As the spirit weapon aimed itself at the injured Kuvira, Korra charged in front of her, confident that she could stop it. Zaheer had insisted her powers were limitless. Raava had shown her that she was most powerful in regard to spirit energy. She couldn't stand by and let someone die. She invoked the Avatar State, braced herself for the impact, and focused her energybending into reversing the blast. Now that she had Raava back, she felt one-hundred percent confident in her spirit abilities. Even if she did die - which she was sure she wouldn't - at least she'd saved Republic City. She strained against the force of the energy beam for what seemed like an eternity, then she blacked out.
When she came to, Korra found herself floating in a strange ethereal light, looking at a reflection of herself. Suddenly, the image in front of her transformed into Kuvira, and they floated to the ground in the Spirit World. Korra had to catch the disoriented Metalbender before she hit the ground. For a second, Kuvira lay complacently in the Avatar's arms before realizing who was holding her, but when she tried to run away, she had to stop because she was in too much pain.
"What happened?" Kuvira asked. "Are we ... dead?"
"No," Korra answered calmly. "We're okay, but we're in the Spirit World. All the energy from your weapon tore open a new portal and blasted us in here."
Kuvira scowled in disbelief. "Why would you save my life, after everything I did to you?" She actually looked regretful.
"I guess ... I see a lot of myself in you," Korra answered.
"We are nothing alike!" Kuvira spat.
"Yes, we are," Korra insisted gently. "We're both fierce and determined to succeed, sometimes without thinking things through." She felt the heaviness of this truth in her gut.
"This wasn't how I wanted things to end!" The Great Uniter fell to her knees in pain and defeat. "If you would have all just surrendered, none of this would have happened!"
"You brought this on yourself," Korra calmly reminded her. "Messing with the spirit vines, acting like a dictator over your people ... You had to know what you were doing wasn't right."
"I was trying to help my people!" Kuvira argued angrily. "Su turned her back on the Earth Kingdom, you were gone! I had to do something!"
Kuvira's words stung a little, but Korra didn't let it get to her this time. "I think I get it now."
"You don't understand anything about me." Kuvira turned her head away from the Avatar.
"I do," Korra explained. "Su told me how she took you in when you were younger. It must have been so hard being an orphan."
"Don't pretend you know what it felt like!" Kuvira shouted. "The Avatar is adored by millions! I was cast aside by my own parents like I meant nothing to them." Tears fell from her eyes. "How could I stand by and watch the same thing happen to my nation, when it needed someone to guide it?"
"You wanted to create a place where you and your people would never be vulnerable again. I may not have been an orphan, but believe me, I understand what it's like to be afraid." Korra sat cross-legged on the ground. "After I was poisoned, I would have done anything to feel in control."
Kuvira listened grudgingly but interestedly.
"The first few days, I was completely paralyzed. After a couple of weeks, I could move my arms around a little and hold myself in a sitting position, but I couldn't fight. I couldn't protect myself. I couldn't even stand up.
"I went to the South Pole thinking I would be better in a couple of weeks, but that turned into a couple of years. All that time, I couldn't do anything for myself, let alone for anyone else. I'm the Avatar. I'm supposed to be the one who fights for balance and peace and I could do nothing. I wanted the same thing you wanted - to protect people - but I was powerless. I cried more days than I didn't. I couldn't be with my friends. I couldn't stop having nightmares. I couldn't stop reliving my fight with Zaheer. Over and over, I couldn't stop him.
"It has taken me three years to recover this much, and I still feel like I have healing to do. Last time we fought, you almost killed me. I know what it's like to feel powerless, and I don't want anyone else to have to feel that way. That's why I had to stop you. You may have started out wanting to help people, but in the end, you cause more suffering than healing. You're no better than Zaheer or Unalaq or Amon or any of the other tyrants who have come before you."
Kuvira cried at the truth of Korra's words. "You're right. I've become exactly the kind of person that I started off trying to protect people from." She sobbed openly, and when Korra moved to comfort her, she jerked away.
Korra was surprised to find no hatred in her heart for this woman, despite her anger. Kuvira was a flawed human being just like herself, and Korra knew how easy it was for people to lose their way.
"Come on," She said after Kuvira regained her composure. "We need to get back and let everyone know we're still alive."
Kuvira looked like she might argue for a second, but she didn't. As she started to get up the pain in her ribs seared, and she was forced to allow Korra to help her up and lead her out of the Spirit World.
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hC nd she was forced to allow Korra to help her up and lead her out of the Spirit World.
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hC rra's words. "You're right. I've become exactly the kind of person that I started off trying to protect people from." She sobbed openly, and when Korra moved to comfort her, she jerked away.
Korra was surprised to find no hatred in her heart for this woman, despite her anger. Kuvira was a flawed human being just like herself, and Korra knew how easy it was for people to lose their way.
"Come on," She said after Kuvira regained her composure. "We need to get back and let everyone know we're still alive."
Kuvira looked like she might argue for a second, but she didn't. As she started to get up the pain in her ribs seared, and she was forced to allow Korra to help her up and lead her out of the Spirit World.