Want to write a legit fan fic. Any fans of ATLA/Korra on here?

Well no, not a GOOD fan fic, a 9 year old can't. I'm not saying I just want to write a shitty fan fic and be done with it. If I wanted to to do that, I would just do it and why would I be here?

And again, even with it being so "intellectually lazy", you still don't fucking write shit so why are you talking smack to someone that is? How much more lazy are you than I am?

>How much more lazy are you than I am?

Not much. I'd rather be stuck in a loop scrapping ideas over and over again than to result to writing fanfics.

>I don't do anything because I'm afraid of failure but at least I don't fail

You can get as haughty as you want, no amount of pride will let you take the moral high ground here.

I like how much shit is getting talked without anyone even seeing what I have in mind, let alone the actual writing, so let's go.

As much as I love so many individual things about each series, what draws me the most is the nature of the universe itself. But no matter how much I watch or read or converse and what have you, it's never enough. There's a buzzing that I can't brush off, an itch I can't scratch. So as cringey and pathetic as it may be, I'm setting out to write some fan-fic.

Naturally, I've come looking for some that might help me do justice to the story, as much as I am able. I've come here for advice, ideas and criticism. I hope you guys can help.

Alright, so obviously I have a few foundational ideas and, so that the discussion doesn't spiral away from usefulness, I would like to keep the scope of this discussion to the elementary. (Pun intended)

What I have in mind so far is a new cycle, as opposed to lateral continuity - I love all the characters and settings from the stories we have been told so far and I don't feel like it needs my help at all and I'm not sure I could even if it did. I want to take that a step further and create a story about a cycle far enough in the future that there are no recurring characters and in such a context that there won't be any familiar descendants (such as the befong/aang-katara children in Korra) except perhaps Iroh, but maybe not.

As for the type of cycle, I am pretty much settled on an earth bender avatar for a couple of reasons. First, it's the next element in the cycle after korra and despite the fact that there will probably be other an entire cycle set between korra and this story (earth, fire, air, water and earth again), I think it will fit nicely as an indication of continuation with the universe we all know and love. This is due largely to the fact that we haven't really seen as much about earth bending avatars compared to the other 3 elements. Two elements have their own series and avatar roku is heavily featured, representing the fire avatars. The other side to this decision rests with the spiritual themes that you might draw from the earth element and how that interacts with the ideas I have about the avatar's personality as well as the setting, both environmental and social.

So, we're at least the 5th avatar following korra (good enough for me but open to suggestion as well) who is an earth bender who awakes in the slums of a future dystopian setting. Two cycles ago, the avatar was murdered before they mastered bending, and the direct predecessor of the avatar in our story was subdued, restrained and kept alive but unconscious until they managed to commit suicide so that the cycle could renew.

Ba Sing Se. If it was massive before, it is now a true mega city. Gleaming spines of twisted metal like shattered bone tower above the precise stone architecture of the lower city. Opaque catwalks connect the clusters of obelisks like veins, throbbing with spirit energy, the life blood of the new world. Technological progress was inevitable and with the emergence of the spirit world, the evolution of civilization revealed its exponential nature. But progress did not arrive everywhere at the same time. Below the jutting spires where bright spirits navigate invisible currents, drawn like moths to spirit energy; below the mist where small, angular geometric surfaces peaking out belie the darkened corridors of the lower city's streets; below the surface of a beautiful and terrifying haze of violence and dust, of spirits and humans warring for space and survival; beneath a world where order and chaos are agonizingly layered, like the steel bones upon which Ba Sing Se sags; in the sewers where spirit vines, spirits, animals and feral humans roam its ever-shifting labyrinth, a new avatar is born.

The Order of the White Lotus fell following the murder of the avatar and now are truly a thing of myth and legend. A few here and there still exist but organization is very rare and usually has repercussions. They act as individual agents, vigilantes choosing which few battles they can win in a war that has long been lost. The four nations have become 3 with the United Republic of Nations eventually controlling all of the Earth kingdom, the southern water tribe relocating to the north after environmental disaster decimated the habitable land at the south pole (the portal there is all but inaccessible but has not been destroyed) and a puppet firelord provided for the annexation of the fire nation by the republic of nations. The Air Nation has relocated to far reaches of the spirit world to live in seclusion and have left the physical world to its fate, but many often make pilgrimages to the physical world and some air benders are unable to enter the spirit world for various reasons, so air benders aren't exactly a rarity but they are a good deal less represented than other benders in the physical world.

The Avatar and their role in society is a relic of ages past, the rhetoric now is. Republic City was able to harness the spirit portal and it is used as an energy source and a research resource. This is one of the reasons I want to discuss how long after korra this story takes place. Perhaps 300+ years isn't quite long enough to go from avatar being a global, active icon to completely dismissed. But maybe it is. In addition, perhaps the white lotus should have fell 3 avatars ago instead of 2 and that's why 2 cycles ago the avatar was murdered, because the order fell and no one was there to protect them. In this event, I'm thinking the avatar 3 cycles ago led some resistance but eventually died and the resistance wasn't able to find the next avatar in time and they were killed and the resistance wiped out, except the few remaining white lotus members who went into hiding and have managed to train a handful of students over the years, not quite enough to replace those who continue to die off but enough that there are a few still lurking around and continue to carry the torch. Or the Pai Sho tile, as it were. But for the rest of the world, it's been 150 years since the last avatar was killed and most believe that the avatar cycle was ended permanently. Few know of the avatar that was murdered and fewer still (think top level cia classified knowledge) know of the avatar that was kept alive to be studied and experimented on as well as a way to ensure that the avatar was controlled. The Republic of Nations did not want to risk Rava being reborn in some other way (history had proven that even killing rava herself is not a permanent solution) and so they chose not to provoke the avatar state to end the cycle, as they figured at least they knew where rava was and could ensure that she could not get free.

The Republic has also instituted strict policy on bending within its territory, which is most of the world, excepting the northern water tribe and badlands here and there where no law yet reaches. To bend outside of your job, IE what is cleared and mandated by the Republic of Nations, or without licensing and certification that comes with institutionalized training, or in a way that defies the regulations associated with that licensing and training will result in imprisonment and the removal of your bending power (blood bending is used by high level judges and its usage is both strictly regulated and often abused). You cannot bend at home or in public anywhere unless your job requires it and the local government is overseeing your bending in some capacity. Violators are known as apostates. As you can imagine, it can be difficult to determine if infractions have occurred and even more difficult to determine who exactly was responsible. However, not only are there new investigative techniques that help with this, it is also par for the course to be falsely accused and stripped of bending. In the name of security, few measures are seen as too harsh and this is partially responsible for duality of order and chaos which defines the world in this age. Spirit energy has given rise to terrifying weapons and subversive technology. Criminal organizations that use them as well as spirits to assault the establishment for various purposes are matched only by the unflinching retribution of the law. Others simply hit and run, doing whatever it takes to survive and get ahead in a society that is horrific and brutal, but also promises great power and beautiful ascension. Looking up from the filthy and cruel streets of Ba Sing Se, if you're lucky and the smog does not block your view, you can see the spires and all the wonder and fantasy that your suffering makes possible.

Our avatar has eluded detection as none suspected that the feral communities beneath Ba Sing Se were capable of producing a bending prodigy, let alone a spiritual icon, as they are viewed as little more than animals. But even within this community, none, not even the avatar themselves, are aware who the avatar is. Not until they are 16 and have made a journey topside (where they have an interaction with the spirit portal in republic city) do they discover who they are. If they are to survive, let alone accomplish anything, they must have a will as uncompromising as the stone beneath their feet but also a spirit as malleable as the metal with which they shape their destiny and the destiny of the world. (our avatar's bending signature is a liquid metal that they carry around in a pouch like katara did with water but which they can compress and harden into something stronger than steel, adapting to the situation)

In terms of personality, this avatar is a loner. I am thinking of borrowing from some of the more austere and severe examples of avatars as well as a more detached spiritual philosophy. This avatar is not the friendly, charismatic character that we saw in Korra and Aang. This avatar has trouble getting along with people, doesn't talk much and tends to keep on the move. This will be an almost western movie type character on the surface. Their bending is tight, minimalistic and disciplined because it helps elude detection (being a cave dweller, if they bend, they're apostates because they wouldn't have a job, let alone licensing) but also appropriately imaginative and revolutionary in some ways. At their core, however, they are still a spiritual leader. They have a bond with animals and spirits and despite their lack of social grace and the unwillingness to converse at length, this avatar is still a creature of empathy and makes friends even though they don't want them. They have a mask but it is one that is easy for those they care about to see through.

Just for the record, they reason I'm using gender neutral language here is because I haven't decided which gender they are. I don't feel obligated either way because the universe has been pretty well balanced and respectful, gender wise.

I think this is most of the ground work I wanted to lay out here and get feedback on. I'm happy to answer any questions or fill any gaps, of which there are plenty but not all necessarily relevant at this point.

As you can see, I'm quite serious/passionate about this, but I am attempting and am hoping that I have succeeded at not being pretentious about it. I know that this is not going to be official canon or anything and honestly I think that's part of the fun. But at the same time, I want to be honest and true to this series and not to betray it and I need help to do that. Most of all, I want this to be an effort of love and I want to be able to make something that my fellow fans can also enjoy, that I can enjoy and be proud to have shared. Something that helps us all explore and appreciate the artistry, depth and spirit of the universe that has helped us (or me, at least) navigate the path to emotional maturation and social responsibility.

this fucking thread man lol

As for the presence of the asian cultural themes in the story, this I am less sure on but I would welcome advice. I would like to explore the philosophy of uselessness as found in ancient china (Zhuangzi) as I think it would fit an earth bending character particularly well, especially in light of how this philosophy is echoed somewhat in characters like King Bumi and Toph. I also think it fits nicely with a character that has eluded capture or worse based on being too insignificant to be noticed.

Cmon, out with it. Or are you guys too good to shit talk, now?

Korra was a huge fucking dissapointment for the series. I mean there could have been so much depth to the story -- my favorite part was the tale of the first Avatar, but aside from that, the series had next to no memorable points.

The first season for example introduced politics, social problems etc. only to completely disregard all that in the next seasons; no significance for the story. Not to mention that Korra never learned how to properly airbend-- Aang engaged with the spiritual part of each element, whereas Korra bended air like fire all throughout the series, without ever understanding the patient and ascetic part of it.

And the last fucking season should have been the first. The decadence of the earth kingdom, the rise of an imperialistic leader with charisma, the challenge of an republic state that tries to promote equality despite oncomig war, and add to that the possible Apocalypse and a secret creed of usurpers that try to establish anarchy. Perfect fucking setting, so much to explore forwards and backwards in the story.

But no, fucking no, all we got was fucking Korra rubbing her clit throughout the series, I'm going back to my Azula futa fanfics.

Okay fair, but what are your thoughts on what I'm cooking up here?

Give up

Do you really think that's gonna happen?

Well in all honesty: go for it. If you want to stay true to the story, you must strive to catch the immersing spirit and the continuity of this world. And that's smiply put a virtue of good storytelling, if you are unsure about how to do that, start studying classic works of literature, also the letters where Tolstoy gives artistic advice about writing, essays about literature from authors, theory of literature etc.

Whateverm good luck, user.