TheForce.Net - Completely Unofficial Star Wars Encyclopedia

Vaapad

Description

Additional Info

Related Entries

Sources

Images

Legend

this lightsaber combat was developed by Mace Windu, with the assistance of Sora Bulq, during the years leading up to the Clone Wars. It was an aggressive collection of maneuvers, and was considered to be part of the Form VII category. As such, the Vaapad training was considered extremely close to the Dark Side of the Force, and was forbidden to all but the most skilled of Jedi Masters. To Master Windu and his apprentice, Depa Billaba, Vaapad was more than a combat style; it was a state of mind in which the fighter opened themselves so fully to the Force to fight their opponent that they drew power from both the light and dark sides of the Force. The style was named for vaapad creature found on Sarapin. It was all but abandoned after Sora Bulq was consumed by the art in what became known as the blood fever, and himself abandoned the Jedi Order. Master Windu later explained to Obi-Wan Kenobi that Vaapad had originally been created as a way for him to channel his own darkness into a weapon of the light. While this was an adaptation to weakness within Master Windu, it was a potential danger for those Jedi who were unable to control the Dark Side of the Force.