[ WP ] 'The old avatars had it easy with 4 elements . You , on the other hand , ' she sneered while handing me a periodic table , 'have 118 ' .

I stood beside Master Turuk at the Avatar training ground deep in the mountains. I let my eyes pass slowly over the snow-covered peaks around me, glittering in the afternoon sun. At least I'm fortunate enough to be training in a beautiful place, I thought. At the rate this is going, I have plenty of time to look at these mountains. 
 
 `` Your training is progressing very nicely, Avatar Shang.'' The old master smiled down at me, his mouth framed by a gray goatee. His thin body was draped in his traditional robe, dyed richly with red and yellow. 
 
 `` Nicely, right.'' I sighed. `` What are we on, now? Nineteen?'' 
 
 `` Eighteen,'' Turuk corrected. `` And we have nearly completed it. All that remains is for one final demonstration of your knowledge of argon-bending. Go on, show me what you have learned.'' 
 
 `` Right,'' I said, and furrowed my brow in concentration. I held my hands out, sensing and capturing argon from the air around me. My clothes and hair rippled slightly as the air around me was disturbed. I could n't see the results of my bending, but I could feel it. `` There, Master Turuk. I have it.'' 
 
 `` I see that you do. Well done, young Avatar. You have mastered argon-bending.'' 
 
 `` This is pointless,'' I complained, releasing the argon I had captured back into the air. `` What can I even do with argon-bending? Do I *really* have to learn all 118 elements? How many of these are going to be useful?'' 
 
 Turuk scowled down at me. `` You speak too rashly, young Avatar. You must understand that there is a balance between all 118 elements. You represent that balance. Every element has a role to play in this world, a role no more or less important than the others. Just ask the citizens of Argon Nation.'' 
 
 I sighed. `` I understand, master. So, what makes argon so useful?'' 
 
 Turuk smiled down at me. `` Thermal insulation in energy-efficient windows, my son.'' 
 
 I stared up at Turuk. I wanted to cry. 
 
 `` Now, it is time for us to move on, young Avatar. Move on to element number nineteen. You will now master potassium-bending.'' 
 
 `` Potassium...'' I croaked. 
 
 Turuk cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, `` Bring in the bananas!''
