The Avatar series is a popular American TV show that consists of two
different series: Avatar: The Last Airbender and Avatar: The Legend of
Korra. The series is created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan
Konietzko. The Last Airbender aired from 2005 to 2008 and was three
seasons long with a total episode count of 61. The Legend of Korra was
four seasons, 52 episodes and aired from 2012 to 2014. It’s a very
popular, well received series that got a horribly adapted live action
movie, several video games and graphic novels. Avatar is an Asian
influenced world with surreal creatures and people from four nations who
have the ability to “Bend.” “Bending” simply put, is the ability to
create, manipulate and influence the movement of the Four Elements: Air,
Water, Earth or Fire.
What makes the Avatar special is that the Avatar is the only being who can bend all four Elements. There are unfortunately, much more deeper and complicated aspects to the Avatar like how when one dies, the Avatar is reincarnated. Seeing as this is a contrast and comparison of the two completed series, it’s safe to assume you’re here for that, not a recap. We’ll be comparing differences and similarities pertaining to the shows’ two main characters, supporting casts, storytelling, action and animation. Let’s jump right in.
The Last Airbender is divided into three seasons yet has one focused overarching plot. Defeat Fire Lord Ozai and bring back balance to the world. Because of this more focused nature, the stories and sub plots flow together creating a better sense of continuity between the seasons. Korra was originally meant to be a single season but was extended to four. Each season has a different antagonist and tackles a completely different theme. Mainly the four were: communism, theocracy, anarchism and fascism. It’s interesting to note while Aang was not as powerful as Korra off the bat, his story was primarily focused on getting enough power to defeat Ozai. Korra had all the muscle she could flex but her story was never really about needing more power. It was about her growing mentally, spiritually and having her ideals constantly challenged. Each season was something different for Korra. This offers two different styles of storytelling: one central plot for 61 episodes versus a different central plot per season. Who’s to say which way is better?
The Legend of Korra, for obvious reasons has the better animation and action sequences. With the experience from the Last Airbender and more money in their budget, they were able to improve upon the visuals. Much better cinematography, choreographed fights, smoother and cleaner animation. Not to say Airbender’s animation was bad, it was great, for its time even, but the Legend of Korra looks so much better. One very interesting bit is the tale of Avatar Wan; the visual aesthetics used ink washed paintings and wood block chips to capture and properly convey that this was a much older time period. Korra vs Unaloq and Korra vs Zaheer were breathtaking battles that have an impressionable impact on the viewers. Such crisp, awesome, fluid fights scenes.
Both series had some great characters in them but the cast of the Last Airbender is better than Korra’s. The only thing I could say that Legend of Korra had over the Last Airbender character-wise was antagonists with more depth and purpose. The various Fire Nation captains and soldiers were more or less just following what they’ve been taught. Ozai, while menacing, is a terrible villain because he has no depth whatsoever. He’s just doing this because; “my grandfather and father were doing it so, why not?” Azula however, was a great antagonist. She’s incredibly powerful, merciless, and fierce, but what you really have is a damaged little girl trying to be recognized and loved by her parents. She wants to be praised by her father and always felt her mother hated her.
Korra had some bad villains, namely Amon and Unaloq. Amon was actually really great until the season finale which I blame the writing more that I blame the character himself. Unaloq was not even remotely interesting and was pretty much just a face and vessel for Vaatu. Zaheer and Kuvira were phenomenal and while I wasn’t a fan of how the conflict with Kuvira ended, she herself was a great character. Zaheer was probably the best antagonist in the Avatar series mainly because he offered a refreshing new type of antithesis to the main protagonist and in a lot of ways, defeated Korra.
The overall cast of the Last Airbender is much better though. Especially the supporting cast and minor characters. Aang’s Team Avatar is vastly superior and more interesting than Korra’s Team Avatar. Tenzin and Lin had the most to offer for the most part, while Bolin and Milo were the comic relief characters. Asami and Mako just weren’t interesting characters in the slightest. The love triangle between her, Korra and Mako felt forced too. Toph, Zuko, Iroh, Katara and Sokka were all much more memorable while being better characters. Each one of them has their own personal struggle and reason for being a part of this war. Their goals and motivations line up with their actions. Not to mention their chemistry is just so much better than the almost non-existent chemistry of Team Korra. Even the run in the mill character you didn’t see often had lasting appeal. Remember foaming mouth guy? Classic.
The Last Airbender is the story of Aang, a 12 year old Airbender who is the Avatar. He ran away from his responsibilities when he learned what he was. He ended up falling in to the ocean during a bad storm and encased himself in ice to save his life. This resulted in him being suspended in animation for one hundred years. He also did not age during that time. The world needed Aang because the Fire Nation for an entire century had been waging war against the world. It’s a story of responsibility, friendship and redemption. Aang must defeat the Fire Lord before he conquers the entire world and make up for the years the world thought he was dead.
Aang is as free as the wind. He’s naïve, fun-loving and values peace. He is from the Air Nomads, thus is a practitioner of pacifism. This is shown throughout the course of the series as Aang tends to prefer to try and talk things out and rarely picks fights. The fights come to him and usually he’s on the defensive as he tries to subdue his foes without hurting them. Aang was an Airbending prodigy having become a master by the age of 12. He was also very powerful spiritually. But underneath Aang’s seemingly carefree exterior lays the burden of seeing how much pain and suffering the world went through because he wasn’t there for one hundred years. He wasn’t there when the world needed him most. In addition to that, the first nation the Fire Nation wiped out was the Air Nomads. That means Aang lost all of his people and future generations of Airbenders. Aang was the Last Airbender in the world.
The sequel, Legend of Korra is the Avatar after Aang and she’s a Waterbender. Korra’s struggles and trials as an Avatar differ greatly from Aang as she has to stop and deal with various different world problems. This is the world of Avatar 70 years after the end of the Last Airbender. Primarily taking place in Republic City: a city where normal people and Benders from all nations live together. After training for years on a secluded island to master three Elements, Korra sets off for the city to learn Airbending.
Korra on the other hand is almost the complete opposite of Aang. She’s assertive, headstrong, stubborn and quick to pick a fight. Her aggressive nature causes her to attack and fight people without fully understanding the situation and possible ramifications. Korra was a prodigious Avatar having mastered three elements by 17 and having been able to bend three of them without training. She’s powerful, fierce and talented physically but suffered from being bad spiritually. Korra was ignorant to the world around her having been secluded from it for 13 years and is just trying to find her place. Under her defiant nature is a girl who has trouble controlling her emotions and is eager to help the world as the Avatar, but doesn’t fully understand how.
The Avatar is supposed to keep harmony and balance between the real world, the spirit world and the four nations: the Water Tribe, the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom and the Air Nomads. Comparing the two Avatars, they have a lot of similarities and differences. Korra is physically a much more capable fighter and Bender than Aang but Aang was more spiritually in tuned. Aang never originally wanted to be the Avatar while Korra relished in its title. “I’m the Avatar, you gotta deal with it!” She didn’t shy away from her responsibility, Korra wanted to be the Avatar. One of the most common debates you’ll see is essentially Aang versus Korra, who’s better? A more interesting question to ask would be which is the better Avatar or which is the better character?
Aang shouldered the pain of knowing everyone he knew except King Bumi was dead, that he let the world down and that he was the last of his kind. Masked under his cheerful, happy go lucky attitude, Aang dealt with serious internal strife. Korra was entitled and extremely confident plus had all her family and friends. Her problems would present themselves by season as she tried to make the world a better place, while Aang’s main struggles came from his past. It was about him making up for a war he felt guilty for. About peace and returning the world to a state of balance. Korra fought against inequality in Book One and fear. She was afraid of Amon’s Bending stripping powers, because she felt that without her Avatar abilities, she was nothing.
Season two she deals with spirituality and her lack of it. After losing her connection to all her past lives she would no longer have the guidance of those before her. Book Three was about chaos and her protecting the system so that the world wouldn’t descend into anarchy. But it came at a cost. Book Four would be a time skip, and Korra would be fighting to regain her former glory and confidence having her powers hindered by a mental block and mercury poisoning. All while an Earth resident tyrant would try to force order upon the world.
Aang’s approach to solving problems is to not jump head first into them, but trying to understand all the varying perspectives. Violence always being the last and finale option. Aang stopped an entire war at the age of 12 and built a new city for all nations to live in, but, Korra stopped a powerful Blood Bender, an age of a Dark Avatar, chaos and a tyrant with great military might. All of these are impressive to say the least. Korra brought more balance to the world and literally connected the two: the human and spirit world. Aang was a better Avatar by definition. He was understanding, peaceful, selfless and strong. Aang went out of his way to learn a technique to defeat Ozai without having to take his life.
Korra has no qualms about killing and even threatens the lives of her opponents frequently. Ultimately, all Aang did was bring balance to the world one time and build a city. Mind you stopping century old war at 12 is no easy feat. Korra did far more even though she’s probably a bad Avatar. She literally had her connection to all her past lives taken from her and still went on to defeating Vaatu, Zaheer and Kuvira. Aang is the better model Avatar, but Korra actually did much more for the world.
Now who is a better character? In an attempt to oversimplify the situation in order to wrap things up, here is how it is. Aang had the same problems for the whole series for the most part. But they’re such strong issues that they have lasting appeal. Korra deals with something new and then solves it. Aang still never got to grow old with his friends and still had no people. Aang starts out as a goofy and powerful kid and became a goofy and powerful Avatar. The thing that disappoints about Aang the most is that he was not the ideal father. All his kids felt disconnected to him in some way or another, even Tenzin his supposed favorite. Korra went from a bratty teenage girl to a mature young woman. She brought herself back from the pits of despair, from rock bottom having being poisoned and paralyzed. She fought and eventually came back stronger than ever. She regained her connection to Raava but never the other Avatars, thus in a sense, became the new first Avatar in a new cycle. So for this debate, I’d say Korra is the character with more depth.
So to wrap things up which series is better? Well it’s hard to say. Korra has the better animation and Last Airbender has the better characters. Both series are equally as humorous and the format of the storytelling is just a matter of preference. Korra is a more interesting character than Aang but Aang is the better “Avatar.” While both series are one encompassing story, the two shows are still different in their own right and tackle different things. The Legend of Korra takes the solid foundation from its predecessor and builds upon it. I don’t think the shows should be separated, I think it should all count as one complete story. The Legend of Aang and Korra: The Avatars.
What makes the Avatar special is that the Avatar is the only being who can bend all four Elements. There are unfortunately, much more deeper and complicated aspects to the Avatar like how when one dies, the Avatar is reincarnated. Seeing as this is a contrast and comparison of the two completed series, it’s safe to assume you’re here for that, not a recap. We’ll be comparing differences and similarities pertaining to the shows’ two main characters, supporting casts, storytelling, action and animation. Let’s jump right in.
The Last Airbender is divided into three seasons yet has one focused overarching plot. Defeat Fire Lord Ozai and bring back balance to the world. Because of this more focused nature, the stories and sub plots flow together creating a better sense of continuity between the seasons. Korra was originally meant to be a single season but was extended to four. Each season has a different antagonist and tackles a completely different theme. Mainly the four were: communism, theocracy, anarchism and fascism. It’s interesting to note while Aang was not as powerful as Korra off the bat, his story was primarily focused on getting enough power to defeat Ozai. Korra had all the muscle she could flex but her story was never really about needing more power. It was about her growing mentally, spiritually and having her ideals constantly challenged. Each season was something different for Korra. This offers two different styles of storytelling: one central plot for 61 episodes versus a different central plot per season. Who’s to say which way is better?
The Legend of Korra, for obvious reasons has the better animation and action sequences. With the experience from the Last Airbender and more money in their budget, they were able to improve upon the visuals. Much better cinematography, choreographed fights, smoother and cleaner animation. Not to say Airbender’s animation was bad, it was great, for its time even, but the Legend of Korra looks so much better. One very interesting bit is the tale of Avatar Wan; the visual aesthetics used ink washed paintings and wood block chips to capture and properly convey that this was a much older time period. Korra vs Unaloq and Korra vs Zaheer were breathtaking battles that have an impressionable impact on the viewers. Such crisp, awesome, fluid fights scenes.
Both series had some great characters in them but the cast of the Last Airbender is better than Korra’s. The only thing I could say that Legend of Korra had over the Last Airbender character-wise was antagonists with more depth and purpose. The various Fire Nation captains and soldiers were more or less just following what they’ve been taught. Ozai, while menacing, is a terrible villain because he has no depth whatsoever. He’s just doing this because; “my grandfather and father were doing it so, why not?” Azula however, was a great antagonist. She’s incredibly powerful, merciless, and fierce, but what you really have is a damaged little girl trying to be recognized and loved by her parents. She wants to be praised by her father and always felt her mother hated her.
Korra had some bad villains, namely Amon and Unaloq. Amon was actually really great until the season finale which I blame the writing more that I blame the character himself. Unaloq was not even remotely interesting and was pretty much just a face and vessel for Vaatu. Zaheer and Kuvira were phenomenal and while I wasn’t a fan of how the conflict with Kuvira ended, she herself was a great character. Zaheer was probably the best antagonist in the Avatar series mainly because he offered a refreshing new type of antithesis to the main protagonist and in a lot of ways, defeated Korra.
The overall cast of the Last Airbender is much better though. Especially the supporting cast and minor characters. Aang’s Team Avatar is vastly superior and more interesting than Korra’s Team Avatar. Tenzin and Lin had the most to offer for the most part, while Bolin and Milo were the comic relief characters. Asami and Mako just weren’t interesting characters in the slightest. The love triangle between her, Korra and Mako felt forced too. Toph, Zuko, Iroh, Katara and Sokka were all much more memorable while being better characters. Each one of them has their own personal struggle and reason for being a part of this war. Their goals and motivations line up with their actions. Not to mention their chemistry is just so much better than the almost non-existent chemistry of Team Korra. Even the run in the mill character you didn’t see often had lasting appeal. Remember foaming mouth guy? Classic.
The Last Airbender is the story of Aang, a 12 year old Airbender who is the Avatar. He ran away from his responsibilities when he learned what he was. He ended up falling in to the ocean during a bad storm and encased himself in ice to save his life. This resulted in him being suspended in animation for one hundred years. He also did not age during that time. The world needed Aang because the Fire Nation for an entire century had been waging war against the world. It’s a story of responsibility, friendship and redemption. Aang must defeat the Fire Lord before he conquers the entire world and make up for the years the world thought he was dead.
Aang is as free as the wind. He’s naïve, fun-loving and values peace. He is from the Air Nomads, thus is a practitioner of pacifism. This is shown throughout the course of the series as Aang tends to prefer to try and talk things out and rarely picks fights. The fights come to him and usually he’s on the defensive as he tries to subdue his foes without hurting them. Aang was an Airbending prodigy having become a master by the age of 12. He was also very powerful spiritually. But underneath Aang’s seemingly carefree exterior lays the burden of seeing how much pain and suffering the world went through because he wasn’t there for one hundred years. He wasn’t there when the world needed him most. In addition to that, the first nation the Fire Nation wiped out was the Air Nomads. That means Aang lost all of his people and future generations of Airbenders. Aang was the Last Airbender in the world.
The sequel, Legend of Korra is the Avatar after Aang and she’s a Waterbender. Korra’s struggles and trials as an Avatar differ greatly from Aang as she has to stop and deal with various different world problems. This is the world of Avatar 70 years after the end of the Last Airbender. Primarily taking place in Republic City: a city where normal people and Benders from all nations live together. After training for years on a secluded island to master three Elements, Korra sets off for the city to learn Airbending.
Korra on the other hand is almost the complete opposite of Aang. She’s assertive, headstrong, stubborn and quick to pick a fight. Her aggressive nature causes her to attack and fight people without fully understanding the situation and possible ramifications. Korra was a prodigious Avatar having mastered three elements by 17 and having been able to bend three of them without training. She’s powerful, fierce and talented physically but suffered from being bad spiritually. Korra was ignorant to the world around her having been secluded from it for 13 years and is just trying to find her place. Under her defiant nature is a girl who has trouble controlling her emotions and is eager to help the world as the Avatar, but doesn’t fully understand how.
The Avatar is supposed to keep harmony and balance between the real world, the spirit world and the four nations: the Water Tribe, the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom and the Air Nomads. Comparing the two Avatars, they have a lot of similarities and differences. Korra is physically a much more capable fighter and Bender than Aang but Aang was more spiritually in tuned. Aang never originally wanted to be the Avatar while Korra relished in its title. “I’m the Avatar, you gotta deal with it!” She didn’t shy away from her responsibility, Korra wanted to be the Avatar. One of the most common debates you’ll see is essentially Aang versus Korra, who’s better? A more interesting question to ask would be which is the better Avatar or which is the better character?
Aang shouldered the pain of knowing everyone he knew except King Bumi was dead, that he let the world down and that he was the last of his kind. Masked under his cheerful, happy go lucky attitude, Aang dealt with serious internal strife. Korra was entitled and extremely confident plus had all her family and friends. Her problems would present themselves by season as she tried to make the world a better place, while Aang’s main struggles came from his past. It was about him making up for a war he felt guilty for. About peace and returning the world to a state of balance. Korra fought against inequality in Book One and fear. She was afraid of Amon’s Bending stripping powers, because she felt that without her Avatar abilities, she was nothing.
Season two she deals with spirituality and her lack of it. After losing her connection to all her past lives she would no longer have the guidance of those before her. Book Three was about chaos and her protecting the system so that the world wouldn’t descend into anarchy. But it came at a cost. Book Four would be a time skip, and Korra would be fighting to regain her former glory and confidence having her powers hindered by a mental block and mercury poisoning. All while an Earth resident tyrant would try to force order upon the world.
Aang’s approach to solving problems is to not jump head first into them, but trying to understand all the varying perspectives. Violence always being the last and finale option. Aang stopped an entire war at the age of 12 and built a new city for all nations to live in, but, Korra stopped a powerful Blood Bender, an age of a Dark Avatar, chaos and a tyrant with great military might. All of these are impressive to say the least. Korra brought more balance to the world and literally connected the two: the human and spirit world. Aang was a better Avatar by definition. He was understanding, peaceful, selfless and strong. Aang went out of his way to learn a technique to defeat Ozai without having to take his life.
Korra has no qualms about killing and even threatens the lives of her opponents frequently. Ultimately, all Aang did was bring balance to the world one time and build a city. Mind you stopping century old war at 12 is no easy feat. Korra did far more even though she’s probably a bad Avatar. She literally had her connection to all her past lives taken from her and still went on to defeating Vaatu, Zaheer and Kuvira. Aang is the better model Avatar, but Korra actually did much more for the world.
Now who is a better character? In an attempt to oversimplify the situation in order to wrap things up, here is how it is. Aang had the same problems for the whole series for the most part. But they’re such strong issues that they have lasting appeal. Korra deals with something new and then solves it. Aang still never got to grow old with his friends and still had no people. Aang starts out as a goofy and powerful kid and became a goofy and powerful Avatar. The thing that disappoints about Aang the most is that he was not the ideal father. All his kids felt disconnected to him in some way or another, even Tenzin his supposed favorite. Korra went from a bratty teenage girl to a mature young woman. She brought herself back from the pits of despair, from rock bottom having being poisoned and paralyzed. She fought and eventually came back stronger than ever. She regained her connection to Raava but never the other Avatars, thus in a sense, became the new first Avatar in a new cycle. So for this debate, I’d say Korra is the character with more depth.
So to wrap things up which series is better? Well it’s hard to say. Korra has the better animation and Last Airbender has the better characters. Both series are equally as humorous and the format of the storytelling is just a matter of preference. Korra is a more interesting character than Aang but Aang is the better “Avatar.” While both series are one encompassing story, the two shows are still different in their own right and tackle different things. The Legend of Korra takes the solid foundation from its predecessor and builds upon it. I don’t think the shows should be separated, I think it should all count as one complete story. The Legend of Aang and Korra: The Avatars.
By: Nya Hemmings
booooooo
ReplyDeleteYour argument to who the better character is does not take into account the element of time as in the real time like the time from when Aang was freed to the time he defeated the fire lord was what like more or less a year, while from the time korra started learning air bending to the time she entered the spirit world to explore it took a lot longer. So obviously korra developed more as she had more time to. Plus you argue about Aang's parenting when we have not even seen the adult version of Korra.
ReplyDeleteBoth series are equally humorous ? Lmfao, you really compare Bolin's comedy to Sokka ? Get the f out of here brah .
ReplyDeleteSokka was mainly the only comedic relief in atla. But in tlok, there was bolin, meelo, varrick. There were several other funny moments from other characters even.
DeleteWell said
ReplyDelete