>>98999481Well, if you an airbender has no material wants they can fly, so i guess they powerup from metaforical emptyness.
Now i'm totally bullshiting this next part but, Toph was a tournament champion, she was rich, she had what she wanted basicallyy; now Bolin migth just be your average orphan, but he awakened his lava bending during a desperate attempt to protect himself and his brother, so maybe, just maybe, Earthbenders get empowered by actual want and material gain?