QuiteWhittle
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Relevant interview excerpt:
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Legend of Korra |OT| - Saturday Mornings Just Got Better
- Thread starter Wiseblade
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CornBurrito
Member
Fuck, you're right.
In which case both parents -had- to be heterozygous. But heterozygousness is not sufficient for bending.
That's interesting. I've gotta admit, I prefer the idea of it not being a strictly lineage thing where successive generations of elites give birth to the next generation of benders, but an ethnic and spiritual thing, that anyone from that ethnic group can be a bender of their tribe's element, provided they have a strong enough spiritual element to themselves.
When you start going into having a strong hereditary link, you have clear definition of haves and have nots that spans successive generations. And if you think of it in that context, Amon kind of has a point...
It does seem to be both genetic and... something else, I guess?
Bolin definitely has more of an earth-y build, and Mako is definitely more of a slender fire-y type. I guess each takes after one parent, as many siblings do.
Also... I think the most interesting thing possible for this series would be...
Bolin definitely has more of an earth-y build, and Mako is definitely more of a slender fire-y type. I guess each takes after one parent, as many siblings do.
Also... I think the most interesting thing possible for this series would be...
...If Amon was not lying about being chosen by the spirits.
And I think it will be? Because one look at the Republic City council certainly makes it look like the normals aren't fairly represented.
And I think it will be? Because one look at the Republic City council certainly makes it look like the normals aren't fairly represented.
I think it's much more cultural than anything. Aang and Katara's kids, and Tenzin's kids, are much more prone to become airbenders because they're being raised in the air nomad culture: ascetic environment, meditative routine, and so on. The Fire Nation was nearly able to wipe out waterbending in the North not by wiping out the people but by, I presume, undermining the culture that nurtured it. The Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom continued to produce firebenders because they carried the Fire Nation culture with them.
If this is true then bending itself may be an innate talent or genius, like aptitude for mathematics or whatever; the form it takes is determined by those cultural influences very early in life, like learning a language. Once a certain disposition is set it cannot be changed to allow a different kind of bending. The Avatar is uniquely capable of transcending this imprinting of a particular kind of bending due to their ability to commune with past lives (and other gifts).
In the mythology of the show this nature/nurture composition of the art of bending is refracted through the spirituality, or mysticism, imparted to it. The natural gift of bending is related to the qualities of that person's spirit, and the form of bending flows from the gods and spirits of their community.
If this is true then bending itself may be an innate talent or genius, like aptitude for mathematics or whatever; the form it takes is determined by those cultural influences very early in life, like learning a language. Once a certain disposition is set it cannot be changed to allow a different kind of bending. The Avatar is uniquely capable of transcending this imprinting of a particular kind of bending due to their ability to commune with past lives (and other gifts).
In the mythology of the show this nature/nurture composition of the art of bending is refracted through the spirituality, or mysticism, imparted to it. The natural gift of bending is related to the qualities of that person's spirit, and the form of bending flows from the gods and spirits of their community.
Infinite Justice
Member
I guess they did go into it then
I almost let out a tear, seriously. It was also torture since you couldn't see his face clearly in the intro (though the move he demonstrated was pretty boss)
So you were counting Sokka out before, wut? Not cool
If Amon was chosen by some high authority he's going around it the wrong way. Legislating for equal rights would be the best thing to do. But he's going the route of fear and strong-arm tactics.
That's why I think if there's outside pressure it's from a nefarious source. Not Koh though. Not at all.
That's why I think if there's outside pressure it's from a nefarious source. Not Koh though. Not at all.
electroshockwave
Member
You're thinking of bending as Mendelian genetics but it could be complex and be influenced by the environment (this can include anything even in the womb) or epigenetics and mutations.
Professor Beef
Banned
Finally saw episode 4.
"So I hear you're dirt-poor!"
"So I hear you're dirt-poor!"
Not at all. If what he says is true and judging from the power he has it seems whoever gave it to him intended for him to take away bending from the world, or else what use does his power serve?
Infinite Justice
Member
Finally saw episode 4.
"So I hear you're dirt-poor!"
The first thing that came to my mind upon hearing this was ETHER.
And i wonder if that was his interpretation or Asami's lulz
So you were counting Sokka out before, wut? Not cool
Well, after he drank that cactus juice, who knows what effect it would have on him as an adult.
CornBurrito
Member
There's nothing that suggests Aangs children were prone to be airbenders. Actually quite the opposite. Only 1/3rd of his children were benders.
And I think you presume wrong. The North had so few benders because the Fire Nation was removing and imprisoning the benders. Assuming bending is genetic, that would effectively eliminate bending from the Northern tribe after several generations. They were basically doing artificial selection and changing allele frequencies.
Black-Wind
Member
Pretty much the bolded.
I always felt that bending was like an art or talent ... anyone could do it and get better at it if they tried hard and practiced, but not everyone tries because either they were never interested in it at a young age or they simply didn't have much of a feel for it so they never tried to develop that. I'm sure there are tons of people who could be great artist if they actually had the interest and drive to spend the time it takes to get from napkin doodles to fully rendered paintings.
I think it's one part genetic (The element you can bend and predisposed talent for it) and one part spiritual (which is kinda fuzzy. This could very well just be the key to bending regardless of genetic talent).
Yet it re-appeared soon after... Re-appeared strong enough that one of Republic City's councilors is a powerful Northern-tribe bender, though quite certainly NOT descended from Katara. I think THAT demonstrates that the manifestation of bending is not so much genetic.
Aaronology
Member
Have I missed something? Waterbending in the Northern Water Tribe was going strong, no? Wasn't it Katara's Southern Tribe that lacked benders?
He will mess you up, right after he finishes making some jewelry for Katara and riding giant koi fish.
You're absolutely right, I had myself upside down, heh.
Ultimadrago
Member
Fimbulvetr
Member
He will mess you up, right after he finishes making some jewelry for Katara and riding giant koi fish.
You forgot the most important part:
Oh, his methods are (likely) absolutely wrong. But it seems entirely plausible that the spirits could come to conclusion that bending is the current imbalance. A counter to bending does seem like an entirely appropriate thing to exist in the world, however it gets there, if "balance" is the ultimate goal of the spirits.
And in the vein of "they work in mysterious ways," giving it to a radical like Amon could qualify as a "conversation starter" for their society. It could also be a gift from that one specific trickster/whatever spirit whose name I'm forgetting, even.
Just saw episode 4.
- Awesome episode!
- Amon is a f'ning boss and downright scary dude.
- Asami is a babe and seems nice enough (so far)
- Nice voice work from all. Cool to hear Daniel Dae Kim in the show.
- Does Korra sleep in her shoes and day clothes? At least she wore a dress to the party.
- That raid on the chi-blockers certainly made the benders look oppressive. I'm not sure if that was the director's intention or not.
- I didn't see that "flashback" coming. Confusing but neat.
- Poor Bolin. I can already see him ultimately getting shut down my Korra. =/
- I hope we see more non-benders like the Satos. I want to see some oppression to make Amon's position not feel so forced. We saw a tiny bit in the first episode. We need more though, so the plight feels real.
Koh?
Heh. It's like the short story Harrison Bergeron. Forcefully limiting those with natural gifts to create true social equality. Even without bending there wouldn't be true equality. It's a witch hunt.
Just my view on it though. It is a very interesting theory as to where the story could go.
Just my view on it though. It is a very interesting theory as to where the story could go.
i think this has to be the case.
One of the things that makes me most uncomfortable is how casual Korra is with bullying people with bending. She wrecks the Protestor in the park, comes back and shakes him down the next week, and then she casually abuses the messenger douchebag watertribecouncilor sends across. I definitely think it's intentional.
According to the artbook, "Balance" was a major focus of ATLA.
According to the artbook, "Balance" was a major focus of ATLA.
The protester could be excused as a highly emotionally charged moment (they were looking for a friend and a brother who might be dead and he was the only lead), but what she did with the messenger thing was just being a jerk. I hope she does it one day to someone who is going to push back. That'll be interesting to see.
WrenchNinja
Member
I really do hope when Korra does meet Aang, he's still his playful and goofy self.You forgot the most important part:
There is no way they take away his goofiness. It wouldn't be Aang without it.
Yeah if anyone still retained their inner child into adulthood, it's Aang.
Hope Sokka did too. Wished he grew one of these:
AceBandage
Banned
You forgot the most important part:
The original series had so many amazing gifable scenes.
No excuse for being a bully
I'm just saying why she's a bully
Tenzin's probably a beast. The longer one is seen not fighting, the more badass they are. It's a narrative truism. Chi blockers will be flung far and wide.
Yeah Korra's prone to abuse bending to get her way. You'd think someone would knocked some sense into her earlier on.
AceBandage
Banned
She was the avatar, and she was treated with a lot of respect. Not to mention that she was naturally gifted and probably destroyed most challenged.
But, we're already seeing her starting to grow. Actually listening to Tenzi, showing a weaker side.
I actually have a bit of trouble imagining Korra showing the patience to develop her seismic sense.
AceBandage
Banned
Fimbulvetr
Member
Considering Aang could create vortexes around himself that blocked ranged weaponry and pushed people around, I'd say yeah. They wouldn't even be able to restrain him from afar, let alone get close enough to chi-block. Also, on Aang being an innovative bender, didn't he master air by creating his own technique? Seems that kind of creativeness is just an inherent part of his personality(helps that air is the element of freedom).
The air scooter was his invention. He developed that, was declared a master airbender, and got his manly arrow tattoos.
CornBurrito
Member
Yeah I made a mistake. I meant South.
Except Toph wasn't exactly spiritual, and yet she could bend.
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