The Mind-Blowing Evolution of Bending Techniques in Korra's Avatar: The Last Airbender Journey

Highlights

The decision by Avatar Korra to go against the first Avatar's decision may not have been her wisest, considering the growing power and techniques of elemental bending arts.

A potential spinoff of Avatar: The Last Airbender could delve into the realm of advanced bending techniques, including energy bending and spirit bending.

By introducing these new bending techniques and abilities into the franchise, it paves the way for the exploration of new categories of benders and the possibility of conflict and disharmony within the Avatar universe.

Throughout the generations, conflicts have arisen among the humans of Avatar: The Last Airbender, as they possess the ability to bend elements for self-defense against spirits, thanks to the ancient lion turtles. In The Legend of Korra, this struggle continued and led Avatar Korra to challenge the decision of the first Avatar. However, considering the ever-growing power and techniques of elemental bending, Korra's choice may not have been the wisest.

To expand the Avatar universe, a potential spinoff could delve into more intriguing and advanced bending techniques. By introducing additional combination, sub-elemental, and psychic bending arts, the franchise could explore numerous stories that don't solely focus on the four primary elemental bending practices. Two obscure yet sophisticated bending arts that deserve further exploration are energy bending and spirit bending.

How Bending Works In Avatar: The Last Air Bender

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Benders in the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe are commonly believed to bend the elements. However, this is an oversimplification of how bending actually works. Bending is fundamentally the manipulation of chi, allowing the manifestation and control of the element that the bender is affiliated with. In essence, all bending is the bending of chi, also known as energy bending. The ancient lion turtle explains to Aang, prior to his battle with Fire Lord Ozai, that "before the Avatar, we did not bend the elements but the energy within ourselves. To bend another's energy, your spirit must be unyielding, or you will be corrupted and destroyed." Elemental bending occurs by extending one's chi beyond the body.

There are several methods for blocking chi in benders. Apart from the challenging task of bending another's chi to strip them of their bending ability entirely, there are three other ways to block a bender's chi. One method is demonstrated by Ty Lee, a former associate of Azula, who is able to temporarily block chi flow by striking a bender's pressure points. The second method involves the forbidden technique of blood-bending, previously believed to only function during a full moon, but later proven capable of temporarily blocking bending. This is exemplified by Amon's reign of terror in The Legend of Korra. The final method is self-inflicted, where benders lose the ability to extend their chi outside of their bodies when their chakras are blocked. Trauma, fear, or negative thoughts typically cause this blockage, consequently disrupting the flow of chi. Guru Pathik explains this to Aang when he struggles to unlock his Avatar state due to his fear of harming his loved ones.

Advanced Chi Bending In Avatar: The Last Air Bender

Understanding the chi-level of bending is essential to grasp the growth and range of power of bending techniques in the universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender, even without possessing the Avatar's abilities. The series has only scratched the surface of what bending can achieve, with advanced and combined techniques becoming more prominent. For instance, fire benders mastering the art of lightning bending and air benders exploring astral projection through spirit bending. These techniques not only allow for new classes of benders, but also expand the display of bending capabilities.

Water benders can utilize blood bending due to the adaptive chi bending of water and fluids within the body. Similarly, earth benders adapt their chi to bend metal. Scientifically speaking, the franchise's most skilled earth benders should also possess the ability to blood bend, considering the high mineral content present in the body. Korra, as the Avatar, showcased her proficiency by bending liquid mercury out of her body. However, it is plausible for a highly skilled earth bender to focus on manipulating the minerals rather than the fluids to perform blood bending. This technique resembles the control sand benders have over grains of sand, enabling them to create sandstorms even without being air benders.

In light of storms, it is the Avatar who has been observed as the only one with the capability to cause a natural disaster. It is not unrealistic to envision other skilled benders, such as Fire Lord Ozai from the series, being able to generate and manipulate lightning storms by controlling atmospheric heat. While air, earth, and water benders are capable of simulating smaller-scale natural disasters by creating tornadoes, splitting the earth, and conjuring hurricane-like waterspouts respectively, their inability to control weather or larger-scale natural disasters may be attributed to blocked chakras or a lack of proficiency in harnessing their chi in such extensive and forceful manners. This is where Korra's actions at the end of The Legend of Korra have the potential to make a significant impact.

Why Korra's Actions Could Change Bending

When Avatar Korra made the bold decision to reestablish the connection between the physical and spiritual realms, little did she realize the consequences it might bring. Long ago, humans and spirits coexisted peacefully in the same world, until the humans' craving for power urged the first Avatar, Wan, to seal off the portals between their realms. However, this happened at a time when bending abilities were not as prevalent among humans, and advanced bending techniques had not yet emerged. By reopening the portals, Korra not only potentially puts the spirits in danger but also enables benders to uncover ancient and advanced techniques that could reignite conflicts among nations.

In response to the four nations, the Avatar would most likely need to master spirit and energy bending in order to prevent benders from becoming excessively reckless or causing harm, even if it means sacrificing their own bending abilities. The issue is that energy bending can both take away and restore bending, and it is not an art exclusive to the Avatar. The series has not established any prerequisites for the ability to bend the chi of others, so anyone with chi and the ability to bend should theoretically be able to learn it. This potentially dangerous possibility could lead to widespread anarchy and violence. Spirit bending, on the other hand, is a more advanced technique typically associated with highly skilled air benders. However, since both spirit and chi exist within everyone, the ability to spirit bend may not be limited to just the Avatar or air benders. If the human desire for power continues and the spirits themselves become stronger, possibly even turning into dark spirits, there would be a need for a neutral law enforcement group with either energy or spirit bending capabilities to assist the Avatar in restoring balance.

Why The Next Avatar Spinoff Should Focus On Spirit and Energy Bending

Energy bending remains enigmatic within the universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender. This esoteric bending art encompasses various techniques, such as endowing, restoring, and stripping bending abilities, as well as facilitating the transfer of knowledge between individuals. Onscreen, we witness the evolution of spirit bending, depicting extraordinary abilities like astral projection, traversing the spirit world, purifying malevolent spirits, and unleashing spiritual cannon blasts. The prevalence of these bending arts, or a widespread necessity for their acquisition, could serve as a captivating focal point for a potential spinoff within the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. Aspects like punishing individuals by stripping their bending abilities could be framed as a violation of human rights, compelling the Avatar to confront a moral quandary surrounding conflict resolution. Furthermore, if chi bending were to bestow benders with amplified powers, the emergence of benders capable of cataclysmic devastation could overwhelm even the most skilled Avatar.

Although hypothetical, the problem persists due to Korra's actions. The arts of chi bending and spirit bending pose a threat to the world's balance, much like the danger posed by the widespread granting of elemental bending abilities. Perhaps the Spirit World holds these forgotten arts, waiting to be discovered by humans, whether for better or worse. Without understanding the interconnectedness of spirits and humans, and the importance of harmony, the cycle of conflict will persist, as previous Avatars have struggled to resolve. As shown in The Legend of Korra, even the mere existence of an Avatar is seen as a threat that benders must defend against. How the Avatar handles this situation could determine the future of bending for humans, and whether the portals to the Spirit World will remain open or be closed once again. Ultimately, the next Avatar in Avatar: The Last Airbender could very well be the last, in order to achieve lasting peace.