What is the animal for water benders?

[Isaac]

Thus far in Avatar we know that bending usually began from an animal

Air: Sky Bison

Appa can air bend, and I believe it was said in the Lost Scrolls that the Air Nomads tatoo an arrow on themselves in imitation of the sky bisons

Earth: Badger Moles

As it says in "The Cave of Two Lovers" we know that Oma and Shu learned Earth bending from the badger moles.

Fire: Dragon (?)

Thus far we have never seen a dragon breathe fire, however Roku's animal guide was a dragon so it should follow that he can fire bend.

As for water...the only one that comes to mind is the Unagi because it can spray water.

Also, I assume that each of these animals would be the "animal guide" of an Avatar of their respective element.

So which of these animals would you like as your guide ;D?

I'm a huge fan of the dragon, but if the Unagi is the animal guide of a water bending Avatar then I feel bad for them since it will always be confined to water...

[Fire Lord Azula]

The only thing I remember is Yue's revelation that the Waterbenders learned their art from the moon.  No animal guides have ever been mentioned for them.

And I'd like a dragon, though they'd all be pretty cool to have.

[Isaac]

heh...it would be funny if it was the little coyfish...

Avatar Kuruk:...this is a rip off...

[Nokoro]

^Well, actually, there is an animal spirit for the Water Tribe, but it's not where Waterbending originated from. The wolf is the spirit of the Water Tribe (proven by the wolf totem pole thingys, you can see them in the episodes in the end of Season 1), but the moon is where Waterbending originated from! ;D

[AmbrMerlinus]

Air - bison
Earth - badgermole
Water - moon
Fire - sun

[Nokoro]

^Ya, but he's talking about the nations' animal spirits... ;D

[attonbitus]

Giant Otterseal FTW!

[Nokoro]

^lol, no giant penguin!!! :rofl:

ps: what does ftw mean?

[jadeeyz]

I think the Air and Earth nations are the only ones meant to have national "animal spirits". Makes sense, kinda. Each opposing nation learns from opposing elements.

[Draco Argenteus]

^ agreed. Though, perhaps the moon and ocean spirits (Tui and La?) are representative of the water tribe. That, or (as mentioned before) the wolf.

[Nokoro]

^Well, even though a wolf seems like it doesn't have to do with water, that's all I can think of that Waterbending Avatars use to get around (like Aang and Appa), but the wolf really is the animal spirit of the Water Tribe...

[Jenny Lee]

The actual animal would probably be fish. The spirit could be the wolf, but fish would be the best animal for the element, whereas the wolf could be the spirit of the actual Water Tribe(s).

[Nokoro]

Well, the koifish don't count as spirit animals, because they represent the moon and ocean (which are the Waterbending spirits of the Water Tribe), so I don't think fish is a spirit (besides the two koifish) at all! ;D

[Isaac]

nokoro said:

^lol, no giant penguin!!!

ps: what does ftw mean?

FTW=for the win

One of my favorite expressions personally

Hmm...you know now that I think of it, a water bending wolf would be awesome!

An animal guide that is a giant, water bending wolf that can carry people would be a good deal IMHO

Overall, of those I think the FN gets the best deal. Fang is HUGE he could possible carry more people than Appa...but then again, perhaps he does not have the weight capacity of a Sky Bison

[Nokoro]

Ya, and the wolf makes more sense because Waterbenders shouldn't be limited to traveling on bodies of water (but what stinks that the wolf can't go on water, or can it?...)