![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizbeeFandom made LoK really un-fun for me last year, so I unfollowed pretty much every fannish Tumblr there was, filtered out a whole lot of people on LJ and DW ... and then this premiere came around, and my only source of info was the official Tumblrs? It's been weirdly quiet! But then I peeked at the tag and went screaming back into my blanket fort, so I'm sticking with my decision.
ANYWAY, six months after terrorists nearly destroyed Republic City, we learn that it has in fact become an actual republic! MY FIC IS JOSSED SO HARD, GUYS, EVEN THE AU. I'd like to know more about that, but in the meantime we have some Water Tribe politics, Korra's family politics, Airbaby politics and various Awkward Moments When.
Basically, Korra has 99 problems, and all of them are the patriarchy. (I had expected Tumblr would be up in arms about Tonraq and Tenzin patriarching all over the place, and Mako playing along, but in fact, apparently Korra is a whiny, ungrateful bitch, so well done fandom.)
I can see how keeping Korra sheltered and close to home probably seemed like a really good idea, but ... no, actually, I don't think letting her travel the world would have necessarily been any better. Most Avatars don't begin training until they're 16, but Korra's abilities manifested at such an early age that I think training her at home was sensible. At least to a point, but then, neither Tonraq nor Tenzin are really good at changing their minds and adjusting course, so when she's, say, 14 and ready to move out into the world, they wouldn't necessarily see that.
Anyway, I really love that part of Korra's arc looks like it's going to be about choosing her own mentors and building a relationship with her father on new terms, adult to adult and Avatar to ... dude. (I'd also like to see and hear more from her mum, but that will come later.)
(It occurred to me just this morning -- and stop me if this seems really obvious to everyone else -- but the promise is that, while Lin has a very small role this season, she "and her family" will play a big part next year. So book 3 will probably be called Metal. Calling it now.)
A couple of months ago, when the character pics and bios came out, someone -- and I think it was
infiniteviking -- said that Tonraq and Unalaq were basically Thor and Loki. AND SHE WAS RIGHT. In fact, I kind of want to watch Thor again now. Because let's face it, if Loki had managed to take Asgard's throne and cement his power base, his next step would totally have been to invade Midgard for its own good.I HAVE SOME FEELINGS ABOUT COLONIALISM AND THE SOUTHERN WATER TRIBE. Mostly that, since the very beginning of AtLA, we've been shown that the Northern Water Tribe looks down on the poorer and more egalitarian South. All through this episode, I was kind of suss that Unalaq was so determined to control the spiritual narrative of the South, AND THEN HE SENT IN HIS ARMY. Katara's gonna be so pissed.
I also have some questions, ie, why didn't Aang deal with the spiritual problem in the South? But perhaps it didn't become apparent until recently?
On a worldbuilding level, I really like that the South is still seriously damaged from its near-destruction in the war, and those wounds aren't necessarily healing easily. Apparently I have more Water Tribe feelings than I realised!
I ALSO HAVE SOME AIR NOMAD FEELINGS. Like, I'm super impressed that the Air Acolytes didn't even know that Aang had two other children. Well done with that privacy, Aang. On the other hand, I feel like the Air Acolytes are a wee bit sketchy with their reaction to Kya and Bumi. Okay, seriously sketchy. Like, you have a community of people who ... I don't want to say fetishise airbending, but there's a strong element of that? IDK. I REQUIRE MORE.
I also require MORE of Jinora's spirit journey. Look, if I can't have Beifong, I'm okay with settling for Jinora.
I had more thoughts, but they're all confused, and my hands hurt. Oh yeah, I'm predisposed to like Eska, but her relationship with Bolin kind of skeeves me out, so I hope she gets some more layers stat. On the other hand, Aubrey Plaza, deadpan queen of my heart. <3 Actually, minority opinion, but if Bolin decided to go off and, IDK, live in Ba Sing Se, I wouldn't miss him. Sorry, dude. Pabu can stay.
