How the Clone Wars Influenced Anakin Skywalker’s Lightsaber Use

In the Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker was one of the most iconic yet tragic characters. Anakin was very talented and raw. Anakin, while he was a Jedi, ranked amongst the best Jedi generals in the galaxy. Clone Wars played an important role in building Anakin’s lightsaber fighting style. Anakin's savage yet efficient and fear-inducing lightsaber skills stemmed from his training. While he was a Padawan of the Jedi Order, his lightsaber fighting style was polished and mastered during the vicious era of the Clone Wars. While Anakin was in the Jedi Order, he learnt how to wield his lightsaber. He especially preferred the usage of form V Djem so over others. However, he wasn't close to mastering it at the time. The terrifying clone wars era served as a mentor, almost when it came to Anakin perfecting his lightsaber skills. The clone wars allowed Anakin to not hold back and trust his instincts over the Jedi code, opening the gateways of Anakin's untapped power. The clone wars also revealed Anakin's ability to be extremely calculating and completely overpower his enemies with his raw power. Below, we will explore how Anakin was moulded along with his lightsaber fighting style because of the Clone Wars. 

Chapter 1: The Shift from Warrior to Soldier

From a Soldier to a General on the Battlefield

Traditionally, a lightsaber used by a Jedi was a symbol of their discipline, a force for them, used for defence. The lightsaber fights occurred between two opponents matched in skill. However, this was made to be useless in the clone wars. The clone wars tested a Jedi's resolve with their teachings and values. The Jedi generals and warriors were forced to fight those who outmatched their skill level by a long shot. Anakin Skywalker shone through the Clone Wars as he perfected his lightsaber skills along with the much-needed change in him. The way Clone Wars forced Anakin to change for the better into his most savage form was far greater than any other Jedi. 

The Need for Ruthlessness and Efficiency 

Anakin was now not facing the dark Sith Lords but a huge number of battle droids who had no feelings. The curated and new circumstances forced Anakin to fight not only savagery but also efficiency. Keeping the Jedi code and honour was no longer a choice for him when he faced countless battle droids. If Anakin chose to fight with his lightsaber skills and use his famous wide and dramatic swings, it would not be effective on a large scale. And being effective was what was needed. It would also work against Anakin, as the droids would have used the opening when Anakin struck widely with his lightsaber to land a blow on him. Leaving Anakin with less energy and potentially gravely injured. Hence why Anakin used pure savagery when dealing with the Battle Droids.

The Evolution of Form V: Djem so 

The clone wars shaped Anakin’s fighting style from the usage of the basic form V djem so that it rapidly adapted to its new circumstances and became a savage, more critical, and shorter strike. This strike was extremely useful and efficient, besides being crisp when delivered. Anakin also tapped into his raw, unfiltered power and used it to his advantage in his fights. This allowed Anakin to deliver critical, sharp, and exact strikes on his enemies, besides proving to be useful to avoid enemy strikes and blows as well. Instead of Anakin being graceful in his fighting style, the clone wars moulded him to be purely vicious and more aligned with extremely speedy engineering, in which the opponents were rapidly disarmed.

The Second Battle of Geonisis

We get to see Anakin in his evolved form more clearly in the second battle of Geonosis. Here, Anakin heads a battalion and is in charge of dismantling a legion of battle droids. Instead of killing the droids, Anakin chooses to unleash his power honed in the clone wars and dismantles the droids with scary precision and ruthlessness. His quick speed and savagery can be seen more amplified by the blue blur of his lightsaber. Which can be seen consistently. Anakin used a mixture of movements, like a quick upward flick to cut open a B1, paired with an equally quick parallel strike to avoid a blow by the droid and causing it to strike itself. This motion was repeated countless times over and over again by Anakin. He repeated this action as he continued to move forward and keep dismantling the droids with ruthlessness. Anakin doesn't wait or stop, nor does he waste his time on unnecessary movements. Rather, Anakin becomes one with the force and, in turn, becomes unstoppable as his objective becomes only one. Anakin was now not thinking of defeat, but of breaking his enemies along with their will to fight. The clone wars had succeeded in turning Anakin Skywalker into a Jedi warrior. He used his power and paired it with his lightsaber to become almost machinelike in his pursuit of achieving his goals. This was the peak of Anakin's lightsaber style, besides being the sharpest.

Chapter 2: The Trial by Grievous

The Terrifying Jedi Killer

General Grievous was made in a laboratory and was given mechanical limbs. He was a breathing weapon who was conditioned in a way that he could exploit all weaknesses related to lightsaber combat. General Grievous was not only an intimidating foe for the Jedi, but he was a trial for them, testing their limits and ability to adapt to its maximum. General Grievous had four arms, giving him an ultimate advantage over the Jedi who had two. Besides this, Grievous was exceptionally well-versed in lightsaber combat. And had mastered his whirlwind attack. This attack swamped his opponents, having only a single or a double-bladed saber. General Grievous was also not one to submit to any mental pressure owing to his inorganic nature. All of these traits made Grievous terrifying for the traditionalist Jedi who put their fate in the hands of form and finesse. 

The First Meeting on the Invisible Hand

Grievous served as a challenging foe to deal with for Anakin, who had to evolve himself to defeat him. They both first met on the Invisible Hand. This meeting revealed to Anakin how savage General Grievous was, as both Anakin and Obi-Wan were forced to be on the defensive. Anakin, though he had sheer power, was struggling to deflect Grievous's blows.

Anakin’s Strategy and Exploiting Weaknesses 

Anakin's strength was his ability to adapt and evolve, even when being under attack, which was what saved him. Anakin studied and analysed grievous. He realised that his limbs were not connected and used this information to his advantage. Anakin understood that Grievous was not like force users with seamless movements. Hence why he came up with the strategy to dismantle the system on which Grievous relied. Anakin used his preferred Form V djem so which he had perfected in the clone wars. He used it to attack Grievous' system by laying exact strikes on the joints of his arms. Where traditionalist Jedi might have upped their strength, Anakin fought in the only way possible to defeat Grievous. Anakin chose to go down a path of physics where hitting grievous mechanical arms would cause energy to vibrate through them. This would make the arm almost cease its function for a short while. 

The Battle of Crouscant

This same technique was used by Anakin again in the battle of Coruscant, where Grievous and Anakin faced off again. Anakin doesn't engage in a duel with Grievous but rather makes a show out of him. Anakin lays attack after attack to use Grievous's mechanical body against him and breaking his momentum. Anakin also attacks Grievous in a way that makes him off balance, using his own strength against him. This brutal and nonstop pursuit that Anakin deploys on Grievous in the form of attacks eventually turns into an opening for Anakin to take the lightsabers from Grievous's hands. The clone wars not only honed Anakin's lightsaber skills but also taught him to be adaptable. Especially when dealing with an unknown or unpredictable enemy, instead of using the traditional Jedi methods.

Chapter 3: The Weight of Command

Anakin's fighting style with his lightsaber skills wasn't the only thing the clone wars had successfully honed. The clone wars polished and rewired the reason for Anakin fighting in the first place. The clone wars granted Anakin his aggression to be used as a shield for those he was responsible for, like the troops he commanded. This added weight of command made Anakin use his raw power and aggression to protect those around him without giving in to the fear of failing. At the time of the Battle of Christophsis, Anakin was unrefined, leading to impulsive decisions like charging headfirst into a fight. Anakin used his power and aggressive flight skills, relying solely on those to secure a victory that the clone wars had ultimately changed for him for the better.

The Battle of Saleucami

One of the examples of the different fighting behaviour for Anakin can be seen in the Siege of Saleucami. In the pre-clone wars, Anakin would have impulsively only used his power and force-driven lightsaber skills to win. But we see that Anakin's every strike became powered by sheer focus and precision meant to be absolute for his foe. Anakin was no longer in search of being the best or incurring fame, but rather survival for him and his troops. Anakin used his aggression as a shield and transformed his rage and savagery into exact and methodical strikes using his lightsaber. Anakin now only had one goal in mind, which was going back alive with his troop. And in doing so, he annihilated his enemies through vicious neutralisation.

Face-off with Asajj Ventress

Another example of post-clone wars Anakin is the face-off with Asajj Ventress on Coursant. Before the Clone Wars, Anakin and Ventress had a seemingly “sportsmanlike” approach to their duels, which vanished once Ventress threatened Padme on Coruscant. Anakin's rage is clearly communicated via his calculated and cold blows as he charges to neutralise her. Anakin's lightsaber was an extension of him and his goals as he used it to convey a silent message to his enemies that he'd win at any cost.

FAQ’s

Did Anakin change his official lightsaber form during the Clone Wars?

The clone wars played a significant role in polishing Anakin's lightsaber skills. But had no part in Anakin changing his form. Anakin Skywalker remained a loyal practitioner of the form V djem so. However, after the clone wars, he was able to use his dominating presence with his terrifying lightsaber skills to defeat his enemies. Who couldn't be defeated using the traditional methods.

Why was General Grievous such a unique challenge for Anakin's style?

General Grievous was well-versed and well-known for using traditional lightsaber combat against his enemies by taking advantage of its weakness. Because the general has 4 arms, he was often a very intimidating and almost unbeatable enemy because of his immunity to mental attacks. All of this was challenging for Anakin as he was forced to adapt using form V so he could defeat Grievous by attacking his mechanical system and hindering his rhythm.

What is the significance of the "Dark Anakin" vision on Mortis?

This vision was meant to be a warning sign for Anakin Skywalker. In the vision of mortis, Anakin Skywalker saw himself use his savage and mastered lightsaber skills without empathy or compassion. He would have these if he were on the right path, the path of light. This vision was a warning for Anakin and a peek into what his future could be if he gave in to the darkness. Anakin saw himself become unstoppable and a destructive force.

Did he ever use this aggressive style against other Jedi?

While the clone wars were happening, Anakin didn't use his constantly evolving and becoming more aggressive by the day lightsaber skills against the Jedi; his lightsaber skills, becoming honed, were seen by all, especially when duelling with each other, like Anakin sparring with Barriss Offee.