![]() ![]() This is why I don’t think Konietzko and DiMartino should be criticized too harshly. That’s part of what makes Lin’s sacrifice in “Turning the Tides” so powerful it’s a gesture of love in its truest form, surpassing all petty emotions of jealousy and regret, and it’s executed flawlessly. Just from the way these two characters interact, we get the whole story. Here’s a relationship that speaks volumes without ever even talking about it. I’m talking about the connection between Lin and Tenzin. (Hell, we see it all the time in 90-minute feature films.) What's more, I think we’ve seen a compelling romance told in this very series - and no, I’m not talking about the one between Korra and Mako. ![]() Now, I'm not one of those people who thinks the relationships were “rushed,” because I’m of the opinion that twelve half-hour episodes is more than enough time to tell a satisfying love story. While the characters by themselves had some very strong qualities, it was the romance subplot that really fell short. This brings me to one of the series’ most glaring downfalls: the love triangle. (Personally, I think Penny Arcade summed him up the best.) It was almost as if the creators forgot to play up what I imagine would have been his mischievous charm. He was certainly featured enough to warrant our attention, but the character never really came into his own. In fact, the only character that didn’t fully meet expectations was Mako. Even auxiliary characters like Pema, General Iroh and Hiroshi Sato had their moments to shine alongside Team Avatar. It also helps that they were voiced by such a talented cast of voice actors. They all had extremely complementary personalities, each with their own quirks and foibles. (I think Meelo get's the MVP award this season.) More importantly, these characters worked really well together as a team. Characters like Bolin, Tenzin’s kids and even Korra showed us a lighter side to the story that helped ease the dramatic tension. (Thanks, Steve Blum.) But the show also came with a healthy dose of humor to counterbalance the overarching conflict. Above all else, he was a character with redeeming qualities, and that’s always the mark of a good villain. It was really his storyline that set in motion these new themes of equality and questioning right from wrong. ![]() Amon was a character with multiple layers, and he embodied a side of antagonism that we’d never seen before in the Avatar universe he was morally amorphous - a radical tyrant, for sure, but one with fair-minded goals and a complicated past. Through the eyes of Amon, we were given a new viewpoint that felt more believable and relatable than Fire Lord Ozai’s self-serving quest for dominance. The series also presented a fresh and innovative take on the bending world at large. All things considered, in terms of visual style, The Legend of Korra is second to none. While this might have been initially jarring for longtime viewers of the Avatar series, the show’s updated makeup really lent to the darker stories, giving us the edgier facelift we never knew we wanted. The sharp contour lines of the characters contrast perfectly with the impressionistic, almost painterly backdrops - any one of which could be used for my next desktop image.The show also introduced a decidedly new look for its 70-year time jump, infusing elements of steampunk and 1920s industrialism into its previously established eastern flair. From character and set design to the fluid movement of the intricate choreography, there is no denying that Korra has taken the animated medium to new heights on television. Indeed, this show may be the most beautifully rendered animated series airing today. Technically speaking, the animation has never looked better. No spoilers for story content that was released less than a month ago.In many ways, The Legend of Korra did exceed the original Avatar series.
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