Here’s Which Lightsaber Combat Form Ahsoka Uses

Wielding lightsabers in battle, the Jedi were expert swordsmen that used different lightsaber combat forms to fight their enemies. With interest in the upcoming ‘Ahsoka’ series quite high, more fans are now interested in her character and the different styles she uses to fight her opponents, especially because she used two lightsabers in combat. So, which lightsaber combat form does Ahsoka use?

Ahsoka is a master of the Shien variant of Form V. Shien emphasizes blaster redirection, which explains why she prefers to use a reverse grip. However, Ahsoka is also skilled in using the second Form V variant, Djem So, which is the preferred lightsaber combat form of her master, Anakin Skywalker.

While Ahsoka’s lightsaber form allowed her to become a promising young prospect, it is important to note that this style allowed her to survive the events of the Clone Wars as well, especially after Anakin trained her to excel at redirecting blaster bolts. So, with that said, let’s talk more about Ahsoka’s lightsaber combat form.

Ahsoka specializes in Form V: Shien

Interest in Ahsoka Tano is incredibly high as of late because she has an upcoming series on Disney+. However, fans of the character have followed her since her introduction in 2008 in the ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars’ animated movie, which continued its story in its animated series counterpart. Ahsoka’s growth was one of the biggest things that made ‘Clone Wars’ so popular.

During the events of the Clone Wars, Ahsoka was one of the Jedi Padawans actively fighting the Separatists because she was the Padawan of none other than Anakin Skywalker, who was one of the most prominent Jedi Generals at that time. Of course, Ahsoka’s talents as a lightsaber combatant allowed her to survive many encounters during the Clone Wars.

Ahsoka specialized in the Form V lightsaber combat form. Form V is divided into two variants: Shien and Djem So. Both variants emphasize quick blocks and parries that allow the fighter to transition into a counterattack. As such, Form V is said to be one of the most demanding lightsaber combat forms but is quite effective because it excels on both defense and offense.

Shien was the first of the two Form V variants to be created. This variant focused on blaster redirection and quick counterattacks, allowing the combatant to strike down blaster users. However, when there was a demand for lightsaber-on-lightsaber combat, Djem So was developed to address the initial deficiency of Form V against melee combatants. Djem So follows the same principles as Shien but focuses more on quick counterattacks and flurries against melee users after parrying or blocking.

Ahsoka excelled in using Shien, especially because she preferred a reverse grip that allowed her to block or redirect blaster bolts more efficiently. As such, Ahsoka was quite effective against droids during the events of the Clone Wars, as her lightsaber combat form was the bane to the blaster-wielding droids that the Separatists fielded.

However, Ahsoka also used Djem So quite effectively, especially against lightsaber users. That was why Ahsoka survived duels against skilled lightsaber users, such as General Grievous, Asajj Ventress, and Darth Maul. During the latter portion of the Clone Wars, she was even skilled enough in Djem So to duel Maul on par even though this former Sith Lord was skilled enough to kill Jedi Masters.

Ahsoka also preferred the use of Jar’Kai, which was the method that involved the use of two lightsabers. She used a regular and shorter shoto lightsaber, which she usually used in a reverse grip. 

Jar’Kai was perfect for Shien users because it allowed the duelist to use the concepts of Shien and Djem So together. That was why there were instances wherein Ahsoka used a conventional grip for one of her sabers while using the shoto saber with a reverse grip. But in many cases, Ahsoka wielded both her sabers using a reverse grip.

Ahsoka’s lightsaber form allowed her to survive Order 66

The fact that Ahsoka excelled in the use of Shien was one of the reasons why she was able to survive Order 66. It was revealed in ‘Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi’ that Anakin took Ahsoka to a training facility so that she could master the fundamentals of blaster bolt redirection using her Form V: Shien form. Initially, Ahsoka struggled against the clones that used stun bolts against her. But Anakin relentlessly forced Ahsoka to last long periods while multiple clones were firing stun bolts from different directions.

In the final season of ‘Clone Wars,’ it was revealed that Ahsoka was actually caught in the middle of Order 66. While the events of ‘Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith’ were happening, Ahsoka was on Mandalore to fight Darth Maul and the Shadow Collective that occupied the planet. She was on the ship carrying a captured Maul back to Coruscant when Chancellor Palpatine initiated Order 66.

Even though Ahsoka didn’t see the clones’ betrayal coming, she survived the clone onslaught because of her mastery over Form V: Shien. We also know that Anakin’s training allowed Ahsoka to master redirecting blasters from multiple clones. Of course, clones were much more skilled in blaster use than droids, which was why it was difficult for the Jedi to redirect or block multiple blaster bolts from different clones.

As such, Ahsoka mastered the perfect lightsaber form that allowed her to survive an event that not even the most skilled and experienced Jedi Masters were unable to survive. And that is why Form V: Shien is one of the best forms for defending against multiple ranged enemies firing from different directions.

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