As Korra guided him through the Spirit World, Darth Vader felt supercharged with the Force. Indeed, this was another plane of existence, much like Mortis. But in some ways, it was even stranger. Instead of three beings embodying different aspects of the Force, there were many strange creatures and formless spirits. All of them were afraid of Vader and ran away when he approached. Eventually, he came across an anomaly that intrigued him. Looking closer, he saw that he could see places on the physical part of Elementia, including the Fire Nation Royal Palace. He then realized that he could use the Spirit World to communicate with the people there. Korra understood that the only way to reason with them was through intimidation. She stood by as he meditated and began to project himself into the Fire Nation palace.
Izumi was smiling as her daughter Mizuki rushed up to her father, who'd just walked through the door. Bumi gave her a tight hug with a kind smile, while Izumi smiled at her son, Iroh. As Iroh went up to his grandparents, Izumi looked at her husband. He looked more tired than before, as if his brother's failed effort to return the Avatar had affected him more than she initially thought.
"I'm sorry, Izumi," he said. "For over a year, I have known a secret and kept it from you." She was shocked upon hearing that. After their separation, they'd promised to keep no secrets from each other, as hiding their feelings over their shared trauma the Obsidian Knight inflicted had caused them to drift apart. "Kya, Tenzin, and I, we just decided it had to be secret," Bumi explained. "We told ourselves that it would cause chaos, that it would hurt many people. But in truth, we were afraid to say it out loud, as doing so would make it true."
"Make what true?" Izumi asked.
"That the man who killed my father will return, with the Avatar by his side," Bumi told his wife. The Fire Lord was stunned silent, she hadn't thought such a thing was possible. At that exact moment, her son was informing his grandparents of something similar.
"We didn't find Korra inside the portal," he informed his grandmother Jin. "Instead, we encountered someone we hoped to never see again."
"Who?" asked his grandfather Zuko, sounding surprisingly nervous.
"The man who killed Uncle Lee and maimed you," he answered, before looking to his grandfather's metallic leg. Both Zuko and Jin were shocked at the mention of the man who killed their son before maiming the former Fire Lord. They followed their daughter and her husband into a private room within the palace, while Mizuki went to practice her Firebending alongside her big brother. "Dad can explain it better," Iroh said to his grandparents as he followed his sister to the training room. As his wife and her parents looked at him, Bumi began with Korra's disappearance.
"It started with Tenzin's argument with Tonraq," he explained. "The Earthbender, Bolin, he'd blurted out a story Senna told him while he was hiding from Eska."
"What story, and what does this have to do with...him?" Jin asked, referencing the murderer of her son.
"A few days before he came to Air Temple Island, he-" Bumi was interrupted by the fireplace spontaneously lighting up. The flames and embers blew upward into the shape of a man, then they solidified into the appearance of the Obsidian Knight, wreathed in flame and roughly the same size as he was in person. All while the sound of mechanical breathing echoed throughout the room.
"So, you have stopped keeping secrets, Commander," the apparition said to Bumi in the Knight's voice. He then motioned his hand and all four of the people in front of him were frozen in place. "I have no interest in any of you running or fighting back against my projection. I shall speak and you shall listen." Bumi grit his teeth as he tried to free himself, but the grip was too strong. Zuko, his wife Jin, and Izumi were also frozen in place but looked at the apparition with a mixture of horror and contempt. "My name is Darth Vader, and I am the highest enforcer of law and order throughout the universe."
"I doubt that," Zuko growled to the man who killed his son.
"Chief Tonraq and Lady Senna don't," Vader retorted. "I had to return to my home as soon as I could, but I still found the time to rescue them from the cadre of bandits trying to ransom them. I also informed them that Unalaq would one day try to kill them, just as he killed his father. It would appear my prediction came true." Bumi's wife and in-laws were surprised to hear that and looked to him in silence.
"It's true, he is technically innocent of what happened in the North Pole," the retired commander confirmed. "He also convinced the Avatar's parents that he's a good guy because he saved them and warned Tonraq about his brother. They've embraced his claims of being a cop in the hopes he will return their daughter to them."
"Because I will," Vader stated. "Your brother tried his hand at using the crystal because he was afraid I would find her and turn her to my side. I was forced to teach you the same lesson I taught on your island, so many years ago."
"What lesson?!" Izumi spoke up, angered at this apparition.
"That none of you can stand against me," Vader retorted. "Your brother thought differently, which is why I killed him. Still, I am not a monster, it wasn't necessary to kill the rest of you, so I did not." He then turned to face Bumi. "I understand what it's like to lose a parent. The urge to slaughter those responsible, and all their affiliates. I didn't begrudge you, your siblings, and the policewoman for rejecting my offer on Yavin. It is why I settled for sending you home, with the Airbender children and Ms. Sato." The apparition paused before continuing. "But it's clear reason won't win you over. So, I am forced to resort to instilling fear to maintain order."
"Maybe you are a policeman, then," Jin grit her teeth at her son's murderer. "Just like the Dai Li, who intimidated all of us Lower Ringers into pretending the war didn't exist."
"Or my father's home guard," her husband Zuko added. "Attacking anyone who disagreed with the official narrative of the war."
"Don't be foolish," Vader replied. "I'm not here to force lies down your throat. I appear before you now so that you understand the truth: no matter where you or I are, I can kill you." He then shifted his hands, and several pieces of silverware flew out of their drawers. The knives and forks then pressed themselves against his captive audience's necks. "I have found the Avatar, and Korra is far more reasonable than Aang. She appreciates what I have to offer, and after we are done here, I will help her speak to her parents. One day soon, I will return to your world, with the Avatar by my side. I promised her that I wouldn't kill any of her loved ones, but she won't fault me for defending myself. And if her mentor's foolish brother loses his hands because he attacked me, she will feel nothing." The apparition dissipated, and the four were free to move again, reflecting in horror at the experience.
Daric LaRone fastened his armor as he and the rest of his squad, the Elemental Hand, prepared for their final test. They would be facing a substantial group of Earthbending bandits who'd taken the Northern Air Temple as their stronghold.
"At last, a worthy challenge for us," Director Krennic stated as he donned his cape, while his Death Trooper squad readied their weapons. Quiller would fly the Elemental Fist and deploy their team at each of the entry points. Krennic would deploy alongside Captain Avarik, the highest ranked Death Trooper, at the north entrance. Grave would be deployed alongside Brightwater at the southern entrance. Marcross would enter the east with Sergeant Tarl, and LaRone would enter the west with Baatar in his mech. Quiller would fly above, with Kuvira and the other four Death Troopers onboard, staying in reserve until called for. The other Imperial Benders were on the ground to cut off any escape.
Krennic went first, using his Firebending to guide him down to the landing spot, while Avarik rappelled down via cable. Grave and Brightwater used their respective Fire and Airbending to glide down to their entrance, while Marcross Waterbent a slide down for herself and Tarl. LaRone leapt out, using his jetpack to slow his descent, and then landed hard, sending an Earthbending wave smashing into the bandits. Baatar landed his own Mech, complete with a helmet modeled after a stormtrooper's, crushing a biplane before its pilot could get in. Then, he blasted the pilot with the Mech's flamethrower, setting the bandit aflame. LaRone quickly Metalbent the broken plane's pieces around himself for an extra coat of armor and fired his rifle at three Earthbenders charging his way. As they didn't understand what he was doing, each of them was hit with a blaster bolt. Rapidly moving forward with his Earthbending, LaRone shot the one still alive, ending his misery, while Baatar hit another group with a rocket he fired from his Mech, killing three. Forming a spike, LaRone Earthbent it through another bandit before shooting his partner in the face. The Earthbending Stormtrooper and the Mech quickly charged down the large hallway they found themselves in front of.
Grave rocketed down with his Firebending before unslinging his Z-6 chaingun, firing a quick succession of blaster bolts at his targets. Of the fifteen in front of Grave, only three of the Earthbending bandits managed to jump out of the way or shield themselves. Of the shielded ones, one's armor was pierced by the rapid firing of Grave's weapon and her arm was blown off. She was quickly hit by another blast, quickly killing her. Grave's partner, the Scout Trooper Brightwater, put her Airbending to good use, as well. Darting around the battlefield, she utilized an Electrostaff to direct her Airbending attacks, knocking seven off their feet. Before they could recover, she blew two off the mountain into the canyon below and shot three more with her DL-44 pistol. The last of Brightwater's foes sprang up, only to be stabbed in the chest by the Electrostaff before he could counterattack. With their foes dispatched, the Fire and Airbending Stormtroopers charged into the temple before them.
As Sasha Marcross landed at her destination, the Shoretrooper covered the floor in front of her with ice, allowing the Waterbender to skate across it at her opponents. She opened fire with her E-22, the signature double-barreled rife of the Shoretroopers, gunning down eight bandits. Seeing a ninth, Marcross Waterbent a spike and sent it flying through the last one's throat. Tarl, the Death Trooper, hung back and fired into a darkened hallway, his night vision spotting several adversaries hiding in the darkness, all four falling to his DLT-19 heavy blaster rifle. At the same time, Krennic and Avarik landed at their own entrance, the Director readying his Firebending while his bodyguard drew his E-11D carbine. Krennic quickly blasted through the Earthbent armor the bandits encased themselves in before him, sending them flying. The Death Trooper quickly shot several before they could get back up.
As the four pairs had entered the temple at nightfall, they switched on the night vision within their helmets, while LaRone also used his seismic sense to better see in front of him. Krennic had brought a pair of goggles to help him see, while Baatar had equipped his mech with night vision. The bandits couldn't hide from the Imperials and were quickly shot with blaster bolts, while the Imperials easily defended themselves with their own bending. Within twenty minutes, they had swept the majority of the Air Temple, driving the remaining bandits to flee. But as the terrified Earthbending outlaws ran down the mountain, stormtroopers emerged from hiding and unleashed their own offensive. Overwhelmed by all four styles of bending, the remaining bandits surrendered, terrified out of their minds.
"Excellent work, everyone," Mako, who'd been observing from the sides, congratulated the Imperials. "I will inform Korra of your impressive performance." At that, one of the bandits eyes shot open in surprise.
"Wait, you're the Avatar's Firebender boyfriend," she said, before looking at the stormtroopers. "And these guys in white armor, they work for the Obsidian Knight!" The other bandits' eyes widened in horror.
"Because we are going to bring true order and prosperity to this world, with the help of the Obsidian Knight," Mako replied to the captives before turning to the stormtroopers. "Their guilt isn't in question. They've only made the world worse in Korra's absence. Kill them all." At that, the Imperials pointed their blasters and opened fire on the prisoners. Within twelve seconds, the screams had stopped, and all were dead, so Mako and the others left to rendezvous with Korra, wondering how she was doing with her own team.
Ezra had finished donning the new uniforms of Kuvira's army, a green field tunic with a chrome helmet and mask modeled after Darth Vader's, with green lenses instead of dark red. He'd noticed Sabine smirking at his shirtless chest, pleasing him, just as Koko had smiled at Jonah while he was donning the same uniform. While Sabine was wearing her Mandalorian armor, sans jetpack, Koko and Kallus had donned the same uniforms as Ezra and Jonah. After they had gotten on the shuttle, they were quickly flown to where they'd be meeting Bossk and Boba Fett.
"You five are my greatest students," Korra said to them on the way to their destination. "Fittingly, you will face a worthy test: you will defeat Zaheer and the Red Lotus team that has rescued him."
"Capture or kill?" asked Kallus.
"I'd prefer to question him but don't let him escape," the Avatar answered the ISB agent. As the shuttle set down, they were joined by Boba and Bossk. Sabine greeted her fellow Mandalorian, but he just ignored her. Sometime earlier, Korra had wound up giving Boba Earthbending, fitting for his armor's color scheme, so he'd be held in reserve alongside Korra and Bossk. As the bounty hunters led them to the Red Lotus camp, the five Imperials readied themselves. Upon arriving, they tested the vision modes of the helmets, and activated the sound mufflers. Observing the camp, they saw Zaheer and his various followers. It looked like Zaheer was about to give an inspiring speech to the other terrorists, with only a few lookouts keeping watch. As the Airbending anarchist began speaking, Bossk fired a barrage of smoke and flashbang grenades into the main camp. Most of the Red Lotus were stunned as the team charged in.
Ezra leapt through the air and landed with an Earthbending shockwave, knocking many off their feet. Kallus charged forward with his Airbending and smacked several with his bo-rifle's staff mode, stabbing one with the spike at the end. Koko quickly slid forward on her Waterbending, tossing many ice shards at her adversaries before Waterbending a razor-sharp ice disk, splitting in half an Airbending anarchist. Sabine moved exceptionally quickly with her own Firebending, kicking forth blasts to subdue more of the Red Lotus. Jonah was rather impressive with his own Firebending, punching down several adversaries. As they handled the various terrorists, all of them were knocked backward by a powerful Airbending blast Zaheer unleashed.
"I heard Kuvira was trying to impose a new tyranny," the Airbending anarchist said to the four on the ground. "In the journey to return to holy chaos, I will have to destroy her 'order.' You will be a good start." At that, he tried to bend the air of their lungs but their helmets sealed and protected them. Kallus and Sabine used their Air and Firebending to break the cyclone Zaheer had conjured while Ezra Earthbent a rock at Zaheer, knocking him backward. Jonah fired a fire blast at Zaheer before the anarchist leader jumped out of the way and sent a block of wood flying with an Airbent blast, hitting Jonah in the back and knocking him flat. At that, Koko Waterbent a storm of spikes at the Red Lotus leader, one cutting his left leg. Zaheer blasted Sabine towards a broken tree stump, but Ezra caught her and Lavabent a clump at Zaheer. He narrowly escaped the attack, tossing off his cloak as it caught fire from the heat, and smashed into Ezra, hitting him in the side with a club he'd grabbed and knocking him flat on his back. An enraged Sabine shot a bolt of lightning that hit the ground right in front of Zaheer, sending him flying. Ezra jumped back on his feet and rapidly Metalbent restraints around the Airbender's wrists, ankles, and mouth. At that moment, Boba rocketed in, firing his blaster into the terrorists before slamming down with an Earthbending wave. Soon, the battle was over, and all the Red Lotus members lay dead or captured.
After the battle, Zaheer and the others were dragged into a circle, all of them restrained with Metalbent cuffs Ezra had bent around their ankles and wrists. Hearing something close by, Ezra went to find the source. Taking off his helmet, he investigated a small bush and called out to the noise. Out came several baby sky bison, jumping into Ezra's arms and licking him. Noticing one was limping, Ezra got a bandage and wrapped it around the little guy's leg. The bison were about to chew on it but Ezra told them not to, and the litter obeyed. Sabine smiled at the sight, as his affinity with animals was one of the reasons she fell in love with him.
"I see they like you," Korra said, emerging from the shadows, smiling at her student. "When the White Lotus shows up to take Zaheer, hand those little guys off to them. They'll be well cared for with the Air Nomads." After checking Koko, Korra ordered her students to head down to the lake, where Koko, still practicing the healing aspect of Waterbending, would give them a look over and heal any bruises they might have sustained. Kallus, who stayed behind since he hadn't been injured at all, wondered if they should be alone.
"They couldn't handle me before, and now I'm even stronger," Korra reminded the ISB agent. "And you and our favorite bounty hunters are pretty tough yourselves." As the four stood guard over the three dozen prisoners, she could sense the bafflement of the terrorists. In addition to Boba, a flying, armored Earthbender with weapons they'd never seen before, there was Bossk, a greenish yellow lizardman with reddish orange eyes in a white jumpsuit. Hearing muffling from Zaheer, Korra removed the Metalbent restraint around his mouth.
"Who-what are you?" the baffled anarchist asked.
"I am Bossk, a Trandoshan, and this is my partner, Boba Fett, a Mandalorian," the reptilian stated. "We are here because a friend hired us to help bring you down. In fact, she's right over there." As the terrorists looked toward her, Korra removed her helmet, to the complete shock of the anarchist group before her.
"No, impossible!" yelled Zaheer.
"Why, because you are the grand expert on alien crystals just like you are on Airbending?" the Avatar taunted the Airbending anarchist as a shuttle came down from the atmosphere. "These three are people I befriended in the world you sent me to, and the ones that just kicked your asses are my greatest students in the bending arts, which I bestowed to them." As the shuttle came into view, setting down behind them, Korra continued in her taunts. "You see, I'm here to thank you, Zaheer. You introduced me to truths about the world no one could even imagine. And you introduced me to the greatest teacher I have ever known." At that, the shuttle ramp lowered, and out came Darth Vader, to the shock of all the captives.
"The Obsidian Knight?!" one of them exclaimed.
"It is Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith, to you," the Sith Lord retorted through his mechanical. "So, these are the pawns that outlasted their puppet master? Pathetic." At that, Zaheer's eyes flashed open, before he tried to regain his composure.
"So, Unalaq really did kill his father," Zaheer stated in resignation, admitting how Unalaq had never been his friend, instead tricking him the entire time.
"Took you long enough to realize," Korra noted. "You see, I have seen the wider galaxy. It, and Lord Vader's tutelage, has been invaluable. Not only am I now a Sith, like him," Korra boasted, igniting one of her lightsabers, "but I have come to realize the truth: in the compound, the White Lotus said how maintaining balance in the world was about offering advice, lending aid, and my favorite part, beating up bad guys who disrupt the balance, like you. They were wrong." At that, the Red Lotus gasped in shock. "The only thing that guarantees order is control, and this world has lacked control for too long. Kuvira is off to an excellent start here, but I won't stop with the Earth Nation or the Water Tribes. The Galactic Empire Lord Vader serves imposes order across the stars through its iron grip, which no one can truly challenge. I will spread that order across our world."
"No!" yelled Zaheer, before trying to bargain. "The rulers of the other nations, they will never accept it. You can't topple them!"
"I'm sorry, is the anarchist worried over the fates of kings and queens?" Korra asked in mockery. "My parents are already overjoyed to have me back, and they trust Lord Vader more than ever. My cousins owe me for all the harm they did on their father's behalf, and I will collect on that debt. Suyin will soon realize that she has no place giving her children crap over how they protect the family and country. The Fire Lord and her family are too afraid of Lord Vader to defy us. Tenzin should understand that he cannot stand against Lord Vader alone, much less stop the Empire. And he loves me enough to listen to how this is necessary. And President Raiko? I've always hated him, so educating Raiko on how his place is beneath me if he starts something should be a highlight of my return." Pausing again, Korra looked back. "Also, as my adventures have taught me, if you defy the Avatar, you are in the wrong and deserve whatever you get as consequence. I owe this understanding to you."
"Me?" an increasingly horrified Zaheer asked.
"You sent her through the portal," Vader stated. "She might not have met me, nor I have found this planet, if you hadn't plotted her murder."
"So really, thanks to you, our world will soon have the tightest, most powerful government in history," Korra boasted. "We shall make it impossible for groups like the Red Lotus to exist. So, your attempts to create a lawless paradise without rulers have ensured it will never happen and that the opposite will occur." Pausing again, Korra looked over to the prisoners as four stormtroopers came closer. "You see, unlike you, I believe in law and order. But not only is your guilt obvious, you've made a habit of breaking out of jail. And like your pal Unalaq, you have no problem threatening the people I love."
"Oh, you love others, now?" an incredulous Red Lotus member asked.
"I always have, and it's why I'm building this utopia," Korra answered. "I just know that the White Lotus will fail to hold you, again, and you will threaten those I love." She then turned to her master and asked him who they were taking.
"In addition to Zaheer, those two," Vader pointed out, having finished his preliminary reading of the prisoners minds. "They are the ones we shall question."
"The Red Lotus will not be intimidated!" one of the other prisoners boasted, before Vader yanked him forward with the Force and began to read his mind. Soon, the prisoner's face turned uncomfortable, and he started screaming.
"Yes, it will," Vader stated as he dropped the man to the ground. As Zaheer and the other two were dragged to the shuttle, to which Korra turned to Kallus, Boba, and Bossk.
"Kill them all," she stated as she walked away. The trio quickly opened fire and killed all the remaining prisoners. Kallus tossed an incendiary grenade into the pile of corpses, burning them all to nothing and hiding traces of the summary execution. As the shuttle took off, Boba and Bossk went back to their ship while Kallus went to join the others in the squad.
Kya was with Ikki in a rather unremarkable Earth Kingdom town delivering food and medicine when several White Lotus members came and informed them of surprising news: one of Kuvira's patrols had fought Zaheer and driven him off. In addition, the patrol rescued several bison calves shortly afterward. Since Ikki was rather friendly with animals, Kya brought her along to meet with this patrol.
As their airship landed, they saw the traces of a battle, but all the dead appeared to be Red Lotus members, given their mismatched clothes with red ribbons and a lotus symbol on them. They saw an airship with the Earth Unification Army symbol plastered on it, so they set down close by. As they exited their own landed airship, they saw a figure working on the outside of the ship. She, as the figure's shape implied a woman, was wearing a strange set of armor attached atop a gray jumpsuit. She was also wearing a metal helmet, whose black visor was one horizontal line on top of another line. The armor itself was colored black and red, like that of Fire Nation soldiers from the Hundred-Year War, sans gold highlights. For a second, Kya saw a trace of the woman's skin, and it looked almost golden. As if to answer the question raised by her attire, the figure welded a hole shut with Firebending.
"I didn't know Kuvira had any Firebenders in her ranks," one of the White Lotus guards said.
"Shows what you know," the figure snarked back with a teenager's voice, surprising everyone at her age. "The bison are over with Ezra and Jonah, who just finished their healing session with Koko."
"You have a Waterbender, as well?" Kya asked.
"And another Firebender, an Earthbender, and an Airbender, though he's a bit busy right now," the armored young woman added, before pointing them in the direction of the lake. As Kya and the White Lotus started asking about the battle, Ikki went down to find the bison. In her rush, she tripped and almost hit her head, but a pair of strong arms grabbed her.
"Are you alright?" the new figure asked. Looking up, Ikki was stunned to see who was holding her. He was a tall, brown-skinned boy roughly sixteen or seventeen. His hair was snow white and his red eyes looked somewhat reserved, if not outright sad. Having come right from a healing session, he wasn't wearing a shirt, showing off his impressive physique.
"I am, now," Ikki blushed. "I'm Ikki, what's your name?"
"Jonah," he answered. "I'm a new recruit to the EUA. We were just training when we came across the Red Lotus."
"You must be good to chase Zaheer off," she complimented him. "Have you ever been to Republic City?"
"I've not," he answered.
"Well, if you ever come, I can give you a bison ride," she offered. He smiled back softly and said he'd like that. Soon, a small bison flew up to them.
"Fluffy, you shouldn't go flying off like that!" someone shouted. "Your leg needs time to get better." As the little bison flew back into the newcomer's arms, Ikki saw him as well. He was about the same age as Jonah, with soft blue eyes, a small pair of scars under his left eye, and his skin was tan as opposed to brown like Jonah. Like Jonah, he was also shirtless, exposing her impressive torso to Ikki. His hair, however, was the strangest thing about him. It was so dark it almost looked blue.
"Uhh, nice to meet you," Ikki blushed. "What's your name? Are you Jonah's brother? Was your mom an alien?"
"Ikki, calm down," Kya chuckled at her niece. "Give him a chance to say something." As that happened, the other little bison flew up to where they were, with Ezra kneeling down and petting them.
"This is Ezra," Jonah explained as he put his shirt back on. "We only met last year but we are cousins." Ezra shifted when he heard that but quickly turned his attention to Ikki.
"Well, my mom wasn't an alien," he said in a joking tone. "But according to my dad, grandma was. I've never met anyone else with blue hair, so I guess he was right. I think grandma was called a...Zeltron? Also, I think she had pink skin."
"Your father was a very silly man, kid," one of the White Lotus members stated, though both Kya and Ikki, having been to other worlds, thought there might be some truth to it.
"Zeltrons can come in other colors," Jonah added to his cousin's claims. "My mother told me of my Zeltron grandfather. He had red skin and white hair."
"Don't be silly kid, there's no such thing as aliens," another White Lotus member added. As they went back to the airship, Ezra knelt and said goodbye to the little bison, who licked him before going over to Ikki.
"You can come visit the Air Temples to see them, guys," Ikki smiled. "I'm sure that they'd be happy to see you. And I can take you for a bison ride."
"I'd like that," Ezra smiled back, while Jonah smiled silently before the two went back to their own airship. As they went back over to the Airships, they saw another woman, this one an adult, with a rank insignia neither had ever seen before. She was in a black uniform with a cap, her hair tied in a bun. Her skin was rather pale, her eyes blue, and her hair was downright golden, even her eyebrows.
"Nice to meet you, Master Kya," she spoke in an accent neither Kya nor anyone else was familiar with. She sounded strangely classy when she spoke. "Just in time for tea, as well. Frankly, I look forward to when I can go back to flying something other than these junk heaps."
"You don't like Airships?" Ikki asked.
"Don't you prefer to fly fast, either with your glider or your pets?" this strange woman asked. "But where are my manners? I am Lieutenant Juno Corsin, and I am the pilot of this airship. My passions, however, are for faster craft. A Firebender needs to follow her passions, right?" She then blasted back to the cockpit of her ship with her Firebending.
"Well, she's a strange one," remarked one of the Lotus guards. Then, they heard an Airbending scooter coming close and turned to face it. The source quickly jetted past them, before stopping right in front of the opposite Airship. The figure was wearing the standard uniform of the EUA, with what looked like a collapsed metal staff carried on his back, but the helmet looked a bit different. Aside from how it was chrome, it had an oversized back and what looked like a ridge running across the top. The figure then turned toward them, revealing his face was covered with a mask. After a moment, all the White Lotus readied themselves as they recognized the mask. Apart from being colored chrome and the lenses being green, the helmet was entirely identical to that of the Obsidian Knight's.
"A man can't wear what he wishes?" the figure asked rhetorically when he saw their alarm. While his voice sounded somewhat distorted, he also possessed a similar accent to Lana.
"It's considered bad form to emulate murderers," Kya stated coldly.
"Strength is required to unify the country," he retorted. "Who else would we admire except the strongest man to ever walk our world? Besides, I hear he's not as bad as you people think."
"Not as bad?!" one of the White Lotus members exclaimed in disbelief. "He killed the greatest hero our world has ever known."
"An accepted narrative isn't always true," he said, looking at Kya and Ikki. Ikki was rather frightened, while Kya's face showed nothing but contempt. "We have learned the true nature of the world, and soon, the Great Uniter will destroy the last remnants of the decrepit monarchy, and they will be nothing to stop us from making the Earth Nation what it should be." He then stormed onto the airship that soon took off. As the White Lotus airship lifted off, Ikki turned to Kya.
"I'm still inviting Ezra and Jonah for a bison ride," she said. "They are good guys, even if their army isn't." Kya smiled at her niece, thinking of how hilarious it would be to tell her brother that his daughter now had two crushes, and how troubling it was that Kuvira's army was embracing the narrative of Darth Vader as a hero.
I modeled Vader's visit to Bumi and family off Darth Bane's ghost in the Clone Wars and Darkseid's appearance in the Justice League Extended Cut. Vader is sympathetic to the Fire Nation Royal Family, but is still merciless toward them. He can't do this sort of connection without the Spirit World, btw.
I decided to combine conventional weapons with bending when it came to the Air Temple assault, while Korra challenged her greatest students to only use their bending. I hope I showed Mako and Korra's Imperial tendencies. Korra doesn't mean everything in her taunts to Zaheer, but she hates the Red Lotus more than anyone except perhaps Unalaq, so she's decided to torment them. Zaheer and the others kept alive will be interrogated by Darth Vader to further unravel the Red Lotus. I thought I would have some people remark on the British accents common of Imperials, as well. They are surprised to see someone with blonde hair but don't immediately think anything of it. Juno looks like Juno Eclipse from The Force Unleashed.
Next chapter, General Veers helps Kuvira crush the last opposing stronghold, Bolin and Opal go to Zaofu, old faces reappear, and a Rebel schemes to free the Red Lotus.