So, this story hasn't been updated in a while.
This is due to multiple things, but it's mostly because Korra wound up sorely disappointing me as a series. My expectations were probably a little high, but still, I don't think I've ever seen such an amazing setting with such interesting characters and such a complex, multifaceted conflict wasted so badly in my life.
That's not to say it was terrible. It was certainly entertaining, to say the least. But it could have been more. It could have been so much more.
So I haven't finished this. And to be honest, I don't think I ever will; Solar Winds takes up enough time on its own. But I feel bad for leaving it as it is, so I'm putting up this post as consolation. This is basically a summary for what might have been.
Please note that this summary contains major SPOILERS for The Legend of Korra.
Just to recap...
CAST OF CHARACTERS:
Blaine Anderson – Nonbender, Equalist supporter. Victimized by benders for much of his early life, received little-to-no sympathy or support from bending family. Badly beaten and traumatized by benders who were never punished. Expected to return to school with the kids who beat him as soon as he recovered. Ran away from home, currently lives with the Changs and works in their bookstore. Hopes to join Amon's army as a chi-blocker alongside Mike.
Kurt Hummel – Firebender. Lives with his non-bending father, waterbending step-mother, and earthbending step-brother in the ultimate blended family. Unable to publicly bend due to trauma—understands what it's like to be bullied by benders and not be able to fight back. Extremely fine-tuned control of fire and electricity in private. Currently attempting to master lightning generation, with little success.
Mike Chang Jr. – Nonbender, Equalist supporter. Blaine's pseudo-adoptive brother. Also victimized by benders; forced to move several times throughout his childhood due to criminal benders destroying his home, hounding his family, and extorting their business. Helps out the family business as a door-to-door book salesman. A talented chi-blocker who hopes to join Amon's Army full-time.
Finn Hudson – Earthbender. Kurt's step-brother. If Kurt has bending ED (can't get it up) then Finn has bending priapism (can't get it down). Too strong for his own good and distinctly lacking in control, his earthbending earned him the nickname 'Property Damage Hudson' at a young age. Was once a bending bully, but has recently changed his ways. Wants to protect and serve Republic City as a metalbending cop like his late father. Currently practicing for his metalbending exam, which he has failed twice already.
Shannon Beiste – Nonbender, Equalist. Works as a physical therapist; helped Blaine through his recovery. Joined the Equalists because she believes bending is too dangerous and causes too much pain, even to those who possess it themselves. Currently teaches chi-blocking at night in the Chang's bookstore basement—trained Blaine and Mike in the art.
Michael Chang Sr. – Nonbender, Equalist supporter. Co-owner of Chang's Chapters. A severe, exacting man with high standards, though his cold exterior belies a warm heart. Supports the Equalists because of his family's repeated victimization by benders. Currently manages his bookstore, hopes his son will follow in his footsteps.
Julia Chang – Nonbender, Equalist supporter. Co-owner of Chang's Chapters. A gentle, intelligent woman who understands that flexibility can be just as useful as rigidity. Supports the Equalists because she believes in their goals, though their violent methods sometimes unsettle her. Currently does numbers and accounting for the bookstore.
Burt Hummel – Nonbender. A mechanic who has nothing but disdain for Equalists; figures if he can make it as a non-bender in this city, anyone can. Lost his wife to sickness many years ago, lived alone with Kurt until he met and married Carole. Struggles with being the non-bending father of a bending child. Rough and unrefined, but fiercely loving and protective of his family. Currently the owner of Hummel Tires and Lube.
Carole Hudson – Waterbender. Southern Water Tribe native, moved to Republic City with her family when she was a small child. Lost her police officer husband to criminal benders, lived alone with Finn for years until she met and married Burt. Struggles with the challenge of having a son who bends a different element. Smart and sassy, takes no prisoners when it comes to her family. Currently lives as a housewife.
Tina Cohen-Chang – Nonbender, prospective Equalist supporter. Northern Water Tribe native; developed aquaphobia after nearly being drowned by a waterbender. Family moved to Republic City to help manage her phobia. Does not like benders, but is not sure if she wants to take a stand against them, or if the Equalist cause is truly just.
Dave Karofsky – Earthbender. Harrasses Kurt due to latent homosexuality and his own fear of coming out to his homophobic family. (Earth Kingdom has the most anti-gay culture of the nations—Water Tribes could care less if you're gay, so long as you fit in with your assigned gender role, and the Fire Nation has the same standards for all genders and sexualities; be strong, or fuck off.)
And the only major character we haven't already met…
Bryan Ryan – Nonbender, Equalist. A skilled chi-blocker and mechanic who believes Amon is the divinely-appointed savior of mankind. Faith borders on fanaticism. Was once an earthbender who accidentally killed his elderly grandmother by causing her to fall. Willingly went to Amon to have his bending taken away, and was welcomed as a brother who 'saw the light of Equality' on his own. Currently the leader of Mike and Blaine's local Equalist cell.
These are the major characters that feature in the story. Others characters I intended to include as cameos.; Sam the Waterbending Swimmer, Artie the Equalist techie, Rachel the Loudmouth Equalist Supporter, Mercedes the Equally-Loudmouthed Equalist Heckler, Santana the Firebending Cheerleader, Puck the Firebending Alpha Bully, Sue the Metalbender.
Now that we've got that out of the way, we'll get to the actual rest of the plot. I'm starting where the story itself stopped just to save time. Like SW, the story is divided into three acts, though these acts are much shorter than their SW counterparts.
ACT 1:
Kurt and Blaine keep flirting and eventually start dating. They date for several weeks.
During this time, Mike and Blaine train with Beiste in preparation for 'The Gauntlet,' an obstacle course designed to test the reflexes and skills of prospective chi-blockers. Completing it is required to become a uniformed chi-blocker (IE: a gas mask mook).
Kurt continues to attempt lightning generation, though he makes no real progress. He eventually gives up on generating electricity and instead refines his control of it. Karofsky continues to harass him.
Blaine and Kurt continue to date. They share interests in fashion and music, both having a great appreciation for jazz and blues. They also both secretly love cheesy radio dramas. It doesn't take long for them to fall derpy-in-love with each other.
Blaine and Mike meet Bryan Ryan and learn his tragic history. Then they run the Gauntlet. Mike performs flawlessly. Blaine literally falls to the very last trap in the course, missing it by this much. Mike gets an Equalist uniform, Blaine gets a pat on the back and encouragement to try again. The Changs buy him ice cream to make him feel better.
Kurt refines his electric control to the point of being able to bend it at a distance. He can draw power from the walls, drain batteries and blow fuses without even touching them. However, he cannot affect circuits that are completely insulated from him, and he can only do this when no one is around, not even his family.
Why?
When he was young, he accidentally channeled the energy of a car battery into his father, severely shocking him. Burt was comatose for days, and woke up with a damaged heart. Kurt has never forgiven himself for this and is terrified of shocking anyone else, explaining his firm grasp on controlling his bending, especially the electrical aspects.
Around this point, Kurt is crazy for Blaine and feels comfortable enough around him to firebend. So he does. The next time they are alone together on a date, he lights a flame on his fingers and shows it to Blaine, mistaking Blaine's horrified expression for awe and explaining his history.
Blaine has to excuse himself for a moment, unable to reconcile the Kurt that he loves with the Kurt-the-Firebender. Eventually, he convinces himself that Kurt is different from all other benders; that he understands what it's like to be a non-bender because of his inability to bend around others. He tells himself that Kurt would never hurt him, and thus justifies continuing to date him. He returns to the table and acts as if nothing is wrong.
They return from their date to see the Changs' bookstore roped off and filled with police officers. While they were out, Tarrlok's task force raided the bookstore and arrested all who were inside. The Changs, Beiste, and Tina were all imprisoned, and the store itself has been seized by the city as evidence.
Kurt naturally assumes from Blaine's horror that he and the Changs were innocent of any wrongdoing—Tarrlok's indiscriminate raids are common knowledge, and Kurt regards them as a miscarriage of justice. Kurt offers to let Blaine stay at his place until this mess is sorted out.
Thus, Blaine moves in with the Hudmels.
This is where Blaine's character development really begins. Being welcomed wholeheartedly into a mixed bending family kind of blows his mind. Though he is initially nervous around them, their kindness and warmth eventually get him to open up. He becomes friends with Finn, and chats with Carole about radio dramas, works with Burt in the tire shop (since he can't enroll in school mid-semester and he wants to do SOMETHING). His experiences with the Hudmels force him to look at benders differently.
Blaine and Kurt also continue to be googly-eyed around each other, though Burt warns them off too much hanky-panky.
Two weeks after he moves in, Kurt accidentally discovers a piece of Equalist paraphernalia in Blaine's room and confronts him. A blowout ensues. Kurt feels used. Did Blaine lie to him? Blaine swears that he was never an active Equalist, just a supporter, but Kurt sees no difference. Blaine wonders why Kurt is so afraid of the Equalists; he thought Kurt hated his bending. He's wrong; Kurt doesn't hate his bending and he certainly doesn't want to lose it. It's still a part of him. Kurt doesn't understand how Blaine could possibly think that taking part of someone is okay. Blaine thought that Kurt, of all people, would understand what it's like to be powerless in the face of people who want to hurt you.
Kurt asks if Blaine has been hurt, and Blaine digs into his things and pulls out some pictures; photos taken of his injuries at the hospital. Kurt looks at them in abject horror, as Blaine explains what happened to him and how he wound up with the Changs. Kurt is heartbroken on his behalf, but remains fervent in his stance that the Equalists are wrong. Blaine admits that living with Kurt's family has made him question a lot of things, and that he doesn't know what he believes anymore. This admission plants a seed of hope in Kurt's heart that Blaine can be 'saved' from his faulty beliefs. Thus, he agrees to keep Blaine's secret for the time being. Blaine is immensely grateful, and they have a make-up makeout session.
After this, Kurt and Blaine begin having regular discussions on the merits and faults of the Equalist movement. Through Kurt, Blaine comes to understand the many things bending means to those who possess it. He sees the good things that bending can do and the wonderful bending-based advancements that benefit everyone. Through Blaine, Kurt comes to understand the many obstacles faced by non-benders, the powerlessness and exclusion they feel from much of Republic City's culture. More jobs are open to benders, popular sports outright exclude non-benders, most major businesses have benders at the top, with non-benders forced to take more menial roles. Through each other, they both come to understand that this is a complex issue with no easy answers.
When Karofsky's harassment of Kurt hits a high point, Kurt confides to Blaine about him. Blaine offers to teach Karofsky a lesson in powerlessness, but Kurt doesn't want that. Blaine wishes that Kurt could at least defend himself with his firebending, but Kurt doesn't want to hurt anyone. Blaine thinks that he might not have to—simply being able to bend in Karofsky's presence be enough to deter him. Kurt explains why he can't; the fear is too powerful, the memories of his father twitching on the ground too real, and Blaine recognizes that Kurt has PTSD.
Blaine himself had PTSD after his attack, and would freeze up whenever he saw bending. Through counseling, therapy, and support from the Changs, Blaine was able to overcome most of his trauma triggers. Lightning is now his only real problem; his most vivid memory of the assault was Sebastian electrocuting him, and experiencing it again is his greatest fear. Because Blaine was able to overcome his trauma, he believes Kurt can as well, so he starts trying to help him using the techniques he used to overcome his own PTSD (real-world psychology techniques like exposure, desensitization, etc). Blaine encourages Kurt to talk about his trauma with people he trusts. He also encourages him to make a small flame and carry it out of the house with him, focusing on keeping it alive even when others are around, and doing it a little longer every day.
It takes a while, but eventually, when Karofsky comes up to harass him, Kurt focuses and calms himself and is able to light a flame. He holds it like a threat and warns Karofsky to back off; to his shock, it works. Karofsky nervously backs away and does not bother him for the rest of the day.
He gets home and excitedly confesses the whole incident to Blaine, who is overjoyed. At this point, Kurt realizes that Blaine just helped him get his bending back. The idea floors him. He asks Blaine why he would do that if he hates bending. Blaine quietly confesses that he doesn't hate it anymore. Kurt is perfect to him, and there is no part of him that Blaine can hate. Kurt asks him if that means what he thinks it does, and Blaine says yes – he no longer considers himself an Equalist. Both of them are near tears at this point, and Kurt is so happy that he kisses Blaine. Blaine kisses back harder than ever. That night, they make love for the first time, lost and tangled together, relishing in each other's heat and strength.
In the cuddling afterwards, Kurt sweetly kisses Blaine's scars and apologizes for what happened to him. Blaine says that the worst thing the benders did was take his sense of freedom and safety. The Equalists are taking the same from benders, which is why he no longer believes in them. Together, he and Kurt hold a ceremonial burning of his Equalist stuff, and Blaine vows never to support them again.
Kurt says that he believes non-benders deserve better treatment, and that he supports true equality; equal opportunity for everyone to be their best. He now sees his bending as a blessing to be used to help others, not a curse with which to hurt them. Kurt vows that he will never use his bending to harm or bully another person.
This is the end of the first act and the high point of the story, because we know that before it's over with, the world will make liars of them both.
ACT 2:
A couple weeks later, Blaine is fetching coffee for Burt when he runs into a familiar face: Mike Chang.
Turns out, Mike barely escaped Tarrlok's raid thanks to his Equalist training, and was forced to go into hiding. He thought Blaine was captured, and is overjoyed to see him. He gives Blaine a huge hug.
They sit down for coffee together. Mike reveals he has been working with Bryan Ryan's Equalist Cell to try and get his parents and Tina out of prison. During the raid, Tina was attacked by a waterbender and suffered a panic attack. Ever since, she has been quiet and downtrodden, stuttering so badly she can barely speak. Mike believes they are keeping her in the same cell block as benders, which would only worsen her anxiety.
His parents are both thin and tired-looking, and because of Tarrlok's increasing abuse of the justice system, it's unlikely they will be released any time soon. The prisons are becoming more and more crowded, and fights break out regularly. He is worried about Tina and his parents' safety; he wants Blaine to join him in helping to free them.
Blaine is torn. On the one hand, Mike is his best friend and more of a brother than his actual brother. The Changs were wonderful and made him feel like he was truly one of them. They helped him overcome his trauma and were always patient and kind. He owes them so much.
But he swore to Kurt he would never support the Equalists again, and he no longer believes in Amon's methods. He explains to Mike that he's only just gotten his life back in order and that he is living with his boyfriend and does not want to endanger his family (not mentioning they are benders). To his shock, Mike understands and doesn't blame Blaine. He thinks Blaine deserves a little slice of heaven after the hell he was put through. Blaine is immensely relieved.
Before they part, Mike asks him if he wants to finish the Gauntlet. He knows Blaine has it in him to complete it, and he was looking forward to seeing him try again. Blaine agrees to do it just for fun, as long as no one's around. Mike takes him to it, and Blaine successfully completes the course, thrilled that he has forgotten nothing. Mike gives him raucous applause—as does Bryan Ryan, who was secretly watching from the wings.
Bryan has always found Blaine's story particularly striking, and is happy to see him joining up. He offers Blaine a uniform, but Mike declines on his behalf, saying that Blaine just found safety and stability and that he deserves to keep it. Bryan Ryan accepts this, though he says that there is always a place for Blaine if he wants it. He hands Blaine the mask and says it's his whenever he needs it. Blaine thinks about throwing it away, but Mike encourages him to keep it as a reminder that the benders did not defeat him, and that he can do anything he sets his mind to.
Blaine gets Mike's contact info, and they part amicably. Blaine quietly stuffs the mask into the back of his closet and forgets about it.
Mere days later, the Hudmels are listening to the Pro-Bending Championship on the radio when Amon attacks the stadium.
The war has begun.
As Equalist activity escalates, the atmosphere in Republic City becomes more and more tense. Burt and Carole become fiercely protective of Finn and Kurt. Carole starts driving them to and from school rather than letting them walk. Burt insists they travel together and be wary of non-benders like that Rachel girl Finn has his eye on.
Blaine hopes that their attitude shifts will blow over, but things only get worse. Blaine comes into the shop one day to find that several people are missing; Burt fired them because he suspected they had Equalist leanings. Blaine is aghast. It's one thing to protect yourself, but it's quite another to attack someone's livelihood over their beliefs. Burt won't listen – as far as he's concerned, those people posed a threat to his family, and he's glad they're gone.
Carole starts petitioning the school board to expel the children of people with Equalist ties because they pose a security risk. Kurt tries to dissuade her, but his pleas fall on deaf ears – the Equalists are targeting young people and the fact that they went after the Avatar shows that no bender is safe.
Finn takes it upon himself to police the school and subjects non-bending students to fierce scrutiny. He refuses to see how similar this is to the bullying he used to do, no matter how much Kurt tells him. He talks trash about the Equalists more and more, and Burt and Carole do little to dissuade him. Blaine remains silent during this, though Kurt can tell it is causing him distress and usually tries to change the subject.
Eventually, both Blaine and Kurt get fed up with their family's behavior and call them out, trying to get them to see reason. Burt and Carole just dismiss them as kids who don't understand things; they don't know what it's like to be parents in a world that threatens their kids.
Finn, on the other hand, begins to suspect Blaine is secretly one of them.
You can see where this is going.
One day, while Blaine is out with Kurt, Finn searches through his room and finds the mask. When they get home, all three Hudmels are waiting for them outside. They accuse Blaine of being an Equalist. Blaine tries to explain himself, but they talk over him. Of course he is an Equalist. His family was arrested for being Equalists and are still in prison, meaning they must be guilty. He's always arguing about equality. They can't believe they didn't see it before. He lied to them, abused their hospitality and tried to corrupt their son.
Blaine just stands there as accusation after accusation is thrown at him. Kurt tries to calm everyone down, but all he does is make them yell louder. The argument escalates until Finn physically goes after Blaine and Kurt holds him back. Finn throws Kurt off so hard he accidentally earthbends at him. On pure instinct, Blaine chi-blocks him to stop the attack from hitting Kurt.
That moment seals his fate.
Blaine tries to apologize, but Carole waterblasts him into the street before he can open his mouth. Burt runs into the house to call the police while Carole chases Blaine off of her property and orders him to stay away from her family. Blaine now sees that there is no way to change their minds.
He runs away with nothing but the clothes on his back.
Kurt fucking loses it on his family, and they lose it right back. Did Kurt know the whole time? How could he keep that from them? Kurt didn't know when he invited Blaine in. They don't know what happened to him! They don't need to know – nothing excuses what the Equalists do to people. But Blaine wasn't an Equalist! He changed! He swore off the Equalists forever; they even burned all his Equalist stuff. Burt holds up the mask. Explain this. Kurt can't. It can't be Blaine's. Finn says they found it in his room. Kurt says that doesn't mean anything. Carole says it does – either he had it before and he hid it from Kurt, or he got it after he made his vow, meaning he broke it. Kurt insists that it can't be true, but he can't refute them. Burt hugs him. It's okay. They all thought he was a good kid. Blaine had everyone fooled.
Kurt carries the mask to his room, trying to think of another explanation. He can't.
He burns the mask.
The next day, Blaine calls him from a phone booth. He spent the night on the streets and he is very cold, can he come back now? Kurt asks him to explain the mask. Blaine says he got it from Mike. Kurt says he thought Mike was in prison. Blaine says he escaped capture and he's trying to free his family.
Kurt asks if Mike is an Equalist. Blaine pauses. Yes, Mike is an Equalist.
Kurt has heard enough. Blaine swore that he would never associate with them again. Blaine says he never thought he would see Mike again, and it's not like Blaine himself is an Equalist, Mike is like a brother to him, he can't just cut ties— but Kurt won't have it. As far as he's concerned, Blaine knows Mike is a criminal and a terrorist but refuses to turn him in, making him just as bad. Blaine pleads for forgiveness. Kurt refuses; Blaine broke his vow, lied to Kurt, and broke his heart.
He tells Blaine he never wants to see him again, and hangs up.
Blaine is stunned. He wanders the streets like the undead, unable to figure out how things went so wrong. He thought for sure Kurt would trust him.
Is Kurt right? Did he break his vow? Is he supporting the Equalists just by knowing Mike is free and not doing anything?
No. Blaine is not in the wrong here. They are. None of them would listen to him. None of them would even hear him out. They didn't care that he never did anything for the Equalists, they didn't care that he didn't support them anymore, they didn't care about him at all; the second they found that mask, they discarded him like trash. They decided his fate without even consulting him, just like his family used to do. Just like benders always have. He thought they loved him. He was wrong.
Two days later, he turns up angry and tearful on Mike's doorstep. Mike hugs him before he even speaks.
The Hudmels sit around the radio, sullen and silent. The news is bad. More Equalist attacks. Suspicions of Equalist activity. What to do if there are Equalists in your neighborhood. Equalists, Equalists, Equalists. Kurt cannot listen anymore. He excuses himself and walks upstairs.
Blaine, too, walks up a set of stairs.
Kurt steps into Blaine's old room. Blaine steps into a dark room full of people. Kurt walks over to Blaine's bed and falls on his knees. Blaine walks to the center of the room and kneels. Kurt finds Blaine's photographs under his bed; not his injury pictures, his happy ones. Blaine and the Changs, Blaine and Mike hanging out, Blaine smiling in the Chang family portrait as if he belonged there.
Blaine is not smiling as he swears loyalty to Amon. Bryan Ryan touches his forehead, symbolically opening his 'Light' chakra and dispelling all illusions.
Burt comes into the room and quietly places a hand on his son's shoulder.
Blaine rises. Mike runs into the circle and wraps him in a hug.
Kurt rises and hugs his father.
For different reasons, all of them are crying.
End of Act 2.
ACT 3:
Weeks later, the war has intensified. Tension and distrust between benders and nons is at an all-time high.
The Hudmels are remorseful. Kurt showed them Blaine's hospital photos and his story broke their hearts just as surely as it broke his own. Burt says even if he was an Equalist, they shouldn't have kicked him to the curb like that. He's just a kid.
Not much they can do about it now, though. He's gone, and they've got no way to get in touch.
And, Kurt thinks, thanks to me, he's not likely to get in touch with us.
Blaine is now a full-time Equalist, along with Mike. By day, they meet and befriend other Equalists. By night, they don masks and play all sorts of roles. Some nights they are thieves. Some nights they are liberators. Some nights they are saviors. Some nights they are honest-to-God terrorists.
They become whatever they have to be for the movement.
Blaine quickly becomes popular among the Equalists because of his kindness and charm. He listens well and is always supportive of others. He happily helps people with their problems, but always hides his own…
He still does not agree with the Equalists' methods. The violence and destruction make him sick to his stomach. He justifies it in many ways—I am only following orders, it has to be someone, I'm doing more good than bad, there is no other way, et cetera. He says this, but he does not know if he believes it.
He is worried about Mike. Mike seems to enjoy their work as Equalists. He has started hitting benders a little harder than he has to. He relishes the fear in their eyes when they see him. He says benders as if it is a filthy word, and regards them with disdain. He is still kind, friendly, and playful with Blaine, and people in general.
He just no longer views benders as people.
At school, Karofsky discovers that Kurt's threats are empty; he won't actually burn anyone, no matter what they do to him. His harassment has picked up tenfold, and Kurt no longer feels safe in school.
One day, Finn finds Kurt crying alone and finally gets the truth from him. Finn is incensed. Why didn't you tell mom and Burt? Because it won't help anything, please don't tell them.
Finn doesn't. Instead, he confronts Karofsky the next day and publicly challenges him to a fight. Puck (the Firebending Alpha-Bully) overhears this and decides to make it a public event, an Earthbending Agni-Kai. A venue is chosen. Tickets are sold. Bets are placed. Students jump on the distraction, eager to forget the growing conflict around them.
Kurt begs Finn to back out of it – the last time Finn got into a fight, he knocked the wall out of a house. The police let him off with a warning, but if he causes serious damage again, they will charge him. He will have a criminal record, forever barring him from his dream of becoming a cop. But the fight is public; if Finn backs out now, the entire student body will think of him as a loser. His reputation will be ruined. Kurt doesn't care about his reputation, he cares about his future – but Finn won't listen.
Finn heads to the fight. Kurt runs home and confesses everything. Burt and Carole admonish him for keeping secrets for so long, but they promise to get the Karofsky situation sorted out – right after they sort out Finn. They drive off to stop the fight, while Kurt stays at home.
Meanwhile, Mike has a surprise for Blaine – a bully bust. A source from a local school told him that three big bending bullies were gearing up for a fight nearby. Blaine has seemed down lately, and Mike wants to cheer him up. He knows Blaine hates bullies, and they need more bending prisoners anyway, so why not?
Blaine is touched. He and Mike head to the fight with the rest of their cell.
Karofsky and Finn prepare for battle in an abandoned parking lot. Puck is referee. Students cheer for them as the fight begins. Karofsky quickly gains an edge because Finn is trying so hard to be careful. Finn is on the verge of losing when suddenly, smoke bombs rain down around them. The Equalists are here. The crowd scatters, several of them running right into Equalist hands. Puck is taken down from behind. Karofsky and Finn work together to fend off the assault. Finn goes whole hog and his wild, uncoordinated bending causes so much chaos that the Equalists briefly consider fleeing.
Enter Blaine and Mike, dancing just out of reach in the smoke, teasing Finn and baiting him. His efforts to hit them quickly tire him out and Blaine moves in to take him down. The smoke obscures his face until Blaine has already paralyzed him.
A few feet away, Mike breaks Karofsky's arm and knocks him out.
Blaine can't believe it's Finn, even as he drags his unconscious body to the truck. He's trying to figure out a way to get him out of there when suddenly, there's the sound of squealing tires. Carole jumps out of the car, takes one look at the Equalists with her son, and goes full-on mama tsunami. Hell hath no fury like a waterbender protecting her kid. Not even Mike can get close enough to take her down—it's up to Bryan Ryan to hit her with a cheapshot tazer from behind and shock her into unconsciousness.
Upon seeing his wife go down, Burt tries to run them down with his car. They blind him with a flashbang and he crashes, knocking himself out.
Blaine can only watch as the Hudmels are bound, gagged, and carted off to prison.
Back at home, Kurt falls asleep on the couch waiting for his family to return.
Bryan Ryan HQ – an abandoned asylum in the mountains near Republic City, shut down by Avatar Aang in the last years of his life and reclaimed by the Equalists as a prison. The Hudmels are thrown in a cell block with dozens of other benders. Blaine tries to communicate through notes hidden in their food, but Finn keeps eating them, so he waits until no one is around and unmasks himself in front of them.
Shockingly, the Hudmels are happy to see him, but only because they expect he is there to set them free. He isn't – even if he wanted to, there's no way he could get them out of there right now. He promises they will not be harmed, and that they will be released after Amon arrives in a few weeks to 'cleanse' them. Finn is immediately sick. Carole comforts him while looking unsettled herself. Burt just sighs and asks him to at least tell Kurt they're alright.
Blaine assents.
The next morning, Kurt awakens to a mysterious phone call from a disguised voice. 'Your family is safe. They will be released after the cleansing. Do not look for them.' And then silence. Kurt starts at terror and winds up well past fury. He knows good and well what the 'cleansing' is and he refuses to let his family be victims of it.
He goes to the police station and demands answers, but they've got a hundred missing persons cases as it is, so Kurt starts going after the Equalists themselves. He asks enough of the wrong questions to the wrong people to get some bad attention, and Blaine learns that an Equalist hit squad has been sent to bring him in. Blaine only just manages to call and warn him before they strike.
Kurt is ambushed at his home. He tries to escape, but there are too many. He has no choice but to break his taboo and use his bending. He fights through them by shorting out their electrical weapons and escapes capture for the time being.
He holes up in his father's garage and tries to figure out who his mysterious caller is, almost immediately coming to the obvious conclusion.
The next time Blaine calls, Kurt says his name, and he immediately hangs up.
So now Blaine has to keep everyone safe. Kurt, the Hudmels, himself… it's a tall order. Finn in particular seems determined to foil him – he picks this moment to finally get good enough at metalbending to blow the door off his cell and make a break for it. He is beaten and zapped into a drooling mess and fastened to the wall with platinum chains. For a moment, Blaine is scared he may have permanent damage, but he recovers.
Kurt continues his search, and Blaine finds numerous ways to warn him of attacks. After enough close calls, Bryan Ryan suspects a mole. Plans are discussed in greater secrecy, and Blaine realizes he can't continue to play this game. He calls Kurt one last time and sets up a meeting.
Bryan Ryan overhears this, having bugged the phone lines. When he reveals to the others that Blaine is the mole, Mike is heartbroken. He insists that Blaine is a true believer, that he's just confused, being led astray by love. (Blaine didn't really tell him his boyfriend was a bender, but it wasn't hard to figure it out) Bryan Ryan decides to follow Blaine to this meeting and see where his loyalties lie.
And now we're back at the introduction. Forced to choose between loyalty and love, Blaine doesn't see it as a choice at all—the Changs and the Equalists picked up the pieces when his world was destroyed. Kurt showed him a wonderful new world, but then turned around and kicked him out of it. Blaine still loves him, but he can't turn his back on the Equalists. He tried to warn him. He tried to make him see. Kurt just wouldn't listen to him. It's not his fault.
That's what he tells himself.
They fight. It's fast and furious – Kurt is good, but he isn't used to fighting, and Blaine has no gadgets for him to short out. Blaine quickly gets the upper hand, until out of desperation, Kurt draws some electricity out of a shattered light fixture and Blaine completely freezes. Of course. Electricity. Lightning. Blaine is scared to death of lightning. He can't move. All Kurt has to do is let the power flow through him, and he could take Blaine out right now.
He wants to. Blaine deserves it.
But he can't. His heart isn't in it.
He lets the electricity drop. Blaine shakes it off and moves to take him down.
Mike beats him to it. He throws Kurt down and screams at him for using Blaine's phobia against, for abusing his trauma for personal gain. Blaine watches in horror as Mike slams Kurt's head into the ground and knocks him out. He stands there, numb, as Mike runs over and hugs him, tells him it's okay, he's safe, they're not going to hurt him anymore. Mike comforts him. Mike thinks he's afraid.
He is. But not of Kurt.
Back at prison, Kurt's head looks bad. Blaine begs for them to let a waterbender heal him. He's worried about a concussion. The others ask why. Blaine says they're not here to maim or kill benders, just to bring them down a peg. They let Carole heal Kurt, saving him from brain damage. Burt quietly weeps and rocks his unconscious son as Carole strokes his back. Finn calls Blaine the lowest piece of dirt he's ever seen.
Blaine does not argue with him.
Mike does. He says they abused Blaine, took him in and tried to corrupt him, turn him against his own family. Without even meaning to, he uses the same accusations as the Hudmels when they kicked Blaine out. It's a sobering moment.
Blaine is accepted back into the fold, though it feels hollow and hateful in his chest. The Hudmels will no longer speak to him. Kurt gives him nothing but frosty silence. He tries everything. Apologizing. Accusing. Lashing out. Begging and pleading. None of it works. They regard him only with sad disappointment.
Days before Amon's scheduled arrival, Bryan Ryan announces a change of plans. They intend to keep the prisoners after Amon cleanses them and use them as hostages to negotiate a prisoner exchange. Mike is overjoyed; they can finally get Tina and his family out of prison! Blaine is confused; what will they do with the prisoners if their demands are refused?
Bryan Ryan just smiles at him and tells him not to worry about it.
Blaine feels sick. He goes to the Hudmels and admits he is lost, he has always been lost. He doesn't know what to do or how to help them, he is truly sorry, he didn't have a choice—
And that's when Kurt speaks to him again, looking up and saying the same thing he said before: you have always had a choice, and you still have one. You just need to be brave enough to make it.
Blaine leaves their cell and wanders around the asylum in deep thought. He winds up in an observation room overlooking the cell block, and there he sees it; an emergency release switch. It was installed in case of fire, and allows for every cell in the block to be opened at once.
The circuit has been disconnected. It no longer works.
But Blaine knows who can fix that.
It takes him only moments to decide. He has to do this. Not for the Equalists. Not for the Hudmels. Not for Mike, or even Kurt.
For himself. For what is right.
He goes to Bryan Ryan and tells him that he wasn't betraying the Equalists - he was trying to save Kurt from his bending. He tells Kurt's story, explaining why Kurt could not strike him with the electricity. Bryan Ryan is thrilled – he sees Kurt as a kindred spirit, and immediately seeks to evangelize to him the wonders of Amon. On a silent cue from Blaine, Kurt pretends to be enraptured and seriously interested in giving up his bending by choice. His family is horrified, and will not stop yelling at him. Eventually, Bryan Ryan tires of them and orders Kurt to be taken out of the cell so they can talk privately.
Once he is out of the cell, Blaine walks beside him as they follow Bryan Ryan. He explains his plan. Kurt is shocked. Will it really work? Blaine doesn't know, but it's worth a try. Kurt wonders why the sudden change of heart. Blaine says his heart never changed, it just woke up. Kurt reminded him of who he truly is, and he can't do this anymore. He should never have joined; he only did it because he was so angry at the world, and he thought Kurt hated him. Kurt is stunned. He doesn't hate Blaine. He never did, even when they were fighting. Blaine apologizes. Kurt apologizes. They were both fools.
At the right moment, Blaine and Kurt make a break for the observation room. Kurt dashes in and completes the circuit with his bending.
Mike runs into the room just in time to see Blaine flip the switch and release every bender in the prison at once. All hell breaks loose. Mike immediately goes for Kurt, but Blaine intercepts him and tells Kurt to go find his family. Kurt doesn't want to leave Blaine. Blaine reminds Kurt about his father's heart condition, and off he goes.
Mike stares at him with tears in his eyes. Why? I trusted you. I defended you. I loved you like a brother, we all did!
Blaine shakes his head. This is wrong, and Mike should know that.
No, the benders are wrong, the way they treat us, that's wrong!
Maybe, but two wrongs don't make a right. The Equalists aren't helping.
You're delusional. He's bending your thoughts!
No, the Equalists are. They're poisoning our souls! Look at yourself, look at how you've changed!
You're the only one who's changed. You'd betray me, mom, dad, everyone who loved and supported you, all for a bender?
No, Mike. For me.
Blaine begs Mike to see reason. He knows Mike isn't like this.
Mike shakes his head. Blaine doesn't know him at all. And apparently, he doesn't know Blaine, either. They're no better than strangers to each other now. 'Blaine' is just another name on his list.
Blaine asks, What list?
Mike breaks a loose piece of pipe off the wall. The list of people benders took away from me.
And then he attacks.
FINAL CHAPTER – The Death of an Equalist
The scene is chaotic; a prison riot of Equalists vs. Benders below, a battle between former best friends and brothers above.
Kurt and the Hudmels lead the charge of the benders. They are strong, but the Equalists have numbers and technology on their side. Carole breaks the pipes to spray the Equalists and freeze them. Finn folds metal doors onto his fists and starts smacking people around. Kurt shorts out anything electrical, though he can't just short out the mechatanks; they're too well insulated.
Burt finds a piece of railing and holds it threateningly.
Meanwhile, Mike pretty much beats the crap out of Blaine. His betrayal has pushed him over the edge in a big way, and Mike is holding nothing back. He screams at Blaine. We gave you everything. Mom and dad gave you everything, and you threw them away! Blaine can't match Mike for raw speed and power, but he is crafty, and he knows Mike's weak point. He ends up the same place he did in Chapter 3 – clinging onto Mike's back, just out of his reach. He hopes this will end the fight, but he underestimates how unstable Mike is right now.
Mike regards Blaine as the only good thing he has left, the one thing he didn't fail to protect. His betrayal makes Mike an utter failure; without Blaine, he has no one at all.
So when Blaine climbs on his back, Mike responds by throwing himself off a railing and trying to kill them both.
Blaine just barely grabs the railing with one hand and Mike with the other as they dangle above the riot. Mike is slipping. Blaine begs for someone to catch him. Mike tells him to let go. Blaine refuses.
Kurt springs into action and orders several benders to form a human safety net. They do, and Blaine drops Mike into their waiting arms. At this point, Mike's mind is literally blown. He just tried to kill Blaine. Benders just saved his life. He is living in pineapple upside-down world.
He has to sit down for a moment.
The fighting between benders and Equalists picks up again, but something interrupts them.
Bryan Ryan announces over the PA system that he would rather die than fail Amon, so he's headed to the basement to detonate the gas tanks and kill them all because fuck benders. BryRy disappears behind a thick metal door, and the power goes out.
Oh, shit.
Everyone's priorities shift, big time. They band together to try to get through the door, but it's reinforced platinum. The Equalists retrofitted the basement to act as a bunker in case of a bender assault. The door is electric; without power, it won't open, and there's no other way in. Not even the earthbenders can get down there, and there is enough gas stored in the bunker to blow this entire place sky high.
They're all going to die.
Just when panic threatens to overtake them, Mike jumps up and takes command. He says that it'll probably take some time for BryRy to reach the gas tanks and set them off. They need to work together to escape. The crowd is incredulous. Equalists and benders? Mike rolls his eyes. Yes, unless you all want to be equally dead!
It's hard to argue with that logic. The water and firebenders work together to cut a hole in the wall so they can head outside where there's more elements to work with. Everyone floods into the courtyard and starts trying to force open the giant platinum gate.
Everyone except Kurt and Blaine, that is. Blaine grabs Kurt and pulls him aside. Kurt has crazy electrical skills; Blaine thinks he can open the door so he can stop Bryan Ryan directly. Kurt is shocked. You'd rather go down into the basement with the crazy man than help escape? Blaine is adamant. If I stop him from detonating the gas tanks, we don't have to worry about escaping. Kurt agrees, and insists on coming with him. Blaine tries to argue, but Kurt reminds him that only he can open the door, and they don't have time to fight.
Blaine grabs an Equalist battery and Kurt siphons its energy into the door. They manage to push it open and head down to the basement together
Outside, the EqualBender alliance tries to open the gate, but it's slow-going. Mike realizes that even if they do open it and get away, an explosion this high on the mountain could trigger an avalanche. Hundreds of people could be in danger. They need to be warned.
So Mike heads to the communications tower to make a phone call to the RCPD. Other Equalists stop him. What is he doing? Doesn't he know he's about to blow their cover? Mike doesn't care. Blaine was right—this has gone too far, and Mike is as responsible as anyone. Those people down there are more important than our secrecy. We're not in this to kill people.
The others realize he is right, and allow him to try to make the call. He can't. The phone is dead. When BryRy took out the power, he took out the phone as well. Mike curses, but another Equalist realizes the phone line is not beyond repair. With the help of the Hudmels and a few other benders, they are able to reconnect the phones and send out a warning. Police airships rise up from the city and start heading towards them as evacuation messages are broadcast over the radio to all in the path of a potential avalanche.
Down in the pitch-black basement bunker, Bryan Ryan curses himself for forgetting to bring a flashlight. This was kind of a spur-of-the-moment decision. He fumbles around in the dark until he finds the generator they keep down there for emergencies and activates it, turning on the basement lights. He is headed for the gas tanks when Kurt and Blaine arrive to stop him.
A fight ensues. Bryan Ryan has skills and weapons aplenty. His chi-blocking could disable Kurt's bending, and his various electrical gadgets could take down Blaine with ease. Fortunately, the dynamic duo's weaknesses are each other's strengths. Blaine is a skilled enough chi-blocker to intercept most of his strikes, and Kurt can fry any electrical device he tries to use. By switching places and remaining flexible, they manage to keep BryRy on the ropes. Eventually, he gets frustrated and ends the fight by throwing down a flashbang and running off. The blinding light and noise only stuns them for a moment, but that moment is all that BryRy needs to climb in and crank up his mechatank (because of course they have one of those down there).
Now it's Kurt and Blaine vs. BryRy's mechatank. Neither of them can penetrate the tank's armor and harm it directly. Blaine thinks he might be able to take out the engine, but he needs to get close, and he can't do that if the mechatank can see him. Kurt turns his firebending to its brightest setting and uses it to blind and confuse BryRy, while Blaine dashes in, climbs up, and drops smoke bombs down the mechatank's smoke stacks.
The bombs fill the cabin with smoke and cause the engine to burst into flames, but it's not enough to stop the tank. BryRy, blinded and coughing, immediately goes crazy and starts blindly ramming everything in the basement, hoping to hit the gas tanks and set them off.
Blaine realizes they've just made him more dangerous than ever. They have to stop him! Can Kurt drain the battery? Kurt says no. The circuits are insulated, and even if they weren't, draining it would take too long. It would be faster to overload it, but he needs a power source. Blaine points him to the generator. Kurt says it might not work if he can't hit the circuits directly. Blaine says he knows how to expose them. He runs for the robot and Kurt runs for the generator.
Blaine jumps onto the back of the flaming mecha and climbs up to pull at the plate protecting the circuits. Try as he might, he can't pull it off.
Kurt is at the generator and ready for action. He's just waiting for Blaine to open the circuits and get clear.
BryRy hits a wall and cracks the cockpit window, allowing the smoke to start escaping the cabin.
Blaine keeps pulling at the circuit protector, but he can't pull it off. He can, however, hold it open…
Kurt yells at him to hurry.
The smoke in the cabin clears. Now able to see the gas tanks, Bryan Ryan begins lining up for his final charge, clearly in the ninth circle of crazy.
Blaine realizes they are out of time. He tells Kurt to shoot them now.
Kurt is horrified. He'll hit Blaine. He has to get off.
Blaine shakes his head. He can't. He has to hold the plate open. There's no other way.
Kurt can't.
BryRy charges his flaming mecha towards the gas tanks, screaming the glory of Amon.
Blaine says he loves Kurt. He never stopped. They have to do this now.
Kurt knows. He never stopped either. He puts his hand on the generator, just like he did the battery all those years ago. The energy climbs up his arm.
Blaine closes his eyes, remembering the buzz of electricity and Sebastian's words, you brought this on yourself. He smiles, knowing that this time, he's right.
Kurt unleashes the energy and Blaine screams as he is electrocuted. The mechatank's circuits explode, and it lurches violently off course, crashing face-down a few yards shy of the gas tanks. Blaine is thrown from the wreck and lands in a heap a few feet away.
The generator burns out, and the basement goes dark.
Kurt stumbles through the blackness to the flaming wreck of the mechatank, the only light left. He sees Blaine, silent and horribly still, barely within reach of the firelight. There is steam coming off his body.
Kurt goes to him. Calls his name. Shakes him over and over. Blaine, please. Blaine, wake up. Blaine, I'm so sorry…
No answer.
The sprinklers activate. Bryan Ryan lies still in the flaming wreckage, unconscious or dead, Kurt doesn't care. He pulls Blaine's limp body close to him, shielding him from the water as the fire dies and the lights go down.
Back out on the surface, they finally manage to pry the gate open, only to have the entire complex suddenly stormed by metalbending cops. The scene descends into chaos, with cops going after Equalists, benders defending them, cops confusedly arresting benders, and a great deal of general yelling and running.
In the insanity, Burt realizes he doesn't know where Kurt is. He hasn't seen him since the break-out. He stumbles around calling his name, but there is so much sound and confusion that he can't be heard over the din. He grabs an officer. Where is my son? I need to find my son.
Please, sir, calm down.
No, you don't understand, MY SON! Where is—
And suddenly, the sky is split by lightning, the air rippling with thunder. A single bolt strikes – not from the sky, but from a boy. Every voice is silenced. Every eye turns to the source of the storm. Kurt's fingers are still outstretched as he shouts for help. Pleads for it. Please, someone help him, he needs help, he needs medical attention, you have to…
Burt doesn't know who he's talking about until he sees the body at his son's feet, and his heart breaks.
Mike is led away in handcuffs, perfectly cooperative until he sees him. Then, he is like a man possessed, running and struggling and trying to reach him, screaming nonsense. No, not him, anyone but him, this isn't fair, he was the good one, he doesn't deserve this, not him…
The officers are forced to subdue him.
The Hudmels gather around Kurt in a protective huddle, watching helplessly as Blaine is placed on a stretcher and carried away.
EPILOGUE:
It is weeks later. The Hudmels sit in a hospital room. The figure on the bed is almost unrecognizable as Blaine.
They take turns talking to him.
Finn says he's sorry he called Blaine dirt, and even sorrier he treated him like it. He didn't deserve that. No one does, especially not someone as brave as Blaine. Blaine is probably the bravest dude he's ever met. He wishes Blaine would wake up so he can tell him that.
Burt tells him that the whole Equalist thing is over. The Avatar kicked Amon's ass and exposed him as a fraud. It's downright cruel that after everything Blaine went through, Amon was just another lying bender using him for his own ends. Makes Burt's blood boil.
Carole tells him that people are finally being released from prison. All the innocent people held as Equalists will be out soon, including the Changs. Not Mike, though. Mike was a for-real Equalist. He's being held for trial and will be expected to answer for the crimes he committed, like all the others. Like Blaine unfortunately will be, if he ever wakes up...
Kurt throws his magazine against the wall. It's not fair. Nothing has changed. Not a damn thing is different now – the system that chewed up and spat out Blaine and everyone like him is still in place, more smug and self-assured than ever thanks to the illegitimacy of Amon.
Burt tries to calm him down, but Kurt won't have it.
It's stupid. They were just standing up for themselves. Amon didn't bloodbend them all into submission – he seized on a sentiment that had been building since Republic City's founding. And now, thanks to him, that sentiment will be shoved back underground and forgotten about until it explodes again. Nothing changed. They all believed in Amon, and in the end, he just made all of their lives worse.
Blaine's nurse comes in from where she was listening by the door. She says that's the risk you take sometimes. Anytime you stand up for someone, people are going to tell you to sit down. It's hard to know when you should ignore them and when you should listen.
Kurt just sighs. It isn't fair.
The nurse smiles at him as she changes Blaine's IV bags. Life never is.
Burt asks her if there's been any change in his prognosis. There hasn't. The doctors still don't know when, or even if, he will wake up. But she thinks they shouldn't be so down on everything. Things might not be as bad as you think.
Kurt says he doesn't see how. She just tells him to trust her and gives him a wink.
As she leaves, Kurt gets the strangest feeling he's seen her before. Is this the same hospital Blaine was in before? He swears that nurse was in some of Blaine's pictures, but she's gone before he can ask her.
The sun is setting when the Hudmels leave, miserable and forlorn, but with every intention of coming back next week. They figure they owe the poor, screwed-up kid that much, at least. He might have put them in that prison, but he turned around and gave everything he had to get them out, so it's hard to hold it against him. He was a good kid, in the end. They were right about him the first time.
On the way home, they have to stop for gas. Kurt mans the pump while the others head inside for snacks. It isn't until they are gone that he recognizes the man pumping gas across from him. Mr. Chang?
Mr. Chang looks up in shock. He seems to remember Kurt from the bookstore. He asks how Kurt is doing, but Kurt just turns the question around on him. He didn't know they were already free from prison. Have they visited Blaine?
Mr. Chang looks uneasy. They have. It was… difficult
Kurt asks him if he and his wife are okay, if they got their bookstore back.
Mr. Chang says they are fine, and that the bookstore was returned to them, though he wound up selling it anyway.
Kurt asks why.
Mr. Chang says he feels Republic City is not the best environment for his family at the moment.
Kurt wonders who he is talking about. His wife is the only one he has left. His son is in prison and Blaine is…
And then he looks over to the car and sees them in the backseat.
He nearly drops the gas pump.
Blaine is asleep, Mike holding him in a protective one-armed hug, his own eyes on his mother in the store.
Mr. Chang realizes his slip of the tongue has pretty much blown his cover. He begs Kurt not to tell anyone.
Kurt is incredulous. They just visited Blaine in the hospital, he's in a coma, how could they just steal him like that, don't they know how dangerous that is?
Mr. Chang shushes him and admits that Blaine is not in a coma. The boy they visited in the hospital is another coma patient who has been there a long time. They put him in place of Blaine so they could escape with him.
Kurt gapes. So they just spent two hours in the hospital saying nice things to a complete stranger?
Mr. Chang winces. Unfortunately, yes. He is sorry for the deception.
Kurt just sighs and looks at Blaine. He asks if he is okay.
Mr. Chang says he is. He is very tired and very weak, but they believe he will make a full recovery, given time. He is a strong boy.
Kurt smiles. Yes, he is.
Mr. Chang looks conflicted for a moment, before asking Kurt if he would like to speak to Blaine.
Kurt's eyes widen. Now?
Mr. Chang nods. Yes, now.
Kurt looks towards the gas station. His family seems to be embroiled in a deeply philosophical argument over what brand of pork rinds to get. Mrs. Chang waits behind them in line, thoroughly unamused.
Kurt then looks back at Blaine, gives a wan smile and shakes his head. Let him sleep.
Mr. Chang looks at him sadly. Are you sure? This… may be your last chance to speak for a while.
Kurt is about to ask him what he means when it hits him. Both of the boys in the backseat are criminals in the eyes of Republic City. If they stay here, they are likely to be tried and imprisoned purely to satisfy public outcry against the Equalists. They could go to jail for years. The only hope they have for any kind of normal, happy life is to leave this place and never look back.
Mr. Chang is asking him to say goodbye.
Kurt shakes his head and says he hates goodbyes. It would only make it harder for both of them. Let him rest. He deserves it.
Mr. Chang gives him a sad smile. He wishes more benders – no, more people were like Kurt. The world would be a better place for all of them.
Kurt smiles. He could say the same about Blaine.
They finish refueling at around the same time. As he puts up the pump, Mike spots him from the back seat. He looks shocked. Kurt gives him a smile. Mike gives him a questioning look and points to Blaine. Kurt purses his lips and shakes his head. After a moment, Mike gets it, giving him a solemn nod and rubbing Blaine's shoulder.
The Hudmels return with three different brands of pork rinds. Mrs. Chang is right behind them. Kurt gives her a friendly wave. She, too, looks shocked, but not unhappy to see him.
Both families pack into their cars. Kurt finds himself in the back passenger side seat, staring at the slumbering Blaine through the window. As Mr. Chang cranks his car, Blaine is stirred by the vibrations. He blinks like a newborn opening his eyes for the first time, and Kurt nearly chokes on his own heart when he turns his bleary eyes right towards him.
Blaine opens his mouth to speak, but Kurt holds a finger to his lips to shush him. Blaine gives him a confused, miserable look. Heaven help him, he can barely hold his head up, but he wants to talk to Kurt so badly.
Kurt gives him a wobbly smile.
Blaine mouths I love you.
Kurt answers by lighting a small flame on two fingers and holding it up for Blaine to see.
Blaine tearfully returns his smile.
Their families drive off, and the boys go their separate ways.
As the Hudmels head home, Burt asks if Kurt knew the people at the gas station.
Kurt says yes. They're good people.
He knows he'll tell them the truth soon; no reason for them to continue to visit a stranger who can't actually hear them, after all. But for now, he will keep his thoughts to himself.
He wonders what it would've been like, him and Blaine. Maybe in a different world, they could've been together. Maybe in a different time, they will. But for now… it simply wouldn't have worked between them.
Love only works between equals, and in Republic City, that's exactly what they are not.
As they pass Yue Bay, Kurt looks out at Air Temple Island and prays for perhaps the first time in his life. Avatar Korra, I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can, please understand that the city is still broken. Defeating Amon didn't change that. There is something toxic here that desperately needs to be addressed, but I believe you can do it. You can show us how to use our powers responsibly. You can show us how to live in harmony. You can bring balance to this city, I know you can. If my family can be fixed, then this city can be fixed. I believe in you, Avatar Korra.
Please don't let me down.
The Hudmels drive home, and the sun sets on Republic City.
THE END
Jesus H.R. Puffnstuf, even my summaries are obscenely long. :O Well, there you have it. That's everything I had planned for this story. Sorry I couldn't finish it for you. :-/
Here's hoping the next 3 Books of Korra explore this issue in more detail, or at least acknowledge it. I suppose I'll be watching either way. :P