Who Is Amon?

Next week on Legend of Korra, we may or may not find out who the mysterious villain Amon actually was before he became leader of the Equalists, but for now, it's fun to theorize.

Here's what I think: he's none other than Councilman Tarlok's father, Yakone.

***Spoilers Ahead***

If you have not yet seen Episode 9, "Out of the Past", skip the next section.

Yakone was a threat to republic city during Aang's rule as Avatar; a unique waterbender with the ability to bloodbend anytime of the day, without the necessity of a full-moon. He ran the underworld in RC, gaining influence and power by instilling fear in its citizens by use of his bloodbending. This also allowed him to circumvent the law for quite some time. At last, with testimony of his illegal use of bloodbending, he was tried and convicted of his criminal activities by the council, headed by the councilman of the Southern Water Tribe, Sokka. After his conviction, he went on a bloodbending tirade, nearly escaping the city, if it hadn't been for Aang in his Avatar mode. Finally, Aang was able to restrain Yakone, and was forced to take away his bending altogether.

That's what we know. Here's where the theory comes into play: Without the ability to bend, Yakone grew angry and vengeful, his hate for benders, especially the Avatar, welling inside him. Many years later (quite recently, I assume, in the Korra storyline, for otherwise he would have surfaced sooner), he gained access to the spirit world, met with Koh the face-stealer, and exchanged his face for the Avatar's ability to take bending away, thus his wearing of the mask. He then gathered anti-bender rabble-rousers to form the Equalists, training them in chi-blocking, and revealed his ability to take away a person's bending.

At first, I thought, "Wouldn't Tarlok know if his own father was Amon, and be trying to help him, rather than frame him for kidnapping the Avatar?" But something must have happened, and maybe Tarlok didn't know Yakone was alive, much less Amon's secret identity. I also had thought Tarlok was working for Amon, what with his ridiculous anti-nonbender laws and such, until he framed the Equalists for his own crime, and seemed surprised at the appearance of Amon and his chi-blockers at Korra's escape. And why would Amon take away his own son's bending? But then again, why wouldn't he, if he thinks bending is an "impurity" and no one should have the ability? He'd think he were granting Tarlok a blessing by "equalizing" him. Maybe Tarlok was on Amon's side all along, even if he didn't know his true identity, for the sole purpose of gaining control of the city for the Equalists; and maybe he thought if he did so, Amon would spare him that fate. Tarlok did say that his plan "was perfect."

***End Spoilers***

We won't know for sure which theories out there are right or wrong until the creators decide we should, be it next week, or in Season 2. I seriously doubt some of the more implausible theories floating around are right, though: Amon is Aang (pshh, come on...), Amon is a descendant of Firelord Ozai (Ozai would never have slept with a waterbender, nyah, I don't think so) Amon is Aang and Katara's nonbending son Bumi (unless something really tragic happened to split the family, I don't think there's any evidence of that), or Amon is Jet's son (although this one makes more sense than the others, Jet never had a son before he died, but then again, we didn't actually see him die, did we...). So far, Amon is Yakone makes the most sense. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.