A thread to discuss how bending in the avatar universe.
I beleive that each bender is born with some sort of spiritual connection to the element, which allows that person to direct their chi into controlling that element. Martial arts are used as a method to direct your chi in very specific ways, allowing benders to control their chi, and as a result, the element that is directly controlled by chi.
I support this statement with the following evidence:
- King Bumi escaped from his containment cell, which allowed no movement other than his face. This would not be possible if all it took was martial arts
- The avatar is a conduit between the spirit and real worlds. As a result, the avatar has a much larger spiritual connection than anyone else, which is what allows the avatar to have connections to multiple elements
-If the Kiyoshi Warriors were masters of Martial Arts, why not use earthbending in their martial arts? If the only connection to the elements is caused by martial arts, wouldn't they use specific movements that allowed them to use earthbending enough to throw rocks?
- Toph would have had to learn the earthbending martial art. Toph did not use a martial art to bend earth. Instead she developed an entirely different style to bend the earth from observation of the badger moles. If it was only martial arts that was needed, how come she can just use different movements for the same results?
Truthfully, you could really argue both sides of this. As someone who was taught to fight with her body and her heart, I really toward both as the reason benders can do what they do.
I am towards both. They use martial arts to channel their chi to allow them to bend at a higher level then just sitting there focusing on their chi. That's a fact.
However, for their chi to effect the element, I beleive that the spirit world had to give that person a spiritual connection to their element.
-- Edited by NuAki on Tuesday 21st of June 2011 09:11:11 AM
Like I said, I cant agree with just one. Because like me, I do several forms of martial arts and other combat styles which allow me to focus raw strength and energy into something more concentrated and powerful, like bending. And what you say is right, bending maybe only a gift given go a select few but you kind of have to take the Fire Nation army into consideration. They all knew how to bend.
Considering that bending first came out of some animals, people had to learn it from them first. From a position of no bending capable human to bending capable human. Bending doesn't seem like a gift you are born with but something you learn through practice, hardwork and potential(potential is more something you are born with through)..
No they didn't all know how to bend, that was my point. Most of the characters in the military could bend obviously, since they were trying to conquer the world, anyone who can firebend is probably enlisted against their will, or joins because the army was considered the best job in the firenation, especially for a bender .Outside the military, and even when Aand and Zuko are trapped inside the prison, it shows fire nation who fight without the slightest bit of bending. The air nation was the only nation who could entirely bend, which actually points more towards spirituality's involvement in bending. The only other group who produces entirely firebenders is the sun warriors. Another very spiritual group. See a pattern?
And the fact that they learned from animals only proves that they didn't know they could bend before. You could have the largest IQ in the world, but if you're born in a tribe in the amazon, your not going to beat Stephen Hawking. Humans can only master that which they know is there
-- Edited by NuAki on Tuesday 21st of June 2011 09:24:25 AM
I'm with both. I may not have many years of martial arts under my belt, but from what I did learn, I learned to use my heart and body to accomplish things.
This may not be in direct connection to it, but I guess the reason I would be a water bender would not only be the fact that my sign is Pisces, but also because whenever I'm near one of the elements, my strongest connection is with water. A bender may be able to control a specific element not only because of the martial arts, which helps direct their chi, but also how strongly connected their spirit is to the element they wish to control. But I also believe you should give back to that element. To only take will cause a misbalance, but can't of like the push and pull of the waves, without giving back, one would have nothing left to take. I guess this is my native American side talking. XD
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