The sequel series to Nickelodeon’s 2006-2008 series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” made its premiere on the channel last month and proves to be a worthy successor in nearly every way.

“The Legend of Korra,” with its sharp animation and complex plot structure, attracted 4.5 million viewers to its premiere and seems poised to wash out any bad taste left in fans’ mouths after M. Night Shyamalan’s critically panned live-action film take on the franchise in 2010.

Taking place 70 years after the end of the original show, “Korra” focuses on the adjustments of the titular character who is the new Avatar, assigned to help maintain balance and peace in a world heavily influenced by Asian folklore with a dash of 1920s America.

The more modern turn the show’s world has taken gives an impressive sense of the care the writers have taken in making parallels between the evolution of this fictional world and ours. It also gives viewers a welcome change from many fantasy series in which technology and culture seem to be eternally unchanging.

The conflict in the show also makes intriguing connections to current social issues. The antagonist, Amon, is leader of a movement known as the “Equalists” who believe “benders,” those born with the power to manipulate elements of nature, are oppressive and must have their powers eliminated for the sake of equality for those not gifted with them.

While Amon is definitely given an aura of extremism throughout the show, that’s not to say the plot isn’t littered with hints that he may have a point: within the first six episodes, we see Korra and a friend act pretty abrasive towards a vocal Equalist protestor, and it’s also implied there is no non-bending representation on the city council of the show’s setting.

It’s hard not to see underlying themes similar to real-life privilege and oppression wrapped into the show—pretty impressive when your alleged target audience is children 9 to 14 years old.

Amid this conflict, however, there are plenty of other factors to be entertained by. Fans of the previous “Avatar” series will enjoy the connections and shout-outs given to former protagonists and seeing how their actions during and after the original show’s timeframe affect the new series. The show’s comedy and drama are balanced well, and the writers seem prepared to give almost every character an interesting backstory.

The show’s only real weak point is its tendency to let some romantic subplots get in the way of the main plot’s tension. After two episodes of fairly tense face-offs against the Equalists and other city conflicts, the fifth episode, “The Spirit of Competition,” is dedicated almost entirely to a love square between Korra, her two male friends and another potential female protagonist.

The romantic drama seems a little too inspired by other tween shows on Nickelodeon, with Korra’s pining after her taken crush—and, in turn, Korra’s other friend’s pining after her — needing only a Taylor Swift song in the background to make the scene complete. However, friendships seem to be mended by the episode’s end, so hopefully further romantic development will be more subdued.

Overall, “The Legend of Korra” has already gained a strong fanbase among younger and older crowds alike for good reason. The show just might be able to inspire you to wake up earlier than usual for a Saturday morning cartoon again.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars