Yes, I know that there's already a review and a independent thread about this, but I wanted to make more than just a comment and hopefully I have enough different things to say to validate having this here, anyway...
First of all, that was one hell of a two-parter! As good as the finale of TLA? No, but in all honesty it would be impossible for Korra to deliver the same kind of weight as the original, and I won't judge it on expectations it could never be expected to reach. That's just the hand most spin-off's are dealt from the beginning, and Korra is no exception. For what it's worth, it did hit a lot of the same bases as the original. The threat was satisfyingly huge (literally); the action was turned up to eleven; there were both comedic and dark moments in between that worked in equal measure; everyone got their fair share of hero moments great and small; and the whole thing was capped off in a way that left me feeling very satisfied.
If I have a lot of the same praises for both finales, then I also have the same major criticisms. If anything, the bow at the end is tied a little too neatly, and while it's not quite correct to call Korra's ending a deus ex machina, like Avatar's was, I still think it's really lame that a villain who's already gone so far off the deep end as Kuvira is talked down after a 60 second counselling session from Korra. Bah, humbug! It's a step down in my view from properly dark moments such as the death of Amon in Book 1, which still stands out for me as a highlight of the show, because it was a brave and appropriate departure in tone from its parent series. I'll admit I kind of winced every time someone used the words "taken out/down" or "destroyed" in this show. I think even the youngest members of Korra's audience are comfortable with the idea that death exists, so there's really no need to beat around the bush. Hell, even TLA, which was generally intended for a younger audience, seemed more comfortable with using the 'K' word.
That's my general overview, but the real reason I made this thread is the talk about the very last moments. If you've seen the show, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you haven't, then what the hell are you doing here?! Didn't you read the big letters?!
I was sceptical about the prospect of 'Korrasami', when other people started clamouring for it. This isn't because I object to the idea of seeing a romantic relationship between two women in a kids show, far from it. In fact, I was against the idea because I didn't think it would feel natural, that the writers didn't have what it takes to pull it off, given how romance always seemed to me like the weak link for storytelling in the Avatar universe, and that it would come off a cynical fan-service at best, or schoolboy snickering at worst. I thought the two characters worked as friends, and for the show to attempt matchmaking with them could spoil that, especially seem as neither character had shown any prior romantic interest in women. I didn't want to see two strong female characters in their own right to be reduced to something barely better than fan-fiction.
Well, I make this thread to say I was w... wru... wrruurnngg (sorry I struggle with this word sometimes) wr-wrong! I was wrong!
The imagery was explicit enough not to be just another sly wink at the audience. I don't think anybody old enough to have been aware of the Korrasami thing before now could say that that was platonic, but it also felt like an entirely natural, endearing moment. Maybe the message would have been more powerful if we had seen them kiss, but I think that would have felt A) Out of left field, and B) Too much like copying the image of Aang and Katara at the end of TLA (another romance that I was never entirely sold on either). What I'm trying to say is, it didn't feel like they were chickening out by not having them kiss on camera. Rather, it just felt like the right thing to do for those characters in that moment, and it left me smiling rather than rolling my eyes. Also, regardless of whether or not they could have gone further, for the younger members of the audience I think the image of two women holding hands and it not being in any way weird is still a good thing.
If the creators really are walking away for good, they've certainly left on a high note, though of course I'd be more than willing to throw money at any continuation of the universe (if Dark Horse could do a Korra comic like the generally excellent Avatar ones they've done, that'd be swell). If not, then I see myself frequently revisiting both shows on DVD in the future. That's my two cents on the thing, what about yours?
First of all, that was one hell of a two-parter! As good as the finale of TLA? No, but in all honesty it would be impossible for Korra to deliver the same kind of weight as the original, and I won't judge it on expectations it could never be expected to reach. That's just the hand most spin-off's are dealt from the beginning, and Korra is no exception. For what it's worth, it did hit a lot of the same bases as the original. The threat was satisfyingly huge (literally); the action was turned up to eleven; there were both comedic and dark moments in between that worked in equal measure; everyone got their fair share of hero moments great and small; and the whole thing was capped off in a way that left me feeling very satisfied.
If I have a lot of the same praises for both finales, then I also have the same major criticisms. If anything, the bow at the end is tied a little too neatly, and while it's not quite correct to call Korra's ending a deus ex machina, like Avatar's was, I still think it's really lame that a villain who's already gone so far off the deep end as Kuvira is talked down after a 60 second counselling session from Korra. Bah, humbug! It's a step down in my view from properly dark moments such as the death of Amon in Book 1, which still stands out for me as a highlight of the show, because it was a brave and appropriate departure in tone from its parent series. I'll admit I kind of winced every time someone used the words "taken out/down" or "destroyed" in this show. I think even the youngest members of Korra's audience are comfortable with the idea that death exists, so there's really no need to beat around the bush. Hell, even TLA, which was generally intended for a younger audience, seemed more comfortable with using the 'K' word.
That's my general overview, but the real reason I made this thread is the talk about the very last moments. If you've seen the show, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you haven't, then what the hell are you doing here?! Didn't you read the big letters?!
I was sceptical about the prospect of 'Korrasami', when other people started clamouring for it. This isn't because I object to the idea of seeing a romantic relationship between two women in a kids show, far from it. In fact, I was against the idea because I didn't think it would feel natural, that the writers didn't have what it takes to pull it off, given how romance always seemed to me like the weak link for storytelling in the Avatar universe, and that it would come off a cynical fan-service at best, or schoolboy snickering at worst. I thought the two characters worked as friends, and for the show to attempt matchmaking with them could spoil that, especially seem as neither character had shown any prior romantic interest in women. I didn't want to see two strong female characters in their own right to be reduced to something barely better than fan-fiction.
Well, I make this thread to say I was w... wru... wrruurnngg (sorry I struggle with this word sometimes) wr-wrong! I was wrong!
The imagery was explicit enough not to be just another sly wink at the audience. I don't think anybody old enough to have been aware of the Korrasami thing before now could say that that was platonic, but it also felt like an entirely natural, endearing moment. Maybe the message would have been more powerful if we had seen them kiss, but I think that would have felt A) Out of left field, and B) Too much like copying the image of Aang and Katara at the end of TLA (another romance that I was never entirely sold on either). What I'm trying to say is, it didn't feel like they were chickening out by not having them kiss on camera. Rather, it just felt like the right thing to do for those characters in that moment, and it left me smiling rather than rolling my eyes. Also, regardless of whether or not they could have gone further, for the younger members of the audience I think the image of two women holding hands and it not being in any way weird is still a good thing.
If the creators really are walking away for good, they've certainly left on a high note, though of course I'd be more than willing to throw money at any continuation of the universe (if Dark Horse could do a Korra comic like the generally excellent Avatar ones they've done, that'd be swell). If not, then I see myself frequently revisiting both shows on DVD in the future. That's my two cents on the thing, what about yours?
