My Thoughts on LOK Book 4 Episode 7

~ Bumi is back! I was worried when I heard that Kya wasn't going to be in the rest of the episodes but it's nice to know he will be.
~ The reunion(s) all the shippers were bracing themselves for didn't really have romantic undertones or dramatic surprises, but it was heartfelt and realistic so I believe it was well done.
~ I was right about Wu flirting with Korra!
~ The fact that Asami mentioned her father supports my theory that he will have a substantial role in this season. The only thing that felt out of place was Asami acting defensive, that felt a little out of character for her.
~ Kuvira has another similarity to Hitler and other genocide leaders, "purging" her nation of people with foreign ancestry.
~ Varrick was fantastic in this episode! Seriously, mostly I just laugh at him, but today he impressed me when he found a way to contribute to the fight using his own individual skills. And I like how Bolin (of all people!) is getting him to shape up and act competent. It's great to see some real character development in him!
~ The best bits of dialogue were the conversation comparing Lin to Toph, and Mako's acknowledgment that annoying each other was like old times for Korra and him.
~ I was impressed by Mako's authority as a police officer. He knew exactly what had to be done after arresting a criminal and how to commence a search for others. The way the other cop listened to and followed his instructions shows how far Mako has come after being the rookie no one took seriously.
~ The fact that Wu was almost sent far away on a train harkens back to what Asami said to him in "After All These Years": "I do like the idea of putting you on a train far away." It was foreshadowing! Be careful what you wish for, Asami.
~ Where is Lin through all of this? We've only seen her once in these seven episodes. They better have her debrief with Korra (What, my mom is alive?), Opal (We'll get our family back) and Mako (You better have an explanation for what happened to the Prince).
~ The only part that made me squeal with excitement was seeing Mako's family again; I'd been wondering where they were! So glad they're safe (not threatened by Kuvira's forces in the Earth Empire) and live close to Mako. But if Kuvira is trying to capture Wu (which seems weird since he hasn't done much to defend his claim to the throne or threaten her rule), could having Wu stay with the family put them in danger?
~ Toph is bound to make another appearance now that Kuvira is invading her home. The question is who will bite back first: Toph, the swambenders, or the swamp itself?
~ I thought we might see Kai on Air Temple Island, but neither he nor Jinora appeared in this episode. Where is he now? When will we see him interact with Jinora?
~ Hopefully Bolin will be back with the rest of Team Avatar soon! But, as we know, things rarely go as planned when people in this series set out on a journey.

Overall, this seemed to be the most lighthearted episode so far of the season, since Korra didn't hallucinate or get beaten in battle. And I was pleased by how the writers continue to surprise us. We always hope for certain developments, and they don't always turn out the way we want, but they manage to give us completely unexpected developments. That's really wonderful.