Legend of Korra Book 3

[bartholen_v1legacy]

This season got pretty gruesome. We saw people suffocate, people get poisoned with mercury, cranial explosions, electrocution, and assorted other gruesome deaths.
I thought this was a kid's show.

My thoughts exactly! The face Korra was making when about to be poisoned reminded me of this [http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9u8z0YNd41qi4szno1_500.jpg] more than anything else. And if a Nickelodeon show manages to remind me of one of the most disturbing, fucked-up pieces of animation ever created*, that's worthy of applause just for the balls.

OT: I. Fucking. Loved. It. Though Korra and Zaheer's final fight might have been a bit too similar to Aang and Ozai's, it was cool as hell, and right up there with... well Aang and Ozai's fight! The second last episode went to really dark places for a Nickelodeon show (Pai Li's head literally exploding, though off screen... sheesh), the animation was the best we've seen this season (and that's saying A LOT), the fights, the music... goddamn did Legend of Korra ever raise itself from the abyss of season 2! Here's to hoping Nick won't fuck up season 4's marketing so badly, and that it'll get the recognition it deserves.

*That would be End of Evangelion, if you didn't know.

 

[Timpossible]

I'm wondering what they will do for season 4

Spoiler

Would we ever see a dark avatar reincarnation cycle in the future? It would be interesting to see 2 avatars on opposite poles existing together.

Zaheer is still alive and Korra looks quite broken and unscure. Maybe she will have to deal with her dark side. Maybe she actually becomes kinda the villian for some episodes. (If I think about it...sounds darth vader-ish)

 

[albear]

loved the last two episodes, and that ending, didnt see that coming.

Spoiler

A couple of things stood out and irked me a little, Bolin discovering he was a lava bender at that exact moment, Mako not even attempting to electocute the water lady before their final fight, Zaheers 'i can fly now, deal with it' ability, i want to buy into but...., wasnt it sort of what guru patik was trying to teach Aang something similar towards the end of TLOA season 3, to let go of your earthly teathers and then you can [enter the avatar state]or[fly] so i guess since he lost his earthly teather.

the main one though, and im not sure if i missed where they mentioned the poison being metalic, was when Jinora randomly said, 'the poisons metallic, you can save her' i saw her watching as they discussed killing the avatar, but i dont remember hearing them say the poison had metal properties or anything so i dont know how she would know that.

Still, great final episodes, deffinetly worth a rewatch

I loved the way the battles reflected those at the end of TLOA firebender vs water bender apart from their good/bad alignment positions were reversed, and the same for Korra vs Zaheer (kind of) with the firebending flight vs the airbending flight.

The bad team members deaths were also a great part of those episodes, the moment with P'Li and Zaheer then leading to her death was brilliant

and cant wait to see how they deal with wheelchair bound Korra in season 4 going from her being such an active being to one whose now limited, maybe even exploring into how much of a depression she might sink into and how she would cope with it, but then again it is on Nick so maybe not.

 

[albear]

Season 4 might be rebuilding the earth kingdom now that the royal line is over.

It might become an extension of republic city (Kingdom of the Republic) and a possible start to having the whole world as one instead of separate nations as the wise swap guru said they are just illusions

 

[dalek sec]

This season got pretty gruesome. We saw people suffocate, people get poisoned with mercury, cranial explosions, electrocution, and assorted other gruesome deaths.
I thought this was a kid's show.

I'm starting to think maybe that's another reason why they went digital only, still have no idea how they got away with a bloody murder/suicide in season one.

OT: I bloody loved it! But gods those last few minutes were hard to watch, seeing someone so... active like Korra to end up so weak she looks like she's on death's door was heartbreaking for me. I'll be honest, I'm worried for what might happen to Korra in season four.

I think I need a hug....

 

[Kopikatsu]

Spoiler

the main one though, and im not sure if i missed where they mentioned the poison being metalic, was when Jinora randomly said, 'the poisons metallic, you can save her' i saw her watching as they discussed killing the avatar, but i dont remember hearing them say the poison had metal properties or anything so i dont know how she would know that.

Jinora watched them administer the poison, so she saw that it was liquid metal. And that it could be bended, since... well... she saw that part too.

Spoiler

However, I wish that the wheelchair bound Korra was completely unresponsive until near the end where she shed a tear. I think it would have made the scene more powerful, and would make the repeated comments about how 'She just needs time to heal' make a bit more sense.

 

[Radoh]

I only have one major gripe about the episodes and that's

Spoiler

Zaheer's ability to fly.
"I released all my earthly ties, now let's go finish a coup that effects matters solely tied to the earth's geo-political climate since my girlfriend is dead."
NO ZAHEER, THAT'S VERY CLEARLY AN EARTHLY TIE, WANTING TO SET A GLOBAL STATE OF ANARCHY IS MOST DEFINITELY AN EARTHLY TIE.
Other than that I'm wondering what they are going to do with Season 4, since it looks like Korra will be wheelchair bound for at least a portion of it.

 

[Imp_Emissary]

I started off skeptical about the season as a whole, but around the time of the "Terror Within" episode, things really started to pick up. The finale on the other hand, was exceptional. I wasn't a fan of Zaheer's sudden ability to fly, especially for a guy who has been airbending for 3 weeks at most, whereas airbending master such as Tenzin couldn't. Otherwise, the action was great, the story was great, and wow, that reveal at the end, with Korra being wheelchair bound, was in no way expected. I'm interested to see how they are going to explore this in Book 4, as in, is she permanently paralyzed, or have her legs just been seriously injured?

The poison was probably mercury, Korra may very well have erethism.


OT: Loved the last two episodes, much hype and feels.

Yeah, erethism isn't good.

"Acute mercury exposure has given rise to psychotic reactions such as delirium, hallucinations, and suicidal tendency."

She kind of had all the symptoms, except....... :c Next season might get VERY dark...

I only have one major gripe about the episodes and that's

Spoiler

Zaheer's ability to fly.
"I released all my earthly ties, now let's go finish a coup that effects matters solely tied to the earth's geo-political climate since my girlfriend is dead."
NO ZAHEER, THAT'S VERY CLEARLY AN EARTHLY TIE, WANTING TO SET A GLOBAL STATE OF ANARCHY IS MOST DEFINITELY AN EARTHLY TIE.
Other than that I'm wondering what they are going to do with Season 4, since it looks like Korra will be wheelchair bound for at least a portion of it.

Spoiler: Hmm....That's a good point.

Though I'm fine with it anyway. Philosophy's very lose with definitions and things. Plus, he basically got the same power as the Air Bison, and they seemed pretty attached to people/their own kind, yet they can fly. So if all you have left is your lust for anarchy, maybe that makes you light enough to fly? :/

Eh, anyway, I now know I definitely would pick to be an air bender if I could fly like that.

OT: I love how Zaheer got beat. Man who wanted to end all nations, brought crashing down to earth by the re-formed Air nation helping out the Avatar.

xD Such on that sock, Zaheer! xp

Still, while it was awesome to see Jinora with her master tattoos, liking a lot like her grandfather, I'm really worried about Korra.

Very good season though.

 

[Dreadman75]

Edit: After the penultimate episode they are Villain sue's, especailly Zaheer, remember the "Master an element takes decades" from the old series? Apperantly that not applies to him, since he masters air bending in 3 weeks.

Well, to be fair, Zaheer WAS studying airbending for years.

And let's not forget that Aang also managed to master 3 elements over the course of less than a year. And Korra had Water, Earth, and Firebending mastered at age 17. If someone is truly talented or works extremely hard, then mastering the elements appears remarkably simple.

 

[Kolby Jack]

I started off skeptical about the season as a whole, but around the time of the "Terror Within" episode, things really started to pick up. The finale on the other hand, was exceptional. I wasn't a fan of Zaheer's sudden ability to fly, especially for a guy who has been airbending for 3 weeks at most, whereas airbending master such as Tenzin couldn't. Otherwise, the action was great, the story was great, and wow, that reveal at the end, with Korra being wheelchair bound, was in no way expected. I'm interested to see how they are going to explore this in Book 4, as in, is she permanently paralyzed, or have her legs just been seriously injured?

The poison was probably mercury, Korra may very well have erethism.


OT: Loved the last two episodes, much hype and feels.

Yeah, erethism isn't good.

"Acute mercury exposure has given rise to psychotic reactions such as delirium, hallucinations, and suicidal tendency."

She kind of had all the symptoms, except....... :c Next season might get VERY dark...

I only have one major gripe about the episodes and that's

Spoiler

Zaheer's ability to fly.
"I released all my earthly ties, now let's go finish a coup that effects matters solely tied to the earth's geo-political climate since my girlfriend is dead."
NO ZAHEER, THAT'S VERY CLEARLY AN EARTHLY TIE, WANTING TO SET A GLOBAL STATE OF ANARCHY IS MOST DEFINITELY AN EARTHLY TIE.
Other than that I'm wondering what they are going to do with Season 4, since it looks like Korra will be wheelchair bound for at least a portion of it.

Spoiler: Hmm....That's a good point.

Though I'm fine with it anyway. Philosophy's very lose with definitions and things. Plus, he basically got the same power as the Air Bison, and they seemed pretty attached to people/their own kind, yet they can fly. So if all you have left is your lust for anarchy, maybe that makes you light enough to fly? :/

Eh, anyway, I now know I definitely would pick to be an air bender if I could fly like that.

OT: I love how Zaheer got beat. Man who wanted to end all nations, brought crashing down to earth by the re-formed Air nation helping out the Avatar.

xD Such on that sock, Zaheer! xp

Still, while it was awesome to see Jinora with her master tattoos, liking a lot like her grandfather, I'm really worried about Korra.

Very good season though.

It's not that I'm against the bitter sweetness, it's very powerful stuff.

Spoiler

BUT DAMN, it's like the creators are thinking "Oh, they didn't like how Korra came away from season 1 just fine even though Aang did the same thing? Fine, let's end EVERY season from now on with Korra TOTALLY FUCKED UP. First her past lives are removed (I don't think they were actually destroyed like some people think, because holy shit that's depressing) and now she's just barely functioning from the poison. Sure, consequences are good and all that, building character and stuff, but COME ON! Is it too much to ask that Korra win one of her fights clean? It really devalues the whole "savior of the world" aspect of being the Avatar when she can't beat ANY of her big villains without help or come away without being CRIPPLED. She's explicitly stated and shown to be a VERY talented bender. Aang cleanly beat the MOST POWERFUL FIREBENDER IN THE WORLD DURING SOZIN'S COMET. There's struggling for your victory and then there's suffering for it, and I'm pretty much at the limit for seeing Korra suffer. She needs a huge win next season, is all I'm saying.

 

[Imp_Emissary]

I started off skeptical about the season as a whole, but around the time of the "Terror Within" episode, things really started to pick up. The finale on the other hand, was exceptional. I wasn't a fan of Zaheer's sudden ability to fly, especially for a guy who has been airbending for 3 weeks at most, whereas airbending master such as Tenzin couldn't. Otherwise, the action was great, the story was great, and wow, that reveal at the end, with Korra being wheelchair bound, was in no way expected. I'm interested to see how they are going to explore this in Book 4, as in, is she permanently paralyzed, or have her legs just been seriously injured?

The poison was probably mercury, Korra may very well have erethism.


OT: Loved the last two episodes, much hype and feels.

Yeah, erethism isn't good.

"Acute mercury exposure has given rise to psychotic reactions such as delirium, hallucinations, and suicidal tendency."

She kind of had all the symptoms, except....... :c Next season might get VERY dark...

I only have one major gripe about the episodes and that's

Spoiler

Zaheer's ability to fly.
"I released all my earthly ties, now let's go finish a coup that effects matters solely tied to the earth's geo-political climate since my girlfriend is dead."
NO ZAHEER, THAT'S VERY CLEARLY AN EARTHLY TIE, WANTING TO SET A GLOBAL STATE OF ANARCHY IS MOST DEFINITELY AN EARTHLY TIE.
Other than that I'm wondering what they are going to do with Season 4, since it looks like Korra will be wheelchair bound for at least a portion of it.

Spoiler: Hmm....That's a good point.

Though I'm fine with it anyway. Philosophy's very lose with definitions and things. Plus, he basically got the same power as the Air Bison, and they seemed pretty attached to people/their own kind, yet they can fly. So if all you have left is your lust for anarchy, maybe that makes you light enough to fly? :/

Eh, anyway, I now know I definitely would pick to be an air bender if I could fly like that.

OT: I love how Zaheer got beat. Man who wanted to end all nations, brought crashing down to earth by the re-formed Air nation helping out the Avatar.

xD Such on that sock, Zaheer! xp

Still, while it was awesome to see Jinora with her master tattoos, liking a lot like her grandfather, I'm really worried about Korra.

Very good season though.

It's not that I'm against the bitter sweetness, it's very powerful stuff.

Spoiler

BUT DAMN, it's like the creators are thinking "Oh, they didn't like how Korra came away from season 1 just fine even though Aang did the same thing? Fine, let's end EVERY season from now on with Korra TOTALLY FUCKED UP. First her past lives are removed (I don't think they were actually destroyed like some people think, because holy shit that's depressing) and now she's just barely functioning from the poison. Sure, consequences are good and all that, building character and stuff, but COME ON! Is it too much to ask that Korra win one of her fights clean? It really devalues the whole "savior of the world" aspect of being the Avatar when she can't beat ANY of her big villains without help or come away without being CRIPPLED. She's explicitly stated and shown to be a VERY talented bender. Aang cleanly beat the MOST POWERFUL FIREBENDER IN THE WORLD DURING SOZIN'S COMET. There's struggling for your victory and then there's suffering for it, and I'm pretty much at the limit for seeing Korra suffer. She needs a huge win next season, is all I'm saying.

Hey, you know what they say.
"Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it"

That said, not every Avatar has gotten a happy ending. Remember that face stealing spirit? Took the face of someone a past avatar loved and probably that avatar's face as well.

Even Aang lost pretty much everyone he ever knew or cared about. It just took a bit for him to let it sink in because it happened years ago and he found new people he cared for, so it made it easier for him.

Spoiler: Also,

I don't think he ever had to deal with mercury poisoning.

That crap's noting to sniff at.

I do wish Korra luck though. She'll need it...

 

[A-D.]

I hated the villains in this season. Sure you could argue Season 2's Villian was very obvious, given the only thing he didnt do was say "Im the Villian" directly, but even he had more to him than Zaheer. Unalaq had a goal, he had a reason for that goal, a direct plan to achieve that goal and an actual endgame. Zaheer just had "Anarchy is good because chaos because natural order". He didnt have a goal, a plan or an endgame beyond "lets kill the avatar because that might work". As if the existance of the Avatar somehow enforces the whole monarchy/democracy stuff. The Avatar is just a peace-keeper essentially who can use all 4 elements, but the Avatar isnt some kind of demigod in this world to which anyone else has to directly answer.

Look at the Earth Queen in Season 3 for example. The only thing Anarchy would bring is that a new order forms out of it, because that is the actual natural cycle of things. You destroy one system, eventually its replaced by another system regardless. Even IF the Avatar dies that would happen eventually. The fact Zaheer didnt even think that far ahead makes him an utterly terrible villian. Amon from Season 1 was the best Villian in the whole show, he had a goal, motivation, a plan and an endgame, even if he built most of it on lies.

Zaheer feels like a bad mixture of Amon and Unalaq. He's just a terrible villian and the whole season suffers as a result because he simply isnt interesting or a credible threat, if the writers had been even remotely realistic with him, he'd be one of the nameless mooks of the actual big bad. I mean seriously, he learns Airbending how quickly? 3 Weeks? Maybe a bit over a month? Enough to stand up to a Master AND the Avatar on several occasions? I rather doubt it. If the henchmen are more interesting than the boss, thats a clear sign of trouble. Also the last fight felt too much like a repeat of Sozin's Comet.

 

[Best of the 3]

Just finished watching the episodes, really really good. The animation was great and I was hooked throughout. I'm kind of glad it ended the way it did. No "oh look everything is fixed" in the last ten minutes of S1. It'll have a lasting impact which we'll actually see in Book 4. Looking forward to see that.

All in all a very good season. So much better than two. Now if Nick won't fuck up the 4th one's viewing times and release.

 

[Grimh]

I really liked this season, maybe even more than the first season of Last Airbender (the """"""""worst"""""""" season in the original trilogy to me) though it has been a while since I saw those so don't quote me on that.

It was just pretty solid overall and didn't really majorly falter, I think, in the ways the other two seasons of Korra did.

Great finale too.
I've always had a soft spot for Korra even though she irritated me at times, seeing her like that did strike a chord. I'm a real sucker for bittersweet endings. It'll be interesting to see where they take this.

It's funny, the last season finale was supposed to be so grand and epic and yet it's this one felt way more, I don't know, significant(?) for some reason. It helps when you're actually invested I guess.

 

[mmmikey]

Well, to be fair, Zaheer WAS studying airbending for years.

Studying, not practicing. And they never made it clear what he studied about the air nomads. He seemed to only speak of guru teachings that he took to be literal but seemed like metaphors. He was in a prison for over a decade and outmaneuvers 3 of the white lotus members with just having acquired the ability. Do you really think looking at some illustrations or reading manuscripts years ago would be enough to master the technique he needed to pull that off? And continues to trump other bending masters. At least the writers had enough sense to give Tenzin the edge in a one on one fight.

You could give him some room on the matter but I think they took a lot of leeway in his prodigy.

 

[FPLOON]

Yeah... At first I was like "fuck you", then that changed to a bunch of "fuck yeah"s, and finally ended with a good ol' "fuck, I want more, dammit" in the best way possible...

Honestly, Book 3 left me satisfied as Book 1 and, to an extent, Book 2... Why did I take the last episode of Book 3 to realize the common theme of LoK that's been going on with various executions ranging from clever to "fuck you, Nick"? Sure, not everyone has fully recovered from the Book 1 finale and almost all of Book 2 (hopefully not in the same way Korra is recovering right now), but as long as Nick doesn't fuck up the marketing (again... again!), I'll await the arrival of Book 4 the same way I have for the other books in LoK... by wondering why the hell aren't they showing these episodes in rerun form almost in the same was Nicktoons shows off TLA like its always (and never) going out of style[footnote]Fuck you, Spongbob post-TLA finale... I'm not talking about you right now... (Don't try to change my wording like last time...)[/footnote]...

Overall, get well soon, Korra... You're going to need it...

 

[Kopikatsu]

I mean seriously, he learns Airbending how quickly? 3 Weeks? Maybe a bit over a month? Enough to stand up to a Master AND the Avatar on several occasions? I rather doubt it. If the henchmen are more interesting than the boss, thats a clear sign of trouble. Also the last fight felt too much like a repeat of Sozin's Comet.

I actually appreciated how they showed Zaheer's skill. He only preformed well against people who hadn't faced air benders in combat before (as the technique had been functionally dead for a century). Tenzin was able to easily overwhelm him in single combat, and he was only able to match Korra when

Spoiler

she was literally on the verge of death, and earlier when both her arms and legs were restrained.

The whole reason for the Red Lotus' cloak and dagger routine to get at Korra is because they couldn't take her in a fight.

Compared to a 'normal' person, Zaheer was greatly skilled. But when put to the test, his abilities didn't hold a candle to the real masters.

 

[MorganL4]

The old cast - I am NOT saying I don't like the show because of a lack of TLA characters, I get that it needs to be it's own thing but I DO hate what it has portraied some of TLA characters doing. Aang was not the kind of person who would let two of his children think they were less important to him than their younger brother and Katara is not the kind of person who would have let him do that even if he were.

I am in complete argreement with you on this. It is a complete disservice to Aang as a character. It is a bit like the episode where Katara and Sokka meet their dad's friend and Aang becomes jealous of the fact that they have other friends, it doesn't make any sense.

Spoiler: Finale opinion

Now, as far as the actual finale goes, I thought it was pretty good, not as impressive as TLA series finale, but a series finale vs a season finale are two different things. The other thing that confuses me is WHEN did you need to be an air bending master to have arrows? SERIOUSLY, in Aang's flashbacks back in TLA all the airbending monk trainees had arrows. I did like that Ginora FINALLY shaved her head though. It has been bugging me for three seasons that she wasn't especially when Milo already was.

 

[Saltyk]

I liked it. The ending was a real shocker. I did like that Asami and Korra seem to be good friends, now. And I predicted that the airbenders would end up acting as a sort of peacekeeper force way back in the early episodes, so that was kinda nice to see.

Get well, soon, Korra!

The old cast - I am NOT saying I don't like the show because of a lack of TLA characters, I get that it needs to be it's own thing but I DO hate what it has portraied some of TLA characters doing. Aang was not the kind of person who would let two of his children think they were less important to him than their younger brother and Katara is not the kind of person who would have let him do that even if he were.

I am in complete argreement with you on this. It is a complete disservice to Aang as a character. It is a bit like the episode where Katara and Sokka meet their dad's friend and Aang becomes jealous of the fact that they have other friends, it doesn't make any sense.

Spoiler: Finale opinion

Now, as far as the actual finale goes, I thought it was pretty good, not as impressive as TLA series finale, but a series finale vs a season finale are two different things. The other thing that confuses me is WHEN did you need to be an air bending master to have arrows? SERIOUSLY, in Aang's flashbacks back in TLA all the airbending monk trainees had arrows. I did like that Ginora FINALLY shaved her head though. It has been bugging me for three seasons that she wasn't especially when Milo already was.

You may wanna look again. None of the children had arrow tattoos. Only the adults, who had spent their entire lives airbending so naturally would have mastered it, had arrow tattoos.

Spoiler: Look again

That's Roku with Gyatso, too.​

It was even stated in the episodes of TLA that aired with factoids that only Airbending masters had arrow tattoos. Aang was the youngest person to ever receive his tattoos, though Jinora maybe the youngest, now. It's also been stated that Aang earned his tattoos by mastering 35 of the 36 tiers of airbending and inventing a new airbending technique, the Air Scooter. He was as good an airbender as children twice his age at the age of six, too.

The tattoos were always a symbol of airbending mastery just not thrown in your face, probably because Aang was a bit modest. Half the reason Aang didn't destroy every person he encountered was that he didn't want to hurt people and held back and tried to avoid fighting and harming others.