So.... Korrasami is canon.

[gandhi the peacemake]

you blame the audience and you automatically lose the argument.

For my part, I was the audience and it certainly didn't feel like he blamed me; it felt like he was beyond caring that I agree with him. (Which I did. Agree, that is. I agreed with his sentiment.)

But anyway. Now people are getting into the ugly business of devaluing each other's opinions, and that's sucking the fun out of this particular subject, so I'll skip on out of here like most other participants have and celebrate on the S.S. Korrasami, where the drinks are free and the sailing is smooth.

 

[ryukage_sama]

Of course I'm speaking for myself, where did I say I spoke for anyone else? Seasons 1-3 of Korra were awash with so many cutaways to the damn relationship crap when there's supposedly some kind of world threat going on that it lessens my, and my friend's, enjoyment of the series because you can no longer take it seriously when all the show focuses on is highschool level drama and a tiny bit on what the Avatar exists for.

Speaking for everyone:

They're bad enough that they detract from everyone's enjoyment in one form or another of the few good points the show had.

TLA did a lot of hand holding, as is befitting a cartoon series primarily aimed at 8-12 year olds. Legend of Korra was aimed at many of these same people who are now older and many around high-school age, thus "high school level drama" is on par with its target audience and the age of the characters in the show.

 

[Redryhno]

Of course I'm speaking for myself, where did I say I spoke for anyone else? Seasons 1-3 of Korra were awash with so many cutaways to the damn relationship crap when there's supposedly some kind of world threat going on that it lessens my, and my friend's, enjoyment of the series because you can no longer take it seriously when all the show focuses on is highschool level drama and a tiny bit on what the Avatar exists for.

Speaking for everyone:

They're bad enough that they detract from everyone's enjoyment in one form or another of the few good points the show had.

TLA did a lot of hand holding, as is befitting a cartoon series primarily aimed at 8-12 year olds. Legend of Korra was aimed at many of these same people who are now older and many around high-school age, thus "high school level drama" is on par with its target audience and the age of the characters in the show.

If you cared to uncut everything around that quote, you'd see that I was talking from personal experience with people I consider friends who share the same opinion in that regard.

As for the rest, TLA started in '05. And I'd seriously like to know what 8 year old you knew that could understand half of what was going on in that show? It was not written with 8-12 year olds as the primary demographic, despite the network it aired on. It is a show that ended up closer to the teen demographic if it was even aimed at kids younger than that at all. Death, betrayal, family infighting, lifelong grudges and sorrow, these are not even half the things kids can, or should, be as exposed to at 8 as TLA often times did.

Now, skip forward to 2012, 7 years. Most of the people that remember and praise it so highly are not in highschool, they're in college and beyond. And give me a break, TLA covered topics alot heavier than season 1-3 of Korra. The worst thing I can think of that happened is her losing the connection to her past lives in season 2 and even that is nowhere near what was felt and speculated over for the Appa kidnapping, Aang first returning to the Air Temple, Azula hitting him with the lightning, Tales of Ba Sing Se, and the Cabbage Merchant. Again, what I've seen and personally experienced with friends and the internet, so you don't think I'm talking for everyone again.

There was hand-holding in TLA, I don't think I disputed that, but Korra basically got a group of hands to do nearly everything for her. Sure they showed her on the brink of stuff going down and her in danger about six times a season, but she was nearly always given the way out for the sake of the plot.

 

[Smiley Face]

It's possible someone's already said this, but bloody hell - I've been putting off watching the season until it was done and I could watch it in quick succession, and then I see this topic at the top of the active threads thing that shows up on the main page. Would it be at all possible for you to change the name of this thread to NOT be super spoilerific, or at the very least, preface it with SPOILERS and enough text so that it doesn't jump into my brain as I read down the main page?

Since I'm here, thought I should jump in and say that it sounds like a good idea, depends on how well it's executed, which I will assume is not too well, just out of the blue, but will probably still work for me as long as they play it right after skipping over the actual development of the relationship. It would also be fine if they didn't want to go for romantic entanglements at the end, but given that setting a possible happily-ever-after scenario thematically works best for the series (I'm assuming that's where it's going), the romantic element helps sell/ensure that for most folks, so it probably makes the show work the best for the most people, so I'm good with that.

And as for comments I've seen regarding lesbian couples in animation, while it's true that in Japanese animation there's a well-established history of that, I'm not familiar with it in western animation, and I think that what Korra and Avatar have done in this case and in general is pretty outstanding for their genre and medium.

 

[MrCalavera_v1legacy]

I'm just gonna spare you more spoilers and leave response like this, til after you've seen the final.

Spoiler

Since I'm here, thought I should jump in and say that it sounds like a good idea, depends on how well it's executed, which I will assume is not too well, just out of the blue, but will probably still work for me as long as they play it right after skipping over the actual development of the relationship. It would also be fine if they didn't want to go for romantic entanglements at the end, but given that setting a possible happily-ever-after scenario thematically works best for the series (I'm assuming that's where it's going), the romantic element helps sell/ensure that for most folks, so it probably makes the show work the best for the most people, so I'm good with that.

Damn, it's just like you've already watched this ep. This is practically spot on.

 

[Izanagi009_v1legacy]

Oh dear, well, this mess has attracted my attention so I might as well comment.

First off, the idea of having a lesbian couple/relationship in western animation or western media in general is a good step towards the improvement of popular culture and could lead to new narratives.

I however must amend my statement in this case because Korrasami kind of came out of nowhere and so this is more a matter of pandering to the overly loud shipping community.

Yes, they hang out together, Yes, they are friends and Yes, the framing of the two is pretty unambiguous. But compared to the amount of attention made on Bolin/Opal and Varrick/Zhu Li, the relation between Korra and Asami was extremely underdeveloped with very few episodes have scenes with the two even talking much less anything significant enough to entail a relationship.

Is it a step forward, Yes but its a very shaky step taken by a spider. Depending on how it looks, it's either restricted due to the FCC from show more explicit conversations or it was a last minute change made to appeal to the shippers who focus on relationships over the quality of the writing or if it makes scenes.

 

[Jesse Billingsley]

Yes, they hang out together, Yes, they are friends and Yes, the framing of the two is pretty unambiguous. But compared to the amount of attention made on Bolin/Opal and Varrick/Zhu Li, the relation between Korra and Asami was extremely underdeveloped with very few episodes have scenes with the two even talking much less anything significant enough to entail a relationship.

"You don't always need words to tell someone that you love them. Sometimes silence is the only thing you need."

I feel that their relationship actually benefited from the lack of attention it got. In Seasons 3 and 4, you got to see their friendship grow stronger each time they appeared on screen together. And when the final three minutes came about, you had a sense that the two of them cared deeply for each other and that it was only natural for them to become a couple.

 

[mecegirl]

I think folks seem to be under the impression that the writers are saying that they were a couple all along. But it's really that at the end of season 4 they are just becoming couple. This trip to the Spirit World is pretty much going to be their first date. That is why it is so underdeveloped. It's just now starting up.

 

[Edl01]

Spoilers in the thread title ;'(

Anyway I just slogged through season 2 and am currently about half way through season 3 so I'm kinda sad I got spoiled, but at the same time I'm happy that she isn't going to get back with Mako AGAIN.

 

[Suhi89]

On the one hand, this is great. We need to see more non-conventional guy-girl relationships in children's fiction (and fiction in general).

On the other hand, there isn't a single romance in either TLA or LoK - shows I generally love - that I thought were done well. I'm not sure Bryke know how to write romance. I agree with many others that the Korrasami romance didn't seem to develop organically. But hey, at least is was better than Korra and Mako's terrible relationship. Anyway, this is just my impressions and YMMV. If it worked for you, then I'm not going to tell you you're wrong. I just don't appreciate being told I'm wrong on a matter of opinion either (or potentially bigoted for it). Sounds like a deflection of genuine criticism.

 

[Mumbly]

I've shipped these two ever since the entire love triangle from times of yore blew up and Asami told Mako "I'm pretty pissed off that you dumped me for Korra, but I still like her."

So yeah, this ending was awesome. Such a naturally growing relationship between these two ladies, it's beautiful. Instead of shoehorning them together they just let their relationship develop over four seasons.

Their sexual orientation is literally the least relevant thing about it. Whether or not they will touch their lady parts together isn't really relevant either. You know why?

Because, ladies and gentlemen, what these two girls have going there is way deeper than just skin deep. So I'd appreciate if people stopped making it sound as if this is about sexuality >.>

 

[UsefulPlayer 1]

I liked the ending. It's a nice foreshadow for the future for the two of them.

I tend to ignore the conversations about sexuality or wider implications, because for me it was simply a growing love story between two people because they care and support each other. Like it came naturally from their strong friendship, which is what I like the most. Almost moved me to tears really.

And I think their relationship is just beginning so that explains why there wasn't much typical lead up (like blushing, acting awkward), that will come later. I think people are just mad because there wasn't more hints that they like girls too.

But then we all would basically have the same complaint, "We want more Korra."

 

[Mumbly]

And I think their relationship is just beginning so that explains why there wasn't much typical lead up (like blushing, acting awkward), that will come later. I think people are just mad because there wasn't more hints that they like girls too.

Doesn't matter if you ask me. Their relationship isn't about whether "they like girls too". It's about the fact that they love each other.

 

[raikagetaicho]

it doesn't change the fact that the show was a disappointment and it make me to start questioning if the original was really that great.

 

[FirstNameLastName]

Would someone mind giving a slight summery on what this actual issue is? There seems to be a great deal of shouting over this.

As far as i can tell there was a completely out of left field lesbian romance in the finale of some show i don't watch. I hate to be that guy to kick down the door and ask for a run down on this topic i know nothing about, but there seems to be a great deal more shit flinging than i would expect from my rather paltry knowledge of the issue. Is there really anything more to this other than it being kind of lacking in foreshadowing and poorly written?

 

[Jesse Billingsley]

Would someone mind giving a slight summery on what this actual issue is? There seems to be a great deal of shouting over this.

As far as i can tell there was a completely out of left field lesbian romance in the finale of some show i don't watch. I hate to be that guy to kick down the door and ask for a run down on this topic i know nothing about, but there seems to be a great deal more shit flinging than i would expect from my rather paltry knowledge of the issue. Is there really anything more to this other than it being kind of lacking in foreshadowing and poorly written?

Sparknotes version: Season 3 showed that Korra and Asami had grown from love triangle rivals to close friends. In Season 4, we find out that during Korra's recovery (She broke both her legs and had some mercury forced into her bloodstream at the end of Season 3) Korra had only been writing to Asami the whole time. She then reunites with her friends in Republic City and Asami compliments Korras hair which causes Korra to blush. Long story short, the girls meet up at the end, have a heart to heart, and go off on a trip together. As the show ends, they hold hands, and stare into each others eyes as they enter a portal to go to the spirit world.

People believe its sudden because the writers didn't try shove it in their faces.

 

[Mumbly]

Would someone mind giving a slight summery on what this actual issue is? There seems to be a great deal of shouting over this.

As far as i can tell there was a completely out of left field lesbian romance in the finale of some show i don't watch. I hate to be that guy to kick down the door and ask for a run down on this topic i know nothing about, but there seems to be a great deal more shit flinging than i would expect from my rather paltry knowledge of the issue. Is there really anything more to this other than it being kind of lacking in foreshadowing and poorly written?

It's not even poorly written. It's just that a lot of ships have been sunk and a lot of waifu fantasies have been denied. Korra and Asami are a great couple, always were. They complement each other with their differences, and have enough in common to work well together.