The gang's getting back together.
It's clip show time, and while Wu puts Mako's love life on blast, Asami and Tenzin give Korra a pep talk. Then Varrick's greatest Mover pitch ever goes nuts.
Tropes:
- The Abridged Series: Varrick's mover idea in the third act is a hilarious abridged version of the last three seasons and it's made even better by looking exactly like an abridged series on YouTube.
- An Aesop: Tenzin shows up at the end of the second act to tell Korra that there will always be new conflict despite all her progress in defeating Amon, Vaatu and the Red Lotus, and that the important thing is not to give in to doubt and learn from her mistakes.
- Answer Cut: Bolin asks Varrick how Zaheer and Vaatu teamed up. Cue Vaatu answering a call from Zaheer on his phone.
- As You Know: Korra and Asami recap events they both know and lived through. At least it can justify itself as a therapy session for Korra.
- Audience Surrogate:
- Wu, Tu and Grandma Yin all serve as this to Mako during his act by voicing the fan complaints about how poorly he handled the love triangle of books 1 and 2.
- Asami and Tenzin are this to Korra for her act by voicing the support out-of-universe fans have for her.
- Bolin as he tries to correct Varrick on all the stuff he's getting wrong before giving up and letting him finish. Varrick himself serves as one to mock the foibles of Season 2.
- Bad Liar: Mako still tries to lie his way out his actions during the Love Triangle, but Prince Wu, Tu and Grandma Yin aren't buying it.
- Back from the Dead: Amon returns as a zombie in Varrick's mover idea.
- Bait-and-Switch: The episode plays the Clip Show format straight for the first two acts, then *BOOM* abridged format parody!
- Big Bad Ensemble: In Varrik's mover idea, Vaatu, Zaheer and Zombie!Amon team up to fight Bolin, with Unalaq tagging along despite their attempts to get rid of him.
- Big Bad Wannabe: Varrik's mover version of Unalaq, whose attempts to join the mover's Big Bad Ensemble are happily denied. Unfortunately, he's an "annoyingly clingy person", and accidentally fused with Vaatu for the final battle with Bolin.
- Bottle Episode: Bryan Konietzko admitted that
the reason for doing a Clip Show was largely in order to deal with a budget cut, because it was this or firing crewmembers. The fact that it is one of the funniest episodes of the entire franchise is a testament to how they can turn a bad situation into a good episode. - Breather Episode: After seven episodes with increasing stakes, this episode is just a Lighter and Softer recap episode, up until things start ramping up again. While the plot doesn't really progress here, it serves as a way to remind viewers how far the main cast have come as characters, and to poke fun at the show itself in a meta way, not unlike the Ember Island Players from the original show.
- Butt-Monkey: Unalaq is turned into one in Varrick's story, in acknowledgement of how he's easily the least popular Big Bad.
- Catchphrase: Noted by Mako when "sparring" with Prince Wu. "WU DOWN!" happens at the slightest nick from Mako's padded gloves.
- Character Development:
- Mako's gets outlined, which is important given how seldom he talks about himself or his feelings. It basically shows how he has gone from a guy who cared mostly about making enough money to make his and his brother's lives better, to someone who wants to live for the sake of others, including strangers. All thanks to Korra's example, who continues to inspire him despite all the negative things that have passed between them.
- Tenzin helps Korra get through her existential crisis by pointing out how she's changed from the hotheaded teen he first met to a mature, thoughtful young woman.
- Chickification: An In-Universe example: In Varrick's movie pitch based on the previous past seasons, most of Korra's exploits are given to Bolin and her overall role is reduced to being a Damsel in Distress.
- The Comically Serious: Varrick's telling of the series events has the serious villains of the past seasons talking to each other over the phone about a plan to kill Bolin while cutting Unalaq out because nobody likes him.
- Continuity Nod: The gym in the Sato mansion is right next to the pool, last seen in "The Aftermath". There wasn't a gym next to the pool in that episode, though; perhaps Asami had one installed.
- Clip Show: The first two acts are recaps, while the third is some creatively edited footage to go along with Varrick's mover idea.
- Creation Myth: Varrick's mover explains that stars are fairy dust from Bolin's fight with Unalaq.
- Deliberately Monochrome: "The incredibly boring and unpopular" Unalaq during the phone call scenes, as his scenes are lifted from Book 2's monochrome mover.
- Deus ex Machina: The infamous one from Book 2's finale is made even more ridiculous in Varrick's story by turning Jinora into the previously unmentioned "Queen of the Fairies."
- End-of-Series Awareness: "We're heading into the big finale!" Even show creator Bryan Konietzko confirmed as much, telling fans this episode was an attempt at one last lighthearted (and nostalgic) romp before "POOP. GETS. REAL."
- Evil Power Vacuum: Lampshaded by Korra, who complains that some new evil always seems to poke its head out right after she's dealt with the last one.
- Filler: Nothing meaningful happens in this episode, with regards to the overall plot. However there is character development all round, with everyone getting a moment to reflect on themselves. There is also some subtle shipping between Korra and Asami, some obvious shipping with Bolin and Opal, Wu and Mako's family bonding, and some foreshadowing on the lesson of the following episode.
- Fully Automatic Clip Show: A bit in Mako's part shows every time Korra accused him of siding against her in Book 2, which helps drive home how stuck on the idea she was back then.
- Historical Hero Upgrade: Varrick completely omits his own villainous activities and instead casts himself purely as the wise mentor.
- Hypocrite: Mako admits in the present after Asami called him out on his immaturity that it was time to man up yet weakly denies before and after said scene in the present that he ever dated her and is rightfully called out on it.
- Hypocritical Humor: Varrick is annoyed at Bolin sobbing over Opal and tells him to pull it together. This is coming from the guy who spent the last two episodes moping over his assistant's betrayal.
- I Am Not Spock: In-Universe, Varrick tries to capitalise on Bolin's fame as Nuktuk, by planning to credit the role of Bolin in his theoretical bio-pic not to Bolin, but to Nuktuk.
- It Runs in the Family: According to Mako's grandmother, his commitment issues are a trait he inherited from his grandfather.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Downplayed: Tenzin was blunt about it but it helps Korra see the truth in Toph's words that there will always be new conflict, no matter who she defeats. However, he makes it clear that even though there will be new conflicts, it does not render the struggle pointless. He points out that it is important to learn from your previous conflicts which is also what led Korra to becoming more mature.
- Lampshade Hanging: Mako's act is full of his boss and family telling him how horribly he handled his book 1 and 2 relationships.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: A lot of the commentary is in response to real-life criticisms of the show more than in-universe comments.
- Legion of Doom: Varrick's mover idea has Vaatu, Zaheer, Zombie Amon, and the Evil Unalaq (the mover character, not the real one) team up over a phone conversation to destroy Bolin.
- MST3K Mantra: Invoked by Baraz when Bolin complains about Varrick's nonsensical mover idea:Baraz: It's just a mover; don't overthink it. It's like a ride.
- Ocular Gushers: Bolin's chibi-avatar does this when he laments his relationship trouble with Opal.
- Raised by Wolves: Wu assumes Mako to have been "raised by a pack of cops in the woods".
- Recursive Canon: Varrick's mover idea is Bolin playing Nuktuk who is playing Bolin... and given that Bolin is the mover star who plays Nuktuk, that would mean Bolin is playing Bolin playing Nuktuk playing Bolin.
- Self-Deprecation:
- Mako's entire segment is the creators making fun of their own romance arcs and pointing out how dysfunctional they were.
- Varrick's mover is full of references to fan complaints about the actual show. For example, Bolin points out that Zombie Amon just randomly disappears from Varrick's mover. This is a joke about the rushed ending to the Equalist plotline and how later seasons seemed to forget it had ever happened.
- Ship Tease: Asami brings Korra tea on the basis that "I thought you might be cold out here" - even though Korra is from the South Pole and can bend fire.Korra: You're so sweet.
- Shout-Out: The episode itself was inspired by Samurai Champloo and its Clip Show episode, "Disorder Diaries."
- Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: As a callback to The Coronation Korra brings up Toph's words to her and wonders if what she does really is pointless. Asami and Tenzin have much more optimistic outlooks about the future. Asami points out that Korra's actions lead to Nonbenders having a voice within Republic City, the reintroduction of Spirits to the world, and the return for the Air Nation showing that the world has improved. Likewise while Tenzin acknowledges that Toph has a point he also points out that Korra herself has changed tremendously since she first came to Republic City and just because there will always be a new enemy for the Avatar to fight doesn't mean she should give up.
- Super-Deformed: The first and third acts have chibi versions of the characters as talking heads. Korra's act, being more serious, forgoes them.
- Take That!:
- In-Universe, Varrick's narration for his mover involves a lot of pot-shots at Unalaq, calling him unpopular and uninteresting (which, given that Unalaq took over his homeland, makes it very personal). It could be an example of Take That, Scrappy!, given that it reflects some fans' opinion of Unalaq compared to the show's other villains.
- "And then she forgives Bolin for whatever he was talking about, which probably won't end up in the final cut of the mover anyway..."
- Unreliable Narrator:
- Varrick has an at best skewed idea of how events went down, before he goes completely off the rails.
- To a lesser extent, Mako. The events still play out as they did, but tries to lie/deny his actions that Wu, Tu and Grandma Yin call him out on.
- One notable case in Mako's section is him claiming - or being implied to have claimed - that Korra airbent his desk across the room after he broke up with her for the first time. That actually happened at the start of their argument, and it was because Mako had indirectly sabotaged Korra's attempt to get the United Forces to help out in the Water Tribe Civil War. Korra' s actual reaction to the breakup was to tearfully leave the room.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Bolin points out that this happens to Zombie Amon in Varrick's mover idea.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Prince Wu, Grandma Yin and Cousin Tu chastised Mako on what he did back in the earlier seasons; mostly his relationship trouble.
- You Didn't Ask: This is Mako's response to Wu wondering why he knows nothing of Mako's past.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: As Korra gets more and more down on her failures of the past, Asami assures her that she is not a failure and has successfully saved the day multiple times along with how she has changed and improved the world. Tenzin adds to this as well by telling Korra how much she has matured and the New Air Nation is a testament to how much good she has done.
- You Must Be Cold: Asami's excuse for bringing Korra tea. Korra, the girl who was raised in the South Pole, and is a firebender.
