#tlok zaheer | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

emblemxeno · 1 year ago

Text

Legend of Korra First Watch: Book 3 Thoughts

Full thoughts under the cut!

-----Fight choreography and animation is even better, was absolutely amazing to watch.

-----Zaheer and The Red Lotus are a much better antagonistic force than Unalaq. The bar is low of course, but it's actually such a difference in quality.

Now, Unalaq formerly being a part of the Red Lotus? Eh, okay sure, I guess. Idk how considering his bending isn't all that's cracked up to be and he gets his way through manipulation and sneak attacks most of the time.

Each major member of the Red Lotus is intimidating and a force to be reckoned with, and that makes each encounter with them a sight to see. I've got to be honest however: could've used a little work on the personality side. Zaheer is obviously exempt of course, but the others come just short of being as personable or as engaging as Tarrlok. There were attempts of course! Mako and Bolin talking with Ghazan and Ming-Hua, as well as P'li's relationship with Zaheer are good moments of characterization, but I feel it just misses the mark.

...Though, thinking about it, I could be incorrect. There's plenty to glean from their personalities just through what they do in the journey to get to Korra. Ghazan is affable and calculated, bringing down entire structures with surgical lava strikes. Ming-Hua is fucking nuts, and is most prone to violence as a way to counter-balance her lack of a rare skill. P'li is determined and is the most dangerous when considering how damn calm she is. It's little wonder that each of them meet their ends when getting these aspects taken advantage of: Ghazan's fear of going back to prison overtakes his laid-back attitude, and that in tandem with Bolin learning lava-bending and being fought by him and Mako, he crumbles and tries to take them down with him. Ming-Hua's love of the hunt narrows her mind, and she doesn't even consider how her water-arms can be used against her, especially by a firebender; it's little wonder she gets electrocuted, she probably didn't think or wonder if Mako could do it, and is so full of herself that she thought she could take anyone so long as she has water. P'li, in spite of her calm demeanor, is so cemented in her role and making sure Zaheer is alright that she misses how she's kind of an easy target. She's strategically always put in places where she's just out of reach so she has the greatest advantage and the lowest chance of getting hurt, but loses whenever her blind spots are used against her. Her blind spots are getting hit in the third eye, anything that's not in front of her or in her peripheries... and Zaheer. When Zaheer is out of his element, she loses concentration; her earthly tether is in danger so she gets more frazzled, which is ironic considering Zaheer himself got more dangerous when he loses P'li entirely.

-----Zaheer himself is extremely compelling and interesting to think about. Anarchism is something that's not taken seriously by most of the general public because they have a shallow view of what anarchism is. It's the skepticism and dislike of authoritarian institutions that divide and beat down the marginalized, such as capitalist nation-states. But like every school of thought, it has extreme, utopian, and dangerous limits and sects. In Zaheer's case, he believes disorder is natural and something that people will come out of stronger for it.

He has a point to a certain extent (and trust me, as a leftist, I'm aware that TLOK falls into a similar liberal writing trap that ATLA did in that bad people who have good points/ideas are written to be even more evil in their actions in order to undermine their ideas as a whole, but that kind of discussion is best saved for a different day), but his extreme relies upon two fallacies: one, that people will maintain the freedom that goes by his design-which if the Red Lotus were to try and maintain that design, he'd just end up a hypocrite-and two, that people wouldn't just band around another leader. In fact, creating such a big power vacuum could lead to an even more oppressive force to take over in the previous one's destruction. And I know all about the fascist-allegory in season 4 of LOK, so... yeah, that didn't work.

Something else I like about him is how he's almost a corruption of Air Nomad culture. Freedom's negative extreme is chaos and selfishness, and it's in deep contrast to what Tenzin wants the new Air Nation to accomplish at the end of the season, which is harmony and justice. So in a way, Zaheer got a little of what he wanted, but ironically in losing all his tethers, he lost what makes a person a person, and becomes so utterly lost in his self-made void of emptiness, that when brought back to the earth, he loses his mind.

Thinking back on it, it's what I liked about Amon and Tarrlok as well. Water is the element of change, and the water tribe celebrates community and emotion. The natural negative extremes of that is enforced rules and proticols to quell unrest and protect the people from themselves, which is like trying to redirect a powerful river (Tarrlok), and violent, immediate social unrest and revolution, which is like a sudden current shift or careening down a waterfall (Amon). Were I to think on it more, I could probably do a similar thing with Unalaq and the Water Tribe civil war, but given I just pulled the previous examples out of my head near instantly, it kind of goes to show that Book 2 is a bit too bloated with other things for me to properly dissect and reconnect the philosophy to the elements of it.

-----I think Tenzin has moved into comfort character territory for me, I just love whenever he's onscreen. The weight of the air nation culture on his shoulders was resolved last season, but it comes back now that harmonic convergence re-established balance by having new air benders pop up. I think that was a fair way to bring back his angst, and it parallels neatly with Jinora's continued main role as an airbending master and spiritual guide in her own right. What Tenzin lacked in natural talents or skills in maintaining community, he makes up for in raw experience, and its vice versa with Jinora. The air family's dynamic was always a treat to experience, and Kai's introduction into the show was quite beneficial IMO. It gave Jinora an earthly tether and all the good and bad that comes with it (heightens her immaturity and rebelliousness, but also fosters a better connection with her spiritual side and improves her ability to talk and direct others).

Back to Tenzin and him being a comfort character though... Guys I was almost brought to tears when the Northern Air Temple was attacked. I hated seeing Tenzin get beat up, like I was actually upset. "As long as I'm breathing, it's not over." 🥹🥹🥹

-----Lin and Suyin! I like their dynamic a lot, and I'm so happy that Lin is a major character again in this season. The Beifong family is fun to watch, and I like how stubborn each of the sisters were, until Opal-much like an airbender would-was able to enlighten them by reminding them of their sisterhood and love for each other. Achieve freedom from your past by letting go of resentment, and all that.

Given that Kuvira was introduced in this Book, I expect Lin and Suyin to have even more screen time next season, and with that I also expect deeper moments to comment on. I have other thoughts I could share, but I think watching season 4 would make them more solidified. Also, Suyin voiced by Anne Heche? Absolutely love, it's a treat for the ears.

-----Bolin and Mako! Finally I have nothing but positive things to say about each of them! Now that they're not sharing the spotlight with police drama or political bureaucracy, they have new opportunities to grow. I'm glad they got to meet their Earth Kingdom family, and as a mixed kid myself, I have a soft spot for mixed ancestry depictions in shows.

Bolin thrives when he's having a crisis about his identity and who he wants to be; giving him lavabending (something relatively unique) instead of metal-bending (something most other earthbenders, now including Korra, can do) is brilliant, as it gives him an opportunity to chart his own path on almost uncharted territories, rather than try to fit into the mold.

Mako thrives when his connections to his family and his past are brought to the forefront; he's always been a talented bender, but his power as a bender and his goodness as a person, shine brightest when he needs to help/encourage Bolin, when giving Kai advice, when rescuing his extended family, or when he's reminiscing on his past on the streets. He's out of his element when boxed into a poorly written love triangle, and boring to watch when he's a police officer. He's a great watch when he's freed from those restrictions, and it's a great layer to the overall theme of freedom in Book 3.

-----Man Korra was put through the wringer in this season. Now, I still don't like how the connections to past avatars was done as a consequence to Raava getting defeated, but I do like how it impacts Korra as a character, when deciding her own path without needing to seek advice at every turn. I... don't think it results in a completely rash decision on her part, just that her insecurity over being considered a poor Avatar means she's more willing to self-sacrifice for the benefits of overs, even if it means everyone suffers in the long term.

I was so proud of her character at the end of the season but also so heartbroken when she was shown in the wheelchair. She's so despondent, and it's clear that it's not just physical trauma she's suffering from anymore. I hope season 4 capitalizes on this.

Honest confession, I was crying heavy during the final scene during Jinora's tattoo ceremony, for multiple reasons. Jinora reaching her peak and being respected for her mastery, Tenzin being proud, Korra being traumatized, and Korra crying both because of her experiences as an Avatar so far and because-or at least what I headcanon-it's subtly Aang also crying through her seeing his culture and people restored. I just think it's a bittersweet and emotionally well done finale to the season.

-Korrasami ship tease in this season was so cuuuuuute!!! Sorry if this is an awkward way to end this post, but I just really like them together. Any time it's just the two of them, I smile. I wish there was more overt ship tease, but I understand it was the execs behind the scenes breathing down the necks of the writers. At least Korrasami won out in the end.

Book 4 is next! What a wild ride it's been!

#tlok first watch #tlok korra #tlok tenzin #tlok zaheer #tlok bolin #tlok mako #the legend of korra #tlok

17 notes · View notes