Saw this on YouTube and I just wanted to give my 2 sense on this.
This isn’t a Korra hate post. This is an elaboration of my opinion on this image.
1. Differences between Toph and Korra were Toph wasn’t really overconfident, she was proud, there is a difference. Korra genuinely sempt full of herself at times, especially in the beginning where she has that “you should be impressed” look when she tells you she’s the avatar. Toph was just kind of a goofball and her ego was rubbed out once she acclimated to the crew. Not to mention, Toph kinda backed up her smack talk. When she was fighting Toph genuinely was kicking ass. But Korra? It felt like every time she fought someone she was getting bodied.
2. I don’t think people liked the vatuu and ravaa thing just because it appeared outlandish and sudden. ATLA had a very subtle and mysterious spirit world vibe that made it feel more parallel with the story, where as to this Unalaq arc had felt like “the next big thing” sort of like in dragon ball where you gotta have the next big bad villain. It doesn’t help that the designs are kinda crazy over the top with giant, patterned, glowing, serpent spirits. The ocean and moon spirits were subtle and beautiful.
3. So I think this one should be obvious. A tunnel boring machine is NOT new technology even in our day. In fact I’m fairly certain the tech is probably over 150 years old today. The firenation sempt to be going through an age of Industrial Revolution during the events of ATLA. Having rudimentary ships, tanks, airships, factories, and what not. Making a giant tunnel boring machine made sense. And was perfectly within the theme. But, you got a giant pacific rim mech in the what? 1800s era that has a super galick gun ray on its arm. Not even we (who are still far ahead of them in technology) have access to this type of thing. This is in no way on the level of subtlety that the drill was on. It was loud, and kind of obnoxious and didn’t fit the avatar theme. It just felt like it was there to make you point and go “WOOAAAAH BIG MECH!”
4. So, Korra became a giant spirit kaiju that could shoot iron man unibeams. I can see why people feel like this is a bit much. They did it just so they could have a kaiju battle. While in Aang’s case, it was still waterbending. Just amplified by the avatar state and his combination with the ocean spirit. So it was perfectly aligned with the setting.
5. Now for the last one I personally don’t take issue with it because it sempt within line. Roku was able to interact with Aang iirc so I see why it seams feasible that Aang could appear to return her bending. My best guess is that it doesn’t make sense because since Korea and Aang are the same person, there’s no way that he could just give her the bending she lost because that would mean he technically lost it too.
Anyways, I think there are parallels between the two shows, but LoK just feels like they took what Aang did and tried to turn it up to 200. This made things seem out of place.