Ranking the Most Powerful Bending Elements in Avatar 

IF Avatar was a R rated show. The devastation you could do with almost every element can be deadly. It can all turn very dark very fast. The endless possibility of especially air and water bending in the hands of a cold blooded villain is really horrifying.

Avatar yangchen really shows how deadly air bending can be

An army of earth benders could turn an entire city into rubble in a few minutes. Earth bending is seriously underrated.

In regards to blood bending... A dark Airbender and metal bender could also develop access to this skill. Yes, the body is primarily water, but the blood also contains high traces of oxygen and iron (as Magneto demonstrated in X-Men 2) giving both Airbenders and Metalbenders potential to manipulate most living forms.

I feel like if the air benders were scientists they would have had the most gruesomely violent bending techniques by far. Imagine if they could just bend liquid nitrogen at people and instantly cause their lungs to explode lmao. Or if they knew how to mess with air pressure they could just crush things (or people). They could also make their voice lower or higher which sounds really amusing for messing with people in general. Also by messing with pressure simple air slaps and waves can be just as deadly as rocks flying at you at alarming speed.

I fully agree with your ranking of the most powerful bending, especially for the waterbending , actually is the most powerful bending because it has more sub power and they're more effective

This probably goes for all the elements, but for air especially, i think there were a lot of things we saw used for everyday functionality that weren't well applied in combat. If you think about air more as a fluid that pretty much everyone is constantly swimming in, then an airbender should be able to have much more control over others' movements. Usually its done as an air blast sort of thing, but not nearly as much with pulling someone (or part of someone), redirecting things from a distance, lifting people off the ground completely so that they arent able to fight (like Zahir did with Tonraq), etc. For whatever reason they focused much more on the airbender's movements being enhanced. Which also, since it often increased speed, necessitates faster thinking/perceiving. Since air has been shown to be used to slice melons, break boulders, etc., it also has much more of an ability to be shaped into tools+weapons in combat directly, which isn't seen too much in the show. It's only shown against objects.

I think air is the most deadly and powerful... as you said, air bending can be used as armor and it enhances one's ability and mobility... but that is not all there is... As seen, Aang can air bend without his hands but only using his breath. Zahir cannot do this, as he always uses his hands to suck the air out of a body. Aang did not do this because of his philosophy, but if not for this, I think he can suck the air out of a body or multiple bodies. This ability will trump blood-bending since you can still talk while being blood-bent... Not to mention water, H2O, needs air, or an element of air, to become water, otherwise only micro-organisms can live in it. Fire also needs air.

Personally I think lightning bending has been under utilized. This is practically electricity manipulation/creation which has so much untapped potential in the series.

Air- the most fastest Earth-brute force Water-versatility Fire-destructive Air counter earth cuz of speed Water counter fire cuz nullify they flames

This video encapsulates my ranking exactly. Water is the most versatile of the four elements, which is its biggest strength. Water is the gentlest, but also the deadliest. Sure, I guess an average waterbender may have a terrain disadvantage, but this can easily be mitigated by carrying your own skin or drum of water. A slightly more experienced waterbender can pull water from the air or from their bodies (sweat). Here are just 3 reasons why, even without bloodbending, water is the optimal of the four. 1. It has properties of the other four: water (ice) can crush, pummel, and bruise like boulders and slice like a blade or superheated plasma (fire is a plasma) 2. Waterbending power is amplified every day (at nighttime) and gets a major power boost once a month (full moon), more frequently than other bending styles 3. with healing as one of its sub-bending skills, waterbenders can reverse most, if not all, damage done to them by an opponent. No other bending style offers that

Earth has lava bending which is op to me. The deadliest bending is air so dey had to give it to the most peaceful set of people

I am never dissappointed when I come here

I like how diverse this comment section is. That really shows how balanced each element is. Every element has their own arguments why they’re the best or worst.

I think water is the best, most balanced between offense and defense, but I’d honestly rather be a fire bender if I had a choice to choose

Great work 🫡

Fire was used to see sickness in the body in LOK , wasn’t it ? …. Almost like KATARA with the healing

Air bending should be number one

Air Pressure alone can burst your enemies in seconds. Its even more deadly than removing oxygen. Since the effect is instant.

Personally I believe it’s air, The air nomads airbending is so powerful they have to take a oath to not kill with it as it can take the breath out of someone else (the legend of korra) EDIT: 15 likes dang ty never got so much, now if they was to subscribe how much subs would I have? 🤔 yes, I’m asking you to subscribe

Air bending is the most powerful with no questions asked. Blood bending is the only thing that could sit over air. All other water bending doesn't hold a candle to air.

Fire is the most destructive, which makes up for a lot of that versatility they don’t have .

In theory Airbenders can take away fire bending (temporary) during a fight; fire needs oxygen, no? so transform the space around said fire bender into a vacuum could also do that in any fight and game over. Air is also every surely they can use it to squeeze the life out of you, take away your breath. Airbending in theory can control all the other bending.

We should not also forget a rare bending - bonebending, which probably could be mastered by only few earthbenders

Earth bending Earth, Minerals, metal, gems, lava, sand, glass, seismic sense & bone bending Yes , bone bending can be done and has been done. By focusing a the calcium and iron components of the bone. Also can extend life span by continuously focus on cell division

In terms of fighting, it doesn't matter what element you have, as long as you are more skilled then your oppenent with you bending, just like water and fire, fire might be weak to water but firebenders can utilize lightning, a counter to water (unless it is a bloodbender during a full moon then it is completely unfair)

Idk why they made lightning bending so weak in this show…. It’s literal lightning

Earth should be first and fire should be second. The earth kingdom was the least affected by the fire nation during the 100 year war.

Air bender and electricity should be a great combination since water is always in the air you should be able to pull water and thunder clouds out the air mix when air that should be one of the ultimate unlock bending from air bender turning into air/thunder bender

imo the best element is the one that fits you the most (your personality and fighting style) edit: after discussions with da homies, i came to 2 conclusions: 1 is that airbenders can slice through someone because aang is able to cut through a giant boulder twice his size with ease (implying that he can easily cut through people too) and the second is that waterbenders can do the exact same thing (aang and katara are able to slice through metal and katara through wood, although theyre both not really masters but it does imply that waterbenders can use water the same way as a real life water jet: highly pressurized water used to cut through metal and other hard materials) also ice is just there, with people like ming hua easily being able to cut multiple people's heads off with super sharp & fast ice blades making air and waterbending attacks just as deadly as lightning, lavabending being able to kill people almost instantly

Great list

Tenzin made bloody nonsense of Zaheer though.😂

during fire nation attack only earth kingdom survive, its a proof earth bender is the strongest

Totally agree firebending seemed superior in ATLA and Airbending less lethal till TLOk While earth is very good at defensive water has both offense and defense and with healing thrown in their water is special With Yakone blood line bloodbending at anytime water is very dangerous you can bend anyone before they could generate lightning or lava or suck oxygen out of your lungs

I can’t resist the power to fly. Air bending is my chose

It would be absolutely terrifying if airbender had the unique ability to convert the air into literally any form of gas like how water benders can convert water into ice or firebenders can convert their fire into lightning. Or better yet air benders can become plasma benders by compressing the air and the molecules and igniting it into plasma literally making their own lightsabers or Energy shields, or perhaps even more devastating they could make someone implode by manipulating air pressure or perhaps oxidizing someone to literally rot or manipulating air molecules to freeze people of object in place OR MANIPULATE STORMS! ENDLESS POSIBLITY!

you forgot so many utilities of water bending: Steam, vines/plant bending, spirit bending/cleansing. and for air: suffocation and flying. anyway bending strength was never about the elementes but about the bender.

I feel like defense is Fire's main weakness

Airbender masters have good offence, defence, have the best access to their element, can fly and have super senses like super speed and amazing reflexes. No one is beating an Airbender who wants smoke.

Well i agree the series is very smart that why they nerfed 1 and 2 in the sense there were the ones more likely too look for a way out or find peace then too be dangerous and ruthless very wise play there

I think fire bending is really slept on people say that fire bending only focus on offence but not defence but that's wrong Zuko showed that it could be used for offence plus lightning bending and combusting bending is no joke

let's not forget the Kyoshi book gave us a truly overlooked sub-bending element. Dust Stepping/bending. also sand bending was way overlooked.

Air is the strongest. When it comes to life form, you basically die in 10 seconds if your opponent take away oxygen from your lungs like Zaheer did. Water are limited to source, even the blood bending cannot defeat another blood bender or maybe standard water bender if they are skilled enough like avatar

I gotta say Air

You didn't mention sound or energy bending Sound is an air subelement Energy is what lionturtles use to take and give bending to people.

Water should be #2 but water isnt found everywhere so Air wins. Also, Earth has powerful sub-elements (metal and lava) that makes it better than water bending. PS: remember what magneto did with metals in xmen. Bloodbending is just overhyped. My list: 1. Air 2. Earth 3. Water 4. Fire

Definitely water bending has the most practicality both offensively and defensively. As an earth element myself, I know my limitations down on earth versus free forms like air and water. Lucky.

I’d probably say that earth bending has the most deadly potential. Because let’s be honest, almost everywhere you are going to fight has earth. Plus imagine if this wasn’t a kids show and instead of throwing around big blunt boulders,which should probably kill most people that get hit by them, but you can just summon rock spikes out of the ground and impale your opponents. They could open pit falls under your feat, control the environment, they can use lava and mud bending, giving them a foothold to more easily counter Fire and Water benders respectively. Like they may not be “versatile” but the shear amount of control they have over the battle field should give them an edge over most elements besides maybe air. But even then, it’s not like they can’t just machine gun earth into the sky to try to shoot them down

It is even said that bloodbending is the strongest.In the hands of a great evil master, BLOODBENDING HAS TO BE.

I do agree with the list even though im more a fan of earth and water follow by air and fire if going by the books and series but if you going by certain circumstances are brought in example take all four bending style nothing else and they all were bloodlusted and ruthless and not pacifists i go with air then water then fire and earth or earth then fire if each one had their specific sub bendings without the comet and full moon I put water and air tied for first then other two but if you add the comet and full moon happening at same time I still put the water and air higher follow by fire and earth ill say just be thankfully the air nomads don't have the same blood lust as the firebenders they just suck the air out of anyone example look how many fire benders monk gyasto took out before he went down and died just imagine how ruthless he be if he wasnt a pacifist and went all out.

I think earth should be second place because is very strong and earth benders have earth everywhere and if they are able to master lava bending,metal bending and seismic sense they’ll be unstoppable like the unstoppable melon lord

I consider air benders to be too dangerous.. did u see how the earth queen lost her life.

Tbh sometimes shows are just full of bullshit amon should have died when mako struck him so lethally with lightning

To be fair every other bender apart from the main protagonists and antagonists(zhao not included)were fodder and this is an understatement in ATLA

With airbending I mean you don’t even need Zaheer you saw what happened to all those fire nation soldiers with just one air bender while they did it on the day they got strongest with the comet and they would honestly be the strongest and just how effortless he stops Azula and send her flying at age 12

1. Airbending (Astral Projection, and Flight) 2. Earthbending (Glass, Sand, Metal, and Lava) 3. Waterbending (Blood, and Healing) 4. Firebending (Combustion) Air is the most powerful it has the more skills, power, and abilities that i didn't list because it's an overkill

The most life changing bending would be earth bending cause you can make house in no time. That’s why earth benders are the richest of them all

Question: Since fire benders can manipulate lightning which is electricity, is it possible for them to manipulate the electricity within someone else body Essentially shutting them down?

Mako struck with lighting amon while he was blood bending him, i would put earth air fire and 1st water

If I could control one element to the point of mastery it would be light.

2:12 meanwhile breathing concentration that let make fire with no belong to emotions)

i would say air is strongest cuz one thing people tend to think water has on air (blood bending) would be useless cuz blood benders control people with water within body but waters main component is oxygen and if someone skillful like gyatso and aang could easily bend on molecular levels granting them ability to water bend without being avatar we know bending on molecular level is possible too so it is not crazy to say air is just busted asf

Probably Air Bending , That's probably why Firelord Sozin Chose to use the power of The Comet to Destroy the Airbenders First along with the Avatar , He knew they could Conquer every other Nation with their regular Bending Abilities but knew he'd need all the help he could get to Destroy the Airbenders

Well all elements are kind of nerved because the show is made for kids, so too brutal bending methods are off the table and an earth bender just trapping someone by pulling up earth underneath them would be lame for every fight. (It even works with airbenders, it is really op) Water bending is also nerfed for the sake of the show, but Kyoshi demonstrated how one could use it in combat really well in a novel. She froze the water in her enemies body, therefore every little vein in the body exploded because Ice takes up more space than liquid water. Air is also nerfed as hell because they are monks. But technically they could just all do the zaheer move or do it reversed, by stuffing the enemies body with too much air, their lungs would explode leaving them to die

In all honesty, airbending should be on the top spot for combat. Airbenders are just too gentle

In my opinion air is the most powerful element in the show. Before people start yelling at me answer me this:how many times has bloodbeneders been beaten 3 times in this show,1 by another water bender and brings me to my last point the other two times a bloodbender has been taken down is by AIR benders. Both aang and korra used air bending to beat amon and amon father in lok(legend of korra).not only that when amon took korras bending away she still had air bending and that can be a sign that with enough time and lots and lots of training air bending could be immune to blood bending.Air is literally everywhere making it the easiest bending style to use. Now on to my second case as we see in the show air bending can be use to suck the air right out of a person's lungs.If that can happen maybe air bender can take the air out of a person blood to.And yes air it self is a mixture of different gases but it's never said that a air bender can't separate theses gases and again with time and training there could be techniques to do it.if it did happen an air bender could in theory take the oxygen out the water and maybe really really BIG maybe somewhat bend both water and fire as air is needed for fire(again this is a very big maybe).

Tbh air couter earth cuz they can fly and very fast evn they attacks are not deadly while earth is slow and strong. Also dont really have way 2 hit them if they on air

Remind me again Firebending does not rely on anger to function, regarding Zuko and Aang got firebending from the dragons.

Best bending is blood bend☠️ we can see how amon intimade korra with his power

Earth is always slept on

I thought air bending would've received the top spot. But, well. I am okay with your analysis.

If the Avatar learned how to blood bend does that mean in avatar state form they can control a whole army of benders? And non Benders?

Meanwhile earth bending Whitch can do most of the things he seid water bending can do 😢

I would say energy bending is the most powerful it can take away all other bending however we only seen ang do it once.

Ok here's the actual good ranking 4.Water 3.Fire 2.Earth 1.air

Hold up wait a minute let me put some air banded in it all those techniques he used was created by a certain God complex avatar name yangchen she created even deadlier Airbender techniques as well

1.waterbending 2.firebending 3.airbending 4.earthbending.... Sorry earthbending, water has blood bending (unstoppable), fire bending is most destructive and airbending is the best defensive one

Fire can heal as well, so saying healing is only exclusive to water bending is kinda wrong

I feel like air bending has an asterisk. I think airbending has much more potential and application but never realy shown because they were nearly wipedout. Only Ang and the other dude was able to show airbending abilities. Compared to other elements where their power and application was fully showcased throughout the show.

I actually think air water and earth is tied and I agree fire is the weakest

If u can bend air u can bend everything

Water is op asf

Zaheer is so hard😭😭😭 he my favorite villain no cap

If you think about it earthbending 🪨 can be very destructive than a firebender 🔥

Don't forget energy bending, spirit bending, water is the most powerful

I believe earth bending is the most dangerous

You forgot to say water bending can take away bending

Blood

Piercing water is the deadliest Jiu Jitsu kaisen did a great with liquid manipulation

If you breathe in air, I don't see why air benders can't control the oxygen in your body. They are just not trained to be wicked

Wait, can earth benders bend the iron in our blood???

Ice can be used just the same as earth so technically they can do the same things as earth benders

OK I would rather be a earthbender so that I can create . And my woman would be a waterbender, which means she will always have that "WAP".

You forgot how water can literally change a spirits energy between positive and negative and how spirit bending can quite literally destroy one's soul.

Here’s how I’ll rank the elements 1. Earth 2. Fire 3. Air 4. Water

Hey can u reply If yes Ok i have a question air or earth

Fire should be way higher.

I dont understand. Firebending is just bending heat, vibrating atoms, increasing their kinetic energy. Couldn't they just ignite anything? Also pretty much everything contains heat, especially living beings. Arent firebenders technically containing one of the fundamental properties of the universe itself? Ie. Thermodynamics? I dont understand how they aren't heating things up and then controlling them.

I think water bending can't be done without water, fire, air, water and earth, may be this would do, correct if I'm wrong❤

Water is h20 so technically contains oxygen couldnt a highly skilled air bender separate the oxygen from the water i consider air bending to be dominant due to the fact it needs neither fire nor water to exist while on the other hand water and fire are nothing without air ….. also just think it has more perks and more potential overall