Yeah, I think waterbenders can bend ice. Theres plenty of evidence of it in the show(even if water is usually formed into ice post-attack, in order to capture an opponent) and it fits with other things. Earthbenders can bend metal and gems, which are forms of earth, so waterbenders can definitely bend ice, since it IS effectively water(the molecules are merely arranged differently). The problem is, ice is rigid, so shifting it to water is easier to manipulate(at least I think so), so waterbenders will use that to shape their attack first, then freezing it.

Besides, if they could turn it into ice and then suddenly be unable to bend it.... thatd suck.

I agree. I think waterbenders can bend ice. Think about Master Pakku and how he immobilized Katara. The way the icicles fell down on her seemed too interconnected to not be aimed while they were ice.

What about the Northern Water Tribe? All of their buildings seem to be made of ice and snow to an extent. I can only assume that it is built by benders, which would mean they could manipulate ice in the first place.

I believe waterbenders can manipulate water in its various forms, whether it be fluid, icy or steam. It just seems like a natural extention of it.

They can surely bend ice. In one scene you specifically see Katara bending snow. There was absolutely no water in the process, only snow. No doubt about it, they're ice benders. Though, ice is probably harder to move around than water when it comes to bending, so I imagine if they're going to do one of their crazy swirly movements they bend it into water first, then rebend it into ice when the time is right.

Waterbenders CAN bend ice.

It's been seen on the show plenty of times. On the first episode do we not see Katara breaking apart a whole iceberg in her blind rage? Did we not see Katara bend snow at the Southern AND Northern Air Temple. (Psst...snow are tiny bits of ice).

Ice is just the solid state of H2O.

But more specifically, not only do waterbenders posess the ability of hydrokinesis, they have a sort of degree of "thermokinesis" being able to manipulate temperatures. But it seems their thermokinesis is only limited with H2O.

Let's not forget they also have a degree of vitalkinesis, with the ability to heal using water as a catalyst.

Will i like to think of things this way. In there basic nature each of the elements are as follows:

Earth-Solid
Water-Liquid
Air-Gas
Fire-Chemical reaction or plasma?

Each of the different bending arts focus's on a specific state of matter in its teachings. Earth teachs to be firm and tough like rocks with a solid stance. Water teachs to be flowwing and graceful in movement. Air teachs to be evasive and pacific just like how air molecules move all around the place.
Fire teachs control because an uncontroled chemical reaction is chaotic and needs to be controled. more or less.

So in a way not only does each element focus on a specific substance, but also a state of matter. So perhaps an earth bender could teach a water bending how to work with solids for bending ice. The reverse could be the same for earthbenders and lava. What do you think?

i agree with most of what you said.But i dont agree witht he earth benders being able to bend lava. To me, that seems like something firebenders could do.I mean i could be wrong. Maybe earhbenders can bend lava. Heck might see that in one of the new episodes. But i do agree with everything else you have said Tomoganso(weird name:] ).You see proof of that in the episode.

I think that waterbenders would be able to bend ice using earthbending moves in the same way Iroh uses waterbending moves to redirect lightning. It makes sense because since ice is water, but is in the structure and texture of earth, waterbenders would have to move it with forceful moves (instead of gentle, swirly moves because it wouldn't make sense for them to move ice with those kinds of moves, would it?)

That makes little sense. True, ice is more stable than water and more firm, but its not used in the same manner. Prehaps i could but really, have we seen any waterbender do that? No, they instead make ice after they bend water in a certain manner, then condense it somehow. Earthbending is strong and powerful, firm and resolute, ungiving. Waterbending is flexible and graceful. Ice is by no means the same as earth. They are solids... thats about as close as they can come.... but thats just my oppinion. I am by no means an expert.

Yes the water bending art is flexable and graceful, just like liquid water. But Ice is not very flexable.

Take a look at the sand benders for example. A sand bender moves sand in very similar manner as airbenders move wind. Even though sand is still an earth object, because you are dealing with hundreds of individual pieces, instead of one solid chunk, you need a style which deals with moving hundreds of individual pieces, just like air particles. Earth benders deal with firm solid stances, but sand isn't very firm ground.

I haven't completely figured out exactly what each art style would enable each element to do, but i have got some good ideas.

Well, maybe instead of using earthbender moves to move ice, the waterbenders would sort of combine the two styles to a point at which they would be able to use that middle style to move ice (if they already can't move it with waterbending or earthbending moves). ;D

What I meant is that the style itself is graceful and flexible. Even when they are bending water into ice it is. I have looked at the episodes for a few times and I have not seen a single earthbending like move as a water bender creates ice or uses water. A waterbender might be able to do it but would they really need to? Would it really help them out? I find that highly unlikely. And, unlike earthbending, ice is to the point. We've seen alot of earthbending, but nothing sharp about them, but I might have missed a few episodes somewhere along the line. The only bit of earth that I have seen would happen to be crystals.

The sandbenders do not have a firm stance if I recall, but I might be wrong. They might have a firm stance, but they branched off a bit. But 'icebending' doesn't branch off too far from waterbending. Infact, inorder to bend ice you have to use the water, launch it or shape it or whatever, then freeze it. Once more, I can just be showing you all how big a idiot I am. WHOOT!

Well, either way, we know for sure that waterbenders are able to bend ice, we're just not sure about the style or any of those other things. I mean why wouldn't waterbenders be able to bend ice if ice is 100% water... It's not like mud in which case it would be a little harder for waterbenders to bend mud, no, it's ice: the solid state of water. So, of course, it makes sense that waterbenders should be able to bend ice (but I think you have to be a master). And Yoshiro, what are you talking about? Of course icebending would really help waterbenders out. Imagine a fight between a waterbender and a firebender near the ocean... The waterbender turns a large amount of water from the ocean into a huge ice cube and then drops it on the firebender... SPLAT! Very helpful! ;D XD

I think Waterbenders can because in that episode Katara fights that North Water Tribe Teacher dude, she fires discs of ice towards him, and the teacher makes ice spikes and throws them at her.

Actually I think that may be when Waterbenders bend water in the Arctic the native weather allows the water to freeze at a very hight rate, giving the appearance of Ice bending. But that's just a rough idea.

I seem to remember Ice Spears being used outside of the North/South poles. Uh, I'll have a look in my Archives.

Didn't she use ice in Foggy Swamp? Or was that just really sharp water?

I think what everyone is trying to point out is that the water benders can move the ice, break it apart, and change it's form to water and back again BUT what hey cannot do it change it's form.

For example, the ice could not change from the shape of a cube to a spear without changing from ice to water and then back to ice (IF THEY TAKE UP THE SAME VOLUME). Allow me to explain. If there is a huge cube that takes up a large volume than the spear that is being made, they can break it apart into sections (just as Katara did in the first episode and as she did with the ice disks, along with how the master used on her with the spears).

Saying this, that means that when Katara froze her legs to the ground and when she froze Jet to the tree, she was changing the water from a snow form to an ice form and a vapor form to an ice form (respectively) still obeys the law that I had stated.

If anyone can find a disproving incident, please respond describing it in detail.