On top of that, the music is perfect, as usual. Studio Mir almost always knocks it out of the park with its animation work, and these episodes are some of its best work yet. Still, “Day of the Colossus” and “The Last Stand” are a fantastic pair of episodes. This has been a problem the show has faced since its first season, so if Korra’s finale feels a little underwhelming, it’s not something we didn’t see coming. With Korra, from the beginning the show restricted itself to a Big Bad each season, and as such its finale doesn’t have the impact on the universe ATLA’s did.

ATLA began with an established antagonist and plans for Aang’s development (along with his friends), enough to carry the show for multiple seasons. Sometime before the last episode aired, Nickelodeon decided to extend the series, which left creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino in a bit of a difficult position. When The Legend of Korra first began production, it was intended as a single season spin-off of the incredibly popular ATLA. The massive explosions padded with heartfelt moments are immensely satisfying, but even amid all the destruction, tears, and laughter, Korra never faces the global and emotional stakes Aang did at the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The two-part series finale for Legend of Korra pits the expanded Team Avatar against invading dictator Kuvira and her towering mecha-super-weapon. Korra’s finale is a wild ride, even if it is better suited to end a season rather than conclude a series.

Legend of korra season 2 ending