"We lost to the greatest single warrior the Republic has ever known." ―Mandalore the Preserver

This thread serves as a companion to my comprehensive Revan Respect Thread.

NOTE: For optimal experience, view this respect thread in its blog format. Additionally, please do not view this thread on a mobile or tablet device - use a laptop or personal computer. May the Force be with you.

Section I: Introduction

Revan's generally accepted to be among the most powerful Force-users in history, but most don't view his lightsaber skills in such a favorable light. Surprisingly, many who reject Revan's skill would then go on and say Darth Vader or Exar Kun are master combatants. While Revan is clearly not as proficient with his lightsaber as he is with the Force, he's still nevertheless a dominating warrior on the battlefield. This thread will serve as an analysis of Revan's fighting style, capabilities, and feats. I hope the read proves educational.

Section II: Technical Skill

Revan would generally have used "Form VI - Niman". This form works well for anyone who is intelligent and adaptable, as Revan obviously was. It has no real weaknesses, and even though it is not as aggressive as other forms it enables the user to unleash powerful Force abilities more easily during combat. Revan was skilled in lightsaber combat, but knew true strength came from using all the other Force abilities in conjunction with lightsaber combat... Source: Drew Karpyshyn

So, the first quote we have here is from the author of the Revan novelization and head writer of Knights of the Old Republic. What he says isn't much of a surprise, since we see Revan utilize a Niman maneuver against an Imperial Guardsman on Dromund Kaas and favored Jar'Kai in Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords and The Old Republic: Shadow of Revan. Revan's fighting style revolves around a Niman base and from that he draws on the other lightsaber styles as he sees fit for the situation. This is similar to the fighting style of Kyle Katarn, Battlemaster of the New Jedi Order.

Source: Jedi Academy Training Manual

Whereas duelists like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Dooku are specialists and thus limited to the strengths and weaknesses that their principal form provides (Soresu, Djem So, and Makashi respectively), Revan has no such limitations. Niman offers no particular strengths or weaknesses in a strict lightsaber duel. Therefore, Revan can adapt to any situation by calling upon various maneuvers, attacks, and defensive techniques from other forms as he sees fit. That is the advantage of being a generalist. This is seen when he is confronted by Bastila Shan's strike team, in which he utilizes a Juyo stance. And again in The Old Republic: Shadow of Revan, Revan opted two lightsabers, allowing him to "to be even more effective against multiple opponents." Logically, integrating various elements from each style into a personal one provides a large degree of unpredictability as well. For example, in Revenge of the Sith, Dooku attempted to adjust to his enemies's attacks by bringing forth the natural flaws of their fighting styles. Against Revan, this wouldn't be possible. Not only would he not be able to predict Revan's attacks in the same fashion due to Revan's flexibility to call randomly among the forms, but Niman presents no inherent faults in the first place.

Source: Essential Guide to Warfare

However, Revan isn't simply limited to the seven lightsaber forms. Unlike nearly all other Jedi and Sith in Star Wars, Revan additionally mastered the fighting styles of the Mandalorian and Echani cultures.

Source: Threats of the Galaxy

In Mandalorian tradition, a large emphasis on fighting revolves around body language and unpredictability. To quote Boba Fett, "Winning isn't about being better. It's finding your opponent's weakness and exploiting it." Revan adopted many Mandalorian tactics and techniques during the Mandalorian Wars, besting his foes with their own strategies. Thus, the Mandalorians saw him as a supremely worthy foe, one that both embodied their philosophies and showed them their weaknesses. On the other hand, the Echani, another warrior civilization that rivaled the Mandalorians, believed that Revan represented the epitome of what one could achieve in the arts of war and that his skill was born out of advanced battle precognition.

It is the way of the Echani to be able to read their opponents - to know where an opponent is going to strike before it connects, anticipate it, and then strike against them. Echani battles are fought several minutes in advance - in many ways, it is much like the game of dejarik played in the core systems. The most advanced among the Echani are able to predict the course of battles by months, and the most revered are said to be able to predict the path of wars. Only Revan ever demonstrated such a skill in war. And even as he slaughtered us, the Echani still respected him. Source: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (Brianna)

Based on statements by Brianna and lead writer Chris Avellone, Revan was a master of the Echani arts. His skill was such that it surpassed all the Echani of the age including Yusanis, who he "quickly" defeated in single-combat. Brianna, the daughter of Yusanis, implied that Revan's speed was greater than that of Yusanis' too, further solidifying the notion that Revan's precognitive abilities are unrivaled. Revan was reportedly able to anticipate entire conflicts in advance, let alone battles or individual close-quarter combat engagements. It was stated that the Echani can fight seconds to minutes in advance, and Revan can do this as well. The Echani are able to do this because of their unprecedented tactical mastery. After all, battle precognition is based on analyzing an enemy's "fighting style, heart rate, and movements in combat." It should then come at no surprise that Revan, who's among the greatest military commanders in history, would have taken this form of battle to such a level of perfection.

In regards to combat engagements, this provides Revan with a massive edge over his enemies for it allows him to basically fight in the future. When in unison with Revan's standard Force-based precognition, in which his Force senses have proven to stretch across the entire galaxy, Revan should be able to predict nearly every attack against him long before it happens. Unless you're significantly faster than Revan with a lightsaber (ex. Luke Skywalker), how can you hope to out-duel an opponent who is always one step ahead of you? Even in a situation where Revan's skill with a lightsaber may not be as impressive as his foe, the advantage battle precognition offers should easily turn the tide back to a battle favorable for Revan.

Section III: Demonstrated Skill

The most defining characteristic of Revan would be his passion - the passion to go to any length necessary to complete a goal. It was his passion that led him to wage war against the Mandalorians, but also his passion that led to the horrific battles of Dxun and Malachor. It was his passion that redeemed Bastila Shan back to the light, but also his passion that made him attempt to wipe out half of the known galaxy to kill simply one individual. Revan put the same attachment into his lightsaber abilities according to every in-universe character who commented on the subject.

Kreia, Dorak, Zhar Lestin, Michal, etc. all agree that Revan had an "insatiable" hunger for knowledge, and in particular, combat techniques. It was said that Revan trained extensively on Dantooine, Coruscant, and other worlds, and would, oddly, continue to go back to various masters for more and more training even after his training was complete. Kreia says Revan learned faster than he could be taught, and once he learned everything he could from Kreia (which means, obviously, extensive knowledge on all lightsaber forms and Trakata), he had "other masters," including, but not limited to, Dorak, who served as the head Jedi Historian, having total authority and knowledge of the ancient Jedi's secrets and lore, and Zhar Lestin, the chief combat instructor of the era. Once he learned everything he could from them as well, he returned back to Kreia, who then mused that Revan had learned everything he possibly could from the Jedi Order as a whole, which implies complete mastery of, well, everything combat related.

He came to me, yes. Both before and after, before Revan knew himself. And after, in the times when Revan was coming into his own and learning he was more than he had been told. At one time, Revan was my Padawan. In times past, long ago. But Revan, when he had learned all he could , had other masters: that fool Zhar, and other Jedi on other planets. He learned from each. But in the end, he turned back to me. When he realized there was nothing more to be learned from the Jedi - except how one could leave them forever. Source: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords (Kreia)

Now, obviously one can dismiss this as hyperbole, but I don't think that's necessary true. From what we know about Revan, like I outlined earlier, he would go to any lengths necessary to complete his goals. Like also stated, he took this to the point where he tried to exterminate half the galaxy to kill the Sith Emperor in the process on the Foundry. So, when it's stated by everyone that Revan had an "insatiable" knowledge for hunger, which was then demonstrated when he apprenticed himself to countless masters, it stands to reason he wouldn't "realize there was nothing more to be learned from the Jedi" unless, in fact, "there was nothing more to be learned." That's just how he is.

All this praise would be pointless if he has nothing to show for it... but he does. Revan has many combat accomplishments, but I'll just highlight the main ones. Firstly, Revan interacted specifically with six unique races cultures on the battlefield: the Mandalorians, the Cathar, the Echani, the Rakata, the Jedi, and the Sith. All of them regarded Revan as the embodiment of a warrior. The Mandalorians, and especially Mandalore the Preserver, stated Revan was the greatest warrior in the Galactic Republic's history, which includes the likes of Exar Kun, Ulic-Qel Droma, Freedon Nadd, etc. For the Cathar, looking upon Revan and his allies were likened to "looking at gods," in which Revan in particular was "talked about all the time" and "seemed invincible." Revan slaughtered the Echani en masse, and yet they still "respected" him. Brianna mused that "he spoke through battle and tactics in a way one could never do in words" and that his fighting style was "like weaving threads in a tapestry, or strokes upon a canvas." The Rakata infamously regarded Revan as "the great warrior from the sky" sent to save them. Many even deified him. The ancient Sith, and Scourge in particular, believed that Vitiate's Sith Empire had no chance at defeating the Jedi Order with warriors like Revan in their ranks. And, obviously, Revan was the "greatest of heroes" and the "Prodigal Knight" to the Jedi Order, with numerous sources painting him as the most powerful Jedi of the era.

Ultimately, one doesn't receive such credentials listed above, nor easily bests the two respective champions of the greatest non-Force sensitive organizations of the era (Mandalore the Ultimate and Yusanis of Echani), without being among the greatest duelists in history themselves.

Nearly three thousand years had passed between the time the Sith had been driven from Korriban by Revan, and the day Kaan's Brotherhood of Darkness officially reclaimed this world for the order. Source: Darth Bane: Path of Destruction

Revan has slaughtered entire armies on numerous occasions. On Manaan, he wiped out an entire Sith Embassy. On Lehon, he killed "a thousand of the One's finest warriors." While these feats are immensely impressive in their own right, only Revan's cleansing of Korriban and the Star Forge will be discussed here.

The Sith Training Academy was located on the outskirts of Dreshdae, close to the Valley of the Dark Lords. It was a place where Sith were trained in a similar manner as the Jedi, with hundreds of students receiving instruction from Sith Masters. Star Wars: Jedi Academy Training Manual

According to the above quote, Revan fought "hundreds" of Sith apprentices, which doesn't even include an unidentified number of Sith masters. We also can assume that the two companions Revan took with him to Korriban were Juhani and Carth Onasi, for they are the only two with character-specific quests on the world. Carth Onasi is clearly not a more capable warrior than a Sith, apprentice or not. Likewise, Juhani is not significantly powerful or skilled either, being a failed Jedi padawan who specializes in the power of Force Stealth. Due to this, the duo would more than likely hinder Revan's capabilities of fighting the army, for he would also have to defend them from oncoming masses of Sith warriors.

Source: Knights of the Old Republic

Revan would start the battle coming in from the circle 14. First, Revan would have to fight his way in room 13, then down the long hallway connecting to the central room. In room 8, the Sith would be capable of assaulting from three separate fronts. Also, his companions would be located in the barracks on the left of the map. Thus, Revan would then have to fight his way to the barracks, defeat all the Sith located there as well, and then move back out to circle nine. In total, Revan would be slaying at least two-hundred Sith apprentices, all of which serve Sith masters which also would have been killed. Logically, this feat could have only been accomplished if Revan legitimately discarded a significant portion of his foes with just one attack. Otherwise, he would have obviously been overwhelmed. One should additionally note that directly before this, Revan fought the two most powerful Sith on Korriban (Uthar Wynn and Yuthura Ban), and two terentatek (dark side abominations in which it's stated that an entire squad of Jedi is generally required to subdue just one). In all, this gauntlet, which was performed long before Revan's prime and on a dark side nexus that hindered his abilities, is demonstrable proof that Revan is a high-end master combatant.

To stress the impact the dark side nexus had on Revan, read the below quote. Based on it, I find reason to believe Revan would have had difficulty offensively using the Force, perhaps even not using it at all. This feat, like Revan's battle on the Star Forge, should be interpreted as a lightsaber-based accomplishment.

Korriban is home to the Sith Academy, an evil reflection of the Dantooine facility. The dark side is everywhere on Korriban, and walking the path of the light side will be very difficult. After you’ve infiltrated the Sith Academy, you learn of a grand tomb located in the Valley of the Sith... Soon you may start to hear things such as harsh voices slowly drifting through the thick air. Your heart will begin to beat faster, and your skin will begin to itch under your collar with the urge to climb back into your ship and leave this soulless place behind forever. Korriban is a graveyard of Sith Lords and a former power base of the Sith Order... Its ominous halls resonate with the cries of anguish from those who are undeserving of the order’s dark power. Their stay within its merciless walls is short, brutal, and forgotten. For the very few who survive the Sith training and wish to complete their final rite of passage into the cold embrace of the Sith, they must face the Valley of the Dark Lords. Hundreds of ancient Sith sorcerers wait within the mausoleums. They lie in their dusty beds waiting to devour the weak and unworthy. The Valley seethes with the foul energy of a thousand restless spirits murmuring of sinister glories. Source: Knights of the Old Republic Prima Guide

We also have his duel with Darth Malak. It's well-known by now that before he fought Darth Malak, he first fought through a number of armies. The first threat Revan faced, alongside two of his companions, was the Star Forge's battle droids. They were capable of disintegrating Rakatan-grade doors with their firepower, but all were cut through. Darth Malak remarked that no Jedi of the Order could have been capable of such a feat besides Revan. Next, Darth Malak ordered all available Dark Jedi, Sith apprentices, and Sith troopers on the station to fight Revan, which were said numbered in "dozens" of "dozens." Said Dark Jedi were canonically stated to be "experts in lightsaber and Force-related combat" and "highly skilled duelists." The fighting went on for "over an hour," and all opposition was defeated. It is unlikely Revan's companions proved meaningful in the battle in any meaningful way. Even the most powerful of his companions, Jolee Bindo, hasn't proven himself as being more capable than an fully-fledged Dark Jedi.

Revan and his companions then confronted Bastila Shan, but she used the Force to incapacitated Revan's allies. Bastila Shan revealed that the Star Forge's nexus was far more powerful than Lehon, and the two fought. Using the Star Forge, Bastila Shan replenished her health many times, but Revan pulled through. Following the battle, Revan told Bastila Shan to call upon his Force power to resist the Star Forge's corruptible energies, meaning that Revan's Force capabilities would be further depleted. It should be stressed that the Star Forge's nexus is also significantly more powerful than that of Korriban's, so the prospect of Revan using the Force offensively for any of these feats are again slim. Moving forward, Darth Malak unleashed another army of the Star Forge's battle droids against him. It should be noted that Darth Malak believed this army, which was constructed from pure Force energy siphoned from the nearby star and corrupted to the dark side, to be capable of defeating Revan, suggesting it packed a greater threat than the armies of Sith and war-droids he previously sent against Revan. Nevertheless, Revan destroyed many of the droids and deactivated their terminals.

I should stay here, though. If we face Malak, I am afraid his dark presence will overwhelm me. It would not be wise to expose myself to such temptation. Source: Knights of the Old Republic (Bastila Shan)

Darth Malak is easily one of the most underrated characters in Star Wars. During the Mandalorian Wars, he was second only to Revan in power and ability among the Jedi Order. His dominance over the battlefield was even likened to Revan's military genius. As a Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Malak was reputed as among the most powerful Sith Lords in history, with his mere thoughts causing disturbances in the Force as per Bastila Shan. In terms of seen ability and skill, simply look toward his battle on the Leviathan. According to Carth Onasi, "Bastila doesn't stand a chance against Malak," and according to Bastila Shan herself, even the combined power of her, mid-game Revan, and Carth Onasi would be nothing to Darth Malak's power. This is visibly seen when Darth Malak managed to best her in what was probably under thirty seconds.

Note that Bastila Shan was among the greatest Jedi of her day, and was praised for her Force powers centuries following her death. Before her prime, she quickly bested a Dark Jedi in combat, fended off a Sith strike team that fought her on the Endar Spire, and killed a pirate with a simple kick. Her lightsaber, similar to Asajj Ventress, functions as both a double-bladed lightsaber and two separate lightsabers that can be utilized via Jar'Kai. In Star Wars sourcebooks, characters double-bladed lightsaber capabilities are established. There are three levels to skill. During Revan's era, the reigning Jedi Battlemasters happened to be on the first level of skill. The third level, however, is exclusively limited to Exar Kun, Darth Maul, and Bastila Shan. One does not reach such level of skill without, obviously, being an amazing swordsmaster.

Source: Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide

On the Star Forge, Darth Malak's Force powers were significantly more powerful than normal. He was deemed as "nearly unstoppable" and possessed "extraordinary dark side Force powers out of proportion, in game terms, with his class and level." This makes sense, because the Star Forge was among the most powerful dark side nexus' in history, with its very walls being infused with dark side energy by its Rakatan creators. Also, Darth Malak had eight Jedi incapacitated in stasis chambers. During the battle, Darth Malak drained their Force energy, which "replenished his life force. Most impressively, it is stated - and confirmed (here and here) - that Darth Malak's power on the Star Forge was "far greater than even Exar Kun." For more information on Exar Kun's abilities, check out i_like_swords' Exar Kun Respect Thread, but to summarize he is easily among the most powerful and skilled Sith Lords in history. Nevertheless, despite all the advantages Malak had and all the disadvantages Revan had, Revan still managed to pull through and best him. Once again, this feat should be looked at as a lightsaber feat, for the dark side nexus and Bastila Shan's bond would have been significantly dampening Revan's ability to call upon the Force, especially after fighting through multiple armies. This feat is proof that Revan's just as skilled - well, frankly, more skilled than - than someone like Darth Vader. A sub-Darth Vader duelist would not be capable of besting one of the most powerful Sith Lords in history, who has the the power of the Star Forge and eight Jedi to draw upon, especially considering the unfavorable circumstances.

Section IV: Toppings & Conclusion

In a lightsaber duel, Force augmentation is also extremely important. It's what moves Palpatine from a fragile old man into a whirlwind of destruction capable of discarding three of the Jedi Order's greatest swordsmaster. Revan, being capable of disintegrating Darth Nyriss-tier opponents and ragdolling Darth Marr, Satele Shan, and Lana Beniko simultaneously, is no exception. Revan's Force augmentation abilities are blatantly seen in The Old Republic: Shadow of Revan, in where he demonstrably holds his own against eight and seven man strike teams. Among each coalition force consisted Sith Lords, Jedi Knights, and non-Force sensitives with extremely capable weapons and explosives. Revan's speed allowed him to simultaneously battle all of them. Likewise, we see his immense Force reserves and endurance in his army feats, where he's capable of fighting wave after wave without faltering.

Revan's battlefield experience should also come into play. Revan's fought across two galactic wars and easily faced thousands of enemies across his career. Between all the Mandalorians, Echani, Jedi, and Sith Revan has faced, including extremely skilled ones like Mandalore the Ultimate, Yusanis, the Hero of Tython, and Darth Malak, Revan should be able to adapt and recognize fighting styles easier than most. Across his many battlefields, Revan likely also adopted parts of fighting styles from some of his Jedi and Sith opponents. This theory is based on the fact he did the same for his Echani and Mandalorian enemies. Ultimately, besides Luke Skywalker, I cannot think of another being in Star Wars who has been in so many engagements, especially against lightsaber-wielding opponents.

Referring back to Revan's fighting style in the opening part of the blog, Revan's utilization of Niman allows him to easily integrate Force powers within his fighting style. The notion that Revan would be defeated if a more skilled duelist "closed the gap" between them isn't true when Revan can still dominate them with the Force in close-quarters. After all, many forget that Revan ragdolled Darth Marr, Satele Shan, and Lana Beniko during the midst of combat. Likewise, Revan knows the rare power of teleportation, which he frequently used to navigate the battlefield on Yavin IV. If Revan is ever pressed in a situation, he can easily teleport away to safety, and then either readjust or batter his enemies defenses with his Force powers. This ability to teleport, like battle precognition, hosts a massive edge on the battlefield. How can you defeat someone when you can't even touch them?

To summarize, Revan is skilled in all forms of lightsaber combat and is a master of Mandalorian and Echani arts. His battle precognition presents him a clear edge over comparable opponents because he will always be one-step ahead. His battlefield accomplishments, ranging from praise from warrior cultures, butchering armies, and besting Dark Lords of the Sith, is proof of his capabilities. If Revan ever fights a less powerful but more skilled opponent, Revan can use the Force to bolster his speed, agility, reflexes, precision, and physical strength beyond that of his opponent, and then thus win without even having to resort to the Force. He can also rely on his wealth of experience, in which probability holds his opponents attacks is among one of the thousands he's defended against in his life time. And if he's ever in a desperate situation, he can always still use the Force to push his opponent away, or can simply teleport to another side of the battlefield. Finally, it should be addressed that Revan is like Darth Sion. His body is already dead, but is held together and fueled by his will and power. Anything short of a decapitation isn't going to stop Revan, and chances are the lightsaber in question is never going to meet his neck anyway, for one reason or another.