What is the most destructive application of bending?

While thinking about this, it made think, what would be the criteria to see which bending is the most destructive. And then this was what came to mind.

I thought of 5 aspects.

Instant Damage, the highest amount of damage it can cause in the quickest time possible.

Prep Time Damage, wether or not the destructive capabilities of the bending increase if the takes their time to charge up something like a special move.

Over Time Damage, wether or not the damage caused by the bending increases on its own once the has finished the attack.

Repeated Damage, it's how repeatedly the bending can be used to stack the damage onto the target.

Limits of the damage, what things the bending can't deal damage too.

Lava Bending

We all know it's destructive capabilities, all of its feats are destructive. Ghazan showed it's destructive potential in the Air Temple and at Ba Seng Se. That's why Bolin mostly uses a more controlled and precise destructive spread of Lava Bending in his fights because he himself is not a violent person, he lets go a bit when he knows his opponents my not be harmed by it, as seen when Bolin freely uses Lava Bending against mechs and then to intimidate soldier who had already ran away. Can deal damage to pretty much kinds of targets.

Combustion Bending

This particular sub-bending is as destructive as it is rare. The two s that we were shown were definitely out for blood when they used their ability, but we still shown difference in their styles. Combustion Man, the mute brute, went for pure Damage and Range when he used his explosions. While on the other hand P'Li showed precise control and speed. If we compare the both of them, Combustion Man's range was more than P'Li's and the explosions themselves were more destructive than P'Li's. On the other hand P'Li used smaller but still pretty destructive explosions, with less range and more pin point accuracy (her ability to curve the shots). Can pretty much deal damage to any kind of target.

Lightning Generation

This sub-bending is a bit wierd as it's forms have changed between both shows. In ATLA it was shown that elongated circular moments were required to generate the destructive lightning, which took time. But in LOK the technique seems to have evolved, the s are able to generate the lightning with the smallest movements of their fingers. Mako the notorious zapper, uses this minimalistic lightning generation on multiple occasions. But it is clear it can be used instantantly and can be charged to deal more damage. It can cause enough damage to break small structures and rocks, does better against soft targets.

Blood Bending

Okay I it it I brought this one into the poll because I wanted even number of options hehe. Blood Bending is often not associated with destruction, but in the hands of the right, or should I say wrong people, it can be dangerous. The Psychic Blood Bending which is the pinnacle of Blood Bending is capable of destroying it's targets by twisting them in ways they weren't meant to. I'm also including the ability to draw water from flowers and trees into this just for fun. So in the end, it is destructive but only for living organisms.

So according to me the most destructive bending is Lava Bending. Here's the break down.

Coming in Fourth, Blood Bending, sure it is destructive, but it's targets are extremely limited. While it excels in Instant Damage, Repeated Damage and possibly in Prep Time Damage, falls extremely short in Over Time Damage and the Limit of Targets it can damage.

Coming in Third, Lightning Generation, another very destructive sub-bending. It can cause decent Instant Damage, Prep Time Damage is very destructive, but even though it can be used repeatedly, that exhausts the way too quickly, it also doesn't have any Over Time Damage and has relatively more limits on what it can damage critically.

Coming in Second, Combustion Bending, this sub-bending literally give control over explosions, ofcourse it is destructive. It can cause serious amount for Instant Damage, and can be spammed repeated to cause high amounts of Repeated Damage, can be prepared for half a second more to cause extra damage and even the limits of what it can damage is good, metal being the only thing that it can't completely obliterate. But it doesn't have any Over Time Damage.

Coming in First, Lava Bending, honestly speaking it barely beat Combustion Bending in my opinion, it has a decent Instant Damage, Prep Time Damage is extremely destructive, Over Time Damage is very high, Repeated Damage is extremely high as it is as spammable as regular earth bending, and the limits of what it can damage higher than Combustion Bending because it can deal more damage to metals.

There is a lot I wanted to write that i didn't write, cause I'll be surprised if people even read this much, :joy: .