I have hated this since the first time I saw it a year or two ago. Obi-Wan, a relatively frail old man who's been living in a desert, suddenly possessing the agility of a trained gymnast makes about as much sense as Yoda flipping around and shrieking like a frog on acid. It's ultimately fanwank of the highest order.
x1000.
Some cannot let go of the video-gamey need to have all characters turned up to 100, instead of realizing that:
1. Kenobi was older, and he was not going to fight like a 20 or 30 year old, Force powers or not.
2. As an experienced duelist, he's going to modify his strikes to not only protect himself, but be as efficient as he can be at his age. He does not need to flip and twirl his weapon like a majorette.
3. The entire approach to this fan-made scene bought into the Lucas-pushed idea that when he shot ANH, the ability to stage complex duels did not really exist and that the characters were an "old man" and a "half-robot" as the excuse for the outcome. I've always said that was BS on his part, since some of the most complex and energetic movie duels of all time were already
decades old when he made ANH. All one needs to do is look at 1938's
The Adventures of Robin Hood (which he admired, so his statement is even more unbelievable) or
The Prisoner of Zenda (both the 1937 and 1952 versions) to see that there was no lack of fast, believable duels in films. It was quite standard.
4. If Vader was some slow "half-robot," then his sudden speed, different, faster fighting style and aggressive mobility in TESB means Lucas' ANH duel comments really hold no water.
not everything needs to have goddamn Duel of the Fates.
Someone should hammer your statement into stone and then hurl it at the head of anyone still thinking that one track should be applied to anything beyond
The Phantom Menace. Its not the "theme" of Kenobi (beyond that TPM incident, and it was also applicable to Jinn and Maul), or Vader for that matter. I thought it was out of place even in
Revenge of the Sith.
