Legend of Korra Book 4 Talkback - "Balance" (Spoilers)

[Steve]

Well, episode 1 is up, and we see the changes coming over the world. Kuvira is "the Great Uniter", having somehow taken control of the Metal Clan and using it as the basis for reuniting the Earth Kingdom as expected.

However, as of now she's not seen as a villain by the others, only by Opal - for usurping her mother presumably - and the governor of Yi State in the Earth Kingdom. Rather it seems they consider her work as helping to restore peace to the Earth Kingdom, with the late Queen's great-nephew due to take the throne; he's a self-absorbed dilettante that Mako has been assigned to bodyguard, much to Mako's dismay. It'll be interesting to see when the facade falls off and Kuvira is revealed as the threat she is due to be.

Korra is kept off-screen until the end. Everyone rushes to greet her when the Water Tribe ship returns... just for Tonraq to ask where she is. She supposedly returned to the city six months before. Or so she claimed.

And so we cut to an underground Earthbender fighting ring to see Korra getting her face smacked in by another fighter, cut hair and all, and she's incognito. It's rather clear she hasn't recovered mentally or spiritually yeah. Maybe not even physically.

And so the stage is set for Episode 2 next week. Dammit, I wish we'd gotten a one hour premiere like the last three books. :?

[frigidmagi]

Huh, it looks like Korra has abandoned the Avatar identity completely. Which is interesting given how central being the avatar was to her.

[Steve]

Yeah, and she probably feels like a failure at it.

Hopefully we'll get her story next week.

[Dark Silver]

Interesting to see some of how the World has gotten along without the Avatar for 3 years.....

Kavira gives me the "Yes, I'm doing this because I can" vibe, I hate the soon to be Earth King and hope he gets killed off....Poor Mako though.

Korra being in disguise and getting her ass wupped in a Earthbender MMC match...damn.

[frigidmagi]

Either she's holding back or she ain't up to snuff. Maybe the persistent weakness is part of the reason she abandoned being the avatar? She feels she isn't strong enough to do the job anymore.

[frigidmagi]

Went back and watched the fight again, she got handled. She wasn't nearly as aggressive as she used to be nor did her head seem to be in the game. She mostly just took hits. Which suggest me to that the problem is mental honestly.

[Steve]

So we finally see what led Korra to the ring that night. It took her six months to get back on her feet with Katara's help, and although physically she's mostly recovered she's lost a lot of her fighting edge, most of it mental. We get a repeat of her first grown up appearance (fighting three firebenders), complete with the start of the same musical track... and then she falters as an attack makes her visualize Zaheer.

Finally, at the previously-mentioned six month mark, she left, intending to go to Republic City. But haunted by the scowling visage of her in the Avatar State (chains and shackles included), she turned away. Having been recognized in a tropical island town and embarrassed failing to stop two Earthbending robbers, she decides to swap out her blue Water Tribe wear for the green EK look and cut her hair.

Apparently she's not just cut off from using the Avatar State, she can't feel Raava anymore. Even spirits in the Spirit World don't sense Raava in her.

So she trekked the world, constantly seeing the apparition of herself from the fight with Zaheer. Finally getting fed up with it, she followed said spirit into the ring we saw her getting her butt kicked in. In her head, she was being attacked by said visage, not the other fighter.

And the moment we all knew had to come. She gets brought to the swamp by an adorable puppy that growled at the Avatar apparition... and it turns out to be a spirit that talked to her in the Spirit World that wants to help. She follows him into the swamp and gets waylaid by the apparition, which kicks her ass and draws her into a pool of the metal poison. She waks up in a hut with a short old woman making food... who knows she's the Avatar. And yup, it is who you guessed it is. Toph is back!

And now I'm really eager for Episode 3.

[frigidmagi]

Nice to see you again tinkletoes.

I think this has been the most introspective episode of the Korra series and it was badly overdue. It did something important, it let us get into the headspace of our main character.

Also as a bonus:

There was a lot of love at The Legend of Korra panel at New York Comic Con today - both from the screaming, adoring fans and from the show’s cast and series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, as they made what is likely the final panel appearance for the show, as it nears its conclusion.

Those in attendance were treated to an early screening of tomorrow’s new episode, “Korra Alone.” I won’t divulge spoilers but I will say that the episode – which fills in the gap of what Korra’s been up to in the three years since Book Three ends – went over huge with the crowd. I found it to be one of the show’s best and most emotional episodes and it has some very cool and notable moments. Look for Max Nicholson’s full review tomorrow.

The panel that followed wasn’t typical, in that there was no moderator or audience questions. It really was meant as a thank you and farewell from the Korra team, with each panelist speaking about their experience and saying goodbye.

Janet Varney (“Korra”) recalled a Nickelodeon executive asking her, “Are you ready for your life to change?” when the show began and laughing it off – only to find it was very much the case. She noted that watching episodes with a crowd like today “fleshes it out in such a profound way.”

Varney went on to say, “If I haven’t said it 1000 times, maybe this will be the 1000th: I have never worked on anything better than this show. I can’t imagine working on anything better than this show. I am so honored. I don’t know how it happened!”

While there won’t be any more Korra episodes after Book Four, Varney exclaimed, “I believe this show is going to exist forever because it’s just that goddamn good!,” before pausing and saying, with a grin, “Sorry, I cursed Nickelodeon. The sprit took me!”

David Faustino (“Mako”) said he too was struck by how much the show affected people, laughing at how it’s gone from people yelling, “Hey, Bud Bundy!” to him to “Hey, Mako!” He noted how much love is expressed for the show to him on Twitter and Instagram, thanking the fans and adding, “Thank you Mike and Bryan for this experience.”

PJ Byrne (Bolin) remarked, “I really believe we have the best fans on Earth,” before calling DiMartino and Konietzko “Some of the best creative minds alive,” adding, “This show is coming to an end, but what I am so overly, overly excited about is I Can’t wait for the next project that is hiding in the deep, dark crevices of their brain. If it’s a cartoon, if it’s live-action, whatever it is. I think the world is so lucky to see what’s coming next from those two guys’ minds.”

The producers kept quiet on any plot turns to come, though a presentation by Konietzko on the designs for Book Four – which required almost every character to get a new look, thanks to the time jump – did reveal some interesting facts about Kuvira. Konietzko noted that they decided she’d be the main villain in Book Four while writing Book Three and began to adapt her to that purpose. Originally intended only to be one of Suyin Beifong’s dancers, she became the captain of Zaofu security.

As for Korra’s new look (or looks, since she has more than one different outfit this season), Konietzko noted some fans had taken issue with Korra’s height, but that in animation, one way to show someone is older is simply to make them grow, adding, “Sorry haters, Korra’s even taller now!” As for the images of Korra in a slightly updated version of her normal blue costume, he said they wanted it to look like classic Korra but also put in, “Kind of more a superhero vibe because she is… The Avatar!”

As the panel wrapped up, Konietzko gave a heartfelt speech about the entire Avatar: The Last Airbender / The Legend of Korra experience, noting that for him and DiMartino “It’s been 12 years since we came up with this whole Avatar universe together. Avatar means so many things to do many different people. When I think of it and I think of the creation of it, I think of me and Mike sharing this computer together at my little house in Burbank… Over two weeks, we cranked out this whole universe together."

Konietzko showed a drawing of he and DiMartino with their characters that he’d done “at 4 in the morning,” saying, “It’s such a big part of our lives and so many people. These characters are real to us. Not in a delusional way, but an emotional way."

Video at the link.

[B4UTRUST]

Any word on if there will be a third avatar series or is it over when Korra is done?

[Steve]

Any word on if there will be a third avatar series or is it over when Korra is done?

It's over for now, at least, they've said they'll be doing other projects.

Who knows, maybe in the future they might bring us back to Avatar. It's certainly proven it can hold popularity, it's just not what Nickelodeon wanted in a show in the end.

[Dark Silver]

A new Friday, a new Korra.

Initial Impressions: Toph is just like she was back in "ATLA", if not more so. Loved her.

Kuvira waits for the end of the Coronation in order to make her announcement - The Earth Empire is hers, and she'll crush anyone who defies her.

I'm worried what they are going to do with that hunk of Spirit Vine......

Can't wait for Episode 4

[frigidmagi]

Varick... What are you doing? You're not making twisted mockeries of all that is good are you?

[Steve]

Of course he isn't. He's making twisted mockeries of all that is natural. For science.

[frigidmagi]

Spirits are not natural. They are supernatural. If they were natural, then they wouldn't be spirits.

[Steve]

The finale is two days away. I'm both eager and sad.

I'm eager because I want to see Korra v. Kuvira Round 2 and see Korra put the smackdown on that fascist bitch.

I'm sad because this is it. This series, which despite all the obstacles has still proven itself an excellent series with memorable and relatable characters, is over. And given Nickelodeon's horrible handling of the franchise there is no telling when we'll get to see the universe again.

[LadyTevar]

Almost over? Good, then I can binge it and not have to wait for episodes

[Steve]

It's over.....

I won't say anything until the finale is widely watched.

[Steve]

Final Scene.png (128.47 KiB) Viewed 23069 times

Remember, they're not actually looking into each other's eyes! They're just really good friends!

Dammit, there's nothing gay about this![/Chuck]

(At least if you're going by some of the arguments I've seen on SB.)

[LadyTevar]

Due to Viacom having a bitch-fit with my cable company, Korra (and all of Nick.com) is BLOCKED.

[frigidmagi]

Spoiler: show

You know... I don't care. Don't get me wrong, I like Asami and Korra. They're both awesome characters. I just don't care if they're together or not. If you think they are? Great! If you don't? Great! We can talk about something important? Like how awesome my man Bolin was! Motherfucking hero right? This is a character that has grown greatly from his origin as silly comedy relief for his jerk ass brother. Hell Mako has matured to, I'll give him that. I even kinda like the dude now. Korra has become an adult and man sometimes I didn't think she would make it.

Also, Wu have the fuck have you done!?! Don't get me wrong the Earth Kingdom could use a bit of democracy but he's removed the only central authority that can resolve disputes between the states without seeming like an outsider! Not to mention kinda left Korra as the only one who can go to a state government and tell them they've gone off the rails if they turn equalists or decide Kuvira was right?

Man, Korra is going to be spending the rest of her life keeping the lid on this pot. Good thing Asami likes to travel.

[Steve]

An understandable sentiment, Frig. And yes, Bolin is indeed the man. Frankly he's long come out of Mako's shadow and proven himself. And given his Mover Star status and war hero status? Heh, he's probably going to be that world's version of Audie Murphy.