Legend of Korra (Episodes 5-6)

(catch up on previous episodes here)

After her showdown with Amon at the end of episode four, a shaken Korra has decided to take a leave of absence from Tarrlok's task force. Instead, she decides to distract herself by focusing on training for the pro bending championships with her Fire Ferret teammates, Mako and Bolin. 

The fifth episode centers around two love triangles that have been developing over the course of the season. The first concerns the three teammates. Korra obviously has feelings for Mako, while Bolin is head-over-heels for Korra. Meanwhile, Mako is conflicted between his feelings for Korra, and Asami, the daughter of the wealthy entrepreneur who is sponsoring the team. 

After their first tournament match, which the Ferrets win easily, Korra confesses her feelings to Mako. He tells her that he doesn't feel the same way, and then when she sees him kiss Asami, she realizes she's wasting her time. So when Bolin comes into the picture to ask her out, she agrees. And though they have a great time together, she clearly views him as a friend. Things become more strained when Mako accuses her of going out with Bolin only to get back at him. These strained emotions carry over into their second match. The two of them are obviously distracted, and it's only because of Bolin that they are able to win the match.

Afterwards, the situation becomes more messy when Mako eventually confesses that he does have feelings for Korra and they kiss. Naturally, this is observed by Bolin and he's heartbroken. In the third match, the two brothers are at odds, and Korra single handedly wins it for them, advancing them into the finals. The victory is enough to bring the three friends together again, setting up the dramatic turn of events in the sixth episode.

As the team is training, a radio broadcast is interrupted by Amon. He demands that the pro bending championship be cancelled, calling for an end to the worship of benders. If it is allowed to go on, he promises retaliation. Spooked by fears of escalating violence between benders and equalists, Republic City's council initially votes to cancel the tournament. That is until Lin Beifong, the metal bending chief of police and Toph's daughter, tells them it would be a danger to give in to Amon's threats and assures them that her team can provide security. I loved the way this storyline was handled, and how it directly relates to terrorism and security concerns in our own world. 

The match between the Fire Ferrets and the Wolf Bats is allowed to go on as scheduled. As it turns out, the Wolf Bats, three time champions, have bribed the refs and cheat their way to victory. Just as they are crowned, the equalists strike. Using electricity weapons, they are able to quickly neutralize the metal benders and Korra. Then Amon takes to the platform to make an example of the Wolf Bats, claiming that, like all benders, they are bullies who cheat and steal their way to glory. Then he takes away their bending, and declares that the equalist revolution has now begun. 

Korra and Beifong recover and try their best to stop Amon from escaping. They put up a valiant fight, but there are just too many of the armed soldiers and eventually Amon escapes into a waiting blimp. As the episode ends, it is clear that Republic City is now at war!

It Never Happened That Way...

For every book you've ever read, chances are there are several versions of the story stacked away in the author's closet. I know at least there are for the books I've written. In some cases, there are entirely different novels with little resemblance except the main characters. That's the extreme however. Mostly there are just a handful of deleted scenes and alternative endings, much like the extras packaged for a movie's home release.

As I make my way through the second draft of the manuscript I'm working on, I just conquered a section where I decided to completely rewrite things. The action in the original manuscript was kind of a mess. Everything felt rushed, and it lacked the drama I had envisioned. That said, many of the plot points were right on target...they just needed to happen in a completely different way. 

As a much younger writer, this would've been an incredibly frustrating realization, enough to possibly make me abandon the project. I didn't feel that way at all with this story. I actually had fun writing the additional scenes, knowing I was sending the characters on a much better adventure than the one they'd been on the first time around. 

I'll admit that there's a part of me that loves those deleted chapters and dropped story lines. They're a way of holding onto a story even after the world gets a hold of it. As the writer, you're the only one who knows the events in the story hadn't always happened that way, making sure the first draft will always remain a secret you share between you and your characters.

Weekend Music Roundup

So this week I'm finally getting back into some more contemporary releases, while still revisiting some older albums. The cool weather has definitely put me in the mood for more introverted autumn music. Also, a productive week of writing also has me leaning to more atmosphere music. A lot of different genres on the list this week. Hopefully there is something you will enjoy.

Guilt Mountain - Tiger Hour: From the mind of Kate Larson comes this enjoyable little album of home recordings. It's everything you'd expect from a home recording, a talented singer-songwriter sharing personal and playful songs. You can find this album for free on the linked bandcamp page. I highly recommend it.

The Kooks - Konk: I've owned this album since its release back in 2008, but recently have been listening to it quite frequently. Following in the wave of UK acts like Arctic Monkeys, this Brighton band definitely has more of a pop sense to their brand of indie rock. The result is super catchy songs that harken back to the heyday of Britpop. I would suggest seeking out the edition with the included bonus album, some of the best songs appear as extra tracks.

Cream - Fresh Cream: Following their departure from The Bluesbreakers, Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce went on to form Cream with drummer Ginger Baker. This 1966 debut album shows how they've grown beyond John Mayall's British blues style as they start to develop a more psychedelic hard rock style that will characterize their later work. A solid record that bridges two dynamic styles of '60s British rock music.

Rob St. John - Weald: I first discovered this Scottish indie folk artist on a trip to the UK back in 2008 when I purchased his limited release EP Like Alchemy. Three years later, in 2011, this full length debut was released. Last week I was finally able to get my hands on a copy and it's quite beautiful. There's a darkness to Rob's voice that creates such an amazing mood in his music. He's definitely an artist worth checking out.

Forest Sword - Engravings: When in the mood for electronic music, there really is nothing quite like it. Though I was into it for a long time, I don't follow it so much any longer, but every once in a while I will check out something new. Forest Sword got a lot of attention with his early EPs and this full length album is due out in September. As expected, it's very atmospheric without being overbearing or pretentious.

The Icarus Line - Slave Vows: Back in 2004, this L.A. band released one of my 10 favorite albums of the decade, Penance Soiree and followed it up in 2007 with another great album. And that was the last I heard from them until this album showed up in July (though there was a 2011 album released that seems quite impossible to find). With only a few listens, it has rocketed its way up on my favorite albums of the year so far. There is something about their music that captures that seedy L.A. vibe, dark and dangerous and irresistible at the same time. Fantastic stuff.

Legend of Korra (Episodes 3-4)

(Catch up on previous episodes here)

When I last left off the saga of the new Avatar, Korra had experienced her first boost of confidence stemming from her success with the professional bending team The Fire Ferrets. But in the world of Avatars, adversity is never far away. For Korra, the third episode of the show reveals just how sinister a threat she faces, and hints at how trying her journey will become.

The episode opens with some bad news for The Fire Ferrets. Having made the championships, the organizer of the league informs them that they must come up with a share of the prize money. Mako and Bolin have no way of coming up with it, and neither does Korra, who has never had need for money. In order to help the team, Bolin ends up taking a job with The Triple Threats, one of the many triad gang of benders that roam Republic City, using their bending gifts to extort others. These gangs, and the pro-bending promoter, are great examples of how Republic City is based on New York during the 1930's and 1940's. These are the kind of nuanced touches that the show, and its predecessor, have always done so well, and which transcend it far beyond being just a children's cartoon.

After a day of work, Mako grows concerned that Bolin has not returned and seeks out Korra's help to find him. They discover Bolin has been taken by Amon's equalist soldiers. As they engage them, we discover the true terror behind Amon. His soldiers have been trained in a technique known as "chi blocking" which can temporarily nuetralize bending. However, this is nothing compared to the real threat that is to be revealed when Korra and Mako infiltrate an equalist rally being billed as The Revelation. It is there that viewers first learn Amon's terrifying secret--his ability to take away a bender's power permenantly.

Though Korra succeeds in rescuing Bolin before it's too late, she is obviously traumatized by what she's seen. As episode four opens, she is haunted by the fear of losing her bending. This fear is strong enough to prevent her from joining Councilmen Tarrlok's task force established to put an end to Amon's reign of terror. Tarrlok eventually bullies her into joining, using the press to ambush her into making a decision. After a successful raid on a chi blocker training camp, Korra publically challenges Amon to a duel. Foolishly trusting his honor, she is ambushed by a squad of his henchman. Once her bending is disabled, Amon threatens to take away her bending, but lets her ago, claiming to have a more devious fate in store for her. 

Keeping the Sky from Falling

If there were awards given out for "Most Improved Television Program," this season of Falling Skies would run away with the category. What started with much promise in its opening season soon was sidetracked by stalling plots, cliche characters, and a fair amount of poorly written lines that no actor would ever be able to pull off. Then something happened toward the end of Season 2, the show and the characters began to find themselves. The story stopped simply moving from place to place with the same results, and brought the 2nd Mass to a permanent settlement, Charleston. From that moment on, Falling Skies ceased to be War of the Worlds-lite and started to show signs of possibly becoming the next Battlestar Galactica.

With the final episode of the season having aired this past Sunday, I can safely say that while it's still not Battlestar Galactica,  it's getting there. The scope of the story expanded exponentially this season, wisely adding a new alien race and raising the stakes of each battles and subsequent victories. And while I've always felt Noah Wyle was the best thing about the show, his Tom Mason character was finally given the gravity with which to make the show revolve around. And Charleston grew to have the same sense of desperation and hope that the Galactica had, complete with its memory tree for lost family and friends.

The production value of the show has always been pretty high, especially for a basic cable program. That was never an issue. But with the washed grey pallet that the show was given this year, it added a gritty feel that had been missing. Certainly there were still weak hangovers from the past, but they were less bothersome this year than previous seasons. This is a perfect example of why new concept shows need more time to develop. I'm really glad I stuck with the show, I finally feel rewarded for it. If you were at all interested in this show at any point, but gave up...I recommend giving Season 3 a chance. It's proven itself to be one of the quality sci-fi shows on television. 

Weekend Music Roundup

This week's list is a combination of newer releases and older albums that I've recently sought out. Most likely it will probably be that way for a while since I have such an abundance of albums collected that I've not been able to absorb. When this happens, I tend to ignore all but a few new releases. Especially with the Fall rush about to be unveiled, I want to make sure I've gone through what I already have. That said, there are still great albums on this list. Newer does not always mean better. Enjoy.

Neil Halstead - Oh! Mighty Engine: Founding songwriter of Slowdive and Mojave 3, two of my favorite bands, has released three solo albums in the last decade, this 2008 album being the second. It veers solidly into the folk genre, which is where Mojave 3 had been heading over the course of their last two albums, moving away from the dream pop sound that carried over from Slowdive. Like all his work, these songs are beautiful and poignant. At moments, it reminds me of early Belle & Sebastian, only less playful. Neil always has a way of reaching into the seriousness of reflection.

Psychic Ills - Dins: It's been seven years and seven albums since this 2006 debut from the Brooklyn neo-psychedelic band. They have since honed their craft considerably, but there is something to be said for this exploration of sound and all its looseness. Definitely the kind of album made for spending the day higher than high while sitting around a sunny apartment as the city goes on without you outside the window. I have a weakness for albums like that, and this is no exception. There's nothing on here that I haven't heard before, but it's also a sound I never particularly mind hearing again. A nice find if you come across it.

Holly Miranda - High Above the City: There isn't very much information on this collection of 20 songs, so I'm not sure if it was sold only at concerts, if it's a demo, or was self-released, but it dates from 2002, a full three years before the release of The Jealous Girlfriends first EP, and seven years before Holly's solo debut EP. (That's assuming the release date is correct). Regardless, this is a very nice album of acoustic songs, featuring only Holly's amazing voice and an acoustic guitar, which is far different from the lush beauty of 2010's The Magician's Private Library. I've seen Holly perform twice, both acoustic sets that feel very much like this album, so for me, it was great to finally find this after years of searching. Very personal, poetic songs, something I can imagine being a teenage girl's favorite record ever, luckily there's a part of me that connects with that idea as I'm sure my books have shown.

Amy Cook - Summer Skin: Released last August, this is the Austin based singer songwriter's sixth album. I was introduced to her earlier this year when I heard the amazing "Airplane Driver" on the radio and sought out this album. There's a definite country/folk vibe to this album. It reminds me of Elizabeth & The Catapult in some ways, Norah Jones in others. A good record that's easy to listen to, but nothing really groundbreaking.

Kurt Vile - Wakin On a Pretty Daze: The Philly native follows up 2011's Smoke Ring for My Halo with another masterpiece of psychedelic folk. This double album is one of my favorites of the year so far. It plays like a mellow Dinosaur Jr. album washed in a haze of a lazy day. The entire album keeps a consistent groove throughout, making it almost feel like one continuous song. With each album, Kurt seems to improve, and he's well on the way to becoming one of the best songwriters of the moment.

John Frusciante - Outsides: The newest EP from one of my favorite songwriters of all time, due out at the end of August, is a continuation of the experimental sound of last year's PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone album and the Letur Lefr EP. It contains only three tracks, all of which are instrumental, with the exception of a few lines on one track. The blending of guitar and electronic glitch is more seamless here than on last years' albums, showing that he's really perfecting this new sound, which is certainly an exciting prospect for future releases. The entire Side A consists of one 10 minute groove track called "Same," which is truly wonderful to listen to, and I've played it many times over the course of this week. The second side is two tracks which feel a little less focused, more like sketches than songs. An interesting piece that makes a nice companion to 2012's releases.

Legend of Korra (Episodes 1-2)

With the second season of Avatar: The Legend of Korra set to premiere next month, I've been re-watching the entire first season in order to gear up for one of the most anticipated returns of the year. It's been a while since I'd seen any episodes, so it's definitely been exciting to see them again. I figured perhaps there are some of you out there like me who may have let the story slip your mind for a bit, so I decided to do a viewing guide for those of you who don't have time to catch up on watching, or just want to hear my personal thoughts on the subject.

In the first episode, the show had the tall order of connecting the characters we'd grown to love over three seasons with those who were to become the stars of the story taking place three quarters of a century later. This was handled masterfully, connecting the past with the new by having Katara being a mentor to the new avatar as she trains. It was also wise to introduce Korra in one scene as a small rambunctious child, endearing her to the viewer before we ever see her as the conflicted teen she will be throughout the series. Even more than The Last Airbender, this show is about coming of age, featuring characters slightly older than the first series. 

The show wastes no time getting Korra to Republic City, the modern metropolis founded by Aang and the other characters we know from the first show. The city is far more modern than anything seen in The Last Airbender, but keeping with the style of the show, it still remains a mixture of contemporary and old world that makes it feel unique. We see the city through Korra's eyes, complete with all the wonder and disillusionment there is to find there. It doesn't take long for the viewer to piece together that a new set of conflicts is going to trouble the new avatar. The peaceful balance has been disrupted, and a riff has been growing between benders and non-benders who feel oppressed by the rule of benders. 

As for Korra's training, she is the opposite of Aang. Whereas he had yet to learn water, fire, or earth bending, Korra has mastered three of the four elements, struggling only with air. In the second episode she goes to live with Aang's grown son, Tenzin, an airbending master who is charged with instructing her in the final element. We also meet Aang's grandchildren, younger children who add an element of fun in every scene they are in. But living on the secluded island in the shadow of Republic City, with all its excitement and danger within sight, is not easy for a young avatar eager to prove her worth and set things right.

During her training, Korra is quickly frustrated by her inability to bend air. Growing impatient, she sneaks away to Republic City where she meets Mako and Bolin, professional benders competing in popular tournaments. It's clear that these brothers are soon to become her companions. Mako, the brooding one, and Bolin, the fun-loving one, make a good pairing with Korra. And when they need a water bender for their team, Korra fills in, despite being forbidden to attend such matches by Tenzin. However, as it turns out, the match is exactly what Korra needed for her first air bending lessons to sink in. The success of this encourages her to give training a more serious effort. And she's going to need it...at the end of the episode we get a glimpse of the sinister Amon, and one look at that fearful mask and we know he's up to no good.