Yes, Gunpowder CAN work in-universe
There’s this idea that circulates that the reason Gunpowder firearms never took off in Avatar is because “Bending makes them useless” or that simply if they were introduced they would be too OP, which would ruin the setting
These are both wrong, Firearms CAN exist alongside bending in harmony, in fact, it would make a TON of sense.
Firearms didn’t gain prominence because they were a wonder weapon, or because they were more effective then a longbow or crossbow
They took over because they were easy to learn how to use and train your average everyday person with
This works PERFECTLY with Avatar, yes, a master bender is extremely powerful, but they’re also extremely rare, and it takes (for most benders) years to master their element
Most people however can’t bend, and if your fighting a 100 year war, and your training and fielding a massive army like how both the fire nation and earth kingdom were, you need lots and lots of foot soldiers
Benders can be the heavy shock troops, the tip of the spear, but you also need cheap, yet effective common infantry, and what better weapon to field then a matchlock!
Will a musketeer beat an earth bender? No, probably not, but chances are, most of warfare in Avatar is nonbenders fighting other nonbenders
Also, you know what would have helped the fire nation with the walls of Ba Sing Se?
CANNONS!
(Just ask the ottomans)
Gunpowder isn’t rendered moot and it doesn’t render bending obsolet, in fact they can be played off eachother
Cavalry, artillery, matchlock infantry and bending can all be used in-setting that would make perfect sense
There’s this idea that circulates that the reason Gunpowder firearms never took off in Avatar is because “Bending makes them useless” or that simply if they were introduced they would be too OP, which would ruin the setting
These are both wrong, Firearms CAN exist alongside bending in harmony, in fact, it would make a TON of sense.
Firearms didn’t gain prominence because they were a wonder weapon, or because they were more effective then a longbow or crossbow
They took over because they were easy to learn how to use and train your average everyday person with
This works PERFECTLY with Avatar, yes, a master bender is extremely powerful, but they’re also extremely rare, and it takes (for most benders) years to master their element
Most people however can’t bend, and if your fighting a 100 year war, and your training and fielding a massive army like how both the fire nation and earth kingdom were, you need lots and lots of foot soldiers
Benders can be the heavy shock troops, the tip of the spear, but you also need cheap, yet effective common infantry, and what better weapon to field then a matchlock!
Will a musketeer beat an earth bender? No, probably not, but chances are, most of warfare in Avatar is nonbenders fighting other nonbenders
Also, you know what would have helped the fire nation with the walls of Ba Sing Se?
CANNONS!
(Just ask the ottomans)
Gunpowder isn’t rendered moot and it doesn’t render bending obsolet, in fact they can be played off eachother
Cavalry, artillery, matchlock infantry and bending can all be used in-setting that would make perfect sense