This is surely open to argument, but the most exciting scenes in all of the Star Wars films are the lightsaber duels between Jedi Knights and Sith Lords.
No disrespect to the aerial/outer space warfare between Tie Fighters and X-Wing Fighters (with a little Millennium Falcon thrown in), but what are the most memorable sequences from Star Wars movies? Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Vader. Darth Vader vs. Luke Skywalker I. (Give him a hand!) Vader vs. Skywalker II. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon against Darth Maul. And then there’s Yoda vs. Count Dooku, but… that probably hurts this argument.
Just as The Force flows through all things and binds us all, so does corporate synergy flow through Disney, ESPN and Star Wars. With the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (maybe you’ve heard about it), SportsCenter is broadcasting a special that will cover the real-world influences and evolution of those lightsaber fights throughout the six tales that took place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
“The Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel” will run on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. ET. Here is the trailer for the special:
Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, will host the program that takes a look at the Kendo martial arts and swordplay that heavily influenced the lightsaber battles in the Star Wars saga and how those sequences progressed through the six films. Interviews with martial arts and swordfighting experts, along with George Lucas and new star John Boyega will also be part of the show. And yes, there will be footage from The Force Awakens, which promises to have some stirring lightsaber fights of its own.
Personally, I’m hoping there’s an entire segment devoted to Yoda versus Dooku. Who was the stand-in for the diminutive Jedi Master when Lucas and his producers were choreographing that thing? Actually, that could be an entire other special…
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About Ian Casselberry
Ian is a writer, editor, and podcaster. You can find his work at Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He's written for Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation.