Lava

[Glitch]

Back before I was here at LAF I was part of a huge discussion on lavabending, who could do it, etc. I want to know what y'all think. There are a lot of different times that hints lavabending, but very few where it's actually done.

Avatar Roku bends lava when he destroys the crescent island temple.
Avatar Kyoshi bends lava when she separates Kyoshi Island from the mainland.
Five lives back from Aang, which is the Fire Nation Avatar before Roku, lavabent when Roku was explaining the Avatar State in 201.

My thoughts are that lavabending can be done by firebenders, but it is an old and lost form of bending. Sozin absorbs steam and gasses from lava in the volcano, hardening the lava. Idk if this counts as lavabending or firebending, but my bet is a little of both. It seems like lavabending is only done by past avatars and Firelord Sozin. So it's obviously not practiced much in the current days.

Also, in the four cuts where Roku is explaining to Aang the Avatar State, it flashes to four different Avatar bending their natural element. And the firebender was lavabending. So that obviously leads to the notion that lavabending is part of firebending.

But what is lava? Lava's just molten earth.

So what do you think?

[trailerman]

Lava is melted earth. Earthbenders can bend earth in all of it's states.

[johnpmadrigal]

Firebenders are the only ones in my book. Kyoshi was a firebender too that's why she could do it.

[Uncle_Iroh]

I'm with Tman. Its just earth heated up. Any earthbender could bend it.

[Glitch]

Firebenders are the only ones in my book. Kyoshi was a firebender too that's why she could do it.

But at the same time she was an earthbender.

I agree Iroh and tman, it's just hot earth; that's what lava is. But when it is transformed into lava, could is become unbendable by earthbenders and bendable by firebenders? That's my guess. I would agree with y'all that technically earthbenders are SUPPOSED to be the ones bending it, but I think that the firebenders are the ones who can in the series's reality. And here's why:

Really there is no definite answer. I'm gonna say that despite the chemical makeup of lava, it is able to be bent by firebenders. And that's only because of this:


Earth Kingdom Avatar (Kyoshi) bends her natural element. (Earth, in the form of carved rock.)


Water Tribe Avatar (Kuruk) bends his natural element. (Water, in the form of an ocean wave.)


Air Nomad Avatar (Yangchen) bends her natural element. (Air, just air.)


Fire Nation Avatar (Before Yangchen) bends his natural element. (Fire, in the form of lava.)

Now why on earth would Mike and Bryan make that last cut a Fire Nation Avatar, dressed in red, with a red color scheme, following the other three types of bending, yet him still be 'earthbending' this lava? That's why I think it's firebending.

[trailerman]

Roku could bend lava, because he was also an Earthbender. Sozin could only extract the heat.

Technically, Earthbenders can even bend metal, or sand. Why can't they bend heated earth then?

Waterbenders have guts to extract water from thin air (As Hama proved). This process still involves just one element (water), even though it is extracted from air.

[Uncle_Iroh]

I believe if Firebenders are bending lava it is because of the heat. And only a extremely powerful bender could do it. Heck only Avatars could do it. The fire sages even said that Roku had created the secret tunnels. I believe only avatars can bend lava.

[Glitch]

Roku could bend lava, because he was also an Earthbender. Sozin could only extract the heat.

Technically, Earthbenders can even bend metal, or sand. Why can't they bend heated earth then?

Waterbenders have guts to extract water from thin air (As Hama proved). This process still involves just one element (water), even though it is extracted from air.

That's a good point. While earthbenders can bend rock, metal, and sand, they can also bend a combination of elements sometimes. I think of Toph mudbending against Katara. I guess that counts.

The chemical makeup of lava and all other physical/chemical evidence that lava is earth (it is a fact that lava is earth, you can't argue that. it is earth, period). So it only makes sense that earthbenders should be able to bend the lava.

But, it's never actually discussed who can bend it or not. The only benders who ever bend it are Avatars. But I still have to lean to the side that firebenders can bend the lava, even though it should be earthbenders. Repeat: It should be earthbenders, but I think it's firebenders. Despite the makeup of the lava. And that's because of what I said in my last post. Every Avatar was bending their element, except the last one?? That doesn't make much sense.

Both ways make no sense. The physical sense of earthbending lava makes sense, but they showed lavabending by someone who's natural element was fire.

[Uncle_Iroh]

You have excellent point G, but if someone is in a volcanic mountain range, and someone yells fire, the first thing I think of is Lava. Its just kinda symbolic.

[trailerman]

Only, because we haven't seen Earthbenders bend lava. However, we know that lava is same earth.

Waterbenders can certainly bend vodka, because it has water in it. But we don't need it t be showed, right?