Amon was the primary antagonist in the first season of The Legend of Korra. He was introduced as the leader of the Equalist movement, which advocated for equal rights for non-benders. The movement ultimately introduced its plans to achieve these equal rights by eliminating all the benders.
Amon claimed that he was given the ability to remove a person’s bending by the spirits that also believed in equality. He further stated that the spirits believed that the Avatar had failed the world and needed to be replaced. Therefore, he rebelled with his movement to establish a new world order by eliminating the Avatar and all other benders.
Background
Amon was born as Noatak in the Northern Water Tribe to a man named Yakone and his wife. Noatak also had a younger brother named Tarrlok. When both the brothers developed Water Bending abilities, Yakone started to train them ruthlessly. Noatak was a Water Bending prodigy and learned everything very quickly. Tarrlok, however, struggled and was often verbally abused by his father.
Noatak tried to protect his younger brother but was stopped by his Father. Time passed, and when both the brothers learned Water Bending to some extent, Yakone took them to a deserted place under the guise of a hunting trip. He revealed his true identity to his sons as a Crime boss from Republic City who had mastered the art of Bloodbending. Yakone then narrated his story and told the brothers that the Avatar stripped him of his powers, and they were to exact his revenge on the Avatar.
He started training the brothers in Bloodbending on different animals such as yaks and polar bears. Noatak reveled in this newfound power and became corrupted by it, becoming ruthless and inconsiderate. One day, Yakone pitted the brothers against each other with Noatak Bloodbending Tarrlok until his father stopped him. But Tarrlok refused to do the same and did not Bloodbend his brother.
Yakone then called Tarrlok weak and tried to beat him until Noatak used Bloodbending at his father to stop him. He further said that it is Yakone who is weak for allowing the Avatar to strip him of his powers. He then ran away alone after Tarrlok refused to run with him. Yakone and Tarrlok searched for him the following days but assumed that he might have perished in a snowstorm that night.
Fabricated Childhood Story
After running away, Noatak developed the ability to disturb a bender’s chi and strip away their bending power. He joined the Equalists movement, quickly rose among the ranks, and became its leader. He fabricated a false childhood story by telling the people that he was born on a farm and a Fire Bender extorted his father.
When his father refused to be extorted, the Fire Bender killed all his family, and he had a hideous scar after the Fire Bender burned his face. He has to hide behind a mask to hide that scar. He then revealed his power to strip anyone of his bending and stated that it is a gift from the spirits that also want equality in the world.
Meeting Avatar Korra
When Korra arrived and started living in Republic City permanently, Amon accelerated his plans. He revealed his plans to rid the world of benders once and for all. For this, he started to kidnap known benders and publicly removed their bending. He began by kidnapping members of the Triple Threat Triad and Bolin. He first took away the bending of a notorious Firebender Crime Boss called Lightning Bolt Zolt and then proceeded to do the same with others.
Before he could take away Bolin’s bending, Korra created a distraction allowing Mako to rescue Bolin. A terrified Korra ran away with Mako and Bolin on Naga. Amon deliberately allowed them to escape citing who better to spread the news of his ability than the Avatar himself.
Maon left a lasting impression on Korra even before meeting her. She also started to experience nightmares in which Amon would strip her of her bending ability. The Council of Republic City declared Amon as Public Enemy No 1, and Amon declared this an example of bender’s oppressive nature.
Korra challenged Amon to a duel without the chi blockers on Aang Memorial Island. Amon did not arrive, and when she was about to leave, chi blockers stormed the Island and overpowered her after blocking her chi. She was then taken to Amon inside the Island’s museum. Amon then met the Avatar for the first time. He told her that she could keep her powers for now. Otherwise, she would become a martyr with all the benders rallying behind her untimely demise. Amon warned her that he would “save her for last” and finally “destroy her” in the end.
Subsequent Attacks
Amon and the Equalists then warned the council to stop the final of the Pro-Bending tournament or face the consequences. However, the council kept the Arena open, and after the match ended, Amon attacked the arena and stripped the winners of their bending abilities. He then gave a speech declaring that this oppressive regime would soon be replaced by an Equalist government that believes in the equality of all the citizens. He then blows up the Arena and escapes avoiding Korra’s attack.
Kidnapping Tarrlok
In the following days, Amon and his Equalist forces found Councilman Tarrlok hiding in a cabin near the Republic City. Tarrlok used Bloodbending to subdue the henchman but was no match for Amon. After his defeat, Amon revealed his true identity to his younger brother but kept him captive so that nobody would discover they were brothers.
Korra arrives to save the Councilman but is captured. But she is able to escape when Amon is leaving the facility with a captive Tarrlok. Amon scolded his henchmen for underestimating the Avatar.
Attack On Republic City
Amon and the Equalists attacked the City using the Mecha-Tanks built by Hiroshi Sato. They overwhelmed the entire Republic City defenses and took over the city by evening. He converted Air Temple Island into his base of operations and offered Lin Beifong to keep her powers in exchange for Korra’s information. But she defiantly declined, and Amon took away her bending.
Amon went on to attend a victory rally, where Korra confronted him in front of the entire audience. She revealed his true family tree and that he is a Bloodbender, much to people’s shock. Amon remained calm, refuted all the claims, and removed his mask to show his fake scar in defense of his story. This made Korra the liar in front of the audience.
Final Fight
Amon then proceeded to take the bending of Tenzin and his family and rid the world of Airbenders. Korra and Mako intervened, freeing Tenzin. All of them attacked and overwhelmed Amon. He ran away with Korra chasing, but he captured the Avatar and stripped her of her bending abilities.
Amon’s second-in-command witnessed the entire episode and called Amon a traitor, who in turn killed him with Bloodbending. Mako, meanwhile, picked up a weakened Korra and ran away. Amon caught up with them and pushed Korra away before taking away Mako’s bending. Korra’s Airbending was unlocked witnessing this, and she blasted Amon out the window inside a pond of water beneath.
The water had washed away his fake scar while Amon was passed out. He had to use Water Bending to save himself and came out of the water. Everyone witnesses this, and Amon is exposed. He then runs for it in a speedboat with Tarrlok stating that it would be like old times and they should start a new life.
Tarrlok blows up the fuel tank of the boat in guilt.
Conclusion
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