This GIF exactly captures my favourite part of this whole encounter. I love how much storytelling there is with just two tiny gestures. I’m not sure I can quite voice my thoughts on this properly, but I’m going to try.
1. Amon’s step forward, between the time of his surprised hesitation to the moment he engages his enemy. It reveals the instant when he regains his focus after being thrown off guard (something we haven’t seen too often from Amon before this). There’s a note of humanity to this, as if he’s actively engaging with her, not just mindlessly tearing after her.
2. Korra’s flinch. A very human, very honest moment. She isn’t just go-go-go-action girl in this moment, but someone genuinely vulnerable and afraid.
No words, just two subtle movements. Take either of these gestures away, and you get a generic hero-vs.-villain fight where they lock eyes, then fight and chase. Not in this show! These two aren’t just being plopped into a scene for a mindless fight — they are engaging with each other: true nemeses.
That’s what I love about Korra & ATLA: the little details that elevate the characters above stock cardboard cutouts.
GIF taken from this awesome post here: http://asamies.tumblr.com/post/24871365687
