Lightsaber Form V – Djem So in HEMA

Form V – Djem So

Lightsaber Form V, also known as Djem So and Shien for its two variants, is a lightsaber form primarily known for its use of cycling between strong blocks and parries, and then counterattacks and riposts. Form V is about turning every defense of yours into a counterattack against your opponent using power and momentum. It required intense strength and speed to keep momentum going. As such, one of its drawbacks was it would often tire out the user, draining their stamina if they were not careful to conserve their energy, knowing when to keep building momentum, and when to stop and break.

Notable Users of Form V Djem So: 

Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader

During the era of the clone wars and the reign of the empire, the primary known user of Djem So was Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader. After being defeated by Count Dooku in Attack of the Clones, Skywalker learned the hard way that the combination of Dooku’s dueling skills and prowess in Makashi, the form designed for one-on-one dueling, made him incredibly strong against Skywalker, who was at the time an Ataru user. In response, Skywalker learned and mastered Djem So, to the point that he was able to return the favor to Dooku.

Skywalker continued to use Djem So to an extremely strong degree after becoming Vader. Although he did have to modify his style because of his suit’s limitations, he was still considered one of if not the best Djem So practitioners of all time. His large frame and cybernetics gave him enhanced physical strength and endurance, which allowed him to continuously build momentum and never need to recover his stamina.             

Darth Malgus

But Vader was not the only force user renowned for their skill and use of Djem So. Darth Malgus was the Djem So master of the old republic era. Malgus was 7’ 2” (2.2 meters) with his shoulders being three feet broad. He was big to say the least. Not only this, but he was capable of tanking heavy hits, as seen when Satele Shan covered him under a mountain with a force push, with him walking away and needing only a respirator. In addition, Malgus and Vader were both masters of Force Rage, a dark side ability that allowed one to channel all of their intensely negative emotions into a rage state that greatly enhanced their physical speed, strength, endurance, durability, and agility. He used his size, physical durability, might, and mastery of force rage all combined with Djem So to dominate his opponents with the blade.

Baylan Skoll

Finally, the newest Djem So master we have seen is none other than Baylan Skoll. I personally loved the weightiness that his weapon had in his duels with Ahsoka in the show, it really makes him feel powerful. His strikes are broad and wide, and in historical fencing, he would make an excellent montante wielder.

Real World Equivalencies of Form V Djem So and Applications

When we look into historical documents and treatises from European fencing history, we can easily see applications for Form V Djem So. Three main principles will be applied to the longsword, and these are knowing how to generate power, knowing when to generate power, and knowing what to do with power. These are the core doctrines of Djem So that are found in historical longsword fencing, and vice versa.

How to Generate Power

In the very first page of Johannes Liechtenhaur’s Zettel recital, he says: 

“If you want to behold the art,

See that you go on the left and strike with the right.

        And left to right, is how you strongly want to fight. 

Fight with the entire body, What you powerfully want to do.” (v9-10, 14)

We can break this first part down into three main points of application. Since most people are right-handed, the master says to strike from right to left, or simply with your dominant hand in a cross-body fashion. If you try to have your strikes come from your non-dominant side, your opponent will be able to manipulate your blade much easier.

Second, when the master speaks of going from left to right, he is speaking of footwork. In historical fencing, it’s the passing step. Simply put, this just means taking a standard step forward, as if you were walking.

Third, when you strike while stepping this way, AND you move your hips, shoulders, elbows and arms alongside your feet and legs, you can generate a tremendous amount of force. If you move your entire body together, and move your torso and step to the right while your sword strikes across your opponent, from right to left, you will have generated sufficient power.

When to Generate Power (and When Not to)

The Master also says:

“Before and After, these two things, are to all skill a well-spring.

Weak and Strong, Always remember the word Instantly.

So you may learn To work and defend with skill.” (V17-19)

Here, we again have three main sub-principles that can be broken down.

First is the ability to detect whether you are in the before or after.

In the German tradition, these are the Nach and Vor. Keith farrel defines Vor as an Action that demands an answer, and Nach as Answer to the action. (2) You cannot manipulate your opponent’s weapon properly using your force unless you know which position you are in.

Second is knowing whether you are in the weak or the strong. Simply put, if you are successfully exerting more pressure in the bind (when steel is on steel) than your opponent, then you are in the strong. If you are exerting less pressure than your opponent, then you are in the weak. Neither of these are good or bad, it is about knowing which one you are in.

Finally, the Indes is the in-between, it is the moment of decision. Once the blades clash, what do you do? That is the indes. (We will have another article all about the Indes and Fuhlen) later. It is the “instant”.

Mastering the Vor, Nach, Indes, Weak and Strong are foundational for the Djem So aspects of real historical fencing. 

What to do With Power

Now that you know how to generate power, and when to generate power (and when not to), we will touch on what to do with power. The main thing to understand is that power is something that comes and goes as you and your partner do the dance of the sword. To my knowledge, there are five “currents” of power in the bind, and aside from the first one, they all flow like a circle.

1. You and your opponent both come in strong (or weak) and nothing happens until someone changes into the weak (or strong).
2. You enter the bind strong, and your opponent will be offering just the right amount of weakness for you to push through and strike them.
3. You enter the bind too strong compared to your opponent’s amount of weakness they are offering, and they redirect your strength to perform a strike upon you.
4. You enter the bind weak, and your opponent is offering just the right amount of strong for them to push through and strike you.
5. You enter the bind weak, and your opponent enters it too strong, so you redirect their strength to perform a strike upon them.

Example

In this photo with Antek Olbrychski, we can see a good example of how knowing your position advantages you. (3) The opponent on the right realizes in the indes that his opponent has offered too much strength, and thus is able to redirect his strength into a grapple, flinging his sword away:

In Attack of the Clones, we can tell that Anakin is overly reliant on being in the strong, and his disarming is a result of this.

Whereas if we compare this to his rematch in Revenge of the Sith, Anakin disarms Dooku by going weak when he goes in too strong, causing the count to stumble forward, and Anakin then immediately swaps back to applying pressure to be in the strong, swinging around to remove Dooku of the burden of his hands.

Summary 

The actual techniques of what to do when weak or strong in the Indes is a topic for another article. For now, you should seek to master the three main points of how to generate power, when to generate power (and when not to), and what to do with power.

1. Generating Power: Strike from your dominant side, use passing steps, and move/strike with your entire body (feet, legs, hips, torso, shoulders, arms, hands, sword).
2. When to generate power (or not to): Be able to know whether you are in the Vor or Nach, be able to sense whether you are in the Weak or Strong, and master the Indes and Fuhlen.
3. What to do with power: When you are able to instantly read how strong or weak you are and how strong or weak your opponent is in the Indes without conscious thought, then you will be prepared to properly maneuver around your opponent and manipulate his or her sword for your advantage to strike or bind.

Conclusions

Now, none of this will mean anything until you and your friend try it out! So go grab the Timelacer Lightsaber Bundle, make sure you and your opponent each get a color you like, and have fun! If you are interested in doing a Djem So “Cosplay”, consider picking up one of their beautifully lit Neopixel blades of Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber from Revenge of the Sith, Darth Vader’s lightsaber that he used to display his might during the reign of the Empire, Darth Malgus’ saber that he used to dominate his enemies during the days of the Old Republic, or Baylan Skoll’s lightsaber of strength and conviction. While you’re at it, you should probably get some Protective Equipment. So what are you waiting for? Begin your Form V Djem So training Arc today!

*All of the above material is my own interpretation of sources and application in the current stage of my HEMA journey and as an appreciator of Star Wars lore, and should not be taken as rigid doctrines. 

Bibliography:

The Recital of the Chivalric Art of Fencing of the Grand Master Johannes Liechtenauer With Commentary and Illustrations by Master Sigmund ain Ringeck, Master Peter von Danzig, Master Paulus Kal, and Other Inheritors of His Tradition, from wiktenaur.com

Keith Farrell, Understanding Vor, Nach, and Indes – Part 1: Definitions, February 2nd, 2021. Link

Akademia Szermierzy, Fior di Battaglia (mediaeval longsword techniques), August 13th, 2016. Link