Legend of Korra, Book 4: top 3 conspiracy theories disproven (sort of)

Two days until legend of korras penultimate season and having been given access to certain clips, the conspiracy theories are rampant across internet forums. In hindsight, these theories always end up looking stupid after the seasons finish. For example the ‘Amon is nimble, 87 year old Sokka’ theory was dropped by its fans as soon as Amon was shown to, obviously, not be Sokka. I tried to ignore the outright stupid ones in favour of tackling the reasonably plausible and intelligent ones. And these, I beleive, are the best book 4 conspiracies the internet has to offer

Bolin is the secondary antagonist (or antihero or antivillain)

Although Bolin seems to be dodging a lightning bending attack in a series where the antagonists are metalbenders…

In the trailer Bolin is seen fighting wearing what appears to be a ‘metal nation’ uniform. Therefore many fans have suggested over the 3 years Bolin has become part of kuviras plot to gain power as either Earth Queen or Metal Lord-ess (Its unclear whether the metal supremacy movement is part of or seperate from the earth nation). The main reason that bolin probably wont be part of a metalbending supremacy group is that he cant metalbend (as of the end of book 3 at least). Even if he gains the ability he would oppose a group that suppress regular earth bending citizens because he lived the first 20 years of his life as a non metalbending earthbender. Its more likely in my opinion that he goes ‘undercover’ for team avatar, not against.

Varrick is Sokkas son

Varrick was last seen working for Suyin as an engineer/inventor/useless expenditure.

In all honestly part of me wanted to beleive this. Sokka was my favourite character from the original trilogy. We have been told (at comic con) that Varricks childhood will be revealed in the final season; he certainly shares Sokkas eccentricity and he IS a non bending Southern Water Tribe citizen. But the main reason this is unlikely is because if he was Sokkas son, then Katara would acknowledge him as her nephew when Varrick was in the southern water tribe. which she didnt.

Korra Dies

In more superficial news: haircut.

This isnt a conspiracy theory. Or rather it is, but it is entirely plausible or even likely. This is the final installment in the avatar franchise and LOK is much more darker and unpredictable than ATLA. Korra is traumatized and crippled, and the world seems to be growing out of its need for an avatar. Amon empowered non benders, Unalaq saw that the spirit portal was opened and Aang and Zuko merged people of all nations into republic city. Technology has overtaken the power of bending and in a world where the nations are mixed together and where spirits and humans live together, what purpose does an avatar serve? (their job description: keep the four nations seperate and at peace and be the bridge between humans and spirits).

And the creepiest sequence in the trailer award goes tooo…

Disappearing Korra shot!

The trailer is full of shots of korra looking underslept, fragile, scared and depressed. While martially more capable than her predecessor, Korras mental state is not as stable as Aangs; we’ve seen her suicidal and nihilistic at various points before. I know that she wouldn’t resort to suicide (with a partially underage audience, anyway) but she could give up Raava and become a normal nonbending human. Will she give up the avatar willingly or go down fighting? possibly neither but there is certainly something ominous about the shot where her avatar self is visible in a crowd and disappears. In short although I hope to be proven very wrong, I think this is a very likely ending for book 4.

Get pumped.