The prequels really missed the point, especially with the Lightsaber fights. They're not about the fight itself, they're about the externalisation of the characters. That's why the 30 second fight between Finn and FN-2199 (TR-8R) is far more engaging than the entirety of Duel Of The Fates.
Before that moment, Finn was mowing stormtroopers down like dry grass with a flame thrower. It's only when he actually has to confront his past, when he has to fight someone who knows what he's done, that he struggles to keep up. In the end, he needs the help of his newfound allies from the resistance.
All we get in the Darth Maul fight is a moment of tension where the fight isn't even occurring. Obi-Wan's pumped and full of rage. You can see how eager he his to fight the guy who mortally wounded his master. But then he just jumps back into the overly complex choreography of the prequel duels. Meanwhile in Return Of The Jedi, when Luke struck out in a fit of rage, he simply wailed at Vader. No complex choreography, just a constant series of blows, striking at Vader and/or anything he would need to strike at to keep momentum. But to the Obi-Wan/Darth Maul fight's credit, at least it has some kind of substance nearer to the end. Obi-Wan's anger and lack of focus fails him as he's kicked into a position of maximum vulnerability. He only succeeds by controlling his anger and maximizing his focus and his connection to the force.
See, that's what Lightsaber fights are about; Character development. That's actually why Anakin using the same trick failed in Revenge Of The Sith.. It's not about the moves, it's about the emotion.
Caption this Meme
