This was especially odd considering the setting’s higher tech level. She started out interesting, but was given less and less to do as the show went on. The show kept trying to reinvent Mako, and it never worked.Īsami, the only nonbender on the main cast, suffered from the reverse problem. In an attempt to make him look smart and independent, they had to make other characters look incompetent. In season two the writers made Mako a detective, and even that didn’t work.
It’s hard to care who he ends up with because he’s so boring. Because of him, the show’s attempt at a love triangle falls completely flat. He is defined by the women who are attracted to him. He cares about his brother, but grudgingly. He plays sports, but only to pay the bills. In the first season, Mako is supposed to be the dark and brooding romance interest, which is a troubling archetype even when done well. In three seasons, some characters don’t develop, and others are only holdovers from the original series. The same cannot be said for Legend of Korra. Toph began as a bad-ass who couldn’t work with others, and slowly became integral to the team. Aang left behind some of his childish innocence so he could do what needed to be done. Sokka went from useless comic relief to veteran battle commander. Some of the Characters Don’t WorkĮvery important character in The Last Airbender had a major arc.
#AVATAR KORRA CHARACTERS SERIES#
This kind of incongruity happened in the original series too, but back then we suspended our disbelief.
Watching the show, it’s unclear why the Earthbenders don’t just open up holes under the robots and trap them. In one episode of The Legend of Korra, the characters have to fight giant, steampunk robots which are nearly impervious to their attacks. Why do people hit by blasts of fire only get knocked down? Why don’t Earthbenders use their abilities to trap opponent’s feet? Why hasn’t a Waterbender surrounded an enemy’s head in liquid to drown them? Even if the answer is just “Nickelodeon wouldn’t let them do it,” that’s hardly satisfying.īecause bending is so powerful, it’s hard to cover all the bases on how it could hypothetically be used. While the art form was still awesome, we had time to think about its implications and wonder about its use. Characters discovered new bending tricks from time to time, but the basics were old news. It was a flawless example of experiencing the world through the character’s eyes.īy the time Legend of Korra started, there was little left to reveal. We watched as Katara struggled with her early Waterbending forms and Zuko found out that Firebenders cannot rely on attack alone. Aang knew a little about Airbending, but that was it. In the first show, the audience learned about bending at roughly the same time the characters did.
It’s clear that the show’s writers put a lot of thought into how their unconventional style of magic would affect the setting. Entire cultures were created around different styles of bending. Were our expectations too high? Was the original not as good as we remembered it? Or, was it more that… The Novelty of Bending Has Worn Offīending, the control of classical elements through martial arts, is a cornerstone of the Avatar world. The third season did improve a little, but there was still a lot missing. Major publications lauded the show and the ratings soared, but to a certain demographic of fans, the show wasn’t meeting expectations. Then the first few episodes came out, and something just didn’t seem right. For added diversity points, the new Avatar was a woman of color. The original creative team was on board, the setting was going to feature a steampunk aesthetic, and the stories were going to be more mature.
There was much rejoicing, for this new show had all the ingredients of success. * Finally a new series was announced, The Legend of Korra. It also mentions changes from season to season, and vague details about a few important moments in the series.Īfter falling in love with Avatar, fans had to wait four long years for a sequel. Spoiler Warning: This posts discusses the general status of the characters in The Legend of Korra for the first three seasons. Not only did Last Airbender gain the adoration of children and adults alike, it did so under the restrictions of the “family friendly” Nickelodeon channel. Let us never forget Toph, for she is the best. There was a complex and nuanced plot, three dimensional characters, and awesome powers of elemental control! Also, there was Toph. Avatar: The Last Airbender was an amazing show that reshaped how people saw animation.