Monsters of Television

“Please help us. You’re our Avatar, too.”

Well then.

I’ve been dinging the show (ever so lightly) for its not demonstrating any oppression of non-benders. Sure, the council is comprised entirely of benders, as is the police force, but since the show hasn’t completely explored those as issues for non-benders, and Amon’s speeches have never leaned too heavily on the idea that the lawmakers and law enforcers are benders (though it seems like a ripe avenue for speechifying).

But with “When Extremes Meet” we finally get to see some of that oppression, all in the name of safety (of a select few)!, begin to play out. And it’s genuinely exciting and horrifying with small moments that sell the notion of oppression that the series hasn’t made a convincing case of until now.  

With police now firmly in his pocket after Lin’s resignation, Tarrlok moves swiftly to fan the flames of discontent in Republic City by imposing a curfew for non-benders and making it illegal to either be an Equalist or to be an associate of one. This, of course, also involves the indefinite detention of anyone suspected of being an Equalist, with no concern for, as Tenzin notes, due process.

It’s not uncommon for American media to toss around these concerns since the World Trade Center attack in 2001, concerns about liberty versus safety and overreach of government and abuse of police powers. And I don’t expect a show at that airs on Saturday mornings to provide me a treatise on these issues (and Korra doesn’t), but one of the benefits of so-called “children’s programming” is that the creators have to address the concerns in more creative ways, ways that aren’t heavy-handed, trite, or too complicated for the audience to necessarily latch onto.

So when we have Tarrlok and the police looking to contain the (rather obviously) non-Equalist affiliated crowd, the episode finds ways to express this oppression in really elegant and unique ways. Yes, there’s the required Odessa Steps nod as the metalbenders step forward on the crowd but then there’s the ingenious use of the police barricade. It becomes not only a barricade to keep people back, but the metalbender can then use it to actually detain and capture people, rounding them up in groups. If there’s ever been a more craftily used symbol of an oppressive move by a police force, I don’t know what it is.

It’s this sequence, really, that helps make Amon’s discussions of bender-led oppression a reality. The tools of an oppressive bender-led regime were there. All it needed was a little nudge. And a duplicitous politician.  Which brings us to Tarrlok.

Tarrlok, I think, has his own agenda, one that isn’t directly related to whatever Amon has planned (meaning, I don’t think they’re in cahoots). Instead, he’s putting into motion another plan that is able to exploit the confusion and fear Amon and the Equalists have stirred up. Is there some connection to Yakone, the man in Korra’s visions that Aang faced off against? Probably. And it’s made all more threatening by Tarrlok’s incredible skills. We knew he was a powerful waterbender from earlier in the season, but the ability to bloodbend without a full moon? That is some scary shit right there.

And let us also take a brief moment to acknowledge just how awesomely Dee Bradley Baker is voicing Tarrlok. Baker is letting allowing just simmering anger to break be heard, but not over-power, Tarrlok’s ultra-cool and slimey smooth normal speaking voice, and the episode is a voice acting award submission waiting to happen.

The rest of the episode, beyond these big moments, is very good. The show balances its levity and action and drama better here than it did in “The Aftermath” since these elements feel better integrated into the episode as a whole rather then segregated to certain parts of the episode. Tenzin’s children, again, supply much of it, including Meelo’s charmingly creepy crush on Asami. I’d also highlight Korra’s horrified response to Ikki mentioning Korra’s crush on Mako to Asami (can I have a gif of that, please?) and Tenzin’s agreement with Korra that Saikhan is the worst police chief ever.

Both major set pieces, the chase with the escaped Equalists and Korra’s duel with Tarrlok were top-notch. Neither were overly busy or lasted too long. And while neither achieved the sheer impressiveness of “And The Winner Is…”, they demonstrate that the series is a very action-capable show, perhaps more than any other animation show on television right now.

FINAL THOUGHTS

• “Well aren’t you sweet, little monk child.”
• “You’re pretty! Can I have some of your hair?” ” We shall meet again soon, beautiful woman.” I feel like Meelo is what Aang would’ve been like as a little(r) kid.
• We also finally get confirmation that Korra’s not much for getting in touch with her spiritual side. This isn’t surprising given her nature, but I do think it might’ve warranted mentioning sooner.
• We rather quickly assemble Team Avatar (which is good since we knew it would happen anyway), and while I’m sad that Naga doesn’t get to go on patrol (“Naga away!”), the Sato-roadster is pretty cool.
• “You and I need to talk.”