On the Korra/Mako/Asami thing
Jun. 22nd, 2012 05:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
soc_puppetBefore the season finale airs tomorrow and, I'm sure, changes everything: let's do this shit.
First, the criticisms:
1) The love triangle is really heavy-handed. Well, it is. I mean, I don't think it's much more so the first series was with its romantic sub-plot, especially in the third season, but the love triangle aspect really ratchets things up a notch or three, and the fact that what's probably around the same amount of romance is crammed into twelve or twenty-four episodes doesn't help.
2) It totally bites that, when a show has a female lead, she has to focus on romance. I get why, on several levels, but the (unintended, I'm sure) implication that a woman is incomplete without romance bugs me.
3) It seriously stinks that our two female main characters are romantic rivals. ARGH this makes me itch. So bad. Also, how Lin and Pema were romantic rivals, and that's how they know one another. One or the other wouldn't have been so bad, but both is a bit much, kthx. I'd love to see Korra and Asami (and also Lin and Pema) develop their relationship with one another outside of how they relate to Mako (and Tenzin). Unfortunately, with the romantic rivalry thing going between Asami and Korra, I worry that's not going to happen any time soon. Or at all, touch wood. (Pema and Lin bonding is something I don't anticipate for a while for completely different reasons, though I'd still love to see it.)
Now, the praise:
1) This is probably 90% id-tastic, but the way it's heavily implied that Mako's going to end up with Korra? That he demonstratively cares more about her (so far) than Asami? That fact that he's (probably) ultimately going to pick the brash, brawny, under-socialized, dark-skinned gal over her sophisticated, fashionable, upper-class, light-skinned counterpart? Tickles me goddamn fuchsia.
2) I kinda love how emotionally mature Korra is about the whole situation. Well, aside from the Ikki incident, but she's really not too good with words. The fact that she's willing to accept Mako and Asami as a thing and not interfere with them when Mako's made his choice clear? The fact that she's not competing with Asami over him? The fact that she knows it's not the end of the world if she's not with Mako? Those things make me happy. And while Korra will ultimately have some responsibility for the Mako/Asami breakup (she and Mako share responsibility for not telling Asami about their almost-thing; it would all be on Mako, except for the Ikki incident), I'd lay a good 50% of it on Mako's assholish behavior rather than anything she or Asami did or do. Not that it'll stop a tragic majority of fen from labeling Asami a bitch when it comes down to it (if they aren't already, which I'm sure they are), but in my heart at least she'd be totally justified in dumping his sorry ass. (If Korra then goes on to decide that she's not interested in romance after all, no matter what Mako feels about it, that would be epic, but I really don't expect that to happen. Can't have the Fionna and Gumball thing (pre-Ice King break-in) in every show, alas.)
2a) Bolin's doing pretty well with all of this, too. If it wouldn't be totally awkward for obvious reasons, I'd love to see him and Korra hanging out together in the "I'm into someone who's into someone else, and I'm reasonably okay with that!" corner.
3) This is 100% id-tastic, but it gives me a great excuse to OT3 them. Korra and Mako have good chemistry, as do Mako and Asami (IMO), and Korra and Asami have the potential for good chemistry that I'd really love to see played out in the show. (I've got nothing against hinge-shipping, I just love me some complete polygons.)
3a) Honestly, I'd watch the show if it were nothing but Korra and Asami being awesome. And I'd ship them like the dickens then, so I don't see why I should let Mako stop me. I like him fine, but really, he's getting in the way of their love! [/misogynist yaoi fangirl parody moment]
Upcoming shit:
If Asami dumps or gets dumped by Mako and turns around to join the Equalists in a fit of heartbreak, I will totally lose ...well, not all respect for Mike and Bryan, but a good chunk of it. I honestly expect more from them, especially since I so regularly actually get it. On the other hand, if Asami appears to change sides but is in reality pulling a double-agent/spy stunt to dismantle the Equalists from the inside, my respect will remain intact. Because that would be epic badass. Especially if she ends up breaking the rest of Team Avatar out of Equalist prison or wev.
First, the criticisms:
1) The love triangle is really heavy-handed. Well, it is. I mean, I don't think it's much more so the first series was with its romantic sub-plot, especially in the third season, but the love triangle aspect really ratchets things up a notch or three, and the fact that what's probably around the same amount of romance is crammed into twelve or twenty-four episodes doesn't help.
2) It totally bites that, when a show has a female lead, she has to focus on romance. I get why, on several levels, but the (unintended, I'm sure) implication that a woman is incomplete without romance bugs me.
3) It seriously stinks that our two female main characters are romantic rivals. ARGH this makes me itch. So bad. Also, how Lin and Pema were romantic rivals, and that's how they know one another. One or the other wouldn't have been so bad, but both is a bit much, kthx. I'd love to see Korra and Asami (and also Lin and Pema) develop their relationship with one another outside of how they relate to Mako (and Tenzin). Unfortunately, with the romantic rivalry thing going between Asami and Korra, I worry that's not going to happen any time soon. Or at all, touch wood. (Pema and Lin bonding is something I don't anticipate for a while for completely different reasons, though I'd still love to see it.)
Now, the praise:
1) This is probably 90% id-tastic, but the way it's heavily implied that Mako's going to end up with Korra? That he demonstratively cares more about her (so far) than Asami? That fact that he's (probably) ultimately going to pick the brash, brawny, under-socialized, dark-skinned gal over her sophisticated, fashionable, upper-class, light-skinned counterpart? Tickles me goddamn fuchsia.
2) I kinda love how emotionally mature Korra is about the whole situation. Well, aside from the Ikki incident, but she's really not too good with words. The fact that she's willing to accept Mako and Asami as a thing and not interfere with them when Mako's made his choice clear? The fact that she's not competing with Asami over him? The fact that she knows it's not the end of the world if she's not with Mako? Those things make me happy. And while Korra will ultimately have some responsibility for the Mako/Asami breakup (she and Mako share responsibility for not telling Asami about their almost-thing; it would all be on Mako, except for the Ikki incident), I'd lay a good 50% of it on Mako's assholish behavior rather than anything she or Asami did or do. Not that it'll stop a tragic majority of fen from labeling Asami a bitch when it comes down to it (if they aren't already, which I'm sure they are), but in my heart at least she'd be totally justified in dumping his sorry ass. (If Korra then goes on to decide that she's not interested in romance after all, no matter what Mako feels about it, that would be epic, but I really don't expect that to happen. Can't have the Fionna and Gumball thing (pre-Ice King break-in) in every show, alas.)
2a) Bolin's doing pretty well with all of this, too. If it wouldn't be totally awkward for obvious reasons, I'd love to see him and Korra hanging out together in the "I'm into someone who's into someone else, and I'm reasonably okay with that!" corner.
3) This is 100% id-tastic, but it gives me a great excuse to OT3 them. Korra and Mako have good chemistry, as do Mako and Asami (IMO), and Korra and Asami have the potential for good chemistry that I'd really love to see played out in the show. (I've got nothing against hinge-shipping, I just love me some complete polygons.)
3a) Honestly, I'd watch the show if it were nothing but Korra and Asami being awesome. And I'd ship them like the dickens then, so I don't see why I should let Mako stop me. I like him fine, but really, he's getting in the way of their love! [/misogynist yaoi fangirl parody moment]
Upcoming shit:
If Asami dumps or gets dumped by Mako and turns around to join the Equalists in a fit of heartbreak, I will totally lose ...well, not all respect for Mike and Bryan, but a good chunk of it. I honestly expect more from them, especially since I so regularly actually get it. On the other hand, if Asami appears to change sides but is in reality pulling a double-agent/spy stunt to dismantle the Equalists from the inside, my respect will remain intact. Because that would be epic badass. Especially if she ends up breaking the rest of Team Avatar out of Equalist prison or wev.
