Considering Leigh Bardugo‘s Tumblr posts, it’s no surprise that she would have something to say about Legend of Korra. In this one, she talks about the power of the secondary characters in the series, and I have to admit, they are quite impressive.
Consider Asami: She first appeared as a love interest for Mako and could have been swept off screen after her father was bested. Instead, she’s back in Book 2 with her own goals and challenges. Bolin entered the narrative as a kind of jester, but has taken on the roll of the wise fool. Tenzin is a classic mentor character—patient, tenacious, wise. But through his flashes of frustration and temper, his dry humor, and his complicated relationship with the spectacularly badass Lin Beifong, the writers keep him human, fallible, and truly fun to watch. Even his children, who usually appear briefly and for comic relief, have distinct personalities. (I’m not going to touch on Naga and Pabu here because cuteness unfairly tips the scales.)
Book 1 of The Legend of Korra was packed with characters who had fabulous backstories (like Amon and Tarrlock) and those who simply hinted at fabulous backstories (like Tahno and his Wolfbat entourage). I would gladly watch a Tahno spin-off. In fact, I think Tahno’s hair may require its own show, too.
Read the rest of her assessment of secondary characters on Hypable.
