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mskoreodyssey · 11 days

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[TLOK] Book Two: Spirits (Fix)

Original Book 2: 1-6 (North vs South)

Part 1 // Part 2

Fix Book 2 by Tim Hickson

Rules

14 Episodes

Fixing, not rewriting entirely

[Recap]

Previously on Legend of Korra… The battle with the Equalist is over, but only on one condition, the Avatar leaves Republic City. While Asami was an Equalist, she eventually realized that getting rid of bending was not the only way to solve their problems, and had a change of heart. And though the fight is over, Korra has lost all the elements except for one, her air-bending.

[Episode 1: Rebel Spirit]

Korra has returned to the Southern Water Tribe with Tenzin and hopes that healing might be able to bring her bending back, but it doesn't work. "Aang came to me", explains Korra, “and he said that there are great powers out there in the world that might be able to help, but I have no idea where to start”. Meanwhile, back in Republic City, Asami, Mako, Lin Beifong and Bolin are working to create a new peace between benders and non-benders. Reforming the police force to include non-benders with their new technology. Setting up job programs and electing a council with equal representation between them. Asami explains, “With all these changes, Amon's radical branch of the Equalists have gone into hiding, but they're still out there. Pro-bending is now more popular than ever, especially because there's a new variant of it where non-benders are able to compete too. With the new technology that Sato Industries has provided and proliferated”. Mako is still skeptical of Asami, who forced Korra to leave the city. But Bolin keeps the peace between them. Asami insists that getting business back into Republic City is crucial to getting the city off its feet. Which is when we're introduced to Varrick, who promises huge investment with wild business ideas. “How about a sports tournament with all the nations and they can compete? No, wait, it'll just be us. And all of the other nations can watch how amazing we are. And then we'll call it the World Series, despite all of them.” Ultimately, though, they bond over a sheer desire to bring peace to the city. Returning to Korra in the South, we see how in the years since the Hundred Years War, the South has rapidly rebuilt. It's developed an oil industry and a new culture of its own that is heavily influenced by the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, who have been providing aid and trade as a way of helping it rebuild. While the South has always celebrated the Winter Solstice, the celebration this year is commercialized, like we see in the show. Korra has a fantastic time trying new foods and rides with Tenzin. But she eventually finds Katara off to the edge of the village, who explains that a lot of the tribe just isn't happy with this. They don't like seeing this kind of commercialization, that people have forgotten Water Tribe traditions around the Winter Solstice. That they're treating them like they don't matter, and the fair itself was built over an important cultural site during the Hundred Years War. Katara says, “Our cities dwindled, we forgot this place. Legend says it was where we first landed, and the Ocean Spirit blessed our land with food. Now look what we have done”. Behind her is a group of Southerners who are carrying out an old traditional Water Tribe blessing, led by Unalaq, Korra's uncle, and chieftain of the Northern Water Tribe. Korra participates in this cultural blessing, but when the ritual asks her to water-bend, she frightfully backs away. Pretending she has to be somewhere else for vague Avatar reasons, an explosion inside the city draws Korra away. Just like in the show, a rebel spirit is attacking the fair.

(But we're going to change one small thing about this spirit, right? It's not going to be a dark spirit, like the demon-inspired creature that we see in the show. But it's going to be more of a twisted version of a tiger-seal ocean creature. Not unlike Heibi in The Last Airbender, was a twisted version of a panda that represents the forest. One of the things that I never liked about Season Two, and I don't think many people liked it. Was that it introduced this dichotomy of good and evil spirits, when they were always meant to be these otherworldly unknowable beings. So we're turning away from that visual aesthetic.)

As the spirit attacks the celebrations, Korra and Tenzin can't bring it down. It's only when Unalaq intervenes and destroys the Ferris wheel that was built over top of that sacred spiritual location that he confronts the spirit and it calms. Transforming back into its original form, and slinking back into the ocean. Unalaq turns to Korra, “The South's corrupted culture has angered the spirits, they've forgotten who they are. Look at this place, a desecration of our history. And you, Avatar, you've lost your water-bending”. Korra is shocked that Unalaq figured this out. She just barely told anyone, but admits what happened. “Amon took it, and I'm trying to find it again.” Unalaq nods, “I see. Avatar. No. Korra. May I? Much like the water tribes, I believe you must return to your cultural roots. To understand where water-bending truly comes from, if you are to find it again”. He offers to train Korra in the old and forgotten arts of the Water Tribe. Tenzin resists this and he insists, “No, I am your mentor. This is not how it's meant to be”. But Korra gets up in arms, “How are you meant to help with me getting my water-bending back?” Korra does go with Unalaq, and Tenzin frustrated leaves to go rejoin his family.

(So episode one is actually almost identical to what we get in the show, right? All we're really doing is emphasizing the themes that are really already there. Season Two plays with a really fascinating idea that post-colonial or post-genocide peoples often struggle to hold on to their cultural heritage. There's this economic incentive right, to conform as they reintegrate into a global world. Taking on Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom culture, and protecting traditions is really difficult in that environment, we see that in our own world. This corruption, I think, is best expressed in a corrupted version of a spirit rather than this demon looking thing.)

[Episode 2: The Southern Lights]

Korra joins her family the following day. Her father Tonraq is the Chief of the South. "Didn't the solstice go brilliantly", he says. "Money is finally flowing back into the South." "Aren't you worried about the loss of our heritage though, our traditions?", asks Korra and her mother intervenes. "Look, building this place up again hasn't been easy. We're we're not the same people we once were. We aren't the same people we were before the war. People leave for the big cities all over. This is bringing jobs back, it's bringing money, life back into this place we love. We can be the South and we can still find out who we're meant to be." Now, unsure what to say, Korra explains that she's going to train with Unalaq in hopes of getting her water-bending back. Korra is kind of vulnerable to this idea that culture is really important at the moment because she's lost her water-bending and she needs to find a way back. And it's not just part of who she is as the Avatar, it's her original culture, right? She is a water-bender at heart. Her father warns her that Unalaq is a difficult man. But Korra doesn't budge, she senses a history between them. That night, Korra dreams of a strange boy stealing some bread. Back in Republic City, Varrick is building this new factory that hires both non-bender technicians and benders. Asami, Mako and Bolin are inspecting one of the factories when an Equalist assassin breaks in and tries to kill Asami. Mako saves her, and they theorized that it must be the last remnants of Amon's radicals trying to take her out. You know, a final revenge, but Mako isn't so sure. Beifong and the police force meet with Mako, who has been appointed a detective. Upon inspecting the body, they find a tattoo of a Triple Triad member, a gang that is almost entirely composed of benders. Why would they be dressed up in non-bender garb? Unalaq takes Korra deep into the wilderness towards the South Pole, just like he does in the show. He explains, “That long ago the South made a pact with the spirits, but that packed has long been broken. That during the Hundred Year War, it was even forgotten, that they neglected it. And they made it even worse by neglecting their culture, as they do now”. They come upon the Spirit Forest at the South Pole.

(The wilds we see in the show that I really do love.)

This ancient forest in the midst of ice and wind, except it's all dead. It's riddled with brambles and thorns and ugly creatures. Unalaq explains, "Did you know that once, long ago, our two tribes were united as one? Only war and time separated us. And since then, the South has neglected its spiritual needs, much like this place, you can see it. It needs the North to guide it back to who it is. You see, we did not forget Avatar. We remember, let me show you". They found a metal deposit here in the midst of the forest, stripped it dry for a pretty yuan and abandoned it. Korra replies, "I'm not much of an Avatar anymore". But Unalaq stops her, "Of course you are, A few elements don't change that. You're still the Avatar, nobody else's. It's a part of you, more than the elements ever are". Corrupted spirits limping in the shadows attack them, and a fight ensues. And Unalaq presses her, "You know what you have to do, Avatar". And Korra, with a blast of her air-bending, brings the mineshaft down on itself and the spirits return to normal. "That will placate them for a time", says Unalaq. "But the problem runs much deeper than a few buildings here or there. Cultures, it runs deep, it's hard to change. You must look to the past for the pact and uphold it while I bring the South back to its roots." She asks what the pact was, and Unalaq admits he doesn't know. That she needs to find out what it is as the Avatar. When they return, though, they find Northern forces arriving in the South.

(Again episode two really isn't that different, right? We've got the intrigue plot around Varrick and Asami in Republic City, and Unalaq taking corridor the forest and the North arriving. The only real difference here is that we're not introducing the Spirit Portal, at least not yet. It will come. One of the core issues with Season Two is that there's really these two stories that don't work together at all. We've got in the first half of the series this Civil War plot where Unalaq is trying to bring back the South to its roots, its culture. And then I say there's the evil kite plot where Unalaq is pure evil and just wants to conquer the world to become Satan. Just makes me laugh thinking about it. There is no narrative need for Korra to learn about Avatar Wan, the way that they set up the story in the in the show. There's this hard left turn right in the middle of the series that just forgets the Civil War plot entirely. We don't come back to it, so I want to fix that. By introducing this concept of the Southern pact, it ties together that Korra needs to get her bending. It's her looking into the past, and it's the Civil War plotline.)

[Episode 3: Civil Wars, Part One]

Southerners immediately begin to organize and resist this Northern occupation. But there is also a sizable group who welcome it, who we saw at the start. Who think of this as uniting with their sister tribe as a way back to tradition, to remembering who they are, rather than being the puppets of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. And she comes between the two sides. "You're on their side." "I'm not on anyone's side", just like we see in the show. And that small girl hurls a snowball at her, "You're the worst Avatar ever". That night, a band of Southerners break into Unalaq's room. They knock him out and kidnap him just the same as they do in the show, but Korra intervenes. "Stay out of this, Avatar", says one. But when she beats them all up and rescues Unalaq, she discovers that her father was leading the raid. "Korra", he says, "I understand that we have left behind some of who we once were, who our parents and before them were. But we don't have the privilege, the North does, they were untouched by the war. We still barely have benders amongst us as it is, and those we have, they leave. Our independence is valuable, we don't just want to be a poor copy of the North". Her father asks her to hand over Unalag's unconscious body, but Korra refuses. Desperate to get her bending back and feeling that this man is kind of the only way. Unalaq recovers, but when he asks Korra if she knows who took him, she lies to protect her father. With the city settling into an uncomfortable calm, Korra begins to look into what this ancient pact might have been. Unalaq points it to a cave outside the city where settlers originally took shelter, that there might be some hints there. Korra finds the cave and sees a huge carving in the walls. It depicts a sphere of some kind, and either side of it is a planet, the pattern of which mirror each other. Korra has no idea what this means, thinks of the Spirit World, potentially, and wishes Tenzin were there to help. He was always better with this stuff than her. Tenzin rejoins his family at the Southern Air Temple, taking them around the different Air-Nomad locations as part of their education, just like in the show. Though Jinora is strangely drawn to statues of the past, of Avatars and of sky-bison. Tenzin explains that the sky-bison were the original benders that people had once learned from them, but it's a long lost art. And he laments that they are the only air-benders left in the world. That Aang knew this burden too, but Tenzin really didn't understand how hard it would be.

[Episode 4: Civil Wars, Part Two]

In Republic City, the Southern Water Tribe embassy is bombed. Mako and Lin Beifong investigate and conclude it has to do with the evolving tensions down South. Figuring it must be agitated Northerners in Republic City, they begin rounding them up for interviews. But again, Mako isn't convinced. "Why bomb the embassy?", he says, "If they're Northerners, the last thing they'd want to do is get Republic City involved when the north has the the upper hand". Lin Beifong replies, "Young people get swept up in all sorts of stupid things". She then laments about how hard policing is without her bending, having lost it to Amon last season. In the South, Unalaq orders Tonraq's arrest. Korra's father under suspicion that he tried to assassinate Unalaq, but also because he wants to control the South. Korra begs his forgiveness, swearing that she didn't turn him in. And he says, "Quiet, Korra, I know you didn't. Unalaq and I have always had a difficult relationship." He was never going to let the Chief of the South walk free. Korra insists that this is all temporary, that she'll sort it out. That she has a duty as the Avatar to bring back balance between the spirit world and the mortal world, and this is the only way. Her father shrugs, taken off towards his trial.

(See? Okay, around this point in the show, we start to get the idea that Unalaq is literally just a psychopath. It's all about power for himself. It's not really about tradition, and he just wants to be evil. Okay? All of the other villains in the show have a real point to make, but Unalaq is just pure evil. He's a liar, and frankly, he's boring. Okay, so unlike in the show, this isn't going to be a sham trial.)

Korra watches Tonraq get banished, but it's legitimately because he tried to kill Unalaq when asked about it. Unalaq will explain that back in the Northern Water Tribe, Tonraq harmed a similar spirit forest at the North Pole. He brought corrupted spirits down on the city, and he wouldn't let that happen again. He laments the loss of that relationship with his brother.

(And unlike in the series, this isn't going to be a lie either.)

Unalaq is genuinely going to grip this, he loves his brother.

(So Unalaq didn't stage any of this. Tonraq harming a Spirit Forest in a modernizing world is thematically cogent. And it complicates Korra's place in the story. That conflict between her love for her family and her duty to the spirits, something that every Avatar is going to deal with and this story critiques.)

"Remember who you are, Avatar", says Unalaq. "Your duty lies to both worlds, not any one man or family."

(And also Tonraq. Damaging the Spirit Forest doesn't destroy his character. It just makes him complicated, right? He's got a whole bunch of different things that he has to manage.)

That night, though, Korra again dreams of that strange boy and of a lion turtle and of the deep past.

[Episode 5: Peacekeepers]

Mako and Beifong continue to investigate the embassy bombing, which has since caused an international uproar of sympathy for the Southern cause. A Triple Triad member then tips them off, that they were investigating something to do with the Southern conflict. They found something, a deal had been struck between the North and someone else. But who? They joined Asami and Varrick, who insists that Republic City stay out of this fight, it wasn't theirs. But a survivor of the bombing explains that the South has barely any benders left, even after 70 years, compared to the North. Asami then begins to view the Southern resistance as a conflict between benders and non-benders, and she promises Sato industry weapons to help the cause. But Varrick says, “I'm already three steps ahead of you”. He's been a patron of the Equalist movement before himself, and has already sent a shipment of weapons to the resistance. Shifting to the South, the trial and banishment of the Southern Chief galvanizes that Southern Resistance who spark a fight in the streets. But this time they have Varrick's powerful technology that takes the North by surprise, electric gloves and mech-arms that allow them to turn the tides. Korra is, of course, caught up in the middle of all of this and tries to insist that she's not picking any side. But she's seen as Unalaq's ally and is attacked, the Northern forces are pushed back, and the resistance takes over half of the city. Water-benders from the North in a bid to hold them back, carve a river through the middle of the South to separate them. The resistance takes this as a victory. Korra meets with Unalaq, who isn't worried about this fight. And insists that soon the tides of war will turn back in their favor, though he refuses to elaborate how. Korra again feels conflicted, unsure if she is betraying her people or helping them in response. Unalaq takes her deep inside an old maze of icy catacombs, where some Southerners are learning ancient water-bending forms that follow the rivers of arctic water through the ice. Something that was only ever done in the South, but that the North remembered. Korra tries the forms herself and almost tricks herself into thinking she's got her water-bending back, listening to the ocean and feeling for the moon, which shines through a tiny gap in the ceiling above. But nothing, she hasn't got it back. Even though she's glad to see these old parts of her culture. That night, Korra dreams of two things: An island near the Fire Nation and a group of humans dressed in old water tribe garb meeting spirits between two worlds.

[Episode 6: The Trap is Sprung]

Tenzin and his family arrive in the Western Air Temple. Jinora is drawn off by glimpses of a cat-deer spirit into the wilderness, and her siblings follow. Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi all set out to find them. Back in Republic City, Varrick is producing anti-Northern propaganda pieces to help garner sympathy for the South.

(But unlike in the show, Bolin is not going to star in them. Because personally, I thought there was a terrible plot, and it just made Bolin look like an idiot. And also everything with Desna and Eska, that was a horrible storyline. It was just abusive and bad. No, we're not doing any of that.) (Okay, I may have been a bit harsh on the whole Bolin being in the propaganda thing. He can do that if you want, It doesn't really matter, that he's not getting into a relationship with Desna or Eska, okay. The twins can be there, but no relationship, that was bad. But Varrick and Bolin still developed that amazing inventive friendship, because that was adorable, and it made me laugh.)

In the South, the newly armed resistance members move to take Unalaq out. Korra is starting to have doubts about which side she's on. But still committed to getting back her water-bending, to preserving that ancient pact. And she sneaks around to talk to her mother. See, for so long, Korra has worked in black and white morality. The idea that there has to be a right side to be on. There has to be a clear place for the Avatar in history, and she has to be able to do something right. But her mother challenges this, "The problems between the North and South started long before you were born. You can't expect to undo them in a day". Korra replies incredulous, "So I should just sit back and watch the water tribes go to war?" "No, but this situation might be out of your control." This is the first time that Korra has really been confronted with the idea that something might be beyond her role as the Avatar, that it has to be solved by other people. Her mother asks whether Korra will warn Unalaq that the attack is coming. And we cut there. Korra doesn't warn Unalaq, but Unalaq has another plan anyway. He lures the technologically armed Southerners into a sacred old temple for the South. "Their ignorance will see them destroyed", he says. As corrupted spirits form, furious that these Southerners would bring such technology into a place like this. They didn't follow the proper rituals, the Northerners are able to get away unscathed. But the Southerners, who don't know how to interact with the spirits, are defeated, their technology destroyed. The press has arrived in the South as well to document this war, as well as Varrick's Moviemakers to document footage for his propaganda. Capturing some of the corrupted spirits and Unalaq's trap to use on the world stage. Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi bond over memories of their father, Aang, just like they do in the show. I actually really liked the scene, Tenzin insists that he was the perfect father who was a model dad. While the others point out that he wasn't perfect, that he played favorites.

(Now, I got to be honest, some people kind of hate this scene because it paints Aang as less than perfect a father. But I really like it, I think it's really dumb to extrapolate what kind of parents someone will be by their personality as a twelve year old. But also I think it makes total sense that Aang would struggle to balance his duty to the Nomads and Tenzin as a symbol of that legacy compared to his other children. It is an interesting conflict and a flaw for him to have. And it didn't make him a terrible father, it just made him human.)

The adults find Jinora and the other kids in front of a statue of humans learning to bend from sky-bison. And Jinora asks, "Is it possible to do that again". But Tenzin insists, “No it's not”, and they need to get on with their training.

📖Hello👇Future👇Me✏️’s Legend of Korra

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aisururuby · 1 year

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Befriending an animal

Arhen currently sat on the grass inside the forest near the villa with Verbena and Arienne. Eden decided she was going to teach them about their culture on her side of the family. The heibis. When they were still months old, Eden would always talk of their grandparents and how she plans to teach them to use magic when they’re older. They pondered at the time, ‘What’s heibi?’ And it was until last year, they finally knew what she meant.

Not only were he and Sun-Hi reborn into a fantasy world as a prince and princess, but they’re not fully human. They’re not fully human and they themselves along with their aunt, sister, and so-call ‘mother’ are forest spirits or elves(?) called heibis who are loved by dragons. . . . . . . . . . . . Fantasy world, huh?

“Now today I brought you here so you can attempt to befriend small animals in the forest. We heibis can easily befriend animals. However since you’re all still young we’ll focus on befriending a bird or squirrel. Alright?” Said Eden. Eden had a bag of berries and nuts to lure in any small animals.

“Yes, Auntie!” Said the three of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ugh! Why can’t I get anything?!” Shouted Arhen. They were at it for an hour and so far Arienne managed to befriend a songbird that came by and Verbena befriended a chipmunk. Eden was trying to help him get one animal to come to him but nothing. Heck the chipmunk Verbena became friends and looked at him then ran towards his sister. Was that chipmunk messing with him?

“Be patient, Arhen. These things take time plus this is normal. Not everyone back at the village got it right away. Okay?” Said Eden as she pressed a slight kiss on Arhen’s cheek. She looked over to Arienne and Verbena who seem to have attached a few animals. “W-wait, girls, that's too many! Arhen, wait here a moment while I handle this. Already?” Said Eden. Arhen nodded his head and off Eden went to shoo away some of the small forest animals.

Arhen sighed, “I at least want to befriend a bird on my own before we leave. Aunt Eden said we would only be here for an hour and a half before our guard comes searching for us and go back to the villa.” he mumbled. He knew Sun-Hi would tease him on the way home while Verbena and Eden would try to comfort him, which he didn’t want. Eden seemed so excited to teach them about their culture. He didn’t want to disappoint her.

This activity reminds him of So-woon, Arienne’s tiger cub. Sometimes he can’t help but envy Arienne’s relationship with her. So-woon keeps Arienne safe when she can. Though she does the same for him, it doesn’t feel the same. He’s not sure why he feels this way. Envy? He has Eden and Verbena here too . . . . . .So how come he long for what she has? Longing? For what though?

“Okay children, I think we should leave now. We’ll come back next time.” Said Eden. Arhen snapped out of it and saw his aunt was tired from dealing with the animals around his sisters. Their hair was now a mess due to some chipmunks previously rummaging through their hair trying to avoid Eden’s hands. Okay maybe he’s a bit relieved he didn’t manage to befriend a forest creature. Only a bit.

Eden began fixing his sisters’ appearance so their guard wouldn’t question what happened with them. Afterwards, they began to leave the clearing however Arhen noticed the feeling of the wind was different from before. Maybe it was going to rain soon but why does it feel nostalgic?

Once out of the clearing Arhen spotted a man in uniform waiting at attention. He must have heard them coming since he turned towards their direction, “Miss Eden, you’ve returned? How was your little adventure?” Said the man. “We’re fine, Noah. I told you we were only going to play with some forest animals.” Said Eden. Noah was a guard assigned to them by Selena to protect and escort them to places. Which he guessed did make sense since despite the fact he was reborn as a prince, he never saw a guard in person except in story books Eden read to them. Derolina castle had no guards.

“But miss you’ve returned earlier than expected, did something happen?” Asked Noah. “Nothing happened so let’s-” “Auntie scared the animals away” Verbena said with a pout. Eden suddenly flushed red from embarrassment as Verbena exposed her. Him and Arienne couldn’t help but snicker and giggle at the scene before them.

“Verbena!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Where am I? Wasn’t I just in bed?” Arhen finds himself in the same forest clearing from early that day. “Why here?” he questioned.

‘Arhen’

“Huh?” Startled Arhen looked to see no one with him only to spot a red light near the forest trees. Curious, he hesitantly walked over to the red light, “What is this?” he said. As he grew closer, he noticed the air started to get windy. “This smells the same as the wind from earlier . . . .this is just a coincidence, right?”

‘Arhen, I’ve been waiting to meet you.’

“Who are you? And why do you want to meet me?”

‘You’re someone I've wanted to see since I emerged.’

“And what’s your name?”

‘Don’t have one. Maybe you could name me when we met.’

“What- Are you the light in front of me?” questioned Arhen.

‘Just reach for the light and you’ll see for yourself.’

“How do I know this isn’t a joke?”

‘It’s not, true me.’

“Sure?” Arhen grabbed the light and suddenly everything went white.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ugh, what kind of dream was that?” Arhen woke up from his dream feeling puzzled by the dream. ‘Who was I even talking to? Aunt Eden said heibis can travel through dreams but I don’t think that’s what happened.’

Arhen noticed everyone was still asleep so he couldn’t talk to Arienne or Athanasia yet. However before he could lay back down he spotted a bundle of red fur next to his side. “So-won?” asked Arhen. Arhen looked closer only to realize it wasn’t So-won.

“What the hell- what’s a neugdae doing in my bed?!”

#the twins new life #the twins siblings new life #manhwa crossover #ttsnl oc #arhen yuriana #arienne yuriana

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