Form V/Legends

"I prefer more straightforward methods."

- Anakin Skywalker to Obi-Wan Kenobi



Form V: Shien / Djem So or The Perseverance Form was the fifth form of the seven forms recognized as canon by the last Jedi Council for lightsaber combat.

Form V or the Way of the Krayt Dragon was a powerful style developed by Form III practitioners that preferred a more offensive style, since the defensive nature of Form III often led to dangerously prolonged combat. Djem So evolved into a combat style by combining the defensive maneuvers of Soresu with the more aggressive philosophy/tactics of Makashi.

Vrook Lamar, Khaat Qiyn, Cin Drallig, Anakin Skywalker, who later became Darth Vader, and his son Luke Skywalker were all confirmed Form V practitioners. General Grievous and his IG-100 MagnaGuards learned this form under Dooku.

The ready stance of Shien is the swordhand cocking high at the shoulder, with the blade angling upward and away.

Shien and Djem So are stated as two different styles, but due to their similarities they both fall under the category of Form V. Shien was better at dealing with blaster bolts while Djem So was better at lightsaber dueling, as it needed a higher level of physical strength and aggressive moves. It is known that Anakin Skywalker mastered both styles.

Darth Vader created his own variant of Form V, where he would use only one hand to strike and defend, and hold the other casually by his side. This was the case during his duel with his son on Bespin.

Form V came into existence by taking the defensive skills derived from Form III and quickly channeling it into offense. A common example used to illustrate the difference is that that while Form III combatants effortlessly deflected blaster bolts, Form V practitioners excelled at redirecting the blaster fire back toward the opponent. This action simultaneously defended the user and efficiently injured the enemy. Form V emphasized strength and power over your opponents. Many Jedi disapproved of this philosophy. Some in the Order may have felt that this lightsaber form led too quickly to violence, instead of diplomacy when dealing with disputes, because it appeared to call for the physical domination of an opponent, which is counter to Jedi beliefs.

Using a combination of blocks and parries derived from Soresu and Makashi, a Djem So user had a proper foundation in terms of defense against both blaster and melee attacks. However, while a Soresu user stayed on the defensive and only counterattacked when necessary and when an opening appeared in his opponents defense, a Djem So practitioner was not so measured or patient. After defending an attack by an opponent, a Djem So stylist would follow with an attack of their own. While Makashi relied on precise and small cuts of the blade, Djem So utilized series of flourishes and attacks that included wide two-handed swings and powerful overhead/over-shoulder slashes. Unlike Soresu, Djem So required the user to not only counterattack, but press the assault, combining Force-enhanced strength with powerful blade combinations, to overpower and overwhelm an opponent's defenses.



Djem So is best represented by Anakin Skywalker in his second battle with Count Dooku toward the end of the Clone Wars. During the duel, Count Dooku is surprised and shocked when he realizes that Anakin is now a Djem So practitioner, and "as fine a one as he has ever seen." During the battle Anakin attacks Dooku, using his entire body including his arms, shoulders, legs and forward momentum to overwhelm Dooku with brute strength. In fact, when he blocks a blow from Skywalker, the sheer kinetic power generated by Anakin during this battle was so great that it was able to force Dooku's own crimson blade down onto his shoulder, wounding him. Count Dooku himself has noted that his elegant Makashi could never generate enough kinetic power to match Djem So strength-to-strength. During this duel as well as the duels between Luke Skywalker and his father Darth Vader, we can see that it was common for Djem So users to lock their swords and use their strength to drive their opponents back and corner them into a more vulnerable position.



Luke Skywalker is a very special practitioner of Form V. On Bespin, Luke revealed that he was an extraordinarily gifted duelist after only one brief session with Obi-Wan Kenobi three years before, and a short time of study with Yoda. Nevertheless, Luke was able to hold his own against Darth Vader for a time. After that fateful duel, Luke studied some lightsaber skills from Kenobi's journal and greatly advanced in his abilities. Without a Master, it was Luke's unparalleled aptitude which contributed in such an impossible advancement. Onboard the second Death Star, Luke showed his true talent by mirroring Darth Vader's own Form V technique and responded with his own furious demonstration of Form V's raw power. Observing swordsmen such as Palpatine might be astonished at such instantaneous learning in a lightsaber duel. Finally, Luke was able to duel Vader on an even footing, and defeated the experienced Dark Lord of the Sith.

Djem So stylists are often moving towards their opponents, striking with each forward step. Since Djem So utilizes strength and power into each of its strikes, it requires the user to generate that power with their entire body, footwork, and forward motion. It also makes their movements predictable and fairly rigid, as they would constantly charge ahead towards their opponents. Another weakness in this form is that its aggressive style can also lead to carelessness or even recklessness, as they're so caught up in the attack that a user undermines his/her own defenses.

Despite its controversies, Djem So proved to be an effective combat style, utilizing the parries and defensive techniques of Form II and III, but with a ferocious style all its own.

The philosophy of Djem So not only emphasized strength and power in defeating an opponent, but more importantly on action. This made it a more favorable combat form for Jedi who wanted quick resolutions and favored "aggressive negotiations." Bold, powerful, fearless, and confident are also traits used to describe practitioners of Djem So. Lightsabers belonging to Form V practitioners generally have a solid casing either as a whole or in multiple sections for maximum protection against power surge deterioration, and a heavily shrouded blade emitter to designate separate facets of the blade for either offensive or defensive purposes.

Behind the scenes

 * Some fans have speculated that Jedi Master Plo Koon may be a master of the powerful Form V technique of lightsaber combat, based on his abilities in Jedi Power Battles. However, this has never been explicitly stated in any canonical source.
 * Other fans speculated that Master Agen Kolar was also a possible candidate as he favored "aggressive negotiations." Likewise, this has never been stated in any canonical source.
 * Form V seems to be the exclusive form of combat of the Original Trilogy characters, with both Luke and Vader employing it. During filming, this style was based on Kendo.