Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko’s animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender stands out as one of the most acclaimed animated series. Set in a fictional world divided into four elemental nations at war, the story revolves around Aang, the Avatar who can bend all four elements and bring balance to the world.
Following the success of The Last Airbender, DiMartino and Konietzko were offered the opportunity to extend the series with more future projects. And they decided to develop a series around Aang’s successor, Korra, as the next Avatar. They intended to portray Korra as distinctly different from Aang, charting her unique journey within the Avatar universe.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Creators on Crafting Contrast Between Aang And Korra
Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the journey of Aang, the Avatar and sole Airbender, as he masters all elements and restores peace by defeating the Fire Lord Ozai. The series follows his evolution from a carefree youth and peaceful monk into a responsible leader who embraces his destiny.
However, when it comes to his successor and the next Avatar, Korra, she is depicted as a bold and assertive individual in The Legend of Korra. Unlike Aang, she possesses a stubborn and fiery temperament, which later poses challenges in her journey to master airbending and connect with the Spirit world.
In an interview with The Mary Sue, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko confirmed that the contrast in their characters was intentional. Konietzko shared that they wanted to create a character opposite to Aang in personality, motivations, and character arc.
“That was the intention—That was the first thought. The second thought was: Let’s make it a girl. And we didn’t just stop there, we wanted everything about Korra, pretty much everything, to be different than Aang, to be opposites.”
They also highlighted that Korra’s journey involves learning to balance her ego and spirituality, contrasting with Aang’s evolution. However, he also stated that despite the distinction in their characters, there are parallel elements in their development.
Michael Dante DiMartino on the Deeper Themes Explored Within the Series
Michael Dante DiMartino also highlighted the deeper themes explored in both Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. He said that the essence of the narrative isn’t solely about the extraordinary abilities possessed by these characters, but how they navigate the responsibility that comes with such power.
“Avatar is master of all the elements and most powerful being and all this stuff, but really, through the stories we’ve told, it’s more about how these people who do have all this power—how they figure out what to do with it.”
DiMartino underscored that despite having the potential to wreak havoc on a monumental scale, the true essence of the Avatar’s journey lies in their personal growth and understanding of the immense responsibility they bear.
Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are available to stream on Netflix.
