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Niman/Jar'Kai

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This article is about the dual blades fighting technique. You may be looking for the sixth form of lightsaber combat known as Niman.
Kit Fisto wielding two lightsabers
"Perhaps you would like to learn something before you die. The use of two blades, one to support the other, can be traced back thousands of years and was common to both of our species. The invention of lightsabers has done nothing to lessen the effectiveness of this strategy—as you are about to learn."
―Boc Aseca to Kyle Katarn[src]

Jar'Kai was a subform of lightsaber forms Ataru and Niman, and was one of the oldest forms of lightsaber combat, a dual blade wielding technique. The usage of the Jar'Kai form actually predated the invention of the lightsaber.

Contents

[edit] Description

A New Reborn warrior and a Jedi Knight, both users of Jar'Kai, face each other in combat.

A combatant could maintain a strong offense using the Jar'Kai tactic, since two blades could keep an opponent wondering which one to defend against. One of the blades in the wielder's hands was used for attacking while the other one was used for defense, such as parrying. The other blade could also be used for more offensive purposes. The tactic is also useful against more than one opponent as one blade could only be in one place at one time. However, the Jar'Kai tactic was not without its weaknesses. A user of Jar'Kai who lost the offensive was at a disadvantage to a single hilt user, especially a powerful one. The use of two blades prevented the user from putting all his weight behind a defensive block, thus weakening one's defense considerably. A physically stronger opponent could simply batter a Jar'Kai user until their guard finally gave way. With two single blades, it was also harder to control as the non-dominant and dominant hands had to be used in unison. The use of two blades would hinder a user's performance if they did not take care or were not trained.

[edit] History

Jar'Kai was originally the name of a city on Atrisia. Here were crafted the original Jar'Kai dueling sabers, which were wielded by the Yovshin Swordsmen. The Swordsmen, wielding one saber in each hand, invented the Jar'Kai style. Similar was the style developed by the Royale Macheteros of the Kashi Mer monarchy. The latter technique was used by the Legions of Lettow, during the First Great Schism, who called it Niman after a dual triumvirate of the Kashi deities. Ancient Niman relied on steel blades, as lightsabers had not yet been invented, but the style could be used with a great variety of weapons.

The application of Jar'Kai also existed as a tactic instead of a completely independent style; one example included Sora Bulq, who utilized Jar'Kai in conjunction with Vaapad.[1] Also, Anakin Skywalker's Jar'Kai application against Count Dooku on Geonosis was actually based on Ataru swordplay.[source?] Unfortunately, as Skywalker had not received advanced training in either the Jar'Kai or Form IV, Dooku was easily able to break through Anakin's array of weapons.

Many Jedi Knights and Sith Lords trained to use Form VI in the hopes of gaining a basic knowledge of the dual-bladed attack, but very few ever achieved complete mastery of Niman.

[edit] Practitioners

Dark Jedi Boc using Jar'Kai against Kyle Katarn.

During the Great Schism, Awdrysta Pina employed Jar'Kai with Jedi katanas. Before becoming a Sith Lord, the Jedi Exar Kun utilized Jar'Kai against his Master, Vodo-Siosk Baas, in a training session.[2] During the Jedi Civil War, many of the Dark Jedi that pledged their allegiance to Darth Revan and Darth Malak's Sith Empire used Jar'Kai against their former Jedi brethren.[3] Bastila Shan was also known to have used Jar'Kai during the Jedi Civil War. The Jedi Master Vandar Tokare was also a known Jar'Kai practitioner during the Dark Wars, as was Tokare's contemporary and fellow Jedi Council member Kavar, who utilized the style with a standard lightsaber and a shoto.[4][5] In the New Sith Wars, the Sith Lord who was known only as the Dark Underlord utilized Jar'Kai with two Sith swords.[6]

Near the end of the New Sith Wars, before the devastating events of the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, the Sith Lord Kas'im, who was also the Blademaster of the Korriban Sith Academy, used Jar'Kai in conjunction with Ataru against Darth Bane in the Temple of the Ancients on Lehon. Kas'im, who had mastered all of the seven classic forms and normally used a double-bladed lightsaber, always discouraged his students at the Academy against using this variation of the fourth form, saying it was inherently flawed. However, Kas'im's expertise with Jar'Kai was such that he was able to confuse Bane and nearly defeat him.[7] However, the style also had its share of Jedi practitioners, including the Echani Jedi Master Raskta Lsu, who used Jar'Kai both during and after the New Sith Wars; she was later killed by Bane's Sith apprentice Darth Zannah, along with the Jedi strike team that was sent after her and Bane on the planet Tython.[8] A Twi'lek Jedi named Newar Forrth was also a user of this style. Over a millennium later, the Twi'lek Dark Jedi Bocas'eca attempted to imitate Forrth, resulting in a clumsy though effective style.

Darth Krayt utilizing Jar'Kai against the Imperial Knights.

Prior to the rise of the Galactic Empire, Jar'Kai practitioners included Jedi Master Micah Giiett[9] and the Sith Lord Darth Maul, who learned Jar'Kai during his years of intense training under Darth Sidious.[10] The Dark Jedi Sora Bulq utilized Jar'Kai in conjunction with his practice of Vaapad, wielding a shoto.[1] During the Summertime War on Haruun Kal, Mace Windu and Depa Billaba both used two blades occasionally.[11] Other Jedi of of that era who utilized Jar'Kai include Joclad Danva[12], Aayla Secura[13], and the Dark Jedi Komari Vosa, who utilized Jar'Kai with a pair of curved lightsabers.[14] After her death, her former weapons were given to the Dark Jedi and Sith aspirant Asajj Ventress, who utilized them in her dual-blade practice of Makashi, and had beforehand utilized Jar'Kai with her late master's weapon along with her original lightsaber.[15]

The Jedi A'Sharad Hett also utilized two sabers, using his late father's weapon in conjunction with his own.[16] After he fell to the dark side and became Darth Krayt, he continued to practice the style up to his death in 137 ABY, albeit with a set of Sith lightsabers as opposed to his old Jedi lightsabers. Seven years before, when Darth Krayt's Sith attacked the Jedi Academy on Ossus, the Jedi Master Kol Skywalker took up Wolf Sazen's lightsaber and used it against the Sith before he was killed.[17]

Kit Fisto utilizing Jar'Kai against Grievous' Jar'Kai-inspired lightsaber style.

General Grievous likely included elements of Jar'Kai in his style. He commonly utilized two lightsabers in battle during the Clone Wars. He also demonstrated the ability to wield four lightsabers, achieving this by splitting his mechanical arms and hands along their lengths, resulting in four arms. He utilized this ability against Jedi such as Kit Fisto,[18] Obi-Wan Kenobi[19]. Fisto responded to this by taking up the lightsaber of his fallen former Padawan, Nahdar Vebb, and unleashed his own skill with Jar'Kai,[18] whereas Kenobi fell back on his mastery of Form III to defend against and evade the cyborg's attacks while removing his limbs with subtle parries.[19]

Fourteen years after the destruction of the second Death Star, many of Tavion Axmis' New Reborn were trained to use the Jar'Kai style, most notably Axmis' apprentice, Alora. Many Jedi also used Jar'Kai to combat Axmis' Reborn.[20] Kyle Katarn's Jedi apprentice, Jaden Korr might also have been skilled in this form.[21]

Luke Skywalker employing Jar'Kai against Supreme Overlord Shimrra Jamaene during the Yuuzhan Vong War.

Luke Skywalker, the Grand Master of the New Jedi Order, displayed his skill with the dual-bladed tactic during the Yuuzhan Vong War, often utilizing it with a shoto in conjunction with his regular lightsaber. Regardless of receiving formal Jar'Kai training or not, Luke proved to be one of the best dual-blade duelists in his era. During the Swarm War, the Sith Master Lomi Plo used Jar'Kai against Skywalker when she dueled him two out of three times, using a standard lightsaber in conjunction with a shoto.[22][23] Approximately five years after the end of the Swarm War, Luke applied Jar'Kai in actual combat against the Dark Lady of the Sith Lumiya on Roqoo Depot[24] and at Gilatter VIII during the Second Galactic Civil War.[25]

Mara Jade Skywalker built a shoto per Luke's suggestion when Lumiya re-emerged. She was with Luke on Roqoo Depot when he fought Lumiya; at the same time she dueled the Dark Jedi Alema Rar, who was assisting Lumiya.[24] Mara Jade also used a variant of Jar'Kai when she dueled her nephew and Lumiya's Sith apprentice Jacen Solo on the planet Kavan, using her shoto and vibroblade.[26] Sometime after the Jedi retreated to the forest moon of Endor and set up a secret outpost, Luke Skywalker used Jar'Kai against the Mon Calamari Jedi Master Cilghal in a training exercise; he had used the Force to take her lightsaber away from her, and he used it with his own lightsaber. Cilghal in turn borrowed Kyle Katarn's lightsaber in order to spar with the Grand Master. During that same training session, the Barabel Jedi Master Saba Sebatyne used Jar'Kai against Corran Horn.[27]

Other Jar'Kai practitioners included Serra Keto,[28] Aurra Sing,[29] and Jeng Droga.[6] Known occassional practitioners included Lycan[30], Quinlan Vos[31], Corran Horn[32], Anakin Solo[32], and Obi-Wan Kenobi.[33] The Jedi Council member Shaak Ti also appeared to have some training in the style, as she expertly wielded an electrostaff in conjunction with her lightsaber during the Battle of Coruscant[34]; sources describe her wielding dual lightsabers during the Jedi Purge.[35]

Possible practitioners of the style included Revan[36][37], the Jedi Exile[38], and Darth Wyyrlok III.[39]

[edit] Notable Jar'Kai users

Asajj Ventress, a well known practitioner of Jar'Kai.

[edit] Occasional practitioners or learners of Jar'Kai

[edit] Behind the scenes

William C. Dietz and Dave Dorman's novella Dark Forces: Jedi Knight, from which the quotation at the beginning of this article is taken (p. 119), suggests the dual blade combat predates the invention of the lightsaber. Furthermore, in the Star Wars computer game X-wing Alliance, there is a pair of "Jar'Kai dueling sabers" that are ordinary metal swords. This also suggests that Jar'Kai predated lightsabers, even though the release of X-Wing Alliance was before the behind the scenes "invention" of lightsaber forms. This was confirmed by a Wizard of the Coast supplement, which revealed that the Jar'Kai style, and swords, originated with the Yovshin Swordsmen of Atrisia.

Dooku wielding two lightsabers.

Originally, Count Dooku would have displayed his masterful ability with two blades against Yoda in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, making him a possible Jar'Kai practitioner. However, the idea was later dropped, and in the novel Labyrinth of Evil, Dooku was stated to dislike usages of multiple blades, which made him no longer likely to be a Jar'Kai practitioner. Photos with Christopher Lee wielding two lightsabers (with visual effects) became promotional pictures; one of them can be seen in the Attack of the Clones Visual Dictionary. Also, the scene where Dooku is wielding two lightsabers was seen in the Attack of the Clones comic version.

In the video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, a character's mastery in the Jar'Kai form is measured by a set of three feats called Two-Weapon Fighting. Acquiring these feats makes the character excel in dual lightsaber or melee weapon combat, but it also increases the character's mastery in wielding double-bladed weapons and even dual blasters (a feature taken from the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, that in turn originated from Dungeons and Dragons).[3] However, in the game's sequel, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, one of the available implants is called the Enhancement D-Package, which allows a character to use two weapons effectively without having to purchase the Two-Weapon Fighting set of feats .[5]

[edit] Appearances

[edit] Sources

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jedi: Mace Windu
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3  The Dark Forces Saga, Part 4 on Wizards.com (article)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Darth Bane: Rule of Two
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Jedi Council: Acts of War
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 New Essential Guide to Characters
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Shatterpoint (novel)
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Heart of Fire
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
  15. ↑ Cloak of Darkness
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Star Wars Republic: Emissaries to Malastare
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Star Wars Legacy 1: Broken, Part 1
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Lair of Grievous"
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
  21. ↑ Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, The player can choose Korr's lightsaber preference. No other canon source has established Korr's preferred lightsaber preference.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen
  23. ↑ Dark Nest III: The Swarm War
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Tempest (novel)
  25. ↑ Exile (novel)
  26. ↑ Sacrifice
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Fury
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (video game)
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Star Wars Republic: The Hunt for Aurra Sing
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Nomad
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Star Wars Republic: Rite of Passage
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 Dark Tide II: Ruin
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Star Wars Republic 60: Hate and Fear
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Clone Wars Chapter 25
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 The Force Unleashed
  36. ↑ Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, The player can choose whether or not Revan uses Jar'Kai, no other canon source has depicted Revan using Jar'Kai
  37. ↑ Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, The Jedi Exile encounters an apparation of Darth Revan using two lightsabers
  38. ↑ Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, The player can choose whether or not the Exile uses Jar'Kai, no other canon source has depicted the Exile using Jar'Kai
  39. ↑ Star Wars Legacy 14: Claws of the Dragon, Part 1
  40. ↑ Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
  41. ↑ Star Wars Legacy 29: Vector, Part 10
  42. ↑ Star Wars 96: Duel With a Dark Lady
  43. ↑ In His Image
  44. ↑ Star Wars: Legacy
Lightsabers
Combat Duel · Dun Möch · Fast style · Medium style · Strong style · Form "Zero" · Mounted · Niman/Jar'Kai · Sokan · Three rings of defense · Trispzest · Tràkata
Forms I: Shii-Cho · II: Makashi · III: Soresu · IV: Ataru · V: Shien / Djem So · VI: Niman · VII: Juyo / Vaapad
Techniques Cho mai · Cho mok · Cho sun · Dulon · Faalo's cadences · Faalo's Will · Falling Leaf · Flowing Water · Jedi ready · Jung · Jung ma · Kai-kan · Lus-ma · Mou kei · Sai · Sai cha · Sai tok · Sequence · Shiak · Shiim · Shun · Sun djem · Velocities
Variations Crossguard lightsaber · Curved-hilt lightsaber · Double-bladed lightsaber · Imperial Knight lightsaber · Lightclub · Lightfoil · Lightwhip · Long-handle lightsaber · Paired lightsabers · Lightsaber pike · Protosaber · Shoto / Guard shoto · Training lightsaber / Sith training saber
Lightsaber-resistant materials Armorweave · Cortosis · Darkswords · Force Weapon · Mandalorian iron · Neuranium · Orbalisks · Phrik · Sith Alchemy · Ultrachrome
Technology Blade emitter shroud · Crystal · Diatium power cell · Emitter matrix · Focusing lens · Hilt · Inert power insulator · Pommel cap
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