"That is so like you, Master Kenobi. I am called a great swordsman because I invented a lethal style; but who is greater, the creator of a killing form—or the master of the classic form?"
—Mace Windu to Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi utilizing Soresu against Darth Vader on Mustafar
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Obi-Wan Kenobi utilizing Soresu against Darth Vader on Mustafar
Form III: Soresu, the Way of the Mynock, or The Resilience Form was the third form of the seven forms of lightsaber combat.
Description
The opening stance of Form III.
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The opening stance of Form III.
Form III was originally developed to counteract the advancing blaster technology throughout the Galaxy. Those to whom the Jedi were mainly opposed usually wielded blasters, and the Jedi needed to find a method of defense that could repel normally overwhelming volleys of blaster fire. Soresu was then founded upon the basic deflection principles all Padawans were taught, the skill that enable them to protect themselves from blaster bolts.
The third form of lightsaber combat utilized motions that occurred very close to the body, in an attempt to achieve near-total protection and expend as little energy as possible while executing moves. This technique minimized the body's exposure, making a well-trained practitioner nearly invincible. Followers of Soresu comfortably remained on the defensive until their opponent left an opening that a Soresu practitioner usually could exploit in multiple ways. Soresu was best described as a passive form of combat, and one that was used by those who were extremely patient and reserved.
Due to the emphasis on defense training, Form III involved preparation for prolonged battles so that the user would be able to learn as much as possible about their opponent or opponents while engaged in possibly deadly combat. Also, by being more capable in lengthy battles, a Soresu user was in a position to gain control of the situation and provide multiple options for the duelist; such as the choice to either kill, disarm, or even reason with their opponent. Many Soresu practitioners survived the Battle of Geonosis, thanks in part to its specialization in fending off blaster fire. Soresu's greatest power lay in the endurance and control a practitioner eventually developed. Masters of the form left no opening for their opponents to take advantage of, while waiting for the eventual lapses in their opponent's own defense.
Jedi Master Mace Windu noted that, unlike any of the other combat styles, Soresu was not an answer to a particular type of weakness. Vaapad was an answer to Windu's inner darkness; Ataru was Yoda's answer to his limited reach and advanced age. Towards the end of the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi was acknowledged as "the master of Soresu" by Master Windu. It was because of this fact that Kenobi was chosen by the Jedi High Council as the Jedi best suited to defeat General Grievous due to his Mastery of Form III. Obi-Wan had always shown great abilities in weakening the opponent without fighting them. When he was twelve, Qui-Gon Jinn criticized him because Kenobi fought too aggressively. Since then, Obi-Wan took his master's advice and began using a more defensive fighting style.
Soresu was considered the consummate Jedi combat form in that it embraced a passive way of life and a literal expression of the Jedi tenet to defend rather than attack. Obi-Wan himself considered Soresu very simple, so restrained and defense-oriented that Form III was very nearly downright passive. As "the master", Obi-Wan himself could defend himself against any attack less than twenty strikes per second.
Obi-Wan Kenobi utilizes Soresu in his battle against Grievous.
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Obi-Wan Kenobi utilizes Soresu in his battle against Grievous.
Even though a truly focused master of Soresu was nearly unbeatable due to a strong defense posture, there was more guarantee of survival rather than victory. Initiates in Form III were known to be more than capable when defending themselves from attack, but might have lacked the experience to trap an opponent in their own offense. Since the defensive tactics of the form included guards and parries that were very close to the body, even a master had to keep a strong focus on his or her actions as small lapses in an otherwise strong defense left little room to avoid injury. As the most prominent Soresu master of his time, Obi-Wan Kenobi was known to be almost invincible in fighting numerous combatants and defeating some of the most dangerous foes when seeming so close to defeat. Jango Fett, the best bounty hunter of the time, could not penetrate Kenobi's defense when Obi-Wan was not even a Master. During Kenobi's first direct confrontation with Count Dooku during the Battle of Geonosis, however, his normally impenetrable defense was outmatched by Dooku's Makashi, possibly due to the advantage of Makashi in blade-to-blade fight and Dooku's vast experience in fencing. It was not favorable for a Jedi General to be in a lengthy fight while his troops were left alone on the battlefield, but this was usually unavoidable, as it was when Master Kenobi had to leave his regiment of troops in his drawn out pursuit of General Grievous. Upon Kenobi's second confrontation with Dooku at the Battle of Coruscant, he had improved his Soresu to the point where he was able to effectively render Dooku's attacks ineffective, and was only defeated when Dooku used his superior strength in the Force to gain the upper hand.
Obi-Wan Kenobi battles renowned bounty hunter Jango Fett, a masterful wielder of twin blasters.
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Obi-Wan Kenobi battles renowned bounty hunter Jango Fett, a masterful wielder of twin blasters.
The key to truly mastering Soresu may concern the concept and philosophy of Soresu, instead of its combat moves. Kenobi, despite his highest mastery of Soresu, applied Shii-Cho elements and Ataru acrobatics into his swordplay, as witnessed by Dooku onboard the Invisible Hand. By combining his knowledge of Ataru and his mastery of Soresu, Kenobi's swordplay proved to be an unique style: one with the defensive principle and protective ability of Soresu, plus the simplicity of the moves of Shii-Cho, the mobility of Ataru, and the deep connection and concentration within the Force, another key Ataru principle which allows Kenobi to handle any situation.
Soresu was a very favorable form of combat for Jedi until the Great Jedi Purge. The defense and control it allowed a practitioner made for suitable outcomes in favor of the user when faced with hurried opponents who left themselves vulnerable to counterattack. It was best for warding off blaster fire and multiple opponents as a trained user would be able to defend even outside their visual range. However, its defense required a very large amount of focus from the wielder and even a momentary fault in concentration could have meant the user's defeat. Jedi with less focused minds would usually abandon this style of combat to capitalize on the benefits of other styles that required less dedication to prolonged fighting. Jedi who mastered Soresu were known to be the most successful when dealing in situations when a quick victory was not favorable to total understanding and calculated action.
Soresu had its weaknesses. Its defensive style could often lead to dangerously prolonged combat, best illustrated in Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker's duel on Mustafar. Duels such as these necessitated the invention of Form V
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Notable Form III Practitioners
Barriss Offee
Cin Drallig
Foul Moudama
General Qymaen jai Sheelal
General Qymaen jai Sheelal's IG-100 MagnaGuards
The Jedi Exile
Luminara Unduli
Obi-Wan Kenobi
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