Unusual Bending Styles (Avatar)

Unusual Bending Styles (Avatar)

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After all our recent breakdowns of the bending techniques, one thing that's notable is that all the four bending disciplines follow more or less consistent styles, all rooted in real-world martial arts. Earthbending is based on the Hung Gar style of Kung Fu, firebending on Northern Shaolin style of the same, waterbending is based on Tai Chi, and airbending on Baguazhang. This gives the moves all of the benders do a consistent aesthetic that matches the nature of their element, but they all have outliers, and these are worth going into more.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
00:44 Overlap
03:43 Personal Preference
07:08 Modern Times

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FOLLOW ME

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AVATAR WIKI

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CREDITS

PRODUCER: @AmagiPublishing
NARRATOR: @Jeremyafreed
EDITOR: @Imubi5
MUSIC: @Christian Andersen

[michaellooney]

For Toph it makes sense that she has her wrists bent in since she was not trained by human Earth Benders, but had been taught by the badgermoles, who dig by curling their paws, and thus their unretractable claws, towards themselves as they dig.

[micolash]

You forgot jeong jeong, who bends fire out of the ground and not from the body extension, employing a earthbender style. Absolutely master of firebending.

[ohmygodcholestrol]

imagine if you lived in a world where bending exists and you’re a non bender. my i would be mad lol

[noswad]

I find it fascinating that the creators of Atla and Tlok demonstrated the overlap of the different elements in all the fights

[zuko]

It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole.

- Uncle Iroh

[tysonmaddox]

Technically aang did not initially have trouble with fire bending when he tried to learn it in book 1. Once he hurt katara and somewhat mentally blocked himself from learning it is when he had trouble.

[mostlyimpulsive]

Okay but why is no one talking about HOW RIDICULOUSLY COMPREHENSIVE THIS IS??? The only thing that's missing is swamp benders!

[jsquareseaedits]

They forgot that one time uncle iroh tear bended us

[nickelacqua]

Ming Hua has a really cool method of water bending. I always thought she lost her arms at one point in time but she was actually born without them. she adapted her water bending not just as a combat method but as a tool to help her get through daily life. kinda like how Toph uses Earth bending as an extension of her senses.

[alessandromazza]

This is why I love bending as a magic system. While we see traditional movement and techniques being used, most of the time there's no limit on what a skilled bender can do if they know what they're doing, developing more unique moves to adapt into their fighting style and surrounding.
Man, we really need a new Avatar game with a deep, complex and various combat system, I'd play that shit for hundreds of hours

[deda]

I have a theory that Iroh is so deeply in touch with the spiritual side of firebending that he is the only firebender who can bend during the eclipse.

I don't think he escaped the fire nation prison from hand-to-hand combat alone.

[drvissie]

About water/blood bending. Imagine: someone attacks you and you just drain all the water from their body. And then they just fall on the ground like a raisin.

[luckycennilagan]

I love how TLOK choreographed the fight between Zaheer and Tenzin. Tenzin is a master airbender who learned from a literal airbending prodigy ( Aang was a master at the age of 12 ). Tenzin should definitely win against someone who just got the ability. Although Zaheer was a good fighter, he is far from a master of airbending and it showed.

[mauriceherbrata]

You forgot Eska and Desna whose waterbending movements style are like earthbending

[Danne]

I think Zaheer studied actual airbending, not just their culture. The Red Lotus' plan was to train their own indoctrinated, fully realized Avatar. That's why they attempted to kidnap Korra as a child. I think Zaheer was supposed to be the next best thing to an actual airbender to be her master in that element. That's why he was so good at it pretty much immediately.

[christophg.]

I bet some airbenders who didn’t join Tenzin might have developed a similar style to Korra...

[theannouncer]

I will give legend of Korra one thing, the fight scenes are smooth as hell

[rockyang]

No one in here talking about Meelo's fartbending, its revolutionizing.

[spartan]

Wow, I never considered the level of destruction to why they limited their own bending. That completely negates my gripes about “weak” bending in the modern world. I assumed that it was due to a lack of necessity for use of deadly force since they have not been at war but including the fact that you want concealment and minimal property destruction in a city really hits the nail on the head.

[justfajar]

One of the things Legend of Korra did right is how the culture mixed together during peace time and how it effects on bending style.