Legend of Korra: Spirits

[aceina]

after the explosion asami loos just done

Um... not quite sure what you're saying here. Asami's loo explodes? Sounds like something that could probably be blamed on Verrick.

I believe aceina meant "looks". "Asami looks done" after the "explosion" (Presumably the atomic-style detonation of the spirit gun in "the Last Stand")

yea that is what i ment

[Winter]

You know, watching Chuck's review and seeing him going over just how useless Mako is in this episode I'm reminded of The Nostalgic Critics and Angry Joe's review of Batman v Superman, specifically the moment where "Lex"(the quotations are directed just as much the "Lex Luthor" in the actual film) points out just how useless Lois Lane was in that film, (addendum Lois is 12 kinds of awesome in DC Rebirth, both as a character and as a reporter. I am referring only to her role in Batman v Superman). The only real difference between the two is that Mako figuring out that Varrick is the villain was something that was actually a surprise while Lois learning that Luthor was the villain is obvious from a mile away.

And just like Lois, Mako's investigating will be completely pointless and only serves to show just how useless Mako is to the story and as shown in this episode, he actually causes more problems then he solves as it was his plan that gave Varrick the window he needed to rob Asami in the first place. And during the chase scene its Asami, the none bender, who beats the Triad members while all Mako did was overheard that they were paid to distract them. And finally, as I said before, Mako doesn't figure out that Varrick is the villain through his detective work by putting all the pieces together but instead the episode literally hands him the answer he was looking for.

Lois spent almost three hours trying to figure out something the audience already knew before they had even seen the film and Mako solves the mystery by pure luck, and both prove to be utterly useless in the end as the issue would have been resolved with or without them as the villain would have been captured no matter what they did.

To any fans of Mako or Batman v Superman I mean no disrespect, these are just my opinions and you are free to disagree with them.

[Wilahelm2]

I just can't wait till were past the half way point and things start to pick up. The first half of Spirits is a chore to go through. Almost all the heroes are either unlikable jerks or useless morons while our main villain has a much life as a brick. Fortunately the next few episodes really turn thing around.

[Winter]

while our main villain has a much life as a brick.

I think the dumbest moment of all of Avatar has to go to Unalaq not only for him alienating Korra but also for this little exchange

In Civil War Part 2

Korra: I'm done being manipulated by you. You're going to bring my father back, then you and your troops will return to the North.
[Turns away.]
Unalaq: And why would I do that?
Korra: Because you still need me to open the Northern portal.
Unalaq: No, I don't. You've served your purpose.

Peacekeepers, the Very Next Episode.

Unalaq: I need you two to go after the Avatar. She's the only one who can open the Northern spirit portal.
Desna: But Father, you told Korra-
Unalaq: I told Korra what I thought she needed to hear.

Unalaq you are, without a doubt, one of the DUMBEST villain I have ever met. Top Ten easy. You had one job which was to get Korra to open the Spirit Portals before harmonic convergence which is only in a few weeks away and all the time you spent trying to kill your brother could have easily been spent taking Korra to the North and having her open the Portal there. Or Hell, take Korra and one of her friends into the Portal have her open on the other side and if she figures out what's going on hold her friend hostage and threaten to kill them if she doesn't open the portal and just to be on the safe side bring a few of your men.

Or you could just spend all your time turning the one person you need against you because you just can't stand the thought of your brother being happy! That Works Too!

[Wilahelm2]

Unalaq is without a doubt the worst villain in the entire Avatar series. His plan is a mess, he has no personality, and he is not even that standout of a fighter. Even Zhao was a more engaging villain. Another thing that ends up hurting Spirits and makes it the weakest of any of the Avatar books.

[RobbyB1982]

Unalaq was so close to working as a superb villain though. If he had actually just been a guy doing what he thought was right and needed, if he was doing bad things for good reasons, his interest and belief in Korra were sincere, and he really was the one being plotted against, he could have been a super sympathetic tragic different kind of villain. A guy actually trying to just restore the spirit world because it was the right things to do, that was blind to the costs and dangers of what he was doing, or who just valued the spirits more than human lives and that blinded him. And it would have especially added depth if it turned out that yes, Korra's father really was a complete screw up who did bad.

But nope. A couple episodes in he turns out to be a mustache twirling villain who knows he's doing bad things and framing people and manipulating people and just being bad for bad's sake and he's straight up bad... and that made him shallow and ordinary and predictable and dumb. And kind of a repeat of the first season. Especially considering where he ends up by the end of the season....

If he'd just remained what he *seemed* to be in the first episode or two he could have been great. (But as a saavy audience we all knew that was going to just be a charade.) Though they pretty much tried the same thing again in season 4 and basically got it right that time, with a villain that thinks they're doing whats actually best and good.