Why Jedi & Sith HATED Form 8 Lightsaber Style - Star Wars Explained

Thumbnail art by: guiillegfx on instagram

For all sponsorship and business inquiries please contact:

Twitter: @StupendousWave

Composer: Whitesand (Martynas Lau)
Year: 2017
Title: Eternity Additional Music Terminus by: Scott Buckley
Released under CC-BY 4.0.

[TruthNone]

Two theories. One, this style was not invented for duels, it was invented for survival. Two, the inventor cared not for honor, he cared to eliminate any who stood against him, no matter what.

[darkpone]

I have always wondered why the Jedi or Sith didn't switch their lightsabers on and off in battle, now I see it was a matter of ego, I could understand why it was created by a Consular Jedi, as they would value the greater good over their own honor and pride if it meant saving the lives of those they are sworn to protect due to the fact that they meditate on the Will of the Force in a different path from the Guardians who are warriors and have that concept of honor that set them down the Way of Eddard Stark.

[ConstantChanger]

I feel like Exar Kun is left out of this conversation. Kun used Niman, mainly, but when he created one of the earliest double bladed lightsabers, he did something very similar to this: he never completely turned off the blade, but he would shorten the blade to completely avoid blocks. This is hardly any different.

[olinseats]

You can't really call it an 8th form. It wasn't a lightsaber form. It's not broad enough in scope or function to rate that kind of designation. It was a single technique that could be, in theory, applied to any actual form. .

[AustynSN]

I remember a friend claiming that the various adjustabilities on Darth Vader's saber were to allow him to perform similar tricks. By setting a switch to decrease the density of his own blade, momentarily making it nothing but a harmless red light, Vader could throw his Jedi enemies off guard for moment, giving him a quick kill.

[duncanby]

I don't see how this can be seen as cheap tricks. I see it as using a built in ability. Die with your Honor. Or fight with every available ability you have and potentially win.

[daniels]

Seems like an excellent form to counter those spinning lightsabers used by the Inquisitors.

[konokolokopokonodokobokogo]

Just imagine all those times when two duelist's blades lock and each one tries to overpower the other, pressing their sabers into one another with their full weight, and then one of them proceeds to simply deactivate their saber and sidestep. The person who didn't would be redirected and stumble forward and then the other guy just reignites his saber in their side.

[Ugnep-swng]

There's a difference between a cheap trick and a creative use of your weapon. A cheap trick is something like throwing sand in your eyes, feigning surrender, taunting, etc... Turning your lightsaber on and off is clever and should honestly be done more often to make for cooler duels. It's like an archer stabbing someone with an arrow, or using the Hilt of a sword to bash an armored enemy. It's something unexpected but there's nothing inherently dishonest about it.

[Patrick]

Sounds legit to me. At those speeds, timing is everything. Knowing the exact moment to turn your weapon off and on again is gonna take an immense amount of skill and, frankly, balls of steel.

[Adam-lwxp]

I see why both sides would dislike it, but the main problem I see is that it leaves the duelist wide open for attacks as well. It's a double bladed sword that can go both ways. Not to mention that even if it does work, there is a chance that the opponent will drop their blade anywhere. You could just get kill on the random chance it falls on you.

[savagedarksider]

Peace is A lie, there is only Passion, Through passion, I gain Strength, Through strength, I gain Power, Through power, I gain Victory, Through victory, my chains are broken The Force shall free me.

[Whoopu]

Another more practical reason this technique was rarely used: Despite its effectiveness, it was equally a dangerous and risky technique for the user. You were essentially gambling and completely dropping your defense for a moment, for a chance to bypass your opponent's defense. If your opponent were to sense it coming (as force-weilders are prone to do) you essentially just gave them the perfect opening to take you down.

[irmuusanaa]

The reason given why sith don’t use the style: It would only makes sense with arrogant or battle Sith Lords. This form would be great for Sith whose main goal is political power rather than combat. A Combination of this technique with duel blades would be the most overpowered trick, as one can lure their opponent in close corner before activating their lightsaber catching their opponent by surprise, this style would be great for Sith Lords like palatine as it not only fits their character but their modes Operands.

[MultiArchangel]

Form 8 sounds super irritating. A form like that is best suited to Master Kenobi a.k.a. The Grandmaster of the Trolling arts.

[Corona]

There were one Jedi that Luke trained that was very good at lengthening his saber and shortening it in combat and at times turning it off and on to win his fights when needed. But in Luke's time it wasn't all about honor. It was about winning to safe your friends and love ones. That's why I believe Luke's Jedi from legends were the strongest Jedi to be trained.

[lorenz]

In the Duel in the Clone Wars between Obi-Wan & Savage and Maul after the death if Adi Gaulia I think Kenobi used a move of this form.

[benpezzot]

Also that palpatine feared qui gon the most out of any jedi and he told maul that his main objective was to kill qui gon

[kermitthefrog]

May the force be with all of you! Have a great Sunday!!

[kermitthefrog]

I like how both Asoka and Starkiller hold their light sabers in back of them.