Kuvira

Kuvira is one of the supporting characters turned to the main antagonist in Book 4 in The Legend of Korra. She is a metalbender who was formerly part of the Metal Clan in Zaofu. Prior to her departure in 171 AG, Kuvira served as both the captain of the city's guard and part of Suyin Beifong's dance troupe. Following the outbreak of anarchy in the Earth Kingdom, Kuvira was appointed as the nation's interim president and tasked to re-establish order in the country in time for Prince Wu's coronation, which earned her the title of "Great Uniter". In her pursuit of order, Kuvira offered to protect the nation's states from bandits in exchange for their loyalty. She leads an army of citizens with Baatar Jr., to whom she is engaged.

Early life
Kuvira grew up in Zaofu, where she became heavily influenced by Suyin's progressive ideology concerning modernization and self-fulfillment. She became part of the matriarch's dance troupe and eventually became captain of the city's guard.

Defending Zaofu
In 171 AG, Kuvira and the other members of Suyin Beifong's dance troupe rehearsed a routine for an upcoming recital. The rehearsal ended following the arrival of Avatar Korra and her friends.

Several days later, Kuvira accompanied Suyin's family and Team Avatar to a rooftop where they bade farewell to Opal, who left Zaofu to train at the Northern Air Temple. After the airbender's airship left the city, Kuvira used her radio to command the other guards to begin securing Zaofu for the evening. Later that night, Kuvira attacked Zaheer and his group after the four managed to infiltrate the city in an attempt to kidnap Korra. She helped the other members of the Metal Clan trap the criminals in a makeshift metal prison, before ordering them to surrender and return the Avatar. Following the group's escape, Kuvira and the other guards searched the city, albeit to no avail, as they were unable to find any traces of the four benders.

Kuvira was questioned by Aiwei, along with the rest of the city's guards, in an attempt to determine the identity of Zaheer's accomplice. When Aiwei's involvement in the attempted kidnapping of Avatar Korra came to light, Kuvira was ordered by Lin Beifong to search the city for the truth seer and determine where the tunnel underneath his home led, which she eventually traced to a dead end with no signs of Aiwei.

Stopping the Red Lotus
Kuvira traveled with Team Avatar, their allies, and several other members of the Metal Clan to the Northern Air Temple in an attempt to free the airbenders held captive by the Red Lotus. Adhering to Zaheer's demand to meet Korra alone at Laghima's Peak, Kuvira went with Suyin, Lin, Tonraq, and the other metalbenders to the base of the peak, where they prepared to use their bending to aid Korra if it became necessary. She climbed to the mountaintop with the rest of the metalbenders after Mako alerted Lin that they had been double-crossed, but was immediately blown off the peak by one of P'Li's combustion beams. Using her cables, Kuvira managed to save herself and rejoined the other metalbenders atop the cliff, where they attempted to subdue P'Li. In the midst of the battle that ensued, Kuvira used her cables to save Tonraq after Zaheer used airbending to throw the waterbender off the cliffside.

Following the fight, the group reassembled at the base of the peak, where Kuvira tended to Tonraq's wounds. While bandaging the tribal chief's arm, Kuvira introduced herself by name after the waterbender thanked her for her help and addressed her by her rank. She requested to accompany Suyin and the members of Team Avatar to a series of caves near the temple in order to rescue the missing airbender, but was ordered to remain with the injured, much to her disappointment.

Reuniting the Earth Kingdom
After the insurrection of the Red Lotus, Kuvira was appointed as the interim president of the Earth Kingdom and set out to reunite the nation, preparing it for the coronation of its new king, Wu. Kuvira left Zaofu and assembled a massive army which included Bolin, Varrick, Zhu Li, and Baatar Jr., with whom she fell in love and eventually got engaged. With modernized airships, mecha tanks, and a high-speed train, Kuvira traveled to states overran by bandits and bargained with their leaders, offering protection and supplies, provided that they pledge allegiance to her.