“Aang had demons with him. Korra had bums”: Avatar: The Last Airbender Fans Have Won the Aang vs Korra Debate with a Single Argument

Considered one of the most acclaimed series of the 21st century and one of the greatest animated television series of all time, Avatar: The Last Airbender has an incredible legacy that can be hard to supersede. With a storyline that transcended genres and themes that were unprecedented at the time in youth entertainment, ATLA was truly a treasure and a masterpiece in and of itself.

As such, a sequel that not only carried forth Aang’s mantle but also built on his legacy was a bold decision that had the risk of not paying off well. With The Legend of Korra, that risk was put to rest as the series also grew to become a critically hailed product of its time. But not all the fans were happy with the standalone sequel.

The Aang vs Korra debate gets put to rest

An original is always impossible to replicate in terms of emotional depth, impact, influence, and artistic integrity. Avatar is no different. With the arc of Aang, fans were introduced to an extraordinary world inspired by elements of the Asian and North American cultures.

Unprecedented themes like genocide, sexism, imperialism, indoctrination, class warfare, and free will entered the debate – which, in the medium of children’s entertainment, were unheard of at the time and even today.

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Compared to its predecessor, The Legend of Korra already had big shoes to fill and an immense legacy to live up to. As such, The Last Airbender‘s narrative themes were substituted by more socio-politically urgent issues that corresponded with TLOK‘s era – social unrest, terrorism, sexual orientation.

With both series gaining a foothold in television and animation, the fans, too, have found themselves siding with either Aang or Korra in terms of each Avatar’s power and their respective allies. However, one argument in favor of Aang has forever put the debate to rest.

Avatar Aang’s legacy is hard to challenge

In every superhero story, there exists a sidekick, a tech-savvy helper, and an ally who protects the gang from the outside. It is the relationship between these characters and their loyalty to each other that makes the central protagonist stand out; his victories feel worthy, and his defeats more tragic.

In the case of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Aang alone does not possess the attributes required to transform into a legend of his time. Rather, it is his camaraderie with his allies – Katara, Sokka, Toph, and later Zuko – and their loyalty toward Aang that made The Last Airbender so endearing to watch.

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In comparison, The Legend of Korra lacked great character arcs and chemistry, which immediately made the sequel less worthy than its predecessor [This Cinemablend article gives a detailed reasoning as to why]. Fans have since taken to Reddit to vent their frustration against the TLOK, putting to rest the Aang vs. Korra debate once and for all.

What do you guys think of this?
byu/Ok-Blueberry7427 inTheLastAirbender

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byu/Ok-Blueberry7427 from discussion
inTheLastAirbender

Legend of Korra ruined the significance of the Avatar…
byu/arrianym inTheLastAirbender

With the Gaang deserving all the credit that comes their way, one cannot wholly dismiss the contributions of the Krew in TLOK as well. While significantly less downplayed than Aang’s companions, Korra’s friends and allies did get to shine at times, but when it comes to their fighting capabilities, Aang will always come out on top.

Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are streaming on Netflix.

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