The Lore of Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Bending Disciplines
Water. Earth. Fire. Air.
Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.
Hello, and welcome to the second of four parts of lore articles for Avatar: The Last Airbender in preparation for the Magic: The Gathering Standard set that is being released soon. These articles are geared at giving those who are unfamiliar with the lore of this amazing series an understanding of the world, the bending, and the characters that make up the Avatarverse.
This article will examine the art of bending and its significance in the world of Avatar.
The Art of Bending
Bending allows for a person to manipulate a specific element. The usage of bending is a significant aspect of life within the world and ultimately resulted in the separation of the Four Nations, who each corresponded to a specific element. A bender is a person who can wield an element in this fashion, and only the Avatar is capable of wielding all four elements.
In early days, people learned control of the elements from the lion turtles on which they made their homes, but when the Avatar appeared the lion turtles disappeared from the world. Each of the Four Nations passed down the art of bending down the lines to their descendants.
While there are four elements, there are actually five bending arts in total. The four elemental arts are water, earth, fire, and air. The fifth art is known as energybending. Each of the primary elemental bending arts are associated with and manipulated by a certain martial art style that is reminiscent of the qualities of the element itself. Bending is typically done through the use of one’s hand and feet, but there have been certain benders that could manipulate their element through sheer focus and force of will without any movement at all.
Waterbending
Water is the element of change.
- Iroh, to Zuko
The ability to waterbend was originally granted by the lion turtles, but after the lion turtles left and renounced their protection, the descendants of those people began to learn how to waterbend by observing how the moon pushed and pulled the tides of the ocean. As a result, waterbending emerged, and the Water Tribes have a profound spiritual connection to the Moon and the Ocean.
Waterbending is based on a style of tajiiquan (also known as tai chi). As a martial art it features slow movements and elegant forms that evoke the feeling of flowing water.
Waterbenders are exceptionally spiritual, due largely in part to the fact that they owe the learning of their abilities to the spirits of the Moon and Ocean. Without the equilibrium of Tui and La (whose mortal forms exist as two koi fish circling each other in a pond), waterbenders lose their powers entirely. During the Siege of the North by the Fire Nation, the mortal form of Tui was killed by Admiral Zhao. This caused the moon to disappear from the sky and rendered the waterbenders there powerless.
Waterbenders are strongest when the moon is at its fullest, but weak when the moon is low. In addition, binding a waterbender by their hands can also prevent them from bending, due to the fact that much of waterbending is dependent on the movement of one’s arms. Waterbending is the antithesis of Firebending.
There are a number of different fighting styles in regards to waterbending. Much of these styles focus on employing defensive techniques that can be then converted into an attack or counter, defense into offense. The Northern and Southern Water Tribes employ a very similar style of fighting, with the former focusing on more traditionally defensive maneuvers with the latter focusing on more aggressive tactics. During the Hundred Year War, the Southern style nearly went extinct due to the extermination of waterbenders. Another style is the Foggy Swamp style, perfected by waterbenders who settled in the Foggy Swamp area of the Earth Kingdom, which focuses on stiff, circular arm movements and a rigid stance.
Waterbending has a number of specialized abilities, such as the ability to heal with water itself. Healers are able to use water to aid the sick and injured. In addition, some members of the Foggy Swamp Tribe are capable of using waterbending to bend the water inside of plants, colloquially becoming known as plantbending.
One of the most sinister applications of waterbending is the art of Bloodbending. This is a specialized sub-skill that bends the water present in a living organism, bending that organism to the will of the bender. It is traditionally thought that bloodbending could only be performed by a waterbender during a full moon, as a waterbender’s power is heightened at that time. Aang’s friend and waterbending teacher, Katara, learned the technique from a Fire Nation prisoner known as Hama. The technique was later outlawed and made illegal in the aftermath of the Hundred Year War.
Earthbending
Earth is the element of substance.
- Iroh, to Zuko
Like the other elemental bending arts, the descendants of those who wielded the earth power from the lion turtles began to observe the world around them. These humans first learned how to earthbend by observing and imitating the abilities of the badgermoles who lived in the mountains of what is now the Earth Kingdom.
According to legend, two star-crossed lovers named Oma and Shu were the first people who learned the art from the badgermoles. This legend would go on to be known as “The Legend of the Two Lovers”. To ensure no one would find them, they used these powers to create a series of tunnels in the mountains in which only they could navigate. One day, Shu was slain in the war between the two lover’s villages and did not appear to meet with Oma. In her grief, Oma displayed such a terrifying power of earthbending prowess that threatened both villages. However, she demanded that the war be ended and the two villages live in peace. The villages, seeing the catastrophe that had been wrought by their war, joined together and built a new city to honor Oma and Shu. That city would be known as Omashu, and the tunnels would become known as the Cave of Two Lovers.
Over time, the Earth Kingdom grew and its capital city became the massive walled metropolis of Ba Sing Se.
The primary style influence for Earthbending is the Hung Gar style of kung fu, which features heavily rooted stances combined with strong kicks and punches. However, there are a number of exceptions and diversity within Earthbending styles. For example, Toph Beifong uses the Southern Praying Mantis style, while other styles include Choy Li Fut, Choy Gar, and Wing Chun to name a few. Earthbending in general is as incredibly diverse as the citizens of the Earth Kingdom itself.
Earthebending is rigid, direct, and maintains a distinct balance between offensive and defensive capabilities. Earthbenders are weakest when disconnected from the earth itself, as well as when their lower body is restricted, as much of Earthbending comes from usage of the lower body’s kinetic energy. Earthbending is the antithesis of Airbending, and Avatar Aang regarded learning Earthbending as being very difficult to understand from his perspective as an Airbender primarily.
Earthbenders aren’t typically as spiritually connected to the spirits as Waterbenders or Airbenders, but their spiritual connection is more to the earth itself. Earthbenders believe in listening and waiting, the aspects of neutral jing. They also believe that when it is time to strike, then one must do so decisively, without hesitation or uncertainty. An Earthbender must have strong determination, or the earth will not respond to their will.
There are a few very specialized sub-skills of earthbending, but the most well known one is the ability to metalbend. Developed by Toph Beifong, a young blind girl who went on to become Avatar Aang’s Earthbending teacher, the ability to metalbend came about due to Toph’s seismic senses. She was able to locate the small fragments of earth within the processed metal and bend them, which effectively would bend the metal itself. Toph’s skill at metalbending grew so great that she was able to even combat comet-enhanced firebenders with it. At the end of the Hundred Year War, Toph founded an academy to teach this skill to other earthbenders.
Firebending
Fire is the element of power.
- Iroh, to Zuko
The original firebenders came from the same lion turtle as the first Avatar, Wan. Wan was originally a firebender who eventually became the Avatar after merging with the Light Spirit Raava. Those who followed in his footsteps left the lion turtle and settled in the Spirit Wilds, using the power of fire to defend themselves.
Over time, the people learned how to refine firebending by watching and learning from the dragons. A devoted sect of firebenders known as the Sun Warriors, understood that firebending represented energy and life, not anger, rage, and destruction. These ideals were lost during the Hundred Year War, only to be rediscovered by Avatar Aang and Zuko of the Fire Nation.
Firebending is based on the real world Northern Shaolin style, otherwise known as shaolinquan. This style focuses on highly technical kicking strikes and the usage of swift, direct maneuvers.
Firebending draws much of its strength from the sun and other solar objects. Sozin’s Comet enhanced the abilities of firebenders so much that their powers increased by a thousand-fold. Subsequently, solar eclipses and full moons weaken firebenders, as does extreme cold. Solar eclipses especially completely remove all firebending. Firebending is the antithesis of Waterbending.
Firebending is not nearly as spiritual as other bending disciplines, especially due to the beginning of the Hundred Year War, which began a message of extreme propaganda that diminished any spiritual roots the Fire Nation had. Firebenders do have many traditions, such as the Agne Kai (aka “fire duel”). The Sun Warriors, once thought to have been lost to legend, lived in hiding as protectors of the world’s last dragons after the Fire Nation hunted the creatures to near extinction.
The most well known sub-skill of Firebending is the ability to bend lightning. Lightning is manipulated by separating the yin and yang energies and is known as “the cold-blooded fire”. It’s considered the purest form of firebending. Because lightning requires inner peace, a firebender with internal turmoil cannot generate lightning. Prince Zuko famously was unable to generate lightning. However, thanks to a technique developed by Iroh, Zuko learned how to redirect lightning through the arm and guide it through the stomach and back out the other arm.
Airbending
Air is the element of freedom.
- Iroh, to Zuko
The original airbending descendants from those who lived on the lion turtles learned airbending from the flying bison, an animal that henceforth became sacred to their culture. The Air Nomads also seemed to have borrowed the arrow mark from the bison for the design of their tattoos. The tattoos symbolize mastery of the airbending art. The Airbenders were all but wiped out during the Hundred Year War by Fire Lord Sozin, who sought to kill the Avatar, who would be born to the Air Nomads after the death of Avatar Roku.
Airbending is based on the Baguazhang style of martial arts. It involves dynamic footwork, throws, and hand techniques. Much of Airbending is based on circular maneuvers, evading attack, and making it difficult for an opponent to land a direct blow. Airbending is the antithesis of Earthbending, as the latter requires being rooted to the ground to utilize where Airbending is much flightier.
Airbenders are highly spiritual, to the point where it is very rare that a child is born within the Air Nomad culture that is not an airbender. An Airbender is considered to be a master once they have fully mastered the thirty-six tiers of airbending and/or when they created a new airbending technique. The Airbender would receive tattoos across their head and limbs, terminating in an arrow on their forehead. Airbenders are also generally pacifist in nature, seeking to avoid conflict and having a respect for all life. This belief system clashed with the reality of Avatar Aang’s engagement with the War, as he believed there had to be a different way to end the war than taking Fire Lord Ozai’s life.
Due to the fact that the Air Nomads were all killed during the Hundred Year War, the only known Airbender in the current history of the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” series is Avatar Aang. However, much later in history during the life of Avatar Korra (the Avatar after Aang), the Airbending Nation would arise once more in the wake of Harmonic Convergence and Korra’s opening of the spirit portals, bringing the world back into balance.
Energybending
In the era before the Avatar, we bent not the elements, but the energy within ourselves. To bend another’s energy, your own spirit must be unbendable, or you will be corrupted and destroyed.
- The lion turtle, to Aang
The original energy benders were the lion turtles. They bent the energy within a living being in order to bestow or take away the ability to bend one of the four elements. However, when the Avatar came into existence, the lion turtles disappeared and their population dwindled until only one remained. Energybending knowledge all but vanished.
While searching for a way to defeat the Fire Lord without killing him, Avatar Aang met the last remaining lion turtle. The creature imparted the knowledge of how to energybend to Aang.
Energybending requires one’s spirit to be unbendable in order to bend another’s life energy, or the possibility of being corrupted and destroyed would occur. Aang nearly lost his own spirit to that of Ozai’s, but was able to push back and cover the firebender’s spirit, stripping him of his firebending.
Energybending can be used for a number of applications, such as astral project and spirit energy manipulation. It’s primary usage however is to grant the ability to bend or remove the ability to bend to another living being.
The Avatar
The Avatar must be compassionate towards all people, and the only way to do that is to live with them. The Avatar must experience sadness, anger, joy, and happiness. By feeling all these emotions, it helps you understand how precious human life is, so you will do anything to protect it.
- Avatar Yangchen to Avatar Aang
The Avatar exists as a nexus of spiritual power that was formed when Wan fused permanently with the Light Spirit Raava during Harmonic Convergence. The Avatar is the only physical being capable of wielding all four elements.
It is the duty of the Avatar to master these four elements and use their power to maintain balance in the world, while also being the bridge between the physical and the spirit world. By doing this and also mastering the Avatar State, the Avatar becomes “fully realized”.
The Avatar State represents the most powerful ability that an Avatar can invoke. It allows the Avatar to channel vast amounts of energy and grants them the knowledge of their past lives, allowing them to perform extraordinary feats of bending. On occasion, this state is used as a defensive mechanism in response to danger, but the proper spiritual discipline can be learned so as to control the Avatar State. In addition, the Avatar State can be used to channel an Avatar’s previous incarnations. Avatar Aang utilized this effect on a number of different occasions by channeling Avatar Roku and Avatar Kyoshi.
When the Avatar dies, they are reincarnated into the next cycle of elements: fire, air, water, and earth. This cycle represents the order in which the first Avatar, Wan, learned each of the elements. This cycle also represents the traditional order in which an Avatar must learn the four elements, starting with the element they are naturally attuned to.
Each Avatar is attuned to a particular element, but also has an element that is harder for them to learn. For example, Avatar Roku of the Fire Nation found waterbending difficult to learn, while Earthbending was difficult for Avatar Aang as an Airbender. However, this is not always the case and is often tied directly to the spiritual and physical nature of the Avatar.
Wrapping Up
And that's it for the second part of this lore article series on Avatar: The Last Airbender! I hope you're enjoying this series. I know I had a lot of fun writing and putting these together, as well as my like millionth re-watch of the series I did in the first place.
Until next time, Flame-yo Hotman!
