| “ | Zhu Li, do the thing. | „ |
| ~ Varrick's catchphrase. |
Iknik Blackstone Varrick, or commonly known as Varrick, is a major protagonist of The Legend of Korra, serving as a secondary antagonist of Book Two: Spirits, a supporting character of Book Three: Change and a major protagonist of Book Four: Balance. He is a wealthy businessman and a former superior-turned-husband of Zhu Li.
While initially a helpful ally to Team Avatar, it was revealed that he's actually instigated the Water Tribe Civil War and terrorist attacks in order to make a profit off of it until he was exposed and eventually got sent to jail, leading him to make it up for it by helping Team Avatar defeat Unalaq by providing them his battleship. After he escaped from jail, he later moved to Zaofu where he modernized its technology. Following the Red Lotus' defeat and the Earth Queen Hou-Ting's death, he eventually joined the Earth Empire following its formation until he finally defected from them after realizing how Kuvira has gone too far as she's planning to use the spirit energy weapon for her plans, leading him to redeem himself by helping the Team Avatar defeat her.
He is voiced by John Michael Higgins.
His Good Ranking[]
What Makes Him Admirable?[]
In General/Background[]
- Despite the high admirable standards of Avatar franchise, Varrick still stands out even with high resources despite lacking bending powers like Team Avatar due to his hefty role in Kuvira's defeat.
- Though he initially treats Zhu Li like his assistant for ridiculous and selfish reasons, he later grew to have cared and loved Zhu Li from now on, agreed to treat her like an equal and eventually marrying her. During the wedding between him and Zhu Li, he genuinely promised never to treat her as his assistant, but as his cherished and loving partner.
- He helped Raiko win the Republic City presidential election.
Book Two: Spirits[]
- Despite Bolin interrupted him entertaining his guests by pointing out he wasn't levitating, he immediately became impressed that he finally guessed it and began to took a liking of him.
- Although he interrupted Unalaq's speech, he had just tactlessly insulted his own loyal subjects, so Varrick was 100 percent justified. He proceeds to entertain them with trained penguins to replace Unalaq's negative vibe with his positive one, which everyone appreciates.
- It was mentioned that he gave Bolin a snowmobile with a two-person sidecar and a snowsuit that is inflatable with an internal heater, emergency beacon, and food ration pouches, which he later used them during Korra's journey to the Everstorm.
- Warning Team Avatar that Unalaq has rigged the trial of Tonraq and his fellow rebels and gave Bolin a stack of money for a bribery to get them out, but to no avail as he accidentally gave them to the two strangers.
- After learning the truth about Tonraq's banishment, he help the Team Avatar to save Tonraq and his fellow rebels out of prison. He also help Bolin to escape from Eska after he failed to broke up with her few times.
- Seeing that Bolin is left with nothing to do, he went to cheer him up by taking him to the Pro-bending Arena for a special night.
- While initially became disappointed at Bolin for emotionally kissing Ginger which wasn't on the script, he later began to love the idea because he thinks it'll work.
- When he confronted Mako as he found out who's behind the terrorist attack, he never intends to torture him.
- Despite being defeated and exposed for attempted kidnapping on President Raiko, he never show his resentment towards Team Avatar when they visited him in jail. He later admitted that he wasn't going to hurt Raiko and only did this just to start another war.
- To make up for his actions, he apologized to Team Avatar for everything he caused and offered them his battleship to help them stop Unalaq.
Book Three: Change[]
- After escape from jail, he moved to Zaofu where he helps Suyin modernized its technology.
- Despite Team Avatar (except for Bolin) showing hostility to him when they meet again in Zaofu, he remains cheerful and friendly towards them as he reveals that he's working on a high speed rail that would revolutionize transportation and shipping.
- Attending a farewell dinner with Opal to celebrate when she decide to join the Air Nation and leave to train with Tenzin at the Northern Air Temple.
- Seeing Bolin looks down over Opal leaving to train at the Northern Air Temple, he tried to offer him a relationship advise, but only for the young Earthbender to reject it.
- When Team Avatar are investigating the crime scene of the Red Lotus’ attack from the last night, he helped them realize Hong Li was actually being framed for helping the terrorists by planting the evidence in his apartment room, using the time he did to Mako as a reference. This eventually led them to realize that Aiwei was the actual traitor.
Book Four: Balance[]
- While he initially join the Earth Empire to help them with their plans and developing the spirit energy project, he later defected from them after realizing Kuvira's true intentions and became horrified over how dangerous the project is.
- Went to save Zhu Li from falling off the train, but not before ordering her to clean up the mess.
- Attempt to shut down the spirit vine project in order to avoid using it as a weapon of mass destruction, only going back on that resolution when Kuvira threatened him to continue.
- Though he initially became depressed and suicidal as he set his lab cart to explode so he and Bolin could be blown up together and allow the young Earthbender to leave him getting eaten by worms in the forest since he had nothing else to live for after Zhu Li left him for his selfish treatment towards her, he later regained his spirits back after Bolin encourages him to do the right thing, immediately became touched by his words.
- Despite how reckless it is, he still sets his lab cart to explode to destroy all of his research so Kuvira couldn't use it.
- After they escape from getting blown up in the train, he happily praises Bolin for using his earthbending for them to escape.
- After being encouraged by Bolin to do the right thing, he agrees to give him a piggyback ride.
- Despite being captured by the refugees for being the former Earth Empire soldiers, he and Bolin decide to help them escape from the re-educational camp by getting pass through the checkpoint, with him intimidating the soldier to convince him to let them pass.
- Using the generator from security office to create an electromagnetic pulse that would deactivate all of the mecha suits, saving Bolin and the refugees from the Earth Empire soldiers as result.
- Though he initially wants to leave the refugees behind at first, he later allow them to come with him and Bolin after the young Earthbender save them by releasing the stream of lava against the Earth Empire soldiers.
- Despite being uncomfortable over the refugees' small boat, he reluctantly agrees to come with them under Bolin's pressure.
- To entertain the refugees while on their way to Republic City, he tells the story of Bolin's journey to save the world and defeat the Evil Unalaq, which they enjoyed it.
- Comforted Bolin when he cried over jeopardizing his relationship with Opal in siding with Kuvira.
- He and Bolin went to the City Hall to warm Team Avatar and President Raiko that Kuvira is building a super weapon for her plans.
- Despite Asami and Raiko still holding grudge against him for what he did during the Water Tribe Civil War, he still agrees to work with Asami to stop Kuvira together and nervously promised not to double-cross her ever again under Asami's threaterning pressure.
- While presenting the flying mecha suit to President Raiko, he stated that the spirit vine technology should never be used because of how dangerous it is.
- While working on mass-producing flying mecha suits, he inspires his workers to continued it.
- After Zhu Li admits the reason behind her supposed betrayal on him, revealing her true feelings for him and apologized for saying such mean things to him, he enthusiastically forgives her for this.
- By commenting how Baatar Jr. is a better inventor than him, this gives the Team Avatar and the others an idea of kidnapping Baatar Jr. and threaten him to convince Kuvira to surrender. This even led to Baatar Jr.'s eventual redemption after Kuvira betrays him (with no other choice).
- Working on a hummingbird mecha suit along with Asami, Zhu Li, and later joined by Hiroshi Sato, who redeemed himself from his actions. These suits were eventually used to cut through the Colossus' skins, which later led to Hiroshi's heroic sacrifice to help Team Avatar and the Beifong sisters defeat Kuvira, ending her reign of terror as result.
- He and Zhu Li went up to the metal tower at the Future Industries building to create a giant electromagnetic pulse that will deactivate all of the Earth Empire's mecha suits, with an exception of the Colossus.
- After Kuvira is finally defeated, he joins with Team Avatar and the others to celebrate their victory.
Sequel comics[]
- He, Zhu Li, Tenzin and Kya are helping the evacuees with the food crisis at the evacuee camp.
- When Zhu Li is getting sick and tired of President Raiko's selfishness, he took her inside the tent to give her a massage.
- Due to loving the idea of Zhu Li being the President of the Republic City, he began to support and help her winning the presidential election against Raiko.
- Brought his filming crew to create a docu-mover that will help Zhu Li win the presidential election against Raiko. After he finished filming it, he then shows the clips of Raiko running away like a coward and Zhu Li saving Sachi, which eventually led his wife winning the election.
- Encourages Zhu Li to gave her speech to the people of Republic City after she won the presidential election.
- As the First Gentleman of the Republic City, he will do anything to support his wife during her presidency.
- Helping Wu getting up when he faints after delivering his speech to all people of the Republic City.
What Makes Him Inconsistent?[]
- Varrick is a textbook antihero who has committed several heinous crimes throughout Book Two: Spirits, such as orchestrating the Water Tribe Civil War in order to profit off of it, conspiring with the criminals to cause terrorist attacks throughout Republic City, deliberately bankrupting Future Industries to buy a controlling share of it, framing Mako as a mastermind behind terrorist attacks which got him arrested, and attempting to kidnap President Raiko to justify the exacerbation of war. Despite apologizing to Team Avatar when they visit him in jail and making it up for them, as Asami Sato indeed calls him out on, any remorse he indicates is very hard to buy, given that even after his redemption he still made excuses by claiming that everything bad he does is always "allegedly". To summarize, Varrick is morally gray because he only helps others, including Team Avatar, if there is something in it for him.
- He is shown to be moderately arrogant, as he always bragged about his wealth and any good accomplishments he did to Team Avatar.
- He can be something of a jerk, such as barging in Tonraq and Senna's house to interrupt their meeting with fellow Southern Water Tribe members, using his magnetic suit to pull away Team Avatar and the Metal Clan's dishes while they're having breakfast, offending Mako by tactlessly bringing up the time he got him arrested, and displaying a few argumentative tendencies.
- He is extremely reckless, as best showcased when he set his lab cart to explode so he could be blown up along with the train and dragged Bolin into his heroic sacrifice against his wishes, almost committing suicide and murdering Bolin as a result. Bolin becomes terrified and, for the first time, angrily called him out on this.
Trivia[]
- He is one of four Inconsistently Admirable heroes from the Avatar franchise, along with Zuko, Toph Beifong, and Kuvira. However, he is the only non-bender.
External Links[]
- Varrick on the Avatar Wiki
- Varrick on the Heroes Wiki
- Varrick on the Villains Wiki
- Varrick on the Inconsistently Heinous Wiki
- Varrick on the Magnificent Baddie Wiki
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 Inconsistently Admirable
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Avatar: The Last Airbender The Legend of Korra See Also | ||