Energybending



Energybending is the ability to bend life energy. It is the oldest and quite possibly the original bending art, predating even the time of the Avatar, the Four Nations and the other types of bending.

Though knowledge of Energybending was thought to be lost, a Lion Turtle, the most ancient animal on the planet, taught Avatar Aang how to use the ability. When Aang confronted Fire Lord Ozai, he was able to use it to strip him of his Firebending forever. It is currently unknown what other capabilities Energybending posseses, if any at all.

History
Throughout history, very few Avatars have ever learned this ability, and even fewer have ever used it.

After discovering that the mysterious island on which he consulted his past lives was in fact a Lion Turtle, Aang consulted the ancient creature on what he should do about Ozai. He asks for wisdom on how to stop the Fire Lord without taking his life.



The Lion Turtle answered, "The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can tough the poison of hatred without being harmed. Since beginning-less time, darkness thrives in the void, but always yields to purifying light". The Lion-Turtle brought up a paw, his two claws touching Aang's chest and forehead, causing a green light to illuminate. Thus granting Aang the ability to Energybend.

Aang doesn’t understand at first, but is comforted by this wisdom. During the battle with Ozai, Aang is in the Avatar State, and with the combined powers of the past Avatars and all four elements, the Avatar is ready to deal the final blow. At the last second, Aang regains control and exits from the Avatar State, deciding not to end the Fire Lord's life. Ozai says that even though he has all the power in the world, he is still weak and attempts to attack Aang, who senses the attack with Toph's Earthbending-detection technique, and pins Ozai down again. In this moment, he realizes the meaning of the advice of the Lion Turtle, and he decides to act on it.

The Lion Turtle told him that in the era before the Avatar existed, the benders did not bend the elements, but the energy within themselves. In order to bend another's life energy, their own spirit must be unbendable, or they would be corrupted and destroyed.

It is Aang's "true heart" and "true mind", tested in the heat of battle at the moment of striking down Ozai, that allowed him to harness the wisdom of the Lion Turtle and successfully Energybend Ozai.

When Aang was Energybending Ozai, his entire body was shining white and blue, while Ozai's body shined orange and red. At first Ozai's spirit enveloped Aang almost completely, but at the last moment, Aang's spirit took over. Eventually, Ozai's body was enveloped by Aang's shining spirit, and Ozai lost his bending ability. Aang's use of this technique is what ultimately secured his final victory over the Fire Nation.

Dangers
Energybending is an extremely powerful and potentially dangerous technique. If the bender's spirit is even slightly weak (bendable), then they will be infected by the spirit of the one they are bending. As a result the bender can be corrupted and even killed.

Trivia

 * The chanting that can be heard while the Lion Turtle speaks to Aang explaining how to Energybend (also when the Lion Turtle first called Aang to sleepwalk/swim to him) is a Buddhist chant "Na Mo A Mi Tuo Fo Shin Ney" (spellings vary).
 * At a Comic Con panel in July 2008, Mike and Brian jokingly name this type of bending "Anti-bending" and "Un-bending," since it was never given a name in the series, referring to the ability stripping a person of their bending.
 * While unnamed in the series, the term Energybending comes from Nick.com, and therefore is considered canon.