When Aang first appeared in Avatar: The Last Airbender as a little bald boy trapped in ice for a century, the language characters used to talk about the Avatar was somewhat generic. Only the Avatar can wield all four elements. It’s their responsibility to restore and maintain peace in the world.
We take Aang’s duty, and later Korra’s, at face value. We just sort of assume that’s how this world has always been. The chosen one is reincarnated, and they’re very special.
Do we really need to understand more? Then, at a dire point midway through Legend of Korra season 2 when the South Pole spirit portal was opened, plunging the water tribes into civil war, Korra is swallowed by a massive dark spirit while at sea. So much of each Avatar’s journey has been about reconnecting with their past selves, using their memories, shared knowledge, and skills accumulated over thousands of years.
But perhaps for the first time ever, Korra is the only one who must go all the way back to the very beginning. If there’s one episode fans of the franchise should rewatch now that Avatar: Seven Havens is in full swing, it’s the two-parter “Beginnings” (episodes 7 and 8 of Korra season 2), which first aired 13 years ago. After her incident at sea, a delirious Korra is told by the sages to find Raava before she’s lowered into spirit waters.
We see the most recent Avatars, namely Aang, Roku, Kyoshi, and Kuruk. Korra doesn’t recognize them. Then a young man with an easy smile calls out to her and begins to tell his story.
Ten thousand years before the age of Korra, the world looked remarkably different. Spirits roamed the wilds while humans cowered on the backs of giant lion turtles, venturing out only to gather food. When the humans left their cities, the lion turtles lent them the power to bend an element for protection.
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