@Giasfelfebrehber12 and @SonoPazziQuelliRomani

How about this question: What would you want the fighting styles for Lightbending and Shadowbending? I'm no expert on Kung Fu but I like the idea of Wing Chun for Lightbending and Serpent Style Kung Fu for Shadowbending.

Ack I'm also not an expert in Kung Fu but I think it would be cool if lightbenders used small explosions of light (similar to combustionbending but probably smaller and without fire) directed at someone's feet to throw them off balance or beams of light directed at their eyes to temporarily blind their opponent. Because that would distract your opponent, it would then be easier to shoot rays of light at them or do a move similar to fire daggers? As for shadowbending, I think a common trick used would be to cloud someone in their own shadow to make them disoriented or using shadows to grab someone's limb, as I think shadows would have a more creepy/seeping into to something fashion whereas light would be more direct, concentrated rays and explosions.

I like the idea of using Light's attributes of Reflection and Refraction. Get around an opponents guard by bouncing the Light off surfaces to hit them in their blind spots. Refraction could be used well against opponents that are unaware of how Refraction works. Best used against Waterbenders and Crystalbending Earthbenders.

For Shadowbending; I like the idea of whip-like strikes using Shadows. Shrouds of Darkness can hide a Shadowbenders movements. Allowing the Shadowbender to dodge attacks quite well. I can even imagine waves of Darkness crashing into opponents. I think a Shadowbender could even cling to walls and ceilings by connecting to his/her Shadow and then connecting to a wall/ceiling. It'd be a different movement mechanic.

Would the benders be able to create illusions? The world of Avatar is based a lot around science, so we have to consider what exactly light and shadowbenders are doing. Do lightbenders create light or just manipulate it? Can darkbenders somehow take away light? What about lightwaves? Can lightbenders change waves’ frequencies? Can they make things appear different colors? What about ultraviolet light, x-rays, and gamma rays? Can advanced lightbenders use these?

I think Lightbenders could create Illusions. Let's call it "Miragebending". I think they could both generate Light and manipulate Light. I think Lightbenders could change the color of their Light at about any time they wish. Using changing colors could even be a form of communication too. I think a Lightbenders could even manipulate "Black Light". Which could be used by police or bounty hunters. Lightbenders can't change the colors of anything that isn't Light within their control.

No, I don't think Shadowbenders could take away Light. But, I think they could tap into the "Void". I'm not talking about the philosophical Void that Zaheer references but a new type of Sub Element used by Shadowbenders. It'd be incredibly cold but packs a punch. It can also allow for Shadowbenders to temporarily enter the Void (physically) allowing them into another space for a brief period, They could bend "Void Essence" (the type of energy within the Void) as their main form of combat.

@Zealous Gamer I agree with the void idea. I think that the void could also be where dark matter comes from considering Vaatu and the Dark Avatar stuff in S2 of LOK.

As for manipulating light, I think it would be something that would require a lot more skill because of how many individual rays there are to manipulate. I've always noticed this in other books/shows that have characters that can make illusions, but I think it would be a lot more difficult than just that. Sort of like "oh, you can lightbend? trust me kiddo, miragebending is 10x more difficult" and some lightbenders (maybe those in lower classes who can't afford to take classes or don't have time to learn it) would just stick with light rays and explosions. And I guess the avatar would be able to lightbend too, right?

As for gamma rays and ultraviolet light, I think that in principle lightbenders could manipulate those but the world of avatar hasn't really discovered them yet. If avatar were taking place in a more modern setting, I think that it would be possible as it's been discovered, but as long as ultraviolet light hasn't been discovered, I don't think lightbenders would even know they could do that. Unless, of course, they find out about it.

I don't think Explosions really work well with Light. That seems more of a Firebending thing. Do do think Miragebending would be among the most difficult Bending forms to learn though. How about Invisible Light? It could be called "Distortionbending". As the Human eye could only see a Distorted effect as the Light would be bended.

I think they could do distortions. What would their bending philosophy be, though? Airbenders are all about evasion and finding their way around problems, earthbenders stand strong and face problems head-on, waterbenders are about redirection and changing the flow of battle to suit them, and firebenders prefer to strike first and strike hard. I can see lightbenders dealing in deception—creating illusions to baffle their opponents, tricking them into joining their side, etc. but I’m not sure what the inverse of that would be and how it would apply to shadow.

Honestly, I'm not an expert on combat mentality. I'm sure there are fitting themes that go well with both.

What about concepts that best represent each Element? Fire's Power, Air's Freedom, Water's Change, and Earth's Substance. I have an idea but I'd like to see yours first.

Well, shadows create hard lines, right? and if you can manipulate shadows, you can bring things to light that would be otherwise be in shadow (literally and figuratively). So maybe shadowbenders would focus on making things clear, especially since they don't like the show that lightbenders put on. I can't think of a word for that other than 'Clarity', which is kind of obvious and would show a combat style simple to the aggressive firebending, though I could see there being differences.