It’s bad enough that everyone in the world of Avatar: Seven Havens is living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, but Ellora is now officially on the brink of collapse. After the first three episodes of Book One: Survival introduced the new Avatar and her long-lost twin, episodes 4, 5, and 6 — released Friday — turn the Haven into a pressure cooker of civil unrest, bandit attacks, government secrecy, and the strange fear-based infection people begin calling “The Anomaly.” We still don’t know how Korra caused the Cataclysm, why the Avatar appears to have been reincarnated as both Pavi (Saheli Khan) and Nisha (Aishu Devan), or what happened to the girls’ parents. But this second batch of episodes reveals considerably more about the twins’ forgotten history and deepens the mystery.
Here's a closer look at some of the most important things to happen in this latest batch of episodes and what that cliffhanger ending means going forward. Major spoilers for Avatar: Seven Havens episodes 4, 5, and 6 follow. The major storm that hit Ellora earlier this season — and the strange diamond-shaped spirit monster that appeared with it — left behind bright red cubes growing out of the ground.
They continue to expand, like the spirit vines from Korra’s era, but they’re more than just an eyesore. Ellora has an entire sick ward dedicated to treating the Afflicted, citizens who have come under the influence of these cubes and the fear they instill. The number of those infected also seems to be rising.
A doctor explains to Karthik (Akshay Khanna) early in the episode that the Afflicted experience overwhelming fear and violent hallucinations. Among them is Bountan, the firebender and former commander of the Bending Brigade who had a direct encounter with the Anomaly spirit in episode 2 that drove him mad. While Karthik is touring the sick ward, Pavi and Nisha catch up to him after a visit to the doctor to look at Pavi’s leg.
Their presence sends all the Afflicted into a frenzy. We see that, through their eyes, the Avatars look like red-eyed, grinning demons. Since many of the Afflicted are benders, that makes things even more dangerous.
Led by Bountan, the Afflicted charge through the hospital like a rampaging horde of magic-powered zombies. It's unclear what they’re trying to accomplish, but one thing’s clear: they do not like the Avatars. An important distinction between Nisha and Pavi emerges while they move through the dark hallways trying to avoid the Afflicted: Nisha quickly subdues one by encasing it in stone.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
