Form VII: Juyo / Vaapad

"This form is the Dark Side, only a Sith can master it fully, and the Jedi only prove their arrogance and foolishness by attempting to delve into it."

- Ancient Sith Blademaster

Form VII: Juyo / Vaapad, the Way of the Vornskr, or the Ferocity Form was the seventh form of the seven forms of lightsaber combat.

Description
"How many blades do you see?"

- Ancient Sith Blademaster

Dubbed the Way of the Vornskr, or The Ferocity Form, Juyo, a term from High Galactic, was originally considered an incomplete form for millennia. Generally viewed as undeveloped and rarely used by the Jedi and the Sith, Juyo was not seen as one of the main forms for generations of Jedi. Then a new Form VII variant was developed, which was nicknamed Vaapad after a creature from Sarapin which moved with speed similar to the style. The nickname, Vaapad, came from students likening it to a predator, the vaapad, which used its tentacles in lightning-fast whipping attacks. It was said to be impossible to tell how many tentacles a vaapad had until it was dead.

The most challenging and demanding of all forms, Form VII required intense focus, a high degree of skill, and mastery of other forms. Only few Jedi have ever mastered Vaapad fully, and most who have fell to the Dark Side despite this.

Application
"Juyo is the definition of utilitarianism, I respect that."

- Ancient Jedi Battlemaster

Intrepid, somewhat direct movements were used in combination with advanced techniques involving Force-powered jumps and very fast motions. Form VII did not appear quite as fancy as Form IV, as there were not as many moves like twirling and flipping, but the technical requirements were much higher. Vaapad used seemingly free-wheeling and open movements, but with utter control on the part of the wielder. The end result, if practiced correctly, was a very unpredictable lightsaber style. The staccato swings and flow of the form made it seem as if the attacks were not linked—but in reality, it was merely confusing the opponent.

Form VII demanded the emotional and physical intensity of Form V, but it much more effectively controlled it—if mastered. Form VII, when fully mastered, resulted in extraordinary power.

Mental requirements
Vaapad bordered on the edge of falling to the dark side, as it channeled one's enjoyment of fighting into the attack, which is why Vaapad was rarely practiced by Jedi and considered very dangerous. Thusly the style became a Sith favorite, many of the practitioners desiring a pure physical victory, opposed to the "higher" Sith tradition of Dun Möch, which could dominate the opponent's spirit through taunts that expose inner doubts and weaknesses.

With that said, Vaapad was not just a fighting style. It was a state of mind and a power.

"Vaapad is as aggressive and powerful as its namesake: immersion in Vaapad opens the gates that restrain one's inner darkness. To use Vaapad, a Sith must allow himself to enjoy the fight; he must give himself over to the thrill of battle. The rush of winning. Vaapad is a path that leads to the power of the dark side."

- Ancient Sith Blademaster

Vaapad was also described as "a superconducting loop," with the user on one end and the opponent on the other. It was able to take the powers of the opponent and reflect it back at them. Juyo stylists often used their opponent's own speed and hatred against them, reflecting it back against the enemy and using it as his own power. However, the Sith variant of Juyo allows the user to feed their the power of Force lightning with their own pain, thus intensifying the energetic attack with their suffering.

The power of Vaapad was quite incredible: it was at once a form of lightsaber combat, a state of mind, and an actual tangible power. To use it required great mastery, discipline and, above all else, purity of heart and spirit. Vaapad users were intense, focused and introverted. There were even signs of pent-up hostility in them.

Practitioners

 * Darth Vatrir