Legend of Korra 2.01 and 2.02 - "Rebel Spirit" and "The Southern Lights"

[lizbee]

Fandom 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.

Comments

[nonelvis]

I was going to DM you with some of the choice stupidity I found in the LoK Tumblr tag, but figured that you didn't need to hear it, and I needed to forget I ever saw it. (Except that like you, I am still amazed that Tumblr continues to insist Korra is the villain here.)

My two batshit predictions for this season:
* Unalaq isn't just taking over the South; he's behind the entire spirit uprising. This would also explain why Aang never had to do anything to the southern spirits.
* Bolin/Asami. Eska will get bored with Bolin, but by the end, she'll learn to appreciate him. She might even smile. Once. It will be terrifying.

So book 3 will probably be called Metal. Calling it now.

I've come to the same conclusion, though it makes me wonder what element that leaves for the final season. Pie?

[lizbee]

Unalaq isn't just taking over the South; he's behind the entire spirit uprising. This would also explain why Aang never had to do anything to the southern spirits.

No, I can totally see that. Remember, there was a point we thought "Amon is really a bender" was a batshit theory, too.

I've come to the same conclusion, though it makes me wonder what element that leaves for the final season. Pie?

Well, I was going to say lightning, but now you've put pie in my head...

[sqbr]

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

aaaaaah. Well there's something to look forward to. Meanwhile I was thinking "Ug, too many mens, but boy do I love Korra". I do hope Kya gets to do more than just tease Tenzin, though I certainly am not calling for the Tenzin teasing to stop. And Jinora being all spiritual oooh more of that too please.

I'm glad Unalaq's true nature came out quickly since he screamed UP TO SOMETHING so loud. Though the nature of his specific plans was telegraphed just the right amount imo. And haha yes THEY ARE SO TOTALLY THOR AND LOKI.

I was going to quote other stuff I agree with but it's basically everything, so.

[nonelvis]

Both lightning and chi seem like possibilities. But I prefer pie.

[lizbee]

I feel like Tenzin probably does good pie. I don't know why. He just looks like a man with a profound spiritual affinity for pie.

[innerbrat]

Unalaq isn't just taking over the South; he's behind the entire spirit uprising. This would also explain why Aang never had to do anything to the southern spirits.

YES I TOO HAD THIS THOUGHT. He used spirits to have his brother exiled from the North and now he's using spirits to wrench his niece away BECAUSE LOK IS ALL ABOUT NWT BROTHER ISSUES. Whatever, I love daddy-daughter narratives so I'm only complaining a little.

[weaver]

"a community of people who fetishise airbending" -- YES, THIS, and I feel like that's almost a direct shoutout to fandom? I mean, CREEPY FANS who don't care about anything beyond their immediate interests, er. I mean, not that Bryke have ever trolled fandom or nothin'.

I mean, I think that sketchiness was deliberate?

I AM BUSY REWATCHING AND ROLLING ABOUT IN WATER TRIBE FEELINGS THOUGH.

[rj_anderson]

I third this idea. I had not noticed the Thor/Loki thing, but now you mention it, wow is it obvious.

[weaver]

omg and. I thought Unalaq was soothing the spirits, but Korra pins it immediately - he was controlling them.

[skywaterblue]

I kind of wish I had read this tab first and moved my comment about Korra's patriarchy issues over here. Anyway, I have a lot of thinky thoughts about her relationship with Mako, in that she clearly wants him to be more patriarchal than he is, in that scene, but conversely when he DOES get patriarchal she flips out about it...

I don't think this relationship survives the season, however.

[opusculasedfera]

The Air Temple is definitely fetishing the hell out of all the remaining airbenders (see also: all of those problems are the patriarchy, in a way, because their attitude toward Pema was SKETCH AS HELL.) I wasn't sure we were supposed to think that Aang was private about his family life as opposed to the Air Temple being really creepily focused, though.

I just wish they were more consistent about what it means for the South Water Tribe to be damaged in the war. I don't really trust anything Unaloq says about spiritual problems, and clearly their economy is good, if people are coming there to do their business negotiations. I want details, not Korra repeating 45 thousand times that she shouldn't be coddled. (Not objecting to the arc itself, mind, just the execution. She has a good point, but I think they could have used their 40 mins of episode more frugally.)