This article is about the Equalist movement. For the junior novelization, see Revolution.

"My followers and I will not rest until the entire city achieves equality, and once that goal is achieved we will equalize the rest of the world! The revolution has begun!" — Amon, stating his goal.[1]

Anti-bending Revolution
Chronological information
Previous Unknown, eventually Yakone's trial
Historical information
Began Unknown, sometime before Korra's arrival at Republic City in 170 ASC
Ended Equalist Victory Rally, 170 ASC
Place Republic City
Outcome Victory of the Forces of the United Republic government Councilman Tarrlok is overthrown and stripped of his bending. Republic City is damaged. Major advancements in battle and travel technologies occur. The Equalists are likely disbanded. Hiroshi Sato is subsequently evicted from Future Industries and arrested. The whole First Division of the United Forces is destroyed. The Pro-bending Arena is temporarily closed. Sato family disgraced. All remaining Equalist officers and leaders apprehended.
Major battles The Revelation Attack on the Pro-bending Arena Battle at the Equalist factory Battle for Republic City Equalist Victory Rally
Combatants
Equalists Future Industries	United Republic Council United Forces Metalbending Police Force Order of the White Lotus Team Avatar Benders of Republic City Tarrlok's task force Triple Threat Triad
Commanders
Amon † Hiroshi Sato (incarcerated) Lieutenant (later defected)	Councilman Tenzin General Iroh Chief Saikhan Lin Beifong Avatar Korra Councilman Tarrlok † Lightning Bolt Zolt
Appearances
First appearance "Welcome to Republic City"
Last appearance "Endgame"

The Anti-bending Revolution was a movement led by the Equalists that took place in Republic City around 170 ASC. Its primary objective was to end the oppression of non-benders at the hands of benders throughout the city, and eventually the entire world by eradicating bending altogether.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Prelude and early stages 1.2 The Revelation 1.3 A successful task force 1.4 Attack on the Pro-bending Arena 1.5 Battle at the Equalist factory 1.6 Councilman Tarrlok's treachery 1.7 Capture and cleansing of Councilman Tarrlok 1.8 Battle for Republic City 1.9 Defeat of Amon 2 List of known major engagements 3 Trivia 4 References 5 Comments

History Edit

Prelude and early stages Edit

When a masked man named Amon rose to power by exploiting the absence of the Avatar and the increasing tensions between benders and non-benders, he then, alongside his rank-and-file Equalists, orchestrated a revolt against all benders alike. The Equalists' main insurrection occurred in Republic City, where they fought benders utilizing chi blocking and an impressive array of weaponry to oppose the Metalbending Police Force and Avatar Korra. Simultaneously, Councilman Tarrlok perceived the revolution as an opportunity to win Republic City, as his father Yakone had failed to do forty-two years prior.^[2]

The Revelation Edit

Main article: The Revelation (rally)

Soon after Avatar Korra's arrival in Republic City, Amon assembled a large rally of non-bending citizens in which he explained that the spirits had granted him the ability to permanently remove bending. To prove this, the Equalist leader promptly held a demonstration in which he removed the bending of three Triple Threat Triad members. Captured by the Equalists while in the company of said gang members, Bolin was to be the last bender to have his bending stripped, but due to a distraction caused by the Avatar, Mako was able to rescue him from this fate.^[3]

A successful task force Edit

Eventually, when news of Amon's ability to remove bending surfaced in the city, Councilman Tarrlok set up a task force in order to combat the Equalist threat and declared Amon public enemy number one. After recruiting Avatar Korra to the team, the group successfully raided a chi blocker training camp, defeating and capturing any offending Equalists.^[4]

Attack on the Pro-bending Arena Edit

Main article: Attack on the Pro-bending Arena

Before the Pro-bending Tournament's final match, Amon threatened the United Republic Council via radio to shut down the arena and cancel the event, or there would be "severe consequences". However, the Council decided to ignore the warning and let the match be played under the advisement of both the Avatar and Chief Lin Beifong. Metalbending police officers were subsequently ordered to patrol the area under the supervision of the police chief.

In actuality, however, it was Amon's plan that the game would continue as scheduled. This allowed the Equalists to carry out an ambush at the arena. After the conclusion of the match, several Equalists who had posed as ordinary spectators incapacitated the officers and other resisting benders with electrified gloves, creating a distraction that provided Amon and his underlings their chance to enter the ring. The raid allowed Amon to demonstrate his abilities to the public by "cleansing" the White Falls Wolfbats of their bending. The Equalist leader then pronounced a speech on the revolution and its purpose, effectively declaring war on all benders. Disregarding a run-in with the Avatar and the Chief of Police on the arena's roof, they successfully escaped by an airship.^[1]

Battle at the Equalist factory Edit

Main article: Battle at the Equalist factory

Following the attack on the arena, the pro-bending venue was shut down. The Metalbending Police Force then began an investigation on the source of the Equalists' weaponry. At first, Cabbage Corp appeared to be the supplier of the Equalists arsenal, leading to the arrest of the owner Lau Gan-Lan, but further investigation yielded evidence that Hiroshi Sato had manufactured the weapons, thanks to an informant. The police proceeded to investigate the Sato estate, and discovered a hidden Equalist factory under Hiroshi's workshop. A short battle ensued and Sato's new mecha tanks proved to be successful in defeating Tenzin, Chief Beifong, Korra, and several metalbender cops. However, Mako and Bolin entered the factory to assist the group, and with the help of Asami Sato, they were able to escape.^[5]

Councilman Tarrlok's treachery Edit

When Chief Beifong resigned from her duties, Tarrlok took advantage of this and convinced her successor Saikhan to place the Metalbending Police Force under his command to combat the Equalists. Korra and Tenzin knew that Tarrlok's manipulations gave the councilman greater power and control over Republic City, and confronted him. Tarrlok asked Korra to rejoin his task force, to which she refused, receiving a warning from the former to remain out of his way. Instead, she formed a new Team Avatar with Mako, Bolin, and Asami, and began patrolling Republic City. Team Avatar became involved in a skirmish with some Equalists and incapacitated them before Tarrlok's task force arrived, much to the councilman's anger.

Tarrlok implemented a law that was effectively a curfew and arrested innocent non-benders in the Dragon Flats borough on false charges. Team Avatar attempted to release them, but all their members, except for Korra, were arrested in their place. Korra later tried to intimidate the traitorous councilman at City Hall to release her friends and the innocent non-benders, but Tarrlok's remarks about both himself and the Avatar "going to extreme lengths to get what they want", along with Korra's rebuttal that Tarrlok was "just as bad as Amon", culminated into a fierce duel. A heavily scratched Korra managed to cut off Tarrlok's water source and prepared to defeat him until Tarrlok incapacitated the Avatar with bloodbending. Tarrlok immediately bound Korra and took her to a mountain hideout.

Capture and cleansing of Councilman Tarrlok Edit

After kidnapping Avatar Korra and imprisoning her in a cage, Tarrlok returned to Republic City where he falsely claimed that Equalists were responsible for the Avatar's capture. The secrets of his abduction of Korra and his bloodbending abilities, however, were soon revealed. He returned to his hideout in the mountains, with the intention of making a new life for himself and taking Korra as a hostage. He returned to the main floor of the building, and was greeted by Amon, the Lieutenant, and a few chi blockers. A short battle took place in which Tarrlok bloodbent all of the chi blockers and the Lieutenant to the ground. Amon, however, was able to use his own bloodbending to resist Tarrlok's bloodbending, albeit with some initial difficulty, and proceeded to remove Tarrlok's bending abilities. The Lieutenant and the chi blockers were subsequently commanded to retrieve the Avatar; the Lieutenant electrocuted Korra's cage, with the goal of knocking Korra out. The plan failed and Korra used her bending to easily escape down the side of the mountain. Amon chose not to pursue her and threw the rogue councilman into the back of an Equalist truck.

Battle for Republic City Edit

Main article: Battle for Republic City

Soon after Korra was rescued, the Equalists launched an aerial attack on Republic City. Using a fleet of airships, the Equalists bombed many parts of the metropolis. Eventually the fleet headed toward Air Temple Island, prompting Tenzin and his family to flee on Oogi. Air Temple Island was captured, along with much of the city. It was at this point that General Iroh and the United Forces began their approach to the city, hoping to defeat the Equalists.

Defeat of Amon Edit

Main article: Equalist Victory Rally

Soon after the United Forces arrived, several biplanes came to stop the battleships and were ultimately successful in decimating the fleet. In the ensuing battle, Korra saved General Iroh after he was wounded by a torpedo. Soon after, Bolin, Asami, and Iroh set out to destroy the Equalist airfield and Korra and Mako headed to Air Temple Island, where they found Tarrlok imprisoned in the attic. He revealed that he was Amon's brother and that Amon was a waterbender and a bloodbender. With this news, Mako and Korra infiltrated the Equalist Victory Rally and exposed Amon as a fraud. Amon, however, removed his mask, revealing his scar which he claimed to have gotten from a firebender, causing Amon's supporters to turn on Korra.

Amon then revealed that he had captured Tenzin, Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo. Mako and Korra proceeded to attack Amon and the chi blockers on stage. Korra freed the airbenders and hid with Mako elsewhere in the arena. Amon managed to locate the two and utilized bloodbending to remove the Avatar's bending abilities. In response, Mako momentarily knocked out Amon with lightning, picked up Korra, and fled down a corridor. The Equalist leader pursued them, subdued Mako, and prepared to remove his bending. Korra, however, managed to successfully stop Amon using airbending. She blasted him out a window and into the bay, where he had no choice but to waterbend to save himself, divulging his true identity to his followers. Amon's scar was fake, as it washed off in the water. He escaped and freed Tarrlok, the two proceeding to flee the city on a speedboat which Tarrlok later blew up, killing them both.

List of known major engagements Edit

• Attack on the Pro-bending Arena^[1]
• Battle at the Equalist factory^[5]
• Battle for Republic City^[6]
• Equalist Victory Rally

Trivia Edit

• The Anti-bending Revolution draws parallels to the political revolutions set during the 1920s, mainly the Russian Revolution. It also bears similarities to the equal rights movements of the 1920s and 1960s in the United States. Furthermore, the Anti-bending Revolution also shares several similar traits with Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution in the People's Republic of China and his Communist take-over of the Republic of China in 1949. Nonetheless, the revolt stresses equality and the leveling of society in the status sense. Unlike the Communist revolution, which sought for monetary equality, the Anti-bending Revolution is more similar the Civil Rights Movement in the United States because of its interest in societal equality (being born as bender vs. being born as a non-bender).

References Edit

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "And the Winner Is...". Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (writers) & Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki Hyun Ryu (directors). The Legend of Korra. Nickelodeon. May 12, 2012. No. 6, Book One: Air ↑ "Out of the Past". Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (writers) & Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki Hyun Ryu (directors). The Legend of Korra. Nickelodeon. June 9, 2012. No. 9, Book One: Air ↑ "The Revelation". Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (writers) & Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki Hyun Ryu (directors). The Legend of Korra. Nickelodeon. April 21, 2012. No. 3, Book One: Air ↑ "The Voice in the Night". Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (writers) & Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki Hyun Ryu (directors). The Legend of Korra. Nickelodeon. April 28, 2012. No. 4, Book One: Air ↑ 5.0 5.1 "The Aftermath". Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (writers) & Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki Hyun Ryu (directors). The Legend of Korra. Nickelodeon. May 19, 2012. No. 7, Book One: Air ↑ "Turning the Tides". Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (writers) & Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki Hyun Ryu (directors). The Legend of Korra. Nickelodeon. June 16, 2012. No. 10, Book One: Air

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