Meet Your New Favorite Bisexual Cartoon Couple That Has The Internet All Worked Up

tumblr_m506sb6MU11qc4x4wo1_r1_500Legend of Korra is a wonderful, wonderful Nickelodeon cartoon, and its series finale this weekend was a bittersweet experience. It’s sad to see a beloved TV show end, but this one ended so well that jubilation seemed like the only appropriate response. There was drama, humor, heroics from every character in the show, a giant robot, and some of the most beautifully animated action scenes ever seen on television. And then in the last few moments, Korra and Asami–Korra’s best friend and erstwhile romantic rival–joined hands, gazed into each other’s eyes, and walked into the spirit world to spend some time alone together as romantic music played in the background.

Across the world, fans who had been rooting for a Korra and Asami relationship from the beginning surely jumped on their couches and did triumphant dances, because the “Korrasami” relationship was officially recognized as part of the show’s canon. Two women–one of them the title character–became a romantic couple on a Nickelodeon show. It was a pretty great moment all around.

But apparently some viewers were still not convinced. The characters didn’t actually kiss or say the specific words, “We are a romantic couple now,” so some fans interpreted the ending as ambiguous and said Korra and Asami might not be bisexual women who were attracted to each other, they might just be really good friends. Like sisters, maybe. (I have both really good friends and a sister and have never walked hand-in-hand into the sunset gazing deeply into their eyes, but OK.)

But now both creators have come out to clarify that the ending is not intended to be ambiguous. Korra and Asami are in love, officially.

According to Kotaku, Korra co-creator Mike DiMartino wrote:

Our intention with the last scene was to make it as clear as possible that yes, Korra and Asami have romantic feelings for each other. The moment where they enter the spirit portal symbolizes their evolution from being friends to being a couple.

While in a post titled “Korrasami is canon,” co-creator Bryan Konietzko wrote:

You can celebrate it, embrace it, accept it, get over it, or whatever you feel the need to do, but there is no denying it. That is the official story. … We approached the network and while they were supportive there was a limit to how far we could go with it, as just about every article I read accurately deduced. It was originally written in the script over a year ago that Korra and Asami held hands as they walked into the spirit portal. We went back and forth on it in the storyboards, but later in the retake process I staged a revision where they turned towards each other, clasping both hands in a reverential manner, in a direct reference to Varrick and Zhu Li’s nuptial pose from a few minutes prior. We asked Jeremy Zuckerman to make the music tender and romantic, and he fulfilled the assignment with a sublime score. I think the entire last two-minute sequence with Korra and Asami turned out beautiful, and again, it is a resolution of which I am very proud. I love how their relationship arc took its time, through kindness and caring.

Some critics have apparently complained that the Korrasami relationship was a surprise that came out of nowhere and wasn’t earned by the characterization, but to those critics Konietzko says: go watch it again. Korra and Asami have been moving towards coupledom for the past two seasons, and the signs of their burgeoning romance are there.

For example, here’s Korra in a scene from earlier this season, reacting to Asami saying she likes her new haircut.

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The Legend of Korra finished so beautifully I almost can’t be sad to see it end. But man, do I ever wish there were more of this show.

Gifs: Tumblr

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