It's never been clear in Avatar: The Last Airbender just what influences the development of a person's natural ability to Bend. Whether it's genetics or destiny or cosmic balance, it just seems to come down to the luck of the draw -- but missing out on fantastical powers never stopped Ty Lee from becoming one of the most capable combatants of her time. In fact, if Ty Lee had developed Firebending, she would have been a perfect fit the mystical martial art.

What earned Ty Lee her reputation as a skilled fighter was her signature chi blocking technique, which allowed her to compete with and even exceed the abilities of master Benders. She single-handedly took out Ba Sing Se's advance squad of Earthbenders simply by striking them all in the right places, paralyzing their limbs and pausing their ability to Bend. No person before Ty Lee ever demonstrated the ability, and she passed it on to Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors, who in turn passed it on to Non-Benders until the technique became widespread by the era of Korra.

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Ty Lee feeling empathetic.

Despite her vast abilities in a fight, Ty Lee's personality is actually quite peaceful. Bubblier and friendlier than her associates Azula or Mai, Ty Lee stood out with a charismatic personality that often contrasted with the villainous ends she initially served. In fact, much of Ty Lee's optimism and deeply spiritual outlook on the "aura" of those around her seemed directly counter to most other Fire Nation citizens of her time. But, these traits are what point to her potential to be an amazing Bender.

The aggressive pragmatism displayed by the other Fire Nation citizens of Ty Lee's time was a result of the country's hundred year long imperialist campaign. When Fire Lord Sozin first initiated the genocide of the Air Nomads, attacked the other nations and hunted the original Firebenders -- the dragons -- to extinction, the art of Firebending moved far away from its roots. The colonial Fire Nation taught that the essence of the element was in rage and aggression -- a poor fit for the cheery Ty Lee.

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Nor was it a good fit for Zuko, after he began to let go of his anger. After rediscovering the lost roots of Firebending, Zuko learned that the original Firebenders performed their art out of passion rather than anger. Such a discovery not only helped Zuko regain his Firebending, but made him a more powerful and capable Firebender than he had been before. Had she any Bending abilities, Ty Lee would have been just as capable. In fact, given Firebending's emphasis on the wielder's chi, she may have been even better.

Ever since the first episode the series when Iroh instructed Zuko that "the breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire," it's been clear that Firebenders produce flame from the very energy stores in their body, manipulating it into fire. The production of lightning -- and the redirection technique for it Iroh developed -- further emphasize that point: the flow of energy within the body is what the Bender manipulates. Whereas the other elements are all outside the Benders that manipulate them, Firebending comes from within.

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Mastering the flow of energy is exactly where Ty Lee stood head and shoulders above anyone else. Even when others like Suki began to learn chi blocking and perhaps became superior fighters to Ty Lee herself, Lee remained unique for her ability to perceive the auras of others. Even by The Legend of Korra ,when many unique abilities like Lightningbending and Metalbending had proliferated, Ty Lee stood out for her singular perceptions.

Now just imagine how that attunement may have served the young acrobat had she the gift of Firebending to go along with it. Even without Bending, Ty Lee took out Azula in a matter of seconds, and fought master Waterbender Katara with relative ease, never losing the upper hand. She may be one of the best Non-Benders in the world of Avatar, but on the inside she had the potential to be one of the greatest Firebenders in the history of the world.

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