Seeing as how he was up against Farfalla, who was owned in two moves once Bane got him alone, Raskta, who had zero Force-defenses, and Johun, who's the worst Jedi ever, it's a safe bet that consistent writing would've had him crushing them all into oblivion in seconds.
Don't forget that other Jedi Master he was taking on at the same time, too...I don't even remember the name. Some kind of non-human, though.
Originally posted by Enyalus
When Raskta first burst into the room and lunged at Bane, bzzzzzzz!! Force Lightning to the chest...the end. Other than that, yeah, there didn't seem to be much of an opening.I thought for sure Bane was going to die. But I thought it was clever how Zannah finally got up the courage to do what she should've let Bane do a decade earlier. Crime scene investigation isn't really the Jedi way, you know. Just look at the Jedi Temple massacre and Obi-Wan and Yoda coming back. They just kinda inferred and pieced it back together without any real evidence - until Obi took a look at the security cams. But Yoda had figured it out before that point. So it seemed somewhat believable and in character for me to see the Jedi just presume what had transpired.
With regards to the 'leaving a note' comment:
Less than two weeks ago Master Farfalla and four companions had hastily taken off from Coruscant, leaving behind word they were heading to Tython in pursuit of a Dark Lord of the Sith. They hadn't been heard from since. The message drone offered a grim explanation of their fate, and it drew an immediate response from the Jedi Council.
So it appears they did. And with regards to Zannah clouding their abilities to sense her, Bane, or even Darovit's power:
The Twi'lek reached out with the Force to try to sense whoever was hiding inside, but something-likely the strange, underlying power of the campsite itself-blurred his awareness.
And Darovit was only alive for a scant few seconds before he was cut down. I don't think they can sense the Force potential of a dead person - because being dead, they have no more Force potential. Lol.
So, anyways. I liked the ending. I thought it was pretty reasonable and within Jedi character. It also showed that Bane hadn't become a total roid raged idiot (he was thinking pretty accurately towards the end of the book), and gave Zannah a...darker image. I especially liked how she tortured Caleb by Force Crushing his internal organs.
Oh. Also. Bane laments what he's lost (the orbalisks)...but, recall that he knows where to find the orbalisks. Knows where they are located and knows how to unseal and use them properly. Plus, now he knows how to remove them. So there is a possibility that after Rule of Two he gets 'em back. It wouldn't be unthinkable.
I also recall from the PT of the Jedi being trained to solve some pretty tough mysteries, apply logic and reasoning skills and at least be SURE of things...
Originally posted by Lightsnake
I also recall from the PT of the Jedi being trained to solve some pretty tough mysteries, apply logic and reasoning skills and at least be SURE of things...
...They killed their suspect, the other lightsabers were sitting right there, there was no one else in the hut (that they could tell), and the owner of the hut was outside in pieces, killed by a lightsaber. The only person wielding a lightsaber...
See how the pieces fit? They wouldn't have any reason to think of it as a big mystery. The message Zannah sent off didn't mention anything about the Sith Lord's apprentice or anyone else besides the helpless Sith Lord and the healer. Open and shut case, for all they knew.
Originally posted by Faunus
Of course. And getting Kyp "lol i bettah dan Skywalkah" Durron's approval ("We know what he can do.") for the position of Master is incredible in it's own right.
At any point in the duel; that's what I'm getting at. Farfalla had to use all of his power to lock a distracted Bane in stasis for a split second, and was sitting there stockpiling energy to assist Raskta. Hell, he had to push himself to keep her from being splattered against a wall when Bane just Force-pushed her - she has no defenses whatsoever, and Bane has displayed CWC-level displays of destructive telekinesis. Farfalla's barrier was just "tor[n] through" by Bane's one-handed burst of lightning, and Raskta had to jump in and save his ass with her lightsabers. And at the one point where he's wounded, he hurls all three opponents back over thirty feet. Seeing as how he was up against Farfalla, who was owned in two moves once Bane got him alone, Raskta, who had zero Force-defenses, and Johun, who's the worst Jedi ever, it's a safe bet that consistent writing would've had him crushing them all into oblivion in seconds.
True. It's possible, I'm not discounting it, but Jacen needs to kill with his strokes, or it's not even worth the effort.
Hell, he has a fair shot at defeating Bane, I won't dispute that.NJO treated him well, DN made him stupid. But yeah, he's been good.
I hated the book. The ending was better than most of the BS that came before, IMO, and I definitely agree with getting rid of the orbalisks and giving his presumed future death at the hands of Zannah some plausibility.
Originally posted by Enyalus
...They killed their suspect, the other lightsabers were sitting right there, there was no one else in the hut (that they could tell), and the owner of the hut was outside in pieces, killed by a lightsaber. The only person wielding a lightsaber...See how the pieces fit? They wouldn't have any reason to think of it as a big mystery. The message Zannah sent off didn't mention anything about the Sith Lord's apprentice or anyone else besides the helpless Sith Lord and the healer. Open and shut case, for all they knew.
That and the possibility of the Sith having an apprentice around. At least look for a HOLOCRON and be sure you've finished the job.
Well, unlike Johun, a stroke from Jacen to lose Bane a hand probably won't bloody well miss.
For Jacen's sake, it had better be his lightsaber hand...and even then, I'd fear for his safety. We saw how pissed off Bane got when Johun clipped him. His Force Scream was massive. I can't imagine how much more powerful his reaction would be if the hand was actually severed. Jacen would need to go for the kill, in one swift move. Anything that would injure him would be like hitting a grizzly bear in the face with a rock...and not pretty.
EDIT: Holocrons were a lost art. Why would they look for one?
Originally posted by Enyalus
For Jacen's sake, it had better be his lightsaber hand...and even then, I'd fear for his safety. We saw how pissed off Bane got when Johun clipped him. His Force Scream was massive. I can't imagine how much more powerful his reaction would be if the hand was actually severed. Jacen would need to go for the kill, in one swift move. Anything that would injure him would be like hitting a grizzly bear in the face with a rock...and not pretty.
And I sincerely doubt Caedus would miss an opportunity like that. If Bane loses a hand, Caedus is going to follow up to the head...and given his shatterpoint, he might time it to slice through the wrist to the head in one stroke
That's a good point. However, if you're going to use the argument that Bane won't be using any defense in this battle, then what is to prevent Caedus from getting the first strike in immediately, and Bane striking him down before he can even wonder why there's no saber slash across Bane's chest? Raskta essentially did the same thing to Bane, blitzing him right away. The only reason she was able to avoid being bowled over and run through was because 1) she was amped by battle meditation and 2) she's an Echani, and they have faster-than-human reflexes.
I think that, in a one on one duel, he might want to use his full skills against another exceptionally skilled opponent. He doesn't seem to have much of a sense of honor, but he might view it as a way to brush up on his skills. Wouldn't have been surprised if he had done so with Raskta, but having to deal with other opponents meant ending the contest as soon as possible, and that meant all-out offense.
Hey LS, what did you think of my last post in the Maul/Ventress thread?
Originally posted by Enyalus
That's a good point. However, if you're going to use the argument that Bane won't be using any defense in this battle, then what is to prevent Caedus from getting the first strike in immediately, and Bane striking him down before he can even wonder why there's no saber slash across Bane's chest? Raskta essentially did the same thing to Bane, blitzing him right away. The only reason she was able to avoid being bowled over and run through was because 1) she was amped by battle meditation and 2) she's an Echani, and they have faster-than-human reflexes.
And don't forget Jacen'd spent five years fighting guys he couldn't cut immediately without the force helping him out. After the Vong, orbalisks won't be much an issue
I think that, in a one on one duel, he might want to use his full skills against another exceptionally skilled opponent. He doesn't seem to have much of a sense of honor, but he might view it as a way to brush up on his skills. Wouldn't have been surprised if he had done so with Raskta, but having to deal with other opponents meant ending the contest as soon as possible, and that meant all-out offense.
Hey LS, what did you think of my last post in the Maul/Ventress thread?
Difficult to say. In the Force, I'd give Caedus the edge given his superiority to Vader, who was eight tenths of Palpatine, and he's a beast with Force Lightning, especially in close quarters. Sabers...Caedus, slight edge. His shatterpoint and, put simply, psychotically powerful dueling skills make a very lethal combo. Plus his era's knowledge of Bane and his incredible knowledge of the Force and zoology.
Originally posted by Lightsnake
Difficult to say. In the Force, I'd give Caedus the edge given his superiority to Vader, who was eight tenths of Palpatine, and he's a beast with Force Lightning, especially in close quarters. Sabers...Caedus, slight edge. His shatterpoint and, put simply, psychotically powerful dueling skills make a very lethal combo. Plus his era's knowledge of Bane and his incredible knowledge of the Force and zoology.
*shakes his head* I've already attempted to defend Bane to the best of my abilities. I'm just not strong enough in the Taven. The Taven is not with me tonight. 🙁
I really don't understand why I was defending Bane in the first place, considering my stance on the first page:
Originally posted by Enyalus
I can't believe this hasn't been done, but...1. Sabers - Caedus, 6/10.
2. Force - Bane, 6/10.
3. All-Out - Caedus, 5-6/10.Could be a split, or could be that Caedus gets a narrow majority in the all-out. What gives Caedus the potential majority in the all-out, to me, is his Shatterpoint ability.
Heh. Must be my love of conflict. Being Faunus' avatar is a tough life.
Tough, yet rewarding.
Personally, I'd give Bane the edge in a battle with Solo. He's already demonstrated disturbing levels of speed even over distances - he sprinted at something like 120 kilometers per hour without an indication of exertion or weariness, before he gained the armor - as well as at close range, against individual enemies. His strength, with the parasites factored in, is obscene. His own feats of power really do surpass anything we've seen the walking cliche do; vaporizing multiple people and almost doing the same to their thirty foot-long mount, while in the air, with one hand? Blowing apart an entire camp, and earlier an entire temple, with a telekinetic blast? Manipulation of matter at the subatomic levels? And of course, a suit of impenetrable armor? Really, he can stand to lose a hand here, since he can block a saber strike with any part of his body below the neck that's not his wrist or ankle. Solo, as much of a beast as he is, will die if he's wounded badly enough. While he managed to hold his own incredibly well against his pissed off uncle while sustaining burn wounds that would've made PT warriors cry, the loss of a limb or a serious stab would mean nigh instant death against Bane.
That said, it could easily swing in Solo's favor with a little luck and perhaps some rarely seen ingenuity, but I'm leaning towards the older Dark Lord.