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{{quote|''[[Executive Meddling|Conventional TV wisdom]] has it that [[Estrogen Brigade|girls will watch shows about boys,]] but [[Girl Show Ghetto|boys won't watch shows about girls.]] During test screenings, though, boys said they didn't care that [[Action Girl|Korra]] was a girl. They just said she was awesome.''|Neda Ulaby, "[
'''''The Legend of Korra''''' is an [[Animated Series]] from [[Nickelodeon]] and a [[Sequel Series]] to ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'', which premiered on April 14, 2012.
Set [[Sequel Series|seventy years after]] the events of its predecessor, the series follows the adventures of a rebellious teenage Southern Water Tribe girl named Korra, Aang's successor as Avatar. Her quest leads her to Republic City, a metropolis based off the [[Roaring Twenties]] where crime is rampant and an [[Muggle Power|anti-bender]] revolt headed by a faction called the Equalists is taking place. Under the guidance of Tenzin, the son of Aang and Katara, Korra struggles to master Airbending and bring harmony to Republic City.
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{{tropelist}}
==
* [[Absentee Actor]]:
** "The Spirit of Competition" does not feature Tenzin at all, though he is spoken of.
** Lin is absent from "When Extremes Meet".
* [[Age Cut]]: In "Welcome to Republic City," four-year-old Korra affects an intense expression as she [[Playing with Fire|firebends]] directly into the camera, obscuring the scene with a burst of flame, which seventeen-year-old Korra disperses while wearing a matching expression.
* [[Alas, Poor Villain]]: Even though they don't know who he is, Aang's children feel pity when they see {{spoiler|Zhao in the Fog of Lost Souls. When he sees Tenzin and mistakes him for Aang, his expression has desperate hope, that he won't be trapped in this fog forever. Kya and Bumi quickly toss him off and run with their brother}}.
* [[All According to Plan]]: In "And the Winner Is..." when the government of Republic City refuses to close the pro-bending arena in response to his threat, Amon replies they are doing exactly as he planned. [[Xanatos Gambit|His goals are furthered whether]] [[The Chessmaster|they give in to his demands or not]].
* [[All There in the Manual]]:
** Nick.com's "[http://www.nick.com/games/legend-of-korra-welcome-to-republic-city.html Welcome to Republic City]" adventure game, which provides supplemental information not presented in the show itself.
** Several items within the adventure game (particularly the history books at City Hall) recursively reference events detailed in the [[Interquel]] graphic novel trilogy ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise]].''
** ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710044124/http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=3084&document=1 Animation Insider]'s'' [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/Aaron123/AInews/Nick/avatar_s3/Korra_CharaSheet.jpg family tree]{{Dead link}} reveals the names and bender status of Korra's parents, as well as the faces and bender status of Tenzin's siblings.
** [http://korranation.tumblr.com/ Korra Nation] has concept art, interviews and production details.
** [http://bryankonietzko.tumblr.com/ Bryan Konietzko's Tumblr] has concept art and usually some accompanying information on character development.
* [[Alliterative Name]]: Pro-bending teams like the Future Industries Fire Ferrets, Red Sand Rabiroos, White Falls Wolfbats, and others.
* [[Amazon Admirer]]:
** Mako's taste in women tends to run this way. He meets Asami when she nearly runs him over in a sports car, and encounters Korra when Bolin recruits her for their Probending team. The problem is that Mako doesn't know how to set boundaries with Korra, who hasn't been taught that that hitting on a guy in a committed relationship is very wrong for a lot of reasons. He also doesn't know how to set boundaries with Asami in season two after he breaks up with Korra. It says something that Prince Wu in season 4 says he fudged it.
** In season 3, after they've had time to bond and talk about the awkwardness in Mako dating them both, Asami and Korra develop this dynamic towards each other. Asami gives Korra driving lessons, and busts them out of the Earth Queen's custody. Korra comes to admire how Asami never gives into despair or gives up in the face of impossible odds. It's implied, however that {{spoiler|Korra nearly dying via mercury poison is what made Asami realize that she had feelings for Korra, but she wasn't ready to act on them until the end of season 4}}.
* [[Amazon Brigade]]: [http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3et4454To1qbgksw.png The Rabbiroos] are an all-female [[Fictional Sport|Pro-Bending]] team.
* [[Animals Hate Him]]/[[Evil-Detecting Dog]]: When Amon hijacks the radio, Pabu, who is lounging by a radio, is frightened by his voice and jumps away.
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** In episode eight, "When Extremes Meet", {{spoiler|Asami}} is arrested for trying to stop oppressive measures against non-benders. {{spoiler|Tarrlok claims that her father's connection to the Equalists is the reason, and when Mako and Bolin try to come to her defense they are put in the slammer, too. Ultimately, Tarrlok admits directly to Korra that he is simply doing this to manipulate her and force her cooperation.}}
* [[Art Evolution]]: Art director [[Bryan Konietzko]] has discussed his evolution towards more realistic proportions and less oversized heads. This is particularly noticeable when redrawn original series characters appear as stills during the [[Opening Narration]]. Far greater detail and more CGI is used, leading to a far cleaner and more realistic look than the original series.
* [[Audible Gleam]]: In "Welcome to Republic City", when a ''bush'' manifests a [[Bishie Sparkle]].
* [[Awesome Personnel Carrier]]: The Nick.com "Welcome to Republic City" game details the police force's armored trucks.
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** For Mako, sweet and gentle Asami is the Betty, while violent and borderline [[Tsundere]] Korra is the Veronica.
** For Korra, goofy and excitable Bolin is the Betty, while serious and driven Mako is the Veronica.
* [[Betty, Veronica and Archie Switcheroo]]: Uses [[Character Development]] to incorporate this trope with Korra, her crush Mako and his girlfriend Asami. It's a rare case when the protagonist is the Veronica, owing to her being the Avatar and having [[No Social Skills]] while Asami is the Betty: a [[Spoiled Sweet]] [[Nice Girl]] that sacrifices her cushy life to protect her friends from her turncoat father. Yet when Asami finds out that Korra kissed Mako, she doesn't blame the former and rightly susses that Korra doesn't understand romantic boundaries, while calling out Mako for not telling her. After more back and forth in season two, the girls finally talk it out in the season three premiere after they both break up with Mako. {{spoiler|They then end up dating in the series finale. Go figure.}}
* [[Big Bad Ensemble]]: Amon and {{spoiler|Tarrlok}}, although {{spoiler|Tarrlok}} refuses to admit to any similarities between them.▼
* [[Beware the Silly Ones]]
**Bumi, like his namesake, is a goofball. Ikki, Meelo and Jinora consider him the cool uncle as he comes a few hours late to defend Republic City, while Tenzin sighs about having to entertain his big brother. The man is a general for a reason; when helping fight against Unalaq, Bumi ends up disarming an entire camp just by fiddling with the controls, and looking around with a "Who, me?" expression. And this is ''before'' he gains airbending powers in Book 3, where he leads a retinue of Air acolytes to rescue his niece and Kai, as well as baby bisons.
**Prince Wu fully admits that he is a spoiled prince, and expects to basically do nothing while more experienced leaders run the kingdom. He develops an [[Odd Friendship]] with Mako, when the latter is assigned as his bodyguard and Mako learns to see past Wu's playful exterior. In the Book 4 climactic invasion, Wu uses his singing to convince badger moles to dig tunnels out of Republic City, so that he can evacuate the civilians before the oncoming invasion. When it seems Kuvira's troops have cornered him and the evacuees, he pretends to surrender only to sing and have the badger moles stomp the mechas.
▲*
* [[Big Fancy House]]:
** Tenzin and his family live on [http://www.lastairbenderfans.com/cutenews/data/upimages/air-temple-island.jpg Air Temple Island], a sanctuary in the city's bay.
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* [[Bishie Sparkle]]: [[Parodied]] in "Welcome to Republic City", where there are [[Bishie Sparkle|bishie]] [[Everything's Better with Sparkles|sparkles]] on the resident ''bush'' of a park-dwelling [[Hobos]].
{{quote|'''Gommu''': Took me a while to procure a bush that beauteous. [http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1eg3hhREq1r1nmpao1_500.gif *bush sparkles*]}}
* [[Bittersweet Ending]]: Book Four ends this way. Korra stops Kuvira from destroying Republic City and {{spoiler|uses her cannon's misfire to create a new spirit portal, stopping a ground zero explosion. She also takes a vacation with Asami to the Spirit World, as the two realize they have feelings for each other}}. Varrick finds a way to apologize to Zhu-Li for being an egotistical ask and {{spoiler|proposes to her. They end up marrying and "do the thing" with Bolin officiating the ceremony.}} Prince Wu decides to reform the Earth Kingdom as a democracy, acknowledging that he is not experienced, wise, or competent enough to rule. However, thanks to Kuvira's actions, she has {{spoiler|killed Hiroshi Sato just as he reconciled with Asami, broken her ties with Suyin, and left a trail of devastation and pain in the Earth Kingdom}}. Baatar Jr. has also ruined his relationship with his family for siding with Kuvira; his mother forgives him, but everyone else hasn't, and he realizes that Kuvira didn't love him enough to fight for him. ''Ruins of the Empire'' goes on to show that while under house arrest, his siblings are rather cold and snarky to him, especially Opal, and he has to face the consequences of his actions every day while serving his sentence.
* [[Bi The Way]]: The series finale reveals that both {{spoiler|Korra and Asami are this way. They dated Mako, and expressed interest. Asami later was brought to tears when it seemed that Zaheer had killed Korra, and wrote faithfully to two years while the latter was recovering. They realize they have feelings for each other after Korra manages to talk down Kuvira, and go on a couples vacation. ''Ruins of the Empire'' goes further into how Asami hasn't forgiven Kuvira for murdering her father and nearly murdering Korra, and threatens her not to try any funny business}}.
* [[Bland-Name Product]] / [[Fictional Counterpart]]: Most cars seen in the series resemble real-world 1920s and early 1930s cars, albeit combined and given a [[Far East]] flair. For example:
** The regular [http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3b9p4fH6P1rs9cj9o4_1280.jpg Satomobile sedan] is a 1920s [http://www.automotivehistoryonline.com/1927%20Ford%20%20model%20T%20Fordor.jpg Ford] [http://motoburg.com/images/ford-model-t-sedan-03.jpg Model T] [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/192X_Ford_Model_T_Fordor_Sedan.jpg sedan] with a pagoda roof.
** The [http://avatarthelastairbenderonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Police-Car.png police cars] resemble [https://web.archive.org/web/20150919231908/http://blog.crowdspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/paddy-wagon.jpg Ford] [http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1140/5102827446_c21db24c76_z.jpg Model T] [https://web.archive.org/web/20130801081404/http://www.tnmcc.com/photos/police/ronweissinger-25paddy.jpg paddy] [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Paddywagon_1909.jpg wagons].
** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20200327202657/http://hdscreenshots.avatarspiritmedia.net/korra/104/0242.jpg truck in the background] when Asami crashes into Mako resembles a [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/1924-Super-Sentinel.jpg Sentinel] [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Steam_road_vehicle_at_Haverthwaite_yard_-_geograph.org.uk_-_303857.jpg steam] [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Sentinel_DG4_registration_KF_6482.jpg lorry].
** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20130624223844/http://nerdvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Legend-of-Korra-9.jpg obscured truck in Episode 1] and the [[Awesome Personnel Carrier|armored]] [http://avatarthelastairbenderonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Polic-Truck.png police trucks] look like a [https://web.archive.org/web/20131222164401/http://www.new.gwe2.org/images/mack1.jpg Mack] [http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss318/eymurphey/Mack%20AC%20Bulldogs/WWIMackFuelTanker.jpg A][http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6085/6051329397_ca7776d975_z.jpg C] [http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4382747837_18853684aa.jpg Bulldog] or [https://web.archive.org/web/20110911171415/http://www.american-automobiles.com/images3/1920-Texaco-Truck.jpg Napoleon].
** Also from Episode 1, the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130624223844/http://nerdvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Legend-of-Korra-9.jpg green car] looks like the [http://www.evmania.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/l-640-480-eabe69e1-0097-4d33-b112-9f8831fb0ff7.jpeg Milburn] [http://electricvehiclesnews.com/History/images/Milburn-Light-Electric.jpg Electric].
** Tarrlok gave Korra a [http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m33umcoJ6Y1rufegho3_1280.jpg roadster] that features over a dozen design cues from expensive cars from the twenties to the forties, most noticeably [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/1932Auburn12-161_IMG_9402.jpg Auburn].
** Asami's [http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/30700000/Asami-s-Moped-avatar-the-legend-of-korra-30723856-500-587.jpg motor scooter] looks mostly like a [https://web.archive.org/web/20140629063234/http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/07/vespa/source/9.htm Vespa], which was a 1940s onward scooter, making it a bit of an "odd man out" among the "Oriental Jazz Age" aesthetic.
** Shady Shin and the other Triple Threat Triad gangsters use a [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/Snake101/Avatar/Korra/Book%20One/Chapter%20Three/s01e03grab03372.jpg hot]{{Dead link}} [[
** In Episode 7, Asami takes Korra for a spin around the Sato test track in a [http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120421100334/avatar/images/1/11/Race_car.png race car]{{Dead link}} resembling a two-seater version of the [https://web.archive.org/web/20140319162210/http://classic-car-history.com/classic%20motorsports%20pictures/vintage%20indy%20500%20cars/indy-500-miller-91-reardrive-car-left-side.jpg 1920s race cars].
** Asami's [[Cool Car]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20200327202714/http://hdscreenshots.avatarspiritmedia.net/korra/108/1018.jpg in Episode 8] greatly resembles a four-seater version of either a [https://web.archive.org/web/20130730163516/http://www.seriouswheels.com/1950-1959/1953-Allard-J2X.htm 1950's Allard] or [http://dayerses.com/data_images/posts/panoz-roadster/panoz-roadster-10.jpg Panoz]{{Dead link}} roadster from ''1992''.
* [[Blue with Shock]]: In "The Voice in the Night", Tenzin goes blue in the face when his son Meelo uses ''something'' as a toilet off-screen--at a high-society gala.
* [[Bob Haircut]]: Featured on some female characters as part of the [[Roaring Twenties]] aesthetic. One of Tahno's [[Fan Girl|Fangirls]] [http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/30700000/Tahno-avatar-the-legend-of-korra-30737137-340-340.png wears the style]. Jinora [[Culture Chop Suey|combines]] it with an [[Odango Hair]].
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** When Korra explains to Tenzin that Amon can take away a bender's bending permanently, Tenzin mentions that previously only the Avatar had that power: This power was developed and used in the series finale of the original show.
* [[Conspicuous CG]]: CGI<ref> mostly provided by [[Moving Picture Company]]'s parent firm Technicolor S.A.</ref> is used for many things, including Satomobiles, Aang's statue in Republic City, Yue Bay, the police zeppelins, the airbending training gates, the boat Korra travels on, and for a brief shot in episode 7, Korra and Asami.
* [[Contrasting Sequel Character]]: [[Avatar: The Last Airbender|Aang]]'s successor, Avatar Korra, has goals, personality, pals, and even [[Bi The Way|love life]] are insanely different. Basically, she is a Water Tribe princess, who is a [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold|jerk with a heart of gold]] and always looks for a good fight or challenge...Until she got character development.
** All the Avatars in history are personified versions of this trope, starting with Wan.
* [[Conveniently-Timed Attack From Behind]]: In "The Revelation" as bola-wielding chi-blockers advance toward a sprawled Mako and Korra, Naga frees herself. She and Pabu lunge bellowing (and squeaking) at them, at which they throw their [[Smoke Out|smoke screen]] and flee.
* [[Cool Bike]]: The Equalists' motorcycles and Asami's moped.
* [[Cool Car]]: Future Industries' [http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120421100334/avatar/images/1/11/Race_car.png race car]{{Dead link}} is pretty cool, as is the gangsters' hot rod and [http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m33umcoJ6Y1rufegho3_1280.jpg the roadster] Tarrlok gives Korra. Even [http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3b9p4fH6P1rs9cj9o4_1280.jpg the regular Satomobile sedan] is pretty cool. Then there's Asami's [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ctFro88eK0 alternative transport] (a phaeton-type car) when Naga objects to carrying four people at once in "When Extremes Meet".
{{quote|'''Mako:''' I like the new Team Avatar's style.}}
* [[Cosplay]]: In the final match between The Wolf Bats and the Fire Ferrets, cosplayers of the respective teams can be seen in the stands.
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* [[Death Glare]]: In "The Voice in the Night" Pema gives Tenzin quite a glare after he reluctantly allows Tarrlok to join them for dinner. He only acquiesces because according to Air Nomad philosophy, you cannot turn away a hungry guest. Ikki then trumps her mother when she ''really'' glares at Tarrlok after declaring him "weird;" her glare continues for ''twenty seconds'', [[Funny Background Event|even after the camera pans away from her]] to cover his conversation with Korra.
* [[Destructive Savior]]: In "Welcome to Republic City" Korra ends up destroying more property than the gang members she caught when she first arrived in Republic City, which is quickly pointed out by the Metalbending Police when they try to arrest her. Chief Beifong is adamant that, Avatar or not, acts of vigilante destruction will not be tolerated.
*[[Didn't Think This Through]]:
**Korra starts out this way, having the power of the Avatar but not the social skills, common sense, or grounding needed to make important decisions. Case in point that when she leaves the compound to find Tenzin and his family in Republic City, it didn't occur to her that she would need money or that she could accidentally break the rules related to public brawling. She gets better about this by Book Four, outright refusing to fight Kuvira in a one-on-one fight without at least reasoning with her first and seeing if there is a peaceful solution.
**Pema overhears Korra asking Ikki and Jinora what true love involves and what to do about crushing on Mako when he's dating Asami. She thoughtlessly encourages Korra to pursue Mako, relating to how things worked out for her when she confessed her feelings to Tenzin, who was in a relationship with Lin at the time. Pema apparently forgot that her confession led to Lin trashing Air Temple Island, and it was a messy breakup overall. As it is, when Korra tries the same thing, she alienates Mako and Bolin at the same time. To top it all off, Pema gets a [[Heel Realization]] when she meets Asami after the latter has to take refuge on Air Temple Island.
**Zaheer smugly points this out to the Earth Queen in Book 3. By capturing the Avatar in a means to find the Earthbenders that Korra rescued from the Dai Li compound, she basically made an enemy of the other nations, if word were to get out to Republic City or the Fire Nation. He reminds Hou-Ting that her position is fragile given the other Nations support her, and that support could easily vanish if she proves incompetent. The Dai Li are not diplomats, after all, and can't defend her with their earthbending from politics. That's not even going into Hou-Ting wanting to work with Zaheer in the first place, given he's a murdering anarchist and terrorist to boot. {{spoiler|When she tries to throw her weight around with Zaheer when he reveals he overhead that Korra escaped, he proceeds to suffocate her with airbending as the Red Lotus curb stomps the Dai Li}}.
**Zaheer himself falls victim to this, which Korra tells him bluntly in "Beyond The Wilds". His plan with the Red Lotus was basically "equalize nations, dismantle the Avatar as a symbol of balance, spread anarchy, let the people revel in their freedom." Beyond that? He didn't have any steps. It didn't occur to him that, while undercover as a new Air Nation acolyte that his knowledge of advanced techniques would attract Kya's suspicions, and he barely escapes when she busts him snooping around her father's things. {{spoiler|Assassinating the Earth Queen did lead to anarchy, but also created a power vacuum that allowed Kuvira, a much worse and more competent tyrant, to start her campaign}}. Zaheer is particularly crushed about this one when Korra tells him his philosophies led to the principles he hated gaining more power. To top it all off, he tries to {{spoiler|fatally poison Korra while she's in the Avatar State. Ignoring the fact that even while dying she thrashes him, it didn't occur to him that Lin or Suyin could metalbend the mercury out of her once they were in range. Also, the last person who tried killing the Avatar this way -- Azula-- lost her friends, her mind, and her status, earning some ''bad'' karma. Zaheer loses his friends, his freedom, and his victories. All he can do is try to stop Kuvira by helping Korra with her block, while sentenced to imprisonment in a mountain while chained up so tightly he can no longer fly}}.
* [[Die or Fly]]: In "A Leaf in the Wind", when Korra is on the verge of {{spoiler|losing the pro-bending match for the Ferrets}}, she suddenly ''gets'' how to move like a leaf in the wind.
* [[
* [[Digging Yourself Deeper]]: In "A Leaf in the Wind", Bolin correctly presumes that Korra is a [[Making a Splash|waterbender]] due to ethnicity and clothing, but Korra [[Stereotype Reaction Gag|trolls him]] by saying she's an [[Dishing Out Dirt|earthbender]] ([[Physical God|which she is too...]]). Bolin hastily tries to apologize for [[Mistaken Nationality]].
{{quote|'''Bolin''': I'm sorry, no, no! I didn't mean to assume! It's that, I was just figuring... with your Water Tribe getup... that you are... a Water Tribe... gal.}}
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** In "The Revelation" the staging of {{spoiler|Amon's removing the bending of the leader and members of the Triple Threat Triads}} is set up like a public execution.
** In "The Voice in the Night" The Equalists ganging up on Korra, forcing her to the ground, and Amon's mental torture that follows are ''terrifyingly'' similar to a rape. Korra's [[Heroic BSOD|reaction]] ''does not'' help.
** In "The Spirit of Competition" Bolin sees {{spoiler|Mako and Korra kissing after Bolin had gone on a date with her the day before}} and spent the night [[Drowning My Sorrows|
* [[Do Not Adjust Your Set]]: Amon hijacks radio broadcasts to spread his message.
* [[The Door Slams You]]: In "A Leaf in the Wind" Korra has great difficulty getting through the [[Smashing Hallway Traps of Doom|obstacle course]] posed by the airbending training gates, getting smacked around like a pinball.
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** [[The Triads and the Tongs|The Triple Threat Triads]] are an actively multiethnic bender organized crime gang. In "Welcome to Republic City" Korra meets and beats a [[Power Trio]] of protection racket enforcers consisting of a waterbender, earthbender and firebender respectively. Other Triad groups, such as the Agni Kais and Blood Monsoons, avert this by being element-specific.
** The Equalists are gender and nationality eutral; In "The Revelation", there were some female Chi-blocker [[Elite Mooks]] alongside the male ones, contending with Korra and Mako, and their membership is drawn from the non-benders of all three nations.
* [[Eskimo Land]]: The Southern Water Tribe city at the South Pole, home of Avatar Korra, her parents, and her Waterbendering ''sifu,'' Master Katara.▼
* [[Establishing Character Moment]]: In "Welcome to Republic City" Korra at age four: "I'm the Avatar! You gotta ''deal'' with it!"
* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: Zaheer looks troubled when saying to Korra under a truce talk in the Spirit World that Unalaq {{spoiler|becoming the Dark Avatar was never part of the Red Lotus's plan, and Korra's uncle was a selfish individual. The Red Lotus wants to liberate the world through chaos, not destroy it}}.
* [[Everyone Has Standards]]: Korra affirms to Zaheer under truce that she may have seen terrible leaders like Raiko, but she doesn't want any of them ''dead'', not even the Earth Queen.
* [[Evil Overlooker]]:
** The 2011 SDCC promotional [http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/61387742.html poster] featured [[Big Bad|Amon]] looming over Korra, Mako, and Bolin.
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** Korra and Mako's fight against the chi blockers in "The Revelation" features a moment where the "camera" swivels around Korra and her opponent in a panoramic sweep.
* [[Fandom Nod]]:
{{quote|'''Jinora''' "Gran-Gran, I've been reading all about your old adventures; I've been dying to ask you; [[What Happened to the Mouse?|what happened to Zuko's mom?]]"
'''Katara:''' "Well, Jinora, it's an incredible tale-"
'''Ikki:''' "[[Trolling Creator|Gran Gran, you look old. How old ARE you? Why is it so cold in the South Pole? Can we sit around a fire and play games and tell scary stories and make snowmen? And then could you make the snowman ''move'' with waterbending and chase us? Wouldn't that be fuuuun?]]"
[Jinora hangs her head in disappointment.] }}
* [[Fan Girl]]: Apparently, Bolin has a ''ton'' of them. During the first pro-bending match's opening in "A Leaf in the Wind", one of them can be heard screaming very loudly "I love you, Bolin!", and Mako's initial attitude towards Korra implies that Bolin brings fangirls to their prep room often.
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** At the very beginning of "A Leaf in the Wind", there is a picture of Tahno, introduced in "The Spirit of Competition", on the back page of the newspaper Korra is reading.
** At the end of "Welcome to Republic City", there are blueprints on the wall to Amon's left, apparently detailing ''[[Mini-Mecha]]''. {{spoiler|The mecha themselves appear in "The Aftermath".}}
** The battle moves fast enough that it's hard to notice, but [https://web.archive.org/web/20120629215550/http://korra.avatarspirit.net/screenshots.php?quality=hd&num=103=40 screenshots of "The Revelation"] indicate that the Equalist who chi-blocks Korra has a [[Samus Is a Girl|feminine figure]]. Guess they really do strive for equality...
** A certain man in a yellow suit and a hat with a red feathery puff on top has been featured in nearly every crowd shot so far. Fans have made a game out of finding him.
* [[Freudian Trio]]:
** Korra, Mako, and Bolin as the pro-bending team the Fire Ferrets. This extends to their [[Elemental Powers|bending]] itself (Water, Earth, Fire), [[Chromatic Arrangement]] / [[Elemental Eye Colors]] ([[Color Coded for Your Convenience|Blue, Red, Green]]), ''and'' their setup as a [[Freudian Trio]] ([[The McCoy]], [[The Spock]], [[The Kirk]]).▼
** The Triple Threat Triad grunts deliberately [[Invoked Trope]] this with their [[Justified Trope|team of three]], an Earth, Fire and Waterbender... at least, until Korra kicks their butts.▼
* [[From the Mouths of Babes]]: Ikki pulls this on Korra in "When Extremes Meet". She reveals Korra's crush on Mako to Asami, who was unaware of the crush beforehand. Ikki also likes to comment on stuff that isn't appropriate.
* [[Funny Background Event|Funny Side-frame Event]]: After declaring him "weird," Ikki [[Death Glare|stares]] at Tarrlok for ''twenty seconds''. The stare continues even after the camera pans to the left to focus on Tarrlok's conversation with Korra, where Ikki can be seen at the right of the shot, ''still staring at Tarrlok.''
== G-L ==
* [[Gender Equal Ensemble]]: Team Avatar (not counting mentor Tenzin), once Asami officially joins up.
* [[Generational Saga]]: In ''Korra'', the [[Avatar: The Last Airbender|previous series]]' protagonists, their children and grandchildren are alternately featured, depicted in [[Flash Back]] or discussed, particularly Avatar Aang's multigenerational family, with his [[Reincarnation]] Korra narratively treated as a ''de facto'' member.
* [[Generational Trauma]]: Even though the world is no longer under constant attack from the Fire Nation, the emotional scars remain:
** Because Aang disappeared for a hundred years, the White Lotus takes great pains to identify Korra when she's a toddler. Fortunately for them, she had mastered three of four elements. We find out they might have gone easier on her training to ensure she had a normal childhood, ''if'' a separate faction called the Red Lotus hadn't plotted to kidnap her and raise her as an anarchist Avatar. Thanks to the attempt, Korra's father insisted they up the protection on the compound to ensure no one could harm his daughter, while the White Lotus feared how history would repeat if Korra vanished. As a side effect, however, Korra's social skills and spirituality are lacking; without having to interact with real-world context or daily life, she's at first inept when doing something as simple as finding food in Republic City. She calls out her dad for this in season two, but understands his perspective when Zaheer under a truce meeting reveals that he masterminded the kidnapping plot.
** Avatar Aang was a good person, a cheerful guy, and a doting father, but Tenzin felt immense pressure from Aang since they were the last two Airbenders in existence. Aang couldn't forget that he was the only survivor of the Airbender clans, having found many skeletons where he expected to find friends, and passed that anxiety onto his only airbending child. Kya and Bumi felt that they were ignored in favor of Tenzin, and both resented their little brother while still showing they would protect him with their life.
** Firelord Izumi and her son General Iroh bear the emotional scars of what their ancestors did. Iroh leads fleets to protect the innocent while knowing the implications of declaring war. Izumi herself refuses to launch preemptive strikes against Kuvira in Season 4, pointing out decisions like that led to the Fire Nation destroying entire cultures.
* [[Getting Crap Past the Radar]]: Can be found [[The Legend of Korra/Radar|here]].
* [[Gilded Cage]]: At the start of the series, Korra lived in a lavish mansion, with her only real challenge in life being to learn bending from masters... in the middle of an inaccessible and heavily fortified compound, miles from any other inhabitants of the South Pole--including her own parents. She was not allowed to leave the compound without permission, and had guards watching her at all times, even while taking Naga on a walk.
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* [[Gosh Darn It to Heck]]: Justified, as it is both a family show and set in the equivalent of the 1920s.
* [[Graying Morality]]: Compared to the original Avatar series. The best example would be the Equalists, because unlike the Fire Nation, they actually have a point. The non-benders in the city are taken advantage of by the benders, who compose the ruling council without any non-bender representation.
▲* [[
* [[Group Hug]]: The Fire Ferrets have one in "The Spirit of Competition" after defeating the Rabiroos.
* [[The Guards Must Be Crazy]]: A heroic example. While the Order of the White Lotus serve as Korra's [[Hero Secret Service]], she can get around them pretty easily when she wants to.
* [[Guilty Pleasures]]: Tenzin [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|does not approve of Pro-Bending]], yet in "And The Winner Is" he seems to know the rules quite well. He even cheers on Korra when she plays; though it's just as likely that he learned the rules after he decided to allow Korra to keep playing, all in support of his pupil [[Subverted Trope|and not for any love of the game.]] Or to the extent that he genuinely enjoys the sport, it may be because [[Just Here for Godzilla|he enjoys seeing Korra succeed]].
* [[Harsh Life Revelation Aesop]]:
** As shown with Lin's arc in Book Three, [[Parental Hypocrisy]] will negatively affect the next generation. Toph Beifong was a [[Defector From Decadence]], [[The Runaway]] and a rebel who hated cities as well as their rules as a child. It was thus a shock that she founded the Metalbending Police in Republic City, who are taught to use cables to apprehend their subjects, and a bigger shock that she had two girls while building her career. Lin tried to live by a strict life as a Metalbending police officer to please her mother, while her little sister Suyin acted out and committed crimes to get attention from Toph. This came to a head when Suyin scarred Lin when the latter caught her in the act as a getaway driver for thieves, yelled at her to stand down, and tried arresting her with the cables. Instead of showing sympathy for Lin's tough situation, Toph yelled at ''both'' the girls, destroyed Suyin's arrest warrant, and exiled her from the city. Lin was not impressed, pointing out that Toph is undermining the very law she sought to build. She later calls out Toph for this in Book 4, saying that Toph's flippant behavior and lack of empathy for her daughters is why they were estranged in the first place.
** If an existing rule seems arbitrary or extreme, there is usually a reason for it. Korra grew up in a [[Gilded Cage]] compound where she was treated like a princess while protected from all harm, but as a result has [[No Social Skills]]. She resents this, especially when finding out all the Avatar training doesn't teach you about keeping money on hand for food or respecting local laws. Then book 3 happens, and she finds out from Zaheer during a truce meeting that he and the Red Lotus attempted to kidnap her when she was a toddler. Zaheer is quite upfront about the fact that they planned to turn Korra into an anti-Avatar to spread chaos and anarchy, and her uncle Unalaq was part of the plot. Though the kidnapping plot failed, Korra's father Tonraq was paranoid about anyone getting ideas and begged the White Lotus to protect his daughter. Korra gains understanding as Zaheer tells her this.
** Book 4 has the new generation learn that trauma recovery is not linear: it has peaks and valleys. Korra spends two years physically recovering from {{spoiler|Zaheer poisoning her with mercury, slamming her through several rock pillars, and attempting to suffocate her while she's in the Avatar State. Even though she's back to bending, her emotional state is a wreck, to the point she can't hold her own against sparring teachers owing to traumatic hallucinations. Korra goes into the Earth Kingdom to find out what she's lost, but even with Toph's help, she is nowhere near recovered. The journey is long and painful, and she admits at best she can feel whole about what happened.}}
* [[He Is Not My Boyfriend]]: "A Leaf in the Wind," when Bolin lies to Toza to let Korra backstage, Korra feels the need to correct him:
{{quote|'''Bolin:''' So, you see, we're together...
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'''Korra:''' Oh, you implied it. }}
* [[Healing Hands]]: Korra is one of the water-benders who have the ability to heal, having learned it from Katara.
*[[Heart Is an Awesome Power]]: Wu's singing voice becomes this. Towards the end of Book 4, Wu says that Republic City can use the badger moles to dig tunnels before Kuvira's invasion, to evacuate the citizens. Mako points out the problem: badger moles are ''wild''. Then Wu starts singing and rapping; a badger mole lets him ride and he uses his song to encourage them to dig in the right direction. When it seems that Kuvira's mecha troops have cornered them, Wu offers to surrender as the prince and ruler of the Earth Kingdom in exchange for letting the civilians go, and keeps singing. Her persuades the badger moles to attack the mechas instead, which they do with pleasure. Mako and Bolin are impressed that Wu had it in him.
* [[Heart Symbol]]: Mako has them fluttering around his head after meeting Asami, but more subtly, the table and chairs they sit at on their first date are lit in such a way as to strongly [http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m36j4qKko81ru7ilpo1_500.png imply a heart].
*[[Hidden Depths]]: Bumi admits to Tenzin in Book 3 that he admits he's not used to being an airbender or part of the Air Nation. For most of his life, he was the odd duck in the family with no powers, and felt like he didn't belong. Tenzin reminds Bumi that he's got a clear head on his shoulders, and experience in leadership. In short, he's exactly like the Avatar Aang was.
* [[Held Gaze]]:
** One between Korra and Mako in "A Leaf in the Wind" after they win the Pro-bending match.
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* [[Hero Insurance]]: [[Subverted Trope]] in the premiere. Though she assumes she has leeway, Korra learns the hard way that being the Avatar is not a license to dish out vigilante justice and smash property.
* [[Hero Secret Service]]: The Order of the White Lotus act as this to Korra. However, they [[The Guards Must Be Crazy|seem to spend more time listening to the radio than watching Korra]].
* [[Hitler Cam]]: Used [http://i.imgur.com/Y8WcM.png on Amon] at the end of "And the Winner Is..."▼
* [[Hobos]]: Korra encounters one in the first episode, living in a bush in one of Republic City's public parks. He alludes to there being quite a few homeless people in the city.
* [[Hold Your Hippogriffs]]:
{{quote|'''Bolin:''' ''(to Korra)'' In a real match, you'd be a sitting turtleduck.
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** After Asami ran over Mako, he began seeing hearts (literally) after she took off her helmet and scheduled a date.
* [[Love Dodecahedron]]: Bolin likes Korra, who likes Mako, who likes Korra but is dating Asami.
▲* [[
== M-R ==
* [[Land of the Shattered Empire]]:
** Before the series starts, after the Fire Nation dissolves its empire and retreats back to their frontiers pre-Aang, creating unintentionally a lot of tension as the people on those territories were racially mixed and integrated into the land, so deporting them was proven to be un-practical and unethical. Aang and his companions tried to create a conciliatory solution with the United Republic of Nations. By season 3, however, the cracks begin to show up.
** By season 4, that is what happened to the Earth Kingdom after its queen is killed. The main antagonist Kuvira is exactly the one tried to unify it again, but she is no legitimate heir to the throne and is not interested in a democratic solution to her own country's balkanization problems.
* [[Le Parkour]]: The urban cityscape setting allows for heavy use of the style in outdoor fight choreography, and an expert is employed as a [[Shown Their Work|consultant]].▼
* [[Made of Explodium]]: [[Played With]]. When Hiroshi is looking out the window of his mecha he sees Lin stabbing away at another, which then appears to explode. Cut to a different POV and its revealed to really have been Korra blowing fire on his window.
* [[Magic A Is Magic A]]: Bending follows specific rules. Certain characters seeming to violate the rules are major plot points: {{spoiler|Amon can take away bending, an ability that only the Avatar is supposed to have, and Tarrlok can bloodbend when there is not a full moon}}.
* [[Magitek]]: While a lot of the technology is what you'd expect to find from the 1920s, things are supplemented by bending. Lightningbending generates electricity, metalbending and firebending aid the working of metal and the making of buildings, etc.
* [[The Magocracy]]: The United Republic Council is made up of five benders representing each [[Elemental Nation]] (Earth, Fire, Air and North & South Water), so Republic City lacks non-bender representation within its government.
* [[May-December Romance]]: Tenzin (51), the third child of Aang and Katara, is [[Happily Married]] to Pema (35), sixteen years his junior. Their oldest child is 10.▼
* [[Malevolent Masked Men]]: All of the Equalists wear masks. Some are [[Gas Mask Mooks]], and the leader wears a [[White Mask of Doom]].
* [[Market-Based Title]]: Due to the legal issues surrounding the name "Avatar," the show will be referred to as just ''The Legend Of Korra'' in the United States, and ''Avatar: The Legend Of Korra'' for international audiences.
▲* [[May-December Romance]]: Tenzin (51), the third child of Aang and Katara, is [[Happily Married]] to Pema (35), sixteen years his junior. Their oldest child is 10.
* [[Meaningful Background Event]]: Bolin is first seen in the background in "A Leaf on the Wind" as he walks past Korra arguing with the gym manager of the Pro-Bending arena. He does a [[Double Take]] when he sees her, slicks back his hair and walks over. In "The Spirit of Competition," he explains to Korra that he liked her from the very moment he saw her.
* [[Meaningful Echo]]: {{spoiler|The scene where Amon demonstrates the ability to remove people's bending is extremely similar to the scene where Aang did the same thing to Ozai. Right down to the dialogue.}}
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* [[A Minor Kidroduction]]: The series opens with a brief look at four-year-old Korra as part of an [[Establishing Character Moment]], before jumping ahead in an [[Age Cut]] thirteen years later to the present day.
* [[Misaimed Marketing]]: In-Universe. The announcer uses Bolin throwing up last night's meal as the ''perfect'' time to advertise "Flameo Noodles, the Noodle-iest noodles in the United Republic!"
* [[Misplaced Retribution]]: Amon's motivation, according to Tarrlok. Tarrlok tells Korra and Mako that {{spoiler|Amon is actually his older brother, who used to be a sweet kid named Noatak. Their father was Yakone, a bloodbending mob boss that Aang depowered and imprisoned for his crimes against citizens. Yakone escaped from prison, settled down, and raised his two waterbending kids as weapons to get revenge on the Avatar, by making them practice bloodbending on a regular basis. Noatak called out Yakone during a particularly brutal session where he was forced to bloodbend Tarrlok, who was not even a preteen, saying that the Avatar was more powerful because he could take away bending rather than control people. Rather than consider that his father was an asshole, Noatak concluded that bending causes corruption of the mind and strove to "rescue" people by removing bending from everyone in Republic City}}. This would eventually lead to Amon targeting Tenzin and his family, the most innocent benders to boot. It's implied that in the first season finale that Amon came to realize this, that {{spoiler|he and Tarrlok became their father, and the weapons that Yakone wanted to destroy the Avatar}}. He {{spoiler|returns to the ruins of Air Temple Island and frees a depowered Tarrlok, asking if they can go start a new life. Tarrlok pretends to agree, only to use an Equalist glove to blow up their boat to pretend history from repeating}}.
* [[Mix-and-Match Critters]]: Animals from the original show, with some new additions.
** Korra's [[Canine Companion]] Naga the Polar Bear dog, just as [[Canis Major|giant]] as one might assume.
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* [[Mood Whiplash]]:
** "The Voice in the Night" ends with {{spoiler|Korra sobbing into Tenzin's chest as she admits that, for the first time her life, she is ''terrified'' and has no idea what to do}}. "The Spirit of Competition" begins with upbeat big band music and turns into a [[Shipping]] plot.
** "And the Winner Is…" starts with the continuation of the [[Tournament Arc|Pro-Bending championship]] now with more serious
* [[Mugging the Monster]]:
*
{{quote|'''Triple Threat Waterbender''': Who do you think you are?
'''Korra''': Why don't you come and find out? }}
** The Earth Queen Hou-Ting tries throwing her weight around with who she thinks are bounty hunters wanting the Avatar. Turns out they were Zaheer and the Red Lotus. She pays for it, {{spoiler|with her life}}.
* [[Muggle Born of Mages]]: ''Animation Insider's'' [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/Aaron123/AInews/Nick/avatar_s3/Korra_CharaSheet.jpg family tree]{{Dead link}} reveals Aang and Katara's middle child Bumi as the non-bender of their three children.
* [[Muggle Power]]: The entire Equalist movement is based around establishing nonbenders in positions of power and eliminating the need for bending entirely, in response to the oppression of nonbenders by benders. They end up dissolving as of Season 2 owing to {{spoiler|Korra proving that Amon is a fraud, and he outs himself as a waterbender after she airbends him out a window. It also helps that Asami, Mako and Bolin take down Hiroshi Sato's mechas while General Iroh leads an assault against the Equalist forces, nearly taking them down solo}}.
* [[Muggles Do It Better]]: So far, the Equalists have been far more dangerous, capable and effective than their bending adversaries. In fact, Korra lost her first fight against an Equalist ''[[Mook]]'', and later on, both of her teammates lost to The Lieutenant at the same time.
* [[Mundane Utility]]:
** Korra uses firebending to cook a fish in the Republic City park.
** Firebenders can be seen generating lightning for use at a power plant.
** The Adventure Game on Nick.com reveals the Future Industries uses firebenders for welding.
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* [[Not the Fall That Kills You]]: Averted. {{spoiler|When Korra freefalls from hundreds of feet in the air, Chief Beifong does not catch her. She extends a [[Variable-Length Chain|metallic cable]], allowing Korra to swing down and slow her descent more gradually and safely.}}
* [[Novelty Decay]]: Once-unique elements of the [[Avatar: The Last Airbender|previous series]] have now become common:
** Firebending's advanced technique of [[Shock and Awe|lightningbending]], once only demonstrated by Azula, Iroh, and Ozai, is, after [[Justified Trope|seventy years]] and an industrial revolution, mundane enough that firebender menial laborers use it to [[Mundane Utility|run the power plants]] for low pay. Mako, however, knows how to use it in a sneak attack when Amon has him cornered.
** [[Extra Ore Dinary|Metalbending]], once Toph's unique innovation, is now practiced by the entire police force.
** The Equalists fighters all use Ty Lee's [[Pressure Point]]-based [[The Paralyzer|chi]]-[[Power Nullifier|blocking]].
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* [[Ominous Latin Chanting]]: The Wolfbat's over the top entrance in "And the Winner Is..." comes complete with a choir chanting ominously in the background.
* [[One Name Only]]: In-universe, surnames are the exception instead of the rule, and tend to indicate wealth, as with Lin Beifong, and Hiroshi and Asami Sato, though [[Combat Commentator]] Shiro Shinobi also has a surname.
* [[OOC Is Serious Business]]:
*
** Amon has been a stoic extremist that mercilessly removed bending from those that opposed him, and tries to do the same to children. {{spoiler|His last scene is shedding a tear as he plans to start a new life with his older brother.}}
** Season four is basically Korra being this for the first half. Zaheer's near-fatal attack, the recovery, and lacking the means to communicate her emotional trauma has turned Korra into a former shell of herself, to the point where she cuts her hair, vanishes into the Earth Kingdom without Naga, and denies that she is the Avatar. By the time the new Gaang finds her and she has to do Avatar duties, Suyin is shocked when Korra refuses to do things the violent way first and tries for a diplomatic solution. {{spoiler|In prison, Zaheer even notes that neither he nor Korra are the same thanks to his decisions, and has to encourage her that she hasn't lost the power that she had before he poisoned her.}}
* [[Opening Narration]]: In the same style of the original. The demonstrative benders are the Avatars Kyoshi, Roku, Aang, and Korra. Tenzin inherits the speaking role from his mother. The "[["Previously On..."]]" segments use a sepia tone and a dramatic announcer, indicative of the era because of their great similarities to 1920's film.
** The pilot differs slightly from the rest of the episodes, using a longer recap:
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** Zuko has his own statue at Central City Station, with him holding up an eternal flame.
** The [[Recurring Extra|Cabbage Merchant]] has a statue in front of Cabbage Corp's main building, proudly holding a cabbage above his head.
* [[Papa Wolf]]: Tenzin, like his father, abides by Airbending principles of pacifism and mercy. That does ''not'' apply if he spots you kidnapping any of his children. Just ask the bison poacher whom he saw driving off with Jinora. He didn't even chide Kai that much for attacking the man after he had surrendered, merely reminding him that hitting a defenseless opponent is unfairr, before praising his technique.
*
▲* [[Le Parkour]]: The urban cityscape setting allows for heavy use of the style in outdoor fight choreography, and an expert is employed as a [[Shown Their Work|consultant]].
* [[People Puppets]]: Bloodbending, like in the previous series. {{spoiler|Tarrlok has the added benefit of not needing a full moon to do it.}}
* [[
** When confronting the Earth Queen, Zaheer doesn't bother chasing down her nonbending advisor when he flees for his life from the Red Lotus assault, since he's not in their way. Later, he reproaches Ming-Wa for {{spoiler|threatening a telegraph operator who understandably doesn't want unauthorized personnel near the delicate equipment}} before politely asking the man how to make an announcement to the city.
▲** Korra, Mako, and Bolin as the pro-bending team the Fire Ferrets. This extends to their [[Elemental Powers|bending]] itself (Water, Earth, Fire), [[Chromatic Arrangement]] / [[Elemental Eye Colors]] ([[Color Coded for Your Convenience|Blue, Red, Green]]), ''and'' their setup as a [[Freudian Trio]] ([[The McCoy]], [[The Spock]], [[The Kirk]]).
** "Beyond the Wilds": Korra is about to walk away from {{spoiler|an imprisoned Zaheer after he jumpscares her and she realizes that she can't dismiss her fear of him. Zaheer then calls her back and reveals he knows she can't enter the Spirit World, since she's been missing from it for three years. While he maintains his [[Never My Fault]] attitude about breaking her, Zaheer offers to guide her through her block to stop Kuvira, after she says that he brought a worse tyrant than the Earth King to power with his anarchy. Korra points out bitterly that she can't trust him; he agrees, but points out if there were other options, she wouldn't be talking to him in prison. He then honors his word, much to her shock, and guides her through the trauma he caused to help her return to the Spirit World. No strings attached, no demands, just trusting that she will stop Kuvira}}.
▲** The Triple Threat Triad grunts deliberately [[Invoked Trope]] this with their [[Justified Trope|team of three]], an Earth, Fire and Waterbender... at least, until Korra kicks their butts.
* [[Precocious Crush]]: Meelo has one on Asami. Jinora and Ikki also refer to Mako as "cute" or "dreamy," though that's at least partly just to tease Korra.
* [[Pretender Diss]]: Tarrlok brings up Aang's defeat of a man named Yakone 42 years before the start of the series during his speech calling for an anti-Amon task force, resulting in...
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* [[Race Against the Clock]]: The plot of the third episode is {{spoiler|to rescue Bolin before the Equalists take away his bending}}. They come right down to the nail.
* [[Racial Remnant]]: Tenzin and his family, for the Air Nomads.
* [[Reality Ensues]]:
** When Zaheer {{spoiler|assassinates the Earth Queen, he makes a sincere announcement to the citizens of Ba Sing Se that they are no longer subject to the whims of petty tyrants and corrupt leaders, and can choose their own path. He thinks this will liberate the people and make them happier}}. Nope. Riots ensue, as do raids, and the city nearly burns down from the chaos. The Four Nations try to address this problem in Book Four by appointing a new ruler that they can guide from distance, but because of Wu's naivete and incompetence, Kuvira finds an easy hole in the power vacuum as potential Earth Empress, and she's even ''worse'' than Hou-Ting. Any political theorist could have pointed out the logical flaw in Zaheer's plan, and Korra takes time to call him out for not considering this possibility.
** Mako in this same scene attempts to use firebending to cut through metal of his and Bolin's jail cell. He's making progress, but owing to the density of the bars, it's slow-going so he asks Bolin to try one more time to metalbend. Metal has a high thresholds of heat before they melt, and these bars are meant to hold different types of benders.
** During the season three finale, {{spoiler|Zaheer uses airbending to smash a poisoned Korra into a rock formation from a great height. While she retains enough of her strength in the Avatar state to help kick his ass with the Air Nation's help, and Suyin removes most of the mercury in her body, that doesn't account for her battle wounds once the Avatar state abates. Season three ends with her using a wheelchair, visibly in pain from the damage to her spine; that's not even going into the sheer emotional trauma that affects Korra for the next three years. "Korra Alone" shows that even with Katara's help, it took Korra months to regain use of her limbs with intense physical therapy; when she thinks she's clear for sparring, PTSD flashbacks make her freeze on the spot and nearly endangers her. Indeed, when talking with Zaheer, her biggest block to re-entering the Spirit World is that she has visceral flashbacks to being slammed through that pillar in addition to him nearly suffocating her. Zaheer has to coach her through it, pain and all}}.
** "Beyond the Wilds" has Korra realize that her block is a serious problem, and a fear considering she can't enter the Spirit World. She knows the fear is irrational, since {{spoiler|Zaheer is being bars and locked up}}, and that logically speaking, seeing him in chains should make her realize he's just a pathetic man with no power. Unfortunately, trauma doesn't work like that; {{spoiler|when she tries to tell Zaheer she is no longer afraid of him, he disproves that with a jumpscare. You can't just conquer a fear by facing it head-on. While pathetic and semi-broken, Zaheer has to guide her through the trauma, to not dwell on the "what-might-have-been".}}
* [[Reality Is Unrealistic]]: Viewers frequently comment that the quantity of technological advances over the seventy-year timespan between series is implausible, though the progression deliberately parallels [[Real Life]] technological development between the 1850s (how advanced the Fire Nation was) and 1920s (how advanced Republic City is).
* [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]]: In "And the Winner Is..." Amon delivers one to pro-bending fans about celebrating and praising the flagrantly cheating Wolfbats, (incidentally giving [[Even Evil Has Standards|due credit]] to the above-board Fire Ferrets) drawing a parallel to societal worship of domineering, abusive benders.
* [[Reasonable Authority Figure]]:
*
**Tenzin can zigzag this. Of course, he has his hands full raising a family of airbenders and is overly strict on Korra because she seems to not understand the weight of her responsibilities. When Korra gets him to admit he's wrong, however, Tenzin will concede like with Pro-bending. Book 3 has him stop Kai from walloping a poacher who had surrendered because the man had kidnapped Jinora, after letting the kid get a few blows in; he first chides Kai for attacking a defenseless opponent, before praising his technique.
**Prince Wu eventually realizes, thanks to his growing friendship with Mako and [[Character Development]], that he doesn't want to be an idiot prince and pawn, even if in his case he would be relying on guidance from more experienced leaders. His crush on Korra also inspires him to be more proactive, like suggesting that just because she lost to Kuvira in a fight doesn't mean she should be excluded from international diplomacy talks. Later, he uses his singing voice to encourage the badger moles to create evacuative tunnels outside the city and get the civilians out before Kuvira's invasion; he even protectively gets in front of the evacuees when Kuvira's mechas seem to corner them. After the dust settles, Wu admits that he is not the best candidate to rule the Earth Kingdom, announcing his plans to abdicate once he finishes setting up an elected democracy where the people can choose their leader. ''Ruins of the Empire'' goes further to show him trying to set up stable election systems, and hesitating on arresting Guan because Guan has technically broken none of the established rules and he doesn't want to set a precedent of throwing his weight around as ruler because a candidate is disagreeable. A vision of Hou-Ting accuses Wu of finding an excuse to shirt his responsibilities, something that worries him. When Guan's plans become too big to ignore, Wu cancels the elections for the Earth Kingdom's safety but promises the transition will happen, just more gradually and with more failsafes.
**Zuko's daughter Izumi is a fair Firelord, as shown in Book 4. During international talks about what to do about Kuvira, she expresses fear that if the Fire Nation sends troops to stop her preemptively, it would be the exact same thing that he ancestors did when they started a war against the other sovereigns. She and Zuko spent a lifetime undoing that damage. She agrees, however, that Kuvira cannot invade Republic City or other sovereigns because it's basically an invasion. When Raiko says he'll reinforce the city's defensive borders, Izumi promises to lend aid, and honors her word.
* [[Rebellious Prisoner]]: Ironically, Korra is the most likely to not be one when captured, usually trying to reason with the people holding her hostage. It's only when they won't listen to reason that she'll use her fists.
** If Asami gets captured, she's usually the first one to try to escape her bonds and find an escape route. She doesn't need powers to be a threat. It's why Korra trusted her to watch her body when the Red Lotus and Earth Queen's goons were after Korra and the latter entered the Spirit World for a truce talk with Zaheer, knowing in the worst-case scenario, Asami would get them out of captivity.
** Lin sacrificed herself to fend off Amon's Equalists and give her ex Tenzin as well as his family time to flee to the South Pole on their sky bison. She knows this means Amon will take away her bending, and spends the last moments up to that point refusing to give up any information about Tenzin or Korra. Fortunately, Korra with Aang's help is able to give her powers back in the season one finale.
** In the season three finale, though Korra surrendered to the Red Lotus, she fights back with everything she has after Zaheer refuses to spare the new Air Nation per their hostage agreement. When Zaheer gives the order to poison her with mercury to bring out the Avatar State and destroy her, and the Avatar Cycle completely, Korra spends a long time fighting the urge to enter the Avatar State. She also lasts ''much'' longer than Zaheer expected, considering how much mercury Aiwei made her body absorb, and uses the last of her strength to kick his ass when the freed Air Nation provides backup support.
** Villainous zigzagged example with Zaheer, both {{spoiler|before and after season three}}. He was never repentant for trying to kidnap a child, the young Korra, and bid his time while waiting for an escape opportunity. Season four shows him slightly more broken, having {{spoiler|lost all his friends in a senseless quest of anarchy which led to a greater dictatorship. The White Lotus also has him chained in a more secure prison, in the middle of a mountain with several doors. If he somehow managed to learn water, fire or earthbending, he's too far out of range to hit a guard and would be more likely to bury himself alive as Toph warned Aang when he was learning to earthbend}}. With that said, when Korra confronts him three years later, in an attempt to face her fear of him and her block, {{spoiler|Zaheer jumpscares her and laughs on seeing she's still terrified. While he doesn't feel guilty for traumatizing her, [[Kick the Dog|saying she's using him as a crutch to avoid her problems]], he does offer to help her fight her block. Korra points out with their past and his attitude, he's not trustworthy. Zaheer agrees. He also points out, however, that if she had other options, she wouldn't have come to visit the man who tried killing her. She admits she doesn't have anything to lose, and accepts his help. Surprisingly, he keeps his word and helps her reenter the Spirit World}}.
** The Beifong family refuses to recognize Kuvira or Baatar Jr.'s authority when they invade Zaofu, complete with Baatar Sr. saying he is disappointed in his oldest son and refuses to bow to them. When the roles reverse at the end of the season and followed up in ''Ruins of the Empire'', {{spoiler|this attitude has not changed; while Suyin has forgiven Baatar Jr. for following Kuvira, no one else has while he's under house arrest in Zaofu. His siblings are hostile towards him, with Opal becoming a [[Deadpan Snarker]] about his and Kuvira's ambitions, and his father refuses to speak to him. While Baatar Jr. started as this trope when first captured, he has since abandoned it after Kuvira opted to kill him rather than negotiate a truce or surrender for his life. He's spending most of his house arrest as [[The Atoner]] and accepting that he has irreparably damaged ties with his family.}}
* [[Recurring Riff]]:
** The SDCC '11 Trailer uses the same score that the trailers for Season 3 of ATLA used. The music is particularly moody and energetic at different times. Special award for the Editor who synched all the action so meticulously.
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* [[Romanticism Versus Enlightenment]]: One of the major themes explored in the series is tradition versus modernity. Spirituality versus progess also plays a part.
* [[Royal Mess]]: The Fire Nation's ruler, a position roughly analogous to Japan's [[The Emperor|Emperor]], is termed "Fire Lord," and as of Korra's era, the title is held [[She Is the King|by a woman]].
== S-Z ==
* [[Scenery Porn]]: Just take a good look at [http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad71/funkadiddle/unitedrepublic.png?t=1311667233 Republic City]. [https://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1c84z4kzb1rqq1iao1_500.jpg There's] [https://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1c84z4kzb1rqq1iao2_500.jpg so] [https://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_m18pudMIZQ1qmzrqko3_500.jpg much] [https://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_m17gtnLfG11qdbhwwo5_500.jpg scenery porn] [https://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_m17gtnLfG11qdbhwwo3_500.jpg that] [https://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_m17gtnLfG11qdbhwwo2_500.jpg there] [https://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_m17gtnLfG11qdbhwwo8_500.jpg needs
* [[Schizo-Tech]]: Despite the generally Early-Twentieth Century level of technology present in the show, the Equalists seem to have mastered high-energy, low-mass power generators or batteries, giving their mooks electrified Kali-sticks and [[Power Palms]].
* [[Screw the Rules, I Have Money]]: The Wolf-Bats pay off the referee in the Pro-Bending Championship so they can cheat without being called on it; by their third round with the Fire Ferrets, it is so blatant that ''the announcer'' calls them on it. It's implied by Amon that this is hardly unusual for them.
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** There is a bridge with the distinctive silhouette of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, with less obvious allusions to Golden Gate Park, and infamous high-security prison Alcatraz.
** The character Mako is a shout out to the deceased voice actor of Iroh in the original series, [[Mako]] Iwamatsu.
** Asami Sato is '''[[Averted Trope|not]]''' a visual [[Shout-Out]] to Lust from ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]''. Their similarities were completely unintentional, but [[Bryan Konietzko]] [[Sure Why Not|embraced it]] in a [http://bryankonietzko.tumblr.com/post/18387976331/just-a-quick-study-i-did-a-few-months-back-of-lust Tumblr] post after having it pointed out to him, since he thinks Lust has a
** "The Aftermath" also features a brief racing segment, set to music that's [[The Jimmy Hart Version]] of the [[Speed Racer]] theme.
* [[Shut UP, Hannibal]]: This exchange.
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* [[Spit Take]]: In "A Leaf in the Wind", a White Lotus guard does this right into the face of another when the pro-bending announcer on the radio reveals that Korra is playing in a match.
* [[Static Stun Gun]]: The Equalists, with their [[Schizo-Tech|electrical technology]], incapacitate their enemies with primitive tasers.
* [[Stealth Mook]]: The Equalists in book one. They can infiltrate any area, from a Pro Bending stadium to Air Temple Island, and it's often too late for the benders there to put up a defense. Season one shows them taking over Republic City and establishing a fascist dictatorship. Only Korra proving that {{spoiler|Amon is a fraud by airbending him into the ocean}} split up their group. A spinoff video game revealed that the remaining members needed another charismatic leader to become a threat again; without any guidance, they are nothing.
* [[Steampunk]]: Though the series itself is not steampunk, utilizing electricity and the internal-combustion engine for its technology, the genre was an influence, particularly the aesthetic. [[Word of God|The creators explained that they took inspiration from]] [[Jules Verne]] and call the show [http://www.avclub.com/articles/legend-of-korras-michael-dante-dimartino-and-joaqu,72359/ "steampunk-lite"].
* [[Stereotype Reaction Gag]]: In "A Leaf in the Wind" Korra [[Downplayed Trope|Downplays]] and [[Invoked Trope|Invokes]] this when she asks Bolin to teach her some Pro-bending moves. He agrees but isn't sure how his earthbending will translate to her waterbending. She responds that she can earthbend, and Bolin freezes up before [[Digging Himself Deeper]], stumbling through an apology about making assumptions based on her Water Tribe clothes. After letting him squirm a little, she allows that he was right, she ''is'' a waterbender, and a firebender, too. Bolin's brother, who saw her as just a common fangirl up to that point, does the math:
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* [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]]: The Equalist movement. Their case against the benders is not altogether unreasonable, but the measures used to reach their goal are quite extreme.
* [[Wham! Episode]]:
** "And The Winner Is" has {{spoiler|The Fire Ferrets losing the Pro-Bending championship to the cheating Wolfbats, then Amon appears and [[De-Power|De-Bends]] the Wolfbats, then Amon's forces defeat the Metalbending Police Force and then ''blow up the Pro-Bending arena and dress the remnants in Equalist flags''.}} Also counts as a [
** "The Aftermath". {{spoiler|Hiroshi Sato is [[The Mole]] working for Amon, and he's built [[Mini-Mecha]]. At the end of the episode, Asami has turned against her father and will be moving to Air Temple Island with Mako and Bolin, while Lin says she's going to [[Turn in Your Badge|Turn In Her Badge]] and work outside the law to bring down Amon.}}
** "When Extremes Meet". {{spoiler|Tarrlok begins rounding up non-benders and imprisoning them, Korra confronts him, and then he ''bloodbends Korra without the full moon and Korra has a flashback to the previous Team Avatar fighting a crook who looks suspiciously like Tarrlok.''}} Notable for being the third [[Wham! Episode]] in a row.
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:The Millennium Age of Animation]]
[[Category:Moving Picture Company]]
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[[Category:Fantasy Western Animation]]
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▲[[Category:The Legend of Korra]]
[[Category:Nickelodeon]]
[[Category:Avatar: The Last Airbender]]
[[Category:Western Animation of the 2010s]]
[[Category:The Full Name Adventures]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Legend of Korra, The}}
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