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- "Cho mai translates as "to cut off the weapon hand." Because this strike instantly ends an opponent's ability to use a weapon but does not kill, cho mai is always a preferred move in combat."
- ―Cin Drallig
In lightsaber combat, cho mai was the act of cutting off an opponent's weapon hand.
Application and description[]
Darth Kruhl uses cho mai against Rikkar-Du.
Cho mai was a precision technique as it demonstrated the skill of a swordsman. Considered honorable among lightsiders, it allowed for a victory by causing minimal physical damage. Darksiders consider the mark to be merciful as such individuals prefer to kill opponents rather than maim.[1]
In lightsaber combat, cho mai was often performed by simply driving the opponents blade aside before cutting at the wrist.[2] Other methods include altering the angle of one's parry to catch the opponent's wrist instead of the blade or sliding the weapon inside an opponent's guard during a bladelock to cut off their hand. An even more vicious method consisted of grabbing the opponent's wrist and holding it in place while cutting it off.[3] Executing cho mai was often a question of recognizing an opening and exploiting it, attacking when the opponent left their weapon hand vulnerable. Jedi Knights commonly used it against blaster-wielding opponents.
Notable examples[]
In 5000 BBY, in their first duel, Saes Rrogon used cho mai on Relin Druur.[4]
In 3951 BBY, aboard the Hammerhead-class cruiser, Harbinger, Darth Sion initiated cho mai against Kreia. During the confrontation between Meetra Surik and Darth Traya, the former used cho mai against her after weakening the Sith Lord.[5]
In 990 BBY, Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Bane applied cho mai on Hetton shortly before finishing him off on Ambria. Shortly afterwords, he severed the weapon hand of Johun Othone while they dueled in Belia Darzu's stronghold.[6]
In 22 BBY, Obi-Wan Kenobi used cho mai against the bounty hunter Zam Wesell when she tried to shoot him in the back in the Outlander Club. Years later, Mace Windu would employ the technique to bisect Jango Fett's blaster and then decapitated the Mandolorian. Count Dooku, alias Darth Tyranus, also used cho mai against Anakin Skywalker in a duel during the Battle Of Geonosis.[7]
In 21 BBY, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker used cho mai against Tactical Droid TV-94 when he tortured Eeth Koth and during the First Battle of Saleucami.[8] In that same year, he later used cho mai against bounty hunter Twazzi when she tried to punch him.[9]
In 20 BBY, Asajj Ventress used cho mai against General Grievous in the Battle of Dathomir. She severed one of the general's arms off in an attempt to defeat him, but failed.[10]
Later on, Nightbrother Dathomirian Zabrak Savage Opress used cho mai against Tatsu when he called him a coward in a duel.[11] Shortly after, Obi-Wan Kenobi used cho mai against Savage during the Skirmish on Florrum.[12]
In 19 BBY, Anakin Skywalker used cho mai on Darth Tyranus shortly before killing him through Sai cha on the Separatist flagship Invisible Hand.[3]
During the Battle of Utapau, Obi-Wan used cho mai twice against General Grievous.[3]
Near the end of the Clone Wars, Skywalker again applied cho mai on Mace Windu, leading to his death at the hands of Skywalker's soon-to-be master. Prior to this incident, Grand Master Yoda used this technique against a clone trooper of the 501st Legion when he and Obi-Wan Kenobi engaged these clones outside the Jedi Temple.[3]
In 19 BBY, Darth Vader assailed a secret meeting of surviving Jedi with the first to die by his blade being the Jedi Knight Sia-Lan Wezz, having been impaled by the Dark Lord before cutting of her hand as she fell dead, adding insult to injury.[13] That same year, Vader utilized cho mai in combination with a lightsaber throw to sever the hand of Bothan Jedi Master Kai Hudorra during the failed ambush at Kestavel.[14]
In 0 BBY, Obi-Wan used cho mai in Mos Eisley cantina to protect Luke Skywalker from Ponda Baba and Cornelius Evazan. Baba lost half his arm during this engagement.
A cho mai maneuver combined with Jung ma.
In 3 ABY, Luke Skywalker bisected a wampa's arm when the creature threatened to eat him on Hoth. Darth Vader later severed Skywalker's right hand during the duel at Cloud City.[2]
In 4 ABY, Luke Skywalker returned the favor during his rematch with Vader during the Battle of Endor.[15]
In 10 ABY, during a brief but fierce duel, Luke Skywalker proved victorious after cutting off the hand of a reborn Darth Sidious during the Battle of Pinnacle Base.[16]
Jaden Korr, like his former master Kyle Katarn, was quite skilled in applying cho mai just after winning bladelocks.[17][18]
Years later, Lumiya, the Dark Lady of the Sith, used this technique on Luke Skywalker during their duel at the Roqoo Depot.[19]
In 137 ABY, Imperial Knight Elke Vetter lost her hand to Darth Talon.[20]
Also in 137 ABY, Sith Lord Darth Kruhl applied cho mai against Rikkar-Du in between application of two brutal shiim marks. He then killed Rikkar-du.[21]
In 139 ABY, Imperial Knight Jao Assam severed both of Darth Wredd's hands in the Battle of the Floating World.[22]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
- LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
- LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
- LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
- "Light and Shadow"
Sources[]
"Fightsaber: Jedi Lightsaber Combat" — Star Wars Insider 62- Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
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Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
- ↑ Crosscurrent
- ↑ Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
- ↑ Darth Bane: Rule of Two
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- ↑
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Grievous Intrigue"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Crisis on Naboo"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Massacre"
- ↑ The Clone Wars: The Sith Hunters
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Revival"
- ↑ Star Wars: Purge
- ↑ Dark Times—A Spark Remains 5
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
- ↑ Star Wars: Dark Empire
- ↑ Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
- ↑ Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
- ↑ Legacy of the Force: Tempest
- ↑ Legacy (2006) 3
- ↑ Legacy (2006) 13
- ↑ Legacy (2013) 18