Form IV: Ataru (Powerstaark)



Ataru also known as "the way of the Hawk-bat" or "the aggression form" was the most acrobatic style of lightsaber combat.

Ataru was a style that relied on using speed, agility and acrobatics to overwhelm the enemies defences. Practitioners would flip and spin around their opponents using the speed of their movements not only to attack but also to avoid the opponents attack. When not flipping and spinning, Ataru users would attack with swift feints and attacks to keep the enemy on the defensive. However if the enemy got onto the offensive then Ataru wasn't the best style to use since it had a weak defence. Like Makashi Ataru was better against lightsaber weilding enemies than blaster wielding ones.

Stance and maneuvers
The Ataru opening stance was to hold the lightsaber vertically in both palms, either on the right or left side of the body. If the user was right handed it would go in the right side and it they were left handed it would go on the left.

Users of Ataru would commonly flip over the enemies head and try to strike them in midair then land on the other side. From there they could backflip away from the opponents counterstrike, though less advanced practitioners would either duck under the counter strike or block it. However the user needed to land in perfect balance because otherwise the backflip would be clumsy and more of an opening to the opponent than a dodge. Users could also break something if they weren't careful. This advanced technique was called the "Hawk-Bat Swoop". If there was a wall nearby some users would land on the wall after the backflip and then propel themselves back towards the enemy.

Another Form IV maneuver was called the "Saber Swarm" where numerous short strikes were aimed at the adversary. Another technique was called the "Spinning Attack" where the user would spin and strike out at all sides.

Practitioners
Just like Obi-Wan was the master of Soresu, Yoda was the master of Ataru. He used it against almost any opponent, lightsaber and blaster wielding alike and despite Ataru's weakness to blaster fire Yoda employed the form with such skill that he could defeat huge numbers of blaster weilding opponents by combining it with Soresu.

Qui-Gon Jinn was another notable master of Ataru but as he grew older he began using Ataru less and less, instead using his mastery of Djem So to defeat his opponents. Qui-Gon's apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi originally practiced Ataru but after Jinn's death he studied and mastered Soresu, though he still used Ataru from time to time.

Anakin Skywalker was also proficient at Ataru but after his transformation into Darth Vader he abandoned the style since its acrobatics would be difficult to use in his suit. His Padawan Ahsoka Tano was also skilled at Ataru and was even known to employ a Shien variant of the style by using Ataru acrobatics and holding her lightsaber in reverse grip at the same time. Ahsoka's best friend Tom Norton was also a practitioner of Ataru.

Jedi Council member Shaak Ti was also a master of Ataru, combining it with her elegant Makashi technique. Like Yopa her skill with the style allowed her to hold her own against blaster wielding opponents despite Ataru's weakness to blaster fire. Shaak's predecessor on the Jedi Council, Yaddle was also a master of Ataru. Even Piell was also a master of Ataru and though he practiced all the lightsaber forms, Ataru was the only one he actually mastered.

Sora Bulq and Cin Drallig were both masters of Ataru teaching it along with the other forms to numerous Jedi Younglings during their Jedi careers. Luminara Unduli was also a master of Ataru.

Aayla Secura was a master of Ataru and so was her former master, Quinlan Vos in addition to his skill in Shien. Vos' old master Tholme employed Ataru but ironically he didn't master it though his apprentice and the apprentice of his apprentice did.

Darth Sidious was also a master of Ataru using it during his duel with Mace Windu.

Serra Keto and Asajj Ventress were known to use the Jar'Kai variant of Ataru by using both of their lightsabers and combining it with acrobatics at the same time making them both powerful opponents.