The Legend of Korra takes on a kind of Alice in Wonderland vibe this week, filled with tea parties and magical spirit-creatures. More importantly, ‘A New Spiritual Age’ reacquaints us with some old friends from The Last Airbender years.
General Iroh, who served as the “Yoda” role for the hotheaded Prince Zuko, is back to help Korra rediscover herself. The former fire nation general is one of the most beloved characters from TLA, due to his uncompromising belief that Zuko could one day be a great man. Like Korra, Zuko was a passionate individual, who let his stubbornness get in the way of thinking clearly. Iroh is the perfect choice to help Korra on her journey.
Throughout ‘Book 2: Spirits,’ Korra has been a difficult character to embrace. Her strength and determination that made her so likable in season 1 has turned into mistrust and arrogance. With Iroh’s help in the spirit world, Korra is now able to see the ramifications of her anger and the effect they have on the world around her. The temper-tantrum she has at the tea party showed her the outcome of her uncontrollable emotions. Korra needed to understand that her quest was not all about her.
Korra’s journey to the top of that ominous mountain with the dragon-bird may have been the most important endeavor of her life. The fate of the entire world may not have been at stake, but that act of selflessness transformed her into a woman. She needed that lesson in order to tackle her next obstacle, as Jinora must face a test all her own.
Since the introduction of Wan, the spirit world has been one of the highlights from season 2. The insane amount of creative technique that goes into the creature and scenic designs deserve the utmost respect. Jinora’s journey was no less troublesome than Korra’s, as the seemingly trustworthy “Furry-foot” turned into one of the scariest rabbits ever seen on television. The great owl, Wan Shi Tong, was another culprit in Unalaq’s plot to unleash Vaatu. Can anyone other than Iroh be trusted in the spirit world?
After Korra’s failed attempt to save Jinora takes her back to Tenzin and his family, one has to wonder what the Avatar will do next? With the Harmonic Convergence on its way, Korra must journey to one of the poles to enter back into the spirit world. Unalaq made it clear that to keep your bending powers, you have to enter one of the portals. There are only a handful of episodes left and still questions remain concerning the rest of the team. Mako, Bolin, and Asami are handling the domestic troubles, but we still haven’t heard from Korra’s family for some time. Hopefully, there will be an explanation as to what her parents have been up to in the South Pole.
