Avatar creators reveal the Nickelodeon rule they broke for The Legend of Korra

The producers of The Legend of Korra have just revealed the rule they broke for the Nickelodeon series that ended up making it far better for viewers!

Making a sequel to one of the most acclaimed animated shows of the 2000s is a daunting task, even for the series' original creators. That was the challenge for Micahel Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko when they produced The Legend of Korra in 2012. Avatar: The Last Airbender was a smash hit show for Nickelodeon that became a huge sensation.

Thankfully, the pair pulled it off, with Korra becoming just as well regarded. Set 70 years after the original show, it focuses on Korra, the latest Avatar, the being able to "bend" all four elements of nature and bring balance to the world.

The show was a worthy sequel that expanded on the world of Avatar with a fun retro 20th-century feel, engaging characters, astounding twists, and a terrific ending. Its four-season run was more than equal to The Last Airbender's and arguably better in some ways.

However, one factor that made this show such a success was something Nickelodeon never initially wanted.

What was the broken rule that made The Legend of Korra so great?

Speaking on the Braving the Elements podcast, DiMartino and Konietzko shared the surprising revelation that the show was never intended to be presented in HD widescreen. That's right, the fantastic cinematic detail that was ahead of its time was never meant to happen.

"We weren't supposed to do that," Konietzko admitted during the podcast, adding that the creators had first pushed for HD during Avatar's series finale but faced resistance. "Nickelodeon, with their whole international distribution to all these other partners they were like 'No, it's gotta [stay standard definition]."

At this time, many viewers didn't own HD televisions, and thus a show presented in this format was seen as a costly exercise. That Nickelodeon was trying to sell Korra to international partners was also a factor. It was executive producer Mark Taylor who pushed for the high-definition picture and flat-out told the creators to "just do it."

As it turned out, the creators were simply ahead of the curve. By 2012, it was obvious HD widescreen was taking over as the preferred format. "They had this panicked mandate like 'guys we have to up-res everything,'" Konietzko said. "And we replied, we're already doing it."

Fans of the show are more than grateful the pair ignored the network's edict. The reason Korra shines so well is that it is made in HD, a fantastic upgrade from Avatar. The sequences of bending and flight look spectacular, with lush detail that set it apart from other animated shows of the time. It also helped for the inevitable Blu-ray release as they didn't need to do as much to make the series look crisp and clear.

The Legend of Korra is streaming on Paramount+.

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