The Legend of Korra

I thought he was supposed to be a monk.

Riding the Elephant Koi is what got them in touch with the Kyoshi Warriors so Aang goofing off actually wound up being beneficial in the long run.

I guess that explains why he kissed Katara after she told him not to, at least.

Avatar Day was kind of pointless bullshit.

It was more Kyoshi's fault than Aang's, but.

The Fortuneteller was. Eh. I kinda liked, it, really, but. In terms of point-having it was somewhat lacking.

At least Pro-Bending taught Korra that burning things isn't actually the solution to all of her problems, and that working together with other people and following rules isn't actually the worst thing ever.

These were lessons she should have learned while being locked up with no friends.

Or, instead of, really.

edited 28th Jan '15 3:42:28 PM by unnoun

Avatar Day was stupid. I'm tempted to say it's my least favorite episode of the franchise but then I remember The Great Divide and Nightmares and Daydreams exist. I actually thought the Fortuneteller wasn't that bad.

I agree that pro-bending helped advance Korra's character arc.

I just wish that when the writers were sitting down in their writing room with their writing hats they had decided not to do tired sports movie cliches.

Its not like it had to be pro-bending.

edited 28th Jan '15 3:46:03 PM by Bocaj

True.

The love triangle cliches didn't help either, really.

I mean. I think it would have to be something team and rule based and physical for Korra to care and for it to have the same effect in terms of character.

edited 28th Jan '15 3:48:02 PM by unnoun

It is my considered opinion that love triangles should go to trope hell.

Seconded.

Thirded.

...I suppose Korra could have become interested in Theatre instead. That requires cooperation, and there aren't formal rules, but. You have to follow a script and direction and things.

I'm not sure that drama club cliches are much better, really, but.

I just imagined her trying out for the role of Aang and not getting it. Sort of amusing.

They're at least less... common?

I still think people exaggerate the presence of the pro-bending subplot and the sports clichés it relied on. The only episode that really has it in abundance is "Spirit of Competition". In the others, it's pretty much entirely there as a support to Korra's development with Tenzin, or used as a kickstart for Amon to shake things up.

Why would Amon want to bomb a bunch of actors?

I really liked the pro-bending. And I hate sports.

Cultural censorship? Like, maybe it's a play about a bunch of bending action heroes, using real bending as special effects, that Amon feels must be eliminated. "It's time for bending actors to step down and stop hogging all the good roles and depriving these fine special effects artists of their jobs!"

edited 28th Jan '15 3:57:50 PM by DrDougsh

...I'm imagining Jinora, Ikki and Meelo all wanting to join for some reason. Behind Tenzin's back, natch.

Jinora probably read the book the play was based on, Ikki's excited and wants to do special effects, Meelo becomes the dictatorial eccentric director I think is the stereotype for these sorts of stories. Except there's already a director, so, it doesn't actually work.

Maybe Asami could be the director? She's a perfectionist but not. Insane. Cruel. Meelo.

EDIT: Y'know, I think I'd have fixed the love triangle by just not having it.

Have Asami run Korra over instead of Mako and then take her out to dinner.

EDIT: Or maybe Naga runs Asami over and Korra tries to take her out to apologize and can't afford to.

Somebody has to run somebody else over at some point.

EDIT: Fight to Win.

EDIT: Book Two.

edited 28th Jan '15 4:50:49 PM by unnoun

Pro bending was awesome. I loved the focus Book One had on the logical evolution of the culture of ATLA, including the styles of bending. I miss Mako's boxing-style pro-bending as opposed to his more traditional fighting in later books. And I'm not opposed to love triangles on principle, but even I the token Makorra shipper will admit that it was poorly handled in book one and horribly handled in book two.

That's weird.

Asami was definitely at her lowest point.

Su's family is messed up.

edited 29th Jan '15 5:24:47 AM by unnoun

I thought everyone knew this already but its neat hearing from Bryke.

Yeah, it is.

That was pretty clearly the intent of the scene; that Korra was fighting the Avatar State to protect the Avatar by dying as a human and reincarnating.

Also confirmation for why Korra doesn't use the Avatar state so much.

Korra's motivation for resisting the Avatar state always seemed pretty obvious to me. What's less obvious is Raava's attempt to trigger it, if the reflexive activation of the Avatar State is her call.

You could read some stealth Crowning Moment Of Heartwarming into the scene if you imagine Raava cared enough about Korra that she'd rather risk losing the Avatar entirely by fighting the Red Lotus with the Avatar state than do the practical thing by withholding it and letting Korra die and reincarnate.

It's really unclear whether or not Raava triggers it herself. My guess is that it's just a natural reflex the Avatar has and Raava only takes over after the Avatar has already entered the Avatar State.