Legend of Korra Book 3 Review Notes

Chapter 1: A Breath of Fresh Air

• Damn right this is a breath of fresh air, my god.
• BUM-JU. OH MY GOD THAT SWEATER IS PRECIOUS. I love Bumi.
  • The fact Bum-Ju legit tried to help made my heart hurt.
• This was a really great way to introduce the return of airbending.
• Oh the pacing is already so much better than previous seasons. OH MY GOD LOOK AT ALL THE CUTE LITTLE SPIRITS.
• Wow. Republic City is covered in the spirit vines. WOW. ACTUAL CONSEQUENCES.
• Ooh, Korra has her own glider. I LOVE IT.
• Fuck Raiko. He’s a totally different character. It’s like the writes took the impression fans got from him in Book 2 and made that his identity in Books 3 and 4. Not a real problem, just something I’ve noticed.
  • “There’s a tree growing right through my office. You think I’m not doing everything I can to get rid of it?” “WELL SORRY I PROVIDE YOU WITH OXYGEN.”
• She did defeat Satan, guys… 
• I really like Korra way more this season. I can actually empathize with her, and I like that she won’t take Raiko’s shit. She’s justifiably angry. Also, ASAMI BEING HER BUD THROUGH THE SHIT STORM. I LOVE IT. (Korrasami ftw)
• “DAAAAD.” * Tenzin barging through * “Who’d you kill? Where’s the body?”
• YAY ASAMI PART OF THE GROUP. Also, Mako being all awkward around his exes. I’m here for it. “The brooding teenager.”
• Nice saving Bumi airbending til the dinner scene. Also, nice reflexes. Also, THE LOOK ON EVERYONE’S FACES.
  • Wait… WHY ISN’T ASAMI AN AIRBENDER? I mean I’d be more fine with it if she had all the tools I came up with before, but ugh.
• Mako’s a fucking mess and I’m here for it.
• MAKO’S AWKWARDNESS GIVES ME LIFE. TENZIN SLIDING OUT OF FRAME, MY GOD.
• I am here for Korrasami, and just their friendship in general. WHERE WAS THIS THE LAST TWO SEASONS.
  • Korra is me learning how to drive. But awe, Korra and Asami are so cute.
• THANK GOD THE WRITERS ACKNOWLEDGE THE LOVE TRIANGLE BULLSHIT WAS STUPID. THIS IS ALREADY MY FAVORITE SEASON AGAIN.
• I wish the spirits got more attention this season, cuz it seems to have shifted to the new airbenders.
• Awe, cute Tenzin scene with his family. THIS EPISODE HAS BEEN SO GOOD WITH THE PACING AND CHARACTER MOMENTS, AND I ACTUALLY DON’T HATE IKKI AND MEELO.
• Nice use of Unalaq’s technique on the vines. Though I also kinda like how it didn’t work the way Korra intended. I think the irate humans are agitating the spirits.
• YEAH, BOLIN AND LIN HERE TO HELP. KORRA TO THE RESCUE.
• Korra meditating, awe… I like that we never had her reconnect with the past Avatars. And Korra questioning herself… MY GOD.
• “Change can be good or bad, depending on your point of view.”
• DAMN RIGHT, KORRA. FUCK REPUBLIC CITY.
• Oh it’s the same Daw guy from earlier. Cool.
• Korra saved the day with a conversation. GOD I LOVE BOOKS 3 AND 4 KORRA. She’s not at all the same character in Books 1 and 2.
  • I was harsh to Korra in Books 1 and 2 because I view them as separate characters. Since Books 1 and 2 were produced without knowledge of future seasons, I feel that is how they have to be reviewed. They couldn’t stand on their own without Books 3 and 4, which amplifies their poor quality.
• YES, LEAVING REPUBLIC CITY. GOD BLESS. But can the president just banish people? That doesn’t seem like a thing presidents can do.
• Nice saving our big antagonist for the end of the episode (And nice transition with Tenzin’s line.). What a fucking entrance. Also Zaheer is my favorite villain in the entire franchise. HE’S JUST SO COOL. I just wish he didn’t shave his head cuz I LOVE HIS HAIR. (Zahair though)
  • I LOVE THE RED LOTUS THEME MY GOD I WISH THEY RELEASED THE DAMN SOUNDTRACKS.
  • God I wish we knew Zaheer’s backstory. Why does he believe what he does? How is he so good at airbending for having been a nonbender his whole life?

Chapter 2: Rebirth

• The original title was “Rebirth of a Nation.” I assume it was changed for being too close to a film called “Birth of a Nation,” which has ties to white supremacy. I’ll have to do more research into that, but I remember that being a thing having to do with the Ku Klux Klan.
• YES ASAMI PROVIDING EXCELLENT TRANSPORT.
• Nice save, Kya.
• Appreciation for Bolin talking Mako into joining the journey.
  • “And then she dies.”
• OH MY GOD A LAVABENDER YAASSS.
  • I love that all the Red Lotus members are unique benders.
  • A lot of people have questioned how an earthbender can bend lava. I say it’s simple: they hit up the earth so quickly it becomes molten.
• WHY WOULD YOU STATION FIREBENDER GUARDS ON A WOODEN PRISON. THIS WOULD LITERALLY ONLY CALL FOR WATERBENDING GUARDS.
• SERIOUSLY I LOVE ZAHEER’S HAIR, WHY DID HE HAVE TO SHAVE IT???
• Two episodes and so much has happened. It’s like the anti-Books 1 and 2. Is this even the same show anymore?
• “Harmonic Convergence changed everything.” “AND THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED WHEN HARMONIC CONVERGENCE ATTACKED.”
• See, I like that we’re acknowledging that the original culture of the Air Nomads can never truly come back. This doesn’t at all negate the Air Nomad Genocide.
• Oh my god Tenzin is like the Mormons going door to door. Also, nice use of this montage to show so much in so little time.
  • I WANT A BISON AS MY BEST FRIEND.
• Oh yay, Ryu the Stereotypical Millennial. Someone shoot me.
  • I don’t know this is just getting to me cuz I can relate with being viewed this way (DESPITE ME WRITING A FUCKING BOOK AND TRYING TO MAKE A BRAND FOR MYSELF AS AN AUTHOR, WHICH I GUESS EQUATES TO NOTHING.).
• Oh my god I am here for Ryu making Korra go insane.
• MY FAVORITE MEMBER OF THE RED LOTUS, EVERYONE: MING-HUA.
• Oh my god I’m here for Bolin with the megaphone and mustache.
• “I am the escaped convict and you will all reap my fire.” AND KORRA SCARING HIM BY KEEPING HIM IN THE AIR OH MY GOD.
• Kai swindling everyone. Still, I really do like him. Also, OH MY GOD, KAI AND JINORA IT’S SO CUTE.
• ZUKO. IT’S ZUKO. EVERYONE, ZUKO IS HERE. OH MY GOD ZUKO. AAAAAH.
  • HE HAS A FUCKING DRAGON OH MY GOD.

Chapter 3: The Earth Queen

• Aaaand Ba Sing Se is still the worst city ever. Of course. I am not shocked. It looks even worse than it did before (Not in terms of animation quality, I mean like OH MY GOD THE STANDARD OF LIVING IS SHIT.).
• THE QUEEN HATES ANIMALS? FUCK HER THEN. SHE AIN’T WORTH SHIT.
• I already want to kill the Earth Queen (Kinda annoyed they never mentioned her name is Hou-Ting.).
• But turtle ducks are so cute. Eel swans sound horrifying.
• Nice intro to the idea of the United Republic being stolen earth Kingdom Land, which was the huge plot in The Promise comics.
  • I’m on the side of the U.R. having a right to exist. People had already made a living for themselves in the Fire Nation colonies, and it wasn’t their fault. They were probably fed propaganda by the Fire Nation government. This was the best way to solve the problem.
• MAYBE YOUR CITIZENS WOULD LIKE YOU IF YOU WEREN’T WASTING MONEY ON EXTRAVAGANCES YOU DON’T NEED.
• I feel so bad for Gun.
• Kinda sad to see the earthbending trains gone for more modern ones. Then again, technological progress can’t be stopped.
• OH GREAT. THE DAI LI. EVERYONE’S FAVORITE.
• MAKO AND BOLIN’S FAMILY, YAY.
• So Eska and Desna became the Northern Water Tribe’s chiefs. That’s cool, but where’s their mother Malina? Also, why is their throne room so… small?
• I LOVE MAKO AND BOLIN’S GRANDMA. SHE’S SO PRECIOUS.
• YEAH KORRA AND ASAMI READY TO KICK SOME FUCKIN’ ASS.
• “Why didn’t anyone tell us we have a secret prison we could’ve been throwing people in?” PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU’D THROW EVERYONE INTO IT.
• Oh my god bless this elevator conversation.
• MAKO GIVING HIS GRANDMA THE SCARF OH MY GOD THEY MADE MAKO LIKABLE MY HEART HURTS SO BAD.
• “There are no airbenders in Ba Sing Se.” “There is no war in Ba Sing Se.” How history repeats itself.
• YEAH, KORRA, CALL THE QUEEN OUT.
• Nice showing the creepy “godliness” of the Earth Queen, and the threat of the Dai Li for next episode.
• I wonder if the Earth Queen was planning to use the airbenders to invade the United Republic.

Chapter 4: In Harm’s Way

• Nice intro shot of P’Li. Also great way to start the episode off with the prison break.
• HOLY SHIT MING-HUA OWNED THIS FIGHT. I love the witty banter between her and P’Li. AND P’LI TOOK DOWN THE DRAGON NO PROBLEM. HOLY SHIT. What a way to bring back “combustionbending” (Thank god it now has a proper name.).
  • I do wish we got more of the Red Lotus backstories, especially P’Li’s. I wanna know more about whatever culture combustionbending is from.
  • I love how all these guys act like close friends (Cuz they are.).
  • I seriously wanna see Book 3 Katara versus Ming-Hua. IT’D BE THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY.
• “Really? Right now?” GHAZAN, IT’S BEEN 13 YEARS SINCE EITHER OF THEM SAW EACH OTHER, JUST LET THEM BE.
• The last time we will ever see Zaheer’s amazing hair til Book 4. Sigh.
• Oh I forgot they had a legit explanation for getting Mako and Bolin back to the Upper Ring. THANK YOU, SHOW.
• I actually like Korra’s anger here. Waaaay more righteous than Books 1 and 2 Korra. I’m actually rooting for her now.
• Nice going Asami getting them a way to stay in Ba Sing Se a little longer.
• BUMI NO DEFENDING THIS BITCH.
• YES, MAKO, REFERENCE THE OLD SHOW. YAASSSSSS.
• Jinora can astral project, HOLY SHIT YES GIRL.
• Kai still trying to do the right thing. I love this kid.
• I half expected to see Jet’s skeleton in Lake Laogai’s ruins. Then again, it’s probably dissolved by now.
• “What do you mean ‘a connection’?” Oh my god I am here for Tenzin being like “STAY AWAY FROM ME AND MY DAUGHTER.”
• I love how everyone has been useful this season. God bless.
• LIN. YAY. HI, LIN. WELCOME BACK TO THE PLOT. I miss her being active in the plot. It hasn’t been that way since Book 1.
• KORRA FINALLY LEARNING ABOUT ZAHEER. WOO. Though I like the use of the Red Lotus theme for tension.
  • I wish we had this foreshadowed in earlier seasons. Wait, how does Korra not remember this? How cool would it be if she flashbacked to this here and there, and then in Book 3 we see the terror in realizing this guy’s after her again?
• KAI GOING CRAZY OVER JINORA’S KISS YES. ALSO KAI SAVING JINORA YES.
• Thank god we’re outta Ba Sing Se and didn’t drag it out like the Southern Water Tribe plot in Book 2’s first four episodes.
• I can see the Earth Queen using this as a reason to declare war on the United Republic, especially since Lin was involved in this. I wish we built that threat up more.
• I remember people were theorizing the Earth Kingdom - or at least the Dai Li - had a breeding program for airbenders following the Air Nomad Genocide. It was cool, but wouldn’t have fit with existing canon.
• I like that Tenzin gave them all the choice to do what they wanted. HIS TEARS HURT ME, AND THE HUG.

Chapter 5: The Metal Clan

• I like Lin being anxious to arrive in Zaofu. Also, ZAOFU IS SO COOL. I love the design, it’s just such a cool concept for a city of metalbenders.
• Aiwei. More like… HIGHWAY. LIEWAY. HA. HA HA. He evil.
• R.I.P. Zaheer’s hair. But thank god we left Republic City while we could.
• OOH, EARTHBENDING TRUTHSEEING SO COOL. Nice use of the lie detector as the one with the secrets.
• How did we never even hear about Su’s existence before. Still, I LOVE SU, AND I LOVE THE “Rocky” RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HER AND LIN. HA.
• OPAL IS SO PRECIOUS OH MY GOD. I SHIP BOPAL SO BAD.
• I wish we got more interaction with Kuvira and Bataar Jr. and Sr. Maybe have Opal and Bataar Jr. bond over being nonbenders, only for Opal’s airbending to create tension between them.
• I really love Kora this season. She’s such a good teacher with Opal.
• Nice transition back to the island, and the throwback to “A Leaf in the Wind.”
• THE CITY CLOSES UP LIKE LOTUS PODS AT NIGHT THAT’S SO COOL.
• I love Zaofu’s 1950s aesthetic. It’s such a lovely city. Probably my favorite city in the whole franchise.
• Nice hint at the Red Lotus plot with Suyin’s comments on the Earth Queen.
• OH MY GOD VARRICK. YES. HE’S RETURNED TO US.
• I LOVE SU’S BACKSTORY SHE’S SO COOL.
• THANK GOD OPAL SHOT DOWN BOLIN FOR BEING A DICK.
• Holy shit the Kya and Zaheer fight WE LET KYA DO SOMETHING YAY.
• Here’s to Korra calling Lin out on her bullshit. Also, nice showing Kuvira in the paper. THIS IS WHY PLANNING THE WHOLE STORY OUT AHEAD OF TIME IS IMPORTANT.

Chapter 6: Old Wounds

• Ooh, I love that little sound effect they use throughout the episode.
• YAY KORRA LEARNING METALBENDING. GOD BLESS.
  • I wish Asami was there with her. Would’ve been nice for more Korrasami moments.
• Su is such an awesome person, I love her.
• Nice little touch with Aiwei trying to “help” Lin to keep her off his tracks.
  • I still wanna know how and why Aiwei is part of the Red Lotus, and how are there no other members? That’d be a great plot - a Red Scare, but with the Red Lotus. Have Kuvira searching for them and use that as an excuse for her harshness.
• They wanted to take out President Raiko… jeez (Though I’d be grateful if they did.).
• Wow, I can see a lot of Toph in young Suyin. Also, nice use of Toph’s old voice actress for young Suyin.
  • I love the split in their personalities because of Toph’s parenting style, influenced by how her parents treated her. No parent is perfect.
• Nice explanation of Lin’s scar from that incident.
• YAY MORE BOPAL. I LOVE BOPAL.
• I really love that instead of the usual “This new person isn’t what they seem” plot, we twisted it to the person we always knew and would want to root for having been wrong this whole time.
• YES A LIN AND SU FIGHT OH MY GOD.
  • “No wonder Tenzin broke up with you.” OH SHIT.
  • “Fighting is all a part of the sibling process.” I can vouch this is true.
• Nice that Opal got to break up the fight.
• Oh my god Lin wearing these clothes… I got scared. Like… REAL scared.
• I really like this chef.
• YAY LIN APOLOGIZING TO OPAL. MY HEART.
• Awe, Su ready to welcome Lin into Zaofu.
• OH MY GOD I remember this scene scaring the ever loving shit out of me. Like “HOW DID ZAHEER FIND HER???”
• Oh yay. Next episode has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RED LOTUS PLOT. GREAT.

Chapter 7: Original Airbenders

• FUCK THIS EPISODE. It could’ve been the backstories of each member of the Red Lotus, put between “The Stakeout” and “Long Live the Queen.” BUT NAH, WE HAD TO HAVE THIS.
• The Northern Air Temple is GORGEOUS. God the finale is gonna kill me.
• Oh my god, Otaku… kill me.
• Awe, Korra giving Tenzin advice. My heart. KORRA’S COME SO FAR. TEACHER LEARNING FROM THE PUPIL.
• AWE JINORA AND KAI MOMENTS, MY HEART.
• THAT FUCKIN’ BITCH ATE BOSCO.
• YAY PEMA GIVING TENZIN ADVICE.
• YAY THE NEW AIRBENDERS SAVING THE DAY. GO BUMI.
• Awe, Jinora developing a rebellious streak. I’m here for it.
• THE BABY BISON ARE SO CUTE OH MY GOD.
• This is easily my least favorite episode of the season. It’s not terrible, but I don’t think it needs to be here, especially when we’ve got the Red Lotus plot to deal with. Still, it’s WAAAY better than Books 1 and 2.

Chapter 8: The Terror Within

• Poor Bolin can’t learn. But WOO FOR THE SMALL PEBBLE.
• OH MY GOD BOPAL IS SO PRECIOUS. “We’ll always have kale.”
• My god bless Varrick’s airbender finder.
• “I can tell you’re lying.” GOD BLESS.
• Seriously, I legit thought Suyin was part of the Red Lotus when she went “May she lead us into the new era.” That’d be a cool subplot, I’ll admit, but I feel so bad for believing she was a bad guy.
• KUVIRA. OH MY GOD, KUVIRA.
• Oh my god Ming-Hua is terrifying.
• I kinda like that Korra never gets a chance to fight the Red Lotus herself til the finale fight with Zaheer.
• SHE CAN DIRECT HER COMBUSTIONBENDING AROUND CORNERS.
• Okay but appreciation for Asami’s nightgown.
• OH MY GOD LAVA MOAT. HOLY FUCK.
• YEAH FOR SUYIN SAVING THE DAY WITH HER DANCING SKILLS.
• Oh the toxins are from the same species as Nyla (June’s shirshu).
• Lin, what the hell? I mean I like that they haven’t completely made up. Also, you can see Aiwei genuinely not wanting to pin the blame on Su.
• “You have no idea what is coming for you, Avatar.” I feel the Red Lotus threat didn’t build up to that threat properly, but I still LOOOOVE that line.
• “Whoever these guys are, they’re more powerful than we thought. And more dangerous.” NO SHIT, SHERLOCK.
• YAY FINALLY FOCUS ON THE RED LOTUS.

Chapter 9: The Stakeout

• OOH, WE’RE NEAR MISTY PALMS OASIS. That’s odd, though. In the original show, it was more inspired by Middle Eastern culture, and now it seems to be more Native American. Why?
• I wish Korra said Water Tribe there.
• I love that Su and Lin are still arguing so much. All the wounds haven’t healed yet.
  • “You can’t control the Avatar’s every move.” “I can try.”
• NAGA IS SO PRECIOUS AND JUST WANTS FOOD.
• Oh yay Bolin and Mako sneaking antics. My favorite… those fucking raincoats, though.
  • Can we appreciate that Bolin is so dedicated to these stories? He’s a performer through and through.
• I love that the spirits are chilling by the desert.
• OH MY GOD NUKTUK FANS. If only these guys came to save the day during the fight.
• Oh my god everyone crammed in here, I can’t. But seriously, the windows don’t even have glass covering them? So bugs and criminals can just… waltz on in? Fuck this place.
• YAY MORE ASAMI AND BOLIN BONDING.
• Book 5: Pai Sho Standardization.
• I love that Mako still cares about Korra, even though they’ve broken up. He a good best bud.
• I AM HERE FOR EVIL GENIUS ASAMI.
• Oh my god Mako keeps a log book god bless.
• I wish we knew more about Xai Bau, like why he felt the way he did, whether he was a bender, and what he looked like. I WANNA KNOW ALL THE THINGS.
  • I wonder if the Red Lotus met here in the grove. Maybe that’s how they kept in contact over all these years, and planned for the breakouts.
• Welp, Zaheer just committed a murder. Lovely. You’d think they’d want Aiwei on their super team though.
• I love the design of Xai Bau’s Grove, especially the red-orange tint of the sky and water.
• Zaheer lulling Korra into a false sense of security. Only telling her about all this to buy himself time.
• THE RED LOTUS IS SUCH A COOL NAME THOUGH.
  • Have to agree on Zaheer on how bleh the White Lotus has become. I think peacetime made them grow lazy.
  • You’d think these guys would worship Vaatu since their colors match Vaatu, and they value chaos like Vaatu did.
• Nice way of incorporating Unalaq into all this.
• Zaheer is WAY more empathizable than the other villains.
• I like the little rivalries of Mako v. Ming-Hua and Bolin v. Ghazan. ALSO, YES, ASAMI, SAVE YOUR GIRLFRIEND.
• So Zaheer believes in survival of the fittest; just found a nicer way to word it. But he makes such good points, especially by making a callback to Firelord Sozin and the Air Nomad Genocide.
• Nice way of making us think Ghazan caught Asami and Korra, but instead having it be the Earth Queen’s forces.
• “ZAHEER, YOU TRICKED ME.” NO SHIT, SHERLOCK.

Chapter 10: Long Live the Queen

• First off, best episode title.
• YEAH, ASAMI MANIPULATING HIM FOR AN EASIER ESCAPE. FUCK YOU, CABBAGE CORP.
• Oh my god I am here for Bolin befriending Ghazan and Ming-Hua. BEST VILLAINS.
  • I SHIP GHAZAN AND MING-HUA SO BAD.
• Can we appreciate Asami being a badass?
• FORT BOSCO? HOW DARE YOU NAME THAT FORTRESS AFTER THE INNOCENT BEAR YOU DEVOURED, YOU WHORE.
• Fuckin’ evil sand shark serpent thing idk what it is.
• HOLY SHIT THE RED LOTUS IS SO GOOD THEY TOOK DOWN THE DAI LI.
• HOLY FUCK HE KILLED THE QUEEN. OH FUCK FUCK FUCK.
• I am here for the fakeout metalbending with Bolin.

Chapter 11: The Ultimatum

• Oh my god, YIN, WE NEED TO GO OR WE WILL DIE.
• “Why is Bolin hugging that big rat?”
• “Good, you guys aren’t dead.”
• OH MY GOD GRANDMA CALLING OUT THE LOVE TRIANGLE.
• WAIT, HE’S ON HIS WAY RIGHT NOW? WHY DID YOU NOT SAY THIS BEFORE?
• “I’m going to take a nap.” ME AF.
• OH MY GOD IROH. HI, IROH.
• Awe, Zuko being protective of his daughter. My heart. Also, HIS REACTION TO KORRA SEEING IROH. AAH.
• OH MY GOD MEELO I’M GONNA KILL YOU. YES FOR KORRA KNOWING HOW TO MANIPULATE HIM.
• OF FUCKING COURSE THEY SHOW UP RIGHT NOW. FML.
• Nice use of the clouds to add to the tense atmosphere.
• MING-HUA LET GO OF OPAL OR IMMA CUT OFF YOUR LEGS ALONG WITH YOUR ARMS.
• I LOVE HOW PROTECTIVE TENZIN IS OF KORRA MY GOD.
• Seriously, we need prime Aang, Katara, Zuko, and Toph for this (By which I mean the Book 3 versions of them.). They would kick the Red Lotus’ fucking ass.
• MY GOD OCTOPUS MING-HUA LOOKS LIKE AN ANGEL OF DEATH.
• OH MY GOD KAI NO MY HEART FUCK MY LIFE.
• Tenzin could’ve easily beaten Zaheer if the others hadn’t intervented. BULLSHIT. Seriously, someone should’ve gone up there and taken P’Li out. Throw her out of the damn blimp and the airbenders can escape.
• “As long as I’m breathing…” POOR CHOICE OF WORDS, TENZIN. OH MY GOD STOP HURTING HIM.

Chapter 12: Enter the Void

• Okay, Bolin, sweet, I appreciate you trying to help, but now is not the fucking time.
• Korra willing to sacrifice herself… my god, she’s changed so fucking much.
• “BAD DOG AND RAT THINGY.”
• YES. GOOD THINKING, SUYIN.
• Nice setup for Zaheer “entering the void” later. Also, MY GOD I LOVE HIM AND P’LI SO MUCH. I SHIP IT.
• OH MY GOD MY HEART THE BOLIN HUG.
• Nice trick with Ming-Hua making fake airbenders.
• I LOVE TONRAQ MY GOD. HOW OFTEN DO YOU SEE A KID FIGHTING ALONGSIDE THEIR PARENT IN SHOWS FOR YOUNGER AUDIENCES?
• OH MY GOD LIN TELLING SU SHE LOVED HER AND SU SAVING LIN MY HEART.
• OH SHIT THEY JUST KILLED P’LI IN A TERRIFYINGLY GRUESOME MANNER. BLESS THIS SEASON.
• R.I.P. the Northern Air Temple. It looks very pretty with the lava but goddammit all the history is gone. Then again, I guess that’s more symbolism for the theme of change.
• YAS, I LOVE BOLIN LAVABENDING. So Korra’s got metal while Bolin’s got lava. Good for Bolin. Also kinda fits Bolin having Fire Nation in his blood.
• KUVIRA. HI, KUVIRA. I wish we got more of her, though. Like maybe have her befriend Korra and be a part time member of the squad. It’d definitely make her being Book 4’s main antagonist much more investing and emotional, especially for Korra.
• THANK YOU KAI FOR GETTING EVERYONE TO FOCUS.
• YAY MAKO AND KAI BECOMING BUDS.
• “WHY DIDN’T YOU EVER TELL US YOU CAN FLY?” Did I mention I love these guys?
• Did you see the look on Ghazan and Ming-Hua’s faces after they heard about P’Li’s death? MY HEART. THIS IS HOW YOU CAN PROPER ANTAGONISTS.
• I love that the poison - pretty sure it’s mercury - is being bended in the form of a snake.

Chapter 13: Venom of the Red Lotus

• Oooh, Korra: The Last Avatar. I like that. Imma save that for potential animatics.
• Good move, Jinora, using astral projection to sneak around.
• God, Korra looks like she’s in absolute fucking pain. My god. The way they draw her is terrifying. YES KORRA, FIGHT THE URGE TO GO INTO THE AVATAR STATE.
• HOLY SHIT THE FLASHBACKS TO AMON, UNALAQ, AND VAATU. WHAT A WAY TO RETCON THIS STUFF TO BE ACTUALLY GOOD.
• YEAH, KIDS, TRICK THE GUARDS. AND WOO FOR ASAMI KICKING THE GUARDS’ ASSES. Don’t fuck with Asami’s girlfriend.
• Oh my god Bolin pushing Suyin outta the way to hug Opal my god.
• JINORA AND KAI HUG.
• AND KORRA SAVES HERSELF GODDAMN. EVEN POISONED SHE PUTS UP A HELL OF A FIGHT.
• HOLY SHIT THIS MUSIC IS LIT. WHY WAS THE SOUNDTRACK NOT RELEASED FUCK MY LIFE.
• I love how even when Ghazan is trying to kill you, he’s charismatic as shit.
• YES JINORA COMING UP WITH A WAY TO SAVE KORRA. YES. THE NEW AIRBENDERS ARE EXACTLY WHAT TAKES DOWN ZAHEER I LOVE IT.
• MAKO WHY DID YOU NOT USE LIGHTNING ON HER BEFORE??? Also, did you not hear the splashing? Don’t go down there after her, just shoot lightning from up there.
  • HOLY FUCK THIS WAS HORRIFYING.
• I kinda feel bad for Ghazan. I’d like a scene with him dying with Ming-Hua’s body, but oh well.
• OH MY GOD THE CALLBACK TO THE EARTH QUEEN’S DEATH.
• YES KORRA, TAKE HIM DOWN WITH THE SAME CHAINS HE USED TO CAPTURE YOU WITH.
• OH MY GOD TONRAQ CRYING OVER KORRA’S DEATH THIS HURTS SO BAD.
• I kinda wish we had Lin helping Su get the poison out. Sort of sisters working together. Oh well. THIS STILL HURT LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER.
• Thank you, Bolin. Shut Zaheer the fuck up.
• OH MY GOD THE KORRASAMI GIVES ME LIFE. Poor Korra, though. Nice way of showing us the wheelchair.
• FUCK OFF RAIKO. FUCK. OFF. YES, TONRAQ, TELL RAIKO OFF.
• I wish that whole Red Lotus plot carried over to Book 4.
• OH MY GOD I’M SO PROUD OF JINORA. SHE HAS EARNED THE TATTOOS. AND WOO FOR THE AIRBENDERS GOING OUT TO HELP THE WORLD.
  • I love how Jinora looks so much like her grandfather. I’M SO PROUD.

Overall

• I remember LOVING this season. It was such a nice change of pace from the last two seasons, and such a drastic improvement in terms of writing. At least, that’s how I remember it. This season was also ordered alongside Book 4, allowing the writers to carry over a story for real, unlike with the ends of Books 1 and 2.
• This season was HORRIBLY marketed. No one even knew Book 3 was a thing because the trailer was debuted just before it started airing. Not to mention the leaks in Spanish of episodes 3 - 6 spurred Nickelodeon to get it out haphazardly, and since it was put on Friday nights in summer, the ratings sucked.
  • Then episodes 9 and onwards were given releases only on the Nickelodeon website and not on TV. God, fuck you, Nickelodeon.
• This season is so much better in terms of writing and pacing. It feels so much closer to the original series in quality, and it’s miles better than the first two books.