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[LumRanmaYasha]

"A Breath of Fresh Air"

[gunswordfist]

Thanks, homie. (Hopefully) I am about to start catching up now so I can watch the new episodes tonight. How many episodes have been shown so far?

[LumRanmaYasha]

The first three episodes have already aired. From this week forward there will be two new episodes every week until the season is finished.

[gunswordfist]

I just figured out that, except for the two new episodes every week from now on so thanks.

I just finished episode 3. Looks like they are getting it right finally. Episode 1 really was a fresh breath of air. Korra is concerned, funny, has her attitude back and has clearly developed. Almost like Yusuke after Dark Tournament where he realized that he shouldn't be stuck in his old ways. Basically, what I've been wanting Korra to be like. I also like what they have been doing with Asami. Korra and Asami finally came clean with each other so it finally makes sense that Asami can stand to be around her. Asami has also been more than "blah, fly/supply stuff and have Mako turn to you" girl. Her trying to teach Korra to drive also showed her getting out of her being just a driver for everyone and I was so happy to see her actually fight again. She literally fought no one in Book 2 and with Bumi becoming an Airbender, she could be the good non-bender character like she should have been last season.

Speaking of Bumi, I am glad he became an Airbender.  I loved that part. I thought he actually was justa late bloomer at first but that's obviously not true.

The new big bad already has more personality than Amon and the evil Unalaq combined and that made me love his reveal scene. I hope his motivations aren't too clinched. Oh and he's an Airbender! I believe Grave was talking about having a villain be one here. Also, having a Combustion Woman sounds interesting. They are covering a lot of possibilities.

Finally, Zuko, finally.

Bolin gave me my first big laugh of the season. That grandma impersonation was hilarious. I am happy he has actually has a good goal this season.

Korra going on an adventure is what I've been asking for. If they also reach ALTA Book 1's potential, this will be my favorite season. I love adventure more than probably anything in an action show.

It became kind of obvious that their quest for Airbenders would not be as optimistic as they were putting it from the start seeing as the first stranger Airbender they found almost fell off of a freaking bridge. The farmer put it perfectly, he's just a man with Airbender. That showed how silly the optimism the gang showed and in what can be found in similar shows can be when it comes to situations like this. I thought the scenes where they where looking for Airbenders when on too long. I already knew only a few special characters would join by then. That's my only complaint so far.

I don't know what to make of Ky except he reminds me of a cross between Aang and Yahiko...ok, thathas a lot of potential once I think about it. I like the Dai Li's return and how they are villains ago. After seeing them hover by the brothers, that's what I had hoped for. I do hope this visit to BOSS doesn't last too long though. I want to see some different places. Anyway, the bros being united with their family was a great surprise. Even though Mako is still blah, it's good that they both finally have been written a good place in the show.

This...improvement may be two seasons too late but my faith is being restored in the Avatar staff.

[Peanutbutter]

Here's a recent interview with Korra's actress Janet Varney:


http://www.followingthenerd.com/tv/the-big-interview-ftn-interviews-korra-herself-janet-varney/



According to her, the reason the schedule has been screwy is because of how complicated the production on the show is. I'd like to believe she's right, but I think that was just an excuse she was given. The fact that Korra isn't even repeating on Nick.com or OnDemand or any of the other cable venues speaks volumes about what Nick thinks of this show.

[gunswordfist]

You mean not repeating? Yeah, that sounds shady.

[Peanutbutter]

^Yeah, I forgot to say "isn't" instead of "is", my bad.



Anyway, five episodes in now and I can now safely say the beginning of this season is way better than how last season started. They've done a much better job with Asami, Bolin, AND Mako's roles this go-around. Kai seems okay so far, I don't mind them apparently shipping him with Jinorra. I am glad they've still dropped Mako/Korra though. Even Bolin's relationship with Opal seems like it's going to be way better than the ice princess (whom thankfully has been sticking to what her character does better: deadpan snarking and awesome ive-bending with her brother).


I could have done without Lin's attitude in the last episode though, if they had at least showed what happened with her sister it might be more tolerable. But right now, yeesh.    At least it's obvious they're going to have flashback or something very soon.


Finally on the villains' side, not only do we meet Combustion Woman and Zaheer being awesomely clever; VARRICK IS BACK!!! WHOOHOO!!!!   

[Daikun]

VARRICK IS BACK!!! WHOOHOO!!!!   

[Nel_Annette]

I'm wondering if the rest of this season will focus on the Zaheer thing and the plot of Book 4 will be the Earth Queen going to war with the Republic with Varrick trying to profit from war again.

[gunswordfist]

Episode 4: I watched it early this morning. My favorite episode so far. I love that Yaanghiko is showing good development and that he's multi-dimensional. I also loved the Dai Li action (and seeing Lake Laogai). I fanboyed pretty hard during all of that. I think I'm underappreciating the fact that they have a small army of Airbenders now. That was pretty awesome.

Lord Zuko has his first Korra fight..and gets his butt kicked. This series is kind to no hero. I suspected as much because when top villains show up near the beginning, benevolent asses get whipped. Only Bumi and Asami are undefeated in the show now and Bumi barely counts.

I wonder if they were comparing Earth Queen forcing people in her army to how Korra and Tenzin tried to get Airbenders to join them..ok, it's kind of obvious they were seeing how nice they were afterwards

Episode 5: I finished this about ten minutes ago. I like how this was a slower character and world building episode. And that Varrick showed up out of nowhere. That was a great surprise. I also loved everything about the metal city. Seeing that metal bending elevator made me feel better about Ba Sing Se replacing their Earthbending train...with a train.

Korra shows that she's still heavy handed with other people's personal problems. She honestly had no busy saying anything about that. I wonder what Ba Fong's sister did to her.

At first I thought bald dude was someone Zaheer sent then I figured it was him and was right...yeah, this what happens when you take in strangers in your home. Oh and Kya faces her first human in the show and gets her butt kicked. Again, show not kind.

Also, Zaheer reminds me of something I thought of about a few episodes ago - this Book seems to have a running theme of things not being what they seem.

[gunswordfist]

Also, I like how this season directly ties into the last. Especially with how Book 2 never ever referenced Book 1 outside of talking about Probending, Mako/Korra and Tenzin training Korra. I was genuinely surprised when Bolin mentioned the Book 1 revolution since it was never talked about in Book 2.

I think Zaheer is trying to use Korra to reach enlightenment.

Remember the Swamp in ATLA that created a tornado? I think they implied that the planet has a spirit and it might be responsible for creating new Airbenders.

Hopefully they show a flashback of Sokka helping fight this season's villain. Especially if he is shown finally using his boomerang and sword together, Link style. Especially if he hits Combustion Woman in the forehead. I suspect that the villains won't have anyone else working with them and they decided to try and give them a lot of personality because of that.

Now they just got to have benders who can use neutral ging, bend water out of air and have multi-colored flames like those master dragons had.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Did anyone else watch episodes 6 and 7?

As for my thoughts:

-Eh, I understand Lin's beef with her sister, but after seeing the flash-back....yeah, I kind of have to side with her sister a bit. It was a long time ago and it wasn't so horrendous a thing that Lin had to be as much of a bitch as she was about it. It really didn't justify her taking it out on Opal in the previous episodes. At one point I was wondering if her aggression was really directed more towards Toph than her sister, but she seems to be fine after they had that fight, so I guess not. What we do see that's interesting is the moral gray-ness of the situation, and how Toph, much like Aang, wasn't necessarily an ideal parent.

-So it looks like Tenzin's ways of tradition just won't help him connect with his new disciples. It's nothing new, really, as he had the same problem while trying to train Korra, but at least it looks like he's finally accepted the fact that his methods might not be the most ideal.

This week's episodes were kind of slow, but I do see how the airbender episode helps to set up the rebirth of the air nation, and for the sake of this plot, it'll give them a mini-army of capable benders who they will no doubt have to use against Zaheer in some way by the end of this season.

[Nel_Annette]

I think all the pent up anger wasn't jut the thing that happened but the fact that she followed her mother's footsteps, thinking it would make her proud, but it didn't, and Su went off on her own after being a brat, and got the happy family, the city, the togetherness and all that bullshit.

The airbender episode was alright, and a nice change of pace, but we're about halfway through the season now and Korra still hasn't even seen Zaheer and his crew.

[The Shadow Gentleman]

This seasons pretty solid so far. I like the idea of the Air Nation being rebuilt, and the Zaheer confrontation looks like it will be good.

Needs more Varrick though.

[gunswordfist]

Did anyone else watch episodes 6 and 7?

As for my thoughts:

-Eh, I understand Lin's beef with her sister, but after seeing the flash-back....yeah, I kind of have to side with her sister a bit. It was a long time ago and it wasn't so horrendous a thing that Lin had to be as much of a bitch as she was about it. It really didn't justify her taking it out on Opal in the previous episodes. At one point I was wondering if her aggression was really directed more towards Toph than her sister, but she seems to be fine after they had that fight, so I guess not. What we do see that's interesting is the moral gray-ness of the situation, and how Toph, much like Aang, wasn't necessarily an ideal parent.

-So it looks like Tenzin's ways of tradition just won't help him connect with his new disciples. It's nothing new, really, as he had the same problem while trying to train Korra, but at least it looks like he's finally accepted the fact that his methods might not be the most ideal.

This week's episodes were kind of slow, but I do see how the airbender episode helps to set up the rebirth of the air nation, and for the sake of this plot, it'll give them a mini-army of capable benders who they will no doubt have to use against Zaheer in some way by the end of this season.

Yeah, this just made Lin look bad. I almost thought her sister killed somebody or something. Most of the time I thought she stole a man or something but it ended up being something even smaller than that. Hopefully Lin doesn't get as much backlash as Korra did in the first half of season 2..and people start liking her sister and not her, like how so many people loved Wan and turned on Korra (and called her a bitch)

And yep, episode 7 was a decent slow episode. It had some key development and Kai clearly actually cares about Jinora (and the bison, that was a nice touch) At first it seemed like he would just use her.

Also, not a fan of Korra becoming a metal bender. I liked the idea of the Avatar never becoming a specialist in any element(Lightning, Blood, Metal). I think it kind of makes the others even less useful. Hell, Mako and Bolin have been kind of good for nothing when it comes to fights already.

I think all the pent up anger wasn't jut the thing that happened but the fact that she followed her mother's footsteps, thinking it would make her proud, but it didn't, and Su went off on her own after being a brat, and got the happy family, the city, the togetherness and all that bullshit.

The airbender episode was alright, and a nice change of pace, but we're about halfway through the season now and Korra still hasn't even seen Zaheer and his crew.

Um, so? Korra's doing her own thing and developing even more and we are learning a tiny bit more about Zaheer's motivations and skills (He wants to kill the president and he can spiritually sense Korra's and possibly others' locations) Them meeting near the end would not be a problem at all.