Something New, Something Old
Episode 4: The Voice in the Night:
Wha--? Who? Why? I mean . . . what? I get where the plot is going and I'm glad to see that Korra is getting cut down now in order to be built up as someone stronger and wiser, but . . . what was that she saw just at the end of the episode?
In other news, I like Asami Sato. But, as whoaheyyou's help pointed out, how could I not like a character whose character design was based on Lust (FMA)? I loved me some Lust. Like a lot a lot. Like my favorite Sin a lot. Like I wouldn't have minded a Lust!Hawkeye a lot (a combo of two of my favorite things?! Ah, FMA, how nostalgic . . . but more on nostalgia later). And while developments do feel on fast forward at times with the plot pacing, I don't mind her with Mako. I think they look cute together actually. He totally looks like the type of pretty boy that a good looking rich girl would have hanging off her arm. You know, a boytoy.
. . . If we're really going to have a Mako/Korra romance, can we just make it an OT3? 'Cause two women who take charge and get what they want in a relationship--ok, put that way, they'd just clash all the time but maybe not?! XD I mean, c'mon Asami, if you feel safe with Mako, imagine how much safer you'd feel with the Avatar who can kick the asses of anyone who threatens you with four elements rather than just one!
4 episodes in is a bit early to be gauging if I'll be watching a series to its completion, but every episode so far has left me wanting to see more. I like how they've made Amon a true threat, not only ideologically but just outright threatening to the very fabric of what holds up society, a force that can obliterate inherent differences that have created power structures of inequality. Korra spends all of Episode 4 processing this (and the burden it places on her shoulders as the Avatar) and I thought it was grounding in showing how Korra deals with fear, as well as showing just how alone Korra is and has been. What friends does she turn to? Who jumps to stand by her side? What little army stands at her back?
I think it's obvious that Korra was designed to be opposite to Aang in just about every way and it was sort of shocking seeing this episode and realizing that though Bolin and Mako are (ostensibly) her friends, they aren't her "travel the world and kick ass" buddies. The shape of the world (and the journey toward self-realization/destiny/fulfilling one's responsibilities) is so different from the state of things in Aang's story that Korra pretty much stands alone this episode. Katara and Sokka pretty much had Aang's back from episode 1 of ATLA. Here, Korra had no one. That solitude really struck me when we see Mako reading the newspaper article reporting the sting operation and Bolin is complaining about Korra not showing up to practice.
The resituating of priorities in this very individual way--Korra's responsibilities as Avatar do not overlap with her friends' goals and needs (at the moment)--was kind of sobering. I could perfectly understand why Korra would not only be afraid but also confused as to what to do. Korra doesn't have someone, a peer in her own age group, rooting her on and encouraging her growth. Tenzin has pretty much assumed the role of Korra's cheerleader (like his mother did for Aang XD) but his role is fatherly, not equal. What makes it interesting is that this change is made simply by eliminating the mobility of the core cast. Since they're not wandering the world pursuing a fetch quest or new goal, the characters have roots that extend to including lots of different activities and responsibilities and tasks. ATLA was all about Aang, Aang, Aang for the characters around him: We have to get Aang to the point of being a fully realized Avatar to fight the Big Bad to SAVE THE WORLD, or, on the evil side, KILL THE AVATAR BEFORE HE CAN BECOME FULLY REALIZED!!!
LoK goes more like this: Korra's this cool kid I met who's the Avatar and oh, I have things to do, money to make to put food on the table, my own training to do so I can figure out how I'm going to survive, or, even in Tenzin's case, a city threatening to explode at any minute and a council that is making me tear my hairbeard out.
Korra is such an afterthought to everyone else around her. Even Amon is like: Not gonna eliminate you yet~~~ Enjoy your nightmares~~~ Hee~~~
The physical removal of all the characters from each other only enforces that. Aang almost could never go anywhere to be alone: Katara, Sokka, and he were usually sleeping within a radius of 10 feet of each other. Korra, though, can have all the privacy she wants: See how no one is aware that she is having nightmares. Compare that to when Aang was suffering nightmares and Katara tried to get Aang to talk about them (because he'd woken them all up with his screaming). The only being Korra woke up was Naga--and Korra won't even tell Naga what's bothering her. :( (C'mon now, Korra, Naga is your spirit animal companion guide thing!)
Really, the ending to episode 4 was a punch in the gut. Oh, Korra, c'mere and get some more hugs, you woobie.
Now enjoy this fanart WHY linked me to. (Though I must say that the first thing I thought was: That's totally the state of affairs for Yoko [12 Kingdoms]!)
In other enjoyment of media news: I've been having some severe anime nostalgia thanks to TV Tropes leading me to the Bubblegum Crisis page, which led me to Shadowjack's recaps of the episodes, which contained discussions that led me to discover that fanfic authors I grew up reading (John Biles!, Chris Davies!, Jeanne Hedge!) still exist on the Internet . . . and interact on forums (I've never known these names outside of the fanfic they've written), which obviously led me to first rewatch parts of BGC (and reread some fanfic XD) and then move onto Shadowjack's recaps of the Sailor Moon anime, which really just means I have been sucked into a vortex of memories about growing up in the 90s.
Nostalgia~~
Completely unrelated ETA: Penguins!
Wha--? Who? Why? I mean . . . what? I get where the plot is going and I'm glad to see that Korra is getting cut down now in order to be built up as someone stronger and wiser, but . . . what was that she saw just at the end of the episode?
In other news, I like Asami Sato. But, as whoaheyyou's help pointed out, how could I not like a character whose character design was based on Lust (FMA)? I loved me some Lust. Like a lot a lot. Like my favorite Sin a lot. Like I wouldn't have minded a Lust!Hawkeye a lot (a combo of two of my favorite things?! Ah, FMA, how nostalgic . . . but more on nostalgia later). And while developments do feel on fast forward at times with the plot pacing, I don't mind her with Mako. I think they look cute together actually. He totally looks like the type of pretty boy that a good looking rich girl would have hanging off her arm. You know, a boytoy.
. . . If we're really going to have a Mako/Korra romance, can we just make it an OT3? 'Cause two women who take charge and get what they want in a relationship--ok, put that way, they'd just clash all the time but maybe not?! XD I mean, c'mon Asami, if you feel safe with Mako, imagine how much safer you'd feel with the Avatar who can kick the asses of anyone who threatens you with four elements rather than just one!
4 episodes in is a bit early to be gauging if I'll be watching a series to its completion, but every episode so far has left me wanting to see more. I like how they've made Amon a true threat, not only ideologically but just outright threatening to the very fabric of what holds up society, a force that can obliterate inherent differences that have created power structures of inequality. Korra spends all of Episode 4 processing this (and the burden it places on her shoulders as the Avatar) and I thought it was grounding in showing how Korra deals with fear, as well as showing just how alone Korra is and has been. What friends does she turn to? Who jumps to stand by her side? What little army stands at her back?
I think it's obvious that Korra was designed to be opposite to Aang in just about every way and it was sort of shocking seeing this episode and realizing that though Bolin and Mako are (ostensibly) her friends, they aren't her "travel the world and kick ass" buddies. The shape of the world (and the journey toward self-realization/destiny/fulfilling one's responsibilities) is so different from the state of things in Aang's story that Korra pretty much stands alone this episode. Katara and Sokka pretty much had Aang's back from episode 1 of ATLA. Here, Korra had no one. That solitude really struck me when we see Mako reading the newspaper article reporting the sting operation and Bolin is complaining about Korra not showing up to practice.
The resituating of priorities in this very individual way--Korra's responsibilities as Avatar do not overlap with her friends' goals and needs (at the moment)--was kind of sobering. I could perfectly understand why Korra would not only be afraid but also confused as to what to do. Korra doesn't have someone, a peer in her own age group, rooting her on and encouraging her growth. Tenzin has pretty much assumed the role of Korra's cheerleader (like his mother did for Aang XD) but his role is fatherly, not equal. What makes it interesting is that this change is made simply by eliminating the mobility of the core cast. Since they're not wandering the world pursuing a fetch quest or new goal, the characters have roots that extend to including lots of different activities and responsibilities and tasks. ATLA was all about Aang, Aang, Aang for the characters around him: We have to get Aang to the point of being a fully realized Avatar to fight the Big Bad to SAVE THE WORLD, or, on the evil side, KILL THE AVATAR BEFORE HE CAN BECOME FULLY REALIZED!!!
LoK goes more like this: Korra's this cool kid I met who's the Avatar and oh, I have things to do, money to make to put food on the table, my own training to do so I can figure out how I'm going to survive, or, even in Tenzin's case, a city threatening to explode at any minute and a council that is making me tear my hairbeard out.
Korra is such an afterthought to everyone else around her. Even Amon is like: Not gonna eliminate you yet~~~ Enjoy your nightmares~~~ Hee~~~
The physical removal of all the characters from each other only enforces that. Aang almost could never go anywhere to be alone: Katara, Sokka, and he were usually sleeping within a radius of 10 feet of each other. Korra, though, can have all the privacy she wants: See how no one is aware that she is having nightmares. Compare that to when Aang was suffering nightmares and Katara tried to get Aang to talk about them (because he'd woken them all up with his screaming). The only being Korra woke up was Naga--and Korra won't even tell Naga what's bothering her. :( (C'mon now, Korra, Naga is your spirit animal companion guide thing!)
Really, the ending to episode 4 was a punch in the gut. Oh, Korra, c'mere and get some more hugs, you woobie.
Now enjoy this fanart WHY linked me to. (Though I must say that the first thing I thought was: That's totally the state of affairs for Yoko [12 Kingdoms]!)
In other enjoyment of media news: I've been having some severe anime nostalgia thanks to TV Tropes leading me to the Bubblegum Crisis page, which led me to Shadowjack's recaps of the episodes, which contained discussions that led me to discover that fanfic authors I grew up reading (John Biles!, Chris Davies!, Jeanne Hedge!) still exist on the Internet . . . and interact on forums (I've never known these names outside of the fanfic they've written), which obviously led me to first rewatch parts of BGC (and reread some fanfic XD) and then move onto Shadowjack's recaps of the Sailor Moon anime, which really just means I have been sucked into a vortex of memories about growing up in the 90s.
Nostalgia~~
Completely unrelated ETA: Penguins!