AWKWARD ZOMBIE

he's too much of a dreamboat to die

Y'know, I always thought that firebenders who could shoot lightning were top-class firebenders, the masters of their art. So why are they getting paid to power the city like factory workers?

The same reason I work at Wendy's. Being awesome doesn't pay the bills.

Combat isn't the way of the world anymore. At least not in the sense of nation versus nation open warfare.

Also because firebending has seriously evolved over the times, so now it's more commonplace, like metalbending.

Well it's less "evolved" and more the teaching methods are being spread rather than kept secret. Keep in mind that in the epilogue comic, Toph found several students who already had a hidden talent for metalbending. All it took was her teaching them just how to do it to unlock their potential. I imagine it wouldn't be too different for lightningbending once people knew what to look for.

Given how the fire nation handled things, I can imagine they kept the secrets of lightning bending in the royal family and other higher authorities to ensure a coup.

After all, it wasn't until Iroh that a counter to lightning bending was found. About the only counter you'd have would be dodging and hoping your opponent has crap aim.

The trick is to wait until just as your opponent is gathering the charge and then insult their mother.

what why

It /does/ seem like there's quite a bit of powercreep going on for benders though. Especially with the whole bloodbending thing.

I do think they really could've gotten more into the issue of benders having more and more power while nonbenders have nothing. But you know, Korra needs more action-y bending battles than philosophical questions.

I actually thought it could stand to have a bit more philosphy and a bit less her trying to power through all her problems.

Pretty much, considering the whole thing was supposed to be discovering her place in a world that doesn't really need the Avatar anymore, learning the Airbending ways (which are all about philosophy) so she can master the final element, and navigating puberty (this one I could have done with much less).

bodaciously exactly what the next season is for

Yeah, it's like she's not even trying to see why the Equalists are taking away everyone's powers. If there are so many people supporting the Equalists and are working in the Equalist organization, they clearly must have a reason. It's also not just gonna stop when Amon is revealed to be a bloodbender, there are still going to be people with Equalist ideals.

Because I don't like Mako