THE LEGEND OF KORRA - Brief Recaps of First Watch! (Patreon)

So I watched Avatar: The Last Airbender last year and it quickly became one of my favorite shows ever. It combined huge epic storytelling with pitch perfect writing, honing into often hilarious (and yes, a really important conversation about asian cultural appropriation). With that show’s recent release on Netflix, I’ve been watching people re-watching and discovering it. A moment, I guess. But since I always seem to watch things when they’re slightly mis-timed, I figure now is as good at time as any to The Legend of Korra. 

Turns out I’m glad I waited. While I know many of you waited four years, I think getting at least one plus year away from did some good, both in giving me some critical distance and also in terms of feeding my already-building nostalgia. For I really did love that show. And now diving back into that world? 

I got goosebumps from Korra’s opening narration alone…

1. Welcome to Republic City

What happens after the happy ending?

It’s a question I think about a lot because there’s something that is inherently satisfying and unsatisfying in equal measure. Were our heroes sacrifices worth it? Did they really change things? Are there stories worth telling afterwards? We are always curious what happened to people we love. Hell, imagining what ended up and where people went is at the root of the booming fan fiction industry. But it can also be really precarious, look no further than JK Rowling’s endless re-dips-sans-actual-books to see how it can be a troubling instinct, too. Especially when too much detail just mires it all in “lore.” And the truth is you also get a short life span out of that stuff. People may like it, but eventually you just have to be the new thing that one cares about.

Luckily,The Legend of Korra at least seems to aware of all this. 

I knows we want to get a sense of impact from those we love. As I said, I got goosebumps from the opening narration alone (“My father” !!!). And there is absolutely great joy in seeing grandma Katara, who I even first recognized on sight. Going in, I knew Korra took place afterwards, but it was honestly a more of a direct sequel than I realized. But like the main character herself, it also seems to be trying to set itself apart rather than recapture the same magic. Especially in terms of design because it’s not an ancient world, but more like our modern one. I love the idea that Zuko and Aang built “republic city” together and now with its modernization of zeppelins and old cars. Hey, 100 years can see a lot of progress one supposes. But like the Aang statue, the shadow looms large both over the show and her character.

What also helps differentiate the show is that they come from two extremes of experience. Aang was a lost kid, displaced by time. He came back into a world at war and had to lead a small group of rebels against the world. It was always codified in continual journey, stealth, and thrilling stakes; the makings of a true epic. But what’s fascinating is how quickly this show feels like the opposite. Korra has lived a sheltered. Unlike Aang, she’s had all the proper training and careful guidance. As such, she’s itching to go out into the world with a mix of a confidence and naivety that has all the makings of teenage rebellion (I also like that her character seems a big older?).

The pilot has a lot of heavy lifting to do in terms of her to get her in place in Republic City. I see what it’s going for: a young woman with so much pressure, lost and unsure of ways of modern life. I have to say though, the episode isn’t so much a tight little story. In fact, there’s a couple moments that give me pause. Like automatically springing Toph’s daughter on us felt a little too fast (we’re already meeting Aang and Katara’s kids / grandkids). It makes it all feel a little too insular and like everyone is a kid of so and so. I feel like that stuff needs to evolve out more. 

The second moment is actually in Tenzin’s decision to turn things around and accept her there. Yes, he sees the kids hugging her and disappointed, but that decision needs something more. Like we need to see how his NOT training her now, fails her, and himself too. What’s weird is that Avatar was so good at those kinds of changes and how they had to be motivated through dramatization. It was THE strength of the show. But this oddly feels like Tenzin just changing his mind instead of seeing why he changes his mind?

I do wish it was firing on all cylinders, still, so much of it feels like a warm blanket. Even just watching characters bend with lightning fast acumen. But the best thing about this opening episode is how much I can see the potential of what this show CAN be, which is part of the job of a pilot for sure. Especially in tackling a new complex world, where they can tell new kinds of stories.

Simply put, I’m in.

2. A Leaf In The Wind

There’s an old adage in TV that goes something like this, “In the pilot, show me why I should care about these people, then in the second episode, show me how you’re a show.” That is show me how things come together and I am going to get weekly enjoyment out of this narrative. I’ll admit this do or die adage is less important in the binging era, but it’s still critical in the “telling good stories” department. Which is all I really care about.

There a lot I really like here. The opening news reel is a delightful touch. I like that we’ve targeted her limitation of air bending, which gives her an obstacle and flaw that also makes her the opposite of Aang. Her reaction to all of it also reflects the habit of how “gifted” kids who are “naturally good” at things only like doing the things they are already good at - and have no patience for new things that are hard. I also love the three grandkids, Meelo in particular feels like Chaos Baby Aang purposefully turned up to 11. They embody all the comedic touches of these storytellers that feel vivacious, like the simple line delivery “I make no such promises.” I also like the world building elements that show us that bending, like fighting in our own world, has moved to sports.

But the episode also reflects the “lowered stakes” complex. Because it’s weird for a narrative arc to go from “massive battles and the fate of the world” to something so much smaller. Like if the sequel of Lord of the Rings tried to made me try to care about Frodo winning a game of ping pong… the thing is that’s not totally impossible. It just means really have to work at setting up the interpersonal dynamics and relationships for me to really super care about them. 

So the problem is that so far the dynamics and relationships feel a bit more… vague?

Or at least haphazard. And these are all talented writers so it feels like they just haven’t figured things out yet and who these people really are? Especially because right now this is not one, but TWO episodes where the character changes at the end for no real dramatized reason. I’m talking Korra’s ability to use air bending dodge which doesn’t seem to come from a motivated change of attitude or letting go. She could just, like, suddenly do it. I get that it’s part of the “clicking” thing, but, again, this kind of stuff never felt that sloppy in Avatar. Moreover, I’m honestly having trouble tracking the characters motives from scene to scene… so I worry a bit. Because its things like this that make narratives suffer the quiet death of just being “pretty good.” There’s a lot I like here, but good stories are about good relationships.

And right now I’m not really able to dig into any of them. I’m sure that will change! 

3. The Revelation

It changed!

Seriously, hot damn that’s more like it. Because we get just what I was talking about with regards to caring about small stakes. Coming up with the money to enter the tournament is such a great motivating plot device (and a lovely nod to sports more extortion-based elements). And, rather fittingly, that desire that ends up plugging us into the overall confrontation with the big bad (even if a little haphazardly).

Speaking of which, this big bad is something I’m digging! Because it’s A REAL THREAT in taking away everything she is. It’s also that classic bad guy plot in that you actually understand the motivation. Hell, he’s talking about social politics I can actually get behind. That’s what makes hopefully makes the conflict interesting, if they handle it right. Because I have no idea how they’ll follow it, but it’s something of a core nugget.

It’s also full of moments of joy. Like Avatar, we’re getting strong animal work with the introduction of Pobu the Fire Ferret. But I’m also starting to have affection for the character. I love the beat where Katara earth slams the kids away (and them air bending safely down in the distance). I love the way Katara stands and postures herself (the last show was always so great and modeling and physical design). I love Bolin’s facial animations and temperament (“what! I’m a growing boy!”). I love that Mako is totally Zuko 2.0. But more importantly, I love that we’re building dynamics. As I said, storytelling is all about relationships. And the moment where she falls asleep with him is just textbook YA SHIT in the best possible way.

This is also the first episode where it feels like the world building is not just like “hey, look at this neat thing!” But evolving what we’ve established (lightning powers in factories!). And most scary of all, the energy bending powers to remove one’s bending (which was established at the end of Avatar). It seems bad guy knows the score! And is this a clue!? Likely only a bender that could do that! Or maybe not! What do I know!

Onto the next!

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And btw: no spoilers. Don’t even do vague allusions. Don’t do “if you like X, just wait til Y” I know people get excited, but let’s talk about what’s here in THESE episodes! OR what it was like for you first watching! As for what is to come, don’t even hint at the future!

In short, I want to discover the show the same you did.

<3HULK