Legend of Korra continued - season finale SPOILERS

[Sci-2]

There may well be a chaotic Spirits-Red Lotus alliance.

I also hope they don't show Korra hopping about right away.

Would be interesting to see the Red Lotus at a loss as well, given their four strongest benders are now gone, and thus trying to turn to some spirits for aid.

One of the cool things about this season is even the villains were fallible. Be nice to see the Red Lotus scramble a bit as well in S4.

[red snow]

There may well be a chaotic Spirits-Red Lotus alliance.

I also hope they don't show Korra hopping about right away.

Ideally there'll be a equalist/Red lotus nasty spirit mash-up led by the guru of legend!

With 13 episodes I imagine we'll be lucky to see an ill Korra in more than 2 episodes. They should definitely have a time-jump and do some comics in between though.

[Sci-2]

Ideally there'll be a equalist/Red lotus nasty spirit mash-up led by the guru of legend!

With 13 episodes I imagine we'll be lucky to see an ill Korra in more than 2 episodes. They should definitely have a time-jump and do some comics in between though.

We had three "low key" episodes this season - two at the metal clan and one with the airbenders rescuing bison. Seems like they could have Korra at the tail end of her physical incapacity in the beginning of S4 for 2 episodes, and then having to deal with the mental recovery over the course of the season while still being weak.

[Veltigar]

So, can we drop the spoilertags now? :D

[red snow]

We had three "low key" episodes this season - two at the metal clan and one with the airbenders rescuing bison. Seems like they could have Korra at the tail end of her physical incapacity in the beginning of S4 for 2 episodes, and then having to deal with the mental recovery over the course of the season while still being weak.

I think that's as much time as they can afford. Showing the mental consequences would be "fun" though. I enjoyed Aang dealing with his near death experience and fear of having to kill in his final season.

So, can we drop the spoilertags now? :D

It would make it easier to read but first there needs to be a SPOILERS tag in the title thread.

[Maia]

Loved it! I have to say, that I actually prefer Korra to ATLA, if I don't take the "original's cred" into account.

For one thing, I think that Korra's major villains usually have some valid points in their motivations, beyond just selfish desire for power, and highlight some real problems, even if those aren't explored as thoroughly and interestingly as they might have been.

For another, I have first watched ATLA a couple of years ago and the absence of adult women in it was really glaring. I mean, one can count the times a woman (not one of the girls) even has _lines_ in ATLA not quite on the fingers of one hand, but close.

And for the third, I really like how it is not just the Avatar and companions who matter, there is a plethora of secondary and tertiary characters, who all contribute to eventual resolutions.

I really loved this finale, as I have loved this whole season, even if I do have a few quibbles, which I'll go into once the spoiler tags can be dropped.

[Cold Crashing Waves]

All I know about this show and Avatar is that Henry Rollins voices a character which is pretty funny.

[fionwe1987]

Anyone notice how many important women there were this season? From the most powerful enemy bender to the Beifong sisters, Ming-Hua, Kya and obviously Jinora, Korra and Asami. So many women filling so many different roles. And all of it was effortlessly portrayed. There was no particular emphasis on the fact that between Suyin and her husband, Suyin is the one who goes to rescue her captive daughter. It was such an effortless reversal of a common trope. Same with Lin's propensity for grand sacrifices. And Asami the engineer. The elephant in the room is of course Korra herself.

Not that ATLA didn't have women in powerful roles. But in the case of Katara at least, there was sometimes this implied commentary on how its amazing that a girl is doing this. Same with Suki. It got better with Toph and Azula though. By LoK, they didn't even bother making gender an issue. Probably the best bit of worldbuilding they did.

As for Book 4, I really hope disabled Korra sticks around for more episodes. We don't really that much more of her showing her mastery of physical bending. I'd rather they do a longer arc on how she deals with the world despite being weaker and less capable of laying waste to her enemies.

They could even play the PTSD angle of her freezing up whenever she nears entering the Avatar state.

[Veltigar]

It would make it easier to read but first there needs to be a SPOILERS tag in the title thread.

The previous thread did not have SPOILERS in the title and there we talked freely after a while no?

[fionwe1987]

The previous thread did not have SPOILERS in the title and there we talked freely after a while no?

Exactly. One day after an online release should surely be fine.

[Maia]

Not that ATLA didn't have women in powerful roles.

Well, it didn't. Teenage girls, yes. Boys, of course. Adult and old men, naturally. Women were practically non-existent in ATLA and mostly featured as mute scenery or memories from the past.

But in the case of Katara at least, there was sometimes this implied commentary on how its amazing that a girl is doing this. Same with Suki. It got better with Toph and Azula though.

Also, this. But at least, it had all these kick-ass girls, which was already a step forward. Unfortunately, the implication was that once boys grow up, they become cool dudes and eventually graduate into venerable, wise masters (or master villains respectively), but for girls, once they reach adulthood they either die or cease to matter.

By LoK, they didn't even bother making gender an issue. Probably the best bit of worldbuilding they did.

Thankfully. And they also think to include at least some women as bit background players, like random benders, etc., who used to be exclusively male in ATLA, apart from Fire Nation home-guard in season 3. Even so, I couldn't help but notice that the majority of new air-benders were male, and it is not obvious to me why that should be the case?

As for Book 4, I really hope disabled Korra sticks around for more episodes. We don't really that much more of her showing her mastery of physical bending. I'd rather they do a longer arc on how she deals with the world despite being weaker and less capable of laying waste to her enemies.

They could even play the PTSD angle of her freezing up whenever she nears entering the Avatar state.

Absolutely! I was hoping for something like this since season one, where a similar ending also would have been appropriate. I wish that they had been a bit more ruthless with people on Korra's side though - it would have added to the depression/PTSD angle.

BTW, any ideas on how the conspirators managed to invent and produce their McGuffin? I mean, they couldn't have tested it or anything, how could they have known for sure that it would work? I smell some spirit shenanigans, there.

[SpaceChampion]

Kuvira speculation. BTW, the voice actress is Robin William's daughter Zelda.

I don't believe the speculation, as Kuvira saved Tonraq from dying. But the music and smirk at the moment focusing on her was suggestive. Red herring? Or was she flirting? Book 4: Soap?

[Sci-2]

It seems like Book 4 is about some major, global problems. Earth Kingdom in chaos, Spirit world in flux, Red Lotus everywhere.

Kuvira might be an addition to Team Avatar, a Red Lotus plant, a White Lotus agent mean to monitor the Avatar situation, Mako's new love interest once Asami and Korra end up together, or just a character they need for upcoming situations in the Metal Clan.

[Veltigar]

Even so, I couldn't help but notice that the majority of new air-benders were male, and it is not obvious to me why that should be the case?

Yeah, I thought that didn't make much sense either. They should have gone for a 50/50 ratio. Something else that kind of bothered me and fits with this was Kay's heroic moment in episode 11. I thought it was kind of odd that Jinora was pretty useless there. You would think that someone on the verge of being a master airbender would take the initiative there.

Plus it was kind of contrived that Kay survived P'Li's blast and managed to track the airship. Jinora could have used her spirit protection to do that and it would have made more sense for Kay to take up Jinora's role in the escape in episode 13. Since he's a little crook, he should have more experience in setting an escapeplan in motion.

Absolutely! I was hoping for something like this since season one, where a similar ending also would have been appropriate. I wish that they had been a bit more ruthless with people on Korra's side though - it would have added to the depression/PTSD angle.

I agree Tonraq should have died and some of the metalbending cops should have stayed down as well. In the beginning of the book, these benders together were strong enough to take down the entire world (and there were four other RL members as well). They went down a bit to easy.

It seems like Book 4 is about some major, global problems. Earth Kingdom in chaos, Spirit world in flux, Red Lotus everywhere.

Kuvira might be an addition to Team Avatar, a Red Lotus plant, a White Lotus agent mean to monitor the Avatar situation, Mako's new love interest once Asami and Korra end up together, or just a character they need for upcoming situations in the Metal Clan.

I'm not going to lie, that was the second thought that popped up in my head when they focused on her (the first one was: is Tonraq getting a midlife crisis in book 4? But then I remembered that Korra's mother still lived). And then at the end of the episode all Korasami shippers got even more hopeful :D It would be pretty great if those two end up together, although it's probably not going to happen.

[Fat Mac]

Korrasami need not be romantic. The two can just be each other's bff's, and rely on each other rather than date men.

I agree Tonraq should have died. Nothing against him, but it would really even out the losses on either side.

[Veltigar]

Korrasami need not be romantic. The two can just be each other's bff's, and rely on each other rather than date men.

That's what will probably happen. I'd still prefer it to be romantic though :p A little romance never hurts and it would be great to have a cool lesbian couple in a kid show.

[SpaceChampion]

I'd guess Book 4 to be called either Anarchy or Healing.

Of course, the Red Lotus plan of anarchy is really dumb, considering what will result is hundreds of little warlords imposing their dictatorial wills on others locally, the total opposite of what Red Lotus should be in favour. Zaheer sucks at philosophy.

[Wmarshal]

I'd guess Book 4 to be called either Anarchy or Healing.

Of course, the Red Lotus plan of anarchy is really dumb, considering what will result is hundreds of little warlords imposing their dictatorial wills on others locally, the total opposite of what Red Lotus should be in favour. Zaheer sucks at philosophy.

I think the plan is just keeping killing leaders as they pop up.

By the way, isn't there an heir? Like a cousin or something? Or do the writers plan to do an empire thing and have legions of warlords?

[Kalbear]

That was fuckin awesome.

[The Drunkard]

Great episode, better than season 1's finale.

- I liked the throwback to ATLA in that final fight.

- All the Red Lotus 'main' members had some crazy deaths.

- Zaheer is too cool for this world. Sort of disappointing that he's potentially the best airbender ever, given he's only been able to for a short time, and in that time managed to stand up to Tenzin and learn to fly, but wasn't interested in helping air nomads. I hope he has more of a role next season.

- Fighting scenes seemed to be the best they've been.

- Not a fan of lightning bending being used so casually.

Have they ever mentioned Platinum being different to all other metals, though?