PT Best lighsaber duel in the prequel trilogy?

Must. Resist. Urge. To. Watch. Again.

The still preview image that I get is of Anakin and Obi-Wan atop the collector arm, which has turned vertical, and is soon to sink/be dismembered (shades of "Titanic" in ROTS, alright).

Perversely, it also looks like they're feuding -- with beams of light -- on a distorted and super-enlarged lightsaber hilt (specifically, Luke's from ROTJ). A lava setting was also planned to climax the OT/ROTJ (the Emperor's original abode).

ROTS/ROTJ = Revenge Of The Sith/Return Of The Jedi (originally called REVENGE Of The Jedi)

That earlier film, and its earlier designs, or the mental perturbations that gave rise to its embryonic form, are powerfully (re)birthed in ROTS: a very delayed and tightly-coiled "tragedy/reckoning" installment, indeed.

Camille Paglia is right to cite the final lightsaber duel as epochal. Even for the trilogy in which it is situated, it has a surprisingly operatic/Wagnerian bent. Almost to the point of capsizing the trilogy, but it works brilliantly, even on that level, I think.

The wailing music, played off against the Jedi combatants, clumsily swinging their garish batons at one another, almost makes it seem like they are little puppets crudely conducting this final passage of film-time. I like that: the hare-brained, monumental quality of this final action piece.

But beyond all that mental masturbation, what Paglia rightly spotlights is just HOW the sequence was executed: with a forbidding blend of physical and digital. A very sophisticated miniature was built for this sequence and a lit in a bold, moody way. The lava flows are not CG, but a physical substitute. And the colour tones are so stark that it has great cinematic atmosphere: every bit as evocative as the sands of Tatooine or the lush gardens of Naboo (it is rather like a hellish Naboo/Theed). This kind of scope is not the scope of the everyday, but far beyond. I think Paglia wants people to consider that in more detail than they yet have.

 

"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"


-Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi

 

I love the pure sense of foreboding and dread in the ROTS Dooku duel. It is operatic, musical, and gives me chills. The orchestration of the background battle with it was gorgeous. It intentionally hearkens back to the ROTJ duel, but is even more in the thick of the action.

 

The Mustafar duel is so emotional. I still cry like a tiny angry baby at the end.

 

Dearth Vader Vs. Obi-Wan! the fight was so dramatic and vary awesome! it was so sad at the end...that fight was amazing.

 

I find it tough to choose, because different fights appealed to me for different reasons. In the end, I went with the Obi-Wan/Vader fight from ROTS, in large part because of the emotional power of the scene, but I admit to being hard-pressed to not give the nod to Qui-Gonn/Obi-Wan vs Maul. And I loved the over the top intensity of Yoda/Dooku. A lot of light-saber goodness in the Prequels!

 

Even though there are many great duels in the PT, I still got my favorites. My favorites are Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan vs Darth Maul, Obi-Wan vs Grievous and Obi-Wan vs Darth Vader/Anakin. But the best duel must Obi-Wan vs Darth Vader/Anakin. For me that is the most emotional duel in the whole PT. I liked the music for that duel too.

 

Obi-Wan kenobi versus Darth Vader. Although I like all of them, Vader vs. Kenobi felt the most emotional to me.

 

Darth Maul in episode I .

 

I mentioned on another thread how disappointing the Mustafar duel turned out to be. Too many people had dreamed of what it must have been like that it could not satisfy all the expectations. The Qui-Gon, Obi, and Maul duel is the best. The music is iconic and really enhances the battle. The Mustafar duel is poorly choreographed and simply not fluid in my opinion. I remember Ewan and Hayden talking about all the practice they had put into the battle. When I finally saw it I was underwhelmed. However, it was not their fault, they needed better direction.

 

And I say:.. ...Vader vs. Obi-wan!
There I ate the most popcorn
>in the middle of the battle I realized that I don't have popcorn <

 

No Anakin vs Cin Drallig, Bene, and Whie Malreaux?

 

Anakin versus Obi-wan. Duh. I can't even think of a reason why that battle isn't awesome.

 

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Agreed. I was seriously underwhelmed by the Vader v Obi Wan duel at the end of ROTS. I thought it looked far too choreographed and was too long.

 

1.Anakin vs Obi-wan on Mustafar- def,my favorite i love the scene and still to this day look it up on youtube to see the fight.

2. Qui-Gon vs Maul on Naboo- I think Qui-gon is an awesome fighter.

3. the third one would have to be. Anakin vs Dooku i like the finishing move he puts on Dooku by going around his back to parry and come under his hands and decapitates him at the wrist. shows the maturity with the lightsaber has improved since Geonosis.

4. Yoda vs Dooku- awesome to see Yoda use his sword. And the strength Yoda has.

5. Anakin vs Dooku (AOTC)- Anakin uses Jar'Kai that is my main reason for liking that part.

And i know this isn't a lightsaber duel but i like when Obi-Wan fights Jango Fett. I think that should count even though Fett doesnt duel with a saber. I think it should count because Jango could give any jedi a run for his money. Thought i would just mention it, I thought it needed to be recognized.

 

The very, very brief duel between Qui-Gon and Maul on Tatooine. It's the only one where it looks like people are fighting to kill eachother instead of whirling glowsticks around at a rave.


But out of the ones on the list, Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon vs. Maul.

 

I must admit I was a little disappointed with the Mustafar duel too. It was pretty good, but it could have been more. I dunno, one problem with it is the way the sabers don't seem to impactfully contact each other, unlike in other duels (such as every OT saber fight, as well as in TPM's Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan vs Maul). They seem to be twirling the sabers too much. I do like the continued pursuit of Obi-Wan by Anakin. There are moments where you go "ooo Anakin almost got him" . It nicely foreshadows the ANH duel the next time they meet. When Vader kills Obi-Wan it feels like (from Vader's point of view at least) Vader has finally got what he wanted 19 years earlier. Of course, on the larger scope of things it isn't quite the victory against "those treacherous Jedi" that Vader thinks it is, but I think there is a neat story arc here that starts when Anakin first turns. Off-topic, when he first turns I don't think he truely wants to kill Obi-Wan. Although when Sidious states "Every single Jedi, including your friend Obi-Wan Kenobi is now an enemy of the Republic" to which Anakin/Vader confidently replies "I understand Master.", he later remarks to Padme "We can only hope he has remained loyal to the Chancellor." IMO it is not until he thinks Obi-Wan has turned Padme that it really is set in stone that he wants Obi dead. There is an interesting progression here, Vader going from "doing what must be done" eventually leading up to "I HATE you!" You can really see Anakin's frustration at Obi-Wan during the Mustafar duel, and his speech after Anakin is dismembered, while coming from the heart, seems to anger Vader more. I guess what I'm saying is that there is a meaningful arc to this duel, and it kinda makes up for some of the disappointing choreography. We have never seen a duel between brothers at any other stage in the saga, the only scene I can think of that comes close is Luke holding back against Vader in ROTJ.

Back to the PT duels... my favourites would have to be both of Qui-Gon's encounters with Maul (with and without Obi-Wan), Anakin vs Dooku in ROTS, and the Mustafar duel.

Qui-Gon is easily one of my fave characters (in any series), and I prefer Maul over Dooku any day. The music in both TPM duels is spot on, "Duel of Fates" is perfect for the mood of the fight, and the short duel on Tatooine's music has a quality that really re-enforces the symbolism of it being the first encounter between a Jedi and a Sith. Also, some symbolism in Maul passing over Anakin on the speeder bike, at this stage Anakin is practically helpless, and there is some obvious foreshadowing in this moment.

I find the AOTC duels kind of anti-climactic, so Anakin and Obi-Wan vs Dooku in ROTS is a highlight for me. Some subtle (and not so subtle) mirroring to Luke's second encounter with Vader in ROTJ, without becoming repetitive. Of course, Anakin's actions here are the "anti" throwing-away-his-saber that occurs in ROTJ. I love that it isn't spelled out for you that Anakin has beaten Dooku using his anger. It contrasts and re-enforces the coaxing Luke needs to do similar at the end of the ROTJ duel. Luke is like his father, but isn't. The burst of speed Anakin gets when he gets angry is IMO better choreographed than other duels in the movie, but I'm no expert on swordplay.

I generally find the TPM duels and the ROTS duels have more at stake than Dooku's duels in AOTC. In TPM, Qui-Gon's death is instrumental in contributing to Anakin's fall, and Obi-Wan also becomes a Jedi by killing Maul. Beside, perhaps, the Grievous fight in ROTS, all the Ep3 duels have something large at stake. I point out the Grievous fight particularly because although it represents the war coming to an end, it is a manufactured war, and more would happen if Anakin was defeated by Dooku, Mace was defeated by Sidious, Obi-Wan was defeated by Anakin, or Sidious was defeated by Yoda. Did I mention I love ROTS? Lightsaber-tastic. And there is an underrated depth to the movie that ocassionally even the OT was not achieving. Just saying.

 

Mace vs Sidious was really cool, except Sidious's facial expressions

 

In regards to the Mustafar duel:

One portion of the Mustafar duel that I really like is when Anakin and Obi-Wan are on that structure floating in the lava (right before they grab the ropes and swing) and Anakin is just hacking away at Obi-Wan. I really like the close-ups of Anakin that are employed and the sheer determination in his face to beat Obi-Wan into the ground while Obi-Wan tries desperately to get away.

Another part of that duel that I think is well done is, as they are leaving the control room, Obi-Wan kicks Anakin away and Anakin just gives him this look, grabs his saber with both hands and swings away.

A moment that's a bit more poetic, in my opinion, is when Obi-Wan stands on the platform and watches as Anakin's about to go over the lava falls, the molten metal of the arm-structure rising in the background. In many ways, I think it sums up the character's feelings very well -- he's basically watching Anakin going over the edge and feeling as though there's nothing he can do to help him and it would be best to simply let him go. It's framed rather beautifully too, I would say.

 

TPM three way battle was the best I think.

 

The Windu one gets my vote. He looked very elegant in his fighting, and he proved that he was one of the most powerful jedis. Plus, the fact this was Sids' first lightsabers scene did give me a few chills

 

I quite enjoyed Maul v. Qui-Gon in the desert - shame it was so short!

But, I think my favourite to watch is actually Yoda v. Sidious. I love how close quarters it is initially and then Sidious force-throwing those platforms at Yoda with so much ease is just awesome to see!