Legend of Korra 1.08: When Extremes Meet
Jun. 3rd, 2012 09:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizbeeSO HOW ABOUT THAT EPISODE, HUH?
There was this post going around Tumblr during the week, about how Korra has never and obviously will never have her own behaviour and privilege pointed out to her, and clearly the writers don't actually care about addressing oppression of non-benders, and also the context of the episode (because this was all based off a clip) didn't matter.
Give me a couple of hours to stop laughing.
ANYWAY, now we know for sure, instead of just suspecting, that Tarrlok is as dangerous as Amon. Both guys enjoy rounding up citizens and punishing them for possession or lack thereof of arbitrary traits, and both are master manipulators. (I don't buy the Tarrlok-is-Amon theory, though, because we've seen Amon's bare hand, and it was very pale. I'd buy that they're working together, though, to throw the city into chaos and then step in and take control.)
SO REMEMBER THAT TIME TARRLOK WAS A BLOODBENDER?AND ALSO HIS HAIR WAS LOOSE AND IT WAS KIND OF AMAZING AND THEN I ACCIDENTALLY STARTED SHIPPING HIM WITH KORRA AGAIN? AND THERE'S SOME KIND OF CONNECTION BETWEEN TARRLOK AND YAKONE? AND THEN THERE WAS THAT ENDING?
THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD TIME.
I MEAN, IN A HOLY SHIT WHAT JUST HAPPENED WAY.
Notice how Katara isn't any of the Yakone flashbacks? I bet that whole scenario ends with her bursting into the room and bloodbending Yakone into next Tuesday.
I feel like there's so much more I meant to say! Oh yeah! Here's a list:
- Shutting off the electricity to drive people out of their houses and then accuse them of gathering in a rally? SUPER CLEVER.
- Things I never thought I'd see depicted in a show for children: kettling.
- BUT WHERE IS LIN BEIFONG?
- On the other hand, did we notice how one of Korra's injuries is a scratch or cut in exactly the same place as Lin's scars? WELL, I NOTICED.
- I wish people would tag their Korrasami on Tumblr so I don't have to see it.
- I do recognised the juxtaposition of those two points. I shall make more of an effort to tag my Korralin.
- I'm sure we're all very grateful to Meelo for inventing fartbending.
- But seriously, he's a ridiculously articulate five year old. I predict world domination before he's 30.
BTW, here is a quite irrelevant question: why is there this fanon that Kyoshi is the most bloodthirsty and violent of all the past Avatars? I can't tell if it's an actual idea or just a Tumblr joke, but I see it all the time, and it's ... wrong. Yeah, she killed Chin, but that was an accident. Her advice to Aang is ... hang on, let's bust out the transcript:
Now, I know the whole twist in that sequence is that Aang is so wrapped up in killing Ozai that he doesn't actually see that none of the Avatars are actually telling him that's what he should do. And I know fandom likes to make the same mistake, but I really don't see how we get from "I would have done whatever it took to stop Chin" and "Only justice will bring peace" to "let the streets flow with blood".
There was this post going around Tumblr during the week, about how Korra has never and obviously will never have her own behaviour and privilege pointed out to her, and clearly the writers don't actually care about addressing oppression of non-benders, and also the context of the episode (because this was all based off a clip) didn't matter.
Give me a couple of hours to stop laughing.
ANYWAY, now we know for sure, instead of just suspecting, that Tarrlok is as dangerous as Amon. Both guys enjoy rounding up citizens and punishing them for possession or lack thereof of arbitrary traits, and both are master manipulators. (I don't buy the Tarrlok-is-Amon theory, though, because we've seen Amon's bare hand, and it was very pale. I'd buy that they're working together, though, to throw the city into chaos and then step in and take control.)
SO REMEMBER THAT TIME TARRLOK WAS A BLOODBENDER?
THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD TIME.
I MEAN, IN A HOLY SHIT WHAT JUST HAPPENED WAY.
Notice how Katara isn't any of the Yakone flashbacks? I bet that whole scenario ends with her bursting into the room and bloodbending Yakone into next Tuesday.
I feel like there's so much more I meant to say! Oh yeah! Here's a list:
- Shutting off the electricity to drive people out of their houses and then accuse them of gathering in a rally? SUPER CLEVER.
- Things I never thought I'd see depicted in a show for children: kettling.
- BUT WHERE IS LIN BEIFONG?
- On the other hand, did we notice how one of Korra's injuries is a scratch or cut in exactly the same place as Lin's scars? WELL, I NOTICED.
- I wish people would tag their Korrasami on Tumblr so I don't have to see it.
- I do recognised the juxtaposition of those two points. I shall make more of an effort to tag my Korralin.
- I'm sure we're all very grateful to Meelo for inventing fartbending.
- But seriously, he's a ridiculously articulate five year old. I predict world domination before he's 30.
BTW, here is a quite irrelevant question: why is there this fanon that Kyoshi is the most bloodthirsty and violent of all the past Avatars? I can't tell if it's an actual idea or just a Tumblr joke, but I see it all the time, and it's ... wrong. Yeah, she killed Chin, but that was an accident. Her advice to Aang is ... hang on, let's bust out the transcript:
Avatar Kyoshi: In my day, Chin the Conqueror threatened to throw the World out of balance. I stopped him and the world entered a great era of peace.
Aang: But you didn't really kill Chin. Technically he fell to his own doom because he was too stubborn to get out of the way.
Avatar Kyoshi: Personally I don't really see the difference. But I assure you, I would have done whatever it took to stop Chin. I offer you this wisdom, Aang. Only justice will bring peace.
Aang: I knew I shouldn't have asked Kyoshi.
Now, I know the whole twist in that sequence is that Aang is so wrapped up in killing Ozai that he doesn't actually see that none of the Avatars are actually telling him that's what he should do. And I know fandom likes to make the same mistake, but I really don't see how we get from "I would have done whatever it took to stop Chin" and "Only justice will bring peace" to "let the streets flow with blood".
no subject
Date: 2012-06-02 11:35 pm (UTC)I want to know what Yakone did. That's all.
Fandom is Chin Village? An interesting analogy.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-02 11:37 pm (UTC)THAT SERIOUSLY IS THE BEST IDEA I'VE EVER HEARD, AND AS SOON AS I UNEARTH MY SKETCH BOOK I WILL BE DRAWING IT.
I want to know what Yakone did. That's all.
Me too! Not least because it's rather nice to have villains from the Water Tribe rather than the Fire Nation!
Fandom is Chin Village? An interesting analogy.
"That's why they call it justice. BECAUSE IT'S JUST US."
no subject
Date: 2012-06-02 11:45 pm (UTC)BONUS POINTS IF ZUKO AND KATARA TAG ALONG TO SIT ON THE SIDELINES AND CRITICIZE EVERYONE WHILE DRINKING TEA AND SHOUTING UNCLE-ISH PROVERBS WHENEVER SOMEBODY BEGS FOR THEIR GUIDANCE.
It is just us and we can do aaaaanything we like. Nah.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-02 11:49 pm (UTC)"I'm just saying, we could handle this stuff when we were teenagers. And Tarrlok is no Long Feng."
"You should tell Tenzin that. I'm sure he'd be happy to hear it. More tea?"
"Or rice wine? This will be much funnier when we're drunk."
"That's what you said about Toph's wedding."
"WE AGREED NEVER TO SPEAK OF THAT, ZUKO."
no subject
Date: 2012-06-03 01:11 pm (UTC)Yakone, pffft. The one incident that no one dares mention even half a century after the fact is Toph's wedding. It's a myth by now.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-03 01:33 am (UTC)I hope she figures out how to meditate while in captivity. I want a 'finds inner freedom' thing.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-03 04:59 am (UTC)Yes, the fanon of Kyoshi as super violent has always confused me. She seemed pragmatic and curt, not bloodthirsty.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-04 04:58 am (UTC)But it would be much more nuanced to have two power-hungry jerks jerking people around, oh yes, and trying to do Us vs. Them and Tarrlok's pushing the average people to hate benders because then they'll riot and he'll be right, they're the enemy, and we have to SUBJUGATE THEM ALL (and make Tarrlok the King of Republic Empire and bring Korra to him in chains...), while Amon's pushing on the benders and has so much better rhetoric (but I don't think he's honest; I think he's using people) and is pushing the benders to lash out at non-benders and then EVERYONE WILL SEE and there will be BENDER LYNCHING and Amon will be the King of Republic City (and later the world, and there may be people brought to him in chains)...
If they're working together, they're watching each other's backs -- for JUST THE RIGHT PLACE TO STAB!
It's late at night and I am suddenly shipping Amon/Tarrlok... what's the term, hatefic? For my crackfic of the evening. Anyway.
Yes. Stuff. I have GOT to run my episodes in slow-motion and see if I can get screenshots of the flashbacks.
I think Kyoshi is seen as bloodthirsty because she's ruthless. (And she trained the Dai Li, yes?) Mind, the pre-Aang Airbender woman Avatar was also pretty ruthless, but she wasn't Big and Strong and Earthbendy-stompy. Mind, a bit of ruthless can be pretty useful...
Bah, I have to wake up in ... 4 hours? *sob* I must run. But. This episode. "She's our Avatar, too!" And she tries! She tries so hard! I hope some people saw the trying, instead of hating her for failing. O:(
no subject
Date: 2012-06-05 07:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-06 12:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-05 07:19 pm (UTC)I adore Kyoshi and demand a whole episode or series about her.