Thoughts of new earth, water and air bending styles

Discussion

So been watching a lot of Aang and Korra and I’ve always been fascinated with the spirituality and inspiration with sub bending styles. I do feel like Air needs a real substantial sub style (flight and projection seems a bit exclusive) and I also think Earth needs a more spiritual style. So after doing some reading and watching, I thought of this:

  • Soundbending: not very original I know. This has been talked about for years, but I thought on how the bending is done and how the airbenders would look. The style of soundbending would be more reminiscent of the kathak dance, both due to its more expressive moves and origin in story telling. Also, sound being master, as well as getting air bending tattoos, would get additional tattoos With more diverse shapes, all born from the ideology of soundbenders that their freedom isn’t from earthly things, but from oppression and that sound is air expressing that freedom.
  • Spiritual Scrying: taking inspiration from Chinese I Ching divination and the gongshi stones, I thought of a more spiritual side of earth bending, scrying. Basically, using dust, soil or dirt at a location, the earth bender can “cast” them before entering a state of deep concentration with the earth. Channeling the earth through them, the earth bender shapes the dust into shapes and symbols, allowing them to gain insight into present, past and even future occurrences relating to the source of the dust and the location. This is also inspired by the idea that earth benders use neutral jing, waiting for the right moment. Earth as an element does the same. It says in one place, watching the world go past. Users of spiritual Scrying can access this observation.
  • Plantbending: this is technical canon but I think it needs to be used more. Also, after studying the chemical properties of plants, I released waterbenders could replicated metal benders and bend wood. Wood is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture in the air. If a water bender is skilled enough in plant bending, they could theoretically do the same to wood.

Posted May 10, 2026, 2:14 PM UTC

10
Loading comments…