1.1 Welcome to Republic City

Overview
Forty years after the death of Avatar Aang, the new Avatar was discovered in the South Pole; a waterbender named Korra. Displaying talents at an early age, she is sent to train for her life to become the Avatar of this cycle. With three elements down and one left to master, Korra must turn to a master who can help her realize her potential and carry on the legacy of Aang.

Plot Summary
In an opening narration, it is said that after the Hundred Years War, Avatar Aang and his companions worked with Fire Lord Zuko to create a new world capital called Republic City: a place where benders and non-benders could live in harmony and peace. However, Aang's reign was short lived as his spiritual body was well over one hundred years old and passed forty years after his battle with Phoenix King Ozai. Immediately after his death, members of the Order of the White Lotus began scouring the Water Tribes to find the new Avatar as the cycle dictates that the next one shall be a waterbender. After dispelling rumors in the North Pole, they find a small village in the South Pole where a family states their daughter is in fact the Avatar. Despite the skepticism, the White Lotus witnesses the young child Korra demonstrate fire, earth, and waterbending; proving she is the Avatar.

Under orders from Aang, the White Lotus built a compound in the South Pole to protect and train Korra throughout her life. After mastering the first three elements in her youth, she asks permission to train in airbending. While the White Lotus explains that she lacks the spiritual balance to be the Avatar, an elderly Katara states that Korra is indeed ready for her final training. She calls her son Tenzin, the youngest of three children from her and Aang, as he brings his wife Pema and their three children Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo as well. Korra is eager to begin but Tenzin states he is unable to. The situation in Republic City is falling apart as he needs to be there to help it prosper. Korra suggests going back but the White Lotus disagrees. Later that night, Korra plans on sneaking away to Republic City to find Tenzin with her animal guide Naga when Katara stops her. She knows that while she is the last of her friends, Korra's destiny lies outside the South Pole.

After traveling by boat, Korra and Naga make it to Republic City as they take in the sights. Realizing they have no money or food, they fish in a local park where Korra discovers several squatters living in the park as they cannot afford to live like the luxurious bending elite. Running from police who wanted to charge her with vagrancy, she stumbles upon an anti-bending group called The Equalists who demand to be treated fairly in the city. Korra argues with the man but he rallies the mob to turn on her as she flees once more. Deciding that she has done enough sight-seeing for a day, Korra asks for directions to Air Temple Island where Tenzin lives. Instead, a group calling themselves the Triple Triad Threat come to shake down a shop keeper for money. Korra intervenes, matching the three thugs in respective arts of bending as she causes their car to crash into a shop. On cue, the metalbending police arrive to arrest them as well as Korra for vigilantism and destruction of property.

Korra and Naga attempt to flee but are eventually caught by the specialized task force. In prison, Korra tries to plead with her interrogator but to no avail. She demands to see the Chief of Police when she realizes that the interrogator is the Chief, Lin Bei Fong, daughter of the late Toph Bei Fong. Korra states that she is the Avatar and that her mother and her past self were allies but Lin dismisses what happened in the past to focus on now, carrying on her mother's trait for treating people equally. Lin wants to lock away Korra for her antics but Tenzin arrives to try and calm her down. They come to an agreement: if Lin drops the charges, Tenzin will escort Korra to a ship back to the South Pole. Korra protests this as she says that she will never reach her full capacity if she is under guard all the time and cannot learn airbending. Tenzin remains stern to his word as they get ready to head back.