Fighting with the Jedi Arts
In the first and third episodes of the prequel trilogy, Obi-Wan Kenobi fights an enemy who has been trained in the Jedi arts but is not a Jedi. The two fights mirror each other closely and end in much the same way, but with one key difference.
In The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan fights Darth Maul, who Qui-Gon Jinn describes as being “trained in the Jedi arts.” At the beginning of the fight, which takes place amidst a larger battle between Naboo security forces and Battle Droids, Obi-Wan and Maul drop their cloaks before drawing their lightsabers. At the end of the fight, Maul seems to defeat Obi-Wan by using the Force to push him into a pit. However, Obi-Wan hangs on, uses the Force to pull Qui-Gon’s lightsaber to him, and defeats Maul by striking him in the gut with it.
In Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan fights General Grievous, who boasts, “I’ve been trained in your Jedi arts by Count Dooku.” At the beginning of the fight, which takes place amidst a larger battle between Clone Troopers and Battle Droids, Obi-Wan and Grievous drop their cloaks before drawing their lightsabers. At the end of the fight, Grievous seems to defeat Obi-Wan by kicking him over the edge of a platform. However, Obi-Wan hangs on, uses the Force to pull Grievous’ blaster to him, and defeats Grievous by shooting him in the gut with it.
There is an irony in the way Obi-Wan defeats Grievous. In A New Hope, Obi-Wan tells Luke Skywalker that a lightsaber is “The weapon of a Jedi knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilized age.” Whereas Obi-Wan defeated Darth Maul by using the weapon of his Jedi master, he does not defeat Grievous with the Jedi arts, instead using his enemy’s own “uncivilized” weapon against him.
EXPLORE FURTHER…
Characters: Darth Maul / General Grievous / Obi-Wan Kenobi
Films: Episode I: The Phantom Menace / Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
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Concepts: ascent and descent / Jedi / victory and defeat / war and peace
Interpretive Tools: Ring Theory
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