“We are Bonded Forever.”
Quick review of last week’s “The Sting”
I loved the episode because it wrapped up the few loose ends from the previous episode and for what I thought was going to be a filler episode it was very enjoyable. One of the funniest episodes so far and incredibly well written for an episode that didn’t feature Korra until the very end. It ended once again on a cliff hanger and set up “Beginnings Part 1 & 2” beautitfully.
Review (spoiler free)
“Beginnnings Part 1 & 2” are exciting all the way through. What I loved the most (aside from the beautiful writing) was the georgous new style of animation that we were introduced to. It had a more fable or legend feel to the story and because it was used to tell a back story it brought a completely different feel to the episodes. I’m not saying that the current animation style is bad, quite the opposite in fact. But switching the styles left me with a feeling of awe and wonder because it went hand and hand with the emotions that the episodes were telling.
Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead) brought a new depth to Wan that I haven’t seen since Kevin Conroy as Batman. The voice and the character fit together perfectly and the performance made the episode that much better. I look forward to other episodes with Wan. As whole: phenomenal action, a solid plot, and rewarding story made this the best episode of the season by far.
image from hypeable
Summary (spoilers)
We start out where we left off with Korra’s memory being gone, because of this she is getting help from an elder at the fire templ. She is watching, if you will her past life. In fact her first past life which is of Wan the first Avatar. The mythology that we are introduced to here is very heavy and complex but Beginnings Part 1 & 2 did a great job of making it clear. All humans and spirits are enimies and the humans live on floating lion turtles backs thinking they are the last human city around. Wan is a mere thief who steals food and eventually steals fire bending from the lion turtle, and ventures off into spirit-filled wilderness. Wan meets some friendly spirits and learns they aren’t all bad. Because of his discovery he ends up spliting the spirits of good and evil apart. In so doing he starts the end of the world and teams up with the good spirit Raava to fight her evil counter part Vaatu.
Because the elments can fend off the spirts Wan travles the world and learns all four elements from different lion turtles. This is all done very quickly even though that story alone could be turned into a movie of it’s own series in the future. It’s one I would watch simpily because I wanted to see more of Wan and Raava’s travels and the relationship that they form come to fruition. After learning all 4 elements Wan and Raava (who is now very small because as darkness grows light dims) enter the portal at the South Pole to enter the spirit world and fight Vaatu in a final battle. This is the same portal Korra opens earlier in the season. As it turns out this battle is one that Raava and Vaatu have every 10,000 years and Raava always wins but because of Wan splitting them apart Vaatu is now stronger and will defeat Raava easily. The reason it happens every 10,000 years is because that is when the spirit world and the human world are combined as one.
Wan tells Vaatu that in order to get to Raava he has to go through him first. Which is pretty awesome considering this is a 100 foot tall spirit. Wan tries to fight but simply isn’t strong enough, he then combines energies with Raava creating the Avatar and the Avatar State. Vaatu is impprisoned inbetween the two portals and is left unreleasable by man. The episode ends with an aged Wan apologizing to Raava for not bringing peace to the human world. Since Raava and Wan will be together for all of his liftimes, the spirit is not too concerned. Korra wakes up and jumps on her new sky byson to go and seal the portal before Vaatu can be released.
I’ve said it before in other reviews but I think that Unalaq is somehow in comuntication with Vaatu and not only wants to release him but combine energies as well, forming some sort of “Evil Avatar”. That would be a fight worth watching!