Korra


 * This article is about the character. For the series, see The Legend of Korra.

"water"

- Well, I got news for you. You need me, but I don't need you. I'm the Avatar.

Avatar Korra is the current incarnation of the Avatar Spirit and immediate successor of Avatar Aang. Born and raised in the Southern Water Tribe, where she mastered waterbending, earthbending, and firebending, she later relocated to Republic City to attain a similar proficiency with airbending under the tutelage and guidance of Tenzin as well as overcome her aversion to the spiritual aspects of the bending arts. With the assistance of Aang's spirit, Korra gained the ability to energybend, and after connecting with her past lives, she gained the capacity to enter the Avatar State at her will, marking her transition into a fully realized Avatar.

Early life


Korra was born to two waterbenders named Tonraq and Senna in the Southern Water Tribe, immediately following the death of Avatar Aang. At the age of four, she discovered her identity as the Avatar, a fact she proudly announced to the Order of the White Lotus when they visited her home at her family's request. After confidently performing waterbending, earthbending, and firebending before them, her identity as the Avatar was established, and her training to become a Fully Realized Avatar began in earnest under the Order's watchful eye. Over the next thirteen years, Korra demonstrated a prodigious talent which allowed her to quickly master the arts of waterbending, earthbending, and firebending, as she completed her training of the latter by 170 ASC. During her youth, she met and tamed a female polar bear dog, whom she named Naga and who served as her animal companion.

170 ASC


At the age of seventeen, Korra had mastered all the elements save for airbending, which she was set to be taught by Tenzin as soon as he moved to the Southern Water Tribe. However, after Tenzin's move to her home fell through, Korra took matters into her own hands and stowed away on a ship, traveling to Republic City. Roaming though the city in search of Air Temple Island, she discovered that the bustling metropolis was not all that she was told to be; she learned that there was a great deal of imbalance among its citizens with triads and Equalists running around. After defeating some members of the Triple Threat Triad, she found herself in trouble with Lin Beifong and her Metalbending Police Force. She was cleared of all charges due to Tenzin's intervention, and eventually was allowed to stay with him at the air temple to commence her airbending training there. However, progress was slow, and the Avatar grew frustrated. To unwind, she joined the Fire Ferrets pro-bending team, and befriended her teammates, the brothers Mako and Bolin.

When Bolin got kidnapped by the Equalists, Korra helped his brother to find him. They tracked him down to an abandoned warehouse where they witnessed first hand Amon's ability to strip a bender of their bending abilities. Although they managed to save Bolin, Amon left a deep impression on Korra, who grew fearsome of the Equalist leader. Regardless, she joined Councilman Tarrlok's task force.



While she worked to rid the city of the Equalists, she also kept training with the bending brothers to win the Pro-bending Championship. Although they had some hard matches due to internal romantic struggles, they managed to reach the finale. However, after their match against the White Falls Wolfbats ended with their defeat due to cheating of the other team, Amon and his Equalists attacked the Pro-bending Arena, effectively destroying the building.

Soon after, Korra discovered that Hiroshi Sato had ties with the Equalists, and as such, she invited both Asami Sato and the bending brothers to come live with her at the island. There, feeling insecure about herself as the Avatar, she and her friends formed a team with the purpose of patrolling the city and apprehending Equalists. As such, she angered Tarrlok, and the Councilman broke up their team by apprehending all Korra's friends. When she confronted Tarrlok about his actions later on, he revealed himself to be a bloodbender, and overpowered her. Korra was locked up in a secluded cabin in the mountains surrounding the city. In isolation, unable to escape, she meditated and connected with Aang, discovering the truth about Tarrlok's heritage. However, when Amon and his Equalists ambushed the cabin, she managed to escape.



In the aftermath of her escape, Amon launched his grand attack on the city. Korra and her friends fought back for a while, but the sheer number and power of the Equalists forced them on the run. Korra retreated into the tunnel system of the city, where she would await the arrival of reinforcements in the form of General Iroh and his United Forces. However, he too proved to be no match for the Equalists machines, and Korra pulled the injured general out of the water. After this incident, she vowed to take the battle to Amon, and together with Mako, she set out to confront him. After having learned that he truly was a waterbender from the Northern Water Tribe, they eventually found him at the Pro-bending Arena, where he was holding a victory speech. The Avatar freed Tenzin and his children, though when she faced Amon, the Equalist leader managed to take away her bending. However, as she witnessed Amon on the verge of taking Mako's bending as well, she unlocked her airbending and managed to overpower Amon.



After the Equalists' defeat, Korra traveled to the Southern Water Tribe, hoping that Katara could undo Amon's action. The old healer was unable to, however, and a heartbroken Korra ran off to grieve on her own. There, she finally managed to connect with her spiritual side, and as such, Aang and the other previous Avatars helped to restore her bending, as well as bestow upon her the ability to restore other people's bending. Having regained her bending and mastered the Avatar State, Korra and Mako became a couple.

171 ASC
After the Anti-bending Revolution, Korra extensively used energybending to restore the bending of the innocent benders Amon victimized.

Coming home
Six months after defeating Amon and gaining access to the Avatar State, Korra participated in an air scooter race on Air Temple Island with Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo. As the close race was nearing its conclusion, Korra used the Avatar State as a boost to win, but was quickly castigated by Tenzin when he found out what she had done, deeming her actions to be irresponsible. Confident in her airbending abilities and uninterested in more training, the Avatar dismissed her tutor's claims that she needed to hone her skills in a more dignified and advanced manner.



Korra postponed Tenzin's travel plans to visit all the air temples, a journey he hoped would bring her more spiritual enlightenment, in favor of a trip to the Southern Water Tribe to attend the Glacier Spirits Festival. Meeting up with her uncle, Unalaq, she found out that angry spirits had been attacking fishing boats in the Southern waters. Her interest in fighting spirits piqued, Korra became even less motivated to learn more advanced airbending, especially after she found out that it had been Tenzin and her father's decision to seclude her away in the isolated compound rather than Aang's.

When the village she resided in came under attack by a dark spirit later that night, Korra attempted in vain to fight the entity off, but even the Avatar State proved to be insufficient in comparison to the malevolent spirit's prowess. Only Unalaq managed to overpower the spirit, by using a special waterbending technique that calmed the entity down and make it disappear completely. Impressed, and aware of her own shortcomings when it came to battling the spirit, Korra took her uncle up on his offer to become her new spiritual guide, breaking with Tenzin as her mentor.

Opening the spirit portal


Later, as Unalaq began to explain the nature of his training for Korra, he explained that they must first travel to the South Pole and open the spirit portal, stating that despite its danger, it was necessary to begin the South Pole's spiritual restoration. They were joined by Mako, Bolin, as well as Desna and Eska. At the last minute, Tonraq insisted on coming along to keep Korra safe from the Everstorm that was brewing down there: a blizzard that had been going on for decades. Along the way, Unalaq expressed his belief that Tonraq was the reason for the spirits' attacking. It was also revealed that back in his youth, Tonraq was banished from the Northern Water Tribe because of his reckless actions that destroyed the sacred spiritual forest and angered its inhabiting spirits, which angered Korra because her father was continuing to hide secrets from her.

Furious about her father's continued secrets and dictation of her life, Korra began distancing herself from him. While admitting to his faults, Tonraq still insisted that the physical and Spirit World should remain separate, only for Korra to remind him that the Avatar is the bridge between both worlds and has this chance to live up to her potential. While Tonraq disagreed with his brother, Unalaq pointed out that that the Northern Water Tribe has helped the South rebuild physically but it lacks spirituality, hence the spirits' rampage. Suddenly, the party was ambushed by dark spirits. During the fighting, Korra attempted to replicate Unalaq's waterbending technique to purify an attacking spirit, but it failed to work, causing her uncle to intervene and save her again. Since their supplies were stolen during the attack, Tonraq insisted they turn back. Ultimately, Korra told her father to return home.



Upon reaching the Everstorm, Unalaq told Korra that inside the frozen spirit forest is the spirit portal and that she must open it again so that the South will become spiritually balanced once again, but she must open it alone. Korra entered and was attacked by dark spirits. She struggled to fight them off but managed to tap the portal in the Avatar State and open it, causing the sky to light up. Upon returning to the group, Korra's uncle commended her for her actions, stating that what she had done would help restore spiritual balance to the south and maybe the whole world. Upon returning to the Southern Water Tribe's shores, the group found a Northern Water Tribe fleet arriving. Unalaq told her that the South's spiritual decay cannot be cured simply by opening the source, which left Korra worried.

A brewing civil war


Confused as to why Unalaq had brought his troops down from the north, Korra demanded to know more. When her uncle stated that it was to protect the spirit portal, Korra got defensive, deeming herself more than capable of protecting it on her own. Unalaq calmed her down by stating that there was another portal in the north, which, if opened, would allow the tribesmen to travel between either tribe in a manner of seconds. As such, Korra began to dream of a truly unified Water Tribe, just as her uncle. However, most Southerners did not see it that way and felt frustrated and suppressed by the northern presence in their tribe. As such, Korra attended a meeting at her parents' house to discuss their current situations. Tensions ran high and Korra was appalled by Varrick's insistence on a civil war with the North. Tonraq implored her to talk to Unalaq about the situation again for him, and Korra agreed, though she emphasized that she did it for the tribe and not for him as she was still angry with Tonraq.

When Korra told Unalaq how the Southerners were taking his presence there, the chief ensured her that he was merely trying to help and emphasized that even though it would be natural for her to side with the Southerners, she, as the Avatar, needed to remain neutral. As she voiced her doubts on being ready to take on the full extent of the Avatar responsibility, Unalaq reassured her that he had full faith in her abilities.



With her uncle's words in mind, Korra attempted to remain neutral, defusing arising conflicts without choosing a side. However, this backfired, leading the frustrated Southerners to turn on her, as they viewed her as a traitor. Frustrated about the situation, she confided in Mako, who attempted to cheer her up by inviting her on a date. However, what was supposed to be calming, private date, turned into a double date when Bolin brought Desna and Eska along.

That night, Korra returned home to find her mother waiting for her. Believing her father send her, Korra was curt to her, though when her mother kept pushing her to talk, she spilled her frustration about Tonraq's secrecy over his past. Her frustration only grew upon learning that Tonraq's past was no secret to Senna. She dismissed her mother's desire for giving her a normal childhood, stating that she always had wanted to be the Avatar, though found that everyone was holding her back. As her mother tried to make her understand that the conflict between the Water Tribes was not something recent, Korra learned that her father had been approached by rebels who were plotting against Unalaq. Fearing Tonraq went through with it, Korra promptly left her mother and rushed over to the royal palace.



Arriving at the palace, hoping to warn her uncle, she found several guards knocked out and restrained. She found four masked rebels, one of which carrying an unconscious Unalaq. Under the impression that her father was among them, Korra pleaded with them to forsake their rebellion and leave, even going as far as offering them the chance to escape without consequence. However, they refused and a battle broke out, in which Korra swiftly overpowered the rebels. Korra thwarted the man she believed to be her father from making his escape on a snowmobile with Unalaq. However, as she unmasked him, demanding to know why he kidnapped Unalaq, she learned that her father had nothing to do with the ambush. As Unalaq awoke and sentences the rebels to freeze in prison, Korra convinced him to at least give them a fair trial, believing it to be an inherent right for every Water Tribe citizen.

Going back home to her parents, Korra broke down and hugged her father, relieved that he had nothing to do with the rebellion. However, the family's reconciliation was cut short when Unalaq appeared with guards to arrest Senna and Tonraq for the charges of conspiring to assassinate him.

Learning the truth
Convinced of her parents' innocence, Korra told Unalaq that he was making a mistake. As she expressed her inability to believe that he would do that to his own family, Unalaq promised her that her parents would receive a fair trial with the most honorable judge of the Water Tribes, namely Judge Hotah.

Korra was called upon to witness at the trial, though the specific questions Hotah asked her, left her no room to elaborate on the events, causing her to make a tainted statement. Korra was relieved upon seeing her mother acquitted of all charges, but was shocked to find her father and the other rebels sentenced to death. Angered, she threatened to kill the judge if he would not reconsider, and after Unalaq interfered, the death penalty was changed to life imprisonment. After Tonraq was led away, Korra and Senna visited him in prison, and she immediately suggested to break him out of there, though reconsidered upon her father's wish.



Upon witnessing her mother crying over her husband's fate back at their home, she decided to get Judge Hotah to change his sentence and acquit her father of the charges as well. However, as she confronted the man, she found that he had merely been following Unalaq's orders and she learned her uncle had also been responsible for her father's banishment. Angered, she decided to break her father out of prison, calling on Mako and Asami to help her. After a brief skirmish with Unalaq in prison, the threesome left for Varrick's yacht, where the businessman and Bolin were waiting for them, in order to give chase to the ship heading for the Northern Water Tribe that carried Tonraq and the other prisoners.

After they freed the prisoners, Korra told her father the entire truth, causing him to officially rebel against his brother. Proud of her father, Korra wanted to fight alongside him against Unalaq, though she was sent to Republic City by Tonraq in order to ask President Raiko to deploy the United Forces to help the South.

Troubles in the city
Upon arriving back in Republic City, the civil war's effects were already beginning to take place, and Lin Beifong informed Korra and her friends of a peace march the Southerners were organizing that evening. Korra expressed her desire to attend, to show her fellow tribesmen that they had the support of the Avatar, though Mako attempted to dissuade her, stating that she should at least try to maintain a sense of neutrality. Emphasizing that she was not neutral, she ignored his suggestion and attended anyway. However, during the protest, the Southern Water Tribe Cultural Center was bombed, leaving Korra furious as she was convinced the North was behind it, even though Mako believed otherwise.



The next day, Korra met with President Raiko in order to persuade him to support the South by sending the United Forces down to help them. Much to her dismay, however, the President refused, convinced that it was not the Republic's place to interfere with internal Water Tribe affairs and that the situation called for a diplomatic solution. Angered, Korra stated that his passivity would bring forth the destruction of the South, and that every casualty would thus be on his hands.

Frustrated, Korra went to Mako's apartment and vented about the situation to the officer. However, as a policeman, he tried to maintain a more neutral point of view, telling her that she could not expect the President to send troops to fight a war that is not theirs. Korra took this the wrong way, believing Mako to side against her, and the two got into an argument, which ended with Korra storming out on the firebender.

Korra headed to the harbor where Varrick's yacht was docked, hoping that the businessman would know what to do next. Upon his suggestion, the Avatar took her issue directly to General Iroh, who planned to bring his forces to the South for make-belief training exercises as a cover up for them to engage hostile Northern forces. However, the President interrupted their conversation, officially disabling Iroh from helping Korra. Korra received a warning from Raiko to not undermine his authority, which fueled her dislike of him even more. Iroh suggested that she head to the Fire Nation and talk to the Fire Lord for support.

When Korra met up with Bolin, asking him to watch Naga for her as she traveled to the Fire Nation, she learned from the earthbender that Mako had ratted her plans out to the President. Feeling betrayed, she stormed into the police station and confronted him. Their discussion became heated very quickly and escalated to the point where Mako broke up with Korra, causing her to run off.



As Korra left Republic City to gain the aid of the Fire Nation, she was attacked by her two cousins, intent on capturing her and bringing her to Unalaq. During the battle, an enormous dark spirit appeared out of the water. Korra attempted to subdue the entity with Unalaq's pacification technique. While initially working, the spirit broke free. Korra then attempted to blast it with her firebending, though it had no effect and the spirit consumed her, dragging her below the surface.

Finding herself
Following the attack, Korra washed ashore on a Fire Nation island. She awoke to see three Fire Sages standing over her, and, reacting instinctively, used airbending to push them away. However, the action took its toll on her and she collapsed to her knees in exhaustion. One of the sages attempted to comfort her, stating that they were there to help her, but Korra became confused at the mention of her name, asking who that was. Alarmed, the sage asked her how she came to be on their island, but Korra responded that she could not remember how she got there or what had happened, before slipping into unconsciousness once more.



Korra was brought to the Bhanti Village Temple, and muttered "Raava" several times while the head sage, an elderly woman, examined her. She was diagnosed as having been infected by a dark spirit, which threatened to kill the Avatar Spirit within her if left untreated. In order to save the spirit, Korra was lowered into a healing cell, and she began to converse with visions of herself and her most recent past lives, Aang, Roku, Kyoshi, and Kuruk. After the vision of Avatar Kuruk informed her that, to reconnect with her Avatar spirit, she would need to return to the beginning, Korra found herself face to face with a young man. She asked him if he was Raava, to which the young man replied that he was not, but that he could help Korra find her. He informed the young Avatar that his name was Wan, and that he would show her how he became the first Avatar.

After witnessing Wan's life and consequently reconnecting with her deepest Avatar memories, Korra awoke with her memories regained. The elderly sage led her to a large field, where a herd of flying bison were grazing and offered the Avatar one. Korra thanked the woman for her kindness, and wondered aloud how long she had been gone, to which she receiving an inconclusive answer. However, with the Harmonic Convergence only a few weeks away, Korra stated that she intended to close the spirit portal at the South Pole, and promptly left the island on a flying bison.

Entering the Spirit World


Remembering Tenzin's vacation itinerary, she tracked down the family at the Eastern Air Temple, where she was greeted by a shocked Tenzin and his family, pleasantly surprising them all. The airbender children excitedly ran up to her and hugged her. Even though she had parted on shaky grounds with Tenzin, Korra expressed how glad she was to see everyone, but she was surprised to learn that they were unaware of the events occurring elsewhere. Being implored to bring them up to speed with everything, Korra quickly shared the outlines of the situation with everyone, before retreating with Tenzin to one of the temple's gardens to discuss it more in depth. Korra blamed herself for the entire situation, but was corrected by Tenzin who pinned it all on Unalaq's hunger for power. In order to rectify her mistake of opening the Southern spirit portal, she needed to enter the Spirit World.



Together, Tenzin and Korra visited the stone garden where Aang and Guru Pathik had gone on a spiritual journey seventy one years prior, inspiring the young Avatar with confidence that she could enter the Spirit World. Although Tenzin's family helped to set the mood for meditation, neither Korra nor Tenzin could successfully meditate into the Spirit World, severely annoying the master airbender. After three failed attempts at three different locations, Korra inquired what was disturbing Tenzin, as he had snapped at Meelo, Kya, and her respectively each time their meditation failed. When he stated that nothing felt right to him, she opted to try whatever it was that he had done when he first crossed to the Spirit World. Much to her surprise, however, an ashamed Tenzin admitted that he had never done so, though he remained adamant that it was his destiny to guide the Avatar to the Spirit World and implored her to trust him. When Jinora offered an alternative by calling upon her dragonfly bunny spirits to reveal themselves, Korra inquired if the entities wanted to help them. Although Tenzin was reluctant to follow the spirits, she playfully brushed him off by stating that since the spirits had actually been to the Spirit World before, she was going to follow them.

As they followed the spirits down to the lower areas of the temple, Korra complimented Jinora's ability with spirits, deeming her to be lucky to have such a natural gift. When Jinora replied it was nothing compared to having met the first Avatar, Korra told her about her meeting with Wan. The subsequent realization that Jinora had been drawn to Wan's statue at the Southern Air Temple at exactly the same moment Korra had opened the Southern spirit portal awed both girls.



Arriving at a dilapidated ancient airbender meditation circle, Korra watched as Tenzin performed a cleansing ceremony to strengthen its connection to the Spirit World. However, the ritual drew out a swarm of bat-like dark spirits that immediately attacked the group. Korra tried to swat the entities away with her waterbending, though it had no effect on them. Switching tactics, she surrounded the spirits with water streams in an attempt to purify them with Unalaq's technique and, for the first time, she managed to successfully turn the spirits back into light. As she dispersed the dark entities, she consequently cleaned their hold on the ancient site in the process, restoring it to its former glory. When Tenzin walked up to her and bitterly noted how much more effective Unalaq's teachings had been for her spiritual training than his own, Korra immediately put him at ease by emphasizing that he had trained her in order to help her, as opposed to doing it for personal gain. She proceeded to apologize for how she had treated him, expressing her regret over turning her back on him. When she stated that she needed him more than ever, Tenzin promptly stated that he would not let her down, and the two shared a hug.



Believing in the site's spiritual connection, Tenzin confidently stated that if they were to meditate there, they would succeed to cross over, and Korra, knowing that it was the airbender's dream to succeed, offered him to go first, spending the remainder of the day waiting with the others. When it became apparent that it was not going to work, Korra emphasized that they were running out of time, urging her mentor to follow up on Kya's statement that it was Jinora's destiny to guide her into the Spirit World. Although Tenzin initially deemed it too dangerous for his daughter, he relented, and Korra was told to go on and close the portal, receiving the reassurance that her body would be kept safe until her return. The two girls sat down in lotus position opposite from one another and meditated. When Korra's eyes started to glow, they both crossed over to the Spirit World.



Although Jinora was awestruck by the appearance of the Spirit World, Korra was more hesitant, alert for the presence of dark spirits. She startled upon touching a flower that morphed into a butterfly spirit, causing Jinora to chase it. Worried about the young girl's safety, Korra ran after her, though accidentally stepped into the hole of a meerkat spirit, angering the entity. Upon asked who she was, she pridefully announced that she was the Avatar, though it did not impress the multitude of meerkat spirits that were popping up from under the ground. The entities fired a multitude of questions at her; surrounded and agitated, Korra attempted to bend at the spirits, though was unable to since she had not entered the Spirit World through a portal. Although her attack was unsuccessful, the spirits were angered by the attempt and promptly attacked Korra; as they touched her, they morphed into a blue, dense substance, weighing her down. Korra called out to Jinora for help and was advised to calm down, as it was her own energy that was upsetting the spirits. However, even the young airbender was unable to free her from the spirits' attack, and when the meerkats all began running in a circle around them, Korra and Jinora found themselves sucked through the earth. They were dropped into a large body of water on another location, where they were instantly swallowed by another spirit, only to resurface again in a rapidly moving stream. As they approached a fork in the water, Korra was pushed in another direction as Jinora and ended up in a dark forest.



Surrounded by dark spirits, Korra ran deeper into the forest, calling for Jinora. As she grew more desperate, she physically and emotionally changed to her four-year-old self, crying for the young airbender. She was startled when a young dragon bird spirit flew toward her, swatting at the entity out of reflex, causing the spirit to injure its wing. Noticing what she had done, she picked up the spirit and apologized, as she had not meant to hurt it. At that moment, she was approached by Iroh, whom she instantly recognized due to his close friendship with her predecessor, Aang. She was subsequently led out of the forest and invited to join the tea party in celebration of May-Jim's wedding. Iroh poured her a cup of tea, brewed in Wan's teapot, which Korra instantly recognized. However, when Iroh later explained how he had made new friend in the Spirit World, Korra grew sad over her separation from Jinora. The distraught Korra threw a tantrum; the negativity she displayed caused the skies to darken and the spirits to grow restless. After Iroh explained the impact of her emotions on her surroundings to her, Korra apologized and grew surprised over the fact that her positive attitude could literally bring out the sun. The elderly man added that if she sought the light, she would find it, but looking for the dark would mean that it is all she would ever see. Korra tried to apply what she had just learned to find Jinora, but Iroh stated that finding the young airbender would not be that easy. When Korra asked for advice, he imparted the wisdom that sometimes the best way to help oneself is to help others, recommending she took the dragon bird spirit home, pointed Korra toward its home atop Hai-Riyo Peak.



Korra was accompanied by Iroh for a while, but when the scared girl asked him if he would accompany her, he squatted down and gently told her that she needed to make the trip on her own. He explained to her that the darkness she saw surrounding Hai-Riyo Peak was caused by the darkness and anger brought by the people who had been frequenting the Spirit World lately, but since Korra had light and peace within her, he pointed out that she could change the world around her. To prove his point, Korra was asked if she still thought the dragon bird was scary like she had upon their first encounter, and after she replied that it was not, Iroh noted that many things that seemed threatening in the dark would prove to be welcoming by shedding light on it. After embracing the old man, Korra received an invitation to visit him again, whether it was in her present life or her next incarnation.



Korra ventured up the mountain by herself, chanting "light and peace" as a mantra to keep herself calm. When she encountered three dark lion dog spirits, she implemented Iroh's wisdom, forsaking her fear for the spirits' frightful appearance in favor of a positive attitude toward them. Korra introduced herself, her cheerful demeanor changing the spirits and her surroundings back to normal. She hitched a ride to the top of Hai-Riyo Peak on the back of one of the lion dog spirits, where she found the nest of the dragon bird spirit with three other young spirits. As she returned the wounded young to its nest, Korra watched in awe how the four entities emerged into one, large dragon bird spirit. When the spirit's transformation was completed, so was her own, as she had returned to her normal physical and emotional state. She mounted the flying spirit, who took her to the spirit portals.



As Korra was about to close the Southern portal, Vaatu called her to him, and addressed her as Raava. She was undeterred when he informed her that he would destroy her during the upcoming Harmonic Convergence, reiterating her goal to close the Southern portal. However, her confidence faltered when Unalaq revealed himself and Jinora as his prisoner. In order to save Jinora's soul, Korra relented and opened the Northern portal. When she demanded the young airbender's release in return, she was promptly attacked by Unalaq, who had retained his bending by entering physically through the Southern portal as opposed to spiritually though meditation. Unable to fight back, Korra tried her best to avoid his water blasts, though was powerless to stop Furry-Foot from taking off with Jinora. As she gave chase, she was snatched up and gnawed at by one of the lion dog spirits, who had turned dark again. Incapacitated, she was surrounded by water streams as Unalaq prepared to destroy her soul with his special technique. However, before he could fully execute his attack, Korra was saved and carried away to safety by the dragon bird spirit.

When she returned to her body in the mortal world, Korra panted in exhaustion, drawing the attention of a worried Tenzin. When he asked her several questions, she could only manage to utter an apology and look at Jinora's still body, whose soul was still trapped in the Spirit World.

Personality


On the surface Korra is fierce, independent, tomboyish, and pugnacious. However, beneath this tough exterior, she possesses a strong loyalty toward her comrades and duty as the Avatar and an admirable compassion seen in moments when she expresses love toward things such as pro-bending, Naga, Mako, or family and friends. Her offensive battle style means that she is always quick to initiate or rise to a challenge and she is extremely quick witted and impulsive, especially in heated situations. As an "Avatar-in-training", she lacks perception toward the damage her bending is capable of, and her rash decisions often result in her accidentally insulting others.

True to Korra's character, Lin once stated to Tenzin that it was "hard to believe [his] sweet-tempered father was reincarnated into that girl." Her personality is, in many ways, the opposite of the previous Avatar's; Aang was a peaceful, diffident, nomadic airbender, whereas Korra is tough, impatient, headstrong, sarcastic, and assertive. Additionally, while Aang was initially reluctant to be the Avatar, to the point where he ran away to prevent his responsibilities as the Avatar from disturbing his life, Korra fully embraced her position as the Avatar from a very young age, reveling in its power. However, like Aang, she also has a good sense of humor and enthusiasm, and a vulnerable teenage charm.

Korra's lack of a spiritual grasp proved to be a stumbling block in her training; she admitted that her personality is the opposite of the typical airbender's, and as Tenzin noted, Avatars tend to struggle with the bending art most opposite their personality. Due to the lack of a spiritual center in her life, Korra is impulsive and therefore has a hard time hiding her true feelings; this can be seen in her reaction to learning that Asami Sato was Mako's date during the gala Tarrlok threw in her honor, where she immediately expressed her jealousy by being rather hostile toward Asami and short with Mako.

Due to her concentration on the physical side of bending, Korra was initially quite worried when she saw "the revelation" of Amon's true abilities during his demonstration, a fear which expressed itself in Amon's words in the nightmare she had soon afterwards, "Once I take your bending away, you will be nothing." This and her later encounter with Amon revealed this fear. She tried repressing these fears for the good of Republic City when she joined Tarrlok's task force, but had trouble staying her usual upbeat self and became rather reclusive, and eventually made the rash decision to call Amon out in a one-on-one duel. This indicates that she is ruled by her emotions even when she tries to pretend they do not exist, leaving her vulnerable to Amon as shown by the results of the said encounter.



Like her immediate predecessor Aang, Korra places a high priority on her position as the Avatar, despite their differing approaches. Although at first Aang was uncomfortable with having to use outright violence to bring balance to the world, he eventually developed an unrelenting determination toward following his age-old destiny. Korra, on the other hand, takes a non-conformist stance over her Avatar training. For instance, after trying out pro-bending, she stated to Tenzin that the reason why she had been unable to airbend was because the Avatar no longer needed it and was instead meant to focus on modern styles of fighting. Tenzin quickly stamped her proposal out as preposterous, reminding her that the Avatar is destined to master all four elements at all costs.

Bending


As the Avatar, Korra has the unique ability to use all four elements, and has the potential to become the most powerful bender in the world. Furthermore, since she was a child, Korra has always had a remarkable affinity for the physical aspect of bending. She also quickly took to the three different styles of pro-bending with simple instructions from her teammates, greatly impressing them after only a week of training to ultimately become a highly capable member of the Fire Ferrets. While in the Avatar State, Korra is able to use an air spout to raise herself into the air while unleashing all four elements in rapid succession. Later after more training, Korra becomes able to easily enter this form with complete control, even during intense competition.

Waterbending


Korra's waterbending abilities manifested at a young age, before she had even been recognized as the Avatar by the Order of the White Lotus. Subsequently trained formally in the art for over a decade by Katara, arguably the greatest waterbending master alive, Korra has demonstrated a high level of skill in this art in addition to its various techniques. She is capable of creating large walls of ice and powerful water whips. She can also launch herself high into the air and maintain the height on a gigantic waterspout easily, fight off several aerial attacks with various water attacks, and propel herself plus another person through the water at high-speeds to avoid attacks. She used her waterbending abilities to procure herself a spot on the Fire Ferrets pro-bending team, referring to herself as a "top-notch waterbender." While she was taught Northern and Southern style waterbending, which both employ fluid motions, Korra has quickly adapted to Republic City's more aggressive, straightforward waterbending style. Korra also has sufficient knowledge of bloodbending to fully understand the nature of its application, despite having never used the outlawed skill.

Healing


During her waterbending training, Korra was also taught the advanced skill of healing. As Katara was well-regarded as the best healer in the world, Korra herself became highly skilled in the art, something she takes pride in. By using a small supply of water as a catalyst on the targeted area, Korra is able to drastically increase the healing rate of injuries. Korra's skills were great enough to quickly soothe away the pain on Bolin's injured arm, and mitigate the severe burns on General Iroh's arm, leaving no trace of scars.

Despite her short time studying under her uncle Unalaq, a spiritual expert, Korra has learned his unique form of spiritual healing, which changes negative energy into positive energy in spirits to calm them. While originally only understanding the theoretical mechanics behind this technique and could only momentarily calming the targets, she eventually successfully performed the technique, being able to calm countless small spirits at once.

Earthbending


Korra's earthbending abilities also manifested at an early age. Spending many years of intense training, Korra has gained expertise in this art. Her prowess is great enough to easily take control of earth targets levitated by other earthbenders. She has demonstrated her adept skill and ability in earthbending on several occasions, notably launching a member of the Triple Threat Triad several stories into the air. Korra's earthbending is also able to affect a considerable radius, upturning and demolishing everything in the area.

Firebending


As with earth and water, fire too manifested at a young age, and it became the element Korra most prominently utilizes. Due to the fact that she relies on offensive maneuvers when under pressure, Korra uses fire more than any other element. Her firebending training was finished when she passed the test impressively at the age of seventeen, having learned various advanced techniques such as the breath of fire. Against other firebenders, she can easily deflect and disperse the enemies' attack. Her control is so fine, she is able to produce a small yet intense flame at her fingers that she can maintain to melt through metal chains. She can propel herself through the air with firebending in short bursts, and use these bursts to run along a wall. Contrary to the usual difficulty an Avatar has with learning the opposite of his/her native element, firebending has become second nature to her. Korra tends to utilize firebending before any other element when provoked, frustrated, or attempting to assert dominance, such as when she falls back on firebending a newspaper cut out of Lin after failing to do so with airbending. Tenzin attributed this unusual combination to her innate personality being quite fit for the art thanks to her natural assertiveness and fiery spirit.

Airbending


Unlike the prior three elements, airbending did not come easily to Korra. Tenzin explained that it was due to its innate nature of being the most opposite to her personality. While initially having difficulty with airbending's fighting style and battle tactics, during her first pro-bending match, she was able to employ basic airbending movements to dodge the opposing team's assault and ultimately tire them out to win the match for her team. As her training has progressed, her understanding of its moveset greatly improved, and she was able to quickly and gracefully progress through the gates and ultimately learned all of its physical maneuvers; she later applied these tactics against the Lieutenant, effectively dodging all his attacks.

After Amon removed Korra's ability to bend her first three elements and was about to take Mako's firebending, Korra's emotional build up allowed her to fully connect with her spiritual side to utilize airbending. Despite only knowing the theory and practice of its forms, Korra has shown considerable skill and power in airbending: being able to create air blasts from punching and kicking movements, which were strong enough to send Amon flying several yards through a window. Although she has shown great power in her offensive use of airbending, her style of airbending varies dramatically from other airbenders, employing straightforward offensive movements similar to firebending while lacking the more characteristic circular and spiraling movements. Months later, while still using more firebending-like tactics for airbending, she started to employ traditional airbending and has nearly mastered several advanced skills such as the air scooter and the air spout.

Energybending


When lamenting the fact that Amon had removed all but her airbending, Avatar Aang appeared to Korra alongside previous Avatar incarnations during her lowest moment. At this point, it became clear that she had finally broken the barrier between the spiritual and physical world, something that had been beyond her abilities ever since she was born. Aang subsequently used energybending to restore her ability to bend all of the elements as well as impart the knowledge of energybending. With this new ability, Korra was able to freely restore a person's bending, as she did so with Lin Beifong's earthbending. Following the Anti-bending revolution, Korra extensively used energybending to restore the bending of those benders whom Amon victimized with his bending severing bloodbending technique.

Other skills


In addition to bending, Korra also has considerable physical prowess. Her impressive raw strength allows her to easily lift Tenzin and his children at the same time. Likewise, she can easily leap across long distances and over high obstacles from a stationary position, as well as effectively traverse various terrains and vertical surfaces with great speed to hoist herself easily up and off rooftops. She can easily throw a much larger and heavier opponent against a set of pipes with enough force to break them, and can shatter large chunks of ice launched at her with a single punch each.

Korra is also quite fast and agile with sharp reflexes, able to easily dodge a much larger opponent's assault in a narrow area or a metalbender's launched cable from close-range. Her dexterity and balance are also considerably high, allowing her to skillfully dodge a large barrage of projectiles nearly unscathed, further aiding her in battle. She has impressive acrobatic skills; akin to parkour and free-running, she can slide across surfaces with great control, perform mid-air flips and twirls, run up and across walls. She is also quite flexible, able to bend and twist effectively enough to attack from various angles or squeeze through most spaces. Korra can also be quite precise in her attacks, detaining several skilled Southern waterbenders without inflicting any major injuries.

Korra is also a highly proficient unarmed fighter, able to knock out opponents with a single kick and once subdued a man using only Mako's scarf. Even against an expert weapons-wielder like the Lieutenant, Korra skillfully parried and countered his close-range assault. Furthermore, with a combination of bending attacks, she was able to create openings and land powerful physical blows, ultimately defeating him.

Korra also has keen instincts under pressure, demonstrating capable tactical and escape skills, such as using her armband as an insulator against the Lieutenant's electrical assault, and faking unconsciousness in order to catch the Equalists by surprise. Her resilience is also considerably high as she is one of few who canceled and broke free from a bloodbending grip, albeit with some difficulty.

While incapable of driving a Satomobile, Korra has demonstrated she can pilot a speedboat.

Medium
As the Avatar, Korra also has the capacity to act as a bridge between mortal world and the Spirit World, the plane of existence where the universe's disembodied spirits dwell. Despite this, Korra had always struggled with the spiritual aspects of being the Avatar, initially being unable to connect with her past lives or enter the Spirit World on her own. As her training under Tenzin progressed, she she had slowly begun to connect with her spiritual side, seeing visions of her past life as Aang. Later, after her encounter with Amon, all of her active bending abilities were taken away, but this allowed her to finally break free from her airbending block and defeat Amon. Upon sinking into despair after Katara was unable to restore her lost bending, Korra's spirit was finally able to subconsciously connect with her Avatar Spirit in the form of Aang, who restored all her bending abilities, as well as passing on to her the ability to energybend. With newfound spirituality, she can enter the Avatar State.

After being attacked by a dark spirit, Korra was forced to undertake a spiritual journey to rediscover herself. She ultimately gained her a deeper connection with the Avatar Spirit and her past lives, all the way to the original Avatar Wan. With this strengthened connection, Korra is able to purify dark spirits by balancing the energy within them, as well as accessing various memories from her past lives, including Avatar Aang's memory of Iroh and Avatar Wan's memory of his personal teapot.

Appearances
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Book Two: Spirits (神靈)
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Trivia

 * Her name follows a longstanding tradition in the polar Water Tribes, where often people include one or two "K"s and/or have an "AH" sound in their name (Katara, Hakoda, Sokka, Pakku, Kuruk, Kanna, Arnook, Tarrlok, Noatak, Yakone, Eska, Varrick etc.).
 * Korra is the third known female Avatar after Avatars Yangchen and Kyoshi.
 * The creators could not find a name that they agreed on that followed the tradition of the Water Tribe names, but when they were staying in an eco-lodge, the owner introduced them to his dog Cora. The creators agreed on the name, and with a spelling tweak, it fit into the established culture.
 * Korra's name bears resemblance to the given name of Cora Baker, who provided the voice of four year old Korra.
 * When anglicized, Greek "Kore" reforms as "Cora", with both names meaning "maiden". Kore is also another name for Persephone, Greek goddess of the underworld, who is described by Homer as a "formidable and powerful young queen".
 * Korra is spiritually related to Avatar Aang's children and grandchildren, as well as Avatar Roku's descendants.
 * Korra's situation is the opposite of Aang's; Aang had mastered airbending during his time spent at the Southern Air Temple and had to travel the world to learn the other three elements, whereas Korra had mastered waterbending, earthbending, and firebending at the compound in the South Pole and had to travel to learn airbending. In addition, while Aang was very in tune with the spiritual side of bending and had to work to achieve the physical ability to bend the other elements, Korra is talented with the physical side of bending, but has difficulty mastering the spiritual side.
 * Korra is the second known Avatar shown to know of her status as the Avatar before her sixteenth birthday, Aang being the first, though she knew of her status at a significantly younger age.
 * Chronologically, Korra is the youngest known fully-realized Avatar.
 * Korra is the only Avatar known to have both biological parents featured in the series, have her bending blocked with chi blocking, and to have used waterbending for healing purposes.
 * Korra is the first Avatar known to have her bending removed and likewise restored.
 * Korra is the second known Avatar to utilize energybending.
 * Korra is the second known Avatar to be seen restoring someone's bending that had been previously taken away, and the first to be seen doing so while presently alive.
 * Korra favors the "I'm looking for the bathroom" excuse whenever someone confronts her on what she is doing when she should not be there.
 * Whereas Aang relied very heavily on his native element and preferred to use it before making use of any other, Korra does not seem to have any real preference over using her own native element; as noted, she does not bother to carry a water skin. In fact, she relies more on firebending than any of the other elements.
 * Korra is the first known person to have ever tamed a polar bear dog.
 * Korra is the waterbender shown in the opening sequence of The Legend of Korra.
 * When she first utilized the Avatar State, Korra bent each of the four elements in reverse order of the cycle; air, fire, earth, water. This was the same order Aang bent the elements during the Battle at Wulong Forest when he entered the Avatar State.
 * Korra is the fifth known person to break free of a bloodbender's hold by their own doing; and is the first Avatar known to be able to resist bloodbending without being in the Avatar State.
 * Korra used the phrase "if you're man enough to face me" when trying to goad Amon into fighting her, which was the same phrase Katara used when she goaded Pakku into fighting her.
 * Korra's design was inspired by various female MMA fighters, one being Gina Carano.
 * After defeating Amon, Korra's outfit has changed; it has sleeves and an asymmetrically necked top.
 * Korra is the second Avatar known to have familial ties to a ruling class, following Roku, an ancestor of Zuko.
 * A chibi version of Korra can be seen in Republic City Run and in Super Mini Puzzle Heroes Multiplayer.
 * Avatar Korra is the last avatar of the old cycle, but the 1st of the new cycle of avatars