JEDI STYLE
Swordfighting in Star Wars and The Phantom Menace

Submitted by N.P. Jamilla
4/1/99

Ever since Obi-Wan Kenobi’s fateful encounter with a belligerent patron in a Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars: A New Hope, fans have been enthralled with the fighting style that has, until only recently, been given a name. Forget Teras Kasi, the fighting art is called Jedi Style. And their weapons of choice are the lightsaber and its Sith-sister, the double lightsaber.

This time Lucas has gone a step further than the first three films, giving us fantastic sword fights, with death-defying acrobatics that bring sword fighting to new cinematic heights. The huge leaps, forward and reverse somersaults, and the flying kicks are back, but what makes the new lightsaber duels even more intense are the speed and variety of the attacks, as well as the skill of the swordsmen. Lucas, at the official Star Wars website, refers to the time of Episode I as the Prime of the Jedi. And in recent trailers and the 60 Minutes interview with Lucas, it is clear that the Jedi were fearsome fighters and skilled swordsmen.

In Star Wars: A New Hope, the first glimpse of the lightsaber occurs in Obi-Wan Kenobi’s home in the Jundland Wastes where Luke was given his father’s lightsaber. "An elegant weapon," Obi-Wan says, "for a more civilized age." Here Luke learns of the Force, which is described as an energy field that binds the universe together. Though the concept of the Force may seem like an alternate expression for life, or the soul as the Ancients would say, the concept goes to the heart of most Asian martial arts.

In China this life force is called chi, from which tai chi gets its name. In Japan the same Chinese character is pronounced ki, and is considered the source of the martial artist’s energy. Sympathetic Westerners would explain this concept in terms of magnetic or electrical energy coursing through the body. Skeptics would question its existence, finding an explanation in psychological or psychosomatic terminology, while pure rationalists would dismiss it as wishful thinking. Still, many in Asian countries do believe in the system of energy nodes in the body and regularly see traditional medicine men who follow age-old religions that find expressions in treatments like acupuncture, massage, and herbal medicine. Soft arts, like wu shu (Ray Park’s martial art), tai chi, kung fu, and aikido depend on this energy as a source of their power and strength. Probably the nomenclature in Ki-Adi Mundi takes his name directly from the Japanese word.

The Trilogy

Sword fighting in Star Wars was very basic in its execution and conception. The attack on Ponda Baba (a.k.a. Walrus man) in the Cantina was not actually shown, but implied with the fall of the alien’s arm to the ground. Lucas relies instead on Obi-Wan’s posture and demeanor to convey the grandeur of a great Jedi knight. On the Death Star, the duel between Vader and Kenobi is an exchange of high and low slashes to the head and leg, as well as two thrusts. The duel ends when Ben raises his sword and sacrifices his life in order to allow the others to escape.

The Empire Strikes Back, in keeping with the more serious and contemplative tone of the movie, contains the most emotional fencing of the three films. Luke is still the apprentice whose youthful spirit imparts on him a naive sense of urgency. In every scene, including his test against Vader in the cave, Luke draws his weapon first and presumptuously attempts the persona and demeanor of a more experienced warrior. Vader holds his lightsaber with one hand for early fighting scenes, easily fending off Luke’s determined, but ineffective attacks, and forces him into the carbonite freezing pit. Through sheer will and brute force, Luke succeeds in regaining his strength by knocking Vader down into a lower level of the chamber. Luke seeks out an angry Vader, who now holds his lightsaber with both hands. Vader employs his powers of telekinesis to distract Luke with flying debris, sending him out an observation window where he catches hold of a railing. He returns to the control room bent on defeating Vader, but Vader redoubles his attacks, forces Luke to the edge of a precipice, and then cuts off Luke’s hand, which still clutches his lightsaber. Rather than submit and surrender to Vader and his offer to join him in defeating the emperor, Luke recoils and throws himself into the abyss.

Luke’s first experience with a training remote is long behind him, and his false pride, the same pride that earlier leads to young Obi-Wan’s failure with Anakin Skywalker, had led him to believe he was already a Jedi. Was Luke’s own face behind Vader’s mask a premonition of the future, a revelation of his heritage, or a foreshadowing of his own shortcomings? That will always be a subject of personal interpretation. What ever the case, even Yoda’s training was not enough to lead Luke to maturity or Jedi knighthood. Technical skill is not enough to make a Jedi. Experience and wisdom are yet to evolve in the young Luke. But the second, coming-of-age chapter in his life is a necessary preparation for the final episode.

The return to Tatooine in Return of the Jedi is the transitional stage for Luke in his evolution as a warrior. He now shows the strategy of a plan to save Han, as well as the tactical ability to employ his skills against barge and skiff guards that outnumber him. Yoda instructed Luke that a Jedi must use the Force for knowledge and defense -- never for attack. But as any soldier knows when he is cornered or caught in the open, the only defense is the attack. For the first time Luke engages multiple enemies at point blank range.

He closes to lightsaber distance, effectively rendering blasters useless. Slashing at enemies, cutting through Boba Fett’s ensnaring rope, and deflecting blaster bolts, Luke engages the enemy on his own terms, using the skills of his lightsaber and the tactical knowledge of a fighter. Later he would use his saber against scout troopers, before giving it up to Imperial troops when he surrenders to Vader on the forest moon of Endor. In the presence of the Emperor, he is drawn by hate and anger to take back his weapon and strikes at the evil that corrupted his father. A battle between Luke and Vader ensues, and, for the first time, Luke realizes that violence is not the solution to his father’s redemption. Luke deactivates his lightsaber and turns the tide by now offering to his father a chance to fight the emperor. The battle continues, however, and reaches a stalemate when Luke refuses to engage in the fight to destroy his father. But driven by the need to protect his sister, he defeats Vader by cutting off his mechanical hand, as Vader had done to him. Upon realizing that he was about to become like his father if he killed Vader, Luke tosses aside his lightsaber and paves the way for his father’s redemption. No longer is he Darth Vader, but he has once again become Luke’s father, Anakin Skywalker.

The Age of the Lightsaber Duel

Episode I now holds a new chapter in the development of Jedi and Sith lightsaber fighting. The two trailers and the 60 Minutes interview with George Lucas show us two types of fighting in Episode I -- duels and battle fighting. While the fighting in Episode I is an invented martial arts system designed to help tell the tale of a fallen Jedi and his return from the dark side, fencing, stage fighting, and modern and traditional martial arts have all had an influence on the swordsmanship of Star Wars.

It is no secret that the samurai films of Japanese filmaker Arika Kurosawa has served as inspiration to many of the artistic direction and themes in the Star Wars universe.

The student of kendo or of any of the many Japanese schools of swordsmanship can do the attacks and blocks used in the first trilogy. The basic stance of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jin are those of Japanese fencing swordfighting. The two-handed grip with the blade held in front of the body with the point at eye level is called chudan, or middle position. The stance with saber held at shoulder level with the point in the air is called hasso no gamae. Similar to the en garde position in fencing (the classical stance with the foil pointing toward the opponent and the unarmed hand up in the air for counter-balance), these two positions are starting points for defense and attack. From these positions a swordsman can close distance for the attack or retreat outside of fencing distance. It is also a dramatic fighting pose, which is why many of the pictures of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are in these positions when they hold their sabers.

All fencing stances, as well as all attacks, are preferences that swordsmen, through experience and thought, have either invented themselves, or have been learned from predecessors in the art. Each style of swordsmanship, even within a particular country, has slight variations in stances that reflect their fighting style. Whether a sword is held by two hands or one, with a blade facing up or down, is simply a matter of choice. Similarly, stances the Star Wars trilogy are not exact copies of Japanese fencing styles, nor is Ray Park’s movement pure wu shu. There is a universality of movement in sword attacks (a human can only use a sword effectively in a certain number of ways), but it is no surprise that Jedi Style reflects a samurai quality of fighting.

Probably the Asian tradition of teaching weapons as a series of movement, called forms, has undoubtedly helped in the training of actors Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor. The Japanese word for form is called kata. When you see someone test for ranking in any Japanese martial art, the movements that are demonstrated are kata. Basic kata contain the heart of the art: the strikes, punches, and kicks that make the movement martial. More complicated kata contain more sophisticated techniques and variations of the basic movement.

Stunt Coordinator Nick Gillard, who choreographed the swordfighting sequences for Episode I, taught the novice swordsmen Neeson and McGregor in small sections. Essentially by teaching them a kata. Once the basic attacks, blocks, and movement are learned, repeated practice is done to increase the speed of the attacks and the accuracy of the swordwork. It is an open Hollywood secret that all martial art scenes are sped up to increase the dramatic presentation of the fighting. This works well in traditional martial arts films that take place in the real world with which the audience is familiar, but the particular nature of Episode I imposed special requirements on the swordwork.

The duel in A New Hope is in essence a human fight with basic swordwork. As later episodes came out, Jedi skills, in keeping with Luke’s abilities, also increased. The swordwork in Episode I, as seen in preview footage, reveals a complicated fighting art. In the trilogy, Vader "flies down" in Batman fashion, while Luke does acrobatic backflips. Not only can Jinn, Kenobi, and Maul perform these incredible feats, they do it in the open sprawls of Coruscant’s complicated system of walkways. Lucas even gives us a scene reminiscent of the cavalry charge. Darth Maul on his Sith speeder charges Anakin and Qui-Gon. Maul slashes down at Qui-Gon while simultaneously doing a forwardflip that drops him behind the Jedi knight.

Consequently, much of the lightsaber scenes are done with blue screen so the background can be "dropped" in later by ILM. The choreography, however, does not suffer much loss in martial effectiveness. Gillard choreographed every cut, thrust, or block as if from a real swordfight. A slash to the head would hit the head if it were not blocked, a thrust would hit if the defender did not retreat. In stage combat, the safety of the swordsmen is the highest priority. Because the audience is not familiar with real fencing, artistic license often puts the fencers outside of fencing distance. Thrusts fall short on purpose, and attacks can often be "pulled" if one’s partner misses a block. Gillard, however, says, fencing in Episode I "isn’t stage fighting." He has in fact created a true fencing style in which every strike must count.

Borrowing attacks from kendo, epee, rapier, and even tennis and ax chopping, Gillard teaches Neeson and McGregor how to fence with real swords and to employ "speed and economy of movement" in their fencing. Of course all swordwork, whether Japanese katana, Chinese sword, or Western fencing requires speed and economy of movement, this fidelity to true sword movement reflects the life-like quality Gillard wanted for Episode I. In addition, other skills needed for swordwork include precise timing, accurate movement, and perfect coordination.

Swordsmanship is not simply slashes to the head or the leg. There are cuts to the neck (to strike through to the jugular vein), thrusts to the armpit (the open spot in all armor), thrusts up under the chin (to penetrate to the brain), cuts to base of the wrist (to sever the muscles and tendons that allow the hand to grip and control the sword), and cuts to the elbow or knee cap (where cartilage is easier to cut through than bone). The thrust of a foil to the torso worked in a 17th century duel where neither duelist wore armor, pummeling by mail-clad knights was common during the middle ages, and the pointing of sabres in a cavalry charge worked with deadly efficiency for Hussars and Arab horsemen. So too in Episode I, Jedi fighting must reflect the time and the place.

But what is the essence of the Jedi’s lightsaber style? Much of it depends on the qualities of the weapon and the situation in which it is used. One inconsistency among the three films is whether or not a lightsaber cauterizes exposed flesh. In Obi-Wan Kenobi’s attack in the Cantina, blood was spilled around the wound to the alien’s cut-off arm. Yet in The Empire Strikes Back, there is no blood when Luke’s hand is cut off. Lightsabers are not real, however, and certainly artistic license in telling the story is a greater consideration than lightsaber continuity. Encyclopedic sources in the licensed literature state that the length and strength of the light shaft can be adjusted from short to long, weak to strong.

There is also the weight of the weapon and the strength of the saber’s light blade. Since light energy has negligible weight, one can assume a lightsaber is only as heavy as the lightsaber itself. This is an important consideration since it is the mass of the blade, along with speed, direction, and gravity, that determines the quality of a cut in a real blade. Probably a more important consideration, given the very different nature of an energy blade, is the cutting power of the lightsaber’s blade.

The Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology states that a lightsaber can cut through "almost any substance." Assuming that a lightsaber can cut through durasteel out of which the hulls of space ships are made (a Star Wars universe term for a kind of super steel), one can definitely recognize the extraordinary qualities such a technology can have. Were this a real technology, one can imagine the myriad of applications: cutting stone effortlessly, chopping forests, shaping metal, etc. In fact, several pictures on a space ship show a circular hole in a door that has supposedly been cut by a lightsaber. By the same token, it is doubtful that a lightsaber’s "blade" could cut through metal because of the lightblade itself. If it did, Vader’s arm would have been severed in The Empire Strikes Back when Luke hit Vader on the shoulder. In fact, that scene shows that the force of the strike influences penetration power. It therefore follows that a lightsaber can cut through metal rather easily if there is sufficient force to the cut. Even with a real metal blade, learning to cut properly takes considerable practice. If the vector of the cut is not aligned with the cutting edge, a metal blade would "bounce off" a person (it would be deflected by bone). The effect would still be dreadful, but the cut would not be as effective if executed correctly. Simply put, the lightsaber’s cutting power is directly related to the force and direction of the wielder’s attack.

Whatever the specifics, Lucas has certainly imbued the lightsaber with qualities that make it a plausible weapon in the Star Wars universe. It acts as a hand-to-hand weapon as well as a shield against the laser bolts from blasters. What accounts for its rarity in the galaxy (only Jedi knights seem to carry them) is the difficulty in learning how to effectively use a lightsaber. The same reason guns are preferred over swords.

Learning to use a gun, or a blaster in Star Wars, requires a certain level of skill. Certainly better quality training over an extended period of time increases the effectiveness of a gun or rifle shot. But the threshold in dexterous skill necessary for excellent swordsmanship is at a level far above that of a marksman. If the sword is not held properly, it is as much as danger to its wielder as it is to his opponent. If the cut is not made perfectly, the slash will be considerably less effective, possibly breaking the sword itself.

It seems then that the quality of the swordsman is the greatest indicator of a lightsaber’s effectiveness. Even the power and speed of a young fencer is no match for an experienced opponent -- no matter what the age. Throughout history the sword has been the equalizer between the crude distinctions of height, girth, and weight. Nineteenth century magazines and newspapers contain many references to with skilled women fencers defeating their male counterparts. And many young fencers are unpleasantly surprised to find they are easily defeated by men twice or three times their age.

All hand-to-hand combat requires extensive training in footwork, punches, kicks, distance, timing, and coordination. The same applies for all weapon training. And even modern badges of rank (i.e. blackbelts) do not necessarily reflect the martial prowess of a person because many martial artists do not practice simply for self-defense reasons. The fact that martials arts have taken on a spiritual quality (which is certainly emphasized in Star Wars) is a reflection of society at large. Similarly, Neeson and McGregor have indeed developed a sense of how a real sword would work, but whatever skills they’ve learned from Nick Gillard, and even Ray Park himself, pales in comparison to Park’s years of practice and competition.

What is most profoundly clear from Ray Park’s movement is the realistic and strategic movement of his footwork. A one-on-one duel with a single opponent is relatively straightforward -- you face your opponent. With two or more attackers, the dynamics of defense, attack, and movement are intense. In his fight on Coruscant (shown on 60 Minutes), Darth Maul follows the first rule of multiple-attacker fighting -- keep the attackers in front of you as much as possible. Conversely, two attackers should try to attack from both sides. The defender must also try to use position and terrain as a way to prevent attackers from striking at the same time. Isolate one, attack quickly, and then move on to the other(s). Darth Maul does this several times when he blocks Obi-Wan’s attack, then Qui-Gon’s, and does a high kick to Obi-Wan.

A variant tactic is to move to a position in which all three swordsmen are in a straight line, thus allowing only one attacker the space to attack. The Coruscant duel between the Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, and Darth Maul demonstrate all of these tactical moves. And even when attacked from both sides, Maul uses a very effective, and difficult, technique of blocking Obi-Wan’s attack, holding it, and using the cross of the swords to catch Qui-Gon’s cut. It makes for a very dramatic fight, though the skill of such swordfighting would be rare even in the heyday of sword fight. Then again, Episode I is a movie.

Probably many are also wondering about Darth Maul’s Sith double lightsaber and whether it comes from any fighting style in the real world. When only one side is ignited, it is of course used like a regular lightsaber. The Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology says the double-bladed lightsaber would be handled like a quarterstaff. But because of Ray Park’s martial arts background, his Sith weapon is handled more like the staffwork of China or Japan. In fact, there is no traditional weapon in Asia that resembles the Sith weapon except the long staff.

It would be unpractical to create a double bladed weapon. The blade of a sword had to be protected from the elements to prevent rusting, and even when such a weapon were not in use it would have to be laid on its side to keep the blades from being damaged. And particularly during a battle, such a weapon would be as deadly to fellow troops as it would be to an opponent. Finally, from a purely economical point of view, arms makers could better use the steel for a double bladed sword by creating two swords instead. Surely such an arm, if it ever existed, would only have been a novelty weapon.

But that is precisely what makes it an excellent sword for a lone agent like Lord Darth Maul in the Star Wars universe who fights on his own. It is easily concealed and can be carried regally like small scepter. Once extended it can easily reach a length of eight or nine feet, giving the double lightsaber an ominous and threatening appearance. Surely the skill needed to effectively wield the Sith weapon had to be at least the equal of a Jedi if he were to counter the traditional lightsaber.

The closest weapon to Darth Maul’s lightsaber is the traditional long staff of the Orient. Its simplicity and rather innocuous appearance (a simple smoothed pole) made the staff an easy accessory for a traveler. Buddhist monks carried such a staff with rings on both ends, and could, if they learned, use it for self-defense. While a staff had no cutting edge, each end could be used for a thrust to the face, while the broad haft of supple wood could give a hearty blow or even block a sword thrust if properly employed. Given the special nature of a two-ended lightsaber, two ends could be easily used against numerous attackers as long as the wielder did not have any friends standing next to him. The perfect weapon for an assassin.

Age of the Lightsaber Battle

The other kind of fighting appearing in the trailers is the pitch battle. We will have to wait until the next installments to see if rumors are true about Episode II being a kind of futuristic Braveheart in which opposing armies fight it out with lightsabers. Jedi swordsmanship would certainly reach unimaginable cinematic heights, outdoing the already epic battle scenes between Gungans and battle droids.

It is already clear from the scenes in Episode I that the traditional battle field of ancient and not so ancient warriors is a pivotal element of the plot. Armored cars and tanks ended the traditional battle formations used on the European battleground, but leave it to Lucas and his mind to create an underwater race of Gungans who fight invading Federation battle droids in biblical, David and Goliath battle. Their defensive shield, hand atlatls, and hand-held shields allow them to fight an army of marching metal soldiers.

It is clearly the Jedi ways that influence the Gungan tactics. In several space ship scenes both Jedi Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan demonstrate their prowess against an onslaught of battle droids. Using their lightsabers to deflect laser bolts, the two Jedi help provide cover for Naboo fighter pilots scrambling to get to their fighters after a surprise attack by the Federation. In the forest of Naboo, Qui-Gon deflects STAP laser fire back at the attacker. The two Jedis charge at battle and destroyer droids on board one of the ships above Naboo with impunity, slashing left and right, twirling in circular motions. Does it seem even remotely plausible?

Hand-to-hand combat was the predominant weapon of world armies up until the 17th century when the musket was becoming standard issue in European armies. Even before that, during the Middle Ages, the long bow, at the Battle of Crecy, did not supplant the weapon of choice of armies -- the sword. If anything, the range of the longbow forever affected the kind of armor armies would wear. And even until the 19th century the sword was still standard issue. In earlier days when the musket was unreliable and often impractical, it was the sword that remain the preferred weapon of the infantry. And even into the 20th century, American cavalrymen still carried and used the sabre in battle. It was not until the technological breakthrough of repeating fire that the sword was removed from the standard issue of a soldier’s arsenal. That technological breakthrough was the machine gun in World War I which prevented the massive charges that used to be the staple of battlefield warfare.

The Jedi Order

Because of the lightsaber’s ability to deflect the laser beam, the return to an outmoded weapon had its advantages when used in the hands of an elite and highly trained order of knights in service of the Republic. The origins of the Jedi Knights, and its enemy, the order of the Sith, are still not explained, but Lucas has already shared basic information about the Jedi, their role, and their philosophy.

The Jedi were not simply a galactic policemen. In the Star Wars website, Lucas stated that Jedi knights were, in addition to being skilled in the ways of the warrior, also spiritual, intellectual, and specialist mediators. They were guardians of a galactic government, but they also served an advisory role. Their weapons were not that of camouflaged troops, but that of a galactic court attendant who had to have the intellectual, political, and fighting skills to maintain peace among worlds separated by distance, culture, and technology. How powerful the order is and how many the Jedi number in the galaxy is yet to be addressed, but certainly the Jedi Council has a significant role on Coruscant, the jewel located at the very heart of the universe.

When Episode I is released, the significance and real power of the Jedi Council will be revealed. They are a respected order and are certainly powerful, but as corruption in the Republic Senate eats away at the peace that has been maintained, the Jedi, in all of their might and majesty, will fall victim to an internal struggle that will cause galactic civil war. How that happens is yet to be seen. We already know how the galactic struggle ends, but where does it begin? It begins when the Jedi, with lightsabers at their side, are betrayed, and the galaxy is thrown into chaos.

Bibliography

Movies and Stills:
Lucas, George, dir. Star Wars: A New Hope, Episode IV, Special Edition, Twentieth Century Fox, 1977. Videocassette.
Kershner, Irvin, dir. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Episode V, Special Edition, Twentieth Century Fox, 1980. Videocassette.
Marquand, Richard, dir. Return of the Jedi, Episode VI, Special Edition. Twentieth Century Fox, 1983. Videocassette.
Episode I: The Phantom Menace Trailers: A and B, www.Starwars.com.
60 Minutes: Interview with George Lucas, CBS, New York, 28 Mar. 1999.

Internet:
"Prime of the Jedi" (Lynne's Diary, Part 6) March 31, 1999
"Nick Gillard on Jedi Swordplay" March 31, 1999
"Take a Closer look" March 31, 1999
"Trading Lightsaber Blows with Obi-Wan Kenobi" March 31, 1999
"Crew Profile Nick Gillard." Nick Maley. March 30, 1999
"The Lightsaber Armory." March 30, 1999

Books:
Smith, Bill. Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology. New York: Del Rey, 1997.

Of Interest:
Ratti, Oscar and Adele Westbrook. Secrets of the Samurai. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle Co., Inc., 1973.
"On Mastering Fencing." N.P. Jamilla. USFA Magazine, Oct/Nov/Dec 1991.March 30, 1999

Biography

(N.P. Jamilla is a novelist and teacher in Kensington, MD. In November 1997, he was approved by Lucasfilm Licensing to submit short stories to West End Games. He has written two novels, "Grey Eminence" (a US/USSR thriller) and "Bridge Builders" (a novel about the pope and an American Swiss Guard), which have not yet been published. A graduate of Georgetown University in international relations, his professors include former U.S. Amb. Jeanne Kirkpatrick and the present Secretary of State Madelaine Albright. In 1987 he competed in the World University Games and the World Fencing Championships. He also worked in the Supreme Court for two years, lived in Paris for one year, in Japan for four, teaches fencing in his spare time, and has blackbelts in aikido, kendo, and jodo.)

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