Hi Hi Y’all,
I got asked why I have so many Fan Fictions and why I can’t release more of them and on a steady schedule. Honestly, it’s because I get bored of the process of writing it all down and often get side tracked with life or other inspirations.
I did, however, get asked a question about my most recent update: Avatar. I was asked why I put it up if I wasn’t really updating it. Thanks for that by the way. Felt really good to read that…
I chose the Avatar series because I was in the process awhile back of re-watching both series. I wanted to know if the explosion of debates around the two of them were worth it. My first way through, I’m not going to lie, was filled with a lot of judgement towards Korra. That being said after re-watching Avatar Aang’s journey and then Korra’s again I realized I was hella biased.
Maybe that’s why my brain was challenging me to a BEING THE AVATAR IS SO EASY HUH!? So when I came up with an idea I thought why the hell not. I can jot down some notes and maybe put it on my site. Never thought anyone would be interested in Avatar Fan Fiction or have opinions on it.
Well, here’s my answer on why this Avatar and the series progression:
Awhile back I saw two videos from Johnny 2 Cellos about Avatar Aang and Avatar Korra. In it he wanted to prove why he believed Avatar Aang was the most compassionate Avatar and that Avatar Korra was the most resilient. Thoughts on all that aside, there is one point he pointed out that I really agree with: that while each Avatar is a reincarnation of the others they are also themselves their own person.
For instance, Aang was called compassionate because he did not believe in killing even Ozai. Instead, he took away his ability to bend. Now, an Avatar like Kyoshi would do what was needed and feel no qualms about it. Avatar Yangchen was also born as an Air Nomad and yet she believed the duty to the world was greater than the duty to herself; which means there is no argument for saying it is the influence of their natural born elements and their corresponding environments either for the distinct differences between the individual reincarnations. Their decisions come down to the individual in each life time.
In the case of Korra, she was called the most resilient for facing consistent and extreme personal challenges; all while having to embark on the new age of publicity and media. You could if you wanted to try to speculate on how Avatar Aang’s personality and choices may differ but in my point of view that is a waste of time and more about comparing the series. Aang wasn’t around to make those choices and if he was they were completely different situations. His decisions could of radically changed when dealing with public pressure or not being able to bend at all. Further, Aang was an Air Nomad and Korra, while I believe does not display much of the stereotypes of the Southern Water Tribe, is from the Water Tribe. That gives them completely different upbringings and philosophies to start from. Which may not affect the personalities of the individual reincarnations but does affect the environment and learned behavior they grew up on.
In the case of imagining a new Avatar those where the things in my head: the Avatar’s are their own individuals, their background helps define their current self and that they make their own choices. I am a huge cliche of a nerd so of course my brain jumped ahead one to the next fire bending Avatar. Timeline wise that’s a pretty big jump in society. Which was both annoying and interesting, because I got to imagine an Avatar in our modern society. Instantly, my brain was like damn Earth Benders are now scarily dangerous and completely terrifying. *Hint Hint*
But what about fire benders? What about their history of trying to move on from being the empire of major war crimes and military power? What about being a monarchy in modern society? What about their bending abilities place in a world where power and light doesn’t need flame?
As a child, I often wondered what it would mean to be born with no purpose. It’s a weird question for a kid I know, but I was always told what my purposes where: to educate myself, to succeed in the views of society, to be there for family. Those three things have been my definition since I was a child. I can’t compare it to being the Avatar but I could say I was told my purpose young and was expected to fill it. Avatar Aang chose to runaway from his expectations in the beginning; while, Avatar Korra ran straight towards them. In the case of the two of them I’d say I started as Korra. Run blindly into the future as it has been told.
Maybe that’s why when I imagined an Avatar I imagined one that had difficulties similar to Korra: having an idea of what your purpose is that realizing through challenges that your purpose is your’s own. But, to be honest, I also see myself very differently from Korra and when I write a character I always give them something from me or someone I know within them. So, when I wrote Rina what I imagined was someone who dealt with identity issues and such but in the beginning how I would of thought in certain challenges. Then from there I let her learn her own lessons and develop into her own new person.
In the original series the first book was Water. I wanted to keep the theme from the original series and make the first book Water as well. I think it really fits with the beginning of the Avatar I imagined because of water is. It is a reflection. You see what is outside physically and can change it. You also see what is inside and are forced to confront it. You may heal it if you want or maybe just use it to become aware of it.
I wanted the Avatar I created to have a backstory that would need to be reflected first in water for both herself and the audience. In a modern world the Avatar takes on a whole different meaning. In this case the Avatar has reasons on why they don’t want to fulfill those meanings and so a reflection of the past shows the start of the development for the future.
This Avatar is her own individual person so her backstory has to be a past different from those Avatars that came before her. I will say upfront that besides having parents that don’t like the idea of the Avatar at this point of time she also will have a deep seated personal reason to not want the role. It is the loss of people closest to her: the pain that comes with expectations.
To me, that is a reflection of Water that is worthy for a start.
I don’t want to say more because this isn’t about spoiling anything. More like trying to answer a few questions asked of me. However, I will say that if I can get through it all there will be a Book of Earth, A Book of Fire and then a Book of Air in the order of the bending cycles. The Book of Earth will be about the world and its foundations. Are things sturdy and solid? The Book of Fire is about life, inspiration, creativity. Is the world and its people set for destruction by their own actions? The Book of Air is about intellectual thought, reason, understanding and memory. Has everyone understood what’s been going around them and prepared for the memories they have created?
And, yes, I will be referring back to the ideas I came up with for the Earth bending Avatar that would of come before her. He may have died young but his decisions have played a huge part in the world and in Rina’s decision.
Does that make any sense or answer any of that question?
Maybe, sometimes, a part of me just wants to think back to a time where I believed there wasn’t something funny about believing their are special people.
Also, fire is fun.
I.L. Knight
