19 Years Later, Avatar’s Most Terrifying Episode Changed the Franchise Forever

For much of Avatar: The Last Airbender, waterbending seems like the most limited of the four elements for one practical reason: Its wielders need access to water. Firebenders generate their own flames. Earth is everywhere, and air is even more readily accessible. On her adventure with Aang, Katara is almost never separated from her water skin for this very reason. A waterbender in the desert is about as useful as a badgermole cub in a swimming pool.