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 Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:20 pm
Earth is the element of substance, making earthbenders and their people diverse, strong, persistent, and enduring. The first earthbenders, Oma and Shu, learned the art from badgermoles.
The key to earthbending is utilizing neutral jing, which involves waiting and listening for the right moment to strike and, when that moment comes, acting decisively. In other words, earthbenders generally endure their enemies' attacks until the right opportunity to counterattack reveals itself, then strike with unyielding force.
Origin
Humans first learned earthbending by observing and imitating the geokinetic powers of badgermoles that naturally inhabit the mountains in what is now Earth Kingdom territory. According to a legend, known widely as "The Legend of the Two Lovers", two star-crossed lovers named Oma and Shu, who hailed from separate villages that were at war with each other, learned the art from these creatures so that they could meet within the mountain that divided them. To make sure no one could ever find them, they used their new abilities to create a labyrinth of tunnels inside the mountain which only they could navigate. One day, after many meetings in the series of passageways, the man did not come to see his lover, as he had died, a casualty of the villages' quarrel. His lover showcased a devastating assault of her powers and ultimately proclaimed the feud over. Then, the villages collaborated to construct a city, Omashu, in their honor. The pathways they made by earthbending became known as the Cave of Two Lovers.
'Earthbending' is written as 運土術 which in literal terms actually means 'move earth art' in Chinese.
Fighting Style
Earthbending is generally based on the Hung Gar style of Kung Fu, which features heavily rooted stances and strong kicks and punches that evoke the mass and power of earth. The martial art is based on the movements of animals, including the tiger, which is utilized when initiating hard blows, and the crane, which is used to land gently back on the Earth. There are exceptions to this rule - Toph, the blind earthbender's style is based on Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu, using its precise stepping to maintain contact with the ground for her to "see". Earthbenders, mostly earthbending soldiers and generals, typically travel barefoot to increase their connection with the earth and their power.
Earthbending is also one of the most diverse of the bending arts fighting styles, ranging from the most commonly used earthbending, the rigid and collectively learned earthbending of the Dai Li and the individually taught styles such as Toph's unique earthbending technique. Earthbenders are generally muscular, tough and direct and like all benders, their technique reflects on their individualized personalities.
Earthbending differs from the other bending arts in that it maintains a distinct balance between offensive and defensive capabilities (though waterbending involves a more refined version by channeling defense into offense). Earthbending uses a balance of strength and defense to overwhelm opponents.
The principle of jing is the essence of battle strategy of all bending arts, with a total of eighty-five possible actions. Positive jing occurs when one chooses to fight, while negative jing is when one chooses to evade. The earthbending discipline stresses neutral jing, which involves listening, waiting and attacking at the right moment. King Bumi stresses this in his tactics against the Fire Nation; he allowed himself to be imprisoned in New Ozai for many months before liberating the city on the Day of Black Sun simply waiting for the right moment to fight and liberate the city.
The concept of neutral jing is also closely related to the philosophy of "sticky hands", a practice common to some southern Chinese martial arts such as Chu Gar Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu and Wing Chun. The purpose of sticky hands is to enable the practitioner to predict their opponent's next move. Similar to Toph detecting the movements of others through her connection with earth, a practitioner learns to detect their opponent's upcoming move by maintaining constant contact between their own arm and their foe's arm, may also be between their hands or wrists. By practicing with a partner in this manner, a practitioner will learn to "read" the slight movements of their opponent's arms to detect their next attack and then move accordingly to either strike before the attack is made or move in the same direction with the attack and effectively neutralize it. Concepts such as listening, reacting, balancing attacks and defense and drawing power from a stable lower body are often referred to in the practice of sticky hands, again, closely relating to many primary concepts in earthbending.
According to Iroh, earth is the element of substance.
Earthbending abilities
Earth and stone levitation: The most common attack involves levitating nearby pieces of earth and stone of numerous sizes (more powerful benders can move larger masses) and propelling them at foes with punching or kicking motions.
Rock shield: A levitated slab of rock can also double as a shield when positioned in front of a bender. This can also be performed with a slab or sheet of bedrock thrust out of the earth's surface. The shield can be hurled at the opponent for quick retaliation.
Earth smash: Earthbenders can easily destroy rocks and boulders with punches and kicks, even if they have a very small amount of muscle mass, possibly by making the earth in the rocks weaker, although the exact nature of this technique, if it even is a technique, is never explained. This technique is useful when facing other earthbenders, as it allows the earthbender to destroy any earthen projectiles sent at them and break out of imprisoning techniques. However, it does not seem to affect objects not made of earth.
Earth sinking: More advanced earthbenders, such as The Boulder, Master Yu, and General Fong, can forcibly sink their opponents into the ground, imprisoning them or even suffocating them in earth.
Earthquakes/Fissures: Striking the ground with feet, fists, or hammers, as shown by Gow, creates localized earthquakes or fissures to throw opponents off-balance. This same process can be used to sculpt a landmass or to slice large chunks of rock clean off a surface to create avalanches or rockfalls. More advanced earthbenders can make very narrow fissures for precise attacks.
Earth Block: Earthbenders can bring up blocks of earth and launch them at their enemies.
Earth gauntlet: A much less advanced version of earth armor that can be used to throw back opponents with hard solid force. Aang used this technique when fighting against Azula on the drill. The technique is useful in that it grants some level of the protection of earth armor but allows the rest of the body to remain flexible.
Quicksand: Earthbenders turn the ground to quicksand to immobilize an enemy, or to create a soft landing for themselves should they fall from a height. Earthbenders can also do the reverse of this, compacting sand together to create harder projectiles or a firmer grip on the ground.
Rock slide: If an earthbender is near a cliff or mountain, he or she can cause many rocks of a multitude of sizes to rain down on his or her opponent. The Canyon guide demonstrated that it would be possible to redirect the path of a rock slide. This is shown when he protects his "customers" from getting crushed.
Earth wall: Earthbenders can create walls of earth, which can be used for both defense and offense, as well as for practical things, like construction.
Earth material manipulation: Earthbending is not limited to rock or soil alone. An earthbender can also manipulate coal, gems, crystals, and other earth-based materials, like meteorites and jennamite.
Rock hanging: Earthbenders also possess limited magnetic capabilities, allowing them to grasp vertical surfaces and cling unsupported to earthen structures. The Dai Li are the only ones that have demonstrated this ability, although it may be that they used their earth gloves to cling onto the rocky surface.
Earth launch: While earthbenders like being rooted to the ground, with some like Toph being unable to see in the air, they can quickly move rock beneath them and launch them several tens of feet into the air, whether to catch airborne opponents or to travel faster. Toph and Bumi do this during the Battle at Wulong Forest and the Liberation of Ba Sing Se, respectively.
Earth shelter: This can be used by earthbenders to create a shelter or dome which can provide an instant shelter in the wilderness. Toph often created shelters like these to sleep in while the Team Avatar was traveling and used it to create a safe place where a pregnant woman could give birth. It can probably also be used to trap enemies, but this application would not work against an earthbending opponent, who would be able to cancel out the technique.
Earth shelter: This can be used by earthbenders to create a shelter or dome which can provide an instant shelter in the wilderness. Toph often created shelters like these to sleep in while the Team Avatar was traveling[6] and used it to create a safe place where a pregnant woman could give birth.[16] It can probably also be used to trap enemies, but this application would not work against an earthbending opponent, who would be able to cancel out the technique.
Water filtering: When working in concert with a waterbender, an earthbender can purify polluted water. The waterbender suspends the polluted water in the air while the earthbender removes the pollutants and sets them aside
Earth mannequin: An earthbender with a decent grasp of sculpting can cause human-like figures to sprout out of the ground and slide from place to place. When Toph was pretending to be Fire Lord Ozai as part of a training exercise, she used this technique to simulate the Fire Lord's bodyguards.
Earthbending master level
Dust cloud: By shaking the ground back and forth, earthbenders can create dust clouds of various size to provide cover
Earth tunneling: Earthbenders can move through the earth to out-maneuver their foes either by opening tunnels or by pulling the earth past them, literally swimming through the ground.
Earth armor: Earthbenders can bring rocks, dusts, pebbles, or crystals around them and mold them to fit their body and create something similar to armor. They can also hide inside the earth by bending the rock around them as a shell. Later, it is demonstrated by Toph that metal can be used as armor as well. The earth armor was used by Toph in a training exercise with Aang. Aang later uses this technique with crystals against Azula, and again with normal rocks against Combustion Man and finally Ozai. This earthbending move is great for defense, especially against fire. It's not as effective for offensive moves, since it limits the practitioner's range of motion.
Earth wave: High level earthbenders can create a wave of earth to ride on and use it as a form of transportation, as Aang and Toph have both done, as well as Roku and Sud while training. The downsides of the wave are that it takes a lot of energy to produce, as well as intense concentration; the slightest distraction could cause the user to lose control of the wave. They can also force a wave of earth outwards and use it as an extremely powerful offensive attack, as Aang was seen doing at General Fong's fortress.
Earth bomb: By sending a rock towards the ground, earthbenders can cause massive damage as well as throw their opponents off their feet. Aang used it in against Zuko, almost gaining the upper hand of the battle before the Dai Li intervened.
Remote earthbending: If an earthbender is suspended from the ground, but is aware that there is earth somewhere near, the earthbender can focus his energies and bend that earth out of his physical reach out of sheer concentration. This was shown in a flashback when Bumi told Team Avatar, sans Aang, how he freed himself during the eclipse. Bumi managed to summon some roof tiles and pieces of walls to rip open the front of his metal coffin. Aang also uses this technique to summon rocks for his Elemental Sphere while in the Avatar State.
Avatar level earthbending (Only the Avatar can do this)
Greater earth levitation: With their greater power and stronger connection to the earth, Avatars can move hill-sized statues at will. Aang moves various earth pillars in his fight against Ozai, both for offense and defense.
Tectonics: The Avatar can earthbend on a scale vast enough to move entire landmasses, as shown by Avatar Kyoshi when she separated Kyoshi Island from the mainland.
Powered compression: This is a much more powerful version of the earth compression technique, performed only by Aang while in the Avatar State. Instead of bending large chunks of earth into a single projectile, Aang gathered boulder-sized rocks and simultaneously compress each fragment into smaller, denser and harder rocks, essentially keeping the rocks under pressure for more volatile attacks if needed. Lastly, the rocks are directed to orbit until they are put to use.
Compressed rock bullets: Used solely by Aang in his fight with Phoenix King Ozai. Aang disintegrated one of his compressed rocks from his Elemental Sphere and shot its shrapnel-like fragments with great speed, in a machine gun-like fashion. Due to the speed and density of these rocks, they did great damage to the landscape. It is similar to the rock gloves technique used by the Dai Li.
Special techniques
Sandbending: Sandbenders are earthbenders who have adapted to life in the Si Wong Desert. They use earthbending in a specialized style, which emphasizes the manipulation of sand. They move quickly in the desert on specialized wooden sailers that are propelled by bending miniature, localized sandstorms behind their sails. Because sand is sediment which travels in flows, their style resembles air and waterbending more than earthbending. It is implied that most, if not all, earthbenders are capable of easily bending sand, but because of the loose shifty nature of sand it is not an easy transition for the average earthbender. The sandbenders of the desert are especially proficient with it due to their particular habitat. After the events at Si Wong Desert, Toph practiced her sandbending, achieving a mastery over it that allowed her to create an extremely detailed sand version of Ba Sing Se.
Mudbending: It has been seen that earthbenders can bend earth in mud as well. Katara halted the flow of the slurry on the back of the drill to prevent Ty Lee from following her. Later on with Toph's aid, they were able to push the slurry back into the drill. It was also seen when Katara and Toph end up fighting when they were supposed to be training Aang.
Rock gloves: The Dai Li have mastered the rock glove technique. Similar to an earth gauntlet, they cover their hands in small rocks then project them at a target as bullets or compacted fists to bludgeon the opponent. A more refined and favored method however is to use them as detachable hands, maintaining the hand shape and literally grabbing and restraining the opponent from a distance.
Rock shoes: The Dai Li also used shoes made out of earth to slide to travel faster and to cling to walls and suspend themselves on the ceiling, as Long Feng and the Dai Li used in lake Laogai during their fight with Team Avatar and the reformed Freedom Fighters. It is expected that they could also be used like rock gloves to extend the range of kicks.
Seismic sense: A technique originally developed by the blind badgermoles, skilled earthbenders are able to sense vibrations through the ground, "seeing" by sensing their surroundings and making a mental image of it. It allows for a 360 degree field of "vision", outside of normal line-of-sight. To operate, the user needs direct contact with the ground, preferably without something like shoes in between. The technique isn't applicable on all surfaces, as Toph was incapable of this while standing on ice. Being blind, Toph constantly uses this technique to navigate the world; she describes it as "kind of like seeing with my feet".During his training with Toph, Aang also developed this ability; they are the only known humans to use this technique. Aang used this during a three-way training spar with Toph and Katara, and again during his fight against Ozai. Due to Toph's extensive use of the technique, she has discovered other applications of it. Her seismic sense is so acute that she is capable of sensing even ants moving about, can identify people by the way they walk, and can almost always tell if someone is lying by sensing his or her physical reactions, such as breathing and heart rate. It is also the basis of her unique ability of metalbending.
Opposing bending art
Earthbending is the opposing bending art to airbending. When first learning to earthbend, the pupil must first learn confrontational tactics and familiarity with the brute strength necessary to work with earth. This contrasts with the emphasis of airbenders on mobility and evasion. Earthbenders require a firm root in the ground, while airbenders are constantly moving. This is illustrated when Aang initially had great difficulty trying to learn earthbending from Toph
Like all of the bending arts, earthbending is balanced so as not to be more or less powerful than the other arts. The series has repeatedly illustrated that it is the skill and prowess of the user that determines victory.
Weapons
Earthbenders have been known to use hammers and fans to augment their bending, and it has been stated that the Chinese great sword dadao, a heavy war sword, or literally "big knife", would also be best-suited for a strong earthbender. Aang has also demonstrated earthbending by wielding his glider-staff. In addition, Gow has demonstrated earthbending with his war hammers. Theoretically, giant maces and axes could work well. Avatar Kyoshi was well known for using her twin fans to assist her in her bending forms, but particularly in earthbending.
Metalbending
Metalbending is a ferrokinetic sub-skill of earthbending developed by Toph. Most earthbenders are unable to affect processed metals. Usually, the trace amount of earth still present in metal is so minuscule that it goes undetected even by the best earthbenders, lending to its use in detaining earthbenders. However, due to her ability to "see" earth, Toph is able to locate the small fragments of earth in metal, target them, and utilize them to "bend" the metal portion. In the beginning, she was not able to bend metal with the same power or ease seen in normal earthbending. Eventually, her skill with metalbending developed to the point where she could effectively defeat comet-enhanced firebenders during the Battle at Wulong Forest with the technique. After the Hundred Year War, Toph taught the skill to others, and the technique eventually became the primary weapon of the metalbender cops in Republic City.
Weaknesses
Earth connection: An earthbender's powers are firmly rooted to the ground on which they stand. Removing them any substantial distance from the earth, such as in the air or on the ocean, strips them of their ability to bend. However it has been shown that earthbenders are still able to earthbend if the ground connecting them to the earth is made of metal. Particularly powerful earthbenders, such as Bumi, are able to bend effectively with the smallest gestures, and quite possibly with sheer concentration, as shown in the flashback in which he frees himself and takes back Omashu during the Day of Black Sun. Earthbending has a distinct advantage or disadvantage as a form of martial art depending on the amount of earth present in the vicinity.
Metal and wood: An extension of the last weakness, because nearly all earthbenders do not know how to bend processed metals, the bending abilities of an earthbender can be negated by securing them within a metallic barrier, separating them from any contact with the earth. Toph, however, as the inventor of metalbending, is an exception to this. Wood, contrary to the Western notion of earth, cannot be subject to earthbending because it is neither a mineral nor mineral-like.
Reliance on the lower body: Earthbending is at its strongest when the feet are in direct contact with the ground, enabling them to transfer their kinetic energies into their bending for fast and powerful moves. Zuko accidentally burned Toph's feet, forcing her to flee by crawling on all fours. Zuko tried to apologize and Toph tried using her hands to bend, but the result was weaker bending that was easier to dodge, as shown by Zuko. Eventually, the effort placed on bending with her hands causes her to flip onto her back, and at that point, she was in full contact with the ground and was able to launch a tall rock pillar, which the ex-Fire Nation prince was unable to dodge. This weakness is very similar to how disabling a waterbender's arms prevents them from bending, but the exception to this was when Katara managed to generate a larger-than-normal water whip just by using her legs. Since a skilled earthbender could overcome this weakness by bringing the other parts of their body in contact with the earth, as stated above, the danger level of this weakness could be debated.
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:24 pm
Earthbending Symbol
The symbol for earth and earthbending is a tall rough isosceles trapezoidal shape, the base of which is made up of the Bagua trigram "Kun", denoting "earth". Inside, at the top, is a spiral running left. The symbol is present on wooden "elemental solitaire" cards owned by Iroh. In a way, this symbol vaguely resembles a seated badgermole.
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KentuckyFriedMcBurgerBell Crew
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:30 pm
The symbol for fire and firebending is a stylized, tulip-shaped flame forked into three tongues that curve outward like flower petals, with a spiral at the base. The symbol is featured in connection with Fire Nation spirituality.
Firebending, one of the four elemental bending arts, is the pyrokinetic ability to create and control fire, practiced by some people of the Fire Nation, as well as the lesser known Sun Warriors.
Fire is the element of power, consisting of overpowering force tempered by the unflinching will to accomplish tasks and desires. However, the recently militaristic Fire Nation twisted this into firebending being fueled by rage, hate, and anger. Firebending draws its power from the sun, and the first human firebenders derived their firebending techniques from the dragons.
Firebending is notable for its intensive attacking style and general lack of adequate defense moves, although some notable firebenders utilize creative defensive moves; for example, Jeong Jeong could create walls of fire, and Zuko was able to simultaneously block and shoot down incoming objects
Origin
It has been revealed that firebenders learned firebending from the sacred dragons that had once populated their land. The first people to learn from the dragons were the Sun Warriors. In the remains of their once great civilization, Zuko and Aang discovered that firebending represents energy and life, not rage and anger as the modern Fire Nation would have its citizens believe.
Firebenders draw their power from the sun and other solar objects. A solar eclipse has the potential to completely negate a firebender's power, revealing a direct connection between the sun and firebending. Additionally, after defeating Katara at the rise of the sun, during the Siege of the North, Zuko stated that "she rose with the moon, but he rose with the sun", further emphasizing and demonstrating the sun's importance to firebending. Firebenders are also said to draw power from volcanic energy and lightning, though this has never been seen in the series.
Based on the Chinese text of Jeong Jeong's wanted poster, the word "firebending" is written as 制火朮, roughly translated as "the method of controlling fire".
Fighting Style
Firebending moves are based mainly on the Northern Shaolin style of kung fu, but with a few techniques from Northern Seven Star Praying Mantis. These martial arts feature quick, successive attacks that take extreme power momentarily, much like an explosion, called ging lik. It optimizes a strong continuous offense, sacrificing defense for greater power, the principle behind a pre-emptive strike, making firebending the most aggressive of the four bending arts.
Firebenders use their internal body heat as a source of their bending. This facet of firebending is a sharp contrast to the other bending arts, which manipulate already present sources of their element, though firebenders can also control or enhance flames nearby. Unlike other bending disciplines, firebending has few defensive moves aside from blocking and dodging, although master firebenders are able to create walls of fire to absorb incoming attacks or shoot down incoming projectiles.
Firebending uses concentrated barrages of fire to overwhelm opponents before striking a fatal blow. Swift, whirling kicks and punches generate diverse shapes for offensive attacks.
Circular motion also seems to be a crucial element to the skill as it seems to be a precession to "power up" the firebender's flames. When creating lightning, the firebenders often move their arms in slow, circular motions, similar to waterbenders but with more tension. As said before, whirling kicks or punches are used many times in the series to create arcs, or just to power their bending.
According to Iroh, fire is the element of power.
Firebending Abilities
Fireballs: A basic ability; jabs and punches produce miniature fireballs and missiles of flame. These can be charged up (refer to charged attacks) to create larger, slower bursts, or swift repetitive strikes to keep opponents off balance.
Fire streams: Another basic firebending ability, firebenders can shoot continuous streams of fire from their fingertips, fists, palms, or legs. These streams can be widened to create flame-thrower like techniques. Fire Nation soldiers are often seen using this technique to damage or destroy villages or towns.
Blazing rings and arcs: Spinning kicks or sweeping arm movements create rings and arcs to slice larger, more widely spaced, or evasive targets. Zuko used a circular motion with his feet to create an expanding ring and successfully knocked Azula down during their Agni Kai.
Fire bomb: Considered a short range attack, a firebender can create a flame at the end of a limb, and thrust the flame down in an explosive burst. Zuko used this technique once, and both Zuko and Aang performed this at the beginning of their routine. Ozai used an extremely powerful variant of a fire bomb to break through Aang's earth shield.
Fire daggers: Creating blowtorch-like jets from the fist or fingertips to use as close range sword-like attacks. However, these lack the ability to actually block physical objects. Prince Zuko was the only person who used this technique, and it was only for a short time. It seems that he abandoned it by the middle of Book II: Earth, possibly because of its inefficiency.
Fire whip: An extension of a fire stream, this continuous stream of flame can be utilized as a whip. Zuko used a larger version of this in his fight in Ba Sing Se, creating streams of great length for continuous mid-to-long range combat and using it to counter Katara's water whip technique.
Fire blade: A more advanced version of a blazing arc, firebenders can narrow their fire arcs to create thin blades of fire that they can launch at their opponents. Azula used this technique when she cut open a wall. Zuko used this to free Azula from Katara's water whips.
Fire lashes: An even further extension of the fire whip/stream, firebenders can create a long lash of fire, and bring them down on their enemies, like Azula did to Aang, or create smaller, multiple lashes and envelop an area with fire, like Zuko did.
Fire circle: A technique demonstrated by the Sun Warriors. They created a circle of fire and suspended it in the air for an extended period of time.
The only time these are seen, the circles were made with the Original Flame.
Shield of fire: Creates a protective fire shield around the front of, or the whole body of, a firebender that can deflect attacks and explosions. May be a lesser version of the Wall of Flames.
Heat control: Certain advanced firebenders appear to have the ability to control heat. Using this technique, firebenders can heat a wide range of liquids, like water or tea, heat metal to scalding temperatures, or melt ice. Controlling heat may be related to Sozin's Heat Absorption technique.
Blocking fire: A skilled firebender can defuse and extinguish an oncoming fire blast from another firebender with a swift kick, jab, or defensive movement, allowing them to stop attacks.
The Dancing Dragon: This firebending form was learned from the sacred statues that were hidden atop the ancient civilization of the Sun Warriors. It involves a more fluid and natural form of firebending. It is a simple, yet possibly very powerful firebending form, as it also brings advantages for more skilled firebenders; upon integrating it into his own style, Zuko's abilities improved to the point that he was able to duel evenly with Azula, successfully dispelling her attacks instead of overcoming them or trying to endure them. It is also one of the few firebending techniques with defensive capabilities.
There is a circular nature to the technique, which is unusual in firebending; the only other known techniques to incorporate smooth, circular movements are the fire circle and lightning generation. It is possible that these unique forms of firebending relate to dragons.
Firebending Master Level
Wall of flames: One of firebending's few defensive techniques, either a situated explosion or controlled inferno, this wall of concentrated flames acts as a barrier to incoming attacks. It may be a more powerful version of a fire shield. It not only protects against attacks, but when used right, can be used to stealthily escape from foes. Azula once used it to deflect four simultaneous attacks from all four elements to provide herself a stealthy escape. Zuko used it to stop a combustion attack (although he was still being pushed back by the force). Master Jeong Jeong also used this method to stop a group of Fire Navy patrol boats; so precise was his control that his flames burned on water. He later created another wall/shield to deflect four firebending attacks, and escaped from Zhao. Later on, Jeong Jeong used the technique to push back several Fire Nation tanks, which shows that it can also be an offensive move. It should be noted that at that instance his firebending was being powered by Sozin's Comet.
Fire disks: A whirling disk of flame, capable of being used at long range. Only Azula appeared to have the ability to create these while in pursuit of Aang in Omashu.
Heat redirection: Only seen performed by Fire Lord Sozin, the technique may be unique to him or simply an advanced technique. Heat absorption allows for the absorption of heat from one hand and passing through one's body and out the other hand. It was used to cool down the lava during the eruption that destroyed Avatar Roku's town. It appears to operate on a similar principle to Iroh's redirection of lightning technique.
Charged attacks: Certain firebenders have been shown charging their attacks before releasing them, allowing them to create enormous blasts of fire. Zuko and Iroh used a combined charged attack against Aang prior to their first encounter. Zhao may have charged some of his attacks before releasing them when he fought Aang. Azula used this skill against Aang while they were battling atop the Drill. Zuko was shown using this technique against both Aang and Katara while fighting in the Crystal Catacombs. Iroh also used a charged fire blast against Dai Li agents in the same episode. During the Battle at Wulong Forest, using comet-enhanced firebending, Fire Lord Ozai and several Imperial Firebenders unleashed charged fire blasts of enormous size from airships in an attempt to carry out their scorched earth plan, and Ozai later used it again to break Aang's rock sphere during their battle.
Iroh used a charged attack to destroy the Ba Sing Se's thick Outer Wall during the liberation of the city.
Fire augmentation: Firebenders can also control the size and intensity of any nearby flames and can draw them in to manipulate them at will. Zuko was the first one to show mastery over this technique, when he augmented the flame of the candles before him when his uncle brought him bad news. Avatar Roku used this method to protect himself and counter an attack by Zhao and his soldiers while Aang channeled his spirit. Jeong Jeong augmented the fire in his candles while he is discouraging Aang. When Azula scared Chan, the torch behind Azula also fell under her firebending, as it burned bright blue. Zuko augmented a campfire in the same episode while confronting his anger. A simpler example is when Fire Lords are in the throne room. When Ozai and Azulon got angry, the flames rose up higher and burned more rapidly. Another example was when Zuko was attacking Aang in Ozai's beach house, as he disintegrated flames Aang used to counter-attack.
Pressure control: An advanced form of Heat Control; the firebender superheats the air around him or her, causing a rise in air pressure in small, enclosed areas which often has explosive implications. Zuko used this to escape Katara's ice dome.
Jet propulsion: Skilled firebending masters are able to conjure huge amounts of flame to propel themselves at high speeds on the ground or through the air. It was first demonstrated by Azula during her battle with Aang in the Crystal Catacombs. During the fight, Azula released the flames she used to propel herself horizontally, which blasted Aang backwards. Azula used this skill to propel herself through the air over the boiling lake, as she was pursuing Zuko, Sokka and Suki when they were escaping the prison. When Azula was knocked off an airship, she used a smaller burst of fire to propel herself on to a cliff, saving herself from falling to her death. Ozai and Jeong Jeong were capable of utilizing this skill with much more proficiency than Azula had ever shown, though this was possibly due to the arrival of Sozin's Comet enhancing their abilities. Azula and Zuko both executed this technique while powered by the comet during their Agni Kai.
Avatar Level Firebending
Lava/magmabending: Avatar-level firebenders are able to bend lava and magma, although not with the same ease by which waterbenders bend water. They can even cause dormant volcanoes to erupt at will. This ability contrasts sharply with other types of firebending, as lava and magma are superheated physical substances, rather than a chemical reaction. This ability has only been demonstrated by Avatar Roku, Avatar Kyoshi and an unnamed Fire Nation Avatar, The "Avatar Extras" for "The Avatar State" stated that the manipulation of lava is a combination of earthbending and firebending, implying that firebenders are incapable of performing the technique and that it can only be done by an Avatar.
Long-range multiple fire whips: An Avatar-level firebender can produce fire whips, the most being five at once. They are capable of reaching across long distances, displayed when Aang used the technique hundreds of feet above Ozai. This may have been a result of his firebending being augmented by Sozin's Comet, and/or because he was in the Avatar State at the time. Each fire whip is also very wide and moves in a similar fashion to squid or octopus tentacles. They have enough destructive power to demolish large rock formations. This could be the technique Shyu was referring to when he said that, "only a fully realized Avatar can open the sanctuary doors alone."
Special Techniques
Blue fire: Firebenders can control the intensity of their firebending, reflected in the color of the flames. These blue flames are more efficient than the standard yellow and orange flames produced by lesser forms of firebending, channeling more energy into the attack.
Only Azula has demonstrated blue firebending. While not to be confused with lightning, blue fire also seems to possess more physical force and produces a combustive effect more intense than that of normal fire.
When the two dragons unleashed a vortex of fire, several other colors of fire beyond the yellow, orange and blue flames previously seen could be seen within it, including white, purple, green, pink and red fire. It is possible that these colors of flame may also have special properties.
Breath of fire: The breath of fire involves the user firebending out of his or her mouth, mixing air from the lungs with the flame creating a wider, hotter blast. This has been exhibited by multiple individuals, including Ozai, Iroh, Zuko, Azula and Aang. It was the employment of this firebending style in the heat of battle that earned General Iroh the nickname, "The Dragon of the West". It is alluded that it was from Iroh that Zuko learned how to create his own breath of fire, though his was smaller and less intense, while Iroh's produced the force of a fire stream. With its wide, encompassing range, the technique allows for staving off multiple opponents and is also shown to be able to instantaneously warm the body even under frigid conditions. It is also useful for stealth, as it requires no hand motions and can thus be impossible to predict. Tea can also serve as a catalyst for the breath of fire, as implied by Iroh.
Combustion: The unique, trademark ability of the Combustion Man. Unlike normal firebending, this does not produce a flame directly from the body. Instead, Combustion Man concentrated his energy through his tattooed third eye to super-heat the air around himself or at a great distance, producing situated explosions with a great deal of precision. This technique is extremely effective and very destructive, capable of use at close and long-range; it can completely disintegrate hill-sized boulders and instantaneously evaporate large bodies of water with ease. He can also employ it to burn things without setting an explosion, similar to a lens focusing sunlight. This is probably due to the energy being entirely focused into creating the explosion, without wasting energy maintaining a long-range jet of flame. However, the technique has the potential to be just as hazardous to the user as it can be to their surroundings, as the Combustion Man blew off his own right arm and leg due to his initial lack of control over the newly discovered ability in his youth. The sole weakness of combustion is that it is heavily reliant on an uninterrupted flow of chi, as blocking the chi paths in the forehead from where the combustion beam issues forth causes potentially fatal backfires.
Enhanced Firebending
Due to its solar augmentation, firebending is slightly stronger during the day, being at its most powerful around noon. With an extraterrestrial heat source much closer to the planet than the sun, in particular Sozin's Comet, firebending is enhanced dramatically. A firebender under the effects of the comet can produce much larger, powerful flames, which create greater destruction and can extend much further than usual. Experienced firebenders can use the Comet's power to sustain flight, generate exceptionally powerful lightning bolts and perform other feats of firebending they would usually be incapable of.
Opposing Bending Art
Firebending is the opposing art to waterbending, though it shows many similar facets of self-control, great diversity, and variation in strength due to external forces and strong emotions. Firebenders use quick strong punches and kicks to shoot fire, while waterbenders use smooth movements and elegant turns and spins to return the momentum of the opponents' attacks. Firebenders attack first, while waterbenders wait and turn their target's attacks against them. The two bending arts are also opposed by their celestial power source; firebending is fueled by the sun, waterbending by the moon. This is best demonstrated during a duel fought between Zuko and Katara; at night, during the full moon, Katara quickly battered Zuko into submission and froze him against a wall; however, at sunrise, Zuko effortlessly destroyed the ice holding him in place and defeated Katara with several short fire blasts.
Like all bending arts, firebending is balanced out as to not be more or less powerful than the other arts. The series has repeatedly illustrated that it's the skill and prowess of the user that determines victory.
Weapons
Firebenders sometimes incorporate weapons into firebending, such as Zuko's utilization of firebending in conjunction with his dual dao swords, shaping and channeling the flames down the blade of his weapons.
Styles
The art of firebending overall draws heir from three ancient martial arts, each with their own separate moves and varying results.
Xing Yi blends strikes from the classic "Seven Stars": hands, feet, elbows, hips, knees, shoulders and head.
Southern Dragon Claw mirrors a dragon swooping down on its prey. The form contains close-range techniques for seizing and holding that make use of the hand.
Northern Shaolin, which can be any number of fighting styles related to (but not encompassing) Long Fist boxing. Kicks are meant to be extended as far as possible without sacrificing balance.
Lightning
Certain powerful firebenders are able to generate and manipulate lightning by separating the yin and yang energies. Lightning, also known as "the cold-blooded fire", is considered the most powerful firebending technique, and its use is available only to a select few firebending prodigies and masters. Some experienced firebenders are unable to lightning bend because they don't possess inner peace. If a firebender who harbors inner turmoil tries to generate lightning, it would only cause a miniature explosion. For example, Zuko was unable to because of his inner conflict with his father the Fire Lord and his sister Azula.
Lightning generation: Lightning generation is the ability to generate and direct lightning. It requires peace of mind and a complete absence of emotion. Only three firebenders in the series had the ability to use it: Azula, Iroh and Fire Lord Ozai.
Lightning redirection: After observing the redirecting techniques of waterbending, Iroh developed a technique to redirect the course of lightning strikes by absorbing it through one arm, guiding it through the stomach, and out the other arm. Only he, Aang, and Zuko had the ability to redirect lightning in the series.
Weaknesses
Poor breath control: It is said that true firebending power comes not from physical size nor strength, but rather from the very control of one's breath. This is shown by Iroh, who, at least for most of the series, is a fat, squat man with no exceptional strength or physique. However, this doesn't stop him from remaining one of the most powerful firebenders in the world. Firebender discipline stresses self-restraint and breath control as a means of directing and containing the fire manifested. Poor breath control means dangerously poor control of any fire generated. For this reason, breathing exercises are one of the most critical first steps for beginning firebenders.
Though anger, rage and other intense emotions can amplify the power of firebending, it can lead to dangerous explosions or wildfires and can also cause any nearby flames to burn out of control. The enlightened firebending master Jeong Jeong repeatedly stressed this importance during his instruction of Aang, who accidentally burned Katara when he refused to listen.
Lack of drive: In order to firebend properly, one must have "inner fire", his or her drive, without which one's firebending becomes weak. After joining the Avatar, Zuko's firebending became noticeably weaker, because for three years, hunting the Avatar was his drive. Aang, being traumatized by his first experience with firebending, was too afraid to "give it some juice", as said by Zuko. Both overcame their problems after meeting with the masters Ran and Shaw, who taught them the true meaning of firebending, restoring their drives.
Lack of defense: The major combat weakness behind the applied art of firebending is its confrontational nature. Due to its aggressiveness and pursuit of continuous assault, it traditionally lacks basic defensive techniques, which can leave an inexperienced bender considerably vulnerable to enemy counterattacks, though masters such as Jeong Jeong can effectively use firebending for defense. It also consumes a vast amount of energy leaving the bender at a considerable disadvantage in a prolonged battle. A common mark of a firebending master is the ability to sustain attacks for long periods.
Solar eclipse: Its connection to the sun results in a lessening of strength during the night and a complete loss of firebending during a solar eclipse.
Extreme cold: Cold temperatures reduce a firebender's abilities; the prison on the Boiling Rock used insulated chambers, the coolers, and piped in cold air as a punishment for those prisoners who used firebending. While in disguise, Sokka was told by a guard that Chit Sang "won't be firebending in there". However, this can be overcome, as Zuko used his breath of fire to stay warm while he detached the cooler as part of Sokka's escape plan.
Poor self control: As shown by Zhao and mentioned by Jeong Jeong, if the firebender lacks focus their powers can go out of control.
Other circumstances: A firebender's power may decrease in any situation which might extinguish their flames, such as being underwater or caught in the rain. Zuko overcame this while underwater in the North Pole by melting ice by heating it with direct contact.
Elemental Symbol
The symbol for fire and firebending is a stylized, tulip-shaped flame forked into three tongues that curve outward like flower petals, with a spiral at the base. The symbol is featured in connection with Fire Nation spirituality.
Spirituality and Firebending
Approximately one hundred years before the start of the series, Fire Lord Sozin launched a genocidal attack on the Air Nomads, succeeding in part due to the power granted him by a passing comet. Over the course of a century, the war has continued, and under the rule of Sozin's grandson, Fire Lord Ozai, the Fire Nation saw the return of "Sozin's Comet." As prophesied, the comet's immense energy granted Ozai the power to conquer the entire world. The only threat to Ozai's campaign was the Avatar, Aang. Aang succeeded in his quest to defeat the Fire Lord, and he satisfied his spiritual needs by not taking Ozai's life but simply by removing his ability to firebend.
The Fire Nation's religious clerics, the Fire Sages, once served Avatar Roku, but they were eventually forced to endorse the imperial war. Fire Sage Shyu was the only Fire Sage to remain true to his allegiance to the Avatar, a trait he inherited from his father and grandfather.
A firebender's powers seem to increase during the day in the presence of the sun. Because of this solar sympathy, their powers are weakened at night and a solar eclipse can temporarily negate their powers entirely, much like waterbenders' powers are negated during a lunar eclipse. Aside from their main power source, the sun, firebenders also draw their energy from other heat sources, including volcanic activity, lightning, and passing comets, if they somehow become a heat source, such as Sozin's Comet, which ignites when it brushes the atmosphere. A firebender's power is intensified in warmer climates and is at its peak when situated near their native equatorial homelands during the summer.
Firebending's distinctiveness is in its uncontrolled nature; fire, if left to itself, will consume everything it can. Firebending is thus a matter of controlling an element rather than directing it. Many firebenders are intoxicated by their power, while more prudent ones feel cursed by it, much like Jeong Jeong. However, its roots and nature are fully explored by Ran and Shaw and the Sun Warriors; properly controlled, fire is life and industry, comforting and creative.
Agni Kai
Among firebenders, or at least those of the upper-class, disputes of honor are settled by a challenge to an Agni Kai, or "fire duel", a traditional firebender duel that is centuries old. Such a duel is conducted in an open-air arena, and it may be witnessed by spectators. The traditional time for an Agni Kai is sunset or sunrise, although it is not a requirement. While not an explicit condition, in the post-Sozin Fire Nation, Agni Kai have become almost exclusively duels to the death. The victor may spare the defeated, but it is generally looked upon as an act of weakness rather than generosity. The duel is traditionally fought bare-chested and the contestants may have one or more "seconds", i.e. people who stand around in that person's corner of the field and may attend to their champion before and after the duel, or bear them away in case they die fighting. The opening pose of an Agni Kai is squatting with back turned to the opponent. During this phase, both contestants traditionally wear a red-and-black shawl over their bare shoulders, which is dropped upon turning to face each other. It is considered dishonorable to attack from behind in an Agni Kai, especially for a defeated opponent that has been spared by the victor. Notable Agni Kais fought during the series include Zuko's first public Agni Kai, against his father, the Agni Kai between Zuko and Zhao, and most notably the Comet-Enhanced Agni Kai between Zuko and Azula, which was fought for the right to the throne.
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Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 2:26 pm
Water is the element of change. The moon is the source of power in waterbending, and the original waterbenders learned from the moon by observing how the moon pushed and pulled the tides. The Water Tribes are the only people to not learn bending from an animal, though the Moon and Ocean Spirits turned into koi fish.
The fighting style of waterbending is mostly flowing and graceful, acting in concert with the environment. Foggy Swamp style waterbending, however, is more rigid and straight. waterbenders deal with the flow of energy; they let their defense become their offense, turning their opponents' own forces against them.
The people of the Water Tribe first learned waterbending by observing how the moon pushed and pulled the tides of the ocean. They then learned how to simulate the effect themselves. As such, they have a strong spiritual connection to the Moon (and its counterpart the Ocean), and any adverse effects on these mediums can affect them too. This makes waterbenders the only type of benders who did not learn bending from an animal, although since the Moon and Ocean spirits take the form of animals, they could possibly classify as the animal waterbending originated from.
According to the waterbending scroll, the word 'waterbending' is written in Chinese as 神聖的能力，制止水, which can be translated as "The Divine Ability to Halt Water".
Waterbending is based on a style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan, specifically the Yang style. It is a Chinese martial art that features slow movements and elegant forms that evoke the feel of flowing water. Waterbending's strength is its great versatility. Rather than supporting a separate set of offensive methods, waterbending employs defensive techniques that can be transformed into attacks and counters - defense into offense. Instead of simply deflecting an attack, waterbending's defensive maneuvers focus on control, achieved through turning an opponent's own strength against him, rather than directly harming the opponent.
Waterbending abilities and techniques
Water manipulation: Almost all forms of waterbending involve moving and shaping a body of water to the waterbender's desire. By simply levitating a large mass of water, waterbenders can move water anywhere they wish, even parting it under the surface of a lake or sea, allowing them to walk along the bottom of a basin without the need to swim. These large bodies of water can also be used as weapons, either by shaping them into gigantic whips, swung repeatedly at a target as a snake-like body, formed momentarily into a razor-sharp edge that can cut through even metal, or simply dropped onto an opponent to smother them or put out a fire. On the sea or ocean, waterbending can be used to create giant maelstroms. Aang and Katara used this to see off a giant sea serpent.
Snow manipulation: A move that pushes and levitates snow for attack, shielding and defense. Living on the poles of the Earth, waterbenders are accustomed to living in the snow. The snow is used as the first source when waterbending. They are able to compress the snow together in order to slice through objects, even metal. Masters like Pakku can bend the snow to make a snow spout that can carry the bender around, and they can still attack and dodge at the same time. This has been seen being done by many waterbenders, especially during the Siege of the North.
Streaming the water: Named by Katara, it is a move that draws water from a source that waterbenders move around their bodies. A more advanced version demonstrated by Aang apparently involves "sinking and floating". This move is thought to be used for basic training so that beginning waterbenders can get a "feel" for water, but it is in all actuality a very useful move performed by waterbenders of every skill level.
Water whips: The most frequently seen move involves creating a lashing tendril of water to swipe at an opponent. The shape, size, and length are all determined by a waterbender's control. More powerful benders can create larger whips, or ones of greater finesse. Due to water being nigh-incompressible, a whip can be sharpened into a blade that can even slice through metal with relative ease. Katara has shown the ability to create water whips with her feet with great finesse.
Water jets: High pressure jets can be used to force opponents back or even blast clean through a target if focused enough. Water jets are primarily used if the user has the intent of severely hurting their opponents. It was seen being performed by Katara against a pirate.
Waves: By moving a large mass of water without separating it from its original source, waterbenders can create waves of nearly any size. They do this by using an upward movement that raises the source, which they then send away in their desired direction. This can be used to sweep opponents away or even as a form of transport, with the bender surfing on the crest of the wave. This same process can be used to propel waterborne crafts.
Water bullet: The water bullet is a move where a waterbender bends a large amount of water and sends it in a forceful blow towards their target. It is similar to a water jet, but it's more for a quick use since the jet takes more concentration. It is seen numerous times throughout the series and is basic yet useful because it takes little time to perform and has a significant effect on the target. Katara used this against Southern Tribe waterbender Hama.
Water walls/water shields: Water can be molded into a variety of shapes and can be used to deflect an attack, trap opponents in a viscous body, reshaped and propelled at attackers before they can recover, or solidified into a shield of ice. This diversity and ability to swiftly change to suit the situation is what makes the waterbender's defense so adaptable. Although usually protective, the shield needs some type of compression or else it won't be effective. This is demonstrated when Katara is fighting Zuko at the Spirit Oasis and her quickly-made shield could not block the fire blast.
Water temperature manipulation: Waterbenders also possess the ability to alter the physical state of the water they manipulate, between liquid, solid and gas, at will. Changing the phase of water allows for multiple techniques in the course of a battle, from encasing an opponent in ice to hiding behind a wall of mist. Ice and steam/fog can also be molded in a diverse range of shapes. Ice provides a degree of hard lethality since it can be molded into spikes or blades to pin down or impale opponents. Steam or mist can obscure a battlefield and mask movement. A waterbender can easily superheat and boil water and other liquids to scalding temperatures. Katara made good use of this to enhance her performance as the Painted Lady.Waterbenders also possess the ability to breathe an icy mist that freezes water and other substances.
Water pressure manipulation: Waterbenders are also able to manipulate water pressure, allowing their techniques to grasp other objects or cut through without simply parting around them. Since water is nigh-incompressible, it can be used as a semi-solid while being able to move and flow like a liquid. Water can be pressurized to such a level where it can slice through metal. Waterbenders can also use this to avoid sinking in water, effectively allowing them to walk on water, as demonstrated by Katara multiple times.
Ice spikes: Waterbenders can shoot small shards of ice at their opponent, or cause a giant spike to protrude from a body of water. The Northern Water Tribe employs these as a primary defense at their homeland when enemy ships are sighted.
Ice claws: Shown by Hama, ice claws is a move where the bender draws water around their fingers and freezes it. They can also be sent forward, shooting them at an opponent. A waterbender can also use this as an advantage; being small and unnoticeable, they can hide them in their sleeves just like Mai's weapons. Additionally, this technique uses very little water and thus can be performed quickly using the Condensation technique (see below).
Ice spear: The ice spear is a waterbending move shown to have been used by Southern waterbenders. It involves freezing a stream of water and then sending the frozen result flying at the target. This move was used by Katara when she was about to strike down Yon Rha. It has also been seen in Avatar games as well as the Avatar TCG.
Ice creeper: A waterbender can send a ray of ice on the ground, speeding at an opponent to freeze them. This technique freezes a trail of water beginning with the waterbender performing the move and ending with their targets freezing. This technique was first performed by Katara when she accidentally froze Sokka's feet to the ship, then was able to freeze three Fire Nation soldiers.
Ice shield: A waterbender can freeze an amount of water in front of them, creating a shield of ice. This technique has been seen many times in the series being performed by Aang and Katara.
Ice discs: A waterbender can create a cylindrical column of ice and proceed to slice razor-sharp sections of it off and send them at an opponent. They are sharp around the edges but all very thin, since Master Pakku was able to break them with his wrists, though this may partly have been due to his waterbending ability.
Ice line: As an offensive attack, a waterbender can create a line of twisted columns and propel it forward. This technique was first seen demonstrated by a waterbender.
Breath of ice: A waterbender can use their breath to rapidly freeze objects, such as metallic chains, or an opponent. For a more advanced version of the technique, the user takes a deep breath and exhales the air as a cloud of freezing mist. Katara used this technique to freeze Jet to a tree, to save Sokka from Huu, and to stop the warship from sinking by temporarily freezing a hole in the ship's hull. Aang and Roku have used this technique before, possibly combined with airbending, to freeze lava. Also Aang used this to break the chain from where Bumi was being lifted by a crane.
Water knife: The ability to shape water into a super-sharp edge or point for a split-second. Due to water's highly incompressible nature, it enables a waterbender to cut through metal, wood and stone. This technique has been used numerous times throughout the series but its most notable use was by Aang and Katara to sabotage the giant Fire Nation drill assaulting Ba Sing Se.
Water cloak: A waterbender can use their water as a form of armor with tentacle-like arms. The bender can use these arms to grab objects, whip enemies, blast enemies with water and freeze them. If a waterbender has less water available, he or she can simply form the arms instead of the entire cloak. This technique was first shown by Katara while she dueled against Azula in the Crystal Catacombs.
Water filtering: When working in concert with an earthbender, a waterbender can purify polluted water. The waterbender suspends the polluted water in the air while the earthbender removes the pollutants.
Waterbending master level
The mark of a master waterbender is the ability to swiftly change from one state of water to another and rapidly switch techniques during combat, keeping the opponent off guard while constantly adapting to the enemy as demonstrated by Master Pakku. For example, he deflected a stream of water away from himself, froze it, and used it to slide behind Katara and counterattacked.
Water pinwheel: This move involves the user moving a large mass of water and spinning it vertically around him/her. This was demonstrated by Hama while blocking Katara's attacks.
Bubble: When in need to cross large bodies of water, capable waterbenders are able to create a bubble around themselves, keeping an air supply for them and for others. It was first used by Aang and Katara and by Katara twice so that she and Appa could submerge.
Water drill: A high-pressure, rotating column of water. Capable of exerting a significant amount of pressure upon a solid surface, that allows the action of a drill. The move takes mastery of waterbending since the motions to create a constantly twisting body of water takes bending skill. This technique was first seen being performed by Avatar Roku's waterbending teacher.
Multiple water whips: An advanced waterbending move similar to the Single water Whip except it deals with more than one whip, usually four or five. This technique seems to be able to inflict a large amount of damage. It was used by Katara against Azula.
Waterspout: This high-level technique involves controlling a whirlpool-like pillar of water as a weapon, rotating it and directing its movements at the same time. Another form exists, which is nicknamed the "water snake", in accordance to the waterspout's constantly shifting and coiling movements. It forms a giant snake of water around the lower body, elevating them from the ground. First shown by Aang, Master Pakku has been seen performing this technique, as well as a minor version performed by Katara to bring Aang up and out of the catacombs.
Octopus form: A body of water formed around the user into eight or so whip-like limbs which can be used to grasp or strike an opponent or to intercept and seize incoming attacks. This technique was first shown by Aang when training with Katara. It was shown a second time when Katara was fighting the Dai Li.
Ice dome: A highly advanced technique, as demonstrated by Katara while fighting against Zuko in the Spirit Oasis, a waterbender may surround a foe in a viscous sphere of water and then freeze it, trapping their opponent inside.
Ice floor: With a sufficient amount of water a master can cover a large area of the ground with ice, trapping enemies' feet in ice and allowing the waterbender to slide around. Pakku performed this during the Order of the White Lotus invasion of Ba Sing Se.
Ice prison: This technique covers an opponent in a prison made of ice. By finely controlling the position of the person within, this technique can restrict the motions of a opponent's hands, thus rendering them powerless. Shown by Katara to incapacitate Azula during Sozin's Comet.
Ice tunneling: Waterbenders are able to swim through thick ice with the same ease as through water. This allows them to surprise their foes. Only seen to be performed once, during a flashback of Hama's, by an unknown waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe.
Maelstrom: In a large body of water, a waterbender can create a gigantic whirlpool. This technique is executed by Aang and Katara while fighting the serpent.
Mass freeze: A waterbender can freeze multiple targets at once, making them slow down or even surrounding them with ice. The technique is first shown by Katara.
Water dome: A master waterbender can collect water from the rain, forming a dome which can be used for both offense and defense. Katara used this to frighten Yon Rha.
Ice ramp: Waterbenders can manipulate ice as a means of short transportation, as seen by Katara when training with Aang and Toph. It was also used in the liberation of Ba Sing Se.
Razor rings: An experienced waterbender can create multiple simultaneous water rings capable of cutting. Katara used this against the swamp monster.
Ice daggers: Much like ice claws, ice daggers form on a waterbender's fingers and shoot at high speeds away from him or her. Katara used these against Master Pakku.
Avatar level waterbending
Tsunamis: Since they can control larger amounts of water, Avatars are capable of creating and controlling water bodies of far greater size and scale, including causing massive tsunamis, at will. The technique was first demonstrated by Avatar Kuruk as he created a large wave to ride on. Later, Aang and Princess Yue created a large tsunami that brought Aang to safety on Crescent Island.
Remote waterbending: Avatars can use waterbending from distances which a waterbender would not normally be able to access. While in combat with Ozai, Aang went into the Avatar State and pulled water in from the sea towards himself to make part of his elemental sphere. After defeating Ozai, Aang raised the tides of the sea to put out the fire at Wulong Forest caused by Ozai and his airships.
Water compression: Normally nearly incompressible, an Avatar in the Avatar State has enough power over water to compress its volume, compacting several thousands of gallons into a small volume. Aang did so when he created his elemental sphere while preparing to pursue Ozai.
Special techniques
Cloudbending: A skilled waterbender or airbender can easily manipulate clouds, which are of air and water, to create various shapes. In one particular instance, cloudshaping was used to provide a message to nearby villagers of an erupting volcano. It was later used as a defense by Aang and his friends to disguise their flights on Appa while moving about the Fire Nation. A waterbender can perform this technique without an airbender, as demonstrated when Team Avatar nearly mistook the approaching invasion force for a storm cloud on the Day of Black Sun.
Sweat manipulation: Resourceful waterbenders can bend their own sweat to be used as a makeshift weapon or tool in the case of being separated from other sources of water.
Condensation: Not only can skilled waterbenders condense clouds into a usable source of water when they are within close range of one, but they also can condense invisible water vapor right out of the air. Although, due to the limited quantities of water present in the air, as a mere 1% at most of the earth's atmosphere is water vapor, the amount of water extracted from the air is quite minimal. Favorable environment and climatic conditions increase the amount of water one can remove from the air.
Plantbending: A member of the Foggy Swamp Tribe, Huu, illustrated that talented waterbenders can manipulate plant life. Plantbending has enabled members of the swamp to control and manipulate every form of plant life from the highly water-saturated vines and roots found within the swamp lands to seaweed from the ocean floor - they can even rapidly regenerate the plant mass of the plants they bend, since the cell tissues of a plant are more versatile than the cell tissues of an animal, also explaining why bloodbending can only be achieved on the nights of the full moon; see below - all by bending the ample amount of water within them just as they can with watery mud.Going further, a skilled waterbender is able to separate and completely extract the water from plants for more effective utilization just as they are able to separate the water from mud, sand, and even polluted river systems, etc. In the case of plant life, this process will then leave behind the withered remains of all the affected plant life or even making them collapse in the case of large trees. The degree of skill in manipulating plant life depends on the experience of the bender and whether or not a full moon is present. Katara and Hama extract the water from large trees with relatively no difficulty during their battle under the full moon. Simpler and smaller forms of plant life, such as grass, flowers and seaweed, can be bent with relative ease, with or without a full moon
Bloodbending: Since the human body is roughly 70% water, bloodbending does not necessarily bend blood, but the fluids in one's body, allowing the user to manipulate a body's muscles to move as they wish or to stop movement completely. This technique is very similar to plantbending, but instead controls animals and humans instead of plants. Potentially, a bloodbender could do a number of other things by bending the water in a person's body, such as stop a victim's heart or crush his/her internal organs; pressurize, boil, or cool the water to kill their opponent; or even completely extract the water from one's body, imitating the technique used with plants, though this technique has not been shown. The technique is so advanced that Hama could only use it under the full moon. It is unclear whether Katara uses bloodbending without a full moon. Later, a moon that appears to be full is shown, and Katara actually uses bloodbending on a later night. It is still possible that it was a full moon night during Katara's use of bloodbending, as the moon shown earlier may have been a near-full waxing gibbous, rather than the true full moon.
Only two people, Katara and Hama, have been shown to have mastered this technique. Despite having lived in the Fire Nation now, Hama originated from the Southern Water Tribe. She discovered this technique during her long imprisonment by the Fire Nation. She first figured out how to perform the technique by bending the water inside the prison rats when her power was enhanced during a full moon. She then manipulated the prison guards forcing them to open her cage and prevent them from following her. Hama later used it to kidnap Fire Nation civilians, making them literally walk into her clutches and imprison them, but she was later found and arrested.
Bloodbending is considered to be quite a sinister art since it forces the bender's will over the victim's will. Those who practice the technique open themselves up to homicidal madness.
Katara was forced by Hama to learn this technique in order to stop her from making Sokka kill Aang, which she found quite upsetting when she realized she learned it.
Katara willingly used bloodbending to subdue the leader of the Southern Raiders, allowing Zuko to properly interrogate him. Once she realized he was not the man who killed her mother Kya, she released him from her control, but had showed deep regret when she learned that she had bloodbended an innocent person. She was never seen using the technique again.
Solutions: It has been shown that waterbenders can manipulate any liquid that is partially water, or anything that contains water. For example, Katara bent the contents of the abbey's perfume vats. She was seen to use waterbending to stir and ladle stew into bowls, and she has bent mud as well. Katara later halted the flow of the slurry on the back of the drill to prevent Ty Lee from following her. Later on, with Toph's aid, they were able to push the slurry back into the drill. Katara was also seen to bend mud when she and Toph ended up fighting when they were supposed to be training Aang, and she bended soup right into Appa's mouth from a pot. Katara also bended ink to make a Fire Nation official leave the room so she and Zuko could search through the files about the current location of the Southern Raiders. Aang thought of using "Gluebending" to defeat Ozai, suggesting that a waterbender can bend glue.
Water run: This is a technique in which waterbenders use all four limbs to run on water at very high speeds, in addition to riding on foreign objects with the same purpose. This technique is first used when Katara forms an ice surfboard and increases her speed in order to effectively freeze the Serpent's midsection without being hit; unfortunately, the Serpent broke out. Katara used it a second time to cross the lake to the village, and Aang did a variation of this by freezing blocks of ice to use as stepping stones. Katara also used this technique when Team Avatar was having a "beach party". She used a surfboard made of ice to move effortlessly across the water much like wakeboarding or surfing, regardless of the fact that the water was calm. Lastly, Aang uses this in his fight against Ozai to flee from Ozai's attacks after being knocked off a cliff.
Steam manipulation: A technique that allows waterbenders to manipulate steam. They can produce it from any water source. It can be used to freeze people or objects. It can also be used for cover. Katara made good use of the technique when she used steam to cover the ship for safety and when she surrounded herself in steam to create an eerie atmosphere. It should be well noted that this may have been mist also, which is comprised of tiny water droplets suspended in air.
Strengthened and enhanced waterbending
Waterbending is greatly strengthened and enhanced during the night, due to its lunar affinity. During a full moon in particular, waterbending is greatly enhanced, to the point where a single waterbender can overpower multiple opponents with relative ease. bloodbending is only possible during the full moon by even master level waterbenders. A waterbender can also resist bloodbending during this period for the same reasons. As an additional note, waterbending abilities are not enhanced during a solar eclipse. During a solar eclipse, the moon is directly in front of the sun. While the moon blocks the sunlight, all of the light from the sun shines on the far side of the moon. The side of the moon is completely dark, meaning that the moon's phase is in the new moon phase. During a solar eclipse, the moon is always in the new moon stage. Since a full moon strengthens and amplifies a waterbender's waterbending abilities to numerous levels, a solar eclipse does not enhance a waterbender's abilities
Opposing bending art
Waterbending is the opposing bending art to firebending, though it is similar in its need for inner discipline and strong connection to external forces. Firebenders use quick strong punches and kicks to shoot fire, while waterbenders use slow movements and elegant turns and spins to return the momentum of the opponents' attacks with blasts of water. Firebenders attack first, while waterbenders wait and turn their target's attacks against them.
Like all the bending arts, waterbending is balanced out as to not be more or less powerful than the other arts. The series has repeatedly illustrated that it is the skill and prowess of the user that determines victory. In the case of waterbending however, a waterbender's ability to perform all of the waterbending they are capable of is significantly dependent on the amount of water available.
Avatar Roku, born a firebender, considered learning waterbending, (his opposing native element), as "especially challenging", and called mastering the four elements "bitter work", which is also the title of the episode in which Aang tries to master his native opposite, earthbending. Even when in combat situations, Roku favors firebending, earthbending and airbending above waterbending, to the point where he does not use waterbending to fight a volcano, despite being surrounded by water.
Iroh created a firebending technique that uses waterbending philosophy to redirect lightning. Zuko was taught the technique and both of them have been shown using it effectively against powerful opponents. Zuko later taught it to Aang, who also was able to use the technique.
Although they oppose each other as bending arts, both waterbending and firebending can manipulate external thermal energy. Katara controls the temperatures of air molecules in her breath in order to freeze water. However, there is a possibility that this could manipulating the temperature of the water vapor in her breath. Also, Pakku from the Northern Water Tribe is seen possibly heating his soup using his waterbending.
Weapons
So far, the only times a weapon has been used with waterbending is when Avatar Kyoshi uses her fans to create a wave, and when Aang used his staff to freeze water. It has been stated that, given their almost "Samurai-like" cutting techniques, a katana or a cane sword would be the best weapon suited for a waterbender. However, waterbenders do carry water around in water skins when they are in places where there is little water, such as the desert. These skins carry various amounts of water depending on their size.
Styles
here are three waterbending Styles known to exist in the Avatar universe, namely Northern Style, Southern Style, and Foggy Swamp Style. Due to the circumstances of the War, the Southern Style is effectively extinct. Hama was the only Southern Water Tribe waterbender left in Aang's time to be fully trained in the Southern Style, and it is not clear how much she taught to Katara before they became enemies.
As the Foggy Swamp Tribe is an offshoot of the Southern Water Tribe, Foggy Swamp Style may have first developed from the Southern Style, but throughout the intervening generations it has evolved into its own distinct style.
Northern and southern style
The Northern Water Tribe developed the first style of waterbending for use in their home at the North Pole. When the Southern Water Tribe formed in the South Pole, they developed a slightly different style that nonetheless is very similar to the Northern style.
The traditional waterbending styles of the Northern and Southern Water Tribes focus on graceful, fluid movements for their attacks. These styles frequently make use of switching the state of water from liquid to ice and snow. It is with this technique that the waterbenders built their large polar cities. The Northern waterbenders seem to traditionally perform more defensive, strategic, and architectural techniques in waterbending, while Southern waterbenders seemed to have been more aggressive when fighting and showed to have used more offensive techniques.
Foggy Swamp style
Foggy Swamp style is the waterbending style used by the Foggy Swamp Tribe of the Earth Kingdom.Instead of the fluid, graceful movements of the other two waterbending styles, they keep a rigid and straight stance, possibly reflecting the usually stagnant nature of water in their swamp homelands, and use stiff and circular arm movements to move water like a propeller. This style seems to be very effective in moving the Tribe's boats.
They do not appear to use ice or snow attacks as often as their polar cousins, possibly due to the lack of ice in their environment. Although one member was seen turning water into ice during when a lance went through the submarines hull and water started pouring in, one of the swamp tribesmen turned the flow of water into ice to stop the leak. One of the Swamp Tribesmen, Huu, was able to develop plantbending, a technique seen performed only by him. It is unlikely that other polar waterbenders were aware of this technique, though Hama didn't express surprise when learning of it, preferring to remove the water from plants rather than manipulating the plant.
The battle capabilities of the style seem to be very accurate, since Tho, Due and the other Swamp waterbenders used this unique style in battle: Using noticeable foot movements in addition to moving their arms in the desired direction to shield themselves from harm before stepping and performing an elegant punching motion to attack.
Healing
Waterbenders can sometimes use a unique sub-skill: the ability to heal wounds by redirecting energy paths, or chi, throughout the body, using water as a catalyst. Waterbenders can use their abilities to heal by surrounding a sick or injured person with water, which then glows with a brilliant, silver-colored light. The use of healing waterbending techniques is generally taught only to female waterbenders of the Northern Water Tribe.
Weaknesses
External water source: A waterbender gains a significant advantage or disadvantage over other benders depending on the amount of water in the vicinity. Enemies are able to take advantage of this by driving them away from water sources. As a result, traveling waterbenders often carry a water skin with them at all times. Master waterbenders are able to extract water from plants, ultimately killing the plants, and even condense water vapor out of thin air. Both the latter and the former of course cannot yield very large quantities of water, particularly in the case of water vapor use, which depends on weather conditions.
Binding: Waterbending is almost entirely dependent on the movement of the bender's arms, quite the opposite to earthbending which mostly uses the lower body. This leaves the waterbender vulnerable when he or she is bound at the hands or has had the flow of chi blocked in the arms. Few instances in the series have been seen where waterbending was performed with the lower body, such as when Katara anchored her feet in ice during her fight against Master Pakku, or when she created a piece of ice to use as a surfboard when fighting a giant sea serpent.Another lower body technique is outlined on the waterbending scroll stolen by Katara, from which both she and Aang learned a technique named the water whip. However, Katara used her feet when she fought the guard earthbenders, in the Royal Palace, performing a larger than normal water whip. Hama also briefly tells Katara how the Fire Nation prison guards bound the waterbenders' arms each time they were given water to drink, emphasizing their helplessness.
Lunar eclipse: Another waterbending weakness is its dependence on the moon (see below). Although waterbenders gain power from the moon (with waterbending at its zenith during full moons), the moon's absence during a lunar eclipse results in a complete loss of waterbending ability.
Emotional state: A waterbender's power comes from the internal life energy chi. Due to this, a waterbender's power is connected to his or her present emotional state. If an inexperienced waterbender were to lose his or her temper, their waterbending force is intensified, but in turn, control is lost. This was demonstrated twice by Katara, the first occasion ironically serving as the catalyst of the series. Although this has the potential to be quite dangerous, it also serves as a boon to a bender with proper training and experience, as well as balance over his or her emotions, as shown by Katara in "The Southern Raiders", where even with a full moon, her waterbending seemed stronger than usual (as she was able to turn her anger into focus).
Overcoming weakness
Some of the standard waterbending weaknesses can be overcome by skilled waterbending masters. In environments without water a master can pull water particles out of clouds, air and even out of living organisms such as plants and trees. The drawback is that if water is removed from a living organism, it will wither and die. Water can also be obtained from a master's own bodies if need be, from sweat or saliva. The amount of water able to be removed from the air will vary depending on weather conditions. As only a small proportion of the planet's atmosphere contains gaseous water, these amounts would be very limited even at the best of times. However, the amount of water can be sufficient to form a usable weapon, such as Ice Claws, which do not need a lot of water to form.
Spirituality and waterbending
Like the moon controlling the tides, waterbenders move water using their chi to mimic gravitational pull by choosing how to direct their energy utilizing two jings, which in turn work to push and pull the water being controlled. Because of this lunar sympathy, a waterbender's power is stronger at night, at its absolute zenith during a full moon, and lost during a lunar eclipse. A waterbender's power is also enhanced during the rain, for obvious reasons. Furthermore, a waterbender's power is strongest when he or she is situated in colder climates, during the winter, or near their native polar homelands.
Legend further elaborates that Tui, meaning "push", the Moon Spirit, and its symbiotic partner La, meaning "pull", the Ocean Spirit, gave up their immortality to be a part of the mortal world. In fact, these spirits exist in the physical forms of two koi fish eternally circling one another in a pond, in the highly spiritual oasis, in the capital city of the Northern Water Tribe.
The "push and pull" relationship between the moon's gravity and the water's inertia is represented by Yin and Yang. The Moon Spirit koi is white, with a black forehead marking, and the Ocean Spirit koi is black, with a white forehead marking, mimicking the two primal forces.
Without the equilibrium of these two spiritual aspects, waterbenders lose their powers. This was illustrated when Tui's mortal form was killed by Admiral Zhao during the Fire Nation's siege of the Northern Water Tribe. The moon disappeared from the sky, the balance of the world was upset, and the waterbenders defending the North Pole were rendered powerless.
The Fire Nation's invading fleet was subsequently defeated when the Avatar, Aang, acted as a literal avatar of La and combined to form a gigantic water creature, also referred to as "Koizilla", that swept the Fire Nation forces out to sea. Balance was restored when Princess Yue, who had received a part of Tui's life force at birth to prevent her immediate death, returned that force and sacrificed herself so that Tui might live.
Waterbending emphasizes symbiosis: acting in concert with one's environment and guiding it, rather than avoiding, controlling, or working against it. In the Foggy Swamp Tribe, waterbenders were shown to be especially attuned to the environment, as one of its members, Huu, was able to achieve enlightenment by meditating under a tree in the heart of the swamp and connecting with it the same way it is connected with the rest of the swamp, as it is a superior organism.
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