Lightsaber Forms

Throughout the Jedi Order's time seven primary forms emerged across thousands of years each with their own purpose. The forms were created and developed to allow Jedi to train for various combat scenarios like defending blaster fire or direct lightsaber duels with another user. 

Form I, also known as Shii-Cho was called "The Way of the Sarlacc" or "The Determination Form". Shii-Cho was the oldest form developed by the Jedi Order for lightsaber combat. The form, despite being the most ancient among all the forms survived all the way to the fall and collapse of the Jedi Order. The Way of the Sarlacc was extremely direct and simple though could be very powerful in the hands of one who had mastered the form. Shii-Cho, in the first millennium of the Jedi was developed using existing sword fighting techniques and tweaking them to work efficiently with a lightsaber. As a result, the form was developed to kill or seriously injure the enemy. To balance this with their beliefs, they began focusing on disarming the enemy rather than attempting to injure or kill them, as the early Jedi Order saw darkness in doing so. In the beginning days since many used traditional melee weapons, there was a saying that stated, "the defeat of a foe without inflicting serious injury is the highest form of victory" which neatly tied the aggressive form with their Jedi beliefs. Near the end of the Jedi, Form I was still popular since battle droids proved vulnerable against the aggressive nature of the form. Shii-Cho along with a mix of Form III and Form V it proved to be a successful form throughout all that time.

Reference: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Form_I 

Form II, otherwise referred to as Makashi was the second lightsaber form developed by the Jedi Order. Makashi was an agressive form with a graceful twist to it. The form mainly relied on controlled strikes instead of power and strength alone. The creation of this form was required when the rise of Sith occurred. Shii-Cho was developed with the average duel being between a lightsaber wielder and a traditional blade fighter, though it did not include lightsaber versus lightsaber. Since Form II was developed during the Hundred-Year Darkness period it was common for Jedi and Sith to fight one another head on, one versus one. Therefore, unlike Shii-Cho which favored an approach built to fight many, Makashi was developed for one versus one. Form II had a very aggressive stance which fit well for facing a Sith but it's defensive mechanisms were built for only fighting a single person. Like Shii-Cho it had a large emphasis on disarming the opponent but also ensuring that they themselves did not get disarmed, as a single mistake could take your life at the hand of a lightsaber. After the defeat of the Sith at Ruusan though Form II died out being seen only as a training exercise.

Reference; https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Form_II

Form III, also known as Soresu was referred to as "The Way of the Mynock" or "The Resilience Form" and was the third form the Jedi Order had created. Unlike the two before it this form favored a defense rather than an offense. Due to the rise of blasters throughout the galaxy, the first two forms which were developed for melee contact no longer were efficient. Soresu was meant to deflect blaster bullets and possibly with enough practice, send them back at the enemy. Though the Resilience Form was also well trained in blocking and parrying lightsaber strikes along with defending themselves against multiple enemies which Form II could not achieve. The main focus of the Way of the Mynock was to maintain a calm focus to allow them to efficiently defend against multiple enemies. Unlike Form I, Form III favored controlled, tight movements to lower the chances of opening up a weak spot for a blaster. Not only did Soresu practitioners favor tight movements, they favored a tight stance as well. This allowed for the lightsaber to have to cover less as they themselves were a smaller target for blasters. As the end of the Jedi approached the Way of the Mynock was developed to being able to defend an attack of any sorts and remained a great option until the end.

Reference: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Form_III

Form IV, also referred to as Ataru or "The Aggression Form" was the fourth form developed by the Jedi Order. Ataru was an acrobatic lightsaber form that could defend against incoming projectiles but specialized in open spaces and attacking. Several centuries after the invention of Form III, Ataru arose being an almost exact opposite of Soresu. Ataru was highly aggressive and worked almost no defense. Users of this form worked on ending the fight as soon as possible rather than trying to outlast them like Soresu. Since the creation of Form I, Jedi had mastered the Force more well and placed an emphasis of using the Force in Ataru. Using the Force allowed movements to be more enhanced throughout the aspects of combat. Ataru required acrobatics using the Force to assist them. The most defining feature of the form though was the extreme offense along with the speed and agility required for this. Form IV depended on using a barrage of attacks to overpower the enemy. Using leaps and other acrobatic techniques aided through the use of the Force it allowed for Form IV to be extremely powerful. Even with the little defense Ataru had to offer, it did incorporate some aspects of Form III to allow for a minimal defense. Though a major weakness of Ataru was the weakness against multiple blasters which could quickly bring the end of the Jedi.

Reference: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Form_IV

Form V, also known as Shien and Djem So was the fifth form of lightsaber combat developed by the Jedi Order. The Djem So variant of Form V showcased a use of defending using solid blocks and parries then immediately launching a strong counter attack. This variant was geared toward lightsaber to lightsaber combat but was efficient against blaster fire as well.  The Shien variant on the other hand allowed the use of a reverse girp on the lightsaber. Form V originated from Form III for those who wished for a form that had more offensive opportunities. Unlike Form IV that favored a strong offense with a weak defense, Form V used the defensive power of Soresu with an increased emphasis on counter attack. The Shien variant was the first version of Form V to appear. Shien's main focus was to continue down the path of Soresu with a different twist. This twist was to not only deflect the bullets, but also send them back at the very shooter. This method proved so effective and powerful that the Jedi incorporated it into every form. Djem So focus on a more melee approach. While Shien focused on a primary defense against blasters, Djem So focused on a defense against melee weapons. Though Djem So proved to be very similar to Shien to not be considered as a distinct form. Most practitioners of Djem So and Shien trained using both variants to be ready for either scenario. Form V was a smooth style, jumping into action when available and falling to a defense when their attack slowed. Unlike Form I and Form IV that forced openings, and Form III that waited patiently, Form V controlled the tide of the battle using anything to their advantage.

Reference: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Form_V

Form VI, also called Niman was the sixth form of lightsaber combat created by the Jedi Order. It allowed double-bladed lightsaber combat to integrate the usage of Force abilities like pushes and lifts. Niman was the last form that the Jedi Order widely accepted and during the centuries after its creation it quickly grew in popularity, becoming the new standard of the Jedi Order. Form VI was believed by many to be the progression of lightsaber combat throughout centuries. During the time of peace in which Niman was being developed many Jedi believed the other lightsaber forms as "outdated". This form represented Forms I - Form V, creating a balanced form. By balancing these qualities it avoided the weaknesses of the other methods but with that it never could reach the full power and strength as the form itself. This led to several Jedi Masters passing it off as a "diluted form". Niman represented a balance, and was not as dangerous as many of the other forms, which is done on purpose by the developers. This was because they wanted a form that could achieve victory without dominance and a temptation of power. For users of Form VI, Form IV's aggressive nature and overpowering the enemy raised moral concerns. Form VI allowed for an effective combat style that didn't require intense physical training like Form IV or Form V. Niman was not as demanding physically as some of the other forms as it relied more on the Force over blade work. This made it an attractive option for those wishing to focus more on outside aspects rather than just lightsaber combat. Form VI used the Force to draw enemies in within striking range, pushing them away as a defense, and much more making this the most popular method by the Clone Wars.

Reference: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Form_VI

Form VII, also known by its two variants, Juyo and Vaapad is also called "The Ferocity Form" as it was known as the most aggressive and unpredictable form. Juyo was dominant among Sith users. Though the Vaapad variant was developed by Jedi Master Mace Windu along with Jedi Sora Bulq. Though known as the seventh form of the Jedi Order, Juyo is believed to have begun development about a millennium before it was formalized. The Juyo variant is likely a branch of the rejected techniques of Form I in the beginning days of the Jedi Order. Juyo techniques would have been considered "too aggressive" and "too dangerous".  Centuries later the Jedi High Council would recognize Juyo before being banned little more than a century later. Juyo was an aggressive form, even more than Form IV. What separated Form VII from everything else was what powered it. It was fueled through the users negative thoughts and anger to power their assault. Juyo would later be unbanned during the desperate times when the Sith were rising. Though users of Form VII often feel to the Sith or came dangerously close, resulting in Juyo being banned and not allowed to be practiced. Vaapad on the other hand was created in the final decades of the Jedi Order. Developed by Mace Windu and Sora Bulq, Windu created Vaapad to address his weakness by controlling his negative thoughts and channeling it. Using the past and refining Juyo, Windu was able to create a Form VII that abided by the Jedi Code. Form VII was an extremely difficult form of lightsaber combat that few practiced before the end of the Jedi. Users of Vaapad used their anger and negative emotions to fuel their attack but never gave in. Windu, well aware of the dangers of Vaapad restricted its usage and rarely let others practice it. Despite its changes from Juyo, both were physically demanding. In battle Vaapad was still a Form VII at heart being fueled through controlled rage powering the attack of rapid strikes and powerful blows.

Reference: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Form_VII

Written and Researched by,

Jedi Knight ChosenCodite