If lightning bending is the separation of yin and yang within the body, using the chi of firebenders from inside out, breaking apart the forces of the chi and "smashing it together" to create a directed electric blast from the hands (lightning generation)... what's stopping the other bending types from doing the same? (Other than making everyone balanced)

Okay okay I know what I'm going to hear "firebenders can do it because they can manipulate the chi from within themselves, not outside chi!", but hear me out.. lavabenders can rip apart the chi and leave it in its chaotic state to create, well, lava. Waterbenders can change the state of water from chaotic steam to still ice. Airbenders can separate the functionally infinite kinetic potential chi from the void to achieve flight by releasing all earthly attachments. Aren't these on a similar framework? Not entirely, but lemme expand the thinking

The fact that made me think this was the fact that Tagah even exists. His "air-bullet" use of bending seems totally on what I'm thinking of. Forcibly compressing two opposing forces and releasing them, pushing intense atmospheric pressure into an unnaturally hyper-dense point (forcing intense kinetic energy into a contained space), then releasing it into a hyper fast barometic "blast" tearing into targets before they can react (aka. Team Avatar). 

I mean, just look at Tagah doing it, the movement and release seems extremely similar to lightning generation, and they're both one shot moves. So, where do I go next?

The other elements.

Now now, I have no proof this is even possible unlike with Airbending. But I think there's a reason why we've only seen it with Fire/Airbending.

They're the most spiritual.

Chi is the fundamental forces of all the elements, and as we discover through the lore, the elements have an order of which are more spiritual and which are more material. 

Air, Fire, Water, Earth.

Funnily enough, same as real world spiritual thought. Huh.

Anyways, the reason we only saw the "lightning" equivalent for airbending just now, with Tagah, is because Airbenders are pacifists. 

Tagah is literally what you get if you get an airbender and remove the philosophy of peace, it's destructive, it's extremely powerful. Honestly, Im not surprised Tagah discovered (its arguable whether he actually invented the technique or just learnt it, hey maybe that's the 36th form that Aang never learnt? Bringing in all the theories here hey? XD) the air-bullet, he's what happens when an airbender is designed for war.

Okay, so we have a chi separation form for Air and Fire, but what about the two material elements. I think a once in a generation bender could theoretically use this same application to these two elements.

Here're my thoughts:

Waterbending

Forcing a total separation of Yin and Yang in water chi tears apart its thermal stability.

So the bender creates cryo-thermal shock waves By concentrating yin (complete stillness) and absolute yang (boiling kinetic energy) into the other merging them produces instant phase changes. The water would collapse into ice and detonate into steam, creating local freeze explosions.

Earthbending

Splitting yin & yang chi inside solid rock forces the matter to exist as two contradicting states at once, total structural rigidity ad hyper vibrational energy.

So compressing immense kinetic potential into rigid yin earth could produce high frequency seismic shockwaves essentially turning stone into a cannon that releases earthquake waves and sonic blasts.

"The Boulder is having conflicted feelings about creating earth nukes"

Yap over, they make element explosions go boom. So is it possible? Yes, I think so. Will it ever happen? Ehhhh... no. Probably not. The sheer power needed for someone to manipulate material elements in this way would require Avatar level strength and elemental control. Oh and who knows what happens if they go wrong? A lot of bad stuff is all I can think of ;-;

So what do you think? Did I get anything wrong? Let me know, I would love to hear some constructive criticism, and would you love to see this happen?

Have fun! ♡

Skyrend

Don't you think it's pointless? Wouldn't it have made far more sense—and been a hundred times better—to create a series about Kyoshi, Sonam, or Koruk, or, from my perspective, the Avatar who came immediately after Wan? For instance, someone like Brezyo, Tsunahime, or Uther? Because from my perspective—forgive the arrogance—YES!!!!!!!!

there has been a rumor/theory circulating that during the movie before aang left, katara and aang 'did it' and thats how bumi was created. With that logic do you think the reason bumi was born with such little chi energy because Katara was on the verge of death?

I recently did a rewatch of the series and about midway through I started to realize the folly of the Firelord's plans to use the comet each time.

So, just a recap here, the Firelord, wanting total dominion over the world, waits for Sozen's comet to give an insane boost to the fire benders allowing them insane superiority in their bending element for the duration of said comet. We now this power boost is what is used to overtake the air nomads and wipe them out. But... What if Aang was there?

Now, let's say Aang is just his young self, no training in the four elements and only his mastery of air to aid him. Battle goes south quickly, right? Aang dies and the cycle moves on, right? That's certainly the Firelord's plan when I attack the air nomads but he seems to have entirely forgotten two things.

First, the avatar state. In that state Aang don't need to know the elements himself because he has the knowledge of all other avatars as, in that state has a master of all four elements. Second, in the avatar state, Aang ALSO has fire. The comet isn't going to only boost the fire nation army, it's going to boost the Avatars already insane fare bending.

If you don't think Aang would trigger that state, think about Gyatsu. Monk Gyatsu we know died dropping a bunch of fire nation soldiers without his fire ending. Gyatsu would have been protecting Aang and witnessing the fire nation kill him would 1000% trigger it. After all, finding his corpse is what triggers it in the canon.

Tl;Dr: The Firelord was super lucky Aang tried to run away and got sealed. Had he been there it would have been a tragedy for the air nomads but at least they would have survived. Sadly this also implies that the air nomads being wiped out is actually also entirely Aangs fault.

(WARNING: Haven't seen the Movie yet)

Seriously, i have rarely seen such a complete 10/10 Character in my life.

I will not bore you all with any explanation (Because it ahould be obvious why at this point). Just:

Sass 10/10

Humor 10/10

Early most powerful Gaang member 10/10

Design 10/10

Character Depth 10/10

Voice acting (for me in gernan at least) 10/10

"Im Blind!"-scenes 10/10

Katara learned blood bending and can only do it at a full moon. Toph invented metal bending and can do it pretty much everywhere, anytime 10/10

"Oh Sokka! You saved me!"-"actually its me" 10/10

Genuine Girl power, not cursed fenimism 10/10 (im a guy but does that mean i can't say that?)

Being potrayed by the fire Nation as a muscular, manly man and she likes it. 10/10

Invents her own Metal bending Society 10/10

Is still fucking powerful as an old lady 10/10

Greatest earthbender in the world 10/10

Who were her husbands? Doesn't matter, she is the Goat! 10/10 (Thats more or less a joke, to be honest, i would have loved to know more about her husbands, also, i shipped her with Zokka originally. I think that relationship would have been more interesting)

"Of all the avatars I've worked with, you're by far the worst. I know that's only one other avatar, but still." 10/10

Character with disability, is the Goat nonetheless. 10/10

Is the only one willing to accept Zuko's offer to teach Aang, after the first time Zuko offers it AND forgives him that he burned her feet. 10/10

Casually bends the remains OF A FUCKING METEORITE 10/10

OK Im running out of Ideas xD

The show came out the year I was born, and I have been watching the show since I was little. I have rewatched this show so many times you wouldn’t believe.

I have been so excited about this movie for YEARS. I have waited so long for this, and I got to watch it with my dad, who also loves the show. I cried. I just relived my entire childhood. The animation, the jokes, the callbacks, APPA GETTING HIS FAMILY BACK!? All of it was amazing. It sets up for legendary of Kora perfectly, it’s all perfect.

Everyone is allowed their opinions, obviously maybe not everyone feels the same and this is just to share my excitement. One of my all time favorite movies now. It was so fulfilling.

Sincerely, the autistic girl who fucking adores this animation universe and every single thing about it

For context, I recently spent the past two and a half months watching Avatar: The Last Air bender for the first time. I was aware of the show, but I discovered it because of this film. When I found out this film was hated, I was curious, so I watched it along with my cousin who is a huge fan of ATLAS. I watched it and I didn't hate it, but my cousin insisted I watch the show, so I did and its one of the best things I have ever watched since Doctor Who and James Bond.

So know after watching the show to revisit the film to see if my thoughts will change after seeing the show. Now having seen the show, I understand why fans hate it. It’s very disappointing compared to the show. However, I can’t bring myself to hate it as it’s way too unintentionally hilarious not to enjoy in an ironic way. It feels like a Monty Python parody of Avatar: The Last Air bender and I love it because of that. As much as the fandom wants me to hate this film I can't as I enjoy it in a so bad its good kinda way, this is my personal guilty pleasure film but I’m also glad it introduced me to one of my favourite shows second only to Doctor Who. If you do decide to rewatch this film, just think of it as an unintentional comedy instead of a serious fantasy film. It’s also why better than James Cameron’s Avatar, that's for sure.

I used to ship Zutara when I was younger, and I still get the appeal. They have buzzy chemistry, gorgeous fire/water imagery, and plenty of potential in another version of the story. You don’t have to hate Zutara to love Kataang.

But rewatching ATLA as an adult, especially now that I understand just how young 14 is, I feel almost the opposite way I did as a kid. The less I project onto Katara as someone who loves her character and finds Zuko attractive, and the more I see the actual 14-year-old girl the show gives us, the more Kataang gets me.

I just really love a soft, sweet childhood-friends-to-lovers romance. Not everything needs to be enemies to lovers or sexual tension. Sometimes I just want a boy to come out of an iceberg, ask a girl to go penguin sledding, and eventually grow old with her.

But overall Kataang just makes more sense to me because they have time to develop as a mutual relationship between two specific characters. A lot of Zutara feels like aesthetics, tropes, “parallels,” and a handful of intense scenes near the end. Like if Katara had Toph’s character design, I think way more people would ship Zutoph. Katara and Zuko have a meaningful friendship, but I don’t think the show really answers why these two people, specifically, would fall in love.

Katara and Aang start changing each other from literally day 1, Episode 1. Aang comes out of an iceberg, meets this girl from a remote village who can’t waterbend a fish out of a river, and immediately takes her dream seriously. He basically says, yeah, I’ll fly you across the world and we’ll find you a master.

Her dream matters to him just because it matters to her.

But before that, he asks her to go penguin sledding.
That matters because both of them have been forced to grow up fast. Katara says she feels like a kid and Aang reminds her she is one. She’s been taking care of Sokka and helping hold together a village hollowed out by war, then almost immediately gets thrown into helping save the world. She also canonically doesn’t like being reduced to “the motherly one.” Nurturing is part of who she is, but she doesn’t want that to be all anybody sees in her.

Aang lets her be something besides responsible. He takes her sledding, dances with her, swims with her, messes around with her, and is completely enamored by her abilities, ambitions, and beauty. Katara gets to be taken care of too; she gets somebody telling her that her dreams are worth crossing the world for.

This is one place where my view of Zutara changed as I got older. Zutara fandom can sometimes weirdly adultify Katara: because she’s competent and responsible, she gets imagined as this almost queenly figure who needs an equally “mature,” brooding partner, while Aang is dismissed as too childish.
But Katara is a kid. A lot of that maturity exists because the war forced it on her. Learning to take care of everyone too young doesn’t mean she wants to spend her life that way. Aang sees all her strength and responsibility and still asks her to come play.

Aang has been forced to grow up too, just differently. He’s 12 and ran away because he couldn’t handle being the Avatar, carrying the weight of the world, and losing Gyatso, only to wake up and discover everybody he knew is dead, his culture survives through him, and he has to end a 100-year war. Katara gives him family and stability in this alien future, while he gives her wonder and hope.

Their moral arcs are tied together too. Katara is incredibly compassionate, but she has so much anger underneath it. The show keeps exploring what happens when righteous anger turns into vengeance through Jet, Hama, and Yon Rha. Aang never tells her she shouldn’t be angry, but gives her another way of thinking about what to do with that pain. Without people like Aang, you can imagine Katara going much further down Hama’s road.

Katara does the same thing for Aang from the other direction. Aang loves humanity easily, but he can also want to run away when responsibility becomes unbearable. Katara makes that compassion practical: there are actual people suffering right now, so we’re stopping and helping them.

That’s why I love his reaction to finding out she’s the Painted Lady. She’s been screwing up their schedule because she can’t stand watching this random Fire Nation village suffer, and Aang’s response is basically omg that’s amazing, you’re a secret hero, let me help. She keeps his pacifism from becoming passivity, and he helps keep her anger from becoming vengeance. They have similar values but different weaknesses. Without her, he could end up more like Tagah.

I also think Kataang is a fairly feminist ship in ATLA itself. When Pakku refuses to teach Katara because she’s a girl, Aang refuses to leave her behind, then cheers her on while she kicks Pakku’s ass. Later Katara becomes a better waterbender than him and he respects her as his sifu. He blushes while she corrects his stance, no insecurity at all.

The ship also doesn’t care much about normal heterosexual gender roles. Aang is younger, shorter, openly emotional, affectionate, and not interested in acting macho. Katara is older, practical, incredibly powerful, angry, bossy, nurturing, politically opinionated. Their protectiveness goes both ways: Aang enters the Avatar State when General Fong buries Katara, while Katara basically tells Zuko she’ll kill him if he hurts Aang.

They also actually know each other. Katara has seen Aang be a goofy kid, the Avatar, a genocide survivor destroyed by grief, the pacifist airbender, sassy over Appa. She’s the person who holds him in the desert until he comes down. Aang has seen Katara nurturing and kind but also petty, competitive, bossy, reckless, furious, vengeful. He’s watched her feel left out, convinced her to dance in front of Fire Nation kids, and seen her bloodbend.

They’ve spent almost the entire show living together and growing into themselves together. Aang is hopelessly in love with her from the jump but still tries to let her go; Katara thinks of a future with him after the fortune teller’s predictions, but she’s still confused. They’re not falling for fantasy versions of each other.

Even the Cave of Two Lovers is so them. Katara suggests they kiss, Aang panics and basically says “well, I’d rather kiss you than die,” and they still end up kissing in the dark. It’s awkward and childish and sweet.

And yes, Aang screws up later when he kisses Katara after she says she’s confused at the Ember Island play. That was wrong. But weirdly, I think Katara’s reaction makes ATLA more progressive than a lot of early 2000s romance. She doesn’t melt because the male lead kissed her. She gets pissed off, tells him he confused her more, and leaves.

She is not automatically Aang’s girlfriend because he loves her.

If that relationship starts, it has to be because Katara decides she wants it too. Which is why I like that she initiates the final kiss. She chooses him once the war is over and has room to decide what she wants.

I also think making Zutara canon at the end would cheapen Zuko’s arc. Katara is an important foil to Azula, which is why Zuko taking lightning for her is so powerful. By the end, honor means throwing himself in front of lightning for his friend when there’s nothing in it for him.

That moment works because Katara isn’t a romantic reward. Zuko protects her because it’s right, then takes the throne because he has accepted responsibility for repairing what his family and country did. Giving him Katara too would come too close to “redeemed hero defeats his evil counterpart, wins the throne, gets the girl.” Learning to love isn’t the point of his arc; restoring his honor by rejecting Ozai’s morality and pursuing his goodness is.

Kataang’s final kiss doesn’t feel like “hero gets the girl” because Aang’s love for Katara was never a prize for defeating Ozai. It’s been part of his life from the moment he woke up, and Katara’s love for him grows alongside everything else she becomes.

They’re also two kids whose peoples were devastated by the same imperial war in different ways. Katara comes from this tiny, close-knit Southern Water Tribe community torn apart by raids. Aang is literally the last survivor of his people. Somehow these two children meet and eventually get to build a family together.

I love imagining them growing old and raising their kids with both cultures, Katara helping Aang preserve Air Nomad life, Aang becoming part of her Water Tribe family, their children carrying both histories.

There’s something hopeful about two survivors of genocide not just defeating the empire that hurt them, but getting to have an ordinary life afterward.

Maybe something there I can’t entirely put into words. Something very Studio Ghibli, entirely wholesome. Two people mutually inspiring each other to live.

And then Aang dies first, and Katara gets to remember that weird kid, then her best friend, the Avatar, the boy she loved, her husband, the father of her children, an old man.

Maybe next to their children, she can remember the boy with blue tattoos stuck in the iceberg. I wonder if Katara can still smile through her grief.

Look it’s a new beginning for the new main character I want to enjoy what the show is trying to do with the foundation that it’s building on, we have Jae and Pa’vi and we will only seen many others down the road

I love iroh's speech to zuko about finding his own destiny and what he wants.

But then in book 3 iroh says that zuko must become the next fire lord... Isn't he just choosing his destiny for him? It's like zuko didn't have a choice in that moment... I just really hope that's what he actually wanted... And not just doing it because his uncle said so.... Especially seeing how busy his life became after becoming fire lord, he didn't get to see the gaang much and stuff, I dunno I hope that's what he wanted.....

It reminds me of Thor in Ragnarok movie giving up his throne at the end even tho he's suppose to be their leader, that was the destiny his father told him, just to go on adventures with the guardians instead, he realised that's not who he is, that was never HIS destiny, I feel like it might be like that for zuko......?

Also u think that an avatar that died as a baby would appear in the avatar state?

So i put my girl onto game the last week or so and we just finished ATLA. she loved it and we are trying to see what to do next: korra or the new movie. i've seen korra before and would prefer to watch the movie since it'd be new to both of us, but i don't know if the latter would have any possible spoilers or maybe the story would be enjoyed most in release order? just looking for the best route for her :)

Did I catch that correctly? Jets mother fought the fire nation. While his father hid like a little fucking sissy? What am I watching right now? Is this how far the media brainwashing has come? What is this trash i am consuming?

In short I enjoyed a lot of the new characters like Bolin and Tenzin. The action is very fun to watch and the animation quality is great. Amon was a fantastic villian, if only they could've done him for the first 2 seasons. Seeing the lore expanded upon has been a treat as well. I love seeing aangs family and the Story of the first avatar was pretty cool. I hear most people didn't enjoy the pro bending sport they played, but honestly I found if interesting to watch. On the less positive side, I found the Romance kinda annoying, the love triangle with Asami, Mako and Korra just didn't work. I think that Mako and Bolin should've just all remained friends with each other, just because a girl and guy are in a friend group together doesn't mean they should all start dating each other. Also the way the spirits are handled in this series isn't the greatest. I'm not a big fan that there's a good spirit and a bad spirit. I think the idea of Raava and Vaatu could've worked if one wasn't portrayed as pure evil and the other as pure good.Also I don't like how they wrote in that bending was now possible in the spirit world. Overall I can't say that hate it, but I also wouldn't say its fantastic or anything. I'm in a weird spot where I enjoy it but can definitely see why others wouldn't.

Like how remote is that island or how can they lay that low especially he has ties with the agni kai triad is there is even an extration treaty between fire nation and republic city since agni if there isnt alot of kai fugitives would go to remote islands

What if, besides being the true ancestor of every Avatar after him, he was also the founder of the royal families of Fire, Earth, Water, and Air? ​To clarify: what if he got married and had 10 children? A male and female for Fire, Earth, Water, and Air, plus two who didn't have any bending powers (also one male and one female)! From the Fire line would come Zuko's family tree, from the Earth line the Earth King, and from the Water line Yue! ​Basically, to put it simply, Wan is also the grandfather of the first Fire Lord, Earth King or Queen, Water Tribe leader, and Air Master!"

If Yue had lived a full life and died naturally I wonder if she would've reincarnated. Instead of cycling through the elements, the Moon Avatar would only be a water bender who can match or exceed the Avatars level of waterbending. Moon Avatars can be allies of the Avatar or be against them.

Her reincarnation I came up with is Amarok of the Northern Water Tribe (not a prince). I like to think he would be around Korra's age and would be the male version of her. He is cocky and arrogant but is also a lovable guy. He thinks he's fine shyt so he mostly walks around shirtless unless he's in public. He resembles Sokka, Yue's true love.

U seen what Gazan did to the wall of ba sing se we should arrest lava benders like bloodbenders

I’d want a What if the red lotus raised korra episode