There isnвЂ™t much time for comedy or auxiliary characters in the back-to-back episodes, even for folks like Bolin and Asami. It frazzles Korra, forcing her to say goodbye to Tenzin for the only sensible option: Unalaq. ItвЂ™s a set piece where chaos and fear are more important than thrills. Compared to the martial arts precision of KorraвЂ™s first fight in Book One, her encounter with the spirit lacks fluidity - as it should. The spindly beast rampages through the snow, every element Korra bends hitting it like raindrops. When a spirit attacks the Southern Water Tribe, Korra realizes how little she knows. What to do? вЂњI support whatever decision you make.вЂќ Thanks a lot, Mako. Tonraq urges her to stick with Tenzin, which may be the right decision (a testament to the animators, who can make a cartoon character silently weigh options). If Korra is going to beat them, she has to ditch Tenzin and her father for UnalaqвЂ™s Spirits 101. Turns out, demon-like specters from the other plane of existence are intruding into this world and attacking people. His connection to the Spirit World also calls Korra into action. He cares about deep thoughts, not just the grind of learning. вЂњThis festival used to be a solemn time of fasting and meditation.вЂќ Remind me not to bring this guy to secular Christmas.ДЇor Korra, Unalaq is that college professor who waxes intellectually at just the right moment in life. HeвЂ™s a traditionalist while everyone in the South is partying into the night at the Glacier Spirits Festival, Unalaq bemoans the peoplesвЂ™ lack of spiritual connection. Before he can get two words in, TonraqвЂ™s brother Chief Unalaq (Adrian LaTourelle, Officer Craft on Sons of Anarchy) arrives from the North. James Remar (aka DexterвЂ™s Dad) plays Tonraq, the teenage AvatarвЂ™s dad and patriarch of the tribe. KorraвЂ™s family is even around for the event writers Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko introduce us to a slew of new characters in rapid fire succession. Running with our extended metaphor, the airbender clanвЂ™s vacation to the Southern Water Tribe is the exciting, terrifying college drop-off scenario. Korra stomps off, and while itвЂ™s a minor quibble, her transitional phase over this season will only add more pressure to the relationship.

When complaining about TenzinвЂ™s overbearing ways, Mako canвЂ™t help see eye-to-eye with the mentor. Korra and Mako are still an item, and вЂњRebel SpiritsвЂќ plants the seeds for that romance to be tested. What arenвЂ™t disappearing are the relationships. ItвЂ™s hard to imagine the story circling back (so savor that name drop, Beifong fans). While Book One took its time to soak in the evolved setting, as much an origin story for Korra as it was the Roaring Twenties-inspired Republic City, Book Two whisks the ensemble away without looking back. Like many 17-year-olds, Korra is aching to leave home.

вЂњThe Avatar State is not to be used as a booster rocket!вЂќ Tenzin complains. Airball-racing with 7-year-olds is a lot more fun than studying. And then thereвЂ™s Korra, burnt out from her summer-school airbending lessons with Tenzin. With her inventor father in jail, Asami is testing planes and formulating a plan to restore Future Industries to its former self. Mako is a hotshot cop, patrolling the streets of Republic City on assignment from Lin Beifong. Bolin is still duking it out in the pro-bending arena, with a makeshift Fire Ferrets worthy of the Bad News Bears. The first two episodes of Book Two: Spirits move like lightning, catapulting the story ahead six months and cluing us into the Avatar version of summer vacation. By the finaleвЂ™s closing credits, Korra had taken out Amon and restored balance to Republic City by finally entering the вЂњAvatar State.вЂќ She graduated.ДЄnd like post-grad life, the actual discoveries and hardships had yet to come. Our teen hero owned her identity, formed strong bonds, learned what the worst type of people looked like, and pursued goals that required the hardest fights of her life. Book One of The Legend of Korra was a lot like high school.

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