First thoughts - Avatar: Legend of Korra, "Welcome to Republic City"

[elenafic]

I like it.  I really, really like it.  Korra is a very engaging heroine, I really like the secondary characters introduced so far, and Amon is pretty goddamn scary - in the vein of Azula instead of Zhao or Ozai.  I'm going to cut to rest, since it may be spoilerrific.

• I really like how Korra is a totally separate person from Aang.  It's good they split the two characters right away, and in such a graphic way, too. 
• Katara's cameo was actually a bit disquieting?  I'm not surprised she survived (although I am surprised Sokka is dead), and I'm not surprised she's part of the Order of the White Lotus - but I am extremely disturbed by the revelation that she taught Korra waterbending.  It's not because she was married to Aang; it's because she was actually his waterbending teacher then, too.  Having the same person teach the Avatar twice strikes me as not a good idea, especially since that teacher helps mold their ideas on how to relate to their element - see Toph's instruction versus any other earthbender of her time, or Zuko after the dragons versus Jeong Jeong.
• On the other hand, the Order of the White Lotus is a lot more disturbing in this time period then they were during the war.  Victory does not become them - the order of old men fighting the Fire Nation seems to have morphed in the order of old men who control the Avatar.  Who's bright idea was it to raise a very active, vivacious girl in a compound with just sentries and trainers and an animal guide?  I get that Naga is her best friend, but Korra's 17 years old, and from what we saw, the SWT was still vigorously growing and rebuilding after their decimation during the war.  She should have friends, a large extended family, a big community.  Unlike Aang, who was very tied to his culture and people, Korra seems oddly disconnected from anyone and anything.  Considering the power she holds, I can't think that's a good thing.  let's not get into the fact that Korra started spontaneously bending way earlier than 16...
• Apparently, it's easier for giant flying bison to hide than people.  It's been 70 years after the war, and no one has come out of hiding?  Hidden airbending enclaves don't pop up, kids aren't being born with the ability to sneeze themselves out of bed?  Damn, when firebenders set out to do something, they get shit done.  I have theories on this, but they didn't become fully formed until the next episode, "A Leaf on the Wind". 
• Tenzin is pretty hilarious - not what I expected from an airbending master. 
• Jinora is a troll, and her brother and sister were possibly dropped on their heads as children.
• I really felt for Pema.  I'm hoping that her backstory is that she was a Kyoshi Warrior or something, but given what we see in the next episode, I gave up on that fairly quickly.  More on that later.
• Republic City is pretty awesome.  I love the size and scope, the modern accoutrements.  The people, the food stands, the protesting Marxist Equalist - I know and love them well - well, not the Equalist, but everything else, sure!  Even the hobo is pretty hilarious.  "You're oppressing yourself!"  "That doesn't even make sense."  Oh, Korra, truer words were never spoken, but not for the reason you think. 
• Korra's introduction as the Avatar was great.  I really like the fight itself (triads!), but more than that, I liked the bystanders' reaction to seeing her.  It strikes me that the interregnum between Aang's death and Korra's reveal were probably pretty nervewracking - after all, that last time an Avatar died, he didn't reappear for over a century, and it nearly destroyed the world.  I would think that ordinary people in the Avatar world would actually have less trust in the "institution" of the Avatar than anything else, due to that. 
• On one hand...zeppelins!
• One the other hand...police zeppelins!  I can't be the only person who was viscerally creeped out by that?  It was a little too reminiscent of the Dai Li for me to be comfortable.
• Not sure how I feel about Toph forming a police department and teaching them super-special powers.  Didn't Kyoshi do the same thing?  And didn't it end badly?  More than that, it's not something I ever really saw her doing.  Not to put too fine a point on it, but the fandom in general seems to have seen Toph as the eternal wanderer.  I'm not sure I would have gone that far, but I am surprised. 
• Lin Bei Fong is hilarious.  Lin Bei Fong and Tenzin are doubly hilarious.  Their interaction in this episode essentially spawned an entire fic in itself.  Also, KORRA'S EXPRESSION!  LIN'S EXPRESSION!  Yeah, I pulled out the capslock for that.
• Heartwarming moment alert:  I really like Tenzin and his kids a lot.  Korra is a beast, too.
• Creepy realization: the order of the Lotus apparently has a private army and military-grade logistics capability.  WUT.  lavanyasix has been right the whole time about them.
• I really loved Lin's face at the press conference.  I also liked the actual press.  But my favorite part was Korra's final line.  It just oozed sincerity through the radio.
• Spike?   Is...Is that you?
• OK, seriously, Amon is creeping me out.  Given this show's history of "masks = eldritch horror", I'm taking Lovecraftian spirit monster for 1000, Alex.  Props to Blum for giving the same air of menace to Amon that Azula carried.

As usual, I talk too much and analyze all the wrong things.  The first Avatar was not a perfect show - but that didn't stop me from enjoying it immensely.  I hope I feel the same way about this one.

And now I'm going to edit some fic and find a good icon for this fandom.