

  • Big Fun: The more fun-loving sibling.
  • The Big Guy: In terms of looks. It's yet to be shown whether he can best Korra in terms of brute strength.
    • The Chick: Bolin also comes off as this inside the group, being the most innocent one and the one that unites them first.
  • Big Ol' Eyebrows
  • Birds of a Feather: The reason why he is interested in Korra.
  • Cat Smile: Subtly, but it's there.
  • The Charmer: Said to always have a lady on his arm, as well as a habit of bringing "crazy fangirls" to the Fire Ferret's room before matches.
    • A rather Informed Ability so far, though, since aside from one fan yelling from the stands, he hasn't been shown trying to put the moves on any women other than Korra, who's more interested in Mako.
  • Chick Magnet: Before a pro-bending match, one of said fans can be heard in the audience screaming "I love you Bolin!". It was also mentioned that Korra wasn't the first girl he took backstage.
  • Chromatic Arrangement: Green.
  • Comfort Food: The noodles from a restaurant that serves Water Tribe food. He overindulges once he sees Korra kissing his brother.
  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Was pegged right away as inheriting the "comic relief" role from Last Airbender's Sokka, and he's often the first character to take a fall or be comedically-injured. But the second pro-bending match in "The Spirit of Competition" demonstrates that Bolin can be just as badass as his teammates.
  • Dark and Troubled Past: Mako didn't mention Bolin being present at the time of their parents' murder, and he has been sheltered by his brother, but it doesn't negate how hard it must have been for Bolin as well.
  • Determinator: To a degree. Continues to fight despite his injured shoulder, as noticed by Shiro Shinobi.
  • Dogged Nice Guy: A bit towards Korra. He's got some interest in her, in that he looks forward to her coming to practices and makes a rather romantic gesture of giving her a rose and a small cake after she and Mako saved him from Amon, but Korra doesn't display much interest back. Granted, this wasn't the best time since she was facing major confidence issues because of Amon.
    • Later, he takes Korra out on a date, who mostly agrees to cheer herself up after being rejected by Mako, about two seconds before. After the date, Bolin brings her a bouquet of flowers only to be crushed by the sight of Korra kissing Mako.
  • Drowning My Sorrows: Well, a G Rated Version involving noodles.
  • Dude in Distress: Kidnapped by Equalists in "The Revelation".
  • Elemental Eye Colors: An Earthbender with Green Eyes.
  • Elemental Powers
  • Establishing Character Moment: See Meaningful Background Event.
  • Four-Temperament Ensemble: Sanguine.
  • Freudian Trio: Ego.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: A mild example. When he sees the extravagant gift basket Tarrlok sent her, he jumps at the chance to put the man who's been bothering Korra in his place. After Korra explains that the gifts are non-romantic, he seems relieved.
  • The Heart
  • Hopeless Suitor: Bolin doesn't realize how badly Korra's crushing on his brother when he makes his own overtures.
  • In Touch with His Feminine Side: He isn't afraid to show emotion and enjoys makeovers.
  • Ladykiller in Love: Despite his status as The Charmer his interest in Korra is both strong and genuine as he basically describes her to Mako as his dream girl. And his dismay at seeing Korra and Mako kissing is strong enough to reduce the usually cheerful young man to an emotional wreck.
  • Lame Comeback: To Mako in episode 5. Though, he wasn't all there when he tried to make it.

Mako: I told you dating a teammate was a bad idea!
Bolin: You're a bad idea!

  • Let's Get Dangerous: Exactly what it says on the tin. He may be laidback, but when it's time to bend, it's serious business.
  • Lightning Bruiser: Pro-bending emphasizes both power and speed. When giving pointers to Korra, he criticizes her conventional style as being powerful but leaving her open to attack, then demonstrates his own boxing-like style which allows him to attack quickly without sacrificing defense. However, this doesn't apply well to real combat, where Bolin is a greenhorn and found himself a sitting duck for his Equalist foes.
  • Lovable Jock
  • Love At First Sight: His Establishing Character Moment no less. He starts hitting on Korra the moment he meets her, comes to her aid when she's about to be tossed out of the building by his landlord, and tells Mako that he's "got a good feeling about this one". In And The Winner Is... he openly tells Korra he's liked her since he first met her.
  • Man Child: While not exactly a man just yet (he's sixteen), he fits the bill. Due to Mako's nurture, Bolin is childish, trusts easily, wears his heart on his sleeve, and has been relying on someone else almost his entire life. But he's beginning to reach for independence from his brother. According to his voice actor, part of Bolin's character arc is him maturing and learning that not everything is as he thought it was.
  • Meaningful Background Event: He's first shown in-series in the background of an argument between Korra and Toza; at first he's just passing through, then double-takes at Korra, slicks back his hair, and struts forward to help her out.
  • Men Don't Cry: Averted. His reaction when he sees Korra kissing Mako is to sob in the most overblown way imaginable and run away. And then when Mako tries to snap him out of it, he breaks into Inelegant Blubbering.
  • Nice Guy
  • Parental Abandonment: After the death of their parents in a mugging, he and Mako were left to fend for themselves.
  • Plucky Comic Relief: Gets most of the jokes, yet still remains a likable and complex character.
  • The Prankster: To Mako. Pabu is his partner in crime.
  • Shy Finger-Twiddling: Prone to this, when nervous. He does it when Korra initially does badly in her first match as a response to his brother's accusatory look, and again when menaced by Amon.
  • Sibling Team: With Mako.
  • Stout Strength
  • Street Urchin
  • Suddenly Fluent In Fire Ferret
  • Technician vs. Performer: Along with Korra, is the Performer to Mako's Technician.
  • Turn the Other Cheek: Forgives Korra and Mako despite his heartbreak.


Asami Sato

"You can't be afraid to mix it up sometimes."

Voiced by Seychelle Gabriel

A young non-bender and the pampered daughter of Hiroshi Sato. Despite being a delicate looking beauty, she can look after herself. She was trained in self-defense since she was little, is an avid fan of pro-bending and an excellent automobile driver.

  • Action Girl: She can handle herself in a fight, including against the Lieutenant of the Equalists.
  • Apologetic Attacker: To her father.
  • Badass Driver: Justified as she grew up around Sato-mobiles and test drove several designs.
    • In "When Extremes Meet", she is the one who drives the car when Naga can't carry all four, showing she is the driver for the group.
  • Badass Normal: She was trained in self-defense since she was a child, and is capable of going toe-to-toe with even the toughest Equalists, like the Lieutenant.
  • Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Korra's Veronica for Mako's Archie.
  • Biker Babe
  • Car Fu
  • The Chick: Of the Krew: sweet, The Captain's love interest and the Girly girl.
    • The Big Girl: Asami is also starting to shape up into this, in a way. Her close combat abilities and electric glove are much more effective on Equalist mooks than bending (she took the Lieutenant in three seconds), is somewhat of a pragmatic and she drives the car.
    • The Strategist: The chase scene in "When Extremes Meet" shows her making a lot of great tactics and calling them out to the benders, such as making ramps, being able to take advantage of the enemy's smoke cloud to gain a sneak attack, and attacking Equalists during moments of supposed advantage.
  • Combat Pragmatist: Drives dirty on the race track, forcing the other car to spin out so she can be sure to win, and plays along with her father until he hands her a weapon, at which point she shocks him right in the chest.
  • Cool Car
  • Crash Into Hello: Due to a combination of jaywalking and speeding, Asami crashes into Mako with her moped.
  • Daddy's Girl
    • Daddy's Little Villain: Defied. Appeared as such...for about two seconds. Then she electrocutes him in the chest.
  • Dark Is Not Evil: Dresses promeniently in red and black, but is a really nice person.
  • Dating What Daddy Hates: Not that she realized it at the time.
  • Drives Like Crazy: But is good enough to pull it off.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: Seems to be developing faint shades of this. Since learning about Korra's crush on Mako through the ever-talkative Ikki, Asami appears to at least be growing uncomfortable with the closeness of their relationship.
  • Green Eyes: Considering her family is descended from the first Fire Nation colonists, who intermingled extensively with the natives, it's not surprising that she has a little Earth Kingdom ancestry somewhere in her bloodline.
  • Fan Girl: Of pro-bending.
  • Four-Temperament Ensemble: Phlegmatic, of the "calm and collected Lady of War" variety.
  • Lady of War
  • Long Hair Is Feminine
    • Hair Flip: After taking off her helmet in "Voice in The Night", and again after the mishap with overloading poor Naga in "When Extremes Meet". This may become a running theme with her.
  • Mad Scientist's Beautiful Daughter
  • Missing Mom: Murdered by firebenders when she was younger.
  • Muggle
  • Ojou: She's a commoner, but as her dad is the richest man in Republic City, she's still treated like a princess.
  • Parental Betrayal: She finds out that her father, Hiroshi Sato, has been supplying the Equalists with weapons and technology. Her response? Willingly accepts the electrical glove that Hiroshi offers... and then promptly shocks him.
  • Proper Lady/Spirited Young Lady: She has shades of both. She's proper, gentle, and an expert driver and martial artist.
  • Raven Hair, Ivory Skin
  • Skirt Over Slacks
  • Sixth Ranger: Turning the Fire Ferrets Power Trio into a Four-Temperament Ensemble.
  • Static Stun Gun: After taking an Equalist taser glove from her father, she decides to use it against them on a regular basis.
  • Spoiled Sweet: Very polite and generous, despite her wealthy background. She even sides against her father, who is with the Equalists, wanting to do what she considers the right thing.
  • Tall, Dark and Bishoujo: She is as tall as her father, only a few inches shorter than Mako and was shown to be noticeably than Korra.
  • The Team Normal
  • Tomboy and Girly Girl: The girly to Korra's tomboy. Though, as Korra lampshades, "girly" does not mean "prissy", "stuck-up", or "helpless".
  • Took a Level in Badass: Ever since she stun-gunned her father in "The Aftermath she's graduated from Mako's Arm-Candy and a source of jealousy for Korra to a capable and tough member of Team Avatar.
  • Uptown Girl: A rich girl who has her eyes set on Street Urchin Mako. Fitting with the trope, daddy does not approve.


Naga

Korra's companion and best friend, a polar bear dog.


Pabu

A fire ferret. Bolin's pet and partner in crime.


Tenzin and Family

Tenzin

Voiced by J.K. Simmons

Tenzin is an Airbending half-Air Nomad/half-Water Tribesman and Aang and Katara's son. He teaches Korra Airbending.

  • Ambadassador: Tenzin works as a member of the United Republic Council, representing the Air Nomads. He is also an Airbending master.
  • Authority Equals Asskicking: The world's only master Airbender is not just a mere title. He lasts the longest against Sato's Mini-Mecha, and for a while was the only one standing.
  • Badass Beard
  • Badass Cape: Badass Half-Cape, to be precise.
  • Badass Long Robe
  • Bald of Awesome
  • Berserk Button:
    • Do not invoke his parents in an argument.
    • In a more serious manner, harming the people he loves (such as Lin and Korra).
  • Big Ol' Eyebrows
  • Blow You Away: He's supposed to teach Korra airbending, since he's the only living airbending master left.
  • Burning with Anger: Mild Bell Pepper. Tenzin's head will redden heavily when sufficiently angered, usually prompted by something Korra has said. He also turns purple when mortified.
  • Childhood Friend Romance: A failed one with Lin Beifong.
  • The Comically Serious: Frequently has these moments, particularly in his interactions with Korra and his children.
  • Continuity Nod: Tenzin's Sky Bison's name is "Oogi", which is the term of disgust Sokka used whenever he saw Aang and Katara being affectionate in Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise.
  • Dramatic Wind: He's often accompanied by gusts of wind that make his cloak wave dramatically. Unsurprising, considering the element he controls.
  • Elemental Eye Colors: An airbender with Grey Eyes.
  • Happily Married: To Pema.
  • Ink Suit Actor: He bears more than a slight resemblance to his voice actor, J.K. Simmons.
  • Last of His Kind: Was this in the time between his father's death and Jinora's birth. Thankfully averted now.
  • May-December Romance: He is 16 years senior to his wife Pema.
  • The Mentor: To Korra, to his children, and to the Air Acolytes.
  • Named After Somebody Famous: He's named after the fourteenth and current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso.
    • Odd Name Out: His siblings are named after Katara's mother and Aang's old friend. His name only fits with Aang's teacher, Gyatso, at a meta level.
  • "No Respect" Guy: A mild version. He's quite wise, but neither the Council, Korra, or Lin tend to listen to him very often.
  • Not So Above It All: He gets this in spades.
    • Denounces pro-bending as "a mockery of the noble tradition of bending", but later on ends up cheering for Korra in an uncharacteristically enthusiastic manner during one of her matches, not unlike how his father would. Played with, though, in that he may have been cheering her successful Die or Fly moment. By episode 6 he's yelling at the referee for ignoring the Wolfbat's blatant fouls. When Lin comments on this, surprised that he even knows what constitutes a foul, he says he's been reading up on the rules since Korra joined the Fire Ferrets, apparently taking a greater interest in the sport than he'd like to admit.
    • Also spends the first half of "A Leaf in the Wind" stressing to Korra that she needs to be patient, and then loses his own patience with her a short time later.
    • Then, there was his failed relationship with Lin.
    • And we get this gem when Korra and Tenzin confront her replacement, Saikhan:

Korra: [grips his chin, moving his head up and down] You're officially the worst Chief of Police, ever!
Tenzin: Calm down Korra, I'll get this sorted out. We just need to be patient. [Both turn away before Tenzin quickly turns back.] But you really are the worst. [points] Ever!

  • Not So Stoic: Comes frequently at his expense, often subtle, but sometimes dramatic. It's become a Running Gag.
  • Only Sane Man: Among the Council, he's the only one who realizes that that Tarrlok is untrustworthy and that his actions are causing far more harm then good. Unfortunately, his attempts to stop him are consistently outvoted.
  • Opening Narration: Like his mother did in the original series, he provides The Legend of Korra's opening narration.
  • Parental Substitute: While Korra's parents are still alive, they're still in the South Pole. Tenzin seems to be like an Honorary Uncle, and treats Korra much more warmly than all of the other authority figures (who either think she's a nuisance, or manipulate her).
  • Power Tattoo
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: Also the most socially responsible authority figure on the Council; despite representing at most a few dozen people, out of any of the Council members he's the one with most respect for the unrepresented non-benders and their rights. Indeed, he's the only one to speak up in favor or defense of them.
  • Spin Offspring: The first official interracial child shown in the Avatar franchise. (Though certainly not the last.)
  • The Stoic: Tries his best to be, but Korra and the plot often have other plans.
  • Stroke the Beard: Uncle Sokka would approve.
  • Strong Family Resemblance: In a half-lucid moment, Korra mistakes him for Aang (having just experienced a vision of Aang and his friends while unconscious).
  • Sugar and Ice Personality: He tries to act like an enlightened and serious Zen master, but the universe simply won't allow him to stay that way for long.
  • Team Dad
  • Twitchy Eye: Tenzin gets one of these when particularly upset, such as when he finds out that Korra has snuck out to fight in a pro-bending match.
  • Youngest Child Wins: His older siblings Kya and Bumi did not inherit Aang's Airbending like he did, though Kya is a waterbender like Katara.


Pema

"I'm not helpless, I'm just pregnant."

Voiced by Maria Bamford

Tenzin's wife, currently pregnant with their fourth child. She shows a forceful and somewhat wry personality, and although not a bender, she is an air acolyte and dedicated to following the Air Nomad way of life.

  • Advice Backfire: She should really be bit more careful when giving advice to Korra.
  • Death Glare: So far, Tenzin was the only recipient.
  • Happily Married: To Tenzin.
  • Love Triangle: She was in one with Tenzin and Lin pre-series. In the story proper she gives Korra advice on how to deal with her own.
  • May-December Romance: She is 16 years her husband's junior.
  • Muggle: Unlike her husband or their children, she's a non-bender.

Meelo

"Be the leaf!"

Voiced by Logan Wells

Meelo is Tenzin and Pema's son and current youngest child. Not much older than a toddler, he's hyperactive and more than a bit silly. He shows great skill at airbending despite his youth.


Ikki

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

Voiced by Darcy Rose Byrnes

Ikki is Tenzin and Pema's younger daughter. She's incredibly hyperactive and playful, and can be quite annoying, both on purpose and by accident.


Jinora

"I will make no such promises."

Voiced by Kiernan Shipka

Jinora is Tenzin and Pema's older daughter. More reserved than her siblings, shown to be a polite little bookworm. However, under her sweet exterior she is still playful and hides a witty tongue.

Tenzin: You must promise me your teenage years won't be like this!
(Beat)
Jinora: (peering over her book) I will make no such promises.


The Equalists

Amon

"The era of Bending is over! The Revolution has begun!"

Voiced by Steve Blum

The leader of the Equalists and the primary antagonist of the first season. A man shrouded in mystery, Amon seeks to rid the world of benders and usher in a new era of equality. He seeks to destroy Korra, whose presence in Republic City threatens his anti-bender agenda.

  • Ambiguously Brown: The only complexion we can see is of his hands, which is compounded by the fact that he is mostly seen without natural lighting. In the context of the Avatar universe, it may indicate Water Tribe ancestry; on the other hand, some Earth Kingdom characters were shown to have such complexion in the original series as well.
  • Ambiguously Evil: It's still not clear just how villainous Amon is. We know so little about him that he could end up being anything from an Anti-Villain to a Complete Monster. It's undeniable, that he's certainly sinister. Whether Dark Is Evil or Dark Is Misguided, Not Evil is yet to be seen.
  • Anti-Villain: Type III. Wanting equality and to help lower class citizens isn't bad... but doing so by trying to eradicate bending is extreme. Also, as of "And The Winner Is", so far Amon has only removed bending from benders who intentionally hurt others with their abilities... but his rhetoric suggests that he's just building up steam (and probably support) and is planning to eradicate bending worldwide. He has also told Korra to her face (while his men held her down) that the only reason she still has her bending is that he is saving her for later.
    • For all purposes, he does appear to have a moral code. It's just that he is pragmatic enough to take more amoral or even outright immoral actions to see his plans come to fruition.
  • Authority Equals Asskicking
  • Badass: He has so far been sure to always give people a chance to fight before he removes their bending. No one has yet managed to so much as give him a good fight.
  • Breaking Speech: He delivers one so effective and intimidating that Korra suffers a complete breakdown afterwards.
  • Big Bad
    • Big Bad Ensemble: With Tarrlok in the first season, though they're completely independent of one another.
  • The Chessmaster: Holy crap, yes. His actions in Episode 6 sealed his status as one and even more. See Xanatos Gambit below.
  • Combat Pragmatist: Uses ambushes, greater numbers, weapons the opposition has no defense against, and psychological warfare to lead the equalists to victory.
  • Culture Police: Desires to end pro-bending as means to end "bending worship".
  • Dangerously Genre Savvy:
    • He lets Korra escape the Revelation because she'd be the "perfect messenger" about what just transpired; letting Benders hear it from the Avatar herself that he has the power to take away bending.
    • When answering Korra's gauntlet throw-down on Aang's Memorial Island, he doesn't come alone. He has chi-blockers dog pile Korra first, then says he won't unbend her because he'd just create a martyr.
    • His plan in "And the Winner Is...". See Xanatos Gambit below.
  • Dark Messiah: He's set himself up as a Messiah figure to the Equalist movement, and his ultimate goal is to replace the Avatar as the world's savior.
  • Death Glare: Gives quite a potent one to Korra as seen in the second trailer.
  • Diabolical Mastermind: Beneath his ruse of being a revolutionary, he seems to be this.
  • Dissonant Serenity: The cargo bay of his zeppelin being filled with flame by Korra doesn't even break his stride.
  • Does This Remind You of Anything?: His ideals parallel the development of Communism, which rose to compete against the fledgling democracies of the early 20th century.
  • The Dreaded: He terrifies Korra to the point that she breaks down into tears after one confrontation with him, and his encounter with Bolin left the earthbender with nightmares for at least a week.
  • Even Evil Has Standards:
  • Evil Sounds Deep: What else would you expect from Steve Blum? Evil's as deep as the ocean.
  • Eyes of Gold: He has amber eyes, which is interesting in regards to his (possibly exaggerated) back-story.
  • Fantastic Racist: Hates benders and seeks to get rid of bending altogether.
  • The Faceless: Supposedly due to Facial Horror.
  • Facial Horror: The stated reason for his mask. He claims to have gotten the scars from the same Firebender that killed his family.
  • Foil:
    • To Korra. If he really is an energybender, then he's essentially the anti-Avatar. He's also styling himself in the same vein as an Avatar, claiming to be a savior sent by the spirits.
    • His back-story (if he can be believed about it) is very similar to Mako and Bolin's. They all had parents killed by a firebender. But while the brothers eventually learned to live with their loss, he took it in a completely different direction.
    • In a meta sense, he's a foil to Ozai in the same sense that Korra is to Aang. Whereas Ozai was a power-hungry conqueror, Amon is a partisan revolutionary. Ozai was as close to a complete monster as a character can be in a child-friendly cartoon, whereas Amon is arguably an anti-villain. Ozai was defeated with energybending and Amon is an energybender himself, possibly.
  • Freudian Excuse: Amon explains at an Equalist rally that his parents were murdered and his face disfigured by a firebender when he was just a child.
  • From Nobody to Nightmare: He claims to have once been a simple Farm Boy... then, his family was murdered. Now he's a Dark Messiah revolutionary trying to bring down bending and replace the Avatar.
  • Genius Bruiser: Really good public speaker, social leader, and master strategist; terrifyingly good chi-blocking fighter.
  • Glorious Leader
  • Gold and White Are Divine: An unusual case in that said colour pattern is confined to his mask.
  • Good Colors, Evil Colors:
    • When viewed through the lens of Chinese opera, Amon's mask takes on considerable symbolism. Its white/silver and gold color scheme immediately places the character in the realm of the mystic, with the gold/yellow coloration also playing into the character traits of treachery and ferociousness. The red circle on his forehead evokes a hint of Buddhist symbolism, referencing his spiritual connection, and also carries some connotations with intelligence and cleverness.
    • White is the color of death in Asian cultures, which fits well with the symbolism often attributed to the White Mask of Doom. Red and gold are generally considered positive colors in Chinese culture, making their use ironic in this case.
  • Hero-Killer: Spiritually if not literally. Anyone he can lay his hands on is effectively neutralized since they can no longer bend. His first confrontation with Korra also implies that he plans to kill her after taking away her bending, though that may have been poor use of the phrase "untimely demise" as a metaphor.
  • Holy Hand Grenade: Claims that his ability to remove bending is divine in origin. If it is energybending, it most certainly fits this trope.
  • In the Hood
  • Jerkass Has a Point: His talk about benders oppressing non-benders gained a lot more credence once Tarrlok takes over.
  • Just Toying with Them: Amon makes a show out of tying up bending members of a crime syndicate (and one of the heroes who got mixed up with them) and permanently removing their powers in front of a huge crowd of Equalist sympathizers. This trope comes into play when, as part of his show, Amon lets the crime boss loose and offers him the chance to fight to protect himself. It's all the more impressive when Amon wins. Rather easily, in fact.
  • Just You Me and My Guards: How Amon eventually responds to Korra's mono a mono challenge to him.
  • Kick the Son of a Bitch: Every single instance of de-bending we've seen him carry out so far has been upon someone who was used their bending to illegally gain a position of power while being protected from reprisals by corruption in the system (the Triple Threat Triad, an organized crime syndicate, as well as the Wolfbats who cheated their way into winning the tournament). This is a consistent part of his political strategy, and also why he refuses to fight Korra at first.
  • Knight of Cerebus: While the series started out as upbeat, immediately after his appearance, the story became much darker. Unlike Ozai, who wanted to take over the world and prove his superiority to the Avatar; he has made it quite clear that he intends to kill Korra and rid the world of Benders to which he does with lethal precision and intimidating charisma.
  • Knight Templar: See Well-Intentioned Extremist below. He definitely invokes this in his rhetoric.
  • Light Is Not Good: Though Amon invokes certain heavenly archetypes with his white and gold sun mask, Egyptian sun god name, golden eyes, and possible mystical connections, he's still the leader of a private military force with a cultist agenda.
  • Lightning Bruiser: Extremely agile and nimble fighter with the strength to take down even the most skilled benders with no sweat.
  • Malevolent Masked Man: Like the lower-level Equalists, although they're Gas Mask Mooks and his is more of a traditional mask.
  • Mission from God: He claims that he was chosen by the spirits to bring down bending and replace the Avatar.
  • Names to Run Away From Really Fast: "Amon" has plenty of possible meanings.
  • Pay Evil Unto Evil: Strips criminal benders of their bending, then attacks the Wolfbats after they cheated to win the Pro-Bending tournament.
  • Power Nullifier: He has the ability to strip people of their bending forever. It's heavily implied that he's an energybender.
  • Pragmatic Villainy:
  • Rebel Leader: He is the leader of the anti-bending movement.
  • Shadow Archetype: To Korra, as essentially the anti-Avatar. He's also one to Bolin and Mako, as they've all lost their parents to Firebenders. However, Amon now wants to destroy all benders, while Bolin and Mako are making the best of their situation.
  • Soul Power: Can energybend, or at least has such efficient control of the chi pathways that he is able to remove bending without it.
  • Ubermensch
  • The Unfettered
  • Unflinching Walk: Pulls this off in the face of a fireball that blasts most of his Mooks away.
  • Unreliable Expositor: His highly theatrical presentation of his "revelation," his Backstory and even his energybending, throws the truthfulness of all he says into question.
  • Visionary Villain
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: According to himself, Amon genuinely wants to make a better world. Said better world simply involves the eradication of bending and most likely placing himself in power.
  • White Mask of Doom: The only known Equalist to have one.
  • Why Don't You Just Shoot Her?: He makes it clear that he could have easily taken away Korra's bending when he ambushed her. He also makes it clear that doing so would have made her into a martyr, which is why Korra will be the last to lose her bending, and then she will die.
  • Would Hit a Girl: He knocks Korra unconscious when he ambushes her. And he plans to kill her.
  • Xanatos Gambit: Pulls one off in "And the Winner Is...". He makes a public demand over the radio that the city government shut down the Pro-Bending arena and cancel the championship match. If the pro-bending championships are not stopped, then he and the Equalists have an audience for the demonstration of their power and he gets to begin his war. If the tournament is canceled the government has given into Amon's demand and showed that it will not challenge him.


The Lieutenant

"You benders need to understand... there's no place in this world for you anymore."

Voiced by Lance Henriksen

Amon's second-in-command.


The Chi-blockers

The foot-soldiers of the Equalist cause, trained in chi-blocking to nullify the powers of benders.

  • Badass Army: Badass Normal Gas Mask Mooks trained specifically in a Pressure Point-striking fighting method designed to temporarily disarm and disable the wielders of Elemental Powers.
  • Badass Biker: The chi blockers are excellent motorcyclists.
  • Badass Normal: They completely dominate Korra and Mako in their first fight, due to clever use of their gadgets and their martial arts.
  • Chain Pain
  • Combat Pragmatist: They take any advantage they can get. Aside from their grenades, they use bolas, tripwires, whips, and do not obey Mook Chivalry.
  • Elite Mooks: They're pretty much an entire army of them. Even just a few of them can put up a hell of a fight against very powerful benders.
  • Equal Opportunity Evil: Their figures show that more than a few are women. The ladies fight alongside the men. Also we can't be sure with their masks, but they seem to be non-benders from any of the three nations.
  • Gas Mask Mooks: Since they use gas grenades, this is a necessary aspect of their outfit.
  • Kick the Dog: Electrocuting Shiro Shinobi, the announcer, who is a non-bender and wasn't fighting back.
  • Kung Fu-Proof Mook: The Equalists' Mini-Mecha are made from platinum, metal so pure metalbenders are incapable of manipulating it.
  • Mage Killer: Their combat training specifically targets benders.
  • Mini-Mecha: Their platinum mech-tanks.
  • Ninja
  • The Paralyzer: Their blows cause temporary (and apparently painful) paralysis in addition to serving as a...
  • Power Nullifier: Even after the paralysis wears off, a chi-blocker's strike will render their target temporarily unable to bend.
  • Pressure Point: The centerpiece of their fighting style, featuring extremely rapid strikes.
  • Shock and Awe: Their electricity-generating gloves.
  • Smoke Out: They use grenades that release a greenish, slightly unpleasant gas to dissuade pursuers.


The Protester

Voiced by Carlos Alazraqui

He's a protestor who comes into the Republic City park to preach about Amon's ideals.

  • Attention Whore: He promotes the Equalists for this reason, according to the official website. He attempts to get said attention by taking the unpopular position on any given issue (in this case, bending rights). His parents were evidently supportive of benders.
  • Eyes of Gold: Implying at least some degree of Fire Nation ancestry.
  • Hotblooded Sideburns: Which also point to Fire Nation parentage.
  • No Name Given


Original Series Characters

Avatar Aang

The Avatar preceding Korra. It was by his hand that Fire Lord Ozai was defeated and the Hundred Year War ended. He founded the United Republic of Nations, a land where the three remaining nations could flourish together, from former Fire Nation colonies.

Most of the personality tropes he had in the first series still apply.

  • The Ace
  • Always Someone Better: Neither Tenzin nor Korra seem to believe they can live up to their father/predecessor's list of accomplishments.
  • Badass: He is said to have quelled a previous threat to Republic City as quickly as it had started.
  • Bald of Awesome
  • Cast From Lifespan: Word of Bryke says that Aang's lifespan was shortened due to spending a century in a trance state, after being trapped in an iceberg. Despite benders regularly being centenarians, and Avatars reaching double that, Aang not only died at 66, but aged like a non-bender.
  • Folk Hero
  • Hero of Another Story: Not counting his actions in original series, his fight against the villainous waterbender Yakone could probably fill a series all its own.
  • Legendary in the Sequel: Aang's reputation looms so large that his son Tenzin and eventually Korra feel pressure to live up to and maintain his legacy.
  • Our Founder: Has a massive statue in the bay, and his face is printed on the Yuan.
  • Posthumous Character: Justified because Korra is his next incarnation in the world, and he cannot be alive when she is.
  • Story-Breaker Power: As has often been the case with the Avatar. Aang is so powerful as an adult that they needed to make the villanous Yakone a bloodbender who even when in handcuffs and lacking the power boost from a full moon could still control an entire room full of people. Anything less and viewers were unlikely to believe Yakone was actually a threat to the Avatar.
  • Wizards Live Longer: Subverted Trope, Aang only lived to 66, In the "Welcome to Republic City" adventure game, Korra explains: "all the time he spent in that iceberg caught up with him."


Katara

Voiced by Eva Marie Saint

Widow to Avatar Aang, Katara is a master waterbender. She directly helped to win the Hundred Year War of the original series and maintained peace afterwards. A native to the Southern Water Tribe, she personally oversaw Korra's training, and developed a strong bond with her. She sees a lot of herself reflected in the young Avatar and encourages her to start her journey to Republic City.

Most of the personality tropes she had in the first series still apply.

  • Braids, Beads, and Buckskins: Wears the beaded bun and braids of her youth, and a large, patterned parka.
  • Genre Savvy: Knows better than to think Korra would just accept an indeterminate delay in her Avatar training.
  • Hairstyle Inertia: Katara wears her hair in the fashion of her youth, only slightly modified.
  • Iconic Item: Still wears her mother's necklace well into old age.
  • Old Master: A member of the Order of the White Lotus, she wears a pendant to mark her status.
  • The Mentor: According to Word of God, she is Korra's Waterbending master. She also had a close personal relationship with Korra and didn't believe her student had to be locked away for her own good, unlike the other White Lotus members.
  • Passing the Torch

Katara: "Aang's time has passed. My brother and many of my friends are gone. It's time for you and your generation to take on the responsibility of keeping peace and balance in the world. But I think you're going to be a great Avatar. Goodbye, Korra."

  • Reasonable Authority Figure: She is less stringent with Korra's training than the White Lotus, and sends Korra on her way with a farewell embrace when she tries to steal away in the night.
  • Strong Family Resemblance: Katara looks much like her own grandmother in her advanced age. Ikki and Jinora even call her "Gran-Gran."
  • Widow Woman


Sokka

Katara's older brother. Directly helped to win the Hundred Years War in the original series. Though not a bender himself, he fought alongside the Avatar to help win peace.

Most of the personality tropes he had in the first series still apply.

Toph Beifong

Creator of metalbending and founder of the Republic City police force. Though blind from birth, she used earthbending to sense the world around her, which led to the ability to bend metal--something earthbenders had never been able to do before. Fought alongside Avatar Aang and his companions to end the Hundred Years War. Mother of Lin Beifong, the current Chief of Police.

Most of the personality tropes she had in the first series still apply.

Zuko

A nice statue.

During his reign as Fire Lord, Zuko helped create the Republic. He shared the Fire Nation's advanced technology with the rest of the world. Zuko stepped down from the throne three years ago at age 84, and his daughter is now Fire Lord. He is currently a wandering ambassador for peace and balance. He is honored in Republic City with a large statue in front of Central City Station.

Most of the personality tropes he had in the first series still apply.

  • All There in the Manual: He hasn't appeared in the series himself yet; most of this information comes from side materials.
  • Ambadassador
  • Irony: Achieved his ancestor Sozin's goal of sharing Fire Nation progress and prosperity with the rest of the world, but he did it peacefully, as it should have been done all along.
    • This actually reflects what happens to many real-life empires. Britain made way more money off of America as a trading partner then it ever did as a colony.
  • Our Founder: Has a statue of himself casting a flame in front of Central City Station.
  • Passing the Torch: He gave the throne to his daughter, making him the first Fire Lord to have abdicated voluntarily (Ozai gave the title to his daughter while claiming a superior title, making the "Lord" powerless). Compare with his predecessors: Sozin died of old age after starting the Hundred-Year War and killing all but one of the Airbenders, Azulon was murdered by Ursa to protect Zuko from his wrath, and Ozai was Depowered by Aang when he tried to burn the Earth Kingdom using the power of Sozin's Comet.
  • Walking the Earth: Zuko is still alive, having ceded his position to his daughter. He spends his time traveling the world, acting as an unofficial Fire Nation ambassador and helping people out. He's 87.


Republic City

Chief Lin Beifong

"Show a little more backbone!"

Voiced by Mindy Sterling

Daughter of Toph Beifong, and the head of Republic City's SWAT-like Metalbending Police. Forceful and uncompromising, Lin has a soft heart under her metal armour, and will do anything to protect the safety of Republic City.

  • Appeal to Force: Believes the only way to maintain peace and stability in her city is through the use of law enforcement. Also, tried to solve the Love Triangle by Imprisoning The Hypotenuse.
  • Amicable Exes: Tenzin seems to think so. Korra's not so sure.
  • Anti-Hero: Type III. Especially cemented in "The Aftermath when she decides to handle things outside the law and take back her Metalbending officers.
  • Authority Equals Asskicking: Episode 6 shows that there's a VERY good reason she's the head of the Metalbending Police.
  • Badass: Everything she does in episode 6 proves she's worthy of the title. Episode 7 continues this. She rips apart a mecha. With her hands.
  • Badbutt: "That's ancient history. And it's got diddly-squat to do with the mess you're in right now!"
  • Blade Below the Shoulder: Can use metalbending to make these.
  • Building Swing: One utilization of her powers.
  • Childhood Friend Romance: A failed one with Tenzin.
  • Da Chief
  • Dishing Out Dirt: As a metalbender, this is a required base skill. She doesn't use it much.
  • Establishing Character Moment: She directly confronts Korra in the interrogation room of the Metalbending Police HQ, knowing full well that Korra is the Avatar and has already mastered 3 elements, and still talks down to her with not a trace of fear or special treatment.
  • Good Is Not Nice: She rather viciously tells Korra that she hasn't done anything to deserve the gala Tarrlok throws her. While this is technically true as the party is a ploy by the councilor to butter her up and shame her into joining his task force, that's a little rough, Chief. It's implied she's doing it because she's bitter about her former relationship with Tenzin.
  • Good Scars, Evil Scars: Has two small scars on her cheek.
  • Grandma, What Massive Hotness You Have!: Lin is very fit and good looking for a woman in her fifties. If not for her graying hair, we would never imagine her age.
  • Grappling Hook Pistol: Although the pistol is her metalbending.
  • Green Eyes: A minty green like her mother's. Except... yaknow... without the severe cataracts.
  • Iron Lady: Pun intended.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold
  • Lady of War: She continues to steal the show in most combat scenes. And she does it with a refined style.
  • Like Mother, Like Daughter: She is just as stubborn as her mother, but coming from that is a sense of right and wrong, which leads her to resign as Chief of Police in order to track down her captured men outside the law. She is also seen using the same "Earth Sonar" we saw her mother use which allows her to sense Hiroshi Sato's secret basement.
  • Love Triangle: Believe it or not, she was the second girl in Tenzin and Pema's love triangle.
  • Made of Iron: Puns aside, Episode 6 shows she is this. After being knocked unconscious by electricity, she gets up in time to start chasing Amon with Korra. She is repeatedly shocked again by The Lieutenant, but doesn't let it stop her even when weakened prior.
  • A Mother To Her Men: She genuinely cares about the officers under her ranks. So, when some are captured by Equalists, she is willing to resign her position as Chief of Police in order to go after them with any means necessary.
  • Not So Different: Tenzin implies that Lin was a lot like Korra at her age.
    • On a more meta-ish level, her initial characterization seemed to be opposite that of her mother. An enforcer of the law, not a rebel. However as of episode 7 looks as if the apple really didn't fall that far from the tree, her outside the law line at the end sums it all up.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: Definitely not a nice example, but she's trying to keep the peace. If you're not breaking the law, she's willing to listen.
  • Spin Offspring: She's the daughter of Toph.
  • Strong Family Resemblance: Looks a lot like Toph's mother Poppy.
  • Sugar and Ice Personality: To those she trusts and is close to, she is very "sugary" but when on the job, she is ice.
  • Sympathetic Inspector Antagonist: She considers Korra a threat to Republic City and wants her gone. Given that Korra is a Destructive Savior, she has a point.
  • Tall, Dark and Bishoujo: In addition to having black (though graying) hair and dark armor, Lin stands nearly eye to eye with the tall and reedy Tenzin.
  • To Be Lawful or Good: After failing to thwart Amon not once but twice she seems to believe that the best way to help her comrades is to no longer be a police officer. She turns in her badge and picks Good.
  • Took a Level In Kindness: Acts nicer to Korra and Tenzin in "And The Winner Is...". She even saves Korra's life. In "The Aftermath" they're all working together without any apparent difficulty.
  • Turn in Your Badge: She resigns due to repeated mistakes in trying to bring down the Equalists. However, she intends to keep fighting outside the law.
  • 24-Hour Armor: She even wears it to parties.
  • Unbalanced by Rival's Kid: Played With, Lin Beifong has yet to interact with the children of her ex-boyfriend, Tenzin, but takes out her resentment on Korra, his live-in student, surrogate family member and the Reincarnation of his father Aang, with whom, by Tenzin's account, she got along quite well.
  • Whip It Good: Uses whiplike metal cables, like the rest of the force. Heck, she invented the technique.
  • Wolverine Claws: They seem to be built into her sleeves.
  • Woman Scorned: Played for Laughs. She apparently tried to have Pema imprisoned for stealing her boyfriend.
  • Working with the Ex: Does this with Tenzin in "And The Winner Is..."
    • She's continuing to work with him in "The Aftermath". They seem quite amicable.


Hiroshi Sato

Voiced by Daniel Dae Kim

Descended from the first Fire Nation colonists, Hiroshi came from a poor background but rocketed himself to riches through investment in and development of the consumer automobile (or the "satomobile"). His wife was murdered by a Firebender when Asami was young. Her murder prompted him to join the Equalists, as he believed they could make a better world for non-benders like himself and his daughter. He is responsible for their technological advantages, supplying them with taser gloves, weaponry, and platinum Mini-Mecha tanks.

  • Archnemesis Dad: To Asami.
  • Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: His true thoughts about Mako's and Asami's relationship are downright hateful.
  • Boomerang Bigot: He is disgusted that Asami is dating a 'street rat', showing a surprising level of classism for someone who used to be as dirt poor as Mako, if not more so. Part of it is also the fact that Mako's a firebender, though.
  • Brutal Honesty:

Hiroshi: (To Mako) So, I hear you're dirt poor!


Toza

Voiced by George Coe

Toza is a former pro-bender, an elderly man who trains Mako and Bolin and gave them a place to stay when they began competing.


Tahno

"You know...If you'd like to learn how a real pro bends, I could give you some private lessons."

Voiced by Rami Malek

A rival pro-bender of the Fire Ferrets. The captain of the Wolfbats.

  • Agent Peacock: He looks like The Dandy, but he actually is a powerful and quite brutal waterbending champion.
  • Arrogant Kung Fu Guy
  • Badass Baritone: His thin, refined, effeminate appearance clashes with his deep voice.
  • Break the Haughty: He ends up being attacked and de-bended by Amon. The next time Korra sees him, he's a broken man.
  • The Casanova: He is already with two women before he hits on Korra.
  • Cheaters Never Prosper: Played with. They win the tournament through cheating, but get their bending taken away because they were cheating.
  • Chekhov's Gunman: Makes a brief appearance in a newspaper photo in "A Leaf in the Wind".
  • Dance Battler: He and his teammates have an especially extravangent fighting style with a lot of flips and mid-air twirls, to go along with their status as high grade show fighters.
  • The Dandy: Close-up shots of his face make him look like he's wearing eye-liner, he has a minor rose motif, and his fashion choices and way of carrying himself have a rather effeminate swank.
  • De-Power: Tahno gets debended in "And The Winner Is" by Amon, just after he wins the tournament.
  • Early-Bird Cameo: In "A Leaf in the Wind", you can see a picture of Tahno on the newspaper Korra reads.
  • Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: Especially notable because those features aren't generally associated with waterbenders.
  • Expository Hairstyle Change: After Amon takes his bending, his hair becomes "floppy" to emphasize how broken he is about it.
  • Expy: According to Word of God, Tahno's design is based on top Japanese kickboxer Kizaemon Saiga, known for his flamboyant appearance and "ridiculous antics".
  • The Fighting Narcissist: Like you wouldn't believe.
  • Heel Face Turn: After being de-bended, he's become a lot nicer to Korra.
  • Hellish Pupils
  • An Ice Person/Making a Splash: Formerly.
  • Jerkass
  • Laser-Guided Karma: Bribes the referee so his team can cheat to win the tournament, gets his bending taken away by Amon precisely because he's a cheater.
  • Opposing Sports Team: Part of one.
  • Peek-a-Bangs
  • Phenotype Stereotype: Averted. Tahno is a good representation of Republic City's multicultural nature in that he is a waterbender who, much like Hama from the previous series, doesn't have any of the traditional Water Tribe features. Instead, his pale complexion and black hair suggest Fire Nation heritage, or even Earth Kingdom blood considering the Foggy Swamp Tribe, which was paler than the more isolated Northern and Southern tribes.
  • Pretty Boy: Called such by Korra herself, in "The Spirit of Competition".
  • Pyrrhic Villainy: By rigging the match in his favor, he manages to beat the Fire Ferrets and win the pro-bending tournament. Minutes later, he's beaten and de-bended by Amon, who singled him out specifically because he's a cheating jerk.
  • The Rival
  • Screams Like a Little Girl: Despite his baritone, he does let out a high-pitched shriek when Naga scares him.
  • Screw the Rules, I Have Money: He bribes the referee so his team can use illegal moves in pro-bending. Later, he attempts to bribe Amon to leave him alone, to no avail.
  • She Fu: Male example, his fighting style has a large number of high jumps and flashy acrobatics.
  • Smug Snake: Until his Break the Haughty experience.
  • Tempting Fate: Not a bright idea to flaunt your cheated victory by declaring if anyone else would like the chance to challenge your team.
  • Took a Level In Kindness: After being de-bended by Amon. If he gets over his depression over being de-powered, Amon may actually have done him some good.
  • Villainous Breakdown: Twice. First, when Korra humiliates him in a tie-breaker fight by beating him in one shot. Later and more seriously, when Amon takes his bending.


Tarrlok

Voiced by Dee Bradley Baker

A member of the United Republic Council, representing the Northern Water Tribe. Ambitious and manipulative, he is Tenzin's primary political rival.

  • Ambadassador
  • Authority Equals Asskicking: He is the Northern Water Tribe's council representative, and possibly the most powerful waterbender ever shown onscreen in either series. He gave Korra a run for her money in episode 8, and though she had him beat in pure power, he won thanks to his bloodbending... which he did without a full moon.
  • Badass Bureaucrat: His manners at the council suggest a Desk Jockey, but he quickly proves to be a competent martial organizer.
  • Badass Long Hair: Ikki mocks his strange triple-ponytail hairstyle, calling him "Ponytail Man", but when he is battling later the movement of the ponytails is vaguely squidlike -- appropriate for a waterbender.
  • Berserk Button: Hearing he was just as bad as Amon did not go well with him.
  • Big Bad Ensemble: As of episode 8, Tarrlok has descended into flat-out villainy, making him a Big Bad along with Amon.
  • Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: To the public, he's considered a fair-minded and likable guy. Behind closed doors, well...
  • Braids, Beads, and Buckskins: Heavily Downplayed Trope; the most prominent signifier of his roots is his elaborately triple tailed, beaded hair.
  • Chekhov's Gunman: Makes a brief appearance in a newspaper photo in episode 2.
  • The Chessmaster: The preview clip for episode 9 reveals that he framed the Equalists for kidnapping Korra, planting appropriate evidence and electrocuting himself to make it stick. He also sends Tenzin and Lin on a Snipe Hunt for Korra while he's at it. He qualifies. Big time.
  • Clasp Your Hands If You Deceive: Steeples his fingers over his desk when Korra confronts him in his office.
  • Color Coded for Your Convenience/Good Colors, Evil Colors: His clothes are the palest shade of blue among waterbenders seen in the Avatarverse, almost silver in tone, which fits well with his Bitch in Sheep's Clothing personality.
  • Control Freak: Especially evident in how frustrated he gets at Korra when she leaves his task force.
  • The Dandy: He is mocked by Ikki for "smelling like a lady" when he joins Tenzin's family for dinner.
  • Devil in Plain Sight: As everyone panics over Amon, they ignore the ambitious, amoral politician who's been using that threat to further his own agenda.
  • Does This Remind You of Anything?: His actions of arresting non-benders under the pretense of them being Equalists, simply because they were protesting having their power cut off, are highly reminiscent of Joseph McCarthy and the Communist phobia that infected North America during the 1950's.
    • His rise to power mirrors that of Mussolini, persuading the democratic and monarchial power structures to give him more and more power, supposedly in order to counter the threat of the Equalists/Communists.
    • And of course, the whole shtick of taking over a nominally democratic republic through fearmongering, then then using that resulting power to grab people off the streets and imprison them... I wonder if he was a lousy painter in his youth?
  • Evil Overlord: By all accounts, Tarrlok's in charge of Republic City, with the police in his pocket and the rest of the Council (sans Tenzin) basically being his Yes Men.
  • Expository Hairstyle Change: Much like Hiroshi, his meticulously coiffed hairdo is disheveled after his revelation as a bona fide villain and a tangle with Korra, which he won only because of bloodbending. In the preview for episode 9, he is far less unkempt when speaking to the police, even though he's pretending to have been attacked by the Equalists, only further emphasizing this trope.
  • Faux Affably Evil: Whenever he seems to act polite, it's usually accompanied with a smug voice tone, so take his "friendliness" with a grain of salt.
  • I Am Not Left-Handed: Who needs water when you've got blood?
  • An Ice Person/Making a Splash
    • Blood Magic: Especially notable as he can do this whenever he wants; bloodbending is supposed to be limited to during a full moon, when a waterbender is at their strongest.
  • Jerkass Has a Point: It's practically his hat.
    • In Episode 4, Tarrlok is using his task force to score political points, but the Equalists are a militant revolutionary group openly advocating the violent overthrow of their country's government and the extermination of bending. Some sort of official response is necessary to that existential threat and Tarrlok is the only council member offering a plan.
    • In Episode 7, Tarrlok's opening narration is politically self-serving yet accurate: the Equalists are warring on benders under the guise of fighting for equality, Chief Bei Fong did utterly fail to protect Republic City during the arena attack, and new leadership was needed for the police considering how ineffective Chief Bei Fong had proved against the Equalists. Lin herself even comes to agree with the latter two points.
    • In episode 8, he brings up how Korra is only a "half-baked Avatar in training" because she has yet to master airbending. When Korra later barges into his place trying to intimidate him into releasing her friends, she accuses him of oppressing people exactly like Amon says benders do, and he points out that she's used force to oppress and intimidate people before, so in that respect they're Not So Different.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: At first, it seems that Tarrlok wants to close down the Pro-Bending arena to spare innocent lives. But when Lin Beifong enters the picture, he realizes someone else can take the responsibility (and the rap) of others, thus relinquishing him from any blame if anything happened. Then, when Korra approaches him about abusing his power to arrest innocent civilians, he kidnaps her using bloodbending.
  • Knight Templar: While personal paranoia is a major factor, Tarrlok definitely invokes this with his rhetoric, claiming that his actions are a righteous crusade against Amon.
  • Let's Get Dangerous: His demeanor makes him out to be just an Attention Whore, but his waterbending isn't half bad. Then there's his bloodbending...
  • Manipulative Bastard: Very good at manipulating others into furthering his goals. Even knowing that he's up to something won't help you. Goes into the realm of physical manipulation, since he's a bloodbender.
  • Not So Different:
    • His approach to dealing with dangerous non-benders is, if anything, more indiscriminate than the Equalists' actions toward elitist benders. Korra calls him on this, likening him to Amon.
    • According to him in a Hannibal Lecture, he and Korra aren't all that different, because they both go to extremes in order to get what they want.
  • Not-So-Harmless Villain: He appeared to be a power-hungry politician. Cue Episode 8 where he is far more ruthless, making laws to suppress non-benders, beating Korra in a fight with bloodbending without needing the full moon (even sending her flying to a wall), and shipping her out of Republic City.
  • Not So Stoic: "When Extremes Meet" shows that he has a pretty short fuse. Control Freak above explains more on that.
  • Opening Narration: Replaces Shiro Shinobi in the "Previously On..." recap for "The Aftermath", giving a speech about Lin's failure to stop the Equalists in the previous episode and calling for her to be replaced.
  • People Puppets/The Power of Blood: It is revealed during his fight with Korra in "When Extremes Meet" that he is a bloodbender, one good enough that he can do so on a whim, rather than only during a full moon.
  • Personality Powers: The power hungry politician can control people? What a shock!
  • Psychopathic Manchild: Has shades of Type C in episode 8. He has a lot of power in the city but comes off as a spoiled brat who will do anything to get what he wants and won't listen when others try to reason with him.
  • The Rival: To Tenzin, in the political arena, and to Korra in dealing with the Equalists.
  • Sleazy Politician: Everything he does is for his own personal agenda.
  • Smug Snake: His regular attitude gives off this vibe. Though the episode ultimately ended in a Cliff Hanger, "When Extremes Meet" sees Korra finally wipe the smug off his face. Subverted as of Episode 9's preview.
  • Tyrant Takes the Helm: He implements a city-wide curfew to all non-benders and a law that makes it illegal to even be associated with Equalists (i.e. Hiroshi Sato, which is what Tarrlok uses to rationalize arresting his daughter). He shuts down the power to their homes, which forces them to break that curfew by going outside to protest, and arrests all those that don't follow his new law, claiming that they're Equalists for not doing so.
  • Villainous Breakdown: Starting with episode 8, he's really starting to lose his calm demeanor.
  • Villain with Good Publicity
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: Seems like it at first, with his heavy-handed but arguably reasonable responses to the Equalist threat. His later actions indicate there's more to it than that.


Hasook

Voiced by Sean Gantka

Hasook is the original waterbender on the Fire Ferrets pro-bending team. He became incompetent during the match with the Tigerdillos, nearly caused the Fire Ferrets to lose, and then almost got them disqualified by not showing up to the match. Korra replaces him and joins Mako and Bolin on the Fire Ferrets.


Gommu

Voiced by Stephen Root

Gommu is a vagabond living in a bush in Republic City Park. He spies Korra eating fish, and asks her for one. He then explains to Korra that Republic City is worse than it seems, before diving back into his bush when a policeman sees them.


Skoochy

Voiced by Zach Callison

Skoochy is a crafty and cunning homeless kid who has his ears to the street and is happy to give anyone information, as long as his price is paid. He met Mako and Bolin a few years ago, when they were living on the street as well, soon after he had just escaped from his second orphanage and vowed never to go back. He usually hangs around the Central City Station and picks the pockets of unsuspecting tourists.


Shiro Shinobi

"They're bending my mind!"

Voiced by Jeff Bennett

The non-bender radio commentator for pro-bending broadcasts, with a stereotypical overexcited "newsreel" tone of voice.

  • Awesome McCoolname: It translates as "White Ninja".
  • Alliterative Name
  • Combat Commentator
  • Dead Line News: Even as the pro-bending arena is being attacked, and an enemy comes storming into the announcer's room, Shirobi continues commenting on the attack for all the listeners at home. Seeing that the Fire Ferrets can survive an electrocution in water, he's probably not dead.
  • Determinator: Nothing short of unconsciousness will stop him from describing everything going on in the arena. Even if the area is in chaos, and he's about to be electrocuted.
  • Dissonant Serenity: When the Equalists attack the arena in episode 6, he continues narrating in the same tone of voice right up to the point where he's knocked out.
  • Large Ham Radio: Comes hand-in-hand with commenting on Pro Bending matches.
  • Intrepid Reporter: Was one according to the "Welcome To Republic City" game before becoming the announcer for the Pro-Bending arena, but gave it up after too many years covering the Triads' crimes.
  • Muggle
  • Opening Narration: Provides the narration for the show's "Previously On..." segments -- except in "The Aftermath" where he's replaced with a speech from Tarrlok. He's back in the following episode.
  • Retired Badass: Was an Intrepid Reporter before becoming a commentator.


Saikhan

Voiced by Richard Epcar

The captain of the Metalbender Corps working in Republic City under Chief Beifong. He becomes the new chief after Lin resigns.


Yakone

A man who threatened Republic City during Avatar Aang's adulthood. According to Tarrlok, he was such a serious threat that Aang had to deal with him decisively.

  • Bad Powers, Bad People: A particularly evil bloodbender.
  • The Cameo: Only appears in flashbacks and gets a few mentions in conversations.
  • Evil Laugh: Chuckles evilly as he bloodbends Sokka and Toph.
  • Making a Splash/An Ice Person: One must be a waterbender before they can bloodbend.
  • Meaningful Name: His name means "blood in the snow" in an Inuktitut dialect, hinting at his bloodbending ability.
  • People Puppets: He was a powerful enough bloodbender to restrain an entire courtroom, handcuffed, and most likely during daylight.
  • Predecessor Villain:
    • Tarrlok establishes him as Amon's predecessor as Big Bad of Republic City. Whether or not he and Amon have anything to do with one another, however, is unclear.
    • Korra's flashback in episode 8 also hints that he's one for Tarrlok.


  1. ↑ Contrast with Momo in the original series, who normally missed such nuances the first several times.)
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