Showing posts tagged legend of korra
How does Amon know about energybending? He was there! Why does Amon not know about the chest-touching part of energybending? He was standing behind Yakone and could only see part of it. The angle also implies that whoever watching is short. If that... View high resolution

How does Amon know about energybending? He was there!

Why does Amon not know about the chest-touching part of energybending?

He was standing behind Yakone and could only see part of it. The angle also implies that whoever watching is short. If that is Amon, could it be that Amon is Yakone’s son?

Explains his grudge, doesn’t it …

It would also make sense time-line wise. If forty years ago Amon was a kid, it would put him in Tenzin’s age range. Sounds about right to me, considering his voice and demeanor.

It could just be 3-rd person flashbacks, like Roku’s but it does tie in neatly with this (click for energybending theories). We will see :D

Thanks goes to falris for pointing me in the right direction.

How does bending work?

Regarding a previous anonymous question, how can you you be sure that genetics is not at all involved in bending? It seems kinda unrealistic to say that it’s completely based in spirituality. I know that there is a blogger who creates a very interesting genetics theory for bending that would explain how non-benders could produce benders and how benders could produce non-benders. What makes you so sure that genetics aren’t at all involved?

One more time:

A) Bending is not based on real world science, it works how the creators say it works. It is not gravity. 

B) It is genetic as in that humans can do it, just like badgermoles and dragons and sky-bisons can, but rabbaroos cannot.

The creators point out multiple times that it is linked to spirituality and learning/developing it. Everyone has the spark, it is up to ‘you’ to develop it. It is important to them that it cannot be lineage.

Interview

BK: Mike and I just got new puppies. They’re brothers. They have the same mother and father. Same litter. Mike’s dog can just sit in a crate and be happy as a clam. My dog just loses all control…everything. Who knows why these things happen? They’re beyond our full understanding.

MDD: Yeah, Katara’s mom and dad weren’t benders. Maybe it’s a recessive gene. I’ve always seen it as more spiritual connections, though. A little bit mysterious…

BK: I mean we’ve definitely talked about it. I think, again, sometimes we might not know…it’s more of what we don’t want it to be. We didn’t want it to be like there is a lineage…a royal family or something…and these people can bend and then there’s everyone else as non-bending, people who never will. Some sort of caste system. Mike and I are more attracted to more of the flux type universe. The only constant is change, variation, that sorta thing. I’m sure it’s a bunch of factors.

***Interviewers note: About 20 mins after the interview, Bryan came back to me and we spoke a little more about the basis of bending off recorder. He described bending as more of a talent. You have some genetic basis for potential, but you could go your whole life without developing the talent into ability. Some people have more inherent talent than others, while others with minimal inherent talent can still develop it through hard work and practice. He reiterated a connection to the spiritual energies is the underlying basis. How it manifests is based on upbringing and experience.


So, bending is related to spirituality i.e. anyone can theoretically learn how to bend. And yes, I think this is important and will potentially be the solution to the Amon issue.

Avataraang has a nice little list:

HOW DOES BENDING WORK? — Three important things to know about bending, first it’s not genetic, second spirituality is key and third you must have parents from the nation that element is native to. Also only the Avatar can bend 4 elements, and no, Aang’s children can’t inherit that. 

1) Bending is not genetic as it is shown in 1x14 that two identical twins (i.e. share the same genetic code) do not both bend. One can Earthbend, the other cannot. This eliminates the genetic factor. 

2) The key factor is spirituality. The Air Nomads had a 100% bending rate because their culture was so steeped in spirituality.

3) You must have parents from that nation. While I said it’s not genetic, you must obviously have the parents from a particular nation to be able to bend the element. Aang and Katara could never have a firebending kid because neither of them are from the Firenation. 

4) Children from a multicultural family can bend different elements. Aang and Katara’s children could be Airbenders, Waterbenders or non-benders. Mako and Bolin are brothers, but bend different elements.

Greetings and showing of respect in LOK and ATLA

The atla universe uses several traditional Asian greetings.

LOK: Bowing

Tarrlok bows when he enters Tenzin’s home; the clerk bows to Mako when he enters the shop.

Compare how deep the bow respectively. The deeper the bow the greater the difference in station.

Bows are the traditional greeting in East Asia, particularly in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, and Vietnam.

Basic bows originate at the waist and are performed with the back straight and the hands at the sides (for men) or clasped in front (for women), and with the eyes down. Generally, the longer and deeper the bow, the stronger the emotion or the greater the difference in social standing.

Bows can be generally divided into three main types: informal, formal, and very formal. Informal bows are made at about a fifteen degree angle and more formal bows at about thirty degrees. Very formal bows are deeper.

ATLA

The Fire Nation style greeting shown in the atla pictures above closely resembles the greeting known as Bao Quan 抱拳 i.e. the Chinese martial arts style greeting.

The way Azuala’s soldiers greet her on the ship is known as a kowtow i.e. a show of respect reserved for high officials, nobility, royalty and religious practice.

Neither Bao Quan nor Gong Shou are done in Japan. They are uniquely Chinese greetings.


Gong Shou 拱手

Gong Shou is a common traditional practice of greeting among the chinese, notably during the traditional chinese festival such as Chinese New Year, marriage ceremony, between neighbours, friends, colleagues etc. It is polite way of representing respect, blessing and wishes. It is also practised when saying goodbye.To practise such greeting, the common way is to stand up with your upper body fully upright, extend your two elbows, then wrap your two hands/fists together as one in front of your chest (usually the left fist will be clenched, while the right palm will wrap the left fist). After wrapping the fist together, just shake the together up/down many times. (You will probably see this common practice in chinese kungfu movie or historical drama series).

Gong Shou is usually accompanied by traditional chinese greeting words such as “Gong Xi Gong Xi 恭喜,恭喜” (Congratulations! Congratulations! )，"Jiu Yang Jiu Yang 久仰、久仰" (Long Time No See)，"Qing Duo Duo Guan Zhao 请多多关照" (Please take good care) ，"Jie Ri Guai Le 节日快乐" (Happy Festival) ，"Hou Hui You Qi 后会有期" (see you later and in the future).

Martial Arts Greeting Bao Quan 抱拳

This is a common etiquette in Chinese Martial Arts. The etiquette is known “Bao Quan Li 抱拳礼” (literally translated as “Fist Wrapping Rite”. You will see this in Chinese Kungfu movie or in chinese martial arts sparring.

The common practice is as follow:

Stand Upright with the body straight. Clench your right fist. Straighten your left palm to have 4 fingers in plane, and your left thumb slightly bend. Wrap your two hands together (the left palm over the right clenched fist). Placed the two hands in front of your chest, but making sure that your two eldows do not come up.

There are philosophical martial arts meaning about this practice: The left palm (with 4 fingers) symbolizes Virtue, Wisdom, Health, Art, which are also called the “4 nurturing elements”, symbolizing the spirit of Martial arts. The left thumb is slightly bent to mean that one should not be arrogant or always attempt to be no.1 . The right fist symbolizes rigorous practice. Since the right fist is clenched, it means a form of ‘attack’ but with the left palm wrapping it, it means “discipline” and 'restraint/control in order not to abuse the martial practice".

Another explanation is that the left hand symbolizes the “5 lakes 五湖” while the right fist clenched symbolzies “4 sea 四海”). When the left hand is placed onto the right hand, it means that “people in the 5 lakes and 4 seas are all brothers” (五湖四海皆兄弟). It’s a practice to respect and prevent fightings among the different martial groups in the past.

Bowing (also known as “Ketou 磕头” or Kowtow)

Bowing was a form of ancient chinese practice when a commoner or an official greet an emperor. It was also practised when a commoner greet an official (such as magistrate or someone in the chinese bureaucracy). The common practice was to kneel down on the floor, and then bow with heads touching the ground and two hands landing on the floor.

Such practice was largely abandoned after Chinese imperialism ended in 1911. Today, chinese rarely bow, although it can be quite common 'knock the head’ as a form of slight bowing in greeting.

Kowtoy (bowing) is only practised today in Chinese religious ceremony/rituals such as ancestor worship, daoist ceremony, buddhist paying homage to the Buddha etc. The 90 degree bowing is however practised in Japanese culture.

Sources: One, two, three, four, five

Rebloged for the anon that asked. Original - ATLA only - post is here.

Republic City Government: Inequalities Part 2

I already discussed how the City Council over-represents and under-represents certain groups. Click for the full post.

Here are two more pieces in the puzzle of Republic City’s social situation:

Not only do we have a bender vs. non-bender conflict, we also seem to have bender vs. bender workers conflict

The police force (at the elite end) seems to be an earthbender only affair. The Metalbenders (see picture), by default, are an earthbender only squat, keeping all other benders, as well as non-benders from being part of the elite police force, if not the police as a whole. This is not a good thing.

Another interesting thing to note about the police is, how come, when the Metalbenders can reach any part of the city, and are that highly skilled and supplied, the mob is still this strong?

The other issue is workers rights:
Skill does not seem to pay. Take a closer look at the firebending screenshot from the game. Lightning requires a high skill level from the bender, yet said skill does not seem to pay off at all when it comes to wages. This makes me wonder how badly workers all over the city get treated.

It definitely means Amon has a lot of social discontent to draw from.

Sokka: One - Wan Shi Tong: Zero Is it just me, or does the probending arena look a lot like the Spirit Library XD Did Sokka design that? He does have a history. Trufax: Sokka’s statue is in front of the library curb-stomping an owl, holding up a knot View high resolution

Sokka: One  - Wan Shi Tong: Zero

Is it just me, or does the probending arena look a lot like the Spirit Library XD

Did Sokka design that? He does have a history.

Trufax: Sokka’s statue is in front of the library curb-stomping an owl, holding up a knot

Mystery solved. You’re welcome. View high resolution

Mystery solved. You’re welcome.

Reblogged to add: Could that chi-blocker Korra fights (and loses to) in episode three be Asami? Conservation of character makes this rather likely. Also: As someone pointed out: Note how Asami’s glasses have a green tint to them. Interesting choice... View high resolution

Reblogged to add:

image

Could that chi-blocker Korra fights (and loses to) in episode three be Asami? Conservation of character makes this rather likely.

Also: As someone pointed out: Note how Asami’s glasses have a green tint to them. Interesting choice of color…

More details and discussion here: Click me!

atla-annotated:

Asami Sato - A Theory

A comparison with ‘The Eastern Mata Hari’ Yoshiko Kawashima aka Jin Bihui aka Eastern Jewel.

Note: I’d appreciate it if you kept the ship-war out of this. Thanks.

There are several things that struck me as interesting when Asami was first introduced.

Let’s talk about Asami’s name, which is distinctly Japanese. Atla, previously, had very few distinct Japanese names. (Click here for names-list) Asami’s very green eyes and her very distinctly not Earth Kingdom name was the first thing that reminded me of Yoshiko Kawashima, who was Chinese adopted Japanese and also made me wonder if Asami herself might not be adopted herself, since she looks nothing like her dad and Atla is usually very good about family resemblance.

Her entrance, wearing a leather motorbike outfit, reminds a lot of how Yoshiko Kawashima is introduced in the well-known movie ‘The Last Emperor’. (See pictures) As does her gala outfit.

The way she ‘accidentally’ runs over Mako does not come across as accidental at all to me, but rather pretty much on purpose.

“Yoshiko Kawashima undertook undercover mission in Manchuria, often in disguise, and was considered “strikingly attractive, with a dominating personality, almost a film-drama figure …”

Does sound a lot like what we’ve seen of Asami to me.

I am haphazarding  a guess that she will turn out to be an equalist/ working for them.

Yoshiko Kawashima was a spy for Japan, specifically for Major-General Kenji Doihara. Yes, I am aware that LOK does not have any parallel to the Sino-Japanese war, but that does not mean they did not base a character on one of the more interesting female protagonists from that time-period. Atla has played mix-and match with time periods before. What time period is ATLA set in.

Kawashima became a well-known and popular figure in Manchukuo society, making appearances on radio broadcasts, and even issuing a record of her songs.

While I doubt that we will see her record songs, I’d like to point out that Asami a) is a socialite, b) Mako just agreed to sponsorship from her father c) radio shows/broadcasts are an important medium in LOK. I would not be surprised to see Mako cornered/conned into unwittingly doing Equalist propaganda.

All of those things combined are giving me the hunch that she might be (at least partially) based on Yoshiko Kawashima.

If I am correct, then there is a chance that she will play a major role in the coming civil war, both on Amon’s side and as a military leader herself.

Kawashima continued to play various roles and, for a time, was mistress of Major General Hayao Tada, who was chief military advisor for Pu Yi. She formed an independent counter insurgency cavalry force in 1932 made up of 3,000-5,000 former bandits to hunt down anti-Japanese guerilla bands during the Pacification of Manchukuo, and was hailed in the Japanese newspapers as the Joan of Arc of Manchukuo.[4]

Side note: In a previous post I already explained that the Equalists and the Task Force are paralleling the real world fight between the Communists and the Kuomintang.

Image source: The Last Emperor (movie).

(Reblogged from atla-annotated)

thodust asked: You've mentioned more than once that you don't think Asami 'accidentally' ran over Mako, and I just wanted to ask what gave you that impression? To me it looked like there wasn't any way to avoid it that didn't risk killing more people, and Mako did run into the street from behind a truck.

image

It just seemed too convenient, with the added hint of him actually pointing that out.

The other thing is that she, instead of swerving around him as you’d normally do, she pulls her scooter sideways to skid into him ‘gently’. If she truly had not seen him, she’d hit him head on. Also note that there is plenty of people-free  space for her to evade him, had she wanted to.

Asami Sato - A Theory A comparison with ‘The Eastern Mata Hari’ Yoshiko Kawashima aka Jin Bihui aka Eastern Jewel. Note: I’d appreciate it if you kept the ship-war out of this. Thanks. There are several things that struck me as interesting when Asami... View high resolution

Asami Sato - A Theory

A comparison with ‘The Eastern Mata Hari’ Yoshiko Kawashima aka Jin Bihui aka Eastern Jewel.

Note: I’d appreciate it if you kept the ship-war out of this. Thanks.

There are several things that struck me as interesting when Asami was first introduced.

Let’s talk about Asami’s name, which is distinctly Japanese. Atla, previously, had very few distinct Japanese names. (Click here for names-list) Asami’s very green eyes and her very distinctly not Earth Kingdom name was the first thing that reminded me of Yoshiko Kawashima, who was Chinese adopted Japanese and also made me wonder if Asami herself might not be adopted herself, since she looks nothing like her dad and Atla is usually very good about family resemblance.

Her entrance, wearing a leather motorbike outfit, reminds a lot of how Yoshiko Kawashima is introduced in the well-known movie ’The Last Emperor’. (See pictures) As does her gala outfit.

The way she 'accidentally’ runs over Mako does not come across as accidental at all to me, but rather pretty much on purpose.

“Yoshiko Kawashima undertook undercover mission in Manchuria, often in disguise, and was considered "strikingly attractive, with a dominating personality, almost a film-drama figure …”

Does sound a lot like what we’ve seen of Asami to me.

I am haphazarding  a guess that she will turn out to be an equalist/ working for them.

Yoshiko Kawashima was a spy for Japan, specifically for Major-General Kenji Doihara. Yes, I am aware that LOK does not have any parallel to the Sino-Japanese war, but that does not mean they did not base a character on one of the more interesting female protagonists from that time-period. Atla has played mix-and match with time periods before. What time period is ATLA set in.

Kawashima became a well-known and popular figure in Manchukuo society, making appearances on radio broadcasts, and even issuing a record of her songs.

While I doubt that we will see her record songs, I’d like to point out that Asami a) is a socialite, b) Mako just agreed to sponsorship from her father c) radio shows/broadcasts are an important medium in LOK. I would not be surprised to see Mako cornered/conned into unwittingly doing Equalist propaganda.

All of those things combined are giving me the hunch that she might be (at least partially) based on Yoshiko Kawashima.

If I am correct, then there is a chance that she will play a major role in the coming civil war, both on Amon’s side and as a military leader herself.

Kawashima continued to play various roles and, for a time, was mistress of Major General Hayao Tada, who was chief military advisor for Pu Yi. She formed an independent counter insurgency cavalry force in 1932 made up of 3,000-5,000 former bandits to hunt down anti-Japanese guerilla bands during the Pacification of Manchukuo, and was hailed in the Japanese newspapers as the Joan of Arc of Manchukuo.[4]

Side note: In a previous post I already explained that the Equalists and the Task Force are paralleling the real world fight between the Communists and the Kuomintang.

Image source: The Last Emperor (movie).

You’re welcome!