Monk Gyatso's FORBIDDEN Airbending Technique Used to Kill the Firebenders

During Aang’s heartbreaking trip back to the Southern Air Temple early in the series, he comes across the skeleton of his former Mentor, Monk Gyatso. This leads Aang into a furious rage, sending him into the Avatar state… But how did Monk Gyatso kill all of these Firebenders in such a tight space… Well, there’s a crazy theory that explains that, and might make you look at Monk Gyatso in a totally different light… He may have used a highly forbidden and secretive technique known only to absolute Masters of the Airbending art….

#avatarthelastairbender #avatarthelastairbender #forbiddenbending

OK, So this theory has been going around for years, but I believe Monk Gyatso used a similar technique to Zaheer from Legend of Korra to suck all of the air out of the room, and take out all of the Fire Nation soldiers, but tragically also himself. An all or nothing move. as the troops surrounded him, he made peace with his decision and quietly sat down, knowing what he was about to do… So here’s why:

first of all, his clothing is completely unburned. they aren’t scorched or charred in any way, which is ridiculous when there are dozens of bodies piled up around him. It’s simply not possible for them to have fought him without fire…

That leads on to the next point… All of the bodies of the fire nation soldiers are piled up around Monk Gyatso… If he used airbending to kill them all in the traditional way, their bodies would have been thrown all around the room, and certainly not all piled together right next to him.

Next is that we know this type of bending is certainly possible from Zaheer and the Earth Queen in the legend of korra. In that show he was able to suck the air directly out of the earth queens lungs, leading her to suffocate horribly. Now Zaheer was certainly a very skilled and powerful bender, by I’d argue Monk Gyatso was probably even stronger and certainly much more experience. This would allow him to control much larger volumes of air in the fine-grained and precise way needed to suck air out of longs, or completely clear a room of oxygen….

And because of his huge experience and extreme mastery of Airbendening, Gyatso probably discovered this technique deep in written air nomad history, combining it with his own skills and knowldge. He certainly never woud have taught Aang such a dark technique firstly because of how dark and malicious it was, but also simply because it wasn’t ready. This explains pretty perfectly why it was never mentioned in the show and why Aang didn’t know that’s what happened. He would have no idea that something like that could even be achieved with airbending.

As for how the exact events went down… well here’s how I think it happened. As the firebenders approached the top of the mountain, having already killed hundreds of Air Nomads on the way up, they were probably feeling invincible. Completely embolded by their previous success and the immense power of the comet, they probably marched straight into the room with Gyatso and glanced upon a frail old monk… They thought they had an extremely easy kill lined up and basically played with their food, taunting and teasing the old man… But then, out of nowhere, Gyatso launches both arms out from his center, and piercing gust of air rings through the room, before total and complete silence. Now there was no air. The soldiers fall into a deep panic, and they all immediately launch their bolts of fire at him, but to no avail… their bending no longer works because without air, there cannot be fire… On top of this, just like Iroh says, Firebending comes from the breath. Without breath, they cannot generate fire… Gyatso has shown these firebenders the importance of balance and that all elements rely on eachother, whether they realize it or not…

Gyatso then holds his technique until all of the fire benders around him drop to the ground… then he too falls, bringing an end to the air nomads… at least until the boy in the iceberg returns..

[masongrae]

I imagine he tried to talk them down and when they refused he pulled an “Ah so we have chosen death I see how sad”

[kellbellsparkles]

Yangchen DID tell Aang that being the avatar meant putting aside her spirituality to do what was best for the world

[bartolomeestebanmurillo]

I think this forbidden Airbending technique would be the equivalent of bloodbending for Waterbenders, a move so dark that it becomes unthinkable and known only to the most seasoned Airbending masters. I also think that this lends to the theory that this contributes to the Air Nomad's pacifism because under different circumstances they would be a force to be reckoned with.

[rayhanmustakim]

The fact that Zaheer managed to rediscover this ancient forbidden technique and flying while being new to air bending speaks for his character.

[jamesbayburt]

Great observation on his cloth not being burned and soldiers being piled up! It's great that you also mentioned that Avatar Yangchen also used that technique 2 times in the novel, and she made sure no one sees her using that technique. Great one!

[howardlanus]

I think one reason Gyatso perished was that he was simply exhausted. It's likely that he had been fighting against the Fire-benders and while he was holding his own, his fellow Air Nomads were being worn away in a fierce, bloody massacre. By the time he retreated to that chamber he was worn-out while the Fire-benders were still going strong.

[_casg]

shit tripped me out when zehirs took out the air from the earth queen. but it also did remind of when aangs teacher died where he sat and soldiers where also dead around him, its so wild how the writers left that detail

[kamaha]

I can imagine that the reason this technique would be forbidden is strictly because suffocation is one of the most horrifying ways to die. No matter how disciplined you are, your brain will go into a panicked frenzy.

You cannot block this attack. You cannot dodge it, and it is ultimately unavoidable. A skilled enough attacker might not even need to maintain line of sight to you you do this, and furthermore, you will do whatever it takes (whether you want to or not) to get them to stop. This technique is torture, pure and simple. So much more cruel than burning, or crushing, or smothering, and always more available than drowning.

[Starik-]

Is it possible that if the air nomads didn't have such a strong sense of spirituality and morals they'd be more heinous than the fire nation?

[TheFruitofTruth]

I could see him killing everyone and himself out of grief for using such a terrible power.

[oneoo.]

I love how the Airbenders were so powerful that the Fire Nation had to resort to using the comet to beat them💀

[Merlewhitefire]

Man really took eight minutes to say "He probably did the breath thing like Zaheer"

[choochooreal]

I'm pretty sure giatso just gave up after using that ability because its like defying everything you stand for but also trying to protect other airbenders from danger. It's more of a guilty It could also be because some fire benders are still moving even tho giatso is about to pass out from lack of air so he made sure no one goes out alive to hurt other airbenders

[steelflex]

He definitely took all the oxygen out the room. Fire kinda needs oxygen. So bro is goated

[zytnpltr]

It would have been amazing to see Aang as an adult commune with Gyatso in the spirit realm somehow.. get some clarity, apologize, and make peace. A heartfelt moment between the two would be so great to see.

[Blobby]

The idea that Gyatso's sacrifice was also a lesson really works for the character.

[Makise]

I know it would be kinda sad to watch but I wanna see the battle at the southern air temple. It would have the Alamo or the order 66 jedi temple kind of feel to it. I love all the Alamo related movies out there too as well as all the Jedi Temple scenes we’ve seen so far too. Except for Reva of course because that was just stupid.

[kanna]

That move was the darkest one that Yangchen eve did but she had to do that to stop the Combustion Bender from harming people no wonder thar the air nomads didn't use to that move it's very forbidden and dark.

[countchompula]

Air benders would be even more powerful if could harness intense shock waves.

[sockmonkey]

He didn't need to suffocate them directly. Stopping the air from circulating around them would be enough as their fire-bending ate up all the oxygen in the immediate area.