Bending The Elements

Subject: Bending The Elements Sat 07 Jul 2012, 10:25

The art of bending is the ability to manipulate the respective element based on your movements and the bender's will. It's not magic like what most people think, and you can't definitely bend the elements with just your mind too, but wouldn't that be great! Each bending style are normally associated with an actual martial arts, which in turn depicts the nature of the bending element and also reflects the culture that inherits it. However, due to the movie, almost all of the bending moves are done with excessive kicking and punching, since the cast only knew taekwando and karate, and we will not be following the movie because it is poo, compared to the series.

Bending The Elements Avatar10

Water Bending - The art of water bending, inherited by the Water Tribe of the North and South pole. This form of bending is associated with the Push and Pull techniques of Tai Chi. It's strength comes from the power of the moon, whereby the bender gets gradually stronger as the moon changes phases every night towards the full moon. Water bending is smooth, elegant and clear, as it's nature of a flowing river or moving sea. Able to control any form of water, and turn them into ice, mist or even as it is, a bender's form is limitless as water takes no form and can be used in variety of ways. A variation of this bending would be the swamp tribe which uses water bending in more offensive and direct movements. Regardless of the origins, some water benders are able to heal others by redirecting the flow of chi in a person's body. But don't let the gentle water put you off, as on full moons, some benders can even use blood bending, whereby they can control the blood in your body and bend it to their will.

Bending The Elements Avatar14

Earth Bending - This art would be mainly found in the Earth Kingdom, where the people's strengths and beliefs are as solid as a rock. Some people of the desert also uses a sand bending, which is a variation of this. To master earth bending, strong solid movements are needed, as such as the martial art of Hung Gar, created by the famous Wong Fei Hong is associated to it. Hung Gar would be mainly notable due to it's horse stance which is practiced for endurance. Hence, this style mainly focus on defense, and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike back. Besides the hard style of Hung Gar, there's also the soft style of Chu Gar or the praying mantis style, which uses softer but quicker stances. A high level bender is able to manipulate crystals from the depth of the earth, and rarely metal-bending, whereby the tiny earth pieces in metal are manipulated to control the metal itself.

Bending The Elements Avatar15

Fire Bending - Mainly used by the antagonist race, the Fire Nation. Being warped by it's original teachings, it is fueled by anger and hatred, thus strong emotions will control the strength of the created flames. Like fire and flames, the Fire Nation are people with heavy machineries, powered by coal and flames. The people itself are aggressive and in the series, mainly tyrannical, due to the 100 years of world conquest campaign that it has been leading. The art of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu is seen by most firebenders. The art shows great aggressiveness and ferocious speed, like a small fire quickly burning down a thick terrain of forestry. As such, most firebenders train in self control to avoid destroying both themselves and the nature around them. High level benders are able to increase the intensity of their red flames into blue flames which are much stronger and hotter. Some benders are even able to manipulate and redirect chi in the air into blue or even white burst of lightnings. A feat that only 3 person in the series are able to do.

Bending The Elements Avatar16

Air Bending - From small breezes, to streams of air and even big tornadoes, an air bender can do all of that. Inherited by the Air Nomads who were free spirited and never tied down, it represents freedom or an unbounded soul. Too bad that they were totally exterminated by the Fire Nation, fearing that the avatar is going to be reborn into the Air Nation. As an air bender, Aang uses the art of Ba Gua, which incorporates circular movements to avoid being hit or capture and follow up with direct hits and strikes. Think of it like a free moving breeze which can suddenly turn into a violent gust of wind.

What is an Avatar?

The Avatar is independent of all government systems and acts in the interests of world balance. He or she acts as the international authority for peace, justice and order and often deliberately contradicts and challenges the decisions of his or her own nation's leader if the leader is attempting to break the peace.

What does Avatar mean?

The translation of the word avatar is usually translated as the descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being. It is mostly translated as "incarnation," but more accurately as "manifestation". The noun avatāra is derived from the verbal root "to cross over". All of these words make up what the Avatar is as they are the decent of a spirit, who is a supreme being, who reincarnates every time they die and manifests in to a different human. The noun is also a main aspect as they can cross over to the spirit world.