I've been seeing a lot of criticism over the Wan episodes, and, you know what, I agree. Especially about what is to me, the most egregious offense: blatant rewriting of canon.
The Avatar is suddenly the spirit of light, which by necessity had to fuse with an 'enlightened' human to defeat darkness. Except you can't defeat darkness, she said so herself. Except they could, they could lock him away? (In a tree that looks a lot like Koh's dwelling so I'm basically fangirling really hard over that possibility)
Doesn't this defeat the entire... like, essence of the Avatar?
This felt too messianic for me, in a setting that is influenced by East Asian culture- that reeks of white privilege. Westerners packaging and selling a story set in East Asia for other westerners. Let's see what they don't fuck up! :D And it's not even good messianic, it's lazy messianic.
However, I feel like, even with all this new information, a lot of cool stuff could have been done that wasn't.
Light and Darkness cannot consume one or the other. That's fine, that's a pretty basic concept of balance. But the blatant loophole setting up doomsday plotline- ew. Lazy. Instead, Wan/Raava should have ground Vaatu into a stalemate, and Wan, as he infused Raava into him, should have infused Vaatu as well, as a divine compromise, which would be true to human nature- the capability of both great good and great evil.
This inner darkness as well as inner light would be a much better character driving force than 'impulsive'. If it were revealed that Korra had lost touch with Raava and was deriving too much influence from Vaatu? Her own nature would be out of balance, and the world would suffer likewise. I just think that inner conflict would be cool. Idk.
Additionally: Wan is a messiah, plain and simple. But he's not even a good one. He messed everything up. (Also through lazy writing) And Raava comes to him out of necessity. Um... isn't she in effect a god? Why would a god need a human? He would need her. He would need to atone for his own sins, and for the sins of the world.
A very neat and tidy messianic archetype could have been achieved if the focus of humanity's flaws were not isolation, but malice. They are out of touch with nature, and each other. The rich oppress the poor, nature suffers, spirits and man are in conflict, etc.
THAT is what should give Vaatu power. Not happenstance, but the moral character of humanity in general. Ok, so they may not be gods, and they may not be omnipotent, but the theme of the show is balance. If humans are for the most part innocent, all this is meaningless.
One guy happens to get on the good sides of spirits because- he doesn't eat an animal and is so gosh-darn plucky and optimistic. Bullshit. Humanity needs to be in a state of irreparable sin. They need to be not what they were intended to be.
That is why Raava selecting a single righteous/enlightened person is more meaningful. Wan can atone for the sins of the world. He can reconcile the balance between good and evil, light and dark. If humanity throws that out of balance, the god uses a human, infused with divine truth and power to make it right. You know, a direct parallel to Jesus Himself.
Fully god and fully human. The Avatar came into the world to reconcile humanity to the spirit of the planet. In doing so, It(?) also contained a cosmic war between good and evil itself, taming both and using them to lead the world in example of balancing darkness and light within people and nations. Harmony, balance, and stability, while still making room for salvation, reconciliation, and growth. It isn't impossible to pull off!
That's another thing- Raava shouldn't actually have been the one to initiate this bond. It should have been an even greater spirit- the spirit of the planet itself. A direct parallel to the ultimate divine. Who does not approve of the way things are. Wan is either chosen or brought into existence already destined to be the Avatar- doesn't matter which, and, yeah. All I mentioned above.
This stuff would make an awesome blend of Eastern themes of balance and Western themes of Messianic reconciliation. And for Korra to learn about both... it would be challenging to her. That's good! Character growth! It would shatter her infantile dark vs light mindset that the show FUCKING PERPETUATES WITH THIS BACKSTORY!
Also... for that to work, Lion Turtles... eh. I feel like humanity needed to be gifted bending from the very beginning, and have that be just another privilege that they abuse. A very holy thing used to oppress and exploit each other and nature, oh yeah, that's direct fuel for Hexxos- I mean- Vaatu. But really, if Vaatu were voiced by Tim Curry, you would all cream your pants and YOU KNOW IT.
But yeah. I'm not tooting my own horn, but. If I can come up with more substantial/meaningful narrative choices in about an hour, then Bryke needs to try way harder than they currently are. Rant over.
