Why did Luke's fighting style regress in ROTJ?

In ESB, Luke duels exceptionally well against Vader, especially since he had never been in a duel before. His moves are very fluid. In ROTJ, Vader and Palpatine both acknowledge that Luke has grown way more powerful since ESB. Why is it that his fighting style in ROTJ seems to have regressed since ESB?

 

I don't know much about real-life swordsmanship, but to me it just looks like Luke is fighting more defensively in RotJ up until he loses his temper, whereas in ESB he was trying to kill Vader.

 

He isn't trying to kill Vader. Most of the time.

 

It isn't Luke... it's Vader.

Vader isn't trying to kill Luke in ESB. Therefore Luke looks more competent, because Vader is taking it easy on him (till the end, when Luke gets his butt kicked) Luke IS trying to kill Vader in ESB though, but has no chance.

Now the situations are reversed. Luke isn't trying to kill Vader anymore, and Vader isn't sure if he wants to kill Luke. So Vader is alternately being overpowering and easygoing. Hence "Luke's" seeming lack of skill.

 

Plus at the last part Luke is pissed off. You're not concerned with style when you're honked, you're just concerned with eradicating whatever ticked you off.

 

I don't know; i never really got that impression. The begining where they are fighting on the stairs it seems to me Luke is totally in control of that engagement. He is trading Vader shot for shot (defensively of course); he doesn't take one hand of the hilt( as in empire) and seems sure of himself. It's only in the end where he appears unbalanced emotionally; but still has the prowess with the sword to defeat Vader.

 

His style is more controlled in ROTJ--very deliberate, forceful. In ESB he is trying to kill Vader so he is very agressive, swinging his lightsaber wildly and trying his hardest to defeat Vader; Vader on the other hand is merely testing Luke--when he gets ticked off finally, he lets loose on Luke and quickly defeats him (twice--first when he shoves him down and offers him the ultimatem and then when he cuts his hand off and again offers him the ultimatum).

In ROTJ, Luke is calm, in control. He doesnt want to kill or defeat Vader, he just wants to use the opertunity to talk with him and try to persuade him to turn to the light side. Conversely, Vader isn't really trying to kill Luke either, he just wants to use the opertunity to talk with him and convince him to turn to the dark side. Its a very casual, defensive match, and when Vader's tests Luke and tries to attack him, Luke eaily dodges and blocks his moves. Only when Luke is ticked off does he let loose, and quickly defeats Vader, cutting off his hand and finally sparing him. Its an inversion of the ESB duel.

 

I also mean on the sail barge. He has no form and swings his hardest and hopes he hits somebody

 

For having no form on the Sail Barge, he sure kicks alot of ***!

 

How much form did he need on the sail barge? Unlike a sword, with a lightsaber you don't really have to worry about how you hit the target (ie. what part of the blade, how much force, etc.) just touch any part of the blade to your enemy and it slices them like butter. I mean, you don't have to worry about braking the blade or not making clean cuts, so why bother?

 

Just swing away and watch em fall over dead.

 

He lost in ESB.

He won in RotJ.

Seems pretty obvious that his "style" improved.

 

I think you're comparing Luke to jedi like Obi Wan, Anakin, and Qui Gon. All of them were so graceful and fluid when they fought droids and Sith. Remember, Luke didn't have their level of training.

 

Most of the Jedis we've seen in the Star Wars universe are fighting clear-on enemies. With Vader and Luke, they are fighting with "family", there are mix emotions thereby changing their dueling approach.

That's why Luke seems more aggresive in ESB since he lacks the information that Vader is his Father.

IMHO

 

Luke had dueled twice before, once with a man named Baron Tagge, who couldnt use the force, but was trained in lightsaber combat, and the Matriarch, a dark jedi appointed ruler by vader on a planet called Skye (Marvel Comics)

 

I know he had improved since ESB, but the film doesn't show it in a convincing fashion.

 

Again.

He lost in ESB. He won in RotJ.
There can't be a more convincing way to portray his improvement.

 

I agree that it is Darth's fighting and not Luke's