Azula vs. Galen Marek

After two days of prep time who will prevail in a fight to the death between the Dark Knight and the God of War?

Batman vs. Kratos

Friday, June 3, 2011

Anakin Skywalker: Warrior Bio



*Done!


Anakin Skywalker: 


Background: Color Scheme, Brief History, Downfall  and Great Battle
                     (Music video showing Anakin's Pre-suit Dark side battles.) 


Color Scheme: Red, Gold and Black

The Symbol of the Galactic Empire, a Sith Empire
 I have chosen these three colors to represent Anakin , two of which are the  signature colors of the Sith  , a personage which   he has fully embraced following Operation Knightfall (more to come on this later) , while the other represents pure power .Historically red has had a variety of associations, such as sin, guilt, pain, passion and anger, traits which could all  be applied to Anakin in some manner, whether it be in his deeds or personality. 


   Gold symbolizes wealth, prestige and above all, power (as well as Anakin's eyes). All of which were though to have been corrupting influences to the Jedi. To Anakin the latter would have been desired above all else as he desperately wanted the power to save his wife.By giving him a golden-yellowish  eye color like a snake's the symbolism behind that animal can also be associated with him. Vengefulness and Vindictiveness are two traits associated with the snake, and Anakin clearly demonstrated these traits   in his massacre of a Tusken Tribe, as well as in the duel with Obi-Wan where he sought the destruction of his former mentor for "turning Padme against him".


      Finally there is black, the color that is synonymous with Sith uniforms. In the Star Wars's universe it symbolized evil, dread and death. Anakin's very presence, even in pre-suit, came to radiate dread as he became increasingly involved  in the Dark Side (evil). Where Anakin went Death followed with him.   
Dark Side Anakin
( this is going to be an EXTREMELY streamlined preview. There is simply to much to be said of this man.)


          Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied "Chosen one" , said to be destined to save the Jedi Order, but ultimately  ended up destroying it. The Anakin featured here has just titled himself "Darth Vader" but lacks the suit that made him so infamous. He is at the maximum height of his potential.

     Born on Tatooine in 41 BBY (before the battle of Yavin in Star Wars-speak) Anakin was the son of Shmi Skywalker and an unknown father (later it was strongly implied that his birth was Sith engineered).  Anakin spent the early years of his life as a slave, first to a hut and then to Watto. A child prodigy, Skywalker excelled at mathematics and engineering, but he was also daring and adventurous. He would often risk his own well being to help others, such as when he secretly freed slaves of a species called the "ghostlings". His skills with podracing in particular  ultimately resulted in his freedom 32 BBY. It was during this year that he proved to be a phenomenal pilot, and proved instrumental in the Battle of Naboo. He also met Padmé Amidala, who he developed a crush on that would be lifelong. 


    After some reluctance on the part of the Jedi  council, Anakin was accepted into the Jedi Order and made Padawan (apprentice)  to Obi-Wan Kenobi. While I won't describe his years of training in detail here (like Kerrigan their will be a training section for him) it was evident to all that Anakin was a prodigy and he grew to bond with Obi-Wan, who he saw as a father figure. The full depth of their adventures, both before and during the Clone Wars, would be impossible to describe in this post. 

 As anyone who watched The Clone Wars would know , Anakin was assigned guardianship of none other then the now senator Padme. Over  the course of the movie he fell in love with Padme, and secretly married her at the end of it. Though their duties often kept the two of them apart, they remained deeply in love with each other . Anakin became somewhat of a hero figure of the Republic, and his friendship with Papalatine (secretly Darth Sidious) grew. A darker side all began to show its form, with Anakin slaughtering an entire camp of Tusken Raiders after they killed his mother, and his frequent use of Force Choke. He became obsessed with protecting the ones he loved, particularly Padme. 


Anakin Removing both of Dooku's hands, shortly before the latter's decapitation.


 Eventually this desire forced him to turn increasingly towards Papalatine, who gave him hope that he could keep him alive forever. Handing himself over to the Sith Lord, he helped institute the Great Jedi Purge, in which most of the Jedi around the Galaxy were killed. He personally led the assault on the Jedi Temple, slaughtering even innocent children. With this done he headed off to Mustafar, to annihilate the last remaining Separatists



Downfall: 
The final battle of Pre-Suit Vader


After destroying  the last relics of an old war, Anakin was initially overjoyed to see that Padme had come to see him. This joy turned to rage upon seeing Obi-Wan exit the starship, and he nearly choked her to death before giving into Obi-Wan's request to relinquish her.  After a few choice words to each other Anakin and Obi-Wan lighted sabers, and dueled. They dueled on the shuttle-pad, in the compound where Anakin had so brutally finished off the Separatist council, and on the pathways between before finally coming down to the lava flow. There Anakin, in his arrogance, made a classic tactical mistake when he assaulted the high ground and was torn in half by his old master. Though recovered and rebuilt by Palpatine, he was never again able to achieve the power that he had in his pre-injury form. 


 (Here you can see the entire battle scene between Obi-Wan and Anakin, as well as the ending) 



Full bio can be read here 



Greatest Battle: Operation: Knightfall
Clones overwhelming Jedi in the last hour of a 25,000 year old order. 



















"What I remember about the rise of the Empire is… is how quiet it was. During the waning hours of the Clone Wars, the 501st Legion was discreetly transferred back to Coruscant. It was a silent trip. We all knew what was about to happen, what we were about to do. Did we have any doubts? Any private traitorous thoughts? Perhaps, but no one said a word. Not on the flight back to Coruscant, not when Order 66 came down, and not when we marched into the Jedi Temple. Not a word."
―An extract from the Journal of the 501st



 From watching the movie, most people get the impression that the destruction of the Jedi Temple (Operation Knightfall) . It was actually a long and drawn out affair, and if George Lucas had included it in his movie (which for the life of me I can't figure out why he didn't), it would have certainly been one of the most spectacular battles in the entire series, much less the movie. 


  After the death of Mace Windu from Anakin's intervention, Emperor Palpatine institued ORder 66, his master plan to destroy the Jedi. He ordered his new apprentice Anakin, now christened as Darth Vader, to destroy the temple and all that resided in there, believing his apprentice dedicated to his cause. Sidious, however, did not know of Vader's true intentions for taking part in the raid on the Temple. Vader, realizing Sidious had been manipulating him all along after his admission that he could not save Amidala, intended to help destroy the Jedi because he knew they would never understand Windu's death in the context it would help save the one he loved against the will of the Order's tenets. He planned to assist Sidious in his plot to bring the the galaxy under his supreme rule, only to turn on his new Master once the Jedi were extinguished. Vader knew that the Order would object to the rule of a murderer once he took command, despite his intention of bringing stability to the galaxy's citizens through that means. He resolved that the actions he would take that night were necessary for his goal to come to fruition.


 Leading the entire 501st Legion, who were already earned their fame as a commando unit, Anakin marched to the temple, acquiring access after killing the gatekeeper. Clones were sent to every nook and corner of the temple to eliminate all Temple security forces and Jedi that they could find, while Anakin himself marched towards the archives. After dealing with the Librarian who refused to hand over to him a Sith holocon, Anakin next moved to the high council chambers in order to wipe out all resistance there.  Succeeding in this task, he placed a beacon recalling all Jedi to the temple as part of the mop-up campaign. Meanwhile Jedi Master Cin Drallig (who was Anakin's former Lightsaber instructor and battle-master for the order) had managed to penetrate through the clone barricade, forcing Vader to deal with him personally. 
Anakin dueling Cin while simultaneously throttling the life out of Padawan Bene via force choke
 In an intense two part duel, Anakin first fought and defeated Cin Drallig's duel wielding apprentice Sera Keto before turning on the old master himself. The latter duel was even more difficult then the first, though in the end in showed the mastery of Vader, as he finished off Cin while simultaneously choking the life out of another Jedi.  In a final act of bravado the last three Jedi masters present led a sallying force into the clone lines. After a brief but  viscous firefight these last stalwart defenders were cut down. In a grizzly conclusion to the battle, Anakin cut down the young-lings, ending the future of the order. 




OFFENSIVE CATEGORIES: 
                             (Suggested Reading Music: The Star Wars Empire Theme. Pause in the event you wish to watch another  video.) 
Close Range: Lightsaber, limited unarmed combat
Anakin's second light-saber, customized for optimum Form 5 performance. 


  No weapon more symbolized the Jedi then the lightsaber, and they have spent thousands of years perfecting techniques for it, eventually creating seven deadly forms (which will be detailed in the weapon section; this category shall focus on the weapon). Anakin specialized in the 5th form: Shien/ Djem So . There are few objects in the known universe that the lightsaber cannot cut through, and none of those few will appear in this fight. 


     In combat the light-saber  is a perfect weapon in the hands on an expert; being quick, powerful, and elegant all at once. Any application a sword or knife could have so could the light-saber, and in addition  a skilled user could easily deflect blaster bolts with it. The Lightsaber was regarded as almost a holy weapon to the Jedi, and after being trained with practice sabers as children they would have been required to undergo a ritual where they made their own. The particular lightsaber shown above would have been by Anakin's side throughout the entire  Clone Wars.
Hilt Smash
       Jedi did have some unarmed combat moves , though they were only really meant to be used in conjunction with the lightsaber. These  attacks could be augmented with the force by the user, i.e. a kick would send someone flying back. Some of the more aggressive Jedi (like Anakin)  would have used their hands to physically grab their opponents,  such as when Anakin grabbed his former master by the Throat on Mustafar. Hilt smashes and disarming techniques were also common, as well punches. In addition could use some force powers to enhance the lethality of both his fists and lightsaber, Galen Marek (who will be a frequent character in the videos, for availability reasons)  gives an excellent demonstration of some of Vader's force powers below. 
                                  ( Footage from Star Wars : The Force Unleashed) 


      The Lightsaber is going to be an excellent anti-armor weapon in this fight, as no armor that either side possesses can stop it.  In a direct contest with Kerrigan's natural weaponry it would almost effortlessly destroy them, which would force Kerrigan to commit to either precision strikes or back off and try a more ranged tactic.  When disarmed of this weapon all the  Jedi had to do was use the force to bring it back. The ability to use these in combination with a lightsaber can only be a plus!


 The weakness of this weapon is water. While it would be able to survive normal rain if it were to be submerged in water it would be inoperable for the rest of the fight.  In addition Anakin's hubris and over-confidence may lead him to try increasingly brazen attacks that the tactically minded Kerrigan would never consider(like attacking an opponent on the high ground!). Anakin would also be well advised to avoid any sort of hand-to-hand confrontation with Kerrigan, as she has been proven to be lethal in hand-to-hand combat and has studied numerous martial arts. 




                                              (Anakin vs. Dooku, round 2) 




Mid range: The Saber Throw
Sadly this is the best picture I can find detailing a Saber Throw


 Over the millennia the Jedi continued to master the lightsaber, eventually designing a way to use it ranged combat. The Jedi, whether by manually locking the blade in the 'on' position or holding in the activation button using the Force, could throw the lightsaber in a boomerang fashion, with it cutting its way through obstacles and (usually after deactivation) returning to the hand of the caster. Variations in the skill of users meant that some could hurl their lightsabers great distances, make mid-air course corrections, or keep them hovering in place.


    The Saber Throw is going to have a bit of a *suprise* factor to it, as Kerrigan has never fought anyone that threw their melee weapons at her, nor anything like a boomerang. The saber never really leaves the Jedi's control, and he will be capable of guiding into foes that are attempting to evade it.  Anakin, being a proficient force user, can guide it via  the Force into Hydralisks  before moving on to their queen.


  Unfortunately the downsides to this weapon are just as numerous as the ups. While throwing it he will have absolutely no anti-projectile armor, and will be vulnerable to Hydralisk spines or the C-10 rifle. Once thrown, Kerrigan's going to see it coming at her from a mile away, and could simply use her Telekinesis to halt it mid air. If knocked off course he will have to  summon it to him, during which time he will be vulnerable to nearly every weapon around him. 
          ( Saber Throw in the Game Knights of The Old Republic. Obviously in terms of this matchup such a blow would be fatal. )


*Long Range: DC-15x sniper rifle(Clone Sharp Shooter




* This is a unique weapon only carried by certain soldiers in the Grand Army of the Republic, and was unavailable to the average trooper. By including this weapon I have added a Clone Sniper to Anakin's posse. 
      
      The DC-15x sniper rifle is a modified version of the original DC-blaster rifle. It was renowned for its accuracy in the hands of a talented professorial, and had an additional sights with enhanced zoom. It fired powerful blue plasma ammo at its targets, which would shred droids and organics alike.  The downside of this firearm is that it only holds six rounds per clip, and cannot be used in full auto. 


     In order to fully analyze a weapon, we must also analyze the man that wields it. The clone snipers of the Republic possessed great vision, accuracy, steadiness and patience. They also received a unique flash training where they received the same training regimen of other great snipers. Clone snipers  wore lightweight armor in combat, which suited their style of fighting completely, especially if they had to move quickly. 


 The Clone Sniper is going to destroy any un-burrowed Hydralisk with ease, and should he land a direct shot on Kerrigan then this battle will end before it can even begin. His rifle, while lacking the full-auto capabilities and clip size that Kerrigan's does, out-ranges the C-10 and just about every other weapon here. 
Clone Sniper from the Battle of the Jedi Temple, about to pick off an unwary Jedi


    Thats not to say that the Clone Sniper won't run into problems in this match. In addition to all the problems listed above, he is going to have a hard time hitting Kerrigan for a variety of factors. For one Kerrigan is  telepathic and a strong one to boot. She'll know of the Sniper's intentions a mile before he takes a shot. In addition she is a extremely skilled sniper herself, and in a deadly cat and mouse game between professorial snipers I'd bet Kerrigan (if only for her powers). Lastly her cloaking is going to make it rather difficult for the Sniper to get a lock on her. 


     (Sorry but its one of the best videos I could find regarding the Sharp-shooter and his rifle)




Special: The Force (offensive only) :
* After some thought I have decided to include force lightning which Anakin never used in the movies 
Telekinesis (Force Pull, Throw, Push) :
Galen Marek pulling some stormtroopers towards him


 Jedi were masters of Telekinesis, and were able to go far beyond the standard levitation of objects. A Jedi could, if he chooses to, pull his opponent into something (like his lightsaber) or simply just pull him to the ground. This variant  was used mostly to off-balance their opponent or to get them into the Jedi's lightsaber. 
Should the Jedi lose his light-saber in combat he could use the Force to pull it to him. 




Another variant, the Force Push,  could be used to fling the enemy back, into walls or even off cliffs. When combined with a punch it would enable a force user to strike with the force of a pile driver, with lethal applications. Very useful at keeping someone away. 


  Finally there is force throw, which could be used to hurl people or objects into other objects or people. This is very similar to what one would normally think of as "Telekinesis". Anakin used this on Geonesia, hurling droid arms at advancing Geonesian warriors. 


Galen Marek slamming a stormtrooper into a wall
 With powers such as these Anakin has the ability  to keep Kerrigan perpetually off balance. Anakin will be able to use the enviroment to his advantage, and Kerrigan will need to watch for edges and any other enviomental hazards. Due to Zerg regeneration and Kerrigan's own Telekinesis(which will provide some resistance)  I cant see any of these powers  getting many direct kills, though it will be able to set up for one. 
                                   (An epic scene showing both force lightning, and power Telekinesis in action)
Animal Befriend: 
An Unlikely Ally? 




  Since Childhood Anakin has always had a special bond with animals, once nearly dying of heat exhaustion in an attempt to scare off a herd of Banthas from hunters. From this early empathy he eventually deveolped a force move called "Animal Friendship" or "Beast Tame", which he used in the Clone Wars.  In the battle of Geonesia he manged to tame and ride a reek for a while. 


     Hydralisks and Banelings are animals, linked to an overlord which is linked to whoever  is powerful enough to control the swarm (such as Kerrigan, the Overmind, and the Dark Voice) . Anakin will have the opportunity in to convert, though a bit of effort, the loyalty of one or two of Kerrigan's guard. Though she will be able to immediately sense the subversion via her telepathic powers, this could be a significant dis-tractor or could lead to further depletion of Kerrigan's brood, particularly if the Baneling is converted.  


Force Scream:



If a Dark Jedi was being beaten and frustrated by his foe, he might let out an enraged scream (amplified through the Force) that triggered shock waves that rippled through the Force. This caused devastation to any that were unfortunate enough to be in close proximity. Like many dark side force powers, it allowed the user to use powerful negative emotions as a weapon, albeit involuntarily in this case.
The Force scream has been called “a wave of hatred, amplified and fueled by the dark side, that is capable of smashing through mental and physical defenses with ease.” A number of references to Dark Jedi in Old Republic archives often mentioned the Dark Jedi violently losing control in the final moments of battle.

   A power only of last resort, Anakin  once used this power to collapse a building, and later to destroy a ton of droids at the conclusion of the movie. Against Kerrigan it is unlikely to kill, though it may blast her back enough to give him enough time to change tactics/weapons in order to finish the fight. 





Force  Choke: 
This is what happens to those that backtalk Vader...


  By far the most powerful of Vader's abilities, as well as the most frequently used,  the Force Choke is almost synonymous with Vader.  This insidious power grips the target by the throat, throttling them and within seconds either crushing the windpipe or causing a black out from lack of air as Vader demonstrated on Padme at Mustafar. The sole downside of the power is that it generally takes a lot of focus, and even the most adept with this move such as Anakin will be unable to utilize his choke hand while throttling. 


     All Anakin needs to choke Kerrigan is sight of her, meaning that he could be choking her before his sniper even gets into range. Regeneration will not help here, as once enough oxygen is prevented from getting to the brain it is too late.  Due to his immense skill with this power, he could even choke her while simultaneously engaging a Hydralisk, though this isn't advised. 


       Anakin will have cause to be wary though, as the moment she starts choking the Queen the forcus all of her entourage   is going to shift completely to him. In addition Kerrigan has Psionic powers of her own, and will not be flailing around helplessly throughout this ordeal. ..
                          (Vader choking a subordinate. He does this a lot)


Force Grip/Crush: 
Galen Marek gripping a Stormtrooper 


Very similar to Force Choke, the main difference between the two was that choke was used to strangle its victim, as it seems the usual method was to use the Force to crush the throat or windpipe of its victim, whereas Grip was used to literally grab someone with the Force. More powerful users were quite capable of lifting the intended target off the ground and moving them through the air. Also, the user was not limited to merely strangling their prey, but could crush organs or bones, or even the entire body. During the Clone Wars Mace Windu used this power to crush one of General Grevious's lungs, and Darth Vader was known to have used this on any officer that displeased him. At the height of his power  he was able  crush small vehicles on the Battlefeild with ease.


 Against Kerrigan this ability has all of the same benefits, and disadvantages, of Choke. Kerrigan is going to have a hard time regenerating anything that he crushes. 


Force Lightning(Limited) : 


Darth Sidious, one of the greatest practitioners of all time. 


 Perhaps the most powerful attack of a Dark Jedi, Force Lightning was a purely offensive power that channeled force energy down to the user's hands, which were then projected forth  in a giant arc of lightning. 
Skilled Practioners could have their lightning branch out into a dozen forks, targeting multiple targets at once. A victim of even a small jolt would likely suffer from the following symptoms: dizziness, temporary muscle spasms, temporary blindness,  and muscle weakness. Long Term exposure could result in permanent crippling and even death. Force Lighning is also dangerous to the wielder, and has been known to burn holes into the palm's of its users hands, drain the user of energy,  or even , well, we'll let Palpatine show you one of the side effects... 
Before...
After




   Other then the Episode 3 Video Game(which went out of cannon at a lot some points) , there are no sources stating that Anakin ever used this powerful technique. He may have known it, but he certainly didn't have the time to master it like the Emperor did. As this powerful  spell requires a FULLY living conduit , Anakin will only be able to utilize this power with his left hand, as his right was mechanical(original cut off during first duel with Dooku) . Anakin also will lack the skill to target multiple people, or even to utilize it for very long without feeling drained. At best (and remember all of you Star Wars fans, I am making a huge allowance by allowing him this power) he will be able to hit Kerrigan and maybe the Hydralisk standing next to her. 


            (Starkiller using his powerful force lightning. Note: What you see here is about 10 times stronger then Vader's)






Explosives!!: V-1 thermal detonator


The explosive of choice during the Clone Wars


    The Thermal Detonator was the primary  explosive of the Clone Soldiers (most typically snipers or assassins)  during the Galactic Civil War. For the chemical process behind this device I would like to refer to the Wiki's description "  The name was descriptive of the process by which the device explodes. Inside the shell, which was generally made of thermiteor axidite, was a sample of baradium, a highly volatile substance. A trigger emitted a short burst of energy that forced the baradium into a state of fusion reaction. This trigger could simply be a button. Some had a fail-deadly trigger, meaning that if it was released, it would set off the grenade. The result was an expanding particle field that could atomize any material that did not conduct heat or thermal energy within the fixed blast radius; typically five meters, though some had an even greater radius. "
                        (Some gamers being stupid with Thermal Detonators in Battlefront) 
 By the Clone Wars the Thermal  Detonator had replaced the standard and outdated frag grenade. The detonator could  either attached to a range sensor and used like a mine or thrown directly at the enemy in the same way a standard grenade would . Thermal Detonators had 6-18 second timer and up to a twenty meter radius. Unlike other grenades, anything outside the blast radius, even standing just outside the blast radius is safe. 


 According to the Wiki, the Thermal Detonator was really only carried by the Sniper, so he's the only one who will start with the device for this matchup. As a rather devious weapon, this small device could be placed at opportune spots of the Terrain, like a trail or near the flank of the group. As a handheld device its effects will be mixed, both against Hydralisks and Kerrigan. All Zerg have a remarkable ability to entrench themselves into the Earth in seconds, so if the Timer is too long it the Hydralisks will escape the blast. Kerrigan has her psionic powers to bring to her defense. She could either run away from it using her Psionic speed, burrow like her minions, or even use her Telekinesis  to toss it back as if it were a hot potato.  
                ( This trailer contains a great preview of a detonator blast, as well as a whole slew of great action scenes. Enjoy!)




Allies: 501st Legion


Soldiers of the 501st
 Perhaps the greatest soldiers in the entire Galactic  Empire, the 501st are deployed for the toughest fights, including the assault on the Jedi Temple.  They fought under Anakin  so often that they later came to be known as "Vader's Fist" and he always seemed to have had a fondness for this regiment. The 501st was instrumental in winning the Clone Wars, and a generation later would they would nearly strangle the  Rebel Alliance in its infancy at Hoth. 
    (For history this storied regiment please see this video and the following, both narrated by the 501st themselves).


   The original members of the 501st were arguably the best, as they were cloned from Jango Fett and flash trained. When the practice of cloning was halted and the ranks of the 501st were opened up to non-clone, many would notice a significant decrease in combat effectiveness. 
                                                      (Part 2 of the 501st Legion)


Primary Weapons: DC-15S blaster 
The Clone Trooper's weapon of choice


     The DC-15S was the smaller brother of the DC-15A. Though the DC-15A had greater range, the DC-15S was easier to handle , faster rate of ire and more accurate while containing the same amount of rounds in a cartridge. IT fired plasma rounds, which were noted for their lethality against biological targets.  The power setting was adjustable, and correlated with the ammo of the gun. At lowest settings it could be shot 500 times, while on the highest armor-burning settings it could only be fired ten times. The 501st proffered this easy to maneuver weapon over the cumbersome DC-15A.


  The fast draw of this rifle will be a significant advantage against the Hydralisks, who will have to rear themselves up in order to fire. The Protoss, who use weapons similar to the plasma rounds of the DC-15S, had great success at barbecuing Hydralisks, which leads me to think that the 501st will have similar success.


     The accurate range of the Hydralisk quills miraculously exceeds that of the DC-15S, and they may be able to tear into the 501st long before the latter gets in range. Except on its highest setting the DC-15S will be unable to put much of a dent into Kerrigan, whose armor and extremely high regeneration provides a formidable defense. Also these guns  will be susceptible to being disabled via Kerrigan's psionics.


              (Music Video for the Clone Troopers. The DC-15S can be seen at various points throughout the video)


Secondary Weapons: DC-17 hand blaster
The Standard sidearm of the Galactic soldier
    The DC-17S pistol was the last resort of any clone soldier on the battlefield, and were carried in quick holsters for fast draw (think Jesse James). The Heavy Blaster Pistol possessed the power that a blaster rifle had as well as the ammo type (plasma) , though this compensated for a lower accuracy range and a smaller clip (50 shots on lowest settings, 8 on highest) . Elite clone troopers were renowned for carrying and duel wielding two of these, and some particularly innovative clones added attachments to them such as scopes or  a revolving system. 


  The DC-17S Pistol is a clear improvement over the claws of the Hydralisks, who have to get extremely close to do damage to the clones (with their secondary weapon). The pistol has the advantage of accuracy over the claws, naturally, and any Hydralisk that tries to rush a trooper may receive a couple of rounds to their giant, elongated heads. 


 Like the rifle, Kerrigan's psionics will be able to disable or destroy this weapon. To add on to that I can't see this pistol doing much in the way of damage to Kerrigan herself,with the possible exception of head shots on the highest settings,  as she's routinely endured worse and lived. Hydralisks don't normally charge unless they have run out of quills or the enemy is to close to use that weapon, so more likely then not the pistol user is going to be facing a deadly hailstorm of spines rather then two rather slow-moving claws. 


Allied Defense: Clone Trooper Phase 2 Armor, Cover
Clone Trooper in Phase 2 armor


 The Wikia gives a phenomenal description of this type of armor :


"In the second year of the war, Phase II armor was implemented. The enhanced version's introduction saw a rise in personalization and the modification of one's armor. The state-of-the-art armor also featured an improved heads-up display in the helmet and put an end to the discomfort that came with sitting down. The armor itself was also more reliable in combat, and could sustain much more punishment from enemy fire, and some commando models had an ablative anti-blaster coating applied to reduce the effectiveness of heavier blasters fired from Super Battle Droids. Even with the introduction and widespread adoption of Phase II armor, however, some units and individual clones continued to utilize Phase I clone trooper armor.
Clone trooper armor was also equipped with and outfitted for many communications devices and similar technologies. The clone trooper's armor formed the foundation of an integrated communications system of which their vehicles, such as the LAAT, and other equipment formed part. Individual troopers could receive command signals and relay their status via this system, and could transmit video imagery from their helmet visors. Their helmets were equipped with a multi-spectral imaging system that could penetrate smoke, fog, and other typical battlefield obstructions. In addition, their blaster rifles could interface with their helmet displays, providing a video gunsight on their helmet's heads-up display. The armor was heat resistant, allowing clones to pass through shields as droids could, as well as deflecting glancing blaster shots and dampening direct hits enough to improve the soldiers chances for survival."
 The Armor weighed around 40 kilograms, and though it sacrificed some mobility for protection  it still allowed for  a reasonable degree of movement. It gave the wearer protection against most types of blaster fire, as well as against all projectiles but the armor piercing variety. In this battle I can see it providing resistance to, but not immunity from, Hydralisk spines, as well as their claws . As with the Zerg Carpace this type of armor is really going to suffer in a battle with the Zerg Leader, and though it may provide some resistance to the claws, every other weapon of Kerrigan's  is essentially going to ignore this armor. 


Personal Defense: Personalized attire, Force protection
Add caption


 There isn't much to tell about this, really. Anakin wore his own personalized robes, which allowed for maximum agility and comfort, but absolutely zero protection value. The darker-then-normal look clearly shows a change in Anakin's views, and how his views towards the  Dark Side has changed.


 These robes will do nothing to inhibit Kerrigan or her brood's attacks, though they will give him mobility points. 
Force Protection: 
Yoda on the verge of deflecting the lightning back at Dooku. 


   Here is where Anakin shines. Force protection utilizes the force to actually absorb the energy of a powerful strike, such as that emanating from a blaster or even light saber, and dissipate it. The Jedi council deemed this to be one of the most important skills that a Jedi could learn, and actually instructed their students in this power first, even before lightsaber training! While the basics were expected to be mastered upon graduation from the academy, development of these skills would come over an entire life time; for a Jedi was never done learning. The greatest of Jedi (we are talking about Yoda here) could actually nullify harmful force powers such as lightning and push! Anakin himself used this ability to block blaster bolts during the Clone Wars. 


 Though this power is no defense against Hydralisk spines or sniper round(which though charged with energy move much too fast), it is a great defense against low-mid grade psionic powers. This gives Anakin the unique trait of actually having a defense to the special category, which Kerrigan does not possess. As Anakin has not mastered this technique like Yoda has , in my view I can see it being used to successfully dissipate most powers save for the powerful psionic  and razor storms, as even Yoda would be hard pressed to do anything about those. 
                                                 (Force Protection in action)
Agility and Speed: Very Agile, Force Enhanced Attributes, Force Jump
Anakin in a Mid Air Duel with his master, Obi-Wan


 Anakin was well-known for his agility, frequently combining it with his force powers to out-pace his foes. He could use Telekineses to throw around heavy objects while simultaneously sprinting towards his foe, he could almost effortlessly dodge laser fire and even Geonesian sonic guns, and utilized an aggressive light-saber style that required high agility. He could use the force to enhance his speed, and was rarely seen out of breath.  While most Jedi could do this, few could match the skill that Anakin showed through his Force Jump ability. 


Force Jump 
Obi Wan leaping through the air
     The Force Jump was arguably the greatest acrobatic power ever taught to a Jedi, and many masters relied upon this power during lightsaber duels. By enhancing their natural leaping ability,  proficient Jedi are able to jump several times their body height, and there are tales of Jedi jumping up to Jet-packing enemies and cutting them clean through. Other then jumping up, it could be used to evade lightsabers or to close the distance between them and the enemy.   Anakin himself was renowned for his skill with this technique,  and could leap whole stories. 


   In this battle Force Jump is going to allow Anakin to get where he wants to be; in lightsaber range. This is the range where Anakin is in-arguably  most skilled at, and he has a great chance of dismembering Kerrigan here. Alternately he could jump out of the way of Hydralisk or sniper fire, lessening the kills of both those weapons, as well as jump away from a rolling Baneling. 


 The only potential negative consequence  of such a power is that he will be open to some of Kerrigan's psionic powers while in mid air, such as Telekinesis and Psionic Bolt. 


           (Great example of both Force jump and Force enhanced Attributes) 


Regeneration: Force Healing
Jedi Knight healing a fallen clone trooper


Initial levels required meditation, but greater aptitude usually granted faster regeneration, without need of meditation. Greater levels of attainment were also able to mend far more severe injuries, even complete damage to flesh and bone, even going as far as to mend internal damage, such as damage to the heart, lungs and so forth. This was shown in a more perverse form by Darth Vader, but was properly utilized by the most skilled of Jedi. However, there were limitations, stemming if not from the nature of Force healing, then at the very least from the individual, as Force-users were not seen to regenerate lost matter.


    Pre-Suit Anakin Skywalker hadn't mastered this ability yet, and he only known time he tried to heal someone he failed. Still that man had suffered grievous wounds, and I have no doubt that Anakin will be able to minor to moderate self wounds should he have the need to. 


 All-in-all a useful power to have, though its no Zerg regeneration, which is capable of regrowing even limbs!


Misc Abilities and Powers:Force Senses(Force Sight, Force Hearing and Force Sense), Force Rage, Dun Moche  


Jedi can sense enemies sneaking up behind them


        Force sense was one of the most basic Force abilities for a Jedi. It could be used to feel another being's feelings, the future, ripples in the Force caused by momentous or traumatic events, impending danger and the presence of the dark side. In Revenge of the Sith, Yoda was warned of Order 66, and was able to swiftly decapitate the clone troopers sent to kill him. Anakin was able to use his force sense to sneak into a Tusken raider village, and after encountering his dying mother he again used this power to search and destroy every Tusken around. He could also use the Force to enhance his sight and hearing, making his senses much stronger then that of an average human. 


 In this battle, force sense will undoubtedly serve to spoil many a Zerg ambush. 


Force Rage


      When utilizing this power the Force user would tap into his or her innermost fears, pain and hate, and converted them into an intense rage. The user could then channel the anger to increase his or her own speed, strength, and ferocity. However, the body could not handle such rage for long periods of time, so the user became greatly weakened for some time after the rage subsided. Anakin was well known for going into battle rages, such as when Tusken Raiders killed his mother and Asaj Ventress threatened Padme. 


     This power will be a mixed bag against Kerrigan. While it may give him the extra power that's need to finish her off, should she survive she may be able to turn the tables once Anakin burns out. In addition rage can make him sloppy, as his duel with Obi-wan so clearly demonstrates. 




Dun Moche:
The Sith aimed to completely dominate an opponent's spirit through whatever means possible by employing their own lightsaber combat doctrine. Dun Möch commonly involved spoken taunts, jeers, and jests that exposed the opponent's hidden, inner weaknesses and/or doubts, which had the end result of eroding the opponent's will. Such a thing could be quite deadly, especially againstJedi, since concentration was of vital importance when using the Force. As such, Dun Möch embodied using the Force as a form of psychological warfare.
   
   Concentration is key in any fight, and pissing off your foe is a tactic many successful real world duelists used to win a bout. The most famous example was Musashi Minaymoto, who deliberatly showed up late to duels. This pissed his opponents off as showing up late was regarded as a sign of disrespect in Japan, and Musashi would find the fight to be much easier now that his opponent was too riled up to think straight. In the Star Wars universe, Anakin made a fatal tactical mistake against Obi-Wan on Mustafar. 



 It could backfire though, and Anakin is yet again an example of this. Two times Count Dooku used this technique on him, and both on Tatooine and in the battle at the beginning of the third movie Anakin used his rage to defeat him. Kerrigan, as a practitioner of psychological warfare, may not be easy to rile up herself, but should he successfully manage to accomplish this he may get more then he bargained for. 




Tactics/personality: Great Tactician, Preference on straightforward tactics, Led from the Front, Leader amoung Men,  Extremely Brave, "The Chosen One", Passionate, aggressive  fighter, Very Confident  
Anakin Skywalker and Padawan. Personally I always liked how he portrayed in the cartoon series more then I did for the feature film. 

       Anakin, though hot-headed, was a great tactician whose brilliant mind won the Republic, later the Empire, many victories. Bold and daring, he would wait until he was just outside the enemy formation before opening fire, which resulted  in the enemy having precious little time for evasion. His tactics are fairly straightforward and predictable, but was capable of deviousness. One example was when he tricked Count Dooku into thinking he had Jabba the Hutt's son, when really it was his Padawan who carried the child. 




   Like Kerrigan he usually  led from the front, earning the respect and loyalty of the rank-and-file. He did not fear death for himself, only for others, and so never hesitated when entering combat. Throughout  the entire duration of the Clone Wars he was a front-line commander and special operative, so he was familiar with the horrors of combat. 


 As "the Chosen One" who was destined to bring balance to the force, Anakin had skill that few other Jedi possessed, and had Mustafar never happened he would have become the greatest Jedi in history.  Arguably the most powerful force user in the galaxy,  he often utilizes these powers to turn the tide of various fights. 


 Anakin fights with passion and determination, for reasons detailed in the motivations section. His main fighting style, Shien Djo, demands passions and aggression from its wielder, and Anakin is seldom on the defensive. He possesses great confidence in himself, his men, and his plans, and sometimes just believing in yourself can turn the tide of a battle. 


Motivation: Padme and Power(Ends Justify the means) :
What Anakin fights for..


      Anakin fights primarily for two reasons; Padme and Power. As everyone who has watched Star Wars knows (and pretty much everyone in the world has), Anakin was married to former Naboo royalty Padme Amidala, a woman who he had harbored a crush on for ten years. Passionate in her defense, towards the beginning of Revenge of the Sith he became increasingly besieged by nightmares of her dying. The Chancellor-later-Emperor Palpatine was used his fear of her dying to slowly bend him to his will by promising him the secrets of immortality, and it was from fear of losing her that Anakin amputated Jedi Master Mace Windu's hand, allowing emperor Palpatine to kill him. 




      Darth Sidous quickly revealed that he did not know the secret of immortality, but promised his new apprentice that they would seek out the secret together after the destruction of the Jedi. He ordered  Anakin to assault the Jedi temple, believing his apprentice to be securely behind him. Sidious, however, did not know of Vader's true intentions for taking part in the raid on the Temple.Vader, realizing Sidious had been manipulating him all along after his admission that he could not save Amidala,ntended to help destroy the Jedi because he knew they would never understand Windu's death in the context it would help save the one he loved against the will of the Order's tenets. He planned to assist Sidious in his plot to bring the the galaxy under his supreme rule, only to turn on his new Master once the Jedi were extinguished. Vader knew that the Order would object to the rule of a murderer once he took command, despite his intention of bringing stability to the galaxy's citizens through that means. He resolved that the actions he would take that night were necessary for his goal to come to fruition. 


  After he finished slaying the remnants of the Seperatists, he again returned to these thoughts, thinking of how he would seize power as soon as learned the secrets of immortality. Had he won the duel with Obi-Wan, this might have happened...








Training/Experience/Quality of enemies: Jedi Training, The Clone Wars, Appointed by the state to command/lead, Leads from the Front, Quality of Enemies: Very High
The Only foe he could never conquer


      Upon entering the academy at age 9, Anakin was rigorously instructed in the ways of the Jedi. The wiki gives a great description of the process : " Initiates were placed in clans and learned together for over a decade along a strict, structured regimen of academics. Taught political strategy, galactic law, the sciences, and language, students were also taught the ways of the Force and its three applications: Control, Sense, and Alter. As each student passed through the academy the classes became more difficult. Taught Forms I through Form VI of lightsaber combat by highly qualified instructors, Initiates practiced with training lightsabers until they crafted their own in the caves of Ilum. Following passage of the graduation tests, Initiates were eligible to be selected by A Master or Knight for one-on-one training.


Training did not cease after graduation from the academy. Padawans continued to train in the ways of the Jedi with their masters on long journey-missions or on brief assignments from one of the Councils. Some pairs traveled with the Service Corps on specialized missions related to diplomacy or exploration. Praxeum ships were used as academies away from the confines of the Temple for extended study and research. As a Padawan, students set their own schedule to work around assignments and missions. Master-Padawan teams lasted for years, typically over a decade but had no set time period. When the student had learned all they could from their master, they were recommended to the High Council for the Trials of Knighthood. The Trials took place over a period of time and if they were completed successfully the Padawan was knighted."


     As a Sith orchestrated conflict between Seperatists and the Republic mounted into a full scale war, Anakin increasingly found himself at the center of it all. He was one of the first Jedi on Genosis, and he managed to hold his own against Sith Lord Dooku, though his hand was lobbed off in the melee.  Chancellor Palpatine appointed the Jedi to command the clones, and Anakin soon found himself a general. He made a name for himself as one of the central players in the war,  scoring victory after victory and becoming a Republic hero. In nearly every battle he was at the front, leading the troops(in particular his favored 501st) and earning the respect of his men.   His participation was instrumental in many battles, and he literally beheaded the Seperatist Leadership in a battle over Coruscant. After his conversion to the Dark Side, he was instrumental in winning the climatic battle of the Jedi Temple (Operation : Knightfall) , extinguishing the Jedi order. 




    Anakin fought some of most formidable foes the Galaxy had to offer; varying from Sith Lords to Jedi to Zombies (yes, you read that right)  to droid armies, and he pretty much triumphed over everyone save Obi-Wan. His wide range of experience will help him in dealing with the biological Zerg. 




Martial Arts/Fighting Style: Talented martial Artist,  Form V: Shien/Djem So, Excellent Duelist


  Though hand to hand combat was never a Jedi's specialty, Anakin was able to hold his own in a fistfight, and could combine some moves with his lightsaber style. Anakin was arguably one of the  greatest practitioner of the Form V: Ligtsaber styles of all time, and even Count Dooku was said to have admitted as such. 
      
     Form V was split into two parts: Shien, considered the classical Form V, was more adept at blocking blaster bolts, whereas Djem So was developed later and intended for lightsaber combat. Both Shien and Djem So were designed to use an opponent's attack against them, as evidenced by Shien's focus on returning blaster bolts to their origin and Djem So's emphasis on immediately striking back after a blow. Although some Jedi felt that Form V encouraged aggression and domination, that sentiment did not stop many Jedi from practicing the form. Each style had a weakness, such as Shien lack of effectivenss in duels and Djem So's lack of mobility. 


    Anakin combined these two forms with his own amazing mobility  in order to take advantage of both of their advantages and none of their disadvantages. Anakin fought a panoply of impressive opponents, ranging from other Jedi to a lord of the Sith, and rarely lost. The only real exceptions to this rule is his final battle with Obi-Wan, and his initial encounter with the Count. 


Personal Weakness: Arrogance,  easy to piss off, Rage
The Fruits of Anakin's Hubris


       In order to understand how these traits could fuck up Anakin's day, I will give a brief analysis of each first.  Anakin was well known in the order for his arrogance, and by 21 years of age he considered himself better then all other Jedi save Yoda. He was quick to anger and often became enraged  during battle. Though these traits  did have a lot of positive and did help him win some fights, they could backfire horribly. 





 It was because of these three traits that Darth Vader lost the duel on Mustafar. Master and Apprentice were too evenly matched for either to secure a killing blow, resulting in a stalemate. Ultimatly the battle ended on the banks of a lava river, where Kenobi leaped to safety in order to claim the high ground, pleading with Vader to concede defeat and return from the dark path. Goaded on by his overwhelming pride and seething rage, Vader ignored his fatal tactical disadvantage and attempted to make the same jump so to continue the duel, only to be severely maimed and immobilized by Kenobi's blade, which severed both of his legs and his left arm.


  In this battle it will be important for Anakin to control his rage and arrogance against Kerrigan, who was well-known for her skill with Psychological warfare. 









9 comments:

  1. Great preview on Anakin so far, KoTOR was a great game, I played both in the series. Unfortunately, I never was able to play Battlefront. LMAO, what game was the saber throw pic from?

    I'm also surprised about a few things having to do with the lightsaber. First, I'm completely stunned that water would render it inoperable, I thought Jedi were the wisest people in the galaxy...LOL.

    Also, There are weapons called "vibroblades" that are used in KoTOR that can in fact deflect lightsabers, and their use was common in the Old Republic. I don't think that will impact this matchup, but it's worth mentioning. Love the new features in the profiles, and excellent so far!

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  2. Holy crap, you are getting done with this very quickly! My compliments, the sections all seem to be very well done. I have only about enough time maximum to spend on my own blog to do one or two weapon profiles per day, and since most categories have two weapons it's taking me a while. Again congrats on your rapid progress, I'll be watching you closely and recommending this to others!

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  3. I'l be curious on this match up. Altough i dont like Anakin much himself, i prefer Yoda, Obi-wan, Sin drallic, darth maul, Revan and Qui gon jinn much more then mama boy skywalker, i do hope he is going to win this match up. Also i believe that the prohpesy was not on him but was his son Luke Skywalker.

    Lastly, i do know that the forcelighting was used by anakin in d egames of episode 3, maybe that will change youyr mind a bit

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  4. Awesome!Anakin has this in the bag. And I didn't know Christopher Lee played Count Dooku (in the two videos he appears on this post,I can't help but be reminded of him as Saruman in the LOTR trilogy). Also come see my self-Intro that I finished, and tell me what you think.

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  5. Yesterday I've made a comedy special if anyone wants to see it.

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  6. My opinion on the edges.

    Short range: Anakin. I believe that the combined power of the lightsaber and the superhuman reflexes, will be powerfull enough to beat the body of his opponbent.

    for midrange: i believe that the psi blast is better. For the lightsaber, the user has to wait for its return and the psyblast is easier, more unpredictibel and better to fire again.

    Long range: Kerrigan. I believe that her weapon will be more manouvreble and can be used in more conditions than the sniper.

    Special: Slight egde anakin. The powers of kerrigan are in my mind more meant to attack armies and the attacks are bigger, longer but aslo take more energy and loading time. The forcepowers are more suble and better to uise in a one to one battle.

    explosives: kerrigan. The banelings can run towards the opponent or be used as mine. altough both warriors can hurl the explosives bvack to the user

    Allies: slight egde to kerrigan. Those creatures are just bigger and have great protection. altough the egde is slight becuae i feel that they can be overrun by the guns.

    Personal defence: kerrigan, she has some sort of protection with anakin having to rely on the force. altough her armour is useless against the force and the lightsaber

    misc powers: even. Both can spot each other from a mile away no matter what kind of cloacking each warrior uses.

    x-factor: anakin. He is a very passionate figter and if he gets mad or angry, he will do everything to win and does not know any form of mercy. The sith used emotions against their fullest potention in bioth confusing the enemie as making themselfs stronger.

    Motivation: even. They both crave more power and will be convinces that they must destroy their opponernts to do that.

    training: anakin. I think he is more used to one to one duels. also against opponetns were once being hit by their sword it is game over.

    Martial arts: anakin, again he is more used to duels and the whole fighting style is based around it. altough kerrigan could also get the egde since she can make use more of her body as a weapon.

    personal weakness: even. They have both the same flaws and in an ideal match they both piss each other off and fight in rage with no seeing their surroundings.

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  7. Hey dude :D Once more you've wowed your readers and set a new standard for the rest of us to follow. I have to say that I'm really indebted to you for showing me a better level of quality.

    I love how you've really expanded on the force powers as well as done an indepth look at Anakin's personality and fighting style. I really enjoyed the level of detail you've put into this and it makes it all the better for your fans ;)

    Also you used some great video and pictures to go along with weapons and powers in this. Great job explaining about the clone troopers in detail. That was splendidly done :)

    I'm looking forward to more :D

    Ta

    Master of the Boot

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  8. Awesome job with both warriors! Anakin is probably still going to win. Don't forget check-out my part2 of Rough Riders vs. Boer Commandos (in progress).

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  9. I think I have to agree with the edges Ares pointed out.

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