Niman/Jar'Kai
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- "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
Jar'Kai is a subform of Niman and is one of the oldest forms of lightsaber combat, a dual blade wielding technique.
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[edit] Description
Jar'Kai permitted a Jedi to fight with two lightsabers, one in each hand, as demonstrated by Anakin Skywalker when he first faced Count Dooku. One of the blades in the wielder's hands was used for attacking while the other one was used for defending, such as parrying, or for more offensive purposes.
As with all styles of lightsaber combat, Jar'Kai had both strengths and weaknesses. It was a good style for a wielder who could maintain a strong offense, as two blades could keep an opponent wondering which one to shift towards to defend against. However, 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 prevents 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.
[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 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 exists as a tactic instead of a completely independent style, one example includes Sora Bulq, who utilized Jar'Kai in conjunction with Vaapad. Also, Anakin Skywalker's Jar'Kai application against Count Dooku on Geonosis was actually based on Form IV swordplay. 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.
[edit] Practitioners
Many Jedi Knights and Sith Lords trained to use the Form VI in the hopes of gaining a basic knowledge of the dual-bladed attack, but very few ever totally mastered Niman.
During the Great Schism, Awdrysta Pina employed it with the Jedi katana. Before becoming a Sith Lord, the Jedi Exar Kun utilized Jar'Kai against his master. Druing the events of the First Jedi Purge initiated by the Sith triumvirate, the Jedi Master Kavar utilized the style, using a shoto.
During the New Sith Wars, the Sith Lords Dark Underlord and Kas'im utilized Jar'Kai, the former wielding two Sith swords. One Jedi who used Jar'Kai during that war was Newar Forrth, a Twi'lek Jedi. Over a millennium later, the Twi'lek Dark Jedi Bocas'eca would attempt to imitate Forrth.
Jedi Master Micah Giiett was known for using two yellow-bladed lightsabers and Darth Maul learned Jar'Kai during his years of intense training under Darth Sidious. Sora Bulq utilized Jar'Kai in conjunction when he used Vaapad. During the Summertime War on Haruun Kal, Mace Windu and Depa Billaba both used two blades occasionally. Other Jedi of the day who utilized Jar'Kai include Joclad Danva; seen with two blades during the Battle of Geonosis, Aayla Secura, who occasionally utilized a shoto, and Obi-Wan Kenobi before he mastered Form III. The Dark Jedi Komari Vosa utilized Jar'Kai with a pair of twin-curved lightsabers. After her death, her former weapons were given to the Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress, who had been utilizing Jar'Kai with her late master's weapon along with her own. 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[1], and sources describe her wielding dual lightsabers during the Jedi Purge[2].
The Jedi A'Sharad Hett also utilized two sabers, using his late father's weapon in conjunction with his own. After he fell to the dark side and became Darth Krayt, he continued to practice the style up to and including 130 ABY, albeit with a new set of red-blades as opposed to his Jedi weapons.
General Grievous may have based his bizarre, original combat style on Jar'Kai. He used two lightsabers during the Battle of Hypori when he defeated a handful of Jedi. Later, in the early stages of the Battle of Utapau he wielded four lightsabers—one in each of his four arms—in a duel against Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The Dark Jedi Bocas'eca was a master of Niman, incorporating it into his own rather unorthodox fighting style; many of Tavion Axmis's New Reborn were trained in dual saber combat. It was possible that Kyle Katarn's apprentice, Jaden Korr may have been skilled in this form.
Luke Skywalker, the Grand Master of the New Jedi Order, displayed his amazing dueling skills with dual blades 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. Ten years later, Luke again applied Jar'Kai in actual combat against the Dark Lady of the Sith Lumiya on Roqoo Depot and at Gilatter VIII during the Confederation-Galactic Alliance War.
Other known learners in the style included Raskta Lsu, Serra Keto, Komari Vosa, Anakin Skywalker, Jeng Droga, Alora, and Mara Jade Skywalker. Possible practitioners of the style include Revan, The Jedi Exile, Lycan, Aurra Sing, Quinlan Vos, Lomi Plo, Kol Skywalker, Darth Wyyrlok III, and Jaden Korr.
[edit] Notable Jar'Kai users
- Alora
- Boc Aseca
- Maris Brood
- Sora Bulq
- Sa Cuis
- Joclad Danva
- Jeng Droga
- Micah Giiett
- General Grievous
- Kavar
- Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Serra Keto
- Jaden Korr
- Darth Krayt
- Exar Kun
- Raskta Lsu
- Darth Maul
- The New Reborn
- Aayla Secura
- Anakin Skywalker
- Aurra Sing
- Luke Skywalker
- Mara Jade Skywalker
- The Dark Underlord
- Asajj Ventress
- Komari Vosa
- Xendor
[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 the Jar'Kai style, and Jar'Kai swords, originated with the Yovshin Swordsmen of Atrisia.
Originally, Count Dooku would display his masterful dual blades combat ability against Yoda in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, making him a possible Jar'Kai duelist. However, the idea was later dropped, and Dooku was stated to dislike usages of multiple blades in Labyrinth of Evil, which made him no longer likely to be a Jar'Kai master. Photos with Christopher Lee wielding two lightsabers (with visual effects) became promotional pictures; one of them can be seen in Attack of the Clones Visual Dictionary.
In the two Knights of the Old Republic video games, 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).
In the video game Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, there is an implant called the Enhancement D-Package. This implant allows the player character to fight effectively with two lightsabers, thereby giving the player "temporary" mastery of Jar'Kai, as well as double-bladed lightsaber combat, sword fighting, and even dual blasters.
[edit] Appearances
- Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
- Star Wars: Battlefront II
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (video game)
- Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
- Darth Bane: Rule of Two
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
- Clone Wars Chapter 6
- Clone Wars Chapter 7
- Clone Wars Chapter 17
- Clone Wars Chapter 18
- Clone Wars Chapter 19
- Rogue's Gallery
- Old Scores
- Star Wars: Obsession
- Clone Wars Chapter 24
- Clone Wars Chapter 25
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
- Resurrection
- Star Wars 96: Duel With a Dark Lady (First appearance)
- Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
- Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
- The New Jedi Order series
- Tempest
- Star Wars Legacy: Broken
- Star Wars Legacy: Claws of the Dragon
