Form II: Makashi (dstouffer)

Form II: Makashi was called the way of Ysalamiri. It was also the second created form of the seven types of Lightsaber combat.

Description
"Masters of Form II develop unique offenses and defenses, and trained studiously against having their weapon taken or damaged."

- Cin Drallig

Form II was designed specifically for Lightsaber dueling. Because Form I lacked the efficiency to match a powerful Force user using the lightsaber, it was necessary to use a form capable of doing so. Those being trained in this form first learn the defensive techniques and then move on to the offensive.

Becoming a master of Makashi is quite difficult but pays off in the end. Instead of using the powerful slashes used in Form I, Makashi requires precise cuts and balanced manueveurs. Those utilizing it would keep a balance between using attacking and blocking so that they may carefully find a weakness in their opponents fighting style. This style also called for precise footwork so that they are able to attack. Powerful Makashi users could block and attack with ease so they appeared to be dancing.

Form II also called for proper lightsaber handling. Practioners must have outstanding coordination to successfully hit the correct range and movement of their target. Because Form II was intended for the very specific purpose of dueling, it was essential that practioners learn more than one lightsaber form. Attachment to it would lead to failure in other aspects. Also, because Makashi was meant for fighting with ease, many practicioners became arrogant in personality. This was a major downfall for many practioners when facing a less experienced opponent.

Another weakness of Form II is it's lack of kinetic energy. It does not provide enough in the blade to defeat those with great power and strength, specifically Form V users. Form V is very fast and powerful, making it easy to wear out Makashi practicioners.

Stances and Manueveurs
The Makashi user will start out with their blade pointed down and angle away from the leg. The Makashi salute starts by bringing the saber up directly in front of the face vertically. This signals that the user is challenging an opponent. When beginning the fight, the practicioner should have a fairly loose grip on the hilt or otherwise destroy the flowing movement of Makashi.

As the duel continues, the opponent will have a harder time trying to break through the Makashi flourish. Soon after, the combatant will exploit a weakness in the opponent's fighting style. If the combatant is swift enough, then the combatant will hardly be able to see the striking blow. This tactic is an elegant alternation between offense and defense to break the enemy's defenses.

The Makashi user will start out with their blade pointed down and angle away from the leg. The Makashi salute starts by bringing the saber up directly in front of the face vertically. This signals that the user is challenging an opponent. When beginning the fight, the practicioner should have a fairly loose grip on the hilt or otherwise destroy the flowing movement of Makashi. As the duel continues, the opponent will have a harder time trying to break through the Makashi flourish. Soon after, the combatant will exploit a weakness in the opponent's fighting style. If the combatant is swift enough, then the combatant will hardly be able to see the striking blow. This tactic is an elegant alternation between offense and defense to break the enemy's defenses.

Many lightsaber upgrades are also used to to enhance the flowing motion of Makashi. The most common and popular of these is the curved hilt. It fits in the hand and gives the bladework more strength and precision. Another upgrade was the double-bladed lightsaber. Using the double blade in Form II requires even more finesse and precision than the single hilt. An expert will be able to confuse their opponent to the point where they cannot even see the blade being swung at them.

Applications
"Even with my vision clouded, I recognize the fighting style of Count Dooku. Your version is unrefined, amateurish, sloppy."

- Luminara Unduli to Asajj Ventress

The Jedi Exile was one of the most famed Makashi swordsman ever known. Her mastes said that her bladework made it look like she was doing an acrobatic dance. Though she had signicant knowledge of all the forms with the exception of Form VI, she always fell back on Makashi when fighting Dark Jedi or Sith Lords. When she was deafened to the Force, she lost her knowledge of Form II. This did not impair her abilities in the future however, when Kreia helped her regain connection to the Force. After this, she formed her own version of Makashi that was more versatile and mobile. She defeated many powerful foes such as, General Vaklu, Atris, and several top Bounty hunters Her knowledge of Makashi also helped her defeat Darth Nihilus, arguable close to being the most powerful Sith Lord ever. However, Darth Nihilus was drastically weakened by Visas Marr, whom he shared a Force Bond with.

On Malachor, the Exile managed to defeat Darth Sion combining elements of Makashi and Form IV: Ataru in an unortodox fighting style. After defeating Nihilus, she found Sion easier to defeat, despite the fact that he was a Djem So practicioner. Her ultimate and most powerful opponent was Darth Traya who had a close to unlimited mastery of the Force. In the end, the Exile's saber skills proved to much for Traya even with the use of her three floating lightsabers.

Count Dooku was a very fine Makashi practicioner who mastered it completely. He had flawless strokes of the lightsaber with great finesse. He was very level-headed when fighting, never letting his emotions control him. Few could match his elegant bladework in the Jedi Order. His only known superiors in dueling were Yoda and Mace Windu. On Geonosis, Dooku dueled Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. When fighting Kenobi he immediately recognized he was using Ataru against him. Realizing that Kenobi's slashes where long and unrefined, Dooku easily broke his defenses, cutting his arm and leg. Dooku also broke through easily through Anakin's dual blade technique. He moved the blade so smooth that Anakin couldn't see the blade about to cut off his arm.

Dooku dueled Anakin again on Tatooine. This time Anakin was more prepared to face Dooku after studying Djem So more thoroughly. When dueling, Dooku's taunts angered him which made Anakin's swings more powerful. Despite this Dooku could still keep up with him. In the end of the battle, they left on equal footing.

Dooku's downfall occurred in his duel against Kenobi and Skywalker on the Invisible Hand. When the duel started, Dooku became overconfident that he could defeat the two Jedi. When the duel ensued, Dooku could barely hold his own against Skywalker's rage and anger that he used in fighting. He then exerted all his energywith the Force to incapacitate Obi-Wan. After this, Dooku became tired and could not even make an offensive move against the sheer power of Form V. Anakain the severed Dooku's arms.

Another practioner in the Clone Wars was Dooku's apprentice, Asajj Ventress. She utilized the curved dual blades in combat. She was eventually able to hold her own against or defeat some members of the Jedi Council. This was a feat not many of her associates could do. She had very precise and elegant bladework and footwork even with the dual blades. Despite her natural skill, Ventress was hardly a master of the form. She could not keep a calm mental state as Dooku could and would often rely on fueling her passions and rage. Though this made her dual blades more powerful, it also defeated the purpose of using Makashi. Ventress also became attached to the use of dual blades and was unable to hold her own without it.

Ventress often used this rage to her advantage when facing a Jedi who could see the flaws in her Form II abilities. Once they let their guard down, she would out a frenzy of rage. This would catch her opponents so off guard that she could immediately defeat them. She used this in her duel against Luminara Unduli and Kit Fisto. Despite her rage, Ventress often underestimated her opponents as well. An example of this was her fight against Anakin Skywalker on Yavin IV. She thought that because he was a mere Padawan she could defeat him with ease. When the duel began Anakin used the same animal rage that she used and broke right through her Makashi. After a long and vicious duel, Ventress was defeated by Skywalker. Shaak Ti was a powerful jedi and master of Form II. She faced many powerful adversaries during the Clone wars and after. She managed to defeat many of Dooku's dark jedi, including Artel Darcon on Dagu. On Hypori, Shaak Ti and many other jedi faced Grievous for the first time. Shaak Ti was not used to Grievous' unorthodox fighting style and was caught off guard by his four limbs. She was soon defeated by him. Ti faced Grievous again on Coruscant. She managed to defeat sixteen IG-100 MagnaGuards. After a tough battle, she faced the General. She couldn't withstand Grievous onslaught of lightsabers with the elegant form of Makashi since Grievous' strokes were to forceful and powerful. Also, she was fatigued by her heated battle with the magnaguards.

Shaak Ti's final duel was against Galen Marek, Vader's apprentice on Felucia. She managed to block several of her attacks, but Marek's ferocity in Djem So proved to much for her. She then relied on the power of the Sarlacc under her control to attack him. After nearly jabbing Marek in the eye, he quickly overwhelmed her with Force lightning, something she could not have suspected.

Notable Practicioners

 * Jedi Exile
 * Dooku
 * Kas'im
 * Shaak Ti
 * Sora Bulq
 * Asajj Ventress
 * Kento Marek
 * Cin Drallig
 * Kreia
 * Visas Marr
 * Tholme (Powerstaark)
 * Jax Pavan
 * Foul Moudama