Here is everything you need to know about
the history and future of airbending. First, we have to start out with the
origins of all bending, the lion turtles. Over ten thousand years ago,
ancient airbenders built their society on the back of a giant flying lion turtle
and they didn't just live on its back. They got their airbending abilities
from their lion turtle. And used airbending to travel between
their villages and the spirit wilds. Which is how Wan, the first Avatar,
found out about them. People and they have some
kind of wind power. More humans!
I found you. Wait, I'm friendly! Now at this point, Wan was just an
exiled firebender. But he instantly wanted
to more about airbending. I have got to get over there! And Wan found civilization
unlike anything he’d seen before. Airbenders were living
in harmony with spirits. That is, until Vaatu arrived. [gasp] Be gone! Now that Vaatu is free, he is
turning other spirits dark. The more spirits he turns,
the stronger he becomes. I'm sorry for endangering your village,
but I promise to set things right. How? Wan knew he wasn’t powerful enough
to restore balance… yet. Raava, please. I can't let the world fall
into chaos because of my mistake. Neither of us can defeat Vaatu alone.
But together we have a chance. You may be right. Very well. I will help you to master
the power of air. Thank you. And in return, I will help you
restore balance to the world. This moment turned Wan from
just a firebender into something the world
had never seen before. No human has ever held
two elements at the same time. And it set him on the path
to becoming the first Avatar. Raava, we need to combine our energies. Maybe they will have
enough power to stop this. Enough! You need to stop fighting now!
Before you destroy each other. [grunting] He's controlling all four elements. Over the course of the next
ten thousand years, airbending evolved as air nomads
learned from the flying bison, built their four air temples, and explored
their element's incredible power. Air is the element of freedom. The air nomads detached themselves
from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. The air nomads peaceful philosophy
definitely shaped how airbending developed. The monks always taught me
that all life is sacred, even the life of the tiniest spider fly
caught in its own web. And I've only had to use violence
for necessary defense, and I've certainly never
used it to take a life. Most airbenders learned defensive,
evasive and long range moves and the possibilities
of airbending kept expanding. More and more airbenders
became airbending masters by creating their own new moves
like the air scooter. First you form the ball.
Then you gotta get on quick! [laughing] Yeah! Ha! Hoo hoo! - Where'd you learn that trick, Ang?
- I made it up. Wow! They even adapted the markings
of the Flying Bison into the arrow tattoos
of airbending masters. He's a gigantic, fluffy monster
with an arrow on his head. It's kind of hard to miss him. [growling] Sokka's just jealous because
he doesn't have an arrow. Six thousand years after the age of one one airbending master even unlocked
the secrets of flight. Guru Laghima lived for thousand
years ago in the Northern Air Temple. It is said that he unlocked
the secret of weightlessness and became untethered from the earth. Living his final forty years
without ever touching the ground. But the Air Nomads didn't
take themselves too seriously. They apparently had
a pretty good senses of humor. Airbenders played air ball and sky bison
polo pulled off stunts with their gliders and just generally laughed at gravity. I laugh at gravity all the time. Ha ha. Gravity. And it wasn’t all about the bending
for the Air Nomads. Spirituality was a big deal
in Air Nomad culture, so much so that every single air
nomad child was born an airbender. Wait. That's me, isn't it? But without that strong spiritual
connection, Airbending can lose its power. Avatar Kyoshi's mother, Jessa,
was an airbender, but once she left the air nomads and
abandoned her spiritual connection, airbending was much weaker. Kyoshi's mother had to use fans
to make up for her weakened powers. That's where avatar Kyoshi's
fans come from. [intense music playing] So, the air nomads were
living peaceful, spiritual lives. But well, you know. Everything changed when
Fire Nation attacked After Avatar Roku's death, Fire Lord Sozin
knew he had to destroy the new avatar if his plans were going to succeed. I knew the next avatar, born an Air Nomad. Using the power of a once in a
century comet. The Fire nation, Army attacked the
powerful but pacifistic Air Nomads. The Air Nomads didn't have a formal
military. Sozin defeated them by ambush. Sozin's forces killed almost every single
airbender, All but the very person Sozin
was trying to destroy, the Avatar, the last Airbender
over the next century of war. Sozin and his descendants
would hunt for the last airbender. Your Father, Grandfather, and
great grandfather, all tried and failed. Because their honor didn't hinge
on the avatar's capture. Mine does. But most of the world thought
Airbending was lost forever. Well, no one has seen an airbender
in a hundred years. We thought they were extinct. Little did they know,
one fateful sibling squabble would free the Avatar
and the hundred years war and restore hope for
the future of airbending, Leave it to a girl to screw things up. You are the most sexist, immature, nut-brained...
I'm embarrassed to be related to you! Aang showed the world
what airbending could do as he prepared to face
down fire Lord Ozai. Everyone, even my own past lives, are expecting me to end someone's life,
but I don't know if I can do it. Fire Lord Ozai, you and your forefathers
have devastated the balance of this world. And now you shall pay the ultimate price. No, I'm not going to end it like this. By keeping the central tenet of air Nomad
culture alive Ang made it possible for future generations
to rebuild the air nomads and restore balance to the Four Nations. Aang and Katarra's third child, Tenzin
was born an Airbender Aang showed Tenzin everything he could
about his culture. And Tenzin became a powerful
airbending master, just like his father. I am the son of Avatar Aang. I am the hope for future generations
of airbenders. After Aang’s death, Tenzin passed that
knowledge on his own airbender children. And the next Avatar. Airbending is all about spiral movements. When you meet resistance, you must be able
to switch direction at a moment's notice. Let's do this. [groaning] But the future of Airbending
was still very fragile. Tonight I rid the world
of airbending forever. Kumon, let them go! During harmonic convergence,
planets aligned and the two spirit portals merged,
unleashing a wave of spirit energy across the earth, after the epic battle with Vaatu. Korra left the spirit portals open. But that wasn't the only
big change in the world. Harmonic convergence
has caused a shift in the planet's energy. I can feel it. We are entering a New Age. The energy shift caused by
harmonic convergence. Created a ton of new air benders and jump
started major changes to a discipline that has been mostly
the same for millennia. I just wish your grandfather were here
to see this. Will you be Airbender President? No, but I think the new air benders
will need lots of help and guidance to understand what it means
to be a part of our nation. But some of these new air benders
I had no interest in adopting the air nomad of that culture. You're an airbender now
and you have a responsibility as a citizen of the world. Whatever, I didn't ask to become
an airbender, you know. One new Airbender, Zaheer, did seem interested in traditional
airbending teachings. And he even learned to fly
by studying ancient airbending master. Let go of your earthly tether,
enter the void, empty and become wind. But he also killed the Earth Queen
and tried to end the avatar cycle, When we dispatch you in the Avatar state. The cycle will end. Not exactly traditional airbending moves. The revolution has already become. Chaos is the natural order of all… You see what I did there?
I put a sock in it, literally. Meanwhile, Jinora was exploring
her airbending powers and her connection to the spirit world. She discovered another
advanced airbending technique. Spiritual projection. - Jinora?
- It worked! - How are you here right now?
- Shhh! Be quiet. It's a high level airbender move
with a little spiritual stuff thrown in. And she became the first airbending
master of her generation. Now let us anoint the master
who will help lead us in our new path After harmonic convergence airbenders
reclaimed their nomadic lifestyle. We will serve people of all nations. Working wherever there is corruption
and discord to restore balance and peace. With the leadership of Tenzin and Jinora,
they became a powerful peacekeeping force in this brave new world. Like their element, airbenders found a path around
their obstacles over the centuries. They made sure that airbending
and the air nomad ways, could survive and adapt
in a changing world. I can see my path now. There are new airbenders out there
and I'm gonna find them and rebuild the air nation. Don't think I'm not going with you. So, that’s everything you need to know
about the history of airbending. Which element should we explore next? Let us know in the comments. and be sure to subscribe for more
deep dives into the world of Avatar.
