Talk:And the Winner Is.../@comment-68.38.39.152-20120512174751/@comment-128.135.100.102-20120512180928

I think creating a water column would work the same way a rocket does. Korra is using her bending to force her own weight and the weight of the water against the force of gravity. At some point the column is just too large and requires too much energy to be sustained.

There is only so high you can go before you lose momentum and fall back to Earth. The skill of the bender will determine the height of the water column. Beginners can only create enough force to lift themselves a few feet. Masters can go dozens of feet high and an Avatar in the Avatar State can lift themselves hundreds of feet into the air.