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"That is so like you, Master Kenobi. I am called a great swordsman because I invented a lethal style; but who is greater, the creator of a killing form—or the master of the classic form?"

―Mace Windu to Obi-Wan Kenobi

Form III: Soresu, also known as the Way of the Mynock, or The Resilience Form was the third form of the seven forms of lightsaber combat.

Description

Originally, Form III was developed as a counter to ranged weapons such as blasters. Early Jedi wielding lightsabers began to increasingly encounter opponents armed with long-ranged blaster weapons. They quickly discovered that more elegant forms such as Makashi did not provide adequate protection against blaster attacks. Form III enabled a Force user to deflect blaster bolts at accurate, precise angles, by making use of short sweeping motions, keeping the lightsaber close to the body. Form III represents the most defensive form of the seven disciplines.

Philosophy

The philosophy of Soresu is described as "being within the eye of the storm." The practitioner maintains a centered frame of concentration, undisrupted by the conflict around them, staying where the outer chaos cannot harm them. The Form III practitioner shifts their inner thoughts to stay within the eye of the storm. Thus, Soresu commands powerful defensive techniques that seem to adapt to almost any circumstance, at the cost of never reaching past the figurative eye of the storm. The Soresu uses little to none of the attack power needed by those who concentrate on the storm itself. Those who study this style use the primarily defensive technique to wear down aggressive opponents by defending long onslaughts with minimal counter-attacking. They wait until their adversary's energy is spent, then employ an alternate, more aggressive attack. Masters of the form leave no opening for their opponents to take advantage of. Instead, they wait for eventual lapses in their opponent's own defense.

The key to truly mastering Soresu may come from a mastery of the concept and philosophy of Soresu, instead of its combat moves. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, despite his preference for Soresu, applied Shii-Cho elements and Ataru acrobatics into his swordplay, as evidenced by his recollection of his intense duel with the Sith Lord Count Dooku onboard the Invisible Hand. Kenobi may have nurtured these adaptations to Soresu after his loss to Dooku on Geonosis. Dooku used the elegant tactical swordplay of Makashi to find an effective and almost fatal gap in the somewhat simple defense Kenobi employed using a more pure Soresu technique. Dooku expressed his disappointment in Kenobi's less imaginative use of Form III at the time.

Obi-Wan Kenobi also demonstrated his adapted Soresu in his duel against Darth Vader. Kenobi appeared to gradually fall back, yet in the end, he retained the presence of mind to attack with a creative finishing strike that his adversary failed to anticipate.

Application

The third form of lightsaber combat utilized motions that occurred very close to the body, in an attempt to achieve near-total protection and expend as little energy as possible while executing moves. Form III stressed quick reflexes and fast positional transition, in order to overcome the rapidity with which a blaster could be fired. This technique minimized the body's exposure, making a well-trained practitioner nearly invincible. Followers of Soresu comfortably remained on the defensive until their opponent left an opening that a Soresu practitioner could exploit, usually in multiple ways. Observers generally described Soresu as a passive form of combat. Jedi with an extremely patient and reserved personality often employed the form.

Combat

Form III opens with the offensive back stance, one of many lightsaber combat stances easily adaptable to form a strong defense and a fast opening strike if necessary.

Form III involved preparation for prolonged battles where the user observed and learned as much as possible about their opponent or opponents technique while engaged in combat. Also, by being more capable in lengthy battles, a Soresu user had the ability to gain control of a combat situation, creating multiple options for the Jedi employing the form. The Form III user could choose to kill, disarm, or even reason with their opponent.

Many Soresu practitioners survived the lengthy Battle of Geonosis, thanks to the endurance gained from the form and its specialization in fending off and reflecting blaster fire. Soresu's greatest power lay in the endurance and control a practitioner eventually developed.

Jedi Master Mace Windu noted that, unlike any of the other combat styles, Soresu was not an answer to a particular type of weakness. Vaapad was an answer to Windu's inner darkness; Ataru was Yoda's answer to his limited reach and advanced age; and Djem So helped Anakin release his own powerful emotions. Toward the end of the Clone Wars, Master Windu acknowledged Obi-Wan Kenobi as "a master of Soresu." It was because of this fact that Kenobi was chosen by the Jedi High Council as the Jedi best suited to defeat General Grievous. During their duel, the Jedi Master was capable of parrying all four of Grievous's lightsabers, gradually disarming the droid general. Earlier, during his duel with Count Dooku aboard the Invisible Hand, Kenobi's expert use of Soresu held Dooku back easily, and it was only Dooku's superior power in the Force that allowed him to remove Kenobi from the battle.

File:Duel on Utapau.jpg

Obi-Wan Kenobi utilizes Soresu in his battle against Grievous.

Soresu was considered the consummate Jedi combat form in that it embraced a passive way of life and a literal expression of the Jedi tenet to defend rather than attack. Obi-Wan himself considered Soresu very simple, so restrained and defense-oriented that Form III was very nearly downright passive. As a master, Obi-Wan could defend himself against any attack less than twenty strikes per second.

Advantages

Soresu was a very favorable form of combat for Jedi until the Great Jedi Purge. The defense and control it allowed a practitioner made for suitable outcomes in favor of the user when faced with hurried opponents who left themselves vulnerable to counterattack. However, its defense required a very large amount of focus from the wielder and even a momentary fault in concentration could have meant the user's defeat. Jedi with less focused minds would usually abandon this style of combat to capitalize on the benefits of other styles that required less dedication to prolonged fighting. Jedi who mastered Soresu were known to be the most successful when dealing in situations when a quick victory was not favorable to total understanding and calculated action.

Weaknesses

Truly focused masters of Soresu were very formidable due to their strong defense technique. Soresu, however, facilitated survival more than victory. Form III initiates were more than capable defending themselves from attack, but they needed a large amount of experience to learn how to trap an opponent in their own offense. Masters had to maintain an incredibly strong focus on the center of the combat circle, since the defensive tactics of the form included guards and parries engaged very close to the body. Jedi who left small lapses in their otherwise strong defense left little room to avoid injury.

Form III did not favor Jedi Generals in a lengthy fight with troops left alone on the battlefield. Jedi found this situation usually inevitable during the Clone Wars. General Obi-Wan Kenobi provided a good example of this situation when he needed to leave his regiment of troops to conduct his reconnaissance search for General Grievous.

Notable Form III practitioners

The Sith Apprentice Fohargh also practiced Form III, being forced to use it against Darth Bane's preferred Form V. Fohargh was able to best Darth Bane, switching from III to II quickly, glancing a blow across Bane's shoulder. However, Fohargh lost his life to Bane as a result of his taunting of Bane after he claimed the match was over.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Eras|old|imp|reb}}
-{{IDRIVEcur}}
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 {{Quote|That is so like you, Master Kenobi. I am called a great swordsman because I invented a lethal style; but who is greater, the creator of a killing form&mdash;or the master of the classic form?|[[Mace Windu]] to [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]]}}
 [[Image:Grandma 1982 001.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] utilizing Soresu against General [[Grievous]] on [[Utapau]].]]
-'''Form III: Soresu''', the ''Way of the [[Mynock]]'', or The Resilience Form was the third form of the seven forms of [[lightsaber combat]].
+'''Form III: Soresu''', also known as the ''Way of the [[Mynock]]'', or The Resilience Form was the third form of the seven forms of [[lightsaber combat]].
 ==Description==
-{{oou}}
-Form III was originally developed to counter [[blaster]] technology. Those to whom the [[Jedi]] were frequently battling usually wielded blasters, and the Jedi needed to find a method of defense that could repel normally overwhelming volleys of blaster fire. Soresu was then founded upon the basic deflection principles all [[Padawan]]s were taught, the skill that enable them to protect themselves from blaster bolts.
+Originally, Form III was developed as a counter to ranged weapons such as [[blaster]]s. Early Jedi wielding [[lightsabers]] began to increasingly encounter opponents armed with long-ranged blaster weapons. They quickly discovered that more elegant forms such as [[Makashi]] did not provide adequate protection against blaster attacks. Form III enabled a Force user to deflect [[blaster]] bolts at accurate, precise angles, by making use of short sweeping motions, keeping the lightsaber close to the body. Form III represents the most defensive form of the seven disciplines.
 ===Philosophy===
-The philosophy of Soresu is described as "being within the eye of the storm." The practitioner remains centered in their mindset, never being moved by what's around them as they stay where the outer chaos cannot harm them. But as the storm moves, so does the practitioner move to keep within the eye. Thus Soresu commands powerful defensive techniques that seem to adapt to almost any circumstance, but at the cost of never reaching past the figurative eye of the storm&mdash;they lose attacking power. Many who study this style use it to wear down their opponent, by defending a long onslaught with minimal counter-attacking, until their adversary's energy is spent, then an alternate style is often employed. Masters of the form left no opening for their opponents to take advantage of, while waiting for the eventual lapses in their opponent's own defense.
+The philosophy of Soresu is described as "being within the eye of the storm." The practitioner maintains a centered frame of concentration, undisrupted by the conflict around them, staying where the outer chaos cannot harm them. The Form III practitioner shifts their inner thoughts to stay within the eye of the storm. Thus, Soresu commands powerful defensive techniques that seem to adapt to almost any circumstance, at the cost of never reaching past the figurative eye of the storm. The Soresu uses little to none of the attack power needed by those who concentrate on the storm itself. Those who study this style use the primarily defensive technique to wear down aggressive opponents by defending long onslaughts with minimal counter-attacking. They wait until their adversary's energy is spent, then employ an alternate, more aggressive attack. Masters of the form leave no opening for their opponents to take advantage of. Instead, they wait for eventual lapses in their opponent's own defense.
-The key to truly mastering Soresu may concern the concept and philosophy of Soresu, instead of its combat moves. Kenobi, despite his preference for Soresu, applied [[Form I: Shii-Cho|Shii-Cho]] elements and [[Form IV: Ataru|Ataru]] acrobatics into his swordplay, as witnessed by Dooku onboard the ''[[Invisible Hand]]''. By combining his knowledge of Ataru and his mastery of Soresu, Kenobi's swordplay proved to be an unique style: one with the defensive principle and protective ability of Soresu, plus the simplicity of the moves of Shii-Cho, the mobility of Ataru, and the deep connection and concentration within [[the Force]], another key Ataru principle which allows Kenobi to handle any situation.
+The key to truly mastering Soresu may come from a mastery of the concept and philosophy of Soresu, instead of its combat moves.  Jedi Master [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]], despite his preference for Soresu, applied [[Form I: Shii-Cho|Shii-Cho]] elements and [[Form IV: Ataru|Ataru]] acrobatics into his swordplay, as evidenced by his recollection of his intense duel with the Sith Lord [[Count Dooku]] onboard the ''[[Invisible Hand]]''. Kenobi may have nurtured these adaptations to Soresu after his loss to Dooku on Geonosis. Dooku used the elegant tactical swordplay of [[Makashi]] to find an effective and almost fatal gap in the somewhat simple defense Kenobi employed using a more pure Soresu technique. Dooku expressed his disappointment in Kenobi's less imaginative use of Form III at the time.
-Obi-Wan Kenobi demonstrates this in his [[Mission to Mustafar|duel against]] [[Darth Vader]], when he appears to gradually fall back, yet in the end, he retains the presence of mind to make a finishing strike that his adversary fails to anticipate, severing three of his limbs.
+Obi-Wan Kenobi also demonstrated his adapted Soresu in his [[Mission to Mustafar|duel against]] [[Darth Vader]]. Kenobi appeared to gradually fall back, yet in the end, he retained the presence of mind to attack with a creative finishing strike that his adversary failed to anticipate.
 ===Application===
-The third form of [[lightsaber]] combat utilized motions that occurred very close to the body, in an attempt to achieve near-total protection and expend as little energy as possible while executing moves. Form III stressed quick reflexes and fast positional transition, in order to overcome the rapidity with which a blaster could be fired. This technique minimized the body's exposure, making a well-trained practitioner nearly invincible. Followers of Soresu comfortably remained on the defensive until their opponent left an opening that a Soresu practitioner usually could exploit in multiple ways. Soresu was best described as a passive form of combat, and one that was used by those who were extremely patient and reserved.
+The third form of [[lightsaber]] combat utilized motions that occurred very close to the body, in an attempt to achieve near-total protection and expend as little energy as possible while executing moves. Form III stressed quick reflexes and fast positional transition, in order to overcome the rapidity with which a blaster could be fired. This technique minimized the body's exposure, making a well-trained practitioner nearly invincible. Followers of Soresu comfortably remained on the defensive until their opponent left an opening that a Soresu practitioner could exploit, usually in multiple ways. Observers generally described Soresu as a passive form of combat. Jedi with an extremely patient and reserved personality often employed the form.
 ===Combat===
+[[Image:Soresu.jpg|thumb|right|175px|Obi-wan using Soresu]]
-The opening stance of Form III is the offensive back stance, one of many [[lightsaber combat stances]] which was easily adaptable to form a strong defense and a fast opening strike if necessary.
+Form III opens with the offensive back stance, one of many [[lightsaber combat stances]] easily adaptable to form a strong defense and a fast opening strike if necessary.
-Due to the emphasis on defense training, Form III involved preparation for prolonged battles so that the user would be able to learn as much as possible about their opponent or opponents while engaged in possibly deadly combat. Also, by being more capable in lengthy battles, a Soresu user was in a position to gain control of the situation and provide multiple options for the duelist; such as the choice to either kill, disarm, or even reason with their opponent. Many Soresu practitioners survived the [[Battle of Geonosis]], thanks in part to its specialization in fending off blaster fire. Soresu's greatest power lay in the endurance and control a practitioner eventually developed.
+Form III involved preparation for prolonged battles where the user observed and learned as much as possible about their opponent or opponents technique while engaged in combat. Also, by being more capable in lengthy battles, a Soresu user had the ability to gain control of a combat situation, creating multiple options for the Jedi employing the form. The Form III user could choose to kill, disarm, or even reason with their opponent.
-[[Jedi Master]] [[Mace Windu]] noted that, unlike any of the other combat styles, Soresu was not an answer to a particular type of weakness. [[Form VII: Juyo / Vaapad|Vaapad]] was an answer to Windu's inner darkness; [[Form IV: Ataru|Ataru]] was [[Yoda]]'s answer to his limited reach and advanced age. Toward the end of the [[Clone Wars]], Master Windu acknowledged [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] "the master of Soresu." It was because of this fact that Kenobi was chosen by the [[Jedi High Council]] as the Jedi best suited to defeat [[General]] [[Grievous]] due to his mastery of Form III. During their [[Battle of Utapau|duel]], the Jedi Master was capable of parrying all four of Grievous's lightsabers, gradually disarming the droid general.
+Many Soresu practitioners survived the lengthy [[Battle of Geonosis]], thanks to the endurance gained from the form and its specialization in fending off and reflecting blaster fire. Soresu's greatest power lay in the endurance and control a practitioner eventually developed.
-Soresu was considered the consummate Jedi combat form in that it embraced a passive way of life and a literal expression of the Jedi tenet to defend rather than attack. Obi-Wan himself considered Soresu very simple, so restrained and defense-oriented that Form III was very nearly downright passive. As "the master," Obi-Wan himself could defend himself against any attack less than twenty strikes per second.
+[[Image:KenobiFettduel.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Obi-Wan Kenobi battles renowned bounty hunter [[Jango Fett]], a masterful wielder of twin [[blaster]]s.]]
-[[Image:Duel on Utapau.jpg|thumb|250px|left|[[Obi-Wan Kenobi|Obi-Wan Kenobi]] utilizes Soresu in his battle against [[Grievous]].]]
+[[Jedi Master]] [[Mace Windu]] noted that, unlike any of the other combat styles, Soresu was not an answer to a particular type of weakness. [[Form VII: Juyo / Vaapad|Vaapad]] was an answer to Windu's inner darkness; [[Form IV: Ataru|Ataru]] was [[Yoda]]'s answer to his limited reach and advanced age; and [[Form V: Shien / Djem So|Djem So]] helped Anakin release his own powerful emotions. Toward the end of the [[Clone Wars]], Master Windu acknowledged [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] as "a master of Soresu." It was because of this fact that Kenobi was chosen by the [[Jedi High Council]] as the Jedi best suited to defeat [[General]] [[Grievous]]. During their [[Battle of Utapau|duel]], the Jedi Master was capable of parrying all four of Grievous's lightsabers, gradually disarming the droid general. Earlier, during his [[Second Battle of Coruscant (Clone Wars)|duel with Count Dooku]] aboard the Invisible Hand, Kenobi's expert use of Soresu held Dooku back easily, and it was only Dooku's superior power in the Force that allowed him to remove Kenobi from the battle.
+[[Image:Duel on Utapau.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] utilizes Soresu in his battle against [[Grievous]].]]
-== Known Moves and Maneuvers ==
+Soresu was considered the consummate Jedi combat form in that it embraced a passive way of life and a literal expression of the Jedi tenet to defend rather than attack. Obi-Wan himself considered Soresu very simple, so restrained and defense-oriented that Form III was very nearly downright passive. As a master, Obi-Wan could defend himself against any attack less than twenty strikes per second.
-'''Opening Stance'''
-This opening stance was much like offensive back. The dominant foot back, the hilt was held at shoulder height, the blade horizontal to the ground pointing towards the opponent. The non-dominant hand may be pointing towards the opponent. Defensive neutral has been known to have been a alternative opening stance to this.
-[[Image:ObiwanKenobiNEGTC.jpg|thumb|140px|left|Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Soresu Opening Stance.]]
-'''Brace Ready Stance'''
-This stance involves putting your strong foot to out on your strong side and your weak leg bent at the knee and out to your weak side, hold your lightsaber in two hands at waist height but with your arms slightly out to your weak side.
 ===Advantages===
-As the most prominent Soresu master of his time, Obi-Wan Kenobi was known to be almost invincible in fighting numerous combatants and defeating some of the most dangerous foes when seeming so close to defeat. [[Jango Fett]], the best [[bounty hunter]] of the time, could not penetrate Kenobi's defense when Obi-Wan was not even a Master. During Kenobi's first direct confrontation with [[Count]] [[Dooku]] during the [[Battle of Geonosis]], however, his normally impenetrable defense was outmatched by Dooku's [[Form II: Makashi|Makashi]], possibly due to the advantage of Makashi in blade-to-blade fight and Dooku's vast experience in fencing. In addition, the rematch onboard the ''Invisible Hand'' did not favor Kenobi again. Dooku was able to debilitate Master Kenobi by using his superior knowledge of the Force.
-[[Image:Obiwankamino2.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Obi-Wan Kenobi battles renowned bounty hunter [[Jango Fett]], a masterful wielder of twin [[blaster]]s.]]
 Soresu was a very favorable form of combat for Jedi until the [[Great Jedi Purge]]. The defense and control it allowed a practitioner made for suitable outcomes in favor of the user when faced with hurried opponents who left themselves vulnerable to counterattack. However, its defense required a very large amount of focus from the wielder and even a momentary fault in concentration could have meant the user's defeat. Jedi with less focused minds would usually abandon this style of combat to capitalize on the benefits of other styles that required less dedication to prolonged fighting. Jedi who mastered Soresu were known to be the most successful when dealing in situations when a quick victory was not favorable to total understanding and calculated action.
 ===Weaknesses===
-Even though a truly focused master of Soresu was nearly unbeatable due to a strong defense posture, there was more guarantee of survival rather than victory. Initiates in Form III were known to be more than capable when defending themselves from attack, but might have lacked the experience to trap an opponent in their own offense. Since the defensive tactics of the form included guards and parries that were very close to the body, even masters had to keep a strong focus on their actions as small lapses in an otherwise strong defense left little room to avoid injury.
+Truly focused masters of Soresu were very formidable due to their strong defense technique. Soresu, however, facilitated survival more than victory. Form III initiates were more than capable defending themselves from attack, but they needed a large amount of experience to learn how to trap an opponent in their own offense. Masters had to maintain an incredibly strong focus on the center of the combat circle, since the defensive tactics of the form included guards and parries engaged very close to the body. Jedi who left small lapses in their otherwise strong defense left little room to avoid injury.
-It was also not favorable for a [[Jedi General]] to be in a lengthy fight while his troops were left alone on the battlefield, but this was usually inevitable, as it was when Master Kenobi had to leave his regiment of troops in his drawn out pursuit of General Grievous.
+Form III did not favor Jedi Generals in a lengthy fight with troops left alone on the battlefield. Jedi found this situation usually inevitable during the [[Clone Wars]]. General Obi-Wan Kenobi provided a good example of this situation when he needed to leave his regiment of troops to conduct his reconnaissance search for General Grievous.
 ==Notable Form III practitioners==
@@ Line 64: / Line 60: @@
 </gallery>
-The Sith Apprentice [[Fohargh]] also practiced Form III.
+The Sith Apprentice [[Fohargh]] also practiced Form III, being forced to use it against Darth Bane's preferred Form V. Fohargh was able to best Darth Bane, switching from III to II quickly, glancing a blow across Bane's shoulder. However, Fohargh lost his life to Bane as a result of his taunting of Bane after he claimed the match was over.
 ==Appearances==

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