Surprised,
terrified, and powerless. That is what you feel when
encountering a bloodbender. But, where did this horrifying
act of puppetry come from? Let's go all the way back to before bloodbending
was even discovered. Roughly, 35 years
into the Hundred Year War, the Fire Nation arrived
at the Southern Water Tribe. They led raid after raid
on the small tribe, imprisoning any
and all waterbenders. The final prisoner of war
was a woman named Hama. I was led away in chains. The last waterbender
of the Southern Water Tribe. The guards were always careful
to keep any water away from us. They piped in dry air
and had us suspended away from the ground
before giving us any water. They would bind our hands
and feet so we couldn't bend. Any sign of trouble was
met with cruel retribution. And yet each month
I felt the full moon enriching me with its energy. There had to be
something I could do to escape. Hama, desperate for freedom, realized that the
guards had not eliminated all water sources
from their prison because where
there's life, there's water. The rats that scurried
across the floor of my cage were nothing more
than skins filled with liquid. And I passed years
developing the skill that would lead to my escape, bloodbending. Controlling the
water in another body, enforcing your
own will over theirs. Once I had mastered the rats, I was ready for the men. [gasping] [grunting] [gasping] And during the next full moon, I walked free for the
first time in decades, My cell unlocked by the very
guards assigned to keep me in. So, this is only speculation. But it's believed
that her escape and the reports of this
legendary new power, is what drew more raids
to the Southern Water Tribe roughly, 60 years
after they began. Tell me, who is it? Who's the waterbender? There are no waterbenders here. The Fire Nation took them
all away a long time ago. You're lying. My source says there's one waterbender left
in the Southern Water Tribe. What they were really
looking for was a bloodbender. And unfortunately,
a mother of two, Kya, sacrificed herself to save her
lone, waterbending, daughter. It's me. Take me as your prisoner. I'm afraid I'm not
taking prisoners today. But it was a futile effort. On the other side
of a vast ocean, Hama was hiding under
the Fire Nation's nose. Hello, children. [screaming] Hama spent the next
several years moonlighting as an innkeeper just outside
of the Fire Nation village. And every month
during a full moon, she would secretly
take her revenge out on any Fire Nation citizen unlucky enough
to cross her sights. Thanks for letting us
stay here tonight. You have a lovely inn. Aren't you sweet? You know, you should be careful. People have been disappearing in those woods
you were camping in. What do you mean disappearing? When the moon turns full, people walk in and they don't come out. Who wants more tea? Ordinary people couldn't fathom that It was just a waterbender
wielding such power. I'm not that old! Not ready to get snapped up by
some moon monster yet, at least. We wanted to ask you about that. Did you get a good look
at the spirit that took you? Didn't see no spirit. Just felt something come over
me, like I was possessed. Forced me to start walking
toward the mountain. I tried to fight it, but I
couldn't control my own limbs. It just about had me
into a cave up there. And I looked up at the moon for what I thought would be
my last glimpse of light. But then, the sun
started to rise. and I got control
of myself again! I just hightailed it
away from that mountain as quick as I could. The people who Hama
did bloodbend, were actually held captive,
just like she once was. But Hama's legacy
came to an end. In the final summer
of the Hundred Year War, Avatar Aang and allies
were befriended by the elderly predator. She even went so far
as to begin tutoring Katara, the only other
living waterbender in Southern Water Tribe. When you're a waterbender
in a strange land, you do what you must to survive. Tonight I'll teach
you the ultimate technique of waterbending. It can only be done
during the full moon, when your bending
is at its peak. Hama shared one of her secrets for the very first time
with Katara. Meanwhile, Toph helped
discover Hama's other secret. Why would a spirit wanna
take people to a mountain? Oh, no! I did hear people
screaming under the mountain! The missing villagers
must still be there! We're saved. I didn't know that spirits
made prisons like this. Who brought you here? It was no spirit. It was a witch. A witch? What do you mean? She seems like
a normal old woman. But she controls people like
some dark puppet master. Hama!] Simultaneously, Katara was
hesitant to learn bloodbending. I don't know if I want
that kind of power. The choice is not yours. The power exists. And it's your duty
to use the gifts you've been given
to win this war. Katara resisted until
Hama crossed the line, bloodbending Aang and Sokka. Don't hurt your friends, Katara. And don't let them
hurt each other. [screaming] No! [grunting] [groaning] Hama was taken
away prisoner, once again. But this time, some of you would
argue it was pretty justified. Congratulations, Katara. You're a bloodbender. So, one month later,
the full moon rose again and so did a bloodbender,
thirsty for revenge. What's... [grunting] happening to me? Katara was on the hunt for the
man who slayed her mother. You look her in
the eye and you tell me you don't remember what you did. it's not him. Katara eventually found her
mother's killer and spared him. That was the last time she ever
bloodbent, as far as we know. Decades later,
the newly established United Republic of Nations outlawed blood
bending, altogether. But the dark art
would continue to haunt society via one game changing criminal. Yakone, has maintained
his grip on the underworld by using an ability that
has been illegal for decades, bloodbending. The defense argued
this was impossible. Not only because bloodbending
was such a rare skill, but because it
had been reportedly, performed without a full moon. The defense would have won
had the court not been full of people who had witnessed the
impossible time and time again. In my years, I have encountered
people born with rare and unique bending abilities. I once bested a man
with my trusty boomerang who was able to
firebend with his mind. We find Yakone
guilty of all charges and sentence him
to life in prison. [gasping] [grunting] Yakone revealed
his power to the public, bending his way
to a temporary freedom. And he would have gotten
away with it, too, if it weren't for Avatar
Aang in the Avatar state. [grunting] [grunting] [groaning] [groaning] [groaning] [groaning] I'm taking away
your bending... for good. [screaming] [groaning] [sighing] Yakone's own bloodbending
may have been over. His lineage of crime and power? Not quite. Yakone
eventually escaped prison with the help
of his former gang. They changed his appearance. He found a wife and even had
two sons, Tarrlok and Noatak. Their family continued down
a wholesome path until his boys discovered they
were waterbenders too. At first we were excited
by our new abilities. But our training brought out
a different side of my father. Tarrlok! You better shape up
or you'll be out here in the cold all night
until you get it right. - I'm trying but--
- Try harder! You two will become bloodbenders
of the highest order. When the time is right, you will claim Republic City
and you will destroy the Avatar! You must avenge me. That is your purpose in life. The good days were behind us. Every full moon, he took
his sons on a hunting trip, where he secretly trained the
young boys in bloodbending. [growling] [growling] Stop! You're hurting it! Toughen up, Tarrlok! You'll need a
thicker skin for this. A few years later,
their education evolved into bloodbending
without a full moon. Tarrlok didn't have the stomach
to manipulate helpless animals, but Noatak reveled
in his new power. [whining] He was a prodigy, mastering my father's
psychic bloodbending technique by the time he was 14. Yukone reached a new low when he made his
children bloodbend each other. Bloodbend your brother, Tarrlok! That'd feel awful. I don't want to
do that to anyone! I never want to
bloodbend again. You're a disgrace. A weakling. I'll teach you a lesson,
you insubordinate! [grunting] Stay away from him. This is when Yukone's delicate
hold over his children snapped. The puppets had
become the puppeteers. I made you what you are! You're mine! We're your sons! Not your tools of revenge! Let's go. We can run away
from him, forever. Run away? But what about mom?
We can't just leave her. He was right about you. You are a weakling. [grunting] Noatok, don't leave, please! Noatok! My father and I
searched for days, but we never
found a sign of Noatok. We thought he
perished in that storm. My father stopped training me. With Noahtok gone,
his hopes for revenge withered and he passed
away a few years later. Our final bloodbending chapter
opens up several years later. Noatok had actually lived and re-emerged in
society with a new identity, Amon, a non-bending radical. Since the beginning of time,
the spirits have acted as guardians of our world
and they have spoken to me. They say the Avatar
has failed humanity. That is why the spirits
have chosen me to usher in a new era of balance. They have granted me a power that will make
equality a reality. The power to take a person's
bending away, permanently. That's impossible. Of course, we know that
this was done for bloodbending. What did you do to me? Your firebending
is gone, forever. But it was enough
of an illusion to stir massive civil unrest
in Republic City. The era of bending is over. A new era of equality has begun. Amon amassed
a giant army of people who believed the benders
were the enemy of equality. Amon even used
a fake firebending scar that actually made him
seem like a victim, when he was really
just another predator. Before long, Amon became the target of
a ruthless politician, Tarrlok. Sound familiar? Amon is not going to stop. We should point out
how Tarrlok had no clue Amon was actually his brother. But both men had their father's
desperation and power. Both men concealed their past
to the public. And both men were willing to do whatever it took
to reach their goal. You need to be stopped! You're just as bad as Amon! Avatar Korra, who found herself at odds with both brothers
in the fight for justice, was the first to
learn of Tarrlok's powers. And she learned the hard way. How are you doing this? There are a lot of things
you don't know about me. [grunting] Tarrlok saw no
choice but to cage Korra. Just like Hama was long ago, Tarrlok was
desperate to maintain his politically driven power. Though one witness
saw through his lies. I already explained, equalists
attacked us and took her. But there were no chi
blockers here last night. You planted the evidence,
didn't you? That is a ridiculous accusation. It's true! He took her! Why did you wait
until now to fess up? I was terrified
to tell because... because Tarrlok
is a bloodbender! He bloodbent Avatar Korra! [gasping] Don't make this
worse for yourself. Tell us where you have Korra! [groaning] Tarrlok bloodbent his way
to a temporary freedom. And who says history
doesn't repeat itself? Though, without the avatar state
coming after him, the only force strong enough to stop him
with his own brother, Amon, who was also
in pursuit of Avatar Korra. It is time for you
to be equalized. You fool. You've never faced
bending like mine. [grunting] Huh? [grunting] What? What are you? I am the solution. [grunting] [screaming] [grunting] What an awkward
family reunion. Regardless, Korra escaped and the bloodbending
secrets were revealed. I'm Amon's brother. But the war against Amon
was not yet over. [gasping] Not when Amon use
his unique bending blocking skill
on the avatar herself. [grunting] Korra lost the ability to
bend water, earth, and fire, the three out
of the four elements that had come so
easy to her in the past. Airbending was
still a mystery to her until Amon's wrath threatened
her close friend, Mako. [gasping] No! [grunting] Impossible. I... I can airbend? I can airbend! [grunting] [groaning] No... you... don't! [grunting] [gasping] Did you see what
happened? Who was that? Can you see him? [gasping] Could that be... [screaming] Evil Avatar! Stop it. [grunting] [gasping] Amon's facade
was washed away, literally. - He's waterbending.
- What? He is a bender. The scar is fake. The Avatar was
telling the truth. Amon lost everything. And while in retreat, he felt that the only place
he could turn to was family. The two of us together again.
There's nothing we can do. Yes, Noatak. Noatak. I had almost forgotten
the sound of my own name. Even his younger
brother, Tarrlok, knew that their powers were
too much for the world to bear. It will be just like
the good old days. A dark conclusion
to a dark subject. What do you
think about bloodbending? How could it have
been used for good? Comment below. Like and subscribe and keep
watching for all things Avatar. It's like my brain
has a mind of its own! Stop it, arms! Stop it!
