I’ll admit it, when I heard that there was a planned sequel to the much-beloved cult series Avatar: The Last Airbender, I was worried. The original series is, as far as I’m concerned, probably the most perfect animated show that has ever been created. It was beautifully drawn, meticulously thought-out, and written to appeal to a wide range of people. It even got me to like it, and I’m generally someone who just doesn’t get animated series. (There is literally only one flaw in the original Avatar that I can think of, and that is that Katara and Aang end up together instead of Katara and Zuko, which is a betrayal I still have yet to recover from. Why would you create two characters who are perfect for each other and then not pair them together!? Why?!)
Irrational anger aside, there are a lot of concerns with rebooting a franchise as beloved as Avatar. There needs to be an almost impossible balance between enough new that old fans won’t be bored, but not so new that it’s unrecognizable. It should refer to the old show enough to treat returning fans, but not rely on it so new fans won’t be helplessly lost.
And then, of course, there were my omnipresent feminist concerns, which I simply cannot turn off, no matter how much I want to. Avatar has a good history of writing strong, multidimensional female characters, and by now I should trust that the writers could handle the challenge of a show fronted by a female avatar, even if those writers are two men. (Albeit two men who clearly can’t understand a good romantic storyline — sorry. I’m trying to let this one go.) But I’ve been hurt before. And so I fretted.
But from the second we first see the new avatar, Korra, burst onto the scene as a small child, bending three elements before striking a pose and declaring, “I’m the new Avatar, and you’re gonna have to deal with it!” I knew I had worried for nothing. This wasn’t the same show I had once loved, but it had enough of the same soul in it that instead of finding myself comparing the two of them, I just fell in love all over again with something completely new.
The world Korra inhabits is nothing like the one in the first series. Where that was a mystical land reminiscent of folklore from all corners of Asia, Korra’s world of Republic City is more like the golden era of capitalist Shanghai from the 1920s to the 1940s. (Which, if you’re a history nerd like me, is a seriously interesting period of time worth looking into.) There are new themes, new modern struggles like corruption versus order, power versus autocracy, and progress versus those who progress inevitably leaves behind. There’s a new way of bending — competitive bending — that Korra gets into, and even though it’s the same four elements, the way they’re bent is different enough that it feels like a fifth element was added to the mix. The cast of characters are familiar-ish. The two competitive benders Korra meets, Bolin and Mako, are roughly analogous to Sokka and Zuko. Bolin is brash comic relief, a lady’s man, and somehow both bumbling and wildly competent. Mako is brooding and full of inner angst. (And hot. Is it weird to find an animated character hot? Whatever, he’s hot.) Aang’s grandchildren, who flit around Korra as she tries to master airbending, have all of his childish joy and silliness. But that’s where the similarities end. This isn’t a children versus the world story, there are adults, too. Adults like the gravitas-laden Tenzin, Aang’s son and Korra’s airbending teacher, who fills the role of an exasperated but loving father figure to a T. There’s also Toph’s daughter, Lin Beifong, leader of the capital police, who is still an unknown entity, but promises to be badass.
I’m always hesitant to unilaterally label a show a success before it’s barely begun, but I will say this; if you are a fan of the original Avatar, if like me you’ve watched every single episode over and over and wished for more, you’ll like this show. And if Korra continues as strong as it started, there’s going to be one hell of a great ride to look forward to.
Clacked by Julia Hass 
on Apr 14, 2012 @ 16:57 EST5EDT
I agree completely! With basically everything you said! It’s so good and I am dying to see more! :D
38YOM here. After the last airbender movie, I stayed up after the kids were down for a few nights rewatching Avatar episodes to help cleanse my mind.
Glad to see a feminist non-animation loving woman writing about having gotten into the previous series and recommending the new one. Sorry Zutara didn’t work out for you. If that did, I would’ve also expected Soka and Ty Lee to have ended up together. Heh…
I agree with what you said. I haven’t even watched the original series (I’ve been seriously meaning to…), but I loved this show as soon as I watched and finished the first episode.
“But from the second we first see the new avatar, Katara” You might want to correct that, threw me for a loop for a minute.
My biggest worry was if Korra would face social/political/economically issues like Aang did, and more importantly with the same dignity the original gave them. But once she gets to the city, you can tell that she’s going to really learn about how cities work. Everything from the underbelly (like the mafia) to how technology changes people.
It may not be the same as the “Last Airbender” but I think it will be good. Maybe even DVD shelf worthy.
This show is awesome! It was nice they carried over Katara from the old show. I vehemently disagree with you that Katara and Zuko belonged together instead of Katara and Aang. Anyway the show looks like another winner. It’ will be interesting to see who this villan is behind the mask. It’s probably Zuko’s son. Aang did take his grandfather’s fire bending powers away, so it stands to reason he’d have a serious grudge against benders.
As I said in my own review when Nickelodeon put it up online last month, Legend of Korra has already won me over. I’m earnestly looking forward to the new episodes next week.
Why do you think Katara and Zuko would make a good couple?
Well, I see…It’s kinda weird, though. I always thought it should be Toph and Sokka.
But I like weird couples too!
This review compliments my feelings exactly about my hesitation to want to watch this “new” avatar show. But it was for naught; I love it. From the badass hotness of Korra herself, to all the characters that are an obvious homage to our old friends we came to love back during the 100 year war, to the new, more modern time period its set in; a 1920s-40s era japan. Everything about that era I have always loved, and so combined with one of my favorite shows, if not #1 show, I am literally shaking with happiness at how much I am enjoying it. It’s the PERFECT amount of modern to take on, and the tech advances make the show that much more interesting and give it the chance to be its own, while tipping its hat to what came before it. Like the pro-bending arena; obviously based off of boxing in the 20s, 30s, and 40s.
Thank you for writing this review. Its solidified my feelings and makes me happy to know that others feel the same.
ps: as for Katara and Suko not ending up together, I can see where you’re coming from. At one point I thought there might be something between them, but I knew that I couldn’t lie to myself about Aang and Katata ending up together…it had to happen, that’s just the way it is.