6 Best Bending Team-Ups in Avatar & Korra, Ranked

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Bending, a unique power system featured in both Avatar and The Legend of Korra, is based on the four classical elements: fire, water, earth, and air. Over time, it developed into many different subtypes and techniques. Battles often involved multiple benders combining their abilities to fight a shared opponent.

As a huge fan of both Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, I’ve always loved seeing bending teams come together! Across all 113 episodes, there are some really cool moments where benders combine their styles, and it’s especially awesome when it’s elements that usually clash, like water and fire. It’s funny though – you rarely see the villains working together like that. It’s mostly the heroes who team up and create these amazing combinations!

The Order of the White Lotus Frees the People of Ba Sing Se

For centuries, the Order of the White Lotus has been a hidden society where knowledgeable individuals shared information freely, even when it went against official rules. During the final battles of Avatar: The Last Airbender, we learn that Iroh is the leader of this group, known as the Grand Lotus, and is working to liberate Ba Sing Se from the Fire Nation. He’s joined by other incredibly skilled masters like Bumi, Jeong Jeong, Piandao, and Pakku, all of whom are almost as powerful as Iroh himself.

Iroh used the power of Sozin’s Comet to break through Ba Sing Se’s walls with one powerful blast, showcasing a strength far beyond his usual abilities. Meanwhile, Bumi joyfully joined the battle, casually flinging tanks into the air with his earthbending. On the ground, Piandao fought off many soldiers, aided by Pakku’s waterbending skills.

The way Jeong Jeong fought alongside the team was striking – he hovered above the battle, creating massive walls of fire to protect the tanks. After a long wait, Ba Sing Se was finally freed, and it felt right that Iroh, who once tried to take the city, was the one to save it.

Team Korra Stops the Red Lotus from Stealing the Avatar

The Red Lotus formed as a reaction against the controlling White Lotus organization. They believe the spiritual and physical worlds should coexist and reject traditional politics, instead aiming to completely dismantle the existing world order. Throughout Book 3, they relentlessly pursue Avatar Korra, coming dangerously close to succeeding during a battle at Zaofu. Thanks to Aiwei’s betrayal, Ghazan, P’Li, Ming-Hua, and Zaheer were able to breach Zaofu’s defenses, and they might have succeeded in their plan if it weren’t for the quick thinking of Pabu.

The Red Lotus had Korra captured, but they were quickly surrounded by Metalbenders, along with Bolin and Mako. Ghazan created a lava barrier, temporarily stopping the attack, but Bolin skillfully used Earthbending to hit P’li in the forehead, knocking her out. This allowed Suyin and Lin to rush in and rescue the Avatar.

Maintaining the standoff required a lot of work from everyone involved, and Bolin proved to be the key player by skillfully turning the situation around against the Red Lotus. While Korra was kept safe, the villains managed to escape unharmed.

Combustion Man Nearly Defeated the Strongest Team in ATLA

Combustion Man is often considered one of the most frightening villains in the series. He was a huge, almost emotionless figure, more like a walking weapon than a person. When the Gaang first fought him, viewers were captivated and on the edge of their seats as he easily deflected their attacks – even Airbending, Waterbending, and Earthbending – with his signature energy blasts from his forehead.

I watched as the Gaang barely got away from Combustion Man, only to run right into him again in Fire Fountain City. This time, he didn’t come at them head-on. He tried to use Toph and Katara as a trap, and it almost worked! Luckily, they broke free and jumped back into the fight, helping Aang and Sokka dodge all of his powerful Combustionbending attacks. Even with everyone working together, they just couldn’t beat him, and they ended up having to escape again. He was simply too strong.

The last battle happened at the Western Air Temple, and the Gaang were rescued by Zuko arriving just in time. They ducked behind pillars and rocks while Sokka threw his boomerang at Combustion Man. Somehow, it hit the villain right on the forehead. Despite being hurt, Combustion Man unintentionally killed himself while trying to use his bending with his injured eye. He had overpowered the Avatar’s team twice before finally being defeated.

Suyin Beifong Uses Her Sister’s Distraction to Overwhelm P’Li

They were considered unbeatable in a standard fight. P’Li, even more dangerous than the Combustion Man from Avatar: The Last Airbender, followed similar principles. However, while the Combustion Man always attacked directly, P’Li was a fluid and surprising fighter. She could also bend her combustion blasts, making her much more powerful in battle.

Throughout Book Three of The Legend of Korra, P’Li never lost a fight, until she faced Lin and Suyin Beifong working together. These two highly skilled Metalbenders, daughters of Toph, were powerful enough to defeat almost anyone. However, P’Li successfully prevented them from reaching Zaheer and Korra.

The Beifongs were on the verge of defeat until Suyin launched a perfectly timed counter-attack. The battle moved so quickly that it required incredibly fast thinking, as Suyin demonstrated when she used Metalbending to encase P’Li’s head in metal just before she could unleash her Combustionbending. This saved her sister and dealt a major blow to the Red Lotus, though Lin’s help and support were also crucial to the attack’s success.

Zuko Weakens Azula Before Katara Defeats and Captures Her

The first Agni Kai competition in Avatar: The Last Airbender ended with Zuko winning against Zhao, a proud moment for Zuko and a humiliating one for Zhao. Their second duel, however, was the most intense firebending fight in the whole series. When Sozin’s Comet appeared, it dramatically increased the power of all firebenders. With Zuko and Azula wielding this enhanced firebending, they became incredibly dangerous opponents.

By now, Zuko understood what he needed to do. As his Uncle Iroh had taught him, a Firebender who is centered and balanced is stronger than one who isn’t. During his fight with Azula, he pushed her to her breaking point, and she retaliated by attempting to harm Katara. Seeing Katara in danger stopped Zuko from finishing the fight, and ultimately, the future of the Fire Nation rested on Katara’s waterbending skills.

Even though Zuko and Katara didn’t focus their attacks on Azula at the same time, their combined effort ultimately led to victory. Katara truly shined, demonstrating incredible skill, grace, and creativity, and solidifying her reputation. Simply describing the fight doesn’t do it justice—watching Katara defeat Azula is amazing, and that’s why it’s a fan favorite.

Every Pro-Bending Match Featuring Korra, Mako, & Bolin is a Treat

Few things are as exciting as when teams of similar skill face off to prove who’s the best. This idea led to the creation of professional pro-bending in Republic City, which quickly became a popular sport. Korra joins a team and helps turn the Fire Ferrets into true competitors. They went on to defeat every other team, despite facing opponents with a wide range of abilities and strategies.

Korra’s first pro-bending match against the Platypus Bears was a tough one, and her lack of experience almost led to a loss for the Fire Ferrets. Ultimately, though, she led her team to victory. The Boar-q-pines presented a much greater challenge, but Bolin’s strong performance helped the Fire Ferrets win. The Buzzard Wasps were a difficult opponent for the whole team, forcing Korra to think quickly and change her strategy to secure another win.

The White Hall Wolfbats were a very skilled team, but they had a reputation for bending the rules, making their match against the Fire Ferrets quite controversial. Although the Fire Ferrets officially won, many fans don’t accept the loss, believing the Wolfbats cheated. This final match also marked the end of Korra’s short career as a professional bender, but showcased her impressive bending skills.

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2026-01-17 05:43