The Legend Of Korra: The Main Characters, Ranked From Worst To Best By Character Arc

Avatar: The Last Airbender is easily one of the greatest animated shows of all time, showing a brand new world full to the brim with some of the most entertaining and well-realized characters in any show, animated or otherwise. The incredible success of the show pretty much mandated a sequel that would continue the tale of the Avatar in a new generation, filled with new characters and another gripping storyline that would be as entertaining as it would be thought-provoking.

The Legend of Korra managed to accomplish exactly that and establish itself as a worthy addition to the Avatar canon. Each and every character present in this series has a compelling character arc of their own, supported by brilliant animation and realistic performances that truly make these people feel as alive as can be. That being said, it must be recognized that some characters simply have a more compelling character arc than others.

7 Jinora

While Jinora’s abilities and spiritual awareness certainly make her a rather intriguing character in the starting few moments of Season 2, one has to admit that her personal journey and the overarching narrative of The Legend of Korra feel noticeably disjointed.

This makes Jinora’s presence in The Legend of Korra feel somewhat forced and quite forgettable to boot, which is a shame since the character definitely had a ton of potential. Unfortunately, a lot of this potential is squandered due to the rather odd manner in which her character arc is handled over the course of Korra‘s four seasons.

6 Mako

There was a time when Mako was easily one of the more prominent and interesting characters during the initial run of The Legend of Korra, and the relationship he had with the main character was definitely going down a promising route at one point.

However, further down the line, Mako ended up being rather fickle-minded when it came to the women in his life, with his character being somewhat tenuous to watch as a result. This unfortunate turn of events meant that Mako’s once-interesting character arc also suffered as a result, leading to him being nothing more than a butt-kicking machine by the time the series neared its end.

5 Tenzin

It was only a given that the son of Avatar Aang would have a really compelling character arc in The Legend of Korra, and Tenzin definitely doesn’t disappoint in this regard. While one may argue that his screen time could’ve been slightly higher given the genuine inner conflict he was dealing with as the son of the Avatar, there’s still no denying that Tenzin more than establishes himself as a worthy successor to Aang over the course of the series.

His struggle with what is basically imposter syndrome is truly fascinating to witness at times, and something that viewers could definitely relate to. Of course, the relationships he’d formed in the past also end up being quite significant to the character’s development as well, along with his role as a mentor in Korra‘s life.

4 Bolin

Bolin’s character is easily one of the biggest triumphs of The Legend of Korra, with his character initially seeming like nothing more than a rehash of Sokka… until later seasons showed exactly what he was capable of and the problems he had to circumvent in order to come into his own as a reliable and powerful bender.

Generally, happy-go-lucky characters with a pervasively positive mentality end up wearing down on the viewer after a point. However, it’s a testament to Bolin’s character that he never ends up falling into a rut and eventually becomes an even more compelling character than his brother, who had a stronger first impression by a country mile.

3 Lin Beifong

Initially coming off as nothing more than a cliched no-nonsense who let her actions speak for themselves, Lin Beifong’s character ends up going through a number of interesting character developments over the course of the series that ultimately cement her as one of the hidden gems in The Legend of Korra.

From the trials and tribulations that come with the relationship she once shared with Tenzin to the familiar issues that stem from the treatment she had to endure from her sister and mother — the fact that Lin managed to power through these arduous times to come into her own as a respectable character speaks volumes when it comes to the persevering nature of one of the show’s most talented earthbenders.

2 Asami Sato

Just like Bolin, one can’t really say that Asami really had a strong first impression. In fact, aside from her excellent character design, everything else felt mostly generic about her. However, later seasons managed to add a ton of complexity and depth to her personality, turning her into a bonafide voice of reason that helps Korra cope with the pressure of being an Avatar while simultaneously broadening her own viewpoint of the world as well.

One of the biggest moments when Asami grows as a character is definitely the relationship she forms with Korra over the course of the series, which leads us to the last — but certainly not the least — character that needs to be discussed in length.

1 Avatar Korra

It’s hard to avoid comparisons for shows that serve as continuations of an existing world, and there are certainly a ton of people who would stand by the fact that Aang was a better Avatar than Korra. However, the fact of the matter is that both individuals go through a journey that is quite personal… yet completely different in a number of ways.

Unlike Aang, Korra was a confident and sure-footed individual who had easily bought into the notion of being the Avatar without so much as a second through. However, it’s the trials and tribulations that she faces over the course of the series that ultimately wear her down, with the experience of being poisoned being a significantly huge wake-up call that forces Korra to face a side of her that she never really had to before.

It’s the manner in which Korra experiences these growth curves and matures as a character that easily turns her into one of the best and most compelling characters on the entire show by a country mile.