I pretty much loved it. Call me crazy, but I thought the fighting scenes were even better than ATLA's season finale's (except Zuko and Azula's fight). Absolutely loved the first episode's fight on top of the rock. Korra in cuffs bending was some of the coolest fighting I've seen on the show. But really, it was just the overall tension, it was built up so well (mostly in part because Zaheer is such a great villain).
I almost wanted to roll my eyes when Zaheer could fly, but the idea of flying isn't that so far fetched to me given it's literally bending the air around your body. I just think, more people should have been able to do it in the past (Air bending masters). But if they are trying to tie it to the spiritual/philosophical elements of air bending, I guess I can understand it being tied to "letting go of everything". Sort of strange that only two people have ever let go of everything in the all the years that bending has existed. Surely there has been some insane monks. But whatever. That's just nitpicking. I guess what I'm saying is, I'm okay with it in the mythology of the show. Kind of iffy on Zaheer being able to do it, just because I still don't understand why he's so good, that he can best multiple bending masters. They do show him stumbling and fumbling around to establish he isn't a master at technique, and yet he always seems to be able to pull off insane shit. But whatever, I'm okay with it.
I wanted to love Bolin's moments so much. But my god is his man child shit annoying in this first episode. His idiotic plan that wasn't even funny, but actually pretty annoying..and then those bird calls. Even when he finally learns how to lava bend, I DID roll my eyes, just because of his reaction to it. I dunno. I'm someone that started out loving Bolin, and there is still things about him I like. But they've made him really really really stupid with his manchild archetype. And that really makes me mad. Plus these moments don't even work with where show is going tonally (this season has been pretty dark in tone).
Lin telling Su she loved her gave me some feels. As did the moment between Korra and her father. Hell, I even kind of felt for Zaheer and P'Li. However, I wish they would have showed us more of their relationship prior to the finale, so that way it made her death more...tangible. That way it made Zaheer letting go his last possession on earth mean more. Because we are to accept that he loved her deeply, because he tells the audience he loved her deeply. That's all fine and good, but her death kind of lacked an emotional punch to me, because I didn't SEE their relationship. I'm not asking for like full episodes, they could have just had little moments in other episodes (like her comforting Zaheer. Or him confiding in her when his plans would fail). These moments would also have given Zaheer more depth. This is also a nitpick, but I wish P'Li's death would have had a muffled explosion sound. I mean, I'm assuming that's how she died? The metal thing on her head, caused the explosion to happen in her face (so her fuckin head would have exploded into pieces). I get that they couldn't show that. But the camera should have panned over to Zaheers horrified face as he hears the explosion (and then we would know what happened). But yeah, kids show I get it. Although maybe the energy just went inward and didn't cause the explosion, it just destroyed the brain. I could buy that. That's probably what they were going for.
But yeah, the first episode was incredible. Loved the fighting, tension and just the overall setup. If only this had more production value (more money thrown into it), this would have totally lived up to a movie version of the show. It just had all tone/mood down perfectly, and it felt EPIC as hell. Really loved it.
So the second half...
lol Bolin..strikes again. Him pushing Su off Opal...yeah that's attractive. Oh god, make it stop. Make Bolin STOP!
The second half was pretty good, but not as great as the first half IMO. The set up in the first half was just so well don and intense. Whereas everything in the second half was pretty predictable and kind of felt like jigsaws falling into place. This isn't to say it was bad, I just preferred the former more (as there was more tension in not knowing what could happen. But once they got everything set into place, it was easy to tell where it was all going). I really liked the Poison set up though, although I'm kind of confused as to how that induces the Avatar state. But the actual scene itself was really nice (the way it was drawn, the colors etc). And of course, I really liked when Korra went into Avatar state and just destroyed everything. Her flying chase with Zaheer was epic as hell. I also feel like Bolin sort or redeems himself with his lava bending fight. And Mako getting the kill with lighting was really nice. But unlike the fights in the first half, I kind of felt like these fights were more rushed, since they had to get to the other stuff. So they were really cool, but not as impressive as the first episode stuff IMO.
But then...oh god Bolin just ruins the final fight's moment by sticking a sock in Zaheer's mouth. Taking what was a really serious/dark storyline, and reducing the villain to a zany cartoon moment. Even Opal's reaction..seemed more in like an annoyance. Wow. Okay, I still loved the fight between Zaheer and Korra. And I'm still 100% okay with Zaheer's motivations and actions. I think they all make sense from his character's perspective (or how he thinks). And I'm still okay with how he was defeated. I mean, I'm actually surprised more benders haven't come together to do chain bending (ie. multiple benders using the same power at once to create an even bigger effect).
I actually loved Jinora's ceremony. It was actually quite beautiful. I really loved the music and how they showed the airbenders shooting wind through the chimes. It was just a really lovely scene, and Tenzin really capped off their arc in a really beautiful way. But yeah, like everyone else I'm still kind of iffy on Jinora being a master. But whatever. Her move and leadership to take down Zaheer was actually really cool, and even though I personally think it's BS she can astral project, I can accept it for what it is now and just move on. I actually loved this moment in the context of the airbenders history.
SO all in all, I would probably give Part 1 an A, and Part 2 an A-. Overall score of an A-. It was easily the best season finale out of all the Korra's and ATLA (except the series finale, which I still prefer just because there was more pay off to major arcs. It's not fair comparing the two though in this regard. But nothing in this finale was better than Azula vs. Zuko for instance. Or Iroh and Zuko meeting again after being separated). There were moments that fell flat (Bolin). But the choreography was fantastic. Things moved along at a great pace. I personally was okay how they resolved this arc. And I like that it left it open, so that the real danger is still looming in the background. That they kept the door open for something bigger tied to all of this. That adds weight to Zaheer and the Red Lotus instead of this feeling like some smaller self contained conflict between a mad man and the Avatar. Now it feels like this is something that could seriously threaten the balance of the world (although I guess killing the Avatar would do that).
As far as Su's captain being corrupt or whatever..lol I guess? I kind of hate it when new people are introduced at the end of a season. It's not just Korra, I generally don't like this. But I'm just glad they didn't have THAT scene where it shows her actually being corrupt. So at least we now have a hint of it, and so they can build her up next season. I would much rather have that, then her come the fuck out of no where, get 10 seconds of screen time, then actually do something evil in the episode itself. That would have pissed me off. Whereas she now ties into the bigger plot being woven for the next season.
Korra looking rugged and in a wheelchair..was uh interesting. I can't blame her for feeling that way if she can't walk. But the audience doesn't really know what her injuries are. If she's actually paralyzed from the waist down (from the fall injury, or the poisoning)..then of course I get her being upset. If she's just like you know injured, and can heal in like 3 months..then come on. lool
I'm excited for Book 4!