Poll: Last Airbender or Legend of Korra

[Navvan]

Legend of Korra has not had as gripping individual episodes for me yet. However, Crossroads of Destiny and Day of the Black Sun were much later in Airbender's run, so who knows how I'll answer this later.

Also, a single setting provides such great differences as opposed to world traveling, that it's hard to even compare the two shows.

It has been confirmed that there will be only 2 seasons of The Legend of Korra. Which actually makes me very disappointed with how this season went.

Wait where did you here this. There are only 2 seasons currently scheduled, but I have heard nothing of a confirmation that there will only be two. In fact it seems the creators want to make more [http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/06/19/the-legend-of-korra-creators-preview-the-finale/] and that Nickoldeon is open [https://twitter.com/nickelodeontv/status/157138953177280513] to the idea.

Spoiler: If you don't wish to click on the links/sift through interview

How many seasons do you see yourselves doing "Korra" and when will there be a decision on a third season?

Konietzko: Those aren't really the decisions that we make. I see that with the fans too. I think they think Mike and I pick the show up and greenlight it. That's not the way it works.

DiMartino: We have story ideas for past book two. So we will see if and when those stories come to light.

NICK: So far I believe there are 26 episodes with the option to create more going forward

So yea source? Because that is something I'd like to know.

 

[Krion_Vark]

Legend of Korra has not had as gripping individual episodes for me yet. However, Crossroads of Destiny and Day of the Black Sun were much later in Airbender's run, so who knows how I'll answer this later.

Also, a single setting provides such great differences as opposed to world traveling, that it's hard to even compare the two shows.

It has been confirmed that there will be only 2 seasons of The Legend of Korra. Which actually makes me very disappointed with how this season went.

Wait where did you here this. There are only 2 seasons currently scheduled, but I have heard nothing of a confirmation that there will only be two. In fact it seems the creators want to make more [http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/06/19/the-legend-of-korra-creators-preview-the-finale/] and that Nickoldeon is open [https://twitter.com/nickelodeontv/status/157138953177280513] to the idea.

Spoiler: If you don't wish to click on the links/sift through interview

How many seasons do you see yourselves doing "Korra" and when will there be a decision on a third season?

Konietzko: Those aren't really the decisions that we make. I see that with the fans too. I think they think Mike and I pick the show up and greenlight it. That's not the way it works.

DiMartino: We have story ideas for past book two. So we will see if and when those stories come to light.

NICK: So far I believe there are 26 episodes with the option to create more going forward

So yea source? Because that is something I'd like to know.

Then I guess your sources are more updated than mine. When Korra was first announced they said they wanted to do 2-3 seasons but 2 were a definite. But after this season finale I really don't see how they could make it go past 2.

 

[Navvan]

Snip

The thing is Katara was very clearly a more accomplished waterbender by the end of the second season than any of the 3 big bads were in this.

Just going off of raw power and skill, I'd say she'd have out performed them by the end of the first series. And Hamma, the one who invented the art wasn't much less powerful. She spent like 40 years mastering the technique and still couldn't do it outside of a fullmoon.

It just doesn't make sense for people to be able to do it, even with years of practice and focus. And when he was teaching his kids they could do it outside of a fullmoon almost right away. I know they made the reference to Sparky when they were talking about people being able to do this. But what he didn't wasn't actually a higher form of firebending. Just a different bending technique.

A) Presumably Hamma wasn't the only person who invented the art. In fact it has to be the case that she wasn't because she only taught it to Katara and Katara didn't teach it to anybody. It was likely invented several times over the centuries but due to people making it taboo it wasn't actively taught. Either Yakone also discovered it independently or he had a teacher. It could have even been taught in secret within his family for centuries.

B) Its hard to compare the skill/power of the individuals without a direct confrontation. The fights seem less impressive overall in this series, as we both agree, so its kinda hard to just lift it from that. What we do know is that Amon was a prodigy similar to Katara, and that Tarlok was able to hold his own and even overpower Korra (another prodigy) who has mastered water bending under Katara until she starts using a combination of elements. I'm not saying they are necessarily better than Katara or even Korra; all I'm saying is that they have shown themselves to be skilled and powerful water benders.

C)None of that even matters as I stated in my original post. Technique is important. Hamma didn't have it for whatever reason. She didn't bother experimenting with the technique, she wasn't clever enough to develop it, it doesn't matter. Yakone did, or his teacher did, and he taught it to his sons. Without the technique it doesn't matter how powerful you are, you aren't going to be able to do it. Hence the reference to Katara not being able to do diddlysquat with water until she learned technique (first self-taught from the scroll and later an actual teacher) despite being both powerful and a prodigy at it. There are also different techniques to accomplish similar effects. For example Toph's earthbending is fundamentally different than other earthbenders (her style and moves are actually based on a different martial art called Chu Gar Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu rather than the traditional Hung Gar used by earthbenders to emphasize this) because she learned it directly from Badger Moles rather than an established technique. It was shown to be more effective at doing certain things. There is no reason to believe that there couldn't be a more effective technique to blood bend than what was originally depicted.

But even the most powerful firebenders such as Ozai and Azula took a long time to generate and unleash lightning. They just seem to point and shoot in this.

Personally I think it's an imitation of the actual lightning technique. Probably the same principal, just not as refined.

That fits in perfectly with what I stated. It takes a longer time to separate a larger amount of charge. I also never stated it couldn't be a different technique (it certainly could be) just that it didn't necessarily have to be. For example they could easily just build up charge on themselves (rather than separate charge) and release a really nasty static shock. I actually like that explanation better.

They seem to have dropped a lot of the martial arts finesse that the first series had. And that really had an impact as far as I'm concerned.

Agreed and I hope they pick it back up as far as I'm concerned. I'm hoping they make it somewhat canon as well with the whole pro-bending diluting the fighting because we do get a glimpse of the good old martial art style in the very beginning of the series.

 

[FaceFaceFace]

It would've been a toss-up, but that finale crushed all my enthusiasm for the series. Here's hoping next season is better.

 

[honestdiscussioner]

I loved both series. There were parts of Korra I liked better (it was a bit more grown up), but overall given the whole story behind Last Airbender, I'd have to give it to them. I think I actually enjoyed the characters more in Korra, and the central location made for an interesting immersion.

 

[TheFederation]

the thing about TLA was that it wasn't just 'benders' they were the greatest earthbenders, and firebenders and waterbenders in the world. also there was more of a goal than defeating this one guy (something running throught 3 seasons), as well as TLA having 60+ episodes and korra having 12

 

[MagnusX7]

Spoiler warning read no further if you don't want to know. I said legend of Korra, honestly I probably should have voted both, but the reason I like Korra is somewhat petty. I have always said water bending is op and needs a nerf (unless I could get it somehow), I also predicted that Amon was Korlac's(who's name is spelled?)brother based on the fact that Amon countered Korlac's blood bending. In the Katara vs old lady fight it was shown that a stronger water bender could counter the others blood bending. If only one person had mastered blood bending during the day time, and his offspring could as well the most likely way Amon won that fight was because he was the stronger offspring. I also had a theory that he was Face stealer or some weird spirit being, but the fact that my first instinct was right made me happy. Besides now I get to ask my friends,hey still think your choice is the better element? None of them liked water for some reason.

 

[ninja51]

Avatar the Last Airbender is by far a superior show.

Don't get me wrong, I like Korra, the finale had some truely great moments, and the whole bending arena was a pretty awesome idea.

Simply put though, it isn't as well written as The Last Airbender.


Far too many times it commits the worst sin of romance writing, just having the characters start hating each other over simple misunderstanding, and never talking about it! Also, alot of the other dialogue in the episodes seems rushed or missing that certain something. Every single council session falling into the same pattern of "Tenzin disagrees, I Tarlock, believe this is right. All in favor?" "No name council raises hands unanimously with no discussion."

As a matter of personal taste though, I really don't like how every really difficult thing that The Last Airbender set up, seems to come to everyone and their mother naturaly and easily in Korra. For instance, lightning; it is talked up to be a sign of massive power in TLA, but in Korra, pretty much every dang firebender can do it! Thats not even mentioning the whole Amon/Bloodbender/Bending Stealer mess. I'm sure it might be explained later, but its pretty convoluted considering pre-established lore.

 

[Lex Darko]

I like The Last Airbender better partly because it had more humor than this series but mainly because it didn't have any blatant, pandering, and unneeded, love triangles like Legend of Korra did. Really they devoted an entire episode just to that and it feels like filler compared to the other 11 episodes.

 

[Farseer Lolotea]

I still need to watch TLA all the way through. But from what I've seen of it, I think I prefer its narrative.

Now, I understand that LoK was originally conceived as a miniseries that needed to be both self-contained (in case it didn't get picked up again) and open-ended (in case it did). Many of its narrative issues can probably be traced to that.

But there's one thing that I'm fairly sure can't be traced to that. And it can be summed up in one word: Makorra. Well, okay; the entire love polygon was silly; but just...everything about that particular pairing is downright cringe-worthy. (No, this isn't really a 'shipping thing. From my vantage point, it actually comes off as a toxic relationship that needs to crash and burn. As in, almost Bella/Edward bad.)

 

[Ghonzor]

Legend of Korra was pretty terrible in comparison. And so far has had nothing as tear-jerking as Iroh's memorial to his son. I doubt it will handle any of the issues it deals with very well and I find it hard to care about the characters. Korra has no development; she's the same stuck-up brat she was in the first episode.

 

[EquestrianGeneral]

I don't think we can compare them as entire shows yet. Season 1 of LoK has only just ended.

I think that really we should be comparing season 1 of last airbender to season 1 of Korra

And I think that season one of Korra is better than season one of air bender.

What Sneezeguard said!

 

[DaWaffledude]

TLA. Don't get me wrong, I really like Korra, but I much prefer the setting and tone of the original. It just felt... I don't know... Roomier? Is that the word I'm looking for? Like, there's just more space for stuff to happen.

 

[saintdane05]

To me, it is Aang. Not because of he characters or plot, but because it is an adventure. The Gaang are traveling around the world, meeting new people and finding new places. This lead to interesting new characters and different types of episodes.

While I love Republic City (and Korra) I always felt that it is quite boring to see the same type of enviorment again and again.

Also, did you know that Korra was only going to last four episodes? It was then extended to 11, and then more seasons. Personaly, I am glad.

I like The Last Airbender better partly because it had more humor than this series but mainly because it didn't have any blatant, pandering, and unneeded, love triangles like Legend of Korra did. Really they devoted an entire episode just to that and it feels like filler compared to the other 11 episodes.

I always thought of that episode as "We need to have all our shipping out of the way so we can have more awesome!"

Also, TLA had filler. The Great Divide, anyone?

 

[senordesol]

Legend of Korra was pretty terrible in comparison. And so far has had nothing as tear-jerking as Iroh's memorial to his son. I doubt it will handle any of the issues it deals with very well and I find it hard to care about the characters. Korra has no development; she's the same stuck-up brat she was in the first episode.

Hear, Hear.

I realized that what bothered me most about the show is that there were no personal hurdles for each character to overcome in order to be 'complete' as it were.

Spoiler

At first I thought the whole 'Air Bending' deficiency would be the driving theme, but they really don't bring it up outside of the first episode and the finale.

At the very least I had hoped they would at least examine the whole bender/non-bender dynamic (Since, you know, that was the entire driving point of the opposition). But no, all the cool kids are benders and if you're not, well then you have the privilege to betray the only family you have, watch your boyfriend walk out on you, and bask in the ever-lasting glory that is the Avatar (who was basically handed everything she has -including your former boyfriend).

It frustrated me to no end that all the major protags (Korra, Mako, Lin, & Tenzen) and the major villains (Tarlok & Amon) were (or turned out to be) benders themselves. It made me feel that they missed the point of their own show as the benders did everything in what was supposed to be a bender/non-bender showdown. The fact that there was only ONE NB helping the avatar throughout the series (homeless hobo does not count), and not a single voice of opposition or dissent within the equalists seems to make all the NBs in the TLA universe a bunch of useless sheep. As it was I had to do some serious reaching to even come up with a cogent argument on why the equalists even had a point in another thread (which, while I think compelling, had a bunch of holes handily shot in it).

 

[romxxii]

I will say that Last Airbender had a FAR better nemesis.

Are you talking Zuko, Azula or Ozai?

Zuko or Azula, I would totally agree. Ozai sucked. He didn't even do much until Season 3.

You forgot Sparky Sparky Boom Man.

On a more serious note, I find the first season of ATLA unwatchable. It's too goofy, none of them have undergone any character development, and far too episodic considering it's a 24-ep season.

Compared to LoK's first season, which started off with a bang, was trolling shippers by episode 5, and Toph's daughter basically showing that badassness runs in the family.

Factor in music, animation quality, cinematography/storyboarding, and LoK wins, no contest.

Once you start adding seasons 2 and 3 to the equation, though...

 

[eventhorizon525]

Personally I think it's an imitation of the actual lightning technique. Probably the same principal, just not as refined.

^ I find this actually makes a lot of sense. Given

Spoiler

How Mako does the lightning while being blood bent. The motion is tiny, and yet he stills manages blast Amon. And while Amon does stubble a bit from it, he comes back well enough to still keep at pretty close to full power.

While I doubt the writers intended this, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt for now, and just see how s2 goes.

 

[ZigTheHunter]

I like them both, and as of now I can't really chose, as others have said, you can't fairly compare an incomplete series to a complete one. when comparing the first season though Korra wins by a mile, TLA had a pretty meh first season, none of my favorite episodes are from the first season and a lot are rather forgettable and even unnecessary. All of the episodes in Korra felt important and had a purpose. Even with Korra's rushed and disappointing Finale I'd still put it over TLA, plus TLA season one finale wasn't all that great either(but it was better). A lot of Characters in Korra do feel too similar to some of the old ones(did we really need to Zuko-like characters?), but Korra, Tenzin, and Lin all were great characters and did a good job of distinguishing them selves from the character they were based off.