Jar ' Kai / Legends Jar ' Kai was originally a style of swordplay that utilized dual blades , developed by the Yovshin Swordsmen . A similar dual - blade technique referred to as Niman was developed by the Royale Machetero s of the Kashi Mer monarchy . Niman was adopted by the darksider group known as the Legions of Lettow during the First Great Schism , as well as the Jedi Order itself . Niman was developed into the sixth form of Lightsaber combat , retaining its name , while Jar ' Kai became something of a blanket term for dual - blade combat . It should be noted that the fourth form of lightsaber combat , Ataru , was also known to employ dual blades as part of its training regimen . Ahsoka Tano was a master in this form when she was only a Padawan , an accomplishment that Jedi Masters would have serious troubles in achieving . History . The Jar ' Kai style developed by the Yovshin Swordsmen was named for a city on Atrisia . The city of Jar ' Kai was also the site where the original Jar ' Kai dueling saber s were crafted . These weapons were utilized by the Yovshin and were designed for the express purpose of being dual - wielded . Niman , the dual - blade style developed by the Royale Macheteros of the Kashi Mer , was named for the dual triumvirate of the Kashi deities . The style was adopted by the Legions of Lettow , a group of Dark Siders responsible for the First Great Schism of the Jedi Order . After the defeat of the Legion at the hands of the Jedi , Niman was adopted by the Jedi order , eventually being refined into the sixth form of lightsaber combat , referred to by the same name . It should be noted that there were Jedi who engaged in dual - blade combat prior to the adoption of Niman by the Order , an example being Awdrysta Pina , who wielded a pair of Jedi katanas in battle . Many Jedi Knights and Sith Lords trained to use Form VI in the hopes of gaining a basic knowledge of the dual - bladed combat , but very few ever achieved complete mastery of Niman . Both styles predated the invention and usage of lightsabers , but being designed to be practiced with swords , they were easily adapted . In addition , the word " Jar ' Kai " became a blanket term for dual - blade combat in general , leading to the birth of the term " Jar ' Kai tactic " , which was to simply employ two blades in combat , regardless of whether one had received training in any dual - blade fighting style . Dual - blade practitioners of Niman included Jedi Master Kavar , who utilized a shoto as his secondary weapon , and the Jedi trainee turned Sith Lord Exar Kun , who took up an additional weapon on occasion . However there were few dual - blade duelists that practiced classic Niman , though the Jar ' Kai tactic saw fervent usage . Numerous Jedi and Sith were known to take up a secondary blade in combat , though few did so regularly . Description . Dual - blade fighters , whether classical Niman duelists or individuals applying the Jar ' Kai tactic , were able to maintain a strong offense , as the speed of attack that two blades allowed would overwhelm most opponents . A typical maneuver was to continually attack with one blade while relying on the other for defensive coverage , ensuring that the duelist could keep up his guard even as he attacked . However , it was common that both blades be used for offensive purposes , keeping up a continuous wave - front assault . Another advantage of Jar ' Kai was that the two blades made it easier to hold off multiple opponents , as one simply had more blades to parry with . Asajj Ventress , a dual - blade practitioner , demonstrated this during her mission on Ruul , where she held her own against up to three Jedi simultaneously . Dual blades could also be used as a defensive or compensatory measure when engaging another opponent who utilized multiple blades in combat , as shown when Kit Fisto stole and took up one of the blades of the cyborg Grievous , whose mechanical anatomy allowed him to wield up to four lightsabers at once . Known Jar ' Kai techniques and maneuvers include the " Rising Whirlwind " , which consisted of a duelist swinging his blades about his body , creating a " whirlwind " of deadly attacks , and the " Twin Strike " , in which both blades were swung in an arc towards the opponent in a deadly power attack . Though a complete fighting system in and of itself , Jar ' Kai was easily adapted to other styles . After beginning her tutelage under Darth Tyranus , Asajj Ventress quickly applied Makashi techniques to her practice of Jar ' Kai . As Makashi was Tyranus ' s favored form , Jedi Master Luminara Unduli was able to recognize his training techniques in Asajj ' s fighting abilities , stating as much . Mace Windu also infused Jar ' Kai tactics into his own Vaapad style while on a mission on Haruun Kal , his former apprentice , Depa Billaba , doing likewise . Weaknesses . Despite the advantages offered , Jar ' Kai was not without its drawbacks . Firstly , as both hands held individual lightsabers , two - handed blows were impossible , and the duelist was unable to put all his or her weight behind blocks , weakening the defensive capabilities . Thus , an enemy with a single hilt could simply assault a Jar ' Kai practitioners defense with brute force , battering away until the dual - blade duelist ' s guard gave way , as shown during Anakin Skywalker ' s duel with Asajj Ventress on Yavin 4 . However , this weakness was hardly absolute , as some duelists possessed the physical strength to block power attacks with only one arm , examples including Grievous , whose mechanically augmented strength allowed him to both effectively defend against and dole out heavy power blows . Asajj Ventress eventually developed the physical strength necessary to compensate for this weakness , being able to hold up simultaneous bladelocks with both Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano , both of whom were Form V practitioners . Secondly , because of the gyroscopic effect inherent in lightsabers , dual blades were more difficult to control than a single blade . Due to this , special training was required to practice Jar ' Kai , and without it , a secondary blade was more often a hindrance than an advantage . Fortunately , dual - blade training was often quite standard amongst most Force - using organizations , though advanced training seemed somewhat rarer . A third trait worthy of note is that Jar ' Kai practitioners were often overly reliant on their weapons and bladework , leaving their abilities in other areas undeveloped . An example of this weakness was evident in the Jedi Battlemaster Raskta Lsu , who was an exceptional duelist , but in her devotion to lightsaber combat , she never developed her abilities in the Force , forcing her to rely on both her skill with the blade ( s ) and the support of more Force - adept allies to compensate . Some duelists , such as Asajj Ventress , would become overly reliant on simply having two blades to back up one another , and would be left at a disadvantage if deprived of the one . Darth Maul , while facing the Dark Jedi Komari Vosa on Cog Hive Seven , saw Jar ' Kai as " predictable . " This would make sense , given that his mentor , Darth Sidious , could wield two sabers at any time . Weapon Specifications . As both Niman and Jar ' Kai were developed prior to the invention of lightsabers , they were designed with metal blades in mind . Jar ' Kai even had a type of sword created that was specialized to the use of the dual - blade style , the Jar ' Kai dueling saber . However , due to the sword - like nature of lightsabers , the styles were relatively easily adapted . Traditional Niman dual - blade regiments were based around wielding a short lightsaber , the Shoto , as the off - hand weapon , as the smaller blade was easier to control . This seemed to be a relatively common practice amongst Jar ' Kai duelists within the Jedi Order , with such individuals such as Sora Bulq , Aayla Secura , and others doing so . The Zabrak Maris Brood even took this idea a step further and wielded dual guard shoto s in combat . However , since such specialized weapons were not required to utilize Jar ' Kai , many dual - blade combatants simply wielded two standard blades in combat . In fact , weapons other than lightsabers have even been wielded as secondaries , examples including electrostaffs , as demonstrated by Shaak Ti and Obi - Wan Kenobi , swords composed of a lightsaber - resistant material , which Revan or Meetra Surik conceivably did , or even simple knives , as shown by Mara Jade Skywalker . Obi - Wan Kenobi even used a lightwhip on one occasion . Also , the number of lightsabers wielded was not limited to two , depending on the duelist ' s anatomy . Among the Jedi , Priapulin Master Skwelli was renowned for wielding six lightsabers . The cyborg General Grievous would often wield four , splitting his mechanical arms to produce an extra set of appendages . Thanks to Repulsorlifts built into his legs , Grievous was capable of wielding six sabers , grasping them in his talon - like feet , though he has never been recorded doing so . The Besalisk Jedi Pong Krell would also take advantage of his extra set of arms to dual - wield double - bladed lightsabers . Applications . Anakin Skywalker applied Jar ' Kai in battle , in conjunction with his skills in Ataru , during his duel with Count Dooku on Geonosis . While his sudden flurry of attack momentarily caught Dooku off guard , Skywalker ' s lack of advanced training in either Jar ' Kai or Ataru allowed Dooku to break through the Jedi ' s array of weapons , forcing Skywalker onto the defensive before destroying one of the lightsabers . Skywalker ' s master , Obi - Wan Kenobi , also displayed skill in dual - blade combat , taking up the lightsaber of deceased Jedi Ky Narec , alongside his own during his duel with Narec ' s fallen student , Asajj Ventress , on Rattatak . Skywalker himself applied Jar ' Kai in battle several more times during the Clone Wars , such as during a battle with fallen Jedi Barriss Offee in the aftermath of the bombing of the Jedi Temple . Ventress , herself a Jar ' Kai practitioner , originally took up the style after Narec ' s death , wielding his lightsaber alongside her own . However , without Narec ' s guidance , she spiraled down the path of the dark side , and this showed in her bladework , which became furiously aggressive . She demonstrated her skills to Count Dooku during his visit to Rattatak , viciously killing off the competitors in The Cauldron in a furious display of bladework and raw power in the Force . During her subsequent duel with the Count , she fell on him in a blind fury , but was nonetheless defeated . However , she did impress the Count and his Sith Master , Darth Sidious , with her skills . The Count awarded her with a high - ranking position within the CIS military , and the twin curved lightsabers of his former student , Komari Vosa . Wielding these new lightsabers , Ventress developed her skills under Dooku ' s tutelage , applying her skills in dual - blade combat to Makashi . Eventually , her prowess as a duelist allowed her to hold her own against up to three adversaries with little difficulty , as she demonstrated during her mission to Ruul . Her skills even advanced to the point where she was able to battle and defeat or at least hold her own against Jedi Council masters , something few of her contemporaries could do . However , despite her skills , she was not without her weaknesses . During her earlier years , she lacked the major levels of physical strength to compensate for the inherent weaknesses of Jar ' Kai ; her blows lacked power , as shown by Dooku ' s casual defensive moves during their bout on Rattatak ; and she was left vulnerable to power attacks , as shown by her retreat before Anakin Skywalker ' s offensive frenzy during their duel on Yavin IV . However , she eventually developed the physical strength necessary to compensate for this weakness , demonstrating the ability to hold up simultaneous bladelocks with both Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan , Ahsoka Tano , both of whom were Form V practitioners . It is also known that Darth Maul trained in Jar ' Kai , though during his duels with Jedi Master Qui - Gon Jinn on Tatooine and Naboo , he wielded a saberstaff instead . During much of the Clone Wars , he also seemed to favor more of a single - blade approach than dual - wielding , as seen in his duels with Obi - Wan Kenobi . However , he had managed to defend against and defeat Komari Vosa , even if she had a two - to - one saber advantage over him . In his final duel on Mandalore with Darth Sidious , Maul took up both his own saber and the Darksaber . Despite rarely using it , his skill in Jar ' Kai was great enough to keep up with his former master , who also used dual blades , although he was ultimately overpowered . When a clone or doppelgänger of Maul dueled with Darth Vader on Kalakar Six , he employed Jar ' Kai after his saberstaff been sliced in half , enabling him to cut loose and bring Vader to his knees . Luke Skywalker initially took to wielding dual - blades to combat Lumiya ' s lightwhip , as the multiple extensions of the elaborate weapon made short work of a standard defensive technique . In their rematch , Skywalker used his newly fabricated shoto to back up his full - length lightsaber , entangling the energy beams of her whip with one blade while cutting apart the physical strands . Skywalker managed to disarm Lumiya by shorting out the energy beam of her whip with a power attack , though he lost his lightsaber in the process , before he attacked her with the shoto . Dual - blade combat became one of Skywalker ' s preferred methods for dealing with lightwhips , and he utilized it several times during various rematches with Lumiya , though in their last engagement , he fought her only with a single weapon . He also encouraged his wife , Mara Jade Skywalker , to construct a shoto of her own for the same reasons . Skywalker would also display his skills with dual blades while training his students . Practitioners . While many duelists have utilized Jar ' Kai at some point , fewer combatants did so on a regular basis . Among the ancient Jedi who did so are Awdrysta Pina , who practiced with a pair of Jedi katanas , Kavar , Bastila Shan , Vandar Tokare and Fortris Gall . During the Jedi Civil War , many of the Dark Jedi that pledged their allegiance to Darths Revan and Malak ' s Sith Empire used Jar ' Kai against their former Jedi brethren . Many of the Sith following Darth Traya ' s Sith Triumvirate applied the Jar ' Kai form in combat . During the New Sith Wars , the Sith Lord known as the Dark Underlord practiced Jar ' Kai , wielding two Sith sword s . During this time , the style also had its share of Jedi practitioners , including the Echani Jedi Master Raskta Lsu , and the Twi ' lek Jedi Newar Forrth . Over a millennium later , the Twi ' lek Dark Jedi Boc Aseca attempted to imitate Forrth , resulting in a clumsy , though effective fighting method . During the Clone Wars , General Grievous included elements of Jar ' Kai in his style of combat . He commonly utilized two lightsabers in battle , but demonstrated the ability to wield four lightsabers , achieving this by splitting his mechanical arms and hands along their lengths , resulting in four arms . Grievous ' contemporaries , Asajj Ventress , Sora Bulq and Saato also utilized Jar ' Kai in combat . Bulq himself , a master of all known forms of lightsaber combat , often wielded a shoto in combat as his secondary weapon , applying his skills in Jar ' Kai to his practice of Vaapad , the legendary Form VII variant that he had aided Mace Windu in developing prior to his defection to the CIS . Other Jar ' Kai practitioners active during the Clone Wars included Jedi Keelyvine Reus and Pong Krell . Darth Sidious also was extremely skilled in Niman / Jar ' Kai , utilizing both his primary and backup lightsabers to fight his former Sith apprentice Darth Maul and Savage Opress , although he rarely used it , his skill allowed him to prevail against their combined abilities and overpower Maul using the same shortly after his brother ' s death . Ahsoka Tano was also skilled in the use of Jar ' Kai and wielded both a lightsaber and a shoto . She employed an extremely complicated Ataru - Shien reverse grip style to her Jar ' Kai tactic that was worthy of mastery . She was able to hold her own against both Anakin Skywalker and Obi - Wan Kenobi on Mortis and provide a challenge for Grievous , who was himself a master of Jar ' Kai and was using four lightsabers at the time . Tano lasted far longer against Grievous than she had in their previous duel on Skytop Station , which happened before she started using two lightsabers . Tano later lost her shoto and it was shown that she had become somewhat vulnerable to the weakness of getting too reliant on it , a trait she shared with Asajj Ventress , and when using a single lightsaber , she was unable to defeat the treacherous Barriss Offee in combat . It should be noted that Count Dooku , a famed Makashi practitioner , considered dual - blade combat styles inferior , believing that duelists should either make do with a single blade or not at all . He even went so far as to fault double - bladed lightsabers for this . During the Dark Times , a notable Jar ' Kai practitioner was the Zabrak Jedi Padawan Maris Brood , who used two guard shoto s in combat against Darth Vader ' s secret apprentice , Galen Marek . Many of Marek ' s unstable clones — including the two more successful clones , Starkiller and the Dark Apprentice — adopted the form during their training under Vader , utilizing it during their emergence . Starkiller studied Ataru and Niman to take advantage of their dual - blade training regimes and facilitate his mastery of Jar ' Kai . Two of Darth Sidious ' s Dark Jedi , Jeng Droga and Sa Cuis favored dual - blades . Fourteen years after the destruction of the second Death Star , many of New Reborn were trained to use the Jar ' Kai style , most notably Axmis ' apprentice , Alora . Many Jedi also used Jar ' Kai to combat Axmis ' Reborn . Clone Wars - era Jedi Knight A ' Sharad Hett was a known dual - blade fighter , using his late father ' s weapon alongside with his own . After he fell to the dark side and became the Sith Lord Darth Krayt , he continued to practice Jar ' Kai in conjunction with his knowledge of Form VI lightsaber combat . Various members of Krayt ' s Sith Order also practiced Jar ' Kai , including the third Darth Wyyrlok and Darth Reave . Other Jar ' Kai practitioners included the Jedi Micah Giiett , Joclad Danva , and Serra Keto . Alternative Uses . Some duelists maintain skill in dual - blade combat , and utilize it often , but not on a regular basis . In the final year of the New Sith Wars , before the events of the Seventh Battle of Ruusan , the Sith Lord and Sith Blademaster Kas ' im displayed his skills in dual - blade combat against against Darth Bane , utilizing the Ataru subform . Kas ' im , who had mastered all of the seven classic forms and normally used a double - bladed lightsaber , always discouraged his students at the Korriban Sith Academy against using Jar ' Kai , claiming that it was inherently flawed . However , Kas ' im ' s expertise with Jar ' Kai was such that he was able to confuse Bane and nearly defeat him . Jedi duelists known to apply Jar ' Kai on occasion include Aayla Secura , who wielded a shoto alongside her lightsaber during many of the more chaotic battles of the Clone Wars , though she was perfectly able utilizing a regular blade as her secondary weapon . The Grand Master of the New Jedi Order Luke Skywalker displayed his skill with the dual - bladed tactic during the Yuuzhan Vong War , often utilizing it with a shoto in conjunction with his regular lightsaber . Approximately five years after the end of the Swarm War , Skywalker applied Jar ' Kai in actual combat against the Dark Lady Lumiya on Roqoo Depot and at Gilatter VIII during the Second Galactic Civil War . Luke Skywalker ' s wife Mara Jade built a shoto per his request when Lumiya re - emerged . She was with Luke on Roqoo Depot when he fought Lumiya ; at the same time she dueled Dark Jedi Alema Rar . Mara Jade also used a variant of Jar ' Kai when she dueled her nephew and Lumiya ' s Sith apprentice Jacen Solo on the planet Kavan , using her shoto and vibroblade . The Sith Master Lomi Plo used Jar ' Kai against Skywalker twice out of the three times they dueled , using a standard lightsaber and a shoto . Situational Applications . During the Battle of Korriban during the Great Galactic War , Jedi Master Kao Cen Darach wielded his own single - bladed and his apprentice ' s double - bladed lightsabers against Vindican and his apprentice , Malgus . While Darach injured Vindican , Malgus followed the Jedi ' s example and took up his own master ' s lightsaber , using the extra blade to counter Darach ' s array of weapons and cut him down . Kit Fisto took up the lightsaber of his former Padawan , Nahdar Vebb , during his duel with General Grievous , in order to even the odds against the General ' s multiple weapons . Using the lightsaber , he unleashed his own skill with Jar ' Kai , utilizing it in conjunction with his mastery of Form I lightsaber combat , driving back Grievous and holding his own against three of the General ' s IG - 100 MagnaGuards . In addition to his use of the fighting method against Dooku on Geonosis , Anakin Skywalker performed Jar ' Kai against Duros bounty hunter Cad Bane , using his own lightsaber and that of his Padawan , Ahsoka Tano , in the Devaron system , and in the Progate Temple on Geonosis , using Luminara Unduli ' s lightsaber before releasing her from Queen Karina the Great and returning it to her . He also used Jar ' Kai against fallen Knight Barriss Offee . During their participation in the Summertime War on Haruun Kal , Mace Windu and his former student , Depa Billaba , both applied their mastery of Form VII lightsaber combat with dual blades on occasion . Shaak Ti also appeared to have some training in the style , as she expertly wielded an electrostaff in conjunction with her lightsaber during the Battle of Coruscant ; sources describe her wielding dual lightsabers after the Jedi Purge . Fallen Jedi Barriss Offee also displayed considerable prowess in Jar ' Kai having stolen Asajj Ventress ' lightsabers . Her skill was great enough to overwhelm Ahsoka Tano and hold her own very well against Anakin Skywalker . It is known that many , if not all , duelists have applied Jar ' Kai in combat at some point , even if they lacked specialist knowledge , usually doing so whenever the situation demanded and / or facilitated it . Duelists known to do so include Exar Kun , Aurra Sing , Lycan , Quinlan Vos , Corran Horn , Anakin Solo , Saba Sebatyne , Vestara Khai , and Kol Skywalker . Behind the scenes . Due to George Lucas ' original conception that lightsabers were extremely heavy and difficult to handle , the idea of dual - blade combat was accordingly rendered impossible . However , Lucas eventually decided to make lightsabers lighter to facilitate the faster choreography in , consequently inferring the possibility of dual - blade fencing . Dual - blade combat made its first appearance in " " , which depicted Luke Skywalker fighting with a short lightsaber as an off - hand weapon to counter Lumiya ' s use of the lightwhip . William C . Dietz and Dave Dorman ' s novella " " , suggests the dual - blade combat predates the invention of the lightsaber . Furthermore , in the " Star Wars " computer game " " , there is a pair of " Jar ' Kai dueling sabers " that are ordinary metal swords . This also suggests that Jar ' Kai predated lightsabers , even though the release of " X - Wing Alliance " was before the behind the scenes " invention " of lightsaber forms . This was confirmed by a " Wizard of the Coast " supplement , which revealed that the Jar ' Kai style , and swords , originated with the Yovshin Swordsmen of Atrisia . Originally , Dooku was planned to display ability with two blades against Jedi Master Yoda in , which would have made him a possible Jar ' Kai practitioner . However , the idea was later dropped , and in the novel " Labyrinth of Evil " , Dooku was stated to dislike usages of multiple blades , which made him no longer likely to be a Jar ' Kai practitioner . Photos with Christopher Lee wielding two lightsabers with visual effects became promotional pictures ; one of them can be seen in the " " . Also , the scene where Dooku is wielding two lightsabers was seen in the comic version of " Attack of the Clones " . In the video game " " , a character ' s skill in the Jar ' Kai form was measured by a set of three feats called " Two - Weapon Fighting " . Acquiring these feats made the character excel in dual sword or lightsaber combat , but it also increased the character ' s proficiency in wielding double - bladed lightsabers and swords , and even dual blasters . However , in the game ' s sequel , " " , one of the available implants , called the " Enhancement D - Package " , allowed a character to use two weapons effectively without having to purchase the " Two - Weapon Fighting " set of feats . Furthermore , Sith Marauder s and Jedi Weapon Master s had the opportunity of learning the " Superior Two - Weapon Fighting " feats , enabling unparalleled mastery of two - weapon combat . Similarly , in the Star Wars Roleplaying Game : Saga Edition characters can take Dual Weapon Mastery feats which serve the same function ; oddly enough , none of these feats are required to take the Jar ' Kai talent of the Jedi Knight prestige class , although Niman is a prerequisite .