Ahsoka's Second Lightsaber

[hazard502]

I'm quite the fan of Ahsoka from SW TCW.  When she started using a second lightsaber in her off hand I never really gave it a second thought as it just seamed so natural for her character.  However I came across this video giving some explanation to it and thought it was interesting . . . enjoy.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lQ8wRH79wk&amp;list=WL&amp;index=17" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lQ8wRH79wk&amp;list=WL&amp;index=17</a>

[Vivectius]

Thanks for posting this Hazard.  However....

Jar'Kai was the original form of Form VI, Niman.  Not a variant of form IV, Ataru.

The following is my opinion.  It is not meant to be taken as canon, or "correcting" the video (unlike the statement above).

I doubt that Anakin would have given the saber to her, for several reasons.  

First, Jar'Kai was something he personally didn't care for, or think he would have a use for, so rarely studied it, as shown by his poor performance with two sabers against Dooku (which seriously could be a training video on everything not to do when using a weapon in each hand).  Because of this, I doubt he would have encouraged his padawan to study it.  I don't think he would have stopped her, but I doubt he would have pushed her to do it.

Second, she uses the reverse grip with her left hand almost exclusively.  This was also something Anakin didn't care for, even when she was using it with a single Lightsaber, prior to getting her second one.

Third, and I think most compelling, is that every Lightsaber Anakin ever made looked very similar to each other (much to Palpatine's disappointment when Vader build his new saber with a red crystal after losing to Obi-Wan).  Ahsoka's second Lightsaber is very similar to her first in design.  If Anakin had made it, I think it would have had a closer resemblance to his own.  I know there are similarities between Anakin's and Ahsoka's, mostly in the emitter shrouds, but beyond that their designs were different.

Fourth, and also fairly compelling, is that, with the exception of their training blades, Jedi made their own lightsabers.  I don't think I need to go into the history or whys of this. They weren't really the sort of things jedi gave to other jedi as presents.

I think from the design that Ahsoka probably made it herself, with the intention of improving her combat abilities.  Not just defensively, but also offensively.  She's faced multiple enemies in the Magna Guards, where having a second blade would have made life easier.  She's faced Ventriss, and her dual blades, and while she held her own defensively, she couldn't win the duel.  And she even faced Grevious, where, unless you're Obi-Wan Kenobi, having at least two blades is almost a requirement.  See Kit Fisto's duel with him.

 I think she made the second blade so that she wouldn't just be holding her own, but could win the fight. And it would be an element of surprise, at least at first, since with the exception of Dooku, no one in the CIS had any experience fighting against a Jedi with two blades.

And that my friends, is my opinion.

One thing that I did find interesting watching Ahsoka fight with the two blades is that she seemed comfortable fighting with either saber in either hand, which is actually fairly uncommon, if not rare, in those that fight with a long and short blade.  Usually, in my experience, people who fight that way almost exclusively stick to long blade in dominant hand, short blade in off-hand.  Even a lot of ambidextrous people tend to have a tendency to do this; even if they can switch which hand has the long blade and which the short, they rarely, if ever, do.

[Lord Sidious]

Are both sabers the same length? Identical in fact? It seems one is shorter than the other.

[Dauntless Seven]

Thanks for sharing this video Haz.  I can't contribute to the discussion but Viv brought up some good points. 

Speaking of points... here's one for you and Viv. 

[Rapine]

Great video hazard.  Thanks for that.

A point to you, and one to Vivectius for that very sound opinion.  Thanks guys.  I'm about to start watching that series actually...

[Darth Tepes]

Just always figured she wanted a second one so she built one, no in depth analysis required. 

[Vivectius]

Are both sabers the same length? Identical in fact? It seems one is shorter than the other.

The lighter green (which honestly looks closer to yellow to me) is shorter.

[hazard502]

I agree with what you're saying Vivectius - certainly that Anakin didn't make one and that Ahsoka made it herself. And I feel it's far more likely that yes, as she discovered/grew her abilities that she chose to incorporate this duel wield fighting form.

[KraytDragonPearl]

I also agree with what Vivectius said.  I think it highly unlikely that Anakin gave his padawan a saber.  Its the responsibility of the individual to make their own saber, or in the case of some sith, steal it after they kill someone.  Ahsoka learned from her own mistakes and knew she had holes in her fighting style as well as her defense. She needed to "up her game" and thats what she did when she made her second saber.  As to why it was a different color than the first, most likely it was as simple as her crystal just happened to be a bit different.  Not all crystals and sabers are created equal.

[ithekro]

My only wonder would be where she got the crystal.  It gives off a yellowish-green blade.  As close to yellow as they dared prior to introducing the Jedi Temple Guards near the end of the series.

[Lord Sidious]

It's a nice saber and dare I say doesn't look to difficult to design and manufacture.