Talk:Avatar/@comment-132.216.19.203-20101026134055/@comment-707005-20101026142350

As a follow up to what I wrote above, I would also like to say to those that believe that Aang is the only way that Airbenders can propagate (since he is the "Last Airbender" ), you may be right as well, and all we can do is wait and see what the writers do with the story. I expect the story to target an older demographic now than it did before (as the fans have gotten older too) and they will take a more well-thought-of direction with the story. As such I hope the writers are considering some of the things I have written above, as they are issues that will impact the story greatly (as the Air Nation is obviously a crucial element of the story).

IF the Air Nation becomes extinct, we must always consider a backup plan. Here is what I believe is a possibility.

Nature is the mother of all life. It is the source of all the elements and it is the cause of life AND death. This unique power is capable of creating mountains, oceans, hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions that mankind can only dream of reproducing. Thus we must consider that mother nature is the first Avatar or more accurately the "source" of the Avatar. As the source, she gave birth to all the elements breathing in life to what we currently call the sources of the benders (the badgermoles, the flying bison, the dragons, and fish and moon). Through respect and admiration of mother nature, mankind learned from these sources and imitated her power, generating the first benders like Oma and Shu who learned earthbending.

It is unclear why nature took a physical form so many thousands of years ago, perhaps to take a more active role in the maintenance of its creation, but when it did, humankind called this god walking amongst mere mortals, the Avatar.

In the Avatar, there lies a potential that few benders can emulate, the ability to commune in spirit world (or what we can consider the power over life and death). As nature breathes life to the animals plants and people, so too can the Avatar since the Avatar IS the force of nature.

If it is the will of nature, then life is possible; so too that if it is the will of nature, death or the void of life is possible. The Avatar is the conduit of this power, the bridge between the spirit world and the world of the living. When nature created the sources of the bending elements, it was also the Avatars who were creating them since they are one and the same. Korra, Aang, Roku, Kioshi, Yanchen and all the Avatars before them participated in the creation of these creatures and of all the creatures in the world (and out of it as well such as spirits, etc).

In conclusion, if it is mother nature's will, she will restore the Air Nation and the flying bisons to their former glory. However, the Avatar must first realize that the potential for creation lies within her and that she is the only one that can do it and worst of all, no one else can teach her to do this, so she must look into herself for the knowledge she seeks. (And by she, I mean Korra...if you didn't get what I meant)...

(Ok that concludes my guesswork for the story.)