Film Theory: Avatar and the Science of Waterbending (Avatar the Last Airbender)

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I have wanted to do a theory on Avatar the Last Airbender for YEARS! It is one of my favorite animated series ever and full of SO MUCH to theorize about! It took a while but I have finally figured out what to do - uncover the SCIENCE behind bending. That's right, I am going to figure out how bending works with SCIENCE! Today, we are focusing on Waterbending. Watch out Katara, I may become the best Waterbender in the WORLD after this episode!
#AvatarTheLastAirbender #Avatar #Waterbending #Airbender #Airbending #Firebending #Earthbending #Nickelodeon #FilmTheory #Matpat
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Credits:
Writer: Stephanie Patrick
Researcher: Geoff Thew
Editors: Alex "Sedge" Sedgwick, Tyler Mascola, BanditRants, Koen Verhagen, and Dan "Cybert" Seibert
Assistant Editor: AlyssaBeCrazy
Sound Editor: Yosi Berman
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propert...
www.cracked.com/article_19661_...
• Over 500W of Electrici...
www.stevespanglerscience.com/...
sciencequestionswithsurprising...
www.scientificamerican.com/ar...
www.indiana.edu/~brain/measuri...
www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/magnetic...
sapienplus.com/slavisa-pajkic-...
avatar.fandom.com/wiki/Appa
observer.com/2019/05/avatar-t...
scijinks.gov/tides/
www.123rf.com/photo_34013639_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamagn...
phys.org/news/2014-07-molecul...
www.uplifteducation.org/cms/l...
www.iceandclimate.nbi.ku.dk/re...
www.livescience.com/4077-shock...
knowingneurons.com/2012/12/14/...
avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Chi
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_P...
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamagn...
phys.org/news/2014-07-molecul...
www.livescience.com/4077-shock...
www.aharfield.co.uk/lightning-...
avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Chi

[@beetzkidabop579]

ok matpat, it’s been 4 years where are the other 3 elements

[@chadvanniekerk1279]

I guess he's got a lot going on😅

[@JohnKrakatoa]

I WANT EARTH BENDING EXPLAINED

[@LNW_-]

YES

[@d5tr0yr17]

YIP YIP

[@d5tr0yr17]

OR HIP HIP IDK

[@ouvia2170]

Sokka: "My first girlfriend turned into the moon." ... Zuko: *"Thats rough buddy"*

[@haweyahussein4291]

Mako: At least your exes didn't end up hooking up.

[@dimitris1601]

@@haweyahussein4291 hahahahah😂😂😂

[@HeilRay]

Too Moon, Zuko Too Moon.

[@baysusstudios59]

Ouvia WAIT KORRA WAS LESBIAN I didn’t finish the second saga yet

[@passerByL]

@@baysusstudios59 it didn't end

[@harrycrossland2841]

The reason Avatar Roku found water bending difficult was because he was a natural fire bender. Fire bending and water bending are opposites like earth and air hence why Ang found earth bending difficult. This opposite element thing is also seen in the actual techniques for the bending like the quick, nimble, dexterous movements of air bending which parallel the grounded, rigid, brute-force earth bending techniques.

[@GojoSatoru14633]

i was about to comment that

[@gamestarkarthikeya0843]

Me too

[@wolfy973]

actually its not because of that its because of the personality's of the avatars .

[@superpingu2593]

@@wolfy973 easiest way to spot a korra fan

[@_Zephster]

@Wolfy not quite personality but mindset

[@takedown205productions6]

Correction: Avatar Roku had trouble with water bending, because it was in direct conflict with the philosophies he was raised with in the Fire Nation. Much like how Earth is resistant to air (and air unyielding to Earth,) water is smooth and subtle, malleable; fire is directly derived from passion and stubbornness. Aang had to overcome overthinking Earth bending, and Roku had to learn to adapt to change, in order to water bend.

[@LittIeRoo]

whilst i agree with this, also has to do with personal philosophy, like avatar korra, personality wise she'd be a much better fit as an earthbender by nature as she's stubborn and set in her ways, struggling with learning air whilst learning fire and earth with relative ease.

[@thatgirlfrommn6249]

@@LittIeRoo but didn’t avatar korra have fire earth and water mastered by the time she was like three like isn’t how lok opens

[@Lyokoheros-KLPXTV]

@@thatgirlfrommn6249 wasn't she more like 5-8 at that time? (I mean that would be somewhat believable... and I wouldn't call it "mastered", just "learned")

[@thatgirlfrommn6249]

@@Lyokoheros-KLPXTV I dunno I havent rewatch lok after i watched it when it came out and when it came out I was like 9 so I just know a lot of people in the atla fandom don’t like it cuz it apparently sucks

[@Lyokoheros-KLPXTV]

@@thatgirlfrommn6249 Legend of Korra Sucks? Naah... I actually watch it only recently and I would even say that at Book I it seems it could be better than Legend of Aang but later it imo got worse = the direction it all was going and new worldbuilding was kinda questionable, but in the end despite some flaws it was a good show (In my personal ranking system it got a score which put it on the top of B-tier)

[@samied632]

“It’s theoretically possible to bend water.” 9 years olds rushing to take notes

[@bloodyredgachaanimations5419]

B-but im 15 :(

[@Phantom39631]

i tried it for my science fair before corona and got an a+

[@jeffsorenson9419]

Hey I’m 3

[@Phantom39631]

@@ocelotlesbian thank u

[@tacostudios3689]

Hey but I'm 1 in a half

[@seanmorton4689]

Now do a film theory on what was in that cactus juice. I’ve heard it’s the quenchiest..

[@khameronwright4265]

It'll quench ya

[@syrusangi8743]

NOTHING'S QUENCHER

[@TelekinesisT]

easy, it's definitely san pedro en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mescaline en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinopsis_pachanoi

[@chunkicholde]

Cactus juice. It’ll quench ya. Nothings quenchier. It’s the quenchiest.

[@bigsmoky4729]

👏Q👏U👏E👏N👏C👏H👏I👏N👏G👏

[@anaki567]

Oh MatPat PLEASE bring this series back! 🙏🏾😭

[@kelvisaisawesome]

Exactly!

[@ItzToca_Town]

😢 if only we knew

[@dani_thereal_1]

@@ItzToca_TownI hope that Lee will do some episodes on this

[@Comicbookguy226]

Plz

[@dani_thereal_1]

Also I think Lee likes ATLA because in a short I remember him saying that’s it’s one of his favorite shows ever

[@pandaxianrain]

About that,aren't you going to make a theory on how Aaing the avatar managed to survive in Ice and keep his youth..

[@ashmondthesoutherntrashmon2210]

his episode that talks about frankenstein being possible mentions stuff like this! preserving cells with cold temperatures.

[@harpastanman8952]

I mean the idea of cryogenic chambers for NASA's deep space travel has been talked about for years, and in a dozen fictional movies. Freeze your body, sleep for a few hundred years in a coma, wake up and continue your life 🤷‍♂️

[@user9267]

It would be very short. "Aang would die due to the cold. The end."

[@k4ttz528]

MatPat still mentions that there is magic in the show

[@kelvisaisawesome]

It makes sense. Don’t question it

[@angelvisto2768]

you know a show is good when everyone is still hyped up about it 10+ years later

[@applebeezez5142]

I remember watching it at 6am while getting ready for school in elementary lol

[@hatredisvengeance5777]

@@applebeezez5142 same

[@ram89572]

Hard not to like it. It had good goofy humor, magic, and action. Oh and it was a grand adventure too. The characters had a lot of development instead of just being good at something for reasons. I enjoyed Legend of Korra too because it was the sequel, but ultimately it was nowhere near as good as Avatar TLA.

[@jasonliriano1858]

I remember watching it every weekend from 3pm to 6pm

[@patchworkassylumn8954]

Ha I only found out about in september last year and netflix made it my life, people are still obsessed with it 10+ years later

[@smiley8117]

Instructions unclear: my girlfriend turned into the moon

[@amysauruswantsamuffin5933]

Oh, oh my. Better down some cactus juice to cope with that

[@smiley8117]

@@amysauruswantsamuffin5933 Man it sure is quenchey

[@gallantblade1825]

That’s rough, buddy.

[@claudias2622]

I feel so bad for everyone who doesnt get this joke.

[@briansgoodteam5392]

@@smiley8117 It's the QUENCHIEST

[@leafytheshrew1224]

The hardest thing for an avatar to master is their opposite element. Roku was a firebender. ( Thank you so much for all the likes )

[@alanrodriguez233]

Not true. Air was Korra’s most difficult element to master and it wasn’t her opposite element. They have the most trouble with the element that opposes their natural personality. Most of the time it is the opposite element, but not always.

[@stevenbobbybills]

@@alanrodriguez233 correct.

[@nexuscross3233]

@@alanrodriguez233 We don't talk about korra here.

[@arend2178]

@@nexuscross3233 Korra honestly wasn’t that bad of a show. I feel like the network was kinda shutting it out

[@timgorg1919]

Not their opposite but rather their previous. Aang struggled at fire most I think though not sure

[@lyra6096]

Hey Matpat, do you think Firebenders can tap into their opponent’s thermal energy, amplify said enemy’s body heat and trigger spontaneous human combustion?

[@agamikhwana8596]

i don't think so, they can't control other human body heat

[@ramaziotivegito6853]

Sozin did show that he can take the heat out of lava and drop the temperature. Who is to say that a firebender can do similar to a bloodbender and reach into the human body and move your heat up and down?

[@crustyratkid]

Oh, gosh. I never thought of that. It makes a lot of sense though. I reckon it SHOULD work. Also it would be cool if they did that in the show

[@ramaziotivegito6853]

@@crustyratkid considering the show is still mostly PG rated I don't think we'll see much graphic violence. But one can only hope

[@crustyratkid]

@@ramaziotivegito6853 true…. But there are also bloodbenders and water benders that tap into the water in their opponent’s body, and the bloodbenders virtually torture their opponents, so it wouldn’t be unheard of. However, if they decided firebenders having an ability like this was going too far for a PG film/show, they could make a movie with firebenders able to adjust their opponents body heat and just make it a higher rating if they so please. This way, they can add another fascinating feature and even have an entire movie about this(e.g. main character is firebender and they realise this power and have to decide what to do with it or who to tell or how they feel about this conundrum ect.)

[@thatlycantomboy]

“Science of waterbending” I swear to god, MatPat, this better make my lifelong dreams come true

[@mysteriousshadow4460]

Boom dream come true

[@doriangrayapologist]

w a t e r t r i b e 😎

[@darkserpent6884]

with a little science and engineering or just biohacking it can be made true.

[@cogtheprotogen6671]

**strap magnets to your hands**

[@donaldbagwell7202]

ThatLycanTomboy did it?

[@hawk_ish2265]

Instructions unclear, I accidentally bent fire and now everything is burning.

[@powerthunfischdesdonners3086]

good, now you can try it again with purpose.

[@gonerofsavers3813]

Lol

[@HunterTracks]

Use all that water around you to snuff it out and try again. Or just become a pyromaniac. Preferably the second one

[@stefanbroers8146]

instructions unclear dick stuck in water

[@slyceth]

fuck last aircanc3er

[@veritydoyle7886]

Pov: Film/Game Theory once again teaches three years worth of science in 1-10 minutes max This is why I love these guys. And also because they're just genuinely awesome people

[@swag-monkey2531]

i saw this when reading the captions 😂 "Its's literally the first waterbending move that *bang* learns" *bang* is officially my favorite character

[@drippymario2830]

Didn't he get recalled?

[@ellis_ellis361]

Katara said to Sokka: “It’s not magic, it’s waterbending” Well, now we know she ain’t wrong

[@joshuapoe3867]

@Da Random Thing And townspeople made fun of Sokka because he knew science could explain everything!

[@altoriarucker3070]

It's not Magic, it's Science

[@joshuapoe3867]

@@altoriarucker3070 It isn’t murder, it is slaying

[@altoriarucker3070]

@@joshuapoe3867 Period!!

[@skullmastergamer]

ITS NOT MAGIC ITS TRAGIC *Bob’s burgers reference*

[@metro_5017]

Matpat: NOW is when i need you the most Me watching thid 8 months later: whoops

[@deemo607]

My exact reaction

[@leoramiro7864]

same here

[@mogi_2749]

Lmaooo me

[@OrigamiAhsoka]

Sameeeee Watching this cause quarantine but at the same time waiting for Netflix to release his new one lol

[@luvbear4432]

lol same😂

[@imacoolperson17]

this guy gives a reason to pay attention in science class

[@GlamNotFound]

Just Matpat casually teaching us science with the use of The Avatar

[@AmnaAleem2845]

Water : we cool Fire: We Lit Earth: we ROCK Air: We high

[@MegaMoh]

^ comment theif

[@burcopresents]

MegaMoh ikr 🤣

[@joesean204]

@@MegaMoh lol

[@jian8813]

Earth: I made you fucking assholes

[@Square1nes]

For all of you saying this is copied so what? The internet is always reusing things like if you watch a meme compilation you're bound to find the same memes

[@landonsalazar461]

You should definitely do another theory on Avatar because it’s beginning to become popular again

[@OrigamiAhsoka]

Yee

[@jovaniguzman1865]

There needs to be a season 4 which talks about the fire Lord's mother and what happened to her.

[@itsjustjo1909]

Jio read the comics

[@crispymarshmellow3874]

It’s cuz of Netflix and people get to watch it again

[@Gamerdog-io3ow]

Yes I started watching yesterday

[@kristadavis6801]

I really hope the new Avatar studios looks at this video and considers it for modern series - there's got to be a scientist that discovers electrons and begins to bend elements as a non bender

[@melindaandrews8503]

It was challenging for Roku because he was working with his opposite, just like how Aang was having a hard time with Earth.

[@matthewbrooder9414]

Instructions unclear, lost my Honor.

[@ghowostie]

that's rough, buddy.

[@mistybreath]

Fyck I lost *MY CABBAGES!!!*

[@phoebaleeb6129]

That’s all? My first girlfriend turned into the moon

[@OddsShroom]

Oh please, my entire culture was destroyed.

[@thederekstory3587]

I lost my vision and now see with my feet

[@FTStudios1422]

me in 2019: so, are you gonna do air bending next, or earth? me in 2020: he probably forgot about this now, oh well.

[@lowdiskspace2042]

F

[@ieatcheese8744]

You

[@saikrisaiki9427]

Its like that unspoken Movie or something I dont know there wasn't a movie In ba sing se

[@reinerbraun1452]

hope he sees this i am a huge avatar fan

[@robertbellas8574]

F

[@ImFeelinXtra]

Mat would be such a fun science teacher bro, for sure a god level dad able to teach science to his kid in a cartoon form.

[@melodygarland7066]

Water, earth, fire, air long ago ........ I love film Threoy he just tries to go through so many people’s favorite shows to make our day knowing that this is kind of possible

[@lobo6285]

Waterbending ain’t science. I’ve been waterbending in my bathtub since I was 4

[@ssjraikage7874]

Killua Uchiha same

[@trotskuwuuwu788]

Same and in the pool

[@hmartin1761]

I do bend water Doo Doo Doo door Doo Doo Doo Doo.

[@coletonnotto9478]

Bro I bend fire when I have off and a match

[@lobo6285]

Coleton Notto 💀💀

[@haleyptomey4282]

Here’s a simpler method Step one: get in shower Step two: put your hand out and water will flow from your finger tips. M a g I c

[@alexkeys776]

Hah, just what I was thinking

[@TheFlutterQueen]

or is a very tiny form of gravity?

[@ghostsatelier7652]

Another method: Step one: volunteer to wash the dishes Step two: hold spoon under the faucet

[@loaf7970]

@@ghostsatelier7652why

[@nickolascrousillat4265]

Fool you dont know the power of the spoon.

[@RandomRocketGuy]

This completely off topic but when Matpat was explaining bending water inside of things I just died when he said human bending💀

[@isachirinos8967]

These intros just keep getting more creative, I swear I love this

[@perfyyy7262]

Water : we cool Earth: we rock Fire: we lit Air: we high

[@sunsetsynth]

Perfect Boi we fly?

[@satansadvocate6531]

@@sunsetsynth we...flow?

[@isaacdiakite3264]

Air: We Fly Simple

[@isaacdiakite3264]

Water-we cool Earth-We Rock Fire-We lit Air-We fly

[@Cleasia]

We high?

[@korvexus9922]

When the water comes of your fingers when you’re showering Wutyr bendir

[@CutiePie-ev5gg]

Christabel Syalom N I don’t think you understand the joke

[@jellyboi2565]

Christabel Syalom N you are an actual idiot

[@iighost.leonii2554]

Christabel Syalom N yeah you don’t get the actual joke

[@iighost.leonii2554]

Aaron Wilson its a meme. Basically, if someone says something as basic as possible that anyone can do and they portray it to be beneficial in a funny way. They purposefully misspell just what they have done as a joke.

[@korvexus9922]

iiGhost .Leonii u know the meme man face. My friend sent me that and i just thought it was funny to post it here

[@Phantomjay09]

I cannot express how happy that you used the comics for this video.

[@trusttheprocess5618]

A lot of these things I know I was taught at school but never stuck but when you put it in avatar terms STUCK in my brain now thank you ❤️

[@aleclewis6629]

“I laugh at gravity all the time, hahaha gravity” -The FRICKIN avatar Edit: How did this get 2k likes-

[@slevinchannel7589]

It's Sad People don't see Legend of Korra disregarded all that's praised in this Video, and more. So much more. Seriously, it was bad on so many Levels when it not was good as an Exception.

[@joesean204]

??? WHATS UR POINT?!

[@aamirmunawwar1408]

@@slevinchannel7589 I do both are😘

[@unsaltedbanana1760]

Joe Sean his point is no one likes gravity

[@chubbymight1420]

This is the avatar keeping peace

[@zantheros4927]

When you realize you can also ruin food by bending the water out of them. "MY CABBAGES!!!"

[@twbillionare9568]

I always feel so bad for that guy

[@shebehere2452]

Ohhh I miss this fandom

[@Rusty_Spoons3492]

I love all of you.... You remember this show.... Noone at school knows this just "tHe BlUe PeOpLe"

[@mosessandoval4500]

I like this I like this

[@kayyl680]

The cabbage man!!! We stan!!

[@musicyak3471]

We need more Avatar videos, Matt!!

[@allinone-tn6ml]

He was telling us about water bending cartoon and suddenly he became science teacher me in the mind : yes sir yeah.

[@foriobobgaming6612]

Near the end of 2019 Me:still waiting on the other 3 elements

[@tomithebosslevel]

Yo same

[@klynb6753]

Me too...

[@octavioust.talium9110]

He will pull a doctor who third part on us.

[@pigfacebug9749]

Same

[@zru0]

Sameee

[@abyssalblade7507]

Next vid: how to firebend Sponsor: join the fire nation

[@shrekisthebestfranchiseand5032]

Something Is Better Than Nothing LOL

[@soundwavethegreatest.1489]

You just need a flame thrower and hide it in your cloth and burn someone:)🌚

[@awesomemantroll1088]

King Zuko is giving subsidies to tea shops! Join the Fire Nation!

[@soundwavethegreatest.1489]

@@awesomemantroll1088 ok ill join

[@brandenlumley4056]

grab your can of cheap airasole and a lighter

[@k1lw4]

"Game. Film. Food. Style. Long ago, the four theories lived in harmony. That was until the Film Theory Nation attacked. Only the Theorist, speculator for all 4 theories, could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years passed, and two of the Style Theory Tribes discovered the new Theorist, a Game Theory man named Mat Pat. And while his Game Theory abilities are great, he has a lot to theorize about before he can save anyone. But I believe that Mat Pat can save the world." *Theorist, the Last Game Theory*

[@trishfick3355]

By the way, matpat thank you for telling everybody that earth, bending is the best because it is

[@trishfick3355]

Sorry, typo earth bending is the best

[@juliansamek2555]

Isn't it also interesting that the waterbenders live at the poles, where there is a stronger magnetic field... just an interesting thought... Edit: holy f*** how did this happen... senpai noticed me!!

[@sizor3ds]

Oh fuck

[@newchangeunlisted_viewer5594]

Ph fuck

[@dakotalandreth]

PJ fuck

[@mr.pickle5334]

PK Fuck

[@elevensnotebook]

pl fuck

[@sirbeksoniv2907]

Avatar Roku has a difficult time with water because it’s his “anti-element” like the same reason Aang had a difficult time with earth bending

[@grantonator3884]

"Even Avatar Roku had trouble with water-bending." Well he is from the Fire Nation so...

[@causticx-jpeg]

@Lehi Greening toph?

[@TechnologyWitch]

@AC - 08JS - Eldorado PS (1505) It seems to have more to do with the anti-element of a given bender's mindset than anything else. Still, Korra is kind of a special case, since she was a noted prodigy with the physical aspect of elements who was bending three different kinds from such a young age (fire included) that she probably didn't really get locked into the "water" mindset. (Each element seems to benefit from a certain mindset in order to operate it; air = grace/evasion, earth = stand your ground, water = flow/change, fire = force/life.)

[@JubeiKibagamiFez]

@AC - 08JS - Eldorado PS (1505) Legend of Korra doesn't actually go into how hard or easy it was for her to learn Fire Bending. They just sort of glossed over it in one episode. It may have been significantly more difficult for her to learn than earth bending.

[@SomethingSordid]

its said in a korra episode that avatars find elements that are most unlike their personality are the hardest to learn or master for them

[@hadrianleif3914]

pls do another part! I've been waiting for years!!! Pls do an Earth bending, we earths need to show how much we rock!

[@isaacmurray8490]

Hey Matpat, I’m here from the theorist fan base! Firstly, I would be very excited to see what you come up with about other bending styles if you continue this series, secondly, with more extensive research, you might find that the theoretical Thai-Chi-esk dances the benders do are actually quite rooted in culture and strong belief, as this belief may have originated from spiritual ideology, it could also hold some scientific reality and is quite appropriate to the show and the idea of bending. Though, to my knowledge, there may not have been any real studies done on these rituals, the idea of the motions and practices that are used in the avatar series are believed to possibly allow one to control spiritual energy that can cause the elements to bend to the will of the practicer. Science has prove that you do have energy in your body and you can emit magnetic fields due to this current. And practice has shown that people, according to some, have felt like these rituals have actually made them feel better in some ways relating to energy. They do say that the mind is a powerful thing, could it be possible that these ritual dances are actually able to allow someone to control their electricity in their body? Maybe even manipulate the magnetic fields they produce? Could that then, if learned to be controlled, allow us to manipulate water?

[@davidnguyen5183]

Shit last time i was this early, Zuko didn't have a scar...

[@tomperzelan5775]

But he did have a pride.

[@HandmadeGoose97]

Oh no......

[@liborkozak8938]

@@tomperzelan5775 but most importantly he has his HONOR

[@lowkeyretarded9244]

That's rough buddy

[@seanmorton4689]

KINGVIPPER TK “LEEEEEAAAAAAVVVVVEEEEE” -Zuko

[@Kunalsingh-wm2ds]

*We need a theory on the lead character- THE CABBAGE MERCHANT*

[@tsuki.sadboi887]

MY CABBAGES

[@wingsnotcool2765]

He Is A Cabbage Bender

[@CyanFlare]

Didn’t he become a tech company named cabbage corp

[@shapelessshark6376]

@@CyanFlare he did. in legend of kora, not the last airbender.

[@trjsquad9720]

Betyeah hello You

[@Phantomjay09]

Avatar is the second best show of all time. It's got everything I love. Elemental powers, science, and a bit of romance. And if anyone tries to tell me it's a kid show I will throw them to the boiling rock. Also how do I start a petition to rename the movie and show to avatar and avatar the not airbender?

[@sleeping85]

What's the first?

[@macerunner4674]

@@sleeping85 probably breaking bad

[@Phantomjay09]

@@sleeping85 star wars rebels. Insanely underrated show.

[@Phantomjay09]

@@macerunner4674 good guess, but it's star wars rebels.

[@stevenbobbybills]

@@Phantomjay09 Rebels, really? I liked it and all, but it doesn't sit with ATLA or BrBa.

[@silas.t.]

Please continue this series 🙏

[@rhproductions9874]

decade later and everyone still loves the child show. what a master piece it was

[@grantbaugh2773]

There is no such thing as a perfect television show, but by golly this comes close.

[@axz647]

Decades? Nah you smoking I remember it like it was yesterday

[@veritas5089]

I thought Death Note might be a contender for a nearly perfect show. Then episode 26 happened...

[@katakanakitsune5286]

@@veritas5089 you just had to remind me😔

[@lyghtable]

*is

[@eaglest0554]

"I laugh at gravity all the time. Hehe gravity"

[@Metodothis]

Same

[@aldobautista4185]

twinkle toes

[@adashofpaprika]

The biggest flex

[@glenjennett]

The part I liked most about the show is when Aang had to open up his chakra points. It was so accurate.

[@ready_vrgaming774]

Yo there is an episode where Ang water bended water to an octopus shape around his body and covering his body,and he had to hold his breath @TheFilmTheorists

[@tmdtommy]

"Screw gravity" -Aang the last airbender.

[@german_pretzel3195]

Well he isn't the last airbender anymore

[@Nani-yd1hq]

@@german_pretzel3195 the last good Avatar so far

[@kahiraaa]

~zaheer from legend of korra

[@aisha5156]

Sad Frog and Abigale Cooper Lo, why though?

[@gogozeppeli9512]

Gravity? Who gives a crap about gravity?

[@pythonl0rd584]

*So you’re saying splashing water with my hand in the pool WASN’T water bending??*

[@zeusesparza1291]

Samuel Ndisa we all loved the same child hood

[@kryptoes14]

Y E S S I R

[@gurtsgh]

@Connor Orchard yeah :)

[@hxpeskis2988]

Yeah

[@justicemirasty6056]

Or water running down my arms in the shower

[@oshahott2532]

This is high key reminding me of when I was a kid and made a water bending scroll that I kept under my pillow, but threw it away the next morning out of fear that someone would find it and use it 🤣

[@UnknownUser-xs7dg]

watching this just in case everyone gets a bending power once harmonic convergence occurs

[@ZolisterOLD]

*holds a magnet up to some water Matpat: WATERBENDING!!!

[@mysteriontheguardianangel8859]

Nani?!

[@shonyahhawkinscottman4137]

NANIIII?!?!?

[@4n4rch1st7]

Mysterion The Guardian Angel OMAE WA MOU SHINDEIRU

[@mennoberga4133]

Good video! A few notes from a fanboy: 1. Bending is explicitly stated not to be considered magic in the world of Avatar. In the first episode of the show, Katara gets angry at Sokka for calling it so. 2. Water benders don't fully lose their powers during a lunar eclipse, i don't think. After all, the moon isn't around during the day, but that never seems to be an issue. This can be confusing, since the S1 finale included an event called the Lunar Eclipse, which prevented benders from waterbending. However, in that case, the moon itself straight up died, and had to be reincarnated to be restored. 3. While Iroh invented lightning *redirection* by studying water bending, lightning *bending* itself is not based on waterbending. It's an extremely pure version of firebending, that requires the bender not to use rage as a fuel, which is why so many benders (including Zuko) can't learn it. Lightning redirection has a lower entry bar, since the user only has to understand energy flows - like a waterbender. 4. Finally, Roku didn't struggle with water because water is a particularly hard element to learn. He struggled, because it was the element opposite to his own (fire). Mentality plays a huge role in bending, and Roku grew up as a firebender. We can see Aang struggle similarly with earthbending, as he has an airbender mentality. Korra seems like an exception to this, since she's a water tribe girl who mastered fire quite easily, but that's because she never really thought like a waterbender per say. Instead, Korra struggled with airbending, the most spiritual element, since she was so focused on becoming a better fighter, as opposed to a better person. *[Edit]* Since you read to the end i'll recommend the youtube channel Hello Future Me. It's a guy that talks about principals of storytelling, but he also has a whole bunch of Avatar lore deep dives. I recommend his video on Energybending, which explains some more about bending in general! This concludes my essay lol

[@aaronkisitu4855]

I was thinking about some of these but you went in depth so thanks

[@sammie_dot7542]

I thought i was a huge fan if the show... You just changed how i look at it now 😂😂

[@exec_rigveda8299]

Pls dont use korra as an exemple. Id rather forget she exist.

[@aaronkisitu4855]

@@exec_rigveda8299 tbh korra was pretty disappointing but other than the end it wasn't all garbage

[@Mufflin]

Didn't bending come from some life deity. How isn't that considered magic.

[@govindraghuvanshi4892]

WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE A VIDEO EXPLAINING THE SCIENCE OF FIREBENDING, EARTHBENDING AND AIRBENDING ?! Specially airbending. WHEN?!

[@drkthy]

i SO wish that i had water or fire bending fr. manmade super powers better become real

[@davidyun8396]

Mat: “how to water bend” Also Matt: just bend magnetic fields

[@rightfulfuture4]

it's called a magnet suit, duh

[@cyco5400]

Just thinking, wouldn't it also have an effect on the bender themselves? Cuz humans are water too.

[@mateusmundstock8225]

@@cyco5400 If the magnetic field is precise enough, you may avoid it. At least that's what I understood

[@richardconaway9720]

@@cyco5400 plus water is highly dia-magnetic, meaning it's so non-receptive to magnetic manipulation that any such magnetic field would literally bend/attract everything around it INCLUDING the water, there would be no element specific benders if magnetism truly were what was behind bending (we also see benders PULL water toward themselves, which is essentially overriding the diamagnetism of water), and fire is just released energy in the form of ionized air as plasma. so fire bending "might" make sense with the magnet theory as ionization does play well with magnetic fields and in some instances is even the result of localized magnetic fields, but outside of earth and fire a magnetic field driven hypothesis is fairly flawed.

[@pickleman9203]

Avatar: *exist* Matpat: But then THE THEORY NATION ATTACKED!

[@Chaos0f7ife]

What would our abilities be? *Theorist Punch!*

[@Ze_eT]

Avatar: *exist* Korra: *IM THE AVATAR YOU GOTTA DEAL WITH IT!*

[@Nina-ly6kb]

@@Chaos0f7ife Screaming ,,BUT HEY,THAT'S JUST A THEORY" to our enemies

[@stekki9114]

@@Chaos0f7ife One will be to make you doubt your very existence!!! XD

[@Swampbomb]

You stole my line i will not swear as i respect mat pat

[@thetophattedmonkey8791]

At the end where he says even avatar roku found waterwending tricky is actually explained much earlier in the series when aang fails at earth bending the opposite of air is earth so because aang was an air bender he found earth bending difficult same with roku opposite of fire is water

[@cat.uber.driver]

Neil Armstrong: I was the first human on the moon. Gru: I stole the moon. Sokka: Pathetic

[@ALIVE501-raiseriggy]

My girlfriend turned into the moon Thats rough buddy

[@cat.uber.driver]

@@ALIVE501-raiseriggy nah he banged the moon

[@ambermiller1321]

The only thing I remember from Avatar the last airbender is the cabbage guy....."mY cAbBaGeS"

[@kivikivi1882]

Amber Miller Nothing else matters

[@ambermiller1321]

@@kivikivi1882 literally

[@dnatsrednUouYoD]

That's all you need to remember.

[@helpidroppedmydignity6138]

Cabbage man best character

[@jaketaller8567]

Lets Not Forget The Cabbage Corps From Legend Of Korra

[@AustinJASMR]

Matpat: "I'll do a theory on each bending style." Also Matpat: "Waterbending's the only style, right?"

[@vincentfreddoyle7555]

yeah WE NEED EARTHBENDING!!!!!!!!!!!

[@omanai]

@@vincentfreddoyle7555 YES

[@moussaahmed6662]

@@vincentfreddoyle7555 we don't need just earthbending, we need everything

[@vincentfreddoyle7555]

@@moussaahmed6662 well we’re doing it in order of the intro right?

[@ErisEntropy]

I mean, to be fair, this is film theory and The Last Airbender died at book 1.

[@taniaemirethgonzalezgarcia4257]

"A tsunami coming" Me: Bring the magnets! CHARGE!!!!!!

[@SliceOfLifeJ]

who here in 2024 after MatPat Retired?

[@sebreynolds9293]

Me

[@_DaBirb]

Here

[@DOCTERG1]

Me 😢

[@hannahday5887]

Me😢😢😢😢😢

[@BellamyM]

Me 😢

[@maxjoubert220]

Theory: Appa is an insect. Evidence: 6 legs, can fly.

[@vedantneema]

nah cant argue with that

[@TryggLauIzCuul]

loooooooooooooooooool ikr

[@swargpatel7634]

It’s body isn’t covered in chitin more does it have an abdomen and thorax. Appa is a mammal not an insect.

[@Kage042]

Where is the exoskeleton?

[@hishamshakdam8718]

The Science Man You’re world class in the skill of humour

[@themcflurryman2525]

The most under rated line on the show is: I laugh at gravity all the time, ahaha gravity

[@Jobe-13]

And how the storyteller indirectly calls the air nomads “air walkers”.

[@puffy_doritos_gacha516]

I rlly Thought for second that you commented that 19 years ago

[@Cr0wM0ther]

hmm... delicous tea or a terrible poisoning?

[@AcePlayzRBLX]

*standing on the ground

[@mr.fishstick_yt9955]

Dapper Magikarp hmm... delectable tea or deadly poison

[@kratoesdoomsday821]

Matpat you are my all-time favorite scientist ever god bless you!😁

[@DennisJayDole]

4:16 .... "When this new show comes out." 😭The presumption, implied by this statement, didn't age well.

[@DennisJayDole]

It's almost as if the only hope for a series to be continued and expanded upon, it would have to be bought up by Disney. 😔

[@RTstudios-xs6fw]

@@DennisJayDolethis aged horribly

[@stahpg5430]

16:15 Actually Avatar Roku’s hardest element being water has nothing to do with water bending being difficult and more to do with the nature of the person. This is similar to how Aang’s hardest element to master was Earth as it is based in being rigid and steadfast while Aang’s personality is more free flowing as an Airbender.

[@ethannewland3109]

I came down here to comment this exact thing. It bothered me a bit when Mat tried to pass it off as if water is just hard for everyone.

[@axz647]

Maybe it's just a sub conscious and it kinda reflects of some part of personality like earth fire yada I'm sure you guys get it

[@enddorb]

@@axz647 The show does point to the opposite bending (IE the one across from it in the 4 point circle) to the one the avatar is born into is the hardest for them. As a natural fire bender, Roku would have trouble with water

[@atlas4263]

Well technically they explained Aang's difficulty with earth bending as it being his 'opposite element', Katara made the connection 'if I were to try to learn fire bending it would be just as difficult because they're opposite elements'

[@axz647]

@@enddorb yea I know I'm just adding more of logical reasoning as to why instead of just personality like how uncle iroh was able to learn redirection of lightning from the water benders and how he has changed etc

[@aidyplays1013]

I like how Firebending is about powerful voice, Earthbending is physical strength, waterbending is patience and then you got Airbending. Newton's worst fear.

[@sapphirethegrrem]

Newton: *Running away* Airbending: "Why are you running? Why are you running?"

[@aidyplays1013]

@@sapphirethegrrem Haha, very funny!

[@pineforest1442]

Ha!

[@lsaua]

Ironic because airbending is about peace and being not threatening

[@sunburststudi0s224]

Airbending: hello there! Newton: OH GOD

[@EvilDigDig]

MAKE Science of waterboarding NEXT!🔥🔥🔥

[@MizzTwizzArt]

not me learning more about science watching mat pat then in my actual science classes

[@daltonberry42]

Who else waiting for those other avatar theories 😂

[@quixilver6177]

Yep! Just finished watching the series for the first time. I need MOAR

[@izak5775]

WHERE ARE THEY

[@Chazcam_Gaming]

Me

[@djgameing3852]

Yep

[@geekoutnerd7882]

Everyone:”I cant wait for the other FT episodes on Avatar“ MattPat: “FoOd ThEoRy XD” I have enjoyed the food theory channel but still don’t forget film theory. I also want to see a film theory on 7 deadly sins.

[@marzizzo]

"even avatar roku said that water bending was particularly hard for him to learn" cuz he was born a FIREBENDER

[@onigiri2659]

That has some correlation, but the real reason was that it was the polar opposite from what he was originally capable. think of it as a born-given talent, you were born with it so that naturally means that you're good at it, but just because you already have one doesn't mean you can learn more. and also, in irl cases, some people have an ability to learn other talents really easily, mainly because they have really good listening skills. and if you rewatch all of Roku's interactions, you'll know that he isn't the type to listen to what his sister says. Sure, he does listen to his master, or does he? In a couple of episodes, we can clearly see him disobeying his master. Roku just isn't the type to really listen. I can prove this by using Aang. Now, Aang IS an Air Bender so that means that he can just learn all of the elements really easily, but even he has a hard time with Earth bending, mainly because of two reasons. One is that Earth Bending is the complete opposite of Air Bending, just like how Water Bending is also a complete opposite of Fire Bending. And for the second reason, he's just really stubborn. you can see him be really stubborn in some episodes. Because of this stubborness is how he has a hard time learning it. The only reason he eventually got the hang of it isn't because of the training he did, but it was because Air is all the other elements weakness, Air could easily control all of the other elements. So in Roku's, and all the other character's case, literally everyone could learn all of the other elements in the show. It's just because that the elements are weakened by other elements on the table. But that's just a theory, A MICRO THEORY. AND CUT. (you get it? Like the film theory thi- ok, I'll leave)

[@NuggetGX]

Utsubyō Nikorasu that deserved alot more than 2 likes lol

[@radhikaparkhi1856]

Utsubyō Nikorasu woahhhhhhh I bow down to you, Sifu Long Paragraph.

[@marzizzo]

Utsubyō Nikorasu okay so the first part: yes, that’s the point i was trying to make by saying that he’s a firebender, water is his opposite so it’s especially hard for him to learn. secondly, i don’t actually remember roku’s sister or really much of his master, although i could just be forgetting things? thirdly, ya aang had an especially difficult time with earth bending because it’s the opposite of air bending. that’s why he was stubborn. water and fire came so easily to him, so the second he couldn’t just effortlessly do something, he lost all momentum and faith in himself and was convinced that he’d never be able to do it (similar as what happens to kids in gifted programs who grow up believing that they’re smart and things coming easily but not developing a good work ethic because of this so when they don’t immediately understand something, it’s shattering). as for your last points, i don’t get what you said about airbenders being superior and uhhh are you saying that anyone could learn all the elements? cuz nope just the avatar has that ability as per the show’s canon. good comment though, i enjoyed reading and responding

[@carndela7032]

Holy cow this is the big brain comment section I’m only halfway through ep3 and can’t really go crazy over this

[@Blackinfemwa]

16:14 it was challenging because he’s originally fire bender so the styles are opposite

[@aWildJersh]

I need more of this. please tell me there is more of this

[@Wikwil]

8:01 Everybody gangsta until Aang starts T-Posing

[@pingthericegod372]

Hi

[@Error-zm4ee]

just about to comment that

[@Error-zm4ee]

@time is flying you're....welcome?

[@quacker7581]

When I was a kid I would stand in the shower and stick my hand out and water would trickle off my fingers thinking I was the secret first water bender and didn’t tell anybody because I was afraid the government would take me away and experiment on me

[@afeatherinthewind]

I felt that way whenever it got super windy while I was moody or playing with the wind between my fingers on car rides with the window down lol

[@echorolls7186]

I used to blow on fire and I thought I was a firebender

[@ro9542]

I used to throw rocks and think I was a earth bender

[@lucasbwh2664]

I used to throw a boomerang and think i was sokka

[@YeetBS]

Watr bendr

[@topher6519]

If Avatars can use all the bending styles, does that make them…. Atom benders?

[@forestgoblin1368]

Matpat: explains how water bending is real Me: proceeds to tape magnets to my hands

[@blankclips]

“Write that down. Write that down.”

[@armancole2781]

Blank Clips *plays tic tac toe*

[@armancole2781]

potato cat farmer what does that even mean?

[@liu2435]

@potato cat farmer hi earthquake.

[@chazzanb2160]

Hello

[@imvic99yearsago62]

Your comment reminds me of deku

[@waxalmighty6355]

My history teacher bought the whole show on disc so whenever we watch a “documentary” we are really watching avatar

[@sealdew5348]

That is amazing

[@Rex_o_roar]

You have the best history teacher ever

[@jarathedragon4175]

because thats what heroes do

[@gaigeguy339]

I doubt my little brother would like him Ps I’m 99% sure he’s not right mentally

[@silversonic99]

As a kid, I would love this. As an adult, I would be pissed this is how a teacher uses class time.

[@emafolo]

I was promised an "epic multi-episode journey"...

[@user-mi5mu8ti8b]

Thought this was a tutorial for irl. "How to waterbend"

[@IshijimaKairo]

"water bending get's some solid evidence" nah, it get's liquid evidence

[@crimsonstone3627]

Bruh lol 😆

[@lob1n]

NO!!!!

[@IshijimaKairo]

@@lob1n What, scared of the truth?

[@lob1n]

Dedicated Random yes I am

[@yakijacob]

Leave

[@DurdenTyler001]

Mat Pat is going to be the Bill Nye to the kids that see his show on Nickelodeon

[@batandcat0508]

He even quotes Bill Nye in the Appa Segment. It's great!

[@leonardusrakapradayan2253]

The next Bill Nye

[@spaceguy5547]

MatPat the Theory Guy

[@MrMrdreary]

I agree, a new science guy is required. And Nickelodeon could make it happen

[@Rezumi]

The show even feels like a bill nye spiritual successor.

[@PoonamSingh-wc7hv]

Hi MatPat, could tell me key items that you used in the practical? And also specify what type of water did you use?

[@Mullato_Damage]

I want more theories on Avatar! We need the MatPat!

[@YeetaStar]

Instructions unclear: started to bloodbend myself

[@PxndaCakes]

What a travesty...

[@LotteLattes]

I mean technically we are always bloodbending ourselves

[@Bayen737]

Me too dude. I just broke my arm by bloodbending it

[@YeetaStar]

@@Bayen737 im feeling the constant pain of my limbs breaking even after a month, things will be rough dude

[@Ohnocory]

kinky

[@breannaadams4724]

How do you waterbend? Take a shower and let it roll down your fingers.

[@plutossky7534]

Breanna Adams that means I’ve been waterbending for years 😏

[@muggeronincheese5699]

Dude, I just had a tsunami of nostalgia when you said that.

[@jacobprisament4364]

Me when I was younger

[@theevilteacher]

Toph in her prime versus Kuvira... Who would win?

[@kurtlawrence5536]

Or sticking your arms half under the water at the pool so that it flows around your arms when you swing them

[@kingwaffles7949]

I love the intro

[@charles_game_dev]

13:23 PUSH NOT PULL MATT