Talk:Bending arts/@comment-348642-20120601160920/@comment-4888161-20120602061040

Well yes and no. Bending all depends on how the bender chooses to use it, and philosophy can greatly effect that. So different styles and methods of bending can develop. This would also be possible of airbending.

It just so happens that the only airbenders who we ever saw were pacifist monks, so we haven't seen that variety. And due to the extremely small number of airbenders, it is likely the only way that has existed in the Avatar since the relatively recent past of several hundred years or so. If other styles of airbending ever existed, they would have been in the distant past. There is the possibility that a new style of airbending could branch off of the current clan Tenzin is responsible for, or even that an isolated group of airbenders could be discovered (just as Aang discovered the isolated sub species of Sky Bison). However, it is unlikely we will see anything like that at least in LOK. So until and unless proven otherwise, we have to assume it is the only style that currently exists. Unless Korra could change that with her own aggressive airbending style...

Either way, airbending would likely still be Korra's opposite element because the Monks are the mainstream way of airbending and have been for thousands of years. Even if that changed, it has already been the element that was the most spiritual and peaceful. Can it be used for opposite purposes to that? Absolutely. Every element has a more destructive side to it, as well as a more peaceful side. But because air has generally always been the most spiritual and peaceful element for thousands of years. So it would likely remain so even if the majority of airbenders wouldn't use it for such. And Korra is not exactly peaceful or spiritual, so it would remain her opposite element.