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This blog is an official interview of the Fanon Fact Finders. We hope you enjoy it! |
Hello fellow Avatards! ATLALOK here yet again with another interview for the Fanon Fact Finders! I bet you didn't expect to see me post another one up so soon (I didn't either), but I was requested by a new member to the Avatar Wiki that goes by the username of CombustionNation and he has currently seven chapters up for his first fanon called The Red Spirits. A year after the Book 4 finale, a new threat has arrived in Republic City and it's up to the Krew to take them down. Lets see what CombustionNation had to say about this mysterious fanon!
1) How are you?
I'm fine, thank you. I've been busy with writing the fanon and school and other stuff.
2) Before we begin with asking questions about your fanon, I wanted to welcome you to the wiki and fanon portal! Have you been enjoying your time on here so far?
Yes, I have. I met some awesome people that wrote good fanons. I have been reading a lot of fanon and I really enjoy my time here! Everybody is so kind here, but sometimes you get caught in a conflict; it happends. For the rest, I really enjoy the wiki and it's users!
3) Good to hear! What's been your biggest struggle with writing this fanon so far?
I think that writing action scenes is the biggest struggle yet. They aren't really complicated. I think the storyline and the adventure part is the thing that matters in this fanon. I will try to expand my range on action scenes by reading some action-packed fanons. For the rest just motivation issues.
4) The Red Spirits is a play-off of Zuko's alter ego, The Blue Spirit. I assume that's your inspiration for this story. Any similarities and differences between the two?
Well, they both fight for survival, one only a little different than the other. The Red Spirits fight for survival of the non-benders who can't defend themselves, so not for the survival of themselves. The Blue Spirit fights for his own survival. That's one of the differences.
One of the similarities is that they both work in the shadows and that they keep their identities hidden from those who they attack and from those who hunt them. That's one of the similarities.
Another difference is that the Blue Spirit attacks only non-benders who can't defend themselves. The Red Spirits however do just the opposite: they attack the (bender) attackers to protect those who can't defend themselves. That's also a big difference.
5) Not that I mind it, but why did you choose for the characters to swear?
I think it makes the story more realistic; Okay we don't live in a world where we can bend the elements to their will, but everybody swears from time to time. I think that you (ATLALOK) also swear when you messed something up or you heard bad news. I think that swearing is verbally express your rage for something, and sometimes people have to vent. If you aren't a muscled man who can beat up almost every person he sees, you have to vent another way. I think that you can express your rage better then let it get bottled up in yourself. And that's why.
6) I think you make a really good point now that I think about it. Why is Korra living back in the Southern Water Tribe? I like that it's not the obvious choice, but why here and not in Republic City?
I don't really thought about that. I just had the thought that Mako would be travelling to the Southern Water Tribe, not a strong reason really. Frankly, it doesn't really matter where Korra had lived, since all the action happens in Republic City. Also I wanted to try out a bit of descriptive writing, especially the front door of the palace was one of the things I liked describing.
7) I can tell by your writing that you are the narrator. In the second chapter as the palace door opens, you reflect on Mako's past relationship with Korra and added that it "blew up like Michael Bay. No, not really." I thought it was humorous to add, but why did you add it?
I just wanted to add a small funny part for no reason. I watched a critizing video about Michael Bay, and I thought it was pretty funny. So just for fun.
8) What's your purpose for Korra still having a thing for Mako when she's with Asami and has been with her for a year now? I still ship Makorra myself, but it seems out of character for Korra to want Mako back all the sudden.
I don't know, I was just something I thought of. I think that her struggle with choosing between Mako and Asami, together with the Red Spirits conflict can become a marvelous storyline. I added it first for the trolls, but I think that when Asami is introduced in Book Two, I can develop the conflict more and possibly explain the backstory for her struggle. I haven't spend much time yet on Book Two, but that will be one of my main thinking points. Hang in there for Book Two to find out!
9) I'm wondering the same thing Mako was in chapter 4; how did the Red Spirits know that the Avatar was coming back to RC if she's been living in the SWT?
That is a secret I cannot reveal yet. I will give one clue though; It has to do with who are really under those red masks. Cannot tell you anymore though.
10) Follow up, how did they know where Korra and Mako were staying and what rooms they were sleeping in? Or is this another secret that you can't tell me much about too?
Sadly, yes it is also one of those things I cannot reveal yet. But don't worry, time will tell.
11) In chapter 5, Bolin randomly shows up to help Korra, Mako and Lin with their ambush plan. Why'd you bring him in for this?
I *gulps* didn't really plan that correctly (in fact, I didn't plan at all!), I had just a feeling that Bolin would be part of the story because he's one of the Krew. I know that part was kind of weird, but you know, you look back at it, you learn from it (hopefully) and you move on.
12) It seems that the majority of the clues are coming from notes by the Red Spirits. Why are they writing notes and leaving them for Team Avatar (plus Lin) to read them? When do they even have time to write them?
That's another writer secret, sorry for so many secrets, but there has to be tension in the story. I did that to let the story progress, and because you could really get interesting results if one group knows plans, goes in for the counter attack, but the other group expects a counter attack and is ready for that. You saw that at the two ambushes.
13) I understand why The Red Spirits want to stop the triads, and they seem angry that the police isn't involved with getting all of them arrested, but at end of your latest chapter, the note said they didn't want the police involved? Isn't all they want for the police to do their job better?
I think that you read the note wrong. The Red Spirits indeed want that the City is cleaned of the Triads, but that last note was that they didn't want the police (together with Team Avatar) to hunt them down. The note said that they didn't want the police involved directly into their conflict between the triads, but because they teamed up with the triads (see the first ambush), they were involved into the hunting of the Red Spirits.
14) Alright, I get it now. Do you consider The Red Spirits good or evil? Both? Neither?
I think that (as their creator (kind of)), I know of their intentions and I think that they are neither good nor evil. Yes, they did blow up the police station killing a lot of people, but they also made the streets safer for the non-bending citizen, which is good. It's fifty-fifty right now, but who knows what will happen next? *wink wink*
15) And finally, what can we expect to see in future chapters?
Well, the last chapters of the book are called The Showdown, so I think that in the main picture you can see what will happen, but more information about the real people under those masks will be revealed and there will be a big battle. In the last part however, Korra finds out that she has way more questions then answers after the battle, and this struggle (together with the love issue) will continue in Book Two. In Book Two, Asami Sato will play a big role in the storyline and the Red Spirits will return. That's all I can say right now.
As a bonus, CombustionNation asked me a couple questions!
16) One final question though, who do you think that are the Red Spirits? Give it your best shot!
I think that the Red Spirits (like all villains really) have good intentions. They think what they're doing is right, and they'll go to lengths to do it. I like that they are determined to get things done. However, they did cross the line by knocking the protagonists unconcious and that wasn't the best thing to do. It's hard to say if I like them or not right now, but I know I don't hate them.
-Sadly for me, I read that question wrong, so, CombustionNation reworded it... :P-
17) Who do you think (in terms of characters) are the Red Spirits? So in the form of ATLA or LoK characters.
Ooo, that's quite a question. The Red Spirits could be anybody (that's alive that is). They could be a new version of the equalists. They could actually be spirits living in Republic City starting a rebellion. That's really all the logical guesses I can think of, but it'll be interesting to see if I'm right or wrong about it.
Aaaaaand, apparently neither of those guesses were correct either, and I am out of ideas of who they could be. But I know I'll feel like an idiot when the Red Spirits reveal themselves....
Well that's all I have for this interview! Special thanks to CombustionNation for letting me interview him about his fanon! I'd totally recommend you to read it! It's a new, epic series and he posts new chapters in a very timely manner! As for CombustionNation, I look forward to reading future chapters! Keep up the good work! Also, if you're writing a fanon series or one-shot collection and want questions asked about them, feel free to leave the name of it in an of the FFF members userboxes on the official page! This is ATLALOK signing off until next time! :D