Winding Legacies: A 'The Legend of Korra' Rewrite

Episode 11: Night of a Thousand Stars Part 1

Earth

Fire

Air

Water

Only the Avatar can master all four elements and bring balance to the world

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Unalaq has forced Korra to open the Northern Portal and trapped Jinora in the Spirit World with him. Back in Republic City, Varrick's movers are a success! Mako's pursuit of Varrick has landed him in the slammer, and in the Southern Water Tribe, Unalaq's army is nearing victory. But, Tonraq isn't about to give up on this war without a fight.

The silence on the ride back to the temple was as thick as one could imagine. Tenzin stayed the most silent, hugging Jinora close to them as they cut through the sky. Korra had taken over Tenzin's usual job of controlling Oogi, and once they arrived, Korra gently steered Oogi to an open space on the air temple's courtyard. Below them, Ikki and Meelo were chasing each other around on air scooters, blissfully unaware of the downcast eyes that would be awaiting them after they ushered their family down from the sky.

Pema neared the sky bison, her hands cramped from just putting Rohan to a nap. She pulled her kids away from the unloading passengers, whispering to them to not get in their way. She prepared a wide smile to greet her husband but seeing how slowly they all moved, none of them daring to be the first to get off of Oogi, her breath caught in her throat. Did something happen?

Pema studied them, holding her fidgeting kids still as she counted the heads on the sky bison. Korra, Kya, Bumi, Tenzin. That's four, she thought. She did it again. Korra, Kya, Bumi, Tenzin. Suddenly, it all made sense, their inability to look her in the eye made sense. Pema's voice came out hoarse. "Where's Jinora?"

Tenzin was the first to stand up after painful seconds of silence in the wake of Pema's question. He held Jinora's limp body in his arms as he raised a spiral of wind to lift them to the ground. Pema's eyes watered as Tenzin moved toward her, his hands shaking as he held Jinora close to her mother.

"Her spirit is trapped in the Spirit World, but she's going to be alright. I'm going to do everything I can to get her back." Tenzin swallowed, hard, as his own eyes leaked. Pema silently stared at Jinora, and Ikki and Meelo gasped. They clung to their mother as they pleaded with their sister, begging her to get up.

Bumi, Kya, and Korra all slowly got off of Oogi after Tenzin, standing solemnly behind him with clouds of sniffles swirling through them all. "How did this happen?" Pema asked softly, gently stroking Jinora's face to distract herself from the millions of things she wanted to scream.

Korra's lip quivered as she stepped up toward Pema and her stomach churned. "Unalaq got to her in the Spirit World and I tried to save her, but he tricked me." Korra wanted to run away the moment Pema looked up at her with streaming eyes. "I'm so sorry, Pema." Pema didn't respond, or rather she couldn't, so she resorted to kindly holding Korra's hand instead. Korra stiffly stood underneath Pema's touch, not feeling deserving enough of the gesture. Still, as one would expect Pema to do, she insisted that Korra accept. And eventually, she did, letting Pema escort her back into the temple where they all made sure Jinora was comfortable.

Korra stayed with Ikki and Meelo a little longer as the adults stepped off to the side to discuss what they would do next. She wasn't ready to feel even more distraught than she did, and, honestly, she needed the type of assurance she knew only the kids could provide.

"She's going to be okay," Ikki murmured almost as if she knew exactly what Korra was thinking. Meelo nodded brightly, a toothy grin breaking out over his cheeks.