Avatar: The Last Airbender

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

So, where is this going next?

Well, Korra is the bridge between the spirit world and the physical world, not Amon. So, basically, because Amon claims to have had spiritual enlightenment, Korra would need to find out what's up. Basically, she's going to go to a statue of Aang -maybe on the solstice- and further connect the bridge into the spiritual side of bending. In other words, not only are we going to see more of Aang, but we're also going to see how the spirits relate to the new advancements and Republic City. Remember that the spirit world is supposed to keep the physical world in balance. Kinda like two sides to the same coin. Last we saw, the Spirit World looked very much like a dense swamp. I wonder what Korra will see when she goes in? Also, Amon could have spoken with spirits. After all, Iroh supposedly ventured into the Spirit World after the loss of his son and developed a great respect for the spirits. Amon lost his family. I'm not sure how exactly he got into the spirit world, but it can't be something everyone who experiences loss goes through (after all, Katara and Sokka lost their mother and Mako and Bolin lost their parents. They didn't venture into the Spirit World aside from Sokka who was taken by an enraged Spirit). In any case, this series is going to get really interesting later on, and I can't wait! ^^

[Lyichir]

Here's an idea that I've been mulling over regarding Amon.

Assuming it isn't some sort of advanced chi blocking method that takes longer to wear off (the head is where the spirit chakra is, so maybe that?), it is possible Amon isn't lying at all. A firebender could of burned his face, and he could of been granted to it by spirits who think that the world has been pushed into disarray by benders. Keep in mind the hundred year war that happened because of Aang running away. While in the previous show the spirits didn't seem to have anything against Aang, they could of mulled it over after he restored balance to the world. Seems like a bit of a long shot, but the spirits could of decided that bending has brought the world too much suffering.Also keep in mind the current state of the world, which may of influenced the spirits. Benders are much like a noble class; while Mako and Bolin are an obvious example of not all benders being high up, note that all the mobsters we've seen are benders. Note that the elite police are benders. There are the occasional people while Mako and Bolin who aren't so lucky, but in general it seems that benders are in fact on a higher step than the normal population. If the spirits saw that, and combined it with the fact that the Fire Nation had used bending to conquer the world a mere seventy years ago... they could draw the conclusion that the era of benders was over. Keep in mind that in the previous series, benders and normals were pretty well balanced. Being a bender didn't really give you special treatment from what we saw of the characters. So yeah. It is entirely possible that Amon is telling the truth when the spirits gave him energy bending abilities to begin a new era where bending was no more. What I want to know, personally, is how this would effect the Avatar. As per the Lion Turtle, we know there was a time before the Avatar was around, when everyone used energy bending. Would that period re-emerge, the cycle of the Avatar coming to an end?Also keep in mind the technological advancement that could come from this; while Aang and Zuko have obviously done a great job moving the technology level forward, the world seems to of been stagnant for thousands of years, if the hundreds of Avatar statues we see in the first few episodes of the last series says anything. In a world without bending, people would be forced to actually make technology to solve their problems. That could be another reasons for the spirits getting involved.TL;DR Amon may be speaking the truth in every which way.Alternative version; some of the more malicious spirits are using Amon to bring chaos. While we haven't seen any inherently 'bad' spirits, we do know they can hold grudges. It's possible Aang ticked some of them off after the first series ended, and this is their way of getting back at the Avatar, as to them they don't see the Avatar as being different people but the same spirit inhabiting different bodies.

I'd like to point out one minor quibble in your explanation, which is that mobsters are far from a "noble class". And based on some of the industrial-level jobs benders seem to take (such as Mako and other firebenders working at the power plant in this latest episode), I'd argue that there's plenty of benders in middle- to lower-income jobs. In fact, if there is a correlation between bending and economic class, I'd reckon it would be more that benders have more economic mobility.It's possible that Amon did in fact get his ability to take away bending from spirits. Or maybe he discovered the lost knowledge of spiritbending from a secret library, in the middle of the desert. I'm not going to speculate one way or another at this point in the series, when we know too little about either Amon's past, as well as knowing very little about the current state of either the physical world or the spirit world.

[Alex Humva]

Noble class was a poor choice of words, and the economics are fuzzy; all the same, I can very easily see the Equalist side of things. The problem I see in my argument though is that if you took people's bending away, they'd just make tommy guns to kill each other. That could tie into it though; the spirits are, well, spiritual, belonging to the world of bending. They might not be able to realize that, in helping humanity advance forward technologically, they'd just be encouraging people to invent new ways of killing rather than just using a fireball.Here's an interesting idea; many crafts we saw in the last series, like metalbending and lightningbending, are being used commonly nowadays. Do any of you think there could be a cult of bloodbenders? Pretty sure it'd be viewed as a dark, black magic sort of thing, but with these advanced methods now common place, it could be the same with bloodbending. Be interesting to have Korra go up against them, seeing as she's a Water Tribe Avatar and all.

Edited April 24, 2012 by Programmer Alex Humva

[Bfahome]

I don't think Koh took Amon's face, because you can clearly see eyes under his mask. Koh tends to not leave anything behind.It could be that he just wants to hide his true face, maybe because he thinks he has more power if he does. He could've been burned by a fire bender or not, but I don't think he was a victim of Koh.

Edited April 25, 2012 by Bfahome

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

The music in Korra is the Twenty Three to my Skidoo. Also, the new episode was amazing. I like where this is headed. Still shipping Makorra. ^^

[BenLuke]

Latest episode:Meh.

[Aanchir]

I loved the latest episode. It's definitely clear that, just like with the bending (the Avatar having to learn Air rather than any of the elements we watched Aang master), the creators want to take this show in a different direction than before. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, shipping didn't become a major part of the series except for occasional ship tease until Season 2. In this series, they are bringing it into the plot early on. I'm sure it will continue to play a role after this episode, but by tackling a few aspects of it early they have managed to make it clear that "OK guys, the shipping might have to take a back seat for a while, but we're aware of it and the characters are, too."I'm not much for choosing sides when it comes to shipping. Both Makorra and Masami are quite cute, not to mention Bolin's flirtation with Korra (does that have a name yet?), and I'd be happy to see it progress in any of those directions-- or, if it suits the plot, none of them.As for the specifics of that last episode:

There was definitely something suggestive about the way Tahno was talking to Korra. It was pretty disturbing for a kids' show! But it made sense in the context of the plot and helped to establish what a scumbag Tahno is. Korra's way of getting back at him-- looking like she's about to bend, then whistling for Naga to come scare the bejeebies out of him-- was both hilarious and awesome.Bolin's blubbering later on varied from hilarious to downright pitiful. I wasn't sure whether to laugh at him or feel sorry for him! I felt it was a bit of a shame that Korra never tried to explain herself after that happened. Even just going so far as to say she was having fun with Bolin but didn't have feelings for him might have been good for him, I think. It says a lot about Korra that while Mako will go right out and deny he has feelings for her, she wouldn't do the same for Bolin. Whether this is because she was unsure about her relationship with him, because she was simply trying to make Mako jealous, or because she simply didn't think about how Bolin would feel, I think it was a bit unfair of her just to leave it at "things are confusing right now" without giving him any idea where he stands.Then again, later on Mako admitted that he did have some feelings for Korra but that he really wanted to be with Asami, so perhaps Korra couldn't be much more forthright with Bolin without being slightly dishonest like Mako was with her. Pick your poison: giving a straight answer to spare someone else the uncertainty, or giving an honest answer and have them have to deal with that uncertainty themselves.Shipping aside, one of my favorite parts of the episode was when Bolin vomited and the Pro-Bending announcer used that as a springboard to bring up that match's sponsor. The ridiculousness of it made it extremely hilarious. Perhaps others might have been too opposed to "gross-out" humor to enjoy that, but personally I just had to giggle thinking about how the sponsor might have felt having had their brand brought up in that less-than-ideal context.

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

I've got mixed feelings about the latest episode...

Seems that the shipping was really rushed. Though, the fact that they're going this far into the relationships this soon really shows that they're going a different direction here. Also, the way the relationships were handled kinda surprised me a bit. Having Korra confess point blank to Mako caught me off guard. I don't think she went out with Bolin to make Mako jealous, I think it was because he actually showed interest in her right after she was rejected, and because she probably didn't want the gloom and doom to thicken even more. She could've rejected Bolin there while she was feeling sorry for herself, or she could have gone out and enjoyed an evening with someone who liked her. I'd opt for the fun evening. XPKorra is an awesome bender. Period. The only character I'm ever trusting now is Pabu. XDD Also, I'm kinda in the mood for noodles tonight... I'm interested to see if Asami and Korra will develop a friendship. It'll be interesting to see what the creators have in store with her. We haven't seen much of her character outside of "lovey dovey" mode aside from "she's a terrible driver." Anticipating Spirit World shenanigans, Avatar State Korra and Spirit Aang. I hope we'll be seeing a little more action in future episodes. Also, adding in a sport was a great idea on the creators' part. It shows how the character bonds are doing and provides us with some nice action sequences without there being a bad guy around. It's a pretty good balance. Though, now that they only have one match left, I'm hoping to see where the plot will be going.

[Bfahome]

I feel like exploring the characters' romantic relationships could have waited for a later episode. We're only five episodes in and I don't think they've had time to fully develop yet.

[Dorek]

Oh god allll the shipping in the world.That aside, I'm relatively okay with it. I kinda think it's good to get it all out of the way. Everything's on the table, and they still trust one another, so they'll deal with it as it's relevant to their situation.

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

A friend got me into Avatar by roping me into convincing me to watch the premier of The Legend of Korra with her. I immediately fell in love, and though I didn't like the original series as much as the sequel at first, it quickly got better. The Legend of Korra started out in a more interesting setting, with a more exciting story, and with a character more immediately adhering, who has already mastered three elements and proved herself an excellent fighter.But The Last Airbender proved, as I watched further, itself a brilliant series with its complexity of plot, its action, its brilliant characters, its (usually) top-notch humor, and its profundity. Martial arts are always about self-improvement and making oneself better than one can be--plus, the fights are the best. That's one of the best things about The Last Airbender.Though Legend of Korra's plot is exciting, I don't like how it's developed in these past two episodes. It's moving too quickly. Defeating the Fire Lord was Aang's ultimate end. Korra's end is to defeat Amon, and she just up and challenges him to a duel. Congruous as that is with her character, I still didn't like it. And then in the very next episode we have this absurd and absolutely idiotic flaring of romance and emotions, dealing far too immediately with the romantic relationships of the characters. In The Last Airbender it was an undertone that was carried along throughout, but it wasn't addressed until the beginning of the second season, the end of said, and not again until the middle of the third season. Also, already the semi-finals are over? In one episode they enter the tournament and make it to the finals.Another thing that annoys me is the attempt to replace Sokka with Bolin. Bolin is amusing, but Sokka was hilarious. He was the ideal clown, the perfect fool, but at the same time a great character in his own serious right. Bolin isn't as entertaining and so far he isn't worth much as a character, either. Sokka is irreplaceable.But Last Airbender had, in my opinion, a rough start. I think Legend of Korra has a lot of potential, and can be pretty great. I didn't consider these past two episodes as promising, but the first three were. So I look forward to see what the coming episode will be.And, by the way, I haven't quite finished Last Airbender. But I probably will have by the next time I post here, anyway. The last episode I watched was The Firebending Masters. Only four more before the finale! Definitely looking forward to that.So far, since the first time I watched it, The King of Omashu was my favorite episode. It introduced both of my two favorite characters: the mad genius and the Cabbage Merchant. Boomie and "My Cabbages!"

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

For those of you who are saying things are moving too fast; I think you're missing why the plot is progressing so much. The seasons only have fourteen episodes each and there was a reason why Korra challenged Amon to a duel (She gets ahead of herself. She lacks restraint. She felt deep fear; something that was new to her, and it's only natural for someone with her personality to want to be rid of it or to cut to the chase. Plus, did you see the last scene with Tenzin and the short snippets before that? It's no wonder the creators are getting the shipping out of the way in one big episode -where possibly weeks had passed and multiple games were played for the bracket-; They obviously have something pretty impressive up their sleeves for us, so just relax and enjoy the show. Really, the past two episodes are far from being horrible).

Edited May 8, 2012 by Tekulo: Toa of Gales

[Bfahome]

It's no wonder the creators are getting the shipping out of the way in one big episode -where possibly weeks had passed and multiple games were played for the bracket-; They obviously have something pretty impressive up their sleeves for us, so just relax and enjoy the show. Really, the past two episodes are far from being horrible).

I'd prefer they do something like they did with The Ember Island Players, where an episode or two before the end they have an episode focused on relationship conflict. It would be a break from the action while still providing tension, and it would give them the most part of a season (or in A:TLA's case, three) to work on building the characters and showing them interacting with each other.I'm not saying the episode was bad, it just seemed out of place.

[Bundalings]

I like Bolin, personally. He's more subdued than Sokka.

[Lyichir]

A friend got me into Avatar by roping me into convincing me to watch the premier of The Legend of Korra with her. I immediately fell in love, and though I didn't like the original series as much as the sequel at first, it quickly got better. The Legend of Korra started out in a more interesting setting, with a more exciting story, and with a character more immediately adhering, who has already mastered three elements and proved herself an excellent fighter.But The Last Airbender proved, as I watched further, itself a brilliant series with its complexity of plot, its action, its brilliant characters, its (usually) top-notch humor, and its profundity. Martial arts are always about self-improvement and making oneself better than one can be--plus, the fights are the best. That's one of the best things about The Last Airbender.Though Legend of Korra's plot is exciting, I don't like how it's developed in these past two episodes. It's moving too quickly. Defeating the Fire Lord was Aang's ultimate end. Korra's end is to defeat Amon, and she just up and challenges him to a duel. Congruous as that is with her character, I still didn't like it. And then in the very next episode we have this absurd and absolutely idiotic flaring of romance and emotions, dealing far too immediately with the romantic relationships of the characters. In The Last Airbender it was an undertone that was carried along throughout, but it wasn't addressed until the beginning of the second season, the end of said, and not again until the middle of the third season. Also, already the semi-finals are over? In one episode they enter the tournament and make it to the finals.Another thing that annoys me is the attempt to replace Sokka with Bolin. Bolin is amusing, but Sokka was hilarious. He was the ideal clown, the perfect fool, but at the same time a great character in his own serious right. Bolin isn't as entertaining and so far he isn't worth much as a character, either. Sokka is irreplaceable.But Last Airbender had, in my opinion, a rough start. I think Legend of Korra has a lot of potential, and can be pretty great. I didn't consider these past two episodes as promising, but the first three were. So I look forward to see what the coming episode will be.And, by the way, I haven't quite finished Last Airbender. But I probably will have by the next time I post here, anyway. The last episode I watched was The Firebending Masters. Only four more before the finale! Definitely looking forward to that.So far, since the first time I watched it, The King of Omashu was my favorite episode. It introduced both of my two favorite characters: the mad genius and the Cabbage Merchant. Boomie and "My Cabbages!"

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

I'd argue that the reason you think it's moving too fast is that you're viewing Amon's defeat as Korra's only goal. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, Aang's main goal was obvious from the start: he had to defeat the Fire Nation, and by extension the Fire Lord, and end the century-long war. Korra's goals are nowhere near as clear; obviously she has to master Airbending, and since Amon's reveal defeating him has been added to the list. But there are a lot of problems in Republic City besides Amon, and that's not even considering what trouble might be brewing in the rest of the world. I think that's the main reason the intro animation to Korra is so short. The universe had essentially decided Aang's destiny when he was only 12 years old, but Korra's destiny is still a blank slate.

[Alex Humva]

Here's hoping that we'll get to see the rest of the world in Season 2 (yes, it's been confirmed). Republic City gives us a look at what's going on for everyone, but more localized problems would be interesting, though admittedly a return to norm.

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

For those of you who are saying things are moving too fast; I think you're missing why the plot is progressing so much. The seasons only have fourteen episodes each and there was a reason why Korra challenged Amon to a duel (She gets ahead of herself. She lacks restraint. She felt deep fear; something that was new to her, and it's only natural for someone with her personality to want to be rid of it or to cut to the chase. Plus, did you see the last scene with Tenzin and the short snippets before that? It's no wonder the creators are getting the shipping out of the way in one big episode -where possibly weeks had passed and multiple games were played for the bracket-; They obviously have something pretty impressive up their sleeves for us, so just relax and enjoy the show. Really, the past two episodes are far from being horrible).

Granted, there was a logical reason Korra challenged Amon. At least, in terms of congruity with her character. And I don't deny that those were some promising flashes Korra witnessed after her meeting with Amon. But that doesn't mean I have to like the episodes. They seemed more like placeholders than anything else. Now, I didn't dislike "Voice in the Night"; the raid was great, the beginning was exciting, and the Equalist ambush was by no means boring. But, though I did think the matches were awesome, I just thought "Spirit of Competition" was stupid. Romance was a story element Last Airbender managed quite nicely, and I'm all for quality romance--but this wasn't it. This may be nothing more than my personal opinion, but for that reason I hated the episode.And I'm going to admit freely that I'm not "hip," and ask: What in the name of fried Bula tarts does "shipping" mean? I'm gathering it means coquetry, but I am wondering why everyone is using this odd expression.

I like Bolin, personally. He's more subdued than Sokka.

Subdued, I grant you, in the ways that made Sokka humorous. But I find him to be exaggerated in ways that are more irksome than amusing. Moreover, while Sokka was brilliantly funny, he also had a serious, worthy character. However, that didn't much reveal itself until later in the series. It took Sokka a little time to grow on me, so I'm willing to give Bolin a chance.Incidentally, I noticed that in "Voice in the Night," Amon punched Korra in the face. Either he is very ungentlemanly, which I don't doubt, or "he" is, in fact, a woman. Hidden behind a mask as its face is, with some sort of voice-altering device this could be possible. I grant there are other ways to tell, but Mulan deceived a whole army. And this would suit my somewhat outlandish theory, that Amon is Hope.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

Edited May 10, 2012 by Nuile: The Daft Wordbender

[Bfahome]

Incidentally, I noticed that in "Voice in the Night," Amon punched Korra in the face. Either he is very ungentlemanly, which I don't doubt, or "he" is, in fact, a woman. Hidden behind a mask as its face is, with some sort of voice-altering device this could be possible. I grant there are other ways to tell, but Mulan deceived a whole army. And this would suit my somewhat outlandish theory, that Amon is Hope.

He doesn't punch her in the face, he chi-blocks her in the neck/shoulder to knock her out.Plus I'm not seeing any reason why he would have to be "gentlemanly". The writers are doing a good job of keeping gender stereotypes from influencing the characters, and having the bad guy hold back because Korra's a girl wouldn't really fit.

[Alex Humva]

Keep in mind this is a universe inwhich bad*** females walk the streets everywhere, Toph being the prime example. Do you think in a city which has very strong female police chiefs (the police chief of freaken SWAT to boot), the bad guys would worry about hitting women? This world seems pretty equal (even in the old series, the only places with real gender inequality was the Northern Water Tribe; the Fire Nation had many women soldiers seen onscreen), so yeah.

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

Why Amon isn't Hope: She was part of a side-story, clearly never intended to be brought back significantly.She was born during the previous series, which was over 70 years ago. I doubt a 70-year-old woman would look anywhere near as fit as Amon does, nor move as gracefully. Amon appears to be in his 30's and he's pretty fit.We know the Avatar universe has radio, which transmits sound. There is nothing to suggest they have the technology to alter sound using a compact device that could easily fit on a mask that is constantly worn. Overall, I say the possibility is extremely unlikely and even impossible. =/

You're really over-thinking things. Just sit back and enjoy the show. Yes, I agree romance was executed well in TLA, so why don't you think it won't be properly utilized in this series? We're only five episodes in; there's still plenty of time for character development and loads of potential for plot progression, twists, turns and surprises. The creators put up a really great story for us with TLA, however, it was established that this is Korra's story (Katara saying her time in the world has ended and it was time for Korra to find her own path as the avatar). I seriously doubt we'll be seeing the same story twice, hence the new vibes, the new romance angles, the shift in music (which is really nice quality), the diversity of the city, etc. I'm not saying the episodes are perfect, I do agree that there are rushing problems and character nit-picks, however, for what it is, the show is still great. In my opinion it's easily on par with the first series, and I might actually prefer this one more (something pretty hard to come by these days in stories). So guys, please don't over-analyze things here. There are tons of things in the Avatar world we saw little of; the spirit world, several types of animals (though we got tons in the last series, there's still plenty more where that came from), spirits themselves, airbending (which we're getting and it's awesome), fighting styles (they're a changing oh so much) and even cultures. Considering the main focus of this series is Korra learning airbending, I'm quite certain the creators are going to show us a lot more of what else is in the Avatar universe. No Ko or Water and Moon Spirits, less shirshus and more polar bear dogs, less of a pacifist protagonist and more of a head-on, head-strong type of character, not so much on the town traumatized by supernatural spirit shenanigans and more problems caused by the people themselves in an era of peace (I think you get where I'm coming from). I can't wait to see what else is up their sleeves, quite personally.

[Bfahome]

Okay so obviously Amon payed off the refs to let the Wolf Bats win so he could make his little speech.he isnot a nice guyAlso woohoo go Lin! Show that Bei Fong power!

You're really over-thinking things. Just sit back and enjoy the show. Yes, I agree romance was executed well in TLA, so why don't you think it won't be properly utilized in this series? We're only five episodes in; there's still plenty of time for character development and loads of potential for plot progression, twists, turns and surprises. The creators put up a really great story for us with TLA, however, it was established that this is Korra's story (Katara saying her time in the world has ended and it was time for Korra to find her own path as the avatar). I seriously doubt we'll be seeing the same story twice, hence the new vibes, the new romance angles, the shift in music (which is really nice quality), the diversity of the city, etc. I'm not saying the episodes are perfect, I do agree that there are rushing problems and character nit-picks, however, for what it is, the show is still great. In my opinion it's easily on par with the first series, and I might actually prefer this one more (something pretty hard to come by these days in stories). So guys, please don't over-analyze things here.

Uh, not really? Of course there's going to be many differences, but I don't think a giant love rectangle in the fifth episode fits entirely. I can see maybe a bit of a crush here and there, but as it was it seemed a bit too far along for the short time they've been around.

Tenzin and Lin's tension worked in this last episode because they actually have a history, but Bolin and Mako have known Korra for what, a couple of weeks? Not quite enough to build a meaningful conflict.

Edited May 12, 2012 by Bfahome

[BenLuke]

I liked this episode, there was more fighty-stuff and cheesy-romance stuff.Also, the music was cool, especially the stuff during the last bit.

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

Uh, not really? Of course there's going to be many differences, but I don't think a giant love rectangle in the fifth episode fits entirely. I can see maybe a bit of a crush here and there, but as it was it seemed a bit too far along for the short time they've been around.

Tenzin and Lin's tension worked in this last episode because they actually have a history, but Bolin and Mako have known Korra for what, a couple of weeks? Not quite enough to build a meaningful conflict.

 

You're still missing the point of why the relationship stuff was thrown in. Obviously it's going play a significant part in the story later on.

Better to establish romance in a time of peace than when the city is in war itself. In that setting, their priorities wouldn't be on romance and they'd just shut it out and let it build. That's just too boring. Look at Aang and Katara; sure, their little cutesy romance nods were nice and all, but everyone was just dying for Aang to grow up and actually confess. And that's when that aspect actually became interesting... in season three at the very end of the series... That was the problem with romance in TLA: it was way to slow paced and it made me want to hit the characters so they'd stop beating around the bush. Now we're seeing the opposite of that, and now I'm really interested in where it will go.

Anyway, Act one has now concluded. This episode was awesome. I'm so glad we're finally seeing more of Lin (as well as the metal bending style). She's an awesome character.

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

Keep in mind this is a universe inwhich bad*** females walk the streets everywhere, Toph being the prime example. Do you think in a city which has very strong female police chiefs (the police chief of freaken SWAT to boot), the bad guys would worry about hitting women? This world seems pretty equal (even in the old series, the only places with real gender inequality was the Northern Water Tribe; the Fire Nation had many women soldiers seen onscreen), so yeah.

 

He doesn't punch her in the face, he chi-blocks her in the neck/shoulder to knock her out.Plus I'm not seeing any reason why he would have to be "gentlemanly". The writers are doing a good job of keeping gender stereotypes from influencing the characters, and having the bad guy hold back because Korra's a girl wouldn't really fit.

 

I admit that sarcasm doesn't translate well through text, especially when coming from someone with whom you are unfamiliar, but I was being satirical. I still hold the illogical theory that Amon is Hope, though I admit it is extremely unliked--merely because I have a propensity to make outlandish guesses that turn out to be correct. I make plenty that turn out to be incorrect, too, but I like to amuse myself making random guesses. Don't harsh my mellow. To engage in more logical conjecture, I watched Sozin's Comet today, and saw Aang expropriate Ozai's firebending. It was a lot more dramatic than when Amon does it, but that aside, it made me wonder. Whoever Amon is, where did he (or she!) learn this trick? Perhaps Ozai figured out how it worked and tutored someone--Hope, for instance, or far more likely, a grandchild. Perhaps he even used it to escape first. Perhaps he found the fountain of youth. There are many possibilities there.And speaking of Sozin's Comet, I thought it was epic, but what would have improved it was a final cameo for the cabbage merchant. Can't you easily envision one of the tanks going flying, and crashing down upon the poor man's stall? "My cabbages!"

You're really over-thinking things. Just sit back and enjoy the show. Yes, I agree romance was executed well in TLA, so why don't you think it won't be properly utilized in this series? We're only five episodes in; there's still plenty of time for character development and loads of potential for plot progression, twists, turns and surprises. The creators put up a really great story for us with TLA, however, it was established that this is Korra's story (Katara saying her time in the world has ended and it was time for Korra to find her own path as the avatar). I seriously doubt we'll be seeing the same story twice, hence the new vibes, the new romance angles, the shift in music (which is really nice quality), the diversity of the city, etc. I'm not saying the episodes are perfect, I do agree that there are rushing problems and character nit-picks, however, for what it is, the show is still great. In my opinion it's easily on par with the first series, and I might actually prefer this one more (something pretty hard to come by these days in stories). So guys, please don't over-analyze things here.

You're really over-thinking my statements. Like sarcasm, implications are difficult to translate through text, so I'm sorry if you read more than I said, or if I even did say as much as you seem to think I did. But I love the new series, I really do, and I think it has a lot of potential. I think it will be great, and I think it's been great, on the whole. Just because I hated one episode doesn't mean I hate the whole show now and refuse to watch another and will forever spurn this trash that is Legend of Korra. It's not trash, I don't hate it; I think it's wonderful. It was the premier that attracted me to Last Airbender in the first place. I adore the setting, and I think if Sokka lived to see Republic City, he would have inhabited 221b Bender Street. I doubt if he played violin well or if he earned a cent in his work, but I'm digressing. My point is, I may have disliked the primary elements of one episode, but I love the series. In the future I'll remember to keep my negative opinions to myself.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

[Bfahome]

It likely isn't real energybending. Found this handy image on the interwebs. Shows the differences in the technique.I'm betting Amon has some sort of bending or bending-like power what he can use to scramble benders' chi so they're left powerless. It might not even be permanent, just last long enough to give the impression of permanence. After all Amon's making a pretty blatant power grab, and he only needs them out long enough to convince people he means business.He is a very very bad person.

Edited May 13, 2012 by Bfahome

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

XD, yeah, sorry I like to ramble on and on about tangents. Still, I really really like how the creators are doing new things with the series, and I personally loved the shipping stuff and I do prefer to see less connections to the older series. I just love the new story and it does kinda bug me how people compare Bolin to Sokka and the like. Sure they're similar, but they are far from being the same, and such a thing goes against what the creators appear to be trying to do; give a new story new life.Don't harsh my mellow. XP

So, think Mr. Fancy Hair is going to come back for later episodes? His character actually has a lot of potential for redemption as he's forced to live a more humble lifestyle. You know, the whole "taking away bending" thing is a nice way to side-step genocide in a kid's show. Not to mention it just makes things interesting. Can't say I'm rooting against Amon, either. Right now I'm just impressed with how nice quality he is as a villain, and that just makes everything all the better because I love the heroes. Next episode (Act II I'm calling it) starts next saturday... Is the week over yet? XP.

[Alex Humva]

Just watched the latest episode last night. I must say, it's probably the best episode so far. I loved us seeing more flashbacks, delving into the backstory... and not to mention, Amon is a bloody techbender. Seeing the villains armed with electricity gloves is pretty smart, though the engineer within me wonders just how they're powered. Batteries today can't do that, but it could be some sort of bending that makes super batteries... but of course, that defies Amon's philosophy. I'm still leaning to the side of "Amon is telling the truth, if only his side of it", because I'm just like that.The series is definitely getting off to a good start, and with the middle of season next week... it's definitely not slumping before the end. I just fear that all this buildup, if not resolved properly at the end of the season, could mean a dull season two. But these are the TLA writers we're talking about here; they'll no doubt manage it perfectly.

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

 

It likely isn't real energybending. Found this handy image on the interwebs. Shows the differences in the technique.I'm betting Amon has some sort of bending or bending-like power what he can use to scramble benders' chi so they're left powerless. It might not even be permanent, just last long enough to give the impression of permanence. After all Amon's making a pretty blatant power grab, and he only needs them out long enough to convince people he means business.He is a very very bad person.

 

Not to mention that Amon's technique lacks the pretty light show. I see your point. But it's also possible that this is a different energybending technique, though it is rather similar. If it is an entirely different type of bending, perhaps it's something such as "mindbending." I like the theory that Alex Humva propounded, that Amon might be a Bloodbender.Although, mindbending brings to mind a past character: Combustion Man. That could have been referred to as mindbending. It was certainly a strange ability that was never explained. There's little similarity between this ability and that of taking away bending, but there again there's little similarity between healing and shooting icicles, or between fire and lightning. It just shows the untapped potential of the third eye.One thing I question are Amon's true motives. What does he really want? I would agree that equality isn't truly what he wants, but power. I also wonder, if this is energybending, or in any way truly taking benders' powers away from them, where is that power going? If Amon could somehow harness the power he removes from benders, he could control all four elements. That . . . that would be bad. That would be awesome, but very bad. It would give him extreme power. Coupled with the skill he already possess, easily the power to rule over a world of non-benders.

XD, yeah, sorry I like to ramble on and on about tangents. Still, I really really like how the creators are doing new things with the series, and I personally loved the shipping stuff and I do prefer to see less connections to the older series. I just love the new story and it does kinda bug me how people compare Bolin to Sokka and the like. Sure they're similar, but they are far from being the same, and such a thing goes against what the creators appear to be trying to do; give a new story new life.Don't harsh my mellow. XP

I dislike Bolin because it's as if they tried to make a second Sokka and failed. He's too similar to be satisfactorily different and too different to be satisfactorily similar. He randomly acts in a vaguely Sokka-esque way, that's meant to be amusing but doesn't much amuse me. But Sokka took time to grow on me, and perhaps that's all Bolin needs. He just needs to be elaborated, which he hasn't much yet been.But I admit you make a good point. Legend of Korra is meant to be a sequel to Last Airbender, but it's also meant to be entirely different. It's not fair to compare them. It's a good thing that they're trying to make it fresh and exciting. Korra can't be compared to Aang; Amon can't be compared to Ozai, although there is a slight similarity to Zuko; the relationship between the characters can't be compared to that of the old series (I should and do dislike the story of Spirit of Competition in itself); Republic City can't at all be compared to the nomadism of Last Airbender. I look forward to watching the plot thicken in ways that, at this point, are very unclear.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

Edited May 13, 2012 by Nuile: The Daft Wordbender

[Alex Humva]

Energy bender. I said energy bender. Like what the Lion Turtle said existed before the age of elemental bending. Not bloodbending. Two different things.

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

Here's an interesting idea; many crafts we saw in the last series, like metalbending and lightningbending, are being used commonly nowadays. Do any of you think there could be a cult of bloodbenders? Pretty sure it'd be viewed as a dark, black magic sort of thing, but with these advanced methods now common place, it could be the same with bloodbending. Be interesting to have Korra go up against them, seeing as she's a Water Tribe Avatar and all.

I must have confused that with your earlier post. My mistake.But while we're on the topic, might Amon be a bloodbender? If the blood containing the qi energy was removed . . . then again, I guess qi has nothing to do with the blood, being a matter of energy. Bloodbending pertains more to the physical than the incorporeal. But perhaps disturbing the flow of blood could somehow disturb the flow of qi. Bloodbending is not an art we ever learned much about.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

[Alex Humva]

Bloodbending isn't much special; it's much like metalbending. Once you realize it's possible, it's not as hard. Bloodbending is just waterbending but with people.

[Bundalings]

It's immoral, is why it isn't widely practiced. I imagine Katara didn't teach anyone else how to do it.

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

But being, as you mentioned, likely frowned upon, it probably isn't common, and moreover the ability in itself being common does not necessarily denote its full potential as vulgar among waterbenders, or even among bloodbenders. Lightningbending has existed for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years, but Iroh was the first to realize that it could be absorbed and redirected, if I am remembering my facts right. To any bending art there are always secrets undiscovered or little known, depths unfathomed. Amon could have developed a qi-blocking bloodbending technique. Besides, if bloodbending wasn't special, I would think a band of waterbenders might have taken over the world by now. Controlling the bodies of your enemies is a potent power.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

[Ektris]

Bloodbending being Amon's secret makes no sense and I don't get why I keep seeing it suggested all over the place. Is it just because you want to see it done again? Really, moving blood has nothing to do with chi blocking and isn't remotely related to energybending. It's just waterbending.~|ET|~

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

I'm surprised you guys have been failing to mention bloodbending is only possible when the moon is full. Once a month isn't really conducive to taking over the world. =/ Not to mention the only characters who knew about bloodbending in full were Hammah and the main characters from the previous series. They could have easily kept it a secret between themselves, or even between the white lotus. I'm actually interested if Korra knows of the technique from Katara. Kinda like an emergency situation when the time is right (moon is full)Though, I'm not sure what the gaps in time were between the episodes. I suppose it could be possible for the time spans to be around one month. Even so, Amon doesn't strike me as a bender. I'd be interested if a bender were amongst the equalists, though seeing as they could easily ask Amon to take their bending away, it seems unlikely (unless they were really skilled and decided to offer up their bending after their service were completed, but that kinda complicates things a bit). I still think it has to do with the chakra dealing with cosmic power located on the crown of the head (the same position where Amon places his thumb to block bending). The main thing I don't understand about that is that chakra is blocked by worldly attachment; something psychological and not physical. I actually like the idea of Amon not being a bender, though. I think it might just cheapen him as a villain otherwise. Anyone else getting serious WWII vibes from the show, btw?

Edited May 14, 2012 by Tekulo: Toa of Gales

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

Bloodbending being Amon's secret makes no sense and I don't get why I keep seeing it suggested all over the place. Is it just because you want to see it done again? Really, moving blood has nothing to do with chi blocking and isn't remotely related to energybending. It's just waterbending.~|ET|~

Personally I don't believe it either, but I'm just arguing various possibilities. How else can you arrive at a logical theory but by considering everything?

I'm surprised you guys have been failing to mention bloodbending is only possible when the moon is full. Once a month isn't really conducive to taking over the world. =/ Not to mention the only characters who knew about bloodbending in full were Hammah and the main characters from the previous series. They could have easily kept it a secret between themselves, or even between the white lotus. I'm actually interested if Korra knows of the technique from Katara. Kinda like an emergency situation when the time is right (moon is full)Though, I'm not sure what the gaps in time were between the episodes. I suppose it could be possible for the time spans to be around one month. Even so, Amon doesn't strike me as a bender. I'd be interested if a bender were amongst the equalists, though seeing as they could easily ask Amon to take their bending away, it seems unlikely (unless they were really skilled and decided to offer up their bending after their service were completed, but that kinda complicates things a bit).I still think it has to do with the chakra dealing with cosmic power located on the crown of the head (the same position where Amon places his thumb to block bending). The main thing I don't understand about that is that chakra is blocked by worldly attachment; something psychological and not physical.I actually like the idea of Amon not being a bender, though. I think it might just cheapen him as a villain otherwise. Anyone else getting serious WWII vibes from the show, btw?

. . . Self, care to execute an epic facepalm? Indubitably, self. *epic facepalm*You are absolutely right, the fact that bloodbending requires a full man had flown entirely from my mind. However; was it a full moon what Katara used bloodbending on Yan Rha and, earlier, his successor? It seems awfully convenient that it would have been. To deviate for a moment from the topic of Amon, today I watched "And the Winner Is . . ." which left me with an entirely new theory to which I will return. First off, cabbage man founded a company? "Brought to you by Cabbage Corp., your leader in technology for fifty years!" Love it, love it, love it. But moreover, I cannot express how wonderful this episode was. The deepening of Tenzin's past, the deepening of Aang's (Last Airbender future,Legend of Korra past), a glimpse of Toph, the spectacular action, and the start of a war. I could not have asked for a better way to cleanse my tastebuds of the flavor of last week's episode. I even found Bolin much more likeable than in past episodes.Back to Amon, my siblings and friends are convinced that he's Tarrlok. But their only evidence is the similarity of the voices. True as this is, and clever as it would be to hire two similar voices to disguise the fact that the characters are the same, I'm skeptical. I do consider his exchange with Beifong suspicious, and I am curious as to his involvement in Aang's memory which seems suggestive of Tarrlok's having committed some variety of wrong; I wondered if perhaps Aang had taken Tarrlok's bending away, but unless Amon's ability truly allows him to take and harness bending--which would, I reiterate, be awesome--this is impossible. If Aang did take Tarrlok's bending, then that would give him ample motive, and like Ozai, he would have seen how the trick was done. But he's a waterbender.But, yeah, he's a waterbender. Therefore he could be a bloodbender. Again, I'm just considering possibilities, and I don't believe in this theory. But it does seem to me that Katara could bloodbend whether the moon was full or not; and I don't see why, if Hammah escaped once, she couldn't again, and train a new student.But this theory seems all too convoluted to me, based on too many ifs. Tarrlok could be a bloodbender, if it's possible beyond the full moon, if Hammah escaped and taught him; he could be Amon, if Aang took his bending, if he can harness the bending he takes. And these are all big ifs.I agree that if Amon turned out to be a bender, I would be disappointed; unless he can harness all four elements, which would be, in my opinion, truly epic. A perfect match for the Avatar.You bring an interesting thought to my mind in mentioning the (crown?) chakra. When I saw Amon take pretty boy's bending, it almost seemed as if he was frightening it right out of the guy. But fear blocks the earth chakra, way down at the base of the spine, which as far as we know has nothing to do with qi-blocking or taking away someone's bending. But fear of loss--that is worldly attachment. Could a bender fear so strongly to lose their power that it would block the chakra and thus their qi? Could this ability of Amon's be not at all magical or even physical, but entirely psychological?I would say more Roaring Twenties than WWII. But somewhere in first half of the twentieth century, and I'm loving it.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

. . . Self, care to execute an epic facepalm? Indubitably, self. *epic facepalm*You are absolutely right, the fact that bloodbending requires a full man had flown entirely from my mind. However; was it a full moon what Katara used bloodbending on Yan Rha and, earlier, his successor? It seems awfully convenient that it would have been.

Except Katara never used bloodbending on Yan Rha. She stopped the rain and nearly punctured him with ice daggers. It was far more epic than bloodbending (amazing imagery in that episode. One of my absolute favorites). She only used the technique twice; once on Hammah and the other on the leader of the Southern Raiders (when Zuko and Katara raided during a full moon). Amon stealing bending seems to be kinda backwards on his cause. Though, if that were the case, it would make him similar to Ozai in that he was power-mad (though, he strikes me more of a control freak. He doesn't want to rule everything for the glory, he wants to rule with an iron fist and make sure things are done his way). That actually brings me to the WWII vibes. Mainly how Amon is attempting to create a dominant race of non-benders in a perfect world. Newsflash, though. There's going to be plenty of war with or without bending. Especially now that you gave them the oh-so-wonderful electricity gloves. Way to think that through, Amon, way to think that through. XDD

[Bfahome]

I don't think Amon wants a perfect world, or "equality", or whatever else he says, I think he just wants power.As for Tarrlok being Amon, I doubt it. If he was, he would know what the council's decision had been because he would have been there, and had actually made the decision. Doesn't Amon have someone tell him, or hear it on the radio?It's possible that Tarrlok is working with Amon, but I don't think they're the same people.

[Alex Humva]

For all of you who didn't catch it; Tarrlok specifically made Chief Beifong take personal responsibility for the safety of the people at the arena. That didn't work out, so he can have her removed now and replaced with someone closer to his ideals.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Programmer Alex Humva

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

Except Katara never used bloodbending on Yan Rha. She stopped the rain and nearly punctured him with ice daggers. It was far more epic than bloodbending (amazing imagery in that episode. One of my absolute favorites). She only used the technique twice; once on Hammah and the other on the leader of the Southern Raiders (when Zuko and Katara raided during a full moon). Amon stealing bending seems to be kinda backwards on his cause. Though, if that were the case, it would make him similar to Ozai in that he was power-mad (though, he strikes me more of a control freak. He doesn't want to rule everything for the glory, he wants to rule with an iron fist and make sure things are done his way). That actually brings me to the WWII vibes. Mainly how Amon is attempting to create a dominant race of non-benders in a perfect world. Newsflash, though. There's going to be plenty of war with or without bending. Especially now that you gave them the oh-so-wonderful electricity gloves. Way to think that through, Amon, way to think that through. XDD

I stand corrected, and glad I am that it is so. I'm relieved to be reminded about the hindrance to this unfair advantage. Bloodbending possibility eliminated.You're speaking with the presumption that Amon has a cause, or ideals, or scruples. Personally I don't believe he has. I'm inclined to agree with Bfahome, I think he wants merely power. And what better a way to seize it than to lead equality-seeking non-benders and tell them you're ridding the world of Benders, when really you're taking all their powers so you can control the world yourself?Oh, that's what you meant by WWII vibes. Well, yes, in that case, I agree completely. I also noticed a WWI vibe from the Fire Nation in Last Airbender. Interesting how they're continuing on a similar note; but why not, after all?

As for Tarrlok being Amon, I doubt it. If he was, he would know what the council's decision had been because he would have been there, and had actually made the decision. Doesn't Amon have someone tell him, or hear it on the radio?It's possible that Tarrlok is working with Amon, but I don't think they're the same people.

And I'm sure all his followers would have believed him when he said, "I have received a vision from the spirits, telling me the council has decided to allow the Pro Bending match to proceed!"If you ask me, just like using a different but similar voice actor would be a brilliant blind, so would be sending a spy to the council meeting in spite of the fact that Amon's already going to be there.

For all of you who didn't catch it; Tarrlok specifically made Chief Beifong take personal responsibility for the safety of the people at the arena. That didn't work out, so he can have her removed now and replaced with someone closer to his ideals.

The aforementioned exchange between him and Beifong that made me suspicious. That and Korra's vision are the only things that really make me regard this theory with some seriousness. I still don't think he has ideals, but to discredit a prominent Bender would well suit his purposes.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

Edited May 16, 2012 by Nuile: The Daft Wordbender