Republic City Dispatch

If I learned anything from Ghostbusters it’s: “if someone asks if you’re a god you say yes.”

If you like what you hear, PLEASE REVIEW US ON iTUNES. 

Honestly, we’re just fans and what we want to do after a new episode of a show we love is discuss it. We’ve discovered a way to share that with a bunch of people, which we think will make for the best discussion. 

The more attention we get, the better the opinions and dialogue amongst fans, the clearer the message we as a fanbase send to Nickelodeon that good television is worth making.

-Da7e-

Hello Merrill!

Considering Matt Patches and myself used your Legend Of Korra bonus episode of The Idiot Boxers to soft launch the Republic City Dispatch (hear that episode here), we all certainly know a thing or two about gaming to get more followers! : )

In the two days since Korra has aired, we’ve gotten the “let’s not trust Amon” question/comment from listeners laserswords , thewomanwhohasthearebelheart , and badluv12.

We have considered the possibility, yes. But, then again, maybe we’re all missing the point (like badluv12 suggested to us) and Amon serves a purpose close to the Fire Lord in Books 1 & 2 where he’s scary because he’s faceless.

I’ve already gotten a lot of Batman out of Korra, but say Amon tells a different origin story a la The Joker to everyone he meets. That would have me equally satisfied. 

We have a masked villain, so at some point he will need to be unmasked/revealed, but I think we have a ways to go before we get there, and that moment will have the weight that “I was born on a farm, a bender killed my parents” didn’t have.

-Da7e-

Interesting. 

Just as a counterpoint: the two other gangs we haven’t seen yet in Republic City are the Red Monsoons and the Agni Kais. That sounds like one water bending gang and one fire bending gang to me. 

Also the Triple Threats are likely named because they have thugs that bend all 3 elements. 

I guess Earthbenders make good armies and everyone else makes good gangs? 

-Da7e-

I really don’t want to answer this, because I’m starting to think we’re not getting flashbacks, instead we might be building to a big “Korra accesses The Avatar State at the darkest hour” moment.

We’re only 3 episodes in and The Avatar State hasn’t come up yet. It looks like Korra might be in dire straights next week (4/28, Saturday 11AM on Nickelodeon), so maybe something gets triggered then, BUT:

I won’t speak for my two co-hosts, but I’ll make one prediction and then table answering any Avatar State questions until we get more info:

The Avatar State will be where we first see Adult Aang outside the intro.

Ok. We’ll get to this all later. I mean, we have to, right?

-Da7e-

I’m sorry. When you say that, all I can think is this:

Anyway, let’s hope we don’t get that dark.

-Da7e-

[ED. Da7e foolishly claims Iroh’s son was named Mako no Lu Ten. These instances have been corrected. Da7e will be flogged]

This is hard to pin-point because of the history of the name “Mako” as used on the series. 

Uncle Iroh was voiced by Mako Iwamatsu, the actor, during Books 1 & 2 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The “Tale of Iroh” is dedicated to Mako, – though Iroh’s son tragically killed son is named “Lu Ten”

However, it’s all complex now, because the Korra creative team has also mentioned that the Fire Ferret Mako was also named after the late voice actor.

Is Mako just a common Fire Nation name?

As for Mako being part of the Zuko bloodline, that might have roots in The Promise (Part One) and I discussed that a bit on Episode 1.

-Da7e-

Oh yeah, I haven’t personally had time to bounce around Republic City yet. AND it seems to be ongoing. Occasionally, we (The Dispatch, not the Royal Fandom “we”) get access to screenshots I can only assume are from the experience.

(Shout-out TheLegendOfKorra.com) 

You’re right, though, it’s probably irresponsible of me to have not tried it yet. We’ll quickly adapt the nuggets in the online experience into our general discussion and try not to fly off all willy-nilly like we did about the Zuko statue. 

-Da7e-

I don’t want to crush your fan spirit, so… while I do NOT think Ty Lee is related to Jinora, the only way that would be possible is if Pema (Tenzin’s wife) is somehow from the Ty Lee line. 

It would seem more likely to me, though, that Jinora is wearing a Air Nomad twist on an Earth peasant hairstyle, and that’s what’s connecting Jinora to Ty Lee in your mind.

They do look similar, but I want to assume that whatever happened between A:TLA and LoK wasn’t just the characters from the first series mixing in a blender to make the characters from the second series.

I loved Ty Lee’s energy and spunk and general optimistic attitude, and would love for that to come into LoK in an organic way. However, making Ty Lee somehow part of Aang’s extended family seems far-fetched.

In my HUMBLE opinion, of course.

-Da7e- 

It’s as long as it needs to be at the moment, I think. There will always be more to talk about and if you MUST talk Korra, this blog and Korra Nation should help a bit, but…speaking personally, it would seem kind of ridiculous to podcast longer than twice the episodes running time. 

If you like movies, feel free to listen to Devindra on the /Filmcast and Patches and I on Operation Kino. Those are both well over an hour on a weekly basis.

Although I’d love to go to the Fire Kingdom and I’m almost positive we will learn what came of the Kyoshi Warriors, the people who represent each element in LoK’s opening are just the most recent Avatars from that element (Aang/Air, Korra/Water, Kyosi/Earth, Roku/Fire) and I’m not sure it goes beyond that.

Although, re-watching, does Aang have a beard?

-Da7e-

Listener @M0t0rbreath also asked this question.

The problem with Blood Bending is that when it’s brought up in A:TLA it comes with some attachments: 1) it’s the most evil of the water bending techniques and 2) it can only be used during a full moon.

Blood Bending was developed by an imprisoned Water Bender like metal bending was developed by an imprisoned Toph, but whenever someone uses Blood Bending it’s always mentioned how…I dunno, “generally evil” it is.

I think it would be weird for Korra to have to embrace a darkness in her to win. She may ask someone (and if she does, please let it be Gran Gran Katara) to teach her, but I’m guessing someone will tell her that evil power is the shelter of the weak, and she’s the Avatar, so she needs to suck it up. : )

-Da7e-

No.

We’ve managed to avoid Star Wars allusions in favor of Batman allusions thus far. : )

Let’s just say that if I put my foot in my mouth here, I will be disappointed in the storytelling, and that’s not something I’m expecting from Korra, since it’s been so sure-footed this whole time.

-Da7e-

General points for beating me at my own theory, extra bonus points for mentioning The Great Gatsby. 

They better still be making people read that in school. Because when Korra is standing on Air Temple Island watching Tenzen stretch his arms out towards the distant green light…

This from listener Eric, just to throw some spice into my current favorite geek theory:

I’m not sure about this Yellow theory because Yellow is usually the colour for the Air Nomads.  To that point, I’ve found it interesting that several citizens of Republic City appear to be in Air Nomad clothing.  However, given that the Air Nomads were nearly wiped out, their traditional colour might very well become symbolic for those against bending.

As far as overall colour palette goes, the golden wash hearkens back to this 1920s “Golden Age” feel.  It reminds me of the opening sequence to The Incredibles.

I think the only safe thing we can say here is: When yellow is used it’s on purpose. 

-Da7e-

(The “Yellow Theory” is in Episode 2 of the podcast. Listen HERE!)

Republic City Dispatch will include guests. 

That’s about all we can say right now.

But we hear you. We HEAR YOU. : )

Hi Appleeater1313!

You, sir, asked this question first, but it seems to be QUITE the theory floating around. I like you’re question because it deals with something we discussed in Episode 2 of the podcast, namely if there is an antagonist from the Spirit World that might not take to kindly to being forgotten. 

However, and I hope this doesn’t piss you off, I’m going to use your question to address a specific spirit that keeps coming up because of Amon’s “took my face” aside (which could mean just horrible burning, but we’re geeking out, so let’s go there). I’m of course, talking about Koh.

Koh the face stealer that took the wife of the last waterbending Avatar? Yes.

There’s lots of compelling evidence that Koh is the god we’re looking at, and I’ve been purposefully trying to avoid talking about it, buuuuuuuut – Koh has a thing against emotion in general.

Showing any emotion allowed it to steal your face, and his/her/its faithful meeting with Avatar Kuruk’s wife was about emotion interfering with the duties of the Avatar. So, it seems unlikely Koh would get involved with a Civil War of any kind, because Koh as a character is kind of unfeeling. I don’t see him sympathizing with non-benders, or even with and orphaned Amon, as the case may be.

On the other hand, all of Koh’s non-stolen faces are designed like – or actually are – Japanese Noh masks, as is Amon’s mask in this series. There’s compelling evidence on both sides for Koh.

Need more info.

Overall though, I think Devindra was really on to something this week when he mentioned that it would fall into a more recognizable anime storytelling structure by having Amon end up being an uneasy ally by the end of our story. If that’s because something from the Spirit World reveals itself, I’m cool with that.

But sometimes “took my face” is just a more dramatic way of saying “I’m horribly scarred under this mask,” and that’s the stance I’m taking until I  know more.

-Da7e-

Thank you, Anonymous. 

Considering you are one of Time’s 100 Most Influential people this year, I’m taking this approval to mean we’re well on our way to being the most popular podcast ever. We’re coming This American Life!

Wondering what “The Yellow Theory” is? Make sure you’ve caught Episode 2 of The Republic City Dispatch HERE.

Something else I noticed on rewatch: If yellow really is a “non-bending” color that has been elevated out of the other colors/elements, this might be evidence.

Early on in “The Revelation” Mako, Bolin and Korra are training at the Pro-Bending arena (remember: ‘mornings are evil?’). Each of them wears a belt/sash with the color of their bending ability (Mako – Orange/Fire, Bolin – Green/Earth, Korra – Blue/Water).

When Butaka, the non-bending head of Pro Bending shows up, guess what color his wardrobe is accented in?

BAM!

(Da7e slams mic, Da7e goes home)

-Da7e-

In general: Thank you all for your questions! We’re working on providing thoughtful responses, especially with those asking about Koh and The Avatar State. Hey, we gotta have some fodder for future dispatches right? : )

As for Sokka. Hmmmm. I would be very surprised if we didn’t figure out what happened to Sokka. He believed in Aang since the beginning, was one of the core trio and managed to be the shining example of excellence amongst those not blessed with bending abilities. It would just feel weird to exclude him. I have trust that we’ll learn about Sokka when it’s a thematic gut punch (just seems like Korra is that type of show), but I’d be okay with a Squeee-moment if we just learn that he’s made a successful line of boomerangs.

-Da7e-

1. Yes. When we last saw Ty Lee she was a Kyoshi Warrior, who were also amongst the best non-bender fighters (Team Boomerang!). But, now that we know Amon supposedly grew up on a farm, they’re blood relation looks less likely. However, Ty Lee was our biggest in to the concept of chi-blocking and that art has obviously been revived by Amon. If we get flashbacks, I wouldn’t mind Ty Lee popping up, but it seems unlikely she turned evil. She was so cheery even through Azula’s lunacy. It would break my heart to learn that Amon gained access to Ty Lee by being Sokka and Suki’s child, because it means they were killed by a Fire Bender and didn’t live happily ever after on a farm somewhere. But, it would keep the non-bender unity through time. We don’t know if Korra is that interested in telling us what happened to the old characters yet, so the most likely possibility is that Amon is his own man…man?…faceless thing that talks like a man.

2) Oh yes. And Black Dynamite. You’re right, LeSean Thomas is the man. And his website is pretty cool too.

-Da7e-

I’ve been thinking about this too.

First, because it looked so different than other energy bending we’ve seen (who can forget the visually stunning red/blue inner-light battle at the end of A:TLA?) and it seemed to “walk back” the bending abilities. Assuming that channeling lightning is more difficult than fire bending, Amon’s technique looked more like “draining” as final spurts of lightning, then fire came out.

Second, if I may geek out…

Energy Bending and Chi-Blocking are similar in the sense that they skills essentially useless as an individual activity. They require contact points with chi centers. The Lion Turtle passed on knowledge to Aang through the forehead and chest chi points and Aang took away The Fire Lord’s power with the two face contact points and the chest contact point. Amon had a grip on the neck and seemed to only need his thumb on the the “third eye” region of the forehead.

Overall, I’m wary of calling this Energy Bending because it looked so much different than the Energy Bending we’ve seen before.

I agree we don’t know about “afterwards” but the show certainly wanted to nail home that Amon was boasting he could permanently take away the powers. So regardless of if it’s true or not, at this point in the narrative, I think we’re just supposed to be fearful of this mysterious power.

If you’re conjecture is true, though, I wonder what the Triple Threat Triads would think about being made fools of. 

-Da7e-

Good morning benders and non-benders alike and welcome to the Repulic City Dispatch, a radio programme covering Nickelodeon’s Legend of Korra series.

This week we’ll be covering “Welcome to Republic City” and “Leaf in The Wind,” the first two chapters from Book One: Air, which aired Saturday April 14th.

Hosted by Devindra Hardawar of the /Filmcast and Da7e and Matt Patches of Operation Kino.

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