FIREBENDERS
After waterbenders, firebenders make up the third biggest bender population of Ba Sing Se, due to the settlement of Fire Nation people during the invasion centuries ago, or the decision to become a traitor to their own country as an opposition act towards the war. In the recent year Ba Sing Se, many firebenders have mixed blood of a Fire Nation native and Earth Kingdom native.
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Firebending, one of the four elemental bending arts, is the pyrokinetic ability to control fire. It is unique among the bending arts, as it is the only one in which the performer can generate the element.
Fire is the element of power, consisting of overpowering force tempered by the unflinching will to accomplish tasks and desires. Firebending is known for its intense and aggressive attacking style and general lack of adequate defensive moves. Firebending draws its power from the sun, and the first human firebenders derived their firebending techniques from the dragons.
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Varieties of firebending:
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Firebending
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Heat control
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Lightning manipulation
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Cold temperatures reduce a firebender's abilities; the prison on the Boiling Rock used insulated chambers, the coolers, and piped in cold air as a punishment for those prisoners who used firebending.
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With waterbending becoming stronger with it and firebending being water's opposite element, the full moon weakens firebending to some degree.
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The major combat weakness behind the applied art of firebending is its confrontational nature. Due to its aggressiveness and pursuit of continuous assault, it traditionally lacks basic defensive techniques, which can leave an inexperienced bender considerably vulnerable to enemy counterattacks.
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In order to firebend properly, one must have "inner fire", his or her drive, without which one's firebending becomes weak. A firebender's power may decrease in any situation which might extinguish their flames, such as being underwater or caught in the rain.
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true firebending power comes not from physical size or strength, but rather from the very control of one's breath. Though anger, rage and other intense emotions can amplify the power of firebending, it can lead to dangerous explosions or wildfires and can also cause any nearby flames to burn out of control.
AIRBENDERS
After firebenders, airbenders make up the least bender population of Ba Sing Se, due to the slowly increasing airbender population from Avatar Aang's descendants and their tendency to move places as a nomadic community. In the recent year Ba Sing Se, many airbenders have mixed blood of an Air Nomad native and Earth Kingdom native, and no longer practice some values of airbender monks like having shaved heads or following a vegetarian diet.
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Airbending, one of the four elemental bending arts, is the aerokinetic ability to control and manipulate air. The peaceful Air Nomads utilized this type of bending in their everyday lives.
Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly problems and concerns; finding peace and freedom was the key to solving their difficulties in life. Airbenders continually sought spiritual enlightenment, and, as a result, all children born into the Air Nomads were benders.
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The key to airbending is flexibility and finding and following the path of least resistance. Airbending is notable for being almost purely defensive, as well as the most dynamic of the four bending arts. Airbenders can overwhelm many opponents at once with large and powerful attacks that could prove fatal; however, due to the pacifist nature of the Air Nomads, such attacks are rarely used. Due to their aforementioned spirituality, they often adapt to the situation surrounding them and employ negative jing, preferring evasive maneuvers as opposed to direct confrontation. The first airbenders learned their art from the sky bisons.
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Varieties of airbending:​
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Airbending
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Air gliding/flight
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Cloud manipulation
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Though deemed the most dynamic of the bending arts, the most controversial aspect of airbending is its supposed lack of fatal moves, being a more defense-inclined art. This aspect in itself is a reflection of the principles held by the Air Nomads, which preaches the preciousness of all life and avoidance of violence whenever possible.
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In contrast with other bending disciplines, airbending necessitates constant spiritual awareness, and an airbender who loses this connection can see their skills deteriorate.