Please remember, you’ve been spoiler warned!
Episode Two, “A Leaf in the Wind”, opens with Korra reading the news about the latest Pro Bender Match. She has been a fan since she was little and dearly wants to see a real match. Tenzin hardly shares her opinion of the Pro Bender Matches. He intends for Korra to stay on the island to train. The army of White Lotus guards is there to make sure that she does just that.
The next morning sees Tenzin and Korra discussing the fact that Korra can’t air bend despite her many attempts. It’s also here that we get another wonderful “human moment”. Korra is not wearing the shawl for the air nomad costume correctly. Tenzin merely helps her adjust the shawl correctly. All the while, the duo is discussing the fact that air bending has been Korra’s elusive element. There’s no verbal acknowledgement of the shawl faux-pas at all.
It’s also here that we begin to see the different personalities of Tenzin and Pema’s children. Jinora appears to have her father’s self-control and lower key attitude. Ikki is still hyper happy. Meelo is… basically a human Lemur.
Finally we get to see what air bending training really looks like. Apparently, it’s a bit evil. To get the feeling of flowing like a leaf on the wind, a beginner must weave through a gauntlet of spinning wooden panels. Despite the children’s encouragements, Korra’s attempts are less than impressive. To be honest, I can’t imagine Tenzin being cruel enough to put his little kids through that. Jinora does give a good demonstration of how it’s done. But that thing would beat the crap out of Meelo!
No one can say that Korra is a quitter though. That night, she tries harder than ever to force air bending to work and ends up Fire bending in frustration. She becomes distracted when she hears some of the White Lotus sentries listening to a Pro Bender Match on the radio. Tenzin discovers her and sends her to bed.
For someone who’s supposed to be an Air bender, Tenzin is uptight. Korra calls him on that fact during meditation. “You’re telling me to embrace freedom. Yet you won’t let me listen to the radio and forget about leaving this island.” As one can guess, Korra grows increasingly frustrated with her inability to grasp Air bending.
Once again, nightfall brings Korra out with an escape. This time, she heads to the arena to see a Pro Bending Match for herself. Discovered by an elderly gym owner, Korra is about to be handed to security when she is rescued by a Pro Bender named Bolin. He introduces Korra to his twin brother, Mako. Korra gets to see her first match as well as her first Pro Bender fighting style lesson.
Back at the island, things still aren’t working out well. Her frustration finally peaks. Korra gives the panel gauntlet a taste of Fire bending power. Tenzin is understandably upset considering that this device has somehow managed to survive for 2,000 years. Without concern, Korra blames him for her frustration and stomps off. Again, we see an endearing “human moment” as both Jinora, Ikki and the audience realize that Tenzin’s feelings have been hurt. Even Meelo’s comical copying of Korra’s words and actions can’t detract from the emotion of the moment.
While Tenzin and his family sit down to a meal, Korra sneaks off to the Pro Bender Match again. This time she arrives to a very sullen Bolin and Mako. Their Water bender has ditched them. A team cannot participate without all three elements being represented. Korra ends up filling in and the match gets underway. In her exuberance, Korra ends up Earth bending which leads to the match referees’ realization that she is the Avatar.
When Aang’s revelation as the Avatar was announced, his friends didn’t want to play with him. They claimed that being the Avatar gave him an advantage and would be unfair to the other players. Things have really changed over the past 200 years. The referees decide to allow Avatar Korra to play with the stipulation that she only Water bend.
Naturally, Korra’s first match gets off to a shaky start. To make matters worse, Tenzin arrives to confront her. After an altercation, Korra returns to the match. Tenzin is about to leave but decides to stay and watch. With the opposing team really giving Korra all the bending they’ve got, something clicks. Perhaps a panel gauntlet just wasn’t the proper motivation that Korra needed to unlock her potential. But a barrage of elemental bending attacks sure did the trick! Korra weaves and dodges long enough for the rivals to tire. Then she, Mako and Bolin take the fight to them.
Later, Korra comes to Tenzin to apologize for lashing out at him. He concedes that he was to blame as well. Although she still can’t Air bend, Korra is ready to get back to training – both with Tenzin and with Mako and Bolin, her new Pro Bending Match partners.
With the first two episodes alone, Korra has proven that it will be another great series for Nickelodeon. Beautiful backgrounds, wonderful life in the character animation and an engaging storyline promise to keep fans deeply immersed in the Avatar world for years to come.
To be honest, I’ve only got two questions of the series so far.
1. Can Korra metal bend?
2. Has Katara passed on the forbidden “blood bending” power to anyone?
Thanks again to Tumblr.com for the pics.
No comments:
Post a Comment