Summary

• People resist change, making the transition to a new Avatar in The Legend of Korra challenging for some viewers.
• Korra faced pushback as a female lead, with some struggling to accept a powerful woman protagonist in the series.
• The show's focus on complex sociopolitical issues and lack of clear good vs. evil narrative divided audiences.

It’s been over ten years since the series finale of The Legend of Korra and to this day it remains as divisive as ever. A sequel series to the beloved Nickelodeon show Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra focuses on a new Avatar, and despite its challenging nature and willingness to address major issues of politics, race, and sexual orientation, it had a harder time winning over audiences than the previous series. ittedly, The Legend of Korra does have issues when it comes to characterization and narrative throughline, but it’s also a deeply intelligent and rewarding animated series.

The recent success of the Netflix live-action series Avatar: The Last Airbender showcases there is still a healthy appetite for the world of Avatar, so there’s never been a better time to look back on the divisive nature of The Legend of Korra. With a story set 70 years after the events of The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra took many of the ideas seen in The Last Airbender and pushed them even further as it explored politics, society, and identity. While The Legend of Korra remains divisive, it’s still a vital addition to the Avatar franchise.

10 People Hate Change

The Legend of Korra focused on a new Avatar

One main reason The Legend of Korra remains so divisive ten years later is that people are resistant to change and rather than create an entirely new narrative, viewers would have been just as happy with continuing watching the adventures of Aang Katara, Sokka, and Toph. By choosing to focus on the story of a new Avatar, the series creators forced audiences to accept that the old show was over and that something different was here to take its place. Change is always difficult, but for those who are willing to give it a chance, The Legend of Korra has plenty to offer.

9 A Girl Lead Character Was Always Going To Be Divisive

The Legend of Korra switched focus to a girl protagonist

It may be a controversial topic, but the truth is that sometimes male audiences have trouble accepting a female protagonist, and Korra being a reincarnated version of Aang made this even more difficult. The Legend of Korra took a gamble by revisiting Avatar with a strong-willed, determined, and skilled woman at the helm, as this meant the character of Korra was always going to have a more difficult time winning over some viewers. Korra is headstrong and rebellious, and while these traits are often seen as noble in men, they can be viewed as bossy and shrill in a woman.

8 Korra Was A Very Different From Aang

The Legend of Korra had a very different lead than ATLA

An argument many make against The Legend of Korra involves how her mastery of bending came a little bit too easily when compared to the difficulties faced by Aang in Avatar: The Last Airbender. However, the challenges of both protagonists were actually two sides of the same coin as Aang had an innate understanding of the spiritual world while for Korra it was only bending that came naturally. The fact that Aang possessed what Korra lacked allowed The Legend of Korra to explore new territory in the way it addressed the spirit world and the Avatar’s connection to it.

The fact that Aang possessed what Korra lacked allowed The Legend of Korra to explore new territory.

7 Korra’s Love Triangle

The Legend of Korra explored the pitfalls of teenage romance

The Legend of Korra has received its fair share of criticism among viewers for its unpopular love triangle between Korra, Mako, and Asami which was a rushed narrative arc throughout Book One: Air. There was an ill-timed kiss between Korra and Mako which happened right in front of Bolin, whose unrequited love for Korra was leading to heartbreak for all involved. While at its core The Legend of Korra was a series about teenagers and some frustrating teen romances are to be expected, it turned some viewers off and contributed to the divisive nature of the show.

6 The ing Characters Were Not As Compelling As In ATLA

The Legend of Korra had a weaker ing cast than its predecessor

Throughout Avatar: The Last Airbender audiences were heavily invested in the story of Aang’s mastery of bending and quest to defeat the fire nation, but as just as important were the narrative arcs of ing characters like Sokka and Toph. One major reason The Legend of Korra remains so divisive is that sadly characters like Mako and Bolin just don’t have the same levels of depth and development as had previously been seen. The nuance of villains like Zuko was just not seen in The Legend of Korra, which, for some, made it harder to connect with the series.

5 The Legend of Korra Was Much Overtly Political Than ATLA

The Legend of Korra addressed serious topics of sociopolitical importance

The Legend of Korra pushed the boundaries much further than Avatar: The Last Airbender when it came to addressing social unrest, terrorism, and issues around gender, race, and sexuality. While this is one of the reasons many love The Legend of Korra, it also contributes to its divisive nature as viewers yearn for the simple good versus evil narrative seen in The Last Airbender. With a strong sociopolitical awareness, The Legend of Korra explored contemporary issues of capitalism and modernity with a level of depth seldom seen in children’s television.

4 The Legend Of Korra Had No Primary Overarching Story

The Legend of Korra was often more character than plot-focused

The story arc of The Legend of Korra was far more philosophical than what had previously been seen in Avatar: The Last Airbender as Korra’s journey to become a humbler and more comionate person was far more symbolic than Aang’s literal fight to defeat the Fire Nation. One reason The Legend of Korra was so divisive was it did not have the same narrative throughline as its previous series and challenged audiences to find meaning through characters rather than plot points. This is part of what made The Legend of Korra unique, but also what turns some viewers away.

3 The Legend Of Korra Did Not Provide Easy Answers

The Legend of Korra let decide somethings for themselves

Throughout history, audiences have responded well to simple stories of good versus evil, but The Legend of Korra often explored the difficulties in categorizing things as either good or bad which contributed to its divisive nature. Looking at the Book 3: Change antagonist Zaheer, his desire for a new world without the Avatar was based on understandable issues with the way the society in the show was structured. Zaheer’s opinions challenge the audience's views about the benefits of the Avatar and whether it is a just system to allow someone to have so much more power than everybody else.

2 Republic City Had Less To Offer Than The World Seen IN ATLA

The Legend of Korra had one primary setting

The majority of The Legend of Korra takes place in Republic City and this setting has led some to take issue with the monotony of the series. While the world of the prequel Avatar: The Last Airbender felt like a sprawling, endless adventure across the globe as Aang and the rest of the gang encountered the independent nations of the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, and the Fire Nation, the location of Republic City felt less varied. This primary setting means some viewers were less satisfied with The Legend of Korra compared to the world seen in The Last Airbender.

1 The Legend Of Korra’s LGBTQ+ Representation

The Legend of Korra helped normalize same-sex relationships

Throughout its four-season run, The Legend of Korra championed LGBTQ+ representation, most notably through its exploration of Korra’s sexuality. In particular, the final scene which showed Korra and Asami gazing into one another’s eyes and holding hands was an important moment for the depiction of same-sex couples on mainstream children’s television. While there’s no denying the normalization of LGBTQ+ relationships can still be a divisive topic in today’s progressive era, The Legend of Korra helped pave the way for more LGBTQ+ friendly animated series such as Steven Universe and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.

The Legend of Korra helped pave the way for more LGBTQ+ friendly animated series such as Steven Universe and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.