Avatar: The Legend Of Korra - Part 2

[Midnight Black]

In regards to your answer to Q5. I would have to disagree. Dante Basco has leant his voice to many many characters. In fact his voice is pretty recognizable and almost every asian/american cartoon I can think of he has had a role in some way. His voice may not be as recognizable to some as say Conroy or Cullen, but for those who grew up on Hook everyone knows Ruffio's voice lol. I would easily say that he is on par with Ironside when it comes to voice acting, as I can't even remember the last voice acting Ironside has done. Though Ironside is a staple of 80s/90s action films.

IMO his voice is on part with Conroy's and Cullens for certain characters. In fact I would even argue that his voice can be used for multiple characters, as opposed to Conroy's Batman/Bruce and Cullens Optimus that just sound weird coming out of other characters. Just my opinion. Ruffio, Ruffio, Ru-ffi-OOOO!!!

[Liam_H]

I agree kids are pretty desensitized these days but regardless they have to keep their content "appropriate" or else they'll get groups with pitchforks and torches screaming "won't someone think of the children".

[Thundercrack85]

Originally Posted by Liam_H

I agree kids are pretty desensitized these days but regardless they have to keep their content "appropriate" or else they'll get groups with pitchforks and torches screaming "won't someone think of the children".

I don't think they have to worry too much about that. As long as they steer clear of religion, withcraft and homosexuality, the morality police generally don't care.

But I doubt most kids can really understand (or appreciate) that scene, is all I'm saying.

[sandwraith]

Ok, what's the verdict guys. Amon. Was he a decent villain. Do you think the reveal and backstory made him too wishy-washy?

[Liam_H]

What I did want to see was Amon to snap the neck of his lieutenant instead of casting him off to the side. They didn't have to show it but to imply it where we just see him drop his body to the ground like a ragdoll with no sound coming from him afterwards.

[Thundercrack85]

I had a few problems with him. The backstory doesn't really tell us much about his motivation, and rise to power. Also didn't explain how he learned how to take benders' powers away.

And really, unmasking him, essentially destroyed him. Wasn't crazy about that.

[sandwraith]

Originally Posted by Liam_H

What I did want to see was Amon to snap the neck of his lieutenant instead of casting him off to the side. They didn't have to show it but to imply it where we just see him drop his body to the ground like a ragdoll with no sound coming from him afterwards.

I actually felt for the Lieutenant there. Can you imagine all the pain and beatings he had to go through, the things he's done in the name of Equality, all for a lie?

[sandwraith]

Originally Posted by Thundercrack85

I had a few problems with him. The backstory doesn't really tell us much about his motivation, and rise to power. Also didn't explain how he learned how to take benders' powers away.

Fascination with how Yakone lost his power I guess. Maybe an obsession with how Aang did it. Remember despite what Amon could do, he still need PHYSICAL CONTACT to actually remove the Bending. Same spots, neck and forehead. He might have improvised an ability for himself considering his knowledge of Chi-blocking and his own dark gift.

Motivation wise I think Tarrlok explains it. He hates Bending. For whatever reason.

Rise to power I'm extremely interested in but considering that Amon's backstory was told from Tarrlok's POV, I don't think he could factor in all of what had happened over the years. An Amon Gaiden is definitely needed.

Mike and Bryan are definitely going to get an earful come this SDCC

[Thundercrack85]

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

Essentially Amon lied about everything. If he hates benders just because of his father, than he is a rather petty individual.

I felt that his defeat (not his demise) could have been handled better. For all the build up, he and Korra didn't have much of a showdown. And, once he was unmasked, he stopped being a real threat. And then he just... walked off. If it wasn't for the backstory and rather dramatic demise, I would say he was a rather lousy villain.

That's one thing he has over Ozai. Ozai was a very simple character. Boring even. Sure, he was menacing, but he was just the evil incarnate, with no deeper characterization.

[Liam_H]

Originally Posted by sandwraith

I actually felt for the Lieutenant there. Can you imagine all the pain and beatings he had to go through, the things he's done in the name of Equality, all for a lie?

Well yes his final moment was sad but I wish he wasn't the "Team Rocket" of the series before that. So we could know him a bit more.

Originally Posted by sandwraith

Ok, what's the verdict guys. Amon. Was he a decent villain. Do you think the reveal and backstory made him too wishy-washy?

Overall I did have some problems such as his backstory of how he came to resent benders so much when he ran away. I need something more than he saw them as weaklings, seems like something was missing. Also his moment of lets go be a family again with Tarrlok happened too fast for me. Then again this season did have pacing issues.

[sandwraith]

Would it be possible that Amon is sort of damaged? You know, in a mental kind of way. With his childhood its possible.

Pacing issues is the sad reality we have to live with in LoK. I guess we can all agree that this show is great but would have been better if they had a slightly longer season. Was 16 or 20 episodes hard to fight for?

Agreed he does have a better story than Ozai.

[Thundercrack85]

Well, the production values make the old show look like crap, so that's one benefit to having less episodes, and more money.

Yeah, I wonder if they'd still write Ozai that way now. I tend to think that the writers have improved a lot since the original show.

In the flashback, they do seem to show that Amon is... was never a great guy. Really likes his power. But he does seem to care about his brother. So, he's an evil ****, but he does love his brother. And apparently feels regretful about abandoning him. All the other crimes he's committed? Not so much.

[sandwraith]

Originally Posted by Thundercrack85

Well, the production values make the old show look like crap, so that's one benefit to having less episodes, and more money.

Yeah, I wonder if they'd still write Ozai that way now. I tend to think that the writers have improved a lot since the original show.

In the flashback, they do seem to show that Amon is... was never a great guy. Really likes his power. But he does seem to care about his brother. So, he's an evil ****, but he does love his brother. And apparently feels regretful about abandoning him. All the other crimes he's committed? Not so much.

Having a dad like Yakone kind of ****s with your concept of right and wrong. It's like Zuko and Azula except you don't have Iroh (I) to be a sturdy mentor. Tarrlok probably had his mother though I suspect she was completely clueless over the whole Bloodbending legacy and died never knowing who her husband really was.

[Midnight Black]

Although Amon was great at his power at a young age. I don't think he really liked it. Yes, he was good and marveled at the fact that he was so good, but I think if he had to choose between the power he possessed and going back to when Yakone was actually a good dad then he would have chose the latter.

His motivation was enough for me. He was turned into a monster, hated his power, hated his father and what he was doing, and saw that his father's obsession with bending and revenge were the result of his obsession/evil/bending/ and the avatar.

He came to resent all these things and thus want to rid the world of it. His means may have been wrong, but I think the idea of eradicating all bending was justified in his mind.

It's sad, they both hated their father but in the end inadvertantly became that which they hated though they tried so hard not too. It was only Tarrlock that finally realized that though and saw the one true way to fix it, in his mind.

[Midnight Black]

Question:

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

Tarrlock said that after his father changed his face and moved to the north that he tried to start a new and fell in love and was a good father for awhile.

Do you believe this to be true or do you think Yakone always had the idea of revenge in the back of his mind?

[Thundercrack85]

Maybe. But obviously it's a lot easier to get revenge when your kids inherit your crazy powers. If they were born normal? Might have turned out very different.

[sandwraith]

Originally Posted by Midnight Black

Question:

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

Tarrlock said that after his father changed his face and moved to the north that he tried to start a new and fell in love and was a good father for awhile.

Do you believe this to be true or do you think Yakone always had the idea of revenge in the back of his mind?

Tarlokk did say that things were happier before they discovered they could Bend. Further reason why Amon hates Bending I guess.

[Asgard]

Originally Posted by Midnight Black

Do you believe this to be true or do you think Yakone always had the idea of revenge in the back of his mind?

I like to think that before his kids learned of their bending ability he was content with what he had, but Yakone came across as an opportunist and probably decided on revenge the moment he learned of his kids' waterbending.

[Thundercrack85]

Might have also seen it as some kind of sign. Bloodbending being a curse is a theme in the show. Since it's seen as inherently evil.

[sandwraith]

I....I can't believe its over.

[sandwraith]

Ok, I'm gonna take a break soon. Big question. Do you think the reveal was an ass-pull or was it vaguely foreshadowed by Korra's visions?

[Tanin]

I only had one problem with Amon.... Makeup. His brother was smart enough to actually electrocute himself to sell his story.

Amon should have had a fire bender actually burn the living hell out of his face and he may have actually beaten the Avatar by keeping his supporters. But in the end... he wasn't even willing to go all the way yet Tarrlok was. Who is the weak one again?


On the other note. I like how Tarrlok only really started using Blood bending because he feared for his life. (Korra was about to kill him with fire.)

[Thundercrack85]

No it wasn't a total ass pull. They were having fun with the audience. The scene where he takes his mask off, and he has the scar, and it seems like Korra was wrong?

Could his back story have been told better? I think so.

[DarthSkywalker]

Originally Posted by craigdbfan

Yes really.


http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/...ew-the-finale/

This makes sense. It seems the show was originally conceived as a 12 episode limited series and then they got 14 more.

Originally Posted by ThreadPool

I'm aware of that. They aired them like a single episode. I felt like there might be action burnout without the first half/episode.

It isn't simply about action. They literally sat down and started telling stories, to explain everything. With a voiceover no less.

[sandwraith]

Originally Posted by Tanin

I only had one problem with Amon.... Makeup. His brother was smart enough to actually electrocute himself to sell his story.

Amon should have had a fire bender actually burn the living hell out of his face and he may have actually beaten the Avatar by keeping his supporters. But in the end... he wasn't even willing to go all the way yet Tarrlok was. Who is the weak one again?


On the other note. I like how Tarrlok only really started using Blood bending because he feared for his life. (Korra was about to kill him with fire.)

Yes well, I don't think Amon was THAT desperate. The mask and the faux origin was supposed to be enough. That and his dulcet tones.