The Legend of Korra: The Earth Queen
June 30, 2014 3:47 PM - Season 3, Episode 3 - Subscribe
Team Avatar finally arrives in Ba Sing Se, the magnificent walled city, after a rather less than successful recruitment drive for new members of the Air Nation. Unfortunately, the good Earth King and his Bear are now history, and the current reigning monarch seems to care but for two things: Topiary and Taxes. Other surprises and mysteries also abound in Ba Sing Se. Meanwhile, Team Zuko forms in the Northern Water Tribe, determined to prevent the jailbreak of Sparky Sparky Boom Girl a fire bender with telekinetic fire bending powers.
We have to include one of the best scenes from the Earth Queen:
We have to include one of the best scenes from the Earth Queen:
Zuko: “Ironically, I hired a guy with a similar ability to kill the avatar myself once. (Pause.) Didn’t work.”
[Tonraq shifts his eyes in a "Wait, are you seriously telling us about the time you tried to kill the Avatar?" style.]
Eska: “Don’t feel bad. I tried to kill Korra after she ruined my wedding. It happens.”
I enjoyed this, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the series pans out (much more so than the previous two). My main gripe is it feels like they're recycling Aang's storylines: Ba Sing Se is full of ridiculous rules, one of the group has been kidnapped by the Dai Li, they've introduced a boy who's initially antagonistic to the avatar, but will presumably become an ally, and a powerful enemy is preparing to hunt the avatar down.
So I dunno, I do like the show, and think TLAB was great, so maybe borrowing a bit from that's no bad thing.
posted by Ned G at 5:02 PM on June 30, 2014
So I dunno, I do like the show, and think TLAB was great, so maybe borrowing a bit from that's no bad thing.
posted by Ned G at 5:02 PM on June 30, 2014
I actually hoped, rather irrationally perhaps, that the woman in the Ice Prison would be Azula. Because seriously. Let us think about the awesomeness that could be.
I'm sure Cai will be redeemed, but I'm hoping it's through the work of Mako and Bolin rather than through Tenzin and airbending. Simply because both of them know what it's like - both of them have been that cocky little asshole who is stealing to survive, but pretends that it's to be cool rather than sleeping in the garbage pile again.
Mako's looking at him and thinking "I used to do what you're doing, so knock it off", but Bolin - when I think about how Bolin is acting, it kinda breaks my heart. Because he's trying to be Cai's big brother. He plays it off as being all jovial and good natured, but you when you think about Bolin's role model for the big brother role... Mako must have sacrificed so much when they were younger, just so Bolin could grow up and be the affable joy he is. And Bolin must be thinking that's how to be a big brother, and I think it'll come up later in the series.
Also, Earth Kingdom, corruption, this is my surprised face. At least this time she's responsible for it, rather than her minions. I can't wait to see the Earth King Air Bending Army, however. That is going to be awesome.
posted by Katemonkey at 1:17 AM on July 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
I'm sure Cai will be redeemed, but I'm hoping it's through the work of Mako and Bolin rather than through Tenzin and airbending. Simply because both of them know what it's like - both of them have been that cocky little asshole who is stealing to survive, but pretends that it's to be cool rather than sleeping in the garbage pile again.
Mako's looking at him and thinking "I used to do what you're doing, so knock it off", but Bolin - when I think about how Bolin is acting, it kinda breaks my heart. Because he's trying to be Cai's big brother. He plays it off as being all jovial and good natured, but you when you think about Bolin's role model for the big brother role... Mako must have sacrificed so much when they were younger, just so Bolin could grow up and be the affable joy he is. And Bolin must be thinking that's how to be a big brother, and I think it'll come up later in the series.
Also, Earth Kingdom, corruption, this is my surprised face. At least this time she's responsible for it, rather than her minions. I can't wait to see the Earth King Air Bending Army, however. That is going to be awesome.
posted by Katemonkey at 1:17 AM on July 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
I wonder how the Earth Queen expects to form an Air Bending Army, if she doesn't have any trained air benders, though. There's only so much you can train yourself, it's clear.
posted by suelac at 8:56 AM on July 1, 2014
posted by suelac at 8:56 AM on July 1, 2014
My main gripe is it feels like they're recycling Aang's storylines: Ba Sing Se is full of ridiculous rules, one of the group has been kidnapped by the Dai Li, they've introduced a boy who's initially antagonistic to the avatar, but will presumably become an ally, and a powerful enemy is preparing to hunt the avatar down.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or in truth, it seems like Ba Sing Se has kind of slumped into a state of being where things don't change. The Earth Queen rules in the center of the city with nary a care but for taxes beyond, the wealthy live in the next ring, happy to keep living the way things have forever, and meanwhile, left to literally feast on rotting food, are the poor in the last ring. I get the feeling that they're setting up the Earth Kingdom, specifically Ba Sing Se, as Beijing in the last days of the Qing Dynasty (heck, it looks like the Earth Queen is even building the Temple of Heavenly Peace (just beyond here topiary problem). One thing that's commonly stated as a sign of the lost of the Mandate of Heaven is when the Empire can no longer protect the lands from bandits - which is a problem the Earth Queen literally complains about. I'm curious if the Earth Kingdom will remain a kingdom by the end of this season.
Definitely, in a season named "Change" a lot can happen and I doubt that the return of air benders alone is the only change we'll be seeing.
I can't repeat how much I loved the elevator scene with Zuko. AWESOME.
I'm thinking that the shared suffering of the other air benders will also help rehabilitate Cai. We know that Jinora appears to get captured and presumably will join him, as she's grabbed by the Dai Li in the trailer for Book 3. So I think that'll be another part of the mixture as previously theorized.
I was satisfied with the Mako/Bolin family reunion. Some on tumblr have pointed out that it appears their family lives in the same or similar building that Iroh and Zuko lived in when they first arrived in Ba Sing Se incognito.
Finally, the Korra and Asami fight. One of the best orchestrated fights in the series so far. It's so much fun to watch the two of them fight together and kick butt in the process. I had an internal squee when Asami broke out her Equalizer glove. Woot!
posted by Atreides at 1:43 PM on July 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or in truth, it seems like Ba Sing Se has kind of slumped into a state of being where things don't change. The Earth Queen rules in the center of the city with nary a care but for taxes beyond, the wealthy live in the next ring, happy to keep living the way things have forever, and meanwhile, left to literally feast on rotting food, are the poor in the last ring. I get the feeling that they're setting up the Earth Kingdom, specifically Ba Sing Se, as Beijing in the last days of the Qing Dynasty (heck, it looks like the Earth Queen is even building the Temple of Heavenly Peace (just beyond here topiary problem). One thing that's commonly stated as a sign of the lost of the Mandate of Heaven is when the Empire can no longer protect the lands from bandits - which is a problem the Earth Queen literally complains about. I'm curious if the Earth Kingdom will remain a kingdom by the end of this season.
Definitely, in a season named "Change" a lot can happen and I doubt that the return of air benders alone is the only change we'll be seeing.
I can't repeat how much I loved the elevator scene with Zuko. AWESOME.
I'm thinking that the shared suffering of the other air benders will also help rehabilitate Cai. We know that Jinora appears to get captured and presumably will join him, as she's grabbed by the Dai Li in the trailer for Book 3. So I think that'll be another part of the mixture as previously theorized.
I was satisfied with the Mako/Bolin family reunion. Some on tumblr have pointed out that it appears their family lives in the same or similar building that Iroh and Zuko lived in when they first arrived in Ba Sing Se incognito.
Finally, the Korra and Asami fight. One of the best orchestrated fights in the series so far. It's so much fun to watch the two of them fight together and kick butt in the process. I had an internal squee when Asami broke out her Equalizer glove. Woot!
posted by Atreides at 1:43 PM on July 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
The Republic City Dispatch podcast for the first three episodes!
posted by Atreides at 6:13 AM on July 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Atreides at 6:13 AM on July 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
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When is Korra going to get a clue?
Also, I was figuring Cai wasn't going to be redeemed but now that he's the prisoner of the Dai Li, I'm sure he will be.
Nice to see Mako & Bolin's family, though I was worried that the meal Bolin was chowing down was the entire extended family's food for the week...
Also, I'm sad that Zuko isn't being voiced by Dante Basco.
posted by suelac at 4:36 PM on June 30, 2014 [2 favorites]