It's the first episode. The writers weren't interested in laying out all their cards on the table, but the breadcrumbs are there. In fact, someone did a photo capture that showed how much the bandit on the plane looked like one of the bandits Kuvira conscripted. People have shown the most resistance when I try to say…

You noticed how Kuvira put metal blindfolds on them and only removed them when they were at her feet. That was so that they wouldn't realize who their attacker was.

Yeah, that's fine. I can understand how you would think I'm not aware of what I'm doing. I know I'm taking a few story beats in order to construct an elaborate unproven theory. I'm super confident in it and pretty sure that the story will prove me right, but I don't think everybody will buy into the idea that she's…

I know you, LoveWaffle, and I'm starting to remind myself of you with how my annoying insistence that all the bandits that have Yi under siege are working for Kuvira.

That's a good point. Ultimately I don't think whether the train bandits are struggling or not is that important. There's a hierarchy and inequality in criminal enterprises also. The people on top of it are better off than the people on bottom. It's possible that the train bandits are worse off than the other 4 other…

Who else but Kuvira? How about any other train trying to ship supplies into the region? There's nothing that suggests that those rails were military-only.
I also agree with you that that set-up always has that risk attached to it. It's also possible someone failed to communicate that intel to that group of bandits. To…

They didn't realize what train they were ambushing. The first thing the lady bandit tries to say before Kuvira silences her is that they didn't know it was her train.
It wasn't a show of force. Kuvira wanted to maintain control of the situation and prevent any of the bandits from blabbing after being captured by…

Well, good defense. However, whether the bandits are struggling or not is inconsequential in figuring out whether or not they work for Kuvira. Even within a criminal enterprise, a hierarchy can exist with some being better off than others. The closer you are the top, the better off you are.The train bandits' behavior…

First, my use of the word "fixated" wasn't meant to be insulting. I was actually trying to say "We're not so different, you and I." With the way you're insisting that the train bandits were doing it for survival, and I'm insistent that they also work for Kuvira.

That's not what I'm saying. They didn't realize that they were attacking her. One of the bandits tried to say as much. Also she put metal blind folds on all of them from long range. It's fair to assume that they didn't know who they were attacking until she had them at her feet. My assertion is that they were…

Hopefully I'm not repeating myself too much, but a lot of the reason that the Earth Kingdom seemed to be struggling was due to how heavily the Queen was taxing everybody and hoarding the wealth. Without the Queen taxing them to hell, they should actually have more resources for themselves. In fact (and here I'm…

I don't know. I think it's possible to tell a good story that involves that kind of chicanery. A small scale version of it is when *Breaking Bad spoiler* Walter poisoned Brock to convince Jesse to side with him. *End Spoiler*Kuvira is putting a stranglehold on Yi so that the governor of Yi will accept her leadership.…

I mean he finds some way to look relatively human and blend into the town.

No, I don't think she had her train deliberately attacked at that moment. The bandits were under standing orders to make life hell for the people of Yi including preventing the movement of supplies into the region. They didn't know it was Kuvira's train. The governor tells Opal and Kai that Yi has been "under siege"…

haha, absurd. Also, it sounds like you're drinking the Kuvira kool-aid. I'm cool with that. They present her as worth rooting for, and make it clear why people would want to follow her lead. But she's a playing everybody, and I won't be surprised if Bolin overhears one of these newly conscripted soldiers talking and…

HOW DARE YOU REDUCE THIS TO JUST A DISCUSSION ON POSSIBLE STORY MOTIVES! I am offended that you're not taking this as seriously as me. I'm…just kidding. I argue the way that I argue. I can entertain other theories, sure. Anyway, I can concede that the way I'm arguing is annoying, but I think my critiques of your…

I could see that being possible, but I think that's just what we're bringing to the table as an audience. You believe that because Yi is struggling (directly as a result of banditry - which lol I can't emphasize enough) that the bandits are struggling. However, the only tangible thing about the train bandits that make…

Fine they're disadvantaged. My point is that the bandits know well enough in that movie to steal when there's something to be stolen. The bandits don't cut off supply lines or prevent the people from sustaining themselves. In fact, in seven samurai, the villagers specifically state that they hope to use food to…

I'm wrong. About 6 minutes in, the governor says hundreds of bandits. I still maintain that Kuvira herself doesn't have to stay in constant communication with hundreds of bandits in order to get hundreds of bandits to do her bidding. A general in an army doesn't have to stay in communication with every grunt in order…

There you go again. In Seven Samurai, the bandits deliberately waited until after the harvest to attack. Calling them a poor village while "accuratish" doesn't tell the whole story. The bandits deliberately waited to rob the village in Seven Samurai until the villagers had enough that robbing them would be worth it.…