I just don't believe it because the world of Avatar is not governed by scientific law. The moon powering up waterbenders seems to be logical, but the moon only really affects the tide level as far as science goes. Then of coarse, all of the 'elements' are made of real elements. Except fire. Fire is a reaction of energy, while earth, water, and air are scientifically composed of some of the same elements. Avatar though is based on ancient Asian beliefs in the elements, so fire, earth, water, and air are elements in the context of the show. I know I am quite nerdy! ;D

No fire benders don't control fire they are only able to use it as Iroh said once the lighting is sent it is wild and out of control so theres no way that a fire bender would be able to comtrol brain impulses.

And Snehal was right about earth benders they can not bend metal for reasons I don't know, but if they could they would have the advantage over the fire nation because nearly everything the fire nation owns is made of metal and if they were able to they would have used their metal bending already

Well there does seem be rules that the bending can't cross. In addition to Firebender not being able to control brain impulses, I don't think that waterbenders would be able to control an animal. This is for two major reasons. 1.) It seems to go against their ethic. Bending plants is ok because the plants can't think for them selves. 2.) Likely the most important, A human body is a very complex machine. We can't move just by the pressure difference in our body. Only electical impluses can make our muscles move.

And FWI, I did my reseach and the 4 basic elements did not come from asia. They came from greece. See the topic "Western influences" in the "Show" board. And then post.

I saw it read it and its kind of obvious that American would have it like that think it was make in American true it was Asian based but its still a western made cartoon

and yeah I believe what you say on how water benders wouldn't be able to control animals or humans because even though its true that the body contains water in it there will always resist unlike the vines the swamp benders were doing. And plus if they could do it why haven't they used it because from what I've seen they could control the temperature of the water they bend and if they were able to control the water ion people couldn't they have used it on the fire lord a long time ago to end the war

See thats thinking scientificcally. I fully agree with you Prof. however Waterbenders can manipulate a person's body by using the water that the human body contains. It is said that this is the most powerful finishing move out of all the bending arts. I read this from the site itself and I was thoroughly surprised.

As for the iron in blood. A person iron content would have to be extremely high for an earthbender to suck it out if they are able to suck it out. I also read from the official site that Eartbenders can't bend refined, man made metals. It never said anything about it in it's purest form. Even though I believe that its highly doubtful.

So at least an inkling of what I was talking about is plausible??? Woot. If not, oh well. Shows how much I know, I really need to watch more. Anyway, so yeah, I thought earthbender could bend natural metals, can't remember where I read it though. Of course yes, it would be much harder to bend metals, but I don't see why not. What' the difference between the rocks in the ground and metals pulled out from a mine? Well, off to youtube....

anything is possible in the show, unless they definately prove it wrong. They haven't shown any natural metal as far as Ive seen, only man-made. You could say that any bender could have any number of theoretical abilities. I doubt that they wpuld add alot of the plausible ones though, because it would make it unbalanced.

if water bender could contol all the water in a person. they could kill them easly. a person body is 75% water.so they could take all the water out a person body.Alt+S

Isn't a person body 80% water ? But even if it was they couldn't because like Do Sho said, the pressure of water in a body is too much to bend the Water. Maybe they could redirect the Chi flow in the water of the body to heal (that's exactly what they do) but not use it as if it was a simple pool.

About the bending water in a person... I think that it's possible for a waterbender to do, though infinitely difficult even if a master would have done it. However, I can't think of any ways that a waterbender would be so perverted and evil enough to actually control a person's movements.

It would take waaay too much energy and there would be very little gain since using that much energy to actually get control over the water in a person's body does not leave very much energy to bend it! Plus, it probably goes against Avatar's ethics and original ideas to do that.

And it would take all the fun out of an all-out bending brawl.

It was stated on Wikipedia that Waterbenders can control the water in people's bodies, to a certain extent in my beliefs. I think they cannot move it, because there are to many different liquids interfearing. They can manipulate the temperature. Ask for Iron, a person would actually have to eat a hunk of Iron for Earthbenders to control it, because the average amount in humans wouldn't be enough for Earthbenders to control.

Lol I was just now thinking...Why would they try and control the persons movements when they could just change the temperature of the persons internal water to boil them from the inside out?he he I know...Ethics...

And the Iron inside the persons body...I think that they could concentrate it to an artery or something clog it and kill the person...but again ethics...which is why they cant in the show

that goes for both those post thingys ^_^*

I think you re missing the point of Bending.

Based on the natural principles of the Universe as defined in the Chinese book, the I-Ching, bending is a skill that affects nature, but is only used in the spritual sense. Most top martial art masters in tai chi and ba gua could/can perform incredble skills, that appear supernatural. I have a video of a man who can levitate, and balance on one finger. I've seen a master break someone's nose without touching him, while sparring.

Tai chi, ba gua, and hsing-i are the chinese martial arts that incorporate the I-Ching principles in their martial arts. Chi flow is channeled while fighting.

That is, I think, where the creators of Avatar got the idea of "bending" from.

Ok, here is my big fat opinion. The Avatar world is not really Science. I mean if it was, then people like us can go 'whoosh' water flies up. I mean, the Avatar show is based on certain beliefs, like Chinese, Greece, blah blah blah. So, if you wanted to get all Scientific, then yes, Earthbenders could control metal, waterbenders could control people, and Firebenders, could, control brain pulses and the nervous system. But the Avatar is NOT science, it is fiction, where anything can happen. Possums can explode in fiction.

THERE IS MY BIG FAT OPINION!!!

Avatar: Literally, an Incarnation of something. The word is derived from hindi and is often used in Hindu mythology. Mixing it with Japanese and Chinese martial arts and the Greek beliefs about the four elements, which coincidently are also used in the ancient practice of alchemy. The creators of the show effectively blended three separate and frankly, entirely different cultures into one.

Now as for science, alchemy was the forefather of modern chemisty. And intelligent master of any bending arts could actually manage to use his or her intelligence to manipulate the basic "elements" and the elements of chemistry and thoretically do anything. MWAHAHAHA!

Now imagine an Avatar with that intelligence.

About Waterbending someone's bodily fluids... The most they could do to it is rearrange it. Put it in places it doesn't need to go. The idea is that the body is 100% this and that, but is that 25% isn't filled with something, a Bender can't put more in or take some out. They can only really move it. And that wouldn't even matter, since that's a benefit to certain areas, albeit somewhat dangerous.

About Firebending electric impulses... They can't. Azula, for example, can't control the electricity and make it move. She can only guide it. Therefore, you could probably trace impulses somewhere, but it really wouldn't cause damage. Just make them do things. "Things". Mostly because they couldn't create more without passing through the skull on a most obvious scale.

About Earthbending metal... NO. Just NO. Metal may be minerals from the earth, but it isn't earth. There's a huge difference. Especially in the molecular structure and atomic compository. I don't care what the Chinese think; science proved them wrong.

My 2¢ for your piggy. XD

Heres my oppinion mates.
Firebending: Like Sae said, you can only guide the lightening. Its like shooting a pistol. You aim, you shoot and pray that it hits your target before he or she strikes back. Also, I don't think fire benders know that the body has electricity flowing through the brain. Think about the time period this is like and technology advancment. Also, can you really hold an electrical charge without damaging yourself?
Waterbending: You can't bend the water. Foreign water maybe but not the water that your born with. Water in the lungs is water in the lungs. Besides, do they know that 70-80% of the body is made up of water? I don't think so. Once again, think about the time period and technological advancement.
Earthbending: No, no and no! If they could bend metal then they would ahve defeaten the fire nation a long time ago. That and those earth benders in episode that were capture could have bent the metal if they could have but nnooooo. They needed coal to fight the fire benders. So.... NO BENDING METAL!!!!

Now, ANY QUESTIONS?!?!?!

That is all the Sake that I have for ya all mates.