PinkRibbons October 16, 2014 Share October 16, 2014 I've been getting the episode descriptions from amazon instant video, but they don't show until the episode is ready to watch. Very annoying. That being said, I'm so excited for the next episode!!! The last one may have been the best the series has done. My only hope is that we get paralleling stories, switching back and forth between Korra and Republic City within the episode instead of switching every other episode. I can't wait an extra week for Toph! Link to comment
Stardancer Supreme October 17, 2014 Share October 17, 2014 (edited) Episode Description: Prince Wu is getting ready for his big day. Korra thinks she may have found the answer to her problems. Awesome episode! Like I said, did the other world leaders think that Kuvira would just roll over for Prince Wu? Heh. I almost feel sorry for him, but he would not have been a great ruler for the Earth Kingdom, excuse me Earth Empire. So Korra still has metal inside of her? That's harsh. But Toph was right, she has to get it out herself in order to be herself again. Edited October 17, 2014 by Stardancer Supreme Link to comment
steelyis October 17, 2014 Share October 17, 2014 (edited) It's official: I love Kuvira and Zelda Williams! She gave me chills when she told Suyin what to expect when Kuvira comes for Zaofu. Holy shit, that was cold! Toph being able to feel people all over the world is a whole new level of badass even for her! And watching her kick Korra's ass was hilarious and oddly satisfying. Forget Korra vs. Kuvira, I want to see Kuvira take on the woman who reckons the two best metal benders in the world never really got the hang of it. I'm not feeling Bolin's storyline because he won't be able to stay on Kuvira's side once the real fighting starts, which makes his arc predictable--unless the show does something completely nuts and has Bolin go all in with Kuvira's rule. Edited October 17, 2014 by steelyis Link to comment
enlightenedbum October 17, 2014 Share October 17, 2014 Bolin's story is fairly necessary though as part of why Kuvira's popular with the masses. There are shades of gray here which is excellent. I mean, inevitably she'll go overboard and it'll be up to Korra to solve the problem because this is her story and an action show, but until then: gray! I do hope they better handle that aspect than they did in season one, becasue Amon still had a point. I guess the President being a non-bender by all accounts is something there, but it bothers me. Toph remains blunt, direct, and willing to take no shit. She's the best. Link to comment
PinkRibbons October 17, 2014 Share October 17, 2014 I say this as someone who loves Toph from top to bottom, but damn would I not want to be her kid. But then again I'm not a fan of tough love, and found the whole "you don't want to be better, you have to will away your PTSD" thing kind of harsh, especially since Korra has been trying so damn hard for three years and being told that her remaining issues are all in her head, only to now find out, she's still poisoned! (But I admit I should rewatch and might change my opinion on that, I got up at five to see this episode before work and my brain doesn't absorb as well that early.) My guess is that Korra is going to end up crying out the last of the metal, which should be a pretty beautiful image, I hope it's done right. Kuvira and the Earth Kingdom Empire is giving me serious USSR vibes. Hopefully it won't take most of a century to collapse! It's one thing to provide needed aid, but when its resources run low (and it should, considering Kuvira has just pissed off most of the world's leaders and likely destroyed a lot of trade), things should get ugly. Oh, and "camps" for dissenters? Yeah, that'll go over well. Not. I've been convincing myself that Bolin has been with Kuvira this entire time as a deep-cover spy for Lin or Tenzin. The way he acted in this episode may have contradicted that, maybe not. I would just love it to turn out that Bolin has been playing Kuvira this whole time. You never see the goofy dork spy coming. 2 Link to comment
Ravenya003 October 17, 2014 Share October 17, 2014 Great episode, though I was annoyed at the absence of Asami and the lack of any dialogue for the Fire Lady character who has to be Zuko's daughter (sitting next to him on the stage). But there was a nice balance between Republic City and the Swamp, with Toph going all Yoda on Korra and everyone else dealing with Kuvira's politics. She's shaping up to be the best villain since Azula, and I really hope they don't have her go too overboard into flat-out villain territory. As plenty of people pointed out in this episode, she has done a LOT of good; it's just a matter of making sure that she doesn't go too overboard (which with mention of prison camps, it would appear she already has). But Zelda Williams has a fantastic voice. I can understand why so many characters would be entranced by her. From what I gather Suyin doesn't seem to be a very popular character, but I can appreciate her as a three-dimensional woman. It seems obvious that she was a spoiled little brat as a child (who never quite lost that sense of self-centredness) but is generally a decent free-spirited person who just wants to be left in peace and independence in her own city. I loved her reaction to Kuvira crediting HER with her disdain for the monarchy, and the later veiled threat that she was coming for Zhao Fu. Does anyone else think that Prince Wu totally has a crush on Mako? I wouldn't be surprised if Bryke are slipping in a deliberate subtext, even if they'd never get away with actually making it explicit. And pretty much all the original Gaang are accounted for now except for Suki. And yeah, I know some may not count her as a true member of the gang, but she was their Sixth Ranger, and since Suki/Sokka was the only ship I really cared for in the original series, I'd love to know what happened to her (the mention of Kyoshi's medal reminded me of her). 1 Link to comment
Xazeal October 18, 2014 Share October 18, 2014 So Toph can see the entire world now. I don't know why I expected anything less! At this point she pretty much has to be the single most powerful bender in the world, right? Great episode. I didn't realize until now that Asami wasn't in it, and she's my favorite character, so clearly it held my attention pretty well. Again, this looks like their most ambitious season by far, and it seems like they have a real sense of direction this time around. Interesting story, great pacing, and an unusual amount of character development. Does anyone else think that Prince Wu totally has a crush on Mako? I wouldn't be surprised if Bryke are slipping in a deliberate subtext, even if they'd never get away with actually making it explicit. YES! I'm so glad I wasn't the only one. At first I thought it was all in my head, but as Wu started getting more touchy, I thought "wait, is this actually going to be a thing?" I kind of hope it happens. Link to comment
VCRTracking October 18, 2014 Share October 18, 2014 (edited) Katara's nurturing, patient care was good for helping Korra walk again but I think Toph's tough(and boy is it tough) love and truth is needed to help get Korra get her "Avatar mojo" back. Does anyone else think that Prince Wu totally has a crush on Mako? I wouldn't be surprised if Bryke are slipping in a deliberate subtext, even if they'd never get away with actually making it explicit. Yep, definitely sensing a gay vibe. If Wu was a girl it would be the classic spoiled, ditzy rich girl falling in love with the bodyguard/servant out of a screwball comedy like My Man Godfrey. Loved seeing Eska again. I went "Whoa" when they said she and Desna share a hotel room until she said he sleeps in the tub! Rewatching, Asami was in the episode, during the coronation she's on the far right standing next to Mako. What is Varrick up to with the spirit vine? Is it going to be the Avatar world equivalent of an atomic bomb? Love Tenzin sending out his kids to find Korra. Edited October 18, 2014 by VCRTracking Link to comment
HunterHunted October 18, 2014 Share October 18, 2014 I say this as someone who loves Toph from top to bottom, but damn would I not want to be her kid. But then again I'm not a fan of tough love, and found the whole "you don't want to be better, you have to will away your PTSD" thing kind of harsh, especially since Korra has been trying so damn hard for three years and being told that her remaining issues are all in her head, only to now find out, she's still poisoned! (But I admit I should rewatch and might change my opinion on that, I got up at five to see this episode before work and my brain doesn't absorb as well that early.) My guess is that Korra is going to end up crying out the last of the metal, which should be a pretty beautiful image, I hope it's done right. Kuvira and the Earth Kingdom Empire is giving me serious USSR vibes. Hopefully it won't take most of a century to collapse! It's one thing to provide needed aid, but when its resources run low (and it should, considering Kuvira has just pissed off most of the world's leaders and likely destroyed a lot of trade), things should get ugly. Oh, and "camps" for dissenters? Yeah, that'll go over well. Not. I've been convincing myself that Bolin has been with Kuvira this entire time as a deep-cover spy for Lin or Tenzin. The way he acted in this episode may have contradicted that, maybe not. I would just love it to turn out that Bolin has been playing Kuvira this whole time. You never see the goofy dork spy coming. I wouldn't want to be Toph's kids because of her inability to set limits and emotional and physical abandonment of her family. However, it's not surprising given her family of origin. My younger brother called the USSR comparison in the first episode. He said "this feels like the formation of the USSR. I'm thinking Kuvira is Lenin. Never mind, she's Stalin because he was the really brutal one." Link to comment
enlightenedbum October 18, 2014 Share October 18, 2014 Given that the Earth Kingdom is fairly transparently China, Mao is probably the better comparison. But Mao who develops nuclear weapons first, possibly. Link to comment
Apathy October 18, 2014 Share October 18, 2014 Does anyone else think that Prince Wu totally has a crush on Mako? I wouldn't be surprised if Bryke are slipping in a deliberate subtext, even if they'd never get away with actually making it explicit. Yep, definitely sensing a gay vibe. If Wu was a girl it would be the classic spoiled, ditzy rich girl falling in love with the bodyguard/servant out of a screwball comedy like My Man Godfrey. People have compared them to Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard, and I agree. The resemblance is uncanny. XD And yeah, I hope Wuko does become a thing on some level, because I love their dynamic. Mako tells Wu exactly what he needs to hear, and Wu takes him shopping! It's adorable. Toph is still hilarious and badass as ever, and I for one love how she absolutely refuses to coddle Korra. And she's right that Korra wants the poison in there, at least on a subconscious level. I'm loving how there's no easy solutions to her problems this time. "You're an upstanding citizen again, sir." I didn't realize how much I missed Zhu Li's deadpan-ness, along with Eska's! After the imo strange way they parted in Book 2, it's good to know Bolin's still a little afraid of her. And of course Desna sleeps in the tub. XD I also loved Mako's expression when Bolin compared Kuvira to Korra... he might as well have said "Bitch, please." Poor Wu, clearly no one bothered to teach him how the real world works, and now he's learning the hard way. This and Varrick's spirit vine could lead to an interesting development. Link to comment
BatmanBeatles October 19, 2014 Share October 19, 2014 Loved seeing Eska again. I went "Whoa" when they said she and Desna share a hotel room until she said he sleeps in the tub! I know! I thought, "Did they seriously go there?" 1 Link to comment
Trichromatic October 19, 2014 Share October 19, 2014 Loved seeing Eska again. I went "Whoa" when they said she and Desna share a hotel room until she said he sleeps in the tub! Me too!! Nothing like a light incest joke on an animated show, I must say! :D Link to comment
Donny Ketchum October 19, 2014 Share October 19, 2014 Me too!! Nothing like a light incest joke on an animated show, I must say! :D Very light, I'm glad they kept it. The episode was amazing. From Korra's interactions with Toph, Mako's with Wu, and Kuvira's with Su, I was entertained the whole way. And yes, I'm really eager to see this spirit plant development. Link to comment
Eneya October 21, 2014 Share October 21, 2014 The idea that there needs to be a one person, who is strong, strict and saves the world is nothing new, the whole show is based on the idea that the balance is handled by one individual - the Avatar. There are many people who believe honestly that one person being on top would make better choices instead of the open shared responsibility of modern democracy (ahem... Putin). However, I love how the show is looking at it... there is one person to keep the balance... provided all of the nations are taken care of by the respective heads for each country and that there are different styles of government. Kuvira could be a good thing, however, we are shown that she is going overboard, though there is no much difference between her actions and the actions of other heads of state, she is simply a bit more blunt and on the nose. Still... I HOPE they handle this thing better than Amon who had a very good point and the amount of followers indicates that there really is a social issue... which was sadly never ever mentioned after the end of season one, are we to believe that issue was resolved? To this day his main idea, that benders have disproportionate power is valid, benders are the movers and shakers (people like Asami and the Kyoshy warriors and Sokka showed that is not always the case but come one... we have demi-gods running around controlling elements... not a reasonless fear and disbalance) though I like how science and technology are changing this. :) Link to comment
enlightenedbum October 22, 2014 Share October 22, 2014 (edited) I like how science and technology are changing this. :) I have a pet theory that the villains are manifestations of the various extremist ideologies that arose in the industrial era. It only sort of makes sense, but... Amon is standing in for Communists, with a hypocritical charismatic figurehead turning a movement with legitimate grievances into a military state. Varrick is capitalism run amok. Most obvious in the war propagandizing/profiteering (e.g. William Randolph Hearst) and his statement about donating to all sides (any of the Trusts of the Gilded Age here in the US) to maintain access to Reiko. Could probably argue that he's also science without restraint if the spirit technology that he's working is what I assume it is. But Varrick is awesome so he gets to not be destroyed by Korra, basically. Unalaq is the biggest stretch, but ultimately he's someone who rejects modernity entirely for a particularly dumb interpretation of a very old belief system. I'm calling him a religious fundamentalist. Zaheer is pretty clearly a stand in for the 19th century Anarchist terrorist movement under this rubric. You could argue he's also rejecting modernity for a very old belief system, but he's more interested in tearing down the structures of power to restore what he thinks of as true freedom, aka chaos. Calling him an Anarchist. Kuvira's being set up to be military dictator. Wouldn't be shocked if they start making some Mussolini (Zhaofu as Ethiopia?*) parallels at some point. If they do, I'm going to say I'm right. *Admittedly pretty much the newest state standing in for one of humanity's oldest would be weird. Edited October 22, 2014 by enlightenedbum 2 Link to comment
Eneya October 22, 2014 Share October 22, 2014 Yeah, I kind of am not seeing it, especially in regards to communism, since the very concept of communism can't be connected in any way with what was shown in the show, Maybe because I am from a country in which we had that for a long time, I am more familiar with the actual practices of it but mostly... there are different types of communism. The rest... I do agree, especially for Anarchism/Capitalism references. :) Link to comment
enlightenedbum October 22, 2014 Share October 22, 2014 Yeah, I kind of am not seeing it, especially in regards to communism, since the very concept of communism can't be connected in any way with what was shown in the show, Maybe because I am from a country in which we had that for a long time, I am more familiar with the actual practices of it but mostly... there are different types of communism. The rest... I do agree, especially for Anarchism/Capitalism references. :) I contemplated saying the perils of mass democracy/populist movements but that's not really want I wanted. I thought about just saying socialism, but I don't think of socialism as a particularly extremist ideology so that wasn't what I was going for either. The biggest issue there is Hiroshi's involvement, really. 1 Link to comment
weyrbunny October 23, 2014 Share October 23, 2014 I also loved Mako's expression when Bolin compared Kuvira to Korra... he might as well have said "Bitch, please." Agreed. I laughed so hard at Mako’s expression. This episode was so much fun! (You know, except for the warring ideologies and sense of impending…war.) I thought it was interesting that Bolin seemed the more open-minded of the two when Mako and Bolin were arguing their viewpoints. I do hope that Bolin isn’t separated from the main POV like he was during the Nuktuk storyline, though, which would make his arc repetitive as you suggest, Steelyis. Maybe Wu will end up in one of Kuvira’s prison camps—sans Orange Julius, of course—and that’s how the concept will be explored. Forget Korra vs. Kuvira, I want to see Kuvira take on the woman who reckons the two best metal benders in the world never really got the hang of it. That would be awesome, but I’m expecting something like Avatar vine-bending more. Maybe because the word “vine” is just too prevalent so far, and it feels like the season is emphasizing the body/nature and positioning it against spirit/technology. Is the metal poison making Korra the bender that she’d be if she weren’t the Avatar? Meaning, would she not even be a champion athlete? Just wondering. Link to comment
Eneya October 23, 2014 Share October 23, 2014 (edited) I am a bit unsure, the whole idea of the Avatar catching on quickly is the fact that the person remembers something leartn and re-leartn so many times... again and again. However, practicing and studying is what makes a bender a master, so... maybe? I mean... she is having issues connecting to her spiritual side (though that has changed a bit) and in many aspects, is still developing herself as an individual but I am queasy on the idea that someone with her physical abilities would be a bad bender if cut from the memories of the previous benders before her, since bending is exension of the will. However, since her will is hurt that extnsion suffers, so I think it is a person who is broken in many aspects, trying to proceed with her life and not what she would have been if she wasn't the Avatar. :) I hope that makes sense. :) Edited November 5, 2014 by OnceSane double text Link to comment
weyrbunny October 25, 2014 Share October 25, 2014 Yes, thank you for reminding me that bending is an extension of the will. Link to comment
Eneya November 5, 2014 Share November 5, 2014 Did it come off as patronizing? Sorry... didn't mean it like that... it was musing of mine. Also... I have no idea why it is twice in that post and I can't edit it? Link to comment
OnceSane November 5, 2014 Author Share November 5, 2014 Did it come off as patronizing? Sorry... didn't mean it like that... it was musing of mine. Also... I have no idea why it is twice in that post and I can't edit it? I fixed your post. Members can only edit a post for up to a week after the post is made; that's why you couldn't edit it yourself. 1 Link to comment
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