Avatar: Legend of Korra

[hyorinryu]

Season Finale was today.

Spoiler:

I thought we were supposed to find out what happened to Zuko's mother

I don't know how to feel about this episode.

Spoiler:

I would have liked more explanation on certain things, how Korra managed to keep her airbending after getting Amon'd, or just the Amoning in general. I guess it didn't touch her airbending since she didn't have it yet but ehhh...I know it involved bloodbending, but I just feel that it should've taken a bit more than the bloodbending shown so far. Also, that Lt. guy on the equalist side needs a name.

[Cadmas]

His name is forever Mustache guy.

[Zakenna]

they're making a bunch of comics that take place right after Sozen's comet to bridge the gap and wrap up the loose story lines left by last airbender called Avatar: The Last Airbender ? The Promise first and second volumes should be out with a third on it's way in the fall.

[Jam-Kiske]

If you want my really tl;dr thoughts on the finale [obviously including spoilers] feel free to read this really long tumblr post.

Otherwise

Spoiler:

really my main problem throughout has been a lack of good packing and character development. Not really a spoiler but... Yeah stuff needed more explanation.

[pineyappled]

Missed the finale. How was it?

[Cadmas]

For something that was only 12 episodes I didn't expect it to be terribly deep.

The ending did kinda irk me.

Spoiler:

I would have rather Korra had to relearn her bendings or something instead of poof here ya go.

There's spouse to be a 2nd season, yes? But its like a whole new arc.

[Red Frost]

Season Finale was today.

Spoiler:

I thought we were supposed to find out what happened to Zuko's mother

I don't know how to feel about this episode.

Spoiler:

I would have liked more explanation on certain things, how Korra managed to keep her airbending after getting Amon'd, or just the Amoning in general. I guess it didn't touch her airbending since she didn't have it yet but ehhh...I know it involved bloodbending, but I just feel that it should've taken a bit more than the bloodbending shown so far. Also, that Lt. guy on the equalist side needs a name.

Spoiler:

With hinting at a name like "Skeletons in the Closet" and confirming that Zuko's VA would be making a return, yeah, I kinda expected to know what the hell happened to his mom.  It would've been great to tie up some loose ends from The Last Airbender, but I do understand that they have a lot less time/episodes to work with.  I love Korra, but I feel like it's a bit rushed and there's too much happening in a single episode.  What I really loved about The Last Airbender was how things were more slow paced, giving the characters time to develop, and how things that seemed so insignificant were tied together in the end quite wonderfully.

Now, on to Amon... 

Spoiler:

I don't mind the twist that he is a Blood Bender too, and I can understand how that could give him the ability to remove someone's bending.  Waterbenders are able to heal people, so I'd imagine they can "feel" certain things in people, like how Katara was able to tell that the Earthbenders had their chi blocked by Tai Lee in the episode with the giant drill.  Maybe he was able to block their chi a different way or something...  Personally I would've loved the theory that Amon was blocking their Light Chakra, which is located in the forehead, and clouded by illusion, meaning the benders only thought they had lost their bending.  I can't find the post on tumblr, but it had to do with Guru Pathik teaching Aang about the chakras and controlling the Avatar State.

And with Korra,

Spoiler:

I think it was the fact that she had her other bending abilities blocked that allowed her to finally Air Bend.  I can't remember, but I think whenever she tried to Air Bend, she would end up Fire Bending.  With that out of the way, she would only be able to Air Bend.  Yeah, it's convenient that only her active bending ablities are blocked, but whatever.  I think it would've been a nice way to start Season 2 off with Korra having to learn how to unlock her other forms of bending/getting in touch with the spiritual side, but then it would've been somewhat similar to Aang's journey, since he already knew Air Bending.  I'm glad it had a happy ending (MaKorra seemed a bit forced) but a cliffhanger would've been quite nice.  I would've lost my shit if Tenzin lost his bending (He needs more screen time) but I think it could've been interesting if his children were to teach Korra how to Air Bend.

So... was anyone else surprised when

Spoiler:

Tarlok blew up the boat?  I can't believe Nick let that slide...  Also, while I was watching, I kept seeing the airplanes exploding and thinking "explosion... parachute... explosion... parachute... explosion... parachute... boat... gloves?  What's Amon planning...  Wait, is Tarlokk gonna take him out?  Oh shit... ohhhhhh shit...  BOATS DON'T HAVE PARACHUTES.

All in all, I like Korra, but I wish they had more time to work with it.  I do have a few questions, but I'll have to order those comics, and flip through the artbook I got off of Amazon (damn thing is huge and hardcover... pretty sexy).

His name is forever Mustache guy.

I also enjoy "Naga's Bitch".  Seriously, who didn't love that part? 

Spoiler:

I would've been so happy if he had gotten a single strike in before Amon pwned him, but I guess that gave Mako time to use Thundershock.

[Barrakketh]

Spoiler:

And with Korra,

Spoiler:

I think it was the fact that she had her other bending abilities blocked that allowed her to finally Air Bend.  I can't remember, but I think whenever she tried to Air Bend, she would end up Fire Bending.  With that out of the way, she would only be able to Air Bend.  Yeah, it's convenient that only her active bending ablities are blocked, but whatever.  I think it would've been a nice way to start Season 2 off with Korra having to learn how to unlock her other forms of bending/getting in touch with the spiritual side, but then it would've been somewhat similar to Aang's journey, since he already knew Air Bending.  I'm glad it had a happy ending (MaKorra seemed a bit forced) but a cliffhanger would've been quite nice.  I would've lost my shit if Tenzin lost his bending (He needs more screen time) but I think it could've been interesting if his children were to teach Korra how to Air Bend.

I liked something that a member of another board posted about Korra that actually spans from episode 4 until the finale:

Spoiler:

So in episode 4, Korra is terrified of Amon and has to admit her fear.
"The first Chakra deals with Survival, and is blocked by Fear"

In episode 5, Korra dives into pro-bending, ignoring going after Amon to have fun and also to pursue her affections for Mako. She professes her feelings for Mako, but feels bad about how it hurts Bolin.
"The second Chakra deals with Pleasure, and is blocked by Guilt"

In episode 6, Amon tries to threaten Republic City into stopping the pro-bending championship and it almost works, until they decide to hold the championship anyway regardless of Amon's threats.
"The third Chakra deals with Willpower, and is blocked by Shame"

In episode 7, Korra confronts Hiroshi about his Equalist ties, and finds out he's motivated by revenge for the murder of his wife. Asami turns against her father and joins with Team Avatar, and Korra tries to let go of Mako and encourages him to be with Asami even though it clearly hurts to do so.
"The fourth Chakra deals with Love, and is blocked by Grief"

In episode 8 and 9, Korra confronts Tarrlok over his oppression of non-benders, culminating in Tarrlok revealing he is a bloodbender and Korra realizing (via past visions) that Tarrlok is Yakone's son.
"The fifth Chakra deals with Truth, and is blocked by Lies"

In episode 10 and 11, it's revealed just how powerful the Equalists are when they make their big moves, and Korra finally finds out who Amon really is and what his power actually comes from.
"The sixth Chakra deals with Insight, and is blocked by Illusion"

In the final episode, Korra has her bending taken away (except for airbending) and even though she defeats Amon, she's shattered by it. Even Mako telling her that he loves her isn't enough. She's defined herself by her bending, by being the Avatar, and now she's lost that. It's only at her lowest point, when she's (arguably) about to kill herself, that she enters the Avatar state and is able to restore her own bending and fully realize herself as an Avatar.
"The seventh and final Chakra deals with pure cosmic energy, and is blocked by earthly attachments."

[Red Frost]

I liked something that a member of another board posted about Korra that actually spans from episode 4 until the finale:

Looking at it that way puts the final 5~10 minutes in a better light.  I was expecting

Spoiler:

Korra to save herself from being Amon'ed by going into the Avatar State, since it's supposed to be a defense mechanism and all.  After that I figured she would have made a proper connection with the spirtual side of being the Avatar and things would go from there.

Wonder when the next season starts...  I could've sworn I heard Nick was considering extending the series, but I might've misread something somewhere.  It really is such a shame that this series is only a few episodes longer than a whole season of The Last Airbender.

[Suikama]

Wow talk about mass effect syndrome :derp:

[Yog-N'yggoth]

Yeah, the ending could've been better, but I guess that happens when you want self-contained seasons.

Spoiler:

The Tarrlok/Amon scene was probably one of the best scenes out of it, in my opinion.

[Barrakketh]

I was surprised that they let that air on Nick. 

Spoiler:

Tarlokk's introspection after losing his bending did a lot to him.

Aside from the earlier scene where he talked to Korra and Mako about how he and his brother both ended up doing what their father would have wanted, hearing his brother talk about starting over led to some strong parallels with Yakone (who "started over"...at least until he found out his kids were waterbenders).  Tarlokk decided to end that cycle for good.

That scene had some similarities with Korra's:

Spoiler:

I think it's fair to say that she was borderline suicidal after losing her bending.  The fact that she was close enough to the edge of that cliff that they showed the tear fall over it was probably to illustrate that.  Since she always defined herself by her bending and being the Avatar, and she lost that and rejected everything else in her life (like Mako).

She didn't go through with it, but the whole thing was basically her losing her earthly attachments.  If you look where some of the Avatar-verse gets its inspiration (Hinduism/Buddhism, especially with the whole chakra business) the greatest earthly attachment is the self.  And boy did Korra ever have a lot of that before losing her bending.

Yeah, the ending could've been better, but I guess that happens when you want self-contained seasons.

It sucks when shit gets cancelled or delayed mid-season.  And it's not like Nick didn't fuck around with TLA (see the long wait for chapter 12 of the third season), so the writers were probably wary of doing something too large in scope.

[Red Frost]

It sucks when shit gets cancelled or delayed mid-season.  And it's not like Nick didn't fuck around with TLA (see the long wait for episode 15 of the third season), so the writers were probably wary of doing something too large in scope.

Didn't The Last Airbender movie end with a cliffhanger?  Maybe the team got scared after that and wanted to keep things simple.  I had to wait for the dvds to see Season 3, so I don't know about any long wait (and the Avatar wiki isn't helping).  Something happened?

[Barrakketh]

Didn't The Last Airbender movie end with a cliffhanger?

It only covered the first season.

It was also terrible.

Maybe the team got scared after that and wanted to keep things simple.

"The team" had nothing to do with the movie.  It was a live-action adaptation.  They also tried to cram the 20 episodes of season one into ~90 minutes.

Something happened?

I got the episode/chapter wrong, but there was an eight month wait between chapters 11 and 12 of the third season (episodes 51 and 52 of the series).

[Red Frost]

It only covered the first season.

It was also terrible."The team" had nothing to do with the movie.  It was a live-action adaptation.  They also tried to cram the 20 episodes of season one into ~90 minutes.I got the episode/chapter wrong, but there was an eight month wait between chapters 11 and 12 of the third season (episodes 51 and 52 of the series).

I know that (also why I never saw it) but I didn't know if it wrapped the movie up in a "good" way or in such a way where they need the sequels (like when other movies flop when they're supposed to be part of a series).  What I meant was that maybe the cartoon team got scared by the movie's failure and didn't want to drag things out over the two seasons in case Korra got cancelled or something.
(I remember hearing about the movie way back, and the first thing I thought was "How the hell are they going to make Avatar theatrical?  It already is!")


Ah, I guess that's not as terrible a place to take an 8-month hiatus than between part 1 and 2 of The Boiling Rock.  Still... that might explain why I forgot all about Season 3 while it was "airing" and had to wait for the dvds...

[Jam-Kiske]

I'm pretty sure I recall hearing that Nick had bought 2 seasons worth of episodes before LoK even started airing so it really doesn't make sense to me that they'd do a plot in only one season that ended up so awkwardly paced because it was crammed into one season.

I suppose it is indeed possible to have your show cancelled midway in a season or something crazy if they've bought another way but how often does that happen to kids' shows? Does anyone have any idea? I know that network shows are constantly purged every season now, but I don't really watch enough cartoons to really know how possible it would have been for the show to be cancelled despite Nick having already ordered a second season.

[Barrakketh]

I'm pretty sure I recall hearing that Nick had bought 2 seasons worth of episodes before LoK even started airing so it really doesn't make sense to me that they'd do a plot in only one season that ended up so awkwardly paced because it was crammed into one season.

Well:

Nickelodeon had picked up ?Korra? for 12 episodes but recently decided to order 14 more shows. ?When we first starting talking to Nickelodeon about doing a new series in the ?Avatar? world, they asked if we could do shorter arcs?more like a show like ?24?where there?s a specific villain or challenge for that particular season,? Konietzko says.  ?We?re really happy with that number. It allows us to focus much more closely on each episode and get a lot more craft into it.?

"Recently" was around March 8th, just over a month before the first episode aired.  As far as how much work was done at that point:

We are in the midst of the first twelve episodes. We?ve written all the episodes. Episodes have shipped to the overseas animations studios and they?re animating away as we speak. So we?re kind of in the middle of things right now?All the vocal cast has been picked and recorded and all the scripts have been recorded.

Long story short, most of the work except for animation had been done.  See here for my source.

[Red Frost]

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/07/11/legend-of-korra-second-season/


Looks like Nick ordered 26 more episodes.  So that makes 12 (season 1, book 1) + 14 (season 1, book 2) + 26 = 52 episodes.

[pineyappled]

Let's hope it's less shit.