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The Legend of Korra season 2

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The Legend of Korra
Season 2
Region 1 DVD cover art, featuring Korra (foreground), along with the spirits Raava and Vaatu (background)
No. of episodes14
Release
Original networkNickelodeon
Original releaseSeptember 13 (2013-09-13) –
November 22, 2013 (2013-11-22)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 1
Next →
Season 3
List of episodes

Book Two: Spirits is the second season of the animated TV series The Legend of Korra by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. It consisted of fourteen episodes ("chapters"). A sequel to The Legend of Korra: Book 1, it focuses more on spiritual concepts and themes. Ordered in early 2011, Book Two: Spirits began airing on Nickelodeon in the U.S. on September 13, 2013.[1]

Premise

According to the series' creators, about half of Book Two takes place in Republic City and the other half takes place in other areas of the world.[2] In a panel discussion at San Diego Comic-Con 2012, Konietzko and DiMartino indicated that Book Two takes place six months after the first twelve episodes. They said that it partially takes place at the South Pole in the Southern Water Tribe and focuses mainly on the mystical "Spirit World" (hence the title Spirits) and the history of the Avatar lineage and mythology. New characters include Tenzin's older sister Kya, a waterbender; Tenzin's non-bender older brother Bumi; Korra's paternal uncle Unalaq; and her first cousins, Desna and Eska. A two-part episode entitled, Beginnings, tells the story of Wan, a selfless, kind, compassionate, and caring young man who became the original Avatar as a result of his attempts to maintain peace and balance between the material and spirit worlds.

Production

Development

In early 2011, during the production of Book One: Air – initially conceived as a standalone 12-episode miniseries – Nickelodeon decided to order fourteen additional episodes[3] to round out a standard 26-episode season.[4] As of June 2012, Book Two's writing had been completed and the episodes were in the process of being storyboarded and animated.[2] Joshua Hamilton and Tim Hedrick, writers for Avatar: The Last Airbender, contributed to the scripts of Book Two, and the season's episodes were directed by Colin Heck and Ian Graham.[citation needed]

Casting

Lisa Edelstein (Kya)
Aubrey Plaza (Eska)
James Remar (Tonraq)

Voice actors cast for Book Two: Spirits include:

  • Lisa Edelstein as Kya, Tenzin's elder sister, a waterbender, and the only daughter of Aang and Katara.[5]
  • John Michael Higgins as Varrick, an eccentric businessman[5]
  • Adrian LaTourelle as Unalaq, Korra's paternal uncle, Tonraq's younger brother, Senna's brother-in-law, Desna and Eska's father and chief of both Water Tribes who serves as the main antagonist of Book Two along with Vaatu[5]
  • Aaron Himelstein as Desna, Korra's cousin[5]
  • Aubrey Plaza as Eska, Desna's fraternal twin sister and Korra's other cousin.[5]
  • James Remar as Tonraq, Korra's father and de facto leader of the Southern Water Tribe.[5] Remar replaces Carlos Alazraqui, who voiced Tonraq in "Welcome to Republic City".
  • Alex McKenna as Senna, Korra's mother. McKenna reprises her role from "Welcome to Republic City".[6]
  • Richard Riehle as Bumi, Tenzin's older brother, and the eldest child of Aang and Katara. He is a non-bender as he does not have any bending abilities.
  • Steven Yeun as Wan; a young man who lived ten thousand years ago, and became the first Avatar by fusing with Raava, the spirit of light.
  • April Stewart as Raava, the spiritual embodiment of light and peace. After permanently fusing with Wan, she was transformed into the divine Avatar Spirit.
  • Jonathan Adams as Vaatu, the main antagonist of Book Two, and the spirit of darkness and chaos.
  • Stephanie Sheh as Zhu Li, Varrick's assistant.
  • Greg Baldwin as Iroh, an ally of Aang from the original series, who is revealed to have lived in the Spirit World ever since his physical body's death forty years before the start of the series.
  • Amy Gross as Ginger, an actress who stars in Varrick's movers who constantly rejects Bolin's advances on her.
  • Spencer Garrett as Raiko, the president of Republic City who was elected following Amon's attack on Republic City in the first book.
  • Héctor Elizondo as Wan Shi Tong, the owl spirit of knowledge from the previous series who believes Unalaq to be a true friend of the spirits. Elizondo reprises his role from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
  • Jason Isaacs as Zhao, the former Admiral of the Fire Nation Navy that encountered Aang on multiple occasions in the first series. He encounters Aang's children in the Fog of Lost Souls, where he is forced to wander for eternity while going insane, his punishment for killing the moon spirit. Isaacs reprises his role after eight years from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Animation

Book Two: Spirits was initially set to be animated by the Japanese Studio Pierrot, rather than Studio Mir which animated the series' first season.[7] However, Mir's animation director Yoo Jae-myung said that because of problems with this arrangement, the series's producers asked Studio Mir to step in and animate Book 2 as well, an offer they accepted to preserve their studio's reputation. He said that Studio Mir initially chose to focus on animating the less challenging The Boondocks rather than the second season of The Legend of Korra because of the exhaustion brought about by their work on the first season.[8] Studio Pierrot eventually animated episodes 1 through 6 and episode 9, while Studio Mir was responsible for episodes 7, 8, and 10 through 14.[9]

Release

Broadcast

Book Two began broadcast on Nickelodeon in the U.S. on September 13, 2013, after a 1-year hiatus.[1] Airing on Fridays, it initially premiered at 7:00 PM EST but then shifted in mid-October to an 8:00 PM timeslot. Episodes 11 and 12 were shown on November 15, 2013. The Book Two Finale, episodes 13 and 14, were to be broadcast on November 22, 2013 but became available online on November 16, 2013. It was followed by Book Three: Changes, which consisted of thirteen episodes.

Marketing

Completed footage from Book Two was first made public in a June 2013 promotional video, in which Korra fights spirit creatures in an arctic setting.[10] The premiere episode was shown in full at the The Legend of Korra panel at San Diego Comic-Con on 19 July 2013,[11] together with the release of a trailer video for Book Two.

Episodes

See also: List of The Legend of Korra episodes
No. in
series 		No. in
season 		Title Animated by Directed by Written by Original air date Production
code 		U.S. viewers
(millions)
131"Rebel Spirit"Studio PierrotColin HeckTim Hedrick
Story by:
Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko		September 13, 2013 (2013-09-13)1132.60[12]
142"The Southern Lights"Studio PierrotIan GrahamJoshua Hamilton
Story by:
Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko		September 13, 2013 (2013-09-13)1142.60[12]
153"Civil Wars, Part 1"Studio PierrotColin HeckMichael Dante DiMartino
Story by:
Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko		September 20, 2013 (2013-09-20)1152.19[13]
164"Civil Wars, Part 2"Studio PierrotIan GrahamMichael Dante DiMartino
Story by:
Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko		September 27, 2013 (2013-09-27)1162.38[14]
175"Peacekeepers"Studio PierrotColin HeckTim HedrickOctober 4, 2013 (2013-10-04)1171.10[15]
186"The Sting"Studio PierrotIan GrahamJoshua HamiltonOctober 11, 2013 (2013-10-11)1181.95[16]
197"Beginnings, Part 1"Studio MirColin HeckMichael Dante DiMartinoOctober 18, 2013 (2013-10-18)1191.73[17]
208"Beginnings, Part 2"Studio MirIan GrahamTim HedrickOctober 18, 2013 (2013-10-18)1201.73[17]
219"The Guide"Studio PierrotColin HeckJoshua HamiltonNovember 1, 2013 (2013-11-01)1212.47[18]
2210"A New Spiritual Age"Studio MirIan GrahamTim HedrickNovember 8, 2013 (2013-11-08)1222.22[19]
2311"Night of a Thousand Stars"Studio MirColin HeckJoshua HamiltonNovember 15, 2013 (2013-11-15)1231.87[20]
2412"Harmonic Convergence"Studio MirIan GrahamTim HedrickNovember 15, 2013 (2013-11-15)1241.87[20]
2513"Darkness Falls"Studio MirColin HeckJoshua HamiltonNovember 22, 2013 (2013-11-22)1252.09[21]
2614"Light in the Dark"Studio MirIan GrahamMichael Dante DiMartinoNovember 22, 2013 (2013-11-22)1262.09[21]

Reception

The premiere episode screened in advance at Comic-Con was positively reviewed by Max Nicholson of IGN, who appreciated the setup of the overarching conflict and the humorous writing. He also stated that "the animation in Book Two has taken yet another step up in quality, with noticeable advances in the action sequences and color treatment".[22] At TV.com, Noel Kirkpatrick commented favorably on how the episode handled the necessary quantity of exposition, and on its introduction of the theme of conflict between spiritualism and secularism.[23] Writing for Vulture, Matt Patches highlighted the loose, handheld-style cinematography – challenging for an animated series – and the "weird, wonderful", wildly imagined spirits fought by Korra; "a Kaiju parade with beasts that mirror velociraptors".[24] The A.V. Club's Emily Guendelsberger stated that they kept up the first season's plot's "breakneck pace" and appeared intent on signaling a break with the convention of avoiding death in children's entertainment, by showing a spirit dragging a sailor to his likely death in the sea. She appreciated the nuanced portrayal of Korra's and Mako's relationship and Korra's character flaws, but remarked that Unalaq was being set up as the season's antagonist a bit too obviously.[25]

Parts 1 and 2 of the medial episode, "Beginnings", were positively received by critics as well. Max Nicholson of IGN rated the episode 9.6/10 and praised "Beginnings" for its "stunning" animation, "top-notch" voice acting, character origins of Avatar Wan, the friendship and heartfelt relationship between Wan and Raava, "great" new insights in the Avatar universe, and as a "masterstroke in storytelling and worldbuilding." At the end of his review, he opined that "Book 2 has never looked so good.".[26] "The Sting", which premiered before "Beginnings", was equally praised by Nicholson for the improvement of the characterizations of Mako and Asami and their chemistry between each other, in addition to establishing Varrick as a "greedy mastermind" rather than as an eccentric businessman and entertainer as he had been before.[27] For "The Guide", Nicholson praised the character growths of Tenzin and the fleshed-out characterization of Jinora.[28] He lauded the episode "A New Spiritual Age" for a "great character narrative" for Korra and the establishment of Unalaq as a more of a corrupt, twisted, and menacing villain. He was also surprised to see the return of Iroh of Avatar: The Last Airbender; this time, to help Korra with her journey in the spirit world.[29] Parts 1 and 2 of "Civil Wars" were equally acclaimed by Nicholson for the friendship between Bolin and Varrick, the sibling dynamic of Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi, a "strong, complex conflict" for Korra, the respective relationship of Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi, and Korra, Tonraq, and Senna as the heart of the story, and the twist behind Tonraq's banishment from the Northern Water Tribe and his imprisonment.[30][31] According to him, "Night of a Thousand Stars" brought out the best of Bolin and the worst of Varrick, as well as setting up the conflict for the last three episodes of Book 2.[32] For "Harmonic Convergence", Nicholson praised its spectacular action sequences, fleshing out more on Unalaq's intriguing evil purpose, the heroism of Bumi, and the animation.[33]

References

  1. ^ a b Salam, Maya (15 August 2013). "'The Legend of Korra' Book 2 Premiere Date Revealed!". Yahoo! TV. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  2. ^ a b Farley, Christopher John (19 June 2012). "'The Legend of Korra' Creators Preview the Season Finale". Wall Street Journal, Speakeasy blog. Retrieved 20 June 2012. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |newspaper= (help)
  3. ^ Farley, Christopher John (8 March 2011). "'The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra': The Creators Speak". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  4. ^ Konietzko, Bryan (July 12, 2012). "I'm Sure This Meme Is Dead By Now But It Still". Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Snierson, Dan (10 July 2013). "'Legend of Korra': Aubrey Plaza, James Remar, Lisa Edelstein join cast for Book 2". EW.com. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  6. ^ "IMDB Legend of Korra". Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  7. ^ "Legend Of Korra Book 3 Animated By Studio Mir Only: Will Production Time Quicken Without Pierrot Co?". KpopStarz. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  8. ^ "The INNERview #61 - Yoo Jae-myung (유재명), Animation director". ArirangTV. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2013. At 46:10.
  9. ^ "Legend Of Korra Season 2 Studio Mir, Pierrot Episode Breakdown Confirmed: Bryan Konietzko To Give Lecture As Rhode Island School Of Design". KpopStarz. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  10. ^ "'The Legend of Korra': First official footage revealed from season 2!". Hypable. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  11. ^ Clow, Mitchel (17 July 2013). "'The Legend of Korra' season 2, episode 1 to premiere at San Diego Comic-Con". Hypable. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  12. ^ a b Bibel, Sara (September 16, 2013). "Friday Cable Ratings: 'WWE Smackdown' Wins Night, 'Legend of Korra', 'Jessie', 'What Not to Wear', 'Fast N Loud' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  13. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (September 23, 2013). "Friday Cable Ratings: 'Friday Night SmackDown' Wins Night + 'SportsCenter', College Football, 'The Legend of Korra' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  14. ^ Bibel, Sara (October 1, 2013). "Friday Cable Ratings:'WWE Smackdown' Wins Night, 'Legend of Korra', 'Haven', College Football, 'Deadly Women' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  15. ^ Yanan, Travis (October 7, 2013). "Friday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: CBS Tops Viewers, ABC Leads Demos". The Futon Critic. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  16. ^ Bibel, Sara (14 October 2013). "Friday Cable Ratings: Baseball Playoffs Win Night, 'WWE Smackdown', 'Legend of Korra', 'Haven', 'Jessie' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  17. ^ a b Bibel, Sara (21 October 2013). "Friday Cable Ratings: MLB Baseball Tops Night + College Football, 'Friday Night SmackDown', 'SportsCenter' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  18. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (November 4, 2013). "Friday Cable Ratings: 'Gold Rush' & NBA Basketball Top Night + 'Friday Night SmackDown', 'Alaska: The Last Frontier' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  19. ^ Bibel, Sara (November 11, 2013). "Friday Cable Ratings: 'Gold Rush' Wins Night, 'WWE Smackdown', 'Bering Sea Gold', 'Legend of Korra', 'Haven' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  20. ^ a b Kondolojy, Amanda (November 18, 2013). "Friday Cable Ratings: 'Gold Rush' Wins Night + 'WWE SmackDown', 'Bering Sea Gold', NBA Basketball, 'Tanked', 'The Legend of Korra' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  21. ^ a b Bibel, Sara (November 25, 2013). "Friday Cable Ratings: 'Gold Rush' Wins Night, 'WWE Smackdown', 'Bering Sea Gold', 'Time Machine', 'Jessie' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  22. ^ Nicholson, Max (22 July 2013). "THE LEGEND OF KORRA: "REBEL SPIRIT" REVIEW: THE LEGEND CONTINUES." IGN. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  23. ^ Kirkpatrick, Noel (14 September 2013). "The Legend of Korra Book 2 Premiere Review: Smells Like Angry Spirit". TV.com. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  24. ^ Patches, Matt (14 September 2013). "The Legend of Korra Season Two Premiere Recap: Rebel Spirits/The Southern Lights". Vulture. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  25. ^ Guendelsberger, Emily (13 September 2013). ""Rebel Spirit"/"The Southern Lights"". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  26. ^ Nicholson, Max (November 20, 2013). "The Legend of Korra: "Beginnings Parts 1 and 2" Review". IGN. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  27. ^ Nicholson, Max (November 20, 2013). "The Legend of Korra: "The Sting" Review". IGN. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  28. ^ Nicholson, Max (November 20, 2013). "The Legend of Korra: "The Guide" Review". IGN. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  29. ^ Nicholson, Max (November 20, 2013). "The Legend of Korra: "A New Spiritual Age" Review". IGN. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  30. ^ Nicholson, Max (November 20, 2013). "The Legend of Korra: "Civil Wars: Part 1" Review". IGN. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  31. ^ Nicholson, Max (November 20, 2013). "The Legend of Korra: "Civil Wars: Part 2" Review". IGN. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  32. ^ Nicholson, Max (November 20, 2013). "The Legend of Korra: "Night of a Thousand Stars" Review". IGN. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  33. ^ Nicholson, Max (November 20, 2013). "The Legend of Korra: "Harmonic Convergence" Review". IGN. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
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