The Legend of Korra continues the tale that began in Avatar: The Last Airbender, starring a brand-new Avatar protagonist named Korra. She is a native of the Southern Water Tribe, and when she journeyed to the distant Republic City, everything there was so new to her. Korra met, befriended, and fought many new characters who were full of surprises.
Across its four seasons, The Legend of Korra also surprised and delighted its viewers with a variety of creative and unique fight scenes that turn the bending combat system on its head with new elemental sub-types, steampunk machines, and far more.
10 Tenzin Zaheer Made For A Rare Airbender Vs Airbender Fight
A few fights in The Legend of Korra seemed fairly ordinary at first, until viewers realize that these fights involve two fighters wielding the same element, something that doesn’t happen often in the overall franchise. An example was when Tenzin the Airbender faced Zaheer.
This was a true battle between Airbending masters, and precious few fights in the franchise depict Airbenders fighting their own kind. Instead of battling Firebenders or Equalists, Tenzin had to fight his true equal, the anarchist turned Airbender Zaheer. What a sight.
9 Lin Beifong Vs Suyin Beifong Was Metal Mania
It’s also rare to see metalbenders fighting their own kind, and while there was some of that in Book Four: Change, the battle of half-sisters in Book Three was something else. Police chief Lin Beifong and Zaofu’s founder, Suyin Beifong, were at odds, and the verbal battle soon became physical.
Some serious family drama was involved, which helped boost the emotional stakes of this fight, and the scene was even tenser because Suyin had the advantage and wanted to end this pointless metalbender scuffle. But Lin persisted, so Suyin reluctantly went all-out and defeated her.
8 Fire Ferrets Vs Wolfbats Involved Cheating
Most fights in Avatar and Korra are real fights where anything goes. But things are different in the pro-bending arena, where Korra soon learned that there are formal rules to observe.
That made the pro-bending scenes unique, since bending was being treated as a sport. In particular, the final fight pitted the Fire Ferrets against the Wolfbats, who were actually cheating, and Korra’s team had to resist the temptation to cheat right back. They fought fair, even if it meant losing.
7 Bolin Vs Ghazan Was The Sole Lava Vs Lava Fight
Zaheer had three elite bender friends with him, including the Earthbender Ghazan, who could actually bend lava. He clashed with Bolin a few times before the surprisingly crafty Bolin learned to bend lava on his own, and this led to the franchise’s only lavabender vs lavabender battle.
It was truly unique to see two Earthbenders fight not with flying rocks or dirt but with molten magma deep in a cave. For once, Bolin had what it took to stand up to the terrorist Ghazan. Bending lava made for an exciting but terrifying fight scene.
6 Korra & Jinora Vs Zaheer Had A Creative Ending
During the climax of Book Three, Korra was poisoned with mercury to force her into the Avatar state, and Zaheer attacked her. Korra fought back with every element she had, but she slowly fell behind in their fight as the mercury took its toll. Fortunately, Tenzin’s eldest child, Jinora, arrived to help.
In fact, Jinora brought a few dozen Airbenders with her, and she had them pool their talents to create a massive tornado and suck in Zaheer with the lower air pressure. It worked, and even with the power of flight itself, Zaheer was dragged down to earth and soon captured.
5 Avatar Wan Vs Vaatu Was Truly Historic
This particular fight scene took place 10,000 years before the main events of Korra, and it involved the world’s first Avatar, Wan, and the ultimate darkness spirit, Vaatu himself. This fight stands out for many reasons, including its historic impact, but that’s not all.
This battle is one of the few fights to take place in the spirit realm, and during that fight, Wan fused with Raava to officially become the first Avatar and begin the cycle. During Harmonic Convergence, Wan wielded the four elements to seal Vaatu in the Tree of Time and save the world. No one can forget a scene like that.
4 Tenzin’s Team Vs Colossus Was Like Attack On Titan
During the climax of Book Four: Balance, the Earth Empire leader Kuvira unveiled the world’s greatest weapon, a platinum-armored colossus that had a spirit cannon on its right arm. Nothing like this had been seen before, and Tenzin and his fellow Airbenders had no choice but to fight it.
This scene was like one right out of Attack on Titan, featuring desperate, airborne defenders fighting to protect their city from a single, massive foe that could crush any of them with impunity. Ultimately, it fell to Korra to finish this fight.
3 Giant Korra Vs Unalaq Was A Clash Of Titans
At one point, Korra’s uncle Unalaq, chief of the Northern Water Tribe, fused with Vaatu, becoming a humanoid spirit giant, and started to tear Republic City apart. Korra thought she had lost, until Tenzin taught her how to perform “energybending” inside the Tree of Time.
Korra became a spirit giant as well and fought Unalaq in a thrilling clash of the titans in Republic City’s bay. Nothing like this had happened in the franchise before, and Korra has not attempted energybending since. It’s risky, after all.
2 United Forces Fleet Vs Equalist Air Force
This was one of the few battles in The Legend of Korra to be primarily vehicle vs vehicle, showing how much the world has changed since Aang’s time. In Book One: Air, the United Forces fleet arrived in Republic City under the command of General Iroh, but Iroh was in for a surprise.
The Equalist army unleashed its airplanes for the first time, and these flying machines tore the fleet apart, especially when combined with Equalist mines in the bay. Iroh’s fleet was in trouble, and only a few planes were shot down.
1 Bumi Vs Unalaq’s Troops
This was probably the most unique fight in the entire franchise, and the fight took place by accident. Tenzin, Kya, and their nonbender brother Bumi approached Unalaq’s camp, and then Bumi used his talents with spirits to lure a few spirits to his side.
Bumi then climbed aboard a mecha suit before the evil spirits corrupted it, causing the mech with Bumi inside to go haywire. Bumi hung on for dear life as the mech flattened the entire camp, and Tenzin was exasperated but amazed that his side had won like that. Bumi is full of surprises.
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