Duel of the Fates
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- "The…piece…is a result of my thinking that something ritualistic and/or pagan and antique might be very effective. I just felt the way that George has staged that, on top of that great stairway, the way it's done is so dramatic and so like a great pagan altar, the whole thing seems like a dance or a ballet, a religious ceremony of some kind, probably ending in the death of one of the combatants…"
- ―John Williams[1][src]
Duel of the Fates is a musical theme recurring in the prequel trilogy and the name for a scene in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. It was composed by John Williams. It was also featured in Episode II, Episode III, and Star Wars: Clone Wars, though not in its full form.
This symphonic piece is played with both a full orchestra, as well as a choir that chants an archaic Welsh poem Cad Goddeu (Battle of the Trees) in Sanskrit. In English, the poem reads: "Under the tongue root a fight most dread, and another raging behind, in the head." Musically, it recalls one of the primary motifs heard in the opening of the third movement of Dvořák's "New World Symphony".
The music is played primarily during a lightsaber duel between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul on Naboo. In addition to this scene, it was also played as Anakin Skywalker searched for his kidnapped mother on Tatooine. Variations on the main theme from "Duel of the Fates" are played in Revenge of the Sith during the battle sequence between Yoda and Darth Sidious. George Lucas believed the sense that everything is "in larger hands," as implied in "Duel of the Fates," plays very well into the third movie.
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[edit] Episode I
"Duel of the Fates" was first played in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The "Duel of the Fates" scene (named by the DVD version of The Phantom Menace) is the scene where Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn duel Darth Maul in the Theed Power Plant. In the duel, Darth Maul uses a double-bladed lightsaber. At the beginning, Kenobi and Jinn have the advantage, but when they are separated by electric shields, Darth Maul kills Qui-Gon Jinn. Kenobi then duels Maul and falls into a shaft, but grabs the edge at the last second. Using the Force, he jumps out and cuts Darth Maul in half with his master's lightsaber. The song comes to an end as Darth Maul falls from a very great height.
Afterwards, Qui-Gon, barely alive, tells Kenobi to train Anakin Skywalker.
[edit] Episode II
"Duel of the Fates" is played when Anakin Skywalker travels across the surface of Tatooine to search for his mother, Shmi Skywalker and rescue her from her captors, the Tusken Raiders.
[edit] Clone Wars
"Duel of the Fates" is played in Star Wars: Clone Wars during the battle between Anakin Skywalker and Asajj Ventress, and concludes with Asajj Ventress falling from a very great height.
[edit] Episode III
"Duel of the Fates" is played for the final time during the middle of Anakin Skywalker's duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi and during Yoda's and Palpatine's fight in the Senate Chamber and concludes as Yoda falls from a very great height.
[edit] Lyrics (version one–Sanskrit words)
Sanskrit Translation Khara Matha Khara Rath Amah Khara=dreadful Khara Rath Amah Yuddha Khara Matha=head Khara Syada Rath Amah Dai Ya Rath=speak Khara Ki La Dan Ya Amah=give Niha Ki La Khara Rath Amah Yuddha=battle Syada Ki La Khara Rath Amah Syada=raging Khara Dan Ya Khara Rath Amah Dai=purify Khara Dan Ya Khara Rath Amah Ya=going Niha Ki La Khara Rath Amah Ki=like Syada Ki La Khara Rath Amah La=taking Khara Dan=separate Khara Matha Khara Rath Amah Niha=loss Khara Dan Ya Khara Rath Amah Niha Ki La Khara Rath Amah Syada Ki La Khara Rath Amah Khara
Dreadful head dreadful speak give dreadful speak give battle dreadful dreadful raging speak give purify going dreadful like taking separate going loss like taking dreadful speak give raging like taking dreadful speak give dreadful separate going dreadful give dreadful separate going dreadful give loss like taking dreadful speak give raging like taking dreadful speak give dreadful dreadful head dreaful speak give dreadful separate going dreadful speak give loss like taking dreadful speak give raging like taking dreadful speak give dreadful
[edit] Lyrics (version two–pronunciation)
Korah Matah Korah Rahtahmah Korah Rahtamah Yoodhah Korah Korah Syahdho Rahtahmah Daanyah Korah Keelah Daanyah Nyohah Keelah Korah Rahtahmah Syadho Keelah Korah Rahtahmah Korah Daanyah Korah Rahtahmah Korah Daanyah Korah Rahtahmah Nyohah Keelah Korah Rahtahmah Syadho Keelah Korah Rahtahmah Korah Korah Matah Korah Rahtahmah Korah Daanyah Korah Rahtahmah Nyohah Keelah Korah Rahtahmah Syadho Keelah Korah Rahtahmah Korah
[edit] Lyrics - original fragment of the Cad Goddeu
A chat er dygnawt And a battle was contested Dan von y tauawt Under the root of the tongue A chat arall yssyd And another battle there is Yn y wegilyd In his head
[edit] Behind the scenes
Duel of the Fates has found a particular following among fans of Tottenham Hotspur F.C., who use the score as a sort of unofficial anthem at the team's matches.[2]
[edit] Appearances
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (First appearance)
- Star Wars: Episode I Racer (Main Menu)
- Star Wars: Obi-Wan (Alternate version)
- Star Wars: Starfighter (alternate version)
- Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds (Orchestra-only version)
- Star Wars: Episode I Jedi Power Battles
- LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game (Non-canonical appearance)
- LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (Non-canonical appearance) (Only in PSP version)
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
- Star Wars: Clone Wars
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars film (Trailer)
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith video game
- Star Wars Battlefront II
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game (Alternate version)
[edit] Possible canon appearance
Curators of the Coruscant Ice Crypts claim to have heard faint hums of "korah matah" emanating from the halls of the underground tombs. This could indicate that the tune may be of Zhell origin in-universe.
[edit] Non-canon appearances
"Duel of the Fates" has been featured in many fan films. It was also featured on an episode of The Simpsons in which Bart Simpson and Principal Skinner battled on top of a bus with sticks that had peanuts and shrimp attached to them. The theme also plays during Soulcalibur IV whenever Starkiller fights within either of the game's two Star Wars-themed stages, as well as during his extended ending.
[edit] Common parody lyrics
In the matter of a popular ytmnd fads in which songs in other languages are interpreted as funny English words, the introduction chant is most popularly "translated" to "Corn on the Cob, Corn on the Kebab".
Parody lyrics can be found at these pages:
