Bending arts

Bending, the ability to manipulate any element, is very significant to all aspects of life in the World of Avatar. There are five known bending arts; four of them bend a specific physical element, while the fifth bends the energy within the human body itself. The four elemental bending arts are based on the four classical elements; water, earth, fire, and air, and each are manipulated through certain martial art styles which are reminiscent of the qualities of the element itself. Certain benders are able to effectively manipulate their element with very minimum bodily movement, such as only their head. In even rarer cases, it is possible to perform their bending without the aid of physical movement at all, instead using sheer focus and force of will; a skill known as psychic bending.

The fifth bending art, energybending, is unlike the other four in that very little physical action is required to direct the bending itself. The four elemental bending arts are all dependent on the energy, or chi, within the human body, relying on its flow through the body to manipulate a specific element. Energybending, on the other hand, is concerned with the manipulation of the energy itself and is able to remove or restore one's bending abilities.



Each element is also associated with a particular nation in the world; the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads, though other bending affiliated groups exist (e.g. the Sun Warriors, the Foggy Swamp Tribe). Though each nation is affiliated to a specific bending art, not all from any nation, with the exception of the Air Nomads, are born with the ability to bend. It is unclear how the ability to bend is distributed amongst the population or how closely it is linked to heredity; even among identical twins it is possible for one to be a bender and the other not. In the case of mixed marriages, the children may be benders of either element if they are benders at all; for example, firebender Mako and earthbender Bolin are brothers with parents from the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. The only case of any one person being able to bend multiple elements is the Avatar, the spirit of the world incarnate, having the ability to practice all five bending arts.

Airbending


Airbending is the bending art used by the Air Nomads. The art was almost wiped from existence by the Fire Nation, and only one known airbender remained after the Air Nomad Genocide: the Avatar, Aang. His son Tenzin, and grandchildren, Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo, later inherited the ability, reviving the nearly extinct bending art. Airbending concentrates on speed and evasion, forgoing a strong offense for defense. Though apparently lacking fatal finishing moves, it is the most dynamic of all the bending arts. As the element of freedom, airbenders use their capability to bend unencumbered by the ground or any other environmental factors and use their own momentum as a weapon, evading attacks with astounding agility to tire their opponents out or building up massive inertia for explosive gusts of wind to make their counterattacks finishing moves. Airbenders, when resorting to physical confrontation, are able to harness the immense and intangible power of wind. Airbending's opposite is earthbending, and the confrontational style that serves as its foundation. Airbenders can use a flight technique, where an airbender opens his/her glider and uses the air to provide thrust and lift. The first airbenders were the sky bison. Their style of fighting is Ba Gua Kung Fu. Airbending is the element of freedom, and its season is autumn.

Waterbending


Practiced by select people of the Water Tribe, waterbending is not only the most versatile element, but one of the more unique bending arts as the first benders did not learn from an animal, but from the Moon. Similar to their element, waterbenders are extremely adaptable and versatile. Waterbending concentrates on the flow of energy and focuses less on strength and more on turning the opponent's own energy against them. While a bender's victory in battle depends on their skill or ingenuity, waterbenders, unlike other benders, gain a serious advantage or disadvantage depending on the amount of water around them, although highly skilled waterbenders can draw water from surprising places. Waterbenders can draw humidity from the air and bend the water in living things, especially plants. As the element of change, waterbenders can fluidly and quickly alternate from defense to offense, from a wall of ice to a jet of water, turning their opponent's strength against them. The opposite of waterbending is firebending and its relatively stagnant, direct philosophy. Due to its lunar sympathy, waterbending is stronger at night and ineffective during a lunar eclipse or when the Moon Spirit dies. However, to counter waterbending's ineffectiveness during a lunar eclipse, waterbenders gain immense power during the peak of the full moon. The Moon was the first waterbender. The sub-skill for waterbending is healing. Their style of fighting is Tai Chi. Waterbending is the element of change and its season is winter.

Earthbending


Originating in the Earth Kingdom, earthbending demands a special connection with the earth that is achievable with neutral jing, listening, though seemingly doing nothing, and waiting for the right moment to strike. The first earthbenders were badgermoles. Like waterbenders, earthbenders gain an advantage or disadvantage in battle based on the amount of earth around them, though the conditions are not as extreme. The sub-skill for earthbending is seismic sense and, as an extension, metalbending. Because of their element's stability and its stress on neutral jing, earthbenders stand their ground, absorbing or intercepting attacks until they completely overwhelm their opponents. Unlike the other bending arts, earthbending's strength equally lies in both offense and defense. Earthbending is in stark contrast to airbending as airbending's emphasis is on evasion and mobility while earthbending's emphasis is on fortitude and strength. Their style of fighting is Hung Gar. However, Toph Beifong used a different style called the Southern Praying Mantis. Earthbending is the element of substance, and its season is spring.

Firebending


Firebending, used by the people of the Fire Nation, is the most aggressive bending art. Unlike other benders who depend on external sources of their elements to bend, firebenders can create fire using their internal heat source in addition to controlling already existent flames. As the element of power, firebenders have to be able to maintain a constant source of energy and balance in battle, unleashing a volley of direct, successive attacks. Firebending's relatively simple and direct style contrasts the complex and changing style of waterbending. Due to its solar affinity, firebending is stronger during the day and at its full power at noon, but completely ineffective during a solar eclipse. When a comet passes close to the planet, the power of a firebender is greatly increased. For a long time, disciplines of firebending were taught to be fueled by hatred, yet this directly contrasts with the sub-ability of utilizing lightning, and more skilled firebenders are able to fly using powerful jets of flames. Dragons were the first firebenders; being the ones who subsequently taught the Sun Warriors. Their style of fighting is Northern Shaolin Kung Fu. A notable feature of special firebenders is an ability to create a hotter, blue fire; Azula was the only known firebender who demonstrated this extra-powerful flame. Firebending is the element of power and its season is summer.

Energybending


Energybending is a bending art that existed in the era before the Avatar and the four bending arts. It is the bending of the energy within one's body. Energybending allows the user to remove other peoples' bending abilities or restore the bending of a bender who has had their bending blocked by bloodbending. It is a highly dangerous technique; if one's own energy is impure and therefore bendable, the practitioner will be consequently destroyed. Very few Avatars have learned this bending art, and even fewer have used it.