One of my favorite forms, truly fascinating. A style that embodies the purest expression of the lightsaber as a means of genuine swordsmanship, despite lacking in other areas. Regardless, Dooku's exceptional skill in Makashi was of absolute masterclass against a majority of his opponents, no matter what they brought to the table. I love that the prequels really emphasized personality in each character's approach to lightsaber combat, probably the highest display among all Star Wars media. Actors like Sir Christopher Lee and Ray Park offering their real-world martial experience just adds that extra bit of depth and mystique to their respective characters, as well as Jedi/Sith lore and culture as a whole.
I remember a sword practitioner on youtube actually saying that if lightsabers were real, a style akin to fencing (Makashi, in other words) would be the smartest way to wield them.
@@realjoemavro This is 100% so. There is a reason real swordplay is decidedly sans so many flourishes. Also, there are videos of a fencing master taking on a katana master in duels. The fencing master with a rapier usually wins.
@@realjoemavro I've heard similar theories as well, and I do agree. Given the nature of lightsaber "blades", one would think that a more thrust oriented approach akin to fencing would be most efficient, while the films depict more of a cutting/slashing style, which is okay too. Even better if they had some sort of hand guard, as it's quite crazy for a weapon where the slightest touch would do so much damage not to have one.
One also notes that Form II is perfect for Force attacks. Leaving a hand free allows for many Force attacks mid-duel; a multi-tasking that Dooku was the absolute master of.
Three reasons Makashi is my favorite form: 1. When every inch of your blade is lethal and there's no edge, it makes sense that you don't need a lot of power behind your strikes and would want to use precise movements. 2. It's based heavily on fencing, my favorite form of sword fighting. Some of Dooku's heavier attacks in the Revenge of the Sith game also remind me a bit of Chinese sword fighting, another of my favorites. 3.Dooku is my main in ROTS, and the best way to get good in that game is to bait your opponent into attacking and then close in for the kill the instant they're open. Doesn't that sound like Dooku?
I have always wondered why being precise and controlled didn't help you block, parry, and deflect blaster bolts when it is almost the same things that make Form 3 so strong in doing that. While I am a big fan of the odd numbered forms (1, 3, and 5), I think being verse in Forms 1, 2, and 3 with a deeper mastery in at least one of them would make an excellent Lightsaber combatant.
@@jsbcody Well, we've seen Dooku deflect blaster bolts before, so presumably all seven forms are adequate for that. It's just that Makashi is meant primarily for dueling another swordsman and thus was considered unnecessary during his time.
@@realjoemavro I am aware of this but coming from a martial arts background where great footwork, along with precision and control are key elements that every martial artist strives for, it doesn't make sense that Form 2 is "only good" for dueling. Those same elements would be good for fighting multiple opponents and blocking/deflecting blaster bolts.
ROTS for the original x-box... And, to this day, I have yet to be bested in lightsaber combat. Oh there have been many, many close duels to be sure, but when it comes down to it, form II ( the count's saber form) is arguably the best. Game, set and match. Even with the annoyance of repeated moves- shunt blocks and X,X,X or Y,Y,Y- all it takes is a nice side- step and/or a spin move, accompanied by a grapple and to finish off with a downward thrust impalement...in addition, force hold in mid air with force lightning, then force pull to you with a stab from your lightsaber and there you have it. Also adding the right thumb stick (in a circular motion) to the attacks was a nice parry move to incorporate during close combat as well. Yeah...20 years is a long time in the undefeated line. And my opponents were,by no means, scrubs either. The best duels were their beliefs that, SOMEHOW, i cheated or the controller got 🤜🎮 after a duel were the best 😂
Enjoyed it! I think it is good to point out that a Form's weakness is not necessarily a weakness for the duelist wielding it, nor is it a cheat code. In Dooku's case in particular, his experience, Battle IQ and proficiency with other forms was so high that he usually overcame all of Form II's traditional weaknesses. He was immensely proficient in deflecting blaster bolts and was notably excellent against multiple opponents. Makashi is more vulnerable to Form V, but whereas it is true that Anakin's Form V did eventually defeat Dooku in ROTS, it is noteworthy that Dooku faced Form V many times and always overcame it in the past simply because he was skilled enough to use the force and momentum behind Form V against the user. Whenever I see people say "but Form II is very vulnerable to Form V!" I cringe and point out that for normal Form II users maybe, but with Dooku it is far more accurate to say that *Form V masters* have a slightly better chance than most, and it only worked once because the Chosen One leveled up. A lesser Form V user, and indeed, Anakin prior to ROTS, were often quickly defeated by Dooku.
Obviously Dooku is who the Grand Inquisitor probably admired the most, considering that he too favored form 2; he even would use similar single hand combat tactics, with his other arm braced behind his back.
Love the little aside about Christopher Lee's own swordsmanship. An absolute legend on and off the silver screen and the world is lesser for his passing.
The Jedi Order created Form II, sometimes referred to as Makashi, as the second method of lightsaber warfare. It was an elegant combat style that became a specialised form for battles with Sith Order foes. Instead than using strength and power, Form II emphasised precision and control. The Sith assassin Asajj Ventress was schooled in its use by Count Dooku, a master of the form, even if her teacher's was more graceful. The Grand Inquisitor was an accomplished Form II user. Another Jedi Master who employed the method and shared it with other members of the Order in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant was Ki-Adi-Mundi. Dooku's lightsaber is so sick, so is his form! Dooku is just a sick character!
Sir Christopher in addition to being a fencer, also holds the record for as an actor with the most filmed sword fight scenes. Because Sir Lee was a fencer, that is the reason he wanted a curved hilt lightsaber. Here is another little fact, shortly before his death, Sir Lee gave an audio recorded interview where he talked about the lightsaber fight between Dooku and Anakin at the beginning of Revenge of The Sith. In the original version, Dooku taunts Anakin by telling Anakin that Dooku hired the Sand People to kidnap and torture to death Anakin's mother. This was part of Palpatine's plan to get Anakin to the Dark Side. In the original scene, after Dooku is "disarmed", he is in the process of telling Anakin that he did it at the behest of his Master, Sidious/Palpatine, when Palpatine "orders/suggests" Anakin kill Dooku. It makes the whole "Do it" part make a bit more sense. After filming that version, they thought it was way too Dark and foreboding to begin the movie with and went with the filtered version.
One of Sir Christopher's favorite stories is the time Errol Flynn nearly cut off his pinky in a sword fight for a film. Later, he relates how Flynn explained to the rest of the male cast why he never shaved his mustache...
My favorite part about Star Wars is how deep the lore and history runs within the overarching story. Minute details like the strengths and weaknesses of different saber combat forms give the galaxy so much depth and enrich the story. It really is the small details that create the best stories. Great video!
I like the dynamic between Form 2 and Form 5. Early to mid fight Form 2 has the edge, but mid to late fight Form 5 gains the upper hand due to generating momentum, Its kind of like the vulnerabilities flip the longer it goes on. If the form 2 guy can't close the deal by mid fight, his odds of victory start to decrease with their opponent's rising momentum. I dunno, there's just something I like about that particular clash of styles. Its also kind of amusing the note that after becoming Darth Vader, Anakin dropped form 5 in favor of form 2 because if worked better with his Vader costume..
I'm pretty certain that Yoda was still his better by a small margin, and possibly Sidious too. Mace Windu could probably fight him to a standstill, but it would be a 50/50 for the actual win. And Anakin was his superior when he killed him. Dooku outright admits that Skywalker has become the greatest practitioner of Form V that he's ever seen. High praise indeed.
@@graysonb_designs in Disney canon (throwing out the episode 3 novelization) it's made clear that the only way to defeat Darth Tyranus, is to use anger fear and hatred. Only 2 have achieved this rare win over Dooku, meaning Skywalker, as a Jedi, had not surpassed him. The same goes for Quinlan Voss, who also holds a win under the same circumstances, over Dooku. Additionally, he had a killshot moment during the 2v1 on the invisible hand.
If I was a Jedi in star wars I would use form 2 and try to master it I would also use techniques from forms 3 and 6 too,I love how elegant form 2 is it really compliments sir Christopher Lees talent as a fencer
Seeing this and playing Jedi Survivor with all the different stances, imagine a Star Wars old/high republic era game, where you play as a jedi Padawan similar to the old Jedi academy game, where you create a character and species and the game centers around your character advancing through the ranks of a Padawan, with central plot centered around your character and a Jedi master. You create your lightsaber as part of your progression, and you can select which of the 7 forms you want your character to start with. And each form has expanded movement and ability traits, unique to that form and that can be unlocked through out the game. Eventually you can choose to "train" in other forms of lightsaber combat. If done right they could create the gameplay and experience of each form to be a unique experience for the player as well as force abilities. I think a game that heavily emphasizes the lightsaber combat enforce abilities in tandem would be amazing. Like lets say you have a skill tree of force abilities split up into tiers representing how advanced or basic they are. And lets say certain lightsaber forms like 7 or 4 require specific prerequisite force abilities or perks to be unlocked before being able to utilize. And having both core traits that can be invested in like a Dark souls game (ie dexterity, strength etc) Like 4 which focuses alot on acrobatics to require the user to invest their "xp" more heavily into a mobility core trait. Or for things like form 5 investing in strength, or form 2 dexterity and so on. This is my dream star wars game. Making the combat of larger groups similar in feel to the Batman Arkham free flow combat system, and then for duels more focused on timing and reaction time, to make if feel more like an authentic duel, with quick counter actions. Rather than hacking away while your opponent blocks and then switch. I imagine a blend of Jedi Survivor, Jedi Academy, Batman Arkham, and a splash destiny or Dark souls for the core traits and skill progression. And as far as the game itself, an open world game with multiple planets like Jedi Survior and dialogue options like Witcher. Im sure there are tons of story line potential for a game made during the high or old republic area.
It must have hurt a lot for his former padawans and young learners to see what he became in the Clone Wars. To see such a paragon of Jedi mastery fall into darkness...
Disney canon keeps saber combat simple. Leaving out the details of forms and the pros and cons to each. The new simplified combat system really refers to the way the attacks executed. For example, overhead high strikes "two handed high attacks can be extremely effective but are used sparingly as the aggression that fuels them can open a Jedi to the dark side." (Secrets of the jedi guidebook)
Darth Bane had a curved lightsaber too and was pretty good at duelling. While not clearly stated which form he used. Darth Bane knew all the forms of lightsaber combat, and he even taught form III to his apprentice. But his focus was seemingly form II and V which he eventually turned into his own version of form VII which is all very Sith. He was constantly out numbered by jedi and was getting ambushed every other day by blaster wielding mercenaries. And yet every time he was always the survivor, until he was ultimately defeated by his apprentice Darth Zannah.
...a technique that helps one resist the Force attacks of an enemy, and is also excellent for lightsaber combat. It does more damage, but it leaves you vulnerable to other attacks. Use it against others wielding the Force or lightsabers, but not against anyone else. -KREIA
Request: what if padme moaned while Anakin was choking her would Vader snap out of it because of utter confusion would palps arrive see this shit And walk away hands pointed skyward?
This is off topic from the video but I just needed to ask this, for all Obi-wan knew he thought he left Anakin for dead burning to death on Mustafar not knowing that Anakin’s Dark Side power fueled by his rage would help him survive. So it makes sense for him to be completely shocked and speechless to hear that Anakin is still alive and has fully become a Sith, right?
Yoi may or May not have heard the story about Christopher Lee on set and how to act when being stabbed, due to his real life experience of it during the WW2. He explained how its not a scream that you hear or the person gives out. But something more quiet, like you know something bad has happened but not sure exactly what.
To defeat a form five master while using form two, you have to be able to avoid going on the defensive as form 5 Djem-So is a very offensive technique, you also need to be able to deflect the energy of the attacks using parries rather than meeting the saber strength to strength, Djem-So users also lack mobility, something which can be exploited in combat.
Summary: Form 2 Is a great form but you should also master a secondary form just in case because Form 2 required little strength and usually little momentum but was basically the best choice for dueling other than some others if your opponent is physically stronger you need to use more strength and use 2 hands and it will get difficult it is recommended to use this for dueling but not when facing many many blaster wielding foes unless you are a awesome master at it. It uses Offensive and Defensive custom strikes and required you to control it.
I know some people want to see Count Dooku “bleed” his crystal, but I believe that Dooku isn’t someone to allow the Dark Side to control him like that. In my mind, he made a synthetic lightsaber crystal
I've always felt similarly. I mean we never even see him angry or with Sith eyes. Dooku was a cut above the rest. I think if Palps took him seriously as an apprentice and really taught him dark side powers (more than lightning), he would have been one of the most dangerous Sith of all time.
I love this, but disagree with the whole thing of giving the form itself too much credit. Anakin was bested Dooku, it wasn't form 5 that bested him, that's just a tool, its like saying Anakin's lightsaber defeated Dooku I have to admit I really hate the idea of Dooku not going all out against Anakin in ROTS it feels like it takes away from his victory, lame af imo
@@Cian._. ohh OK, good to know, this is why I usually stick to what's in the movies and tend to ignore what other people wrote for SW I tend to prefer things the way George wanted them
And this intent seems to be held throughout as during the Clone Wars series Dooku was always holding back against Anakin. The only time he really turns it up to near his full level was the duel on Oba Dia.
What if Bo-Katan Kryze was a stronger and better fighter than Maul and Pre Vizsla combined, thus defeating Maul and/or Sabine Wren in combat for leadership of Mandalore and/or the Darksaber?
Everything Wrong With Star Wars Theory I know that people have been frustrated with him for a long time but I thought I'd give my thoughts on him. I was at work and had a bit of time. 1. After TLJ and TROS, he said he loved them and suddenly, when that wasn't the popular narrative, he deleted videos where he praised them and took on the 'they aren't canon' narrative. 2. He then says 'he is just an average Star Wars fan' but with his influence, his words have power and crapping on the sequels and being arrogant has isolated a big portion of his audience and villainized Sequel fans in the eyes of the others (yes, a lot of his fans listen to his every word without questioning anything). 3. Speaking of arrogance, he is also very narcissistic. Look at how he had a meltdown at Levi Bond on a live-stream when he was challenged. All Levi said was 'the way you word things has made sequels fans feel isolated'. He goes on to berate the poor kid, shout at him and as a result, Levi has been demonized on youtube by the masses who follow Theory. 4. Not to mention the fact that he takes NO accountability. He pretends he is a channel with 100 subs 'just speaking his mind.' When he talks down to other RU-vidrs (especially on GnG livestreams - he has talked shit about Star Wars Explained's wife), inevitably he is instilling in his audience that those people are bad. Yet when you confront him, he says he has no responsibility for that. 5. Others of his former employees have a lot to say about him too and I will just leave it at that... 6. Going back to Geeks n Gamers, Theory associates with him and the rest of the Fandom Menace but says he isn't political when he defended Jeremy making homophobic and sexist remarks. Theory just nodded along. 7. Most amazing of all is the fact that he will spend 20 minutes getting mad at HIS OWN FANS when they don't bow down to him. Even if they paid superchats to send their questions. This is true of his second channel when he live-streams and someone questions ANYTHING about something he said/did. 8. The Mandalorian watch-parties. I'm not talking about the Luke scene where he cried, I'm talking about the CLEARLY fake time he 'cried' during the Ahsoka Baby Yoda scene where she reveals his name. He looks at the camera, rubs his eyes etc. When that got a great response, he PLANNED that if there would be another big moment in the season, he would be ready to really go all out. And so he told his editor, thumbnail artist and social media coordinator the plan. Obviously, he didn't know that 3 weeks later, Luke would appear but it was the perfect opportunity. He knew the clout it would get him, even if he didn't put much emphasis on it himself. 9. Theory uses the fact that he was bullied as a kid as an excuse for shitty behavior. Look, the fact that he was bullied sucks and I'm very sorry and sympathetic. But using it as a reason why you berate others is not okay. 10. He thinks he is/wants to be bigger than Star Wars itself. Just listen to a few 'Nerd-Council' streams he does with Den of Nerds. Theory often hints that his fans prefer Star Wars Theory to actual Star Wars (see: 'just an average fan'). 11. Shit went down with his ex-fiancee which I shouldn't speak about here but the growth of his channel went to his head and he is not managing it well. 12. He's had dealings with Lucasfilm and that resulted in the company shunning him. Not sure about the ins and outs but from what I know, Pablo Hidalgo took a shot for a reason. He isn't the innocent victim he makes himself out to be. 13. The High Republic. I totally get that it's not for everyone and if it was a case of Theory not liking it or wanting to read and discuss it, that's fine! But he talked about it exactly once - he lied by saying "it retcons the Force as George Lucas understood it" (it doesn't unless you only read the back cover and came to conclusions based on that one thing). 14. We were a whole-ass year away from it and he already elevated his fans' expectations for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series with a list of expectations/requirements (some which were absurd). 15. Not a judgement but.. he kind of doesn't understand Star Wars... like at all. You want to know someone who does? Star Wars Explained, Eckhartsladder etc etc. And above all of those...Rian Johnson - the very man who Theory crapped on for not understanding George Lucas' vision. Theory prefers big explosions and over-the-top action sequences with pointless half-hour lightsaber duels rather than a well-written Star Wars story that develops themes, characters and the overall plot. His main 'reason' for hating The Last Jedi is Luke didn't try to kill Kylo on Crait. Like dude, do you not know Luke Skywalker AT ALL?? The man with the biggest heart in the galaxy who knew he would get his ass whooped by Kylo if he tried. That scene was Luke buying the Resistance time and showed us that in spite of everything that went down between Luke and Kylo, Luke came back to apologize and give hope to the galaxy. Anyways..... EDIT (thanks to some replies): • The way he puts Dave Filoni on a pedestal as if he's the only good person working at Lucasfilm. As u/Luxy_24 said, "His reaction video to the Disney Gallery on Disney+, specifically on the part where Dave Filoni talks about TPM. Dave is quite literally just listing exactly what happens in the movie and yet Theory's mind was blown and overwhelmed by just that." • It must be said that he has become a drama-baiter and a reactionary. He profits off any 'drama' that he often creates. u/askme_if_im_a_chair says, "He's obviously just on it for the money and figured out the RU-vid money making algorithm. Clickbaited being "bullied" by LucasFilm on two separate occasions, and ran with it for a long time." Please add any thoughts.
Wait….. theres a comic where dooku fought darth maul?!?!?!? I gotta see that!!!! That should be an epic battle i know dooku is supposed to be a step up from maul but i think mauls lightsaber style should give dookus a run for his money and his athleticism unless dooku is just that insanely more powerful in the force which maybe he is but if dooku just thrashes him im gonna be upset. But i still want to read it what comic is it anyone know?!?
Jedi master kit pistol was able to use form one against the separatist droid general general grievous but form one would not help him against the incarnation of the Darkside of the force itself Darth serious or Also known as emperor Palpatine
I call bs on the weakness of Form II. If lightsabers were real, the principle concern would be keeping one’s distance. Edge alignment, follow-through, power - none of it would matter. There would be no such thing as “overpowering your opponent”. The (offensive) goal would to administer a sharp flick or thrust of the point from a distance, which is precisely the focus of Form II. Dooku went out like a chump because one, he wasn’t trying to kill Anakin, and two, he fell for a grappling technique that we haven’t seen in any other SW film. So no, Form II isn’t weak. Spinning the blade for no reason and turning your back on your opponent - now that’s weak.
A good offense in 1 a strong defense in form 3 and form 2 about control and precision imagine going in with a shi Cho style slash coupled with a Makashi style flourish and stab that would be a powerful offense. Now for the other side, a defense the is about stonewalling deflection and evasion. Then sprinkle in form 4 for getting away and using your body as a weapon is good
idk if thats so much arrogance as much as not having a reason to develop it yet. Things in history are usually invented and used to solve an existing problem instead of a hypothetical one.
New canon makes it very clear that the ONLY way to defeat Darth Tyranus, is to use anger fear and hatred. Only two have achieved this ultra rare win over Count Dooku, and they both were defeated and spared times before they got their wins. Count Dooku is nearly unbeatable without fighting fire with fire.
And we note how they got those victories, they weren't duels under normal circumstances even. Vos won because he is unpredictable that Dooku, the master of Battle IQ in a duel, was taken off his game, combined with Dooku's fatigue and injuries. Like how new poker players often fluster master poker players. On the second, once he started using the Dark Side, Anakin's strength and speed took a leap and Dooku did not have enough time compensate, change his strategy or come up with a counter or have time to start using his very effective Force attacks.
@@crownprincesebastianjohano7069 Quinlan Voss had already turned to the dark side for his first duel against Dooku as he trained for months with Ventress. He was teamed with Ventress for this duel. They were dominated. Quinlan dug deep and used the full force of the darkside and actually had Dooku on his back momentarily (similiar to Anakin going for Dookus neck on Naboo) and right before he struck Dooku down, Dooku expertly grabbed his hand and squeezed the webbing between his fingers, instantly disarming Voss and switching positions (Dooku standing above Voss). Voss was spared here, Dooku was impressed, he wanted him as his dark disciple to eventually overthrow Sidious. Months of torture and growth, steeping in the dark, Quinlan leveled up as Dookus disciple. Their "fair" and proper 1v1 occurred later, when Voss returned, and the duel was witnessed by Anakin and Obi wan. This is when Quinlans unpredictability really came through for him, he knocked Dooku down once again, and this time had his saber to his throat. Clear victory for Quinlan here. Those are the only 2 duels they have, as the other skirmish isn't a duel as much as its Quinlan continuing to batter Dooku who was already heavily injured from a ship crash, pouring blood. Can we imagine a scenario where Dooku, knowing what darkside voss is fully capable of, handling the duel differently? I would like to think so, but, as we know, to defeat Dooku, the only way is through the dark side. Additionally, we also learn that Dooku possesses the ability to one shot kill with force lightning.
@@thomasthetank827 Very excellent points as always, my friend. You are correct I think in the assumption that Dooku went into duels Vos, the second 1 v 1, and the ROTS duel, not fully taking his opponent seriously. I absolutely think that Dooku conducts both duels differently if he went in with the mentality of killing or being killed. It makes all the difference, as you say, because Dooku can kill with a single blast of Lightning. It is also always why I take exception in the hypothetical rematch between suited Vader and Dooku. If Vader is no match for Sidious because of the limitations of his suit, then he is also vulnerable to Dooku for the same reasons even if Dooku is marginally weaker in the Force. Form V users leave a lot of open space to their center mass when they fight, and like how Obi-Wan hit Vader's control box, Dooku would have many opportunities to fry Vader. Count Dooku is Vader's second worst possible match-up after Sidious. Both are men who can match Vader in swordplay, and both are exceptionally skilled at multitasking Force attacks. Vader's lack of speed also leaves him open to Lightning attack as well as faster, more agile opponents often gain his back. Its just that the majority of Vader's foes are much weaker in the Force and can't do much with what opening they may get.
