And I watch the Avatar-verse internet explode.

[elfgrove]

Everybody say, "Hi Korra".

(Click for larger image.)

Source: LastAirbenderFans.com: Nickelodeon Announces Legend Of Korra

Nickelodeon officially announced The Legend of Korra this morning, a sequel to the popular animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Set for a 2011 debut, Korra will be set after the events of the original series and will focus the new Avatar, a waterbender named Korra. According to the Associated Press:

The series will build on the "mythology" of the original "The Last Airbender" series, which inspired this summer's live-action movie from filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan.

The "Legend of Korra" is from the creator-producers of "Avatar: The Last Airbender."

Nickelodeon executive Brown Johnson says the new series will focus on a teenage girl avatar named Korra. Brown describes her as hotheaded, independent and "ready to take on the world."

Are you still alive after reading that? Perhaps you should go get a tissue and wipe that drool off your face. Stick tuned to the site for more announcements - many are suspecting more stuff could be revealed at this year's Comic Con.

Bonus points for a female lead. Not too common for a children's action show. And I'm glad they didn't continue with Aang. That story is pretty complete. Except for Ursa's whereabouts and unrealistic peace expectations, but hey.
Although, if they go with Korra being Aang & Katara's kid/descendant I'll be very disappointed. I still like Zutara, so shoot me. It's kind of lazy and gives the wrong impression on how the Avatar thing works. Not a bloodline.

More info, courtesy of secondlina
Source: ToonZone.net

Nickelodeon has greenlit Avatar: The Legend of Korra, a new animated TV series based on Avatar: The Last Airbender that will premiere in 2011.

BURBANK, Calif., July 21 /PRNewswire/ — Nickelodeon, the number one producer of television animation in the world, has greenlit a new series from the creators of the hit animated TV show Avatar: The Last Airbender, it was announced today by Brown Johnson, President, Animation, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. The new series The Legend of Korra (working title), from creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, will premiere on Nickelodeon in 2011, continuing the evolution of the animated franchise and its mythology. The original series was the inspiration for the Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies live-action epic adventure, The Last Airbender, which has already grossed more than $115 million at the box office to date.

“Mike and Bryan have imagined a compelling new story inspired by the Airbender mythology that they so brilliantly crafted when the TV series began,” Johnson said. “This new avatar is not only a girl, but also hot-headed, independent and ready to take on the world.”

The Legend of Korra takes place 70 years after the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender and follows the adventures of the Avatar after Aang – a passionate, rebellious, and fearless teenaged girl from the Southern Water Tribe named Korra. With three of the four elements under her belt (Earth, Water, and Fire), Korra seeks to master the final element, Air. Her quest leads her to the epicenter of the modern “Avatar” world, Republic City – a metropolis that is fueled by steampunk technology. It is a virtual melting pot where benders and non-benders from all nations live and thrive. However, Korra discovers that Republic City is plagued by crime as well as a growing anti-bending revolution that threatens to rip it apart. Under the tutelage of Aang’s son, Tenzin, Korra begins her airbending training while dealing with the dangers at large.

[...]

The new Avatar series will be produced at the Nickelodeon Animation Studios in Burbank, Calif., and is co-executive produced by Joaquim Dos Santos.

Oh gawd. Why must it always be steampunk? I like the asthetic, but in Avatar? Errrr... I dunno. I just worry.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against the steampunk, and the fire Nation certainly had technology going on, but taking it in an overly-Eurpoean or bandwagon-y direction would make me sad. And I want to see the fantasy aspect of the show remain strong.


I'm still excited for the new show though.


Updated with my bullet-point breakdown and Name Meanings from DA.

So about 8am PST I learned about the new Avatar series, The Legend of Korra.
My buddies and I on LJ have been having massive discussion all morning (especially my Book of Air RP group).

Here's a quick bullet list breakdown of the solid information we have:
♦ The Legend of Korra is a working title. This means it may change between now and airing.
♦ It's set for a 2011 premiere, but no indication of what quarter. We might be looking at December 2011 for all we know right now.
♦ The Legend of Korra is set 70 years after The Last Airbender.
♦ The series and will focus the new Avatar, a female waterbender named Korra.
♦ Korra is from the Southern Water Tribe.
♦ Korra is a teenager, likely making her older than most of the starring cast from TLA.
♦ Korra is described as "hotheaded, independent and 'ready to take on the world'."
♦ Korra will start the show with three of the four elements already mastered (Earth, Water, and Fire).
♦ Korra will be learning her air bending from Aang's son, Tenzin.
♦ The description looks like most of the action will occur in Republic City.
♦ Rebuplic City Notes:
        ♦ A metropolis that is fueled by steampunk technology.
        ♦ A virtual melting pot where benders and non-benders from all nations live and thrive.
        ♦ Plagued by crime as well as a growing anti-bending revolution that threatens to rip it apart.
♦ Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are both working on the new series.
♦ The new Avatar series will be produced at the Nickelodeon Animation Studios in Burbank, Calif., and is co-executive produced by Joaquim Dos Santos.


So, Yay! More Avatar. Particularly, more Avatar that doesn't involve M. Night ShamaLlamaDingDongTheWitchIsDead.

My thoughts (For the few that care):

Good:
♦ I am incredibly happy this is not a straight sequel. I feel Aang's story was basically done.
♦ I love that it's a strong-willed female lead in a children's action adventure show. Usually female-lead shows get mired in make-up and boys.
♦ And that she's a bit older and (hopefully) more mature.
♦ I think a few people are nay-saying it, but I like that she's basically already mastered 3 elements. We've seen that story. Time for a new one. Leaving air to go lets us see what we missed in Aang's training.
♦ I love that she's not Aang's descendant. I think that would send the wrong message about the Avatar being a bloodline rather than a spiritual succession. (Also, the I am my own father/grandfather would be weird.)
♦ I am so excited for the anti-bending movement. We have it as a "Book Of Air" RP plot point, and I'm excited to see a canon interpretation of the concept.
♦ I'm hyped to see Avatar-verse significantly post-100-years-war. I'm curious of the long term effects.
♦ Much as that final Zutara SDCC parting shot irked me, I'm happy to see Bryke running the show again. I doubt I'd be happy with any other team doing it. (Maybe Greg Weisman, because he can do no wrong in my eyes.)

Meh/Concerns/Thoughts:
♦ Not really a concern, just neutral curiosity. Since Aang's not going to be having kids at 60-something, I wonder how old Tenzin will be. Likely in his 30s at least, right?
♦ I'm wary of the steampunk vibe. If done right, it will be a cool natural progression of the Fire Nation technology. Executed wrong, it'll be "Look at the shiny bandwagon, HUR HUR."
♦ I also worry a steampunk theme might kill the fantasy and mythological aspects that first drew me into the original.
♦ I know Tenzin is going to be Aang & Katara's kid. I don't have a problem with that. I just hopeful Bryke won't feel the need to be jerks about it (again). Fandom, let's just not go there with re-igniting ship wars, please.
♦ If we have Aang's offspring, maybe we'll have other offspring as well. Potentially fun, but I don't want the new show too mired in the past one. It would hurt storytelling ability.

Bad:
♦ Korra being a teenager means at least 13~14, (especially looking at the image) most likely older. That means Aang only lived 68 years at the longest (ignoring the Rip Van Winkle syndrome). Pretty short life-span for an Avatar based on known history. Means chances are high he died violently. It has fun plot potential, but it makes me sad. :(
♦ I'm really hoping the spirit/energy bending is treated as a lost art and glossed over. It felt a little too Deus Ex Machina for me, and I'd like to be able to ignore it. Also, the implications of it being available to anyone, even if it is just Korra in the face of an anti-bending movement has frightening implications.

[ADDED.]
Name Meanings:
Korra
♦ Grass [Gender: F | Origin: Australian]
♦ a companion; maiden [Gender: F | Origin: Greek]

Tenzin
♦ Protector of Dharma; upholder of teachings; this is one of the given names of the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. [Gender: U | Origin: Tibetan/Sherpa]

My assumption? Aang named his child after Monk Gyatso. XD

Comments

[elfgrove.livejournal.com]

Yeah. It's weird, because I got the impression during the series that Roku was supposed to teach Aang. Several times in season 1 Aang mentioned that he was supposed to meet/train with Roku after being IDed. And timeline wise, he was 12 when he was identified, but Roku was still alive because Roku was around to try to stop Sozin using the comet which happend within a few days of Aang starting his ice nap. But now that I think on it, it would potentially involve funky, soul-sharing wackiness. (We'll ignore that we went with alive-at-the-same-time that for the RP.)

Mmm. Plot holes?

[eveshka.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that he was supposed to meet Roku in the Hall of Benders on a spirit walk. At least, that is what I inferred.

[elfgrove.livejournal.com]

But we still have Roku alive at the same time as Aang. O_o

[eveshka.livejournal.com]

But see, I took it to be one of those Chinese things where the Avatar Spirit leaves the dying person and finds a new 'host.'

Kind of like the Living Buddha.

[elfgrove.livejournal.com]

See, I can get on that train. That's my theory too.

What's neat is that they seem to be able to ID the next one prior to the transfer. *shrugs* It works, just a little wonky.

[eveshka.livejournal.com]

Well, according to the Wiki, they didn't ID Aang until after Roku died.

http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/History_of_the_World_of_Avatar

[elfgrove.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the problem with that is it's all theoretical and by fans, and not necessarily accurate. The fisrt few times stuff was calculated up based on dates given just for the 4 avatars pre-Aang, there was major avatar overlap. Byrke admitted to not having done all the math on the avatar timelines early on, so fans making time lines pick and choose based on conflicting "canon" writeups.

I mostly just try to gloss over it, because it is inconsistent.
*shrugs*
I like my ideas, and I'm sticking with them.

[eveshka.livejournal.com]

*grins* Understandable! Though the wiki does make for some fascinating reading. There is a lot of background stuff that they put in the episodes, and if you blinked, you missed things.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Maybe there's potential avatars, and tests to identify them, and when the current avatar dies, one of them gets the powers. Roku died, the monks cared for Aang. They probably told him on the day of Roku's death.