Setting[edit]

See also: Avatar: The Last Airbender series overview

The Legend of Korra is set in the fictional world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, 70 years after the
events of that series. The people of the world belong to four nations: the Water Tribes, the Earth
Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. The distinguishing element of the series is "bending",
the ability of some people to telekinetically manipulate the classical element associated with their
nation (water, earth, fire, or air). Bending is carried out by spiritual and physical exercises, portrayed
as similar to Chinese martial arts. As a result of a genocide in the series's backstory, there is only
one living family of airbenders at the time of the series.
Only one person, the "Avatar", can bend all four elements. Cyclically reincarnating among the
world's four nations, the Avatar maintains peace and balance in the world. The Legend of
Korra focuses on Avatar Korra, a seventeen-year-old girl from the Southern Water Tribe and the
successor of Avatar Aang from The Last Airbender.
The first season is mostly set in Republic City, the capital of the United Republic of Nations, a new
multicultural sovereign state founded by Avatar Aang after the end of The Last Airbender. The
1920s-inspired metropolis is described as "if Manhattan had happened in Asia" by the series'
creators,[5] and its residents are united by their passion for "pro-bending", a spectator sport in which
two teams composed of an earthbender, waterbender, and firebender throw each other out of a ring
using bending techniques. Rapid technological growth has displaced the spirituality of bending, and
what was considered a renowned martial art in Avatar: The Last Airbender is now commonplace,
with benders in Republic City using their abilities to commit crime, compete in spectator sports, and
fulfill everyday jobs.[6] The second season adds the southern polar region, home of the Southern
Water Tribe, as a main setting in addition to Republic City, while the third and fourth seasons take
place largely in the Earth Kingdom.