Post by Johnathan Kenobi on Nov 16, 2009 22:31:00 GMT -5
A large room,the walls covered in pads,racks holding training lightsabers. Bleachers on either ends of the room,The entire ground is covered in pads so that no one should get hurt anymore than the minor burns of the training lightsaber.Holos of the current blademaster play speaking of the knowledge of each form of lightsaber combat.
Form I: Shii-Cho
HISTORY
As the weapons technology of the lightsaber was developed, the need for a form of combat arose. Thus Form I, also called Way of the Sarlacc, was born. Shii-Cho was the most ancient style of lightsaber combat, developed by early Jedi Masters to incorporate key principles of ancient sword-fighting traditions. Existing as the simplest form even four thousand years before the Battle of Yavin, Shii-Cho was among the many forms known to the Jedi, including Kreia and the Jedi Exile. Due to its simplicity, it was often the first form taught, so almost all lightsaber duelists included some aspect of Shii-Cho in their swordplay.
Aspects of the style were adapted for the Medium style as well as the Strong style of the New Jedi Order.
MARKS OF CONTACT
One of the marks of contact, sun djem, was a goal of early Form I duelists, as disarming or destroying the opponents' weapons could ensure victory without causing injury, which was always a Jedi objective. However, with the rise of Form II, sun djem became nearly impossible as Makashi duelists were well trained to prevent their own weapons from being taken or destroyed.
Form I, like its succeeding forms, included the following basic techniques and concepts:
attack, a set of attacks aimed at different body zones
parry, a set of blocks to thwart any attack in the specified body zones
body target zones (1 - head, 2 - right arm and side, 3 - left arm and side, 4 - back, 5 - right leg, 6 - left leg)
training drills called velocities
During the Old Jedi Order, Younglings started out by learning Form I before beginning a Padawan apprenticeship with a Jedi Master. It was done so, because, as Kreia commented, Form I was one of the easiest forms to learn, yet still powerful. Their training included learning to deflect plasma bolts from training remotes while being blindfolded or covered up by a practice helmet. Lightsaber instructors such as Yoda and Cin Drallig taught Form I to thousands of students during their Jedi careers.
Kit Fisto was a notable practitioner of Form I, but he could not defeat Darth Sidious with it. Form I was better served against multiple enemies, and one opponent as powerful as Sidious was able to find flaw in it. Obi-Wan Kenobi commented Form I as wild, raw, and deadly, requiring much emotional heat and Kit Fisto noted how hard it was to control the pull of Form I, disabling opponents rather than killing them; however, Kenobi sometimes did infuse elements of Shii-Cho into his swordplay, including the rematch with Count Dooku onboard the Invisible Hand. Dooku himself commented Shii-Cho swordplay as deliberate as a lumberdroid, moving step by step, cutting off the angles, clumsy but relentlessly dogged; in his own words, "Too slow... too predictable." Shii-Cho form was most effective in situations with multiple opponents and did not offer many techniques for blocking blaster bolts or dueling one lightsaber wielding opponent. Nonetheless, Shii-Cho was an effective form to fall back on when no other form would do to suit the current combat situation.
Shii-Cho was also one of the forms which Count Dooku taught the fearsome Jedi hunter General Grievous, who in turn taught his IG-100 MagnaGuards.
MANEUVERS
Horizontal Parry The lightsaber is at shoulder height with the blade almost on the shoulder. Grip In Shii-Cho form, a lightsaber is held by putting one hand on the very top of the hilt, next to the emitter, and another hand on the pommel. On the top hand, pressure was applied to the ring and little finger, and the thumb, as if one could fight without the middle and index fingers. The bottom hand was maneuvered in a push-pulled motion, using the top hand as a fulcrum.
Form II: Makashi
History
After Form I's proliferation as a lightsaber combat technique, Form II came about as a means of lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat. It was described as being very elegant, powerful, and requiring extreme precision, allowing the user to attack and defend with minimal effort, while his opponent tires himself out, often wielding the blade one-handed for greater range of movement and fluidity. The form relied on parries, thrusts, and small, precise cuts—as opposed to the blocking and slashing of the other forms. Form II countered sun djem, the goal of early Form I masters, by being well trained in prevention of disarming and weapon destruction.
The opening stance for Makashi was a single-handed low guard, with the blade angled downward at the practitioner's side.[1] The formal salute that Dooku offered Yoda on Geonosis was a "Makashi salute", while a Makashi flourish consisted of drawing a rapid X in the air with the blade.
Form II emphasized fluid motion and anticipation of a weapon being swung at its target, and so required very fluid movements of both the blade and the body.
Feints would also be commonly used to confuse or set-up their opponents for a trap, a tactic that Count Dooku commonly used in his duels during the Clone Wars. Precise footwork and movements were required for maintaining proper distance from the opponent during defense and/or when moving in for an attack. The blade manipulation required for this form was very refined and required intense focus, such as Dooku's hurling objects at Anakin while using a one-handed bind to keep Obi-Wan at bay. Timing, accuracy, and skill, rather than strength, were relied on to defeat one's opponent, and with a skilled practitioner, the results were extremely potent.
The footwork of Makashi practitioners followed a single line, front and back, shifting the feet to keep in perfect balance as the practitioner attacked and retreated. Makashi was a style based on balance, on back-and-forth charges, thrusts, and sudden retreats. Elegance, gallantry, enchantment, finesse, artfulness, and economy were the core of Makashi. Dooku displayed this to the extreme during the duel aboard the Invisible Hand, using his footwork to evade Anakin and Obi-Wan so that he could fight them one-on-one instead of at the same time. Makashi duelists also trained themselves to avoid enslavement to form, as such enslavement opened the practitioner to be defeated by predictability and the unforeseen.
Makashi users were elegant, precise, calm, confident to the point of arrogance (as befit Dooku's personality). Form II users were supremely confident in their chances for victory, and often looked so relaxed when they were fighting they even appeared to be dancing.
Faults
Despite its effectiveness, Makashi was not without its weaknesses. Among the first of these was the fact that it was somewhat harder to deflect blaster shots with this style. Makashi was developed before blasters had become common place in the galaxy, and Form II training taught its practitioners to defend solely against blades. Skilled users could overcome this obstacle with minimal effort, however.
Another drawback was that Makashi was most potent when used against a single opponent, and therefore was reduced in strength when fighting groups of adversaries. Exceptionally skilled users could still fare very well against multiple foes, however. Dooku, for example, could fight up to four adversaries at once with little difficulty.
But the greatest flaw with this system of combat was that it could not withstand strikes from later styles which emphasized more powerful strokes over Makashi's elegance and precision. As shown during Dooku's fatal duel with Anakin, Makashi simply did not generate the necessary kinetic energy to meet Djem So (Skywalker's preferred style) on an even footing. The sheer raw power of Form V wore down Dooku's defenses, physically exhausting him and draining his reserves of Force power.
Known moves and maneuvers
Opening Stance
The opening stance was a single handed low guard. The saber would be held in the strong hand of the user, and held at his side, the blade pointed down, and the feet would be shoulder width apart. Some faced their opponent side on, so the blade was pointed in their direction. Dooku often used this stance when he prepared to fight. The lightsaber hilt would be held with the thumb pointing down the length of the blade to allow for smaller, tighter, more accurate movements of the saber. The rest of the fingers wrap around the hilt holding it tightly, but not so tight as to limit the fluidity of the movements.
Makashi salute
The Makashi salute was not an attack or maneuver but a challenge to an opponent. The saber was held in one hand, brought up vertical directly in front of the practitioner's face, then swung down and made a rapid X in the air. One of the best examples of this ancient tradition was when Count Dooku was fighting his former master Yoda at the Battle of Geonosis.
Lightsaber design variations
Due to Form II's emphasis on blade manipulation, and its many fluid one-handed moves, Makashi practitioners sometimes wielded lightsabers with curved hilts. They also occasionally included blade-guards and are often highly decorated, as shown with Dooku's lightsaber.
Practitioners
Dooku was a master of Form II, fighting with the precision built into the ancient technique. When Dooku wielded this form, he had an advantage; the system of Jedi training immediately before and during the Clone Wars did not prepare many of them for the finesse and precise movements of a form bred for lightsaber dueling.
It was also one of the forms taught to General Grievous by Dooku himself, and the cyborg General in turn taught Makashi to his IG-100 MagnaGuards. Dooku's Dark Jedi apprentice, Asajj Ventress, was deduced by Jedi Master Luminara Unduli to be a Makashi practitioner.Jedi Master Cin Drallig, the legendary lightsaber instructor, was another practitioner of Makashi. During the New Sith Wars, the Sith apprentice Fohargh practiced Makashi besides Soresu during his training, having been trained by the Sith Blademaster Kas'im.Additionally, Jedi Council Member, High General Jedi Master Shaak Ti was a master of Makashi, utilizing it in a personalized mix with Form IV: Ataru. Kento Marek, a Jedi who survived the initial stages of the Great Jedi Purge, had knowledge of basic aspects of Makashi. Darth Vader also incorporated Form II into his specialized variant of Form V.
Form III: Soresu
History
Originally, Form III was developed as a counter to blaster weapons used by multiple opponents. Due to the rise in distribution of blaster weapons, more and more Jedi were forced to adapt a fighting style which allowed them to combat enemies firing from several directions, mostly basing their "attack" on redirected blaster fire. Previous styles had allowed wide, sweeping strokes which left the Jedi open to blaster fire. Form III, however, required maintaining a constant shield of deflective strokes by making short, quick sweeps, close to the body, leaving the Jedi less exposed to ranged fire. Form III was the most defensive of the seven forms
Philosophy
The philosophy of Soresu was described as "being within the eye of the storm." The practitioner maintained a centered frame of concentration, undisrupted by the conflict around them. They did this to maintain the calm center where the outer storm of combat could not harm them. Thus, Soresu commanded powerful defensive techniques that seemed to adapt to almost any circumstance, at the cost of never reaching past the figurative eye of the storm. The Soresu technique used little to none of the attack power needed by those who concentrate on the storm itself. Those who studied this style used the primarily defensive technique to wear down aggressive opponents by defending long onslaughts with minimal counter-attacking. They waited until their adversary spent most of their energy, then employed an alternate, more aggressive attack. They waited for eventual lapses in their opponent's own defense.
The key to truly mastering Soresu may have come from a mastery of the concept and philosophy of Soresu. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, despite his preference for Soresu, applied Shii-Cho elements and Ataru acrobatics into his swordplay, as evidenced by his recollection of his intense duel with the Sith Lord Count Dooku onboard the Invisible Hand. This, however, he did to confuse Dooku, as he later switched back to his true form, Soresu. In his duel against General Grievous, Kenobi used pure Form III swordplay.
Application
Soresu utilized motions that occurred very close to the body, in an attempt to achieve near-total protection and expend as little energy as possible while executing moves. Form III stressed quick reflexes and fast positional transition, in order to overcome the rapidity with which a blaster could be fired. This technique minimized the body's exposure, making a well-trained practitioner nearly invincible. Followers of Soresu preferred to remain on the defensive until their opponent left an opening that a Soresu practitioner could exploit. Observers generally described Soresu as a passive form of combat. Jedi with extreme patience and reserved personality often employed the form - in fact, during the Clone Wars, Soresu was the most commonly used lightsaber form in the Jedi Order.
Combat
Form III involved preparation for prolonged battles where the user observed and learned as much as possible about their opponent's or opponents' technique while engaged in combat. Also, by being more capable in lengthy battles, a Soresu user had the ability to gain control of a combat situation, creating multiple options for the Jedi employing the form. A Form III user could choose to kill, disarm, or even reason with their opponent.
Many Soresu practitioners survived the lengthy Battle of Geonosis, owing to the endurance gained from the form and its specialization in fending off and deflecting blaster fire. Soresu's greatest power lay in the endurance and control a practitioner eventually developed.
Jedi Master Mace Windu noted that, unlike any of the other combat styles, Soresu was not an answer to a particular type of weakness. Vaapad was an answer to Windu's inner darkness; Ataru was Yoda's answer to his limited reach and advanced age; and Djem So helped Anakin release his own powerful emotions. Toward the end of the Clone Wars, Master Windu acknowledged Obi-Wan Kenobi as "The master of Soresu." It was because of this fact that Kenobi was chosen by the Jedi High Council as the Jedi best suited to defeat General Grievous. During their duel, the Jedi Master was capable of parrying all four of Grievous's lightsabers, gradually disarming the cyborg general. Earlier, during his duel with Count Dooku aboard the Invisible Hand, Kenobi's expertise in Soresu allowed him to parry the Count's elegant Makashi strikes.
Soresu was considered the consummate Jedi combat form in that it embraced a passive way of life and a literal expression of the Jedi tenet to defend rather than attack. Obi-Wan himself considered Soresu very simple, so restrained and defense-oriented that Form III was nearly passive. As a master, Obi-Wan could defend himself against any attack less than twenty strikes per second. Darth Vader used elements of Form III in his variant of Form V.
Advantages
Soresu was a very favorable form of combat for Jedi up until the Great Jedi Purge. The defense and control it allowed a practitioner made for suitable outcomes in favor of the user when faced with hurried opponents who left themselves vulnerable to counterattack. However, its defense required a very large amount of focus from the wielder and even a momentary fault in concentration could spell defeat. Jedi with less focused minds would usually abandon this style of combat to capitalize on the benefits of other styles that required less dedication to prolonged fighting. Form III utilized strikes and blocks with the lightsaber at very fast speeds with the blade extremely close to the wielder's body. This form also utilized some acrobatics such as those seen in Form IV to make the wielder even harder to catch.
Form lll was effective against single powerful enemies, as well as large battles with multiple enemies. Form lll was also the most effective form for deflecting blaster bolts, since it was originally designed to combat blaster-wielding opponents, and since the movements are very swift and close to the body, there would basically be no open space between attacks that could leave the wielder open to blaster fire. Jedi who mastered Soresu were known to have an unbreakable defense, and the most successful when dealing in situations when a quick victory was not as favorable as total understanding and calculated action. Soresu users will only attack the enemy to deliver the disarming strike (unless fighting against battle droids), and will keep defending until they see an opening in the enemy. Soresu masters had an unbreakable defense, as mentioned above, and could trap opponents in their own attacks, as demonstrated by Obi-Wan Kenobi during his duel with General Grievous on Utapau, as well against Darth Vader on Mustafar
Weaknesses
Truly focused masters of Soresu were very formidable due to their strong defense technique. Soresu, however, facilitated survival more than victory. Form III initiates were more than capable of defending themselves from attack, but they needed a large amount of experience to learn how to trap an opponent in their own offense. Masters had to maintain an incredibly strong focus on the center of the combat circle, since the defensive tactics of the form included guards and parries engaged very close to the body. Jedi who left small lapses in their otherwise strong defense left little room to avoid injury.
Form III did not favor Jedi Generals in a lengthy fight with troops left alone on the battlefield. Jedi found this situation usually inevitable during the Clone Wars. General Obi-Wan Kenobi provided a good example of this situation when he needed to leave his regiment of troops to conduct his reconnaissance search for General Grievous
Practitioners
"The road is long, but it is worth the journey, for a true master of Form Three is invincible."
Luminara Unduli on Form Three
Developed to combat blasters, Form III was in existence for thousands of years. The Jedi Exile was able to use this style. During the New Sith Wars, the Sith Blademaster Kas'im had mastered Form III as well as the six other forms. Kas'im trained several apprentices in the style, including Fohargh, who used it against Bane's Form V. Darth Bane himself possessed some level of skill in the form, using it to deflect blaster bolts and having trained his apprentice, Darth Zannah, in its use.
In the Clone Wars, the Jedi Battlemaster Cin Drallig mastered it, and like Kas'im, trained many in its use. Luminara Unduli and her apprentice Barriss Offee studied the style. Count Dooku also had enough knowledge in the style that he was able to train Grievous and his IG-100 MagnaGuards in the form.
Obi-Wan Kenobi originally practiced Ataru, but when the style's lack of defensive capability cost the life of his Master, he abandoned the style and began practicing Soresu. Eventually, his mastery grew to the point where he was able to defeat such seasoned swordsmen as Grievous, and Darth Vader during the duel on Mustafar.
After his defeat and mutilation in that duel, Darth Vader included Form III elements in his personal variant of Form V. Vader's secret apprentice was also familiar with Soresu and used it on numerous occasions.
Form IV: Ataru
History
Ataru was an aggressive combat form relying on a combination of power, strength, and speed. Practitioners of Ataru were always on the offensive, attacking with wide, fast, and powerful swings. Form IV practitioners constantly called upon the Force to aid in their movements and attacks. By allowing the Force to flow throughout their body, they could overcome their physical limitations (including old age, as was the case with Master Yoda) and perform amazing feats of acrobatics, such as somersaults and backflips, not only for attack, but also to evade the attacks and strikes of their opponents.Jedi utilizing Ataru needed to incorporate all the Force powers that involved surpassing normal physical ranges of motion, speed, and agility in order to be successful. Running, jumping, and spinning were all emphasized in learning the elaborate kinetics of the form.
Those who used Form IV could move at high speeds and could rain strong blows, jumping and attacking through the air. Powerful and quick spinning attacks could be utilized from all angles, either from ground or air. A master in Ataru combat could appear like a blur to their opponents, attacking from all directions—from the front, the sides, overhead, or behind. The Force not only allowed them to perform athletic feats not possible otherwise, but it also helped guide their actions and movements in combat.
The opening stance for Ataru was a balanced two-handed guard: holding the lightsaber vertically with both palms, either on the right or left side of the body.
Applications of Ataru
Ataru proved to be an effective combat form when used properly, and was common among Jedi in the Mandalorian Wars. It was well-suited to close combat, particularly against single opponents.
Because it was such an aggressive style, Ataru was not generally optimal for use against multiple opponents, and it was somewhat ineffective against blaster fire, particularly from multiple foes.[4] Despite these weaknesses, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn were able to employ this form with great success during the Battle of Naboo against numerous B-1 battle droids. This form was also considered not as effective for prolonged combat, as the nature of Ataru could greatly tax the body. Fatigue was theorized to have been a contributing factor in Qui-Gon Jinn's defeat at the hands of Darth Maul. Another contributing factor in Jinn's death was the requirement of open space for the kinetic acrobatics of Ataru. Without ample space in the Theed Palace reactor core to move, Jinn was deprived of the key element in his defense, and thus could only attempt to block Maul's incessant barrage of Juyo strikes. This event influenced Kenobi—after his master's death, he changed his preferred form to Soresu, the most defensive of all forms.
Through the Force, Yoda was considered to have mastered Form IV to its highest level. He used it in almost all of his battles, and his mastery of the style caused others to describe him as virtually unstoppable against most opponents, including Separatist battle droids, despite his small size and advanced age. His moves in his duel against Count Dooku on Geonosis were revealed on close examination to be a fast-paced demonstration of the standard components of Form IV. Each action flowed from one to another in the smooth transitions characteristic of Form IV. In addition, three kinds of rotation, called su ma, figured prominently in his style: jung su ma (spinning), ton su ma (somersaults), and en su ma (cartwheels). These three moves represented the three possible axes of rotation in three-dimensional space. Together with Force-enhanced jumps, the rotational su ma moves composed most of his style, making the Grand Master exemplary of Form IV mastery. At one point prior to the Clone Wars, Yoda was known to give demonstrations of the form in use, some of which were recorded on databooks in the Jedi Temple. Yoda also employed Ataru against the clone troopers on Kashyyyk and Coruscant. Despite its weaknesses to blaster fire and multiple opponents, Yoda's mastery of the form was such that he was able to defeat the clones.
Dooku stated that he understood "every weakness of the Ataru form, with its ridiculous acrobatics." Dooku's Makashi would counter Ataru by launching a series of thrusts toward the enemy's legs to draw the opponent into a flipping overhead leap, so that Dooku could burn through the enemy's spine from kidneys to shoulder blades with his Makashi attack. The Count applied this tactic against Obi-Wan Kenobi onboard the Invisible Hand, who blocked Dooku's blows with Soresu.
Practitioners
Besides Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn, other notable practitioners of Ataru were Vandar Tokare, Zez-Kai Ell, Vrook Lamar, Kavar, Cin Drallig, Quinlan Vos, his former Padawan, Aayla Secura, Shaak Ti, and Dark Jedi Alema Rar. Obi-Wan Kenobi was also a practitioner of Ataru, but proceeded to study Soresu following the death of his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, at Naboo. General Grievous and his IG-100 MagnaGuards also learned Ataru from Count Dooku.
As a Padawan, Anakin Skywalker studied Ataru briefly, as it fit his flashy, bold, and aggressive personality—he would later use those same traits to become a skilled Form V practitioner. When Anakin applied Jar'Kai tactics against Count Dooku on Geonosis, his swordplay was actually based on Ataru moves. Because neither Jar'Kai nor Ataru were Skywalker's most effective styles, Dooku broke through it easily with sun djem, forcing the young Padawan to switch back to his standard Form V. In general, in the waning years of the Old Republic, Padawans would spend a year or two studying each Form from II to V, including Ataru.
During the Clone Wars, both Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had mastered Ataru in addition to his expertise in Soresu, and Anakin Skywalker often applied some of the Ataru acrobatic moves, despite their mastery of Soresu and Djem So, respectively. When dueling Dooku on the Invisible Hand, Obi-Wan Kenobi started the duel using Ataru stances and techniques to mislead the Sith. Lannik Jedi Master Even Piell also practiced Ataru, in addition to other saber forms. After his transformation and defeat on Mustafar, Darth Vader included elements of Form IV in his personalized variation of Form V, such as during his second duel with Jedi Master Roan Shryne. Vader's secret apprentice was also familiar with Ataru, and his personal droid PROXY attempted to emulate the form, albeit without the aid of the Force, which the apprentice found to be a notable weakness.
The New Jedi Order would learn of this form, along with the others, from knowledge gleaned from holocrons and recordings, particularly the Great Holocron which included a recording by Cin Drallig explaining lightsaber forms. Kyle Katarn and Alema Rar, among others, were trained in the use of the fourth form of lightsaber combat.
Form V: Shien / Djem So
History
Form V was created by Form III masters who preferred a more offensive style, since the defensive nature of Form III could lead to prolonged combat. It evolved into an accepted style by combining the defensive maneuvers of Form III with the more aggressive philosophy and tactics of Form II. Form V also required a higher level of physical strength than the other lightsaber forms, due to its focus on complete domination of opponents. The form was developed alongside Form IV at a time when the Jedi were increasingly called upon to actively keep the peace.
Some Jedi, noting its dedication to domination and strength, felt that Form V encouraged an inappropriate focus on controlling others. Others, including noted lightsaber combat instructor Cin Drallig, were cautiously neutral about the form. However, its proponents maintained that Form V was an effective and powerful tool for the Jedi Order.
Form V had two distinct variations: Shien and Djem So
Shien
To the Jedi of the ancient Republic who developed and employed the classical Form V, Shien, the form was known as the Perseverance Form. Shien was described as being well adapted to guarding against blaster fire and enemy strikes without compromising one's ability to launch powerful counterattacks, though was less effective against a single opponent. Shien was known to have existed at least as early as the Jedi Civil War. With its focus against blaster fire, Shien kept in mind that Jedi were often outnumbered by their opponents and needed to defend themselves while retaining offensive capability. The opening stance for Shien was a high guard position, with the hilt held in a two-handed grip above the user's head, and the blade angled upwards and behind the user. The dominant leg would be back, enabling powerful step-through strikes to be utilized.
There was an ancient Sith variant of this classic lightsaber form called Sith Shien. Sith Shien was known to focus on quick and aggressive attacks against the user's opponent.
Djem So
Djem So was the creation of a group of Form III masters who felt that Soresu was too passive. It addressed the shortcomings of Form III, in which a Jedi Master may have proved to be unbeatable but was likewise unable to overcome a skilled opponent. Utilizing a combination of blocks and parries, a Djem So user maintained a proper foundation in terms of defense against both ranged and melee attacks. While a Soresu user stayed on the defensive, however, and only counterattacked when necessary or when an opening appeared in his opponent's defense, a Djem So practitioner was not nearly so passive. Immediately after defending against an opponent's strike, a Djem So stylist would follow with an attack of their own, bringing the force of the opponent's own blow against them and seeking to dominate the duel. Djem So placed a heavy focus on brute strength and pure power, with wide, powerful strikes and parries followed immediately by counterattack.[1] One of the characteristic moves of Djem So was an overhand power blow downward upon an opponent, the lightsaber held firmly in both hands.
Applications
Despite its metaphorical and literal strength, Form V was not without its weaknesses. Shien was particularly weak against a single opponent and Djem So was known for having a lack of mobility. However, a skilled duelist in Form V was capable of compensating for these weaknesses and employing the form effectively in combat.
By the time of the Ruusan campaign, the Djem So variant of Form V had been developed. Djem So had an emphasis on strength and power, allowing a user to make good use of his or her own physical size and strength. It was for this reason that Sith blademaster Kas'im advised the fledgling Darth Bane to learn Djem So; Bane's imposing size and strength would serve to compliment Form V. Power attacks from a Djem So user could even knock an opponent back just through sheer kinetic force, throwing them off balance and leaving them vulnerable to further brute force strikes and power blows that sought not just to penetrate an opponent's defense, but push them back and leave them unable to counter blows
Unlike Soresu or Ataru, Djem So required the user to not only counterattack, but press the assault, combining Force-enhanced strength with powerful blade combinations to overpower and overwhelm an opponent's defenses. Djem So's sheer power, when combined with physical and Force-imbued strength, was capable of defeating a user of Makashi, a lightsaber form focused on dueling, finesse, and elegance, when employed by a skilled practitioner. Anakin Skywalker initially employed Shien in his defeat against Dooku on Geonosis, but throughout the Clone Wars, he developed his practice of both Shien and Djem So. The many engagements of the Clone Wars, against both mechanical opponents and against lightsaber wielding Dark Jedi honed his skills. On the Invisible Hand, he deceived Dooku with a Shien opening stance and Ataru acrobatics, but partially through the duel, he returned to his own preferred Djem So strokes. The Sith was barely able to deflect his blows and eventually was scorched by his own blade being forced back onto his own shoulder. Using Form V, Anakin pushed Dooku back with power blows, bolstered by use of rage in the fight, until he eventually disarmed and killed the Sith Lord.
After losing to Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar, Darth Vader continued to employ a new variant of Form V, even more focused on sheer power, in his service to the dark side and quest to destroy the Jedi. Vader again employed Form V on the Death Star versus his former master in their final duel—rather than continue to fight, Kenobi sacrificed himself. Ironically, the same techniques used by him against his former master would be mirrored and used against him by his son, Luke Skywalker.
On Bespin, Luke revealed that he was a gifted duelist; after only one brief session with Obi-Wan Kenobi three years previously and a short period of study with Yoda, the inexperienced youth was able to hold his own against Darth Vader for a time. Ultimately, he was unable to stand against Vader's aggressive barrage, being driven back and disarmed, losing his hand. After that duel, Luke further studied lightsaber skills he'd found in a journal left to him by Obi-Wan Kenobi, and greatly advanced in his abilities.
Onboard the second Death Star, Luke was this time able to duel Vader on an even footing, mirroring Vader's Form V technique. When Vader attempted Dun Möch to weaken Luke by invoking his sister, the tactic backfired and provoked Luke into a fury, and in that state he was able to defeat the experienced Sith Lord
Djem So lightsaber design
Lightsabers belonging to Djem So practitioners sometimes had a solid casing (either as a whole or in multiple sections for maximum protection against power surge deterioration) and a heavily shrouded or beveled blade emitter. The beveled emitter was designed to designate separate facets of the blade for either offensive or defensive purposes. Their hilts also commonly included ridged, occasionally thick, hand grips, as Djem So required its users to maintain a solid grip on the lightsaber hilt.
However, curve-hilted lightsabers could be used effectively by Form V practitioners, as demostrated by Darth Bane. Bane noted that curved lightsabers fit better into the palm, allowing greater power without costing precision. They also altered the angle of attacks ever so slightly, which gave Bane a unique dueling style, one that his opponents were not usually prepared to meet
Practitioners
To the Jedi of the Clone Wars era, the most prominent practitioner of Form V was Anakin Skywalker, who mastered both Shien and Djem So. However, the form had been in existence for several millennia, with Shien users including Kavar, Zez-Kai Ell, Vrook Lamar. Some time before the New Sith Wars, Djem So was developed. Darth Bane was trained in its use by the Sith Blademaster Kas'im. During the Clone Wars, Khaat Qiyn employed Form V, as did Aayla Secura, Luminara Unduli, and Cin Drallig. Lannik Jedi Master Even Piell also practiced Form V, in addition to the other saber forms, and Jedi Council member Plo Koon also used the Way of the Krayt Dragon.
In general, in the waning years of the Old Republic, Padawans would spend a year or two studying each Form from II to V, including Form V.
Additionally, despite their lack of Force sensitivity, General Grievous and his IG-100 MagnaGuards learned Form V from Count Dooku during the Clone Wars. Anakin Skywalker studied Shien and Djem So even as a Padawan. However, in his duel with Dooku on Geonosis, he employed Form IV when wielding two blades. Once Dooku had destroyed one of them, Anakin reverted to Form V practices. After joining the Sith, Anakin Skywalker continued to employ Form V, interlacing it with Dun Möch. However, his defeat at Mustafar forced him to alter his style into a new conglomeration. Vader incorporated elements of Soresu and Ataru into his own personalized Form V. His secret apprentice was also familiar with the form.
His son, Luke Skywalker, would also instinctively mirror Vader's swordplay in their duels on Bespin and the second Death Star, and eventually defeat the Dark Lord before refusing to continue the fight.
The New Jedi Order would learn of this form, along with the others, from knowledge gleaned from holocrons and recordings, particularly the Great Holocron which included a recording by Cin Drallig explaining lightsaber forms.One practitioner of the Djem So form was Jedi battlemaster Kyle Katarn.
Form VI: Niman
History
The form was named after Niman, the twin trinities of Kashi gods. Its forerunners were both two-bladed styles, one developed by the Royale Machetero of Kashi Mer, and the other the original Jar'Kai, develped by the Yovshin Swordsmen. It was adapted by the Legions of Lettow after the Great Schism into current Jar'Kai form of combat. Form VI was adapted from Jar'Kai.
Aspects of Form VI may have been adapted for the Medium style of the New Jedi Order.
Form VI was the standard style at and around the time period of the Clone Wars and the Great Jedi Purge. This combat discipline was often called the "Diplomat's Form." Unfortunately, all of the Form VI practitioners at the Battle of Geonosis were killed. As a result, full masters of other lightsaber forms sometimes considered Form VI to be insufficiently demanding.
Form VI attempted to balance all elements of lightsaber combat, combining the techniques from Forms that came before into a less intensely demanding combat style. In practice, Form VI was a combination of older forms (Forms I, III, IV, and V), and all of them in moderation. In the blending, much of the individuality was lost, but the strengths were spread evenly, and there was little weakness in it. Due to its "jack-of-all-trades" nature, the success of this form was largely dependent on the practitioner's intuition, improvisation, and creativity in combat rather than the rote responses derived from other forms. This broad generalization made Form VI well suited for diplomats, as they could spend their time training in the areas of politics and negotiation instead of combat training.
Niman was not, however, a weak form. While many other lightsaber forms bolstered the wielder's abilities in one area, while leaving him vulnerable in others, Niman was capable in all situations but had no dramatic strengths. It provided no edge in battle, but achieved its worth in not leaving its wielder as exposed as some of the more aggressive forms. Its strength was its balance. The form was also considered a basis for more 'unorthodox' fighting, as Jedi who used it were less frequently using automatic reflex than constantly thinking and often had time to invent unusual strategies for combat. It also provided a decent defense versus enemy Force powers and blaster fire.
Sometimes, sparring with another one could achieve a state of meditation, and the Niman form was one of the best such techniques. Its great strength was the way it allowed the Force to flow through its practitioner, revitalizing him even in the middle of combat. The philosophy of Form VI was "the leaf swept in the winds of the Force." Users of this lightsaber form achieved a mindset of one who was not troubled by their surroundings, but simply rode the current of the surrounding turmoil, being well-balanced within.
Practitioners
Since the style was adapted from Niman/Jar'Kai, some of the most prolific masters of the style in ancient times were Zez-Kai Ell, Vrook Lamar, and Kavar. Another practitioner was the Sith Blademaster Kas'im, who mastered it along with the other six forms. Johun Othone, the former padawan of Lord Hoth, prominently used this form to survive the various battles of the Ruusan campaign, though a decade later, as a result of laxed training used it to a more limited effect during combat, nearly being beaten in an attempted kidnapping and hindering the efforts of Sarro Xaj in their duel with Darth Zannah.
Count Dooku appeared to have enough knowledge in the style to train the Kaleesh cyborg Grievous in it, as well as Grievous's IG-100 MagnaGuard bodyguards.
Jedi Master Cin Drallig was considered the most prolific instructor of Form VI, as he was of the five forms below it, teaching Niman to thousands of students during his Jedi career. However, despite his mastery of the style, he was slaughtered by Darth Vader's use of Form V during the Great Jedi Purge.
Obi-Wan Kenobi was known to have utilized some of the styles stances in combat.
Form VII: Juyo / Vaapad
History
For thousands of years before Mace Windu developed Vaapad, around the time of the Jedi Civil War, Form VII was utilized by such notable figures as Zez-Kai Ell, Vrook Lamar and Kavar. During the New Sith Wars, the Sith Blademaster Kas'im also mastered the style, teaching it to Sith apprentices such as Sirak. However, over the next thousand years, Juyo deteriorated into an incomplete form.
However, Juyo was not lost to the Sith, as Darth Maul utilized the style. Dooku also seemed to know enough of the style to train General Grievous and program his IG-100 MagnaGuards to use the form.
Eventually, Mace Windu developed Vaapad from Juyo. He was aided in the form's development by Sora Bulq and taught the style to his apprentice, Depa Billaba. Bulq later taught elements of Vaapad to Quinlan Vos during his retraining. Unfortunately, neither Bulq nor Billaba were able to withstand the mental demands of Form VII and fell to the dark side.
Dubbed the Way of the Vornskr, or The Ferocity Form, Juyo, a term from High Galactic, was originally considered an incomplete form for millennia. Generally viewed as undeveloped and rarely used by the Jedi and the Sith, Juyo was not seen as one of the main forms for generations of Jedi. Jedi Master Mace Windu developed his own Form VII, which was nicknamed Vaapad after a creature from Sarapin which moved with speed similar to Windu. In 22 BBY, Palpatine stated that he had only ever heard of six forms; Yoda said there were only 6 forms for generations of Jedi, and Mace indicated that he invented Vaapad. (It should be noted that Darth Maul, Palpatine's apprentice, was a Juyo practitioner.) The nickname, Vaapad, came from students likening it to a predator, the vaapad, which used its tentacles in lightning-fast whipping attacks. It was said to be impossible to tell how many tentacles a vaapad had until it was dead.
The most challenging and demanding of all forms, Form VII required intense focus, a high degree of skill, and mastery of other forms. Only two Jedi ever mastered Vaapad fully: Mace Windu and Depa Billaba. Sora Bulq helped Windu develop Vaapad, but Bulq proved unable to master the flow of the light and dark sides of the Force generated by the use of the technique, and fell to the dark side. Sora instructed Quinlan Vos in a few of its basics. Mace noted that Vaapad mastered Bulq, not the other way around. Depa Billaba, Windu's Padawan, similarly fell to the dark side when the Vaapad mindset, combined with the horrors of the war, drove her insane. General Grievous used his technical prowess to copy Vaapad to a degree when he fought Windu on Coruscant, though due to his lack of Force sensitivity, he could not truly master it. But it was possible that Grievous had already learned the moves of Juyo, as Dooku noted that Grievous and his guards mastered all the seven classic combat forms.
Application
Intrepid, somewhat direct movements were used in combination with advanced techniques involving Force-powered jumps and very fast motions. Form VII did not appear quite as fancy as Form IV, as there were not as many moves like twirling and flipping, but the technical requirements were much higher. Vaapad used seemingly free-wheeling and open movements, but with utter control on the part of the wielder. The end result, if practiced correctly, was a very unpredictable lightsaber style. The staccato swings and flow of the form made it seem as if the attacks were not linked—but in reality, it was merely confusing the opponent.
Form VII demanded the emotional and physical intensity of Form V, but it much more effectively controlled it—if mastered. Form VII, when fully mastered, resulted in extraordinary power
Mental requirements
Vaapad bordered on the edge of falling to the dark side, as it channeled one's enjoyment of fighting into the attack. Only Windu's mastery and concentration on the light side prevented him from succumbing to his own anger, which is why Vaapad was rarely practiced and very dangerous. As noted above, the only other known practitioners of Vaapad, Sora Bulq and Depa Billaba both fell to the dark side of the Force. Darth Maul, a Sith Lord who appeared to have mastered Juyo, was so immersed in the dark side, yet so much in control of his anger that he could employ his own deadly variant of Juyo without fear. Coupled with his martial prowess, Darth Maul used this variant to defeat several skilled Jedi, including Master Qui-Gon Jinn. However, Darth Maul only devoted to the Form's physical focus, thus he remained silent during the duels on Tatooine and Naboo. Maul desired pure physical victory, rather than the "higher" Sith tradition of Dun Möch, which could dominate the opponent's spirit through taunts that expose inner doubts and weaknesses.
With that said, Vaapad was not just a fighting style. It was a state of mind and a power. The state of mind required that a user of Vaapad allow themselves to gather thrill from a battle. The power of Vaapad was simple: it was a channel for one's inner darkness; and it was a reflecting device. With strict control, a Jedi's own emotions and inner darkness could be changed into a weapon of the light.
Vaapad was also described as "a superconducting loop," with the user on one end and the opponent on the other. It was able to take the powers of the opponent and reflect it back at them. In his fight with Palpatine, Mace Windu used the Chancellor's own speed and hatred against him, reflecting it back against the Sith Lord and using it as his own power. Also, when Palpatine unleashed his Force lightning on Windu, the Jedi was able to use his lightsaber, with the power of Vaapad, to reflect the lightning back at him.
Notable Form VII practitioners
Juyo
Zez-Kai Ell
Kavar
Vrook Lamar
Kas'im
Darth Maul
General Grievous
General Grievous' IG-100 MagnaGuards
Sirak
The Jedi Exile (possibly)
Galen Marek
Rahm Kota
Anakin Skywalker
Vaapad
Mace Windu (creator)
Depa Billaba
Sora Bulq (co-creator)
Quinlan Vos (incomplete)
Other forms of lightsaber combat
These forms were not considered a part of the seven main or "classic" forms. Some were systematized methods of lightsaber combat, while others were merely techniques or principles of combat applied to lightsaber combat. They were mostly based on other forms, with the exception of Form "Zero", which emphasized avoiding conflict whenever possible.
Sokan - using terrain to one's advantage
Shien - attacking many foes at once with wide, sweeping strokes and an underhand grip
Jar'Kai - two-handed lightsaber combat, using one blade for attack, another for defense
Lus-ma - only once mentioned, used by Grievous' MagnaGuards
Form "Zero" - avoiding combat when not necessary
Dun Möch - distracting and taunting an opponent, a Sith technique
Telekinetic lightsaber combat
Trispzest - a type of aerial dueling
Mounted lightsaber combat
Double-bladed lightsaber combat
Lightwhip combat
Tràkata - taking advantage of a lightsaber's ability to be turned quickly on and off
The Unorthodox
Several techniques fell outside the traditional and practiced forms of the Jedi. General Grievous could employ more varied movements. His attacks were intended to misdirect and confuse traditionally trained sword fighters. Grievous was exceptionally capable of this due to the flexibility of his joints, robotic reflexes, and his many limbs. Only the most experienced and talented Jedi could withstand his attacks. For example, Grievous could hold one lightsaber in each of his four hands, spinning two of them very rapidly in front of him as a shield. Grievous used this against Obi-Wan Kenobi on Utapau.
Another unique lightsaber style was that of Adi Gallia who held her saber with a one-handed reverse grip resulting in wide, long swings. This was a personal variation of Shien, much as Vaapad was Mace Windu's personal variation of Juyo. Anakin Skywalker's first Padawan Ahsoka Tano and later his secret apprentice Galen Marek also seemed to prefer this style.
Dark Jedi Boc's combat style was an unorthodox mixture of the dual saber based Niman & Jar'Kai and highly aggressive jumping attacks directed straight at his opponent. He used this against Kyle Katarn in a duel on Ruusan, but—with some help from his friend Jan Ors and the Force—Katarn was able to defeat Boc.
The three styles of the New Jedi Order
In addition to the above-mentioned forms, there were three pace-based styles, probably applicable to all of the conventional and less conventional forms, though each style was more compatible with some forms than with others.
Fast style
Medium style
Strong style
These three styles were taught to the students at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum around the time of the crises of Desann's Reborn and the Disciples of Ragnos. One member of the New Jedi Order who mastered all three styles was Kyle Katarn. Katarn lectured students Jaden Korr and Rosh Penin on them already at their first training session.
The three styles, along with most lightsaber combat skill taught in the New Jedi Order, were based on the principle of the Three Rings of Defense which were introduced very early on in the history of the Order by one of the first students, Kam Solusar.
Marks of contact and maneuvers
All seven forms of lightsaber combat utilized these ancient terms used by the Jedi for describing the objectives, maneuvers to use, and the various outcomes that could arise out of a fight involving lightsabers as weapons. They could help focus a Jedi’s attacks and defenses on a few clearer categories, rather than diffusing awareness across an infinite number of possibilities in a duel.
Marks of contact
Cho mai A cho mai was the act of cutting off an opponent's weapon-using hand. This move showed that the Jedi using it had the honor to cause the opponent minimal physical damage; it also showed the skill and mastery of the Jedi performing the move to the opponent. Darth Vader demonstrated this on Luke in Cloud City.
[Cho mok A cho mok was the act of cutting off an opponent's limb, such as a humanoid's leg. This was demonstrated by Obi-Wan in the cantina on Tatooine.
Cho sun A cho sun was the act of cutting off an opponent's weapon arm.
Sai cha A sai cha was the rare instance when a Jedi beheaded his or her opponent. Sai Cha comes from ancient words meaning "separate" and "head" This was often reserved for the most dangerous of enemies—the ones a Jedi could not afford to keep alive. It could also be used on a being that was lethal but not sentient, such as an assassin droid. The form was used by Mace Windu to kill Jango Fett. As well as Anakin above Coruscant on Count Dooku, by the persuasion of Chancellor Palpatine.
Sai tok A sai tok, frowned upon by the Jedi because of its Sith-like nature, was the act of cutting an opponent in half, usually separating his or her legs from the torso at the waist. This was demonstrated by Obi-Wan at the ending phase of his duel with Darth Maul.
Shiak A shiak was the act of stabbing an opponent. Jedi usually stabbed in the leg or arm, but a Sith variation of this is to stab through the chest, therefore assuring almost certain death to the unlucky victim. This was demonstrated by Darth Maul when he killed Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Sidious when he killed Agen Kolar.
Shiim A shiim was a more minute wound to an opponent by the edge of a lightsaber's blade. Depending on circumstance, this could be seen as either a desperation attack or to immobilize an opponent through pain. Count Dooku demonstrated this on Geonosis.
Sun djem A sun djem was an attack used by Jedi that deprived the opponent of his/her weapon, the objective usually being not to physically harm the opponent. Sun djem was a very diverse sub-form; moves ranged from spinning a lightsaber to dislodging an opponent's weapon to kicking or punching the opponent.
Mou kei A mou kei was an attack used by the Sith and some Jedi that dismembered an opponent through a circular motion of the lightsaber, aimed at the major limbs. The objective was to finish a dangerous opponent. This was the attack used by Obi-Wan Kenobi to end his duel with Darth Vader on Mustafar.
Maneuvers
Jung A jung in lightsaber combat was a 180-degree turn.
Jung ma A jung ma was a maneuver used by Jedi to perform a 360-degree spin in which power was gained for an imminent attack on the opponent. Anakin and Obi-Wan can be seen using jung ma during their battle on Mustafar. Obi-Wan performed the maneuver again years later moments before he disappeared and became one with the Force during a battle with Darth Vader on the Death Star.
Kai-kan Not a maneuver per se, the kai-kan was a re-enactment of a famous, usually ancient, very dangerous, lightsaber or even sword battle, which only very well trained Jedi attempted to perform.
Sai A sai was a jump used by Jedi to evade an attack directed at the legs. The Force was the main backbone of the strength, height, and speed at which the jump was executed. The Jedi could then strike downwards, using the fall as a fulcrum for more power. Known uses of it include by Luke Skywalker against Darth Vader during the Battle of Endor, by Anakin Skywalker against Count Dooku at the Battle of Geonosis, Obi-Wan against Anakin in their lightsaber fight on Mustafar on the connecting end of the collection arm and by Mace Windu against Darth Sidious. However, this maneuver is used many times by Jedi Knights all over the galaxy.
Shun A shun was a 360-degree turn performed with just a one-handed grip, thus gaining speed for an attack. Darth Vader uses this technique when he spins during the second part of his ill-fated fight with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar.
Flowing water The Flowing Water cut was a lightsaber combat technique designed for going blade-to-blade with one's opponent, based on the principle of using the space created when the opponent withdrew their lightsaber offensively to one's own advantage. As the opponent pulled their lightsaber back from a bind, the user would follow it with their blade, in effect causing the opponent to pull the user's blade into themselves.
Falling leaf The Falling Leaf cut was an ancient lightsaber combat technique that involved spinning on one's feet to "slash from the sky". It might be related to the jung ma and shun techniques. The basic maneuver involved the user spinning and making a fast slash at an opponent standing behind them and then return to face the way they were before the maneuver.
Alter damage Alter Damage was not a combat maneuver, but rather a rare Force power by which the Jedi could inflict minimal damage with an otherwise lethal cut or stab. This was used to pacify enemies without killing them or injuring them lethally.
Saber barrier Saber barrier was a defensive telekinetic lightsaber combat technique. Designed for dual saber combat, it created a barrier of lightsaber blades by having the lightsabers spin around the saber-wielding Jedi. Kreia used this power against the Jedi Exile in the Trayus Academy on Malachor V, and the Dark Jedi Alora may have used it years later against Jaden Korr. Mace Windu also mastered this technique.
Saber throw Saber throw was an offensive usage of the lightsaber, combining Force Push and Force Pull allowing the Jedi to throw their lightsaber at targets in a boomerang-like fashion. It was a common Force power, as it was a good long range alternative to the typical short range lightsaber attacks. Darth Vader used the saber throw against Luke Skywalker in their fight on the second Death Star. Since lightsabers switch off when they leave their owners hand, the thrown lightsaber needed to be telekinetically kept on, however, some lightsabers had a special "blade lock" feature.
Spinning attack The spinning attack technique was a trispzest-based technique, mastered by Maw. It consisted in the trispzest-user spinning wildly in the air while lashing out to all sides with the lightsaber, and was highly effective against multiple opponents. Jedi Grandmaster Yoda used it against Darth Tyranus during their duel on Geonosis. Yoda once again used this technique to battle Darth Sidious in the Senate chamber on Coruscant, though the skills of the Emperor as a duelist were too great to be overcome by this magnificent move.
Physical Combat
For a style and method of fighting as focused on grace and precision as lightsaber combat, duelists resorted to physical contact with astonishing regularity.
Darth Maul kicked Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn several times during their two-on-one duel in the Theed reactor core on Naboo. Qui-Gon returned the favor by back-hand slapping Maul in the face and knocking him off a platform in the reactor shaft.
During the Battle of Geonosis, several Jedi were seen kicking down battle droids.
In their duel onboard the Invisible Hand, Count Dooku kicked Anakin Skywalker back just before Force-gripping and hurling Obi-Wan Kenobi across the room. Skywalker returned the favor seconds later by kicking Dooku off the balcony they were dueling on.
Obi-Wan Kenobi kicked General Grievous in the shin during the last stage of their fight on Utapau (with disastrous results, since he kicked the metal armor on Grievous's body). Grievous also resorted to brawling, denting the landing platform-and his own ship-with missed blows and kicks. However, he still managed to score some hits on Kenobi, sending him flying.
At the Battle of Dantooine, upon losing his lightsaber, Mace Windu battles a group of B2 Super Battle Droids via a fierce onslaught of melee attacks and the force until he recovered his lightsaber.
Kit Fisto was considered a martial arts hurricane when it came to fighting opponents in the Clone Wars.
Mace Windu kicked Palpatine in the face during the duel in Palpatine's office, causing Palpatine to fall backwards and drop his lightsaber.
During their Duel on Mustafar, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader both lost their lightsabers, causing the duel to briefly degenerate into a brawl, before Kenobi managed to reclaim his lightsaber. Later, as they approached the door from the control room or the facility to a balcony outside, Kenobi kicked Vader in the hip to give himself a moment to regain his composure. The Sith Lord returned the favor a moment later, kicking Kenobi hard in the face as he drove him back to the edge of the balcony. Also Vader choked Obi-Wan while squeezing his wrist.
Luke Skywalker kicked Darth Vader down a staircase in the Emperor's throne room during their final lightsaber duel.
The duel between Mara Jade Skywalker and Jacen Solo reverted into a vicious bout of strength between the two, as their location prevented both from adequately using their lightsabers.
The duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Caedus onboard the Anakin Solo also degenerated into a violent brawl.
Mace Windu engaged in a completely hand-to-hand duel with his enemy and relative Kar Vastor on Haruun Kal, in an attemt to determine the "pack leader." Windu employed his custom-made Vaapad form in the duel, at several times punching so fast his fists were all but invisible.
Jedi Trials - Trial of skill
Lightsaber combat was the base point for a Jedi in the (traditional) Trial of Skill. To pass as a Jedi Knight, a Padawan must show the following:
They must know all the forms (not to perform), all the maneuvers, marks of contact etc (and perform these) of basic lightsaber combat.
They must be able to perform basic Shii-Cho
They must show they can use the Force to aid their combat
They must go through a series of obstacles, often devised by the master for a personal-course designed to test the Jedi's
Form I: Shii-Cho
HISTORY
As the weapons technology of the lightsaber was developed, the need for a form of combat arose. Thus Form I, also called Way of the Sarlacc, was born. Shii-Cho was the most ancient style of lightsaber combat, developed by early Jedi Masters to incorporate key principles of ancient sword-fighting traditions. Existing as the simplest form even four thousand years before the Battle of Yavin, Shii-Cho was among the many forms known to the Jedi, including Kreia and the Jedi Exile. Due to its simplicity, it was often the first form taught, so almost all lightsaber duelists included some aspect of Shii-Cho in their swordplay.
Aspects of the style were adapted for the Medium style as well as the Strong style of the New Jedi Order.
MARKS OF CONTACT
One of the marks of contact, sun djem, was a goal of early Form I duelists, as disarming or destroying the opponents' weapons could ensure victory without causing injury, which was always a Jedi objective. However, with the rise of Form II, sun djem became nearly impossible as Makashi duelists were well trained to prevent their own weapons from being taken or destroyed.
Form I, like its succeeding forms, included the following basic techniques and concepts:
attack, a set of attacks aimed at different body zones
parry, a set of blocks to thwart any attack in the specified body zones
body target zones (1 - head, 2 - right arm and side, 3 - left arm and side, 4 - back, 5 - right leg, 6 - left leg)
training drills called velocities
During the Old Jedi Order, Younglings started out by learning Form I before beginning a Padawan apprenticeship with a Jedi Master. It was done so, because, as Kreia commented, Form I was one of the easiest forms to learn, yet still powerful. Their training included learning to deflect plasma bolts from training remotes while being blindfolded or covered up by a practice helmet. Lightsaber instructors such as Yoda and Cin Drallig taught Form I to thousands of students during their Jedi careers.
Kit Fisto was a notable practitioner of Form I, but he could not defeat Darth Sidious with it. Form I was better served against multiple enemies, and one opponent as powerful as Sidious was able to find flaw in it. Obi-Wan Kenobi commented Form I as wild, raw, and deadly, requiring much emotional heat and Kit Fisto noted how hard it was to control the pull of Form I, disabling opponents rather than killing them; however, Kenobi sometimes did infuse elements of Shii-Cho into his swordplay, including the rematch with Count Dooku onboard the Invisible Hand. Dooku himself commented Shii-Cho swordplay as deliberate as a lumberdroid, moving step by step, cutting off the angles, clumsy but relentlessly dogged; in his own words, "Too slow... too predictable." Shii-Cho form was most effective in situations with multiple opponents and did not offer many techniques for blocking blaster bolts or dueling one lightsaber wielding opponent. Nonetheless, Shii-Cho was an effective form to fall back on when no other form would do to suit the current combat situation.
Shii-Cho was also one of the forms which Count Dooku taught the fearsome Jedi hunter General Grievous, who in turn taught his IG-100 MagnaGuards.
MANEUVERS
Horizontal Parry The lightsaber is at shoulder height with the blade almost on the shoulder. Grip In Shii-Cho form, a lightsaber is held by putting one hand on the very top of the hilt, next to the emitter, and another hand on the pommel. On the top hand, pressure was applied to the ring and little finger, and the thumb, as if one could fight without the middle and index fingers. The bottom hand was maneuvered in a push-pulled motion, using the top hand as a fulcrum.
Form II: Makashi
History
After Form I's proliferation as a lightsaber combat technique, Form II came about as a means of lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat. It was described as being very elegant, powerful, and requiring extreme precision, allowing the user to attack and defend with minimal effort, while his opponent tires himself out, often wielding the blade one-handed for greater range of movement and fluidity. The form relied on parries, thrusts, and small, precise cuts—as opposed to the blocking and slashing of the other forms. Form II countered sun djem, the goal of early Form I masters, by being well trained in prevention of disarming and weapon destruction.
The opening stance for Makashi was a single-handed low guard, with the blade angled downward at the practitioner's side.[1] The formal salute that Dooku offered Yoda on Geonosis was a "Makashi salute", while a Makashi flourish consisted of drawing a rapid X in the air with the blade.
Form II emphasized fluid motion and anticipation of a weapon being swung at its target, and so required very fluid movements of both the blade and the body.
Feints would also be commonly used to confuse or set-up their opponents for a trap, a tactic that Count Dooku commonly used in his duels during the Clone Wars. Precise footwork and movements were required for maintaining proper distance from the opponent during defense and/or when moving in for an attack. The blade manipulation required for this form was very refined and required intense focus, such as Dooku's hurling objects at Anakin while using a one-handed bind to keep Obi-Wan at bay. Timing, accuracy, and skill, rather than strength, were relied on to defeat one's opponent, and with a skilled practitioner, the results were extremely potent.
The footwork of Makashi practitioners followed a single line, front and back, shifting the feet to keep in perfect balance as the practitioner attacked and retreated. Makashi was a style based on balance, on back-and-forth charges, thrusts, and sudden retreats. Elegance, gallantry, enchantment, finesse, artfulness, and economy were the core of Makashi. Dooku displayed this to the extreme during the duel aboard the Invisible Hand, using his footwork to evade Anakin and Obi-Wan so that he could fight them one-on-one instead of at the same time. Makashi duelists also trained themselves to avoid enslavement to form, as such enslavement opened the practitioner to be defeated by predictability and the unforeseen.
Makashi users were elegant, precise, calm, confident to the point of arrogance (as befit Dooku's personality). Form II users were supremely confident in their chances for victory, and often looked so relaxed when they were fighting they even appeared to be dancing.
Faults
Despite its effectiveness, Makashi was not without its weaknesses. Among the first of these was the fact that it was somewhat harder to deflect blaster shots with this style. Makashi was developed before blasters had become common place in the galaxy, and Form II training taught its practitioners to defend solely against blades. Skilled users could overcome this obstacle with minimal effort, however.
Another drawback was that Makashi was most potent when used against a single opponent, and therefore was reduced in strength when fighting groups of adversaries. Exceptionally skilled users could still fare very well against multiple foes, however. Dooku, for example, could fight up to four adversaries at once with little difficulty.
But the greatest flaw with this system of combat was that it could not withstand strikes from later styles which emphasized more powerful strokes over Makashi's elegance and precision. As shown during Dooku's fatal duel with Anakin, Makashi simply did not generate the necessary kinetic energy to meet Djem So (Skywalker's preferred style) on an even footing. The sheer raw power of Form V wore down Dooku's defenses, physically exhausting him and draining his reserves of Force power.
Known moves and maneuvers
Opening Stance
The opening stance was a single handed low guard. The saber would be held in the strong hand of the user, and held at his side, the blade pointed down, and the feet would be shoulder width apart. Some faced their opponent side on, so the blade was pointed in their direction. Dooku often used this stance when he prepared to fight. The lightsaber hilt would be held with the thumb pointing down the length of the blade to allow for smaller, tighter, more accurate movements of the saber. The rest of the fingers wrap around the hilt holding it tightly, but not so tight as to limit the fluidity of the movements.
Makashi salute
The Makashi salute was not an attack or maneuver but a challenge to an opponent. The saber was held in one hand, brought up vertical directly in front of the practitioner's face, then swung down and made a rapid X in the air. One of the best examples of this ancient tradition was when Count Dooku was fighting his former master Yoda at the Battle of Geonosis.
Lightsaber design variations
Due to Form II's emphasis on blade manipulation, and its many fluid one-handed moves, Makashi practitioners sometimes wielded lightsabers with curved hilts. They also occasionally included blade-guards and are often highly decorated, as shown with Dooku's lightsaber.
Practitioners
Dooku was a master of Form II, fighting with the precision built into the ancient technique. When Dooku wielded this form, he had an advantage; the system of Jedi training immediately before and during the Clone Wars did not prepare many of them for the finesse and precise movements of a form bred for lightsaber dueling.
It was also one of the forms taught to General Grievous by Dooku himself, and the cyborg General in turn taught Makashi to his IG-100 MagnaGuards. Dooku's Dark Jedi apprentice, Asajj Ventress, was deduced by Jedi Master Luminara Unduli to be a Makashi practitioner.Jedi Master Cin Drallig, the legendary lightsaber instructor, was another practitioner of Makashi. During the New Sith Wars, the Sith apprentice Fohargh practiced Makashi besides Soresu during his training, having been trained by the Sith Blademaster Kas'im.Additionally, Jedi Council Member, High General Jedi Master Shaak Ti was a master of Makashi, utilizing it in a personalized mix with Form IV: Ataru. Kento Marek, a Jedi who survived the initial stages of the Great Jedi Purge, had knowledge of basic aspects of Makashi. Darth Vader also incorporated Form II into his specialized variant of Form V.
Form III: Soresu
History
Originally, Form III was developed as a counter to blaster weapons used by multiple opponents. Due to the rise in distribution of blaster weapons, more and more Jedi were forced to adapt a fighting style which allowed them to combat enemies firing from several directions, mostly basing their "attack" on redirected blaster fire. Previous styles had allowed wide, sweeping strokes which left the Jedi open to blaster fire. Form III, however, required maintaining a constant shield of deflective strokes by making short, quick sweeps, close to the body, leaving the Jedi less exposed to ranged fire. Form III was the most defensive of the seven forms
Philosophy
The philosophy of Soresu was described as "being within the eye of the storm." The practitioner maintained a centered frame of concentration, undisrupted by the conflict around them. They did this to maintain the calm center where the outer storm of combat could not harm them. Thus, Soresu commanded powerful defensive techniques that seemed to adapt to almost any circumstance, at the cost of never reaching past the figurative eye of the storm. The Soresu technique used little to none of the attack power needed by those who concentrate on the storm itself. Those who studied this style used the primarily defensive technique to wear down aggressive opponents by defending long onslaughts with minimal counter-attacking. They waited until their adversary spent most of their energy, then employed an alternate, more aggressive attack. They waited for eventual lapses in their opponent's own defense.
The key to truly mastering Soresu may have come from a mastery of the concept and philosophy of Soresu. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, despite his preference for Soresu, applied Shii-Cho elements and Ataru acrobatics into his swordplay, as evidenced by his recollection of his intense duel with the Sith Lord Count Dooku onboard the Invisible Hand. This, however, he did to confuse Dooku, as he later switched back to his true form, Soresu. In his duel against General Grievous, Kenobi used pure Form III swordplay.
Application
Soresu utilized motions that occurred very close to the body, in an attempt to achieve near-total protection and expend as little energy as possible while executing moves. Form III stressed quick reflexes and fast positional transition, in order to overcome the rapidity with which a blaster could be fired. This technique minimized the body's exposure, making a well-trained practitioner nearly invincible. Followers of Soresu preferred to remain on the defensive until their opponent left an opening that a Soresu practitioner could exploit. Observers generally described Soresu as a passive form of combat. Jedi with extreme patience and reserved personality often employed the form - in fact, during the Clone Wars, Soresu was the most commonly used lightsaber form in the Jedi Order.
Combat
Form III involved preparation for prolonged battles where the user observed and learned as much as possible about their opponent's or opponents' technique while engaged in combat. Also, by being more capable in lengthy battles, a Soresu user had the ability to gain control of a combat situation, creating multiple options for the Jedi employing the form. A Form III user could choose to kill, disarm, or even reason with their opponent.
Many Soresu practitioners survived the lengthy Battle of Geonosis, owing to the endurance gained from the form and its specialization in fending off and deflecting blaster fire. Soresu's greatest power lay in the endurance and control a practitioner eventually developed.
Jedi Master Mace Windu noted that, unlike any of the other combat styles, Soresu was not an answer to a particular type of weakness. Vaapad was an answer to Windu's inner darkness; Ataru was Yoda's answer to his limited reach and advanced age; and Djem So helped Anakin release his own powerful emotions. Toward the end of the Clone Wars, Master Windu acknowledged Obi-Wan Kenobi as "The master of Soresu." It was because of this fact that Kenobi was chosen by the Jedi High Council as the Jedi best suited to defeat General Grievous. During their duel, the Jedi Master was capable of parrying all four of Grievous's lightsabers, gradually disarming the cyborg general. Earlier, during his duel with Count Dooku aboard the Invisible Hand, Kenobi's expertise in Soresu allowed him to parry the Count's elegant Makashi strikes.
Soresu was considered the consummate Jedi combat form in that it embraced a passive way of life and a literal expression of the Jedi tenet to defend rather than attack. Obi-Wan himself considered Soresu very simple, so restrained and defense-oriented that Form III was nearly passive. As a master, Obi-Wan could defend himself against any attack less than twenty strikes per second. Darth Vader used elements of Form III in his variant of Form V.
Advantages
Soresu was a very favorable form of combat for Jedi up until the Great Jedi Purge. The defense and control it allowed a practitioner made for suitable outcomes in favor of the user when faced with hurried opponents who left themselves vulnerable to counterattack. However, its defense required a very large amount of focus from the wielder and even a momentary fault in concentration could spell defeat. Jedi with less focused minds would usually abandon this style of combat to capitalize on the benefits of other styles that required less dedication to prolonged fighting. Form III utilized strikes and blocks with the lightsaber at very fast speeds with the blade extremely close to the wielder's body. This form also utilized some acrobatics such as those seen in Form IV to make the wielder even harder to catch.
Form lll was effective against single powerful enemies, as well as large battles with multiple enemies. Form lll was also the most effective form for deflecting blaster bolts, since it was originally designed to combat blaster-wielding opponents, and since the movements are very swift and close to the body, there would basically be no open space between attacks that could leave the wielder open to blaster fire. Jedi who mastered Soresu were known to have an unbreakable defense, and the most successful when dealing in situations when a quick victory was not as favorable as total understanding and calculated action. Soresu users will only attack the enemy to deliver the disarming strike (unless fighting against battle droids), and will keep defending until they see an opening in the enemy. Soresu masters had an unbreakable defense, as mentioned above, and could trap opponents in their own attacks, as demonstrated by Obi-Wan Kenobi during his duel with General Grievous on Utapau, as well against Darth Vader on Mustafar
Weaknesses
Truly focused masters of Soresu were very formidable due to their strong defense technique. Soresu, however, facilitated survival more than victory. Form III initiates were more than capable of defending themselves from attack, but they needed a large amount of experience to learn how to trap an opponent in their own offense. Masters had to maintain an incredibly strong focus on the center of the combat circle, since the defensive tactics of the form included guards and parries engaged very close to the body. Jedi who left small lapses in their otherwise strong defense left little room to avoid injury.
Form III did not favor Jedi Generals in a lengthy fight with troops left alone on the battlefield. Jedi found this situation usually inevitable during the Clone Wars. General Obi-Wan Kenobi provided a good example of this situation when he needed to leave his regiment of troops to conduct his reconnaissance search for General Grievous
Practitioners
"The road is long, but it is worth the journey, for a true master of Form Three is invincible."
Luminara Unduli on Form Three
Developed to combat blasters, Form III was in existence for thousands of years. The Jedi Exile was able to use this style. During the New Sith Wars, the Sith Blademaster Kas'im had mastered Form III as well as the six other forms. Kas'im trained several apprentices in the style, including Fohargh, who used it against Bane's Form V. Darth Bane himself possessed some level of skill in the form, using it to deflect blaster bolts and having trained his apprentice, Darth Zannah, in its use.
In the Clone Wars, the Jedi Battlemaster Cin Drallig mastered it, and like Kas'im, trained many in its use. Luminara Unduli and her apprentice Barriss Offee studied the style. Count Dooku also had enough knowledge in the style that he was able to train Grievous and his IG-100 MagnaGuards in the form.
Obi-Wan Kenobi originally practiced Ataru, but when the style's lack of defensive capability cost the life of his Master, he abandoned the style and began practicing Soresu. Eventually, his mastery grew to the point where he was able to defeat such seasoned swordsmen as Grievous, and Darth Vader during the duel on Mustafar.
After his defeat and mutilation in that duel, Darth Vader included Form III elements in his personal variant of Form V. Vader's secret apprentice was also familiar with Soresu and used it on numerous occasions.
Form IV: Ataru
History
Ataru was an aggressive combat form relying on a combination of power, strength, and speed. Practitioners of Ataru were always on the offensive, attacking with wide, fast, and powerful swings. Form IV practitioners constantly called upon the Force to aid in their movements and attacks. By allowing the Force to flow throughout their body, they could overcome their physical limitations (including old age, as was the case with Master Yoda) and perform amazing feats of acrobatics, such as somersaults and backflips, not only for attack, but also to evade the attacks and strikes of their opponents.Jedi utilizing Ataru needed to incorporate all the Force powers that involved surpassing normal physical ranges of motion, speed, and agility in order to be successful. Running, jumping, and spinning were all emphasized in learning the elaborate kinetics of the form.
Those who used Form IV could move at high speeds and could rain strong blows, jumping and attacking through the air. Powerful and quick spinning attacks could be utilized from all angles, either from ground or air. A master in Ataru combat could appear like a blur to their opponents, attacking from all directions—from the front, the sides, overhead, or behind. The Force not only allowed them to perform athletic feats not possible otherwise, but it also helped guide their actions and movements in combat.
The opening stance for Ataru was a balanced two-handed guard: holding the lightsaber vertically with both palms, either on the right or left side of the body.
Applications of Ataru
Ataru proved to be an effective combat form when used properly, and was common among Jedi in the Mandalorian Wars. It was well-suited to close combat, particularly against single opponents.
Because it was such an aggressive style, Ataru was not generally optimal for use against multiple opponents, and it was somewhat ineffective against blaster fire, particularly from multiple foes.[4] Despite these weaknesses, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn were able to employ this form with great success during the Battle of Naboo against numerous B-1 battle droids. This form was also considered not as effective for prolonged combat, as the nature of Ataru could greatly tax the body. Fatigue was theorized to have been a contributing factor in Qui-Gon Jinn's defeat at the hands of Darth Maul. Another contributing factor in Jinn's death was the requirement of open space for the kinetic acrobatics of Ataru. Without ample space in the Theed Palace reactor core to move, Jinn was deprived of the key element in his defense, and thus could only attempt to block Maul's incessant barrage of Juyo strikes. This event influenced Kenobi—after his master's death, he changed his preferred form to Soresu, the most defensive of all forms.
Through the Force, Yoda was considered to have mastered Form IV to its highest level. He used it in almost all of his battles, and his mastery of the style caused others to describe him as virtually unstoppable against most opponents, including Separatist battle droids, despite his small size and advanced age. His moves in his duel against Count Dooku on Geonosis were revealed on close examination to be a fast-paced demonstration of the standard components of Form IV. Each action flowed from one to another in the smooth transitions characteristic of Form IV. In addition, three kinds of rotation, called su ma, figured prominently in his style: jung su ma (spinning), ton su ma (somersaults), and en su ma (cartwheels). These three moves represented the three possible axes of rotation in three-dimensional space. Together with Force-enhanced jumps, the rotational su ma moves composed most of his style, making the Grand Master exemplary of Form IV mastery. At one point prior to the Clone Wars, Yoda was known to give demonstrations of the form in use, some of which were recorded on databooks in the Jedi Temple. Yoda also employed Ataru against the clone troopers on Kashyyyk and Coruscant. Despite its weaknesses to blaster fire and multiple opponents, Yoda's mastery of the form was such that he was able to defeat the clones.
Dooku stated that he understood "every weakness of the Ataru form, with its ridiculous acrobatics." Dooku's Makashi would counter Ataru by launching a series of thrusts toward the enemy's legs to draw the opponent into a flipping overhead leap, so that Dooku could burn through the enemy's spine from kidneys to shoulder blades with his Makashi attack. The Count applied this tactic against Obi-Wan Kenobi onboard the Invisible Hand, who blocked Dooku's blows with Soresu.
Practitioners
Besides Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn, other notable practitioners of Ataru were Vandar Tokare, Zez-Kai Ell, Vrook Lamar, Kavar, Cin Drallig, Quinlan Vos, his former Padawan, Aayla Secura, Shaak Ti, and Dark Jedi Alema Rar. Obi-Wan Kenobi was also a practitioner of Ataru, but proceeded to study Soresu following the death of his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, at Naboo. General Grievous and his IG-100 MagnaGuards also learned Ataru from Count Dooku.
As a Padawan, Anakin Skywalker studied Ataru briefly, as it fit his flashy, bold, and aggressive personality—he would later use those same traits to become a skilled Form V practitioner. When Anakin applied Jar'Kai tactics against Count Dooku on Geonosis, his swordplay was actually based on Ataru moves. Because neither Jar'Kai nor Ataru were Skywalker's most effective styles, Dooku broke through it easily with sun djem, forcing the young Padawan to switch back to his standard Form V. In general, in the waning years of the Old Republic, Padawans would spend a year or two studying each Form from II to V, including Ataru.
During the Clone Wars, both Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had mastered Ataru in addition to his expertise in Soresu, and Anakin Skywalker often applied some of the Ataru acrobatic moves, despite their mastery of Soresu and Djem So, respectively. When dueling Dooku on the Invisible Hand, Obi-Wan Kenobi started the duel using Ataru stances and techniques to mislead the Sith. Lannik Jedi Master Even Piell also practiced Ataru, in addition to other saber forms. After his transformation and defeat on Mustafar, Darth Vader included elements of Form IV in his personalized variation of Form V, such as during his second duel with Jedi Master Roan Shryne. Vader's secret apprentice was also familiar with Ataru, and his personal droid PROXY attempted to emulate the form, albeit without the aid of the Force, which the apprentice found to be a notable weakness.
The New Jedi Order would learn of this form, along with the others, from knowledge gleaned from holocrons and recordings, particularly the Great Holocron which included a recording by Cin Drallig explaining lightsaber forms. Kyle Katarn and Alema Rar, among others, were trained in the use of the fourth form of lightsaber combat.
Form V: Shien / Djem So
History
Form V was created by Form III masters who preferred a more offensive style, since the defensive nature of Form III could lead to prolonged combat. It evolved into an accepted style by combining the defensive maneuvers of Form III with the more aggressive philosophy and tactics of Form II. Form V also required a higher level of physical strength than the other lightsaber forms, due to its focus on complete domination of opponents. The form was developed alongside Form IV at a time when the Jedi were increasingly called upon to actively keep the peace.
Some Jedi, noting its dedication to domination and strength, felt that Form V encouraged an inappropriate focus on controlling others. Others, including noted lightsaber combat instructor Cin Drallig, were cautiously neutral about the form. However, its proponents maintained that Form V was an effective and powerful tool for the Jedi Order.
Form V had two distinct variations: Shien and Djem So
Shien
To the Jedi of the ancient Republic who developed and employed the classical Form V, Shien, the form was known as the Perseverance Form. Shien was described as being well adapted to guarding against blaster fire and enemy strikes without compromising one's ability to launch powerful counterattacks, though was less effective against a single opponent. Shien was known to have existed at least as early as the Jedi Civil War. With its focus against blaster fire, Shien kept in mind that Jedi were often outnumbered by their opponents and needed to defend themselves while retaining offensive capability. The opening stance for Shien was a high guard position, with the hilt held in a two-handed grip above the user's head, and the blade angled upwards and behind the user. The dominant leg would be back, enabling powerful step-through strikes to be utilized.
There was an ancient Sith variant of this classic lightsaber form called Sith Shien. Sith Shien was known to focus on quick and aggressive attacks against the user's opponent.
Djem So
Djem So was the creation of a group of Form III masters who felt that Soresu was too passive. It addressed the shortcomings of Form III, in which a Jedi Master may have proved to be unbeatable but was likewise unable to overcome a skilled opponent. Utilizing a combination of blocks and parries, a Djem So user maintained a proper foundation in terms of defense against both ranged and melee attacks. While a Soresu user stayed on the defensive, however, and only counterattacked when necessary or when an opening appeared in his opponent's defense, a Djem So practitioner was not nearly so passive. Immediately after defending against an opponent's strike, a Djem So stylist would follow with an attack of their own, bringing the force of the opponent's own blow against them and seeking to dominate the duel. Djem So placed a heavy focus on brute strength and pure power, with wide, powerful strikes and parries followed immediately by counterattack.[1] One of the characteristic moves of Djem So was an overhand power blow downward upon an opponent, the lightsaber held firmly in both hands.
Applications
Despite its metaphorical and literal strength, Form V was not without its weaknesses. Shien was particularly weak against a single opponent and Djem So was known for having a lack of mobility. However, a skilled duelist in Form V was capable of compensating for these weaknesses and employing the form effectively in combat.
By the time of the Ruusan campaign, the Djem So variant of Form V had been developed. Djem So had an emphasis on strength and power, allowing a user to make good use of his or her own physical size and strength. It was for this reason that Sith blademaster Kas'im advised the fledgling Darth Bane to learn Djem So; Bane's imposing size and strength would serve to compliment Form V. Power attacks from a Djem So user could even knock an opponent back just through sheer kinetic force, throwing them off balance and leaving them vulnerable to further brute force strikes and power blows that sought not just to penetrate an opponent's defense, but push them back and leave them unable to counter blows
Unlike Soresu or Ataru, Djem So required the user to not only counterattack, but press the assault, combining Force-enhanced strength with powerful blade combinations to overpower and overwhelm an opponent's defenses. Djem So's sheer power, when combined with physical and Force-imbued strength, was capable of defeating a user of Makashi, a lightsaber form focused on dueling, finesse, and elegance, when employed by a skilled practitioner. Anakin Skywalker initially employed Shien in his defeat against Dooku on Geonosis, but throughout the Clone Wars, he developed his practice of both Shien and Djem So. The many engagements of the Clone Wars, against both mechanical opponents and against lightsaber wielding Dark Jedi honed his skills. On the Invisible Hand, he deceived Dooku with a Shien opening stance and Ataru acrobatics, but partially through the duel, he returned to his own preferred Djem So strokes. The Sith was barely able to deflect his blows and eventually was scorched by his own blade being forced back onto his own shoulder. Using Form V, Anakin pushed Dooku back with power blows, bolstered by use of rage in the fight, until he eventually disarmed and killed the Sith Lord.
After losing to Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar, Darth Vader continued to employ a new variant of Form V, even more focused on sheer power, in his service to the dark side and quest to destroy the Jedi. Vader again employed Form V on the Death Star versus his former master in their final duel—rather than continue to fight, Kenobi sacrificed himself. Ironically, the same techniques used by him against his former master would be mirrored and used against him by his son, Luke Skywalker.
On Bespin, Luke revealed that he was a gifted duelist; after only one brief session with Obi-Wan Kenobi three years previously and a short period of study with Yoda, the inexperienced youth was able to hold his own against Darth Vader for a time. Ultimately, he was unable to stand against Vader's aggressive barrage, being driven back and disarmed, losing his hand. After that duel, Luke further studied lightsaber skills he'd found in a journal left to him by Obi-Wan Kenobi, and greatly advanced in his abilities.
Onboard the second Death Star, Luke was this time able to duel Vader on an even footing, mirroring Vader's Form V technique. When Vader attempted Dun Möch to weaken Luke by invoking his sister, the tactic backfired and provoked Luke into a fury, and in that state he was able to defeat the experienced Sith Lord
Djem So lightsaber design
Lightsabers belonging to Djem So practitioners sometimes had a solid casing (either as a whole or in multiple sections for maximum protection against power surge deterioration) and a heavily shrouded or beveled blade emitter. The beveled emitter was designed to designate separate facets of the blade for either offensive or defensive purposes. Their hilts also commonly included ridged, occasionally thick, hand grips, as Djem So required its users to maintain a solid grip on the lightsaber hilt.
However, curve-hilted lightsabers could be used effectively by Form V practitioners, as demostrated by Darth Bane. Bane noted that curved lightsabers fit better into the palm, allowing greater power without costing precision. They also altered the angle of attacks ever so slightly, which gave Bane a unique dueling style, one that his opponents were not usually prepared to meet
Practitioners
To the Jedi of the Clone Wars era, the most prominent practitioner of Form V was Anakin Skywalker, who mastered both Shien and Djem So. However, the form had been in existence for several millennia, with Shien users including Kavar, Zez-Kai Ell, Vrook Lamar. Some time before the New Sith Wars, Djem So was developed. Darth Bane was trained in its use by the Sith Blademaster Kas'im. During the Clone Wars, Khaat Qiyn employed Form V, as did Aayla Secura, Luminara Unduli, and Cin Drallig. Lannik Jedi Master Even Piell also practiced Form V, in addition to the other saber forms, and Jedi Council member Plo Koon also used the Way of the Krayt Dragon.
In general, in the waning years of the Old Republic, Padawans would spend a year or two studying each Form from II to V, including Form V.
Additionally, despite their lack of Force sensitivity, General Grievous and his IG-100 MagnaGuards learned Form V from Count Dooku during the Clone Wars. Anakin Skywalker studied Shien and Djem So even as a Padawan. However, in his duel with Dooku on Geonosis, he employed Form IV when wielding two blades. Once Dooku had destroyed one of them, Anakin reverted to Form V practices. After joining the Sith, Anakin Skywalker continued to employ Form V, interlacing it with Dun Möch. However, his defeat at Mustafar forced him to alter his style into a new conglomeration. Vader incorporated elements of Soresu and Ataru into his own personalized Form V. His secret apprentice was also familiar with the form.
His son, Luke Skywalker, would also instinctively mirror Vader's swordplay in their duels on Bespin and the second Death Star, and eventually defeat the Dark Lord before refusing to continue the fight.
The New Jedi Order would learn of this form, along with the others, from knowledge gleaned from holocrons and recordings, particularly the Great Holocron which included a recording by Cin Drallig explaining lightsaber forms.One practitioner of the Djem So form was Jedi battlemaster Kyle Katarn.
Form VI: Niman
History
The form was named after Niman, the twin trinities of Kashi gods. Its forerunners were both two-bladed styles, one developed by the Royale Machetero of Kashi Mer, and the other the original Jar'Kai, develped by the Yovshin Swordsmen. It was adapted by the Legions of Lettow after the Great Schism into current Jar'Kai form of combat. Form VI was adapted from Jar'Kai.
Aspects of Form VI may have been adapted for the Medium style of the New Jedi Order.
Form VI was the standard style at and around the time period of the Clone Wars and the Great Jedi Purge. This combat discipline was often called the "Diplomat's Form." Unfortunately, all of the Form VI practitioners at the Battle of Geonosis were killed. As a result, full masters of other lightsaber forms sometimes considered Form VI to be insufficiently demanding.
Form VI attempted to balance all elements of lightsaber combat, combining the techniques from Forms that came before into a less intensely demanding combat style. In practice, Form VI was a combination of older forms (Forms I, III, IV, and V), and all of them in moderation. In the blending, much of the individuality was lost, but the strengths were spread evenly, and there was little weakness in it. Due to its "jack-of-all-trades" nature, the success of this form was largely dependent on the practitioner's intuition, improvisation, and creativity in combat rather than the rote responses derived from other forms. This broad generalization made Form VI well suited for diplomats, as they could spend their time training in the areas of politics and negotiation instead of combat training.
Niman was not, however, a weak form. While many other lightsaber forms bolstered the wielder's abilities in one area, while leaving him vulnerable in others, Niman was capable in all situations but had no dramatic strengths. It provided no edge in battle, but achieved its worth in not leaving its wielder as exposed as some of the more aggressive forms. Its strength was its balance. The form was also considered a basis for more 'unorthodox' fighting, as Jedi who used it were less frequently using automatic reflex than constantly thinking and often had time to invent unusual strategies for combat. It also provided a decent defense versus enemy Force powers and blaster fire.
Sometimes, sparring with another one could achieve a state of meditation, and the Niman form was one of the best such techniques. Its great strength was the way it allowed the Force to flow through its practitioner, revitalizing him even in the middle of combat. The philosophy of Form VI was "the leaf swept in the winds of the Force." Users of this lightsaber form achieved a mindset of one who was not troubled by their surroundings, but simply rode the current of the surrounding turmoil, being well-balanced within.
Practitioners
Since the style was adapted from Niman/Jar'Kai, some of the most prolific masters of the style in ancient times were Zez-Kai Ell, Vrook Lamar, and Kavar. Another practitioner was the Sith Blademaster Kas'im, who mastered it along with the other six forms. Johun Othone, the former padawan of Lord Hoth, prominently used this form to survive the various battles of the Ruusan campaign, though a decade later, as a result of laxed training used it to a more limited effect during combat, nearly being beaten in an attempted kidnapping and hindering the efforts of Sarro Xaj in their duel with Darth Zannah.
Count Dooku appeared to have enough knowledge in the style to train the Kaleesh cyborg Grievous in it, as well as Grievous's IG-100 MagnaGuard bodyguards.
Jedi Master Cin Drallig was considered the most prolific instructor of Form VI, as he was of the five forms below it, teaching Niman to thousands of students during his Jedi career. However, despite his mastery of the style, he was slaughtered by Darth Vader's use of Form V during the Great Jedi Purge.
Obi-Wan Kenobi was known to have utilized some of the styles stances in combat.
Form VII: Juyo / Vaapad
History
For thousands of years before Mace Windu developed Vaapad, around the time of the Jedi Civil War, Form VII was utilized by such notable figures as Zez-Kai Ell, Vrook Lamar and Kavar. During the New Sith Wars, the Sith Blademaster Kas'im also mastered the style, teaching it to Sith apprentices such as Sirak. However, over the next thousand years, Juyo deteriorated into an incomplete form.
However, Juyo was not lost to the Sith, as Darth Maul utilized the style. Dooku also seemed to know enough of the style to train General Grievous and program his IG-100 MagnaGuards to use the form.
Eventually, Mace Windu developed Vaapad from Juyo. He was aided in the form's development by Sora Bulq and taught the style to his apprentice, Depa Billaba. Bulq later taught elements of Vaapad to Quinlan Vos during his retraining. Unfortunately, neither Bulq nor Billaba were able to withstand the mental demands of Form VII and fell to the dark side.
Dubbed the Way of the Vornskr, or The Ferocity Form, Juyo, a term from High Galactic, was originally considered an incomplete form for millennia. Generally viewed as undeveloped and rarely used by the Jedi and the Sith, Juyo was not seen as one of the main forms for generations of Jedi. Jedi Master Mace Windu developed his own Form VII, which was nicknamed Vaapad after a creature from Sarapin which moved with speed similar to Windu. In 22 BBY, Palpatine stated that he had only ever heard of six forms; Yoda said there were only 6 forms for generations of Jedi, and Mace indicated that he invented Vaapad. (It should be noted that Darth Maul, Palpatine's apprentice, was a Juyo practitioner.) The nickname, Vaapad, came from students likening it to a predator, the vaapad, which used its tentacles in lightning-fast whipping attacks. It was said to be impossible to tell how many tentacles a vaapad had until it was dead.
The most challenging and demanding of all forms, Form VII required intense focus, a high degree of skill, and mastery of other forms. Only two Jedi ever mastered Vaapad fully: Mace Windu and Depa Billaba. Sora Bulq helped Windu develop Vaapad, but Bulq proved unable to master the flow of the light and dark sides of the Force generated by the use of the technique, and fell to the dark side. Sora instructed Quinlan Vos in a few of its basics. Mace noted that Vaapad mastered Bulq, not the other way around. Depa Billaba, Windu's Padawan, similarly fell to the dark side when the Vaapad mindset, combined with the horrors of the war, drove her insane. General Grievous used his technical prowess to copy Vaapad to a degree when he fought Windu on Coruscant, though due to his lack of Force sensitivity, he could not truly master it. But it was possible that Grievous had already learned the moves of Juyo, as Dooku noted that Grievous and his guards mastered all the seven classic combat forms.
Application
Intrepid, somewhat direct movements were used in combination with advanced techniques involving Force-powered jumps and very fast motions. Form VII did not appear quite as fancy as Form IV, as there were not as many moves like twirling and flipping, but the technical requirements were much higher. Vaapad used seemingly free-wheeling and open movements, but with utter control on the part of the wielder. The end result, if practiced correctly, was a very unpredictable lightsaber style. The staccato swings and flow of the form made it seem as if the attacks were not linked—but in reality, it was merely confusing the opponent.
Form VII demanded the emotional and physical intensity of Form V, but it much more effectively controlled it—if mastered. Form VII, when fully mastered, resulted in extraordinary power
Mental requirements
Vaapad bordered on the edge of falling to the dark side, as it channeled one's enjoyment of fighting into the attack. Only Windu's mastery and concentration on the light side prevented him from succumbing to his own anger, which is why Vaapad was rarely practiced and very dangerous. As noted above, the only other known practitioners of Vaapad, Sora Bulq and Depa Billaba both fell to the dark side of the Force. Darth Maul, a Sith Lord who appeared to have mastered Juyo, was so immersed in the dark side, yet so much in control of his anger that he could employ his own deadly variant of Juyo without fear. Coupled with his martial prowess, Darth Maul used this variant to defeat several skilled Jedi, including Master Qui-Gon Jinn. However, Darth Maul only devoted to the Form's physical focus, thus he remained silent during the duels on Tatooine and Naboo. Maul desired pure physical victory, rather than the "higher" Sith tradition of Dun Möch, which could dominate the opponent's spirit through taunts that expose inner doubts and weaknesses.
With that said, Vaapad was not just a fighting style. It was a state of mind and a power. The state of mind required that a user of Vaapad allow themselves to gather thrill from a battle. The power of Vaapad was simple: it was a channel for one's inner darkness; and it was a reflecting device. With strict control, a Jedi's own emotions and inner darkness could be changed into a weapon of the light.
Vaapad was also described as "a superconducting loop," with the user on one end and the opponent on the other. It was able to take the powers of the opponent and reflect it back at them. In his fight with Palpatine, Mace Windu used the Chancellor's own speed and hatred against him, reflecting it back against the Sith Lord and using it as his own power. Also, when Palpatine unleashed his Force lightning on Windu, the Jedi was able to use his lightsaber, with the power of Vaapad, to reflect the lightning back at him.
Notable Form VII practitioners
Juyo
Zez-Kai Ell
Kavar
Vrook Lamar
Kas'im
Darth Maul
General Grievous
General Grievous' IG-100 MagnaGuards
Sirak
The Jedi Exile (possibly)
Galen Marek
Rahm Kota
Anakin Skywalker
Vaapad
Mace Windu (creator)
Depa Billaba
Sora Bulq (co-creator)
Quinlan Vos (incomplete)
Other forms of lightsaber combat
These forms were not considered a part of the seven main or "classic" forms. Some were systematized methods of lightsaber combat, while others were merely techniques or principles of combat applied to lightsaber combat. They were mostly based on other forms, with the exception of Form "Zero", which emphasized avoiding conflict whenever possible.
Sokan - using terrain to one's advantage
Shien - attacking many foes at once with wide, sweeping strokes and an underhand grip
Jar'Kai - two-handed lightsaber combat, using one blade for attack, another for defense
Lus-ma - only once mentioned, used by Grievous' MagnaGuards
Form "Zero" - avoiding combat when not necessary
Dun Möch - distracting and taunting an opponent, a Sith technique
Telekinetic lightsaber combat
Trispzest - a type of aerial dueling
Mounted lightsaber combat
Double-bladed lightsaber combat
Lightwhip combat
Tràkata - taking advantage of a lightsaber's ability to be turned quickly on and off
The Unorthodox
Several techniques fell outside the traditional and practiced forms of the Jedi. General Grievous could employ more varied movements. His attacks were intended to misdirect and confuse traditionally trained sword fighters. Grievous was exceptionally capable of this due to the flexibility of his joints, robotic reflexes, and his many limbs. Only the most experienced and talented Jedi could withstand his attacks. For example, Grievous could hold one lightsaber in each of his four hands, spinning two of them very rapidly in front of him as a shield. Grievous used this against Obi-Wan Kenobi on Utapau.
Another unique lightsaber style was that of Adi Gallia who held her saber with a one-handed reverse grip resulting in wide, long swings. This was a personal variation of Shien, much as Vaapad was Mace Windu's personal variation of Juyo. Anakin Skywalker's first Padawan Ahsoka Tano and later his secret apprentice Galen Marek also seemed to prefer this style.
Dark Jedi Boc's combat style was an unorthodox mixture of the dual saber based Niman & Jar'Kai and highly aggressive jumping attacks directed straight at his opponent. He used this against Kyle Katarn in a duel on Ruusan, but—with some help from his friend Jan Ors and the Force—Katarn was able to defeat Boc.
The three styles of the New Jedi Order
In addition to the above-mentioned forms, there were three pace-based styles, probably applicable to all of the conventional and less conventional forms, though each style was more compatible with some forms than with others.
Fast style
Medium style
Strong style
These three styles were taught to the students at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum around the time of the crises of Desann's Reborn and the Disciples of Ragnos. One member of the New Jedi Order who mastered all three styles was Kyle Katarn. Katarn lectured students Jaden Korr and Rosh Penin on them already at their first training session.
The three styles, along with most lightsaber combat skill taught in the New Jedi Order, were based on the principle of the Three Rings of Defense which were introduced very early on in the history of the Order by one of the first students, Kam Solusar.
Marks of contact and maneuvers
All seven forms of lightsaber combat utilized these ancient terms used by the Jedi for describing the objectives, maneuvers to use, and the various outcomes that could arise out of a fight involving lightsabers as weapons. They could help focus a Jedi’s attacks and defenses on a few clearer categories, rather than diffusing awareness across an infinite number of possibilities in a duel.
Marks of contact
Cho mai A cho mai was the act of cutting off an opponent's weapon-using hand. This move showed that the Jedi using it had the honor to cause the opponent minimal physical damage; it also showed the skill and mastery of the Jedi performing the move to the opponent. Darth Vader demonstrated this on Luke in Cloud City.
[Cho mok A cho mok was the act of cutting off an opponent's limb, such as a humanoid's leg. This was demonstrated by Obi-Wan in the cantina on Tatooine.
Cho sun A cho sun was the act of cutting off an opponent's weapon arm.
Sai cha A sai cha was the rare instance when a Jedi beheaded his or her opponent. Sai Cha comes from ancient words meaning "separate" and "head" This was often reserved for the most dangerous of enemies—the ones a Jedi could not afford to keep alive. It could also be used on a being that was lethal but not sentient, such as an assassin droid. The form was used by Mace Windu to kill Jango Fett. As well as Anakin above Coruscant on Count Dooku, by the persuasion of Chancellor Palpatine.
Sai tok A sai tok, frowned upon by the Jedi because of its Sith-like nature, was the act of cutting an opponent in half, usually separating his or her legs from the torso at the waist. This was demonstrated by Obi-Wan at the ending phase of his duel with Darth Maul.
Shiak A shiak was the act of stabbing an opponent. Jedi usually stabbed in the leg or arm, but a Sith variation of this is to stab through the chest, therefore assuring almost certain death to the unlucky victim. This was demonstrated by Darth Maul when he killed Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Sidious when he killed Agen Kolar.
Shiim A shiim was a more minute wound to an opponent by the edge of a lightsaber's blade. Depending on circumstance, this could be seen as either a desperation attack or to immobilize an opponent through pain. Count Dooku demonstrated this on Geonosis.
Sun djem A sun djem was an attack used by Jedi that deprived the opponent of his/her weapon, the objective usually being not to physically harm the opponent. Sun djem was a very diverse sub-form; moves ranged from spinning a lightsaber to dislodging an opponent's weapon to kicking or punching the opponent.
Mou kei A mou kei was an attack used by the Sith and some Jedi that dismembered an opponent through a circular motion of the lightsaber, aimed at the major limbs. The objective was to finish a dangerous opponent. This was the attack used by Obi-Wan Kenobi to end his duel with Darth Vader on Mustafar.
Maneuvers
Jung A jung in lightsaber combat was a 180-degree turn.
Jung ma A jung ma was a maneuver used by Jedi to perform a 360-degree spin in which power was gained for an imminent attack on the opponent. Anakin and Obi-Wan can be seen using jung ma during their battle on Mustafar. Obi-Wan performed the maneuver again years later moments before he disappeared and became one with the Force during a battle with Darth Vader on the Death Star.
Kai-kan Not a maneuver per se, the kai-kan was a re-enactment of a famous, usually ancient, very dangerous, lightsaber or even sword battle, which only very well trained Jedi attempted to perform.
Sai A sai was a jump used by Jedi to evade an attack directed at the legs. The Force was the main backbone of the strength, height, and speed at which the jump was executed. The Jedi could then strike downwards, using the fall as a fulcrum for more power. Known uses of it include by Luke Skywalker against Darth Vader during the Battle of Endor, by Anakin Skywalker against Count Dooku at the Battle of Geonosis, Obi-Wan against Anakin in their lightsaber fight on Mustafar on the connecting end of the collection arm and by Mace Windu against Darth Sidious. However, this maneuver is used many times by Jedi Knights all over the galaxy.
Shun A shun was a 360-degree turn performed with just a one-handed grip, thus gaining speed for an attack. Darth Vader uses this technique when he spins during the second part of his ill-fated fight with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar.
Flowing water The Flowing Water cut was a lightsaber combat technique designed for going blade-to-blade with one's opponent, based on the principle of using the space created when the opponent withdrew their lightsaber offensively to one's own advantage. As the opponent pulled their lightsaber back from a bind, the user would follow it with their blade, in effect causing the opponent to pull the user's blade into themselves.
Falling leaf The Falling Leaf cut was an ancient lightsaber combat technique that involved spinning on one's feet to "slash from the sky". It might be related to the jung ma and shun techniques. The basic maneuver involved the user spinning and making a fast slash at an opponent standing behind them and then return to face the way they were before the maneuver.
Alter damage Alter Damage was not a combat maneuver, but rather a rare Force power by which the Jedi could inflict minimal damage with an otherwise lethal cut or stab. This was used to pacify enemies without killing them or injuring them lethally.
Saber barrier Saber barrier was a defensive telekinetic lightsaber combat technique. Designed for dual saber combat, it created a barrier of lightsaber blades by having the lightsabers spin around the saber-wielding Jedi. Kreia used this power against the Jedi Exile in the Trayus Academy on Malachor V, and the Dark Jedi Alora may have used it years later against Jaden Korr. Mace Windu also mastered this technique.
Saber throw Saber throw was an offensive usage of the lightsaber, combining Force Push and Force Pull allowing the Jedi to throw their lightsaber at targets in a boomerang-like fashion. It was a common Force power, as it was a good long range alternative to the typical short range lightsaber attacks. Darth Vader used the saber throw against Luke Skywalker in their fight on the second Death Star. Since lightsabers switch off when they leave their owners hand, the thrown lightsaber needed to be telekinetically kept on, however, some lightsabers had a special "blade lock" feature.
Spinning attack The spinning attack technique was a trispzest-based technique, mastered by Maw. It consisted in the trispzest-user spinning wildly in the air while lashing out to all sides with the lightsaber, and was highly effective against multiple opponents. Jedi Grandmaster Yoda used it against Darth Tyranus during their duel on Geonosis. Yoda once again used this technique to battle Darth Sidious in the Senate chamber on Coruscant, though the skills of the Emperor as a duelist were too great to be overcome by this magnificent move.
Physical Combat
For a style and method of fighting as focused on grace and precision as lightsaber combat, duelists resorted to physical contact with astonishing regularity.
Darth Maul kicked Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn several times during their two-on-one duel in the Theed reactor core on Naboo. Qui-Gon returned the favor by back-hand slapping Maul in the face and knocking him off a platform in the reactor shaft.
During the Battle of Geonosis, several Jedi were seen kicking down battle droids.
In their duel onboard the Invisible Hand, Count Dooku kicked Anakin Skywalker back just before Force-gripping and hurling Obi-Wan Kenobi across the room. Skywalker returned the favor seconds later by kicking Dooku off the balcony they were dueling on.
Obi-Wan Kenobi kicked General Grievous in the shin during the last stage of their fight on Utapau (with disastrous results, since he kicked the metal armor on Grievous's body). Grievous also resorted to brawling, denting the landing platform-and his own ship-with missed blows and kicks. However, he still managed to score some hits on Kenobi, sending him flying.
At the Battle of Dantooine, upon losing his lightsaber, Mace Windu battles a group of B2 Super Battle Droids via a fierce onslaught of melee attacks and the force until he recovered his lightsaber.
Kit Fisto was considered a martial arts hurricane when it came to fighting opponents in the Clone Wars.
Mace Windu kicked Palpatine in the face during the duel in Palpatine's office, causing Palpatine to fall backwards and drop his lightsaber.
During their Duel on Mustafar, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader both lost their lightsabers, causing the duel to briefly degenerate into a brawl, before Kenobi managed to reclaim his lightsaber. Later, as they approached the door from the control room or the facility to a balcony outside, Kenobi kicked Vader in the hip to give himself a moment to regain his composure. The Sith Lord returned the favor a moment later, kicking Kenobi hard in the face as he drove him back to the edge of the balcony. Also Vader choked Obi-Wan while squeezing his wrist.
Luke Skywalker kicked Darth Vader down a staircase in the Emperor's throne room during their final lightsaber duel.
The duel between Mara Jade Skywalker and Jacen Solo reverted into a vicious bout of strength between the two, as their location prevented both from adequately using their lightsabers.
The duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Caedus onboard the Anakin Solo also degenerated into a violent brawl.
Mace Windu engaged in a completely hand-to-hand duel with his enemy and relative Kar Vastor on Haruun Kal, in an attemt to determine the "pack leader." Windu employed his custom-made Vaapad form in the duel, at several times punching so fast his fists were all but invisible.
Jedi Trials - Trial of skill
Lightsaber combat was the base point for a Jedi in the (traditional) Trial of Skill. To pass as a Jedi Knight, a Padawan must show the following:
They must know all the forms (not to perform), all the maneuvers, marks of contact etc (and perform these) of basic lightsaber combat.
They must be able to perform basic Shii-Cho
They must show they can use the Force to aid their combat
They must go through a series of obstacles, often devised by the master for a personal-course designed to test the Jedi's
(