Talk:Amon/@comment-216.186.160.151-20120429191104

"Last I checked, benders aren't part of any caste system . . . Nonbenders already have equality. Sure, they can't fly or generate lightning for the power plant, but everybody in Republic City has the social and political freedom to be successful and powerful in any way they can physically do so, despite any shortcomings. Hiroshi Sato is living proof of that."

We have little to do on, one way or another, if nonbenders are actually economically disadvantaged or not. All we know is that benders have an inborn ability that nonbenders don't. But, watching the crowd that gathered to Amon's cause, it's hard to believe that they don't have ANYTHING to back up thier percieved inferiority. Whether Hiroshi Sato is a special case will no doubt come to light. We know that the Council, the highest ranking authority, is all benders, as someone already mentioned. Also, the enforcers are metalbending cops- not just cops, not police, but 'specifically metalbenders''. '''You can say that police have no say in what laws get written, but they do carry them out as they see fit, and probably influence it, as they are closer to the process.

"without bending, people would have sought out the technology to make guns in order to kill people. Then slaughtering and suppressing people would be even easier, since, in a no bender world, civilians are helpless to defend against bullets."

Let's work in-world, shall we, not on speculations? What if the compounds for gunpower are much more scarce in this universe? How do you know they would be invented at all?

Benders have a sizable physical advantage over nonbenders. Benders have range. A nonbender wouldn't even be able to compete in a probender ring, not because they're not allowed, but because it's BASED ENTIRELY off of ranged techniques, with almost enforced distances. Take a marginally trained bender, and a marginally trained nonbender, in any other setting. Who will win? The nonbender can work extra hard to make up that difference, like Amon, but it's still inherently unequal. I see this as, they spend more time training, for self defense, time they could be using to explore job and market opportunities. Or, the flip side, they work, but don't have the time or energy to develop sufficient dodging and disabling techniques.

And here's the other devisive thing about bending: there are four different kinds. They are tangible, measurable, and overt differences between the Nations, that probably DID contribute to more than their fair share of war. (that's an opinion, but one that apparently enough people share to believe Amon) Nonbenders are almost exactly the same, by comparison. Once benders were out of the picture, do you not think that they'd feel more unified, and more similar, by comparison, and look back on violent history with a relieved sigh?

"Just because the plot follows benders as the heroes and villains dosen't mean bending makes them better or more evil. They writers just know they're more exciting to watch. And just because more benders are shown as bad guys doesn't mean they're the majority, it's a better plotline when the bad guys appear to outnumber good guys."

Again, you need to work in-world. We don't know who is the majority, here. (benders or nonbenders) I think there has been a good balance of good vs. bad benders, in ATLA, if that's what you're trying to say (seeing firebenders as "just benders," of course). There were also antagonist nonbenders- Ty Lee and Mai.