When the prequels came around, Star Wars fans got to enjoy a lot more lightsaber duels. Not only were there more duels, but these were also faster and flashier fights than ever before.
I remember the anticipation whenever lightsabers were drawn, everyone’s eyes were peeled to the screen in these moments.
One of the most exciting duelists in this trilogy was none other than Anakin Skywalker. The main character of this series, Anakin had some of the best fights in the entire Star Wars universe.
Anakin got off to a rough start when he was denied Jedi training by the council. He was too old and his future was clouded.
But things changed by the end of The Phantom Menace, and so one of the most entertaining lightsaber duelists was born.
What is Anakin Skywalker’s Fighting Style?
Anakin is known for his super aggressive and flashy fighting style. This brings up the question, what lightsaber form is he using?
From the looks of it, Anakin was using Form V, Djem So. This is a very aggressive form. Form V users employ non-stop aggression, and when they are forced to defend, they quickly respond with counter-attacks.
Form V doesn’t need a lot of fancy footwork. Instead, it relies more on pure power and skill to overwhelm one’s opponent. Instead of waiting for a weakness in defense, Form V users forced it out of their enemies.
Djem So is also famous for its attack stance. Before attacking, the wielder holds his lightsaber above his head, with the blade behind pointing downwards.
Then, with incredible force, the wielder brings this lightsaber down upon their opponent, usually enough to crush their defense.
It’s not difficult to see why this style would suit Anakin. Anakin was very strong and fit, he could keep on attacking for a long, long time.
Not only that, but Anakin was also easily enraged, which is why he always sought to completely overwhelm his opponent (something that ultimately led to his turn to the dark side).
But Anakin was not strictly a Form V user. Yes, it was his primary style, but he also incorporated elements of Form IV. This is what made Anakin a remarkable duelist.
Form V didn’t call for fancy footwork or acrobatics, but Form IV did. And in his battles with Count Dooku and Obi-Wan, Anakin uses his fair share of somersaults.
Anakin was a fast learner, and these tricks up his sleeve made him one of the most powerful Jedi.
Of all his battles, his fight with Obi-Wan has to be the best one. Not only was this scene heart-wrenching, but it was also one of the most intense duels in the entire franchise. Plus, Anakin’s style shines through here.
Anakin vs Obi-Wan:
Would Anakin Have Beaten Darth Vader?
As we all know, Anakin transformed into Darth Vader, so a duel between the two is impossible. That said, it’s fun to theorize what the outcome would be if Anakin faced Darth Vader. Who would’ve won?
Despite being the same character, Anakin and Darth Vader have different fighting styles. Vader still uses Form V, but he also mixes in so many elements from other forms. Plus, Vader is a lot slower than Anakin was.
The reason for this was because of the result of Anakin’s duel with Obi-Wan. Anakin lost his limbs, and was burned alive in Mustafar. He survived that, but his new mechanical body was a somewhat weaker and slower than Anakin was.
That said, Darth Vader was a lot stronger with the force than Anakin was. He lost some of his physical prowess but gained so much force power. His force abilities were so strong, he became the most powerful being in the galaxy.
That’s why with Darth Vader, we don’t see him wield his lightsaber in a fast and flashy way. Instead, we see a more controlled duelist, one who is more powerful with the force as he is with his lightsaber.
So would Anakin have beaten Darth Vader? It’s hard to say, but we can always speculate.
If it came down to a lightsaber duel, Anakin would easily have the upper hand. He was so much better physically, and Vader’s slow movement would be no match for Anakin’s relentless attacks.
However, we can’t be sure because Vader could also defend and taunt until Anakin dropped his defenses. Anakin was arrogant and not the wisest fighter, which is why he lost to Obi-Wan. So if Vader could get under his skin, Anakin may try something stupid and pay for it.
That said, Vader could defeat Anakin without even using a lightsaber. His force abilities were second to none, he could rain force lighting down, and Anakin would have no response.
But that is all speculation. What would the real outcome be? We will never know.