by Hannah Herndon
***SPOILER WARNING***
If you actually watch Star Wars Rebels and have not yet seen the episode, “Legacy of Mandalore” DO NOT READ THIS ARTICLE.
***Other disclaimer thing***
This article is strictly my opinion. I am not saying that you are wrong if you think another lightsaber duel is better. No one get triggered.
With that out of the way, let’s begin.
Last week I wrote an article called, “5 reasons why I love Mandalore.” In that article, I mentioned how excited I was for the continuation of the story arc in “trials of the Darksaber” with the new episode, “Legacy of Mandalore.”
The episode aired last week and it did not disappoint. It introduced us to Sabine Wren’s family, showed us more of the imperial Mando’ade, and ended in what is in my opinion the greatest lightsaber duel of all time.
This duel was really well done for a number of reasons, but here are my top 3:
1: Character Chemistry
An important element in any battle is the connection between protagonist and antagonist. The way they interact and relate to each other will play a crucial role in their fighting style, and may even change the outcome of the fight.
Gar Saxon and Sabine played off of each other really well, and in a way they were evenly matched even though Sabine had formal lightsaber training before the duel. The Darksaber which Sabine had trained with had been given to Saxon by Sabine’s mother, Ursa before the fight erupted, forcing Sabine to use a lightsaber tossed to her by Ezra when Gar began his attack. This left Sabine fighting with a weapon she had no experience with, and put her in a similar predicament as Saxon. (who had never used a lightsaber prior to his duel with Sabine.)
As they begin fighting, we can see the contrast of their characters. Saxon is angry and grows more brutal with each blow he deals. What he lacks in skill, he makes up for in speed and passion. Sabine’s fighting style on the other hand, showcases the skill she was taught by Kanan, as well as the Mando fighting style she has been trained in from a young age.
Two evenly matched characters fighting in ways that showcase their differing strengths and weaknesses is a really enjoyable dynamic for sword fights, and it works well here.
2: Environment
The duel is set in a snowy environment, much like the one seen in The Force Awakens, during Rey and Kylo’s duel. Not only does this make the glow of the sabers stand out against the white backdrop of snow, but it’s also quite satisfying to listen to the sound of saber hitting snow. At one point, the terrain of the battle shifts to the surface of a frozen pond. As the fight grows more intense, the ice begins to crack, and it’s an effective way of making sure the audience sees that the battle is getting fiercer.
3: The two sides are both forceless
Sabine and Gar are not Jedi or Sith. In fact, they don’t have the force at all. This makes their fighting styles even more interesting, especially when they use their armor to compensate.
If you want to see the fight for yourself, there’s a video here
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