Should you watch this, Wiki this, or wait for the recap? Watch this for the villains, but you can Wiki the rest.
Team Avatar begins their quest to search for new Airbenders the world over, to help Tenzin rebuild the kingdom of the Air Nomads. Meanwhile, Zaheer frees more allies from incarceration. Will Team Avatar be able to even convince one new Airbender to join their cause? And just what is Zaheer up to?
“Rebirth” is the 2nd Chapter (episode) of Book 3 (Season 3) of The Legend of Korra. It fulfills the premise of the new season by sending Team Avatar off on a quest to find and train all the new Airbenders, while also featuring the growing threat Zaheer and his powerful allies.
Which sounds like the more interesting plotline to you? If it’s Zaheer and the new villains, you’re absolutely right. Korra’s team just doesn’t have enough variation in their adventures, and neither are their stakes strong enough. You’re not interested in what happens to Team Avatar, nor do you care about whether they succeed or not – it’s not like the fate of the world is at stake.
Meanwhile, the villains, while having very little airtime, face incredible odds to free all their imprisoned allies. And they’re all visually very interesting in their use of bending, displaying techniques we’ve not seen thus far. The problem, as mentioned, is that they’re not featured as much as Korra and company, and neither is there a lot of exposition for them. But still, they’re the main draw of this episode.
Highlights
Zaheer frees Ghazan and Ming Hua
As mentioned previously, the power of the Korra’s new foes is evident in their myriad use of bending. Visually, both Zaheer and Ghazan show exceptional skill in combat, but Ming Hua is the most engaging of the trio. She’s an armless Waterbender – who fashions tentacles out of water to fight with. Tentacles! We’ve seen a lot of Waterbender love this season – both Season 1 & 2 villains have been Waterbenders, there’s been Bloodbending, the removal of bending abilities, and the spiritual elements to Waterbending. Now, a tentacled Waterbender?
It’s a great time to be a Waterbender.
The return of Zuko
Zuko is back! And hopefully we learn more about his mother (though granted, that story has been told in a comic, but I would like to learn more about it here). He doesn’t have a very long scene, but it’s good to know that he’s still around, and reformed.
Letdowns
Kai
Kai is incredibly stereotypical. He’s the good-hearted orphan off the street who can’t overcome his innate penchant for thievery. Really? The story can only go one of two ways – either he learns to overcome his pilfering tendencies, or he betrays the team. You’re never going to be sure of either, but the problem is, you don’t really care either. Right off the bat, he lies to Korra and the gang. It’s uncertain whether he genuinely likes them, or he’s making use of them.
That would be OK in and of itself, but there’s nothing likeable about Kai! He’s like a rogue Aang, if anything. Nope, not a fan of Kai.
Mako is even more ineffective
What is wrong with Mako this season? When did he start becoming so spineless? Why is Bolin even more useful and powerful than him now? I hope Mako gets some development – he looks like he’s on his way to being forgotten.
The search for new Airbenders
This was another big snoozefest. It’s the same situation repeated ad infinitum. And if the rest of the season is going to see more Airbenders recruited by talking to their families… I hope that premise changes fast.
“The Rebirth” wasn’t an exciting episode in any respect, except for Zaheer and his allies. It ends on a cliffhanger, the rescue of their last, and potentially most powerful comrade. Unfortunately, it is the fate of the villains that interests me more than the outcome of the heroes. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing that I’m watching The Legend of Korra for the antagonists now.
Then again, they’ve always had interesting antagonists.
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