Korra finale thoughts.
Just managed to see it myself.
While I loved a lot of it, especially Tarlokk and Amon's backstory(*) and honestly when Tarrlok did... that I actually was legit shocked and upset, and given the fact how much I hated the guy like everyone else did earlier in the series, I think it shows how great it is. Plus, I love waterbending villians got a nod on this show.
I can't say it sold me on Makorra much at all. (And I was kind of lol, wut, to Amon praising Mako's bending. It kind of feels like those awful fanfics where the Mary Sue gets praised by the villian in some way... lulz, but it more highly amused me as I rolled my eyes than aggravated me so I could forgive it. It's more like oh, Bryke, that was really rediculous. Why would AMON praise someones bending? Even with his backstory?)
It didn't exactly -kill- Makorra forever for me though, so eh season 2 could work out though I have to say the scene which may or may not have been a break up was as clear as Jet's death probably was. No actually, Jet's death was clear as crystal compared to it. Also loved Asami, she was great, as was Iroh and I liked the bits we saw of Bolin. But honestly Mako doesn't deserve to be treated this nicely. I'm thinking Asami needs to warn Korra that Mako might not mean to but he honestly can hurt people by not being honest. But Mako wasn't a huge dick in the finale beyond the following Korra even after she pushed him away.
But a part of me wishes that later on, if they'd wanted to keep the airbending as an option Tenzin got caught again and Korra flipped out over HIM almost being de-bended instead. Tenzin and Korra actually have a relationship I can dig on the show.
Or you know, if she and Asami had had more things together in past episodes any hypothetical non-bending defense Asami could have taught her in such an AU would be fantastic if she'd unlocked airbending just before Amon got all up on her forehead.
I can't say I was hot with how Korra got her bending back at all. While I love Aang and DO think he should have been there (mistaking him for Tenzin? Nice touch especially with episode 4 though since the reverse happened there) Though he should have said and done something differently. That bending does not really make the Avatar, it is being the bridge between this world and the next and restoring balance to the world in general in any way they can, along with the people they care for most probably in each life time.
Just like say in that Spirit world game where Yangchen tells Aang why the Avatar isn't an all powerful spirit- it is being human which means that the Avatar can understand people and come to uniting people together- which is where the Avatars real power is from. The Avatar is reincarnated in each nation in a CYCLE, and has the powers which represent each NATION. In the end the Avatar can't become detached from any parts of the world, which can also be shown from Yangchen and her advice to Aang in the actual show. This was also shown in Roku in that he had a duty to the world before being a Fire Nation citizen or whatever, what with Sozin and anything not getting any when he tried to order him around.
THE AVATAR IS MORE THAN JUST BENDING. Or should be. The Avatar is the spirit of the world itself which includes non-benders. Bending all four elements is almost just an easy way of identifying who the heck the Avatar even is on top of a WAY to protect people (though hardly the only one) when the air nomads aren't busting out ancient relics for their kids to play with.
Aang needed to tell her she can still DO that (save the world) without bending and that she has unlocked her spiritual side- and maybe even that she can still get her bending back because after all the greatest illusion is seperation (and end on a cryptic note- based on the guru's words on the old show and all of those things many talented people have dug up on Amon's meaning and technique). It just felt like Korra felt herself as nothing without bending (heck, she even still has airbending!) JUST LIKE IN EPISODE FOUR.
Aaand, she gets her bending back immediately. And you don't get growth from being at your lowest point but well, actually getting yourself back up from said lowest point. Oh Aang I love you but gurl.
No growth it seems since then. Aang should have told her differently, much as I love him I want to tell him that Korra needs to grow on her own. He can assist, but not spoon feed her, I mean, damn. Roku hardly spoon fed him, nor did the other Avatars when it was his turn.
Either that or Lin saying "Gurl, am I nothing without my bending? No. Neither are you. You still got airbending and even without that you're still Korra that hotheaded girl who can cause a ruckus and stand up."
(*)I kind of would have preferred a short series on them, a completely dark and awful tale with no happy ending and buckets of angst. Is it weird that I think Tarlokk and Amon have a deeper relationship than Bolin and Mako do even with less screen time? IDEK. Then again we did get to see their history in flashbacks rather than Mako's and Bolin's.