Bending

Overview

In the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, there are citizens of each of the four nations that can manipulate, or bend, an element to their will. It is because of this that elements are ascribed to the different nations: Air Nomads, Water Tribes, Fire Nation, and Earth Kingdom. It is said that the styles of bending came from different animals from each of the nations in the world. While anyone can learn the techniques to bending, not everyone has the potential to do it or some choose not to to live a normal life in a different role. Each element has its own style of bending with no two elements using the same technique in order to master the respective medium. For example, a person who has learned the art of waterbending cannot use the same powers to control earth. As bending is a spiritual practice, it requires energy in the body referred to as chi in order to harness the powers that come with it.

In order to keep a balance in the world, the spirits created a figure whose role it was to maintain peace between the four elements: the Avatar. The Avatar is a reincarnating being who follows a cycle and is the only person in the world that can master all four elements. The Avatar is born following the cycle of Water, Earth, Fire, Air (Example: Avatar Kyoshi was born an earthbender, next was Avatar Roku a firebender, then Avatar Aang the airbender, and now Avatar Korra a waterbender).

While there are the four main elements, there are other mediums that people have shown they can bend. Some waterbenders can manipulate plants, relying on the water inside them. Earthbenders can control sand since sand is ground earth.

Waterbending

Earthbending

Firebending

Airbending

Other Bending

Bloodbending

Metalbending

Lightningbending