Remember when Aang went Koizilla with help from the ocean spirit? Remember when that Guru try and help Aang master Avatar State? Remember when the giant Lion Turtle taught Aang Energybending?
Also, no on this. The Deus Ex Machina is the so so, but everything else, no.

I find that that's due to highlight the tension between Korra wanting to be a one-Avatar army and the reality of the modern world requiring entire countries or corporations big enough to handle such huge issues. Especially as technology replaces human effort, or bending effort in this case.