Among the heroes and villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are a lot of varied powers. When it comes to the television series Agents Of SHIELD, most of those superpowers are the result of having Inhuman DNA. Inhuman powers can be anything from super speed to molecular manipulation to seeing the future.
Amongst the different bending abilities in Avatar: The Last Airbender, there isn't quite that wide a range of powers. Instead, the powers are rooted in the four main elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Each type of bending has a distinct style, and in some cases, fans can see similar styles in the way the SHIELD agents approach their fighting. If they were benders in the Avatar universe, they'd have a pretty cool addition to their arsenal.
Phil Coulson: Fire
Phil Coulson is steady and dependable, and it's easy to think he would end up as an earthbender as a result. His flair for the dramatic, however, makes him a good fit for firebending.
Firebenders have a sense of community and pride born from their country's military style. They see themselves as a part of something greater, not unlike how Coulson views his connection to SHIELD. They'd also sooner use dragon-sized fire than a small lick of flame when the latter will do. Coulson would have a lot of fun with his bending abilities.
Alphonso Mackenzie: Earth
No, Mack isn't an earthbender based on size alone, though The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra do tend to make a point of their earthbenders being larger than life. Instead, it's Mack's straightforward style of fighting that makes him an earthbender.
Introduced in season two, Mack doesn't need tricks or flips or speed to take on an enemy. Instead, he takes a step and brandishes a weapon. Being able to take a step and move a rock would work just the same.
Elena Rodriguez: Air
Elena has the Inhuman ability of superspeed in the series already. As she tends to remind everyone, she likes to go fast. The closest ability to her own in the world of Avatar would be airbending since it would afford her some of the same styles of movement.
Mastering airbending would allow Elena to move quickly with the aid of the wind at her back, whether on the surface of the ground or through the air. She wouldn't have the patience to enter the spirit world like Legend of Korra's Jinora, but she would certainly be proficient at airbending.
Melinda May: Water
Water is one of the most deceptively gentle of elements. It gives life, provides calm and cool areas for relaxation, but it also is one of the most destructive. Water is the perfect element to compliment Melinda May.
Plenty of May's movements in the series are rooted in her own practice of tai chi that the audience sees way back in the first season of the show. Her movements are fluid, sometimes unexpected, and always exact. She, like Katara, would have no problem taking the smallest amount of water and fastening it essentially into blades to get through steel bars.
Bobbi Morse: Fire
Bobbi Morse might have left the series in season three, but she left a strong impression on fans who still wish she had her own show. Her batons are her weapon of choice, but she's a fierce combatant without any weapons.
In fact, her tendency to strike out and jab her opponent or sweep them completely off their feet might call to mind the swift moves of a Fire Nation fighter. Firebending would certainly compliment her fighting.
Leo Fitz: Earth
Dependability, a strong stance, and versatility are needed in earthbending. While Fitz might not have been the strongest fighter at the start of the series, he can certainly hold his own by the end.
He is the kind of fighter who will use whatever is put in front of him - even if he's not always immediately sure how to use it. Fitz is a quick thinker, but definitely of the Mack school of fighting - straightforward and to the point. One strong step, and he'd have the ground obeying his every command.
Jemma Simmons: Water
While May would use water to quickly cut opponents down to size, Jemma Simmons would probably revel in the opposite end of the waterbending spectrum: using water to heal.
Jemma would be fascinated by the ability and no doubt want to experiment with it. Of course, like Fitz, she's pretty good at turning anything around her into a weapon, so she'd probably be more likely to try out Katara's "sweatbending" long before May did.
Lance Hunter: None
Lance Hunter is very much the Sokka of SHIELD agents. While he would probably love to be able to bend, someone has to be the odd man out. Hunter would be that odd man.
He's proven himself capable with just about any weapon thrown in front of him in the series, and he even is intelligent enough to teach Fitz how to turn a hand dryer into some sort of distracting gadget in the second season. Hunter wouldn't be left out in the cold without a bending ability because his ingenuity more than makes up for it.
Daniel Sousa: Earth
Originally an SSR agent on Agent Carter, Daniel Sousa joined the series just in time for the big finale. The man out of time, Sousa tries his best to understand every strange thing thrown at him. He doesn't waver in the face of certain doom, and even takes Daisy's time loop in stride every single time she asks for his help.
Sousa is the epitome of solid and dependable, much like the earth. While he could likely adapt to learn just about any style, earthbending would suit him best.
Daisy Johnson: Air
With a superhero moniker like "Quake," fans might immediately jump to making Daisy an earthbender. The truth is, Daisy Johnson is already the show's equivalent of an airbender.
Daisy's ability involves manipulating the "vibrations" of objects, and even the air itself. She can already use her ability to slow someone's fall and propel herself skyward. Adapting to all of the other facets of airbending would be a snap for her.