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Radio

The White Lotus sentries stationed on Air Temple Island listened to a radio.

The radio is a device used to transmit audio broadcasts to a wide audience. Many events, such as pro-bending matches, important announcements, and speeches, are broadcast through the use of a radio. It was also used by Amon to rally the nonbenders of Republic City to fight against the benders.[1][2] After the creation of the Republic City spirit portal, radio frequencies were altered, and radios often did not work properly.[3]

Radio is in use across Republic City, and as technologists create new and better transmitters and receivers, the capacity to instantaneously speak across great distances only grows stronger. The past few years have seen all manners of new radio programs, from sports announcers to music programs to radio plays to political commentary.[4]

History[]

When the United Forces began using radios, it led to the unemployment of several telegraph operators, including Gommu.[5]

The Equalists were listening to the radio when Korra made her official appearance to the citizens of Republic City as the Avatar.[2]

During their stay on Air Temple Island, the White Lotus sentries who were stationed there to guard Korra often listened to pro-bending matches over the radio. When Tenzin forbade Korra to go see a live match, she climbed onto the roof of the sentries' quarters and eavesdropped on the radio broadcast of a Fire Ferrets match. The radio was promptly shut off by Tenzin when he realized that Korra was listening. Later, the White Lotus sentries once again failed to keep track of Korra, who this time had sneaked away from the island, as they were preoccupied with listening to yet another pro-bending broadcast. During this broadcast, Shiro Shinobi announced that the Avatar had joined the Fire Ferrets' team as its waterbender, much to the shock of the sentries and the annoyance of Tenzin.[1]

Amon used the radio to interrupt a program that Korra was listening to while she was training on Air Temple Island to announce to his followers that the United Republic Council had declared the Equalists public enemy number one. However, he urged them over this transmission that the revolution was growing and that nonbenders would no longer have to live in fear.[6]

Shiro Shinobi

Radio broadcaster Shiro Shinobi provides commentary for pro-bending matches.

During the Pro-bending Championship Tournament, Shiro Shinobi witnessed the Fire Ferrets completely dominate the Red Sands Rabaroos, noting to the radio audience that they were very professional in their attacks. But, after relationship problems plagued the Fire Ferrets' ability to work as a team, their next two matches puzzled Shiro Shinobi, as the team could not cooperate to win. However, they were still able to advance to the next round since Korra pulled a "hat trick", knocking the entire opposing team off the ring with one swift blow, which Shiro Shinobi exclaimed excitedly to the radio audience.[7]

The morning of the Pro-bending Tournament finals, Amon threatened the United Republic Council via radio to cancel the event and shut down the arena. However, the final decision was to continue with the tournament. Shiro Shinobi voiced his observations on how the White Falls Wolfbats were breaking official pro-bending rules during their match against the Fire Ferrets and how the officials were not calling any of their infractions. Immediately after the match, strange electrical flashes were seen throughout the arena, which turned out to be Equalists taking out the personnel of the Metalbending Police Force. Shiro Shinobi broadcast the events live to the people tuned in; he continued reporting even when an Equalist approached him in the broadcast booth. His live broadcast was cut short after he was knocked out by that Equalist, who was wearing an electrified glove.[8]

On the day following Korra's capture at the hands of Councilman Tarrlok, the former Chief of Police, Lin Beifong, lay in bed listening to the radio. The program was suddenly interrupted by a news report, spreading word that Avatar Korra had supposedly been abducted by the Equalists. Springing to action at the development, Lin quickly turned off the radio, cutting out the rest of the report.[9]

Several months later, while the Dark Avatar was attacking Republic City during Harmonic Convergence, a panicked Shiro Shinobi relayed to radio listeners what the spirit was doing, before signing off.[10]

Bumi using a portable radio

Bumi used a portable radio to contact Lin on her airship radio.

Some weeks after Harmonic Convergence, Bumi and Lin used radios to communicate with each other and coordinate their actions during their rescue mission of the captured airbenders in Ba Sing Se.[11] While in search for new airbenders across the Earth Kingdom, Team Avatar was notified on the Future Industries airship radio that a new airbender had been found in Zaofu.[12] Korra later used the Metal Clan's strong radio transmitter to contact Tenzin at the Northern Air Temple, informing him of a new recruit to come his way. She also offered the frustrated master advice on how to get the recruits into shape.[13] During the attack on the Beifong estate, Wei and Wing and Mako used portable radios to coordinate the rescue mission of Korra out of the hands of the Red Lotus.[14]

After the fall of Earth Queen Hou-Ting, Zaheer used Ba Sing Se's citywide radio announcement system to broadcast the end of both the Queen's reign and the class divisions within the city.[15] After learning of Zaheer's plan to murder the Air Nation lest Korra gave herself up, Team Avatar radioed Zaofu and urged them to try to contact the temple's inhabitants.[16] En route to the temple themselves, Korra used their airship's radio to contact Zaheer to agree to his terms. However, the team devised a plan that was once again coordinated through the use of portable radios.[17]

After the invasion of the United Republic of Nations, Mako attempted to use a radio to call for police assistance when the Triple Threat Triad attacked the airbenders near the spirit portal, though the frequency was jammed due to the spiritual energy.[3]

Later, new longer-range radios were introduced to the public in a Four Nations Fair, an exhibition held in Four Nations Hall in the Downtown district of Republic City.[18]

Known radio programs and shows[]

Trivia[]

  • Prior to Jinora's visit to his library, Wan Shi Tong believed that tiny men resided inside radios, singing and playing musical instruments. This misconception was based on information provided by one of his Knowledge Seekers.[21]
  • The portable radios used during Korra's era were based on the early backpacked walkie-talkies developed during World War II.[22]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 DiMartino, Michael Dante, Konietzko, Bryan (writers) & Dos Santos, Joaquim, Ryu, Ki Hyun (directors). (April 14, 2012). "A Leaf in the Wind". The Legend of Korra. Book One: Air. Episode 2. Nickelodeon.
  2. 2.0 2.1 DiMartino, Michael Dante, Konietzko, Bryan (writers) & Dos Santos, Joaquim, Ryu, Ki Hyun (directors). (April 14, 2012). "Welcome to Republic City". The Legend of Korra. Book One: Air. Episode 1. Nickelodeon.
  3. 3.0 3.1 DiMartino, Michael Dante (writer), Koh, Irene (artist), Piekos, Nate; Blambot (letterer), Campbell, Heather; Bak, Jane (cover), Ng, Killian (colorist). Turf Wars Part One (July 26, 2016), Dark Horse Comics.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Republic City, Version 1.0, 2023, p. 14.
  5. From older Welcome to Republic City online game, originally on Nick.com. Game now broken, archived at The Lost Lore of Avatar Korra - Gommu.
  6. DiMartino, Michael Dante, Konietzko, Bryan (writers) & Dos Santos, Joaquim, Ryu, Ki Hyun (directors). (April 28, 2012). "The Voice in the Night". The Legend of Korra. Book One: Air. Episode 4. Nickelodeon.
  7. DiMartino, Michael Dante, Konietzko, Bryan (writers) & Dos Santos, Joaquim, Ryu, Ki Hyun (directors). (May 5, 2012). "The Spirit of Competition". The Legend of Korra. Book One: Air. Episode 5. Nickelodeon.
  8. DiMartino, Michael Dante, Konietzko, Bryan (writers) & Dos Santos, Joaquim, Ryu, Ki Hyun (directors). (May 12, 2012). "And the Winner Is...". The Legend of Korra. Book One: Air. Episode 6. Nickelodeon.
  9. DiMartino, Michael Dante, Konietzko, Bryan (writers) & Dos Santos, Joaquim, Ryu, Ki Hyun (directors). (June 9, 2012). "Out of the Past". The Legend of Korra. Book One: Air. Episode 9. Nickelodeon.
  10. DiMartino, Michael Dante (writer) & Graham, Ian (director). (November 22, 2013). "Light in the Dark". The Legend of Korra. Book Two: Spirits. Episode 14. Nickelodeon.
  11. Hamilton, Joshua (writer) & Zwyer, Melchior (director). (July 11, 2014). "In Harm's Way". The Legend of Korra. Book Three: Change. Episode 4. Nickelodeon.
  12. DiMartino, Michael Dante (writer) & Heck, Colin (director). (July 11, 2014). "The Metal Clan". The Legend of Korra. Book Three: Change. Episode 5. Nickelodeon.
  13. Hedrick, Tim (writer) & Zwyer, Mel (director). (July 18, 2014). "Original Airbenders". The Legend of Korra. Book Three: Change. Episode 7. Nickelodeon.
  14. Hamilton, Joshua (writer) & Heck, Colin (director). (July 25, 2014). "The Terror Within". The Legend of Korra. Book Three: Change. Episode 8. Nickelodeon.
  15. Hedrick, Tim (writer) & Zwyer, Melchior (director). (August 8, 2014). "Long Live the Queen". The Legend of Korra. Book Three: Change. Episode 10. Nick.com.
  16. Hamilton, Joshua (writer) & Heck, Colin (director). (August 15, 2014). "The Ultimatum". The Legend of Korra. Book Three: Change. Episode 11. Nick.com.
  17. DiMartino, Michael Dante (writer) & Graham, Ian (director). (August 22, 2014). "Enter the Void". The Legend of Korra. Book Three: Change. Episode 12. Nick.com.
  18. Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Republic City, Version 1.0, 2023, p. 25.
  19. Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Republic City, Version 1.0, 2023, p. 126.
  20. Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Republic City, Version 1.0, 2023, p. 23.
  21. Hedrick, Tim (writer) & Graham, Ian (director). (November 8, 2013). "A New Spiritual Age". The Legend of Korra. Book Two: Spirits. Episode 10. Nickelodeon.
  22. DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan & Dos Santos, Joaquim (December 2, 2014). "Enter the Void" commentary. Book Three: Change Blu-ray.

See also[]

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