| Bryan Konietzko | Hey, guys, this is Bryan Konietzko, co-creator and executive producer. |
|---|---|
| Michael Dante DiMartino | This is Mike DiMartino, co-creator, executive producer. |
| Joshua Hamilton | Hello, everybody, I'm Josh Hamilton, I'm the writer of this episode. |
| Tim Hedrick | Hi, I'm Tim Hedrick, and I'm a writer not of this episode. |
| Mike | [Laughs.] Just a [Josh chuckles intermittently.] writer of other episodes. |
| Tim | Yeah, just a regular writer. |
| Mike | Ah, well, here we are, Book Four commentary begins. |
| Josh | [Refers to when Shiro Shinobi mentions in the opening newsreel how Republic City has missed Korra as she recovered for three years.] We did a cool thing this year, didn't we? We jumped time. |
| Mike | Time jump, [Tim affirms.] but not time travel. Not to be confused with time travel. |
| Tim | Nope, we don't do that. |
| Mike | So, three years have passed since uh, Book-Book Three. |
| Josh | Yeah, so we decided-do this opening where they're-they kind of explain everything, and this was sort of like L.A. Confidential-style. [Mike affirms.] |
| Bryan | [Refers to Shiro welcoming viewers of the reel to Republic City, advertising the city's attractions like Air Temple Island, Avatar Korra Park, and the Spirit Wilds.] Yeah, like a tourism video. Or not video, tourism film, [Mike chuckles.] I should say. |
| Mike | Yeah, I'm sure a lotta people visited Republic City after this came out. |
| Tim | I would imagine, [Mike chuckles.] it looks very nice. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the statue of Korra standing in the eponymously named park.] Yeah, I-it was really late at night, I was going over some designs, and the original drawing of that statue, I just wasn't crazy about, and I was like, "man, I wonder where I could find just a-a finished drawing of Korra where she looks heroic," and I was like, [Refers to the statue's pose being the same as Korra's in the opening sequence right before the title card appears.] "oh yeah, the opening title," and I found it on the server, and uh, dropped it in. It was Lauren-think uh, Joaquim and-and Lauren did that original drawing. |
| Mike | [Refers to the outfits Asami, Mako, Tenzin, Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo wear at the reopening ceremony for Republic City's central train terminal.] Cool. And, yeah, this season, everyone got updated outfits. [Tim affirms.] |
| Josh | [Refers to Jinora having her hair tied back in a bun.] Jinora has hair! |
| Mike | Jinora grew her hair back. |
| Tim | [Refers to Meelo having hair.] Meelo's looking very grown-up. [Josh gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Mike | [Refers to Pema standing with her family.] The only per-I mean, Pema, she really didn't change, did she? |
| Bryan | Nope... |
| Mike | [In the background.] Now... |
| Bryan | ... didn't change her. [Tim chuckles.] Um... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to Raiko officiating the ceremony with its principal architect, Asami.] Raiko, pretty much the same. |
| Bryan | Same. [Refers to Prince Wu, heir to the Earth Kingdom throne, attending the ceremony.] And we uh, and we meet Prince Wu, he was-we added a new dude. |
| Mike | [Refers to Wu attempting to flirt with Asami.] There he is. |
| Bryan | Voiced by Sunil; very funny guy. |
| Mike | Yeah, he's a-he's a f-humorous addition to the Avatar world. |
| Josh | Yeah, I love the, you know, he's, like, what? A prince of the Earth Kingdom unlike any we've seen before. Just sort of, like, grew up sheltered. |
| Tim | Man of privilege. |
| Mike | They're all-they're all sheltered, what are you talking about? [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | Uh, he wasn't-he wasn't exactly sheltered, he was, like, shipped off. He's like the kid that was sent to boarding school, boarding, yeah. |
| Mike | I know, we never really explained it fully... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Yeah, he's insulated. |
| Mike | ... but the idea we always talked about was that he was, like, yeah, he was, like, studying at, like, Republic City University, or something, all these years. |
| Tim | He's like a seventh-year senior, probably. [Mike affirms.] |
| Bryan | It's like-it's like if someone goes to Columbia, and their classmate's, like, you know, a prince of some... |
| Tim | [In the background; laughs.] Right. [Mike and Josh affirm.] |
| Bryan | ... oil-oil-rich country, [Mike affirms.] you know, and he's raised just like an American, but-so that was the idea, is that he's, like, the only, [Refers to when Wu mentions how he doesn't want to end up like his deceased great-aunt, the Earth Queen.] he's kinda like a distant relative of the queen, right? |
| Josh | Outta touch with his... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] He's uh, he's uh, he's like a n-not a-not a direct nephew, but... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Yeah, something through marriage. [Tim affirms.] |
| Mike | [Laughs.] Yeah, it was, like, he was go-he was not in Ba Sing Se when she was assassinated; heard the news, and was like, "eh, think I'll just hang out in Republic City for a little while, [Bryan affirms.] 'til things settle down." |
| Tim | Kinda way down on the chain of succession. [Josh and Mike affirm.] |
| Bryan | And sort of a pathetic guy, despite his uh, lofty, like, social status, I guess. Well, he doesn't really have any friends, and he has no social skills, 'specially with women; he's very confused, and kinda jerk... [Tim chuckles.] |
| Josh | [Interjects.] He's the perfect person for the president just, like, to put his claws in, [Bryan laughs.] say, "let's go this way." |
| Bryan | Yeah, he can mou-he-yeah, Raiko's pretty excited about him. He's like, "man, I can mould this guy, and [Tim affirms.] sorta control this old..." |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Total puppet. [Bryan affirms.] |
| Mike | [Refers to Korra appearing in the episode's final scene.] So, this whole episode, until the very end, Korra is nowhere to be seen. And people will ask, "did you do that on purpose?" Of course we did. [Josh and Tim laugh.] We had it all planned from the start. |
| Josh | [In a mock shocked tone.] What? |
| Mike | [In the background.] I mean, we do... |
| Josh | Oh, we forgot Korra! [Tim chuckles.] Ugh! [Laughs.] |
| Mike | You know, yeah, yeah, oh, wait! We gotta throw her in. [Josh laughs.] No, yeah, it was uh, designed on purpose because we wanted to be mysterious, what happened to her. And the-and every time I see this episode, or one-you know, once we started working on it, I never really missed her until the very end, and you're like, "oh yeah! Where-where-what has she been doing this whole time?" |
| Tim | Yeah, there-we have such a large cast, [Mike affirms.] particularly large... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Especially this season, yeah. |
| Tim | Yeah, I mean, keeping up with everybody, it takes some time. [Bryan affirms.] |
| Bryan | [Refers to when Kai and Opal swoop down from their flying bison, Lefty, to stop an in-progress bandit raid on an Earth Kingdom village.] I like this introduction of Kai and Jinora. We saw a little bit in the... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] O-Opal. |
| Bryan | Or, sorry. |
| Mike | Jinora? |
| Bryan | Sorry. |
| Mike | What you talking about? |
| Bryan | I was, [Mike and Josh laugh.] my-my-I-my "Kainora" was strong. [Tim and Mike laugh.] |
| Josh | Yeah, oh... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] I got confused. Um, Kai and Opal, I really like this introduction. It's kinda cool, 'cause they were, like, two additions in Book Three, [Josh affirms.] and it's neat to have them as, like, a little-a little team. Um... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] And we get to see their role, like, what the airbenders do at this point in time, [Tim affirms.] which is like-sort of like patrol, and be peacekeepers. |
| Bryan | Yeah, we can-we can just-they're pretty much Jedi. I mean, [Josh laughs.] they're Jedi without sabers. [Refers to Kai and Opal's wingsuits, used with their airbending to soar through the skies.] So, their-the new wingsuits, uh, this was an idea we had a long time ago, and then um, why-I-I regret that we didn't, in the show, get to say that-the idea was that Asami designed these, and um, so there you go, Asami designed [Mike chuckles.] them. I think we... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] It was one sentence. We couldn't have put that in? |
| Bryan | I know, [Josh laughs.] I know. I think we put it in the art book, but uh... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] By the way, I designed those. [Bryan gives a skeptically affirming murmur.] |
| Tim | [Refers to the governor of the State of Yi complaining to Kai and Opal how the Air Nation sent only two airbenders to deal with the bandits in his state.] And this is uh, the voice of Bert Cooper from Mad Men. [Bryan affirms.] |
| Mike | Yeah, R-Robert Morse, right? Was that the actor? |
| Josh | Yeah. Another... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Of the great State of Zi. [Bryan and Josh chuckle.] |
| Mike | [Laughs; pronounces it "Yee".] Yi. [Pronounces it "Yai".] Yi. |
| Tim | [Pronounces it "Yee".] Yi, [Pronounces it "Yai".] Yi. |
| Josh | [Pronounces it "Yai".] Oh, Yi. |
| Tim | [Pronounces it "Yai".] Yi. |
| Mike | Yeah, I think we always thought of it as [Pronounces it as "Yee".] Yi, [Refers to the governor's pronunciation of Yi as "Yai".] and then he came in, and just said, "Yi!" [Bryan chuckles; Tim affirms.] |
| Josh | Right, it was spelled, like... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] And we're like, "yeah, sure." |
| Josh | ... Y-I. |
| Tim | [Refers to when the governor declares that he will never hand control of the State of Yi over to Kuvira.] He said it with such authority, [Mike affirms; Josh chuckles.] and, you know, well, you're the governor, man. |
| Josh | There... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] It's the only-it's the only time we ever hear the name, so, [Tim chuckles.] we were like, "yeah, sure, why not." |
| Bryan | [Refers to Kuvira's maglev train, the wheelless compartments propelled over a metal beam on the track.] This is uh, Kuvira's awesome train. This is the in-kinda reintroduction of Kuvira. Uh, this train was desi-the concept design was by Joaquim, and then uh, Christine Bian did the um, did-she-she kinda fleshed it out, [Refers to Kuvira standing in a furnished train car along with several of her subordinates.] and then William Niu did the-the interior of this-this car. [Refers to the enlarged map of the Earth Kingdom that Kuvira stands in front of, the metal cut-outs representing the territorial divisions under her control being colored light green, overlaying over the dark green colored continent.] And that map was... |
| In the background, Josh chuckles as, after Kuvira forgoes celebrating due to her unfinished work reuniting the Earth Kingdom, her military staff put down their celebratory cups of tea, with Bolin spitting his tea back into his cup. | |
| Bryan | ... a pain. [Laughs.] |
| Mike | Yeah, we wanted to just kinda jump into the story, and you just kinda start to realize wh-what's been going on af-you know, all these three years, [Refers to when Bolin reports that two Earth Kingdom states have elected to join Kuvira.] with-Bolin has joined up with Kuvira, um, but I always like in the stories when they just kinda-they ju-they just throw you in the middle, and you're like, "oh, whoa, this is a whole new scenario going on, here." |
| Josh | Right, she's been doing this for years and years, [Bryan affirms.] and this is sort of, like, the end of her, like, reign. She's... |
| Bryan | [Interjects; refers to when Baatar Jr. mentions that ninety percent of the Earth Kingdom has been reunited thanks to Kuvira's efforts.] Coming-coming to, [Josh affirms.] coming to-coming to the finish. [Refers to Kuvira dealing with a bandit raid on her train single-handedly, telling her security to stand down and let her handle it.] I love introducing characters this way, where you just get to see, like, you get to see the-their personality through how they fight. It's a cool thing. So, Ry-uh, Ryu Ki Hyun did this storyboard, probably with the help, couple other people. And uh, [Josh chuckles; Mike affirms.] pretty fun. [Refers to Kuvira segmenting small, thin metal plates from the armored bands around her arms, precisely bending them around the bandits' eyes and limbs.] So, yeah, we came up with this idea that... she would have these metal bands that she could bend, and it's kinda like the Hong Kong movies. I remember this-actually, it was like a-it was a Hollywood movie but with Jet Li, where he would use zip ties, and he had to fight a buncha people, [Josh affirms.] and instead of, like, using brute force, he would just really quickly, like, tie up their limbs, and their clothes around a pole, or something, and-so I like that, even though she's super strong and tough, like, she's just all eff-efficient, just kind of like cruelly efficient. |
| Tim | [Refers to Kuvira offering the incapacitated bandits the chance to correct their chaotic ways by joining her and restoring order to the Earth Kingdom, or remain bound to the train tracks.] And this is a good e-uh, example of how she's so different from our previous villain, Zaheer, who's Mr. Chaos, [Bryan affirms.] she's super controlled. |
| Mike | Yes, very military, very uh... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Making the move from anarchy to [Mike chuckles.] fascism. |
| Bryan | Yeah. [Refers to the military force dealing with the anarchic state of the Earth Kingdom being led by former Zaofu citizens like Kuvira, Baatar Jr., Varrick, and Zhu Li.] So, I don't know if you guys remember, like, I mean, Mike and I had this idea for, like, a Metal Clan even before there was a Korra series; um, it was something we had kicked around after the original series finished, and um, kinda had this idea that it would be-they'd be sorta bad guys, and it would be like this weird evolution of metalbending after Toph, and um, it'd be sorta weird that, like, all of a sudden, you know, this thing Toph created, she was one of the good guys, kinda turned bad. And so, we-Mike and I kicked around this Metal Clan idea for a long time. In Book One, then we kinda, "ah, there's no real room for it." Book Two, wasn't room for it, but we ended up using it in Book Three, but they were the good guys. And um, but this was a way to sort of, like, commandeer that idea, and make 'em-make 'em bad. |
| A brief pause in commentary until the scene fades in from black to an establishing shot of the Republic City Four Elements, the hotel Wu is staying at, the energetic incidental music accompanying the transition. | |
| Mike | Alright, jazzy Wu is back. |
| Bryan | Yeah, it was fun, this-we love the idea of this, like, uh, hotel; you know, like, weird rich people just live at hotels, especially back in like the Twenties and Thirties? [Tim gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Josh | I know my... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] With the uh... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Like, you re-you read about, like, some old actor or author, and it's like, they just lived at a hotel. It just seems so strange, but that was kinda fun. Uh... |
| Josh | [Interjects; refers to Mako being forced to step back from his job as a police detective to be a bodyguard for Wu.] It's also fun, like, uh, Mako's role has been diminished to sort of an assistant now, [Bryan affirms.] and Bolin, meanwhile, has moved up the ranks. |
| Bryan | We like humbling Mako, it's fun. [Tim chuckles.] Yeah, everyone's, like, got pretty impressive stuff; even Korra's is kind of, like, romantic. It's like, "oh! She's-she's walking the land, [Tim affirms.] and, you know, finding herself," and like, Mako's just [Josh affirms.] got stuck in this gig that might've sounded cool in the beginning, but, yeah, they-I think we talked about it in a-in another commentary, but the idea is that-that uh, that Wu saw him in the newspapers, or something. He's like, "I want that guy!" [Josh chuckles.] |
| Tim | [Laughs.] "Hero cop guards me." |
| Bryan | [Laughs.] Yeah. [Josh chuckles.] |
| Mike | Yeah, 'cause by this point, Mako's pretty well known as a Avatar [Josh affirms.] friend, and he was a big pro-bender, and stuff. So... |
| Josh | I think it seems like a great gig to have, you know; you're protecting the prince, you're like his number one security guard, but you're... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] And then you meet him. |
| Josh | Yeah. [Bryan affirms.] |
| Tim | [Refers to the crowd of fans waving at Wu as he exits the hotel and poses for the camera with them.] Here, the fans turned out to see Wu. |
| Bryan | Kinda the only time we see a big group of Wu's fans. And we see plenty of his haters, later. |
| Tim | Yeah. Well, yeah, I think that once Kuvira kinda takes the stage, Wu really diminishes. [Mike laughs.] |
| Bryan | Maybe Wu would have, like, a-a PR person, like, announce when he was gonna leave the hotel [Tim chuckles.] until the... |
| Tim | [Interjects; laughs.] Right. |
| Bryan | ... [Refers to several of Kuvira's sympathizers throwing strawberry pies at Wu.] the-the pie happened. |
| Tim | He calls the paparazzi, [Bryan affirms.] Kardashian-style. |
| Bryan | Yeah. "We're gonna be there." |
| Mike | Yeah, I feel like his fans are more, not because of his political prowess, just, like, just, like, 'cause he's, you know... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Like grandma Mako. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Tim | He's gonna turn up at, like, [Josh affirms.] club openings, and stuff. |
| Mike | Yeah, totally. He's... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] They just like royalty. They're the people that buy the plates. [Brief pause.] |
| Tim | Right. [Mike and Josh chuckle.] |
| Bryan | [Brief pause; refers to Wu panicking upon his belief that he was allergic to strawberries.] But yeah, Sunil, he's a-he's a very funny voice. Funny guy, too. |
| Mike | Yeah, he's uh, got a lotta energy. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Wu's exaggerated steps and spins when he approached his fans outside the hotel.] I like that we saw-already saw some of Wu's dance moves. [Tim affirms.] He's pretty good. |
| Tim | He is, he's uh, he's a patron of the arts. [Josh chuckles.] |
| Bryan | [Refer to the uniforms, consisting of dark green garments and metal shoulder plates, worn by Kuvira's soldiers as they exit out of the maglev train.] So, it was fun designing all these uh, military uniforms. I-I'd really wanted um, when we were trying to figure what to do for Book Four, I just thought, you know, like, we-the thing that usually helps us figure out the story is figuring out the villain, and um, I just thought it'd be fun to do a-not fun, I don't know. Yeah, fun, I guess, [Mike chuckles.] a military dictator. That was like a-a type of villain we hadn't quite done, um, in-in any depth. So, um, it kinda makes sense; I mean, those things tend to arise after chaos, you know, like when, [Tim affirms.] when a-when a kind of country swings towards a very chaotic direction, it tends to swing too far in the opposite direction, and gets really militant and kind of oppressive, and-and um, yeah, we-we-we wanted to, we just thought it'd be a fun thing to explore with our-our last villain in the series. And then it's nice to have, like, you know, the-they're kinda charismatic, these-even, you know, Kuvira; she's, like, terrible, but you kinda like her, you know? They just do what they want. |
| Tim | You understand, like... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Yeah, well, she's bringing order, yeah. [Bryan affirms.] |
| Tim | Yeah, law and order. [Refers to when Kuvira's forces deliver food and supplies to the citizens of Yi.] They're, you know, she's bringing food to the people, she's driving out the bandits, you know, she's serving a purpose. |
| Mike | [Refers to Kuvira trying to convince Opal that it's time to forgive her and Baatar Jr. for going against Su's wishes.] Well, I think, too, the tricky part with her character was, like, sh-showing how she-how she is charismatic to everybody else, [Refers to when Kuvira tells the governor that his refusal to serve under her will get him and his citizens killed.] and then having these few select scenes that were, like, behind the scenes when she talks to the governor, here, [Tim, Josh, and Bryan affirm.] where you see, like, how she is when her-when her, you know, this façade is down. [Bryan affirms intermittently.] So, like, you kinda get why Bolin is taken with her; so, that was the biggest thing, is, like, making it believable that Bolin is still on her side at this point, you know, after being with her all these years. |
| Bryan | Especially if you're someone like Boloon, who's-Bolin, who's, you know, probably not uh, like, up on politics, or [Bryan and Josh laugh.] doesn't read the newspaper [Tim chuckles.] much. |
| Josh | Well, he wants to believe all the good that's out there, [Bryan affirms.] and that's what he sees, and that's what he, you know, he... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] And we were always thinking, like, that's the part he's the most involved with, is, like, the humanitarian [Bryan affirms.] part. Uh... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Right, that's why she wants him to be part of the team, [Mike and Bryan affirm.] is that he gives the-the heart. |
| Bryan | Yeah, he's-he's like a good face on the-on the... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] He's a famous mover star, [Bryan and Tim affirm.] there's that. |
| Bryan | Totally. And um, Kuvira, voiced by the brilliant Zelda Williams, and uh, she-it was-it was cool because we came up with this character while we were doing Book Three, so we-we got to weave her into Book Three, knowing all the time how important she was gonna be in Book Four. [Mike affirms.] That was... [Mike gives an affirming murmur.] she... she... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to Kuvira weathering the governor's condemnation of her with visible disinterest, before physically advancing toward him and criticizing his ineffectiveness.] 'Cause she ca-she's good uh, she's able to turn on the intensity when uh, [Bryan affirms.] it's called for. |
| A pause in commentary until the governor, having refused Kuvira's deal, storms out of her train and past Baatar Jr., Kai, Bolin, and Opal. | |
| Mike | [Refers to when Opal begs Bolin to stay and help the village, with Bolin apologizing but saying he can't help without the governor's agreement.] So, we had the romantic uh, problems between Opal and Bolin, which I like, I like their relationship this uh, this season, 'cause, like, I like that they started out very, you know, they're-they're kind of more uh, normal couple, I guess, in the sense that Boli-you know... |
| Tim | [In the background.] For Bolin. |
| Mike | ... compared to, yeah, for Bolin, like, he-she's not of the Eska-level of... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Crazy. [Laughs.] |
| Mike | ... [Laughs.] craziness. Um... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Yeah, she's got a good head on her shoul... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to when Opal tells Bolin to go ahead and leave, with Bolin reluctantly leaving the village and boarding Kuvira's train with the rest of the army.] But-but I-but-but I like that they're, yeah, they're on these opposite, kind of opposing uh, teams, in a way. But they're both trying to do the right thing, it just, you know, Opal's got the personal history with Kuvira. |
| Bryan | And she's, you know, she's one of these hippie, dippy airbenders, [Mike and Tim affirm.] you know... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] She sees the real stuff going on. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Kai's huskier voice as he explains to Opal his plan of how to get relief supplies to the state's citizenry by air.] So, you know, we-we've always used, uh, kids when-for voicing kid characters; we try to match the ages, you know, as close as we can, or-or, you know, whatever sounds right, but we-we never use adults for kids, or-or only if it's just like a tiny, little side-line, or something. But uh, the-the actor who plays Kai, between doing the original record for this episode, and then coming back to do ADR, which is when you kinda fill in lines that need to be replaced, the dude grew like a foot, and his voice completely changed. Not just pitch, like a different instrument; I mean, it did not even sound like the same person. So, [Laughs.] we had to have him, like, really late, like, I think I put my foot down, like, "we gotta fix this." So, he-he had to come in, and Mike had to record him, uh, doing all the lines over again. |
| Mike | Sorry, Skyler. [Josh laughs.] But he did a great job. We matched his uh... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] So, he came in after-after the animation was done to do that? |
| Mike | Yeah, yeah, he did... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Oh. |
| Mike | ... uh, really, right after the-right after we mixed. |
| Tim | Wow. [Bryan affirms.] |
| Mike | It just wasn't... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Wow, that late. |
| Mike | ... matching, so... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] 'Cause I don't usually go to the ADR records, and-so I hadn't heard it, and-and when you do those records, you don't, like, hear all the lines next to each other, but once we heard them next to each other, it was just... it was just too different. [Laughs.] So, um, but it's cool, I mean, I like that his-it's obviously, you know, it's the same-same actor, but I like that his voice is so different. You know, it's three years later, and he's grown up. [Tim affirms; refers to the tracking shot on the bandit tethered to the biplane as Kai blows him off Lefty into the open air, the camera panning by in an arc around the flying bison as the bandit swings back around with his zipline.] Love this shot, really cool. |
| Josh | Yeah, that's awesome. |
| Bryan | We put that one in the trailer, was a good one. |
| Josh | [Brief pause; refers to the bandits stealing the shipment of food Jinora and Kai were transporting on Lefty by tethering it to their plane.] So, these-idea, these bandits just sort of roam the Earth Kingdom, right? That's what we're saying, it's like kind of a lawless place until Kuvira comes in. |
| Bryan | Yeah, they just, like, steal, [Refers to the bandits using a biplane to intercept Lefty in the air.] see, they-they stole that airplane, [Refers to when the bandits drove into a village on a jeep.] they stole that jeep, earlier. They're jerks. [Mike chuckles; refers to Kai opening the flaps on his wingsuit, the tear in one of them caused by the bandit causing him to freefall haphazardly through the air.] So co-man, storyboarding in this sequence is just great. [Refers to when Opal jumps off Lefty to save Kai, flipping and spinning through the air as she keeps her arms folded up against her body.] I love Opal's uh, this jump she does. |
| Mike | Yeah. Yeah, it really feels like they're flying above this countryside. [Refers to the aerial top-down shot of the Earth Kingdom countryside as Opal dives down toward Kai.] Like those kinda shots, and stuff. |
| Bryan | I always liked Opal, I-I really liked her character in Book Three, but I love how grown up she is [Tim affirms.] in-in Book Four. She's just, like, you know, uh, grown up in her relationship with Bolin, and in her-in her role as-as this kinda peacekeeper, and-and uh, it's cool. I mean, never-not that she was ever, like, you know, but she was just a little more timid, and kind of under her mom's, uh, wing in Book Three, and it's cool to see her all-all grown up. |
| Mike | [Refers to when Kai mentions they can use Lefty to pick up relief supplies from nearby villages.] S-so, Kai does mention Lefty's name, which is his bison, and Lefty [Tim affirms.] was the little bison that he was flying at the end of Book Three, [Bryan affirms.] if-if uh, people keeping tracking of bison. [Bryan chuckles.] |
| Josh | Yeah, I-I remember that bison. So, that means they grow pretty quickly, in three years, [Bryan affirms.] from-from cub... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Three years, yeah, sure. I mean, he's still a young bison, but... |
| Tim | [In the background.] He does look-he's not, you know... |
| Mike | ... he's not as big as, like... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Not full grown, yet. |
| Mike | ... uh, as uh, like, Appa was, or-or Oogi. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the backgrounds behind Meelo when he describes how he has grown from a boy into a man, the first being a simplistic crayon drawing of a platypus bear and dragon in a field of flowers, the second one being a detailed, stylized drawing of a platypus bear and dragon poised for combat.] This was fun, these crazy backgrounds. Who drew-I can't remember who drew the original ones in the storyboard, but then uh, I know Christie Tseng, like, finished 'em. They're pretty wacky. |
| Mike | [Refers to the electric guitar playing as Meelo flexes his muscles in front of the stylized background.] And that was, like... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Hilarious. |
| Mike | ... the one moment where Jeremy got to, like, do some, [Tim laughs.] like, heavy metal guitar, [Tim affirms.] rocking out. |
| Bryan | Jeremy is, like, first and foremost, a metal guitarist, [Laughs.] and he's awesome at it. So, yeah, it's good to let him shred every once in a while. [Josh chuckles.] |
| Mike | [Refers to Mako's frustrated expression when Lin hesitantly indicates that he won't be going back to work as a police detective.] Yeah, I love-this is some great acting on Mako in this sequence. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Mako's scowling mouth, the wrinkles under his eyes, and his right squinting eye being more partially closed than the other.] Sup-super realistic [Mike affirms.] drawings, yeah. [Refers to when a panicked Mako grabs Lin by the shoulders as he reacts to her saying he's going to Ba Sing Se as Wu's bodyguard.] It's funny seeing him grab... grab Lin [Josh affirms.] by the shoulders, here. [Laughs.] It's like, no one does that. [Bryan and Mike laugh; refers to Lin telling Mako she tried to talk Raiko out of giving Mako the position.] And she-she's, like, feels so bad for him, [Tim affirms.] she lets him get away with it. |
| Tim | [Refers to Buttercup Raiko interacting with Wu alongside her husband.] I think it's good to see Buttercup Raiko back on the show. [Bryan, Mike, and Josh chuckle.] I mean, I'm always wondering what she's got going on. [Josh chuckles.] |
| Mike | I know. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Buttercup's formal dress.] A fancy... |
| Tim | [In the background.] She's... |
| Bryan | ... fancy outfit. |
| Tim | ... really enjoying talking about kind of facial tips with Wu. [Mike affirms.] |
| Josh | Buttercup and Prince Wu. That could be, like, a spinoff. [Tim and Mike affirm.] |
| Bryan | They could do, like, celebrity, uh, like, out-Joan Rivers-style, like, [Mike chuckles.] like, commenting on people's out... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Who's wearing what. |
| Bryan | ... outfits, and stuff. |
| Mike | [Refers to the mecha suits that physically walk out of Kuvira's train.] That's the first time we see the mecha suits. [Tim affirms.] They'll play a part, later. |
| Bryan | So, the idea is that, um, 'cause, you know, Varrick went to work for Kuvira... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to one of Kuvira's soldiers giving a little boy an apple.] Like, how can Kuvira be bad? She gave that kid an apple. [Bryan laughs.] |
| Josh | Right. |
| Tim | [Refers to several village children crowding around an unmanned mecha suit, with one boy riding in the open cockpit.] Yeah, and the kids in the suits. |
| Josh | In this shot, right here, right. |
| Bryan | Yeah. So, the idea is that Va-these are Varrick's version of Hiroshi's, uh, mech suits, mech tanks. It's, like, kinda an update using his... the idea-I think the idea was that he's using, like, some of his magnet [Mike affirms.] technology for, like... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Electromagnetic power. |
| Bryan | Yeah, and movement, ease of movement. But uh, we never had to get into the nuts and bolts of it, so we did... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Thankfully. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Bryan | ... so we didn't. But yeah, Joaquim, uh, did the original design for those, and then Christine finished 'em up; they look awesome. [Refers to the townspeople celebrating after the governor pledges his loyalty to Kuvira.] I love this sequence. Great storyboarding, [Mike affirms.] awesome animation and model checking. |
| Mike | [Refers to Bolin beaming as he sees Opal standing amidst the crowd of villagers cheering for Kuvira and her army, with a dejected Opal turning her head down and walking away.] So sad. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the red color of Opal's wingsuit contrasting with the villagers' green and yellow attire.] I like the f-the colors, too. It's ni-it's-I love how the-the airbender uniforms really stand out amongst all the Earth Kingdom... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Yeah. |
| Bryan | It's sort of psychological. [Tim gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Mike | [Refers to Naga running out of Tonraq's ship and in front of the airbender kids, rolling over onto her back.] Love Naga's little uh, [Bryan laughs; Tim affirms.] puppy on the... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] That-that's how Mike's dog greets me when I-when I visit and haven't seen him in a while. [Josh sputters.] |
| Tim | Naga and Pabu spent a lotta time alone. You know, it's... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] It's true. They're not in this Book a ton. Uh... |
| Bryan | [Interjects; refers to when Jinora fed Pabu some food on Air Temple Island during dinner.] But the-our idea was that, uh, Pabu is, uh, Bolin left him on, [Mike and Tim affirm.] with the-with, like, the younger airbender kids, on, [Mike affirms.] so he lives on this nice... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] They're well taken care of. |
| Bryan | ... nice island. |
| Mike | [Refers to Korra, fighting in an Earth Kingdom cage match, getting knocked back by several earthbent rocks.] And here we go, we catch up with Korra getting her butt kicked. |
| Bryan | [Refers to when Korra is knocked out by her opponent, collecting her winnings from the announcer afterward.] I think I saw some fans' reactions, and they thought Korra threw this fight. Like, she ge-like... |
| Mike | [In the background.] Oh. |
| Bryan | ... like, "why-why did Korra intentionally lose the fight?" |
| Mike | Right. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | "Wonder what's that about?" You know? And I was... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] I guess, yeah, if you don't know it's coming, maybe... maybe it could be read that way, but, yeah. |
| Bryan | But, you know... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] The uh, the intention was that she was-she was just not uh, she's not herself. |
| Josh | [Refers to Korra not being able to land a single blow on her opponent, and spending most of the match dodging or weathering her opponent's bending.] Beaten handedly, yeah. |
| Bryan | Which-which you see, I mean, [Tim affirms.] I think it's pretty clear in the next episode [Mike affirms.] when you see this replay from her point of view. |
| Tim | I mean, then that's even worse than getting beat, is just to throw a fight. [Bryan laughs.] That's just gone even dirtier. [Mike and Bryan affirm.] Murder for the mob. |
| Mike | [Refers to the cage match stadium announcer, the announcer having a mohawk, and a moustache growing along his mouth.] I love this guy's design, too. |
| Bryan | Yeah. Yeah, Christie Tseng designed him. |
| Josh chuckles as the scene cuts from the announcer, having noticed that Korra resembles the Avatar, to Korra staring back at him, annoyed. A brief pause in the commentary ensues until the announcer wonders aloud what happened to the Avatar, with Korra saying she wouldn't know. | |
| Bryan | That's some good writin', Josh. |
| Tim | [Refers to Korra's short-length, let-down hair.] She got her hair cut. |
| Mike | So sad. |
| Bryan | Good job, man. |
| Josh | And directing, Colin. |
| Mike | Alright, well, nice way to start out the season, Josh. [Tim affirms.] Uh, wonder what's gonna happen next. |
| Bryan | Alright, thanks for coming in, [Mike chuckles.] guys. I think we're gonna join you for a couple more episodes of yapping. |
| Josh | Alright. |
| Tim | I can't wait. |
| Josh | I just can't wait to watch all the episodes, this is great. [Mike and Josh laugh.] |
| Tim | Anxious to see what happens. |
| Bryan | Have you seen this show? [Josh laughs.] It's good. |
| Tim | It's alright. [Bryan chuckles.] |