The Elementals are wizards who have the ability to manipulate an element to such an extent that it goes beyond simple spells and charms. There are four known bending arts; all of them bend a specific physical element. The four elemental bending arts are based on the four classical elements, water, earth, fire, and air, and each is manipulated through the wand the Elemental possesses. While bending is traditionally performed through the motions of one's wand movements, certain Elementals are able to effectively manipulate their element with only minimal movement of their wand.
History
Elementals is a phenomena everyone in the Wizarding World has heard of. They were first mentioned long before Hogwarts was established in the late Early Middle Ages (c. 993). An old witch owned a book which was stolen from her by a bunch of thieves; this book contained information about Elementals, their spark, ability to manipulate the elements and much more.
The thieves went public with this information and they even harrassed the old witch to tell them how to become an Elemental themselves, wanting to be what the book described as "powerful individuals with the ability to manipulate the four elements in ways magic never could". The old witch told them that you can't simply become one of them. Thinking the old witch was lying because she wanted to become an Elemental herself, they tortured her until she lost consciousness. Then they left her alone in her home to die.
With the information now being public knowledge, many witches and wizards didn't believe that Elementals were able to manipulate the elements in ways magic never could. They didn't need to have these powers (which were probably fake since they were written by an old witch). However, some wizards and witches started to consider themselves to be Elementals due to the fact that they were able to manipulate an element with the use of magical spells, completely ignoring whatever the book had said, in order to become famous in the Wizarding World but they all failed.
Throughout the centuries, people started to pay less attention to the myth of the Elementals because there never has been a legit one; many people who claimed to be one were power-hungry people, trying to get attention. This all changed when thousands of people witnessed the prophecy of a famous Seer during the Quidditch World Cup in the 1800s; she was foretelling the destructive First Wizarding War which was nearing fast and that the Wizarding World, which would finally be graced with the first Elementals ever, needed the help of these people in order to survive since only they would be able to defeat the Dark Lord that would soon arise.
Named "The Original Four", the population of the Wizarding World has been waiting for the arrival of the Elementals, knowing that the war the famous Seer spoke of more than a century ago was getting closer and closer. With still no sign of the Elementals, the man who called himself the Dark Lord has been building up his army, preparing to strike the Wizarding World while still keeping an eye out for the Elementals, wanting to destroy them as soon as possible as they are a threat to his path of world domination. Eventually, the Wizarding World began to recruit their own army, not wanting to be dependant of the arrival of the Elementals, thinking that it was all a legend and that they would never arrive at all. Unbeknownst to them, the Elementals are already alive and well. However, the Original Four itself doesn't even know about their own powers and status yet.
Air
Finn Hudson in the Battle of Hogwarts as the first known Air elemental.
Airbending is the bending art that concentrates on speed and evasion, forgoing a strong offense for a greater defense. Though apparently lacking fatal finishing moves, it
is the most dynamic of all the bending arts. As the element of freedom, airbenders use their capability to bend unencumbered by the ground or any other environmental factors and use their own momentum as a weapon, evading attacks with astounding agility to tire their opponents out or building up massive inertia for explosive gusts of wind to make their counterattacks finishing moves. Airbenders, when resorting to physical confrontation, are able to harness the immense and intangible power of wind. Airbending's opposite is earthbending and the confrontational style that serves as its foundation. Airbenders can use a flight technique by operating a glider and using the air to provide thrust and lift. The sub-skills of airbending are flight and spiritual projection. Airbending is the element of freedom, and its season is autumn.
The only known Air Elemental is Finn Hudson.
Water
Waterbending is a versatile element, it is unique in the sense that the original bender of t
Liam Dunbar in the Battle of Hogwarts as the first known Water Elemental.
he element was not an animal, but rather the moon. Similar to their element, waterbenders are extremely adaptable and versatile. Waterbending concentrates on the flow of energy and focuses less on strength and more on turning the opponent's own energy against them. While a bender's victory in battle depends on their skill or ingenuity, waterbenders, unlike other benders, gain a serious advantage or disadvantage depending on the amount of water around them, although highly skilled waterbenders can draw water from anywhere; they can draw humidity from the air and bend the water in living things, especially plants. As the element of change, waterbenders can fluidly and quickly alternate from defense to offense, from a wall of ice to a jet of water, turning their opponent's strength against them. The opposite of waterbending is firebending, with its relatively stagnant, direct philosophy. Due to its lunar sympathy, waterbending is stronger at night and ineffective during a lunar eclipse. However, to counter waterbending's ineffectiveness during a lunar eclipse, waterbenders gain immense power during the peak of the full moon. The sub-skills for waterbending are healing and bloodbending. Waterbending is the element of change, and its season is winter.
The only known Water Elemental is Liam Dunbar.
Earth
Patrick Dunbar in the Battle of Hogwarts as the first known Earth elemental.
Earthbending demands a special connection with the earth that is achievable with neutral jing, listening, though seemingly doing nothing, and waiting for the right moment to strike. Like waterbenders, earthbenders gain an advantage or disadvantage in battle based on the amount of earth around them, though the conditions are not as extreme. Because of their element's stability and its stress on neutral jing, earthbenders stand their ground, absorbing or intercepting attacks until they completely overwhelm their opponents. Unlike the other bending arts, earthbending's strength equally lies in both offense and defense. Earthbending is in stark contrast to airbending as airbending's emphasis is on evasion and mobility while earthbending's emphasis is on fortitude and strength. The sub-skills for earthbending are seismic sense, metalbending, and lavabending. Earthbending is the element of substance, and its season is spring.
The only known Earth Elemental is Patrick Dunbar.
Fire
Brody Hudson in the Battle of Hogwarts as the first known Fire elemental.
Firebending is the most aggressive bending art. Unlike other benders who depend on external sources of their elements to bend, firebenders can create fire using their internal heat source in addition to controlling already existent flames. As the element of power, firebenders have to be able to maintain a constant source of energy and balance in battle, unleashing a volley of direct, successive attacks. Firebending's relatively simple and direct style contrasts the complex and changing style of waterbending. Due to its solar affinity, firebending is stronger during the day and at its full power at noon, but completely ineffective during a solar eclipse. When a comet passes close to the planet, the power of a firebender is greatly increased. For a long time, disciplines of firebending were taught to be fueled by hatred, as opposed to the original source. Skilled firebenders are able to fly using powerful jets of flames. A notable feature of special firebenders is an ability to create a hotter, blue fire. The sub-skills for firebending are combustionbending, generating and redirecting lightning. Firebending is the element of power, and its season is summer.
The only known Fire Elemental is Brody Hudson.
Elemental State
- "The Elemental State is a defense mechanism, designed to empower you with the skills and knowledge of all the past Elementals. The glow is the combination of all your past lives, focusing their energy through your body. In the Elemental State, you are at your most powerful, but you are also at your most vulnerable. If you are killed in the Elemental State, the reincarnation cycle will be broken and the Elementals will cease to exist."
- —Description.
The strongest and most powerful ability that the Elementals can invoke is the Elemental State. This state was created when the first Elementals arrived and the Spirit World was made. It allows the Elementals to channel vast cosmic energies and the knowledge of previous Elementals, granting them increased strength and the ability to perform especially powerful and extraordinary feats of magic. The Elementals may unconsciously enter the State in response to perception of mortal danger, utilizing the State as a defense mechanism, or when under emotional distress.
While in this state, the Elementals have access to bending techniques that may have not yet been learned in their current lifetime but has no conscious control over the resulting actions, which can cause great collateral damage. An Elemental with full mastery of the Elemental State has conscious control over the State and can enter and exit it at will.
While in the Elemental State, the Elemental's eyes glow, as do any markings following chi paths along the body, such as tattoos; however, if the body has received an injury deeper than the tattoos, that specific area will not glow in the State. The white glow is the result of the spirit in the Elemental, resulting in the combination of all the Elemental's past lives focusing their energy through a single body. When they speak in the Elemental State, their voices encompassed a combination of several different voices at once.
It is possible for an Elemental to control the State, but this requires great spiritual discipline and concentration. When in complete control of the Elemental State, an Elemental's eyes glow momentarily, rather than continuously.
It is possible for an Elemental to channel a specific previous incarnation while in the Elemental State. When this happens, the Elemental briefly takes on the appearance and voice of that previous incarnation. It is unlikely the age of the Elemental's death is the deciding factor in their appearance. It is possible that those in the Spirit World manifest visually as they see themselves and not as they currently are.
Ways the Elemental State works
There seems to be two distinct ways to how the Elemental State works:
Reflexively
When the State activates without the Elemental calling on it, the Elemental's eyes and tattoos glow white constantly, and Raava's spirit allows for active channelling of the energy, skills, and knowledge of past Elemental's through the bodies of the current Elementals, heavily augmenting the current incarnation's magic abilities.
The State works this way almost exclusively when it is triggered as an instinctive, unconscious reaction, a 'defense mechanism' for when an Elemental's physical capabilities would be insufficient to confront the current threat, or in situations of extreme emotion, specifically rage and sorrow. So it may be more accurate to describe the State being used this way as 'reflexively' rather than 'continuously'. When the State is triggered this way, the current Elementals have little to no control over the performed actions and may retain little to no memory of what happened, though this is not always the case.
Masterfully
When the State is used intentionally, the Elemental's eyes and tattoos in glow momentarily, and during that time the current Elementals store the knowledge and energy needed so that it can be released once exiting the State, taking only the power needed for a specific task. This reduces the danger of being killed in the Elemental State and enables a more willful, controlled use of the Elemental State's power. This can only be done by an Elemental who has mastered the State as it is a conscious use rather than an instinctual response. Mastery of this technique is part of what distinguishes an Elemental as "fully realized".
Spiritual link-up
The Elemental State also allows an Elemental to join with certain spirits.
Weakness
While the Elementals are all but invincible in the Elemental State, having access to the magic experiences of all the past lives, there is one grave weakness: while in effect, the Elemental Spirit can be harmed. If the Elemental were to be killed while in the Elemental State, the cycle would break and the Elementals would cease to exist.
Another downside to the State is the considerable mental strain it can cause to less experienced Elementals.