Anyone noticed this about Darth Vader's lightsaber attack style in Empire Strikes Back?

He's basically learned some tricks from Dooku with those one handed lightsaber attacks.

Pay attention to the carbonite chamber scene... Vader uses one handed lightsaber attacks on Luke like 2 or 3 times and does that one twirl thing just like Dooku did in Attack of the Clones

 

He's showing Luke who's boss. Like Dooku, he switches to a two-handed style when his opponent proves to be better than he'd predicted.

 

This is my favorite duel of the CT, by far. I absolutely love Vader's approach to the situation.

As far as adapting Dooku's techniques, I'm not so sure. I think that may be more of a technique of intimidation... to show the other who's pwning who.

 

Indeed, I think it's more of a psychological thing, that perhaps both Dooku and Vader employed independently in attempt to kill the confidence of their opponents. I'm not so sure that Vader was inspired by Dooku.

 

I definitely think it's mostly intimidation and just making clear to Luke that he's not at Vader's level(in other words "You are not a Jedi yet.")

 

well I watched Empire Strikes back earlier and watched the fights between Vader and Luke and yes I have noticed Vader uses one handed lightsaber attacks and he even spins around just like Dooku did in Attack of the Clones. So technically Vader learned some new tricks sort of from his battles against Dooku

 

actually, it's unusual for him to duel two-handed as his cybernetic arms are more restrictive that way. And those arms and hands being cybernetic, he would rarely need additional strength. Against a Wookiee Jedi maybe.


(though this is heavily EU-influenced. InflEUnced, if you will)

 

He was showing Luke that he was no threat to him at all.

 

I agree, Dooku's style was more flashy. Vader was blocking all Luke's attacks with such ease and to emphasize that he uses one hand, to show that he's not all that threatened and doesn't need to put much effort into defending himself. Then when he blocks a blow and pushes with his saber locked, beautiful.

 

Yeah. That's a great move. Arrogant yet graceful.

 

Agreed. I've been practicing japanese swordsfighting for years and the one-handed attacks are much more difficult and look wayyyy flashier.
That's like in Dumas' Musqueteers, Portos always puts one hand behind his back when fighting and only pulls it out to cover his yawning

 

Well, he may have learned to trash talk from Dooku. So it wouldn't be all that surprising if he also picked up the one handed style.


Nice thread.

 

What scene are you referring to?

 

The scene where Luke lunges at Vader. Vader blocks the blow one-handed, then shoves Luke backwards, still with only one hand on the lightsaber.

 

Nice observation! I noticed that too! This shows a few things:

1) Vader has become arrogant
2) Vader has become a master swordsman like Dooku
3) It shows a nice contrast beween where Anakin started and where he ended up
4) Luke fighting his first Sith Lord parallel's Anakin's first duel with Dooku (Notice, both end with a Skywalker losing a limb)

 

Why did he miss constantly? There were many swings which did nothing

 

Luke goes to strike him. Vader raises the saber right over his head and blocks the blade, forcing it into a very small lock. He pushes Luke back just with one hand on the saber. It looks great.

go to youtube and search empire strikes back Vader vs Luke if you just wanna see the duel. It's about the second or third time they clash their sabers...

 

He can't see **** with that helmet.

 

I agree with everyone who said he's showing off that Luke is so little threat he can fight him with one hand. It's also sort of hilarious that he's showing off his mechanical strength by throwing Luke with one arm. I still wish there were more consistency in the fighting style of the characters among films, though (and same for the PT). Vader's style is different in every movie. ESB was probably the best. RotJ has both him and Luke swinging their sabers like baseball bats.

 

I agree, ROTJ was a little dissapointing with their fighting. Luke just swings the saber back and forth, which in the real world, would get him merked because he wouldn't be properly defending himself. Plus if you look at the shadows, you actually see the saber stunt sticks.

However, It's pretty sweet when Vader force throws the lightsaber at Luke on the platform. First time we ever see a saber throw.....

 

That's my biggest problem with the ROTJ duel. There are some good points in it, but that just kills it for me.

 

It's more of Luke swinging it like a bat, If you watch Vader he's still mainly just blocking the blows with ease ala ESB, except when you see him lash out or when he's teaching the lesson of never leaving yourself unprotected.

 

If he really wanted to take inspiration from Dooku he should have tried fighting with NO hands.



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