Cho mai In lightsaber combat , cho mai was the act of cutting off an opponent ' s weapon hand . Application and description . " Cho mai " was a precision technique as it demonstrated the skill of a swordsman . Considered honorable among Lightsiders , it allowed for a victory by causing minimal physical damage . Darksiders consider the mark to be merciful as such individuals prefer to kill opponents rather than maim . In lightsaber combat , " cho mai " was often performed by simply driving the opponents blade aside before cutting at the wrist . Other methods include altering the angle of one ' s parry to catch the opponent ' s wrist instead of the blade or sliding the weapon inside an opponent ' s guard during a bladelock to cut off their hand . An even more vicious method consisted of grabbing the opponent ' s wrist and holding it in place while cutting it off . Executing " cho mai " was often a question of recognizing an opening and exploiting it , attacking when the opponent left their weapon hand vulnerable . Jedi Knights commonly used it against blaster - wielding opponents . Notable examples . In 5000 BBY , in their first duel , Saes Rrogon used " cho mai " on Relin Druur . In 3951 BBY , aboard the " Hammerhead " - class cruiser , " Harbinger " , Darth Sion initiated " cho mai " against Kreia . During the confrontation between Meetra Surik and Darth Traya , the former used " cho mai " against her after weakening the Sith Lord . In 990 BBY , Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Bane applied " cho mai " on Hetton shortly before finishing him off on Ambria . Shortly afterwords , he severed the weapon hand of Johun Othone while they dueled in Belia Darzu ' s stronghold . In 22 BBY , Obi - Wan Kenobi used " cho mai " against the bounty hunter Zam Wesell when she tried to shoot him in the back in the Outlander Club . Later on , Count Dooku , alias Darth Tyranus , used " cho mai " against Anakin Skywalker in a duel during the Battle Of Geonosis . In 21 BBY , Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker used " cho mai " against Tactical Droid TV - 94 when he tortured Eeth Koth and during the First Battle of Saleucami . In that same year , he later used " cho mai " against bounty hunter Twazzi when she tried to punch him . In 20 BBY , Asajj Ventress used " cho mai " against General Grievous in the Battle of Dathomir . She severed one of the general ' s arms off in an attempt to defeat him , but failed . Later on , Nightbrother Dathomirian Zabrak Savage Opress used " cho mai " against Tatsu when he called him a coward in a duel . Shortly after , Obi - Wan Kenobi used " cho mai " against Savage during the Skirmish on Florrum . In 19 BBY , Anakin Skywalker used " cho mai " on Darth Tyranus shortly before killing him through " Sai cha " on the Separatist flagship " Invisible Hand " . During the Battle of Utapau , Obi - Wan used " cho mai " twice against General Grievous . At the end of the Clone Wars , Anakin Skywalker again applied " cho mai " on Mace Windu , as he saw only a brief opportunity to prevent the death of his soon - to - be master . In 19 BBY , Darth Vader assailed a secret meeting of surviving Jedi with the first to die by his blade being the Jedi Knight Sia - Lan Wezz , having been impaled by the Dark Lord before cutting of her hand as she fell dead , adding insult to injury . That same year , Vader utilized " cho mai " in combination with a lightsaber throw to sever the hand of Bothan Jedi Master Kai Hudorra during the failed ambush at Kestavel . In 3 ABY , Darth Vader severed Luke Skywalker ' s right hand during the duel at Cloud City . In 4 ABY , Luke Skywalker returned the favor during his rematch with Vader during the Battle of Endor . In 10 ABY , during a brief but fierce duel , Luke Skywalker proved victorious after cutting off the hand of a reborn Darth Sidious during the Battle of Pinnacle Base . Jaden Korr , like his former master Kyle Katarn , was quite skilled in applying " cho mai " just after winning bladelocks . Years later , Lumiya , the Dark Lady of the Sith , used this technique on Luke Skywalker during their duel at the Roqoo Depot . In 137 ABY , Imperial Knight Elke Vetter lost her hand to Darth Talon . Also in 137 ABY , Sith Lord Darth Kruhl applied " cho mai " against Rikkar - Du in between application of two brutal shiim marks . He then killed Rikkar - du . In 139 ABY , Imperial Knight Jao Assam severed both of Darth Wredd ' s hands in the Battle of the Floating World .