From the very first episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the immense power held by the universe's firebenders was incredibly well-established. While the destructive elements of this bending art are certainly evident, the scope of this powerful fighting style has evolved substantially throughout Avatar and its sequel series The Legend of Korra.
Iroh tells his nephew Zuko that, "Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will and the energy and drive to achieve what they want." Deriving power from the sun, a firebender taps into his fierce will and determination to harness heat and convert it into a wide array of potentially deadly attacks. The history of firebending in the Avatar universe is extensive and the ancient art goes back centuries before Aang's time. The very first Avatar, Avatar Wan, was first gifted the ability by an ancient lionturtle before gaining access to the other elements, making firebending his primary bending form.
The noble Sun Warriors continued the practice, learning from dragons to perfect their technique. However, during the infamous Hundred Year War the militaristic Fire Nation corrupted the bending art, channeling feelings of rage and anger to augment their abilities. Throughout both Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, fans are introduced to an impressive roster of firebenders including Zuko, Iroh, Mako, Azula, P'Li, and many others - all with their own individualized flair and skill sets. Here is a list of the powers associated with firebending.
General Offense
Given fire's association with power, it should come as no surprise that firebenders have a great capacity for inflicting physical damage on enemies, arguably more so than any other bending style. Throughout the series, skilled benders have demonstrated attacks involving flames shot from the hands, feet, and mouth, not unlike the other elemental benders. Also like other benders, firebenders appear to have the ability to shape their element at well. Blades and whips of fire have been staples in the firebending arsenal from some of the show's very first episodes, but audiences have also witnessed firebenders creating dangerous wheels, vortexes and explosive bombs, all made from flame.
With the firebenders' unique ability to create their element (air, earth, and water must be present for the other bending styles to be effective), users of this ability are generally quick and relentless, tapping into their emotions to create seemingly constant streams of fire. This quickness plays into the stereotypically aggressive firebending style, as seen in some of the series' most compelling fight scenes - particularly duels involving Zuko and Azula. Masters of the ability are able to charge attacks, demonstrated most notably with Uncle Iroh, who is seen many times focusing his energy inward before unleashing his enviable power.
General Defense
Firebenders' relative lack of defense is their greatest weakness. Unlike the more defensive and fluid bending styles, the offense-centric firebenders typically rely on their quickness to protect themselves in battle. However, there have been several instances throughout both series in which walls or shields made of fire are shown to absorb oncoming attacks. Additionally, a firebender's ability to regulate heat within their own bodies give them additional stamina in a fight.
Another example of firebending defensive technique, while extraordinarily rare, stems from a centuries-old practice embraced by the Sun Warriors and, later, Aang and Zuko as they sought to perfect their mastery over the element. "The Dancing Dragon," a sacred firebending form which incorporates atypical flowing motions (akin to the waterbending form), led to a marked improvement in Zuko's defensive skills in particular. After learning the ancient technique, Zuko demonstrated the firebending ability to diminish Azula's flames during their final duel.
Dragon Fire
Zuko received another power upgrade after his perfection of the "The Dancing Dragons," as demonstrated in the canonical comic book series that followed the airing of The Last Airbender. Toward the end of the ceremonial presentation of the fluid and dance-like firebending form with Aang, the two benders were introduced to the two surviving dragons, Ran and Shaw, who create a vortex of multicolor dragon flame. In the comics, eagle-eyed readers may notice that Zuko incorporates similar technicolor fire into his bending, creating his own fiery tornado of orange, yellow, pink, and green flame - showing that the most skillful firebenders are able to mimic the powers of their very first mentors.
Jet Propulsion
A high-level skill accessible to only the most skilled firebending masters, jet propulsion enables temporary flight under most circumstances. Like with most other firebending powers, during Sozin’s comet the ability appears to gain a bit of a boost. Jet propulsion was first demonstrated by Azula during the battle of the Crystal Catacombs. Additionally, both Avatars Aang and Korra used the ability while in the Avatar State. Nearly seventy years later, Zuko's grandson General Iroh (named after Zuko's beloved uncle) uses the ability with relative ease, suggesting that this application of firebending has gained wider appeal and accessibility in the intervening years.
Blue Flames
Speaking of Azula, it is hard to miss her immediately identifiable blue fire used during nearly all of her attacks. Avatar's creators have stated a fairly simple explanation for the color swap: having a different color of fire allows for more dynamic (and easier to track) firebending battles. However, the blue fire suggests a hotter and less forgiving flame which reflects Azula’s fury and intensity rather beautifully.
From flashback scenes, fans get a little insight into Azula’s blue firebending evolution. In her earlier life, Princess Azula wields normal yellow and orange flames. Is it possible that the loss of her mother and the resulting hatred and trauma led to a less-restrained and more dangerous flame?
Lightningbending
Of all of a firebender’s deadly and dangerous skills, this one is near the top of the list. In The Last Airbender, the ability to generate and unleash the power of lightening is a rare one, initially only displayed by Iroh and Azula. Zuko later masters the ability in the initial series and in The Legend of Korra. However, lightning redirection is a particularly tricky and potentially fatal version of the ability. According to Uncle Iroh, to redirect lightning safely one must channel the incoming bolt through one hand and direct it through the stomach before letting it pass out of the opposite arm. Throughout both series, the short list of firebenders and Avatars capable of redirecting lightning consists of Iroh, Zuko, Azula, Mako, and Aang.
Combustionbending
And now for the most destructive of all the firebending powers: Combustionbending. With this ability, the user focuses a powerful blast of energy through a tattooed third eye, causing violent explosions after the beam makes impact. Audiences have seen this rare and precise variation of firebending twice, embodied by Combustion Man in The Last Airbender and P’Li in The Legend of Korra. However, these benders are far from unstoppable. Combustion Man lost an arm and a leg from his own blast before his introduction to the series. In her final battle, one of P’Li’s combustible blasts was blocked by some of Su’s well-timed metalbending, which encased her head in metal and caused the explosion to backfire, killing P'Li instantly.
Known for its aggressive and combative fighting style, firebending is a demonstrably destructive ability. Despite the original series’ initial stereotyping of these benders as gaining power through their anger and rage, the characters come to learn that such an idea is actually a perversion of the ancient bending art. It is passionate and wise firebenders, just like Uncle Iroh, who are able to unlock the ability’s true and greatest potential.