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The sai cha vault was a technique of lightsaber combat used by the Sith witch Rin Sakaros and some of her disciples, though evidence suggested Sakaros herself merely learned the technique rather than inventing it herself.
An outgrowth of the Twin Suns training technique, the sai cha vault required the attacker to charge his opponent, who would usually also be charging. With instants to spare before impact, the attacker would use the Force to vault over his enemy, slashing his lightsaber in midair to decapitate his enemy (the sai cha move which gave the technique its name). The attacker would then complete the vault, landing behind his newly headless enemy.
The technique was not without risk. A careless or ill-timed attack could see the attacker felled by a mou kei, as happened to Darth Vader when he similarly tried to leap over Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar. Though the midair slash helped to avoid this, as it forced the target to parry rather than try for an attack himself, a defensive master could still sometimes turn a block into a counter on the now-defenseless attacker. Due to its risks, Rin Sakaros taught the technique only to some of her Centurions.
On the other hand, Sakaros herself was strong enough in the Force to simultaneously speed her own movements, rendering her own sai cha vault little more than a blur of movement. She also experimented with not drawing her lightsaber until she was already leaping, thinking the lack of an activated blade might lull the enemy into believing Rin was merely going to tackle him. However, as Rin herself noted, the accuracy of the technique dropped without an already-active blade unless the attacker practiced the vault consistently.
Aside from Rin, her brother Tariun, Blademaster Kieran Sapphire, and Ataru stylist Te`net Organi were all known to have mastered the technique.
Notable uses[]
Yoda performed a modified sai cha vault on Kashyyyk, backflipping over and beheading Commander Gree and another clone trooper during Order 66.
During the Battle of Feldirjo, Rin performed a modified sai cha vault on an Ossak warrior, splitting his "face" in half.
While boarding the enemy command ship in the midst of the Battle of Rubutu, Te`net Organi performed the move twice on Vyrak legionnaires. The first was deflected and merely cut his opponent's shoulder; the second beheaded one of the clones.
Vos'elk'eetash used a sai cha vault to kill Charg.