History Main / ElementalPowers

* ''Fanfic/{{Fractured}}'': ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' guns keep their elemental properties. This becomes more important in the sequel as lack of [[NoOSHACompliance proper gunkeeping]] on Pandora is actually the reason most bandits were driven mad, making them easier targets for a CorruptChurch. Killing [[spoiler:Flood]] is also more straightforward when your gun spits fire bullets, making the "[=FireHose=]" machine gun very literal.

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[[quoteright:350:[[Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/master_of_the_elements.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:See? It's just [[VisualPun elementary]].]]

!!Examples:

->'''Aang''': I'm the Avatar, master of all four elements!\\
'''Dmitri Mendeleev''': Really? I'm Mendeleev, master of all 118+. ''[swoosh]'' That was polonium-bending. You probably didn't feel anything, but the symptoms of radiation poisoning will set in shortly.

* The ''Film/GhostRider'' movie actually invokes this. Ghost Rider is Fire, just like in the comics, and he's pitted against three demons based on wind, water and earth. And who are they working for? '''Black[[FridgeBrilliance heart.]]'''

* '''[[BlowYouAway Air/Wind]]''': The element of change and movement; unpredictably calm one moment and flying into a tempest the next. [[FragileSpeedster The quickest of the elements, but sometimes seen as physically fragile]] or lacking in raw strength (unless it is referred to as "Sky" or "Heaven"). Therefore, what it lacks in raw power it makes up for in offensive and defensive maneuvers. It can also include WeatherManipulation. Aligned with the sanguine temperament, Air characters are often cheerful, energetic, and free spirits. [[MakeSomeNoise Noise]], when used as an elemental attack, is sometimes depicted and treated as an air-like attack. When electricity isn't a separate element, it's often folded into Air. It can also sometimes feed energy to Fire, so an Air mage working with a Fire mage is not a team to tangle with. [[WindIsGreen Green is often used to represent it in eastern products]], but it's also fairly common to see [[TechnicolorWind yellow, light blue, purple, and white]]. Air typically corresponds to the gaseous state.

* '''[[ThePowerOfGlass Glass]]''': Controlling glass, ranging from the everyday soda-lime glass to volcanic glass and whatnot. Used to cut up or perforate, creates mirrors, lenses or shields, or some {{Glass Weapon}}s. Closely related to crystal powers above. Is sometimes connected with Earth and Sand due to the large presence of silica in them, and heat or magma since that also helps create glass (obsidian). May also involve light.

* [[KoreanPopMusic KPop]] boyband EXO bestowed elemental powers to members [[DishingOutDirt D.O.]], [[PlayingWithFire Chanyeol]], [[BlowYouAway Se Hun]], [[MakingASplash Su Ho]], [[ShockAndAwe Chen]], [[AnIcePerson Xiumin]], [[LightEmUp Baek Hyun]], [[GreenThumb Lay]] (More on the Life side), and [[TimeMaster Tao]] as part of the group's ongoing "story" (The powers for the rest of the 12-member group may not be considered elemental).

* ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'': Notable for [[spoiler:the leader of the kids,]] Raimundo, being aligned with Air, while the show's lead Omi uses Water, and TheChick, Kimiko, uses Fire. [[TheBigGuy Clay]], though, is played straight for using Earth.

* ''Film/TheLastAirbender'': This adaptation based on the show of the NamesTheSame follows the logic of the animated show. Major differences include that firebenders require fire in order to bend and earthbenders need to work together to do feats that the earthbenders in the original show could pull off with little effort.

May involve the capability to summon {{Elemental|Embodiment}}s, the living embodiment of the elements themselves.

Just what the "classical elements" are varies from culture to culture. In Greek (and by extension most European), Hindu, and Buddhist mythology, it's usually Fire, Air, Water, and Earth -- with Aether (which can be "{{heart|IsAnAwesomePower}}", SoulPower, or PureEnergy) occasionally mixed in. In classical Chinese mythology, it's typically Fire, Water (which includes [[TheSkyIsAnOcean the sky]]), Earth (which includes the concept of "balance" or "the center", making it a rough equivalent to the aforementioned Aether), Wood (which includes control over plants as well as [[WindIsGreen the wind]]), and Metal (which includes light and electricity). The classical Japanese elements are Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void. In some alchemical texts, there are salt, sulphur, mercury, and quintessence, with salt representing the physical, sulphur representing the spirit of life, mercury representing volatility or fluidity and the "passive principle", quintessence was supposed to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies, and also sometimes was included with the more common 4 elements. (Indeed, quintessence quite literally means "the fifth element".)

* '''[[AnIcePerson Ice/Snow]]''': May or may not be combined with Water or Air. As a separate element, it carries connotations of [[EvilIsDeathlyCold coolness, detachment, harshness]], and even [[KillItWithIce death]]. As a foil to Fire they tend to be TheLancer or villains, and play Blue Oni to anyone's Red. [[FireIceLightning Like the rest of its trio]] it can be TheSmartGuy, likely because [[GreatBigLibraryOfEverything old monasteries, libraries and places of learning]] are known for being cold inside. [[ProudScholarRaceGuy They'll be scholarly, by-the-book smart guys]] however instead of [[ShockAndAwe techies]] or [[PlayingWithFire curious types]]. Snow is almost the same as Ice generally but carries connotations of fun, softness, cheerfulness, and even [[SnowMeansLove love]]

** ''TabletopGame/PrometheanTheCreated'' first edition has the five types of Prometheans themed after the Elements ([[FourTemperamentEnsemble and the humors]]). [[FrankensteinsMonster Wretched]] are Fire, [[{{Golem}} Tammuz]] are Earth, [[{{Mummy}} Osirans]] are Water, [[LivingStatue Galateids]] are Air, and Ulgans are 'Spirit'. Then there's the real odd man out; the Zeka are [[ILoveNuclearPower radiation]].

* ''Literature/ChaosFighters'' is rife with this. Without counting the PowerLevels, there are around ''23'' elements including [[NonElemental non-elemental]], which is counted as one. Their weakness depends on the nature of the elemental attacks/spells and the caster. This is not even count the sub-elements under non-elemental, such as [[ILoveNuclearPower subatomic particles and their antimatter counterparts]] and photons.

* '''[[MakingASplash Water]]''': The element of change and adaptability; capable of taking any form. Water is pretty much always seen positively, symbolizing [[HealItWithWater healing]], adaptability, and [[TheStoic calm]]. While Earth is strong and solid and Air is weak but fluid, Water is both strong and fluid, but not to the same extent as the other two. This is analogous to the liquid state of matter, insofar as liquids have a definite volume as solids do, but lack a definite form just like gasses.[[note]]Gases have neither definite form nor volume, solids have both definite form and volume.[[/note]] Aligned with the phlegmatic temperament, Water characters are usually laid-back and "go with the flow". [[WaterIsBlue Usually depicted as blue or cyan.]] Although not thought of as much of a combat power, when roused a Water Mage can be unstoppable —(think tsunamis) and [[ConfusionFu unpredictable]] -- especially combined with Wind (think hurricanes.) Almost always the absolute BlueOni, and often TheHeart.

* '''[[MakingASplash Water]]''': The element of change and adaptability; capable of taking any form. Water is pretty much always seen positively, symbolizing [[HealItWithWater healing]], adaptability, and [[TheStoic calm]]. While Earth is strong and solid and Air is weak but fluid, Water is both strong and fluid, but not to the same extent as the other two. This is analogous to the liquid state of matter, insofar as liquids have a definite volume as solids do, but lack a definite form just like gasses.[[note]]Gases have neither definite form nor volume, solids have both definite form and volume.[[/note]] Aligned with the phlegmatic temperament, Water characters are usually laid-back and "go with the flow". [[WaterIsBlue Usually depicted as blue or cyan.]] Although not thought of as much of a combat power, when roused a Water Mage can be unstoppable and [[ConfusionFu unpredictable]] -- especially combined with Wind (think hurricanes.) Almost always the absolute BlueOni, and often TheHeart.

Just what the "classical elements" are varies from culture to culture. In Greek (and by extension most European), Hindu, and Buddhist mythology, it's usually Fire, Air, Water, and Earth -- with Aether (which can be "{{heart|IsAnAwesomePower}}", "[[SoulPower]]", or PureEnergy) occasionally mixed in. In classical Chinese mythology, it's typically Fire, Water (which includes [[TheSkyIsAnOcean the sky]]), Earth (which includes the concept of "balance" or "the center", making it a rough equivalent to the aforementioned Aether), Wood (which includes control over plants as well as [[WindIsGreen the wind]]), and Metal (which includes light and electricity). The classical Japanese elements are Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void. In some alchemical texts, there are salt, sulphur, mercury, and quintessence, with salt representing the physical, sulphur representing the spirit of life, mercury representing volatility or fluidity and the "passive principle", quintessence was supposed to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies, and also sometimes was included with the more common 4 elements. (Indeed, quintessence quite literally means "the fifth element".)

Just what the "classical elements" are varies from culture to culture. In Greek (and by extension most European), Hindu, and Buddhist mythology, it's usually Fire, Air, Water, and Earth -- with Aether (which can be "{{heart|IsAnAwesomePower}}", "{{spirit|SoulPower}}", or PureEnergy) occasionally mixed in. In classical Chinese mythology, it's typically Fire, Water (which includes [[TheSkyIsAnOcean the sky]]), Earth (which includes the concept of "balance" or "the center", making it a rough equivalent to the aforementioned Aether), Wood (which includes control over plants as well as [[WindIsGreen the wind]]), and Metal (which includes light and electricity). The classical Japanese elements are Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void. In some alchemical texts, there are salt, sulphur, mercury, and quintessence, with salt representing the physical, sulphur representing the spirit of life, mercury representing volatility or fluidity and the "passive principle", quintessence was supposed to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies, and also sometimes was included with the more common 4 elements. (Indeed, quintessence quite literally means "the fifth element".)

Just what the "classical elements" are varies from culture to culture. In Greek (and by extension most European), Hindu, and Buddhist mythology, it's usually Fire, Air, Water, and Earth -- with Aether (which can be "{{heart|IsAnAwesomePower}}", "[[spirit|SoulPower]]", or PureEnergy) occasionally mixed in. In classical Chinese mythology, it's typically Fire, Water (which includes [[TheSkyIsAnOcean the sky]]), Earth (which includes the concept of "balance" or "the center", making it a rough equivalent to the aforementioned Aether), Wood (which includes control over plants as well as [[WindIsGreen the wind]]), and Metal (which includes light and electricity). The classical Japanese elements are Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void. In some alchemical texts, there are salt, sulphur, mercury, and quintessence, with salt representing the physical, sulphur representing the spirit of life, mercury representing volatility or fluidity and the "passive principle", quintessence was supposed to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies, and also sometimes was included with the more common 4 elements. (Indeed, quintessence quite literally means "the fifth element".)

Just what the "classical elements" are varies from culture to culture. In Greek (and by extension most European), Hindu, and Buddhist mythology, it's usually Fire, Air, Water, and Earth -- with Aether (which can be "{{heart|IsAnAwesomePower}}", "{{spirit|SoulPower}}", or PureEnergy) occasionally mixed in. In classical Chinese mythology, it's typically Fire, Water (which includes [[TheSkyIsAnOcean the sky]]), Earth (which includes the concept of "balance" or "the center", making it a rough equivalent to the aforementioned Aether), Wood (which includes control over plants as well as [[WindIsGreen the wind]]), and Metal (which includes light and electricity). The classical Japanese elements are Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void. In some alchemical texts, there are salt, sulphur, mercury, and quintessence, with salt representing the physical, sulphur representing the spirit of life, mercury representing volatility or fluidity and the "passive principle", quintessence was supposed to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies, and also sometimes was included with the more common 4 elements. (Indeed, quintessence quite literally means "the fifth element".)

Just what the "classical elements" are varies from culture to culture. In Greek (and by extension most European), Hindu, and Buddhist mythology, it's usually Fire, Air, Water, and Earth -- with Aether (which can be "souls", "{{heart|IsAnAwesomePower}}", "spirits", or PureEnergy) occasionally mixed in. In classical Chinese mythology, it's typically Fire, Water (which includes [[TheSkyIsAnOcean the sky]]), Earth (which includes the concept of "balance" or "the center", making it a rough equivalent to the aforementioned Aether), Wood (which includes control over plants as well as [[WindIsGreen the wind]]), and Metal (which includes light and electricity). The classical Japanese elements are Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void. In some alchemical texts, there are salt, sulphur, mercury, and quintessence, with salt representing the physical, sulphur representing the spirit of life, mercury representing volatility or fluidity and the "passive principle", quintessence was supposed to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies, and also sometimes was included with the more common 4 elements. (Indeed, quintessence quite literally means "the fifth element".)

* ''TabletopGame/{{Chaotic}}'' has [[PlayingWithFire Fire]], [[BlowYouAway Air]], Earth[[note]]covers both DishingOutDirt and GreenThumb[[/note]] and [[MakingASplash Water]]. What elements a Creature has on their card governs what elemental attack cards they can use. Some creatures have more than one element, usually only going up to three elements. Heptadd is the only Creature who can naturally use all four.

The most common use is to give characters some superpower over an aspect of nature -- like a character who can conjure or control fire or water, given the [[ElementalBaggage right conditions]]. This usually goes hand in hand with PersonalityPowers -- you're not likely to find a [[AstonishinglyAppropriateAppearance calm and collected guy who can shoot fire]], for instance ([[PowerStereotypeFlip or]] [[FieryStoic are you?]]). These "elements" are probably the source of the association of [[ColorCodedElements color]] with [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience personality traits]]. A character with elemental power in animation will often have the fitting eye color. It also makes for easy SuperheroSpeciation.

* Nearly every example has been featured more than once in the ''Franchise/UltraSeries'', but ''Series/UltramanOrb'' is the first where it plays a significant role in both the hero and his monster foes.
** The 6 King Demon Beasts are {{kaiju}} associated with one of the six elements that compose Earth, having been spawned from Maga-{{Orochi}} before all were sealed away by the Ultra warriors. Also, all other Ultra monsters are classified under one of the 6 elements by the series' Ultra Cards. The King Demon Beasts are:
*** Maga-Basser, the King Demon Beast of Wind, defeated by Series/UltramanMebius. A cross of a dragon and an eagle that possesses the ability to manipulate Earth's atmosphere to create multiple enormous tornadoes in a concentrated area and cause other unnatural weather patterns.
*** Maga-Jappa, the King Demon Beast of Water, defeated by [[Series/ReturnOfUltraman Ultraman Jack]]. A sea monster resembling a hybrid of a lizard, a seahorse, and an octopus. It pollutes waters by making them impossibly foul-smelling and can also fire polluted water from its nose or as a BreathWeapon.
*** Maga-Grand King, the King Demon Beast of Earth, defeated by Series/UltramanTaro. A dinosaur-like titan with a metal body. It can fire a laser from its chest strong enough to punch holes through construction steel, and manipulate {{Ley Line}}s to create sinkholes and earthquakes.
*** Maga-Pandon, the King Demon Beast of Fire, defeated by Franchise/UltramanZero. A two-faced, bird-reptile monster who breathes fire and can fly by transforming into a miniature sun.
*** Maga-Zetton, the King Demon Beast of Light, defeated by the original Series/{{Ultraman}}. A humanoid insectoid creature with glowing spots in place of a face and additional ones on its chest. Orb fought this guy in Europe during the early 1900s prior to the show and faced its abilities: firing bolts of explosive light, teleportation, creating a force field, and catching energy beams to fire them back.
*** Maga-Tanozoa, the King Demon Beast of Shadow, defeated by Series/UltramanTiga. A nautilus-like abomination that doesn't appear in the show proper having been defeated in ancient times by Orb according to [[AllThereInTheManual supplementary material]]. Possesses the power to create an electrified fog of darkness capable of engulfing the world.
** Ultraman Orb himself in his [[spoiler:long-lost true]] [[MultiformBalance form]] Orb Origin wields the Orbcalibur, a sword that possesses the power of the four classic elements -- Fire creates a spherical prison of flame, Water conjures a whirlpool, Earth summons explosive shockwaves, and Wind forms a tornado.
* ''Series/UltramanRB'': Ultraman Rosso and Blu possess these, thanks to their R/B Crystals, which are based on the powers of previous Ultras. By default, the brothers use Fire (Series/UltramanTaro) and Water (Series/UltramanGinga) respectively, but later on gain Air (Series/UltramanTiga) and Earth ([[Series/UltramanGinga Ultraman Victory]]). Additionally, they can swap their elements as needed in battle.

- Andrew uses fire magic.
- Cress uses plant/forest magic.
- Enzios uses lightning magic.
- Akros uses earth/rock magic.

* Luz from ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' cast spells using [[GeometricMagic glyphs]] which she learns from observing the natural world, i.e. snowflakes are in the shape of the ice glyph. Her powers are light, ice, plant and fire.

** Earth: Terra (''ComicBook/TeenTitans'') or her brother [=GeoForce=] (''[[ComicBook/BatmanAndTheOutsiders The Outsiders]]'')

* Many of the aliens in the ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'' series have these kind of powers. Most notably however is in ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien'', Ben obtains the forms of five aliens who each possess one of these: Water, Fire, Wind, Earth, and Lightning. [[spoiler:This might be the reason the newest BigBad intends to [[AllYourPowersCombined absorb their powers]]]].