Legend of Korra: book 3 (so far)
Jul. 12th, 2014 05:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizbeeSo I didn't say anything about the first two episodes of the season, because there's only so many times I can say THAT WAS GREAT before it gets repetitive, and no one needs to hear about my inappropriate Zaheer crush. ALSO, I've been pretty spoiled for all the Spanish leaks, and didn't have much to say that wasn't spoilery. Except that Zaheer follows in Avatar's grand tradition of inappropriately attractive villains. (Yes, I count Unalaq there, SHUT UP.)
This week, FOR SOME REASON, I have something to say.
LIN MY PRECIOUS DYSFUNCTIONAL BABY
She is not remotely sympathetic, is she? She pops Naga's ball, she makes her tiny teenage niece cry, she basically spends the entire episode in a MASSIVE SULK.
Things I've been MASSIVELY AMUSED BY for the last few days: Hollywood Reporter announced that Anne Heche would be voicing Lin's half-sister, and immediately the un-spoiled end of fandom was like, "SHE GOT MARRIED TWICE?" Or, you know, NOT AT ALL.
Apparently there is rage in the fandom because now Aang and Toph have turned out to be maybe not great parents, and it's like only the one with a positive experience of being parented (Katara) hasn't left a trail of passive-aggression and disappointment in her wake. We don't know yet if Sokka had a family at all, but I imagine he'd do a similarly good job with his kids. And Zuko, although he had Ozai, he also had Iroh and Ursa, not to mention Mai's demonstrated ability to walk away when he gets too dysfunctional. And Mai, in the comics, has a positive familial relationship with an aunt, and is so dedicated to not repeating her parents' mistakes that she has kidnapped her brother to raise him herself.
To me, it makes sense that Aang, who grew up without knowing his parents, and was raised in a one-monk-to-one-novice relationship, would focus most of his energy on one child, and that Toph, whose parents were toxic and smothering, would be emotionally neglectful. This makes sense to me, and I'm pretty certain that a lot of Lin's rage at Suyin is actually the anger she can't direct at Toph. On the other hand, TOPH IS STILL ALIVE, so there is room for reconciliation down the road -- but none of these women are particularly flexible in their thinking.
I say "none", because even though Su seems immensely reasonable, and she's without doubt my favourite new female character since ... okay, since Ming-Hwa and P'li BFFed their way out of jail an episode earlier -- anyway, I think she has a thick selfish streak. She just took it for granted that the Avatar would drop everything to live in her city and teach her daughter airbending. And "Zaofu is the safest city in the world" has an odd echo of "There is no war in Ba Sing Se".
I don't think Su is going to be a villain, or even an outright antagonist, but she surely has feet of clay -- earthbending pun there, you get it? -- which drives the tension between her and Lin. And here I have to quote bobbityhobbity of the Tumblrs:
Zaofu is one of the coolest original concepts I think I’ve seen in a franchise chock full of cool original concepts. Its utopian nature is obviously a set up for some kind of rug-pull (and I mean bigger than the Varrick reveal). This is the sort of planet that the crew of the Enterprise lands on and thinks is a paradise until fucking Wesley Crusher gets sentenced to death for stepping on the motherfucking flowers.
Su Yin feels a little like a Gatsby figure in the sense that she is probably not exactly as she described herself to Korra and there is most definitely some darkness there (also that whole lavish wealth thing). I’ll be disappointed if we find out that Lin is 100% unreasonable here.
IN CONCLUSION, much as, to this day, no one believes Lao and Poppy Beifong weren't collaborating with the Fire Nation during the war, no one's regarding either of their granddaughters as reliable narrators, either.
The important thing is that Lin is vulnerable and unhappy, and frankly more brittle than when she lost her bending. I'M INTO THAT. I only hurt the ones I love.
INCIDENTALLY, if someone doesn't write Suyin/Kya, I'm going to be really mad, because they actually seem like a better fit than Lin/Kya, both having spent their earlier years having adventures and trying to find themselves. And I am 100% in favour of Kya picking up really fast that Nice New Airbender Guy was Zaheer, and being part of a really excellent fight scene. Sure, she lost, but so did Zuko. How great is it to see Zuko getting smacked down by an airbender again? Just for old times' sake?
OTHER THINGS: totes into Zaheer/P'li. Felt like the Earth Queen was a bit too dimensional and steered too close to dragon lady stereotypes, even though she made interesting points about colonialism and stuff. Really into Tenzin and Lin being in the same room SHUT UP I know it's sad. Hope Lin buys Naga a new ball. And maybe cuddles Pabu. No one can feel sad after they've cuddled Pabu.
This week, FOR SOME REASON, I have something to say.
LIN MY PRECIOUS DYSFUNCTIONAL BABY
She is not remotely sympathetic, is she? She pops Naga's ball, she makes her tiny teenage niece cry, she basically spends the entire episode in a MASSIVE SULK.
Things I've been MASSIVELY AMUSED BY for the last few days: Hollywood Reporter announced that Anne Heche would be voicing Lin's half-sister, and immediately the un-spoiled end of fandom was like, "SHE GOT MARRIED TWICE?" Or, you know, NOT AT ALL.
Apparently there is rage in the fandom because now Aang and Toph have turned out to be maybe not great parents, and it's like only the one with a positive experience of being parented (Katara) hasn't left a trail of passive-aggression and disappointment in her wake. We don't know yet if Sokka had a family at all, but I imagine he'd do a similarly good job with his kids. And Zuko, although he had Ozai, he also had Iroh and Ursa, not to mention Mai's demonstrated ability to walk away when he gets too dysfunctional. And Mai, in the comics, has a positive familial relationship with an aunt, and is so dedicated to not repeating her parents' mistakes that she has kidnapped her brother to raise him herself.
To me, it makes sense that Aang, who grew up without knowing his parents, and was raised in a one-monk-to-one-novice relationship, would focus most of his energy on one child, and that Toph, whose parents were toxic and smothering, would be emotionally neglectful. This makes sense to me, and I'm pretty certain that a lot of Lin's rage at Suyin is actually the anger she can't direct at Toph. On the other hand, TOPH IS STILL ALIVE, so there is room for reconciliation down the road -- but none of these women are particularly flexible in their thinking.
I say "none", because even though Su seems immensely reasonable, and she's without doubt my favourite new female character since ... okay, since Ming-Hwa and P'li BFFed their way out of jail an episode earlier -- anyway, I think she has a thick selfish streak. She just took it for granted that the Avatar would drop everything to live in her city and teach her daughter airbending. And "Zaofu is the safest city in the world" has an odd echo of "There is no war in Ba Sing Se".
I don't think Su is going to be a villain, or even an outright antagonist, but she surely has feet of clay -- earthbending pun there, you get it? -- which drives the tension between her and Lin. And here I have to quote bobbityhobbity of the Tumblrs:
Zaofu is one of the coolest original concepts I think I’ve seen in a franchise chock full of cool original concepts. Its utopian nature is obviously a set up for some kind of rug-pull (and I mean bigger than the Varrick reveal). This is the sort of planet that the crew of the Enterprise lands on and thinks is a paradise until fucking Wesley Crusher gets sentenced to death for stepping on the motherfucking flowers.
Su Yin feels a little like a Gatsby figure in the sense that she is probably not exactly as she described herself to Korra and there is most definitely some darkness there (also that whole lavish wealth thing). I’ll be disappointed if we find out that Lin is 100% unreasonable here.
IN CONCLUSION, much as, to this day, no one believes Lao and Poppy Beifong weren't collaborating with the Fire Nation during the war, no one's regarding either of their granddaughters as reliable narrators, either.
The important thing is that Lin is vulnerable and unhappy, and frankly more brittle than when she lost her bending. I'M INTO THAT. I only hurt the ones I love.
INCIDENTALLY, if someone doesn't write Suyin/Kya, I'm going to be really mad, because they actually seem like a better fit than Lin/Kya, both having spent their earlier years having adventures and trying to find themselves. And I am 100% in favour of Kya picking up really fast that Nice New Airbender Guy was Zaheer, and being part of a really excellent fight scene. Sure, she lost, but so did Zuko. How great is it to see Zuko getting smacked down by an airbender again? Just for old times' sake?
OTHER THINGS: totes into Zaheer/P'li. Felt like the Earth Queen was a bit too dimensional and steered too close to dragon lady stereotypes, even though she made interesting points about colonialism and stuff. Really into Tenzin and Lin being in the same room SHUT UP I know it's sad. Hope Lin buys Naga a new ball. And maybe cuddles Pabu. No one can feel sad after they've cuddled Pabu.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-12 11:47 am (UTC)Suyin/Kya. In the travelling circus. OF COURSE.
Also, I think that Suyin didn't just run away. I think she probably spent some time being an actual criminal ("I was a bit of a rebel"? Really?), and then Lin had to take her down, and Toph was like "Oh hell NO you do NOT do that to your sister!" And Lin was "I'm following the LAW!" And they argue about it all until Suyin escapes, and then Toph is blaming Lin and Lin is blaming Toph and both of them are blaming Suyin, and oh dysfunctional metalbending family you are my favourite.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-12 11:33 pm (UTC)(I was thinking about Su's time as a pirate, and maybe she sort of captured Kya mid-illegal quest to find a bloodbending master ("It has interesting medical applications!") and they have a round of WHAT THE HELL and then make out.)
no subject
Date: 2014-07-12 12:55 pm (UTC)I am enjoying the many and varied women of this series. It is a big step up from last series.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-12 11:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-12 01:41 pm (UTC)I am going to have to track down a copy of this to watch again, because I foolishly stopped my recording in the middle, thinking, "Oh, Nick will just put it online, or it will be on On Demand," and neither is true. DAMN YOU, NICK.
"SHE GOT MARRIED TWICE?" Or, you know, NOT AT ALL.
YES! I would be slightly amazed if the series went with the latter theory, but I like it, and I'm sticking to it until proved otherwise. Also, I want to believe Toph is still out there somewhere, living quietly as a little old woman who occasionally kicks massive butt when the local criminals get too rowdy.
I also agree that there's more to Suyin than meets the eye, for all the reasons you say. The instant she said Zaofu was the safest city in the world, I figured nothing could possibly go wrong with that plan, you know?
no subject
Date: 2014-07-12 11:37 pm (UTC)"All new episodes you won't be able to see online!" Nick, that's not an advertisement, it's a challenge.
YES! I would be slightly amazed if the series went with the latter theory, but I like it, and I'm sticking to it until proved otherwise.
Su actually says, "We never knew our fathers"!
The instant she said Zaofu was the safest city in the world, I figured nothing could possibly go wrong with that plan, you know?
The big metal walls close at night, and there's a guy out there who can turn rock into lava. Mmmm, roast metal clan.
Someone on Tumblr pointed out that everyone except the guards in Zaofu dresses identically. Pretty weird for a chilled out artistic paradise, right?
no subject
Date: 2014-07-13 12:09 am (UTC)Exactly. I'm like "wanna bet?" when you give fans no legal way to acces something, you mandate piracy.
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Date: 2014-07-12 02:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-12 11:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-13 12:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-12 03:35 pm (UTC)The thing about Lin is that though she's a great character, people seem to have become so caught up in her being badass and her noble sacrifice for the airbenders in the first season that they have forgotten that was the end of her Book 1 character arc - and before that she was kind of petty and unpleasant to Korra and Tenzin because of her past with Tenzin and Aang.
tl;dr Lin is much more interesting when she is a somewhat dysfunctional personality, as opposed to a one-note badass. (Same goes for Toph, really - I was always kind of disappointed Toph's parental issues was a dropped plot arc.)
But I think you are right about Zaofu - I would put money on the Fearsome Foursome attacking Korra before she leaves, and the security measures being fairly useless. Also that stuff with the Earth Queen will totally come into play again later on.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-12 11:48 pm (UTC)Well, we really only have Tenzin's word that Lin dislikes Korra because of her link to Tenzin. And he has an ego the size of Sozin's comet. Much as she seems to have spent 15 years holding a grudge against Tenzin, it seems more likely that her dislike of Korra stemmed from Korra's turning up in the city, dispensing vigilante justice, and not only getting away with it, but having parties thrown for her, etc.
After they fight the Equalists together at the arena, Lin does a 180. And I think that's very key to her character: she has trouble disliking people she has fought with. (Even if they're children, apparently her very least favourite species of human being -- she seems less wary of Tenzin's kids once they join the fight.)
But yes, she's totally dysfunctional. In the book 2 commentaries, Bryke mention that both Korra and Lin genuinely don't understand that it's not appropriate to destroy an office or an island just because your boyfriend dumped you. Korra because she's so isolated, and Lin because ... well, Toph, probably. Lin can hold a grudge for 30 years, and she will pout and sulk like a teenager if she doesn't get her own way. And book 2 demonstrated that even with her officers, about whom she cares, she has no social graces whatsoever.
I LOVE HER.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-12 05:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-12 11:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-13 12:05 am (UTC)My sincere wish is that they both talk the talk about being lone wanderers no, but they always seem to be wandering to the same places, and oh, well, if they're goingIin the same direction, might as well travel together... I need the epic adventures of elderly adoptive sibling baddasses Toph and Zuko. I need them.