Unveiling the Reality Behind Avatar The Last Airbender's Bending Origins in The Legend of Korra
Unraveling the Bending Origins: The intriguing contrast between Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra's bending origins sparks a debate on which version holds the truth Delve into the captivating differences and uncover the ultimate bending origin story
Article Key Points
The spin-off series, The Legend of Korra, introduces a different origin story for bending, contradicting the original Nickelodeon series.
In The Legend of Korra, it is disclosed that humans acquired the skill of bending the elements from ancient lion turtles through a process known as energybending.
The matter of whether bending is a natural trait present in all humans or a talent bestowed by nature or genetics remains unanswered in both series of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
There are two origin stories for bending in the Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise, one in the original Nickelodeon series and the other in its spin-off, The Legend of Korra. The spin-off may have contradicted the original's explanation of bending in its attempt to expand on the lore.
Avatar: The Last Airbender depicts various forms of bending, with the idea that humans learned this ability from animals. This suggested that bending was an innate trait among certain individuals. Early practitioners learned earthbending from badgermoles, firebending from dragons, and airbending from sky bisons. Waterbenders, however, have a unique story as their ancestors acquired the skill of manipulating water from observing the moon's influence on the tides. While the process by which animals themselves learned to bend remains unclear, the key discrepancy lies in The Legend of Korra, which presents a different explanation for how humans acquired bending abilities.
How The Legend Of Korra’s Bending Origin Differs
Lion turtles are colossal and ancient creatures resembling turtles, and their rich history was extensively explored in The Legend of Korra. These majestic creatures once provided a sanctuary for early humans and offered protection when the realms of Spirit Wilds and the Human World were interconnected. The last surviving lion turtle enlightened Avatar Aang about a time when humans had not yet mastered the art of bending the elements.
"In an endless span of time, darkness perpetually exists in emptiness, but is invariably defeated by purifying illumination. In an era predating the Avatar, we did not manipulate the elements, but instead harnessed the energy within our own beings."
The lion turtle's reference to "we" was initially believed to include humans, but The Legend of Korra clarifies that it actually refers to the ancient lion turtles who protected humans and bestowed upon them the power to bend the elements. These lion turtles could also take away the bending ability through energybending. In the past, humans used elemental bending to protect themselves while venturing into the Spirit Wilds for food and supplies, and upon their return, the lion turtles would revoke their bending powers.
The Age of the Avatar led the lion turtles to relinquish their role as guardians of humanity, after having granted many humans the ability to bend the elements. However, this version of bending origins conflicts with what was portrayed in Avatar: The Last Airbender. It also raises the question of whether bending was a natural capability within every human, due to their inherent chi, or if it was a talent bestowed by Nature or genetics, given that the lion turtles ceased granting bending abilities long before the series began.
Which Avatar The Last Airbender Bending Origin Story Is True?
The possibility exists that both narratives hold truth if we entertain the notion that humans were capable of mastering the art of bending without the aid of lion turtles. In the era of Avatar Wan, the act of bending was explicitly forbidden within the cities situated atop the formidable lion turtles. This revelation unveils a number of implications.
Learning to bend is also a skill that takes time to master.
Even if the people could bend or learn to bend, they didn't have the right, nor the need, to bend while in the city.
The lion turtles not only bestowed the gift of elemental bending, but also imparted instant mastery of the power to early benders.
Once the lion turtles ceased granting this ability and knowledge, humans had the opportunity to learn from animal benders or even the moon, which led to the development of different bending techniques and cultures. Interestingly, energybending appears to be the most innate form of bending for humans in Avatar: The Last Airbender, as it solely involves manipulating their chi without involving an elemental influence. Regrettably, energybending poses a formidable challenge for those seeking to learn it, as emphasized by the lion turtle's counsel to Aang:
The true mind remains resilient in the face of lies and illusions, never losing its way. The heart can endure the poison of hatred, remaining unharmed. To manipulate another's energy, one's own spirit must be unyielding, or else corruption and destruction will follow.
As a result, the art of bending elements becomes more attainable for humans. Adding to the enigma, Avatar: The Last Airbender does not provide an explanation for how bending affinities arise. It does not clarify whether it is a result of nature or genetics that allows Katara from the Southern Water Tribe to waterbend while her brother Sokka cannot. Nor does it explain why Mako can firebend while his brother Bolin can manipulate earth and lava but not metal. Furthermore, the sudden emergence of non-benders gaining the ability to airbend only adds to the elusive nature of bending.
Tenzin possessed the skill of airbending from a young age, whereas his brother Bumi only acquired the ability after the Harmonic Convergence. Similar to how the origins of bending can have multiple explanations, it is feasible that one's elemental affinity can be both genetically inherited and influenced by nature. In the realm of Avatar: The Last Airbender, where both benders and non-benders exist, various truths can coexist if someone endeavors to bridge the gap.
Editor's P/S
As a hard fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, I have mixed feelings about the bending origins introduced in The Legend of Korra. On one hand, I appreciate the expansion of the lore and the introduction of new elements, such as the lion turtles and energybending. These additions add depth and complexity to the Avatar universe and provide a fresh perspective on the origins of bending.
On the other hand, I feel that the new bending origins contradict the established lore of the original series. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, it is clear that bending is an innate ability that certain individuals possess, and that it is learned from animals. This explanation is simple and elegant, and it fits well with the themes of balance and harmony that are central to the series.
In contrast, the bending origins presented in The Legend of Korra are more complicated and convoluted. They involve lion turtles, energybending, and a timeline that doesn't quite line up with the events of the original series. This can be confusing for fans and it undermines the sense of continuity between the two series.
Ultimately, I believe that the bending origins in Avatar: The Last Airbender are more satisfying and consistent with the overall themes of the series. While I appreciate the new ideas introduced in The Legend of Korra, I think that the writers could have done a better job of integrating them with the existing lore.
