Firebender

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Firebender is a collective term for an order of people in the fictional universe of the animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. A moiety of the Fire Nation, they are heirs to the mystical martial art of firebending, the pyrokinetic ability to create and control fire. An exclusive few also have electrokinetic abilities.

Fire Nation soldiers firebending.

Iroh redirecting electricity.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

1 Origin
2 Fighting style
- 2.1 Weapons
3 Lightning
4 Elemental symbol
5 Spirituality and Firebending
- 5.1 Agni Kai
6 Notable Firebenders
7 See also
8 References

[edit] Origin

Although it has not been revealed as to what originally led the first Firebenders to learn the power to manipulate fire, the rogue Firebending Master Jeong Jeong hinted that Firebenders learned Firebending from the sun, as the Waterbenders (The opposing Bending art) learned from the moon. Jeong Jeong stated that that the sun is the greatest source of fire, yet it exists in perfect balance with nature; a learning Firebender must learn to emulate the sun's balance before they are allowed to progress to the creation and manipulation of fire.

A solar eclipse, which is often referred to as "the day of black sun", has the potential to completely negate a Firebenders power, revealing a direct connection between the sun and a Firebenders power. Additionally, while battling with Katara during The Siege of the North, Zuko stated that "you rise with the moon, I rise with sun," further emphasizing the sun's importance to Firebending.

The dragons of the Avatar world may have also have had an influence, as Iroh's unique aptitude for breathing fire earned him the title "Dragon of the West," implying a connection between the technique and the creature.

[edit] Fighting style

Firebending is based on the Northern Shaolin style of Kung Fu with a dash of Northern 7 Star Praying Mantis. These martial arts feature quick, successive, ferocious attacks that evoke the uncompromising danger of fire. Unlike other bending disciplines, firebending has few defensive moves aside from blocking and dodging, although master firebenders are able to create walls of fire to absorb incoming attacks ^[1].

Firebending uses concentrated barrages of fire to overwhelm opponents before striking a fatal blow. Swift, whirling kicks and punches generate diverse shapes for offensive attacks. Jabs and punches produce miniature fireballs and missiles of flame, and spinning kicks create blazing rings and arcs. Other moves include shooting jets of fire from the fingertips, creating daggers of flame, fiery lashes, and creating whirling disks of flame. Firebenders can also control the size of their flame.

Firebender discipline stresses self-control and breath control as a means of directing and containing the fire manifested. Poor breath control means dangerously poor control of any fire generated. For this reason, breathing exercises are one of the most critical first steps for beginning firebenders. So far, the only Firebending weakness the series has shown is the relative intensity of Firebending, which decreases at night, the need of stability and balance of their lower body, which Zuko demonstrated by breaking Admiral Zhao's root while fighting, and that a Firebender's power is dampened underwater and in the rain.^[1]

Firebenders use their internal body heat as a source of their bending to create fire. This facet of Firebending is in sharp contrast to the other bending arts, which manipulate already present representations of their element. In fact, being unable to bend without those representations, such as Earthbenders without earth to bend, results in an "Imprisoned" state in which they are rendered helpless, which is a fairly monumental advantage of the Firebender.

Firebenders can control the intensity of their Firebending, reflected in the color of the flames. Master Firebenders are skilled enough to create highly-efficient flames that look blue or light blue, with red and orange flames representing lesser forms of Firebending. So far, only Azula has demonstrated blue and light blue firebending (not to be confused with lightning). After contact, blue fire reverts to a less intense state and changes to a red and orange color, as it begins to cool down and burn normally. It also seems to pack more physical force and produce a concussive effect not seen with normal fire. Azula has even destroyed stone projectiles thrown by the Avatar using her enhanced firebending, in "The Drill." Azula has been shown to intensify this effect by charging up her fire before releasing it.

Firebenders sometimes incorporate weapons into firebending, as shown by Zuko's firebending with his broad swords. It is unknown what, if any, other weapons can be used with firebending.

Apparently, Avatar Level Firebenders can erupt volcanos at will and manipulate lava flows.

Firebending is the most aggressive of the four bending arts. It is enhanced during the day, due to its solar sympathy. With Sozin's comet, firebending is apparently greatly enhanced.

Firebending is the opposing bending art to Waterbending. Like all of the bending arts, Firebending is balanced out as to not be more or less powerful than the other arts. The series has repeatedly illustrated that it's the skill and prowess of the user that determines victory.

[edit] Weapons

Weapons used by the Fire Nation's Firebenders include flaming arrows, fire daggers, spears, whips, fire whips, fire balls, chains, other chained weapons, and bombs. Firebending can be incorporated with the use of swords, however, it is unknown if other forms of weapons can also be used. The Fire Nation military has been known to use tanks and ironclads.

[edit] Lightning

Princess Azula generating electricity.

Each of the four bending disciplines contain a special sub-skill unique only to certain members of each element. Also known as "the cold-blooded fire", certain powerful Firebenders are able to manipulate lightning. Mentally it involves a complete absence of emotion and peace of mind, and physically it requires separating the energies of yin and yang (also an interpretation of positive and negative electric charge). When the forces collide, the bender guides, rather than controls the lightning's direction. Because of this complexity, a lightning attack takes much longer to initiate than standard fire attacks.

Iroh generating electricity.

Generating lightning involves a circular motion with the arms. Only a select few have this power; so far the only Firebenders in the series who have demonstrated the ability to actively generate lightning are Princess Azula and Iroh. Iroh is also able to combine the waterbending techniques of flowing energy to redirect natural lightning strikes or those that originate from the attacks of other Firebenders by having it travel down one arm, through his stomach, and out his other arm. Zuko seems to have the capacity and desire to learn these abilities, but his emotional turmoil is preventing him from learning.

Re-directing lightning was first demonstrated by Iroh in "The Storm." Creating Lightning was first demonstrated by Azula in "The Avatar State." In "Bitter Work", Iroh teaches Zuko how to redirect lightning, but he refuses to let Zuko practice this technique with real lightning.

[edit] Elemental symbol

Firebending Symbol

The symbol for fire and firebending is a stylized, tulip-shaped flame forked into three tongues that curve outward like flower petals, with a spiral at the base. The symbol is featured in connection with Fire Nation spirituality.

[edit] Spirituality and Firebending

Some twelve years after the death of Avatar Roku, Fire Lord Sozin launched a genocidal attack on the Air Nomads, succeeding in part due to the power granted him by a mystical comet. Over the course of a century, the war has continued, and under the rule of Sozin's grandson, Fire Lord Ozai, the Fire Nation will see the return of "Sozin's Comet" by summer's end. As prophesied, this comet's immense thermal energy will grant Ozai the power to conquer the entire world. The only threat to Ozai's campaign is the current Avatar, Aang. If Aang fails to master all four elements and stop Ozai before Sozin's Comet returns, the Fire Lord will be unstoppable regardless of the Avatar's power.

The Fire Nation's religious clerics, the Fire Sages, who once served Avatar Roku now tacitly endorse the imperialist war. Shyu is shown as the only Fire Sage to remain true to his allegiance to the Avatar before the Fire Nation.

A Firebender's powers seem to increase in the presence of the sun (the same way Waterbenders do with the moon). Because of this solar sympathy, their powers are weakened at night and in rain. As revealed in "The Library", a solar eclipse can temporarily negate their powers entirely, much like Waterbenders' powers are negated during a lunar eclipse.

[edit] Agni Kai

Among Firebenders, or at least those of the upper-class, disputes of honor are settled by a challenge to an Agni Kai, or "fire duel." Such a duel is conducted in an open-air arena, and may be witnessed by spectators. Combatants fight bare-chested (at least those of the male variety), and barefooted. The goal in these duels is to knock an opponent off-balance, and incapacitate (fatally or otherwise) with a final blow. The favored finishing move seems to be a direct fireblast to the face.

The word Agni Kai was created by using two already existing words. Agni is the Hindu god of fire. Kai is the japanese word for meeting (usually business, but it can also mean a general meeting of two or more people).