Talk:Earthbending/@comment-4220745-20120123143355/@comment-76.24.189.176-20120128002537

^ I never said that, or if I did or implied it I apologize for not being clear. I believe of the 4 main elements, earth bending is the most defensive/ tends to have the best overall defenses. It can attack too, but so can waterbending. Firebending focuses on offense more so than the others. Earthbending doesn't so I didn't say earthbending was offensive. I think it more focuses on defense as a primary strength, but it doesn't mean an earthbender can't dish it out. I also believe earthbenders were excellent two way fighters, with the exception of being a little slower. Although to be fair, the stiffness and slowness does somewhat reflect a bit of the characteristics of the element. My biggest complaints with Hung Gar Kung Fu style was that it is too slow, and that it sometimes appeared to leave the average earthbender vulnerable despite being defensive. Despite that last point, they were still easily the best defense related benders. But, the average earthbender seemed to not only be made vulnerable to attack by opponents exploiting speed, but in certain moves/stances such as the Hung Gar's horse stance (if there is another name for it let me know) I saw the earthbenders as a bit too easily exploitable.

The thing with Karate is that it can still hold that same rigidness and has a defensive nature similar to Hung Gar Kung Fu, but is at least a bit faster and on average will not show as many flaws in the defenses of the average earthbender using it. Karate also has excellent counters in just regular hand to hand combat, so it might translate that much better to earthbending. I admit to the possibility of being mistaken on this as my perspective on Karate is biased. This is because I know it far better than Hung Gar. But from what I've observed in the show, the analyses above is accurate. Don't forget, Toph's Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu was far superior to the normal Hun Gar approach. This is partly because she was a superior bender, but it also had to do with the style and how it was faster and left less openings. So there are certainly flaws in Hung Gar, and sometimes I wonder if a martial art that was more practical in real hand to hand fighting would translate better to bending. Not to say Hung Gar isn't practical, it's just that it seems to me that other martial arts/styles are more practical. Again, I could be wrong as I'm by no means an expert in Hung Gar Kung Fu. I only know what I saw in the show and researched online as a result.

In general I would like to see more martial arts for earthbending, partly because it would be interesting, but also partly to see more effective styles. Karate is my first choice for this because I have plenty of first hand experience in it and I think it would fit the stiffness, defense, and blocking of earthbending well while being faster and less exploitable. That's my take anyways.