S04.E02: Korra Alone

[PinkRibbons]

 

Korra's three-year journey of healing takes her to unexpected places.

 

[Brn2bwild]

So much for my thinking they would be cruel and dangle it for another week.  Yay!

[VCRTracking]

Poor Korra. Katara helping her through her recuperation was great.

 

Bolin writing style is unexpectedly grandiose like Kenny from South Park in that Hawaii episode.

 

LOL at the picture of Aang doing the marble trick that guy at the stand took.

 

Toph! 

Edited October 11, 2014 by VCRTracking

[Stardancer Supreme]

Good to know that Toph is still around!  

[FlamingWench79]

Not even going to lie.  I screamed when I saw it was Toph, and maybe teared up at her calling Korra "Twinkle Toes."  I honestly wasn't expecting Toph so soon...I figured that it would be later in the season.  Either way, it will be interesting to see what role she will play in Korra getting her head right, and why she's been hiding out in the swamp.  

 

The picture of Aang doing his marble trick.  It's nice to know that even as an adult, Aang was still a playful dork.  

 

I knew that Korra was in bad shape, but damn, that was rough watching Korra struggle with rehabilitation.  Per the norm, Katara was awesome and very patient.  

[enlightenedbum]

I was impressed by how the voice work/writing made it obvious that was Toph before they ever panned up.  Credit to the actress/director/casting types on that.

 

Overall a very strong episode, as they pretty much all have been since the end of S2.

[Xazeal]

I honestly think this was one of the best episodes of the series. Some nice character beats for Korra, great use of the old Team Avatar (Aang with the marbles was pure gold) and truly gorgeous and varied scenery. And of course, TOPH. I knew it was coming and I was still squeeing. 

 

This season is starting out really, really strong. I hope they keep this up.

[stopeslite]

That whole episode was amazing, but I can't help but like the best how Asami volunteered to go with Korra to the south water tribe, and how Korra wrote back only to Asami, I love how they're developing this friendship, and how deep it is. It's really rare to see such a good friendship on tv.

[Brn2bwild]

That whole episode was amazing, but I can't help but like the best how Asami volunteered to go with Korra to the south water tribe, and how Korra wrote back only to Asami, I love how they're developing this friendship, and how deep it is. It's really rare to see such a good friendship on tv.

 

Not to mention a good friendship between two women.  Women who were once romantic rivals at that.

[VCRTracking]

I can't believe I just found out only now that Katara is voiced by Academy Award winning Eva Marie Saint from On the Waterfront and North By Northwest! She was fantastic in the episode.

[Ravenya003]

I loved it.

 

I initially had some trepidation over the fact that they called this was "Korra Alone" - isn't it just asking for trouble that you name an episode of your slightly-less-popular-than-its-predecessor show after one of the most popular episodes of the original series? Yet this choice paid off, as having "Zuko Alone" fresh in my mind brought all the little parallels and connects between the two shows to my attention.

 

It felt like a classic episode, with frightening and funny stuff, emphasis on character, plenty of mysterious spirits/apparitions, and beautiful animation. That image of Korra bending on the cliff tops with the stars behind her - stunning.

 

If I ever complied a top ten list of "best episodes ever", including all of Korra and the original series, this would definitely be on it.

[Apathy]

I actually first saw this episode at the NYCC panel, and like everyone else who was there, I was freaking out at the end of it! I also appreciate how real they made Korra's struggle. Like when she was first trying to walk, I could imagine how painful that must have been. 

 

So yeah, definitely one of the best episodes. 

[weyrbunny]

For the second episode in a row, I was underwhelmed. "Korra Alone" was certainly a good episode with impressive psychological depth, but my attention drifted multiple times, and I kept thinking about "Zuko Alone" instead. Both episodes about searching for identity, both episodes permeated by a sense of loneliness…but I feel like "Zuko Alone" was more nuanced. Korra just doesn’t seem to have any desires besides her…Avatar-ness. This was a/the point, I’m sure, since Korra’s self-identity as the Avatar has been so all-encompassing since an early age.

 

I just always felt like I knew where "Korra Alone" was going, though. Even Toph’s appearance felt mundane, because I’d been expecting her arrival ever since Season 3 focused on her daughters.

 

I did appreciate that Korra tried to apply what she’s learned over the years (seasons) by visiting the Spirit World, etc. And it was a nice parallel/contrast to "Welcome to Republic City", too: Korra traveled alone on her own initiative both times, and lied to do so.

 

It’s also interesting how this storyline directly addresses the complaint about the Season 1 finale, that Korra losing her bending was too easily resolved there. (Remember the Korra-was-sad-for-10-minutes-and-then-she-magically-got-everything-she-wanted complaint about the rushed storytelling? I do.) They’ve taken it to the opposite extreme here—years later and Korra still isn’t well. It’s great that they’re not rushing it now.

 

For perspective: "The Storm", which I’ve seen listed as the best episode of A:TLA multiple times, isn’t one of my favorites either.

Edited October 18, 2014 by weyrbunny

[Donny Ketchum]

And it was a nice parallel/contrast to "Welcome to Republic City", too: Korra traveled alone on her own initiative both times, and lied to do so.

There was also a nice musical parallel to that episode, too.  But you would probably only have noticed it if you had a musical ear like I do.  When Korra has her sparring match with the Firebenders, it's the same music playing then as it was in the pilot.