The Legend of Korra: Ruins of the Empire

The Legend of Korra: Ruins of the Empire is a three-part comic series that continues the story of the characters from Avatar: The Legend of Korra. This three-part series follows after the Turf Wars series of comics. Part One was released on May 21, 2019; Part Two was released on November 12, 2019; Part Three was released on February 25, 2020.

Part 1

The story focuses on the remnants of the Earth Empire, the main threat in the final book of The Legend of Korra TV series. Kuvira, the leader of the Earth Empire, was defeated by Korra at the end of the series. Kuvira is captured and brought before a tribunal and read her crimes, to which she pleads not guilty. In the meantime, King Wu, the current Earth King, is stepping down and starting the Earth Kingdom's transition to democracy by having the first set of elections in the state of Gaoling. The Southern army of the Earth Empire, headed by General Guan, does not accept Kuvira's defeat and plans to disrupt the elections. This prompts Korra to see Kuvira and get her advice on how to deal with Guan. Kuvira offers to talk to Guan and get him to stand down. King Wu, Kuvira, Korra, and the rest of Team Avatar go to Gaoling and encounter General Guan. Kuvira first asks Guan to surrender, then begins choking him via her metal-bending, but Guan refuses to back down. Kuvira is stopped by being shocked via the belt she wears, which allows Guan to submit his paperwork to run in the gubernatorial election. The comic closes by revealing that Guan intends to win the election by brainwashing people to support and vote for him.

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Part 2

Korra and her team, having failed to stop Guan, split up. Korra takes King Wu and heads into the swamp to find Toph Beifong and convince her to run in the election against Guan; Asami, Mako, and Bolin prepare to take Kuriva to Zaofu. Guan's troops prevent Asami's airship from taking off and capture everyone on board. Korra and Wu head into the swamp; while taking a break the swamp makes Wu see a vision of his deceased aunt the Earth Queen; the Queen berates Wu for being a failure as a king until Korra finds Wu and the vision ends. The two eventually find Toph and convince her to run against Guan. Meanwhile, Guan explains to the captive Kuriva how his machine works. Dr. Sheng has taken the hypnotic indoctrination the Dai Li used and combined it with magnetic waves to make the conditioning long-lasting. He has Dr. Sheng turn Asami, Mako, and Bolin into his loyal soldiers; they, in turn, take Kuriva and prepare her for the indoctrination, but Kuriva fights back and gets away. Kuvira radios Su Lin and tells them all that happened. Korra and Wu get Toph registered to run in the election and then run into Kuvira on the way back to the ship. They rendezvous with Su Lin and her family just before Guan arrives with his troops and Korra's mind-controlled friends. Guan sends them to stop Korra and her allies; Korra is able to get Asami, but in the process, Wu is captured by his guards, who have been indoctrinated to serve Guan. The issue closes with Wu hooked up to the indoctrination machine about to be programmed.

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Part 3

Kuvira returns to Zaofu with Korra, Toph, Lynn, Su Yin, and Su Yin'schildren. There she encounters Baatar Jr., her former partner and lover who is under house arrest for the crimes he committed under the Earth Empire; Kuvira must deal with the rejection and resentment Baatar still harbors. Korra then goes to Baatar and asks for his help in freeing Asami from Guan's brainwashing. Meanwhile, King Wu, now brainwashed, goes with his guards to order the mayor of Gaolin to hold the election now. At a dinner at Zaofu, Kuriva gets hard feelings from Opal while the others talk about Guan and his plan to win the rigged election. Baatar enters and explains that he might be able to undo the brainwashing and stop Guan.

The next morning Baatar begins to try to free Asami of the brainwashing; his goal is to figure out what settings Dr. Sheng used to brainwash Asami and then counteract it. Baatar tries all day but is unable to undo the brainwashing. Kuvira proposes that Baatar start with someone who hasn't been brainwashed. Korra volunteers but Kuvira goes in her place as the test may cause memory loss. Kuvira remembers a fight she had with Opal when they were younger, but it helps Baatar. Baatar applies what he learns to Asami and frees her from the brainwashing.

After freeing Asami, Korra and company learn that the election has been held by the orders of King Wu and Guan is claiming victory. As they plan on how to deal with things, Kuvira sneaks out and returns to Guan's camp. She proposes to be brainwashed and work for Guan for the memory loss that with come with the process. Guan is about to go through with brainwashing when Kuvira turns the tables on Guan and places brainwashing helmets on him and Dr. Sheng. Mako and Bolin come in to stop Kuvira, who flees into the courtyard of the compound. Korra and company come in to pin down Mako, Bolin and the earth troops while Kuvira pins Guan down and prepares to kill him with a sheet of metal. Su Yin talks Kuvira down and captures Guan.

Mako, Bolin and King Wu are freed from Guan's brainwashing; Wu gives a speech apologizing for the chaos and promises to continue moving the Earth Kingdom to democracy. Kuvira returns to face the tribunal with Varek testifying against her. Kuvira pleads guilty to the charges but is released to Su Yin to be confined under house arrest. Kuvira leaves with Su Yin to return to her home of Zaofu.

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