Contents.PremiseAccording to the series' creators, about half of Book Two takes place in Republic City and the other half takes place in other areas of the world. In a panel discussion at 2012, Konietzko and DiMartino indicated that Book Two takes place six months after the. They said that it partially takes place at the South Pole in the Southern Water Tribe and focuses mainly on the mystical 'Spirit World' (hence the title Spirits) and the history of the Avatar lineage and mythology.New characters include Tenzin's older sister Kya, a waterbender; Tenzin's non-bender older brother Bumi; Korra's paternal uncle Unalaq; and her first cousins, Desna and Eska. A two-part episode entitled, Beginnings, tells the story of Wan, a selfless, kind, compassionate, and caring young man who became the original as a result of his attempts to maintain peace and balance between the material and spirit worlds.Production DevelopmentIn early 2011, during the production of – initially conceived as a standalone 12-episode miniseries – Nickelodeon decided to order fourteen additional episodes to round out a standard 26-episode season. As of June 2012, Book Two 's had been completed and the episodes were in the process of being and animated. And, writers for, contributed to the scripts of Book Two, and the season's episodes were directed by and Ian Graham. James Remar (Tonraq)Voice actors cast for Book Two: Spirits include:.
as Kya, Tenzin's elder sister, a waterbender, and the only daughter of and. as Varrick, an eccentric businessman. Adrian LaTourelle as Unalaq, Korra's paternal uncle, Tonraq's younger brother, Senna's brother-in-law, Desna and Eska's father and chief of both Water Tribes who serves as the main antagonist of Book Two along with Vaatu.
as Desna, Korra's cousin. as Eska, Desna's fraternal twin sister and Korra's other cousin. as Tonraq, Korra's father and de facto leader of the Southern Water Tribe. Remar replaces, who voiced Tonraq in '.
as Senna, Korra's mother. McKenna reprises her role from '. as Bumi, Tenzin's older brother, and the eldest child of Aang and Katara.
He is a non-bender as he does not have any bending abilities. as Wan; a young man who lived ten thousand years ago, and became the first Avatar by fusing with Raava, the spirit of light. as Raava, the of light and peace. See also: No.overallNo. InseasonTitleAnimated byDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.codeU.S.
Viewers(millions)131'Colin HeckStory by: Michael Dante DiMartino &Teleplay by: Tim HedrickSeptember 13, 2013 ( 2013.60Six months after the defeat of Amon and the Equalists, Korra believes she has mastered airbending, Mako works as a policeman, Bolin fares poorly in pro-bending with the new 'Fire Ferrets', and tries to keep Future Industries intact. Team Avatar joins Tenzin and his family in a visit to the Southern Water Tribe for the winter solstice.
The festivities are disrupted by the rampage of a dark spirit, which neither Korra nor Tenzin can calm or repel. Unalaq, Korra's uncle and the chief of the Norther Water Tribe ultimately assuages the spirit's anger with a 'spiritual' form of waterbending. Despite the misgivings of her father, who has a strained relationship with his brother, Korra apprentices herself to Unalaq to continue her spiritual development, rebuffing previous mentor Tenzin in the process.142'PierrotIan GrahamStory by: Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan KonietzkoTeleplay by: Joshua HamiltonSeptember 13, 2013 ( 2013.60Korra and company journey with Unalaq and his children Desna and Eska to the South Pole, where Korra is to attempt to return the long-absent, at Unalaq's urging. When Korra learns that her father was once banished from the Northern Water Tribe for causing a spirit rampage, and that he and Tenzin were responsible for her seclusion in her youth, she insists on Tonraq returning home, and tensions begin to grow between herself and Tenzin. At the South Pole, Korra succeeds in returning the southern lights by opening a blocked 'spirit portal' one of two gateways which allows access to the spirit world and regulates the flow of spiritual energy between the two worlds. Returning from the pole, Korra's party discover that Northern Water Tribe have come to occupy the south at Unalaq's direction, to initiate a 'reunification' of the two tribes.
At the Southern Air Temple, Jinora is strongly drawn to the statues of the past avatars, particular that of her grandfather Aang and an unidentified carving of another ancient Avatar.153'PierrotColin HeckStory by: Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan KonietzkoTeleplay by:September 20, 2013 ( 2013.19As the Southerners resist Northern occupation, Unalaq offers to protect the southern portal while Korra opens its northern counterpart, claiming that this will deepen the connection between humanity and the spirits and prevent further dark spirit attacks. Eccentric Southern Tribe inventor and entrepreneur Varrick, whose business suffers from Unalaq's blockade, begins a revolt. Korra prevents an abduction of Unalaq by Southern rebels.
As she tries to reconcile with her mother, Senna, and Tonraq, Unalaq appears to arrest them for conspiring to assassinate him. At the Southern Air Temple, Ikki disappears and Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi search for her while recalling their childhood with their late father, Avatar.164'PierrotIan GrahamStory by: Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan KonietzkoTeleplay by: Michael Dante DiMartinoSeptember 27, 2013 ( 2013.38After her father is sentenced to life in prison for conspiring to assassinate Unalaq, Korra discovers that Unalaq staged the trial, as well as Tonraq's much earlier banishment from the Northern Tribe, where Tonraq had been expected to succeed as chief. With the help of her friends and Varrick, Korra frees Tonraq and other condemned rebels from prison, and extracts Bolin from an impending forced marriage to Eska.
She promises to seek the United Republic's support for the Southern rebellion. At the Southern Air Temple, Ikki and Tenzin each reconcile with their siblings.175'Peacekeepers'PierrotColin HeckTim HedrickOctober 4, 2013 ( 2013.10In Republic City, tensions between Southern and Northern Water Tribe people rise as a Southern Water Tribe cultural center is bombed.
Mako, back in the police force, tries to track down the culprits while Varrick produces anti-Northern propaganda 'movers' starring Bolin. Korra fails to persuade President Raiko to send troops in support of the Southern rebellion. A conflicted Mako reveals Korra's plan to suborn General Iroh to commit the United Forces to the war to Raiko. Korra sets off on a sea voyage to the Fire Nation to seek the Fire Lord's support, but is pursued by Eska and Desna, and eventually swallowed by a gargantuan dark spirit.186'The Sting'PierrotIan GrahamJoshua HamiltonOctober 11, 2013 ( 2013.95Mako and Asami investigate the theft of a shipment of Future Industries mecha-tanks bound for the Southern rebels, and enlist the Triple Threat Triads for a. They are double-crossed and find Asami's warehouses ransacked. In desperation, Asami sells a controlling share of Future Industries to Varrick before Mako identifies him as the instigator of the various bombings and thefts, though he lacks the evidence to convince his superiors. An Korra washes ashore on a Fire Nation island.197'Beginnings, Part 1'Colin HeckMichael Dante DiMartinoOctober 18, 2013 ( 2013.73While being healed by the Fire Sages, Korra explores her past lives and experiences the journey of Wan, the first Avatar, who lived 10,000 years previous.
At this time, humans lived on the shells of the giant lion turtles to protect themselves from the spirit wilds and other dangers from the spirit world that freely roam the physical world. Wan and his friends live in poverty and hunger, under the nepotistic family that rules his city. As a form of protection, the lion turtles grant the power to bend elements for a limited time when humans venture into the wilds.
After Wan violates the prohibition against bringing his bending into the city in order to steal food for his friends, he is banished from the city, but allowed to keep his firebending. He manages to survive by befriending the spirits in the forest, but two years later, he sets out on a journey of exploration, where he eventually encounters two powerful spirits battling each other. One of the spirits asks Wan for assistance, when he is held down by the other, and Wan separates the two. While the spirit escapes, the other spirit, Raava, explains that she is the spirit of light and peace, and that the spirit Wan had inadvertently freed is Vaatu, the spirit of darkness and war; Wan has inadvertently initiated an age of darkness for the world.208'Beginnings, Part 2'Studio MirIan GrahamTim HedrickOctober 18, 2013 ( 2013.73Wan discovers a second lion turtle city inhabited by airbenders, but no sooner has he arrived than Vaatu appears, turning other spirits dark and threatening to destroy the world. Determined to stop Vaatu, Wan resolves to master additional elements with Raava's help, and prepare for the ', during which Vaatu and an increasingly weakened Raava will battle for the fate of the world. Wan and Raava fail to stop a bloody war initiated between the humans and spirits by Vaatu.
Arriving at the Southern spirit portal, Wan and Raava enter the spirit world and join battle against Vaatu by having Raava temporarily inhabit Wan. The battle goes poorly, but when Harmonic Convergence begins, Wan and Raava are able to fuse together permanently, thereby becoming the first Avatar.
After sealing Vaatu in the Tree of Time, Wan convinces the spirits to return to the spirit world and seals the portals, becoming the 'bridge' between the two worlds himself. Years later, a dying Wan lays on a smoldering battlefield and apologizes to Raava for not bringing peace to the world.
But Raava assures him that their journey has only just begun; they will have many lives together in the avatar cycle of reincarnation. Korra awakens, memories restored, and leaves the island intent on stopping Unalaq's plans, whatever they may be, for the next Harmonic Convergence, which is mere weeks away.219'The Guide'PierrotColin HeckJoshua HamiltonNovember 1, 2013 ( 2013.47Korra seeks Tenzin's help to enter the spirit world; but much to Tenzin's frustration, their attempts fail; Korra is instead guided by Jinora, who proves to have a strong connection to the spirits. In Republic City, Mako continues his investigation of Varrick. When Asami goes to cheer Mako up, his apartment is raided by the police and they find evidence, planted by Varrick, that he was responsible for the thefts from Future Industries, resulting in his second arrest.
At the South Pole, Unalaq fails to open the sealed North Pole portal himself, and reports to Vaatu, who promises that Korra shall come to them.2210'A New Spiritual Age'Studio MirIan GrahamTim HedrickNovember 8, 2013 ( 2013.22In the spirit world with Jinora, Korra must contend with the difficult relationships between spirits. When the two are separated, Korra is transformed into a childlike version of herself. She is rescued by, who has 'retired' into the spirit world and who teaches her that she must exert strong control over her emotions in the spirit world, among other lessons, allowing Korra to travel to the Tree of Time, where the portals meet in the spirit world. Meanwhile, Jinora finds Wan Shi Tong's library and convinces the Spirit of Knowledge to allow her to learn about the spirit portals.
While learning that Vaatu's seal can indeed be broken if both portals are opened during Harmonic Convergence, Jinora learns that Wan Shi Tong is in league with Unalaq. Attempting to rescue Jinora, Korra is forced by Unalaq to open the northern portal. After a short battle, Korra is rescued by a friendly spirit and forced out of the spirit world without Jinora, whose inanimate physical body remains in a coma-like state.2311'Night of a Thousand Stars'Studio MirColin HeckJoshua HamiltonNovember 15, 2013 ( 2013.87Bolin visits Mako in prison, and Mako tries to warn his brother against Varrick. Disbelieving him, Bolin goes to the finale of his 'movers' series, which President Raiko is also attending.
During the performance, Bolin foils an apparent attempt to kidnap President Raiko. When he interrogates one of the kidnappers, the man incriminates Varrick, who is promptly arrested, with Mako freed. Korra warns President Raiko about Harmonic Convergence and Unalaq's plans, but President Raiko retains his army to defend Republic City. Korra turns to Varrick, who agrees to give her his personal battleship. At the South Pole, Tonraq is defeated in a grueling duel by Unalaq.2412'Harmonic Convergence'Studio MirIan GrahamTim HedrickNovember 15, 2013 ( 2013.87Senna tells Korra and her friends that the Southern resistance has been defeated and Tonraq captured. Meanwhile, Jinora nears death.
With Harmonic Convergence hours away, Korra and her friends stage a frontal attack on the fortified South Pole, wherein everybody except Bumi is captured. Bumi infiltrates the camp and through a series of absurdest victories which mirror the supposed 'tall tales' which he often tells, annihilates all opposition, freeing Korra and her friends. Korra and numerous of her allies follow Unalaq into the portal, while Asami takes an injured Tonraq to Katara for healing. While Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi seek Jinora, Korra goes to close the portals while Mako and Bolin hold off Unalaq, who reveals that he plans to unite with Vaatu to become a Dark Avatar and rule the world. Korra is too late to close the portal and Harmonic Convergence begins; Vaatu is freed for the first time in 10,000 years.2513'Darkness Falls'Studio MirColin HeckJoshua HamiltonNovember 22, 2013 ( 2013.09Korra tries to imprison Vaatu while Mako and Bolin attempt to keep Unalaq out of the spirit world.
With help from Desna and Eska, Unalaq overpowers Mako and Bolin, ambushes Korra, and merges with Vaatu, becoming the Dark Avatar. Korra and Unalaq then battle each other in their respective Avatar States. In the Spirit World, Tenzin and his siblings come across Iroh, who indicates how to find Jinora.
The siblings then venture into the Fog of Lost Souls, which drives humans mad with their self-doubts. Kya and Bumi quickly succumb to the fog and Tenzin nearly does as well, but is visited by a vision of Aang, by whose advice Tenzin temporarily clears the fog and frees his relatives, accepted his destiny as separate from that of his father for the first time in his life. Mako and Bolin convince Eska and Desna to free them, but are unable to render aid to Korra in time; Korra is overpowered by Unalaq, who tears Raava out of her and severs her connection with the past Avatars. Jinora spiritually senses the destruction of Raava and goes to help. Unalaq transforms into 'Unavaatu', the strongest, an enormously powerful dark spirit and departs into the physical world, determined to destroy it and remake it in a fashion of his own choosing.2614'Light in the Dark'Studio MirIan GrahamMichael Dante DiMartinoNovember 22, 2013 ( 2013.09Tenzin and his siblings find Korra and her friends wounded and unconscious. Once healed by Kya, Korra states that with Raava gone the cycle is over and she is now likely the last Avatar. Unavaatu attacks Republic City.
During the attack, Varrick escapes prison. In the Spirit World, Tenzin leads Korra to the Tree of Time and tells her to meditate within it. As she meditates, Korra unlocks previously untapped spiritual potential and teleports to Republic City to discover a fragment of Raava within Vaatu; the spirits of light and dark cannot exist without each other and one will always regrow from within the other. Jinora's spirit illuminates the fragment, and Korra withdraws Raava and purifies Unavaatu, killing Unalaq and defeating Vaatu. Tenzin, Kya, Bumi, Mako, Bolin, Desna and Eska defend Korra's body from attacking dark spirits.
Korra and Raava return and use Harmonic Convergence to re-merge; the Avatar Spirit is reformed, but Korra's link with the previous Avatars appears to remain lost. After deep contemplation, Korra decides to leave the spirit portals open, believing that spirits and humans can find a way to coexist and should be allowed the chance.
She also declares the Southern Water Tribe to now be independent from the North as its own state. Korra and Mako end their romantic relationship, but pledge to remain friends. Korra, no longer the bridge between the two worlds, declares that the world has entered into a new age.ReceptionThe premiere episode screened in advance at Comic-Con was positively reviewed by Max Nicholson of, who appreciated the setup of the overarching conflict and the humorous writing. He also stated that 'the animation in Book Two has taken yet another step up in quality, with noticeable advances in the action sequences and color treatment'. At, Noel Kirkpatrick commented favorably on how the episode handled the necessary quantity of exposition, and on its introduction of the theme of conflict between. Writing for, Matt Patches highlighted the loose, handheld-style cinematography – challenging for an animated series – and the 'weird, wonderful', wildly imagined spirits fought by Korra; 'a parade with beasts that mirror '.
's Emily Guendelsberger stated that they kept up the first season's plot's 'breakneck pace' and appeared intent on signaling a break with the convention of avoiding death in children's entertainment, by showing a spirit dragging a sailor to his likely death in the sea. She appreciated the nuanced portrayal of Korra's and Mako's relationship and Korra's character flaws, but remarked that Unalaq was being set up as the season's antagonist a bit too obviously.Parts 1 and 2 of the medial episode, 'Beginnings', were positively received by critics as well. Max Nicholson of IGN rated the episode 9.6/10 and praised 'Beginnings' for its 'stunning' animation, 'top-notch' voice acting, character origins of Avatar Wan, the friendship and heartfelt relationship between Wan and Raava, 'great' new insights in the Avatar universe, and as a 'masterstroke in storytelling and worldbuilding.'
At the end of his review, he opined that 'Book 2 has never looked so good.' 'The Sting', which premiered before 'Beginnings', was equally praised by Nicholson for the improvement of the characterizations of Mako and Asami and their chemistry between each other, in addition to establishing Varrick as a 'greedy mastermind' rather than as an eccentric businessman and entertainer as he had been before. For 'The Guide', Nicholson praised the character growths of Tenzin and the fleshed-out characterization of Jinora. He lauded the episode 'A New Spiritual Age' for a 'great character narrative' for Korra and the establishment of Unalaq as a more of a corrupt, twisted, and menacing villain. He was also surprised to see the return of of; this time, to help Korra with her journey in the spirit world. Parts 1 and 2 of 'Civil Wars' were equally acclaimed by Nicholson for the friendship between Bolin and Varrick, the sibling dynamic of Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi, a 'strong, complex conflict' for Korra, the respective relationship of Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi, and Korra, Tonraq, and Senna as the heart of the story, and the twist behind Tonraq's banishment from the Northern Water Tribe and his imprisonment.
According to him, 'Night of a Thousand Stars' brought out the best of Bolin and the worst of Varrick, as well as setting up the conflict for the last three episodes of Book 2. For 'Harmonic Convergence', Nicholson praised its spectacular action sequences, fleshing out more on Unalaq's intriguing evil purpose, the heroism of Bumi, and the animation. ^ Salam, Maya (15 August 2013). Retrieved 15 August 2013. ^ Farley, Christopher John (19 June 2012)., Speakeasy blog.
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Taking place 70 years after the events of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender,' this story follows the adventures of the Avatar after Aang - a passionate, rebellious, and fearless teenage girl from the Southern Water Tribe named Korra. With three of the four elements under her belt (Earth, Water, and Fire), Korra seeks to master the final element, Air. Her quest leads her to the epicenter of the modern 'Avatar' world, Republic City - a metropolis that is fueled by steampunk technology.
It is a virtual melting pot where benders and non-benders from all nations live and thrive. However, Korra discovers that Republic City is plagued by crime as well as a growing anti-bending revolution that threatens to rip it apart. Under the tutelage of Aang's son, Tenzin, Korra begins her airbending training while dealing with the dangers at large. Let me just say, I was a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender (mostly Earth and Fire) but Korra tops it without a doubt. The writers and creators have really grown and learned their art, and it shines through in this series. It's darker than it's predecessor, and the story is much more intriguing. The main antagonist is Amon, a patient, cunning, and ruthless (supposed) non-bender that is leading a rebellion against the capital Republic City.
His plot starts out as no more than an intriguing idea, but in the scenes where it shows him committing his deeds, they seem horrible, unspeakable and more than devilish. It pulls at the watcher more than many death scenes that have been produced. Part of that is because of the empathy the viewer will quickly grow for the extremely well- written characters. Each character is starkly different, and each one has a past that comes into play in the story, some much more than others. The main sell point for me on the series is the magnitude of the events. I've watched many T.V. Shows and read many stories that had to try those great 'OH SH-T' moments, but LoK has me actually shouting it so loud I wake my family, even when I can predict what has happened.
A great series that I recommend to everyone.