TV Retrospective - Legend of Korra Book 2 Chapters 9-10 - The Guide/A New Spiritual Age

Time to resume my Korra reviews, with the spirit world saga

Chapter 9 – The Guide

So, police procedure is following the leads of triad groups, searching a place without a warrant, and… not checking anything for fingerprints, at all!

Oh come on, you can tell me that there are people who can read heart-rates using Earthbending, but no-one’s figured out finger-print technology.

Yes, it’s everyone’s an idiot except Mako part 3. Where Asami ignores some valid points that Mako built up (because we all know she hasn’t fallen for ‘my relative/business partner is a diabolical genius’ before, right?) Bolin decides to be completely naïve. (Although his point about Mako and Asami dating again is valid) Varrick gives a very obvious threat (and thus revealing that Mako was right about him) and the entire police force arrest Mako without means motive or opportunity, ok, motive or opportunity.

I supposed the triad were right in a way saying Mako helped them steal the Future Industries tech, in that he gave them the opportunity to do so, but Asami technically volunteered to be part of the sting (which was dumb, in hindsight)

So, yeah, you’re guessing I don’t like that part, you’re right

So the stuff at the Eastern Air-temple. Korra’s on a time-clock and she knows it, but the issue is Tenzin has no idea how to enter the spirit world. It’s an interesting development for Tenzin, so who has been so uptight about upholding Aang’s legacy, have his own shortcomings that prevent him from doing so.

The actual reasons for his inability to enter the spirit world are a tad unclear, but… who cares, it makes for a good story (more than I can say for everyone’s an idiot except Mako) Jinora’s ability to see and make friends with spirits came out of nowhere, it could’ve used a tad more foreshadowing, perhaps inter-twined with the story at the Southern Air Temple.

It’s nice to see Korra acknowledge her own faults too. Her apology to Tenzin for turning her back on him was touching, a much needed boost at Tenzin’s low point. Korra’s ability to turn dark spirits has developed without training, perhaps it’s because the spirits are much smaller than the ones she was fighting before, but it does seem odd to have her succeed after failing several times previously.

This is the last episode studio pierot animated, and it’s a fairly decent effort, they seem to excel better in the more natural looking air-temple than the big city or the frozen tundra. But I won’t be missing them as Studio Mir is back in the animating seat for good starting with the next episode.

Rating 6.5/10

Chapter 10 – A new spiritual age

Perhaps trying to close the spirit portals in the one way that would leave you defenceless was a bad idea

So a new spiritual age is probably the strangest episode of Korra, but that’s exactly what it’s supposed to be considering where they are. Aang may have had a few spirit world encounters but he never truly journeyed into the spirit world the same as Korra is

Of course, Korra being a more hot-headed person had a lot more trouble in the spirit world than Aang ever did, and she soon was split from Jinora, and her fear of the dark spirits regressed her to childhood (much like the beginning of this series). Instead a new spiritual guide helped her on her way, time for the return of Uncle Iroh, who conveniently knows about Avatar Wan

Of course, Iroh still has a tea obsession, hosting a tea party for a spirit wedding, teaching Korra to control her own emotions and advising her how to continue on her way.

Jinora’s journey leads to the return of Wan Shi Tong, who’s clearly still a bit sore about Aang’s trip to the Library (she knew about the Library and not about how Wan did not like humans, hmm) still there was a funny moment about the radio, and how he believed men sang from inside (the childs version of how a radio works) oh and a nice reference to the old series with Professor Zey’s remains.

Korra does grow here, growing to be more atune with the spirits and less angry around them, but the ending was sadly a clear one. Unalaq knew they were coming and Wan Shi Tong betrayed her to him (I’m not exactly sure why Vaatu being unleashed would be good for him, but…)

And of course, this is where the plan comes apart. Perhaps she should’ve been warned that she couldn’t bend in the spirit world, because that’s a big flaw, that eventually results in her being forced to open the northern spirit portal.

Oh yeah, and Unalaq now has the ability to turn spirits around him dark, unless they’re massive dragon-birds. Yeah, I suppose that was always coming. Studio Mir do a fantastic job at animation, and the music maintains the suspense of the episode.

Rating 8/10

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