Korra started to explain what happened that night when Mako and Bolin died. She was going to tell Asami everything that happened and why she blames herself for the cause of their deaths. As she spills the beans, Korra starts having a flashback on that unfaithful evening.
It was dark that night and Mako, Korra, and Bolin had finally found clues as to where the leaders of the Iron Bloods were located. Looking down at an alleyway, Korra got a tip-off from the locals that there was a couple of Iron Bloods who were seen walking down a basement underneath a local food mart. Korra wanted to investigate further, but Mako suggested they wait for the authorities to arrive. Even with this plea, Korra ignored Mako, being confident and trusting her own instinct in stopping the infamous cult.
Mako didn't like going in without any reinforcements as they knew almost nothing about this group nor the layouts of their supposed lair. Trusting the Avatar, however, Mako and Bolin decide to follow Korra's lead and head down the basement. As they enter, they begin to realize how enormous the hideaway was. The area was almost 10,000 cubic yards with loads of machinery, and members in robes walking around the vicinity. Thousands of Iron Bloods huddled around a stage as one member dragged a group of beaten citizens upfront.
Using the darkness of the cave to their advantage, Korra and her friends snuck around to get a better view. Based on Mako's observation, Mako was able to tell the person in the middle making the speech was the cult's leader. Just as he began making his gesture of grandeur, the leader signaled one of his minions to grab the first citizen as they offered him as a tribute to their imaginary god.
The man presented himself as the Arch-Bishop of the Iron Bloods. His flamboyant attitude and expression attracted the other cultists as they lowered themselves to their knees and started bowing. As their heads moved up and down, the Arch-Bishop continued to present his speech.
"For too long have we taken for granted our technological advancements throughout the years. While many so-called engineers and scientists claim it is through the works of previous innovations and the human mind, they refuse to answer how these ideas come to fruition. The truth is, our technological advancements were only made possible due to our beloved messiah. Without her, our world will still be stuck in the stone age. Think of this matter logically, how can humans, who know only corruption and murder come with such ideas of machinery. It is because the Omni-Messiah has implanted these ideas down to our souls and gifted us, humans, these powerful machines. While our technological advancements have increased tremendously, these works can just as quickly diminish. The only way our people can continue to strive and prosper is if our god continues to donate these ideas and metals for us. The only way to save our race is if we please our god to continue to protect and guide us. Thus, we must sacrifice these non-believers and satisfy our god!"
Korra, getting more and more anxious and worried, notices the Bishop's main bodyguard, carrying one of the citizens in front of the stage. Mako notices Korra's legs shaking and realizes her eagerness to run in. Mako tried to calm Korra, but she continued to ignore him as she rushed to save the citizen. Mako knew it wasn't safe nor smart to rush into the enemy without a plan, but Korra refused to listen.
Korra ran as fast as possible, trying to save the person being sacrificed, however, the leader already expected this as he ordered his main bodyguard to protect him. The giant abomination tackles Korra onto the floor and pins her down. Seeing their friend in trouble, Bolin and Mako rushed over and used their fire and earth bending to push the giant beast off of Korra. With their sneaky approach failing miserably, they change to more aggressive tactics. The Bishop orders his people to attack the Avatar and they follow through, blindly.
This wasn't enough to falter the three friends as they quickly used their respective bending to pummel the cult minions to the ground. Seeing how strong the Avatar was, the leader of the cult pulled out a switch, causing air to leak into the cave. His bodyguard did something similar, tossing gasoline kegs towards the Avatar's general direction.
Realizing that the Iron Bloods planned on blowing the entire cave up, Mako tried warning Korra and Bolin not to use any of their fire and lava bending. However, it was too late as Korra threw a fireball towards the cultist leader, hitting the oil barrel, and blowing up the entire cave. The ceiling started to collapse as the floor started to shake. Rubble began forming and hitting the ground as Korra got unconscious from the explosion she caused.
Korra started regaining her vision when she noticed Mako and Bolin both on the floor. Korra knew that Bolin was closest to the explosion as most of his limbs and organs flew off his body. The only thing that remained attached to his central body was his head and his right arm.
While Mako didn't suffer as much as his brother, he still received severe injuries. Mako was missing his right arm and leg. His face was badly injured, suffering from many cuts and burns from debris caused by the explosion.
Korra suffered the least with only shards of the canister piercing her abdomen and her left shoulder.
As Korra tried getting up, she already assumed that Bolin was dead and tried pulling her friend Mako out of the cave. Korra crawled her way towards Mako but didn't reach his corpse in time as a piece of the cave fell from the ceiling, blocking Korra's path towards her lifeless friend. Assuming that this was the end for her friends. Korra used all of the strength she could muster and limped her way out of the cave. She only managed to make it as Lin arrived just in time to drag Korra out of the basement and into the arms of safety.
The explosion causes Korra to go temporarily to death, only being able to hear a loud ringing noise around her.
"Where are Mako and Bolin?" Lin screamed.
Korra didn't hear a single word Chief Beifong was saying, but knew what she was questioning, just from the contexts of everything that happened. Korra looked at the rubble from her explosion with tears dropping from her eyes. Korra wanted to say sorry but was unable to voice her apology as she lost consciousness from the tremendous loss of blood. Korra fell onto the floor as the ambulance arrived to heal her.
Coming back to the present, Korra sighed and remained silent after telling Asami her story. She feared the worst to happen, expecting Asami to choke her to death for killing her friends. Korra already knew that it was her ignorance and cavalierness that caused Bolin and Mako to die. She believes that if she listened to Mako instead of trying to rush over the stage to save the minor citizen, Mako would still be alive and breathing. Whatever happens between her and Asami, Korra was willing to accept the punishment.
Korra is constantly suicidal. Looking over her scars, Korra had constantly been thinking about ending her own life. However, human nature refuses to let her die. Whether it be slitting her own throat or falling off a cliff, her Avatar instincts would kick in, retreating or saving herself at the last minute. Korra even tried starving herself to death, but she was never able to refuse Pema's cooking and hospitality.
Looking at Asami and awaiting her punishment, she is surprised to be met not with a choke or punch to the face, but rather a warm hug. Asami sobs, bending towards Korra, embracing her arms around Korra's body, and planting her face into Korra's breast.
"I wish you told me sooner," Asami stated.
"I don't understand. Why aren't you hitting me? I killed your ex-boyfriend. I killed our friends. Why aren't you killing me for this!" Korra exclaimed with a confused look.
"Korra, you did nothing wrong. You were just doing your job as the Avatar." Asami responded.
"Asami! I killed my two greatest friends. Mako and Bolin helped me become the person I am today, and I killed them. And instead of being punished for doing so, I got rewarded instead. The people called me a hero for stopping the Iron Bloods when all I really did was turn the two greatest people I know into corpses." Korra complained.
Asami hugged Korra even harder as she placed her chin against Korra's left shoulder.
"You were just trying to protect the citizens that were captured that night," Asami stated as she tried defending Korra.
"Maybe, but if I had just listened to Mako that night, they would both still be alive." Korra asserted.
Asami continued to consult Korra as she released herself from Korra's embrace. She placed her hand against Korra's cheeks as if she was caressing her face and continued to speak her words of wisdom.
"I learned some things when I found out my father died. I learned that not only I hated him for working for the equalists, but I also hated myself for not being enough for him to move on. I'm not going to make that same mistake with you Korra. There are things we can't always control and there are always going to be people we can't always save. After some time, I learned that nothing comes from hating yourself. We must learn from our mistakes so we can save more people the next time. So please, don't make the same mistake as I did." Asami monologues.
After Asami made her point, she had nothing more left to say. Asami assumed that Korra didn't listen to a word she said and decided to walk out on her. Asami assumed Korra was no longer the same kind-hearted and energetic angel she once was. However, her assumption was quickly corrected. Asami's words didn't fall into deaf ears as Korra reached for Asami's arm just as she was about to leave the rooftop.
"Thanks, Asami..." Korra stated.
"Anytime," Asami replied.