The Big Question: Can we analyse Mako?
Dear Korra fandom, we’ve had our differences. You’re dedicated and so am I, but towards the end of the first series I came down with a serious case of bad fan swag. In other words, I had issues with it. Not to say I don’t love it or the fact that we got a continuation, but what that bad fan swag does mean is that I’m not the kind to kiss some ass. The fandom itself is pretty divided on a lot of issues, which really isn’t surprising since every fandom has this. So I’m just adding my two cents about Mako, one of the most controversial if not THE most controversial aspect of the series. The reason I feel a need to address Mako is because there’s so much stigma surrounding him. It feels like fans HAVE to take a stance on whether to love him or hate him. In my critics of his flaws I’ve been told I’m not allowed to hate him, I’m not allowed to have any negative opinions on a character simply because if I do then ‘I’m ungrateful’ or ‘I’ve got shipper problems.’ This genuinely is a load of bull made up by desperate fans to mask the fact that I, and many other fans, have legitimate analysis of his character. Without further ado, this is not an attack on any Mako or Korra fans, nor on Makorra shippers. This is for all those people out there who just put their fingers in their ears and pretend no one’s ever allowed to dislike a popular character.
So, let’s delve straight in. The biggest problem most people have with Mako is his atrocious treatment of Asami and Korra. Now, before I get a shit ton of ‘HE’S JUST A TEENAGER, LAY THE FUCK OFF!’ let me tell you something. Imagine that Asami and Korra are you and your best friend. Now does what Mako did seem a bit more fucking unacceptable? Probably does, and let me tell you why. The character of Asami was handled very poorly. She was quite obviously a plot device that none of us were supposed to particularly like or have any overwhelming emotions for, at least at first. Asami was brought into the series as a turning point or a hindrance to the main relationship. She had no function other than to fuck shit up for Makorra. Bryke knew that this would automatically make her an un-likable character. So, they threw in some development around her being a fighter, but she still wasn’t meant to be liked more than Korra. How can I tell this? Well, just like Bolin, Asami’s development was cut short.
Once the heavy Makorra started to come into play, Asami got shoved to the side like it was yesterday’s news. Bryke expected no one to care about the fact that Asami was slowly but surely losing everything, and all at the same time getting no support from the people she should of. I was really proud of Korra for telling Mako that Asami needed him, but he went and ruined it by completely ignoring this. There isn’t even an argument to say that Mako didn’t ignore Asami, because his negligence to her was pretty disgusting. The kiss I could put down to being young and idiotic, especially since it was initiated by Korra. Not telling Asami about the kiss I could of put down to young and idiotic, IF Bryke had made a bigger show of Mako being torn about it… but they didn’t. We are just left to assume that Mako feels no guilt about the situation and thus feels he should get no come-up hence even though he did respond to the kiss.
And THAT’s most peoples’ biggest problem with Mako. He gets no punishment for what he did. Fair enough, he’s young and he’s stupid, but for Christ sake have him learn something along the way. If you want to give me an egotistical, slightly arrogant, brooding male character that makes a mistake at least let him learn from it. That way, he’s a three dimensional character who I might just learn to love, just like Zuko. If said brooding character has no come up hence, goes about his life not learning from his mistake and thus may repeat it again, I’ll feel like he’ll never be a better person. What makes it worse with Mako is the fact that he gets everything he wants. Here’s where I get a ton of fan girls saying that Mako is an orphan and worked hard for his shit so I should lay off. No, I will not lay off. Mako gets an extremely rich girlfriend who lets him move into her house and supports his team. When her father comes out as an Equalist, she chooses to be part of Team Avatar partly because she loves Mako. He then gets to effectively cheat on this wonderful girlfriend with only ever really being told off once. He then gets complemented by Amon for being an exquisite bender (something Amon hasn’t even said to the likes of Tenzin and Lin who are experts) and then gets the girl he wanted anyway no fuss. In the new series, he’s even going to be a cop. Mako, a police officer; with that temper and disregard for the law?
