How do you solve a problem like Mako?
If Mako is clearly gearing up to be Korra's main love interest, why is it so hard to root for them to get together? And what can be done to make cheering him on easier?
So I know this week’s episode of Legend of Korra was full of action and revelations and flashbacks (!!!), but let’s talk about what you all want to talk about - romance! I mean, I know that there’s a point to this show (and all shows) besides who’s going to end up with who, but I’ve been steadily avoiding discussing the subject of who Korra’s going to end up with and my opinions on it, and after the way Mako acted this week, I feel like I’ve probably put it off for long enough.
So, straight talk - Mako seems to be Korra’s intended romantic endgame. Mostly, I’m cool with this. I mean, he’s not my favorite. But if we’re assuming Korra’s going to end up with a dude (and as a note to the Korra producers who are probably not reading this, if you’re considering the possibility of Korra and Asami getting together, consider this an enthusiastic “yes” vote from me), he seems the only logical choice. My other favorite dudes are Tenzin, Meelo, and Bolin. Tenzin and Meelo wouldn’t work with Korra for the obvious ick factor, and Bolin’s crush seems to have pretty much bit it ever since he saw Korra and Mako making out. Which I think is fair. I feel like seeing your crush making out with your brother probably kills whatever feelings you were having.
The problem with Mako is I don’t love him yet. To be fair, his character isn’t inherently adorable the way Bolin’s is. And that’s okay! I’m all for growing to love Mako the way I grew to love Zuko, but he’s going to need a lot more development. Of all the main characters, he’s probably tied with Asami if not being beaten by her in terms of development, only what we’ve seen of Asami so far is way more likable. What we’ve seen of Mako makes him sympathetic, but it also makes him hardcore trip what I call “the douchebag alarm.”
Okay, so for dudes reading this (because almost every girl who’s reading this, I’m guessing, knows exactly what “the douchebag alarm” is), what I’m referring to is this thing every girl I have ever met develops in high school. It’s a very useful internal sensor that tells us when a guy is too much of a jerk to date. There are a lot of ways to trip this, like wearing Ed Hardy or referring to yourself as a “nice guy.” Mako hasn’t done that, but he has done the following things:
1. Dismissed Korra as “not girlfriend material.”
This is another one of those things that might just be a girl experience, but every girl I know has gone through being told she’s not “girlfriend material,” and it’s the worst thing to hear pretty much ever. Guys, never say this to a girl. Ever. I know what you’re trying to do, you’re trying to say, “Look, it’s not my fault I don’t want to date you, it’s yours!” Just tell the truth, okay? You’re not into the girl. That’s all you have to say. But saying a girl isn’t “girlfriend material” is really rude and generally just means that you have an idealized version of what girls “should” be. This is a douchebag alert.
2. In spite of dismissing Korra, is still clearly into her.
Look, I appreciate that Mako is a teenager and therefore not the greatest at dealing maturely with emotions, but I think even an eighteen year old can understand the basic concept that when you reject someone, you can’t keep acting interested. You rejected them! Let them move on! Especially if you’ve moved on with someone, and that someone is like Asami and therefore awesome. This trips the douchebag alarm because guys who do this generally just want you to like them because it makes them feel good about themselves to be liked. They are never worth your time.
3. He doesn’t seem to have many positive emotions.
I’ve never understood the allure of being broody, but since Twilight is a thing, I’m forced to admit that a lot of ladies do. Which is fine, but if you’re expecting me to root for a character, they’re going to have to smile and laugh on occasion.
4. Mako has complete conviction in all of his actions, even when they’re blatantly wrong.
Hey, Mako, note - not everything Korra does is because of or about you. She’s also the Avatar and cares about stuff that isn’t getting in your (admittedly attractive) pants. You should make a point of listening to her sometimes. She’s kind of right a lot of the time. Just pointing that out.
Now here’s the good news - all of this can be fixed. If you told me at this point in Avatar that I’d love Zuko as much as I ended up loving him, I’d have told you you were crazy. But thanks to everything he went to in the second season, I fell completely in love. If Mako’s going to be Korra’s love interest, he needs some of that Zuko-style growth. He needs to be someone we’re endeared to separately from Korra, or he’s just an Obligatory Love Interest, and those are the worst.
Source
I feel like some of this writer's points are iffy but I definitely agree with #4, Goddammit Mako, I want to love you for you not because you love Korra. But on that note, I have to get ready for graduation today I'm finally leaving the world of High School! (thank god) Stay flammin y'all
So I know this week’s episode of Legend of Korra was full of action and revelations and flashbacks (!!!), but let’s talk about what you all want to talk about - romance! I mean, I know that there’s a point to this show (and all shows) besides who’s going to end up with who, but I’ve been steadily avoiding discussing the subject of who Korra’s going to end up with and my opinions on it, and after the way Mako acted this week, I feel like I’ve probably put it off for long enough.
So, straight talk - Mako seems to be Korra’s intended romantic endgame. Mostly, I’m cool with this. I mean, he’s not my favorite. But if we’re assuming Korra’s going to end up with a dude (and as a note to the Korra producers who are probably not reading this, if you’re considering the possibility of Korra and Asami getting together, consider this an enthusiastic “yes” vote from me), he seems the only logical choice. My other favorite dudes are Tenzin, Meelo, and Bolin. Tenzin and Meelo wouldn’t work with Korra for the obvious ick factor, and Bolin’s crush seems to have pretty much bit it ever since he saw Korra and Mako making out. Which I think is fair. I feel like seeing your crush making out with your brother probably kills whatever feelings you were having.
The problem with Mako is I don’t love him yet. To be fair, his character isn’t inherently adorable the way Bolin’s is. And that’s okay! I’m all for growing to love Mako the way I grew to love Zuko, but he’s going to need a lot more development. Of all the main characters, he’s probably tied with Asami if not being beaten by her in terms of development, only what we’ve seen of Asami so far is way more likable. What we’ve seen of Mako makes him sympathetic, but it also makes him hardcore trip what I call “the douchebag alarm.”
Okay, so for dudes reading this (because almost every girl who’s reading this, I’m guessing, knows exactly what “the douchebag alarm” is), what I’m referring to is this thing every girl I have ever met develops in high school. It’s a very useful internal sensor that tells us when a guy is too much of a jerk to date. There are a lot of ways to trip this, like wearing Ed Hardy or referring to yourself as a “nice guy.” Mako hasn’t done that, but he has done the following things:
1. Dismissed Korra as “not girlfriend material.”
This is another one of those things that might just be a girl experience, but every girl I know has gone through being told she’s not “girlfriend material,” and it’s the worst thing to hear pretty much ever. Guys, never say this to a girl. Ever. I know what you’re trying to do, you’re trying to say, “Look, it’s not my fault I don’t want to date you, it’s yours!” Just tell the truth, okay? You’re not into the girl. That’s all you have to say. But saying a girl isn’t “girlfriend material” is really rude and generally just means that you have an idealized version of what girls “should” be. This is a douchebag alert.
2. In spite of dismissing Korra, is still clearly into her.
Look, I appreciate that Mako is a teenager and therefore not the greatest at dealing maturely with emotions, but I think even an eighteen year old can understand the basic concept that when you reject someone, you can’t keep acting interested. You rejected them! Let them move on! Especially if you’ve moved on with someone, and that someone is like Asami and therefore awesome. This trips the douchebag alarm because guys who do this generally just want you to like them because it makes them feel good about themselves to be liked. They are never worth your time.
3. He doesn’t seem to have many positive emotions.
I’ve never understood the allure of being broody, but since Twilight is a thing, I’m forced to admit that a lot of ladies do. Which is fine, but if you’re expecting me to root for a character, they’re going to have to smile and laugh on occasion.
4. Mako has complete conviction in all of his actions, even when they’re blatantly wrong.
Hey, Mako, note - not everything Korra does is because of or about you. She’s also the Avatar and cares about stuff that isn’t getting in your (admittedly attractive) pants. You should make a point of listening to her sometimes. She’s kind of right a lot of the time. Just pointing that out.
Now here’s the good news - all of this can be fixed. If you told me at this point in Avatar that I’d love Zuko as much as I ended up loving him, I’d have told you you were crazy. But thanks to everything he went to in the second season, I fell completely in love. If Mako’s going to be Korra’s love interest, he needs some of that Zuko-style growth. He needs to be someone we’re endeared to separately from Korra, or he’s just an Obligatory Love Interest, and those are the worst.
Source
I feel like some of this writer's points are iffy but I definitely agree with #4, Goddammit Mako, I want to love you for you not because you love Korra. But on that note, I have to get ready for graduation today I'm finally leaving the world of High School! (thank god) Stay flammin y'all