I read somewhere that the in-canon reason why this fight was so slow was because of Obi-Wan's style, which is extremely defensive by nature, while at the same time Vader was being excessively cautious and timid in his offense; which is completely understandable, because who _wouldn't_ be excessively cautious fighting the same guy who amputated three of your limbs and left you roasting alive the last time you saw him?
0:50 "Your powers are weak, old man." When he started the prequels, George must've been really glad he planted that line in there. Otherwise, he'd have no real way of explaining how such a badass like Obi-Wan could become so....senile.
It's funny to hear Kenobi calling him "Darth" like it was his first name, and not a title for a Sith lord. Just a sign of how things evolved differently from Lucas' original intent.
Darth Vader: Hey Obi-Wan, remember when we fought on that volcano through the pool of lava and death, surfing on tiny little machines and doing flips and kicks everywhere? Obi-Wan:Yup. Sure do. Darth Vader: ......We got so old. Obi-Wan: Preach.
Just watched the duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan from Episode III, then I watch this... Films had come a long way between 1977 and 2005... I still think Ewan McGregor was the perfect young Obi-Wan.
One of the reasons for the slower movements in this fight is also that lightsabers were originally conceived to be very heavy. As explained in the special features on the 2004 dvd box set. That's why there are white flashes during the fight, to represent the enormous energy clash of the sabers. In the next two movies, the actors and fight coordinators were given more leeway (like briefly using one hand to fight) but it was still mainly a two-handed weapon. It is also worth remembering, that the actual fighting is a lot less important in the original trilogy than the dialogue and the character dynamic. Yoda didn't even train Luke with a lightsaber. Understanding and mastering the Force was the really important thing for a Jedi Knight.
And this my friends, is why Obi Wan was the best Jedi in history, followed by Yoda and Mace. How many Sith Lords did this guy defeat without even getting scratched by a light sabor? Never lost a limb. Never defeated. Yoda get's props for the only Jedi to pass in bed, peacefully. But nobody could defeat Obi Wan, in the end..not even old age. Obi Wan defeated Obi Wan. That's a master
The real reason the fight its "slow and restrictive" is because at the time George Lucas was unsure if he could pull off the fight with the technology they had at the time during editing, So he kept it short and sweet just in case he had to cut the whole scene out. He also wanted to make it easier for them to add the effects just in case he could pull it off. People tend to forget that the light effect was done with manual color tracking, that why you see the light sabers color twitch around a lot in the original cuts. Now its done by computers, so the actors can twirl around all they want and the computer stays right on them.
"if you strike me down i will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine" could this be in reference to that fact that when obi-wan kenobi himself witnessed his master, Qui-Gon Jinn, killed by darth maul he went on to kill darth maul. symbolically taking over his masters roll the same way he hopes luke seeing him killed will strengthen him? i don't know a lot about starwars so maybe i'm missing something?
When Darth Vader stroke down Obi wan he didn't perished, instead he became one with the force and became a force ghost, as a force ghost he's more powerful than Darth Vader, obi wan can guide luke anywhere he wanted to, his old age will no longer weaken him, this is what obi wan was talking about
Well, maybe. But actually, I think it's a reference to the very end of ROTS when Yoda said to Obi Wan that he found the way to immortality. When Vader killed Obi Wan here, he just became immortal, which is why he says that he would become more powerful than ever, because this power is very strong when you think about it (that's why only him and Yoda are ghosts in the original trilogy... And well Anakin too, but I don't really have any explanation to that)
Simple but powerful scene.This is more than just a sword fight I cant help but to get a bit emotional when the music cues in, Obi Wan looks towards Luke and smiles humbly back at Darth Vader. Such a powerful scene.
0:53 It's interesting how this iconic line that Obi Wan says was recorded with a different acoustic environment and closer to the microphone. It sounds more like a voice in your head than a dude with a hoodie down the hall.
At the end of Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith, Obi Wan was told that his Old Master Quai gon Jin returned from the force to Continue his training. The training, to become "One with the force". So Ben Kenobi former known as Obi Wan Kenobi went into the Exile in Tatooine to learn to become one with the Force. In the fight against Darth Vader he used his knowledge to become "One with the Force" and literally Evade dying.
I love this duel because I love it when there's a duel between two enemies who were once best friends, and how it has been 20 years since they've last seen each other. Obi-Wan sacrificing himself really got me when I first saw it as a kid. ;( And it perfectly sets up Luke's confrontation against Vader.
Bear in mind that Lucas shopped the script for Star Wars around for a while before finding a studio to take a chance on it because it was so incredibly ambitious and different from any other movie being produced at the time. So they were feeling out new territory here in the early to mid '70s. If you weren't alive in 1977, I don't think you can fully appreciate the tremendous impact this one movie had on the collective conscience of every human being on planet Earth.
Vader didn't win this fight, he lost, as Obi Wan had more knowledge of the Force and once he sacrificed himself, he knew he would win, and would never be defeated.
the reaons these two are not doing acrobatics is because there older, less mobile and there so skilled that if they try such moves there opponent could cut them to ribbons.
theres no music, only vaders breathing and the humming and clash of sabers. the lack of music really helps with the intensity and emotion of this scene.
The funny thing is, even with everyone complaining about how this is the slowest fight in the SW saga, it actually isn't that slow. That little bit from 1:28 to 1:40 was actually some fairly fast-paced swordplay, it was just that the movements weren't exaggerated like they are in the rest of the duels.
this duel is awesome cause you can just see by the look on obi wans face during the battle that he was totally manipulating vader the whole time, right up to the point where he moves in front of the window to distract the army of storm troopers guarding the ships, and right up to the point where he allows vader to send him into eternity and make him more powerful
The in-universe reason the fight is slower is that Vader was being extremely cautious. In the Death Star novel, he muses to himself that, despite being superior to Kenobi as a duelist and combative Force wielder, he needed to be very careful because he had been all of these things when he fought Kenobi before, and still lost. Also, Kenobi was still extremely formidable, to the point where Vader also mused that, if he became distracted, Kenobi could cut him to pieces in the blink of an eye.
***** Actually, in RotS, Anakin had lost that fight before it began. He was reckless, angry, clumsy, unfocused and expended far too much energy. Because Obi-Wan is a master of Soresu and has at least rudimentary knowledge of all other lightsaber forms, he was able to tire Anakin out to the point where his defense was weak and he couldn't even jump high enough to go clear over Obi-Wan's head and avoid getting sliced to pieces. Anakin would have eventually tired out, no matter what, and Obi-Wan would have won. It was inevitable.
in my opinion this is the greatest lighsaber duel ever! And it should be the most respected. Because this is the first Lightsaber duel that came to the screen in 1977. It is classic..and always will be!
Ppl sayn the original fights are better than the prequels because the prequels look make believe. You are referring to what a fight should be between two normal people. You are forgetting Jedi and sith are supernaturals. It is feasible that supernaturals should be able to flip, shoot lightning, and jump and land safely hundreds of feet below. the same could be said for superman. Supernatural abilities should not look like common ppl fighting.
It still has its charm though, for the time it was filmed and being the first movie of the series (which for what I've read had some budget problems at first) it still looks entertaining.
Well, think about it, its an old guy fighting a droid.And if you say, "well what about Yoda?" Well let me tell everyone how it goes.people say Jedi and sith make their powers greater.that is true.but obi wan hadn't practiced the force in 19 years.hell, look at Yoda in the original trilogy!he was barely able to walk!obi wan and Yoda though was still attuned to the force,which is why obi wan didn't get his head chopped off the first second and how Yoda was able to lift the x wing.but they were still old.so that's why it "sucked".
I recently watched all 6 films together, first time I did that, and really this duel was fine. They all tend to look slower when you just view them on there own, when watched as part of the film you get used to that film's pacing so this one was fine. Yup, it's probably the slowest of the main duels, but it still does its job well. I still love Obi-Wan's little flick deflection while talking at 0:59.
I think it's the emotion behind a Lightsaber battle that make them good. This is a great example as Obi Wan and Vader were once Apprentice and Master and both ended up becoming mortal enemies in a very tragic way, now the two of them are meeting for the first time in many years, imagine how you would feel in that scenario. The fact that Obi Wan is aware he failed as a master makes this one really tragic. That is why this is my favourite Lightsaber Battle in Star Wars. :)
This fight scene is full of emotion, some people may find it hard to take this fight seriously because they take it at face value. However, think about the conversation and the motivations and realize that this fight is just a ploy, just a face for something deeper happening within the characters' minds. Obi-wan fought Vader in order to allow Luke to escape, to distract Vader and to keep his mind elsewhere, he prodded him with his mere presence. The moment Vader sees Obi-wan face to face he speaks " I've been waiting for this Obi-Wan we meet again at last" He knew his presence and this kept him away from Luke, Obi-wan used his pride in defeating his master to bide for time and taunted him to add to it, even telling him he could never win, even if he destroyed him obi wan would become even more powerful than he could even imagine; Because Vader had fallen from grace for his lust for power, taunting him by telling him he'll never be a true master, only of evil must infuriate him. At the beginning of the fight they're not really fighting, they're conversing, Obi-wan is simply toying with Vaders emotions, and Vader may have wanted to spark a real fight out of him before striking him down, perhaps even regretting the fact he must, " You should not have come back" and then this is where the fight begins to pick up, Vaders frustrations making him swing harder and with more effort but Obi wan parrying and keeping him at bay. By the end of the fight Obi-wan has Vader on his toes, has him breathing heavily and Vader hasn't had a single opportunity to strike at him without being parried. Then he sees Luke, He knows that he's done his job in saving him and must continue to guide him. He is not ready for Vader and thus must sacrifice himself to both become one with the force and to distract Vader with what he wanted in that moment the most; the power to defeat his old master.
Vader: wish we could jump around and do awesome backflips and shit like in the old days lol Obi: yeah me to lol, im getting too old though Vader: yeah and im just a fucking robot and my limbs barely move anymore. Obi: i miss the old days... Vader: me too man
Ironic how this scene has all of the things the OT Elitists pretend the fights in the prequels had. Awful dialogue? (And yes, the dialogue in the prequels was pretty bad too, but no worse than this) "Only a Master of Evil, Darth!" Check. Horrible choreography with overly flashy and impractical moves? 0:35, check. Bad acting? Check, Alec Guiness even admitted he phoned in his wooden performance. Lack of emotion? You bet your ass. Looking at this scene makes me feel good for loving the prequels. If the majority of people think THIS fight is better than the exciting and emotionally heartbreaking Anakin v.s Obi Wan, I'm glad to be in the minority.
am i the only one who thinks this is a much more realistic fight than any of the fights in the prequels? light sabers are completely different from conventional swords and other bladed weapons; with a light saber, a single cut will render the opponent helpless, and a single mistake is fatal. a real life light saber duel would look a lot like a fencing match. fencing is all about making a single fatal blow, while protecting yourself from such strikes. this duel between vader and obi wan is a lot more like a fencing match (as it should be) than anything seen in the prequels.
Finally. Someone with some sense. This fight does look more realistic to any other fight. Like take obi wan vs anakin on mustafa. They weren't even trying to kill each other even though they had a dozen chances to kill one another, They just wanted to keep the lightsabre's hitting each other.
I love this fight scene. The hipsters complaining that it's too slow remember this was the first lightsaber battle seen in any of the movies. Plus Vader and Obi-Wan are old men they wouldn't fight like the way they would as younger men.
Keep in mind that when they did 'Episode 4' they wanted to make the impression that the lightsaber weight was that of a regular sword. After the movie they rethink the lightsaber concept because it wasn't fit that the blade of the lightsaber would weight something like an iron blade. I think that's why the fight was after after 'A new hope'.
My take on this fight is that Vader actually was more skilled than Obi-Wan, but intentionally wanted to drag this fight on as long as possible to torture the old man. Vader is a 7 foot 2 cyborg who has been training since Obi-Wan's fight with him on Mustafar, whereas Obi-Wan was hiding on Tatooine to avoid attracting attention. Vader was just angry at Kenobi and wanted to make this fight agonizing, which is why Obi-Wan sacrificing himself was the biggest "screw you" he could give to Vader.
You know, looking back on all the fights in the series, this was probably the most realistic in terms of how you'd fight with the unstoppable sword of destruction that is a lightsaber. Not much flashiness, patiently waiting for an opening, carefully defending, etc. I just wish that if they went for a sorta near-fencing style that it would be faster and movie-appeal quality like the mark of zorro (the 1940 movie)
I absolutely love that people give Obi-Wan crap for the spin he pulled at 0:34, when Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Sidious, Mace Windu, and several others in the prequel trilogy all pulled similarly poor spins. There were countless times during Qui-Gon's fight against Maul that you could see Maul just standing there watching Jinn spin, patiently waiting for the spin to end so they could resume the fight. And then when Sidious fought four Jedi at once, Saesee Tiin (The second Jedi killed) just stands there and watches as Sidious kills Agen Kolar, slowly pulls the lightsaber out, then spins to kill Tiin. And then, after that, Kit Fisto just patiently waits for Sidious to spin so that Fisto can block Sidious' attack, instead of attacking him while Sidious was defending against Mace Windu. These are just a few of a myriad of examples of poorly executed spins throughout the prequels. But yeah, lets keep just giving Old Ben crap for it and ignore all the other instances that it's happened with other, more popular characters.
Fuck how practical it is, this scene in a new hope has so much fucking emotion in it. You feel like you're watching human beings with a lot of tension and emotion. Obi-wan activating his sword only when Vader began to approach him shows so much of the Jedi and the Sith. From this you can see the Sith are aggressive in nature and the Jedi are defensive and peaceful beings, sure Obi-wan swung first but he knew exactly what was going to happen. The dialogue is simply the work of a master piece.
After seeing the fight scene Obi-wan and Anakin in "Revenge of Sith", I can't believe that same character is fighting in this film. Is it because they are too old to move fast??
Anybody who says this fight is bad doesn't know anything. Sure it's a little slow what with Guiness being old and Prowse being unable to see, but the actual choreography is much more realistic. They parry, riposte, and look for openings in the other's defense, they don't just jump and flail around.
I seriously cannot just sit here and see people talking about this fight having more "emotion" than the fights in the prequels. What utter garbage. I guess Obi-Wan showed no emotion when Darth Maul struck Qui-Gon down and went almost completely berserk. I suppose that battle on Mustafar was devoid of any emotions whatsoever, I mean its not like the dialogues between Anakin and his former master had meaning to them anyway right? This fight served its purpose, it has its meaning yes, and maybe some people prefer this as opposed to the newer ones, but do not look for petty, inaccurate points like "a lack of emotion" in your feeble attempts to cling to the past. The fights in the prequels were meant to showcase the art of lightsaber dueling in its prime, and frankly they are much more entertaining to watch than the fights in the original trilogy in my opinion.
I definitely like the duels in ANH and ESB. They're arguably the more realistic in terms of pace and technique, but even with it they have their fair share of fancy bladework.
"Now I am the master." "Only a master of evil, Darth." Isn't it interesting how the sith think of themselves as so similar to the jedi and the jedi think of themselves as so different from the sith?
The "Spin" at 0:35 is a taunt to the remark that Vader made about him being the Master. Obi-Wan is toying with Vader. Notice as he brings his saber up to assume the sacrificial pose his respiration is no higher than normal. He hasn't even broken a sweat. He tells Vader straight up "You cannot win Darth..." Notice he used his title, Darth, because Obi-Wan isn't fighting his once young apprentice Anakin, he is fighting the evil that is possessing him. Sir Alec Guinness was not a young man when he filmed this so the fight may not live up to some peoples unrealistic standards. Despite his age Sir Guinness does a very good job making a realistic looking fight scene. Errol Flynn he may not have been, but I admire the performance he gives in this scene regardless. Vader has the coolest line "When I left you I was but the learner, now I am the Master" but Obi-Wan has the most powerful line, "...If you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." Star Wars is so damn cool. Thank you uncle George.
Obi Wan waited until Luke saw them fighting and then intentionally gave up. His sacrifice was IMO a major driving force for Luke to continue his fight against the empire. Obi Wan knew he was much more useful as a martyr than alive. Carefully timed martyrdom is what we have here. Smart.
"Remember when we fought on a world of lava on droids and bridges doing flips and tricks?"
because that spin at 0:35 is so necessary!
i love how at 0:34 vader just let him slowly spin around
Wow that must have been insanely unsatisfying for Darth haha. All those years and Obi-Wan just disappears into thin air.
I read somewhere that the in-canon reason why this fight was so slow was because of Obi-Wan's style, which is extremely defensive by nature, while at the same time Vader was being excessively cautious and timid in his offense; which is completely understandable, because who _wouldn't_ be excessively cautious fighting the same guy who amputated three of your limbs and left you roasting alive the last time you saw him?
0:39 purple Lightsaber :3
0:50 "Your powers are weak, old man."
When he started the prequels, George must've been really glad he planted that line in there. Otherwise, he'd have no real way of explaining how such a badass like Obi-Wan could become so....senile.
Anyone ever thought what happened to Obi-wan's lightsaber?
It's funny to hear Kenobi calling him "Darth" like it was his first name, and not a title for a Sith lord. Just a sign of how things evolved differently from Lucas' original intent.
I think this fight was more about the result/dialogue than the actual fight.
Darth Vader: Hey Obi-Wan, remember when we fought on that volcano through the pool of lava and death, surfing on tiny little machines and doing flips and kicks everywhere?
Obi-Wan:Yup. Sure do.
Darth Vader: ......We got so old.
Obi-Wan: Preach.
"Your powers are weak, old man."
One of my all-time favorite lines.
"When I left you I was but a whiner, now I have an accent"
"Only an accent of evil, Darth."
Anakin developed a British accent over the years, must have been all those years in the Empire.
Vader: *I can't see a damn thing in this helmet*
Just watched the duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan from Episode III, then I watch this... Films had come a long way between 1977 and 2005...
I still think Ewan McGregor was the perfect young Obi-Wan.
The duel on Mustafar makes this seem like a kids' fight in the sandpit! :(((
*****
What, do you have a problem with me commenting all over TH-cam? :))
One of the reasons for the slower movements in this fight is also that lightsabers were originally conceived to be very heavy. As explained in the special features on the 2004 dvd box set. That's why there are white flashes during the fight, to represent the enormous energy clash of the sabers.
In the next two movies, the actors and fight coordinators were given more leeway (like briefly using one hand to fight) but it was still mainly a two-handed weapon.
It is also worth remembering, that the actual fighting is a lot less important in the original trilogy than the dialogue and the character dynamic. Yoda didn't even train Luke with a lightsaber. Understanding and mastering the Force was the really important thing for a Jedi Knight.
First lightsaber duel _ever_ on screen in the Star Wars universe!
Darth Vader: "When I left you, I was the worst character. Now I am the best character."
Ben Kenobi: "Only the best character of evil."
Really made my day
he was pretty good in episode 3, but still not even near Vader
Vader was always the best character.
Genius!
Shut up meg
And this my friends, is why Obi Wan was the best Jedi in history, followed by Yoda and Mace. How many Sith Lords did this guy defeat without even getting scratched by a light sabor? Never lost a limb. Never defeated. Yoda get's props for the only Jedi to pass in bed, peacefully. But nobody could defeat Obi Wan, in the end..not even old age. Obi Wan defeated Obi Wan. That's a master
When they first cut to Vader at 0:05 holding his lighstaber it was the biggest "OH SHIT" moment ever.
That spin
two old men with arthritis.
i like the plot but the acting and the fighting of the original trilogy makes me wanna dig my eyes out
The real reason the fight its "slow and restrictive" is because at the time George Lucas was unsure if he could pull off the fight with the technology they had at the time during editing, So he kept it short and sweet just in case he had to cut the whole scene out. He also wanted to make it easier for them to add the effects just in case he could pull it off. People tend to forget that the light effect was done with manual color tracking, that why you see the light sabers color twitch around a lot in the original cuts. Now its done by computers, so the actors can twirl around all they want and the computer stays right on them.
At least they didn't get their schwartz twisted.
"if you strike me down i will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine" could this be in reference to that fact that when obi-wan kenobi himself witnessed his master, Qui-Gon Jinn, killed by darth maul he went on to kill darth maul. symbolically taking over his masters roll the same way he hopes luke seeing him killed will strengthen him? i don't know a lot about starwars so maybe i'm missing something?
When Darth Vader stroke down Obi wan he didn't perished, instead he became one with the force and became a force ghost, as a force ghost he's more powerful than Darth Vader, obi wan can guide luke anywhere he wanted to, his old age will no longer weaken him, this is what obi wan was talking about
Obi Wan simply learned the ways to live on as Qui Gon did
Well, maybe. But actually, I think it's a reference to the very end of ROTS when Yoda said to Obi Wan that he found the way to immortality. When Vader killed Obi Wan here, he just became immortal, which is why he says that he would become more powerful than ever, because this power is very strong when you think about it (that's why only him and Yoda are ghosts in the original trilogy... And well Anakin too, but I don't really have any explanation to that)
He was talking about Qui-Gon Jinn teaching him to become one with the force and live on after death during his solitude on Tatooine.
Simple but powerful scene.This is more than just a sword fight
I cant help but to get a bit emotional when the music cues in, Obi Wan looks towards Luke and smiles humbly back at Darth Vader. Such a powerful scene.
"When i left you I was the learner.. Now I am the master..."
Didn't Obi-Wan leave him roasting in his own arrogance on Mustafar?
NOOOOOO! BENNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm new to this films and I just fell in love for them
0:53 It's interesting how this iconic line that Obi Wan says was recorded with a different acoustic environment and closer to the microphone. It sounds more like a voice in your head than a dude with a hoodie down the hall.
At the end of Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith, Obi Wan was told that his Old Master Quai gon Jin returned from the force to Continue his training. The training, to become "One with the force". So Ben Kenobi former known as Obi Wan Kenobi went into the Exile in Tatooine to learn to become one with the Force. In the fight against Darth Vader he used his knowledge to become "One with the Force" and literally Evade dying.
0:25 my favourite Star Wars quote :D
I love this duel because I love it when there's a duel between two enemies who were once best friends, and how it has been 20 years since they've last seen each other. Obi-Wan sacrificing himself really got me when I first saw it as a kid. ;( And it perfectly sets up Luke's confrontation against Vader.
Darth Vader: When I left you-
Obi-Wan: Sorry, say that again? 'When I left you?' I'm pretty sure I left YOU on fire next to a river of lava.
At the time Luke has no personal vendetta to fight the empire...Obi made sure he would now.
Bear in mind that Lucas shopped the script for Star Wars around for a while before finding a studio to take a chance on it because it was so incredibly ambitious and different from any other movie being produced at the time. So they were feeling out new territory here in the early to mid '70s. If you weren't alive in 1977, I don't think you can fully appreciate the tremendous impact this one movie had on the collective conscience of every human being on planet Earth.
the "slow fight" makes it 99 x more epic
Vader didn't win this fight, he lost, as Obi Wan had more knowledge of the Force and once he sacrificed himself, he knew he would win, and would never be defeated.
the reaons these two are not doing acrobatics is because there older, less mobile and there so skilled that if they try such moves there opponent could cut them to ribbons.
This was pretty low-key compared to the one in Episode III haha. Old dudes
theres no music, only vaders breathing and the humming and clash of sabers. the lack of music really helps with the intensity and emotion of this scene.
I love how the stormtroopers round up to witness the fight as public... instead of being doing their job!
Seeing this scene now it's kind of strange hearing Obi Wan calling Vader Darth, since now Darth is considered a title and not a name.
That spin at 0:35 is legendary. Lmao
I like what them stormtroopers were doing. Once they saw the duel
"Hey guys! Look there's a fight going on!"
"FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!!!"
The funny thing is, even with everyone complaining about how this is the slowest fight in the SW saga, it actually isn't that slow. That little bit from 1:28 to 1:40 was actually some fairly fast-paced swordplay, it was just that the movements weren't exaggerated like they are in the rest of the duels.
this duel is awesome cause you can just see by the look on obi wans face during the battle that he was totally manipulating vader the whole time, right up to the point where he moves in front of the window to distract the army of storm troopers guarding the ships, and right up to the point where he allows vader to send him into eternity and make him more powerful
If you ask me, Obi-Wan is the greatest Jedi that ever lived. He was lively and comical, compassionate, he's like the living Jedi Code.
The in-universe reason the fight is slower is that Vader was being extremely cautious. In the Death Star novel, he muses to himself that, despite being superior to Kenobi as a duelist and combative Force wielder, he needed to be very careful because he had been all of these things when he fought Kenobi before, and still lost. Also, Kenobi was still extremely formidable, to the point where Vader also mused that, if he became distracted, Kenobi could cut him to pieces in the blink of an eye.
***** Actually, in RotS, Anakin had lost that fight before it began. He was reckless, angry, clumsy, unfocused and expended far too much energy. Because Obi-Wan is a master of Soresu and has at least rudimentary knowledge of all other lightsaber forms, he was able to tire Anakin out to the point where his defense was weak and he couldn't even jump high enough to go clear over Obi-Wan's head and avoid getting sliced to pieces. Anakin would have eventually tired out, no matter what, and Obi-Wan would have won. It was inevitable.
I still get goose bumps when watching this. Amazing even after 36 years!!
"Wanna touch swords?" This whole fight xD
in my opinion this is the greatest lighsaber duel ever! And it should be the most respected. Because this is the first Lightsaber duel that came to the screen in 1977. It is classic..and always will be!
Ppl sayn the original fights are better than the prequels because the prequels look make believe. You are referring to what a fight should be between two normal people. You are forgetting Jedi and sith are supernaturals. It is feasible that supernaturals should be able to flip, shoot lightning, and jump and land safely hundreds of feet below. the same could be said for superman. Supernatural abilities should not look like common ppl fighting.
Lets face it, guys, this fight is terrible! lol.
It still has its charm though, for the time it was filmed and being the first movie of the series (which for what I've read had some budget problems at first) it still looks entertaining.
still people try to find things that makes it ''good''. Emotions according to people, LOL. THis was terrible, plain and simple.
true, u gotta remember that this is 1977!! the story is awesome tho.
some old people fighting ollol
Well, think about it, its an old guy fighting a droid.And if you say, "well what about Yoda?" Well let me tell everyone how it goes.people say Jedi and sith make their powers greater.that is true.but obi wan hadn't practiced the force in 19 years.hell, look at Yoda in the original trilogy!he was barely able to walk!obi wan and Yoda though was still attuned to the force,which is why obi wan didn't get his head chopped off the first second and how Yoda was able to lift the x wing.but they were still old.so that's why it "sucked".
the weakest star wars light saber fight xD its so funny. like an old mans fight
i love how the storm troopers leave their post once they see them. it's like they were thinking "aw sweet, a saber fight. let's check this shit out."
This duel is not action packed, exciting and flashy, but it is just as intense, dangerous and deadly; where a single error will cost you your life
"The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but a learner, now I am the Master"
I recently watched all 6 films together, first time I did that, and really this duel was fine. They all tend to look slower when you just view them on there own, when watched as part of the film you get used to that film's pacing so this one was fine. Yup, it's probably the slowest of the main duels, but it still does its job well.
I still love Obi-Wan's little flick deflection while talking at 0:59.
I think it's the emotion behind a Lightsaber battle that make them good. This is a great example as Obi Wan and Vader were once Apprentice and Master and both ended up becoming mortal enemies in a very tragic way, now the two of them are meeting for the first time in many years, imagine how you would feel in that scenario. The fact that Obi Wan is aware he failed as a master makes this one really tragic. That is why this is my favourite Lightsaber Battle in Star Wars. :)
1:57 Luke yells "noo!" with a very manly voice.
I STILL don't get why he just let himself die.
This fight scene is full of emotion, some people may find it hard to take this fight seriously because they take it at face value. However, think about the conversation and the motivations and realize that this fight is just a ploy, just a face for something deeper happening within the characters' minds.
Obi-wan fought Vader in order to allow Luke to escape, to distract Vader and to keep his mind elsewhere, he prodded him with his mere presence. The moment Vader sees Obi-wan face to face he speaks " I've been waiting for this Obi-Wan we meet again at last" He knew his presence and this kept him away from Luke, Obi-wan used his pride in defeating his master to bide for time and taunted him to add to it, even telling him he could never win, even if he destroyed him obi wan would become even more powerful than he could even imagine; Because Vader had fallen from grace for his lust for power, taunting him by telling him he'll never be a true master, only of evil must infuriate him.
At the beginning of the fight they're not really fighting, they're conversing, Obi-wan is simply toying with Vaders emotions, and Vader may have wanted to spark a real fight out of him before striking him down, perhaps even regretting the fact he must, " You should not have come back" and then this is where the fight begins to pick up, Vaders frustrations making him swing harder and with more effort but Obi wan parrying and keeping him at bay. By the end of the fight Obi-wan has Vader on his toes, has him breathing heavily and Vader hasn't had a single opportunity to strike at him without being parried.
Then he sees Luke, He knows that he's done his job in saving him and must continue to guide him. He is not ready for Vader and thus must sacrifice himself to both become one with the force and to distract Vader with what he wanted in that moment the most; the power to defeat his old master.
they actually moved faster than i remembered
"... you never call, you never write"
Vader: wish we could jump around and do awesome backflips and shit like in the old days lol
Obi: yeah me to lol, im getting too old though
Vader: yeah and im just a fucking robot and my limbs barely move anymore.
Obi: i miss the old days...
Vader: me too man
Amazing fight, Obi-Wan losing on purpose. He sacrificed himself.
Ironic how this scene has all of the things the OT Elitists pretend the fights in the prequels had. Awful dialogue? (And yes, the dialogue in the prequels was pretty bad too, but no worse than this) "Only a Master of Evil, Darth!" Check. Horrible choreography with overly flashy and impractical moves? 0:35, check. Bad acting? Check, Alec Guiness even admitted he phoned in his wooden performance. Lack of emotion? You bet your ass.
Looking at this scene makes me feel good for loving the prequels. If the majority of people think THIS fight is better than the exciting and emotionally heartbreaking Anakin v.s Obi Wan, I'm glad to be in the minority.
They dont even look like they are trying to kill each other like Anakin vs Obi Wan
And besides, if you think that the choreography is what makes the fight, then you missed the point ENTIRELY.
am i the only one who thinks this is a much more realistic fight than any of the fights in the prequels?
light sabers are completely different from conventional swords and other bladed weapons; with a light saber, a single cut will render the opponent helpless, and a single mistake is fatal. a real life light saber duel would look a lot like a fencing match. fencing is all about making a single fatal blow, while protecting yourself from such strikes. this duel between vader and obi wan is a lot more like a fencing match (as it should be) than anything seen in the prequels.
Finally. Someone with some sense. This fight does look more realistic to any other fight. Like take obi wan vs anakin on mustafa. They weren't even trying to kill each other even though they had a dozen chances to kill one another, They just wanted to keep the lightsabre's hitting each other.
What the hell was that? I'm pretty sure my grandmother could duel better than that!
I love this fight scene. The hipsters complaining that it's too slow remember this was the first lightsaber battle seen in any of the movies. Plus Vader and Obi-Wan are old men they wouldn't fight like the way they would as younger men.
Keep in mind that when they did 'Episode 4' they wanted to make the impression that the lightsaber weight was that of a regular sword. After the movie they rethink the lightsaber concept because it wasn't fit that the blade of the lightsaber would weight something like an iron blade. I think that's why the fight was after after 'A new hope'.
If you look at their fight in star wars episode 3 and compare it to this fight then... yeah
obi wan : c'mon anakin! do the spin thing!
darth vader : ....
R.I.P Alec Guinness
1:50
"Now it's Luke's business to cut his arms, my job here is done"
What the fuck is that turn at 0:36 for?
Fight is terrible because it has to be terrible: Obi Wan is REALLY old and Vader misses both legs and one arm.
Alternate Ending
Vader: What are you doing?
Ben: Kill me, you're ruining the moment. *slice*
I always feel that the way the jedis yield their light sabers looks like a samurai holding a katana. This fight actually does look like a kendo fight.
My take on this fight is that Vader actually was more skilled than Obi-Wan, but intentionally wanted to drag this fight on as long as possible to torture the old man. Vader is a 7 foot 2 cyborg who has been training since Obi-Wan's fight with him on Mustafar, whereas Obi-Wan was hiding on Tatooine to avoid attracting attention. Vader was just angry at Kenobi and wanted to make this fight agonizing, which is why Obi-Wan sacrificing himself was the biggest "screw you" he could give to Vader.
The most underrated and forgotten duel of the series.
You know, looking back on all the fights in the series, this was probably the most realistic in terms of how you'd fight with the unstoppable sword of destruction that is a lightsaber. Not much flashiness, patiently waiting for an opening, carefully defending, etc. I just wish that if they went for a sorta near-fencing style that it would be faster and movie-appeal quality like the mark of zorro (the 1940 movie)
I wonder how good this would have been if made in 2014
0:50, That's the most offensive speech I have ever heard in Star Wars!
I absolutely love that people give Obi-Wan crap for the spin he pulled at 0:34, when Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Sidious, Mace Windu, and several others in the prequel trilogy all pulled similarly poor spins. There were countless times during Qui-Gon's fight against Maul that you could see Maul just standing there watching Jinn spin, patiently waiting for the spin to end so they could resume the fight. And then when Sidious fought four Jedi at once, Saesee Tiin (The second Jedi killed) just stands there and watches as Sidious kills Agen Kolar, slowly pulls the lightsaber out, then spins to kill Tiin. And then, after that, Kit Fisto just patiently waits for Sidious to spin so that Fisto can block Sidious' attack, instead of attacking him while Sidious was defending against Mace Windu. These are just a few of a myriad of examples of poorly executed spins throughout the prequels. But yeah, lets keep just giving Old Ben crap for it and ignore all the other instances that it's happened with other, more popular characters.
Fuck how practical it is, this scene in a new hope has so much fucking emotion in it. You feel like you're watching human beings with a lot of tension and emotion. Obi-wan activating his sword only when Vader began to approach him shows so much of the Jedi and the Sith. From this you can see the Sith are aggressive in nature and the Jedi are defensive and peaceful beings, sure Obi-wan swung first but he knew exactly what was going to happen. The dialogue is simply the work of a master piece.
After seeing the fight scene Obi-wan and Anakin in "Revenge of Sith", I can't believe that same character is fighting in this film.
Is it because they are too old to move fast??
this is hilarious when you look at it now 2014, but i guess its ok since it was filmed a LOT of time ago
Anybody who says this fight is bad doesn't know anything. Sure it's a little slow what with Guiness being old and Prowse being unable to see, but the actual choreography is much more realistic. They parry, riposte, and look for openings in the other's defense, they don't just jump and flail around.
I seriously cannot just sit here and see people talking about this fight having more "emotion" than the fights in the prequels. What utter garbage. I guess Obi-Wan showed no emotion when Darth Maul struck Qui-Gon down and went almost completely berserk. I suppose that battle on Mustafar was devoid of any emotions whatsoever, I mean its not like the dialogues between Anakin and his former master had meaning to them anyway right? This fight served its purpose, it has its meaning yes, and maybe some people prefer this as opposed to the newer ones, but do not look for petty, inaccurate points like "a lack of emotion" in your feeble attempts to cling to the past. The fights in the prequels were meant to showcase the art of lightsaber dueling in its prime, and frankly they are much more entertaining to watch than the fights in the original trilogy in my opinion.
I definitely like the duels in ANH and ESB. They're arguably the more realistic in terms of pace and technique, but even with it they have their fair share of fancy bladework.
"Now I am the master." "Only a master of evil, Darth." Isn't it interesting how the sith think of themselves as so similar to the jedi and the jedi think of themselves as so different from the sith?
Not very high octane compared to the prequels.... Lightsaber duels are definitely where the prequels shined.
The "Spin" at 0:35 is a taunt to the remark that Vader made about him being the Master. Obi-Wan is toying with Vader. Notice as he brings his saber up to assume the sacrificial pose his respiration is no higher than normal. He hasn't even broken a sweat. He tells Vader straight up "You cannot win Darth..." Notice he used his title, Darth, because Obi-Wan isn't fighting his once young apprentice Anakin, he is fighting the evil that is possessing him. Sir Alec Guinness was not a young man when he filmed this so the fight may not live up to some peoples unrealistic standards. Despite his age Sir Guinness does a very good job making a realistic looking fight scene. Errol Flynn he may not have been, but I admire the performance he gives in this scene regardless. Vader has the coolest line "When I left you I was but the learner, now I am the Master" but Obi-Wan has the most powerful line, "...If you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." Star Wars is so damn cool. Thank you uncle George.
Obi Wan waited until Luke saw them fighting and then intentionally gave up. His sacrifice was IMO a major driving force for Luke to continue his fight against the empire. Obi Wan knew he was much more useful as a martyr than alive. Carefully timed martyrdom is what we have here. Smart.
"Ben? Ben Kenobi? Boy am I glad to see you!"