What if the Red Lotus are the baddies in ASH?

[u/Blue-Moon-89]

Given their MO and how Book 3 ended with them still around (likely returned to the shadows), how would you feel if the Red Lotus return to be the baddies in ASH? In fact, what if they played a part in starting the cataclysm?

What do you think?

[u/Low_Writing_9512]

hear me out, what if the White Lotus are the villains?

[u/Correct_Doctor_1502]

I think it might be reversed with the white lotus being antagonistic this time around.

They were in Yangchen's time, and I definitely feel like the world ending catastrophe might have been caused by their meddling, and the propaganda campaign against Korra was to save face.

[u/Blue-Moon-89 → u/Correct_Doctor_1502]

Interesting. If I recall from the Yangchen novel the White Lotus wanted control over the Unanimity project. They even went as far as strong-arming Kavik, who already betrayed the Avatar's trust, into spying on Yangchen.

So yeah. The White Lotus aren't above getting their hands dirty. If the leaks about them leaving Pavi on streets in favour of raising Nisha is true, then maybe it was because they found Nisha easier to control than Pavi.

[u/8167lliw]

I would assume the Red Lotus would be the villains. Especially after LoK book 3. I can't imagine they retained any nuance.

[u/Low_Writing_9512]

What if the Red Lotus run/protect one of the havens and have become a legitimate organization?

[u/BasicFanny]

I wouldn’t like it

I want new original villains, not recycles of already existing plots and characters

[u/Cass0wary_399 → u/BasicFanny]

The new villain could just be a new character who’s apart of the Red Lotus.

[u/ravenklaw]

i don’t think they will be the villains, or make an appearance at all

that said, i do think the threat of zaheer isn’t necessarily over for korra just because he’s locked away now. he can access the spirit world, and can consult with folks like aiwei there, remaining their figurehead. he can lead from prison as many cult/gang members do so long as they have a way to get messages to the outside world

[u/Bulky_Win4850]

I feel like its a possability, the Red Lozis is an organisation so its not just bringing old characters back but rather making whole new characters who have more of a history in the world, plus with how the world is described this is like thier ultimate dream, this is the wolrd if Zaheer won, the only thing remaining is to end the Avatar once and for all, so could work. If they want to Zaheer can also come back as a spirit, kinda like Iroh, without bending we would see more of him as puppet master behind the scenes. Maybe, they take Pavi twin and shapes her into the avatar they want. Like what they wanted to do with Korra but failed!

[u/AtoMaki]

Unlikely. The creators are so against pitching the old antagonist against the new Avatar the only firebender villain of note in TLOK never fights Korra and their only interaction is literally one sentence.

[u/Hellebaardier]

Doubtful. People also keep bringing up Vaatu, but I find it very unlikely that they are going to revisit old plots when they settled on the premise of a destroyed world when they finally were planning to release a new installment a decade after the previous one.

Not to mention, didn't the Red Lotus pretty much achieve their goal? With the world destroyed, all the nations gone and the Avatar having been compromised, I'm not really sure what purpose their organization could have? Total annihilation of the human species?