The Assistant-Blademaster's Guide to Ataru

[Lord Iezkon]

The Assistant-Blademaster’s Guide to Ataru

Introduction

Ataru, also known as the way of the Hawkbat, is the fourth form of lightsaber combat. Form IV gains its name from the Hawk-bat for a couple of reasons, to understand these we must understand the Hawk-bat. These are a predatory avian reptile, with curved beaks and wings. They are considered to be an elegant species, and beautiful, but greatly feared in turn. Their hooked beaks contain teeth which are more than capable of seeing prey torn to shreds, these beasts would flock together and attack as one being should they desire it, with brutal, deadly attacks. Ataru, therefore, gains its name quite aptly: from an elegant, deadly creature which can tear its enemies to shreds.

Form IV is in many ways the complete opposite of Form III. An offensive form which generates its own momentum, allowing the user to make use of overwhelming combinations with the power behind them to leave the opponent with numerous attacks to defend against at any given time. Where a user of the third form gains more advantage as the duel drags out, an Ataru user is best placed when the duel can be ended swiftly. While the first thought one often has when considering Ataru is the acrobatics, the vital component is the generation and maintenance of momentum - indeed, there is even significant use of ‘grounded’ Ataru, which does exactly as it says on the tin, remains grounded. However, in more standard Ataru, the user will utilise the momentum they create and maintain from their own and their opponent’s movements, turning it into their own flips, parries, spins or other elaborate movements to enhance their fighting. While all of these aspects are incredibly useful in duelling, one should not expect to outlast their opponent. If the user loses their momentum, the fight is often already lost.

With this principle of momentum in mind, it is not difficult to see why Ataru users do not commit to saberlocks, or hard blocks, as they consume energy and momentum that can be better used in furthering one’s own attacks. In lieu of these blocks, an Ataru user is much more likely to use clear parries and dodges, creating themselves more opportunities to build, create, and use their momentum. However, the primary issue that will be faced by an Ataru user is that should they come to a halt, their momentum must be rebuilt from the ground up; thus, they aim to be in constant movement, which makes Ataru poorly suited for closed spaces, where the space to move is more limited. This does not make the use of Ataru impossible, but does introduce some hindrance to the general unpredictability of its use.  Widely recognised by the Force-enhanced acrobatics, powerful, high-speed strikes from any direction, somersaults and leaps, Ataru is an incredibly movement-oriented form of lightsaber combat. It relies heavily on the user combining their speed, strength, and agility, almost making it essential to utilise the Force to enhance movement, increase speed, and deal stronger blows. While each individual attack need not be lethal, or directly strong, the aim of Ataru is to overwhelm the opponent with the sheer volume of attacks coming their way, and thus Ataru fosters a highly charged mindset, with a deep link to using the Force to enhance movement, allowing the Sith to draw on their connection to the Dark Side to do so. While one may learn Ataru by repeating sequences and adapting them, this is an inefficient way to do so. The most important thing to gather at first is the understanding of momentum, and learning to adapt with your attacks, or your opponent’s blocks, parries and counters. Learning a set of 100 sequences by repeating them will negate the reality of Ataru, as it limits the user to only those 100 sequences and does not allow for deeper understanding than that, unless it is sought by the user later. Instead, they can create and adapt their own sequences more effectively if they begin with this understanding of momentum. While not all is lost if the form is learnt in the manner of a set of poses and sequences, it neglects the very core of adaptability that Ataru requires.

It is worth noting that, when faced with a Soresu user of greater expertise, an Ataru user will find themselves at a disadvantage. Ataru demands overextension and overwhelming offence, while Soresu thrives on their opponent doing exactly that. Ataru is tiring, with a focus on ending the fight as swiftly as possible, while Soresu and Makashi both focus on conserving energy, waiting for their opponents to become exhausted.

Opening Stance and Notable Moves

As with every other lightsaber form, there are opening stances so numerous that one could never hope to list them all. Thus, I will once more focus on the most common and recognisable opening stance to give a flavour of the form. This also serves as one of the ways to identify the form being used by one’s opponent, though note that not every practitioner will utilise a ‘typical’ opening stance for their chosen form. A typical opening stance in Ataru - the one that I personally favour - begins with the user’s dominant leg moved back, feet at a shoulder width apart. Then, angling the side of their body towards their opponent, they will hold their lightsaber around the height of their ribs, angled upwards. THis can be a one or two-handed grip, depending on the preference of the user.

There are a few notable moves and essential pieces of terminology when it comes to Ataru, and while the following list is not exhaustive, it gives a taste of what is considered typical in Ataru.

• The first I will name is the Saber Swarm. As the name suggests, this involves the user’s saber or sabers moving as quickly as possible. Moving into attacks with great speed, often enhanced with the Force, can be used in a fight-ending manner, or to push your opponent into their defences. Particularly useful when fighting a form whose defences are not as strong as others, but can be useful in any fight, as long as the practitioner is skilled enough to use it appropriately. Used right, this pushes the opponent onto the backfoot, leaving them defensive and open to defeat in whatever manner is deemed appropriate by the user.
  
• The second, then, is the Hawk-bat Swoop, which is a move which has no set rules. It is used to surprise one’s opponent by attacking before they have a chance to react. This can be used to finish a fight before it has truly begun; so named due to the creature from which the fourth form gains its name and their volatile, dangerous nature. With no set way to use this technique, the onus is on the user to decide whether it is appropriate or, indeed, how they intend to use the element of surprise granted by the sudden attack.
  

Then, there are some more specific movesets and attacks which are useful in the use of Ataru, though they are more strictly defined than those above. These are not in any way exclusive to Ataru, but are oftentimes seen most clearly in Form IV than the likes of Soresu or Makashi.

• The first I will name is the Jung Su Ma rotation - a spin on the axis of the practitioner. This can be used for the gaining of momentum, turning to become face-to-face with your enemy, or as a distraction. However, this full 360 degree spin is dangerous if not pulled off with precise and perfect timing. This move puts your back on full display to your opponent, for even only a split second. This move is risky, and timing is vital, but this can also allow the user to strike multiple opponents in one fell swoop.
  
• In a similar manner, we have the  Jung rotation - a 180 degree spin on the same axis. This can add momentum to a swing, turn the user towards an opponent, or make a sudden directional shift. This is less risky, as you are not explicitly displaying your back to your opponent without defence focused upon that area, but should still be handled with thought; any move, pulled off in the wrong moment or the wrong manner can result in some serious, avoidable injuries.
  
• The next is a  Ton Su Ma, which involves the use of somersaults and leaps in order to change direction. This can be used, with the right practice, to avoid low attacks, as it allows the user to leap over them. However, this should be done with caution - leaping while in saber range is a one-way ticket to a pair of cybernetic legs. Again, timing and practice are vital if you wish to pull off this type of maneuver.
  
• The final one I shall touch upon is the  En Su Ma - consisting of cartwheels and side flips, allowing the user to build further momentum and give some extra weight to their kicks or punches. As with the others, timing is essential here, as without timing this correctly, it is easy to exit the battle with fewer limbs than you began with.
  

Final Notes

Ataru is a form which is unique in its composition, a fast, ever-moving flow of the users with their blades, constantly generating momentum and gathering speed. It is incredibly rare - indeed, almost unheard of - for an Ataru user to engage in a saber lock, or utilise hard blocks in any real manner. This halts the flow of momentum, and once an Ataru user stops moving, their advantage may begin to waver. Instead, a practiced Ataru user will weave, dodge, and evade as though their lives depend upon it. While a more stationary version of Ataru can be used, and is effective in many ways, it does not wield the same benefits as an active, less-grounded version of the same form. Ataru has many benefits, and allows for a heated, intense mindset in which the Sith thrive, but due to its nature, a user who is caught in a small space or with an opponent who can subvert their momentum, may find themselves disadvantaged.


(*Post by Eddi Arkiti.*)