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OH YES, I keep forgetting oh gosh sorry…

Art by the amazing Brella!

knights-of-kylo-ren

Kylo’s fighting style is remarkable

finndamerons

#i love this bc he’s swinging it around like it’s super heavy #lightsabers are made of kyber crystals which give out a beam that is weightless #bur because kylo’s kyber crystal is cracked #it may be causing disturbances in the force #pulling the beam in every direction possible #which makes it harder to wield and much harder to swing around #it’s like he’s swinging an actual sword (via @kylorage)

verysharpteeth

And I like pointing out that he’s a REALLY reckless fighter. Maybe it was just this moment because he was falling all to pieces, but I think it’s more than likely a common thing with him considering his tantrums. It’s ridiculous to turn your back on an opponent in a sword fight, yet even wounded he’s doing it here. And on a side note even wounded he decides to use a double hand strike with the momentum of the spin for extra power. In other words, that move is going to HURT. He’s already been gut shot and is visibly bleeding everywhere and he decides to use moves that are really going to linger.

kylorenvevo

I’m going to back up this already excellent post with some lore for anyone who might be interested.

Yes, lightsaber blades are weightless, but resistant to changes in motion, so the 90-degree angle of Ren’s two beams actively make them work against each other, as opposed to the only other known crossguard user Roblio Darte, whose secondary blade emitter was 45 degrees from the first, enabling him to wield it perfectly.
Double-handed strikes are the most common movement among lightsaber users because of the inertia needed to counteract the blade’s initial repelling force. Ren uses a two-handed slash despite being heavily wounded because that will make the blade cut faster and easier than a one-handed grip. That’s why Jar’Kai users (dual-wielders) have to rely on speed and agility to compensate for the lack of power in their strikes.
The combat form that Ren is using here could be Ataru, which is noted for its acrobatic twirls, but it could also be Djem So, due to the switch in grips while spinning and the finishing uppercut slash (theoretically, this move conceals your strikes and does not leave you open to attack, even though your back is turned for a moment). I favor the Djem So headcanon, because this was Anakin Skywalker’s preferred form (and we all know how much Ren idolizes his grandpa).
Alternatively, this scene (and the whole fight in general) could also reinforce my personal headcanon that Ren is a Niman user. He uses Niman stance on Takodana, and it is entirely feasible that he could be adopting it in this scene too, as Niman is a combination of the other forms, and it is also perceived by a lot of lightsaber users to be very undisciplined, since it relies heavily on improvisation. Count Dooku once criticized a Niman adherent for his sloppy form and nonexistent footwork. I believe this ties in very well with how reckless Ren is in combat.

malgayne

These lightsaber fights were EXTREMELY well choreographed, and well shot. A few other things I geeked out about:

* Lightsabers aren’t actually frozen beams of light–they’re LOOPS of plasma, that come out of the handle, turn around, and flow back into the handle. They resist motion because they’re actually already IN motion. It’s less like hitting someone with a sword, and more like hitting them with a chainsaw. This explains a lot of things that happen in the duels–any time a lightsaber hits the ground or an obstacle, it skips and kicks away from the absorbed momentum.

* Because lightsabers bend in a loop, they actually have an “edge” and a “flat,” even though it’s not clearly visible–your cutting technique actually matters, A clean cut will pass right through a human body, but a sloppy cut (like the wild swings that Kylo, Finn and Rey are throwing around) is going to contact human flesh and then actually kick away. This is why when Kylo cuts Finn’s back, he leaves a long gouge rather than just cleaving him in half–it’s a sloppy cut, and he has poor control.

* This also explains why the shape of the side emitters on Kylo Ren’s lightsaber aren’t a problem–when two lightsabers connect, they lock together and stick (imagine two chainsaws locked together!). This is why Ren doesn’t have to worry about another blade sliding down his and severing the plasma vent on the side. You can see this in the way Ren manipulates Rey’s sword when they’re in the bind in the end of their duel–he knows that if he’s physically stronger he can actually yank Rey’s saber around in her hand.

* You can tell here that while all of the combatants have at least some close quarters combat training, none of them REALLY know how to use a lightsaber. You can see this especially in when Rey first attacks Kylo Ren–note that she keeps trying to stab him. It’s very rare that we see other lightsaber users attempt a stab in the heat of combat–nearly every other blow attempted is a wide, sweeping slice. Stabbing strokes like that are *quarterstaff* techniques–designed to take advantage of the extra range that comes from having an extra 2 feet of stick to put between you and your opponent. It’s obvious when she attempts these attacks that she overbalances herself (because the lightsaber is shorter than the quarterstaff she’s used to) and that Ren has never been attacked by a lightsaber this way before.

* Also, look at how janky Ren’s lightsaber blade is! The thing is so obviously a Pinto compared to the Ferrari that is Anakin’s old lightsaber, and it’s all beautifully rendered without a word just in the design of the prop and the effects.

I loved pretty much everything about these movies, but the lightsaber choreography may be my favorite part.

thessalian

I’ve seen Ataru and Djem Sho listed as possible forms, but I’d have said Juyo - all about the power and the heavy blows, nothing about the defense, and a form that more or less encourages you to channel your rage into it.

beeftony

The choreography in this scene is great for several reasons:

1. It forgoes the “flynning” of the prequels. Flynning is named after swashbuckling star Errol Flynn, and describes a form of stage fighting where the practitioners use elaborate and entertaining moves while always being sure to hit each other’s weapons instead of actually going after each other. When you draw out a fight like that, the weapons start to feel less dangerous. It becomes all flash and no substance. Here, characters are stabbed, cut, and nearly maimed, and still manage to carry on with the fight.

2. Each character’s fighting style tells us about them. Kylo is practically berserk, destroying his surroundings in a blind rampage. He cuts through trees, drags his saber along the ground and melts snow, and sacrifices control in favor of overwhelming power. Finn is actually formally trained in the use of melee weapons, as described in the tie-in novel Before the Awakening. His moves are very rudimentary and adequately done, but he hasn’t had enough practice to do much beyond defend himself. Kylo Ren has done this enough that it’s practically second nature, and Finn only stands a fighting chance because his opponent is out of control and wounded.

Rey, as discussed above, is used to fighting with a staff, and would probably benefit greatly from a double bladed lightsaber, but manages to adjust her technique. What sets her apart is her ability to control her emotions, to not let fear and anger get the better of her. Finn is afraid and overly cautious, defending himself but doing little in the way of actually striking back, and Kylo Ren allows his emotions to run completely wild. But Rey is able to focus and let The Force flow through her, which gives her the edge.

3. There is so much emotion wrapped up in this duel. The prequel fights often fell flat because the emotional moments were separated from the actual fighting. Obi-Wan lets out a big, anguished “Nooooo!” when Qui-Gon is stabbed, but then he and Maul are back to fighting each other like champion fencers. Obi-Wan and Anakin’s duel at the end of Revenge of the Sith is focused largely on spectacle, while the big emotional moments largely happen before and after the fight.

Here, you can clearly see what each character is feeling just in the way they fight. The gif above shows how much weight and anger Kylo Ren is putting into his strikes. Finn is clearly terrified but presses forward anyway. Rey’s anger and fear are more restrained, but still clearly visible. There are plenty of emotional moments interspersed between the dueling, but they don’t feel separated from it, and that makes all the difference.