Is Air the strongest element in TLA & LOK?

[Khaosify]

As the title states, is air the strongest element?

What makes Air different from the other elements is that you can't see it. Which makes it extremely hard to dodge or in some cases block it.

We've also seen that when a bender uses airbending for offensive attacks while at the same time dodge like an airbender can outclass almost any bender. Airbending also grants the user better agility and awareness( by shaving their heads airbenders can sense nearby attacks) which also makes than harder to hit

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If airbenders were more aggressive with their bending, can they be the strongest?

 

[Calpal]

Its not the strongest, lightning is.
But its the most dynamic.
water is the most versatile.
fire is the most offensive.
earth is the most defensive.

 

[Yasopp]

( by shaving their heads airbenders can sense nearby attacks) which also makes than harder to hit

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How come Saitama didn't sense the attack?

jk dawgski lmao

 

[Styles]

Fire benders rek. They can use lightning. Water benders can blood bend. Earth benders can metal bend. Air is the least versatile.

 

[Calpal]

Fire benders rek. They can use lightning. Water benders can blood bend. Earth benders can metal bend. Air is the least versatile.

If you could choose, what type of bending would you use?

 

[Khaosify]

Fire benders rek. They can use lightning. Water benders can blood bend. Earth benders can metal bend. Air is the least versatile.

They didn't show that much sub moves for air because it wasn't really that relevant as an element before Season 3 of LOK.

Zaheer showed the ability to suffocate benders(which is almost as deadly as blood bending), and fly.

 

[YellowFang]

Fire benders rek. They can use lightning. Water benders can blood bend. Earth benders can metal bend. Air is the least versatile.

Air benders can fly and suck out all the air from one's lungs... And all other benders need exploitable surroundings to be at best, air-benders are beasts every where.

 

[Styles]

If you could choose, what type of bending would you use?

Fire as it's my favorite element.

They didn't show that much sub moves for air because it wasn't really that relevant as an element before Season 3 of LOK.

Zaheer showed the ability to suffocate benders(which is almost as deadly as blood bending), and fly.

Can't remember much from LOK tbh though didn't Aang do something similar to that to Ozai? Though that's still a good technique downside is you have to subdue the opponent first.

Air benders can fly and suck out all the air from one's lungs... And all other benders need exploitable surroundings to be at best, air-benders are beasts every where.

I thought Zaheer said something about only special or certain few air benders can fly? Though could be wrong been a while since i've seen LOK. Also there is earth everywhere for earth benders. Water is more difficult but blood bending isn't. Fire you don't need to be by your surroundings and you get power far stronger than others during the comet.

 

[Calpal]

Fire as it's my favorite element.

Can't remember much from LOK tbh though didn't Aang do something similar to that to Ozai? Though that's still a good technique downside is you have to subdue the opponent first.

I thought Zaheer said something about only special or certain few air benders can fly? Though could be wrong been a while since i've seen LOK. Also there is earth everywhere for earth benders. Water is more difficult but blood bending isn't. Fire you don't need to be by your surroundings and you get power far stronger than others during the comet.

skilled enough benders could get water from almost anywhere.

think i would either want fire (for flying and lightning) or water (for blood bending)
(even though air and earth are my favorite)

 

[Khaosify]

Fire as it's my favorite element.

Can't remember much from LOK tbh though didn't Aang do something similar to that to Ozai? Though that's still a good technique downside is you have to subdue the opponent first.

I thought Zaheer said something about only special or certain few air benders can fly? Though could be wrong been a while since i've seen LOK. Also there is earth everywhere for earth benders. Water is more difficult but blood bending isn't. Fire you don't need to be by your surroundings and you get power far stronger than others during the comet.

Yes, Aang did.

Zaheer said in order to fly, one must be able to detach himself from all earthly tethers. Which should be easy, since Airbending ideology consists of detaching themselves from worldly concerns, and since Aang was able to do it in order to enter the Avatar State, before he got onshotted by Azula

 

[BenjerminGaye]

blood benders are the strongest in the series and as it stands the only thing that can stop them is another accomplished waterbender

 

[Styles]

skilled enough benders could get water from almost anywhere.

think i would either want fire (for flying and lightning) or water (for blood bending)
(even though air and earth are my favorite)

Has it ever been done?

Same with fire i could fly shoot lightning(even though it can kill you if used wrong) and you'll be OP during the comet. Air is my 2nd.

Yes, Aang did.

Zaheer said in order to fly, one must be able to detach himself from all earthly tethers. Which should be easy, since Airbending ideology consists of detaching themselves from worldly concerns, and since Aang was able to do it in order to enter the Avatar State, before he got onshotted by Azula

Ah that's it. Thought he said something else. Though true i thought Aang wasn't able to fly till he went avatar state(when he hit his back on that rock vs Ozai).

 

[Khaosify]

Has it ever been done?

Same with fire i could fly shoot lightning(even though it can kill you if used wrong) and you'll be OP during the comet. Air is my 2nd.

Ah that's it. Thought he said something else. Though true i thought Aang wasn't able to fly till he went avatar state(when he hit his back on that rock vs Ozai).

Lol, he made an air cocoon around himself which temporarily gave him the ability to fly.

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[Styles]

Lol, he made an air cocoon around himself which temporarily gave him the ability to fly.

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XD Still flying tho.

 

[Caliburn]

This is depressing. It seems that now even the TLA fandom has been reduced to people just throwing around subjective and nonsensical arguments to support their favourites in redundant competitions the nature of who is the strongest and the like.

Seriously go watch the series again carefully and you might pick up a few important things, such as that the concept of balance is one of the pillars of the entire story. There is no element that's inherently superior to another element, there simply isn't. Most of things said in this thread are either highly subjectively interpreted or complete false.

Air not visible? It's very well visible, you can see it on every pic posted in this thread.

Airbenders being able to sense attacks because they're bald? Don't pull that out of proportion and make it sound like they developed a spidey sense that warns them from impending danger. Aang was caught off guard numerous times and he wasn't the only one.

Being able to suck the air out of someone's lungs? Zaheer used that once, on a non-bending middle-aged lady. Big whoop or was she somehow supposed to be the epitome of all the warriors in the TLA universe? That's simply not a technique that can easily be used in the middle of a fight with a bender. Likewise a firebender could easily force a fireball down your throat, an earthbender a lump of rock and a waterbender could practially waterboard you.

Airbenders can fly? There have been exactly two airbenders in the over 10 000 year history of the air nomads that could levitate. All the other airbenders could only obtain flight with the usage of their glider. All of this is convenient if you want to run, but in a straight fight its use is rather limited.

This is the truth: every element has its advantages and disadvantages, strong and weak points and none is inherently superior to the other and the same counts for the sub-elements. Granted bloodbending is really one nasty skill, however like most other sub-elements it has some severe flaws in return for its abilities. Bloodbending is an extremely rare skill and even among bloodbenders it's rare if you can use it without a full moon, so normally it could only be used once a month. And when you are bloodbending, you are also completely wide open for a counterattack as till further notice you can't blood- and waterbend at the exact same time, so you are quite vulnerable if you are not able to bloodbend all possible enemies in the vicinity. Not to mention how are you going to defend yourself when you fight people who even can retaliate while they are being bloodbent? Like Bumi who can earthbend with his eyes or Zuko, Iroh and Azula who can breath fire or characters like P'Li who can use combustion? And you consider something with those characteristics as the strongest bending art? Something that's quite marginal within the art of waterbending?

Also don't confuse the skills of the bender with the strength of the element he bends. Zaheer was already a powerful individual without being able to bend. So that when he learns airbending and uses it on a high level, doesn't mean airbending on itself is inherently that powerful. That was largely Zaheer's own skill.

 

[Bad Touch Yakushi]

Nope, it just so happens that the one amazing Wind protagonist we know was the main character and a prodigy with it who made it look effortless. The monks got wiped out easily and whilst Tenzin's fight was great, it didn't exactly make air 'the strongest.' I'd even say the Avatar series gives every element it's moment of superiority.

Katara's Blood-bending/rain freezing as well as Avatar State Tsunami made water monstrous
Korra's Metalbending and Toph make earth mastery look effortless
Fire Lord Ozai and his kin are literally the main villains and biggest threats

There isn't a strongest because that's against the point of them all being equal, it's just a very untameable and versatile craft (as in, to have complete freedom) Doesn't mean its better or worse than any others.

 

[Nobel]

The way the Avatar universe manipulate and bend the elements to their will, with shapes and so. It's almost as if they bend gravity.

Specifically when Zaheer defied gravity ,that convinced me that it's just more than simple wind attribute.

 

[BenjerminGaye]

This is depressing. It seems that now even the TLA fandom has been reduced to people just throwing around subjective and nonsensical arguments to support their favourites in redundant competitions the nature of who is the strongest and the like.

Seriously go watch the series again carefully and you might pick up a few important things, such as that the concept of balance is one of the pillars of the entire story. There is no element that's inherently superior to another element, there simply isn't. Most of things said in this thread are either highly subjectively interpreted or complete false.

Air not visible? It's very well visible, you can see it on every pic posted in this thread.

Airbenders being able to sense attacks because they're bald? Don't pull that out of proportion and make it sound like they developed a spidey sense that warns them from impending danger. Aang was caught off guard numerous times and he wasn't the only one.

Being able to suck the air out of someone's lungs? Zaheer used that once, on a non-bending middle-aged lady. Big whoop or was she somehow supposed to be the epitome of all the warriors in the TLA universe? That's simply not a technique that can easily be used in the middle of a fight with a bender. Likewise a firebender could easily force a fireball down your throat, an earthbender a lump of rock and a waterbender could practially waterboard you.

Airbenders can fly? There have been exactly two airbenders in the over 10 000 year history of the air nomads that could levitate. All the other airbenders could only obtain flight with the usage of their glider. All of this is convenient if you want to run, but in a straight fight its use is rather limited.

This is the truth: every element has its advantages and disadvantages, strong and weak points and none is inherently superior to the other and the same counts for the sub-elements. Granted bloodbending is really one nasty skill, however like most other sub-elements it has some severe flaws in return for its abilities. Bloodbending is an extremely rare skill and even among bloodbenders it's rare if you can use it without a full moon, so normally it could only be used once a month. And when you are bloodbending, you are also completely wide open for a counterattack as till further notice you can't blood- and waterbend at the exact same time, so you are quite vulnerable if you are not able to bloodbend all possible enemies in the vicinity. Not to mention how are you going to defend yourself when you fight people who even can retaliate while they are being bloodbent? Like Bumi who can earthbend with his eyes or Zuko, Iroh and Azula who can breath fire or characters like P'Li who can use combustion? And you consider something with those characteristics as the strongest bending art? Something that's quite marginal within the art of waterbending?

Also don't confuse the skills of the bender with the strength of the element he bends. Zaheer was already a powerful individual without being able to bend. So that when he learns airbending and uses it on a high level, doesn't mean airbending on itself is inherently that powerful. That was largely Zaheer's own skill.

While i do agree with you in terms of the theme of the show. Bloodbendending at its highest level is broken technique. The counters you offered don't inhibit a bloodbender.

Breathing fire is still breath which is inherently a muscle related task. Something hama (the worst bloodbender shown mind you) said is in her complete control. So even abilities like that get cut off by a bloodbender. and given what was shown the only people to ever defeat a blood bender was an avatar, or a superior waterbender.

And this isnt taking into account their lack of creativity with it. Like katara already shown you can bend sweat. Hama already shown you can rip water right out of trees whose bark is far thicker than skin. Had this not been a kids show there's nothing stopping them from yanking the blood right out your body.

And then there's taking another person's bending away?

cmon now.

 

[DominiqueX]

Spoiler

This is depressing. It seems that now even the TLA fandom has been reduced to people just throwing around subjective and nonsensical arguments to support their favourites in redundant competitions the nature of who is the strongest and the like.

Seriously go watch the series again carefully and you might pick up a few important things, such as that the concept of balance is one of the pillars of the entire story. There is no element that's inherently superior to another element, there simply isn't. Most of things said in this thread are either highly subjectively interpreted or complete false.

Air not visible? It's very well visible, you can see it on every pic posted in this thread.

Airbenders being able to sense attacks because they're bald? Don't pull that out of proportion and make it sound like they developed a spidey sense that warns them from impending danger. Aang was caught off guard numerous times and he wasn't the only one.

Being able to suck the air out of someone's lungs? Zaheer used that once, on a non-bending middle-aged lady. Big whoop or was she somehow supposed to be the epitome of all the warriors in the TLA universe? That's simply not a technique that can easily be used in the middle of a fight with a bender. Likewise a firebender could easily force a fireball down your throat, an earthbender a lump of rock and a waterbender could practially waterboard you.

Airbenders can fly? There have been exactly two airbenders in the over 10 000 year history of the air nomads that could levitate. All the other airbenders could only obtain flight with the usage of their glider. All of this is convenient if you want to run, but in a straight fight its use is rather limited.

This is the truth: every element has its advantages and disadvantages, strong and weak points and none is inherently superior to the other and the same counts for the sub-elements. Granted bloodbending is really one nasty skill, however like most other sub-elements it has some severe flaws in return for its abilities. Bloodbending is an extremely rare skill and even among bloodbenders it's rare if you can use it without a full moon, so normally it could only be used once a month. And when you are bloodbending, you are also completely wide open for a counterattack as till further notice you can't blood- and waterbend at the exact same time, so you are quite vulnerable if you are not able to bloodbend all possible enemies in the vicinity. Not to mention how are you going to defend yourself when you fight people who even can retaliate while they are being bloodbent? Like Bumi who can earthbend with his eyes or Zuko, Iroh and Azula who can breath fire or characters like P'Li who can use combustion? And you consider something with those characteristics as the strongest bending art? Something that's quite marginal within the art of waterbending?

Also don't confuse the skills of the bender with the strength of the element he bends. Zaheer was already a powerful individual without being able to bend. So that when he learns airbending and uses it on a high level, doesn't mean airbending on itself is inherently that powerful. That was largely Zaheer's own skill.

The truth has been spoken, thank you.
It seems that only those people who only care about power-levels stick to discussions. And then they compare the rarest abilities used by the most talented characters. It makes no sense and is pretty sad, since this masterpiece of a series is so much more colorful and diverse.. and heavily story-driven.

I don't know why it is that way tho. Does it really depend on the average age of the people using forums like this one? Because whenever I talk/write with my friends and people from the Avatar-fandom directly, fights and the "power" of bending abilities are among the last things that get involved into a discussion. And when they start to matter, it's more about the art behind it, like choreography, artwork, animation, used music etc.

 

[Caliburn]

While i do agree with you in terms of the theme of the show. Bloodbendending at its highest level is broken technique. The counters you offered don't inhibit a bloodbender.

Breathing fire is still breath which is inherently a muscle related task. Something hama (the worst bloodbender shown mind you) said is in her complete control. So even abilities like that get cut off by a bloodbender. and given what was shown the only people to ever defeat a blood bender was an avatar, or a superior waterbender.

And this isnt taking into account their lack of creativity with it. Like katara already shown you can bend sweat. Hama already shown you can rip water right out of trees whose bark is far thicker than skin. Had this not been a kids show there's nothing stopping them from yanking the blood right out your body.

And then there's taking another person's bending away?

cmon now.

Now you are just assuming things. Many people who got bloodbent were able to speak, breath and were still alive. Care to explain how they did that while according to your logic they should have dropped dead instantly? After all even the heart is a muscle. It's simple: there's a limit to bloodbending and most likely they can only bend the large muscle groups. If a firebender just starts spitting out fire everywhere, in the most unfortunate case the bloodbender is right in the line of fire. In the very best of cases everything around him is torched and I wonder how long he can keep his concentration in the smoke and heat and it would even be far worse with a combustion user. Imagine one randomly shooting beams everywhere. And Bumi? Well the bloodbender just has to stand in his line of sight and even that might not be necessary. Bloodbending is an all or nothing skill as its defensive capabilities are absolute zero.

Creativity? Earthbending includes lavabending, sandbending, crystalbending and metalbending. Firebending includes combustionbending, lightningbending, partially lavabending and steambending. So waterbending using sweat is not particularly overwhelming. Also the reason why they can't yank blood out, is because they simply can't, that's beyond the abilities of the skill. Your excuse of that this is a kid's show is invalid as if you reason like that, you can say that of every element. "If this wasn't a kid's show then lightingbenders could easily kill anyone by just stopping the electrical impulses throughout your body", "If this wasn't a kid's show then metalbenders could easily kill anyone by manipulating the minerals in their bodies", "If this wasn't a kid's show then airbenders could blow up the chests of anyone by expanding the air in their lungs"...

And what of the taking another person's bending away? That's negligible. It's the same thing as with the tech of sucking the air out of someone's lungs: you would need to subdue the opponent first. You could say that first you use bloodbending to keep the opponent still and then take their bending away, but then you forget what I just said: if you get that close to a fire, earth or airbender, you have another thing coming as even Iroh's nostrils and Aang's sneeze are dangerous. I also wonder if it's even possible to do both at the same time? And above all that tech was an original tech of Amon, a highly powerful individual. So you are using a unique tech of a rare individual within a rare group of people within the skill of waterbending as a representation of the entire element? That's like 0.01%.

If I would apply your logic I could easily say for example that firebenders are without all doubt the strongest benders as have you seen them during Sozin's Comet? Ozai could go toe to toe with Aang in the Avatar State and I dare say that you wouldn't be able to bloodbend Ozai when he's like that.