This is bullshit. ATLA and TLOK were basically just our world in the past. Korra's industrial age v Aang's pre-modernity. For the first time, we're getting a world that feels like another world and can't be conveniently placed in our own time frame.
Theory: the seven havens of the world are nexus points for the 7 chakras that Korra left behind before resetting the worlds spirit energy but the trick is Raava and Vaatu have to be in perfect harmony for the nexus points to be cleansed.
Pavi and Nisha will go around to each haven and start cleansing each nexus point at each of the seven havens and each nexus point will unlock a bit of the past and help them each master their avatar state .
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OH SHITTT SO DOES THIS MEAN THIS VAATU LOOKING FUCKER IS WHAT CAUSED THE CATACLYSM IN RHE FIRST PLACE CUZ IT WAS ALL RED LIGHTNING AND LASERS AND EVEN RHE SPIRIT PORTAL HAD TURNED RED 😭😭😭 and they didnt know about it so ofc its korra