04x03 - The Coronation

[bunniefuu]

- Earth. Fire.

Air. Water.

Only the avatar can master
all four elements...

And bring balance to the world.

- So much has changed
these past three years.

Mako is a bodyguard for
the future earth king,

Prince wu, while bolin
works for kuvira,

The earth kingdom's
interim leader who has

Brought stability to a
nation plagued by chaos.

Meanwhile, after wandering the
world trying to heal herself,

A spirit led korra to the swamp,
where she met toph beifong.

Will this earthbending
master be the key

To korra regaining
her avatar mojo?

- So then the crowds
are gathered,

All excited to see
my coronation,

When all of a sudden, these
boulders come rolling through.

And guess what pops out of 'em?
Earthbender dames!

These gals start banging
the boulders like drums

And sing the song of
my royal lineage.

It's the most dynamite
six-hour show you've ever seen

In your life.

- Shouldn't you be getting ready to...
I don't know...

Rule the whole nation?

- Now, now, now. Don't
get yourself in a tizzy.

I'll have ministers
for all that.

No sir, mako. When we
get to ba sing se,

It'll just be two kooky
pals livin' the life!

- Yay...

- Getting excited
for your big day?

- Does a platypus bear poop in...
hey!

You can't put bleachers there!

There won't be enough room for
the dance of the badgermoles!

Look, it's gonna go like this.

- You sure that's the guy you
want running the earth kingdom?

- Trust me. We'll be
sending a delegation

Of experienced advisors to
handle day-to-day governing.

- I see the prince is
becoming accustomed to

The burdens of leadership.

- You know royals.
They love a ceremony.

Have you received any word
on the avatar's location?

- Not yet, but I have
airbenders all over the world

On the lookout for her.

I hope they find her soon.

I'm concerned about
reports I've heard

Regarding kuvira's
growing m*llitary.

They say she's throwing
some of her dissenters

Into prison camps.

- Well, she'll be
stepping down tomorrow.

We can worry about correcting
any of her mistakes after that.

- And you're not
worried about her

Handing power over to prince wu?

- When kuvira started cleaning
up the earth kingdom,

She knew her position
wasn't permanent.

She gave me her word
that she'd step down.

- Still, I'd feel a lot
better if korra were here.

- You've gotta help me get back
into avatar fighting shape.

I'm getting my butt kicked

By losers all over
the earth kingdom.

The world needs me.

- Get over yourself.

The world doesn't
need you one bit.

- But while I've been the
avatar, I've stopped

Some really bad people from
doing some really bad things.

- Listen, when I was chief
of police of republic city,

I worked my butt off
busting criminals.

But did that make
crime disappear?

Nope.

If there's one thing I
learned on the b*at,

It's that the names change, but
the street stays the same.

- So, basically,
you're saying that

Everything I've ever
accomplished has been pointless.

And I thought
beifong was grumpy.

- I'm the original beifong.

- So, you're not gonna train me?

- Well, I was planning on
soaking my feet in mud

For a few weeks.

But I can't stand you

Being so pathetic and getting
your butt kicked all the time.

All right. I guess I can help.

- Thank you!
- Nah-ah-ah-ah.

You want to hug
something, go hug a tree.

We're here to work.

- Hello, republic city!

Bolin is back!

And eska's also here.

- I see you have replaced
me with a new girlfriend.

Well done. She seems
very threatening.

- Oh, no, no. That's kuvira.

She's kind of my boss.

- Boss. Girlfriend. Same thing.

- I'm afraid there's been
a mistake, your eminence.

We have you and your brother
booked in the same room,

With only one bed.

- It's no mistake. Desna
sleeps in the tub.

- Never thought I'd
be allowed back in

The republic city four elements.

Raiko must have turned purple

When kuvira made him pardon
me of my alleged crimes.

- You're an upstanding
citizen again, sir.

- Upstanding is right!
And don't forget to

Fill the extra bag with as
many of those little soaps

As you can grab. Love
the lavender scent.

- Bolin!

Look at you!

My little brother got all...
Important.

- I know, right?

I see myself in the
mirror sometimes,

And I think I'm in trouble
before I realize,

It's only me.

- So... What's it like
working for kuvira?

From what I've heard,
she's pretty harsh.

- No! I mean, she
can be tough, sure,

But we're turning around
the earth kingdom

Like you wouldn't believe.

You remember how bad grandma's
neighborhood in ba sing se was?

All that's completely changed.

I mean, we are really...
Helping people.

But what have you been up to?
Fighting crime? Busting triads?

Chasing the ladies, mako style?

- Well, I've been
working for wu.

And, uh... Yeah.

- So have you seen korra yet?

- No. She was supposed
to come in with tonraq,

But he says she left the
south pole months ago.

No one knows where she is.

- Mother.

- Hello, baatar junior.

- It's just "baatar" now.

So, now that you've seen
all the good we've done

Since we left zaofu,
you must be sorry that

You didn't come and help us.

- I don't if I'd call marching
all over the earth kingdom,

Forcing people to bow to
kuvira, "doing good."

- You're going to have to get
over your grudge with her.

I'm sure you've heard
that we're engaged.

She's going to be an official
member of our family.

- I'm just glad that she'll be
stepping down after tomorrow.

- You prefer to be ruled
by that royal idiot?

- I hope I'm not out of
order saying this...

You're pretty easy on the
eyes for a m*llitary type.

I'll put in a good word for
you with the hotel staff,

Maybe get you a little upgrade.

I've been living here for years.
They love me.

- I won't be needing your help.

We've reserved the
presidential suite.

- Well, I think someone is
pulling your chain, gumdrop.

See, I'm in the
presidential suite.

- Not anymore. I
had you moved out.

- Wait, what? Cam,
where's all my stuff?

- We moved you into a
very nice junior suite

On the seventh floor.

- Junior suite?

- Something you should
know about me...

I always get what I want.

- Your royal cabinet
is here, your majesty!

- Where have you been?

My coronation is in ten minutes.

Where's everyone else?

Where are the seven sacred
chests of exquisite finery?

Where are my grandfather's
taffeta pantaloons?

- Sadly, most of your
servants were scattered

And the royal things were
looted after the queen was...

Removed from office.

So your coronation may not have
some of the usual items...

Like... The crown.

- There's no crown?

How can you have a
coronation without a crown?

How will people know when
I'm officially the king?

- We still have one of the royal
jewels we can pin on you.

- An earring?

- Think of it more
as a royal brooch.

- Are you telling me that there
are no dancing badgermoles?

No acrobat bell-ringers?

No horn-blowing announcer-y guy?

- It will be a very simple,
intimate, elegant ceremony.

A wonderful day
for your kingdom.

Just try on the
brooch, your grace.

You'll see it will look beau...
- don't...

Touch me.

- Okay. Bring it.

- Tell me what you did wrong.

- Well... I was thinking
that you were gonna...

- Exactly.

You were thinking.

Go again.

- Pathetic.

Of all the avatars I've worked
with, you're by far the worst.

I know that's only one
other avatar, but still.

- Ah! Hey!

It seems like you're enjoying
having someone around

To b*at up an awful lot.

- Yeah, the swampbenders out
here really can't take a punch.

- So... What made you
want to drop out

And disconnect from the
rest of the world?

- I'm more connected to the
world than you've ever been.

The roots and vines... They
run all over the world.

I can see su and lin, zaofu
and republic city...

I see everything.

- You're blind compared to me.

- Now rise, wu of the
hou-ting dynasty,

King of all the earth lands,

And glorious defender
of ba sing se.

Long may you reign.

Go wu. Woo.

- Thank you for that incredibly
brief but very moving ceremony.

I am touched by the love
of my devoted countrymen

Who have worked so hard

To restore their beloved
leader to the throne.

One of them deserves
special attention.

Kuvira? Rise.

For your service to the realm,
I would like to present you

With the kyoshi
medal of freedom,

Our nation's highest honor,

Which was somehow not stolen,
unlike the royal pinkie rings.

Hmph.

- Thank you.

And if you don't mind, I'd
like to say a few words.

- Why not? We've got
six hours to fill.

- Growing up in zaofu
with suyin beifong,

I learned that the idea of a
royal family passing a title

From one generation to
the next was archaic,

And that technology and
innovation should be

What drives a nation forward.

It was the pathetic rule of
kings and queens that caused

The earth kingdom to descend
into such incredible disarray.

It's taken me three years
to get it back on track,

And there's no way
I will allow it

To slip back into the dark ages.

I'd like to make an
announcement to the world.

The earth kingdom is no more.

And from here on out, this
man has no authority.

Wait, what?

But I just got the royal brooch.

- I have created a
new earth empire,

And I will continue to lead
it into the future myself,

Bringing about a new era of
prosperity for my people.

We love you, kuvira!

- All hail the great uniter!

- And let me assure my fellow
leaders of one thing...

Anyone who crosses our
borders or stands in our way

Will be crushed.

Thank you, kuvira!

All hail the great uniter!

- Worst coronation ever.

- Were you surprised? Because
I was really surprised.

Won't this turn all the
world leaders against us?

- Relax, kid, what can they do?

Kuvira controls the
whole nation now,

And republic city is begging for
the metal that we're mining.

This train has left the station,

And we own the track!

Now that's a nice-looking
hunk of spirit vine.

Let's take it back to the lab

And get it stabilized
immediately.

- You look worried, bolin.

- Yeah, well... I just
have some misgivings

About how you kind of ambushed
tenzin and the other leaders.

- You believe in the
work that we've done

For the people of the earth
empire, right, bolin?

- I do, but...

- Then stick with me.

I'm going to need your
help now more than ever.

Raiko and the other leaders
want to bully us into

Accepting some idiot
king who will serve them

But neglect the people.

We have to stand
strong against them.

- I'm just not sure about
this whole empire thing.

It seems pretty aggressive.

And what was that part
about the crushing?

- That was just some tough
rhetoric to let people know

That we mean business.

Believe me, conflict is
the last thing I want.

Will you help me
make history, bolin?

- Hmm. I'll stand by you.

- Thank you.

- We need to talk.

- Can you give us
the room, please?

- I met with the world leaders,

And I've come as their
representative.

- So now you're taking an
interest in world affairs?

A little late, isn't it?

When the queen fell and
everyone was asking you

To help keep the earth
kingdom from falling apart,

All you wanted to do
was hide in zaofu

And let others deal
with the consequences.

- That's hardly fair. I
didn't want to seize power

For myself, which is
what you've done.

I'm telling you, for
the good of everyone,

You have to step down.

- I stepped up.

I provide stability
and equality.

Tell your world leaders to stay
out of earth empire business.

We won't accept their
hand-picked dictator.

- What makes you so different?

You're just another tyrant.

And don't pretend the people
put you where you are.

I know what happens to
cities who don't want

To hand over control to you.

- Then you know what's
coming for zaofu.

- First I lose my suite,
then I lose my throne.

My royal brooch is a lie!

I know you must be crushed,

Not getting to come back
to ba sing se with me.

- Don't worry about me.
I'll find a way to make it.

- Good ol' mako,
my big tough guy.

Ugh. Okay, I just have to go on,

Move forward, take
decisive action.

Let's go shopping!

Ugh. Get rid of him.

He's with her.

- He's my brother.

- Interesting ceremony, huh?

- You aren't going to
keep working for kuvira

Now that she's going
against the wishes

Of the entire world, are you?

- You don't understand.
Kuvira is helping out

All the poor people
in the earth empire,

People like our family.
This is for the best.

- I don't know, bro.

- Okay, why don't you come with
me, and you'll see for yourself?

We've done a lot of good,
and varrick is working on

Some new innovations.
We're making history.

- By crushing anyone
who gets in your way?

- That was just
some tough rhetoric

To let the people know
that we mean business.

I mean, kuvira is basically
just like korra...

She might seem
hard to deal with,

But it's just because
she's so passionate

And believes in
what she's doing.

- It seems like she's
just a dictator

Who's taking the earth
kingdom by force.

- Oh, okay, so you think your
new best friend in there

Would be a better
leader than kuvira?

- Well, no, but still...
- Still what?

Come on, mako, I'm making
a difference out there.

What are you doin', huh?

You're just some
glorified butler

For some snotty, rich bozo.

- I'm sorry. I don't
want to work for

Your glorious emperor in
her m*llitary dictatorship.

- Fine!

I'm gonna go back to
my awesome train,

Where we bring freedom
wherever we go.

Enjoy licking the king's
boots in your junior suite!

- Sorry, sport. I heard it all.

- Can't believe him!

- I know! Insulting
another man's suite?

It's beneath low.

But I think I know what
would cheer you up...

A visit to little ba
sing se fashion mall!

I'll buy you a smoothie.

- Yeah. Okay.

- That was terrible.

- Ha! Maybe for you.

I had a great time!

I never realized how much I
missed tormenting the avatar.

I wish you were putting
up more of a fight.

But it was still fun.

- You were tossing me around
like a rag doll all day long.

- I know! And I'm an old lady.

Imagine me in my prime.

Ha-ha! I would have
destroyed you!

- I just don't understand
why I can't get back

To my former self. It's like...

I'm a step slower.
I'm tentative.

I'm out of sync.

I just can't get
back in the groove.

- Probably carrying around
that metal doesn't help.

- What metal?

- The little bits of metal
poison stuck in your body.

Are you trying to tell
me you can't feel metal

In your own body?

You really are the
worst avatar ever.

- I thought su got it all out.

- No, my girls never really
picked up metalbending

All that well, if you ask me.

- That's been my problem
this entire time!

I gotta get it out.

You can get it out
for me, right?

- Who do you think
you're talking to?

- Once we're done with these,
we can go into the middle ring

And I'll let you pick
out some new suits.

Then we'll hit the boutiques
in the upper ring for me.

Where did you get those shirts?

- Aces, right?
Kuvira is my hero.

- They're selling
them over there.

- You can't sell
that junk in here!

This is the little ba
sing se fashion mall,

And I'm the little king here!

Respect the brooch!

Stop it, little king!

- I am the glorious defender!

- I'm covered in juice! Get him!

- We need to get
you out of here.

- Ooh!

It's destiny!

Look where we are, mako...

The royal palace.

The throne!

Out of my way!

- Hey! It's my birthday!

- It's my coronation day!

You'll have another
birthday next year,

But I'll never have
this day back again!

Never!

- Okay, you're losing it.

- This is the worst
day of my life!

Why?

Do you really want
to be the king?

I mean, kuvira might be a
power-crazed dictator,

But at least she spent the
last few years working hard

To make the earth kingdom
somewhat better.

If you were an earth
kingdom citizen,

Do you think you're the kind of
person you want as your king?

What have you ever
done for your people?

I'm sorry. That was out of line.

- No. You're right.

No one ever talked to
me like that before.

I guess I'm just a joke
who got what he deserved.

- Let's get you out of here
and back to some place safe.

- Carry me?
- No.

- Okay. If you want me
to bend out this metal,

You need to relax.

- I am relaxed.

- Ha! Seriously?

Your body is like a
twisted tree trunk.

- Just do it! I'm ready!

- It wouldn't hurt if
you would just relax!

Stop fighting me!

- I'm not fighting!

- Ya!
- All right, that's it.

You're going to have
to do this yourself.

Clearly, you want to
keep the metal in there.

- What do you mean?

Why would I want
poison inside me?

- I don't know. Maybe
so you have an excuse

Not to go back to
being the avatar.

If you don't get better,
you can't do your job,

So you don't have to worry
about getting hurt again.

- What? That's ridiculous.

- Whatever. When
you want it out,

You can bend it out.

I can't deal with all
your issues for you.

- Wait! What am I
supposed to do now?

- How should I know?

Ask the spirit that
brought you here.

The good news is, if you're
looking for a place to hang

Where no one will bother you,

You picked the best
swamp in the world!

- This is a mission of
the utmost importance.

Conflict is coming to
the earth kingdom,

And we need to find the avatar.

Can I count on you three
to bring korra home?

- You can count on one of us.

I don't know about
these two ladies.

- From now on, developing
this technology is

Your number one priority.

- This is going to
change everything.