Avatar: Seven Havens co-creator confirms there was no "secret Avatar" between Korra and twin Avatars Pavi and Nisha, despite the 200-year gap
Exclusive: Avatar co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino has debunked a popular Seven Havens theory
Avatar: Seven Havens is a show loaded with mysteries: how can there be twin Avatars? Did Korra really cause the cataclysm that destroyed the world? And why was there no Avatar in the two centuries between The Legend of Korra and Seven Havens?
The latter question has led to a popular theory that maybe, secretly, there were other Avatars during this 200-year period. But speaking to GamesRadar+, Avatar co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino confirms that the line of Avatar succession leads directly from Korra to Pavi and Nisha.
"Korra was the previous Avatar," DiMartino confirmed "There wasn't a secret Avatar in between. I feel okay debunking that theory."
This only raises more questions. A new Avatar is born the moment the previous Avatar dies, so either Korra was over 200 years old when she died (not out of the question, as Kyoshi lived to be 230 years old by extending her life) or Korra was stuck in some kind of stasis – Spirit World-related or otherwise – that kept the Avatar from being reincarnated for two centuries. And does it somehow connect to the emergence of the first-ever twin Avatars?
Of course, these are all questions that DiMartino and co-creator Bryan Konietzko want viewers to be asking as they watch Seven Havens. "When Brian and I set out to create the show and expand the universe, we're always just trying to find a different angle into the stories, things we hadn't done before," DiMartino says. "Twin Avatars was a big one we hadn't done before, and combine that with the idea that we wanted to do a mystery show, and how could there be two avatars? That's a cool mystery. Along the way, through the series, we'll be unpacking a lot of those mysteries and revealing stuff. But right now, it's hopefully a cool hook that gets people interested in the show and makes them want to find out why there are two avatars."
The first three episodes of Avatar: Seven Havens certainly have fans talking. But not everyone was thrilled; Korra voice actor Janet Varney admitted she "sobbed" after seeing Korra villainized in Seven Havens. While there's almost certainly more to the story, the citizens of Ellora blame Korra for the cataclysm that destroyed their world, and still celebrate her death. They'll have plenty of time to resolve this, and the show's many other mysteries, as Avatar: Seven Havens was renewed for seasons 3 and 4 at New York Comic Con.
Avatar: Seven Havens airs new episodes every Friday on Paramount Plus. For more, check out our Avatar: Seven Havens review and our guide to the new TV shows heading your way.
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I'm the Managing Editor, Entertainment here at GamesRadar+, overseeing the site's film and TV coverage. In a previous life as a print dinosaur, I was the Deputy Editor of Total Film magazine, and the news editor at SFX magazine. Fun fact: two of my favourite films released on the same day - Blade Runner and The Thing.
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