[TV] Avatar: Legend of Korra

[Xuvial]

I'm going to preted Korra didn't get her bending back and the finale ended with her crying on the edge of the cliff.

Aaaah, now that would've been FUCKING SATISFYING ending and a crazy cliffhanger (no pun intended). When Amon took her bending I was all like "Holy shit. He took the Avatar's bending. No way. Can he do that? Is he allowed to do that?? You can't just take away the AVATAR's bending! Won't the Avatar spirit get super-pissed at him for messing with the balance like that?"

Soooo many questions and so much potential for an AMAZING unique spin-off! A potential spirit world journey, the need to travel around the world to re-connect with the elements from their sources (maybe pay the Sun Warriors/dragons a visit? Or talk to Yue? Or run into badger moles?), having to manage with just airbending (like Aang did) while re-learning the elements, etc etc!

~15 minutes later:
Korra: Boohoo.
Aang: Yo.
Korra: Aang! Sup.
Aang: Gratz on randomly unlocking airbending. That conveniently means you can talk to me now.
Korra: Cool.
Aang: I think you lost the rest your bending somewhere, here have it back.
Korra: Sweet, cheers bro.
Aang: And here's the ability to fully control the avatar state even though this is your first time connecting with the spiritual side...
Korra: Neat-o
Aang: Also here's the ability to energybend.
Korra: Awesome.
Aang: Oh and here's how you can use energybending to restore people who have lost their bending.
Korra: That easy huh?
Aang: Yup. Anything else wrong with the story?
Korra: Nope that's pretty much everything. The bad guys killed themselves.
*Aang ruffles Korra's hair*
Aang: Good. Try not to make too many oopsies okay? Otherwise I'll have to waste another 30 seconds of my spirit life to fix everything that was wrong with the plot in one shot (again). Run along now.
Korra: Sure thing bud *wink*

My brain: THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED

[Deleted]

I'm not sure if Amon's endgame was to equalize the world or to take the Avatar's bending. In the 1st episode the last scene shows the Lieutenant telling Amon that the Avatar has arrived in Republic City. Amon then replies that she arrived early and they will need to accelerate their plans.

[Xuvial]

I'm not sure if Amon's endgame was to equalize the world or to take the Avatar's bending. In the 1st episode the last scene shows the Lieutenant telling Amon that the Avatar has arrived in Republic City. Amon then replies that she arrived early and they will need to accelerate their plans.

The Avatar was the symbol of all bending so he wanted to deal with her last, he was probably expecting her to arrive once she had completed all 4 elements, preferably once the Equalists had started their attack on Republic City (or even after). But she arrived early. His end goal was to rid the world of bending period and give everyone the satisfaction of watching him take the avatar's powers on stage. Instead he was forced to do it in some empty room which already dented his plans since nobody was around to see it. The nail in the coffin for his plans was everyone seeing him waterbending.
I liked how the lightning rod guy was pissed, took off his mask and opposed Amon right away.

[Hinalover]

For those asking about season 2, don't expect any announcements until AT LEAST Comic-Con, which is not until July 12th - 15th. However the official web site does not have the programming information posted yet. Considering last years' panel took place on a Saturday, I would wager that this years panel will also be on Saturday; just don't quote me on that.

[ElAmigo]

I don't understand how people keep saying she "mastered" the avatar form.... I mean whenever Aang went into it, it was because he or someone he was close to was in danger. Korra wasn't in any danger, so why would she freak out? Also, please don't use the "but she can energybend" excuse. Aang could energybend at the end of ATLA, but I would hardly say he mastered the avatar form. According to the Guru the only way to master the avatar form is to unlock all of the chakras.

So you don't remember her showing off all of her bending in the Avatar state on command after she spoke with Aang? Or do you not remember her going into it when she was giving Lin back her bending? Aang said that (and I'm paraphrasing here since I've only seen the episode once) through the Avatar state she has the abilities of all the Avatars before her, pretty sure that's the only way she CAN energy bend.

[Tastyfish]

I really hope all the same voice actors are on the 2nd season. I don't want weird sounding Tenzin....

[Xuvial]

Calmly transitioning in and out of the avatar state = full mastery and control of the avatar state. You either have control over it or you don't, there is no middle ground. Not having control over it = you go into a crazy destruction frenzy, unable to differentiate friend from foe. Having control over it = staying calm while it happens, and even "momentarily activating" it such as when using energybending or using a quick power-boost to pull off something on a large scale (countless occurances in ATLA).
People need to re-watch ATLA or just read the wiki if they think otherwise.

One of the hardest parts of the avatar journey to learn control of the avatar state, something which took Roku several years and required Aang to take an incredible journey (along with several mishaps).
Meanwhile Korra displayed that control the very first time she contacted her past lives, the very first time she connected to the spirits, all in a space of around 3 seconds. That's why people are pissed with the ending. It's completely watered down the achievement of gaining control of the avatar state by instantly handing it over to someone who was completely disconnected from the spirits minutes ago, someone who didn't deserve it. They attempted to deliver everything in one go and all dramatic impact was lost, that's called eating too much chocolate and getting a belly ache.

Every loose end was tied in the last 10 minutes I assume the writers did this in order to have a completely clean slate for Season 2. In fact Korra and her friends can pretend that the Amon incident never even took place because practically everything he did was fixed/reversed. There will be very little connecting S1 ad S2 other than Korra now knowing how to airbend and control the avatar state, and honestly nothing is supposed to pose a challenge once an avatar has achieved that.
In ATLA, Ozai was the *final* bad guy but his presence and actions were felt through all 3 books, right up till the end. The series PACED itself through 64 episodes to have a final showdown and it was worth every minute.
Meanwhile Amon was introduced and then killed 11 episodes later, paving the way for a brand new bad guy in Season 2 who we will have no familiarity with.

[Nab]

I agree with Xuvial, Aang just fixing all the shit for Korra isn't satisfying. She did close to nothing this whole season. Also, I can see why Korra HAD to have her bending back... because she's the avatar right? But why the hell could she restore other people's bending? It seems a bit stupid that all the bad things that happened are restored.

[ElAmigo]

Xuvial the writers did that because there weren't supposed to be any seasons. It was supposed to be a stand alone mini series and that's it.

[Xuvial]

A stand alone mini series? What does that mean and how does it differ from a season? When you've clearly brought so many visions of the old characters back (or their children/grandchildren) you have already connected it to the first story, it's essentially a continuation. It's still about the avatar's journey.

A series of episodes describing what happened to all the support characters, now THAT would be a stand-alone mini series. Like each episode being dedicated to ~40-50 years of someone's life and how it ended, I would absolutely LOVE to see what happens in the lives of Katara, Sokka, Toph (more than just "she made metalbending police"), Zuko, Suki, Ty Lee, etc etc. I would probably cry if they showed the lives of the older folk - the 600 day seige of Ba Sing Se led by Iroh, I want to see it! How Bumi became king of Omashu, how the Southern and Northern water tribes kept in touch (or fell out of touch), so many stories to tell! Now THOSE would be mini series.

Now that all loose ends are tied, Season 2 could potentially skip forward a few days, a few months or even 20 years. The only thing we can be sure of is that it'll still be about Korra (being called the legend of Korra).

[ElAmigo]

"Every loose end was tied in the last 10 minutes I assume the writers did this in order to have a completely clean slate for Season 2." <-- that is what you said two posts ago.
I'm saying that it was done because that was supposed to be the end of that. There wasn't going to be a season two at the time of them sending off that whole package to be animated.

[Xuvial]

Ohh right I get you now, so it was intended. Fair enough. So Season 2 could indeed skip a pretty large gap.

That could be interesting.

[ElAmigo]

It's really interesting, cause like you said, the whole point of the previous (and in a sense, this one) was for the Avatar to become fully realized. Now that that's done, what close to insurmountable obstacle could they present to us that will actually have us latch on to watch.

By the way since you mentioned it towards the end of that other post.

What we do know of in the upcoming season is that: it will be 14 episodes long (this one was 12), it will still center around Republic City, the new "antagonist" or "obstacle" will be just that...entirely new. This is pretty much how we know that Amon is gone for good.

[Deleted]

I wonder what season 2 will be like... I hope they won't stop after that :<

[Riavan]

Penny arcade just released a korra comic this week, I lol'd.

[Poppincaps]

So you don't remember her showing off all of her bending in the Avatar state on command after she spoke with Aang? Or do you not remember her going into it when she was giving Lin back her bending? Aang said that (and I'm paraphrasing here since I've only seen the episode once) through the Avatar state she has the abilities of all the Avatars before her, pretty sure that's the only way she CAN energy bend.

umm.... pretty much everytime Aang went into the avatar state he bent all of the elements as well... The surge of power probably triggered the avatar state. As for energybending, Aang did the same thing at the end of ATLA and I would hardly call him a master of the avatar state. I mean I love Aang, but a rock pierced his chakra and he went bat shit crazy just like all the other times. As has been stated several times in the thread, the lion turtle basically said that you can take people's bending away and pass on your knowledge of energybending to others. So, I don't think it's unreasonable that Aang gave Korra the ability to energybend.

[Vestig3]

Funny how many claim that she mastered the Avatar state but too me all she did was using some fire earth and water bending for show and nothing else aang mostly used it out of defense he never actualy used it out of pure power display when he was young maybe once or twice but thats it.

Who's too say that the Avatar state cant be controled right away the only avatar we seen that had problems controling it was Aang we never seen how Roku or Kyoshi dealt with the first Avatar state its funny how people put Aang and Korra next too eachother and say what or what cant be done compared too. yes she reincarnated from Aang but that doesnt mean she takes over all his problems he had with the elements and the Avatar state. for example Aang had problems with earth bending and waterbanding took a while too learn same goes for firebending. Korra on the other hand was already able too Fire,Earth and Water bend at the age of 4 by the time of 16/17 she had already mastered Earth,Water and Fire bending and only Air bending was the one she had problems with (Air is the hardest too learn for a waterbender) and roku was 28 when he mastered all the elements (was said by Sozin in a backflash) so there is a difference between all Avatars.

So who's too say what is and what cant every Avatar is different in person but still connected too eachother

[Duronos]

I actually don't think she mastered it, though it may have seemed like it for many it was just one of those extremely emotional moments for an avatar and she kind of just had it happen to her.

EDIT: Mako is awesome.

[Tore]

Supposedly the short scene when she runs to the cliff and looks down is supposed to be an allusion to considering suicide. That's why Aang is able to connect to her--that's why he said "When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change." Being depressed enough to consider jumping off a cliff is pretty low. The Avatar State, being a defense mechanism for when the Avatar is in danger, would have kicked in right there.

I also hate that scene. If it is supposed to represent considering suicide, then fuck that shit. Aang was a 12 year old boy who was the sole survivor of total genocide, the world held him responsible for 100 years of misery, is killed and only brought back because of some magic water that Katara would have used on Zuko's face if she had an extra 5 minutes, is defeated during the Day of Black Sun, and when he finally worked up the courage to let Katara know that he liked her she pretty much shot him down and told him to ask again later if he doesn't die against the Fire Lord.

Meanwhile Korra fights a particularly troublesome waterbender, is defeated once, is later surrounded by everyone who loves her including her parents to lend support, and is told by the guy that she likes that he loves her and is leaving his current girlfriend for her. And then she considers taking a jump.

If that's how the cliff was actually supposed to be interpreted, then I have absolutely no sympathy for her.

[Duronos]

Supposedly the short scene when she runs to the cliff and looks down is supposed to be an allusion to considering suicide. That's why Aang is able to connect to her--that's why he said "When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change." Being depressed enough to consider jumping off a cliff is pretty low. The Avatar State, being a defense mechanism for when the Avatar is in danger, would have kicked in right there.

I also hate that scene. If it is supposed to represent considering suicide, then fuck that shit. Aang was a 12 year old boy who was the sole survivor of total genocide, the world held him responsible for 100 years of misery, is killed and only brought back because of some magic water that Katara would have used on Zuko's face if she had an extra 5 minutes, is defeated during the Day of Black Sun, and when he finally worked up the courage to let Katara know that he liked her she pretty much shot him down and told him to ask again later if he doesn't die against the Fire Lord.

Meanwhile Korra fights a particularly troublesome waterbender, is defeated once, is later surrounded by everyone who loves her including her parents to lend support, and is told by the guy that she likes that he loves her and is leaving his current girlfriend for her. And then she considers taking a jump.

If that's how the cliff was actually supposed to be interpreted, then I have absolutely no sympathy for her.

Oh the laughs I'm having at reading this. Genocide just made me laugh when you compared it too Korra's issues. XD