tushanshu | [video]

[Nita is looking perkier than she has since the Malicant mess started. She's also looking moist, since, with the return of her gills, she's been spending most of her time underwater, and only came up now to make a network post. And, last of all, she's looking concerned, because there's something that's been bothering her, and she just can't figure it out.]

I'm not even close to a magical theorist or anything, and there's gotta be someone who knows more about this stuff than I do... I have a question.

How did some of us lose things we always had? Like, I understand, sort of, how Captain America--sorry, Cap, I'm gonna use you as an example--could lose his powers, 'cause he got them from an experiment. I even kind of get how mutant powers like my ankle wings could go away, because they're genetic but they're not really normal. But my gills--and the other Atlanteans' gills--closed up! That's not special! Every member of our species has those!

What's going on with this place that it can take away ordinary things?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Korra, have you been talking to the DC crowd?]

Nobody calls us "meta-humans" where I'm from.

[And the Marvel crowd a bit too.]

So you’re from the “mutant” one then, huh? [Korra had never had an easy time figuring out which heroes came from which earth.]

I don’t get why we can’t just be humans, Atlanteans, and stuff. [Stuff would include ninja turtles.] Why all the M-words?

Well, "mutant" actually means something specific. Like, how... [oh god what does she actually know about bending] ...only Water Tribe people can be waterbenders, only certain people are mutants, and if you're not born that way, you can't become one.

And--not so sure about this one, 'cause it's not my universe--"meta-human" covers everyone with powers, the same way you're all benders, but you break it down farther by what kind of bender you are.

[Questionable Analogy Time with Nita.]

[Korra tried to follow, her eyebrows unable to decide which one should be raised.]

But even benders are humans before anything else. The way everyone else uses those words, it sounds like they’re treating them differently and it doesn’t make sense to me.

People are just people, right?

[As far as Nita's concerned, but some folks just gotta make things difficult.]

There are groups like the Equalists back where I'm from. They don't let people be "just people." Vic and Santo could have problems walking down the street, 'cause they look different.

OH.

[Now it clicks.]

I mean, they might be mistaken for spirits on my world, but that’s not a bad thing. So just because they can do something different?

Sometimes people without powers get scared. I guess it's understandable, but turning into Nazis because of it isn't right.

[Wait.]

...Nazis were bad guys from my world who were trying to exterminate anyone who was different.

[Questionable WWII History Time with Nita.]

Sort of like the Equalists and Amon trying to take away people’s bending. Just without the killing part. [By that logic, Equalists were “almost” Nazis when Korra tried to place them in Nita’s world.]

So those people who use those M-words that way turn into these Nazis and kill people?

[What the hell is in the drinking water on your world?]

It's not about the words themselves. Some people are perfectly nice. I mean, we call ourselves mutants [well, she doesn't, mostly, but she's technically one even if most mutant-bashers don't want to tangle with Atlantis] and that's nothing bad.

If I called you a huge jerk, it would be different from someone who actually didn't like you calling you that, y'know?

I think this is all a cleverly disguised ploy so you can call me a huge jerk.

[Joking judging from the ridiculous look on her face.]

Mutant and meta-human still don’t sound right. I mean bender sounds cool, those: not so much.

Oh man, busted.

[trololololo]

"Mutant" means "changed."

[As does "meta," but ask Nita what she knows about ancient languages. (Spoiler: nothing.)]

And we are. Mutants didn't exist until about a hundred years ago. We're something new.

[With a few exceptions because nothing in comics is ever straightforward.]

You know, some of the people from that world think mine is complicated.

[Korra's mouth just makes a line that pushes out her cheeks a bit and then shakes her head.]

I don't think mutant or meta-human should be used on the turtle. We're all away from that here, so why bother?

You don't get to take people's identities away from them, even if you don't like how they see themselves.

[Even if she doesn't usually show it, Nita is just as stubborn as Korra.]

Well, if they’re comfortable with it. [She shrugged her shoulders.] I mean I’m comfortable with bender, but that’s just me. [Arch-enemies that had attempted to make the term bender a negative reference aside, there was never issue like that back home.]

As long as no one starts calling me meta-human or mutant, I guess I can be okay with it.

[video]

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption

Video; 30% Encryption