Did Darth Vader go easy on Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of the duel in EP. 4?

It's hard to think of cutting someone in half with a lightsaber as "going easy" on him, but considering what has been said will happen to Anakin Skywalker at the hands of his former master Obi-Wan Kenobi in STAR WARS: EPISODE 3, doesn't it seem like Darth Vader went easy on Obi-Wan during their duel on the first Death Star? Vader ended it quickly and, as far as possible, mercifully. There was no brutal hacking and sadistic torture. It was a clean, quick kill.

 

well, vader was what 50? and obi-wan pushing 75-80. only so much a couple of old farts can do.

 

Vader was not going easy on Obi-Wan. He was defensive because after EP III he is no longer brash enough to underestimate Kenobi. He knows if he makes a mistake, Kenobi will take his life. Secondly, Vader didn't end the fight mercilessly. There duel was a deadlock draw. Then when Obi-Wan saw Luke and Co. by the Falcon, he lowered his defenses and let Vader killed him.

 

I think he was. Compare his ANH duel to his ESB or his ROTJ duel. DEFINATELY holding back.



Yeah, you can argue about the lightsabers they were using on set and how easy they were to break, but whatever.

 

Vader was cockier in ESB because he didn't fear Luke and didn't think Luke would be any of a challenge.

Vader was being conservative in ANH because he knew one slip up and Kenobi would take his life.

 

Vader was about 42 years old in Ep4 so it can't be the age. I think it was just an easy duel since Vader didn't need to release all his anger for two reasons basically:

1) he remembered what that did to him last time

2) Obi-Wan never began the fight with the intention of winning it...

 

I agree. Ben knew he wasn't coming back from the Death Star before hand. Ben also let Vader kill him becuse for what I could see Vader could not defeat him in a straight on duel.

 

It's not so much that there were no fancy moves by either combatant that stoked my curiosity (there are obvious reasons, both within the storyline and in the reality of the filmmaking elements, for that). What was curious is that Vader ended the duel so quickly and cleanly. If what we've heard about EPISODE 3 was true, I would've expected Vader to dismember Obi-Wan slowly.

 

Considering Kenobi defeated him first time out, I expect Vader was just extremely cautious when fighting the old man. His final blow is a bit of a wild swing, it's aimed somewhere around shoulder level rather than a nice neat neck chop. It could also be the case that Vader wanted to capitalize quickly on his chance - perhaps he will have a chance to take out Obi-Wan in Ep3 but hesitate? Either that or he just doesn't want to risk it.

And Obi-Wan totally throws the fight. He's no spring chicken anymore, but even with diminished offensive skills he's still tight as a drum when it comes to defensive. He could've continued to fence with Vader for quite a long time further, I felt.

 

Both hadnt fought in a lightsaber duel for many years, both were out of practice. Obi-Wan was 55 in ANH I believe, and Vader was a walking machine, they're not exactly fantastic fighters are they? However after his duel with Ben on the Death Star, Vader started practicing lightsaber duels with others (both willing and unwilling competitors) which is why he is a better fighter in ESB.

 

Master swordsmen tend not to jump around like tatooed monkeys when facing enemies of equal skill. I saw both Vader and Kenobi as master swordsmen feeling each other out while the taunts flew. Kenobi ended it the way he did, because otherwise, the fight might have gone on forever. He knew Vader couldn't beat him, but at the same time, he was no longer the man he once was and wouldn't be able to defeat Vader. Luke wouldn't have run unless Kenobi was no longer in danger and Kenobi knew he could still help Luke, even while dead. The solution was simple.

 

What I don't get is the idea of there not being a bloody cut in half corpse after it all, just a robe and that's it. I guess this whole force ghost thing is involved in there somewhere, but heck, even Yoda left a corpse. *shrugs*

Velvetdragon

 

As far as the fight itself, I have to concur with B_D_Z. Leaping and flailing around usually leads to getting smacked down by someone more focused. If you ever watch any long time kendo players go at it, you lose the kinetic energy and see more intensity and testing (granted, kendo by its nature restricts most of the freestyling and showboating to begin with). Age doesn't necessarily have anything to do with it (the old sensei of our sensei still had the fastest hands I've seen and could probably have still probably beaten any of us even if he used more movement...but he didn't need to, which was infinitely more cooler than watching Yoda jump around like a ninja frog on crack).

As far as BA's original point, I don't believe Vader went easy on Kenobi in the final swing. We don't have much proof that Anakin at any point is overly sadistic. Now, had he talked about how he tortured all the sandpeople and used his saber to remove layer by layer of their children's skin while they still lived, then I would agree he let Kenobi off easy in Ep4. He notices Ben taking an odd stance that in theory leaves him open and takes a somewhat overpowered side swing (probably to negate any odd parry Kenobi may pull). I don't see much going easy there. He saw an opportunity and took it.

Even if Vader was one to toy with his enemies, Kenobi wasn't one to do that to. You can only really toy with someone you completely outclass. Although he taunts him throughout, in my opinion Vader realized how serious a threat the 'old man' was to him.

 

Yoda didn't leave a corpse, it just disappeared slowly-peacefully.

 

Vader was trying his best to destroy Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan was doing whatever he could to fend Vader off.

 

I love that smirk Obi-Wan gives Vader after he sees Luke in the hangar. Vader gladly takes the opportunity to hack at his old master while oblivious to the fact that Obi-Wan will "become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

 

Agreed, Vader really doesn't have a clue what the old guy is whittering on about. But he jumps at the chance to get in a free hit.