Per Su's suggestion, Korra begins to learn metalbending. Opal admits her reluctance to leave Zaofu due to her obligations to her family while Bolin deals with his fear of learning how to bend metal. Meanwhile, Lin faces her past during an acupuncture sessions, forcing her to relive the circumstances which led to her and Su's strained relationship. After a cathartic release of her repressed emotions, Lin makes amends with her sister as well as Opal, who she convinces to travel to the Northern Air Temple to train with Tenzin. Elsewhere, Zaheer and his group determine Korra's whereabouts shortly after escaping Republic City, deducing that she was under the Metal Clan's protection in Zaofu.

While the young airbenders look far and wide for Korra, Ikki is briefly captured by two Earth Empire soldiers. Based on what they say, Ikki leads the trio to the swamp. There, Korra is still haunted by visions of being hurt by her past enemies, but manages to connect to the siblings through the great banyan-grove tree's roots. After they beg her to resume her Avatar duties to face Kuvira, Toph's advice helps Korra to let go of her fears, bend the rest of the poison out of herself and re-enter the Avatar State.