Varrick

"Zhu-Li, do the thing."

- Varrick (frequently)

Varrick is the major supporting character of the Nickelodeon show, The Legend of Korra. He is an eccentric and charismatic non bending billionaire known for his ambitious nature and flamboyant fashion style. Born in the Southern Water Tribe, he enjoys gallivanting across the globe on his yacht and flaunting his extravagant lifestyle, often at the expense of his assistant, Zhu Li. A man who respects directness, he struck up a close friendship with the honest and candid earthbender Bolin. He later masterminded a civil war between the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, claiming that Unalaq's occupation of his country was a threat to the South's wealth, especially his own, while furthering his true intention of profiting off of the escalating conflict. However, his attempt to also draw the United Republic into the war led to his arrest. Nevertheless, Varrick soon managed to escape and is on the run.

Business with Future Industries
Varrick first appears as a man with whom Asami attempts to start a partnership with in the hope that it will save Future Industries, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. When Asami goes to meet him with Bolin, Varrick seems to take an immediate liking to the latter, and the two soon become fast friends. However, when Unalaq and his forces take over the Southern Water Tribe, Varrick shows a less innocent side of himself when he begins strongly pushing for armed resistance to the North's occupation. When the tensions boil over into all out conflict, Varrick flees to Republic City along with Korra and her friends. Once there, he convinces Korra to get the president of Republic City on their side. When this doesn't work, Varrick suggests that Korra should go behind his back while simultaneously working with Asami to ship Mecha-Tanks to the beleaguered South. He also decides to dress Bolin up as the star of blatant propaganda films in the hopes of boosing morale for the war.

Orchestrating a War
Varrick's villainous nature is revealed in the episode "The Sting" where Mako realizes that the explosives used to bomb both the Southern Water Tribe Cultral Center (an act that worsens the tensions between the two Water Tribes) and also Varrick's own shipments to the South are of his own company's design. Unfortunately, by the time Mako realizes this Varrick's actions have already left Future Industries and Asami in financial ruin, allowing Varrick to buy a controlling share and "save" Asami's company while simultaneously putting her in his pocket. When Mako confronts him about this and refuses to be intimidated by Varrick's threats, the scheming businessman has Mako framed for his own crimes.

Despite his best efforts though, Varrick is later exposed after Bolin foils his attempt to kidnap Republic City's president and blame it on the Northern Water Tribe so as to get Republic City into the war. Following his imprisonment in a specially made prison cell, Varrick claims that he regrets his past actions and to make amends gives Asami her Future Industries vehicles back, along with the war-ship he had stored them on (which he named after his assistant).

When the Dark Avatar goes on a rampage through Republic City, Varrick's jail cell is destroyed in the process, allowing him and his assistant to escape.

Life in the Earth Kingdom
After Harmonic Convergence, Team Avatar travel to the metal city of Zaofu, where they find Varrick is living, along with Zhu Li. Varrick is old friends with Suyin Beifong (the leader of Zaofu), and she appointed him as head of the technology department. While Bolin was glad to see him again, Asami Sato and Lin Beifong were not.

When Team Avatar is searching for a traitor following Zaheer's attempted abduction of Korra in Zaofu, Varrick suggests that someone planted in the evidence in the accused guard's house, similar to what he did with Mako. Their suspicions are confirmed when it is revealed that Aiwei planted the evidence.

Kuvira's Army
Three years after the defeat of the Order of the Red Lotus, Varrick left the Metal Clan to join Kuvira on her mission to unite (and conquer) the Earth Kingdom, and dealt with the technological duties. After Kuvira forced President Raiko to pardon Varrick and allow him back into Republic City, he attended Prince Wu's coronation, and supported his commander's speech. During his stay in the city, he collected numerous spirit vines for the construction of new technology.

While experimenting with the spirit vines, the energy from the vine almost destroyed the machine and killed Varrick, and he realized that such a weapon would be dangerous if placed in the wrong hands. Although he knew how much money he could make with the project, he resolved to put a stop to it. Kuvira responded by tightening the metal around his neck and threatening to kill him, and he agreed to continue his research, albeit under close watch from Kuvira's soldiers.

Deserting Kuvira
After Bolin is threatened by Kuvira himself, he helps Varrick and Zhu Li escape from her train, and the three of them sneak out of the camp set up just outside Zaofu in mecha tank suits while Varrick proposes that they warn other people about the power of Kuvira's potential superweapon. Soon after, Baatar Jr. and two more soldiers find the trio, and at the end of the ensuing battle, Baatar places them under arrest, and Kuvira sentences them to be sent to a prison camp. It was at this point that Varrick's loyal assistant betrayed him and pledged herself to Kuvira's cause, leaving him and Bolin to be imprisoned.

While imprisoned, Baatar Jr. ordered Varrick to resume the spirit vine research, and he was able to convince him to make Bolin his new assistant. He noted that he originally planned to make the vines into a form of clean energy as opposed to a weapon of mass destruction. Baatar Jr. told Varrick to walk him through the construction of the weapon, but soon after, Varrick set off a timer that would activate the weapon in five minutes' time, destroying the research and killing everyone on board. When Baatar Jr. and his soldiers had exited the train cart, Varrick told Bolin to disconnect their own car from the rest of the train. They narrowly escape the resulting explosion, leading Baatar Jr. to suspect that they had indeed been killed in the blast. They escaped through an underground tunnel, and Varrick thanked Bolin for "doing the thing".

They began their journey to Republic City on foot. Varrick spent most of the time riding on Bolin's back and lamenting the betrayal of Zhu Li. Varrick regretted giving Kuvira the superweapon technology and wished to atone by warning the world of her plans. They soon fell for a hunting trap and were discovered by some of Kuvira's escaped war prisoners, who recognized their Earth Empire soldier outfits and planned to use them as hostages to make their way past a border checkpoint. After convincing the escapees that they had defected, Varrick and Bolin teamed up with them and resolved to escape the Earth Empire.

After they succeeded in getting past the checkpoint, one of the soldiers recognized Varrick and Bolin as traitors and a battle ensued. Varrick was forced to retreat, and found a generator inside the guard's office, where he built an electromagnetic pulse device, disabling the mechas so he, Bolin and the escapees could flee. Their escape successful, Varrick reluctantly boarded their small boat and headed north towards Republic City.

Personality
As one of the wealthiest people in the world, Varrick is used to having his every need catered to. Since no one is willing to disagree with him, he sometimes comes to believe his own stories, such as when he thought he was levitating, a belief that everyone went along with. He is also a good judge of character, prepares for any issue well, and can quickly come up with a plan to avoid danger. However, at times he can also be impulsive, not thinking through all the consequences of his actions, like when he started a rebellion against Unalaq. This does not mean, however, that he is always incorrect about there being a need for action. Varrick loves being able to do what he pleases on his own terms, and as such, does not like to date clingy women, even going as far as building a yacht to escape from them.

Varrick's eccentricities also masks his more dubious nature, as a sly and slick businessman who uses underhanded means to get what he wants, even if it means breaking the law. As such, he is not above being unfettered and charismatic, and is able to orchestrate large scale operations to buy out other companies just to increase his own wealth.

Despite this, Varrick does have redeeming features and a conscience, which he mistakes as being "voices in his head". He considers hurting others to be beneath him and felt guilty upon realizing that his actions had brought harm to some of his allies. As a result, he helped Team Avatar, readily aiding them despite there being no monetary benefit. Upon realizing the Spirit Vines' destructive nature, Varrick refused to help Kuvira any further, despite the profits, knowing if it fell into the wrong hands that it could unleash untold destruction.

Varrick is very dependent on Zhu Li, requiring her for many different tasks, such as preparing his tea, scratching an irritable rash or to cater to him within prison. He frequently uses the phrase, "Do the thing!" to prompt Zhu Li to take whatever action is necessary at any given time. In addition, he mostly relies on his men and associates to do his dirty work, as he rarely participates in any of his planned schemes in order to keep a low profile.

Abilities
Varrick is an innovative thinker and aggressive businessman, having been able to expand his company from one canoe to a global network. As an entrepreneur, Varrick is also keen on identifying and capitalizing on the needs of those around him. Similarly, he is able to convince others to work for his betterment, essentially convincing the rebels to incite war against the North in order to benefit his business. Partly due to his company's technological advances, Varrick is capable of piloting ships and commandeering a yacht. Varrick is also physically fit, usually ending his brainstorming sessions by performing an elaborate flip off a bar he uses to hang himself upside down.

Varrick has shown himself to be charismatic and a master of deception, using the Avatar to help in instigating a civil war, rob Asami blind of her assets, and drive a wedge between the brothers Mako and Bolin, all the while maintaining sympathy for the South but only to profit from the war. He is also a master strategist, being able to plan false flag operations that his men or associates would execute at key moments. It was only by process of elimination that Mako realized Varrick's culpability in the acts of terrorism on Republic City while the masses simply assumed the Northern Tribe was guilty.