Dave2112
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(Due to several requests and a sense of Balance on my part, I've updated this thread to include the duels of "Revenge of the Sith". Please keep in mind that the original thread was put together from years of repeated exposure to the films and novels, not to mention the Expanded Universe. The ROTS update comes from seeing the film only six times...I'll do my best.) - Dave
Lightsaber combat and style can be broken into 7 Forms. Here's what they are, who practiced them and how they relate to the duels in the films.
Form I (Shii-Cho)
This form was created by the first Jedi Masters and is still used as introductory training in the art of wielding a lightsaber. Created after energy blades replaced metal ones, Form I contains all the basics of attack, parry, body target zones and the practice drills known as velocities.
Form II (Makashi)
This is the refinement of lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat. It is a true art form, advancing the precision of blade placement to its finest possible degree. Not many Jedi still study this form, as few confrontations involve opponents wielding lightsabers...but Sith find it to be very effective; most Sith will only be really challenged by a Jedi. Form II produced some of the galaxy's greatest dueling masters.
Form III (Soresu)
This form arose from blaster-deflection training. As blasters became common in the galaxy, Jedi needed a way to defend themselves. Over the centuries, Form III has been refined into an expression of non-aggressive Jedi philosophy. It is tighter and less open than the other forms, making it the most defensive of styles. A true Form III master is said to be invincible.
Form IV (Ataru)
This style incorporates the Force's ability to push the body beyond its limits. Form IV masters emphasize thier ability to run, jump, spin and flip, and thier combat is astonishing to watch. Thier movements can sometimes be nothing more than a blur with the Jedi at the center. Moves are chain-linked together smoothly and with great trust in the Force.
Form V (Shien)
This form arose from a time when Jedi were called upon to more actively maintain peace. Jedi who considered Form III too passive created Shien. A Form III master might be undefeatable, but niether could he inflict enough damage to overcome an enemy. Form V focuses on strength and lightsaber attack moves. The blaster-deflection style of Form III has been refined here to direct the bolt back at the attacker, eliminating an opponent. Form V utilizes wider attack ranges and gives up a bit of defensive edge. Some Jedi consider this a discipline ready for any threat, while others feel it focuses too much on strength and domination.
Form VI (Niman)
At the time of the Clone Wars, Form VI was in standard practice. It tries to balance the emphases of other forms with moderation. It is considered the "Diplomat's Form" because it is less demanding than the others and allows a Jedi more time to spend devoted to honing thier other skills; perception, political strategy and negotiation. In theory it is a combination of Forms I, III, IV and V. A Form VI student spends more time with lightsaber training overall, as all of the bases of the other forms must be at least known. Sometimes, it is said, a Knight overly trained in martial combat might be at a loss to settle non-combat disputes, and this Form prepares a Jedi for whatever they may encounter in the name of diplomacy. However, full Masters of other forms consider Form VI to be overly demanding and too "loose".
Form VII (Juyo)
Only high-level masters of multiple forms can achieve and control the ultimate discipline known as Form VII. This is the most difficult and demanding Form, but can lead to fantastic power and skill. It employs bold, direct movements...more open and kinetic then Form V but not so elaborate in appearance as Form IV. In addition to very advanced Force-assisted jumps and movemants, Form VII tactics overwhelm opponents with seemingly unconnected staccato sequences, making this form highly unpredictable in battle. This trait makes for a much more difficult execution than the graceful, linked sequences of Form IV. Form VII requires the intensity of Form V, but much greater energy since that focus is wielded more broadly. Form VII draws upon as deep a well of emotion as Form V but masters it fully. The outward bearing of a Form VII practitioner is one of calm, but the inner pressure verges on explosion. Before the Old Jedi order was wiped out, few could master the Force well enough to contain Form VII. By its very nature, it skirts the Dark Side in its raw power...and any practitioner must be perfectly centered in his place in the Force.
***********************************
Practitioners:
Yoda - Form IV
Darth Vader - Form V (some Form IV as Anakin)
Obi-Wan Kenobi - Form IV (Phantom Menace) Form III thereafter.
Qui-Gon Jinn - Form IV
Darth Maul - Form VII
Count Dooku - Form II
Luke Skywalker - Form VI (by virtue of his lack of standard training. Is known to switch forms)
Mace Windu - Form VII
Palpatine/Darth Sidious - Form V
General Grievous - Form VI
***Also note that the Forms are not exacting to the point of non-adaptability. Defensive-minded Form III practitioners are not completely at a loss to utilize some of the common styles of other Forms if combat deems necessary, for instance. Form V doesn't mean that the practitioner will never utilize Force-assisted flips and other tenets of Form IV. The Forms are defined by the styles and goals that are focued on.***
How the Forms Fit Into the Films
A New Hope
The power of Vader's Form V vs. Obi-Wan's impenetrable Form III. With all of his power, Vader could not break Kenobi's defenses until the old Jedi yielded. The duel is deliberate and slow-paced; neither man has fought another lightsaber-wielding opponent in many years. Kenobi is old, well past his prime and Vader is mostly a cyborg, crippled by the lingering pain that neccesitates his life-support suit. Although Kenobi can hold off Vader indefinitely, he cannot gain victory over the more powerful Form V...as was his plan. By utilizing Form III to it's fullest, Obi-Wan gives his party the time needed to escape the Death Star...before using the ability he'd spent twenty years on Tatooine refining...
The Empire Strikes Back
Vader has largely freed himself of his lingering pain due to his deeper connection to the Dark Side. This is apparent in his much deadlier Form V mastery. Baron Orman Tagge serves as testament to Vader's technique by this time, precicely blinded in both eyes by Vader in a duel. He wields his power with utter confidence against Luke, masterfully taunting Skywalker as he seeks to dominate his spirit in the ancient Sith tradition of dun moch.
In his defense, Luke shows himself to be an extraordinarily gifted artist with the blade, having largely taught himself. He is able to hold off against a Sith Lord at the height of his powers. He shows a gift for the acrobatic Form IV, but his neccesary connection to the Force is interrupted by Vader's greater experience and stronger power.
Return of the Jedi
It is only Luke's uncharted latent Force talent that makes him a match for Vader aboard the second Death Star. Having studied ancient techniques from Kenobi's journal, he has all but mastered Form IV. Vader's raw power is still greater, and since refined into a deadly efficiency. However, in his final desperate assault on Vader, Luke mirrors Vader's own Form V techniques and responds with a furious onslaught, defeating the Sith Lord. An observing Jedi Master would have been astonished at such instantaneous learning in battle. Luke would go on to incorporate many styles as he continued to teach himself, placing him in the Form VI catagory for the better part of his career.
The Phantom Menace
Darth Maul is all about Form VII. His utter devotion to the corrupt Sith version of the form is telling: he remains silent during his battle with two Jedi, desiring a purely physical victory instead of pursuing the "higher" Sith tradition of dun moch - domination of his opponent's spirit, which Sith typically achieve through Force-enhanced taunts that expose inner doubts and weaknesses.
Qui-Gon Jinn is a Master of Form IV, utilizing chain-linked moves at close range to keep Maul from bringing the advantage of a double-bladed weapon to bear.
Obi-Wan shows an affinity for Form IV, his youth apparent in his acrobatic jumps and sometimes unneccesary twirls. After seeing the lack of defense Form IV provided his master against Darth Maul, Obi-Wan begins studying Form III and remains a practitioner for the rest of his career.
Attack of the Clones
Mace Windu's fight against Jango Fett and his style in combatting the Battle Droids show his mastery of Form VII's fury and utter control.
Anakin has shown his raw power in his choice of Form V, but his overconfidence in his own abilities betrays him against Count Dooku. When pressed, he breaks out of his usual Form V routine and engages Dooku in the two-bladed varient of Form IV, which Dooku easily counters. This is further testimate to Luke's natural ability in learning spontaneously.
Count Dooku is a true Master of Form II and may very well be more dangerous than Darth Maul in his simple yet deadly finesse. He breaks through Obi-Wan's Form III defenses quickly, often with one hand in a fencing style. He can afford the luxury of dealing non-lethal wounds to his opponent. His salute to Yoda before thier duel shows his respect for the form and his lifelong devotion to lightsaber dueling as an art.
Yoda shows what the ultimate Form IV master is capable of. Close inspection shows Yoda attacking and defending along all three axes. He utilizes jung su ma(spinning), ton su ma(somersaults) and en su ma(cartwheels) in a whirling example of perfection and ultimate connection to the Force. His physical limitations are overcome by his connection, and he becomes a living embodiment of the Force itself.
It is to be noted that most of the fallen Jedi at the Battle of Geonosis were Form VI practitioners. Many were unprepared for the rigors of prolonged combat at the height of Form VI's popularity, serving as negotiators and diplomats, not devoting thier training to master any one Form.
Revenge of the Sith
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker make a deadly team after boarding Grievous' ship. Kenobi's Form III is at the height of it's perfection, taking droids out with thier own deflected shots, while Anakin takes a somewhat more active Form V approach to dispatch the droids. The differences are subtle, as the two are among the Jedi elite and comfortable with various techniques. Two years of war have also caused the Jedi to become more martial in thier approach to thier respective Forms.
Anakin's more powerful Form V takes Count Dooku out of his rythym as the Count's attempt at dun moch fails against the aggressive young Jedi.
General Grievous was trained by Count Dooku to wield lightsabers, but his Form is more droid-assisted than Force-assisted. Utilizing his superior mobility, strength and reflexes...he attacks Obi-Wan in a non-Force varient of Form VI. With four weapons to bring to bear, one powerful strike is all that is needed, while three other blades perfom defensive and misdirection moves. Obi-Wan's deliberate defensive manuevering allows him to take away Grievous' main attack, and then he is no match for Kenobi's skills.
Chancellor Palpatine reveals himself to be Darth Sidious and a master practitioner of Form V in its rawest nature. His lightsaber is a weapon of murder, stabbing and slashing with the full power of the Dark Side. When confronted with four Jedi Masters, his well-planned element of surprise and his direct attack quickly eliminate all but the most powerful opponent...a favored tactic of powerful Sith. Mace Windu's kinetic mastery of the unpredictable Form VII keeps the Sith Lord from delivering the killing blow, until Mace falls into his trap.
The two most powerful beings in the galaxy come head-to-head, pitting Yoda's gifted Form IV against the Form V rage of Darth Sidious. Yoda finds himself facing the toughest opponent of his long lifetime, but his pure connection to the Force make him an impossible target for the broad, powerful strokes of the Dark Lord. Sidious abandons the duel in favor of bringing the full power of the Dark Side against Yoda.
In the most fated duel in recent galactic history, Obi-Wan Kenobi faces his most grueling challenge...his own apprentice. It is to be noted here that this fight was extremely personal and occured on both a physical and emotional level. Each man was at the summit of his martial prowess and both were desperate to quickly achive thier goals. This fight takes place at incredible speeds as the newly-dubbed Darth Vader seeks to kill his former Master in a fury born of rage, loss and perceived betrayal. Obi-Wan uses every trick he knows to counter the furious onslaught. In the end, realizing that redemption is lost to Vader, he falls back squarely on the defenses of Form III to escape the blade of his former friend...gaining the high ground and severely hampering a succesful attack. Vader's downfall is his own overconfidence in his new-found abilities...a failed final attack that again sees him reverting to a Form IV-style move that costs him dearly...
Lightsaber combat and style can be broken into 7 Forms. Here's what they are, who practiced them and how they relate to the duels in the films.
Form I (Shii-Cho)
This form was created by the first Jedi Masters and is still used as introductory training in the art of wielding a lightsaber. Created after energy blades replaced metal ones, Form I contains all the basics of attack, parry, body target zones and the practice drills known as velocities.
Form II (Makashi)
This is the refinement of lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat. It is a true art form, advancing the precision of blade placement to its finest possible degree. Not many Jedi still study this form, as few confrontations involve opponents wielding lightsabers...but Sith find it to be very effective; most Sith will only be really challenged by a Jedi. Form II produced some of the galaxy's greatest dueling masters.
Form III (Soresu)
This form arose from blaster-deflection training. As blasters became common in the galaxy, Jedi needed a way to defend themselves. Over the centuries, Form III has been refined into an expression of non-aggressive Jedi philosophy. It is tighter and less open than the other forms, making it the most defensive of styles. A true Form III master is said to be invincible.
Form IV (Ataru)
This style incorporates the Force's ability to push the body beyond its limits. Form IV masters emphasize thier ability to run, jump, spin and flip, and thier combat is astonishing to watch. Thier movements can sometimes be nothing more than a blur with the Jedi at the center. Moves are chain-linked together smoothly and with great trust in the Force.
Form V (Shien)
This form arose from a time when Jedi were called upon to more actively maintain peace. Jedi who considered Form III too passive created Shien. A Form III master might be undefeatable, but niether could he inflict enough damage to overcome an enemy. Form V focuses on strength and lightsaber attack moves. The blaster-deflection style of Form III has been refined here to direct the bolt back at the attacker, eliminating an opponent. Form V utilizes wider attack ranges and gives up a bit of defensive edge. Some Jedi consider this a discipline ready for any threat, while others feel it focuses too much on strength and domination.
Form VI (Niman)
At the time of the Clone Wars, Form VI was in standard practice. It tries to balance the emphases of other forms with moderation. It is considered the "Diplomat's Form" because it is less demanding than the others and allows a Jedi more time to spend devoted to honing thier other skills; perception, political strategy and negotiation. In theory it is a combination of Forms I, III, IV and V. A Form VI student spends more time with lightsaber training overall, as all of the bases of the other forms must be at least known. Sometimes, it is said, a Knight overly trained in martial combat might be at a loss to settle non-combat disputes, and this Form prepares a Jedi for whatever they may encounter in the name of diplomacy. However, full Masters of other forms consider Form VI to be overly demanding and too "loose".
Form VII (Juyo)
Only high-level masters of multiple forms can achieve and control the ultimate discipline known as Form VII. This is the most difficult and demanding Form, but can lead to fantastic power and skill. It employs bold, direct movements...more open and kinetic then Form V but not so elaborate in appearance as Form IV. In addition to very advanced Force-assisted jumps and movemants, Form VII tactics overwhelm opponents with seemingly unconnected staccato sequences, making this form highly unpredictable in battle. This trait makes for a much more difficult execution than the graceful, linked sequences of Form IV. Form VII requires the intensity of Form V, but much greater energy since that focus is wielded more broadly. Form VII draws upon as deep a well of emotion as Form V but masters it fully. The outward bearing of a Form VII practitioner is one of calm, but the inner pressure verges on explosion. Before the Old Jedi order was wiped out, few could master the Force well enough to contain Form VII. By its very nature, it skirts the Dark Side in its raw power...and any practitioner must be perfectly centered in his place in the Force.
***********************************
Practitioners:
Yoda - Form IV
Darth Vader - Form V (some Form IV as Anakin)
Obi-Wan Kenobi - Form IV (Phantom Menace) Form III thereafter.
Qui-Gon Jinn - Form IV
Darth Maul - Form VII
Count Dooku - Form II
Luke Skywalker - Form VI (by virtue of his lack of standard training. Is known to switch forms)
Mace Windu - Form VII
Palpatine/Darth Sidious - Form V
General Grievous - Form VI
***Also note that the Forms are not exacting to the point of non-adaptability. Defensive-minded Form III practitioners are not completely at a loss to utilize some of the common styles of other Forms if combat deems necessary, for instance. Form V doesn't mean that the practitioner will never utilize Force-assisted flips and other tenets of Form IV. The Forms are defined by the styles and goals that are focued on.***
How the Forms Fit Into the Films
A New Hope
The power of Vader's Form V vs. Obi-Wan's impenetrable Form III. With all of his power, Vader could not break Kenobi's defenses until the old Jedi yielded. The duel is deliberate and slow-paced; neither man has fought another lightsaber-wielding opponent in many years. Kenobi is old, well past his prime and Vader is mostly a cyborg, crippled by the lingering pain that neccesitates his life-support suit. Although Kenobi can hold off Vader indefinitely, he cannot gain victory over the more powerful Form V...as was his plan. By utilizing Form III to it's fullest, Obi-Wan gives his party the time needed to escape the Death Star...before using the ability he'd spent twenty years on Tatooine refining...
The Empire Strikes Back
Vader has largely freed himself of his lingering pain due to his deeper connection to the Dark Side. This is apparent in his much deadlier Form V mastery. Baron Orman Tagge serves as testament to Vader's technique by this time, precicely blinded in both eyes by Vader in a duel. He wields his power with utter confidence against Luke, masterfully taunting Skywalker as he seeks to dominate his spirit in the ancient Sith tradition of dun moch.
In his defense, Luke shows himself to be an extraordinarily gifted artist with the blade, having largely taught himself. He is able to hold off against a Sith Lord at the height of his powers. He shows a gift for the acrobatic Form IV, but his neccesary connection to the Force is interrupted by Vader's greater experience and stronger power.
Return of the Jedi
It is only Luke's uncharted latent Force talent that makes him a match for Vader aboard the second Death Star. Having studied ancient techniques from Kenobi's journal, he has all but mastered Form IV. Vader's raw power is still greater, and since refined into a deadly efficiency. However, in his final desperate assault on Vader, Luke mirrors Vader's own Form V techniques and responds with a furious onslaught, defeating the Sith Lord. An observing Jedi Master would have been astonished at such instantaneous learning in battle. Luke would go on to incorporate many styles as he continued to teach himself, placing him in the Form VI catagory for the better part of his career.
The Phantom Menace
Darth Maul is all about Form VII. His utter devotion to the corrupt Sith version of the form is telling: he remains silent during his battle with two Jedi, desiring a purely physical victory instead of pursuing the "higher" Sith tradition of dun moch - domination of his opponent's spirit, which Sith typically achieve through Force-enhanced taunts that expose inner doubts and weaknesses.
Qui-Gon Jinn is a Master of Form IV, utilizing chain-linked moves at close range to keep Maul from bringing the advantage of a double-bladed weapon to bear.
Obi-Wan shows an affinity for Form IV, his youth apparent in his acrobatic jumps and sometimes unneccesary twirls. After seeing the lack of defense Form IV provided his master against Darth Maul, Obi-Wan begins studying Form III and remains a practitioner for the rest of his career.
Attack of the Clones
Mace Windu's fight against Jango Fett and his style in combatting the Battle Droids show his mastery of Form VII's fury and utter control.
Anakin has shown his raw power in his choice of Form V, but his overconfidence in his own abilities betrays him against Count Dooku. When pressed, he breaks out of his usual Form V routine and engages Dooku in the two-bladed varient of Form IV, which Dooku easily counters. This is further testimate to Luke's natural ability in learning spontaneously.
Count Dooku is a true Master of Form II and may very well be more dangerous than Darth Maul in his simple yet deadly finesse. He breaks through Obi-Wan's Form III defenses quickly, often with one hand in a fencing style. He can afford the luxury of dealing non-lethal wounds to his opponent. His salute to Yoda before thier duel shows his respect for the form and his lifelong devotion to lightsaber dueling as an art.
Yoda shows what the ultimate Form IV master is capable of. Close inspection shows Yoda attacking and defending along all three axes. He utilizes jung su ma(spinning), ton su ma(somersaults) and en su ma(cartwheels) in a whirling example of perfection and ultimate connection to the Force. His physical limitations are overcome by his connection, and he becomes a living embodiment of the Force itself.
It is to be noted that most of the fallen Jedi at the Battle of Geonosis were Form VI practitioners. Many were unprepared for the rigors of prolonged combat at the height of Form VI's popularity, serving as negotiators and diplomats, not devoting thier training to master any one Form.
Revenge of the Sith
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker make a deadly team after boarding Grievous' ship. Kenobi's Form III is at the height of it's perfection, taking droids out with thier own deflected shots, while Anakin takes a somewhat more active Form V approach to dispatch the droids. The differences are subtle, as the two are among the Jedi elite and comfortable with various techniques. Two years of war have also caused the Jedi to become more martial in thier approach to thier respective Forms.
Anakin's more powerful Form V takes Count Dooku out of his rythym as the Count's attempt at dun moch fails against the aggressive young Jedi.
General Grievous was trained by Count Dooku to wield lightsabers, but his Form is more droid-assisted than Force-assisted. Utilizing his superior mobility, strength and reflexes...he attacks Obi-Wan in a non-Force varient of Form VI. With four weapons to bring to bear, one powerful strike is all that is needed, while three other blades perfom defensive and misdirection moves. Obi-Wan's deliberate defensive manuevering allows him to take away Grievous' main attack, and then he is no match for Kenobi's skills.
Chancellor Palpatine reveals himself to be Darth Sidious and a master practitioner of Form V in its rawest nature. His lightsaber is a weapon of murder, stabbing and slashing with the full power of the Dark Side. When confronted with four Jedi Masters, his well-planned element of surprise and his direct attack quickly eliminate all but the most powerful opponent...a favored tactic of powerful Sith. Mace Windu's kinetic mastery of the unpredictable Form VII keeps the Sith Lord from delivering the killing blow, until Mace falls into his trap.
The two most powerful beings in the galaxy come head-to-head, pitting Yoda's gifted Form IV against the Form V rage of Darth Sidious. Yoda finds himself facing the toughest opponent of his long lifetime, but his pure connection to the Force make him an impossible target for the broad, powerful strokes of the Dark Lord. Sidious abandons the duel in favor of bringing the full power of the Dark Side against Yoda.
In the most fated duel in recent galactic history, Obi-Wan Kenobi faces his most grueling challenge...his own apprentice. It is to be noted here that this fight was extremely personal and occured on both a physical and emotional level. Each man was at the summit of his martial prowess and both were desperate to quickly achive thier goals. This fight takes place at incredible speeds as the newly-dubbed Darth Vader seeks to kill his former Master in a fury born of rage, loss and perceived betrayal. Obi-Wan uses every trick he knows to counter the furious onslaught. In the end, realizing that redemption is lost to Vader, he falls back squarely on the defenses of Form III to escape the blade of his former friend...gaining the high ground and severely hampering a succesful attack. Vader's downfall is his own overconfidence in his new-found abilities...a failed final attack that again sees him reverting to a Form IV-style move that costs him dearly...
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) When a certain number of these monkeys were shown how to do a particular task (they were physically able to manipulate things with their hands) the whole bunch of them suddenly knew how to do it, even if they'd been kept isolated from the ones who had. In a community of a few thousand, I think it took one in every hundred to be be taught it, for the knowledge to spread; hence the name. 
