Possible Bending Powers?

[re]

I was stalking through a bunch of Avatar discussion forums across the vast wasteland that is the internet, and I found a pretty interesting discussion board about possible different bending practices. Some said Snow-Bending. Others said Lava-Bending. And some mentioned the Lightning-Bending that somehow Iroh (sp?) and Azula can weild. Obviously these guys were pretty stupid, because they should've known Snow-Bending would fall under Water-Bending and Lava-Bending would fall under the Firebenders....and maybe lightning would fall under the Firebenders too.

But that got me thinking...could Avatar go beyond the Four Elements? What about Shadow-Bending? In a lot of games, Shadow (or Darkness) is considered an actual element in the game. Light-Bending? Hmmm...that might go under Fire-Bending. The only other bending power I could think of that wouldn't fall under any category would be Shadow-Bending. Just thought I'd share and see what you guys think...because I'm sure Avatar could go beyond the basic four.

;D Plus I just think Shadow-Bending would be really great!

[wordbender]

*laughs* Ha! Uhm . . .How to put this nicely. I'm sorry, but no. There is not going to be any weird love-mind-shadow-wood-animal bending going on here. Besides, shadow bending? Oh! Look! I can make your shadow move! Watch! You are now Peter Pan, disconnected from his shadow! Quick, stick soap on it to put it back.

^^

Right. That will really work well in a fight.

[re]

Yes, I suppose you're right. It just got me thinking, that's all...

[rairii]

Eh, no matter what n00bs out there think, there will never be more than the four standard elements. if anything, there would be woodbending, but that's because the Chinese elements are wind, wood, fire, water, and earth. But, who would want to bend wood. So, hah!

[re]

Yeah, still, wouldn't "woodbending" just fall under Earthbending, be it that the trees are part of the earth? I just thought it was interesting topic, that's all...

[rairii]

No, not really. Earthbending is pretty much bending the minerals of the earth. It's why the Fire Nation builds things out of metal fired to remove impurities, it's un-bendable. Now wood, wood is part of a living thing, a tree. NOT a mineral. Not earth, aye?
Again, most of these new bending things, ridiculous.

[re]

True, but without the earth, a tree cannot sustain life. But, as you said, it's a ridiculous subject....though I couldn't help but comment on it.

[rairii]

Still doesn't mean it's part of the Earth. We humans live off the earth, no? Does that mean that we're likely to be bended by earthbenders?

[re]

Lol, we could never be used by Earthbenders in the first place. But no, I see you're point...at least I'm pretty sure I see you're point. I'm a bit slow today as you can tell.

[re]

*Your

...See? Very slow today I am, making imbecilic typos.

[zhinju]

The only thing I never understood about lava is why it falls under fire and not earth... I mean, lava is basically molten rocks. When it cools, it would be considered earth, and therefore bendable. So why does temperature suddenly change it from the jurisdiction of one element to another?

I mean, using that same logic where the physical state of a material dictates whether it can be bended or not, then waterbenders could no longer manipulate snow. After all, the only thing seperating ice and water is the thermal energy they contain.

Eh, in any case, it's probably just over-thinking the whole issue. I mean, debating the minor logical details of magically manipulating elements is kind of an oxy-moron. I'm just still confused about the lava.

[re]

No, I see what you mean by that. Lava is made of molten rock, and rock falls under earth minerals and that would fall under Earthbending....but lava also conjurs flame...which can make it fall under the category of Firebending. So yeah, it's confusing.

And the whole "Iroh and Azula can bend lightning," confuses me too. I don't see what category of bending lightning falls under...

But yeah, we're probably thinking too much into it.

[jouroo]

I think that the Avatar Wikipedia entry covers the whole lightning bending thing, or at least a possibility. It had something to do with channeling lightning using firebending, or something like that...

[re]

Yeah, I read that a while back ago. Yes, lightning can start fires which would place it under firebending...but it's still electricity, and I always thought of fire and electricity as two separate bodies. I don't know, I gotta stop thinking so hard into this

[zhinju]

If lightning were under anything, I'd have imagined that it goes under airbending. Lightning itself is just a massive electric discharge between the static in the air and the ground. The static is built up mostly by air particles in clouds rubbing against each other, so a high-friction air current should be able to do the trick.

Why they grouped lightning under Fire is really beyong me. I can only assume they're doing something similar as using the logic that a firebender can excite the air molecules to such a point that they carry an electric charge. Regardless, I still think it's a cool power, but Azula seemed to be using it way to much in "Return to Omashu." From what she showed in 'The Avatar State,' it looked like it took considerable concentration to fire lightning bolts, but in the later episode, she was shooting them in rapid succession without any focusing hand gestures. It's a cool power, but I'd still like to see Azula actually use some fire.