Lightsaber: Years of Experience Versus Years of Training.

Originally posted by Nephthys
I thought he started studying Soresu after TPM because he saw its limitations against Maul, then he fully made the switch after AotC.

This is explicitly the case, as per Fightsaber. Fightsaber is based on interpretations of SW movies up to and including AotC, and Obi-Wan was the poster child for Soresu because of his perceived close shielding of his body and defensive measures.

That being said, it implies he had between 10-13 years of Soresu training before we see him in top form in RotS, some of that spent in practical combat against Dark Jedi/Sith/Grievous.

Originally posted by Nephthys
I thought he started studying Soresu after TPM because he saw its limitations against Maul, then he fully made the switch after AotC.

-AotC

As you can see: during their battle in AotC, Kenobi primarily used offensive slash-attacks(ie. Ataru.) He may have had a working knowledge of Soresu at the time(it was the most popular form of combat in the Jedi Order, after all), but he certainly wasn't yet comfortable enough with the form to employ it in-battle.

This is also the reason why/how Kenobi was able to 'Form-fool' Dooku during their battle in RotS. He started out using the Form he'd battled Dooku with during AotC(ie. Ataru) and then switched to Soresu in an [albeit unsuccessful] effort to throw Dooku off and give he and Anakin the edge. Pertinent excerpts from the novel can be provided if need be.

However, SM is right where Fightsaber is concerned. It does say that Kenobi took up a 'dedication to' Soresu in the wake of Qui-Gon's death in TPM. Although I'm not quite sure that a single line in Fightsaber is sufficient to contradict the happenings of 2 different novelizations..? /shrug

Considering Fightsaber's forms have gone on to be C-canon and the AotC novelisation is, IIRC, riddled with some inconsistency (nearly every novelisation but ANH has some inconsistencies, usually in the fight scenes), I would take the former's word over the latter.

You can see Salvatore at work though in the passage.

Likewise, I wouldn't put stock in "Form-fooling" either, for the same canon reasons.

Originally posted by Galan007
"Dooku smiled and ignited a red-glowing blade. Obi-Wan stepped slowly at first, then came on in a sudden rush, his blue blade coming in hard, right to left. But with only a slight movement, the red blade stabbed under the blue, then lifted up, and Obi-Wan's blade went flying harmlessly high of the mark. With a slight reversal of his wrist, Dooku stabbed straight ahead, and Obi-Wan had to throw himself backward. He brought his lightsaber across as he did, trying to parry, but Dooku had already retracted his blade by then and had settled back into perfect defensive posture. Against that posture, Obi-Wan's sudden flurry of attacks seemed exaggerated and inefficient, for Dooku defeated each, one after another, with a slight parry or dodge, seeming barely to move."

"Now, as the battle played out between the Count and Obi-Wan, the older way showed its brilliance. Obi-Wan leapt and spun, slashing side to side, chopping and thrusting, but all of Dooku's movements seemed far more efficient. He followed a single line, front and back, his feet shifting to keep him constantly in perfect balance as he retreated and came on suddenly with devastating thrusts that had Obi-Wan stumbling backward."

"His words spurred Obi-Wan forward with another series of slashes and chops, but Dooku's red blade angled left and then right, then up just enough to send Obi-Wan's descending blade slipping off to the side."

"Obi-Wan steadied himself and shifted his lightsaber from hand to hand, getting a better grip on it. Then he exploded into motion, coming on again fiercely, his blue lightsaber flashing all about. He kept a better measure of his cuts this time, though, reversing his angle often, turning a wide slash into a sudden thrust."

-AotC

As you can see: during their battle in AotC, Kenobi primarily used offensive slash-attacks(ie. Ataru.) He may have had a working knowledge of Soresu at the time(it was the most popular form of combat in the Jedi Order, after all), but he certainly wasn't yet comfortable enough with the form to employ it in-battle.

This is also the reason why/how Kenobi was able to 'Form-fool' Dooku during their battle in RotS. He started out using the Form he'd battled Dooku with during AotC(ie. Ataru) and then switched to Soresu in an [albeit unsuccessful] effort to throw Dooku off and give he and Anakin the edge. Pertinent excerpts from the novel can be provided if need be.

However, SM is right where Fightsaber is concerned. It does say that Kenobi took up a 'dedication to' Soresu in the wake of Qui-Gon's death in TPM. Although I'm not quite sure that a single line in Fightsaber is sufficient to contradict the happenings of 2 different novelizations..? /shrug

Uh, yes. Kenobi was still using Ataru in AotC, but he had been studying Soresu before then. Thats what I said.

Originally posted by Stealth Moose
Considering Fightsaber's forms have gone on to be C-canon and the AotC novelisation is, IIRC, riddled with some inconsistency (nearly every novelisation but ANH has some inconsistencies, usually in the fight scenes), I would take the former's word over the latter.

You can see Salvatore at work though in the passage.

Likewise, I wouldn't put stock in "Form-fooling" either, for the same canon reasons.

Nowadays the Form-fooling thing likely isn't canon, given the numerous battles Kenobi/Anakin had with Dooku during TCW. I was mainly referring to when the novels were originally published, as that was definitely the intent.

Originally posted by Nephthys
Uh, yes. Kenobi was still using Ataru in AotC, but he had been studying Soresu before then. Thats what I said.

I'd agree that Kenobi went from having some sort of ambiguous working knowledge of Soresu, as most Jedi of the time did, to becoming one of THE most elite Soresu masters of all time(and certainly the best of that era.) In 3 years.

Pretty phuckin good, imo.

Originally posted by Galan007
to becoming THE most elite Soresu master of all time.

Proof? Or absurd speculation?

Yeah, edited for argument's sake.

Mace Windu calls him basically that.

Originally posted by Nephthys
Mace Windu calls him basically that.

👆

He also has that Sokan thing, which I think they developed because he did an offensive move or barrel rolled.

I need more Excedrin for this nonsense.

Oddly enough, I woke up with a massive headache this morning *h5, allergies* yet 1,500mg of Excedrin and 2 cups of coffee later, you have still managed to increase my hed paynz. sneer

I demand tribute. 👆