Get Bent

[bluegargantua]

Hey,

So I broke down and picked up a subscription to The Legend of Korra, the Avatar sequel on Nickelodeon.

First -- I bought a subscription to a new tv show...the future is getting better.

Second -- yeah, I'm still really enjoying this. I can tell when they're trying to make ties to the previous series, sometimes it's just a touch ham-handed, but I think the show is moving forward and the new cast will come into their own. I'm also a little confused that fire benders can also cast lighting bolt (that really should be an air trick, but earth benders can levitate rock which also seems off-element).

Because, you know, The Internet, I was able to look up that some fire benders did have lightning powers and that it now appears to be a much more common technique. In much the same way that earth benders could sometimes manipulate metal, but now Republic City cops can do it at will. I actually really like this -- as the setting has advanced in a technological sense, the magical powers have also grown and developed. Fantasy is often a quest for the status quo, but here it changes and evolves in a more science fiction-y way.

I also really like the bad guys of the show. They've got a solid motivation (we're jealous that some people have magical powers and we don't), and are actually effective (chi-blocking strikes to shut down benders, but they have to get close enough). The bad guy did, in fact, totally fail to kill Korra when he had the chance, but you can't have everything.

So yeah, good stuff
Tom

Comments

[metagnat.livejournal.com]

I still haven't finished watching the previous series. But clearly, I should.

[minerva42]

I've only seen the first two episodes... need to find time for the rest.

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

Yeah!! I had the same response to lightning and metal bending. What an interesting way to reflect the advancement of technology... something that was once the province of only a few super-advanced students is now obviously trainable, and is even a blue-collar skill. Fascinating.

[bluegargantua]

So is bending strictly hereditary? It's not clear and my wiki source was equally vague. It seems like it would have to be pretty hereditary for an Equalizer group to rise up. If bending was more random and anyone could be born a bender then it's a lottery thing and people might be less willing to support the Equalizers ("well, I'm not a bender, but maybe my kid will get lucky and be one so I'm not about to ostracize them just yet.")

It could also be that benders aren't growing very quickly with respect to the population at large so they're becoming more marginalized.

Anyway, the show is making me ask intelligent questions and it seems interested in answering them too so that's another good sign.

later
Tom

[peaseblossom.livejournal.com]

As far as I understand it, bending is both genetic and spiritual in nature, and fairly common in all of the nations -- the only place where bending was uncommon in the last series was the Southern Water Tribe, and that's because there had been an active campaign to imprison or kill all their benders -- so most people will have at least some bending genes in their makeup. Bending potential is maximized by a connection to the spiritual, which is why the Air Nomads were all airbenders.

I think one of the themes they're going for is that as Republic City becomes more materialistic, there are fewer benders, so both Korra and the citizens of RC are going to have to become more spiritually attuned to achieve balance.

[bluegargantua]

Oooh....if that's true I hope there's at lest one scene where someone says "well, when we were more spiritual, most of us were dirt farmers and now we've got cars and radios and pro bending tournaments and a steady job so I'm not sure I see the spiritual upside here".

later
Tom

[satyrgrl.livejournal.com]

I was wondering about this because of Mako and Bolin having different bending affinities. I always thought it was genetic, or ethnic, or something, which is why there were no air benders until Ang emerged, and why his progeny are now the only air benders.

[satyrgrl.livejournal.com]

We just got caught up last night. I'm still loving it, though I'm not quite over referring to Pabu as "new Momo," Naga as "new Apa" and Bolin as "new Sokka" (although looking up those names on wikipedia in order to write this post will probably help with that).

I like the whole progress of time, evolution of bending thing. It makes a sort of sense in context if you view it as the consequence of Ang returning balance to the elements. I also like that advances in bending appear to be the closely related the advances in technology, which provides a little more complexity. I'm still worried a little about this turning into a technology=bad/martial arts=good thing, rather than the more nuanced idea that advances in technology and quality of life provide paths to power for individuals who have historically been voiceless or oppressed. I am hoping they explain the mechanics of chi-blocking a little more, and sooner rather than later. Right now, I'm trusting that we will get an excuse for Amon's god-like powers, but I can't go without some explanation for too long.

I'm still a little apprehensive about the whole romance theme. I don't like that Korra instantly goes for the guy who is kinda mean and distant, rather than the one who is nice and friendly and clearly cares about her. Also, yes, fire benders are sexy. We get it. But I can get over that, because, dude, I was a teenage girl once and I totally appreciate the appeal of angsty and brooding. I instantly hated Asami Sato for being rich and pretty and actually quite nice, which I'm sure was the point. Still, I'm not sure how that could play out in a not-annoying way. Maybe she'll fall for Bolin. That would be not annoying.

Also, looking forward to seeing Korra do more Avatar stuff. Right now she's kinda an average teenager who just happen to have pan-elemental powers. I want to see her struggle with being Avatar and grow into the power the way Ang did.

But yeah, good stuff. Also, loving Tenzin.

[doctordidj.livejournal.com]

Glad to see more Avatards around here! This is the first and only show that got me to write actual fanfic.

I had understood that bending was nature plus nurture: the possibility is hereditary, but can be latent or recessive (e.g. neither Hakoda nor Kya are waterbenders, and of their two kids, Katara can waterbend and Sokka can't). In any case, bending always needs practice and/or training to develop. If so, only Aang's descendants could be airbenders in this world (besides Korra).

So I don't get how Bolin and Mako can be brothers and bend different elements.

The refined forms of bending used to be rare and difficult to master, but now seem routine. Metal (refined earth) bending was invented by Toph, lightning (refined fire) bending could only be done by the Fire Nation royal family. Both seem to be fairly common in Korra's world. Blood (refined water) bending I have not seen in this series yet. Is there a refinement for airbending? (oxygen?)

In the old series, only Ty Lee did the qi-blocking strikes. In this series, seems like many of the Equalists do it ... haven't heard an explanation of that yet.