Korra 1×08: When Extremes Meet

[jimhines]

Y’all said you’d be interested in seeing me review The Legend of Korra from a newbie’s perspective. Who am I to refuse my readers?

Legend of Korra 1×08: When Extremes Meet
Full episode available at Nick.com

Comments

[beccastareyes]

The flashbacks come off as intentionally teasing and foreshadowing to me (and I've seen AtLA). I've seen a lot of speculation on them over the Internets, but the only really meaty thing is that Aang is shown, other members of Team Avatar (Katara's brother, and Lin's mother) are shown, but Katara is conspicuous by her absence. (That and 'guy that looks a lot like Tarrlok but couldn't be, since he also looks the same age as Aang et al

[jimhines]

Choosing to go yell at Tarrlok instead of spending more times on visions-she-wasn't-even-sure-were-visions seems entirely in character for Korra :-)

[beccastareyes]

Yeah. I do like it when the writers build in a lot of support for when their characters do something unwise: Korra is defined as being headstrong and politically naive and a novice at spiritual matters and a bit of a bully, though usually unintentionally. So her taking the direct action is the logical choice.

[jimhines]

Yep. The difference between a character doing something foolish because it's in character vs. doing something dumb because the writer didn't know how to get to the next plot point, so decided to go with an idiot plot as a cheat.

[cyranocyrano]

It was fun to see Korra’s team make Tarrlok and his task force look like incompetent fools, but you also see Korra’s inexperience with politics. Tarrlok is far more devious, and is fighting and scheming on levels Korra doesn’t understand. Learning airbending is important, but she also needs to start studying political intrigue, and quick, or she’s going to get destroyed.

In fact, I was really surprised when Tarrlok physically attacked her--that did not seem like his speed at all, and definitely not playing to his strengths.

Also? Learning airbending *is* studying politics, I believe. Or at least they share roots.

[jimhines]

"Learning airbending *is* studying politics, I believe. Or at least they share roots."

I could definitely see a connection there, and how her inability to master airbending relates to the struggle she has with impulsivity and missing the subtler nastiness of politics.

[jimhines]

Tenzin is Amon??? I'm not seeing that one. But Tarrlok and Amon as brothers, that's more plausible.

The Avatar State is where she channels the powers and knowledge of all the previous avatars, yes?

[brendanpodger]

Or even Tarrlok IS Amon! Have we ever seen them in action opposite each other? Tarrloc is doing everything he can to stir up unrest and he is to canny to not realise that his measures are making the situation worse not better.

[swan_tower]

I wondered about that, but ultimately a) I don't think so and b) I hope not.

a) because there's a scene where a minion comes to tell Amon that the tournament will proceed, and he has his "mua-hah-hah, they are playing into my hands" moment. Tarrlok wouldn't need to be told, and it seems an unnecessary bit of misdirection for the audience.

b) because it's more interesting to me if there are two villains, one on each side of a complex and problematic situation.

[tithenai]

The thing about Bloodbending: it's EVEN MOAR MYSTERIOUS to those of us who have seen A:tLA! Because!

SPOILERS FOR ATLA FOLLOWIn the previous series, there is ONE person who knows how to bloodbend. ONE. A Waterbender who, while imprisoned by the Fire Nation, learns it in dire extremity by practicing on rats. It's very much implied that she is the only one ever to have figured out how to do this

[jimhines]

I've ordered the first season of ATLA, which should arrive in the next week or so. The trouble with fandom-immersion is that I pick up bits and pieces. I knew what bloodbending was, and that it was a very rare ability, but not the details.

It sounds like it works on both levels. Mysterious and dangerous for the newbies, with added questions for fans of ATLA. And from what I've seen, I trust the writers to present some intriguing answers to those questions :-)

[ravenswept]

Unfortunately, blood-bending doesn't come into play until season 3.

[jimhines]

That's okay. I'm sure I'll end up ordering 2 and 3 as well :-)

[theironchocho]

I thought I would have an idea of who Amon is by now, but I just don't have a clue. I was sure he would be a character that would show up briefly, and it would be a huge shock when he was unmasked, but there hasn't been a character I've felt is both minor and interesting enough to be him. One theory says that Amon is Aang, but I hate that theory because it would mean Korra isn't the avatar. I do think it's possible that Aang gave Amon the ability to take away bending, but I don't know why he would do that. I'm also not convinced people who had their bending taken away by Amon actually had it removed; it could just be a block that is very hard to work through

[jimhines]

The Amon = Aang theory doesn't feel right to me. I don't know the series enough to say for certain, but it just doesn't fit with what I've seen.

Tarrlok as Yakone's son makes sense, based on what you're saying. I could see that.