There were many who accepted the implications, accusing the creators of fan service, patently ridiculous since any random interview with them would fully demonstrate their artistic integrity and willingness to piss their fans off, despite their heartfelt appreciation of those fans, if it meant staying true to their vision. And that’s to say nothing of the heterosexist implication that any depiction of girl/girl romance or sexuality is for the benefit of the male gaze. As though, lesbians (or bisexual women, for that matter), are some kind of artifice contrived solely for the titillation of horny straight men.

Any way you slice it, there was a lot of controversy going on, and yours truly was gearing up to write a massive essay on the whole thing, not just the controversy itself, but the subject of it. It was going to outline not only why Korrasami was real (every bit of evidence), but why its very existence is so significant. But as I was drafting my notes for that article, I was made aware of these two posts, which basically did all the heavy lifting for me. In two Tumblr posts, one by each of the creators of The Legend of Korra, the entire issue is addressed more eloquently than I probably could have managed. Hit those links for their full statements.

Love it or hate it, you can’t deny that what we witnessed was television history. A canon gay couple (they are bisexual individuals, but their particular dynamic with each other is gay) depicted in a healthy, positive, celebratory light in an animated series on a kids’ network. This isn’t Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. This isn’t Comedy Central. This is Nickelodeon. Historically, Nickelodeon has always been “the kids’ network,” and thus by having Korrasami canonized on their airwaves, the message sent is that queer people are no less wholesome, no less natural, no more implicitly or explicitly sexual, and no more dangerous for kids to see than straight people. And as both the kids of queer people, and queer adults who once were queer kids can attest… that’s the truth.

The canonicity of Korrasami is more than just the end of a shipping war. It’s a victory. A small one, sure, but a step in the right direction. It’s for the kids we queer folks once were, kids who didn’t get fairy tale endings of their own. And as for the kids, watching, well… the ones who are going to be gay or bi or whatever, already are. At least now, they have something that speaks to their truth, however latent at the moment.

The landscape of entertainment media is changing, and The Legend of Korra finale has opened yet another door in that regard. Some may argue that entertainment should not be subject to political or social agendas, but it’s been historically proven over and over that the media helps to shape society by shaping people’s perceptions. Nichelle Nichols’ mere presence as Lt. Uhura on Star Trek, let alone being half of TV’s first interracial kiss, was a big deal for a reason. And now it’s history.