Originally, I intended to watch an episode a day, but I couldn't resist watching 7 after the awesomeness that was And The Winner Is. This was an... interesting episode. A very flawed, but... interesting episode. Despite the fact that there are far more problems with this episode than, say, The Spirit Of Competition, I have to say it is better. The latter was mediocre. This episode fails, as Master Piandao would say, in a very special way. Also it got me to italicize more, and that's when the fun starts.

My reaction to this episode in a nutshell.

There was a "MY CABBAGE CORP" gag that I actually did hear about beforehand, being one of the few things I went into the series already knowing. What was more interesting was Korra's reconciliation with Tahno, now without any of his old swagger. It's really sad, and reminds us that no matter how justified the Equalists may be in their concerns, their methods hurt and shatter others' lives. But I think there's a glimmer of hope for Tahno. He's taken a huge slice of humble pie, and he's much more thoughtful and kind. The smile and the "Uh-vatar" joke as he leaves shows some signs of healing.

50 bucks says he never shows up again.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sato (I'm too lazy to look up the spelling of his first name) is suspiciously compliant with the police. When Korra goes to the Sato's estate to check on her friends, I expected that what was going to happen was an episode where they become complacent and Korra tries to face the Equalists on her own and almost gets killed before the rest of Team Korra saves her (sort of like A Canterlot Wedding with Mr. Sato as Chrysalis). Not quite what I got, although the basic idea of Korra being the only skeptical one was right. Also, Bolin wants makeovers. WHEEE MALE GENDER STEREOTYPES RIGHT OUT THE WINDOW. Unfortunately, I was upset with the general way they handled Asami in this episode.

Rarity is a perfect example of how to do Asami right.

First, her speech to Korra after the race has to be a callback to Toph. Except that Asami... isn't a Toph. The assumptions of helplessness made about her were not quite as severe (and I dislike how the writers linked up Korra's comments about femininity with Asami's "helplessness"), and she doesn't react by so aggressively being the opposite. She was never forced into having girly tendencies; they are a part of who she is! The saving grace here is that this is from Korra's perspective. She sees femininity as a weakness; as far as she's concerned, a strong woman (or anyone, really) upholds the macho tomboy stereotype. Therefore, if Asami shows masculine traits, she immediately rises up in Korra's eyes (man, the analogues to MLP characters are SO EASY). What I dislike is that the show itself seems to endorse Korra's viewpoint. Do we need the Kyoshi warriors again to straighten Korra out?

That scene with Korra and makeup. That was hilarious. Then Korra spies on OBVIOUS EQUALIST MR. SATO OBVIOUS OBVIOUS OBVIOUS. Nobody believes her, though, and one of my predictions sort of comes true. Mako becomes disillusioned and leaves... Korra. Well, that's 1/3 right, I guess. I was really worried they were going to make Asami a villain. Thank goodness they did not, but they did make a certain someone else a villain in a way that pissed me off.

So, say... about that offhand comment back in my review of Episode 4. You know, the one two days ago.

Her relationship with her dad reminds me a lot of Teo and the Mechanist

I was right in more ways than I realized when they found the factory. After completely finishing this episode, however, it turned out I was wrong in more ways than I realized when they first went down there.

Namely, I thought that, like the Mechanist, Mr. Sato was going to be a sympathetic victim of the Equalists doing what he can to keep his daughter safe, and not suddenly a flat, cackling villain.

This was what pissed me off. Both A:TLA and LOK usually have their lack of bad, one dimensional villains as a hallmark trait. I hate how Sato takes gleeful delight in attacking them. I mean, perhaps he bought into the Equalist doctrine, but he might as well grab Bolin's mustache from episode 3 and start twirling it. Also, Mako does a "stay in the kitchen" sort of thing to Asami. I know he's concerned for her well being and Mako tends to have maternal tendencies, but she's a big girl. It does make sense for the character, though.

I did like the attempt at moral ambiguity when Asami shows up. Also, this isn't A:TLA, can we have A NON FIREBENDER KILL PEOPLE'S PARENTS? Anyways, but even though I knew that Asami wasn't going to join her father, I didn't expect her to be so... violent. It's kind of worrying. I wonder if her expression in the airship partially extends from regret about how she attacked her father. And my suspicions that she was going to join Team Korra were true, although it didn't quite happen in the way I suspected. I wonder what they'll do in the next episode?

Edit: Korra character development by the end = love. She's gotten over her jealousy, finally. Go Korra!