Kuvira is the one of four main antagonists of The Legend of Korra (alongside Amon, Unalaq and Zaheer), appearing as a minor protagonist of Book Three: Change and as the main antagonist of Book Four: Balance. She originally served as a captain of the Metal Clan guard in Zaofu. She is also Korra's fourth and final archenemy.
What makes her sympathetic?
- When Tonraq fell, Kuvira rescued him and bandaged his wounds.
- The Earth Queen Hou-Ting was assassinated, it anarchy in the entire Earth Kingdom. Kuvira believes that she should seize the power and prevent the anarchy from spreading.
- When Korra tries to convince her to change her mind, Kuvira tells her that the decisions she had to make were hard, implying that she feels some regret.
- She genuinely loves Baatar Jr and plans to marry him (even though she is later willing to sacrifice him for her conquest).
- Kuvira breaks down before Korra and expresses her insecurities that she feels abandoned and that she felt she had to do something to restore balance to the Earth Kingdom.
- Kuvira feels so much remorse for the crimes she commited that she surrenders herself to the authorities and apologizes to Su for the pain she had caused to her and her family.
- Kuvira is temporarily released to assis in stopping on of her former commanders and this way she atones for her past crimes. After this, Suyin Beifong, who sympathizes with her, alters her sentence so that she could spend it at her home in Zaofu.
Origin
Kuvira was born to parents who thought she was too difficult to take care of, so they arranged for Suyin Beifong to adopt her. This what most people theorize what led Kuvira to start her campaign to untie the Earth Kingdom.
Campaign
Kuivra started her campaign when Earth Queen Hou-Ting was assasinated by Zaheer. She traveled around the Earth Kingdom using her army to gain control of most of the states. She annexed Zaofu, and captured Suyin, Wei, and Wing.
Republic City
When she went to capture Republic City, Bataar Jr. got captured during his trip to Air Temple Island and Avatar Korra used him to find out how to destroy Kuvira's spirit energy cannon. Kuvira figured out the location of Bataar Jr., she aimed her spirit energy cannon at Future Industries, where her fiance was being held prisoner. Korra and Team Avatar cut a hole in her platinum mega-suit, Colussus, so enter and destroy the suit from within. Lin and Suyin Beifong deactivated the loading mechanisim for the cannon, while Mako and Bolin went to cut power to the suit. Korra made her was up to the top deck to fight Kuvira. Afterwards, Kuvira was hurt, but she wouldn't give up. She ran into the spirit wilds and found her cannon, and when Korra arrived, she fired the cannon at her. Korra dodges the purple beam, and shouts at Kuvira to turn it off. Kuvira tries and it won't turn off. She gets tossed to the ground and the beam was aiming right at her. Korra jumped in between the beam and Kuvira to save her life. The cannon exploded to created a new spirit portal right at the heart of Republic City. Korra and Kuvira got tossed inside. Korra sympatized with Kuvira and they walked out of the portal together. Kuvira surrendered and let Lin put handcuffs on her wrists before being led away.
Ruins of the Empire
Kuvira had been imprisoned in Republic City for 6 months now. One day, Korra comes to visit her in her cell, saying that she needs her help to stop Guan, Kuvira's former commander. President Zhu Li signs a document for Kuvira to be released into Team Avatar's custody. Kuvira confronts Guan to tell him to surrender. Guan refuses, and Kuvira chokes him but is electrically shocked using a remote control made by Asami. Later, Asami, Bolin, and Mako are captured by Guan and his team and are brainwashed into following Guan's orders. Kuvira secretly steals a airplane and flys to Guan. She commends him on resurecting the Earth Empire, commenting that he had always been a shwred leader. Guan in turn replies that Kuvira has to be brainwashed. But when Guan tries to brainwash Kuvira, she metalbends helmets around his head, while simultaneously removing her restraints. Kuvira calls for Suyin's help when Guan is chasing her, Wu, and a few others. Suyin arrives just in time, but Wu gets captured. Korra and Kuvira takes Asami back to the Beifong residence to undo her brainwashing. Bataar Jr. agrees to help Kuvira with undoing the brainwashing. Nothing works, so Kuvira suggests that they try on someone who hasn't been brainwashed. Korra volunteers, but Kuvira steps in, saying she won't be the reason the Avatar lost her memory. It worked, and Asami got her brainwashing undone.