Form III/Legends

"That is so like you, Master Kenobi. I am called a great swordsman because I invented a lethal style; but who is greater, the creator of a killing form&mdash;or the master of the classic form?"

- Mace Windu to Obi-Wan Kenobi

Form III: Soresu, also known as the Way of the Mynock, or The Resilience Form was the third form of the seven forms of lightsaber combat.

Description
Originally, Form III was developed as a counter to ranged weapons such as blasters. It was becoming increasingly common for those weilding lightsabers to encounter opponents armed with such weapons, and they quickly discovered that more elegant forms such as Makashi were not nearly effective enough against such attacks. This Form enabled a Force user to deflect blaster bolts at more accurate, and more precise, angles, by making use of short sweeping motions, keeping the lightsaber close to the body.

Philosophy
The philosophy of Soresu is described as "being within the eye of the storm." The practitioner remains centered in their mindset, never being moved by what's around them as they stay where the outer chaos cannot harm them. But as the storm moves, so does the practitioner move to keep within the eye. Thus Soresu commands powerful defensive techniques that seem to adapt to almost any circumstance, but at the cost of never reaching past the figurative eye of the storm&mdash;they lose attacking power. Many who study this style use it to wear down their opponent, by defending a long onslaught with minimal counter-attacking, until their adversary's energy is spent, then an alternate style is often employed. Masters of the form left no opening for their opponents to take advantage of, while waiting for the eventual lapses in their opponent's own defense.

The key to truly mastering Soresu may concern the concept and philosophy of Soresu, instead of its combat moves. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, despite his preference for Soresu, applied Shii-Cho elements and Ataru acrobatics into his swordplay, as evidenced by his recollection of his intense duel with the Sith Lord Count Dooku onboard the Invisible Hand. By combining his knowledge of Ataru and his mastery of Soresu, Kenobi's swordplay proved to be an unique style: one with the defensive principle and protective ability of Soresu, plus the simplicity of the moves of Shii-Cho, the mobility of Ataru, and the deep connection and concentration within the Force.

Obi-Wan Kenobi also demonstrated this in his duel against Darth Vader, when he appeared to gradually fall back, yet in the end, he retained the presence of mind to make a finishing strike that his adversary failed to anticipate, severing three of his limbs.

Application
The third form of lightsaber combat utilized motions that occurred very close to the body, in an attempt to achieve near-total protection and expend as little energy as possible while executing moves. Form III stressed quick reflexes and fast positional transition, in order to overcome the rapidity with which a blaster could be fired. This technique minimized the body's exposure, making a well-trained practitioner nearly invincible. Followers of Soresu comfortably remained on the defensive until their opponent left an opening that a Soresu practitioner usually could exploit in multiple ways. Soresu was best described as a passive form of combat, and one that was used by those who were extremely patient and reserved.

Combat
The opening stance of Form III is the offensive back stance, one of many lightsaber combat stances which was easily adaptable to form a strong defense and a fast opening strike if necessary.

Due to the emphasis on defense training, Form III involved preparation for prolonged battles so that the user would be able to learn as much as possible about their opponent or opponents while engaged in possibly deadly combat. Also, by being more capable in lengthy battles, a Soresu user was in a position to gain control of the situation and provide multiple options for the duelist; such as the choice to either kill, disarm, or even reason with their opponent. Many Soresu practitioners survived the Battle of Geonosis, thanks in part to its specialization in fending off blaster fire. Soresu's greatest power lay in the endurance and control a practitioner eventually developed.

Jedi Master Mace Windu noted that, unlike any of the other combat styles, Soresu was not an answer to a particular type of weakness. Vaapad was an answer to Windu's inner darkness; Ataru was Yoda's answer to his limited reach and advanced age. Toward the end of the Clone Wars, Master Windu acknowledged Obi-Wan Kenobi as "a master of Soresu." It was because of this fact that Kenobi was chosen by the Jedi High Council as the Jedi best suited to defeat General Grievous. During their duel, the Jedi Master was capable of parrying all four of Grievous's lightsabers, gradually disarming the droid general. Earlier, during his duel with Count Dooku aboard the Invisible Hand, Kenobi's expert use of Soresu held Dooku back easily, and it was only Dooku's superior power in the Force that allowed him to remove Kenobi from the battle.

Soresu was considered the consummate Jedi combat form in that it embraced a passive way of life and a literal expression of the Jedi tenet to defend rather than attack. Obi-Wan himself considered Soresu very simple, so restrained and defense-oriented that Form III was very nearly downright passive. As a master, Obi-Wan himself could defend himself against any attack less than twenty strikes per second.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was acknowledged by Mace Windu as "the Soresu master." Form III, the most defensive of all forms of lightsaber combat, was developed to counteract the advancing blaster technology throughout the galaxy which most opponents of the Jedi Order utilized. [11] Soresu utilizes motions occurring very close to the body to achieve near-total protection, efficiently expending as little energy as possible to execute these moves. [12] This technique exposes as few target zones on the body as possible, making a well-trained practitioner nearly invincible. However, Soresu's same dedication to defense and minimal bodily exposure also decreases the lightsaber's threat range.

Obi-Wan Kenobi demonstrates this in Episode Three, when he appears to gradually fall back during his duel with Anakin Skywalker yet at the end, he retains the presence of mind to make a finishing strike that Anakin Skywalker fails to anticipate, having spent his power during his Djem So assault.

After Darth Maul's defeat on Naboo, Obi-Wan Kenobi decided to perfect his practice of Soresu since Qui-Gon Jinn, Kenobi's mentor and Form IV Ataru master, fell against Darth Maul. [13] By the time of Revenge of The Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi is acknowledged as The Master of Soresu by Mace Windu in the novelization.

Unlike Form II combat, which was developed to work against another lightsaber, Form III was most effective in anticipating and deflecting blaster fire. It stressed quick reflexes and fast positional transition, in order to overcome the rapidity with which a blaster could be fired. It was essentially a defensive technique, emphasizing the non-aggressive Jedi philosophy while reducing the exposed areas of their bodies. In the wake of the death of Qui-Gon Jinn at the hands of Darth Maul, many Jedi turned away from the Form IV style of open, acrobatic fighting and took up Form III in order to minimize the risk of injury or death at the hands of an opportunistic opponent. [7]

Though initially developed to deflect blaster fire, Soresu, if perfectly mastered, could act as a defense to any type of attack, including that of a lightsaber. Obi-Wan's performance of Soresu in Episode III is the prime example of the form.

Practitioners of Soresu comfortably remain on the defensive until their opponents make a mistake; only then do they strike offensively. It focuses heavily on counterattack and defensive strikes - there are no preemptive strikes in the form. Soresu can best be described as a passive form and one to be used by Masters who are extremely patient. Soresu users do not wish to fight, or harm. Even during a fight they prefer to remain on the defensive, and they will strike only when absolutely necessary, or if their opponent drops his guard during battle. Luminara Unduli and Barriss Offee are also proficient in this form.



Advantages


Soresu was a very favorable form of combat for Jedi until the Great Jedi Purge. The defense and control it allowed a practitioner made for suitable outcomes in favor of the user when faced with hurried opponents who left themselves vulnerable to counterattack. However, its defense required a very large amount of focus from the wielder and even a momentary fault in concentration could have meant the user's defeat. Jedi with less focused minds would usually abandon this style of combat to capitalize on the benefits of other styles that required less dedication to prolonged fighting. Jedi who mastered Soresu were known to be the most successful when dealing in situations when a quick victory was not favorable to total understanding and calculated action.

Weaknesses
Even though a truly focused master of Soresu was truly formidable due to a strong defense posture, there was more guarantee of survival rather than victory. Initiates in Form III were known to be more than capable when defending themselves from attack, but might have lacked the experience to trap an opponent in their own offense. Since the defensive tactics of the form included guards and parries that were very close to the body, even masters had to keep a strong focus on their actions as small lapses in an otherwise strong defense left little room to avoid injury.

It was also not favorable for a Jedi General to be in a lengthy fight while his troops were left alone on the battlefield, but this was usually inevitable, as it was when Master Kenobi had to leave his regiment of troops in his drawn out pursuit of General Grievous.

Notable Form III practitioners
The Sith Apprentice Fohargh also practiced Form III, being forced to use it against Darth Bane's preferred Form V. Fohargh was able to best Darth Bane, switching from III to II quickly, glancing a blow across Bane's shoulder. However, Fohargh lost his life to Bane as a result of his taunting of Bane after he claimed the match was over.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
 * Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
 * The Cestus Deception
 * MedStar Duology
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith novelization