As the Legend of Korra season 2 premiere approaches, we put our theorizing caps on and explore a possible sixth form of bending in Korra’s world.
The Avatar-verse is based in a world where some people are capable of bending elements one of the four classic elements: Earth, Fire, Water, and Air. The Avatar is capable of bending all four elements; he or she is also capable of energybending. That makes five documented types of bending prior to The Legend of Korra season 2.
Energybending focuses on bending the energy within one’s body. Aang, prior to his fight with Fire Lord Ozai, was told, “To bend another’s energy, your own spirit must be unbendable, or you will be corrupted and destroyed.” His spirit later transferred this knowledge on to Korra, which allowed her to restore Lin Beifong’s bending abilities.
Though most people are limited to a single element, many creative benders have come up with ways to manipulate those four core elements for advancing bending techniques. Bloodbending is a form of waterbending, metalbending is a form of earthbending, lightning generation is a form of firebending, etc.
Since the other forms of known bending can be traced back to one of the five, we can’t help but wonder whether there is any possibility of a sixth unique form of bending unrelated to the core types.
Our conclusion?
Cabbage bending
Now hear us out!
As the Avatar is the only one capable of bending all four elements, we believe there is only one man capable of this incredibly rare form of bending: the intrepid cabbage merchant. How else do you explain the success of his business in the face of his product being continuously damaged by Team Avatar and their enemies?
The first influence of cabbage bending can be seen in the season 3 episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender “The Ember Island Players.” The play Team Avatar goes to see about themselves, titled The Boy in the Iceberg, has sources that include “a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage.”
When asked for a comment about his involvement in the play, the cabbage merchant simply wailed in response, “My cabbages!”
So, with cabbage bending already making waves, our cabbage bender would later manipulate his element in the spirit of his inventive predecessors and found Cabbage Corp, “Republic City’s trusted name in technology for over 50 years,” as we learned in The Legend of Korra season 1.
However, not everyone was ready for the advancements represented by cabbage bending. Hiroshi Sato, as an Equalist leader, was threatened by the legacy of the cabbage merchant and his Cabbage Car, a cheaper alternative to the Satomobile. In his quest to help Amon destroy all bending, Sato framed Cabbage Corp as Equalist supporters.
When asked for a comment on the false accusation, Cabbage Corp owner Lau Gan-Lan replied mournfully, “My Cabbage Corp!”
Like father, like son perhaps? Is Lau Gan-Lan the next generation of cabbage benders? Keep an eye on Republic City in The Legend of Korra season 2 for any hints.
The Legend of Korra season 2 premieres on Friday, Sept. 13 at 7 pm on Nickelodeon.