Avatar: The Last Airbender is the beloved fantasy tale of the young hero Avatar Aang and his quest to save the entire world from the wrath of the Fire Nation and finally end the destructive Hundred-Year War. Aang is no ordinary Air Nomad -- he is the Avatar, destined to bend the four elements to restore balance to the world at last.

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Aang is quite a powerful bender, as his ally Sokka once noted, and Aang performed many astonishing bending feats under his own power over the course of the show's three seasons. Often, he can win a battle single-handedly, save lives, or even reshape the terrain around him with his bending arts.

10 When Aang Learned Waterbending With Unusual Ease

Aang and Katara waterbending

Early in the series, Aang could only bend air as a trained Air Nomad, but he did have his new ally Katara available to teach him some basic waterbending. During the journey to the Northern Water Tribe, Katara taught Aang some entry-level moves, and Aang surpassed all expectations.

Aang learned in seconds what it took Katara days or weeks to learn, to the point Katara was actually envious. Then again, water is fairly similar to air as a flexible element, so it's only natural that Aang picked up waterbending with such astonishing speed.

9 When Aang Used Airbending On Coal

Haru with coal

In Book One: Water's sixth episode, the art of earthbending finally made its debut. Aang and his friends realized that all local Earthbenders had long since been captured and imprisoned aboard a metal platform at sea, and Katara made it her mission to rescue them all. But she needed Aang's help.

Aang infiltrated the platform and found all the coal used to fuel the whole facility, then used airbending to eject all the coal onto the surface. That one slick move gave the Earthbenders all the raw material they needed to start bending and fight for their freedom. The operation was a success.

8 When Aang Stopped A Volcano With Airbending

aang vs volcano

In the episode "The Fortuneteller," Aang and his friends visited a town that was built in the shadow of a massive volcano, and sure enough, that volcano eventually erupted. Fortunately, Aang and his allies had already recruited the townsfolk to dig huge trenches to help slow down the lava's advance.

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Then, Aang "fought" the volcano all on his own when he used incredible feats of airbending to force back the lava and solidify it before the town was destroyed. This was what prompted Sokka to comment on what an incredibly powerful bender Aang was despite his age.

7 When Aang First Performed Earthbending

aang first earthbending

Earthbending is the natural opposite of airbending, with the earth being stubborn and tough, while air is flexible and free. This meant Aang had a tough time learning earthbending from his new teacher, Toph Beifong, and he spent all day trying in vain to make rocks move, even with Toph guiding him.

By sunset, Aang had had enough, and he responded well to Toph's taunts. He channeled his stubborn determination into his bending and finally move a large boulder, to his and everyone else's delight. Aang finally broke free of his mental barriers and learned to bend the element that is least like him.

6 When Aang Destroyed The Fire Nation Drill

Avatar: The Last Airbender Aang Running Down The Wall Of Ba Sing Se To Break The Drill

At one point, the crafty princess Azula oversaw the use of a mammoth drill vehicle to force her way through Ba Sing Se's impenetrable outer wall, and the city's defenders were helpless. Fortunately, the Gaang was there to help, and Aang devised the perfect plan to destroy this technological terror.

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Aang and Katara bent water to weaken the drill from the inside, then they exited the massive vehicle to finish it off. Aang combined his airbending and earthbending to force a sharp rock wedge into the drill's weakest point, and, as hoped, the entire drill was destroyed with this dual-element strike. Not even Azula could stop him.

5 When Aang Helped Toph & Katara Fight Their Way To Earth King Kuei

Aang's group advancing

Aang and his friends needed to see Earth King Kuei, but the Dai Li were determined to keep the Gaang away, mainly to protect Long Feng's ongoing conspiracy. So, Aang and his friends stormed the king's palace in a bloodless battle, and Aang's bending was on point.

Aang, Katara, and Toph used remarkable feats of bending to fend off the Dai Li without seriously injuring them, which is even tougher than it sounds. Aang combined his airbending and earthbending to get the job done, and finally, he stood before King Kuei in his court.

4 When Aang Created A New Zoo

aang zoo

During Aang's more peaceful days during the "Tales of Ba Sing Se" episode, he found the time to visit a local zoo, and the place was in bad shape. The animals were miserable and the zoo's owner was desperate, so Aang decided to do something. He loves animals, after all.

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Aang used his earthbending, and possibly some waterbending, to create an all-new zoo in an open field by himself. Then, he used airbending to blow a whistle to summon all the zoo animals, which were soon enclosed in the new and improved zoo. Without bending, none of this would have been possible.

3 When Aang Performed The Dancing Dragon With Zuko

Zuko and Aang perform Dancing Dragon Avatar

For a time, Aang refused to practice firebending, especially since he once accidentally burned Katara during an early attempt. Later on, when Prince Zuko joined the Gaang, he and Aang visited the remote Sun Warrior civilization to learn the true essence of firebending. Not even Admiral Zhao or Azula had ever done this.

Zuko and Aang learned from the dragons Ran and Shaw, and they completed the Dancing Dragon routine to unlock the ultimate firebending. Even though the only firebending he did was just to hold a flame in his hands, that allowed him to learn much that day and to become a complete Avatar.

2 When Aang Attacked Ozai's Fleet

aang huge firebending

During the four-part climax of the series, Fire Lord Ozai assembled a fleet to utterly destroy the expansive Earth Kingdom during the Sozin's Comet event, but Aang stopped him. Aang stood alone in a field of oversized rock pillars and used a combination of earthbending and his own firebending to damage Ozai's flagship.

All on his own, Aang halted Ozai's apocalyptic fleet, and he even took advantage of the Comet to do so, since it affects all Firebenders, not just Ozai's own troops. This is what allowed Aang to fight Ozai one on one, rather than watch the fleet destroy everything around it.

1 When Aang Took Away Ozai's Firebending

Aang Energybending Removing Ozai's Bending

Aang struggled against the Fire Lord until he finally entered the Avatar State, and when he did, he captured Ozai at last. But the job was not yet done. Aang needed to finish off Ozai somehow, so he decided to use what is unofficially known as energybending to finish the fight.

Aang took a big risk with this unique bending art, and he was nearly overwhelmed by Ozai's powerful spirit. But in the end, Aang triumphed, and he robbed Ozai of his firebending for all time. That incredible bending act marked the end of the Hundred-Year War.