The Legend of Korra: Difference between revisions

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''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.

* [[Animesque]]: Even ''more so'' than its predecessor.

* [[Are We There Yet?]]: In "Welcome to Republic City", the introduction of Tenzin and his family features his daughter Ikki asking this over, and over, and ''over''...

* [[Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering?]]: In "The Spirit of Competition," Bolin asks Mako what he thinks of the idea of asking Korra out. Mako responds that he likes her, but he's already in a relationship, prompting Bolin to clarify:

* [[Arrested for Heroism]]:

** In "Welcome to Republic City", Korra's readiness to fight gets her pegged as a [[Destructive Savior]] by the metalbender cops.

* [[Birds of a Feather]]: Bolin believes he and Korra are meant to be with each other because of this. She likes him, [[Just Friends|but not in the same way.]]

* [[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]].

* [[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.

* [[Bound and Gagged]]: Bolin and a few Triple Threat Triad members in Episode 3. {{spoiler|Then again with Korra after Tarrlok defeats her with bloodbending in Episode 8. Tarrlok forgot the "gagged" part, though, and nearly got his eyebrows singed off by a livid firebreathing Korra for it.}}

* [[Bratty Teenage Daughter]]: [[Discussed Trope]] in "A Leaf in the Wind" when Tenzin expresses frustration with Korra, now his live-in student. After his daughters witness a particularly bad bout where Korra insults Tenzin's teaching skills, Tenzin tries to avoid the inevitable.

'''[[Cute Bookworm|Jinora]]:''' (peering over her book) [[Deadpan Snarker|I will make no such promises]]. }}

* [[Breather Episode]]: After two pretty dark and brutal episodes, "The Spirit of Competition" is a fairly lighthearted story involving the pro-bending tournament and the show's [[Love Triangle]], {{spoiler|and comes right before a slew of [[Wham! Episode|Wham Episodes.]]}}

* [[Bring My Brown Pants]]: In "And the Winner Is..." the [[Combat Commentator]] as he is {{spoiler|attacked by Equalists}}. On live radio.

* [[Broken Faceplate]]: An example in "The Aftermath": While fighting [[Mini-Mecha|Mecha-Tanks]] made out of metal-bending-proof platinum, Chief Beifong resorts to the strategy of bending her metal bracer into a [[Blade Below the Shoulder]], [[Colossus Climb|leaping up to the shoulders]] of one of the Mecha-Tanks, and driving the claw straight through the [[Attack Its Weak Point|more vulnerable]] cockpit canopy. The chi-blocker piloting it is shown desperately dodging. After a few cuts, we see the Mecha-Tank as immobile, Bei Fong having bashed though most of the canopy segments, so this may have been a [[Gory Discretion Shot]].

* [[Building Swing]]: In "Welcome to Republic City", the Republic City police perform Building Swings to debark from their [[Zeppelins from Another World|patrol zeppelin,]] via metalbending [[Retractable Weapon]] [[Variable-Length Chain|cables]] dispensed from [[Grappling Hook Pistol|wrist-mountings]] on their uniforms.

* [[Call a Rabbit a Smeerp]]: Automobiles are called Satomobiles and Motorcycles are called Satocycles, after Hiroshi Sato, the [[No Celebrities Were Harmed|Henry Ford-like]] industrialist who first marketed cars to the masses.

* [[Calling Your Attacks]]: In "A Leaf in the Wind," Korra [[Invoked Trope|tries]] with no success:

* [[Call Back]]:

** In "The Revelation," {{spoiler|when Amon takes away Lightning Bolt Zolt's bending, Zolt says the same thing that Ozai said when Aang took his bending away in the series' finale.}}

** Pro-bending teams identify which element each team member bends by their color-coded belts and helmets.

* [[Combat Commentator]]: Introduced in "A Leaf in the Wind," Shiro Shinobi, the announcer at pro-bending matches, narrates the action for spectators and radio listeners. He also narrates the [["Previously On..."]] segments, complete with footage edited to look grainy and sepia-toned. [[Played for Laughs]] and [[Played for Drama|drama]] in "And the Winner Is," where he [[Casual Danger Dialogue|continues commentating in the same manner he always does]] {{spoiler|''while he has an Equalist mook confronting him and about to electrocute him.''}}

* [[Combat Tentacles]]: The Metalbender Cops' weapons of choice are wrist-mounted retractable cables that can be manipulated through bending. They are used to tie up criminals and move around the city.

* [[Comfort Food]]: In "The Spirit of Competition," Bolin takes Korra to a Southern Water Tribe restaurant for the food that she grew up with. Later, when he {{spoiler|catches Korra and Mako kissing}}, [[Drunk on Milk|he spends the entire night gorging on their noodles]].

* [[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] 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".

* [[Cosplay]]: In the final match between The Wolf Bats and the Fire Ferrets, cosplayers of the respective teams can be seen in the stands.

* [[Crash Into Hello]]/[[Meet Cute]]: In "The Voice in the Night" Asami meets Mako by nearly running him over with her moped.

* [[Diesel Punk]]: Despite the inspiration of [[Steampunk]], and use of aesthetics associated with it, the series fits squarely into this category; the internal combustion engine is in wide-spread use and the setting matches the 1920's, with all the cultural trappings.

* [[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]].

* [[Does This Remind You of Anything?]]:

** The 1920's environment and the Equalists' rhetoric about overthrowing the ruling class mirrors the Communist/Socialist organizations that sprang up in industrializing countries during the late-nineteenth/early-twentieth centuries.

* [[Dreaming of Times Gone By]]: During a [[Flashback Cut]] after Korra was knocked out by Amon. This seems to be theme whenever Korra gets knocked out, as it happens several times afterwards.

* [[Driven to Suicide]]: Jinora relates a story she read in a historical novel where a princess was unable to be with the man she loved, so she burned down an entire country via dragon and then jumped into a volcano.

* [[Drowning My Sorrows]]: In "The Spirit of Competition", Bolin performs a family-friendly [[Drunk on Milk|variation]], binge-eating tons and tons of noodles after he witnesses {{spoiler|Korra kissing Mako}}.

* [[Drunk on Milk]]: When Bolin has his feelings hurt by Korra, he [[Drowning My Sorrows|spends the whole night in a noodle shop]], and Mako has to actually carry him home in the morning.

** 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]]:

'''Katara:''' "Well, Jinora, it's an incredible tale-"<br />

'''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?]]"<br />

* [[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]].

* [[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:

'''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.

<!-- %% Moderator request: Korra is not an example of Hot Amazon until and unless someone on the show finds her attractive BECAUSE she's an amazon. Please stop adding that trope to this page. -->

* [[Hold Your Hippogriffs]]:

'''Bolin:''' [Pabu] is not a one-trick poodle-pony. }}

* [[Holding Your Shoulder Means Injury]]: Bolin performs this in "The Spirit of Competition," after getting smacked by a stray earth disk. Unusually, it actually is his [[Justified Trope|shoulder]] that's injured, complete with ugly bruise.

* [[Impossibly Cool Weapon]]: The Lieutenant, Amon's second-in-command, [[Dual-Wielding|dual wields]] electrified kali sticks.

* [[I Need to Go Iron My Dog]]:

* [[Inelegant Blubbering]]: In "The Spirit of Competition", a deeply hurt Bolin is reduced to this, complete with [[Ocular Gushers]], rivers of snot and miserable wailing.

* [[Infectious Enthusiasm]]: In "A Leaf in the Wind," staid Tenzin gets caught up in the mood and lets out a celebratory whoop at Korra's first pro-bending victory.

* [[Instant Win Condition]]: In pro-bending, if an entire team is [[Ring Out|knocked off the ring]] in a single round, they lose the entire match, regardless of score.

* [[Ironic Echo]]: During the infiltration of {{spoiler|Sato Manor}}, one metalbender cop was assigned to watch over Asami, Mako, and Bolin. When he tells them to stay put until Chief Bei Fong returns, Mako and Bolin incapacitate him, and Bolin delivers this spiteful reprise:

* [[Ironic Name]]: Korra's father Tonraq is a [[Huge Guy, Tiny Girl|huge man who towers over his wife]], Senna. His name is an Inuit word for "tiny man".

* [[Island Base]]: While not exactly a "base," the [http://images.wikia.com/avatar/images/8/8d/Air_Temple_Island_overview.png Air Temple Island] where Tenzin and his family live is pretty sweet.

* [[Lame Comeback]]/[[No, You]]:

** In "Welcome to Republic City" Korra is not that good with the verbal wit.

'''Protestor:''' That didn't even make sense! }}

** In "The Spirit of Competition", Bolin gets one, but he has the excuse of being "[[Drunk on Milk|drunk]]":

'''Bolin:''' ''You're'' a bad idea! }}

* [[Kung Fu-Proof Mook]]: The Equalists' [[Mini-Mecha]] are made from platinum, metal so pure metalbenders are incapable of manipulating it.

* [[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.}}

* [[Medieval Stasis]]: Averted. The technology present in Aang's time has advanced and spread, with Republic City boasting radios, electricity, cars, skyscrapers, cameras, microphones, and trains. A post-war development boom erased the Fire Nation's previous technological advantage.

* [[Melting Pot Nomenclature]]: As a melting pot, Republic City plays host to names from multiple ethicities: Korra is a variant of the Greek name Cora, Mako's is Japanese while his brother Bolin's is Chinese. Hiroshi and Asami Sato have Japanese names, as does Shiro Shinobi. Narook the noodle-shop owner's is Inuit. Tenzin and Pema's are Tibetan. Jinora's is Sanskrit. Ikki is Uzbek for "two." Butakha is Indonesian for "bald." Lin Beifong is Chinese, Saikhan is Mongol, Hasook is Korean, and Tarrlok is Irish made to look Inuit.

** "And the Winner Is…" starts with the continuation of the [[Tournament Arc|Pro-Bending championship]] now with more serious opponants and ends with {{spoiler|a terrorist attack led by Amon}}.

* [[Mugging the Monster]]: In "Welcome to Republic City" Korra readily [[Exploited Trope|Exploits]] a [[The Triads and the Tongs|Triple Threat Triad]] [[Power Trio]]'s utter ignorance of her identity and skills with [[Blood Knight]] zeal, baiting them into a [[Curb Stomp Battle]].

'''Korra''': Why don't you come and find out? }}

* [[Muggle Born of Mages]]: ''Animation Insider's'' [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/Aaron123/AInews/Nick/avatar_s3/Korra_CharaSheet.jpg family tree] reveals Aang and Katara's middle child Bumi as the non-bender of their three children.

** Bolin has a Fire Ferret buddy called Pabu.

* [[Not Bad]]: In "A Leaf in the Wind" [[The Stoic|stoic]] Mako sincerely offers this compliment when Korra successfully follows Bolin's pro-bending advice. It [[Compliment Backfire|backfires]], as she assumes she has been [[Damned By Faint Praise]], to Mako's confusion.

* [[Not So Different]]: In episode eight, Tarrlok compares Korra to himself this way, saying they both use force to get what they want. It is promptly turned on him when Korra states that his actions towards non-benders makes him no better than Amon, making his eye twitch in fury.

* [[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.}}

* [[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:

** Later episodes use a shorter narration and the demonstrative bending is sped up:

** In episode seven, Tarrlok replaces the announcer in the [["Previously On..."]] segment, which is also changed to a press conference recap instead of the film style of the previous episodes (though the sepia tone is kept).

* [[Opposing Sports Team]]: The Wolf Bats.

* [[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...

* [["Previously On..."]]: Narrated by [[Combat Commentator]] Shiro Shinobi, in the style of a sepia-toned 20s-era movie serial with melodramatic background music.

* [[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.

** "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.

'''Korra''': (''earthbends him into a wall'') I wouldn't count us out just yet. }}

* [[Sibling Team]]: Bolin and Mako are brothers.

* [[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:

* [[Supernatural Martial Arts]]: Just as technology has advanced, so have the bending arts, with many hybridized styles shown even in just the first episode in addition to the more classic bending styles. Mako and Bolin's styles show shades of modern boxing and kickboxing, despite wielding separate elements.

* [[Tall Poppy Syndrome]]: Rather than espousing the more egalitarian view implied by their name, the equalists want to empower [[Muggle|Muggles]] by ridding the world of bending entirely.

* [[True Companions]]: The new Team Avatar.

* [[Try Not to Die]]:

* [[Twitchy Eye]]:

** The waterbender from the Triple Threat Triad after Korra taunts him.