IIRC, Bane learnt a hundred sequences within a week as a testament to his innate skill, and he destroyed Sirak well before his prime (Sirak was so far above the other trainees that he was the only one with a double-bladed lightsaber, IIRC, and he was capable of mixing forms in combat and was thought to be the Sith'ari). When Bane destroyed him, he admitted he wouldn't be able to beat Kas'im yet, and when he did beat Kas'im later on, he had another twenty years of study, training and practice to hone his lighsaber skills.
Malgus doesn't have anything surpassing that. Bane by the end of PoD (after beating Kas'im) is at least on par with Ven already, and Zallow was rather close to Malgus as a swordsman. Bane had the capacity to improve in the following two decades - it's entirely reasonable to assume he'd be a match for Malgus.
Originally posted by SunRazer
[B]IIRC, Bane learnt a hundred sequences within a week as a testament to his innate skill, and he destroyed Sirak well before his prime (Sirak was so far above the other trainees that he was the only one with a double-bladed lightsaber, IIRC, and he was capable of mixing forms in combat and was thought to be the Sith'ari).
Beating Sirak isn't above Malgus killing Darach/besting Satele, killing a Jedi that collapsed buildings on him, or beating Satele as of Hope; Darach who was able to fight off both simultaneously and even kill Vindican. Sirak apart from his reputation isn't as skilled as Darach and Bane learning forms didn't benefit him against Kas'im who fought him roughly to a stalemate. He didn't outskill him he had to kill him with a nexus. Bane knowing multiple lightsaber forms doesn't make him a better duelist than Malgus, it makes him more technically skilled and nothing more. He wasn't able to break his stalemate with Kas'im, he won't have any luck beating someone who is a better duelist
Malgus doesn't have anything surpassing that. Bane by the end of PoD (after beating Kas'im) is at least on par with Ven already, and Zallow was rather close to Malgus as a swordsman. Bane had the capacity to improve in the following two decades - it's entirely reasonable to assume he'd be a match for Malgus.
By the end of POD he wasn't even on par with Kas'im yet as he didnt outskill him by any means. Granted Kas'im had to resort to using an unfamiliar form, but even before that he didn't drop him by virtue of a blade. Malgus had already killed Darach, killed a Zabrak Jedi master, beaten Satele twice, and was better than Vindican around the same starting period as Bane. As of Deceived Zallow was capable of blitzing the Empire's best warriors, knocking out Adraas, and fighting evenly with Malgus. I don't think Bane reached Zallow's level until the latter half of ROT/DOE, and Malgus could stomp Kas'im well by the Hope trailer imo
In any event, its probably not the relevant fight. Maul will beat an unamped Malak probably before Malgus outduels or ragdolls Bane.
@Carthage - I never mentioned the feat with Sirak in relation to Aryn or Ven, I used it as a platform to make his defeating of Kas'im more impressive.
And yes, he was winning against Kas'im. He was driving Kas'im back, and Kas'im had no way of winning whatsoever (it was not a stalemate, Kas'im was tiring and about to lose) until Kas'im managed to get a break with which to separate his lightsaber and use an unknown form against Bane.
Originally posted by SunRazer
@Carthage - I never mentioned the feat with Sirak in relation to Aryn or Ven, I used it as a platform to make his defeating of Kas'im more impressive.And yes, he was winning against Kas'im. He was driving Kas'im back, and Kas'im had no way of winning whatsoever (it was not a stalemate, Kas'im was tiring and about to lose) until Kas'im managed to get a break with which to separate his lightsaber and use an unknown form against Bane.
The outcome was inevitable. Bane was simply too strong in the Force. Only some unexpected maneuver could save Kas'im, but they had fought too many times in the past for him to surprise Bane now. Over the course of his training Bane had seen every possible sequence, series, move, and trick with the double-bladed lightsaber, and he knew how to counter and nullify them all."
Text credits his victory to being more powerful in the force, and the only reason he was able to hold his own was due to sparring with Kas'im and knowing his style inside and out. Not because he was more skilled. Beating Kas'im isn't out of Malgus's league anyway (in the same time period), as Malgus has beaten individuals with better feats anyway well before his time in Deceived . If he outskilled Kas'im he would've dropped him in a duel, not by calling on a nexus.
PoD also describes lightsaber skill as an extension of one's Force power, IIRC, so that's probably what it means (since Bane wasn't abusing Force powers or anything).
Bane sparring Kas'im goes both ways, not to mention Kas'im knew all the forms, so there was no knowledge edge either way.
And Bane was winning by virtue of dueling. He was about to win when Kas'im had a moment of respite which allowed him to use an unfamiliar form to drive Bane back. Were it not for that, Bane would've killed him with a lightsaber rather than telekinesis.
The fact that Bane had another twenty years to train and practice indicates that his skill is on par with Malgus'.
Originally posted by SunRazer
PoD also describes lightsaber skill as an extension of one's Force power, IIRC, so that's probably what it means (since Bane wasn't abusing Force powers or anything).Bane sparring Kas'im goes both ways, not to mention Kas'im knew all the forms, so there was no knowledge edge either way.
And Bane was winning by virtue of dueling. He was about to win when Kas'im had a moment of respite which allowed him to use an unfamiliar form to drive Bane back. Were it not for that, Bane would've killed him with a lightsaber rather than telekinesis.
The fact that Bane had another twenty years to train and practice indicates that his skill is on par with Malgus'.
Except he wasn't winning by virtue of skill, he had to call more heavily on the force on top of his nexus amp and that's how he drove him back. He even notes that prior to drawing further on the force Kas'im would've cut him to ribbons, also what? he never was "about to kill him with a lightsaber" he drove him back and that's all.
[
Parrying the first sequence Bane realized his former Master had always been holding
something in reserve . . . just as Bane himself had done in the early stages of his battle
against Sirak. Only now was he seeing Kas’im’s true ability, and he was barely able to
defend himself. Barely, but still able.
His opponent grunted in surprise when Bane warded him off, then stepped back to regroup.
He’d come in hard and fast, expecting to end their battle quickly. Now he had to
reevaluate his strategy.
"You’re better than you were when we last fought," he said, clearly impressed and making
no attempt to hide it.
"So are you," Bane responded.
Kas’im lunged in again, and the room was filled with the hiss and hum of lightsabers
striking each other half a dozen times in the space of two heartbeats. Bane would have
been carved to ribbons had he tried to react to each move individually. Instead he simply
called upon the Force, letting it flow through him and guide his hand. He gave himself
over to the dark side completely, without reservation. His weapon became an extension of
the Force, and he responded to the Twilek’s unstoppable attack with an impenetrable
defense.
Then he went on the attack. In the past he had always been afraid to surrender his will to
the raw emotions that fueled the dark side. Now he had no such limitations; for the first
time he was calling on his full potential
When Kas'im goes on the offensive he attacks and force's Bane on the defensive and forces him to call deeper on the force, so it was closer than you're implying. Bane won due to being more powerful, not because of being more skilled and Kas'im admits that in my previous quote. Beating Kas'im by calling further on his own force abilities while amplified as well isn't anything to put him on Malgus's level.