When it comes to Avatar's greatest firebenders, many fans overlook The Legend of Korra in favor of the original series, Avatar: The Last Airbender. With the original series centering on the threat of the Fire Nation and the astonishing power of those who defect from it, it's only natural that the less fire-focused sequel series did not flesh out users of the elemental martial art as well.
That's exactly what makes Mako such an underrated fighter. He may not be the Avatar or have rare abilities that distinguish him from everybody else, but when his full talents are considered, Mako deserves to be ranked among Avatar's greatest firebenders.
Mako's origin story lends itself to being undersold. Raised as a street urchin alongside his brother Bolin, he is far from blessed with the elite upbringing of Fire Nation royalty like Iroh, Azula or Zuko. Even benders like Combustion Man and P'Li demonstrate deadly abilities unseen elsewhere, and in terms of raw power, it makes sense that fans might not give a street kid who became a pro-bender and companion to the Avatar a second glance.
However, these turn out to be the very qualities that forge Mako into one of Avatar's most capable fighters. Compared to his competitors, Mako is a far more athletic, well-rounded and speedy fighter who rarely loses a straight matchup throughout the series. His pro-bending background lends itself to constantly shifting footwork with evasive combat techniques that blend his offense seamlessly with his defense. Between the show and the comics, there are even multiple instances where Mako is so fast that he defends against the periphery of an explosion -- a feat so quick that few other characters can compare.
That speed advantage is only furthered by Mako's unparalleled ability to integrate rocket boosts into his fighting style. Whereas other firebenders seldom use such boosts in the midst of combat, with Sozin's Comet making it far easier for them and even Azula primarily using the ability at the start or end of combat, Mako uses the ability throughout all four seasons of Korra. He runs along a wall to fight Amon, utilizes boosts even while riding his motorcycle fighting Republic City crime, and uses it to navigate the battlefield in fights against Ghazan and Ming-Hua to compensate for the rival benders' other talents.
However, the really exceptional aspect of Mako's bending is how he uses lightning. While it might not be as powerful as other lightningbenders, Mako may well qualify as the fastest lightningbender in the entire series. Taking well under a second to both charge and fire his bolts, Mako surpasses the usual limitation against lightningbending that allows opponents to dodge it easily. What's more, he also has lightning redirection available to him, which he uses against powerful sources like mecha-tanks and even Kuvira's gargantuan colossus. Whereas Ozai could not redirect lightning and Zuko could not produce it, Mako can do both -- yet he is still seldom considered a superior firebender.
There's a whole lot more that goes into making a fighter than just single instances of impressive power, but these instances are what sticks out most in fans' minds in such assessments. Instead, Mako presents consistency and reliability, making him a less memorable but extremely effective fighter throughout the series.
What could speak more to his abilities than his status as the only person to take down a Red Lotus member completely on his own? Taking down Ming-Hua amidst her own element is no easy feat, and no other lightningbender could have produced the killing blow Mako did so quickly or in such an awkward position grounding himself between stalactites. Countering Ming-Hua's reliance on her fluid element is not a feat that should be dismissed -- Mako could only pull it off because he is undoubtedly one of Avatar's greatest firebenders.
