Despite what many believe, Sidious and Yoda stalemated eachother at individual times.
Sidious blasted Yoda across the room. Yoda eventually got back up and pushed Sidious across the room. Sidious was up on his feet, trying to escape. He KNEW then and there - that this was going to be a hard fight - one that he may very well NOT win. So, like all other dictators and cowards - he tried to run at the sign of adversity.
Yoda blocked him. Sidious and he fought. Yoda NEVER got through the defenses Sidious got up. Never. And at the same time, Sidious never tried to take the offensive. So Sidious wanted to tip the odds FIRMLY in his favor - by using the terrain and his superior knowledge of it.
So, realizing that duking it out with sabers was either going to take too long, or until one of 'em struck the other down, Sidious decided to take the advantage and put some distance between himself and Yoda. He used the pods and nearly beat Yoda. But Yoda pushed a pod back, and Sidious jumped to another pod.
Yoda then knew he had to take the advantage and moved in to take Sidious out by his blade. Sidious blasted Yoda's saber from him, and thusly took the only offensive source of power Yoda had. Sidious then thought he won, and then proceeded to blast Yoda. Yoda held it at bay, but was forced to remain stationary. Sidious moved forward, getting closer to Yoda. He figured all he had to do was sit and blast, until Yoda gave out, and got his little green ass fried.
What Sidious didn't tabulate, however, was that Yoda can REFLECT it as well. So, with as much effort as he could muster, Yoda pushed the lightning back. Sidious, being larger, stronger, and heavier, managed to not fly as far and maintain his grip. Yoda could not, and fell. He lost his saber. Sidious had the high ground.
Even IF Yoda could make it back, the odds were TERRIBLY stacked against him.
Yoda's Advantages at the End of the Duel:
NONE.
Sidious's Advantages at the End of the duel:
- Offensive Force powers
- The High Ground
- Possible Lightsaber
- Knowledge of the terrain
- Possible support
Sidious held all the cards. Yoda had none. Yoda fled not out of fear, but he made the smart move. He couldn't beat Sidious. He lost his one golden opportunity. And he failed.
Yoda's Objectives:
---------------------
Kill Sidious (failed)
Sidious's Objectives:
------------------------
1) Live to run the damn Empire (succeeded)
2) Kill Yoda (failed)
Perhaps Yoda could've beaten him anywhere else. I dunno. But at that duel, Sidious won.
There's really no evidence to indicate that.
Yoda and Sidious stalemated one another. It is wild speculation as to who would win had they been on even ground. That's not what this thread is about.
Sidious won. He didn't cheat - he fought smartly. Yoda held his own and it was obvious he and Sidious were evenly matched. So in a battle of the Force among these titans of the light and dark side - Sidious had to use his advantages to win.
Both were even. I know that's hard to wrap your head around, but BOTH were EVEN.
It sure has.
And everyone, watch ROTS again. Watch as Yoda starts to counter Sidious' last lightning wave, from the edge of the pod and from a position of off-balance. Watch Sidious' face as Yoda reverses that wave back at him. Watch the next few seconds as Sidious manages to grab the handle of the pod from the resulting enegery burst. Watch as Yoda, already on the edge, cannot manage a grip and falls, already lightsaber less.
Better offensive force powers my ass.
Originally posted by Makashi
Sidious didn't win. . .Yoda and him stalemated eachother with the final lightning assault. . .Sidious obviously didn't fly as far though because he is bigger and heavier. Sidiou isn't a more powerful force user thats a load of crap.
Please read what I posted. It wasn't a Force stalemate- Yoda clearly came back from a position of disadvantage and overpowered Sidious. That's not a stalemate in terms of Force combat.
Yoda reversed the lightning back at Sidious' face. Sidious just got a better, more advantageous position. Yoda knew he wouldn't beat Sidious without a lightsaber, she he ran away. if Yoda had a better position than the very edge of the pod, the outcome could have been grossly different.
But then GL better try explaining the OT.
Originally posted by Makashi
Well anyways. . .to say that Sidious is better than Yoda is just plain noobish.
No, just too hasty and presuming. Sidious is perhaps the only person who can really put Yoda to the test it seems, with the other candidate being the controversial Dooku. And since from what we see of Sidious and Yoda shows Sidious eventually getting all his tricks turned against him and winning through a stroke of luck, I put my money on Yoda.
The Sith Lord's superiority can be argued, for certain. he is, has you said, possibly the only person who could effectively threaten Yoda's life around in the movie era. Dooku, I'm not so sure about, not entirely. After re-watching the AOTC duel six times over now, twice in 8x slow-mo, once in reverse, and the others normally, I just have to say that Dooku in my mind isn't someone who can truly stand up to Yoda.
Dooku I think has a better chance against Yoda because of his pimp duelling skillz second only to Yoda. Palpatine's duelling style dind't really impress me much. . .it was like a cheap Sith copy of Ataru. But I have to admit that when he charged at Windu and the other Jedi with that triple lutz was cool.