Waterbender

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Waterbender is a collective term for an order of people in the fictional universe of the 2005 animated television series . A moiety of the Water Tribe, they are heirs to the mystical martial art of waterbending, the hydrokinetic ability to control water, steam and ice, and to vitakinetically heal physical wounds.

Northern Water Tribe soldiers waterbending.

Healing via waterbending.

Contents

1 Fighting Style
2 Elemental Symbol
3 Spirituality and Waterbending
4 Notable Waterbenders
5 See also
6 References

Fighting Style

Waterbending is based on the Ku style of Tai Chi, which originated in the Ku Yu Cheong lineage; it is a martial art that features slow movements and elegant forms that evoke the feel of flowing water.[link] Waterbending's strength is its defensive capabilities. Unlike some other bending disciplines, waterbending's defensive maneuvers focus on control through turning an opponent's own strength against him, rather than directly harming the opponent.

Waterbending provides a versatility of experience. The extent of the Waterbenders' power ranges from creating small, lashing whips and waves to massive tsunamis and walls of water. They possess thermokinetic abilities regarding their element, meaning that they can freeze, melt or evaporate the water they manipulate at will. This allows for the use of multiple techniques in the course of a battle, from encasing an opponent in ice, to hiding behind a wall of steam. It has been shown that when near a large source of water, waterbenders make water tornadoes to lift themselves (it is very possible that this is a difficult move).

It is possible for a Master Waterbender to control an opponents movements by manipulating the water within their bodies, as it has already been demonstrated on the show by Hue (a member of the Foggy Swamp Tribe) that Waterbenders can manipulate the vines and roots of plants by bending the water within their capilleries. In a similar bent, some Waterbenders possess the rare ability to heal by redirecting energy paths (or chi) throughout the body, using water as a catalyst.

The Waterbender's weakness is the need for an external source of water. However, a skilled Waterbender can concentrate the natural moisture in the air or the ground into a usable form.^{[[Citing sources citation needed]]} As a backup, travelling Waterbenders carry a water skin with them at all times. One other possible vulnerability, however, is that Waterbenders require the use of their arms to Waterbend, since none of their known movements involve kicks, save for a defensive move that Katara performed during her fight with Master Pakku, when she bended the ice around her feet to prevent losing her balance. There are three known styles of Waterbending: Northern, Southern, and swamp style.

Waterbending is the opposing bending art to Firebending. So far, Waterbending is also the only bending art that hasn't been seen in use with any sort of weapon.

Like all the bending arts, Waterbending has no inherent advantages or disadvantages over the other disciplines. The series has repeatedly illustrated that it's the skill and prowess of the user that determines victory.

Elemental Symbol

Waterbending Symbol

The symbol for water and waterbending is a circle comprised of a stylized rightward-facing ocean wave, with three spiral crests, breaking over three wavy diagonal lines representing water. It also shows how the moon and water spirt work together.The symbol is featured in connection with Northern Water Tribe spirituality, and on the pendant worn by Katara, carved by a Waterbender named Master Pakku originally for her grandmother.

Spirituality and Waterbending

Princess Yue: "The legends say the moon was the first waterbender. Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves...Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon, our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep balance."

Like the moon controlling the tides, Waterbenders move water using their qi to mimic gravitational pull. Because of this lunar sympathy, a Waterbender's power is stronger at night, and at their absolute zenith during a full moon.

Legend further elaborates that Tui (meaning "push") the Moon Spirit, and its symbiotic partner La (meaning "pull"), the Ocean Spirit, gave up their immortality to be a part of the mortal world. In fact, these spirits exist in the physical forms of two koi fish eternally circling one another in a pond, in the highly spiritual oasis, in the capital city of the Northern Water Tribe.

The "push and pull" relationship between the moon's gravity and the water's inertia is represented by Yin and Yang. The moon spirit koi is white, with a black forehead marking, and the ocean spirit koi is black, with a white forehead marking, mimicking the two primal forces.

Without the equilibrium of these two spiritual aspects, Waterbenders lose their powers. This was illustrated when Tui's mortal form was killed by during the Fire Nation's siege of the North Pole (Siege of the North, Part II). The moon grew dark, the balance of the world was upset, and the Waterbenders defending the North Pole were rendered powerless.

The Fire Nation's invading fleet was subsequently defeated when the Avatar, Aang, acted as a literal avatar of La, combining to form a gigantic water creature that swept the Fire Nation forces out to sea. Balance was restored when , who carried some of Tui's life force, sacrificed her mortal form to become the reincarnation of Tui.

In the episode The Library, It is stated by Katara that Waterbenders lose their Bending during a lunar eclipse.

Notable Waterbenders

References

[Nickelodeon's Official Avatar: The Last Airbender Waterbending Guide feat. Sifu Kisu]

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