i was re-watching the final agni-kai between zuko and azula and i noticed something
throughout the entire match, zuko and azula are throwing straightforward, linear attacks at one another
and they deflect with the same kind of movement
but then when zuko does his firespin breakdance thing, its in no way linear, its completely circular
up until that point, theyd been doing classical firebending movements, but this one isnt really seen in firebending. but it IS seen in airbending
point is, zuko was learning from aang at the same time aang was learning from zuko
somehow this became my most popular post
He also listened to his Uncle Iroh and absorbed what he said when Iroh was teaching him lightening redirection
What most people don’t realize is just how influenced Northern Shaolin (Firebending) was by the other three (for the uninitiated Baguazhang for Air and Hung Ga for Earth, and a little bit of Taiji Quan aka Waterbending).
Iroh and zuko may not be able to bend other elements, but they did learn how to use the style of other elements. just as the spirits said, the four nations are an illusion. There is only one world.