2012-06-23, 08:29 PM
Spoiler
Honestly, I thought this was a great finale. For several reasons.
1) No cliffhanger. They're fucking awful. I hate cliffhangers. They feel like, to me, the worst possible way you can ever try to get people to watch your show again next season. I'm happy they're not doing that. Good endings where the main plot is resolved but some lesser plots are not are a great way to bring people back, in my opinion. Those little things ache at you, but I've left shows because of horrible cliffhangers. Don't ask why, it just annoys me.
2) The commercial didn't ruin the ending. I was so happy when the ending wasn't "Korra lost her bending, buhahaha." They had some interesting surprise twists at the end that really did it for me.
3) With Korra regaining her Bending, learning Airbending, and being a fully realized Avatar, we can now enjoy 14 episodes of "Awesome Fully Realized Avatar Action." I hope. Seriously...one of the biggest downers of The Original Series' ending was that Aang had JUST become a fully realized Avatar, and it was over. I want to see what an Avatar can really do and not in flashbacks. Honestly, waiting for that is enough of a cliffhanger, and it didn't leave us going "OH NOES, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN!?!??!"
4) Honestly, if half or all of Book 2 was "Korra goes on a Spiritual Journey to regain her bending," it would have been awful. We've already seen an Avatar when they just know Airbending, we don't need that again.
5) Awesome characters like Lin aren't screwed.
Now to address a few complaints I read before I posted:
Mako x Korra: Completely agree with this. I felt this was randomly rushed on...you don't fall in love with someone utterly and completely like Mako apparently has in 2 months. But then again...if you think about it...Aang and Katara knew each other for....6-7 tops? So eh, whatever. I guess it's cause it's a smaller span of episodes over a similar time period in the show's world it feels tacked on. I think it's stupid that he just randomly dumps Asami without a second thought. Korra got kidnapped and suddenly Asami didn't exist anymore.
Aang showing up to restore Korra's bending: Although slightly rushed, they clearly didn't want a cliffhanger ending and had little time to fix this situation. I do want to point out "The Winter Solstice, Part 2." Roku materialized himself through Aang and attacked the Firebenders ready to attack Aang. Clearly the past lives of the Avatar have some ability to interact with the environment, and that's exactly what happened here. They're not imaginary, or just part of the current Avatar's mind and we've seen this shown in that episode.
Why couldn't the other Avatars Energybend: Remember the Lion Turtle? "In the times before the Avatar we bent not the elements, but the energy within ourselves." I've mentioned this quote in a different argument, yes, but it pertains to this situation as well. I note times before the Avatar. This implies that it is unknown, even to the Avatars, because it was done before they showed up. Therefore it is very possible, probable even, that Aang is the first Avatar to learn this ability.
Honestly, I thought this was a great finale. For several reasons.
1) No cliffhanger. They're fucking awful. I hate cliffhangers. They feel like, to me, the worst possible way you can ever try to get people to watch your show again next season. I'm happy they're not doing that. Good endings where the main plot is resolved but some lesser plots are not are a great way to bring people back, in my opinion. Those little things ache at you, but I've left shows because of horrible cliffhangers. Don't ask why, it just annoys me.
2) The commercial didn't ruin the ending. I was so happy when the ending wasn't "Korra lost her bending, buhahaha." They had some interesting surprise twists at the end that really did it for me.
3) With Korra regaining her Bending, learning Airbending, and being a fully realized Avatar, we can now enjoy 14 episodes of "Awesome Fully Realized Avatar Action." I hope. Seriously...one of the biggest downers of The Original Series' ending was that Aang had JUST become a fully realized Avatar, and it was over. I want to see what an Avatar can really do and not in flashbacks. Honestly, waiting for that is enough of a cliffhanger, and it didn't leave us going "OH NOES, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN!?!??!"
4) Honestly, if half or all of Book 2 was "Korra goes on a Spiritual Journey to regain her bending," it would have been awful. We've already seen an Avatar when they just know Airbending, we don't need that again.
5) Awesome characters like Lin aren't screwed.
Now to address a few complaints I read before I posted:
Mako x Korra: Completely agree with this. I felt this was randomly rushed on...you don't fall in love with someone utterly and completely like Mako apparently has in 2 months. But then again...if you think about it...Aang and Katara knew each other for....6-7 tops? So eh, whatever. I guess it's cause it's a smaller span of episodes over a similar time period in the show's world it feels tacked on. I think it's stupid that he just randomly dumps Asami without a second thought. Korra got kidnapped and suddenly Asami didn't exist anymore.
Aang showing up to restore Korra's bending: Although slightly rushed, they clearly didn't want a cliffhanger ending and had little time to fix this situation. I do want to point out "The Winter Solstice, Part 2." Roku materialized himself through Aang and attacked the Firebenders ready to attack Aang. Clearly the past lives of the Avatar have some ability to interact with the environment, and that's exactly what happened here. They're not imaginary, or just part of the current Avatar's mind and we've seen this shown in that episode.
Why couldn't the other Avatars Energybend: Remember the Lion Turtle? "In the times before the Avatar we bent not the elements, but the energy within ourselves." I've mentioned this quote in a different argument, yes, but it pertains to this situation as well. I note times before the Avatar. This implies that it is unknown, even to the Avatars, because it was done before they showed up. Therefore it is very possible, probable even, that Aang is the first Avatar to learn this ability.