The mysteries surrounding the "Cataclysm" and the dual nature of the Avatar in the new series Avatar: Seven Havens may find their answers in the events of The Legend of Korra. The new show, set approximately 225 years after Korra's era, depicts a fractured world where humanity clings to existence in isolated "Havens" amidst constant storms. In this bleak future, Korra is remembered as a villain, blamed for triggering the Cataclysm that devastated the world, and benders are becoming increasingly rare while spirits are conspicuously absent.
Trailer glimpses suggest Korra may have been responsible for the Cataclysm, with one scene showing her entering the Avatar State as a city burns. However, a prevailing theory posits that she may have caused the disaster while attempting to avert an even greater catastrophe. This complex past could explain the unusual reincarnation of the Avatar as twins, Pavi and Nisha, in the new series.
Understanding the Avatar's Past
The Avatar cycle began with Wan, who fused with the primordial spirit of light and peace, Raava, to maintain balance between the human and spirit worlds. Wan initially closed the portals connecting the two realms, a separation that lasted for 10,000 years until Korra reopened them. During the events of The Legend of Korra, the villain Unalaq freed Vaatu, the primordial spirit of darkness and chaos, and tore Raava from Korra, severing her connection to past Avatars. Although Raava was seemingly destroyed, she regenerates within Vaatu, and Korra managed to extract her and re-fuse with the spirit of light, albeit with Vaatu now contained within Raava.
Korra's decisions fundamentally altered the world. She left the portals open, allowing greater interaction between humans and spirits. This led to the awakening of new airbenders and the expansion of spirit vines into Republic City. Later, with the weaponization of spirit vine energy and the creation of a third portal to the Spirit World, the balance Korra sought to maintain became increasingly precarious. The Turf Wars comic further illustrates this by showing attempts to commercialize the Republic City portal, leading to conflict with spirits.
The Cataclysm and the Dual Avatars
In Seven Havens, the spiritual energy that once flowed freely seems to have vanished, contributing to a decline in bender populations. The Tree of Time, a significant spiritual anchor in the Spirit World, is implied to be connected to the Cataclysm. It's theorized that an attempt to harness the Tree of Time for energy, or another catastrophic event related to it, could have triggered the Cataclysm. This disaster might have involved Korra attempting to re-seal the portals or separate the worlds, inadvertently causing planet-spanning storms and severing humanity's spiritual connection.
This potential cataclysm could also explain the existence of twin Avatars. Since neither Raava nor Vaatu can be permanently destroyed, Vaatu would eventually regenerate within Raava. If Korra died while Raava was still harboring the nascent Vaatu, the reincarnation process might have split the two primordial spirits. This could have resulted in Pavi inheriting Raava and Nisha inheriting Vaatu, or perhaps a division of their spiritual essences between the twins. Visual clues in Seven Havens, such as the distinct coloration of the twins' cat-monkey companions, Geet and Ruhi, might subtly hint at this dual inheritance, presenting a compelling mystery for the new series to explore.