| Bryan Konietzko | Hey, this is Bryan Konietzko, co-creator and executive producer. |
|---|---|
| Michael Dante DiMartino | And this is Mike DiMartino, the other co-creator. |
| Janet Varney | Hey, it's Janet Varney, uh, Korra and fan of the show. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Zelda Williams | And this is Zelda Williams, and I play evil ladies. [Mike laughs.] |
| Bryan | Nice. |
| Janet | Whoo! |
| Bryan | Specifically, in this case, [Mike chuckles; Zelda affirms.] Kuvira. [Zelda and Bryan laugh.] |
| Mike | I don't know what you do in the rest of your life. [Janet chuckles.] |
| Zelda | [Laughs.] Shh, [Bryan chuckles.] don't take that away from me. [Mike and Janet chuckle.] |
| Bryan | It just says that on your headshot. [Zelda laughs.] "Z-Zelda Williams, evil ladies". |
| Zelda | "Evil ladies". |
| Mike | So, Zelda, was this, like, the f-had-had you done other voiceover stuff before this? Or... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] No, you guys were actually literally my second audition, ever. |
| Mike | No way. |
| Janet | Yay! That's so cool. |
| Zelda | Um, and it's an awesome story because I had a mic that wasn't even mine; I [Laughs.] had dumped a boyfriend who was mean, and then [Mike chuckles.] he left-that was the one thing he left behind, and I was almost about to send it back to him, and then I got this audition, I was like, "nah, I'm gonna use it." |
| Janet | Oh, Kuvira would really... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] And then I... |
| Janet | ... approve of that process. [Bryan and Mike chuckle.] |
| Zelda | [Laughs.] And then I-when I came into to meet you guys, I hadn't even know what she looked like, I just had that-that, you know, fun yelling into a mic underneath a blanket in my guestroom. |
| Mike | Right. |
| Janet | Amazing. |
| Bryan | Nice. |
| Zelda | So, yay! Thanks, guys. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | Yeah, and it-it, you know, we-I had done a concept design of Kuvira, and uh, 'cause we-we had to weave her into Book Three, and uh... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] Ooh. |
| Bryan | ... Zelda came in to read, [Laughs.] and she's like, "hey, this looks like me," [Bryan and Zelda laugh.] and we were-we were, Mike and I, were thinking the same thing in the, [Janet affirms.] in the control room. |
| Zelda | [Refers to the beauty mark on Kuvira's right cheek.] And it has my mom-my mom has a cheek, uh, beauty mark, as well. |
| Janet | Oh! |
| Bryan | That's so cool. |
| Zelda | And I was like, "yay!" [Mike chuckles; refers to Su, Wei, and Wing sneaking through the tanks parked in Kuvira's army camp while wearing dark clothes and full face masks.] I love all of this, by the way; the ni-I have ninja gear, and tanks. [Bryan affirms.] |
| Janet | I know. |
| Zelda | This is amazing. |
| Bryan | So, we um, yeah, I think the idea with the beauty mark when I put it on there, it's, like, sometimes when you want a chara-like, we knew she was gonna be sort of a background character, [Zelda gives an affirming murmur.] but that we wanted people to notice her in Book Three... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] To tell that mine's... |
| Bryan | ... so, you know, I think I was just, like... |
| Janet | [In the background.] Smart, smart, smart. [Zelda affirms.] |
| Bryan | ... "put a beauty mark on her." |
| Janet | Was it that, or give her two noses? [Bryan laughs.] |
| Mike | That would... |
| Janet | [Interjects.] Slightly less subtle. [Mike and Bryan affirm; Zelda laughs.] Slightly less subtle. |
| Zelda | Actually, just... |
| Janet | [Interjects.] "Oh, that's the two-nose girl!" |
| Zelda | They wanted the Frida Kahlo unibrow. |
| Janet | That's right. |
| Zelda | They're just like, "you should be evil, and have this beautiful, glorious unibrow." |
| Bryan | [Refers to Kuvira's thick, angular eyebrows.] We did give her distinct eyebrows; almost Mako-esque. They are... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Yes, but I love that. |
| Bryan | ... they are jagged. |
| Zelda | Maybe I just really like Mako's eyebrows. |
| Bryan | I like 'em, too. And I like Kuvira's. |
| Janet | [Refers to Kuvira's long, wavy, orderly hair being tied back in a bun.] I love her hair. |
| Zelda | [Refers to the metal walls of Kuvira's hut folding back, revealing the mecha suits and Earth Empire soldiers surrounding Su, Wei, and Wing.] It's a trap! Everyone in the Earth Kingdom, by the way, has fantastic statement necklaces. [Bryan laughs.] |
| Janet | [In a monotone, melodious voice.] Statement pieces. [Mike and Zelda chuckle.] |
| Bryan | Yeah, that's the-that's the Zaofu, like, I did a lotta research into um, Art Deco jewelry and fashion, and... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Ooh! |
| Bryan | ... and a lot of it which-lo-a lot of that stuff, as far as I could tell, was inspired by Egyptian, um, jewelry, these sort of, like, chest piece-like, kinda beyo... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Yeah, a chest plate. |
| Bryan | Yeah, like beyond a necklace. So, that was the idea. |
| Zelda | I like it. [Refers to the shot of Zaofu's currently sealed domes.] Also, those-by the way, those buildings, I know they're probably based on, like, a lotus flower thing, 'cause they open; they also remind me of the egg in the, uh, Power Rangers movie, the purple egg that, like, [Laughs.] hatched, [Mike and Zelda laugh.] and there was a villain inside of it. [Laughs.] |
| Mike | That was our main uh... |
| Bryan | That was... |
| Mike | ... inspiration. |
| Bryan | You know... [Mike affirms.] |
| Janet | [Interjects.] Huge Power Rangers fans. |
| Bryan | ... Mike and I, yeah. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Zelda | [Refers to Baatar Sr.'s sleeves being decorated with shaped metal.] See, look! Statement bracelet. It looks fantastic. [Bryan affirms; Refers to Baatar Sr.'s ornamental metal plating.] And necklace! |
| Bryan | So, yeah, the-those buildings are based on this real, um, I think it's in-is it in India, Mi-Mike? These... |
| Mike | I think so, yeah. I forget what it's called. |
| Bryan | There're this-there's this lotus, flower-shaped building... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Cool. |
| Bryan | ... and um, I don't know if it's a temple or museum, and... but, you know, I s-I had seen that, and we had the idea, and then I found some resear-you know, I did some research, and found that building, and then we thought it'd be really cool if those domes, those petals, like, opened and closed. [Zelda affirms.] So... |
| Janet | [Refers to the scene cutting between Korra, Jinora, Opal, and the various citizens of Zaofu, each wearing their particular outfits.] Is it weird that I fantasize about runway shows of all of the clothes [Bryan chuckles.] on this show? |
| Mike | That'd be cool. That's... |
| Janet | [Interjects.] Like, I really... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] No, there's some great stuff. |
| Janet | ... I'm not kidding at all. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | Take that as a compliment. |
| Janet | It's all amazing; I've not seen one outfit I don't think that anyone wears on the show, male or female, that I'm not like, "I mean, listen, if I had a reason to wear that, [Bryan laughs.] I for sure would." [Mike chuckles.] I've... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] I-I'm pretty excited, I hope to see someone do the wi-the airbender wingsuit. |
| Zelda | That's what I wanted. [Bryan affirms.] The-I-I was talking to Alyson, who plays, uh, Opal, and I kind of had a moment where I was like, "those are awesome. It's like a really, really attractive wetsuit... |
| Bryan | [Interjects; laughs.] Yeah. [Janet and Mike affirm.] |
| Zelda | ... that does so many [Laughs.] things." |
| Bryan | I'm really into, like, wetsui-ever since, uh, the band, Living Colour, like, the guy would wear the [Zelda laughs.] bo-the body glove outfit. [Janet affirms.] Like, I've-I've always been into those since that band. |
| Zelda | Uh, this is also a season of really fun hairstyles, 'cause uh, like, as a girl who had a shaved head for, like, six years, it's so cool to see them be like, "okay, so now we've got short hair, we've got super long hair, we've got, you know, updos, down-dos," [Mike chuckles.] everyone's got cool hair this season. And beards. |
| Bryan | Thank you, thank you. |
| Zelda | The beards are on point. [Janet affirms; Mike chuckles.] |
| Bryan | I like, too, they are pointy. |
| Janet | "Point". I love it. |
| Bryan | Many of them are point... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] They are pointy. |
| Bryan | We, yeah, the thing with the hair... |
| Zelda laughs as Varrick murmurs in his sleep that the cookie jar is empty. | |
| Bryan | ... from a character design standpoint, uh, you kinda want the silhouette of each character [Zelda affirmingly murmurs intermittently.] to be really distinct; and that-that goes back to Avatar, as well. I was always trying to-I'm not the best, like, draftsman, I can't do, like, the coolest looking drawings, but, like, a design doesn't even need to be, like, an amazing drawing, it's-it's, you know, a design, a shape, like something that reads really quickly, you know? [Refers to Korra and Opal's respective short-length, bob cut hairstyles.] Uh, the one-the one overlap this season has been Korra's hair and Opal's hair are kinda similar, and I've seen some people criticize it, and it-ho-honestly... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] As if no two women ever had the same hairstyle. [Janet and Zelda affirm.] |
| Bryan | I know. |
| Janet | I... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Ever. |
| Janet | ... I'll say about that, if you're-if that's what you're nitpicking [Mike chuckles.] when you have the glory of all of this design, I say... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] If anything, you should look at it... |
| Janet | ... "loosen up!" |
| Zelda | ... as a compliment. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | Yeah, but the uh, the two, you know, on-on the model sheets, they look pretty different, but in execution, they kinda smoothed out and looked similar. But... |
| Zelda | [Interjects; refers to Korra's muscular build compared to Opal's lither frame.] Well, they're kinda different sizes, as well, [Bryan affirms.] which is nice. It is easy to go, like, "oh, 'kay, so that's like almost like a little sister vibe." |
| Bryan | Yeah, and then, so Doll-uh, Opal's hair, I got from this actress, Dolly Haas, who was married to Al Hirschfeld, the amazing... |
| Janet | [Interjects.] Oh, wow. |
| Bryan | ... uh, illustrator, and um, she... |
| In the background, Zelda chuckles as Varrick horizontally slides toward one of the guards assigned to oversee him during his experiments, with the inventor graphically describing what happened the last time he worked with the spirit vines. | |
| Bryan | ... was this... really-she-she-Opal's design was definitely influenced by her. She was this very fresh-faced, like, a German actress, and um, that hairstyle was-her-especially the way it looked in Book Three, it was straight from Dolly Haas. |
| Janet | That's so cool. I told you guys when we recorded this, I would just go, [In a mock buoyant tone.] "that's so cool," [Bryan laughs.] about every piece of information you would give. |
| Mike | Fair enough. Do you guys remember the first time you two, like, recorded your characters together? I'm trying to remember, like... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] It was uh... |
| Mike | ... if-if-was it separately? Or did-did we do... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] No, we were together. |
| Janet | No, we were together. [Mike affirms.] |
| Zelda | She was... |
| Janet | [Interjects.] I think it was just the two of us. |
| Zelda | It was in, like, that room, I think, 'cause they-'cause it was a lot of a yelling one; [Refers to when Korra and Kuvira fight one-on-one.] it might have been like a battle like this, where we were [Laughs.] very-they were like, "okay, so we have to have you separated by a wall, [Mike affirms; Janet chuckles.] because you're gonna be screaming at each other." [Janet affirms.] |
| Mike | [Refers to Korra trying to negotiate Su and Zaofu's safety, with Kuvira labeling their capture as internal Earth Empire affairs.] It's true, this was technically the first episode where you guys [Zelda affirms.] sho-you know, actually talk to each other; like, you probably-you might have recorded at the same day, but, yeah, you didn't have any scenes together until now. So... [Janet affirms.] |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Well, I remember when you guys kind of auditioned me; we'd started-we'd tried to figure out which-which level [Laughs.] of crazy she was gonna be, [Mike affirms; Janet laughs.] and, like, we started super aggro, [Mike and Janet affirm.] like to the point where I was just completely bonkers, [Mike chuckles.] and you were like, "no, because she does have, you know, there's good intentions in parts of her, and there's things about her that are good, so let's not make her, like, full Mad Hatter [Mike and Bryan affirm.] crazy lady." So, we had to, like, ramp, and figure it out, and yelling while being controlled is really [Laughs.] difficult, [Mike and Bryan affirm.] I found out. |
| Janet | Sure, sure. |
| Zelda | [Laughs.] Enunciating, and being militant and controlled, but screaming your head off. [Laughs.] |
| Janet | No, I agree with you, and I would say-I would piggyback on that and say this has been such an amazing, 'cause for me, it was really my first major voiceover job, also, and what an incredible training ground, what an amazing group of people to work with, and-and to have Andrea in, and-and Mike and Bryan in, and-and-and it really does teach you quickly, like, "okay, this is what happens when I just get out of control, and no one is served by this kind of yelling, and this is sort of," and it was so cool to have that on-the-job training, 'cause it really was that for me, too. |
| Zelda | It was the-you guys, were you there the day where they tried to have to, like, I did a Bolin ber-boot camp, where they were like, "you're not saying it right." I was like, [In a mock anxious tone.] "please explain it... |
| Mike | [In the background.] Oh, I think so, yeah. [Laughs.] |
| Zelda | ... I don't know what I'm doing!" [Janet laughs.] And they're like... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Bolin was always having... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Bolin. |
| Janet | Bolin was a challenge for everyone. |
| Zelda | 'Cause I kept going-I think I did it more like "Berli-Berlin" [Mike and Bryan chuckle.] where I was like, [Emphasizes the "L" in "Bolin".] "Bo-Bolin!" [Laughs.] or something, and they're like, "no, no, no." So, there's [Laughs.] this-it's amazing when you realize that that's actually, especially with a show that has so many unique names and so many unique places, you have to do that, and learn. It's amazing. [Refers to Kuvira telling Korra that, after she wins their duel, she wants the Avatar out of her affairs.] Mean. [Refers to Kuvira emphasizing that Korra was not the one to bring peace to the Earth Empire.] Ooh, that's... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Ouch. [Zelda affirms.] |
| Janet | Oh, so good. |
| Zelda | I'm a mean person. [Laughs; refers to Korra, Opal, and Jinora's hair blowing in the wind.] Lots of beautiful hair movement. [Janet gives an appreciative sigh; Zelda and Mike chuckle.] |
| Bryan | Nice. |
| A brief pause in commentary until the scene fades in from black to a long shot of Korra, Opal, and Jinora standing in front of Kuvira's army, which extends along through the mountain valley. | |
| Zelda | [To a dramatic beat.] Bum-bum-buh. |
| Mike | Yeah, I mean, this-this uh, season, just the way we structured it, like, we knew Korra wasn't gonna, you know, facedown her big antagonist 'til mid-mid-season, here. Everyone's kinda been separate, so uh, it was-it was fun to finally get to the big moment, and uh, lotta great action choreography by Joaquim Dos Santos and Ryu Ki Hyun, and I know we had some storyboard artists involved, too, that I, sorry, [Bryan chuckles.] I can't remember your name, who-who-who actually worked on it. Um, but it was, you know, one of those sequences that's very involved, so it takes a lotta different uh, artists to flesh out all the action, and everything. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Kuvira altering her stance as she readies to fight Korra, leaning and angling her body forward, and bringing her clenched left fist parallel with her chin while keeping her other arm toward the ground.] Yeah, that's a big Joaquim thing, right there, [Mike affirms.] the-the, like... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Little move, yeah. |
| Bryan | Yeah, little... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] The prep into position. |
| Bryan | [Refers to when Kuvira smugly smiled as she assumed her position.] Yeah, lotta attitude. So, yeah, it's like Mike said, there's all this buildup because you're seeing Kuvira just running amok throughout the Earth Kingdom... |
| Zelda laughs as Kuvira's soldiers cheer her on after the Great Uniter flung the Avatar through the air with her metalbending, her laughter increasing as the shot pans to a half-heartedly clapping, bored-looking Zhu Li. | |
| Bryan | ... and Korra's, like, for several episodes, like, nowhere to be found, and so they finally get together, but it's sorta this big letdown because... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] Who... |
| Bryan | ... [Refers to a winded Korra getting repeatedly knocked down by Kuvira's attacks.] Korra's not ready yet, and just [Janet affirms.] gets uh, her butt handed to her. |
| Zelda | [Refers to a strand of Kuvira's hair falling across her face as she dodges Korra's bending.] I like that some of my hair has come out of my bun. It's like, "ooh." [Zelda and Bryan laugh.] |
| Janet | That's about the most I could ask from you, 'cause I'm really taking a licking, otherwise. |
| Zelda | [Refers to Su, Wei, and Wing being confined in metal cases that encompass most of their bodies.] There's uh, I like the-the prisoner sarcophagi-sarcophagus? [Mike affirms.] Sarcophagi, uh, that are back there are pretty cool, too. [Bryan affirms.] |
| Janet | Yeah, that's-I was thinking that, too. |
| Zelda | They look like they're in those um, they used to have those old uh, steam room boxes. [Laughs.] |
| Janet | Yeah, weight loss. [Bryan affirms; in a mock exuberant tone.] "I'm losing pounds even as I sit here," yeah. |
| Bryan | Those were-those were tricky... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] "I'm keeping in prison, but you gotta be fit." |
| Bryan | Yeah, those were tricky to design. There was a lot of concern in the storyboard room that they would look weird, but... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] I like them... |
| Bryan | ... they-they... |
| Zelda | ... they look cool. |
| Bryan | ... they came out pretty cool. Some sorta iron lung thing. |
| Zelda | Yeah, it's like somewhere between those-those kind of old torture devices that were the woman with the-the, uh, spikes in 'em, iron maid... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] The iron maiden, yeah. |
| Zelda | Iron maiden, [Bryan affirms intermittently.] um, and then, like, those-those sweat boxes, which are amazing. [Refers to the maglev train traveling along the tracks.] I love the train, by the way; the Art Deco train [Mike affirms.] is beautiful. |
| Janet | Oh, it's so gorgeous. |
| Bryan | Christine-Christine Bian, she is our, uh, prop designer, and then she also did background design, and, um, man, she just killed it; with any kind of, like, Art Deco vehicle, she would give, like, six options, and they were all cool, and I would just be like, "how do I pick one of these? [Janet and Bryan laugh.] Like, these are all awesome," and, um, an-an-any, seriously, any one of them would've been great, but that one just seemed... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] It's so cool. |
| Bryan | ... to have, like, the best kinda military vibe. |
| Janet | Do you ever include, like in the books, and stuff, 'cause the books are so marvelous, do you ever include this, things you didn't use like that, like, "here are the six trains." |
| Bryan | Definitely. |
| Janet | Okay, cool. |
| Bryan | Yeah, yeah, it's a good-that's-that's, like, a great place to show that stuff, and to tr-we try to show the process, you know, if it's not too embarrassing, you know. [Zelda laughs.] Not from Christine; everything Christine drew was awesome, but if my stuff's too embarrassing, I-I hide some of it. |
| Janet | [Sighs.] Come on. |
| Mike | But a lotta times, I mean, to the-the schedule's so tight that, like, in a-the artists were-got so good so by the end that their-their version of a rough drawing was, like, pretty much done. [Laughs; Bryan affirms.] |
| Janet | Amazing. [Bryan affirms.] |
| Zelda | It's so fascinating. |
| Janet | I just wish I could draw. [Zelda laughs.] |
| Bryan | Me-me, too. |
| Janet | At all. |
| Bryan | [Laughs.] I wish that, every day. |
| Janet | Sto-come on. |
| Mike | That's uh, yeah... whatever. |
| Zelda | It's okay, we're just gonna have good voices, and just never use our hands ever again. [Laughs.] |
| Janet | Fine. [Mike chuckles.] Fine, fine, fine. |
| Bryan | So, I know we're all... |
| Zelda | [In the background; laughs.] That's it. |
| Bryan | ... we all like to just, like, shower John Michael Higgins with praise, but I think... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] Oh, he's unbelievable. |
| Bryan | ... in this episode, in particular, he is-he's just amazing. [Janet gives an appreciative sigh.] |
| Zelda | He and Dee Bradley Baker was the beginning of, like, I-getting to sit here and watch them work in the very different ways that they work is actually awe-inspiring. Like, [Bryan affirms.] I had my jaw [Mike chuckles.] in my hand... [Bryan chuckles.] |
| Janet | [In the background.] Oh yeah. |
| Zelda | ... just staring. |
| Janet | Oh, I gape at-at-I think maybe they stopped scheduling me with Dee, [Mike and Bryan laugh.] 'cause I wasn't-I would just stare at him, yeah, exactly, with my jaw on the floor. |
| Zelda | I-I stayed after recording 'cause I was like, "I just wanna see him for five minutes," because it's actually-that is an artform. [Bryan affirms.] Like, that's... |
| Janet | [Interjects.] Oh yeah. |
| Zelda | ... all of it's an artform, but that's actually literally like watching someone, uh, conduct an orchestra, but it's all the voices in his head, and somehow, they're all, [Janet laughs.] they're all animals. [Bryan and Mike affirm; laughs.] And it's amazing. |
| Janet | I know; it does kinda make you want to, like, if I were a child, I would come around, and look for, like, a device, or [Zelda affirms.] try to open the back of him as if he were [Mike chuckles.] some form of robot. [Bryan affirms.] |
| Zelda | Oh, for sure, and there, uh, there's so many of those noises that he's made, I'm sure, for years in things that I've watched, where, in my head, being this person who always considered herself to be, like, reasonable and thinking this through, I'm like, "they just have an archive of animals that they use the sounds. You know, they... |
| Janet | [Interjects.] Oh, I totally thought the same thing. |
| Zelda | ... they have a library." |
| Bryan | See... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Nope, it's Dee. [Laughs; Janet affirms.] |
| Bryan | ... the li-the library is uh... |
| Janet | [Interjects.] He's the library. |
| Bryan | ... it's in his head. [Janet affirms.] And-and he... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] I know! |
| Bryan | ... he studies it, he works at it. Like, I just had... |
| Janet | [In the background.] He really does. |
| Zelda | Oh, I bet. |
| Bryan | ... I just asked Mike, 'cause we have this bison who ha-who has, like, like, snot coming out of its nose [Janet chuckles.] all the time... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] I was there for that. |
| Bryan | Yeah, [Mike affirms.] and I was like, "oh, did you guy..." |
| Zelda | [In the background.] For Juicy. |
| Bryan | Yeah, I said, "did you guys do any, like, snorty stuff?" and Mike goes, "oh, Dee has pugs, and he's been studying them." Like, like... [Zelda affirms.] |
| Janet | [In a tone of realization.] Oh. |
| Bryan | ... most people would just laugh at their pugs, [Janet affirms.] like, breathing, but no; Dee studies it, and mimics it. |
| Janet | [Sighs.] So amazing. |
| Zelda | Oh, I betcha he could have so much fun confusing my dogs; [Mike chuckles.] just confusing... |
| Janet | [In the background; laughs.] With sound. |
| Zelda | ... them to no end. |
| Bryan | [Refers to when Varrick told Bolin with calm and decisive assurance that he knows what he is doing.] But see, ri-right there, he-what I love is that it's not just one of these, like, screamy characters like you see on most cartoons, where they're just yelling the whole time; like, when he drops down, and he's like, "trust me, kid," like, he can do this, like... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Oh... |
| Bryan | ... this really wide, dynamic range. |
| Zelda | ... and his improv is unbelievable. |
| Janet | Oh, no, it's unreal. |
| Zelda | I remember when we did the bit where I'm holding him over the tracks, and I-I'm-you [Mike and Bryan affirm.] guy-you guys had written, "the voices uh, in my head are telling you to-telling me to drop you on the tracks. Should I listen?" And you guys let him riff for about five minutes, and one of the riffs was, like, part of that bit, where he went, "voice heads are, [Bryan laughs intermittently.] head voices are liars, no!" And I was just laughing so hard, [Janet affirms.] having to try and be serious, and be mean and evil, and I'm just laughing [Mike chuckles.] s-u-unbelievably, and un-inconsolably laughing. |
| Bryan | Yeah. [Refers to Varrick ranting about how Zhu Li will be sorry she left him, and how her name will be synonymous with betrayal.] This part, too. [Bryan, Janet, and Zelda laugh.] |
| Mike | Yeah. Now, I love-Varrick this season was great, 'cause it-we got to kinda make him a real person. [Mike, Bryan, and Janet laugh; Zelda affirms.] He was a bit of a, you know... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Cartoon. |
| Mike | Yeah, he was a bit more over the top in the earlier seasons, um, but-but this one, he actually had an arc of, like, becoming a little bit more aware of-that his-his uh, actions have consequences. [Janet gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Bryan | Yeah. [Zelda affirms.] And, I mean, Mike and-and uh, Josh did great job with him, as well, but I-I mean, I-and it's fair to say Tim, [Mike affirms intermittently.] Tim Hedrick is the-is the written voice [Mike chuckles.] of Varrick. I mean, he-he's the one who-I-I think he... |
| Mike | [In the background.] He... |
| Bryan | ... came up with the character. |
| Mike | Yeah, he kinda set the template [Bryan affirms intermittently.] of, like, kinda the way he talked, and we-we all sorta followed his lead. |
| Bryan | [Laughs.] I remember when you-he-when he was like, "pop a squat!" [Mike chuckles.] Mike and I were like, "what does that mean?" [Mike and Janet laugh.] We had never heard that before. This is... |
| Zelda | [Interjects; refers to Kuvira crouching down to avoid Korra's firebending, using her position to perform a sweep kick to turn the ground underneath Korra.] This is for, [Laughs.] this is like breakdance fighting, [Bryan affirms.] right now, too. I love it. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Korra being somersaulted through the air again as Kuvira manipulates the metal panel she affixed around the Avatar's ankle.] This is, like, you know, I wa-I watch a lotta fighting, and this is that kind of embarrassing, like, third round, [Refers to Korra grunting while performing her sluggish bending.] where, like, the person's really tired, and you can tell they're tired, but they're just... [Refers to Korra entering the Avatar State, blowing Kuvira back with two massive gusts of air.] but then they get a Hail-Hail Mary, there, you know? Swinging for the fences. [Zelda laughs; refers to the shot tracking along with Kuvira as she slides along the ground, moving further away from the camera until she comes to a halt.] So, that cool compositing was done by Matt Gadbois, our After Effects guy, that cool, like... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] It's awesome. |
| Bryan | ... perspective shift. |
| Janet | So cool. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Kuvira's hair becoming completely undone after Korra sends her flying again.] I like Kuvira with her hair down. |
| Zelda | Ooh, my hair came undone. [Bryan and Janet affirm.] I forgot about this; this is fun. |
| Mike | Yeah, this is the... |
| Bryan | [Interjects; refers to when Korra suffers another hallucination as she is about kill Kuvira.] Oh, this is the creepy mislead, here. [Zelda gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Mike | Where you realize, yeah, Korra's still, psychologically, not a hundred percent. [Zelda affirms.] And uh... |
| Zelda | [Interjects; refers to Kuvira slowly pulling herself up to her hands and knees, her long hair draping along the ground.] I've got-I got some long hair. Look at it. |
| Bryan | You got... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] And glorious. |
| Janet | [Refers to Korra hallucinating again as Kuvira slowly looks up toward her, the Great Uniter's head being replaced with Korra's, its hair disheveled, eyes glowing, and expression angered.] Oh! Oh! |
| Bryan | ... Korra head. [Zelda laughs.] |
| Janet | So creepy, [Bryan laughs.] so creepy. So creepy. |
| Mike | And it's also, like... |
| Zelda | [In the background; to a dramatic beat.] Bum-buh-buh! |
| Mike | ... kinda to show the theme of, like, that Korra and Kuvira are versions of the [Janet affirms.] similar person, and stuff like that, yeah. |
| Janet | Well, I think that was that-I remember thinking that when we were, uh, probably doing ADR for this, more 'cause you sort of see it more, and you have perspective, but I remember thinking like, "oh, poor Korra, she's, like, not doing great, and she's fighting a lower voiced, young, sarcastic, super strong girl. Like, how upsetting would that be in the state she's in?" |
| Zelda | [Refers to Korra being trapped by Kuvira in an earth prison, with only her head and shoulders exposed.] Bonk. [Zelda and Bryan chuckle.] Whack-a-mole. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | Nice. [Laughs; refers to Kuvira bending out six metal sheets from her armbands, shaping them to be flat, curved, and sharply edged.] This is a scary move. |
| Zelda | Oh, that is bad. |
| Bryan | She turns them into these... |
| Zelda | [Interjects; in a sickened tone.] Oh. |
| Bryan | ... like, scythe things. |
| Zelda | I just go, "by the way, I'm just gonna go-I'm-I'm-I'm a vintner, I'm going to go to the fields and start picking grapes. [Bryan and Janet chuckle.] That's the only reason I had those." [Refers to Kuvira's soldiers charging past her after she orders them to attack Jinora and Opal.] Ooh, they all charge. [Refers to when Opal and Jinora attacked Kuvira after she was about to kill Korra.] Oh, 'cause they interfered, that's right. [Mike affirms.] |
| Bryan | [Refers to when Korra and Kuvira agreed to fight one-on-one, and setting conditions for what the winner and loser would have to do.] Broke the rules. |
| Zelda | Well, that seems a little overkill. [Zelda, Bryan, and Janet laugh.] I'm like, "oh, these two young girls broke the rules... |
| Janet | [In the background.] Everyone. |
| Zelda | ... and defend their friend, so ... |
| Bryan | [In the background.] Save the day! |
| Zelda | ... hundreds of men should run at them." |
| Janet | [Refers to when Kuvira's army spent the fight passively observing the fight.] Well, they've just been waiting around for something to do, so they're probably [Zelda affirms.] all like, "I'm on this!" [Zelda laughs.] |
| Bryan | They, obviously, as you can see... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] "I just meant you, Bob." |
| Janet | Yeah. [Laughs.] |
| Zelda | "Only you!" |
| Bryan | They can handle themselves, though. |
| Zelda | "Gosh." [Bryan affirms intermittently.] Oh, I know, absolutely they can. But it is funny as an image to be like, "so these two young girls in leotards, [Mike chuckles.] you should all charge at..." |
| Janet | [Interjects.] Hundreds of dudes. [Zelda laughs.] |
| Bryan | [Refers to Ikki and Meelo painting under Huan's supervision.] So, the-these uh, self-portraits were fun to do. |
| Janet | Amazing. |
| Zelda | [In a fawning tone.] Oh. |
| Bryan | I did these with our other prop designer, JoJo... |
| Zelda | [Refers to Ikki's self-portrait, a colorful, cartoonish painting of herself flying in the sky, complete with a sun, moon, and rainbow, alongside hearts, friendly-looking bug creatures, a hybrid horse/bird animal, and a dragon.] Those are so cute. |
| Bryan | ... that're based on the boards. And then, the i-we've had this running gag this season that Meelo's this really good artist, [Janet chuckles intermittently.] unlike Bolin. |
| Bryan, Janet, and Zelda laugh as the scene cuts to Meelo's self-portrait, a highly-detailed, lifelike painting of himself standing by an upholstered chair, cross armed with a huffy expression on his face, while wearing a dignified coat with epaulettes over his wingsuit. | |
| Janet | It's so great. [Zelda laughs.] It's so great. |
| Bryan | Kinda like a-he does his own Napol... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] Meelo Bonaparte. |
| Bryan | Yeah, resemble Napoleon to-from... |
| Zelda | [Brief pause; refers to Jinora's hairbun as she projects herself to her siblings.] Where did her-where did her, like, um, top bun come from? I like it. |
| Bryan | That was Ryu. Uh, Ryu designed that. |
| Zelda | Oh, cool. |
| Bryan | And um, [Laughs.] yeah, it was, like, he gave her one, and then Ikki, too. Kind of a little... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] Everyone... |
| Bryan | ... don't know, leitmotif. |
| Zelda | [Refers to Baatar Jr. and several of the male officers in Kuvira's army having undercut hairstyles.] I've made everyone in my army have hipster haircuts, by the way. [Bryan and Zelda laugh.] It's re-pre-requisite. |
| Bryan | Which, if you notice, I have the same... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] It's the Bryan, [Bryan chuckles; Zelda affirms.] it's the cut. [Janet laughs.] |
| Zelda | [Refers to Baatar Jr. and his goatee as Bolin disconnects the respective train compartments they are in.] But look at-look at, even to the point of the super groomed beard, [Bryan affirms.] I-my-my fiancé, I'm like, [Gives a disapproving murmur.] "no, no, no, darling. [Mike affirms.] You groom." [Laughs.] It's great. Oh... |
| Bryan | Yeah, so, o-one thing happened wa-we designed all these female officers, [Zelda gives an affirming murmur.] like, like corporals and privates and s-sergeants; we have them, and they just didn't get used. |
| Janet | Huh. |
| Bryan | Like, I mean, they're in a couple scenes, but, um, it's like, you do these designs, and then those designs need to get, like, when there's big crowd scenes, or there's, like, a group of just-u-usually in the storyboard, they're just faceless, like, kind of silhouettes. [Zelda gives an affirming murmur.] For some reason, they just... they didn't get used, so it looks like Kuvira's, like... |
| Zelda | [In the background; laughs.] Is the only... |
| Bryan | ... just likes to have men, [Laughs.] you know? |
| Zelda | In my men army. [Janet affirms.] |
| Bryan | But it wasn't the intention. |
| Janet | Huh. |
| Bryan | So... [Zelda laughs.] |
| Janet | [Interjects.] Interesting. [Zelda laughs.] |
| Bryan | [Refers to the grey, stone slabs in between the metal, maglev train tracks.] Just want to point out the center of that track is concrete, [Mike chuckles; refers to when Bolin tunneled through the train tracks with his earthbending to escape the spirit vine explosion.] and so Bolin bent through the center of the track. Even though it's got bolts in it. |
| Janet | Oh. [Zelda affirms.] |
| Bryan | If you've ever seen, there are concrete slabs with bolts to hold the tracks to that structure, but anyways. He didn't bend metal; [Mike chuckles; refers to the hole in the center of the track where the rail line terminates at the edge of the explosion's crater.] you can see little cracked concrete, there. |
| Zelda | When I-didn't I at one point-I bent that gold metal, [Mike affirms.] which I guess is kinda strange; someone pointed it out to me on Twitter, they're like, "that's cool, you're bending precious metals." [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | Kuvira-Kuvira can pretty much bend any metal except platinum. She's-she's a high-level metal-metalbender. |
| Zelda | [Refers to when Varrick complimented Bolin for "doing the thing", kissing him on the forehead, while Bolin angrily told him he cannot believe Zhu Li stayed with the inventor for so long.] They-oh-aw, sweet moments. [Mike chuckles; refers to the overhead shot of Jinora and Opal's tornado, with Kuvira's forces rushing toward them at its center.] Typhoon! They're making tornadoes. [Refers to the Earth Empire mecha suits making headway through the billowing winds.] I do love these-these suited guys are really cool; they remind a lot of kind of-some of the Titans, and things that have existed in anime, but in a much more, like, Art Deco way that I think is amazing. [Janet gives an affirming murmur.] It's so steampunk-y. |
| Bryan | Yeah, Joaquim Dos Santos did that design, and-and uh, he just... |
| Zelda chuckles as Meelo flies toward the advancing army on Pepper, wildly proclaiming their arrival as a hurricane. | |
| Bryan | ... banged it out in, like, one night, and Christine-and-and-and it looked exactly [Laughs.] like that, [Zelda affirms.] like his-his first sketch; and then Christine finished it, did all the-the turnarounds on it. So... |
| Zelda | [Refers to the spherical shape of the mecha suits' "heads" and visor windows.] What I think what's so cool about it is the round helmets, it is that kind of submariner [Bryan affirms.] helmet, [Janet gives an affirming murmur.] which is so awesome. |
| Bryan | Yeah, the original, like, the-the clunky mech suit that we saw in Book One, you know, that was definitely based on the old diving suits. [Zelda affirms.] Um, so, this one, yeah, is kind of an update, but I think Joaquim wanted to keep some of that... |
| Zelda | [In the background.] Which I think is cool. |
| Bryan | ... that steampunk look to it, yeah. |
| Zelda | [Laughs; imitating and referring to Kuvira telling her troops that Zaofu is theirs, much to their jubilation.] "And now, you can all celebrate in uniform." [Janet laughs.] |
| Mike | [Refers to the establishing shot of the downtown area inside one of Zaofu's domes, with several Earth Empire banners hanging over the spot where Toph's statue stands.] So, yeah, you see that there is a Toph statue behind those banners, so she covered up... [Bryan affirms.] |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Oh. |
| Mike | ... the Toph statue, which is just not cool. |
| Janet | No, it isn't. |
| Zelda | I know. |
| Bryan | Little disrespectful. |
| Mike | Yeah. To... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] I know, I'm, you know, I'm just so good at evil. [Zelda and Janet laugh.] Not that I have any control over the fact that this character gets to do evil things, but it was fun to voice her. [Refers to the shot of Zaofu's citizens looking toward Kuvira in shock as she gives them the choice to bow to her or be imprisoned like the Beifongs.] Ooh, am I gonna make them take off all their necklaces? [Mike laughs.] I hope not. |
| Bryan | She could just bend them right off. |
| Zelda | I'm just like... |
| Janet | That's right. [Bryan laughs.] |
| Zelda | ... "give them to me!" [Refers to Huan's long hair having a green highlight.] Oh, ooh! [Mike affirms.] Look at that hair, [Bryan affirms.] that's cool. |
| Janet | Yeah, they really... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] Who's he? |
| Janet | Uh, it-it kinda does all seem like versions of Bryan, I'm gonna be honest. |
| Bryan | That's uh, your fiancé's brother. |
| Zelda | Oh, I've never met him. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Bryan | He's the sculptor. |
| Zelda | Oh, cool. |
| Bryan | He has a little green highlight in his hair, now. |
| Zelda | I like it. I've just never-I-in all the-the stuff that we were doing, 'cause so much of it is kind of, in this season, was certain people at a time were around each other; [Mike and Bryan affirm.] like, I was around Bolin or Varrick, or-and that was-I didn't get to see some of this stuff because I'm not really recording while they're doing all this. It's so fun to actually get to [Laughs.] see it for the first time, right now, um, with, [Refers to Kuvira bending a piece of meteorite into several geometric and abstract shapes.] ooh! Like this, this is cool. |
| Mike | Was... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Yeah, now you're-now you're bending some meteorite. |
| Zelda | Just-just having fun. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | Well, she's got-she has a plan. |
| Zelda | Is this my equivalent of a yo-yo? |
| Bryan | She has a plan for the meteorite. [Mike affirms.] |
| Zelda | No, I meant-but what I'm doing is like a yo-yo. [Mike affirms; laughs.] |
| Bryan | By the way, that... |
| Zelda | [Interjects.] It's like a really cool yo-yo. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | ... [Refers to when Kuvira, out of focus and in profile, stared blank-faced at Zhu Li.] that look sh-that over-the-shoulder look she gave Zhu Li is the sc-I think the scariest look she [Bryan and Zelda laugh.] has in the [Janet gives an affirming murmur.] entire ser-series. |
| Zelda | [Refers to Zhu Li's round, pince-nez glasses as she bows to Kuvira.] I love Zhu Li's glasses. |
| Janet | Me, too. |
| Zelda | I want those. |
| Bryan | I don't know how they would stay on your nose, though. |
| Zelda | Clips. [Laughs.] Just glue. [Laughs.] |
| Mike | Thanks, guys! |
| Janet | Great stuff. |
| Zelda | Bye. |