Korra Discussion Post: 'Turning the Tides'

[whitelotusmods]

Discussion for this week below! Spoilers up to 1x10.

Comments

[pts]

So given that Lin Bei Fong's narrative reward for being the girl Tenzin didn't get with was being allowed to nobly sacrifice herself for his family, I can only assume that Asami will be allowed to similarly nobly sacrifice herself once she realizes that Korra and Mako are Destined.

Ugh.

Also, I'm starting to become annoyed with the treatment of having characters' bending taken away as the LITERAL WORST THING THAT COULD EVER HAPPEN. You know? It sucks, but it's... not that bad. Most of Republic City lives that way. A person's value does not derive from what they're physically able to do—but this show's portrayal of characters' reactions to having their bending stripped implies that a person's value, in may ways, DOES derive from what they're physically able to do.

Mako continues to exist solely as a fulcrum for irritating romantic tension, and Bolin continues to have literally nothing to do. Awesome.

I couldn't even bring myself to care about Iroh's appearance at the end.

[swatkat]

Lin didn't just save Tenzin's family, she saved Airbending, and therefore ensured the world isn't forever out of balance.

Also, I'm starting to become annoyed with the treatment of having characters' bending taken away as the LITERAL WORST THING THAT COULD EVER HAPPEN. You know? It sucks, but it's... not that bad.

Bending isn't just a physical ability, though. It has a spiritual component to it. Taking one's bending away is ripping out a part of a person's soul, if you will; cutting them off from their element.

Of course, it doesn't mean it's the worst thing that could happen - they're still alive. But for a bender, who has grown up taking the ability bend an element for granted, it's a terrible way to live. They might learn to live with it eventually, but I don't see why they wouldn't mourn its loss at first.

[pts]

It has an incredibly vague spiritual component, sure. But we've never once in this show been shown what that actually means, other than when you lose it, you can't bend anymore. There's nothing in the text to suggest that it's tantamount to "ripping out a part of a person's soul."

They might learn to live with it eventually, but I don't see why they wouldn't mourn its loss at first.

Of course they would mourn its loss. But from an outside perspective, its portrayal as the worst thing that can happen to someone short of actually dying is an insult to the millions of people who never had the ability in the first place.

That is, of course, Amon's point—the point is that the more you have taken bending and its attendant superiority for granted, the more you stand to lose when it is taken away. The reaction of society to his (admittedly indefensible) actions only proves his point.

[diet_poison]

I hope that isn't what ends up happening with Asami. =(

You have a point about the whole bending/nonbending thing, but I mean...the show is literally about bending, so of course it's going to be a focus for the audience. And if you consider what an important part of a person's identity their bending must be...like if I were Lin, I'd feel like I lost a part of myself. A HUGE part.

I think we should have had more of a hard look at the moral implications of Amon's campaign and the attitudes some of the benders don't even seem to realize they have towards non-benders. The portrayal of "benders = good, equalists = bad" was way oversimplified. But I don't think the problem was portraying the loss of someone's bending as horrible, because I think it really is, for that person.

[lonespark]

I am confindent that Beifong will continue to be badass as a non-bender. Maybe she can be part of reforming the situation for non-benders?

And otherwise I pretty much agree with what you've said. I feel like there are disability paralels although IDK if they are good ones.