While portraying the complexities of family and friendship in times of war and hardship, the Avatar series is also keen on displaying the crushes and romantic relationships of its (mostly) teenage cast. Neither Avatar: The Last Airbender nor Legend of Korra shy away from romance, giving fans plenty of ships to either love or hate.
However, probably the most important relationship in the series is that between Korra and Asami. Showcasing two women romantically in a well-loved animated series with an enormous fanbase sounds like a huge win for the LGBTQ+ community on paper. Unfortunately, their chemistry did not amount to an onscreen kiss, instead leaving their relationship ambiguous in the series finale.
In A:TLA, Aang and Katara share numerous kisses. It's teased in The Cave of the Two Lovers, shown in a dream sequence in Nightmares and Daydreams, then they clearly do kiss atop a submarine in The Day of Black Sun Part 1, during the Ember Island Players episode and of course in the finale. Sokka has also been shown kissing Princess Yue in The Siege of the North Part 2 and Suki in The Serpent's Pass. Even Zuko and Mai kiss several times throughout the series.
This pattern continues over into LOK, where other ships likewise get onscreen kisses. From Korra and Mako to Zaheer and P'Li, the franchise is clearly not afraid of onscreen kissing -- yet the endgame couple, Korra and Asami, don't get a kiss or even a dramatic confession monologue, or any of the other elements frequently given to the heterosexual couples in the series. Rather, LOK comes to a close with the two holding hands while walking into the spirit portal before turning to face one another.
There are many reasons why this could be the case, with the main issue being when LOK was released. The show began in April 2012 and ended in December 2014; however, gay marriage in the United States was not legalized until June 26th, 2015. While LGBTQ+ representation is still not where it needs to be, it was even scarcer prior to June 2015. In fact, many shows faced difficulties from networks when trying to incorporate LGBTQ+ couples into their stories. On Twitter, Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch was vocal about his experience facing these exact struggles back in 2012. So, it seems plausible that LOK fell victim to the same fate.
Bryan Konietzko, co-creator of the franchise, took to his personal Tumblr back in December 2014 following the series finale to further discuss the topic. In a post titled "Korrasami is canon," he explains that he and fellow co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino wanted Korrasami to be unambiguous, but while they did receive support from Nickelodeon, there was a limit to what they could do. Both understand that the end result may not have been revolutionary, but hope that it's a meaningful stride in the right direction. In other words, it was the best they could give fans at the time.
Luckily, the comics -- released from 2017 onward -- ensure that Korra and Asami's relationship is explicit. Specifically, LOK: Turf Wars picks up where the series left off with Korra and Asami in the Spirit World. Here is where the two finally share a kiss and confess their feelings, even expressing when and how they each fell in love. Additionally, LOK: Ruins of the Empire explores their relationship further by having the pair face trials and tribulations, only to come out stronger than before. The romantic gestures are undeniable, endearing and satisfying, giving Korrasami the unambiguity it deserves.
Of course, Korra and Asami aren't the only canon LGBTQ+ characters in the franchise. Written by F.C. Yee and Michael Dante DiMartino, both Kyoshi novels The Rise of Kyoshi and The Shadow of Kyoshi includes clearer LGBTQ+ representation, with Kyoshi being openly bisexual and in a relationship with Rangi, who is confirmed to identify as lesbian. That being said, LGBTQ+ representation has always been more prevalent in books and comics compared to TV shows and films.
While Korra and Asami's romantic portrayal fell short in the animated series, their dynamic was successfully perceived by the audience as romantic, garnering much positive feedback. Their relationship is a definite win that adds some much-needed representation in the Avatar franchise -- and that counts for something as film and television continue to improve their LGBTQ+ representation.
