Four major villains confront avatar Korra during the events of The Legend of Korra's TV run, from Amon the revolutionary anti-bender in season 1 to the militaristic metalbender Kuvira. All of these villains have more depth than Fire Lord Ozai from Avatar: the Last Airbender, and the most intriguing of all is Zaheer, the villain of season 3.
Zaheer is a member of the Red Lotus, an anarchist cabal, and he wants to tear down all kingdoms and borders to restore what he calls the "natural order." To him, chaos is perfection and he even committed on-screen murder to further this aim (killing the Earth Queen). He's also an airbender, thanks to Korra restoring the world's connection to spirits. Who are five characters (both villains and heroes) whom Zaheer would team up with? And who are five he'd reject as a partner?
10 Team Up With: Unalaq
Unalaq is the chief of the Northern Water Tribe, but he's more interested in spirits and the spirit world than politics. He's on a quest to restore the balance of the world with humans and spirits, and nothing will stop him from opening those spirit portals.
Zaheer would sympathize with Unalaq's vision of restoring world balance and putting things back as nature intended, since spirits once lived here alongside humans until Avatar Wan escorted them to the spirit world. Both of these villains just want to put the world back the way it was.
9 Wouldn't Like: Amon
This masked bloodbender is the villain of The Legend of Korra season 1, as previously mentioned, and though he's a Water Tribe native like Unalaq, they want very different things. Amon seeks to end the "tyranny" of bending and rid all people of that power, and create a new world order.
But Zaheer had no intention of ridding the world of bending. In fact, it's a part of the natural order, and people need bending to defend themselves and their loved ones. Amon's rigid, militaristic ways (not too different from Kuvira) wouldn't appeal to Zaheer, either.
8 Team Up With: Toph Beifong
There are some characters in this universe who, if they were prone to evil rather than doing good, would make great teammates for Zaheer. Toph Beifong is one such character. If she hadn't met avatar Aang and promised to help him learn earthbending, it is likely she could have gone down an eviler path.
Toph proudly declares that she likes to live free, and can't stand walls and rules (like her family home or the metropolis of Ba Sing Se). That, and her cavalier attitude, would make her a great ally for Zaheer in an alternate universe or timeline.
7 Wouldn't Like: Princess Eska
Although she and her brother prince Desna play a minor role in the story, they certainly made an impression. This brother-sister duo enforces their father Unalaq's will with their loyalty and their skillful waterbending, but they lack vision.
They are actually quite apathetic and make for lousy company, and Eska only gets motivated when Bolin is involved (she has an odd but intense passion for him). Zaheer has no need for people with so little resolve or enthusiasm.
6 Team Up With: Sokka
Here is another hero who, in a different version of the story, would make for a fine villain. Even in the real story, Sokka is mainly motivated to keep his sister Katara safe and prove himself a warrior. He's not much of a people person at all.
Instead, Sokka is creative, resourceful, and practical, and he comes up with most of Team Avatar's plans and knows how to navigate any city or landscape. Zaheer would like these skills, and he'd also enjoy how Sokka prefers results over noble ideals. In short, Sokka would be a great Red Lotus minion.
5 Wouldn't Like: Princess Azula
Although Azula is a powerful, clever, and motivated antagonist, Zaheer wouldn't ask her to join the Red Lotus. It's really the opposite: he'd see Azula, and people like her, as the Red Lotus' primary targets.
Azula loves being a princess, and she is eager to become the new Fire Lord and boss everyone around all day long. She loves power, like her father, and is willing to dominate and subjugate just about anyone. Zaheer would take her out, just like he did the Earth Queen.
4 Team Up With: Iroh
If Iroh, brother of Ozai, maintained his bad guy ways after all, he'd make a fine ally for Zaheer. He is a part of the Fire Nation royal family, yes, but he has a more balanced perspective than "the Fire Nation must conquer the world!"
Iroh understands that the four nations must exist in harmony and complement one another, and he even borrowed waterbending forms to invent the art of lightning redirection. This, coupled with his earthly and spiritual wisdom, would make him a strong candidate for the Red Lotus.
3 Wouldn't Like: Asami Sato
Although her father is twisted by hate for all benders, Asami has a love for all people and wants everyone to get along. She's not a bender, but she is willing work alongside them. In spite of this, she's not a prime candidate for the Red Lotus.
Asami has no problem with cities, empires, and kingdoms, and in fact, she is the head of Future Industries, and she's got a talent for business. Asami doesn't want to tear the system down; she wants to work within it to improve people's lives. Chaos greatly upsets her.
2 Team Up With: Varrick
Although Varrick and Zhu Li joined Kuvira's Earth Empire, they didn't do it out of a love for imperialism. Instead, Varrick is an enthusiastic businessman and inventor, and he is loyal only to himself and Zhu Li.
Varrick will go anywhere and work with anyone, and he salutes no flag. These skills, combined with his lack of faith in kingdoms, means he would happily join Zaheer in the right circumstances, in other words, if it suits his needs.
1 Wouldn't Like: Long Feng
Long Feng is one of the surprise villains of Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 since he is the one using the Dai Li to control the entire city of Ba Sing Se behind the Earth King's back. Because of him, no one in the city, even the king, knows about the war.
Zaheer would despise Long Feng and his fondness for total control and brainwashing. Zaheer wants the people to be free and never be divided by walls, but Long Feng loves using that system to his advantage. If these men ever met, Long Feng really would end up long gone.