..so they dont have guns yet?

[Protonig]

they have motorbikes, and all this other cool s**t, but no form of guns available?

[Snapp3h]

Bending > Guns

[Omikuji]

Guns is a VERY touchy subject in cartoons, western cartoons the most. Same with smoking, they prolly would have guns for some of the non benders, but they have weapons that are stronger then some benders (such as stopping their bending, tazer sticks) and fairly cooler then pew pew guns.

Guns are just... guns are really frowned upon in cartoons these days, simply because of people fretting over the messages and what not. I'm not entirely sure on that situation, but you don't see guns in cartoons anymore because it makes parents foam at the mouth for some reason. And smoking. And other things of that caliber.

[Miss-dark8607]

Gonna keep making me quote TV Tropes:

Quote:

Mostly it'll be flintlock pistols, rifles, muskets, and blunderbass, in order to give power to non-benders. The heroes will all be gunhaters naturally.
Possible. There was gunpowder in the original series, as well as some prototypical cannons in the third season. Guns would be a natural development from those.

Who says they should hate guns? Benders may not use guns because they don't NEED guns! I always kind of liked to picture a hard-core Sokka with a shotgun (of the blunderbuss variety.) Maybe the normals of this season will pack heat!

They could hate guns because of corrupt militias that use guns to massacre civilians or benders. Arrows, swords, and other such weaponry (and bending too) require training and discipline, and thus much time and money to create armies with. Mass-produced guns mean instant armies of whoever happens to be on hand. Anti-bender revolts could get bloody.

That's a silly generalization. You mass distribute guns — especially older, primitive guns — without any training or discipline and you end up blowing yourself up. Just because guns are not as flashy as non-firearm weaponry doesn't mean there's no training or discipline involved. By that logic they should also hate spears or javelins since they are also easily mass produced, required relatively less training compared to swords, and far outranged swords. And, you forget that corrupt militias have already been using bending and other non-firearms to oppress people (remember that episode with Zuko defending the town) for far longer. Lastly, guns = instant armies may be true now because of modern industry and guns like the Kalashnikov, but any guns likely to be developed in this time will be like the older arquebuses. Not to mention the need to manufacture gunpowder and ammo. And given that any gun industry would be in its infancy given that there wasn't one before, they're still at least years away from any sort of large-scale mass production, much less "instant armies".

Gun might have existed in the Gaang's time. The tech we see during the Gaang's time implies they had to have had the possibility of such weapons. They might have just not been that pronounced for various reasons. Namely like those stated above, the guns of Gaang's time were too unstable for mass use and the high bender count in armies would look down on such weaponry. The Anti-Bender mentality mixed with more advanced and stabler weapons could very well allow for the anti-bender forces to take up guns or refine gun related tech into guns to equalize the common man against the "magical" benders.

Although there is argument for both sides, I doubt it. Having guns would continue the creator's habit of introducing nuanced, mature subjects. It would also be consistent with the probable theme of technological advancement. Lastly, it is a good way to even the odds between benders and common non-benders, although low-level earthbenders would obviously have it easier than low-level airbenders. That said, guns would be more difficult to pull off. American cartoons are bound to certain expectations, far more so than Japanese ones. I seriously doubt we'd see anyone killed or crippled onscreen by gunfire. Because of that, it would be very easy for the gun-wielding bad guys to degenerate into Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy, which would make them nonthreatening. As much as I would like to see it, I don't think the creators would risk that when, in the original, there were several threatening nonbenders, although admittedly they were in the top three percent.

One thing you have to remember is the style of gun that they would have had are very very very inaccurate. They were really only effective with massed soldiers and very short distances. It really wasn't until the late 1700's that very accurate guns cam, even then it took trained marksmen to be accurate over a dozen yards.

I have to agree with the whole not having guns debate as that would kind of be extreme and kind of clash with this series. I mean there's a lot worst in the world of Avatar. (Bloodbending much) Though again does look like Amon has some sort of mecha type thing going on in his blueprints of doom. We'll see.

[Protonig]

Omikuji

Guns is a VERY touchy subject in cartoons, western cartoons the most. Same with smoking, they prolly would have guns for some of the non benders, but they have weapons that are stronger then some benders (such as stopping their bending, tazer sticks) and fairly cooler then pew pew guns.

Guns are just... guns are really frowned upon in cartoons these days, simply because of people fretting over the messages and what not. I'm not entirely sure on that situation, but you don't see guns in cartoons anymore because it makes parents foam at the mouth for some reason. And smoking. And other things of that caliber.

ok, parents need to get off their lazy a** and actually do some parenting. I grew up around seeing cool s**t on TV, but i knew better, i knew that if i ever tried to do that in real life, that it would be bad. Teach your kid its ok to watch it on TV, because its entertainment, and its not ok to act on it in real life.

[Pride The Homunculus]

Maybe they have invisible guns just like on 4kids Yugioh?
XD

[MysteryAceX]

The cartoon is an example of how the past would look in a futuristic environment. Everything is modernized but remains in the 1920's period.
Also, since the show is on Nick, the creators (etc.) have to watch what they put in the cartoon. It is however still a cartoon, which attracts a wide audience of children. Guns, excessive smoking, strobe lighting effects and other actions relating to this can cause developmental problems in children. Look into some banned episodes for popular T.V shows.

[CreativeButLazy]

Aside from censorship issues, it actually kinda makes sense that they wouldn't have guns. With bending they wouldn't have much of a reason to develop such a weapon. From the looks of it, their entire military centered around using bending as a weapon. I don't remember how many normal people we saw being soldiers, or how much fighting they actually did (i'm talking earth kingdom and fire nation soldiers since they were the only ones who had the technology to make guns) but it's possible they just didn't use non benders for much fighting in favor of bending soldiers, therefore they wouldn't have much of need to develop weaponry like guns.

[Miss-dark8607]

What everyone else said plus the whole police force knows metal bending so yeah there goes your hand if you are trying to wield a gun.

[le Trichs]

Guns would ruin everything. Someone would go to bend, and they'd just be shot down by some dude holding a gun. Now that doesn't sound like a fun series to me.

[hanaikimoto]

anonkidz

Omikuji

Guns is a VERY touchy subject in cartoons, western cartoons the most. Same with smoking, they prolly would have guns for some of the non benders, but they have weapons that are stronger then some benders (such as stopping their bending, tazer sticks) and fairly cooler then pew pew guns.

Guns are just... guns are really frowned upon in cartoons these days, simply because of people fretting over the messages and what not. I'm not entirely sure on that situation, but you don't see guns in cartoons anymore because it makes parents foam at the mouth for some reason. And smoking. And other things of that caliber.

ok, parents need to get off their lazy a** and actually do some parenting. I grew up around seeing cool s**t on TV, but i knew better, i knew that if i ever tried to do that in real life, that it would be bad. Teach your kid its ok to watch it on TV, because its entertainment, and its not ok to act on it in real life.

I agree, parents need to stop whining and just start actually taking care of their kids.

[Monochromette]

MysteryAceX

The cartoon is an example of how the past would look in a futuristic environment. Everything is modernized but remains in the 1920's period.
Also, since the show is on Nick, the creators (etc.) have to watch what they put in the cartoon. It is however still a cartoon, which attracts a wide audience of children. Guns, excessive smoking, strobe lighting effects and other actions relating to this can cause developmental problems in children. Look into some banned episodes for popular T.V shows.

Your signature...just made my day smile meelo forever heart

[MysteryAceX]

xo Kawaii Panduh ox

MysteryAceX

The cartoon is an example of how the past would look in a futuristic environment. Everything is modernized but remains in the 1920's period.
Also, since the show is on Nick, the creators (etc.) have to watch what they put in the cartoon. It is however still a cartoon, which attracts a wide audience of children. Guns, excessive smoking, strobe lighting effects and other actions relating to this can cause developmental problems in children. Look into some banned episodes for popular T.V shows.

Your signature...just made my day smile meelo forever heart

Forever be the leaf! When you get a chance, check out my forum post i made of him. He's awesome.

[jempurpled]

I don't like guns...I'm happy that they are not in the cartoon. Plus, why would you need guns if you have metal benders?

[Dark_Lady_Jade]

Maybe they do, but we the audience just haven't seen them yet. I bet they have bending guns. xd

On second thought, with all the benders and chi blockers around, they probably don't need them.