Legend of Korra Episode 1

In 2005, the team of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko brought us an amazing three season story of “Avatar the Last Airbender”. This April, they return with a new installment for the Avatar series, “Avatar the Legend of Korra”. With the television debut having been this weekend, I feel it’s safe to do an episode summary/review. If you haven’t seen the episodes or don’t want to hear about them, this post is not for you.

Please remember, you’ve been spoiler warned!


Our story begins with a blizzard laden evening in the Southern Water Tribe home at the South Pole. The Order of the White Lotus has taken over for the temple sages in searching for, and guiding, the new Avatar. Three members of the White Lotus arrive at a humble abode to be greeted by a proud couple. Why are they proud? Well, when the lady calls for Korra (pronounced core-ra) to come into the room, the wall is blasted away and we see Toph jr! Well, actually, we meet their young daughter, Korra.

With a snarl of “I’m the Avatar. Deal with it!” she quickly shows that she has indeed discovered Earth bending, Fire bending and Water bending. One fire sprayed scene change later we meet teenage Korra taking her Fire bending test. As a White Lotus member notes Korra has the power but lacks restraint. The discussion after the test reveals that Korra has the power and elemental mastery. But she lacks the spiritual side that an Avatar needs. It’s elderly Master Katara who persuades the White Lotus members that Korra should begin Air bending training with the only Air bender, Katara’s son, Tenzin (pronounced ten-z-in). Perhaps he can help her achieve the spiritual side of the Avatar as well as teaching her to Air bend.

Korra and Aang are about as different as any two people could be. Aang dreaded being the Avatar because he had been all over the world and had seen the pressures that the Avatar title brought. In order to “keep her safe”, the Order of the White Lotus has built a compound at the South Pole. Korra has grown up only knowing that she has to master the four elements and use them to help people. Her sheltered life leaves her with no real understanding of what responsibilities being the Avatar will bring.

Apparently, Korra’s only grudgingly allowed out of the compound to let her polar bear dog, Naga, exercise.

Tenzin and his family soon arrive on a sky bison. (Guess Appa wasn’t the last sky bison after all.) We meet the stoic Tenzin, his exasperated, and pregnant, wife, Pema (pronounced p-emma) and their three lunatics – I mean kids. I’m not kidding. The youngest child and only son, Meelo (pronounced me-low), is literally chewing on Tenzin’s head. The daughters, eldest child, Jinora (pronounced gin-or-a) and, middle child, Ikki (pronounced eek-ee) are beyond excited to see Grandma Katara.

Unfortunately, Tenzin can only stay one night as he is needed in Republic City. The city that Aang and Firelord Zuko founded in order to promote peace and harmony among the elemental nations is not so harmonious. So, Tenzin can’t move to the compound. Likewise, the city is just too dangerous for the new Avatar Korra to move there. (In other words the Order of the White Lotus has gone from a secret club of old farts to a cagey militia of Avatar overly-protectors.)

The stage is pretty much set for Korra to do (what else?) run away and follow Tenzin to Republic City anyway. Before she leaves, Korra stops to say good-bye to her parents. This is an excellent “human moment” to show Korra’s parents as still being an important part of Korra’s life as well as supportive of her choices. If only Toph’s parents could have been that way.

Without spoiling too much more, Korra gets her first taste of Republic City’s ups and downs. In other words the fire hits the victrola once Korra gets off the boat. One of the most interesting aspects of Korra’s personality is that she’s highly confident in her skills rather than being arrogant about her title. She doesn’t walk around the city trying to use the Avatar title to get her way. Nor does she outwardly announce that she’s the Avatar. It’s up to those around her to figure out who she is based on her actions.

Another highlight of the episode is Korra’s encounter with the no nonsense daughter of Toph Bai Fong, Lin. As the Republic City Police Chief, Lin is not impressed nor swayed by any of Korra’s words. When Tenzin arrives to retrieve Korra, Lin is just as nonplussed with him. In another nice “human moment”, Lin thumbs her nose at Korra as the girl leaves with Tenzin. Korra returns the favor to Lin.

Previous series fans will see quite a bit of continuity nods to the original Last Airbender series. The old war blimps have evolved into patrol blimps. Katara is still the understanding soul that she was as a teenager. The elemental nations still dress according to their elemental colors. Even some small things come back like seeing more of a beast mentioned in Book Two of the original Avatar series – a platypus bear!

Let’s not forget all the new items to entice us. We see how much larger the Southern tribe homes have become since Katara’s days. There’s a ton of new technology like cars, victrolas and radios going around. Plus we get to see what a cityscape is like in the Avatar universe.

Just in the first episode, this already looks to be an interesting series. Episode 2 is for the next post.

Thanks to Tumblr.com for the pics.