The Strongest Benders In The Avatar Series

Avatar is a franchise that has perhaps one of the best world buildings in an animated series ever. Though it started off as a kid’s cartoon, even adults appreciate the effort that went into making the series what it is today. The bending aspect of the show lends to its popularity and every fan has their favorite of the four elements.

But when it comes to the benders themselves, fans have long argued about who has been the strongest on and off-screen. It should be the avatars themselves who have control of all four elements, but that’s not always the case. Other talented benders have also made the list and their skills cannot be downplayed.

10 Katara

A Water Bending Prodigy Since Her Team Avatar Days

Katara is a water-bending prodigy who quickly rose to mastery in book one of Avatar, the last air bender. Her skills range from combat to healing, and she even learns the forbidden art of blood bending in the final season, making her one of the most dangerous water benders in the series.

The fact that Katara was able to learn blood bending so quickly despite it normally taking years to accomplish such a feat is evidence of her power. She also aided in the fight against Azula and managed to defeat her despite the Sozin’s comet buff to fire benders.

9 Azula

The Sister Who Was Born Lucky

Azula, the sister who was born lucky as said by fire lord Ozai, is an unparalleled fire-bending prodigy who can also generate blue flames, a fire that burns incredibly hot. Her mastery over this form of lightning and her mastery of lightning bending makes her a terrifying opponent.

Azula’s skill level is driven by her ambition and need for control, though her psychological instability ultimately leads to her downfall. Though she’s incredibly powerful and calculated, she starts losing her mind in the final few episodes, which leads to her defeat at the hands of Katara and Zuko.

8 Zuko

Losing His Honor Made Him Stronger

Zuko’s journey from a disgraced prince to being a part of Team Avatar is one of the best-told redemption arcs in fiction. Losing his honor and enduring years of exile allowed him to grow stronger in character and in bending.

His determination and newfound understanding of fire bending as a life force thanks to his training with Uncle Iroh made him a powerful fire bender and a worthy ally to Aang. He learned skills like lightning redirection and the fire dance with the dragons that made him reach a new level, eventually becoming the Firelord towards the end of the series.

7 Iroh

Iroh Could’ve Taken Down Ozai Himself

Known as the Dragon of the West, Iroh could have taken down Fire Lord Ozai himself if he had chosen to. Uncle Iroh is a fire-bending master who invented a method to redirect lightning by learning other bending styles and incorporating them into his fire-bending skills.

Iroh’s gentle nature and refusal to seek power for himself make him a respected figure, and his knowledge and strength are unmatched among the Firebenders. Being one of the heads of the white lotus also made him an honorable figure among benders.

6 Amon

Learned To Bloodbend And Take Away Bending Powers

Amon was the masked leader of the Equalists, and he’s one of the most unique villains introduced in Avatar. He was forced to learn psychic blood bending to terrifying effect through his father, and his ability to blood bend without a full moon is already a huge feat. But he also perfected his technique to take away others’ bending powers, making him a near-unstoppable force.

He even temporarily took away Avatar Korra’s bending. His tragic backstory and ideology add depth to his character, making him one of the most memorable antagonists in The Legend of Korra. To add to this, he was never truly defeated either and died by his brother’s hands while his back was turned.

5 Zaheer

Born A Non-Bender But Became An Air Bending Master

Although born a non-bender, Zaheer becomes an air-bending master and once again becomes the dangerous anarchist leader of the red lotus after suddenly gaining air-bending abilities.

His natural agility and philosophical understanding of air bending make him one of the most powerful air benders of all time. Eventually, he even learns how to fly, a skill only one other Airbender has achieved. Zaheer being unbounded by the air nomad’s rules of peace made him a lot more terrifying and that was seen when he made short work of some of the most powerful benders of the time.

4 Toph Beifong

Invented A Whole New Form Of Bending

Toph is not only one of the greatest Earthbenders but also the inventor of metal bending. Blind from birth, she uses earth-bending to see the world around her, giving her a unique advantage in combat.

Her strength and creativity helped her overcome any limitations, and she later passed on her knowledge to create the art of metal bending, shaping the future of earth bending. She was a legend, was very well regarded by many in history, and was instrumental in fire lord Ozai’s defeat.

3 Avatar Aang

The Avatar Can Bend All Elements

As the Avatar, Aang can bend all four elements; air, water, earth, and fire. While he’s a pacifist by nature, his power is unmatched when he enters the Avatar State, allowing him to channel the strength and wisdom of past Avatars.

Aang’s mastery of all four elements and his spiritual connection to the world make him one of the most powerful benders in history. He is also the only Avatar ever who masters all four elements and energy bending from the lion turtles in such a short time as the stakes were incredibly high.

2 Avatar Korra

Korra Could Also Spirit Bend As Well As Energy Bend

Korra, the Avatar after Aang, is a powerful bender with a natural inclination for combat. Her skill set includes water, earth, fire, and later air bending, as well as the rare abilities of spirit bending and energy bending.

Korra’s journey of self-discovery and growth is full of challenges, and though she’s mainly known for ending the Avatar line in book two of the Legend of Korra, she’s got to have credit for defeating the dark avatar as well as changing the world itself by keeping the spirit portals open.

1 Avatar Kyoshi

Regarded As The Strongest Avatar In History

Being known as one of the strongest Avatars in history, Kyoshi was known for her immense physical and bending powers. She created the Kyoshi Warriors, established her island, and wasn’t afraid to make difficult choices to maintain peace.

Her legacy continues through her direct approach to justice, and her strength both as a warrior and as the Avatar is legendary. She was shown to completely dislodge an entire island, used lava bending to move the island, and she also lived to be 230 years old. All these feats make her the most powerful bender in the Avatar franchise.