“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (of Fond Memories)

In honor and excitement of the upcoming final season of The Legend of Korra, this week’s Throwback Thursday will take a look at its parent show, Avatar: The Last Airbender.

I remember scouring the television every weekend, trying to find the latest episodes (or even re-runs) of this show during its prime. It was like a spiritual offspring of DBZ to me. It was a show that had fights and fancy powers, but it was so much more. The show, although a Nickelodeon show, had deeper meanings than those on the surface, and it delved into character development like no other on the channel! It introduced you to many characters and made you hate and love them all.

The Legend of Korra: Book 4 Trailer Is Here!

The Legend of Korra returns for its fourth and final season, next Friday, exclusively on nick.com.

The Legend of Korra’s Final Season Begins October 3rd (Of 2014!)

In a surprise move meant to give me a heart attack, Nickelodeon has announced that the final season of The Legend of Korra will begin airing on the first Friday of October (the 3rd) OF THIS YEAR. Yep, you read that correctly, and no, you’re not dying. (This is what I was saying to myself in the mirror just a few minutes ago.)

The fourth and final Book, titled “Balance” will be shown on nick.com every Friday, around 10 AM PDT. No word on how many episodes there will be in this last season, but it’ll probably be around 12, like the others.

Here’s hoping the shortest seasonal hiatus in television history doesn’t result in a loss of quality. I have faith!

Check out the video of series creators/gods-among-men, Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, making the official announcement here.

The Legend of Korra Review: “Enter the Void”/”Venom of the Red Lotus”

Episodes 3.12 and 3.13. Warning: Spoilers follow.

PHILIP: Holy crap.

JEREMIAH: #feels

PHILIP: They done out did “Beginnings” (Part 1 and 2) from last season.

JEREMIAH: It was a strong two episodes. They put lots of cool effort into their finales. I love their finale fights so much.

PHILIP: Yeah. I felt like I was watching the Avengers. Korra went all “Iron Man” on Zaheer’s ass.

The Legend of Korra Review: “The Ultimatum”

Episode 3.11. Warning: Spoilers follow.

After much stuttering, buffering, and weird rainbow glitches, I was finally able to watch The Legend of Korra on my phone using the atrocious I learned this word in fourth grade Nickelodeon app. Needless to say, it was well worth the frustration.

Throughout most of the episode, we see Korra struggling with one choice: whether or not to turn herself in. Essentially, she’s choosing between the on-the-verge-of-extinction Air Nation, and the lives of the citizens of the other three nations (four, counting Republic City). With a little guidance from the master of guidance, Uncle Iroh, and his nephew Zuko, Korra receives new clarity. And while that’s all well and good, Zaheer has taken the initiative and arrives at the Northern Air Temple, an evil glint in his eye.

The Legend of Korra Review: “Long Live the Queen”

Episode 3.10. Warning: Spoilers follow.

What an episode. I mean, what else is there to say? Between some fine action sequences, quietly dramatic moments, and stellar environments, The Legend of Korra’s tenth outing of season three is impeccably balanced. But these are all things that I’ve come to expect from Korra. This has become its standard of excellence. That is why, when it slumps (such as with Episodes 6 and 7), I’m a bit harsh. “Long Live the Queen” is a milestone installment for Korra: what Jet’s death did for Avatar: The Last Airbender, Queen Hou-Ting’s death does for The Legend of Korra.

The Legend of Korra Review: “The Stakeout”

Episode 3.09. Warning: Spoilers follow.

It’s go-time for the Legend of Korra. Episode nine of the series’ third season, “The Stakeout,” begins slowly, but when the bending rains, it pours.

There’s a lot to like in this episode: well-placed humor (the Nuktuk fanatics), beautifully drawn environments (once more into the Spirit World, with feeling!), and even some philosophophizing. Zaheer and Korra finally get their duel, but instead of bending, they sit down for a chat. It’s a concise, philosophical palaver that I felt teetered on the edge of contrived (you could tell the writers simply wanted to get explanations out of the way), but made sense once the viewers were filled in on Zaheer’s plan.

The first episode in three (or four) that Team Avatar is on the move again, and they’re all captured/separated. So far, not a great track record. But with Mako/Bolin in Zaheer’s hands, and Korra/Asami in the Earth Queen’s hands, I think it’s safe to expect a thrilling final four episodes of the season.

The Legend of Korra Review: “The Terror Within”

Episode 3.08. Warning: Spoilers follow.

Team Avatar is still in Zaofu, and as Korra continues to pick up metalbending like a pro, Bolin continues to struggle. His toil isn’t contained to bending, however, as his new love interest, Opal, is about to leave for the Northen Air Temple, to train with Tenzin. At the farewell dinner, Bolin gives the quote of the episode, “Whenever I’m eating raw kale, I’ll think of you.”

The episode strolls quickly along, and as night falls, Team Zaheer infiltrates the steel fortress of Zaofu. Through use of some badass waterbending stealth, Zaheer and his cronies get their hands on Korra, and begin to make their escape. But enter Pabu, the Super Fire Ferret of Republic City, who alerts Bolin and Mako to Korra’s abduction. Soon the entire city is awake, and the metalbenders of Zaofu prove themselves much more competent benders than the White Lotus.

The Legend of Korra Review: “Old Wounds”/”Original Airbenders”

Episodes 3.06 and 3.07. Warning: Spoilers follow.

Okay, so before I share my thoughts on the latest two-episode block of The Legend of Korra, I’d like to do a little housekeeping: my first review for Korra began with Episode 4 of Season 3, and it’s been bugging me non-stop since (in the shower, before I fall asleep, whenever I walk by my poster of Dan and Pat of the Black Keys; it’s as if they’re saying, “Hey. Hey, you. Yeah, you. You didn’t start at the beginning, you non-officious sonuvabitch.” And it hurts. It really hurts, guys).

And although my level of OCD hasn’t got me tracing wood grains on the floor (a la Han Qing-jao of Xenocide) I feel that I’d better do something to keep it from swallowing me up.

The Legend of Korra Review: “In Harm’s Way”

Episode 3.04. Warning: minor spoilers follow.

Without a doubt, “In Harm’s Way” takes the cake as my favorite episode of Korra‘s third season thus far. It follows to a tee what I call the  “Holy Trinity of Narrative”: action, character, and theme. This episode has it all: superb bending sequences, comedic one-liners, and a little dose of sappiness (the good kind). And it’s all woven together seamlessly by episode director Melchior Zwyer. how badass a name is that?

The first 5 or so minutes of the episode really gets the blood pumping: a high-octane battle sequence which actually serves as a kind of microcosm for the rest of the episode. Zaheer (this season’s Big Bad, otherwise known as Guy-Whose-Voice-Does-Not-Match-His-Face) has come to free the fourth member of his pseudo-Avatar gang. Zuko, having predicted Zaheer’s move, is already there, intent on stopping him. Zuko is accompanied by the twin chiefs of the Water Tribe, Esca and Desna, along with Korra’s father, Tonraq. Needless to say, it doesn’t go well for Zuko and the other good guys, but Glory to Omashu! it was pretty to see. Studio Mir, Korean animation studio responsible for all the beautiful bending bits, really takes this chance to show off its chops.

Brandon Stark Is Back!

Cover Art for “Babylon’s Ashes” (The Expanse #6)

Wazzup, jabronies?

Here’s the cover for James S. A. Corey’s sixth entry into The Expanse series, Babylon’s Ashes, by Daniel Dociu:

D’awwww

I feel like having an “awww” day. CHALLENGER APPROACHES. Cutest little animal. Submit your submissions accordingly.