Ranking the Best Earthbenders in Avatar, LoK, and the Avatar Comics & Novels
Fire as an Element
Fire. The element of power and energy. In some regards, it is the most unique of the four, as it is the only element that can be generated by the benders themselves. Unlike other bending disciplines, where benders can only manipulate the elements in their environment and within their own bodies, firebending draws its power from a person's breath and energy, not their muscles. It is an element highly dependent on a person’s inner passion and drive, and it is severely affected by the individual's inner calm or turmoil. The people of the Fire Nation are passionate, driven, disciplined, and fierce. Influenced by the concept of Positive Jing, a principle that always favors offense and initiative, they possess the strength, energy, and drive to advance, move forward, and achieve what they want.
To give our respect and appreciation to this powerful element, we will be ranking the Firebenders in the Last Airbender, the Legend of Korra, and the Avatar the Novels.
And later on, we will be asking ourselves the question, who stands at the pinnacle of firebending? Who deserves to be at the top spot of our list?
Our Criteria for this Firebender Tierlist
Although we have our set of criteria as a guide, the final outcome of this list will ultimately depend on my own personal opinions and subjective reasoning. If you have different takes about the rankings or if you think I missed any bender of significance, you can leave a comment down below after the video so we can talk more about it, just make sure not to make things very heated and burn the whole comments down. (Civilised discussion is encouraged, keep it classy tho.)
Now it’s for us to say Flameoh to our list, get this whole thing fired up, and start cooking.
C Tier - Decent
We begin in the C Tier, The Average Level, benders who’ve got some moves and are very decent.
Vachir - First up on this list is Vachir. According to Wan Shi Tong’s Adventure Guide, Vachir, apart from being a member of the insanely talented Yuyan Archers, is also a firebender. He was an assassin and marksman skilled enough to be requested by Firelord Ozai himself to carry out an important kill mission. After his falling out with the Firelord and being banished, Vachir ended up becoming a part of the Rough Rhinos, who had a few run-ins with the Gaang in the middle of the series. When it comes to marksmanship and fighting skills, Vachir probably deserves to be in the top spot. However, as we discussed in our previous list, some benders rely on their weapons to compensate for their lack of strength or control in bending, and I think this is the case for Vachir. He only uses his firebending to light up his arrows in his encounters with the team, and he didn’t show anything spectacular with his bending, which is why he belongs in this low spot.
Two Toed Ping - Our next entry on the list is Two Toed Ping from the Triple Threat Triad. This goofy firebending thug seems very chill and interesting, but his firebending is not that impressive. He did not show anything special in his run-in with Korra and Mako, and he only displayed the most standard skills firebending attacks, which is why he belongs at this spot.
Chit Sang - Next up on this list is Chit Sang, a prisoner who, together with Sokka and Zuko, managed to escape the Boiling Rock. Despite the fact that he was notorious enough to be put in the Fire Nation’s maximum security prison, Chit Sang’s firebending seems very basic, as he didn’t show anything special or creative when he showcased his skills.
Average Fire Nation Soldier - Next are the Fire Nation Soldiers. Influenced by the concept of Positive Jing, the Fire Nation soldiers during the Hundred Year War were heavily focused on offense and were always advancing in battle. Their extremely militaristic and ultranationalistic ideals drove them to launch campaigns of domination and invasion, spreading the culture, influence, and control of the Fire Nation across the world. They caused a lot of suffering, destruction, and violence due to their nation’s misguided ideology and leaned heavily on the destructive side of firebending.
As for their skills, the average soldier does not seem to demonstrate many advanced techniques, but we are placing them higher than the first three entries because these soldiers have experience fighting on the front lines and their Army was winning for the most part of the hundred year war. Their battle experience, formal military training, and overall ferociousness likely gave them an edge over other firebenders who were not initiated into the army.
Southern Raiders - For similar reasons, we are also placing the benders of the Southern Raiders in this tier. They seem to have their own firebending techniques, as shown in their raids of the South Pole, where they managed to defeat and capture all the waterbenders within that major region of the Four Nations. They specialize in speedy operations and know when to retreat once they have achieved their objective.
Baraz - Due to his non-Earth Kingdom ethnicity, Baraz was rounded up and placed by Kuvira into the Earth Empire’s reeducation camp. He escaped with a few of his colleagues and managed to team up with Varrick and Bolin in their quest to reach the border and escape to safety. Baraz seemed to be very driven, determined, and decisive, and his firebending skills appeared more advanced compared to the average Fire Nation soldier. He was able to free himself from bondage using his fire dagger. He managed to face an upgraded mecha tank head-on, standing his ground and launching a few good attacks in the skirmish.
Fire Sages - The Fire Sages were supposed to be the elite spiritual and cultural guardians of the Fire Nation, mostly situated in the temples within the Fire Nation. They help conduct traditional ceremonies within the Fire Islands and have enjoyed influence and status in their service under the Avatar. When Firelord Ozai ascended to the throne, however, their loyalties became tied to the Firelord, straying away from their original purpose. Their firebending skills seemed decent enough, as shown in the episode of the Solstice. Some members of the Fire Sages also have unique healing and cleansing abilities, and we can say that they know more about the spiritual side of firebending compared to the average firebender. That’s why we’re putting them at the highest spot in this tier.
The Fire Sages
B Tier - Highly Skilled
Now we’re moving on to the B Tier, featuring benders that highly skilled and have shown some excellence in their bending discipline.
Master Kunyo – Master Kunyo was a Firebending instructor who used to mentor Azula. Because Azula was annoyed and unsatisfied with his teaching, she managed to make Firelord Ozai to send Kunyo to the colonies. Master Kunyo’s firebending skills does not seem very impressive and he seemed to be very weak, as he was easily defeated by Toph’s students, who were still at the beginner level when it comes to metalbending. I’m putting him in this Tier though because he still had experience and the knowledge to train students formally in an official school and I think that because of that, he is more knowledgeable and skilled when it comes firebending forms and techniques compared to others.
Royal Procession - The next entry in this list will be the Royal Procession or the Imperial Firebenders, simply because they are stronger and better compared to your average Fire Nation soldier. They are elite benders whose main functions are to serve as guards and direct subjects to the Royal Family. During Sozin’s comet, they were chosen be Ozai to stand beside him as they unleashed the comet-buffed flamethrowers to burn down the lands of the earth kingdom. They were skilled, experienced, and strong enough to harness the energy that effectively, allowing them to produce massive output in their Inferno campaign.
Sun Warriors - The Sun Warriors also belong in this highly skilled tier because their knowledge intimately close to the source and origin of Firebending. They lived amongst the Firebending Master Ran and Shaw. And they have grasped the truth about Firebending. That Fire is also life, not just destruction. Their Ancient Techniques and forms and profound understanding of the nature of Firebending earned them a higher spot in our Tier List compared to the average FireNation Firebender.
Colonel Mongke - A high spot in this Tier belongs to Colonel Mongke, the leader of the Rough Rhinos, a freelance Fire Nation Army Unit that used to serve under General Iroh. They are a group that has expressed their loyalty to the Fire Nation and the Fire Lord. Colonel Mongke’s signature attack is the double fist blast. And he integrated his firebending style to suit the strength, speed, and acceleration of his rhino and that makes their duo a force to be reckoned with. His firebending output is massive, being able to fill up a whole alley with his flames in his duel with Aang. Although they have lost most of their matches in the series and in the comics, the rough rhinos were said to have a legendary reputation within the Army and they were effective in many of their raids and attacks. Colonel Mongke, himself, was also the one responsible for burning Jet’s village down, sending this Freedom Fighter down a path of hatred and vengeance.
Admiral Zhao - Zhao is a clever and cunning villain that almost managed to take out waterbending permanently from the world in his military campaigns in Book 1. Zhao’s firebending forms and technique seems formidable but if we’re going to look at his winrate, he always finds himself taking losses. He was outclassed by Season 1 Zuko and was outsmarted by Aang who did not need to fire a single shot. And this is because Zhao has one crucial weaknesses in his bending. His former master explained that Zhao only focused on the offensive and destructive side of Firebending, straying away from Jeong Jeong’s main doctrine on the discipline, which is all about restraint, limiting the destructive capabilities of fire and harnessing its power under disciplined control. Zhao’s fire blasts look a lot larger compared to other firebenders and although he was bested in his Agni Kai, he still showed us some excellence when it comes to defense and offense when it comes to fire duels. Despite his flaws, we can consider him as a capable, deadly, and strong firebender that’s why I believe he deserves the top spot of this Tier.
Admiral Zhao
Low A Tier - Master
Now we’re moving onto the master level. If they made it high up to this Tier, then we can consider them to be the strongest Firebenders in the world. Not only are the following people strong and skilled, but many of these benders are considered knowledgeable enough to train and teach others in the arts of Firebending.
Combustion Man - For our first entry, however, will be a bit of a wildcard. For we will be putting him Combustion Man in this list by default. If we’re basing this Tierlist solely on strength and powerlevels, this man would probably end up in High A, some people might even push it and place him is S. In my previous tierlist, I put him in B because like what I said back then, Combustion Man only showed us one form of Firebending attack, which is his long-range combustion bending, blowing things up using his head from a distance. In this Tierlist, however, we will finally be putting him in A Tier by default because this man is way to strong to be put any lower. His power level earned him a ton of points, covering for the areas he was severely lacking in in our criteria. Combustion Man managed to threaten and endager a lot of powerful benders and fighters in his kill mission. The man was almost unstoppable. He was only defeated due to the combined efforts of the members of Team Avatar and Sokka’s highlight boomerang shot. I will not be putting him any higher, though, because he didn’t show us any other form of firebending as he only spammed one form of attack.
Xu Ping An - Next on this list will be Xu Ping An. Xu Ping An was the charismatic yet extremely brutal leader of the daofei group called the Yellow Necks. The daofei are organized crime groups that terrorized the Earth Kingdom after the death of Avatar Kuruk and during the rise of Avatar Kyoshi. We can say that Xu is an insanely powerful bender because he managed to give Avatar Kyoshi a run for her money. Xu Ping An was a deadly practitioner of lightning generation during a time when producing lightning is considered as something unheard of to most people. The skill was extremely rare, it was even considered as a myth or just a folk legend to a very few, even within the Fire Nation. Using his lightning, Xu was able to bring Kyoshi to her knees. His attacks were very unpredictable and unexpected that they almost took out the Earth Avatar, and only after entering the Avatar State did Avatar Kyoshi manage to defeat and end Xu Ping An. Exacting retribution on this cold blooded criminal who tortured and killed a lot of innocent people.
Zolt - Another entry in this list is lightning bolt zolt, the ex-leader of the Triple Threat Triads. Before Amon took away this guy’s bending, he introduced Zolt as the head of a criminal organisation that oppresses and takes advantage of non-benders within republic city. Although Zolt was utterly destroyed by Amon in that equalist gathering, the man still displayed a high level of lightning generation technique. Firing a steady discharge of lightning for a very long period of time. The man was true to his alias, he could even produce lightning from his punches. Bryke even mentioned that Mako must’ve learned his lightning and fire techniques from his former boss Zolt. And we can say that Zolt must’ve been one of the strongest benders in Republic city because even when his bending was being taken away, it took a while before his connection to the element was completely sealed by Amon’s bloodbending.
Lightning Bolt Zolt. Former Leader of the Triple Threat Triad
Avatar Aang - The highest spot in this Tier belongs to Avatar Aang. Many people might find this placement questionnable because at the end of the original series, Aang was still considered to be far from mastering Firebending. And even in the comics that followed, Aang barely used firebending and it wasn’t his first, second, nor third option when it comes to offense. Aang mostly used firebending for utility and support purposes and we can infer that this is because Aang understands and respects the dangerous potential of this powerful element. Why use something risky and deadly as a first choice in battle when the other elements could also get the job done, and he has all four of them. But if we are going to look very closely at his firebending, we can see that Aang has a stronger connection with this element compared to some other benders in this list. Aang was trained by Zuko but he also learned about the true nature of Fire when they had their life-changing Field Trip to the land of the Sun Warriors. He managed to learn and memorize a highly advanced and ancient firebending dance form and he untimately understood that Fire is life, not just destruction. With this knowledge, along with his breathing technique, he was able to harness the power of the comet very effectively, unleashing a massive flamethrower that managed to ground Ozai’s airship before their final 1v1. In his training under Jeong Jeong, he also showed us his natural talent and creativity in his attempt to copy the advanced firebending moves of the juggler they saw in the festival. Under Zuko’s mentorship, Aang was seen doing a lot of difficult firebending forms and techniques quite skillfully, and as a cherry on top, he was able to learn how to redirect lightning. The match could’ve been decided very early had Aang decided to return the attack back to Ozai, who was completely caught off guard momentarily. But his pacifist nature prevented him from finishing up his counterplay, something that could’ve probably ended Ozai’s life. In addition, I think that it is only fitting to put him the highest spot of this Tier because I believe that Aang probably managed to fully master this powerful element later on in his life.
High A Tier - Highly Skilled
Next up is the Grandmaster level, a Tier that is slightly higher than the previous one. Featuring benders who have proven themselves to be highly exceptional in the bending discipline, embodying the principles of their element.
Avatar Korra - In my opinion, Korra is a first class firebending duelist. Fire is her go-to element. This element suits Korra’s personality and fighting style very well, which is very ironic because she was, first and foremost, a Waterbender- the Water Avatar. Korra was criticized by her mentors to lack restraint in Firebending and in a way they are correct. But in many cases, Korra’s fast-paced, boxing-style firebending managed to get her through some of her most difficult battles. Especially on some scenarios when reckless, overhelming force is much more needed compared to moderate and controlled offense. Korra’s very energetic and light on her feat, showing a lot of probending footwork and acrobatics which levels up her fighting prowess. And I think that in many occassions, she embodied the concept of Positive Jing attacking and advancing relentlessly until her objectives are completed and her enemies are defeated. We can also say that her firebending is a lot stronger compared to other benders because, apart from being the Avatar, Korra is a very emotionally driven individual, and her fighting spirit and determination adds a lot of fuel to her firebending. And at the end of the day, power in Firebending depends on a person’s inner fire, determination, and will.
Mako - Now I don’t like Mako but I’m gonna have to be unbiased and give him credit for his skills. This is a tough one because I think that Korra and Mako are very closely matched. While I believe that Korra has more power and energy, I decided to put Mako higher because he displayed more creative and exceptional feats with his bending compared to Korra. Mako, wasn’t properly trained by the best formal instructors in the world, but he uses his own signature Pro-bending style of Firebending to even out the playing field. His attacks are swift, controlled, and precise. Unlike other Firebenders who are very emotional, Mako developed a cold, calculating, and cutthroat personality while growing up in streets and serving in the Triple Threat Triad, and that factor blended well with his Firebending. That’s also probably the reason why he’s so proficient at using lightning. Mako is a bender who would always play it smart, using creative ways to outsmart opponents who are a lot stronger than him, capitalizing on every opening. He was able to take out Minghua whom I consider as one of the best waterbenders of the show. With extreme accuracy and composure, he managed to deal massive damage to Unalaq’s heavily guarded encampnet while standing on the wings of a plane. With this feat, we can say that firebending power and output is definitely up there. He was also able to strike Amon with his lightning, even when he was under his bloodbending grip. And his continuous lightning generation allowed him to blow up Kuvira’s Robot at the Final Episode of Book 4. Overall, Mako scored better when it comes to bending creativity and feats that’s why I believe he deserves to be in this spot.
Iroh (United Forces) - Next up in this Grandmaster level is General Iroh of the United Forces. Iroh is the son of Fire Lord Izumi and the Grandson of Zuko. He only showed up in the series for only a few times but one thing we can say for certain about him is that he definitely deserves his rank as a General. Needless to say, he is very well-versed in fighting. Being able to take down multiple high-speed planes with his fire blasts, displaying strong firebending output and precision. He can also use his fire blasts as booster to launch him up from the ground, allowing him to fly in the air for a certain amount of time. He is also one of the few firebenders in the show that can generate lightning in a very quick fashion, even at a very difficult angle. He shows a high level of adaptability to many dangerous situations and due to his advanced technique, he was able to accomplish his objectives and take out a lot enemies that would’ve caused great harm to his allies.
Rangi – Next on this list is Rangi. Rangi was a Fire Army officer who was tasked to serve as the body guard of the False Avatar Yun. When it was found out that Kyoshi was actually the true avatar, Rangi fulfilled her task to serve as a loyal protector of the Avatar, serving as a strong ally and mentor in Kyoshi’s Team Avatar. What’s special about Rangi is that she can control the temp of the air around her using her bending. Her firebending strength is so intense that, depending on her condition and situation, she is able to turn her normal yellow flames to a brighter colour. Her firebending was so powerful- she could even tear through solid walls, leaving charred, blackened ruins on sight. And her skills allow her to easily take down multiple opponents at once. She was very good at using the technique of Jet-stepping, summoning jet of flames from her feet to boost her mobility and increase her speed. This allows her to easily parkour on rooftops, giving her the ability to walk and jump high in the air to keep up with benders using similar technique in the Flying Opera Company, and this ability also adds momentum to her firebending attacks, greatly boosting her attack damage. Rangi was an elite among elites, graduating early from the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, with excellent marks. And her fiery and unwavering loyalty and devotion to her friends strengthened her firebending, allowing her to serve as a powerful and irreplaceable ally to the Avatar.
Hei-ran - Next up in this level is Hei-ran, a formal and disciplined bending instructor and master, the one who taught Firebending to Avatar Kuruk.Hei-ran is the mother of Rangi and she was the former Headmistress of the Royal Fire Academy for Girls. Later on, she became the firebending mentor of the false Avatar Yun. Hei-ran held the record for most ‘accidental’ kills during Agni Kais for competing for the Headmistress position, this proves her prowess in being a first rate Firebending Duelist. Probably the best one in her generation. Her mastery of firebending was dispalyed, when she dished out strong firebending attacks that defeated many opponents even when she was severely injured during battle. She also had a great reputation in the Fire Nation for training a lot of nobles and elites in Firebending- she was even chosen to train the Fire Lord during their time. Hei-ran had been a high-ranking military commander at one point but she left her promising career in the Fire Army to teach Avatar Kuruk. Even someone as strong as Jianzhu, probably one of the Top 3 benders in their time, was very wary of crossing her for she has the potential of taking him out if she set her mind to it. He even said that the reason why Hei-Ran managed to survive many near death scenarios is due to the strength of her inner fire. Her exceptional experience and mastery are the reasons why I believe Hei-Ran deserves to be in the the Grandmaster Level.
Firelord Azulon - And we are putting Fire Lord Azulon in this Tier by default. He was the Firelord who reigned the longest during the hundred year war. Under his leadership, the Fire Nation managed to conquer a lot of territories in the Earth Kingdom. Under his leadership, the Fire Nation nearly wiped out all the waterbenders in the Southern Water Tribe, in fears of having the possibility that the Avatar reincarnated as a waterbender after all the Air Nomads were taken out. He was considered as one of the strongest Firebenders in the world during his time and was said to be a Firebending Prodigy, like Azula who was named after him. I couldn’t put him any higher because we didn’t get to see much of his bending, but just with the information given to us, I think he at least deserves to be in this Tier.
Avatar Szeto - We are also putting Avatar Szeto in this Level by default. Avatar Szeto was successful in saving the people of the Fire Nation from great calamities. He was regarded by many as a highly intelligent and powerful Avatar and what’s different about him is that he managed to fulfill his duties by becoming a statesman in the Fire Nation, loyally serving as the Grand Advisor to the Fire Lord. He had many accomplishments and was adored by the people of the Fire Islands, however, the same level of love was not given to him by the other Nations. Some people think that the laws and programs he has set up has a bias towards his home country for the systems he has placed was geared to help the Fire Nation to become a powerhouse country in the next generations, giving them many strategic advantages over the others. In the series, he was briefly shown to masterfully do lavabending and in the recent Roku novel, Fire Prince Sozin speculated that Avatar Szeto must have used a lot of highly advanced Firebending techniques that was not familiar to other Firebenders. We are not putting him any higher, though, because we didn’t get to see him do a lot of Firebending and we don’t have enough information to give a definitive rank for him.
P’li - The Red Lotus were introduced to us as the Ultimate Benders. Able to take anyone down on a 1v1. And when grouped all together, they have the potential to take down the entire world. And P’li is probably the member in their organization that was the most troublesome to deal with when it comes to long-range capabilities. Unlike Combustion Man, P’li’s combustion bending can curve along its trajectory, allows her attacks to cover more angles. Combustion Man’s attacks seem stronger but one reason why I think P’li is better is because, unlike the hired assassin, P’li is not just a one trick wonder. P’li can also do firebending at a high level, being able to overpower a dragon in icy Water Tribe territory. But like what many fans say about her, P’li’s biggest strength is also her biggest weakness. Combustion bending, while very strong and almost unparalleled in long-range capabilities, can be easily countered once the enemy bender closes the gap. And with just a simple adjustment, they can turn her biggest weapon against her. That’s the reason why P’li always positions herself at a very strategic angle before her team commences their operations. And in book 3 of the Legend of Korra, she was one of the biggest reasons why the Red Lotus managed to almost succeed in their main operation. Her Firebending Prowess and her mastery with this ultra rare ability makes me very inclined to put her in this high spot.
Firelord Zuko - The next entry in our list is none other than the Fire Prince with arguably the best character development glow up within the Avatar Universe. A fierce antagonist turned irreplaceable ally. Team Avatar’s Sifu Hotman. The one tasked to set his whole Nation towards the right path. He is non other than Firelord Zuko. Zuko’s journey is the best example of a person going through a trial by Fire. A lump of coal and survived the pressure and turned itself into precious diamond. Initially, Zuko’s firebending was fuelled by frustration, desire, and hate. But after travelling the world in seach of the Avatar, he changed the nature of his inner fire. Renewing his purpose to serve as the Avatar’s Firebending master, in hopes of redeeming his nation. Zuko was trained by the man, the myth, the legend, General Iroh himself. And under his mentorship, Zuko managed to have a firm grasp of the fundamentals. In many occassions, he has showcased the power and usefulness of proper firebending breathing techniques, at some points, it even managed to save his life. Notice in his final showdown with Azula under Sozin’s comet. Zuko managed to outperfom Azula with his steady breathing technique, whilst Azula who was severely disturbed and unbalanced, caught herself being out of breath in their duel. Zuko also uses a lot of advanced firebending applications. Some of these are the fire dagger and the fire whip. The man can even do some breakdancing. Zuko can even use firending with his broadswords, amplifying his fire slashing technique. Zuko also learned about the technique of Lightning Redirection from his uncle and this ability was very useful for it helped to avoid certain death situations. And what sets him apart from other Firebendings is the fact that Zuko learned the true Nature of Firebending. By dancing with dragons and obtaining the wisdom of an Ancient Group of people that understood the power and connection of people to the sun, Zuko managed to learn that Firebending is also an element that gives energy and life. With this newfound understanding, Zuko was able to finally even the playing field with Azula. And he was able to level up his firebending that at one point in the comics, he was shown to be able to produce a fire storm of different colours. These are the reasons the reasons why I believe Zuko deserves to be at the highest spot of the Grandmaster Level.
Firelord Zuko
R Tier - Respect/Legacy
Before we move onto the highest spot in our list, we’ll be making a very necessary detour to pay respect to a person who we can consider as the true pioneer of Firebending. This person will be put up in the Legacy Tier, a level for benders that we commemorate and deeply respect. And he is none other than Avatar Wan.
Avatar Wan - Wan may not be the strongest nor the best firebender in history but we are putting him in this spot as appreciation to the idea that Wan may have probably been the first human Firebending Master ever. Many humans that borrowed the element from the Lion Turtle have existed before Wan. But they merely conjured the element and not fully mastered it. Throughout his journey of redemption after separating Vaatu from Raava, Wan developed a lot of techniques and attacks using Fire that allowed him to prevent many people from causing damage to the Spirit Wilds. The early people in that time even testified that Wan became so proficient with Firebending, it seemed like he was using the element as an extension of himself. Wan even improved his Firebending by learning from the movements of dragons and with the help of this powerful element, together with the others held for him by Raava, Wan was able to prevent the biggest threat and calamity that would have placed the under 10,000 years of chaos and darkness. Like what I said earlier, Wan may not be the strongest or most advanced practitioner of the discipline but we will give him credit and respect for being the First Human Firebending Master ever.
Avatar Wan
S Tier - Legendary
Now we are finally moving onto the highest level of our list. These are firebenders who have transcended mere mastery of their element, embodying qualities that set them apart from all others. They have not only honed their skills to perfection but have also unlocked dimensions of firebending that others could scarcely imagine.
These individuals have accomplished feats that border on the mythic— wielding fire with a magnitude and precision that defies the limits of ordinary mortals. Their prowess and understanding of fire are so profound that they have etched their names into the walls of history, earning them the title of "Legendary."
Jeong Jeong - The first entry in this Tier is the man who was widely known to be the first person to leave the fire nation military and live. The former Admiral who detested the destructive ways of his country, a high-ranking of the White Lotus, Jeong Jeong, the Deserter. Jeong Jeong’s firebending is legendary. No question. In his run in with Zhao, the man was able to pull off comet-level firebending, check out the height and the amount of fire he produces, creating a colossal wall of fire that managed to cross through an entire river. Jeong Jeong’s signature move is the fire wall and he probably perfected this technique by studying benders of other discipline. He even said to Katara that he was jealous of her waterbending abilities and expressed that he wished he had something other than fire instead. The Proper Fire Nation Style of Firebending, according to the Reckoning of Roku, is all about channeling the benders energy in straight, direct lines. Projecting the flames outward towards the target, driving the benders will forward until it reached its goal. But Jeong Jeong’s style was unique and different. Notice how the fire was not coming our of his body but from the ground. It even ran over the surface of the water. Jeong Jeong can also fly in the air using his firebending during Sozin’s comet and he was able to maximize the potential of his firewall, blocking attacks aimed towards him, and pushing the pillar of roaring flames towards his opponents as if it was a wave of water. Jeong Jeong is without a doubt a genius and a prodigy when it comes to Firebending but the reason why I couldn’t put him any higher in this list is because Jeong Jeong saw his firebending almost as a curse. He only saw the element of fire as destruction, falling short from its true meaning which is energy and life.
Avatar Roku - Now we cannot have a Firebending Tierlist without making a very HOT take and the next entry in this list might be a little bit controversial because it is the Fire Avatar himself, Avatar Roku. Some people think it’s inappropriate to put Avatars in Rankings like this because since they are part spirit and are loved by the elements, of course all of them are going to end up in S Tier for their native element. All I can say is that it’s true that they have that Avatar Talent buff and they have an advantage in their own Skill Tree but at the end of the day, we cannot deny the fact that the Avatars are the strongest benders in their own element. And by putting them in this list, we can use them as a standard, a guide, or a barometer to compare other benders to. That’s why we’re including them here. Now onto more controversy, the reason why I’m putting Roku as the second entry in this list and not instalocking him at the pinnacle or the number 1 spot just because of his Avatar status, is because although he comes very close, I do not think he’s as great as Firelord Sozin when it comes to Firebending nor was he as creative and talented as the remaining Firebenders in the highest level of this list. Roku, as the Avatar, was without a doubt the strongest individual in the entire world during his era, especially after mastering the Avatar State. But this Tier list is only about Firebending and Firebending alone. Roku and Sozin managed to fully master their element during their teenage years but in the recent Avatar novel, it was revealed that Sozin has always been one step ahead of Roku when it comes to their ranking in the Academy and their prowess in the bending discipline. Sozin even said that Roku lacked the necessary ferociousness and drive that is necessary for firebenders. The reason why Sozin felt at ease with Roku’s company is that he knew Roku had no real ambition- back then, he didn’t see Roku as a threat. Being the son of a rich noble, Roku had no lust for power or influence because he was already content with the resources that he has at home. But his views and convictions were changed and renewed when he embarked on his journey to become a fully realised Avatar, strengthening his inner fire. Being a master of his element, Roku knew how to bend fire to his will and was able to raise the temperature of the air around him. As for his feats, Roku managed to produce flames that burned so hot it turned sapphire and blue, an ability that was mythical during their time, and with that power, he was able to immediately vapourize the icicle spears pointed at him by his opponents and destroy a cavern with a ceiling as tall as the Fire Nation Royal Palace. But the thing is he was only able to summon blue flames when he was inside an exclusive spiritual zone that buffs people’s bending and he was not able to pull it off elsewhere. Roku’s normal flames, though, when he summoned a sphere of fire to defend himself, were hot enough to incinerate rocks that were coming down from a landslide and he was able to defeat strong opponents with his excellent technique.
As for Roku’s inner fire, a great bender and elder in the novel attested that Roku’s aura burns like the sun, showing his affinity and resonance with the element.
When he grew older, Roku also demonstrated that he knew how to lavabend and he showed the strength of his bending by battling a volcano in the Avatar and the Firelord Episode where he met his demise. In his prime, Roku also must’ve learned many other advanced firebending techniques but they were not shown to us in the novel and in the show. To give respect to his strength, spiritual aura, and control of his native Avatar element, we are putting him here in this spot.
Firelord Sozin -Next in this list is one of the most influential villains in Avatar History, the mastermind behind the Hundred Year War, a vile person whose ambitions knew no bounds, an individual responsible for the near annihilation of one of the Four Nations. The cunning, evil, and ambitious Firelord Sozin. Sozin in his early years, used to be sensible and tolerant person. But everything changed when his best friend, Avatar Roku, embarked on his journey to master the four elements. Without Roku’s influence, Sozin pursued a lot of aggressive ideas to empower himself and the fire nation in order to secure prosperity for his country in the next generations. Despite having already mastered Fire at a young age, Sozin was not content with his power and wanted to improve his abilities.
“As you value knowledge for knowledge’s sake, I value firebending for firebending’s sake. It is my people’s birthright. Our destiny is bound to our understanding of it.” - Sozin
In his quests, he soon discovered the existence of many advanced techniques and disciplines in Firebending that were not known to people, even within the Fire Nation. Abilities such as jet-stepping, lightning generation & redirection, combustion bending, producing blue flames, breathing out fire like dragons and harnessing the power of celestial objects were the stuff of legends in their era and only a select few knew of their existence. Sozin also knew that Firebenders were at their strongest when the sun is at its highest peak and that their bending is strengthened the closer they are to the equator and weakened when when they are in the poles or when there is a solar eclipse. In Wan Shi Tong’s secret library, he also learned about the coming of a great comet in the following decades that would strengthen their armies a hundredfold. Sozin dreamed of one day learning and mastering these ancient and almost forgotten techniques and he was willing to dedicate his whole life to master at least one of these highly advanced abilities. It wasn’t shown in the novel or in the show if he was able to pull any of them off though. He knew about their existence but I don’t think he got to do or master them. But that’s the difference between Roku and Sozin, Roku was great at firebending but he didn’t actively try to push the envelope since he already mastered it and had his attention split among the other elements, while Sozin aimed for greater heights in honing his skills. He pursued perfection and unparalleled power. In Book 3 Episode 6, Sozin displayed his mastery of Firebending, showcasing a double-fisted fireblast that almost filled up the hall of the palace, making me think that his firebending output was comet-level. He was also excellent at transferring heat from one place to another, putting out the magma from a section of the volcano they were fighting with. The deadliness of Sozin’s firebending was also displayed in the novels, being able to take down and kill strong earthbenders who fought against him. He can also change the temperature of the air around him, one of the characters in the novel even felt the fiery energy radiating from him even from a distance. Firelord Sozin is an awful person but we are putting him in this Tier for his extensive knowledge, passion, and mastery of Firebending.
Azula - We are putting the Fire Princess Azula in a higher spot than Firelord Sozin simply because she has managed to actually learn and master many advanced firebending techniques Sozin could only dream of having. She was able to do jet-stepping to increase her mobility and bending momentum, lightning generation, and later on in the comics, lightning redirection. Azula is Legendary because her skills and talent allow her to summon Blue Flames, Flames that burn a lot hotter than the regular ones. Being the main antagonist in Season 2 and in some major parts of Season 3, Azula has also shown creativity and mastery of the Element. Bending the fire to any form she desired (fire wheel, slicer, comics lightning ball). She practically used it as an extension of herself, putting her firebending skills towards the most clever of applications that aided her well in her battles. Now, let’s talk about lightning. Azula’s lightning is very deadly and it meshes well with her aggressive yet disciplined personality. Azula’s philosophy about firebending may be built on the wrong foundation but we cannot deny that she is a once in a generation talent, plus she also had the work ethic to back it up. And most of the feats that she was able to pull off in the show were the stuff of legends to other strong benders in different eras and generations that’s why she definitely belongs in the Legendary Tier.
Now we’re down to the last two spots in this Tier. Soon we will answer the question, who is the greatest Firebender in our Tierlist. And the upcoming showdown will be brother against brother. Two great dragons with extremely different outlook and philosophies in life and firebending. It’s a contest of between Firelord Ozai and General Iroh.
Uncle Iroh - First we will be talking about Iroh. The thing about the series is that we only saw Iroh during his retirement period while Ozai was shown to us during his prime. If we think about Iroh’s peak, however, I believe he was also very close to Ozai’s power level. He was so strong that he was nicknamed as the Dragon of the West. The former Crown Prince. For the most part of his life, he was Fire Nation’s strongest champion, their main man. And the thing was that Iroh actually managed to live up to his reputation. A feared adversary to his enemies and a well-respected leader and General to his countrymen. He was able to breach the outer wall of Ba Sing Se in his campaign as a General and he managed to make the Earth Kingdom General defending that aread surrender to him. But everything fell apart for Iroh when his son Lu Ten died in the campaign. He lost his will to fight and that prompted him to end his 600 day seige of Ba Sing Se. Iroh discovered the true essence of Firebending during his visit to the Dragons in the Sun Warrior Ruins. He applied this knowledge by instructing Zuko to concentrate on his breathing during training, emphasizing that breathing is synonymous with life. Iroh also shares a deep connection with the Sun and other celestial bodies that empower firebenders. During Sozin’s Comet, he was able to create a ring of fire solely through breathing, and later unleashed a powerful display of firebending, capable of destroying the walls of Ba Sing Se. When he was young, Iroh had envisioned breaching the city’s walls and capturing it, and during the comet's passing, he managed to fulfill this—not as a conqueror, but as a liberator. Throughout the series, Iroh’s mastery of firebending is evident. He uses just the right amount of force needed for each situation, unlike many other firebenders who often go overboard. This restraint highlights his control and respect for fire’s destructive power. As for his inner passion and drive, Iroh can also turn up the heat and demosntrate fiercenes when the situtaion calls for it, proving to us that he clearly hasn' Additionally, Iroh can generate lightning, a skill that, as explained in the show, only a select few firebenders possess. On his own as well, by observing the movements of waterbenders, Iroh managed to rediscover the technique of Lightning Redirection, a very dangerous counterplay that required extreme calmness and precision. The reason why Iroh’s firebending is way above the others is because he’s not only restricted and bound in one area. He takes inspirations from other bending disciplines to improve his Firebending that’s why he deserves to be in the Legendary Level.
Uncle Iroh
Now we’re moving onto Firelord Ozai.
Ozai - Some of you might argue that he doesn’t belong here because he wasn’t guided by the dragons, and his firebending is focused only on power and destruction. It’s true that he didn’t learn from the original masters, but we can never deny Ozai's strong connection to the sun, as many online forums have pointed out. Straight after the peak of the eclipse, Ozai was the first to sense the sun’s energy and power, even while deep in conversation with Zuko. He was in an underground bunker at the time, unable to see the moon move away from the sun. Yet, as soon as he felt the sun’s energy, he pulled off the fastest lightning generation I have ever seen in the show. Firebending is about energy and life, not just destruction, right? Well, then, I could argue that Ozai has his own understanding of this very essence. He wouldn’t have such a strong connection to the Sun, and to the comet—which was equivalent a hundred suns—if he didn’t see those celestial bodies as ultimate sources of energy and power. One of the show's writers even stated that Ozai is the most powerful firebender in the series. If that’s true, then we should respect the canon. Even Uncle Iroh admitted he wasn’t sure if he could defeat Ozai in a 1v1. Yes, Ozai was boosted by the comet in the final battle, but the same can be said for Aang. Although Aang isn’t yet a master, he’s still a firebender. The difference is that Ozai used the comet’s energy more effectively and efficiently than Aang, demonstrating his superior mastery and skill. In that fight, Ozai boxed as if he was Iron Man, zooming in and out, dominating the airspace against someone who could bend all the elements, showcasing just how deadly firebending can be when pushed to its limits. There’s no doubt that Ozai is the most powerful firebender in terms of offense. However, this tier list isn’t just about power and strength. It’s about overall mastery of the element. While Ozai is somewhat familiar with firebending’s deeper aspects, he focused primarily on its destructive side of Firebending.
Firelord Ozai
IROH VS OZAI
Now we’re down to the decision about who goes higher or lower in this list. If we’re only talking about strength and power levels, then Ozai is definitely a lot stronger than Iroh. No question. But when it comes to creativity, I think Iroh scored a higher point since he was able to rediscover an advanced firebending technique on his own.
In my previous Tier List, I put Iroh higher than Ozai and in this current Firebender list, we are also proclaiming Iroh as the best Firebender because he scored higher than Ozai overall in our grading criteria.
Ozai dominates in Power and Fighting Strength, but I think Iroh has better feats, mastery and creativity with Fire. Iroh also understands the true source of Firebending and he has greater knowledge when it comes to the spiritual side of the element that is why I think he deserves to be at the pinnacle of the our Tier List.
Fire is the element of power and energy. An element that is highly dependent on a person’s inner passion and drive, severely affected by the individual's inner calm or turmoil. The people of the Fire Nation are passionate, driven, disciplined, and fierce. And many firebenders have that inner strength, energy, and drive to advance, move forward, and achieve what they want, embodying the essence of this fierce element.
What do you guys think about the rankings? Let me know in the comments down below if you agree or disagree with any of the picks. Thanks for watching. See you next time.
FINAL RANKINGS -
C - Vachir, Two Toed Ping, Chitsang, Avg Fire Nation Soldier, Southern Warriors, Baraz, Fire Sages
B - Master Kunyo, Royal Procession, Sun Warriors, Colonel Mongke, Admiral Zhao
Low A - Combustion Man, Xu Ping An, Zolt, Avatar Aang
High A - Avatar Korra, Mako, Iroh (UF), Rangi, Hei-ran. Firelord Azulon, Avatar Szeto, P'li, Firelord Zuko
R - Avatar Wan
S - Jeong Jeong, Avatar Roku, Firelord Sozin, Azula, Firelord Ozai, Uncle Iroh
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO I MADE ABOUT THIS IN MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL @lowkeysavvy
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