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This Protagonist was Headlined on November 2016.

Korra is the titular main protagonist of the television series, Avatar: The Legend of Korra. Korra is the successor to Aang, main-character of the previous series Avatar: The Last Airbender. All benders in Korra's world are innately born with the power to manipulate an element and these traits are randomly passed down along societies they grow up in, whose nations have taken on names based on their people's talents as such there is an Earth Kingdom. Fire Kingdom and a Water tribe, there also used to be an Air Tribe but it was wiped out in a previous generation by the Fire Nation. The avatar is unique in that he/she can manipulate all the elements but needs to dedicate his/her life to mastering these abilities in order to use them. The avatar's role is to maintain a balance between all other elements/nations, the spirit world and the living world and sometimes between mortals and nature itself. Being Avatar has granted Korra world-wide recognition and in addition to her spiritual responsibilities she must also deal with being a public figure.

Background[]

After the death of Avatar Aang, at the age of 66 and the proper morning period the Order of the White Lotus began their search for Aang's reincarnation. The monks of the White Lotus would find the new avatar born to Tonraq and Senna of the Water Tribe. When found, Korra had already mastered earth, fire and waterbending. Aang's widow, Katara, was also a member of the tribe and so after finding her late husband's reincarnation among her people, took it upon herself to help with Korra's instruction in bending over her life.

By her teenage years, Korra, was advanced enough in controlling her powers to receive outside help and train with Tenzin, Aang and Katara's youngest son, and himself one of the last airbenders. Tenzin lived in Republic City, a city built on the site of Avatar Aang's final battle with the mad despot, Fire Lord Ozai, in the previous show's climax. Republic City was populated by members of all the Tribes as a place to escape previous pressure's of culture and start anew as a cosmopolitan society. Due to it's founding members being from all different tribes and it's boarders remaining open to immigration Republic City has all forms of benders. The series starts off with Korra and her spirit animal Naga, the Polar-bear-hound, exploring this new society and making it her new home while pursuing Tenzin as a student.

Personality[]

Korra is an enthusiastic extrovert even as a child. She does not shy away from her powers and takes great pleasure in being a Bender. As an Avatar she slowly comes into the role, she thinks of being the Avatar as being a super-hero and so sees helping people as her quest in life. Over time Korra begins to take in how much responsibility she has to the world at large and the importance of keeping it balanced. Each of her opponents teaches her something about herself. Amon teaches her to empathize with non-benders more. Tarrlok teaches Korra to remain self-aware of how her actions to stop evil affect innocents. Unalaq teaches Korra the real weight of what goes into being the avatar. Vaatu enlightens Korra into the origins of her powers and allows her to comune with Raava. Zaheer makes Korra realize the world will never follow any order supposedly inflicted on it. Kuvira teach Korra the value of compromise but also the line between compromise and submission.

Republic City[]

Exploring Republic City, Korra is initially taken in by the new blended culture. Despite her excitement, she finds Republic City is over-run with troubles, such as gangs made up of Benders who use their powers to steal from non-benders and divided up the city with criminal territories. Additionally the police-force is overwhelmed and Korra's attempts to help only see her as interfering, resulting in her being bought in to police-chief Lin. Korra soon discovers Lin is actually the daughter of one of Aang's friend, Toph Beifong. Lin has mastered her mother's refined brand of earthbending - metalbending and it is now standard issue for the police department, which maintains control thanks to even other earthbenders being unable to learn it on their own without a teacher. Lin recognizes Korra is the Avatar however she is clear in that Korra will be given enough lee-way to be given a warning about disturbing the peace but she will not be excused if she outright breaks the law. Korra is then sent to Tenzin's retreat to trian with him.

Tenzin lives with his wife Pema, his daugters Jinora and Ikki and his son Meelo. Tenzin is already anxious with Pema pregnant, the city council trying to pressure him into helping with law-enforcement and dealing with cultural research but prioritizes Korra's training. Despite being initially excited about training with a master airbender Korra finds herself unable master airbending and Tenzin is at a loss for how to deal with someone raised by a completely seperate mind-set than the one he was trained with. With bending being tied to emotional-control/indulgence, there is always one element the new Avatars have trouble with that conflicts with their current life's cultural upbringing, for Korra it is airbending. Neither Korra or Tenzin seem to have any idea of how to integrate the lessons into her. Tenzin simply believes it will take many years of rigorous training but Korra's frustrations cause her to walk-out on the lessons.

While trying to find herself Korra happens upon a game called Pro-bending making a sport out of bending where teams competed in the Pro-bending Tournament. A member of the team The Fire Ferrets, quits, frustrated at the team appearing to go no-where. Leaving remaining members Mako and Bolin unable to compete with only two people. Korra, taking a liking to the game and eager to make new friends offers to join. Bolin is excited at the prospect of still being able to compete and make a new friend but Mako is a bit more warry, still with no other choices Korra is soon accepted as the thrid member of the Fire Ferrets. Korra soon finds the two are brothers, and as children of inter-tribal parents, Mako was a firebender while Bolin was an earthbender. In addition to her time playing Pro-bending as a sport, Korra finds it hones her powers. Upon going in to check on her, Tenzin sees her integrating his lessons into her movements in the Pro-bending matches and both concluded she will get more playing the game than she will with the more formal lessons Tenzin would teach her.

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