One of my favorite shows of all time is The Legend of Korra (TLOK). It is the sequel to the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Unlike its predecessor that focuses on one main villain, The Legend of Korra focusses on a different enemy each season. The twist is that each enemy subscribes to their own political views or ideology that fueled their heinousness. In the fourth season, the political ideology is fascism. 

Kuvira pictured in front of several surrendered thieves

Fascism is a scary word, it is often associated with authoritarian leaders of the past, from Adolf Hitler to El Caudillo. Now that President Trump has been associated with fascism, it is important to understand what it means in an American context and what it looks like. Fascism is an authoritarian ultranation ideology or movement propagated on the consolidation of power by those in high offices. It can happen in any form of government. In TLOK, the antagonist Kuvira, mirrors Hitler’s rise to power. Both were artists who saw their homeland dwindle after the collapse of their governments. Kuvira a master metalbender, became a military leader after the assassination of the Earth Queen and establishes the Earth Empire. In an effort to stabilize the Earth Kingdom, she coerced villages into pledging their allegiance to her in exchange for food and other resources. 

In America, fascism does not look this bleak, rather it manifests itself through nationalistic rhetoric, suppression of peoples, and consolidation of power. Phrases like, “America First” highlight the nationalism that festers under the surface of American politics. It’s stated under the guise of patriotism but actually serves as a dog whistle for nationalists. The suppression of marginalized groups has long been embedded in American history. There are several examples, but a topical one is voting rights. The right to vote is suppressed in low income areas and areas concentrated with many minorities. The consolidation of power is evident in the current administration. This is seen through hiring relatives and friends to high offices such as advisors or the Poster Master General and by nominating Supreme Justices that have a history of deferring to presidential privilege. Kuvria also suppresses the rights of people. Any insubordination could result in an individual being placed in a “re-education camp,” in order to alleviate civilian uprisings. Thankfully, we don’t have re-education camps (anymore), but it is worth noting that the current administration does not care for democracy or the rights of marginalized peoples. 

Earth Empire uniforms

One thing that is particularly interesting about fascism to me is that there is always an aesthetic associated with the movement. For example, in TLOK the Earth Empire’s colors were evergreen and silver and in Nazi Germany they often wore black, beige, grey, and red. Even today in Italy and Britain there are hipster fascists! The “uniform” conveys a message whether it is strength or relatability. 

Undoubtedly, fascism is sitting in the American consciousness. Whether you agree it is happening in the U.S or not, it is on the rise both domestically and internationally. Too bad we don’t have Avatar Korra to come save us.