“The Greatest Change”: The Legend of Korra and the Elements of Character Growth Written by Vikram Nijhawan1,2,3 1 Department of English, 2Department of History, Department of Classics 3 Fourth-year undergraduate of Trinity College, University of Toronto
“When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change.” (“Endgame”, 21:20-25) This moment is emotionally-resonant for viewers just as much as it is for Korra, which makes her change feel earned and compelling. The wisdom Aang imparts through these words, in the final episode of Book One: Air, summarizes the titular character’s arc. Even though The Legend of Korra is primarily a fantasy-action show, the protagonist undergoes a profound inner journey, which culminates at this penultimate scene of the season. Just as unfamiliar viewers may be misled by the show’s genre status, Korra too suffers from similar misconceptions about her status as Avatar, focusing solely on the external aspects, related to fighting enemies, at the expense of the internal aspect of attaining closure and personal equilibrium. When the former Avatar speaks these words to his tempestuous successor, Korra, she finally understands the lesson she struggled to learn throughout the entire season. Through this self-actualization, she achieves her full potential, and transforms into the heroine the world needs. Just as Korra struggles to live up to the expectations of her predecessor Aang, so too has The Legend of Korra often been unfairly and negatively compared against the beloved show which preceded it, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Compared to the vicarious fantasy and whimsical escapism of Avatar, many long-time fans had trouble adjusting to the narrower focus and less optimistic tone of the sequel series. While the world of Korra admittedly lacks the grand scope and far-reaching stakes of its predecessor, this proves to be the show’s greatest strength. Its near-singular focus on the protagonist invests the audience in Korra’s growth, and the result feels just as poignant – if not more so – than any of the character arcs in Avatar. Book One: Air in particular adheres to the tried-and-tested features of a positive change arc, and Korra’s journey provides a valuable template for understanding how an action-story protagonist like her can provide inspiration through her meaningful character change. Screenwriters’ Perspectives Vol. 3 No. 1 2022
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