Vader’s skills in Rogue One are far more terrifying than his skills in A New Hope. There is a very simple inworld explanation for this discrepancy.
As Star Wars As the franchise grows, small idiosyncrasies become more and more prominent. Sagas often move in and out of the timeline with each new project, adding new details to previously well-known characters in the process. Despite meticulous attention to detail, there are always narrative issues here and there to smooth it out later.
One of the most famous is also one of the easiest to explain. Darth Vader has always been portrayed as a terrifying figure, but this was his first time. Lightsaber duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope It looks pretty tame.the real conundrum is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, portrays Vader’s lightsaber skills in a much more frightening way, even though it takes place only moments before his final duel with Obi-Wan. for almost 40 years.Within Star Wars Universe, the explanation is actually reasonably simple (if not technically confirmed).
Vader’s improved lightsaber skills derive from real-world situations
Even by the relatively modest standards of the time, lightsaber duels were new hope It’s more of a proof of concept than a white knuckle action scene. The lightsaber effect works, but it looks clunky due to the relatively limited technology of the 1970s. (Post-production effects were a far cry from the digital age.) Additionally, Alec Guinness was in his 60s when he first made Star Wars It definitely limited the choreography of the fights and kept the duels understated.
rogue oneOn the other hand, there are far more tools at your disposal. Most notably, 30 years worth of improved special effects. This means that any kind of Force power can be depicted. new hope I couldn’t telekinetically throw men into the air or smash blasters to junk. Beyond the production itself, the familiarity turned Vader into something of a straight man. robot chicken and various Lego Star Wars special Good laugh at his expense. rogue one I tried to reclaim my status as a truly terrifying figure.
As a result, he made spectacular progress through the ranks of the rebels. Plans for the Death Star they were carrying He effortlessly sliced through a dozen men with a combination of lightsaber movement and telekinesis, barely stopping in the process. That’s a far cry from his lukewarm reaction to Kenobi aboard the Death Star itself a few days later.
Vader’s Improved Lightsaber Skill Descriptions Are Simpler
Within the story itself, there are two reasons why Vader’s abilities suddenly changed. Users of the Force of any kind have always been portrayed as far superior to regular combatants. Star Warswhich shows various Jedi and Sith warriors in detail during the events of the Clone Wars. rogue one.
The second reason is Vader’s personality and fighting style. He rarely goes all out in a lightsaber duel, at least at first. Instead, he tests his opponent while slowly building up his power. First duel with Luke of Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes BackKenobi in particular deserved attention on Vader’s part. His former master had defeated him twice before the incident. new hope, and the Sith Lord had no intention of making it a third. As a result, he moved slowly and didn’t expend more energy than necessary until he was sure he could handle Obi-Wan’s counterattack. It’s an effective way to reconcile the changing needs of two very different eras of filmmaking.