‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ creators never expected to get away with the risky milestone they set in ‘The Legend of Korra’.

Much like Nickelodeon’s animated hit Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005), its follow-up show The Legend of Korra showcased similar elements, where the protagonist triumphs over evil and ends the show by venturing on a happy journey with their loved one. Only this time the show creators set a milestone with Korra at a great risk, to avoid future regrets.

Nickelodeon’s The Legend of Korra (2012)
For those who have watched, you all know what it’s about, but for the ones unaware, the milestone is about creating a female-dominated show that featured a uniquely intimate scene between a same-sex couple, Korra and Asami. Although The Legend of Korra has always been a progressive show for kids, tackling the not-so-subtle pairing was truly risky.

Creators Confirmed How Progressive Legend of Korra is

From tackling topics like equality, social class, and political agendas to starring a racially diverse cast, Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005) follow-up The Legend of Korra turned into a progressive kids’ show right after its release in 2012. But while the series strictly followed the archetype of every other kids’ project – good winning over bad and the storyline that follows the loved one, The Legend of Korra achieved something more than most shows fail to do these days.

One Crucial Change in The Legend of Korra Has Royally Screwed up the Avatar Cycle

Focusing on a badass female protagonist over following the beaten-down road of showcasing a protective and righteous man, The Legend of Korra further showcased something that was unimaginable by Hollywood standards. Instead of skipping the part where the protagonist (usually male) gets the girl of his dreams, the 2012 animated series portrayed an intimate moment between Korra and her longtime friend Asami.
Korra and Asami from The Legend of Korra
Featuring the duo holding hands and locking eyes in a long, intimate gaze, The Legend of Korra brought a not-so-subtle pairing between a same-sex couple. Although this particular scene only lasted for half a minute, the short sequence created the groundbreaking milestone that most shows aspire to make. From the very beginning of the four seasoned show, the creators focused on the evolution of Korra and Asami’s relationship.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Creators Address the Risky Element

As the show progressed, it continued showing how Korra and Asami grew closer, from once being rivals for the same man, to eventually developing a close friendship. Gradually as their level of intimacy grew, Korra started depending on Asami for her support. Addressing this very relationship via his personal website, The Legend of Korra co-creator Bryan Konietzko explained how the idea prevailed in their minds from the early seasons.

However, worried about how audiences might perceive the sequence, the Avatar: The Last Airbender creator noted delaying the scene until the last moment to ensure success. Clarifying that their delay was not because they don’t take same-sex relationships seriously, but because it’s a kids’ show and things were different back in 2010. Claiming that they never expected to get away with the ending scene and subtle hints at Korra and Asami’s relationship from the very beginning, Konietzko explained the process in detail.

“At first we didn’t give it much weight, not because we think same-sex relationships are a joke, but because we never assumed it was something we would ever get away with depicting on an animated show for a kids network in this day and age, or at least in 2010.”

Korra and Asami holding hands at the end of The Legend of Korra

“The more Korra and Asami’s relationship progressed, the more the idea of a romance between them organically blossomed for us. However, we still operated under this notion, another “unwritten rule,” that we would not be allowed to depict that in our show… But as we got close to finishing the finale, the thought struck me: How do I know we can’t openly depict that? No one ever explicitly said so.”
Therefore, eventually, the idea became a plan, which was flawlessly executed in The Legend of Korra, in such a way that when we look at it after more than a decade, the show appears as a milestone for being more than just children’s TV. Impressively handling the two bisexual characters, the show became a beacon for change and acceptance.

The Legend of Korra is available on Paramount+.