Firebender
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Firebender is a collective term for an order of people in the fictional universe of the 2005 animated television series . A moiety of the Fire Nation, they are heirs to the mystical martial art of firebending, the pyrokinetic ability to create and control fire.
Fighting style
Firebending is based on the Northern Shaolin style of Kung Fu. This martial art features quick, 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 like Azula and Jeong Jeong are able to create walls of fire [link]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 and creating whirling disks of flame. So far the final two have only been demonstrated by Princess Azula.
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 excercises are one of the most critical first steps for beginning firebenders.
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. They also can control the intensity of their firebending depending on the color of the flames (red to orange, orange to yellow, yellow to blue, blue to light blue). So far, only Azula has demonstrated blue and light blue firebending.
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.
Like all of the bending arts, Firebending has no inherent advantages or disadvantages against the other disciplines. The series has repeatedly illustrated that it's the skill and prowess of the user that determines victory.
Lightning
Also known as the cold-blooded fire, powerful Firebenders are also 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. 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 water bending 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. It should be noted that Iroh's lightning is different from Azula's lightning. Iroh's lightning is green and has more of a string-like shape. Azula's lightning is blue and has more of a zig-zag shape. Zuko seems to have the capacity and desire to learn these abilities, but his emotional baggage is preventing him from learning.Re-directing lightning was first demonstrated by Iroh in "". Creating Lightning was first demonstrated by Azula in "The Avatar State."
Blue Firebending
An extremely advanced Firebending technique, not to be confused with lightning. Thus far only demonstrated by Azula, Blue firebending appears as of now just a hotter more intense form of fire able to be bended. After contact, blue fire reverts to a less intense state and restores to its red and orange color, as it begins to burn normally. Blue Firebending may be related to creating lightning in the sense that the fingertips is where blue fire is focused, just like in lightning generation. Blue Firebending was first demonstrated briefly by Azula in The Avatar StateWeapons
Weapons used by the Fire Nation's Firebenders include flaming arrows, spears, ball and chain and other chained weapons and bombs. Firebending can be incorperated with the use of swords. By setting the swords on fire. It is assumed other forms of weapons can also be used in the same manner as the swords. The Fire Nation militia has been known to use tanks and battle ships.Elemental 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.
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. The word 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).
Spirituality
Some twelve years after the death of , 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, , 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 stop Ozai before Sozen'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. Shaiyu 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 Waterbender's do with the moon). Because of this solar sympathy, their powers are weakened at night. As revealed in , a solar eclipse can temporarily negate their powers entirely, much like Waterbenders' powers are negated during a lunar eclipse.
Notable Firebenders
See also
References
| Information |
| | | | Water Tribe | Earth Kingdom | Fire Nation | Air Nomads |
| Characters |
| Aang | Katara | Sokka | Toph | Zuko | Iroh | Azula | Waterbender | Earthbender | Firebender | Airbender |
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