The Legend of Korra, Beginnings Parts 1 & 2 Review.

When I sat down to watch this episode of Korra, I was a little worried about it. Origin stories, after the fact, are always a little difficult to do well, and now we are getting the origin story of the Avatar. Was this guy going to be a brave warrior who learnt to bend all the elements at once? Was he a king, a spiritual leader, a learned man? The answer, none of the above. He was just some Joe Schmo who was going to tell Korra his journey so that it may help her.

A young Wan largely unaware of the outside world.

For the first part of this episode, I did not like Wan. Sure he was the down on his luck street kid like Aladdin, but unlike Aladdin, he didn’t come off as a brave street smart kid who looked out for the innocent and helpless. He lied and stole and cheated, and by the time he was banished I didn’t feel too sorry for the young Avatar in the making. Hailing from the pseudo Fire Nation on the back of the Lion Turtle, Wan gains the element of fire, and chooses to keep it instead of gifting it back. However, this all leads to his banishment, and it’s from this point out, with Wan free of the shackles of his village, his story really comes to life.

Fire Lion Turtle gifting the element of Fire.

First thing first. Spirits, living along side with human, was awesome. Their designs were really interesting to look at, and I got the impression that each one had distinct personalities to go with their odd shapes. Their general dislike of humans was an interesting choice for them. After all, it was the human’s world first, and the spirits came into the world and forced the humans to live on the back of Lion Turtles. It’s not really surprising that the humans did not like these invading spirits, and the fact that they live in distrust of one another kept an undercurrent of tension throughout the episode that manifested into fighting and death on more than one occasion.

No spirit stood out more than Aye-Aye. He was just pure fun to watch. His opinion of humans was so low, it was comical to see him interact with then as if he was dealing with an unwanted ugly pet. Jason Marsden (his voice actor) did such a great job bringing this charming character to life. Aye-Aye came off as intelligent, wise, kind to spirits, but overtly arrogant and hateful of humans. But as Wan tore down Aye-Aye’s distrust, wanting to live along with the spirits and learn from them, Aye-Aye went from mean bully to reluctant teacher. He had an interesting journey, and is integral in the development of the Avatar. I would like to know what fate befell the big eared spirit.

The charming Aye-Aye.

With Wan spending two years learning from the spirits, I expected him to achieve a level of knowledge and spirituality that would allow him to solve great problems and end calamities. However, the first thing he did once on his own again was unleash ultimate evil. It was such a rookie mistake I was surprised he fell for Vaatu’s trick. Why he was never told of Vaatu the spirit of chaos and darkness or Raava the spirit of peace and light is a glaring omission on Aye-Aye’s behalf, but the fact that Wan couldn’t determine a sinister looking being based purely on looks alone shows just how little Wan had developed in his two years of banishment. It was worrying.

Raava and Vaatu locked in eternal battle.

With Wan’s unleashing of evil, he finally had a goal. To right his wrongs, Wan chose to find the other Lion Turtle cities and gain the elements from then. The first stop was the Air Nomads, and it was wonderful to see that they weren’t as distrustful of the spirits as those on the Fire Turtle. Spirits lived with them in peace and harmony, and it spoke volumes about the nature of the various humans in this world, and what their descendants would become. It seems that the people of Fire are predestined to be violent, seeking fights, whereas the Air Nomads were a gentle people who were already a very well developed culture at this point. Sadly we didn’t get to see too much of the Water Turtle of Earth Turtle villages, but it would have been very interesting to see what they were like too.

The fact that in order to gain the elements, humans had to go to the Lion Turtles and be gifted the power was not what I was expecting. I always assumed that the humans of this world had this power naturally, but it seems that there was a point in the planet’s history when no human could bend any element, and the world may have been better off. It reminded me of Prometheus’ story of ancient Greek mythology. The Lion Turtles, who genuinely love the humans, had good intentions, but in gifting the elements gave the humans a powerful tool to cause more harm than good to one another, and no appreciation for that power.

Before the final fight with Vaatu, Wan tried to prevent a battle between the spirits and fellow outcasts from his villiage, but once again failed. Vaatu’s influence was too great, and the spirits lead by Aye-Aye slaughtered the humans, and Wan was left with the knowledge that he had been the cause of it all. It’s like he can do nothing right. Teaming up with Raava, Wan took on Vaatu in the spirit realm, and one of the best duels in the Avatar universe took place. The bending of this era was so elemental. Great cloud gusts that made up air, fire and water looked primordial, and earth was big, blocky, and not done with the finesse that Toph would bend. However, despite his training, Wan was not making any ground against Vaatu.

Wan staring down Vaatu.

Vaatu was powerful, and in a world full of distrust and hate he was in his prime. Thus Wan and Raava became one, and for the first time, the Avatar came into being. Avatar Wan’s power was great. I got the impression that even he was unaware of its full extent, but once he got a grasp of the basics, he overwhelmed Vaatu and locked him up. Wan then makes the executive decision to close the spirit portals and declare that he will dedicate his life to bring about peace to the world. After this, I have no doubt that Unalaq is not the big baddie, and that Vaatu is pulling all the strings. It also highlights how much of Wan’s work Korra had undone this season thus far, but with her memories back, and the knowledge of Wan’s life, Korra has some powerful tools at her disposal.

Raava moments before binding with Wan forever.

In the end, Wan didn’t solve some great calamity. He didn’t bring about peace to the world. He died old, broken, and all alone on a battle field, apologizing to Raava for his failures, lamenting the choices he’s made. It was sad to watch. Almost difficult. But from his life, we got Korra, Aang, and the always great Kyoshi. So he may not have had an easy, carefree life, and he may have caused more problems than he solved, but Avatar Wan had a good soul, and it was a sad ending to a man of good intentions.

Wan's dying breath.

This episode was beautiful to watch. It was like watching a painting come to life. The music was really well done, complementing the ancient vibe of this episode. As Korra goes on break into November, there is still so much left unanswered, and I can’t wait for its return. This was a truly great episode, easily the best in the entire Avatar series. 

The Legend of Korra: Rebel Spirit Review

Korra’s finally back! After a quick recap, we get right into it. It’s been six months since Amon, and Korra’s still rebellious while Tenzin is struggling to keep up with the all-powerful teenager. Mako’s become a member of the law, while little bro Bolin has yet to make much progress in life. Finally Asami is working hard to undo the damage her father brought upon the family company and stay afloat. There has been a little splintering of team Avatar, and once again I can’t help but notice that Asami seems all alone.

Team Avatar, in all their season 1 glory.

However, after a quick relocation to the Southern Water Tribe, things swiftly change. ‘Dark’ Spirits attack without hesitation, and until Korra’s uncle’s (Unalaq) intervention, there isn't much anyone can do. Unalaq, the leader of the Northern Water Tribe, seems to be an incredibly powerful bender. With ease he calmed the angered spirit and seemed to draw out an inner peace from within and channel it into the spirit. His respect for the spiritual world is apparent, wanting even to impart his knowledge upon the young Avatar, however, I’m more concerned about his motives for the Southern Tribe as he seems hell-bent on reform (even with military force!).

A spirit overwhelming the Avatar.

With this show of power, Korra decides it’s time to part ways with Tenzin and train under Unalaq, so, bye bye Tenzin. I can understand Korra’s tension with continued training with Tenzin. She’s never exactly seen eye to eye with her air-bending master, questioning him almost every chance she’s gotten. Further, he would be a constant reminder of Republic City, a place where she was truly beaten and humiliated for the first time by Tarrlok and Amon. It’s very possible that all these factors were in play when she decided to part ways with Tenzin, but I might be reading too much into it.

Unalaq calming spirits.

So with her father against it, Unalaq takes her under his tutelage, and their journey beings to the South Pole to repair spiritual damage. Once again, I can’t help but feel that Unalaq truly believes in balance with the spirits, while Korra’s father is more than happy to leave them alone, but there is more to Unalaq than meets the eye. He’s clearly calculating (like Amon), and has ulterior motives that involve the Southern Water Tribe, Korra, and possibly the spiritual world.

Journey to Santa's back yard.

So as the first part of the premiere comes to a close, there’s a lot to digest. Why are the spirits suddenly attacking people and places? What is Korra’s and Unalaq’s role in repairing the damage, and just what is Unalaq up to? Later in the second part, even more questions arise, such as what’s up with the Northern invasion force, and is Jinora about to embark on a spiritual journey with the first Avatar, and if so, is this what old General Iroh went through in the original series? Time will tell, and I’ll write my review of part two of the premiere later tomorrow, but I’m very glad the show is back, and I can’t wait for more.

There's more to Jinora than just book smarts and powerful air-bending.

The Legend of Korra – Endgame

Part 1 review here.

While Korra has learnt the truth about Amon, Team Iroh assaults the airfield in order to stop the planes from attacking Bumi. Here, Iroh once again walks his troop’s right into a trap. When you know the enemy has harnessed electricity as weapons, and you see giant metal poles sticking out of the ground with no visible wires, realize that the best options are to go over or under the poles, not between them, because that’s how you end up shocked and in a prison cell. Come on man, you’re a general! 

After a prison break thanks to Naga, Asami gets to deal with her daddy issues aided by Bolin, and Iroh does his best Human Torch impersonation. Hiroshi Sato had truly been driven mad by the loss of his wife, so much so that even his daughter could not persuade him to change. It was a shame; the world could use a man of his genius. Meanwhile, Iroh used his fire-bending to fly, which was awesome, and really the first time all episode he looked in control. Watching him struggle to fly the first plane he took over was realistic, but I liked how he quickly adjusted himself to the cockpit and took out the remaining planes. It reflected well on his fast thinking and bold actions, but if he wants to truly earn the name Iroh he still has a lot of work to do.

Time to go all Wolverine on those planes

While all this is going on, Korra confronts Amon at his rally, revealing all the truth. It’s a good thing Amon has a mask otherwise everyone would have seen his shocked expression. But of course, in a room full of supporters, no one believed the young Avatar. The big surprise though was the reveal of Tenzin and his kids captured. It was shocking to see them gagged and bound to polls; Amon truly looked like a predator on the hunt. A quick fight ensues and we finally get to the main event, Amon Vs. Korra (and Mako).

This was not a long drawn out battle like when Aang fought the Fire Lord. It was much like Amon’s character, quick and decisive. Amon (and Yakone) might be the most powerful bender the series ever had. I expected him to subdue Korra and Mako quickly, but when he had Korra bent over, with his thumb placed on her forehead, I expected her to discover her Avatar State and take him out, much like Aang did with both the Fire Lord and Yakone. But I was genuinely surprised with his success. With her bending gone, Korra was backed into a corner, and this forced out her air-bending. This was a sink or swim moment for her, and she overcame her problems with force and confidence, exactly her style. 

Air Punch

With his blood-bending no longer affecting Korra completely, Amon gets forced to use water-bending to escape, in full view of his followers. Revealed for the liar he was, the Equalists movement is sure to collapse. Noatak had created such a strong and resolute character in Amon. He had gravitas, and with his mask, a distinctive look. Undoubtedly there are others within the group (like the Lieutenant) who could try to gather the remaining Equalists, but this reveal severely hurts the movement, and its people’s faith. A brief stop to pick up Tarrlok, and the brothers make their escape in a speed boat. It here we get the most touching and darkest moment this series (including the Last Airbender) has ever had. 

Noatak and Tarrlok clearly still loved each other immensely, with Noatak professing a desire to start anew. As the music lowered and we see Tarrlok pick up the shock glove and uncap the gas tank, telling Noatak “it’ll be just like the good old days”, I was feeling quite sad. Tarrlok’s character had so much growth over this season, and the sad truth is that no matter how far they went, they were always living in their father’s shadow. They never had a chance to be anything other than instruments of revenge, chasing shadows their entire life. With a single tear from Noatak, as if he knew what had to be done, Tarrlok commits the murder suicide by blowing up the boat. It was a fitting end to two of the best characters the Avatar universe has ever had.

Together again, for one last time

Back in the Southern Water Tribe, Katara fails to heal Korra. Severed from her bending other than air, Korra heads to the cliff to be alone. When Aang was believed to have been killed by Azula, he felt so isolated and like a failure. At his darkest moment, Avatar Roku (with moon spirit Yue) came to him to give him advice and comfort. The two of them helped Aang find peace with his failure, and this allowed Aang to ready himself to stop the war. This time it was Aang’s turn to provide the comfort (with a posse of past Avatars including Kyoshi!!!), and he did so by unlocking Korra’s bending. With her full connection to the Spirit world, she entered the Avatar State, and became a fully realized Avatar. With the ability to give back bending, we get the most significant moment of the episode; the return of Batlin (now my dreams of a Lin Beifong show can happen!). 

The Dark Knight Rises

Other notable moments include Mako and Korra officially professing their love for one another, Korra’s parents make a cameo appearance, and Korra Avatar Stating with Aang’s theme music in the background. This was a superb episode, and I can’t wait for more to come. Republic City is huge, and there must be plenty of stories left to tell (like dealing with the remaining Equalists and other gangs). But if Bryan and Michael decide to take the show on the road, that would be cool too. Either way, I can’t wait for more. What a perfect way to end Book 1. 

What, no glowing arrow tattoo?

The Legend of Korra – Skeletons in the Closet

What a show. There were a lot of questions that needed to be answered, and we were not disappointed. At times this miniseries felt rushed, with an abundance of missed opportunities for stories focusing more on side characters, but it did help focus the show on Korra and Amon, making it a very well told and personal affair. This story was nicely wrapped up in this two part final, starting with General Iroh’s assault on Republic City.

While Team Avatar (living underground with the Tramp from the series premier) is conducting recon around the harbor, they see the United Forces sailing into a trap. For a man awarded the titles of not only General, but also Iroh, I expected more. No general will send his entire fleet into the harbor of hostile territory at once. Usually a smaller reconnaissance ship is sent into enemy territory to find mines and determine threats. Iroh lost most of his fleet in the opening minutes due to this glaring blunder, However, I might be a little too harsh; he did take out three planes single handedly, and it was a beautifully choreographed naval/aerial battle.

It's a trap!

Inevitably, Iroh is saved by Korra and the two regroup with the rest of the team to plan. It was surprising to see this huge fleet reduced to just one member. Sure they had Aang’s oldest boy Bumi and his fleet waiting in the wings, but why did they make the effort of showing the rest of Iroh’s fleet in the first place if they were to be taken out in the opening minutes. I’m sure the remaining soldiers were up to something, but we never saw any of what they did. It feels like a missed opportunity as we didn’t get to see a full scale battle within Republic City. 

Once the Team calls for Bumi’s help, they split up into two groups; Korra & Mako; Iroh, Bolin & Asami; each going to their individual destinations to complete their missions. Korra and Mako go to Air Temple Island to bring the fight directly to Amon. Making their way to the attic to wait for Amon’s return, Korra and Mako stumble upon Tarrlok locked away, and it’s here the former blood-bender steals the show by revealing Amon’s true identity as Noatak, the oldest son of Yakone. Yakone’s shadow has loomed over this series since we first heard whispers of his name mentioned by Tarrlok episodes ago. His battle for control of Republic City against Aang was well known among the citizens, but remained mostly unknown to Korra. This battle, it turns out, spilled over to the next generation. 

Yakone equipped with a new face

As children, Noatak and Tarrlok seemed close, and even though Noatak was clearly more talented than Tarrlok (much like Azula and Zuko), there was no animosity between the two. Any wedge that arouse between the brothers was due to Yakone. One can only imagine the hatred and venom that Yakone would have spewed about the Avatar and the people of Republic City, and clearly this fueled the two brothers to make the decisions they made. Almost chained to their fate, the two put Republic City in their sights; one through politics, and the other through revolution. It also explains why Amon went out of his way to put Tarrlok in his paddy wagon while letting the Lieutenant deal with the Avatar in the episode “Out of the Past”. Clearly he still cared for his little brother but was not going to let him get in his way. But the huge difference between the two was not just talent, but when Noatak blood-bending Tarrlok. Tarrlok knew what it felt like to be blood-bended, and he hated it. If Noatak had experienced the same sensation, he might have not gone down the path he chose. If given the chance, these two kids could have accomplished anything, but Yakone ruined them, proving to be Korra’s true villain even after his death. 

These two were never given a chance

The music and animation continued to be beautiful. Clancy Brown (of Lex Luther fame) did a great job voicing Yakone, as did Dee Baker with Tarrlok. I need to take a break to watch the Euros (England Vs. Italy!), so part two of the review to follow shortly.

The Legend of Korra – The Empire Strikes Ba… I mean Turning the Tides

A lot continued to go wrong for the good guys this episode, with the remaining council members and metal bending police taken out of the picture in the opening minutes. Team Avatar had to save Tenzin, and Naga had a short lived action moment. Asami tried confronting Mako about his feelings for Korra, but he avoided answering her concerns. He should show both Asami and Korra a little more respect, they both deserve to know where they stand so they can get on with their lives. The White Lotus even showed up again, and true to their cause, they sacrificed themselves for the Avatar. 

This gave room for the air-benders to shine. Tenzin has not had enough chances to flex his muscles this series, but when he has, it’s always been fun to see his take on some of Aang’s moves. When the Equalists came to take him, he took them out with style and held is own against insurmountable odds when surrounded by Metal Gears. But he wasn’t the only air-bender this episode; his kids got to have some fun too. They showed the skill, determination, and fearlessness that kids genuinely excel at. Clearly they know there is trouble, but probably not what’s at stake, which allows them to go into battle throwing caution to the wind to protect their “dad’s ex-girlfriend”. Jinora, Ikki and Meelo did well, each having a very different style of bending. Jinora kept her distance with a strong blast, Ikki got up close, and Meelo was all over the place with well placed fart-bending. It’s interesting to see that these third generation air-benders have each developed their own unique style.

Tenzin and his kids about to show us what air-benders are capable of

And now for the elephant in the room; the fall of BatLin. Lin went out this episode exactly as I would expect a Beifong to go out, kicking more ass than most people and refusing to cooperate with the enemy. She weaved her way around the enemy taking them out until she was backed into a corner, only taking the aid of Tenzin’s kids as a last resort. Then, Lin made her final sacrifice and charged down two airships to help Tenzin and his family get away. The stakes were high; we knew what will happen to Lin once captured, and I genuinely feared for her. 

Battered, but not yet beaten

The final shot of her bound in front of Amon was difficult to see. It was even harder to watch when he took away her bending. In just a short few episodes, I’ve really come to like Lin. Toph was my favorite character from the last series, and we had two full seasons to get to know her. Lin has not had that luxury of time, but from what little we saw, her character shown through, and I hope there is more to come. And I agree with Meelo, she’s my hero too, not the one Tenzin deserved, but the one he needed. Her courage better be rewarded.

This Dark Knight shall rise once again

Other than that, there wasn’t any scene this episode that was there just for fan service. Everything served a purpose. From the call to the United Forces, to Tenzin’s new boy Rohan, to the final, huge reveal, there wasn’t a wasted second. And what a reveal! When I heard that Dante Basco was returning to the show, I assumed it was to voice Zuko. But the final shot, with the United Forces navy advancing to the city’s aid wet the appetite. What took me overboard was hearing the words General Iroh once again, and this time a General Iroh (Zuko's grandson?) voiced by Dante. It might take a while for me to get used to hearing Zuko’s voice coming out of someone who isn’t Zuko, but I’m stoked. Dante can bring the heat in terms of voice acting, so I can’t wait for more. 

Ever since Iroh went to jail he's been looking better and better

But this introduction did more than just tickle my nostalgia bone, it reminded me that this is a huge world, and that there are many other people who populate it, and who knows just how powerful they are. So I have a warning for you Amon. A General Iroh is coming, are you ready? This was another great episode.

The Legend of Korra – Out of the Past

So much for Tarrlok vs Amon; the son of Yakone did not have a good episode. First he gets exposed for his web of lies and his blood-bending, but when he escapes Tenzin, team Avatar and Batlin, then tries to escape with Korra locked in a box, he was undone by Amon. Tarrlok’s blood bending was exceptional. Not only was he able to subdue Korra last week, but in this episode he took on an air master, two chief of police, the council, Team Avatar, and a bunch of chi-blockers including the Lieutenant! His level of mastery is quite unlike any other water-bender ever seen in the Avatar universe (stronger even than Katara!). However, despite beating all these people, Amon still bested him and robbed him of his bending. Just what kind of power does Amon have?

Tarrlok, I get the feeling your dad would have handled this better

Speaking of Yakone, we finally found out who he was and the trouble he tried to cause thanks to Korra's visions. The water-bender was a mobster kingpin, trying to take control of Republic City through its seedy underbelly. When eventually caught and tried, Yakone blood-bended his way out of the situation. He was so powerful he was able to lift Toph off the floor, levitate her towards him, while subduing Aang, Sokka, and a room full of other people (my guess; Yakone vs. Amon = Yakone win). Like his son, he was eventually beaten (by Aang) while trying to escape. With his bending taken, his story has seemingly come to an end. However, Aang energy-bended in the middle of a street for anyone to see. Is this where a young Amon first got his taste of energy-bending? I feel this story might not be over yet.

Aang doing his Avatar thing

During all of this, Tarrlok had lied to everyone and blamed the Equalists for Korra’s disappearance. Lin springs into action, freeing team Avatar, recruiting Tenzin, and then kicking some major ass. Lin has proven that she is more than just a Toph clone; she’s quite her own person not living in her mother’s shadow. From here she kicks more ass than should be allowed, finding tunnels via earth-bending, opening metal doors, finding an underground prison, freeing her police officers, and leading everyone to escape, all the while being injured. She is exceptional, and I would love to see Bolin train with her to become a better bender. 

We need a Batlin TV show

Mako was really concerned with Korra’s disappearance, and Asami noticed the urgency in his actions. You can tell that she feels like she is losing Mako to Korra, and I felt a little sorry for her. She does seem to love Mako, and Mako is clearly torn between Asami and Korra. Time will tell what happens to all these relationships, but for now there is a wedge between Mako and Asami, even if he is unaware of it. Mako went to some extremes this episode, holding up a chi-blocker and threatening him with fire. This is the kind of behavior that is driving Amon. When Korra does finally escape from Tarrlok’s/Amon’s gasp and is found by Naga and taken to the rescue team, Mako quickly runs to her side and gently picks her up, cradling her in his arms and putting her into the sky bison. It’s a tender moment, but in full view of Asami. 

Dude, Asami's in the next shot

Other standout moments this episode included hearing a 40 year old Twinkle Toes, Chief Toph, and same old Council Leader Sokka (with boomerang and Sparky Sparky Boom Man shoutout). Also, Aang’s giant air ball (not as cool as Tenzin’s air wheel) and Bolin trying to pee in jail. Finally, little Meelo once again had the best scene when he answered the phone and informed the person on the other end of the rudeness of calling at six in the morning. Meelo, I could not agree more; well said sir, well said indeed. Another great episode. 

Meelo is clearly the center of this universe

The Legend of Korra – When Extremes Meet

Wow, this episode was a hell of a lot of fun. The new Team Avatar formed, having a very American Graffiti vibe. The four teen members rode in Asami’s car, and with some stylish driving and bending, caught recently escaped Equalists. It was good to see the four of them gel together with such confidence and precision while causing minimum collateral damage. Unfortunately, there is a possibility of some tension bubbling under the surface as Asami finds out about Korra’s crush on Mako (she was none too pleased), and this could prove costly in the future creating divides and questionable loyalties.

Introducing the New Team Avatar

As Tarrlok took over the Metal Bending Police, the new Team Avatar chose to get in the way. Tarrlok has proven time and again to be smarter than those around him, and has easily manipulated most to his will. He puts a swift end to Team Avatar by arresting Bolin, Mako and Asami, and out maneuvering both Korra and Tenzin (who has proved to be useless against Tarrlok on the council). It’s still unclear what he wants with all the power, but it’s obvious that he will stop at nothing to gain more.

This power grab included rounding up non-benders and forcing a curfew on them. It was reminiscent of Nazi era Germany with curfews enforced on the Jewish population, eventually sending them off to concentration camps. No good can come from Tarrlok’s actions, and this will just send the free non-benders right into Amon’s arms. Korra too had big problems with Tarrlok’s actions, but she was rendered powerless with her team arrested. I’m not sure if Tarrlok is working with Amon, or if he is just trying to use the situation to his advantage, but unless benders outnumber non-benders, he is setting himself up for a fall.

Rounding up innocent people has never led to anything good

For the first time since getting beat up by Amon, Korra had to face her deficiencies. She is clearly frustrated with her lack of air-bending (despite mastering the movements) and has no affinity with the spiritual side of being an Avatar. Once again she felt isolated, and there really doesn’t seem to be anyone who can help her. Sure Tenzin is a master air-bender, but even his spiritual side pales in comparison to Bumi’s, Iroh’s and countless others from the last series. Those characters had a real connection with not just their fellow man, but with nature itself. It’s possible I’m making a mountain out of a mole hill because we have not spent enough time with Tenzin, but I’m finding him very inadequate for Korra’s training; he’s just not as wise as I was expecting.

Korra feeling all alone

All the preceding moments led to Korra confronting Tarrlok, and one of the most intense fights the series has had to offer commences. I was never under the impression that Tarrlok would be a good fighter (he seemed too slimy), but boy did he kick some ass. His affinity with water-bending rivals that of Katara. Ice bullets, water shield, and of course, the blood-bending. Wow! I was unsure if Korra knew about blood-bending, and still I’m not sure she knows how to do it, but she knows the basics; like needing a full moon. Not Tarrlok though. Without a full moon he whips Korra around like a rag doll, eventually knocking her out and smuggling her out of the city!!! Man Tarrlok’s not to be messed with, and I have a feeling he could be a match for Amon if they ever fight. While Korra’s knocked out, we see a little more of adult Aang, Sokka and Toph being rendered helpless by a menacing looking, blood-bending (!!!) Yakone. Yakone (who I have assumed was a fire-bender because, well, you know why) bears a striking resemblance to Tarrlok. Could they be father/son? Or could Yakone be immortal???

Is this the mysterious Yakone(?)

With Korra gone, Bolin, Mako and Asami arrested, it will be up to Batfong and Tenzin to handle things in the next episode. I can’t wait. One standout moment this episode is when Team Avatar is just hanging out by the car listening to the police scanner for trouble. It was so natural, and they looked like a pack of teenagers up to no good. Other standout moments involved Tenzin’s kids especially Meelo with his farty flirting ways. I didn’t realize how much I missed them and how much more I want them on screen. If the season was longer there would no doubt be an episode dedicated to each of them, but alas I doubt that will ever be. Oh, and Bolin vs Ikki. This was a great episode.

Meelo stealing the show

The Legend of Korra – The Aftermath

After the aftermath of last week’s attack on the pro-bending arena, things moved quickly. With Mako and Bolin moving in with Asami, we see Korra’s frustration at Mako’s and Asami’s continuing relationship meaning she has not buried her feelings for Mako. On the flip side, Bolin still tries to impress Korra (possibly unintentionally), obviously still harboring feelings for the Avatar despite being so hurt two episodes ago. When you find yourself attracted to someone, it’s hard to let that feeling go, so it’s only natural that the love triangle persists.

Korra reluctantly goes along to Asami’s mansion quickly finding herself impressed. Asami has come across as a ditzy rich girl who runs to daddy when she needs something, but today we find out there is more than just beauty; she’s been trained to fight since she was a kid, and has no problem going toe to toe with the “big boys” in a F1 race. It was fun watching her trying to impress Korra; you get the feeling Asami knew she was not liked,  to get the Avatar on her side. Korra has a big personality, and with the level of confidence Asami showed, it was only a matter of time until Korra was won over. Back in the mansion, Korra overhears Hiroshi discussing some sinister sounding plans. With a quick exit, Korra is off to meet with Lin and Tenzin. We find out the police are doing their jobs, following up leads, clamping down on the Equalists, even finding evidence against Cabbage Corp and freezing assists. This is in line with how policing is conducted (or at least should be) in the real world. It’s about time we see some level of competence from the police, especially after last week’s debacle.

Cabbage man, triumphant at last

However, Mako is distrustful of Korra’s motives due to her feelings for him. It was a bit of a leap for him to make that assumption. After all, even though Korra admitted her feelings for him, she has never done anything to raise suspicion on her integrity and honesty. She deserved a little more patience from Mako. Asami’s reaction betrayed some anti-bending sentiment, while her father was more careful with his words. Even if Asami was unaware of her tone, it’s clear that at home, she has heard some anti-bending speeches from her dad, and that translated into her anger at the metal-bending police.

Eventually the police, along with Korra and Tenzin, are led to a secret underground factory under the mansion. From here, the episode had a very Metal Gear Solid vibe. From a giant service elevator to the team facing off against mass produced metal gear like mechs (made out of unbendable platinum), the episode takes a very dark tone. There are some great action pieces at this point; Lin bending the metal into spikes and going into berserker mode like Wolverine on one of the mechs, Tenzing created a ring of air to fast travel on the floor while finally seeing some quality air-bending was long overdue and the overwhelming abilities of the mechs taking out all their opponents with electricity and force. 

The only person missing here is Solid Snake.

Unfortunately, the good guys get caught and tied up, so Mako and Bolin make their way down to try and save the day, which goes about as smoothly as you would expect. Just when they are about to be caught, Asami shows up to confront her dad. Its here we get the reason behind Hiroshi’s “madness”; his wife was killed by a fire-bender. Loving your parents or children are easy (hopefully). You don’t get to choose who your parents or children are, so it’s somewhat unconditional. But meeting someone, falling in love with them, planning on spending the rest of your life together with them, staring a life together, only to have that person taken away from you would drive anyone mad (just ask Ra’s al Ghul). I really sympathized with Hiroshi over his motives; he lost the love of his life! Further, there really seems to be a theme with fire-benders killing people on this show; Mako/Bolin's and Amon's parents, and now Asami's mom too. It's amazing that fire-benders didn't learn anything since the 100 years war, or maybe they are just predisposed to violence. I’m finding it hard to define the Equalists as traditional villains.

Asami being tempted to the dark side.

With Asami taking her father and the Lieutenant out (with some swift martial arts), team Avatar make their retreat. Back in the airship licking their wounds, Lin decides that it’s time to quit the police force and become a vigilante. Mako, Bolin, Asami and Pabu are to move into Air Temple Island, and the core team finally receives their fourth member. I'm really looking forward to future episodes with Lin living like a vigilante. It's clear that the show makers are Batman fans, and this could be awesome, especially if Toph comes back to play Robin (one can only hope)! There was some great fan service with Cabbage Corp (not my Cabbage Corp) and a statue of good old cabbage man triumphantly holding up a cabbage, and the brief action was some of the best in the series thus far. The music was once again top notch (subtle yet powerful), and the animation was very smooth. This was another great episode.

Metal... Gear!

Posted by Dogfish. 

The Legend of Korra – And the Winner is…

This week’s episode of Korra was a lot of fun. Amon and the Equalists staged an anti-bending demonstration amid the finals of the tournament. There were plenty of great action pieces spread throughout the episode, and plenty of characters had moments to shine. And though Korra had the most amount of screen time, she was upstaged by two characters that had far less; Pabu the fire ferret with his cute acrobats and people saving skills, and the tournament’s announcer giving a play-by-play of the Equalist member who attacked him.

The episode opens with team Fire Ferrets training for the finals. They have pictures of the White Falls Wolfbats captain Tahno as target practices (he’s the jerk from the last episode), and really psyching themselves up for the match. However, the joyous mood gets broken up by an announcement from Amon via the radio. As his voice crackles through the airways, you can still see the look of dread on Korra’s face as she hears him. It’s good to see that even though she has clearly gotten better at fighting, there is still a lot of hesitation in her abilities when it comes to Amon. She went through a traumatic event, and it will take time for her to feel up to par with the Equalist leader. On the radio, Amon states that the finals of the tournament should be canceled by the city council or he will cause trouble. Korra, sensing trouble from Tenzin and the council, goes charging in and demands they take no action. After some persuasion from the Fire Ferrets and Lin(!), Tarrlok votes in favor of keeping the tournament open with a majority vote. Once again, you can see Tarrlok’s slimy hands trying to grab more power and he’s more than willing to use whatever he sees fit to his advantage. After some preparations at the stadium, and some great character moments between Lin, Tenzin, and Korra, the tournament begins, and inevitably all hell breaks loose.

An unnecessarily grand entrance by the Wolfbats

At the tournament, the metal bending police position themselves along the entrances of the stadium, covering the crowd so that they are evenly spread out. They are a well trained unit, and seem to know what they are doing, but it becomes obvious that they have never faced a treat as serious as the Equalists. Lin and Tenzin are positioned centrally overlooking the arena. However, despite the seriousness of the situation they both get caught up in the tournament. The White Falls Wolfbats are constantly cheating during the match (the refs have been paid off), and Tenzin keeps yelling whenever a foul goes unnoticed, and Lin is more than happy to keep watching him. Despite how well they have trained in their bending arts, they have much to learn about being focused on the task at hand. During the match, the Wolfbats are using all kinds of dirty tricks to beat the Fire Ferrets, and the refs just ignore them. The commentator is great during these moments, clearly stating his opinions of the Wolfbats and the refs, but there isn’t much he can do. The Ferret’s loose a round, win a second (a great one v one with Korra and Tahno where she kicks his ass KO), but then get knocked out of the arena to lose the match. It’s once they are in the water, and the crowd is going wild with the Wolfbats victory, that the Equalists go on the offensive.

Amon and the Lieutenant

It turns out that the Equalists have dispersed themselves throughout the crowd. Quickly pulling masks over their faces, and metallic gloves that can stun benders, they pounce taking out all the police including Lin and Tenzin. This is a huge embarrassment. Just what was the point of having all those police officers there if they couldn’t accomplish anything? Korra and the Ferret’s get taken out while still in the water by the Lieutenant and his stun rods. While he ties them up to a post under the stadium, Korra has visions of Aang’s life again. There are quick shots of Aang in the avatar state, as well as shots of a man I can only assume is Yakone (he threatened Republic City 42 years before Korra’s arrival). When they wake up, Bolin mimes to Pabu to cut through the ropes binding them to which Pabu obliges. Up on the stage, Amon and some of his chi blockers enter the arena, facing down the Wolfbats. Tahno and his crew foolishly challenge Amon only to get taken out. Despite Tahno’s pleading, Amon robs him of water bending and dumps all three Wolfbats into the pool. Amon then gives a speech to the crowd where he tells all that he has dealt with the police, as well as the cheating Wolfbats, and says that they used anti-bending gloves to take care of all potential problems. He also talks about bending as unclean. That statement gave the Equalists a very ethnic cleansing vibe. There is also a scene earlier in the episode where Amon is overlooking his minions loading crates into satomobiles, and I assume they were full of the electrified gloves. From this scene coupled with his speech, I get the feeling that Amon might try to sell the gloves via a black market to non-benders. He could make a pretty penny, and I wonder if this is one of his goals! It would certainly help to knock his “noble mission” down a peg or two. However, he clearly has some skilled people working for him in order to make stun rods and gloves, and he would need a factory in order to create it all. There could be a possibility that he has some sort of connection to Hiroshi Sato. It would be an interesting twist, and I see no reason why it couldn’t be true. Hiroshi and Asami were in the crowd during the match, but were conspicuously absent during the Equalists’ chaos.

Anti-bender gloves

Tahno get's what's coming to him

After the speech, while making their escape to a waiting airship, Korra and Lin face off against the Equalists, and both ladies kick some unholy ass. Korra tries to take the fight directly to Amon, but he’s just out of her reach. However, the joy I got from seeing Lin and Korra working together was great. We haven’t seen Lin bend at all yet, but it was worth the wait. Despite being caught off guard more than once, when she finally kicks into high gear, Lin did not hold back. The metallic ropes she used to take out the chi blockers and save a falling Korra (twice!) were controlled with precision and deadly force. Korra was also more than a match for the chi blockers, even taking on the Lieutenant and beating him down. The two women played nicely off each other, and when they land back in the stadium, Lin clearly has warmed up to Korra. This can definitely be attributed to how the young Avatar handled herself during the tournament and the fight, but also to a conversation Tenzin had with her earlier in the episode. Last week, we found out that Tenzin was with someone else before he met and fell in love with his wife. That someone turned out to be Lin. The reason she was being so harsh to Korra was less to do about Korra, and more to do about Korra’s closeness with Tenzin. Tenzin and Lin do bury the hatchet in this episode, and the moments after the fight in the stadium between Korra and Lin was welcome and heartfelt. But, at the end of the day, Amon got away, embarrassing the police, and he managed to show the citizen’s of the city that they have a means via technology to take out benders. Only time will tell how impactful his live “commercial” will be, but I feel there is more at play here than just Amon. I smell a rat (in the shape of a one Hiroshi Sato), and this rat looks set to make a lot of money. Another great episode. 

Lin and Korra to the rescue.

Published by Dogfish