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Legend of Korra, anyone?

Aravelle

Sage
If you liked Avatar: the Last Airbender and haven't seen this, it's a MUST.

If you have seen it, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's darker, edgier, and overall more mature than Avatar... and not even 5 episodes in.
 

Mythos

Troubadour
I've watched the first two episodes, and I enjoyed them. I agree that it is far more mature than Avatar was. The only think that perplexes me is how quickly technology advanced when Zuko and Aang ruled the world.
 

Tamwen

Troubadour
I've watched the first two episodes, and I enjoyed them. I agree that it is far more mature than Avatar was. The only think that perplexes me is how quickly technology advanced when Zuko and Aang ruled the world.
Actually, it's parallel to our world. Aang's time was the 1850s or so. Korra's time is the 1920s.

I love this show. Seriously, I really do. Bolin... I just wanna boop his nose. Korra's amazing; she's the kind of girl I wouldn't mind my daughter emulating. I mean, for all her flaws, she's strong and sincere and full of vim and spunk and all those other wonderful old-timey words.

Plus, Cloudbabies. Tenzin. Pema. Meelo. Just. Meelo.
 

Mindfire

Istar
The tone shift was kinda jarring actually. The Last Airbender had some serious moments, but but it had a good balance of seriousness and fun. I like the new show, and the darker tone works, but it caught me off guard a little coming out of ATLA. I think their idea behind it is that the fans that watched the original show have now "grown up" a bit, so the world should grow up with them, an interesting idea.
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
I don't know. It does have a lot to offer, especially the character development. But following the world-wide destruction which was threatened on Airbender, the new conflicts feel like a let down so far. Korra starts with phenomenal power, but she's up against people who just don't seem like a real threat compared to her. And it's led to some strange power escalations which don't make a whole lot of sense in context with the original. But we'll see where it goes.
 

Mindfire

Istar
I don't know. It does have a lot to offer, especially the character development. But following the world-wide destruction which was threatened on Airbender, the new conflicts feel like a let down so far. Korra starts with phenomenal power, but she's up against people who just don't seem like a real threat compared to her. And it's led to some strange power escalations which don't make a whole lot of sense in context with the original. But we'll see where it goes.

I think the new show is going for a slightly smaller scale because the setting is more modern. The Last Airbender was set during the "sunset" of the "Age of Legends" and save-the-world dilemmas. Korra's world is more modern, with greater political complexities and more organized street-level threats.
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
I think the new show is going for a slightly smaller scale because the setting is more modern. The Last Airbender was set during the "sunset" of the "Age of Legends" and save-the-world dilemmas. Korra's world is more modern, with greater political complexities and more organized street-level threats.

It's not the scale that bothers me. Or it's only sort of. So far Korra the Avatar feels too overpowered for these conflicts. The world-wide scale used to justify the Avatar's power.
 

Mindfire

Istar
It's not the scale that bothers me. Or it's only sort of. So far Korra the Avatar feels too overpowered for these conflicts. The world-wide scale used to justify the Avatar's power.

Overpowered? Hardly. She may be powerful, she may even technically be a bending "master", but she's still a rookie. She hasn't even come CLOSE to matching the power levels Aang rose to within one year. Heck, the members of the gang that were benders performed feats that far outshine anything she's yet done. Zuko learned to redirect lightning. Katara defeated far more experienced benders than herself and mastered bloodbending. Toph pioneered metalbending and was able to take on the Dai Li singlehandedly- ALL OF THEM. Comapred to these, and that's not even mentioning all the stuff Aang did, I'd say Korra either has yet to reach the zenith of her power, or she's just a "weaker" Avatar. I mean, she got tossed around by pro-bending players. Any member of the gang would have wiped the floor with them in the old days.

But as far as the threat goes, I don't think it really matters, because I think that's kind of the point. Korra's powers, amazing as they may be, aren't going to avail her much against the Equalists because they're a new kind of threat. The world has changed. The White Lotus, Katara, and even Tenzin have been training Korra for the old ways, for the war that Aang fought, but Korra is fighting a different war with different rules. Despite all her power and training, she's still unprepared. It's a feeling of vulnerability that we don't usually get from the Avatar.
 

Tamwen

Troubadour
Have you seen the more recent ones? Episodes three and four, specifically? She's not overpowered. She may be an excellent bender, but the idea is that that's simply not enough.

Like in A:TLA, the conflict at hand conflicts with the outlook and personality of the Avatar dealing with it. Previously, Aang was a pacifist with a great respect for life who would rather talk his way through something than beat people up. Korra's just the opposite. She prefers to kick people's teeth in because that's how her brain works, and she's had very little social interaction in her life thus far. With Aang, a confrontational avenue was needed because Ozai was never going to back down. But here, with Korra, a compromise and willingness to listen is required, something that goes against the grain for Korra.

Aang's problem was visible and obvious, while Korra's is more subtle, but just as important. This single city is full of social, cultural and political rifts that can't be beaten out. This is her issue. Tradition vs Change. Is it as explosive as a comet? No, but it's just as important and, for Korra, just as difficult.

Different Avatars, different worlds, different problems. Put Korra in Aang's shoes and Aang in Korra's shoes. A lot of the conflict in the stories isn't necessarily the Avatar's abilities in bending, but rather, the Avatar's mental and emotional ability to preform.
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
She's not overpowered. She may be an excellent bender, but the idea is that that's simply not enough.

. . . .

Different Avatars, different worlds, different problems. Put Korra in Aang's shoes and Aang in Korra's shoes. A lot of the conflict in the stories isn't necessarily the Avatar's abilities in bending, but rather, the Avatar's mental and emotional ability to preform.

I haven't seen episode 4 yet, so I may have missed something.

I enjoy the personal conflict, and I'm enjoying the show. But the shift has created the problem that, so far, she's dealing with conflicts for which it doesn't matter that she's the avatar. Any bender could be doing what she's doing. There's no connection between Avatar and plot, and so far, even the connection between avatar and the emotional story is still weak because nobody respects her yet in that role.

She might as well be a typical water bender still learning the spiritual side of water bending, and you would get virtually the same effect so far.
 

Tamwen

Troubadour
I disagree that any bender could do the same thing. A single bender wouldn't have the same effect that she's having. The Equalists wouldn't move their plan faster if she was just another waterbender, and her words and actions wouldn't have the same impact if she was just a Country Mouse from the Southern Water Tribe. She's the Avatar. What she does and says means something, but at the same time, people either consider her a troublemaker or someone to manipulate because she's still a child.

We're only in the first few episodes, so the foundation is still being established, both in the story and out. Korra doesn't have a real support system, she hasn't established her place in the city, she hasn't really realized the seriousness of the situation for non-benders. The Avatar is about balance, and not just elemental balance. Korra is not just trying to establish balance with herself, but also between bending and non-bending, change and tradition, the spiritual and the physical. An everyday waterbender couldn't do that.

Plus, if it was just an everyday waterbender, we wouldn't have the chance to see Aang or Katara or Tenzin.
 

Aravelle

Sage
You phrased that wonderfully. I love how it's not only grown up with its viewers, but transitioned into something greater than the classic "save the world". People aren't going to bow before her feet like she's the chosen one. She has such a high standard to live up to after Aang. Some of its conflicts reflect real life conflicts... I love it. Especially since they manage to squeeze in humour here in there.

Anyone ship Makorra? >.<
 

Tamwen

Troubadour
Sorry. Masami and Borra myself.

You just can't beat a charming, well-built young man with an entirely boop-able nose. With cupcakes.

I also like how he reacts to Korra in general. It's different from most guys on TV. He's not emasculated by her saving him, or offended when she rejects his advances. It's sweet.

Plus, all the emphasis on Masami and Makorra from Nick is making me both irritated and suspicious.

What if they're forgetting about Borra...

BECAUSE IT'S ENDGAME!
 

Aravelle

Sage
Sorry. Masami and Borra myself.

You just can't beat a charming, well-built young man with an entirely boop-able nose. With cupcakes.

I also like how he reacts to Korra in general. It's different from most guys on TV. He's not emasculated by her saving him, or offended when she rejects his advances. It's sweet.

Plus, all the emphasis on Masami and Makorra from Nick is making me both irritated and suspicious.

What if they're forgetting about Borra...

BECAUSE IT'S ENDGAME!

Masami is adorable. I love her...she actually acts and looks like a character of mine so it's a bit frustrating..but they seem almost too canon and perfect. Borra is cute, and I do love how he treats her... but... I question chemistry on her side.
 

Mindfire

Istar
Masami is adorable. I love her...she actually acts and looks like a character of mine so it's a bit frustrating..but they seem almost too canon and perfect. Borra is cute, and I do love how he treats her... but... I question chemistry on her side.

Guys, this is Zutara/Kataang all over again. And we all know how that went last time. Something tells me all the burned Zutarians are putting their chips on Makorra to make up for their humiliating defeat last time. IMO, they're setting themselves up for disappointment. Masami/Borra is most likely I think. It makes the most sense, plus it would give the show creators another way to troll the Zutarians. And if there's anything I know about Mike and Bryan, it's that they love to troll the Zutarians.
 

Tamwen

Troubadour
Guys, this is Zutara/Kataang all over again. And we all know how that went last time. Something tells me all the burned Zutarians are putting their chips on Makorra to make up for their humiliating defeat last time. IMO, they're setting themselves up for disappointment. Masami/Borra is most likely I think. It makes the most sense, plus it would give the show creators another way to troll the Zutarians. And if there's anything I know about Mike and Bryan, it's that they love to troll the Zutarians.

Oh, of course. Dickalodean is a master troll, and I find Makorra to be rather dangerous. They argue way too much for my taste, which makes for some good UST but a good, stable relationship? Not so much. Korra and Bolin have consistently been friendly and had fun with one another.
 

Mindfire

Istar
Oh, of course. Dickalodean is a master troll, and I find Makorra to be rather dangerous. They argue way too much for my taste, which makes for some good UST but a good, stable relationship? Not so much. Korra and Bolin have consistently been friendly and had fun with one another.

Very true.
 

morfiction

Troubadour
Well, the Harry Potter crew certainly grew up during the progresssion of the Harry Potter series. I had a friend complain that she didn't like the newer Harry Potter movies and missed the whimsy of the first two or three.
 

Aravelle

Sage
Guys, this is Zutara/Kataang all over again. And we all know how that went last time. Something tells me all the burned Zutarians are putting their chips on Makorra to make up for their humiliating defeat last time. IMO, they're setting themselves up for disappointment. Masami/Borra is most likely I think. It makes the most sense, plus it would give the show creators another way to troll the Zutarians. And if there's anything I know about Mike and Bryan, it's that they love to troll the Zutarians.

Mark my words, we Zutarians will have our vengeance... THROUGH MAKORRA. >.> Bolin was destined to be friend zoned. He's too nice.
 
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