Lava

[Mindbender]

I've contemplated over this before... maybe, its really Liquidbending, Solidbending, Gasbending and Plasmabending.

So waterbenders can't bend ice or pull water vapor out of air?

[vanja1995]

I've contemplated over this before... maybe, its really Liquidbending, Solidbending, Gasbending and Plasmabending.

So waterbenders can't bend ice or pull water vapor out of air?

oh damn, you've got me there - _ -

Just when I was starting to see some logic in bending ...

Maybe we should give up. Since in the end it all probably comes down to electrons...

[Glitch]

I've contemplated over this before... maybe, its really Liquidbending, Solidbending, Gasbending and Plasmabending.

So waterbenders can't bend ice or pull water vapor out of air?

oh damn, you've got me there - _ -

Just when I was starting to see some logic in bending ...

Maybe we should give up. Since in the end it all probably comes down to electrons...

Or in the end it comes down to the fact that it's physically impossible unless you're in a mythical world.

[Uncle_Iroh]

I'm pretty much decided that the bending of lava in that particular scene is purely symbolic. You also have to take in to account that the person bending it is a past Avatar. So then it becomes symbolic and something only an avatar can do, since it is something only an avatar can do it becomes unsure of what element it is.

[ImperialFirebender]

In my opinion, lavabending should be an earthbending ability. This is because lava is a liquid form of earth. If earthbenders can't bend lava why should water benders be able to bend ice, water, and vapor/steam. Firebenders can redirect heat but cannot bend lava.
That's what I think.
As for the firebending avatar, it was probably the only way to effectively convey the idea of heat and power of lava(it would be kind of weird just see a field burning or something like that).

[Twitch]

What about when Aang saved that town from that volcano in, um... 114(the fortune teller)? Why didn't he just bend the lava?

[ImperialFirebender]

What about when Aang saved that town from that volcano in, um... 114(the fortune teller)? Why didn't he just bend the lava?

Aang had not learned earthbending yet. Therefore, he could not have bent the lava.

[Glitch]

What about when Aang saved that town from that volcano in, um... 114(the fortune teller)? Why didn't he just bend the lava?

Aang had not learned earthbending yet. Therefore, he could not have bent the lava.

Aang only knew airbending and a little bit of waterbending. He hadn't found Toph or Zuko or even Jeong Jeong to help him yet. So he was simply using airbending to cool down the lava.

[QiBreezy]

This is a great discussion! Really breaks down the elements into its true realities...which, i guess, is all one.

Now for the Lava part!

I like to think that only master benders can go beyond the basic element and manipulate mixtures.

It takes a good waterbender/earthbender to properly manipulate mud because it needs to be done without only moving the water or mud alone but by doing the bending in such a manner that it retains the muddy form.

This, I guess, is why only learned benders like Roku can bend lava. Earth becomes molten because of combustion. Earth is heated/burnt/combusted to become lava. Products of combustion include the release of light in the form of a glow or a flame. So I guess you can consider lava both earth and fire. Just like mud is both earth and water. This can only mean that only master benders can manipulate lava. The average earthbender can't handle lava and neither can the average firebender.

So in conclusion, to bend lava, you have to either be a master firebender and/or a master earthbender - Earthbending being the easier skill to utilize in manipulating lava. For a firebender to lavabend means he's just pure awesome-ness.

Basic Firebender: Manipulates flames.
Intermediate Firebender: Create and manipulate flames from intense heat source (ie. burning coal,lava, sozin's comet).
Master Firebender: Manipulates the intense heat source itself. (ie. lava, burning coal).

yeah?

[Twitch]

What about when Aang saved that town from that volcano in, um... 114(the fortune teller)? Why didn't he just bend the lava?

Aang had not learned earthbending yet. Therefore, he could not have bent the lava.

Aang only knew airbending and a little bit of waterbending. He hadn't found Toph or Zuko or even Jeong Jeong to help him yet. So he was simply using airbending to cool down the lava.

lol my bad. I remembered that last night and tried to get on as fast as I could to fix it.