The Legend of Korra, 2012-2014
✫ 8/10
Favorite Character: Lin Beifong
“Whatever happens to me, don’t turn back!”
The Legend of Korra originally aired on Nickelodeon from 2012 until 2014, as a follow-up to the idolized animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008). After learning she is the next Avatar, the series follows Korra mastering the four elements, going on a spiritual journey, learning compassion, and navigating the responsibilities that come with her new position. Attempting to follow in her predecessor's footsteps seems futile, leading Korra to create her own personal destiny. The fluid animation, vibrant artwork, delicate soundtrack, and star-studded voice cast create a show capable of standing on its own, away from its prequel.
While some may consider Korra to be as highly influential and loved as Avatar, the series was initially met with criticism stemming from the controversial plot arcs. The show has managed to age well in the year 2024, as many issues the characters face revolve around real-world scenarios such as war, genocide, discrimination of marginalized groups, and female empowerment. While battling physical enemies, we also see characters fight against mentally and emotionally charged issues such as depression and PTSD.
Unlike the adorable and gentle-tempered previous Avatar Aang, Korra is an unsteady teenager learning from her mistakes as she grows into adulthood. Having mastered all four elements by the end of the second season, audiences can focus on Korra strengthening her sense of self. Fans of the franchise often chastise Korra for her three-year disappearance following her battle with season 3 villain Zaheer. This was not unlike Aang’s 100-year disappearance resulting from the attack on the Northern Air Temple. Both Avatars needed time to discover their true inner and spiritual self in order to provide the best level of protection to the people of the nations.
One unmistakable asset of The Legend of Korra is the representation of strong female characters. Women in the series are viewed as an integral part of each mission, using their unique skills to keep the nations at peace. Lin Beifong, daughter of fan favorite and first metal bender Toph Beifong, is my personal favorite. Using her mother’s rebellious attitude and her own love for leadership, Lin is able to use her role as police force Chief to keep Republic City out of harm's way. The series also introduces new female benders with unique displays of strength. Ming-Hua, a double amputee, uses her mastery of water-bending to create new arms for staggering fight scenes. Non-benders are not forgotten in the series with characters like Asami Soto. Asami is a businesswoman and engineer who takes over for her father at Future Industries after it is revealed he had been conspiring with the Equalists. After joining Team Avatar, Asami continues manufacturing luxury, technological arms to aid the redesign of Republic City.
In addition to creating spaces for mature topics, the series was one of the first to introduce LGBTQ+ characters into children's television. The creators left fans with the impression of Korra and Asami entering into a queer relationship at the end of the series finale. Although the community still faces hardships in representation, the series helped contextualize queer experiences in an age-appropriate manner, opening doors for other networks to begin normalizing same-sex relationships in animated media.
The Legend of Korra’s flaws throughout the four seasons are overcome by the Avatar’s survival of mental, physical, and emotional challenges. For someone who begins her journey as a hotheaded young girl, Korra makes an impressive turnaround filled with enlightenment and determination by the end of the series. Having learned to master her human and avatar state, Korra sets a new tone for upcoming avatars as she starts the next cycle.
