Bending Arts

## 弯曲艺术Bending Arts

**Bending** refered to the ability to manipulate and control one of the four "classical" elements of the Deep Core planet of Reylea, where the practice originated and was confined to, namely **water**, **earth**, **fire**, and **air**. Through a series of specific motions imitating martial arts, **benders** were able to manipulate the element they were confined to, usually determined by the nation they were born into, namely the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads respectively. Only the Avatar, who maintained peace and balance between the Four Nations of Reylea, possessed the ability to bend all four elements.

## **Elements**

### **Waterbending**

Waterbending was practiced by some people of the Water Tribe, and is the element of change. A versatile element, it was unique in the sense that the original bender of the element was not an animal, but rather the Moon. Similar to their element, waterbenders were extremely adaptable and versatile. Waterbending concentrated on the flow of energy, focusing less on strength and more on turning the opponent's own energy against them. In relation to the Force, waterbending reflected the ever-changing nature of the cosmic energy field.

While a bender's victory in battle depended on their skill or ingenuity, waterbenders gained a serious advantage or disadvantage depending on the amount of water around them, although highly skilled waterbenders could draw water from anywhere, such as humidity from the air or the water in living things, especially plants. As the element of change, waterbenders could fluidly and quickly alternate from defense to offense, turning their opponent's strength against them. Due to its lunar sympathy, waterbending was stronger at night and ineffective during a lunar eclipse or when the Moon Spirit died. However, to counter waterbending's ineffectiveness during a lunar eclipse, waterbenders gained immense power during the peak of the full moon. The opposite of waterbending was firebending, with its relatively stagnant, direct philosophy. The sub-skills for waterbending were healing and bloodbending.

### **Earthbending**

Earthbending originated in the Earth Kingdom and was first practiced by the badgermoles. It is the element of substance, and in relation to the Force it demonstrated the intangible strength of the cosmic energy field. Earthbending demanded a special connection with the planet that was achievable with neutral jing: listening, though seemingly doing nothing and waiting for the right moment to strike. Like waterbenders, earthbenders gained an advantage or disadvantage in battle based on the amount of earth around them, though the conditions were not as extreme as with water.

Because of their element's stability and its stress on neutral jing, earthbenders stood their ground, absorbing or intercepting attacks until they completely overwhelmed their opponents. Unlike the other bending arts, earthbending's strength equally lay in both offense and defense. Earthbending was in stark contrast to airbending as the latter's emphasis was on evasion and mobility while the former's emphasis was on fortitude and strength. The sub-skills for earthbending were seismic sense, metalbending, and lavabending.

### **Firebending**

Firebending, the element of power, was used by the people of the Fire Nation and was the most aggressive bending art. In relation to the Force, firebending displayed remarkably similar abilities to many Force-sensitives in a physical sense, particularly with powers such as Force lightning and Force fire, which were wielded through use of the dark side of the Force. However, despite a firebender's power being fueled by passion similar to dark siders, it did not require anger or cruel intentions. For a long time, firebenders throughout the Hundred Year War were taught to be fueled by hatred as opposed to the original source practiced by the Sun Warriors, who were in turn instructed in the art by the dragons, the original firebenders.

As the element of power, firebenders had to be able to maintain a constant source of energy and balance in battle, unleashing a volley of direct, successive attacks. Unlike other benders who depended on external sources of their elements to bend, firebenders could create fire using their internal heat source in addition to controlling already existent flames. Skilled firebenders were able to fly using powerful jets of flames. Due to its solar affinity, firebending was stronger during the day and at its full power at noon, but completely ineffective during a solar eclipse. Whenever a comet passed close to the planet the power of a firebender was greatly increased, as demonstrated by the centennial passing of Sozin's Comet. Firebending's relatively simple and direct style contrasted with the versatile nature of waterbending.

A notable feature of special firebenders was the ability to create a hotter, blue fire; Azula was the only known firebender who demonstrated this extra-powerful flame, leading some to believe that the ability required a cruel nature of the desire for malicious intent, though the theory was unproven. The sub-skills for firebending were combustion-bending, lightning generation, and lightning redirection.

### **Airbending**

Airbending was the bending art used by the Air Nomads; the flying bison were the original airbenders. It concentrated on speed and evasion, forgoing a strong offense for a greater defense. Though apparently lacking fatal finishing moves, it was the most dynamic of all the bending arts. Airbending's opposite was earthbending and the confrontational style that served as its foundation.

As the element of freedom, airbenders used their capability to bend unencumbered by the ground or any other environmental factors and used their own momentum as a weapon, evading attacks with astounding agility to tire their opponents out or building up massive inertia for explosive gusts of wind to make their counterattacks finishing moves. When resorting to physical confrontation, airbenders were able to harness the immense, intangible power of wind. Airbenders could use a flight technique by operating a glider and using the air to provide thrust and lift.

In relation to the Force, airbending was most associated with spirituality and the soothing freedom of the cosmic energy field. The sub-skills of airbending were flight and spiritual projection. Flight has only been achieved by two people in the entire history of airbending, namely Guru Laghima and Zaheer, while spiritual projection — a technique very similar to Similfuturus — was known to have been achieved by Mangal and Jinora

## **Appearances**

* *Secrets of Jinn* — "The Avatar has Returned" (first canonical appearance)
* *Secrets of Jinn* — "The Next Watcher" (mentioned only)
* *Secrets of Jinn* — "The Waterbending Scroll"
* *Secrets of Jinn* — "Jet"
* *Secrets of Jinn* — "Questions to Answer" (mentioned only)
* *Secrets of Jinn* — "Threat from Beyond"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 2: The Clone Wars* — "Chapter 49: Searching for Clues" (first mentioned)
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Lost Child* — "Chapter 1: Fall From the Stars"
* *Joker's Interrogation*

### **Non-canon appearances**

* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 2: Unexplainable Bending" (first appearance)
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 3: Welcome to Republic City"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 4: A Leaf in the Wind"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 5: The Revelation"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 6: The Voice in the Night"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 7: Spirit of Competition Pt 1"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 8: Spirit of Competition Pt 2"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 9: And The Winner Is-"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 10: The Messenger"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 11: Getting to Know You" (mentioned only)
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 12: The Aftermath"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 13: What is the Force?"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 14: Visions"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 15: New Team Avatar"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 16: When Extremes Meet"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 17: Out of the Past"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 18: Reunion—And Sorrow"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 19: The Equalists Strike"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 20: Turning the Tides"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 21: A Love Square?"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 22: New Knowledge"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 23: Endgame"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 24: Greatest Change"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 1: The Avatar and the Force* — "Chapter 25: Discussion With a Jedi"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 2: Mysteries of Reylea* — "Chapter 1: A Harsh Lesson" (recap only)
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 2: Mysteries of Reylea* — "Chapter 2: Learning About the Force"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 2: Mysteries of Reylea* — "Chapter 3: Force Powers"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 2: Mysteries of Reylea* — "Chapter 4: Dark Knights Attack"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 2: Mysteries of Reylea* — "Chapter 5: Going More Public"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 2: Mysteries of Reylea* — "Chapter 6: Criminal Activities"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 2: Mysteries of Reylea* — "Chapter 7: Seeking the Triads"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 2: Mysteries of Reylea* — "Chapter 8: Planning Secret Activities" (mentioned only)
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 2: Mysteries of Reylea* — "Chapter 9: Major Crime Bust"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 2: Mysteries of Reylea* — "Chapter 10: Escalation"
* *The Legend of Reylea - Volume 2: Mysteries of Reylea* — "Chapter 11: Crashing the Party"
* *A Failed Knight* (mentioned only)
* *Recovery*

## **Sources and copyrights**

Information on this page came from *Bending arts* on *Avatar Wiki*. The related topic of this article is the property of Nickelodeon Animation Studios.