To anyone who hasn’t been watching the popular Nickelodeon cartoon The Legend of Korra, this blog will probably be complete nonsense.
But to anyone who has been watching, this news will be joyous and full of spoilers.
To recap for those who are unfamiliar: in the Avatar universe certain people can control a single element — earth, fire, air or water. The Avatar is a supreme being, reincarnated from Avatars past, who can control all four elements; they are the bridge between the human world and the spirit world.
The Legend of Korra is the second series in this universe, set in the generation after The Last Airbender. It follows Korra, a confident, hotheaded young woman, as she sets out to save the world. As a whole, The Legend of Korra was a definite change in tone from the first series, focusing on darker and more serious themes of loss, oppression, diaspora and mental health.
The series finale was a tense, gut-wrenching double episode that really did the series justice. In the final moments of the show, the series’ protagonist, Avatar Korra, is shown holding hands with her “best friend,” Asami, as they travel off into the spirit world.
Michael Dante DiMartino, the series’ producer and story editor, confirmed this was a representation of the two women becoming a couple.
“Our intention with the last scene was to make it as clear as possible that yes, Korra and Asami have romantic feelings for each other,” DiMartino wrote in a blog post. “The moment where they enter the spirit portal symbolizes their evolution from being friends to being a couple.”
Fans of the series have long been celebrating “Korrasami,” a relationship between Korra and Asami, but I think it’s fair to say that few of us thought this was something that would be explored in the show. Korra and Asami both dated men during the first couple of seasons, but the third season focused more on their intimate friendship.
“I’ve already read some heartwarming and incredible posts about how this moment means so much for the LGBT community,” DiMartino wrote. “Once again, the incredible outpouring of support for the show humbles me.”
Check out the Korra series if you haven’t already. It’s an absolutely amazing television show, made even better by its last two minutes.