The Jedi start virtually every fight in the saga.

the jedi are only meant to use fighting as a defence, never for attack but in virtually every lightsaber duel in the saga the jedi involved ignites his lightsaber first.

off the top of my head i think this happens in anakin/obi1 vs dooku (twice), jedi vs palps, yoda vs palps, ob1 vs anakin, luke vs vader (ESB)

surely this shows the jedi willingness to fight as opposed to them using the force just for defence when they themselves are under attack from a sith?

 

So many threads on this already. You are taking the line Yoda utters in TESB way to literally.

 

Perhaps igniting the lightsaber quickly is the best way to defend against an attack. Especially when we consider that the Sith tend to shoot blue lightning at their foe.

Luke ignited first in Empire, because he was eager, impatient and afraid. He wasn't a Jedi yet, and had very limited training (up to that point.) I don't think that event can really be discussed in the context of Jedi behavior.

In Menace, Maul was standing in their way, a duel was inevitable.
The Jedi needed to protect themselves against a man who had already proven how dangerous he could be.

I'm fuzzy on all of the details, I'm about to go into the DVD collection to check some of the things I'm unsure about.

I'll be back after that.

-Seldon
Edit: I agree completely with VadersLaMent, but still I intend to examine this and provide a reasoning behind the Jedi behaivor.

Okay, I've checked the films, you couldn't be more wrong.

The Phantom Menace
Maul is chasing Anakin and QGJ on a speeder bike. QGJ must defend the defenseless nine year old boy. As Maul jumps off the bike, they both ignite at the exact same time.

On Naboo, Maul is standing there and ignites the saber before the other two Jedi.

Attack of the Clones
Anakin and Obi-Wan run into the room with ignited sabers. Though this seems reasonable as they are in an enemy lair, in a war zone. Perfectly justified.

When Yoda walks into the chamber, Dooku makes the first act of agression by attacking him with the Force. Yoda ignites his lightsaber after the Count proclaims that they shall have a duel, Dooku had already ignited off screen. It isn't exactly clear, but it seems to me that Dooku was the first to ignite.

Revenge of the Sith
Obi-Wan ignites first, but this is only after having seen Anakin strangle his own wife. The lightsaber is in defense, and it seems reasonable to do so.

I can't remember exactly about Sidious vs. Yoda.

A New Hope
Vader already has the saber ignited, as Ben walks into the room.

The Empire Strikes Back really doesn't count for reasons I've already stated. It is really the same for ROTJ as well.

I don't know where you got your facts from. Seeing that this entire thread was built on things which aren't true, I don't really see any reason to keep it open.

Final Edit: In regard to the Jedi vs Palpatine--they were going to arrest a suspected Sith Lord. This lord being the most powerful creature in the universe. A lightsaber in defense seems justified.

Virtually every fight is not started by a Jedi, I'm not sure why you thought that was so.

 

Darth-Seldon, I've never seen you be so mean!

 

My post wasn't written in mean spirits, nor what I trying to be. I'm just posting the truth, and I'm puzzled why he would make a thread without investigating the facts.

Again it isn't my intention to be mean here.


-Seldon

 

in every fight the jedi arein a lightsaber fight is inevitable even is the jedi ignite first so it's only natural to get the fight over with as fast s possible.

 

Even when they ignite first, they are always very gentlemanly and give their foe time to ignite their saber as well. LOL.

 

Darth Seldon, you bring a tear to my eye

Im sorry this thread has so personally riled you

"I don't know where you got your facts from. Seeing that this entire thread was built on things which aren't true, I don't really see any reason to keep it open."



I see you are happy for the oppression of the sith to return to the galaxy though

 

Wolvo, don't turn this into a personal battle. I'm not riled up at all. I'm simply stating the facts, and you have failed to respond to them.

-Seldon

 

Yoda ignites his lightsaber first, but that's to prevent Sidious from escaping, once he realizes Yoda is actually a match for him. I mean Yoda is facing The Sith Lord here who's just declared himself Emperor, and reorganized the Republic into an the first Galatic Empire, to have his way with a dictatorship. And who's also commanded the execution of Order 66.

 

There's a difference between starting trouble and finishing it. Jedi finish it.

 

And, they are 2 on 1 half the time. Bunch a skirts.

 

i believe it is especially important to have shown that in anakin vs obi1 (rots), anakin ignited first but he didnt - obi1 did

its not that this really annoys me but i like my good guys to only fight when attacked if u see what i mean

anyway if this thread isnt ur cup of tea dont respond to it

i dont take this personally by the way mate - its only a set of films after all

 

"anyway if this thread isnt ur cup of tea dont respond to it"

Don't mistake me, I have no malice for you.
However, don't post a thread--if you refuse to acknowledge the opposite view. People are bound to disagree. There is really no reason why someone can't respond here if they hold a different opinion.

For the Revenge duel, Anakin had already strangled his wife--Kenobi was only defending himself by igniting the saber. Skywalker had proven himself to be violent. If he was ready to kill his pregnant wife, then there is no telling what he would do to Kenobi (the man is his personal scape goat for everything anyway.) So I don't view this as a very big deal. Obi-Wan was only protecting himself.

Not only had Skywalker turned on his wife, Obi-Wan knew for a fact that he had killed other Jedi Knights and had become in league with a Sith Lord. The lightsaber is in defense.

Anakin still made the first act of aggression. Even later in the battle, Kenobi warned the boy about the high ground.

-Seldon

 

I guess if you look at it from the point of view of the Sith, the Jedi do start every fight.

 

That's not cowardly, that's the Sith being unable to have more than 2 guys around at a time due to their lacking enough self-control to not try and off the other guy.

 

The Jedi are the defenders of peace and justice, they fight because someone or something is theatening that peace or justice. They also are trained defend themselfs and defend and bring justice to the innocent people around them. To my knowlage this acounts for every Jedi fight in the movies. In my opinion it's the Sith that start all the fights, wheather directly or indirectly.

 

It's true and it's the reason of their demise. It's a way of showing how the Jedi lost touch with their principal teachings and their relationship with the Force. The sith knew the only thing they had to do was lay out the bait and wait...they knew the jedi had become corrupt and would byte. 'Therefore I ask of you, patience and consider the consequences of your actions, instead of rushing in, not knowing what's ahead of you. Peace out!'

 

the jedi are the problem from the start... they think they know better than everyone else, ( like a midevil chuch state) and they contradict their own rules ( cant fight a war for you... we are not soldiers...) raising children without parents... after seeing ep's 1,2,3, the jedi clearly are not the glorious ones we originally thought..

 

I guess police arer panzy as well, since they tend to apprehend criminals in groups.
Sometimes I wonder about the ability of people to think sometimes.

 

Good, thoughts on a not so good topic.
How would a Jedi win a fight with a Sith if he only defended? If he never took advantage of an opening in the opponents defences? It'd be like intercepting a pass in football, and handing the ball right back. Yoda's comment was taken way too literally. What he is essentially saying is "don't go looking for trouble, but if it finds you, cut it's arm off."

 

Its meant to be taken as sarcasm. You guys are so touchy, bunch 'a skirts.

 

" guess police arer panzy as well, since they tend to apprehend criminals in groups.
Sometimes I wonder about the ability of people to think sometimes. "


Sometimes I wonder about the ability of people to take something obviously meant as a joke to be taken so serious, especially when it's about a movie. Or even their talent of speaking before thinking. Any other brilliant blanket statements?

 

Hey, watch it! I happen to look quite fetching in a skirt myself.

Ahem!...On a more serious note, I would just like to point out that there's no lightsaber duel in ROTS where the Jedi don't ignite their sabers first or don't already have them out. I understand how that could come across as somewhat distressing to people, but I also think it's deliberate on George Lucas' part. I like to think that this ties in to the Jedi's "fall from grace," if you will. Having gotten in way over their heads in the Clone Wars, they've become much more aggressive in their behavior and they're perhaps thinking a little too offensively (as opposed to defensively). In a symbolic sense, this ultimately becomes their undoing. After all, how can one successfully fight a war when war has become the very weapon of your enemy?(And according to Matthew Stover's novelization of ROTS, this is exactly what Yoda is thinking to himself when things take a turn for the worse in his duel with Sidious.)

 

The arena on Geonosis is very much a transition state for all of their characters, is is the beginning of many transformations. The Jedi change to meet the demands of war, this war forces them to question their most dogmatic principles, and rattles their very foundations.

-Seldon