In Avatar: The Last Airbender, the firebenders have the ability to make fire out of nothing, and even though that doesn’t apply to all the other elements, there might be a good reason. Members of the four nations of the show are associated with certain elements, and many are born with the ability to manipulate them with a series of martial-arts-inspired movements called bending. The exception to that rule would be the Avatar.
As the Avatar, Aang has the potential to bend all four elements instead of only one, and the show spends a lot of time focusing on his quest to learn how to bend each element. When it comes to bending, each bender is restricted to the capacities of the element of their nation. For instance, Katara has to carry bending water with her or pull small traces of water from surrounding plants, and Toph feels uneasy on terrain such as sand because she can’t “see” the vibrations clearly. The secret to firebenders’ self-made flames lies in a similar logic.
Avatar’s Firebenders Use Chemical Reactions To Make Fire
Avatar: The Last Airbender strictly adheres to the laws of nature and focuses on the importance of maintaining the balance of the world. According to Uncle Iroh, firebending comes from a firebender’s breath, whereas other benders can only bend what is in front of them. Since fire is a naturally occurring event via lightning strikes or friction, it stands to reason that the element itself is not confined to a physical state of matter.
The chemical reaction that produces fire out of nothing aligns with the characteristics of the firebenders themselves. Uncle Iroh explains to Zuko that fire represents power, saying, “The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want.” Unlike the other elements, fire is created and extinguished rather than altered in a natural environment, and this almost-spiritual aspect of the element directly aligns with the “true firebending” of the Sun Warriors.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Movie Reversed The Show’s Firebender Rule
The movie adaption of The Last Airbender infamously changed many details of the show, and one of the most unnecessary changes dealt directly with the firebenders’ ability to create fire. The Fire Nation soldiers keep lit torches and fire pits close throughout the movie, which made them extremely vulnerable. This also created a small plot hole, considering the Fire Nation would be a much less challenging enemy for the Water Tribes if their main weapon could simply be extinguished. By the movie’s end, General Iroh alone achieves the ability to bend fire out of nothing, which is possibly a reference to his “true firebending” learned from the Sun Warriors.
The many world-building details in Avatar: The Last Airbender are part of what has given it its enduring popularity. Throughout the show and its sequel series, The Legend of Korra, bending styles are examined in depth, and Netflix’s upcoming live-action series could continue to explore the mysteries of bending the elements. Hopefully, this will include a bigger conversation about firebenders’ ability to make their flames themselves right there in the air.
