Aiirbending may be easy to underestimate, but what are the actual strengths
and weaknesses of airbending? First, let's take a look at some
overall advantages of airbending. Right away, it's pretty clear
the air benders are at an advantage when it comes to bending material. Air is everywhere. It's possible to isolate water,
earth and fire benders away from their respective elements. But there's a reason the Fire Nation
had such a hard keeping a hold of Aang. Not only is air everywhere,
but it's also not particularly limited by cyclical factors. Unlike water, which is tied to the moon
or fire, which is tied to the sun, air doesn't seem to have
any weaker, stronger times of day. And though it does grow
stronger in the autumn, airbending doesn't have
periods of total in activity like the lunar or solar eclipse. Finally, Airbending can be
frighteningly powerful as an offensive weapon
when it's untethered from the peace, loving air nomad philosophy,
airbending can be fearsome and very dangerous. Air's ubiquity and consistency
definitely strengthen airbending as a discipline overall,
but let's take a deeper look at their airbendings combative
strengths and weaknesses. Airbending's development has been shaped by the
Air Nomads philosophy of passes. I've only had to use violence
for necessary defense, and I've certainly never
used it to take a life. So airbending has strong
defensive techniques. One of the most iconic moves
is the air sphere, which acts as a shield on the ground,
underwater or flying through the air. Many of airbending moves are built
around the concept of conflict avoidance. The key is to be like the leaf. Flow with movement of gates. Airbending is all about spiral movements. When you meet resistance, you must be able
to switch direction at a moment's notice. Since airbending,
focuses on constant mobility and moving through the path
of least resistance, many of the defensive techniques
involve dodging and evasive maneuvers, so it's very difficult to actually
land a blow on an airbender. Even if an opponent manages
to make a direct hit, air cushions can break heavy falls
and the air sphere can even withstand concentrated
onslaught fire. Actually, airbending seems to be
particularly effective against fire. Since fire isn't a solid
as earth or water, it's susceptible to airbending
blocks like the one Aang uses against Fire Lord
Ozai and Combustion Man. Airbending's emphasis on agile,
evasive movements can turn into an offensive
advantage as well by goading opponents
into tiring themselves out. She's moving like
an entirely different player! The Platypus Bears have no juice left, but
Mako and Bolin are still fresh and juicy. Or destroying their own advantages. You haven't thrown a single blow. No, but you have. And speaking of offensive strengths, airbending is useful
for long range broad moves like... Airbending slice! Airbenders can send out
a powerful blast that literally blows their opponents away. These offensive moves can
take on many different forms, from a tornado to a pro
bending inspired punch to the actual form
of the Airbender himself. No air benders can launch
personal attacks. The element's greatest advantage is
definitely it's wide impacts that deflect opponents. And last but not least, airbending
also offers serious stealth capability. In Omashu, Aang is able to drop
off Tom-Tom without a sound. He even manages to avoid
Toph's seismic sense by floating around the earth rumble ring. Somebody's a little light on his feet. What's your fighting name?
The fancy dancer? Airbending does have its disadvantages
combat, though. Air doesn't have the physical
impenetrability of stone, which can limit its offensive
impacts against earthbenders. Did someone leave the windows open? It feels a little drafty in here. Overall, airbending combative strengths
are pretty impressive though, especially when it comes to
defensive and long range moves. Of course, peace loving Air Nomads definitely take advantage of airbending's less combative, more practical strengths. Well, relatively practical. In terms of mobility,
airbending is unparalleled. Airbenders can run at incredible speeds. That's just a bunch
of Fire Lord propaganda. There's no way that's true. And that's not just across land. Even airbenders in training
and leap up cliffs and sheer verticals
are no match for an airbender. And, of course,
airbenders have their gliders, which can carry them
for as long as they can keep bending the air currents to stay aloft. It lets me control the air currents
around my glider and fly. A glider can carry
more than one person too. But airbending gets even more intense. Airbenders can technically
gain the ability to fly, though is a highly advanced skill. Only two airrbenders are known
to have mastered it. Guru Laghima and Zaheer. Did he just fly? Even though it's an
incredibly difficult skill, flight is a definite strength
for airbending. Another practical application
of airbending shows up in the very first episode of
Avatar The Last Airbender. Ever wonder why Tara and Sokka
are bundled up in parkas at the South Pole but Aang
doesn't even wear a coat? Just curious. It is because of airbender's ability
to regulate their body temperature. If it weren't so cold,
I go right back to sleep. Then this is the perfect time to learn
meditation and proper breathing technique. Air benders are able to warm themselves
with only their breathing. That comes in handy during Aang's travels, and it also might allow airbenders
live comfortably at high altitude in the mountain top. Airbending is also strong
enough to move heavy objects, whether that's in combat
or in fake earthbending. That lemur, he's earthbending. And there are many other
creative airbending techniques, like amplifying sounds,
stopping lava in its tracks, creating suction
and even cooling down soup. Allow me. Oh, my. That doesn't mean Airbending
doesn't have its drawbacks. when it comes to practical usage. Though powerful,
airbending lacks durability. Earthbending can create
permanent structure like Earth tent, a building, or even an entire island, with the help of a few other
elements and the Avatar State. Similarly, Waterbending doesn't
always require constant active bending. Waterman can freeze
an opponent in ice, or build an entire city,
like the North Pole. Even firebenders flames will keep
burning if given enough fuel. Fire is alive.
It breathes, it grows. But airbendings effects
require constant effort. So even an air sphere seems
to have a limited life span. Airbending's immorality may
count as a weakness, though it's a fitting trait
for an element that produces freedom from earthly connections. Air is the element of freedom. The air nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns
and found peace and freedom. And that philosophy of freedom
leads us to the cultural strengths of airbending. After harmonic convergence, not all the new airbenders
became Air Nomads. But being both an airbender
and an Air Nomad has some serious perks.
Since many of the strengths of airbending actually come from
the Air Nomad's culture and customs. First up, the unique bond
with the sky bison. A sky bison is a companion for life. getting a lift from a flying bison
is a unique and pretty fast way to travel. We've been riding for hours. I don't know why, but I thought
this thing would be a lot faster. Though it's not for everyone. But a sky bison more than a pet
or a beast of burden. I guess this means
we'll always be together. An Air Nomad who bonds with
a flying bison gains a lifelong friend, a powerful defendant
and possibly an airbending teacher. The original air benders
were the sky bison. Maybe you could give me
a lesson sometime, buddy. The emphasis that Air Nomads
place on spirituality. also yield some incredible abilities,
like spiritually projection. - How are you here right now?
- Shh, quiet. It's a high level airbender move
with a little spirituals stuff thrown in. This technique lets an airbender explore
distant or inaccessible areas, like flight though, spiritual projection
in the very rare skill. Jinora is the only known airbender
able to use it, and the difficulty of spiritual projection actually points towards one significant
barrier to mastering airbending. The deep spiritual dedication
that it requires. No one seems to be interested
in the hard work required to become a part of the Air Nation. As we see with Korra's initial struggles
to learn airbending, it takes a great degree of meditation
and training to master the elements, As with earthbending,
a student's temperament can make airbending tough to learn. Yeah, it's not sinking in yet. I'm going to get a glass of lichi juice. Korra, the meditation's not over yet. - Daddy, can I have some litchi juice too?
- No. Also, Airbending emphasizes
letting go of earthly attachments. Well, this is neither a pro
nor a con in itself. Letting go can prove difficult,
even for Aang. Meditate on what
attached you to this world. He's able to relinquish
his physical connections to his culture one by one, as his journey progressive. Three of the four air
temples are destroyed. His traditional air nomad garb
is ruined in Ba Sing Se, and even burns his glider,
which was hand crafted by the monks. However, he refuses to completely
let go of the people he loves. Katara's in danger. - I have to go.
- No, Aang. While nobody would argue that
Aang is a weak airbender by any means, there are certain airbending skills he likely never achieved
skills like flying, which require an airbender
to completely relinquish all connection in the material world. But the monks taught me
that I had to detach myself from the world so my spirit could be free. Many great and wise Air Nomads
have detached themselves and achieved spiritual enlightenment,
but the Avatar can never do it. Overall, though airbenders generally
embraced the philosophy of nonviolence, Airbending's power
is not to be underestimated. In the balance of the Four elements,
Air definitely holds its own. And though Airbending went untethered from the Air Nomads peaceful beliefs, is a fearsome element
with incredible power. Aang himself demonstrates the immense strength
that comes from the air benders, spiritually convictions. The monks always taught me
that all life is sacred, even the life of the tiniest spider fly
caught in its own web. To bend another's energy, your own spirit must be unbendable. Or you will be corrupted and destroyed.
