Talk:Airbending/@comment-218.214.23.177-20110721064238

I don't get why everyone keeps saying soundbending isn't plausible. It seems just as likely as blood or metal bending. While I agree that bending the actual energy that makes up the soundwave would not be within the capabilities of someone able to manipulate gas molecules, it is still entirely possible that an airbender could produce pulses of air, or stabilise existing pulses, effectively imitating the manipulation of sound. When you think about it, bloodbenders don't actually bend blood, just the water in blood, just as metalbenders don't move the metal but the traces of "earth" (supposedly the non- or less-ionic impurities) within the metal. From this it follows that a master of airbending could theoretically create or nullify sounds. The practical uses of this would be many: Silent movement (think ultimate ninja), distraction of foes, alert signals for allies, even concussive sound waves used to render enemies temporarily deaf or unconscious without actually harming them. As to other possible sub-abilities, airbenders with intent to kill could theoretically create vacuums around their foes by forcing all gas molecules away from them, essentially creating a "vacuum bubble" and causing them bleed out or "pop" similar to what happens to an astronaut who enters space without a vacuum sealed suit. (Vacuumbending) As to airbenders bending light, this one seems a little more far-fetched, but still possible. If an airbending master can control both vacuums and air molecules, they could theoretically arrange staggered layers of air and vacuum, effectively creating light distortion. (Lightbending) Another interesting possibility would be the ability to press two helium molecules close enough together and with enough force that they fuse, forming a hydrogen molecule. This would immitate the effects of nuclear fusion, essentially creating a style of bending able to harness nuclear power. (Fusionbending???) However this seems even less likely than lightbending as it would require extreme amounts of both power and control in relation to bending ability.