Eh, it’s obviously building up to a big fight between Vatu and Korra. Possibly doing the whole dark avatar vs avatar thing. The whole thing was a plot device to get to that cool action scene. As long as she didn’t break the other portal he had no power. Killing Jinorra was just a sure fire way to get himself killed or energy bended and dethroned. Unalaq is an ambitious man who wants more but has reached the limit of what he can accomplish on his own. He had no power to accomplish his own goals so if Korra didn’t open the portal he had no cards to play. Korra should have just stated the obvious and played a bit of chicken. Also what he was doing appeared to be some sort of corruption thing, not necessarily killing Jinorra (can you even kill a soul if you are not a spirit?). I mean korra’s soul kept getting broken apart by his bending and it didn’t do shit. That possibly could have been reverted.
I agree there are other ways, but it is plain as day Korra didn’t do the correct thing. Korra just makes the simplistic decisions of a 10 year old which is the reason she keeps getting herself and others into so much shit. Waiting for that character growth when she realizes being a dumb, hot-headed kid isn’t the way to be the Avatar.
Had he killed Jinorra, Korra literally could have rampaged his army into dust. Avatar stepping in to end wars (and their leaders) has happened in the past according to the story so not really getting why she feels the need to be impartial.
Looking at things as though they’re black and white is your issue. You should perhaps consider what it would mean for the embodiment of peace and hope to give up on her friend, it would crush her spiritually.
You claim Korra experiencing the cost of favoring the individual over the group should be a deterrent to making the same mistake however, that very mistake is actually not a mistake but a moral incentive for her to do the same thing for the same reason. It’s because she knows what the cost is that she chose to open the portal, not despite it.
We didn’t know there was another way for Aang either. Aang didn’t know there was another way; he sought it out. He could have accepted everyone’s judgement that he would have to kill Ozai.
Thinking your way he should have just killed him (which he was most definitely strong enough to do) instead of seeking an alternative.
What Aang did WAS actually smarter. The Avatar defeated Vaatu before so exactly why are would we singing doom and gloom if Vaatu is released?
It’s simply not logically congruent, even when factoring the “moral incentive.” Let’s say a terrorist group wanted this guy to type in the launch codes for a stolen nuclear missile, in exchange for sparing his loved one. Except that missile’s trajectory is aimed for the very city he lives in, which obviously means that you, your loved one, and the entire city, will be annihilated. There is clearly no “good” decision here, only the one that prevents more needless suffering.
Seeing as this is still a kids cartoon with idealistic overtones I can deal with it, but they could’ve written that scenario better.
I forgot the exact sequence of events, but she may not have known Unalaq can water bend in the spirit world. Plus, she does have time to close the portals back. What she did was still dumb, but she didn’t actually release Vaatu. Oh keep in mind she’s under the impression Unalaq can open the portals themselves (that’s what he told her last).
So while she gave the terrorists the launch codes, they haven’t had a chance to use them yet.
Difference was Aang went into the encounter knowing what he could do. He didn’t just come up with that ability at that moment, the lion turtle gave it to him before the fight. So he had a hidden ace he just didn’t tell people about. We have no idea what Aang would have done had stealing his bending not been an option. Korra just fucked up and has no game-plan. The latter point is fairly true though. The avatar wrecked Vatu before fairly easily with the avatar state, and that is basically what they are going to go for in the end. Korra v. Vatu -> Korra wrecks Vatu + Unalaq = Dark Avatar Dark Avatar v. Korra -> Korra gets wrecked then power of friendship ->Korra seals dark avatar by the skin of her teeth.
Thing is if your responsible for the well being of the world it is irresponsible to choose to open the portal as she realistically she should have no expectation of winning against Vatu or finding another way. Ozai was a problem before Aang was unfrozen so while it was a problem he caused it was an unintended consequence. Aang did not knowingly do what he did. Korra aware of the consequences did it with little to no resistance. Even in the Avatar state she has proven her skills are to weak and crappy to beat even above average dark spirits much less the most powerful of them all. She made a horrible and irresponsible decision like many before them and she is going to have the writers just waive the wand at the end to make it all better. That is the reason she’s so difficult to root for she doesn’t make hard decisions, she rarely even grapples with her choices, she just jumps at a decision and fucks shit up. They are probably going to try some character development that will alleviate that but it is frustrating and I’m really having a hard time imagining anything making it make sense other than maybe some getting to know Rava stuff or what have you. I’m thinking it’s going to just be a wand waive by the writers.
I know Korra is a teenage girl but, The decisions she’s made this season keep me continuously asking, HOW CAN YOU BE SO FUCKING STUPID!?
I’m sure things will work out in the end, but not until she fucks shit up even more so.
It’s like the biggest threat to peace in Legend of Korra…is Korra.
I’m confused here. So did people actually want Korra to not release Vaatu but risk Jinora’s life, as in let her die instead of following Unalaq’s demands? I’m pretty sure Tenzin and Pema would had raised hell if that happened.
“To me, this was the saddest moment in this episode.
Asami was born without bending powers.
Her mother was killed by firebenders.
Her father decided to become an Equalist to avenge her mother, and she had to fight him and put him in jail.
She dated a Firebender, until he broke up with her by cheating on the Avatar.
She’s still friends with both that Firebender and the Avatar.
She is around 17 years old like Korra, But she has no one in her life anymore, was thrusted into managing a company, got screwed over by her partner Varrick, and ended up in the middle of a war she never wanted to be a part of.
And through it all, she hasn’t shown a sign of turning dark.
She is single-handedly the most selfless character in the entire series.
If Asami becomes a villain or tragic fallen hero in the next season, it would be completely justified, because she was -no, she is- treated like garbage.”
Anyone who seriously expected Korra to kill a little girl is a dumbass. I mean, the mere trope alone should tell you she wouldn’t. And like others would say, Aang wouldn’t do it either, he spent like an entire episode looking for a way to NOT kill Ozai even.
Save one person you’re close to and risk THE ENTIRE WORLD!
Or
Sacrifice one life to save billions instead of ONCE AGAIN becoming the pawn of your douchebag uncle.
Sure, Tenzin would have been pissed, but he still has 3 other kids and if he’s as calm and collected as he makes himself out to be he’ll understand it was for the good of the world.
Of course this path of thinking completely ignores the fact it’s a Nick show.
I figured ppl would have considered this while being upset about why she didn’t do it.
I probably should of brought it up in why it would never happen. Avatar touches on some themes that fly over kids head but they aren’t about to sacrifice a little girl on the show, on top of it being an ass, anti-climactic way to end this season.
