Yea looking back, Ozai deserves to live with the cruelty that he and his family gave the world. Watching through the whole show is so gratifying to see how it all turns out and I still remember sitting down to watch the first episode haha hooked right from the getgo.

Album Rating: 3.5

"It's still something they just pulled out of their ass to make the plot work"



man fuck that noise, the ending was beautiful on so many different ways.



Energybending was awesome. Aang spends the entire series terrified of his God powers... and then he learns

there are beings predating even the Avatar spirit.



It makes the show's thematic statement beautifully... that there is always a way to solve your problems

without compromising your ideals, even if it means rejecting the world's advice (and indeed, your past

lives' advice). And it fit Aang's character arc perfectly. The best moment of the finale, better than

Azula vs. Zuko is:



"FIRE LORD OZAI! You and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world. And now, you shall

pay the ULTIMATE PRICE!"



Like, that Avatar spirit he's been terrified of for months, that he can't control, is about to compromise

his morals. And it's seized control. And he's like no, I won't do it. And only then does he truly control

this ridiculous power.



The conflict of Avatar had always been Aang coming to terms with his identity (actually, every major

character had to do that: Zuko's destiny, Azula NOT being able to do that, Sokka being a non-

bender/warrior, Katara having this vengeance in her, even Toph had a bit in Tales of Ba Sing Se). For Aang

to kill Ozai would be denying resolution to that character arc. Is it a really optimistic solution? Sure,

I could imagine a universe where the main protagonist has to sacrifice his morals for the greater good.

But the Avatar universe was always more optimistic than that.



The finale is a good example of a successful Deus Ex Machina, where it feels totally earned (seriously,

stopping the Avatar Spirit + getting Ozai in position with his earthbending) and emphasizes the thematic

resolution to the show.



I can't rave enough about it

Album Rating: 3.5

Also I just re-watched the entire franchise except Season 3 (I mean I've watched it, just haven't re-watched it).



Thoughts:



Holy shit Avatar is good. Beyond me raving about that finale... just everything about the show is fantastic. It tackles so many topics, often subtly... the way different character arcs intersect or parallel each other to make both compelling plot entanglements plus thematic statements.



Korra... not as good. Season 2 is way better watched in a few days then when it's airing. I actually thought it was a lot better than Season 1.



Season 1 still had the shittiest resolution of the show (past the messy Season 2) one... both the Aang thing and the random airbending are totally undeserved. They ruined Amon's character to me (I didn't mind him being a hypocrite as long as his beliefs were sincere but then they made him use bloodbending when he didn't need to and also trashed the Lieutenant). The love triangle stuff was more obnoxious in Season 1, where it took up an entire episode. The pro-bending stuff was pretty cool but took up too much screen time. No character really had a character arc except Asami, Lin, and Tarrlok (retroactively), which sucked.



Season 2 also had problems. Korra's character regressed for no apparent reason. The art was shitty at times, and the relationship stuff was kind of annoying too (not as bad as Season 1). I didn't really like Bolin/Asami/Mako's arcs, and Jinora needed more internal conflict.



But the entire arc line of Tenzin's family was pretty sweet (I really liked that scene of Tenzin & Aang), and the spirit world stuff was pretty cool. Unalaq wasn't a particularly interesting villain: I really wish he'd emphasized that he thought this world was too secular/unspiritual, which is why he, as the new Avatar, wants to destroy it and start it anew with Vaatu. That said, he wasn't nearly as bad as I remember in retrospect. Actually, from the Wan episodes onwards, I thought the season was really damn good. The finale was fairly weak but at least satisfying from a thematic perspective.



Actually, Season 2 was pretty great in the way it handled themes about sibling strife, father/child issues, your power lies in your own self/spirit/soul, modernity vs. spiritualism, and that darkness and light live together and one can't live without the other, so there's always light in the dark. The Civil War/ Spirit World/ Wan backstory episodes all tied together nicely, though the Republic City episodes were extraneous honestly.

Yea I mean it still felt a bit sudden, but I couldn't have said it better myself. I remember the first time watching him about to kill ozai when he said that quote I kept thinking holy crap this is really gonna happen but then no. Aang found a peaceful way to end it which is really uplifting and heartwarming because aang once said that violence is never the answer. Like I said, at times I really truly forgot I was watching a cartoon like damn. Plus that final scene with all of them in the house is so moving. And the music man, fucking chills especially when aang and katara kiss.

I'm gonna re watch 1-3 now actually too. I still think season 3 was my fav.

Album Rating: 3.5

oh yeah, season 3 was just fantastic. Seasons 1 & 2 were disappointing living up to A:TLA, but I found Season 2 to still be pretty great despite a rather weak first half.



Season 1 is just frustrating though.



If I had to rate seasons, I'd probably say:



Earth: 10

Fire: 9.9

Change: 9.7

Water: 8.5

Spirit: 8.2

Air: 7.5

Album Rating: 3.5

ye I think that's fair. I'm definitely more down on Air than most people. I put a lot of emphasis on the ending, and I felt like the ending to Air de-legitimatized everything Amon stood for. He was so fucking incredibly badass, easily the best villain in the show, including Azula, until they made him use his bloodbending. It was just an incredibly idiotic decision IMO. Also Korra never really seemed to grow and she definitely didn't deserve to A) airbend and B) get her bending back.



Water is definitely weaker than the Top 3, but for me there are some incredibly powerful moments. Like Aang at the Southern Air Temple comes to mind. And the Winter Solstice. Or that scene where Roku takes over Aang's body when Jeong Jeong won't teach him. Although yeah there are a lot of filler episodes and just weaker in general episodes. I guess part of my rationale is that the Gaang is way more likable and developed than Korra's Krew, and that's doubly true if you look at just the first seasons where all of the major characters had, you know, character arcs. In Korra's S1 the only characters who actually had a coherent arc were Asami & Lin. Mako & Bolin in particular were as interesting as rocks

In a sense, Air was kind of it's own thing while seasons 2 and 3 are connected.

I still say Season 2 is the weakest season of Korra but I still like it.

I agree with Earth and Fire though. While Fire had the Finale, I think Earth had more memorable moments for the most part.

Album Rating: 3.5

'In a sense, Air was kind of it's own thing while seasons 2 and 3 are connected.'



Ye that's intentional I think. Although I like this overarching connection of people wanting to get rid of the Avatar and it shitting on Korra's psyche.



And ye Earth is pretty much perfect. The Dai Lee are such badass villains. Fire was a little bit disjointed but otherwise perfect. And the finale, well I already wrote enough about it.



@Rutherford, fair enough! Air had some sweet moments too. Lin's sacrifice was awesome, and that scene where Amon took her bending away was incredibly good

Album Rating: 3.5

Both shows' season 1 finales are the best episodes of each series even if the overall seasons aren't the overall best

I disagree. In the original show I feel like each finale got better and better.

Album Rating: 3.5

I think the Season 1 finale of Korra might be the worst episode in either show. At least with The Great Divide you can skip it.



Also I agree with Mongi, each finale got better in A:TLA. Actually I'd say the same for Korra. Though Crossroads of Destiny vs. Sozin's Comet is debatable

Oh Sozin's Comet all the way. But nah the Air finale wasn't the worst episode at all. The definitely goes to The Painted Lady or The Great Divide for me.

Btw, anyone else a big fan of the episode "Tales Of Bi Sing Se?" Specially Iroh's story. Damn it nearly makes me tear up every time. Really heavy stuff.

Album Rating: 3.5

Well like I said, the Air Finale to me invalidated everything about Amon's character, and managed to have two undeserved copouts relating to Korra (airbending, Aang). The Great Divide sucks but it didn't have a negative effect on the series as a whole since you can just skip it. Painted Lady is alright, important bit of characterization for Katara I think, setting up the Puppet Master and finally The Southern Raiders.



I really love downer endings so I thought Crossroads was awesome but Sozin's Comet might just edge it.



And yeah, that episode was fantastic. I really loved Toph & Katara's story, because Toph really didn't have that much conflict. I was happy to see them at least somewhat address Toph's boyishness. And of course Iroh's story is heartbreaking, especially the RIP Mako part :'(

Well regardless of the Mako part which did fantastic work as Iroh btw, him singing to his son on the hillside exists as a testament of how moving this show can be. One of the best moments in the whole show by far. The ending to the Change finale is also up there too.

Album Rating: 3.5

Crossroads of destiny is probably the bleakest of the series and has lots of great character development but the season 1 finale was just so epic and emotional it gets me every time

Album Rating: 3.5

The Season 1 Finale was awesome, yeah. It was a reminder of just how scary Aang's powers were. I don't think it holds a candle to Crossroads and Sozin's Comet but that's fair enough.



And yeah the Leaves on the Vine part was so sad

I just finished the second episode of Air and it rules hard. Korra is just a bit immature for my liking and I will say this about Bolin: The humor he brings is waaaaaaay too forced as opposed to Sokka's...or anyone's humor for that matter in the original.

Album Rating: 3.5

Agreed, but Bolin was pretty funny in Season 3. It just took a while.



And ye Air was pretty good, especially the episodes with Amon. That villain is so badass. Whenever I watch it, I always think "fuck this season is fantastic" when Lin loses her bending, or the part with Noatak and Tarrlok... and then the ending goes and pisses me off again lol.



Speaking of the two brothers, 'Before' is an outrageously good track for a cartoon. Like with the two instrumental voices representing the two brothers, and the dissonance as the brothers grow apart. Ridiculous. This might be controversial, but I think Korra's soundtrack is better than A:TLA's.

They're both nearly flawless in their own ways. The shows best work musically for me are definitely Sozin's Comet and the Change finale.