Migüel

In my opinion the Makorrasami of Book 2 was quite forced and unfair to all the characters. Mako, Korra and Asami all acted pretty OOC and it wasn’t a fanfiction. Asami pining after Mako and Korra’s abuse of Mako was so unexpected I was pretty angry. 

Asami does not need romance or her freaking company to validate her existence.

Apparently, they wanted Asami to join the United Forces. Yes. Why the hell not? Asami should learn to channel her intelligence and fighting to both her company and herself and this was a perfect opportunity. Instead, they made Asami a person who did not even think outside a romantic interest. Asami is a character with loads of potential. Being kind and supportive is great but it is a pretty sexist way of looking at a character if she has nothing aside those things. Korrasami feels like Asami, an angel in the house, and Korra, a shrew, co-opted to be together. That would be fun if it was presented/represented that way. It was not. What was shown to us that only Asami will understand Korra but that is not true. In fact, Korra, supposedly redeemed by Book 4, shows no morsel of understanding to Asami. 

Korrasami is more heteronormative because it exhibits falsely a very feminine girl (Asami) being a handmaiden of  Korra (who is treated as the male/masculine/feudal lord of the relationship). Korra never puts anyone first in her journey as avatar. Yes, she doesn’t necessarily have to but at times even Aang looks at wider pictures and does not always think of himself. Being altruistic at times does not mean mitigating yourself. Korra thinks of Korra alone. In Book 1 by many parts this was changing. But by Book 2 in interpersonal relationships it was coming out again. By Book 4 Korra still thinks of herself. If she was as evolved by then she would have the audacity to ask Mako and Boilin what they feel and also Asami. She doesn’t and neither is she shown to really care.

Yes, Korra and Asami fought together. But their chemistry in those scenes was not so integral to the plotline or to Korrasami. Yeah great Asami using coquettish behaviour to tell a guard to loosen her chains and then criticise cabbage corp and all that. That was actually silly. Suki climbed walls bare handed in Boiling Rock and Asami has to flirt more to get ahead? So technically her nonbender status is also always attached to her “sexiness/attractive” appeal. Which is also sexist because I thought Book 3 would make Asami more of a character than a love interest Mako chasing idiot. 

It is not written as best as it possibly can. You don’t have to be explicit to realise two people have a spark. Just look at Spirited Away the intensity given to a relationship in that storyline was not at all sexual but it borderlined romance and a nascent sensuality that was so nicely reciprocated. Hell, even an adult Chihiro dating Ling and/or No-face would make sense because that was so nicely written. Ling is female and the sweet intimate conversations they both had eating food (where Ling also says she swiped a dumpling for Chihiro) is so sweet and substantial. So no I have no hetero-lens on. I just know the difference between bullshit writing and an actual romantic/friendship investment. 

Even the voice actors of Korra and Asami really couldn’t convey that emotional intimacy and integrity in the last moments of Book 4 the pivotal  swing of Korrasami! I was like  this scene  feels lackluster though it is supposed to be the romantic climax/catharsis/denouement/realization of freaking Korrasami. What is going on? I expected more feeling and more emotion because it is basically also  a love confession! I expected after that semi-nice hug Asami would linger a bit more and say more lines. Or rather Korra would. Apologizing for the three years is not enough. She could say “sorry that I was so reluctant to include you more Asami. I was just too afraid to let anyone see me that away let alone you, especially you because you were always the person who had the best trust in my abilities.” Or something similar to that. Or something more from freaking Korra! 

 Rather Makorra’s friendship-romance confession of analogous  fight and sticking together was pretty emotional. It had an strong ambience even as friends. You know  if it came out that Sam Nishimura from Tomb Raider 2013 wants to date and loves Lara Croft I would say that couple is a pretty nice one. Though yeah I would say that the way Lara invests in  it may make her a bit reticent to make it romantic. I mean this is also true to many heterosexual relationships with the “rescue” theme. I mean not all guys/girls want to date the guy/girl they rescued. That is popular mythology but if you follow even the old Karate Kid series you will see that also  falls apart pretty soon. Just rescuing someone doesn’t entitle a romance in any sort of sexual oriented relationship. Though that possibility of Lara being with Sam is still better than the way Korrasami was handled.

People hate Makorra. Yes. It was handled also as bullshit. But as a relationship it was better leveled. Mako and Korra were not always bending backs for each other. I would say that Mako had best faith/trust in Korra and her avatar status because he questioned some of her impulsive and destructive/abusive tactics. Which is actually good because he knows Korra is open to growth and change and can do so much more as an individual; he knows she can do BETTER and wants the BEST FROM HER. Hell, if my partner wants that that is awesome. 

Also Makorra is NOT a heteronormative relationship. It is a queer and different heterosexual relationship. They are not entirely similar nor opposites. They are always helping each other to be better. They are both physically strong and that was one major thing. That they are pretty physically strong and both able to take each other on as Kuvira can also take on Korra. It was pretty well balanced. 

Book 2 fights and even that surge of Masami was forced. The characters were being pretty silly  as opposed being a bit thoughtful. Sure teens can be silly but Korra and Mako had been in a longer relationship than Asami and Mako and so I found it hard to also digest Korra’s sudden verbal abuse to Mako. This can be somewhat explained via her alienation from Raava and dark spirits. But Mako had the best interests of Korra; in fact, he pretty much said the same things that Asami said. Asami said she  was there for Korra by Book 3 finale and also in Book 4. Mako said the same things in ALL BOOKS and even Book 2 Mako said he doesn’t know if her decisions are always wise or prudent but he is there for Korra. 

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