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  • 08/21/12 - Poll ended; /cod/ split off as a new board from /pco/.

File 138450472644.jpg - (24.21KB , 763x427 , muhnuktuk.jpg )
115984 No. 115984
Night of a Thousand Stars followed by Harmonic Convergence!

Shit's about to get real!
55 posts omitted. Last 50 shown. Expand all images
>> No. 116055
So I'm halfway through the finale, but it seems like vine powers are a thing of Unalaq/Vaatu? Is this where the "wood" element of Chinese mythology is going to show up, as a spirit thing? Since Western "air" took its place and "metal" got subsumed into "earth". I haven't seen the old episodes of ATLA but I seem to remember waterbending plant manipulation only being in the presence of preexisting plant life rather than summoning them from thin air.
>> No. 116060
>>116054

I think what they wanted to go for was something to represent Korra's attachment to the Avatar label and her own self-perceptions of what that meant. Think about it. She won using the power inside of herself. No light spirit. No past lives. In fact, she has no more past lives, her connection to them is gone. If the Avatar cycle is still a thing, the Avatar state might be just Korra and Raava, she's Wan all over again.

Maritova and I were talking about it, and we figure it's the production team's effort to do something new, separate from A:tLA. The first two books were all about legacy villains. Yakone's defeat at Aang's hands led to a new battle between Korra and Amon/Noatak. Vaatu's defeat at Wan's hands led to this new battle between him and Korra, plus people from Korra's past and immediate family factored into it.

It's possible this is supposed to be an intentional departure from the previous show and the kind of stuff that happens in it.

...Unless we go full JRPG and Book 3 and 4 are about fighting the gods who created the Spirit World.
>> No. 116061
So uh, why exactly did Korra leave the portals open? Did she miss that part in Wan's flashback where the sprits killed humans for daring to eat meat?
>> No. 116062
>>116061
It was a different time then and there are arguably a LOT less humans back then that didn't have bending or technology. But we know from ATLA and LOK that there are good spirits and I imagine those are the majority that are going to choose to come back and live aside humans.

Yeah, dark spirits will crossover and try to do harm but I think Korra's aware of that.
>> No. 116063
>>116061

It's a different era. Humans are self-sufficient and are capable of befriending the spirits (Jinora and Furry-foot, Bumi and Bum-Ju). There will be no Spirit Wilds in Korra's world.
>> No. 116064
>>116062
That lemur asshole was supposedly a "good spirit" and he was pretty cavalier about casual murder of hunters who wanted nothing to do with him.
>> No. 116067
>>116064

I think Anon is talking about the spirits that lived in harmony on the Air Lionturtle.
>> No. 116076
>>116067
The only people who didn't eat meat. You see where I'm going with this?
>> No. 116077
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116077
Heh dawww.
>> No. 116079
>>116067
Or rather; do you see where THEY'RE going with this. Spirits live forever and I doubt they attitude has changed any. If Korra ends up forcing the whole world to be vegans so as not to upset the horde she just unleashed like the biblical plagues "because maybe Unalaq was right" I don't think many people are going to be happy with her.
>> No. 116081
>>116076
>>116079
I sincerely doubt every single spirit's stance is "MEAT IS WRONG". The panda spirit didn't care, he was kidnapping people because of the destruction to the forest. The Painted Lady didn't care, Koh doesn't seem to care, Tui and La sure as hell didn't.
>> No. 116082
>>116081
That was back when spirits were more like Kami who were the spirits inhabiting individual places and less like Miyazaki creatures.
>> No. 116083
To put that another way: they used to be gods. Now they're just monsters.
>> No. 116097
I couldn't read half this thread since some of you were talking about the finale (already got spoiled on something, feelsbadman) but here are my thoughts on these episodes.

Republic City gets its first president and already he needs to be impeached. "What's that, the world is going to end and you want my help? lolno, I'm still gonna be a douche about it and turn you down anyway."

Bolin's time in the spotlight was awesome, although it sort of felt like they were just throwing him a bone since he hasn't done anything really significant this season. And thank you, stupid TV episode description, for telling me beforehand that he was going to save the president. Spoiler alert.

Mako, what you are doing is bad and you should feel bad. The romance triangle drama is even worse this season and I wish they had just left it alone. Mako should apologize to Asami and take back Korra, although at this point in time, I don't think he deserves either of them. Oh, and now that Bolin's a big hero, Ginger is finally going to throw herself at him? So now both brothers each have two girlfriends to deal with. But from what I've seen in this thread, it looks like Bolin/Eska master race might win. Yay.

And as far as the twins go, you think it'd be easier to convince them to help after their father basically wrote Desna off last time. Same thing goes for the Northerners helping him. Can't someone just inform them that "Hey, this guy is going to fuck the world over if he wins, why are you helping him?"

I was surprised Jinora had been in the Spirit World for a week in LoK time as well as real time, I would have thought Korra, at least, would find a way back to try to save her right away.

Bumi and Kya (but mostly Bumi) finally got to do something! Yay! I liked having them around, but they were mostly useless, just hanging around and teasing their little brother.

So while I have liked this season overall, I can see where and what it's lacking. They needed a more coherent plot. The civil war was all but forgotten until now, I wasn't even sure if there really was a war going on, or if the North was just an occupying force. TBH, they could have thrown that plot out completely and nothing of value would have been lost. Of course, I could say the same for the romance drama and the Nuktuk storyline, but at least the latter was amusing.

People complained a lot about the first season and how M&B screwed up by opting to write the entire thing by themselves, but look at how much more focused the plot was compared to now, even with these good writers who have worked on ATLA before. Perhaps this is a case of too many cooks spoiling the soup.
>> No. 116101
>>116097
Yeah, no. Mike made this soup from his own fucking recipe and everything in it is there because he put it there. That's what being head writer means.
>> No. 116103
Did he have to have Varrick in the story? No. He's a naked plot device that robs the other characters of agency just so there can be some kooky nonsense going on to keep everything unserious. Did he have to have anything set in Republic City at all? Hell no. Its meaning to the plot was nonexistent. Korra and Mako could've broken up at the south pole and it would've played out the same way. I had some problems with Bumi and Kya early on but they recovered and made them pretty amusing in the end but did they need to be there? Only for an action sequence and to give Tenzin someone to talk to.

Like the first season this script has the paradoxical twin problems of overplanning and underplanning. They thought up way too much shit they wanted to do and failed to integrate any of it organically into a narrative that flows the way season 2 of Avatar did once Toph joined the party; effortlessly and without any reason to ask "why am I watching this?".

If Mike and Bryan have one giant flaw as writers it's that they're too attached to their toys to ever put them away and do something constructive. They are not writers by trade; they've never had an ounce of training for that job. They're artists. They designed characters to have visual appeal and look distinctive and they are scared to fucking death of putting them away because it would detract from the visuals.

A lot of people say the difference between the old and new Star Wars movies was that George Lucas stopped using visual effects to enhance a story and started using a story to enhance visual effects. They work the same way. They storyboard out whatever will allow them to keep all their toys on screen as often as possible and disregard everything else.
>> No. 116104
>>116103

>They are not writers by trade; they've never had an ounce of training for that job. They're artists. They designed characters to have visual appeal and look distinctive and they are scared to fucking death of putting them away because it would detract from the visuals.

>they've never had an ounce of training for that job

That is abso-fucking-lutely untrue. Mike and Bryan are both veterans of the animation industry and while Bryan is indeed more focused on the visual side, both have been directors and creative staff on other shows.
>> No. 116106
>>116104
When did they have writing training? Directing and producing is not writing training. They didn't go to school for it; they admitted before the first season that it would be their first time writing anything by themselves. Where?
>> No. 116108
>>116106

I'm sorry, is "writing training" a thing? Like, something you have to do, or can do once you're actually working on shows? I'm sure there's classes for writing over at RISD, but "writing training" seems kinda nebulous. I mean, you don't just end up a producer or director of a show without the ability to write something.

Season 1 was their first time writing something by themselves. Key words, there, because they were differentiating them writing Season 1 between the two of them from them being the heads of the writing team for A:tLA. Did you forget that they're the writers of several episodes of the original show, including the last two episodes of the previous show's finale?
>> No. 116109
>>116108
Yes. People like Hedrick and Hamilton are writers by trade. They do it professionally; it's exclusively how they make their living. I'm sure they went to school to learn how to do it; unlike Messrs. Rhode Island School of Design
>> No. 116110
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116110
You know what? Fuck it. Ban me again. This is like talking to a machine.

(USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST)
>> No. 116111
>>116110

Get lost.
>> No. 116113
>>116109

So? Alfred Hitchcock's college degree was in mechanical engineering, not writing or filmmaking, and look at his legacy. What does the training have to do with anything when you're actually there, doing the work?

>>116110

Since you asked!
>> No. 116114
>>116110
Why was this user banned this time?
>> No. 116115
>>116114

He asked for it. Literally.

Straight up, though, if he's gonna be that way, then I don't care much for it. Lavanya Six's critiques of the series are pretty much what I'd consider well made observations of this season's weak points. I enjoyed the show, but I can agree with what was said. Nobody has to go all out and write a huge paragraph of stuff, just saying "The Varrick plot could have been left out and not much would have changed," is enough. I loved Varrick, but he was kinda small potatoes in the end, more about facilitating the B-plot and providing vehicles than being a super-important antagonist (though it's obvious they're setting him up for a larger role in Season 3.)

This guy made posts like >>116030, and decided that Mike and Bryan aren't real writers because they didn't take any classes that he knows about.
>> No. 116122
>>116109
As a writer myself, I can confidently state that you don't need to "go to writing school" to become a writer. That's ludicrous. You write something, other people pick it apart, you do another draft...I'm mystified why you think people need a certificate for it because the world doesn't work that way.
>> No. 116127
>>116122
Yea some of the writers from the '80s Fantasy Fiction wise sprung out of DnD sessions with their custom worlds which they started to write up and then pass around to each other.
>> No. 116134
>>116019

Energybending, as Tenzin explained.


>>116055


This has left me curious as well. Is it a sign that Vaatu truly is part of nature and indespensible for life to exist, or "lol tentacles lol"
>> No. 116138
This finale/season left me so confused and underwhelmed that it's not even funny. I hope they .. um, elaborate further on what the fuck just happened next season. Or not, whatever.
>> No. 116139
>>116138

What's so confusing about it, pray tell?
>> No. 116140
>>116139
I don't know about that anon, but I myself am still wondering what the fuck was up with the entire spirit calming stuff, and am wondering if Raava could theoretically make 'light' spirits subservient to it's will.

Am also annoyed at the relative ambiguity that the Mako/Asami relationship is in. Are they together or not, because at this point I'm not entirely sure.
>> No. 116142
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116142
>>116140
>Am also annoyed at the relative ambiguity that the Mako/Asami relationship is in. Are they together or not, because at this point I'm not entirely sure.

I think Asami's face says it all. They're done.
>> No. 116143
>>116142
Some actual confirmation would be nice, though. Heck, any kind of scene between the two following Korra's return would have been nice.
>> No. 116144
>>116143
Agreed. If Book 3 picks up right where Book 2 left off with no 6 month gap, I really want to see Asami not just chewing Mako out, but telling Korra the whole story.
I also want to see Varrick replace Tahno with Bolin in the Movers. I'm probably not the only one who wants that, either.
>> No. 116145
>>116144
I think you're probably the only person who wants Tahno specifically. I don't think anyone's thought of him all season.
>> No. 116146
So Book 2 and 3 are supposed to make up one "season" right? Because it seemed like the last episode was pretty damn conclusive, and I'm not really sure where they could go from there without starting a completely brand new plot altogether. Unless the crux of the new story involves Vaatu not being totally defeated and Unalaq somehow coming back for a bit, or Korra needing to find a way to restore the connection to Aang and the others, which would feel like a step backward.
>> No. 116148
>>116146
Well we are now in a Brave New World. And from the sound of things Spirits wandering the world is going to have some impact on the Earth Kingdom. Opening might be Korra and company heading over there to settle some dispute between the spirits that were in that area eons ago and the current Earth Kingdom. This is how the Avatar will achieve the balance as not the bridge but the mediator.
>> No. 116149
>>116146

Books 1 & 2 are considered by the production as the first season. 3 & 4 will be the second season. Each Book's story will be self contained story arcs.
>> No. 116151
>>116150

You're leaving out a few more qualifiers

>after unlocking your spirit's path to Cosmic Energy
>while meditating in the Tree of Time in the Spirit World
>during Harmonic Convergence, when Spiritual Energy is at its peak

So it's like this is some magic trick any mortal can achieve whenever. Korra going all Michael Jackson's Moonwalker won't happen again, this was her Koizilla moment.
>> No. 116153
>>116149
Oh, when you put it as Books 1/2 going together it makes a lot more sense thinking of it that way. Really curious as to where they're going to go from here since there are just so many possibilities.
>> No. 116154
http://bryankonietzko.tumblr.com/post/67191862329/mike-and-i-had-a-nice-dinner-with-three-of-our

they are working on it. Also trying to schedule so they don't lose momentum like the gap between the last two books.

>we have seen the first four episodes of Take 1 animation from Studio Mir on Book 3. AWESOME STUFF! They continue to blow us away. The premiere date hasn’t been pinned down, but we are on track to airing Book 3 with MUCH less of a wait than the unfortunate one there was before Book 2 aired. We are all incredibly excited for you all to see the new book. For now, I hope enjoyed the Book 2 finale!

Also someone mentioned as to why they likely pushed the finale out early was due to the huge amount of stuff happening next week that would kill the ratings (X-Box launch, Nintendo LoZ Release etc) Think we'll get this next book about mid summer maybe?
>> No. 116155
according to some the goal is to actually have Book 3 hitting by this spring.
>> No. 116156
>>116154
>>116155
I'm thinking late spring or early summer with a slight chance at early fall.
>> No. 116157
>>116045
Since when has Republic City been the biggest city? What about Ba Sing Se or the Fire Nation capital?

You'd also think Unalaq would want to test his power out one a small city before trying to destroy a larger and heavily armed city. Especially since he's not invincible and bombs capable of destroying battleships were invented by Sato.

>>116047
>>116052

If Unalaq had mentioned his hatred for Republic City then this would make sense, but so far he's only criticised the Southern Water Tribe for not being spiritual enough. So there's no reason for Unalaq to specifically target Republic City rather than anywhere else (though he does have a reason to attack the Southern Water Tribe).

>>116054

Given that Aang's development has been from an optimistic kid to a more serious one killing the Fire Lord wouldn't have been an asspull. Also an inconsistent character isn't considered an asspull. You need some sort of Deus ex Machina for it to be an asspull.

>>116061
Maybe this will be the plot of season 3 & 4, spirits vs humans.
>> No. 116158
>>116157
Republic City was the embodiment of what he saw that the Avatar had been doing wrong. There is a reason he went first for Aang's monument and then turned on the city.
>> No. 116161
Why would he attack the Southern Water Tribe? He already controlled it. Plus, wouldn't introducing the Fire Nation or Ba Sing Se as a new setting for the final battle be a little strange? All we've ever seen are the Water Tribes and Republic City.

Also, I don't think having Aang kill Ozai would have been in line with Aang's character, it would be running counter to what we had seen of him to that point.
>> No. 116281
There's a point being brought up lately that Bolin never got "punished" for that first time he kissed Ginger without warning, and that it's only reinforced by the fact that she falls for him when he goes into action in Night of a Thousand stars.

I admit, it's a hard argument to dispute, and really thing about the episode that made me a little uncomfortable. The only thing I'd have to add is that Bolin's kissing Ginger was clearly framed to show what a jerk his career had made him, and I highly doubt they're going to last as an item in the next season. Ginger's either going to quickly realize she just got caught up in the moment and doesn't really want him, or when they start dating she sees Bolin's flawed side again and breaks up with him, allowing his arc about growing up and maturing to further.

I dunno, what do you guys think?
>> No. 116283
>>116281

Book 3 will open with Team Avatar on the road and either Ginger will be in tow and leave at their first stop or she'll be absent completely with the explanation being either from Boilin "she was just caught up in the celebrity of it all." or similar if she's absent. If she's present she'll be dumping him with a "we're just too different kinds of people." or similar before catching a ride back to Republic City or one of the earth Metropolise
>> No. 117046
>>116281

I think it's quite obvious Ginger's only dating him for his fame and doesn't actually like him and you'd be deluded to think otherwise.
>> No. 117047
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117047
>>117046
Maybe she'll leave him for Mako. I hear he's available.
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