The Legend of Korra/Tear Jerker

Tear Jerker

• This troper cried like a baby during the first episode. The night scene where Korra is riding on Naga through the falling snow, as "Korra's Theme" plays on the soundtrack, is heartwrenchingly beautiful. It's a masterpiece of cinematography, music, and animation.
• Katara makes it abundantly clear that virtually everyone she knew is dead, including her brother. This means she lived long enough to not only see her immediate family, husband included, die, but implicitly all her friends as well. And then it hits you that she's been teaching and caring for the reincarnation of her dead husband for seventeen years. In all likelihood, given her advanced age, every single member of the previous cast is dead besides her.
  • Which makes watching the original even more tragic. By the time Korra's around, Aang, Toph, Sokka, and everyone else Katara knew are now dead.
    • Not everyone. According to Nick.com, Zuko's still alive, though he's retired from being Fire Lord.
  • Word of God is that Aang only lived to 66, in a world where Avatars at least have been known to make it past 200, due to his century in the iceberg (making him technically 166 when he died, but it means he only lived for 54 years after the end of the original show.)
• Korra, as the new Avatar, is older than all of Tenzin's children. That means poor Aang died before he even got a chance to meet his own grandchildren.
  • This only count for Tenzin's kids. Aang's other two children might have had children of their own, though it's still sad.
  • Neither of his other kids, however, were airbenders. Thus, their children probably weren't either. Aang died thinking that his son would be the last of his kind...scary, really.
• Katara wiping away a Single Tear as her family flies back home, leaving her alone again.
  • Plus, the sad look on her face when Tenzin tells her that he's not staying.
• Everything we know about Mako and Bolin's backstory. According to official bios and confirmed in the third episode, their parents were killed in front of them during a mugging resulting in the two of them growing up on the streets with no family but each other. Now they live in an attic in the pro-bending arena, struggling to pay rent through chores and winning matches. In addition, eagle-eyed viewers will notice the shoddily mended tears in their practice clothes - the brothers are still dirt poor, and may very well end up back on the streets if they don't win the prize money.
• Tenzin looking up at the statue of Aang. It's clear from his face just how much he misses his father.
• That horrified look on Bolin's face as he's revealed on the stage of The Revelation.
• Amon's backstory, at least assuming it's true. His parents were poor farmers who were exploited by firebenders, and when his father tried to stand up to them he was killed, and Amon's face was burned beyond healing.
  • This parallels with Mako and Bolin's backstory. The only difference is they could support themselves with their bending, but if they can only barely scrape by with bending oriented jobs, how did Amon or other non benders in the same situation fare?
  • Even if the story itself isn't true, it still depicts an awful reality. Somewhere, out there, certainly many inoccent people were murdered for daring to speak against criminals with bending.
• Mako telling Korra what happened to his and Bolin's parents. Not only were they killed by a mugger, in front of him at the tender age of eight, but by one who was a firebender. So everytime Mako bends fire, what do you think he's reminded of?
• Bolin's expression when he suggests using Pabu to make money and Mako shoots him down. It's just really kind of heartbreaking because it makes it perfectly clear that behind his lazy, care-free exterior Bolin really wants to help and not make Mako do all the work and, more than that, that he puts a lot of stock in his brother's opinion of him.
• Korra breaking down and crying Broken Tears saying "I've never felt like this before. I don't know what to do!"
  • It's not just Amon who breaks her down. It's also the publicity that psychologically pressures her. Korra has a big responsibility and does ultimately live with the guilt that she has to sacrifice time for training before saving the city. Imagine getting lured into the center of press attention and being provoked with fiery questions.
  • Korra's whole situation in this episode is as heartbreaking as it is terrifying. Even before her encounter with Amon she was already terrified of him. And just when she finally does get the courage to face him, he psychologically destroyed her. It is hard to watch the Badass we know get completely broken. Worst part of it is, if Amon's plans work, it will just get worse for her.
  • The lead-up into this moment will be one for fans of the older series: Korra, while knocked unconscious, has several heartbeat-quick visions of an older Sokka, Toph, and Aang.
  • Not to mention, most of the authority figures don't like her or treat her with any concern, except for Tenzin. It means that Korra has only one solid ally, and also that she has no support network in a city where she hasn't had the time to meet anyone other than Tenzin's family, and her teammates (who still aren't solid friends with her).
• Seeing Bolin heartbroken and crying was a devastating thing to witness, even if it was kind of funny.
  • For some it was probably both. Sure, it's rough for him to see what he saw, but the snot coming down his nose and the Girly Run... which makes it worse once the guilt sets in.
  • For this troper, it was really awful to see that Bolin had watched Korra kiss Mako. The poor guy had even got her flowers, for Pete's sake! Yes, I got all choked up and teary-eyed, don't judge me!
    • Want to make this moment even worse? Not only did Bolin, who we all know is very poor, buy those flowers for Korra out of his own pocket, the price for it was probably ridiculously jacked up because, remember, it's currently winter and flowers are out of season during this time.
    • Fear not, for this tropier was on the brink of tears the moment Bolin began to run. It was even worse by the fact that seeing Bolin so happy on the date was heartwarming.
      • It's not just that he went on an adorably heartwarming date with "...the smartest, funniest, toughest, buffest, talentedest, incrediblest girl in the world," who he has been interested in since the first time he met, but this scene seems to take place shortly after the game. The game which Bolin pretty much single-handedly won. Just look at him jumping around in excitement after the tie-breaker. The elation from his victory probably gave him some sort of confidence boost...which would have made the kiss all the more emotionally crushing. Oh, and now we know he's only sixteen. The poor little guy!
    • This troper got hit hard by that moment. To a point where I almost couldn't finish the episode when he started crying. Narm aside, witnessing that kind of spectacle is... damaging.
  • The look on Bolin's face, just... Devastated.
  • For this troper, the extreme Narm of the situation could also be telling of just how emotionally fragile Bolin is, setting him up to be a real Woobie later on in the series...
  • This troper found that scene to be both a Tear Jerker and a Crowning Moment of Funny. I really relate to Bolin, and seeing him tear up was just too much, but the Narm of it was just too funny.
• While the break-up with Tenzin and Lin was rough, the screen time seems to have more focus on Lin when the pressure and suffering fell more onto Tenzin. It's not easy to smile when you're conflicted with ending your first relationship with one of the priorities to finding a life-long partner being that he alone has to keep an entire culture alive, a vicious double whammy to him. He probably suffered the pain for years and is likely still feeling it.
  • Tenzin makes it perfectly clear that he's deeply in love with Pema, and that she helped him discover that he didn't feel that way towards Lin. One can still tell it was hard on him ruining a relationship with one of his best friends, though, and how happy it makes him when he and Lin get back on friendly terms.
• Korra meeting Tahno after Amon took his bending was very sad; it is in the clip of The Aftermath. He's depressed and looks miserable. His hair is unkempt and he's got bags under his eyes, which makes him look like he's been awake for days looking for a cure and processing the lost of his innate ability. Even if he was a douchebag, it is still incredibly sad.
  • Also, his Broken Smile when he tells Korra "See you around, Avatar", and the way it fades away from his face as he turns to walk away. Pretty much HAD to have been designed to nail home how he went from a painfully cocky and arrogant jerk to this drained, fragile husk of a human being.
• Asami discovering that her father is part of the Equalists, after she'd spent a whole episode defending him from that accusation.
  • Especially hard to see is her final lines to her father before siding with Korra. Despite the evil things he'd done while giving support to Amon, she still loves him, and continues to love him even as she has to take a stand against him.

Asami: I love you dad. *Strikes him*

• • And why did Hiroshi join the Equalists? His wife was killed by firebending gangsters.
  • Not to mention that his voice actor did a good job in making him sound genuinely heartbroken over it.
  • The worst part is that you know that the kindly, jolly man he pretended to be had to have been how he genuinely was before the death of his wife.
  • And afterwards, when they leave the Sato mansion behind. Asami just stares out the window, until the mansion is all but gone. She's leaving behind the life she once knew, has no family and is effectively on the run from the wrath of the Equalists. Is it any wonder she breaks down crying in Mako's arms when he tries to comfort her?
  • Even though it didn't take, Mako's simple heartfelt Little No when Asami appeared to have joined her father.
  • Korra's face when she sees Asami collapse into Mako's arms. Made worse when she practically told him "She needs you more than I do." The way she watched them and then just....looked away broke my heart.
  • In the next episode, Asami compliments the simple room she's given to stay in at Air Temple Island, stating that, above all, "there's nothing to remind me of my father". Later, when listening to a police report in the Satomobile, she sadly says that her father always had police radios installed in his cars and "I guess now I know why."
• Tarrlok breaking down Korra twice. First by reminding her she isn't a complete Avatar and then sends off her on a satomobile and personally driving it to get her out of the picture.
• Wrenching to see Tarrlok's laws take in effect on the non-benders, even arresting Asami. The fact that Korra is taking her job as the Avatar seriously and halting the arrest being made to no avail makes one want Amon to come out and debend Tarrlok.
  • And there were little children present!
  • It was really sad to see how angry and scared the non-benders were during the arrests. Especially when that one woman holding a baby cries "You're our Avatar too!"
    • And Korra, even as the Avatar, couldn't do anything to stop it.
• Korra sitting out at Air Temple Island, staring out at Aang's statue with tears streaking down her face. You can tell how the overwhelming pressure of protecting the city, as well as living up to Aang, is affecting her. As the Avatar, she's supposed to have control of the entire situation, but the fact is that she doesn't.

Korra: I'm the worst Avatar ever.

• • Maybe this is more heartwarming, but when the new Team Avatar finds Korra sitting out there and cheers her up by telling her that she's not alone and that they'll help her out, I tear up every time.
• The effects of Korra's childhood are even more apparent in that scene. She lives with her friends and an entire surrogate family, yet her coping method for loneliness is hiding by herself the way she did in the pilot.
• When Korra breaks out of Tarrlok's prison and sees Amon, she attacks him with icicles. He dodges them, and Korra runs, terrified.
• Mako's intense care about Korra's safety. While it is heartwarming, it is quite painful to see the strain it's putting on Asami. He has yet to notice this effect, but he will eventually, one way or the other.
• Lin realizing the police officers she's just rescued have already lost their bending.
  • The defeated look on their faces is terribly depressing, and the fact that they can barely manage more than nodding to answer Lin's question about losing their bending